Benz and a Backpack

Should outs to my man Mike for putting me on to this today. This song was released a few days ago. This is the best track I’ve heard that speaks on the issue of whats going on in Arizona. Talib Kweli just dropped a new album with with long time partner, Hi Tek, for their Reflection Eternal album titled “Revolutions Per Minute”.

DOWNLOAD: Talib Kweli – Papers Please

Unfortunately, this is not the first time that the State of Arizona has gotten national attention for pushing laws that are considered racist. About 20 years ago, Arizona did not want to part take in the national holiday of MLK day. Public Enemy, which was the one of the only political rap groups of its time was the first to respond to Arizona’s actions with this song…

Tweet This Post

We’ve seen a couple collaborations between Snoop and CuDi of late, the most recent of which (“I Do My Thing”) was produced by none other than Dr. Dre. All old school Snoop (and tree) lovers take notice: there’s a new toker in town.

CuDi’s making waves not only in the music world but also in the realm of television. He plays the bottle-popping, easy-going Domingo on HBO’s newest hit series How To Make It In America. CuDi’s character is peripheral (so far), but the show itself taps into hip hop culture in a big way: the two main characters were raised on hip hop in New York City, and now in their late 20′s and with little direction in life they team up to start a denim line called Crisp.

Hit the skip for new CuDi X Snoop, plus a full Mixtape Monday stuffed with goodies from all over the industry (including the very first single off Drake’s upcoming official album AND the first four episodes of How To Make It In America!).

Kid CuDi ft. Snoop Dogg – I Do My Thing [prod. Dr. Dre] [prod. Watts & Ringo]

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Little Brother – Curtain Call

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Drake – Over [prod. Boi-1da]

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Read the rest of this entry →

Tweet This Post

While some of these joints are kind of weak and just awkward in comparison to the artists’ later, more developed releases, the potential the young rappers display is undeniable. For the most part. This week’s selection includes very early appearances by some of our favorite names in hip-hop.

Organized Konfusion featuring O.C.: “Fudge Pudge”
Pharoahe Monch and Prince Po’s debut album, and this is the only track with a guest appearance!

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Mood featuring Talib Kweli: “Peace Infinity”
This album, Doom, was the beginning of Hi-Tek’s career. This is how he was introduced to Talib Kweli. Pre-Black Star and pre-Reflection Eternal!

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Read the rest of this entry →

Tweet This Post

Already, twenny ten started with a bang- or, as I like to say, a bong bong! So far:

• The Reflection Eternal mixtape (featuring Jay Elect and J. Cole!),
• Raekwon’s Coke Up In Da Dollar Bill,
• Emilio Rojas’ The Natural,
• Jay Electronica’s Victory, and
• If you didn’t catch it, Mark McGwire admitted to using steroids earlier today…

What’s To Come

It will only get better; with the promise of the new Rae, Ghost, and Meth group/album, the forthcoming Strong Arm Steady album (produced entirely by Madlib), releases from Luda and Lupe, Statik and Black Milk, Random Axe, Redman, and The Roots. Em’s Relapse 2, Nas and Damian Marley’s Distant Relatives, new Kanye, Cudder, and J. Cole. And sheeit, that’s just touching the surface of hip hop!

For our indie heads, you’ve got OKGO, Vampire Weekend (…), Animal Collective (yeaboi!), and the Cold War Kids. But 2010 holds more than just the promise of good music. Next month Vancouver will hold the 21st Winter Olympics, then in May the World Expo will be in Shanghai, and on June 11th the FIFA World Cup will kick off in South Africa.

2010 marks Obama’s second year in office, and with health care tucked securely under his belt still hanging in the balance, we can only hope that there will be the opportunity to tackle other equally pressing issues like unemployment, terrorism, and climate change.

To that end, 2010 holds the promise of the US’s first plug-in electric car (courtesy of Chevrolet, called the Volt and scheduled to drop in November). To charge the Volt, one need only plug it into a standard household outlet and it will be powered for 40 miles (which exceeds the distance of the average American’s daily commute). Beyond that point, minimal gas is used to propel the vehicle 300+ miles!

Big things are already poppin’ in twenny ten, and there is much, much more to come. Hit the skip for 15 brand new tracks from the Wu Tang and Wiz, Strange Fruit Project and Statik, Ryan Leslie and Wale, Bun B and Jump-Off Joey, plus an unreleased Drake verse for his smash hit Successful.

Read the rest of this entry →

Tweet This Post

That’s right, the Chef is back, and he’s better than ever. Let’s look at his menu:
Appetizers:
Blood On The Chef’s Apron (Mixtape), Staten Go Hard (Mixtape)……………………$0.00
Ill Figures ft. M.O.P. & Kool G Rap………………………………………………………$0.00
Radiant Jewels ft. Sean P & Cormega…………………………………………………..$0.00
Entrees:
Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II…………………………………………………………………$12.99
Dessert:
Coke Up In Da Dollar Bill (Mixtape)………………………………………………………$0.00
Beverages:
New Wu, Have Mercy, Pyrex Vision……………………………………………………..$0.00
House of Flying Daggers, Surgical Gloves, Catalina…………………………………..$0.00

*Note from the Maitre D: Although nobody had a more complete 2009 than Raekwon, he wasn’t the only one stirring the pot. Hit the skip to hear 10 of my favorite cuts from ’09, including J. Cole, Slaughterhouse, Jay Electronica and many more!
Read the rest of this entry →

Tweet This Post

Download: Reflection Eternal feat. J. Cole, Jay Electronica, and Mos Def – Just Begun

Tweet This Post

If you’ve spent New Year’s Eve in New York City, then you know that it’s the best. I’ve been in relative withdrawal over the past two years though since I spent last New Year’s Eve bed-ridden with the flu and two-years-ago New Year’s Eve on a 14-hour plane ride to Ghana. This time around everybody I know is converging on the City like moths to a flame; from Miami, New Bedford, Houston, Nor Cal, Taiwan, and Israel, and without a doubt they’ll make this NYE a night to remember (Walter Lord style, not High School Musical). To prep you we thought we’d hit you with 30+ tracks, both semi- and brand-new, that’ll have you ready to rumble come Thursday night (and btw we’ll be all over town: first on the Lower East Side, then uptown, and finally north of the City to rest our heads). Find new music under the cut from Jay Electronica, Brother Ali, Mos Def, Black Milk (!!), Reflection Eternal, Tanya Morgan, J. Cole, Raekwon, The Cool Kids, Nas, AZ, and more. Plus, we have a bunch of freestyles over Drake’s Fear (Styles P, Young Chris, et cetera) side-by-side with the original, so leave your comment about who hits the beat the hardest.
____________________________________________________________________________________

Reflection Eternal ft. Jay Electronica, J. Cole, & Mos Def – Just Begun

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Raekwon – Happy New Years!

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Exile ft. Aloe Blacc and Co$$ – So We Can Move (remix)

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Lupe Fiasco – I’m Beaming

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Brother Ali – Blizzard Rap ’09

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Read the rest of this entry →

Tweet This Post