Chi Town Videos

I have a couple of them to share, old and new. This first one is Common and Pharell in a new track titled Announcement. A lot of people criticize Common for several different reasons. Some hate him for being a 'conscious rapper', some hate him for the commercials he's done and claim he's sold out, and some claim he's just not that good. But this is the man that made the track I Used to Love H.E.R. which is still one of my favorite hip hop songs ever, and this song is hot so stop hatin'!

Second we have Kanye with another dope video, this time for the introductory track from Graduation titled 'Good Morning'. This video was released last year but the quality was so poor and since this video is so strong it deserves proper fanfare. 

How many rappers would even think of hiring a contemporary Japanese pop artist like Takashi Murakami to do their album cover, much less a video? That's what makes Kanye such a creative figure in the modern hip hop landscape. He is an innovator and this video is evidence.

Kicks

More Wale, albeit not new Wale so don't get too excited. This is off the Hate is the New Love mixtape which is a couple of years old but I have been listening to this song a lot recently. Maybe this is due to the fact that I went to a midnight release to get the Jordan 5/18 Pack last Friday or maybe it's my love for sneakers and freshness in general. 

 Either way Wale brings his usual style, which is itself incredibly fresh as he claims early on the track that he "...stunts easier than Mark Price free throws. How can you disagree with those Grape Jordan V's he's rocking in the pic. Songs like this have caused Wale to be characterized as 'hipster rap', which just like hipsters brings very negative connotations. But I resent the characterization, just listen to Mixtape About Nothing, there is more to Wale than the deplorable hipster who AdBusters credits with bringing an end to Western civilization as we know it. 

Wale- Kicks

My President Sold Crack

What a beautifully blunt remix of Young Jeezy's My President Is Black. The song entails BK Cyph laying into Ronald Reagan, and other recent American leaders, for about 4 minutes as he points out the ludicrous nature of the whole Iran-Contra affair coupled with the war on drugs. If you don't know about this the Reagan administration took money it made from selling arms to Iran and put it into funding an anti-communist group in Nicaragua, who made the rest of their money from drug trafficing, and you can guess where a good portion of those drugs went as the crack epidemic was exploding in America. During Reagan's hellish two terms he managed to simultaneously fund the drug trade with his actions, yet at the same time vilified drug dealers in the ghetto and made them the source of all America's problems with the War on Drugs. And people still wonder why we lost the war on drugs. And people still look up to Ronald Reagan! 

BK Cyph- My President Sold Crack

Pop Music

This is the image that most people associate with pop music, or at least something similar. For most it is a hellish creation that no matter how hard we try to escape it always somehow finds a way to our my musically attune ears and it kills us to hear it. 

It's true, the current pop music scene is deplorable. When bands groomed by Disney like Hannah Montana and others fill arenas with young adolescents who somehow manage to get their hands on tickets that are well out of my price range. I freaked out when I paid $40 to go see Nas this Friday, but these shows for Hannah Montana and the likes are selling out in minutes, and if you missed the slim chance on ticketmaster, you were forced to pay prices that reached triple digits. Insanity!

But pop music isn't all bad, and here are a few tracks I've been feeling recently. They aren't going to change the world in any way, pop music rarely does, and these songs will be soon collecting dust on my hard drive in a month. Part of this is due to the fact that very soon these songs will be everywhere from blasting out of every college party and bar to my sisters speakers. But there is some guilty pleasure I have always derived from pop tunes, but lately I've come to peace with these guilty pleasures. Music is supposed to be fun, and all of these songs I've enjoyed in one instance or another recently. 

A couple of T.I. tracks with good features. The first is a track he did featuring The Dream, who is all over everything these days with that spacey sound that makes it perfect for summer. The chorus is so cheesy it's enjoyable, another trademark of pop music. 

T.I. ft. The Dream- Like I Do

This one is with T.I. and Rihanna. Anyone who tells you they didn't like Umbrella is lying, and the same goes for Justin Timberlake's My Love which came out a few years ago, which coincidentally featured T.I. who seems to have a great ability to mold his street style (he is awaiting trial that could land him in prison) into something that fits very well into a pop song. This track is perfect evidence of this as the beat is more flowery than what T.I. usually tackles but the flow works and the wordplay is decent. 

And I'd rather listen to Rihanna on the hook than T-Pain at this point, who seems to be the only other viable option in this day and age. 

T.I. Ft. Rihanna- Livin' Your Life

This last one I really like. Futurecop, who I hadn't heard of until I stumbled upon this mix that remixes Ciara's One Two Step. The result, as you may have guessed, is pop magic meant for the late summer nights rollin' through your city. 

Futurecop/Ciara- 1, 2 Step

Flosstradamus

Flosstradamus just did a mix for Diplo's Mad Decent Podcast, which you should get on if you aren't subscribed to it. Podcasts are a beautiful invention which delivers you free music on a reliable basis without the endless searching and frustrations of sound quality, but I digress. 

If you don't know about Flosstradamus they are a DJ duo out of Chicago, although one member has roots in Kalamazoo (the one on the phone). They have been steady putting out good stuff including a song that was released a couple years ago that I still listen to on beautiful summer nights, Overnight Star. A song sticking in my rotation for such a prolonged period is no easy feat, so if you haven't heard it give it a listen and I promise you won't be disappointed. 

This new mix was created as a recent history of Chicago House/ Ghettotech music. I'm a huge fan of Chicago house but Ghettotech brings rise to mixed feelings. This mix is very sexual, and I'm not talking about boy band or pop music sexual, I'm talking Spank Rock/you might need to shower after cause you feel dirty sexual. But dancing is a very sexual activity, so I can't judge. All I can do is turn it up and start moving to the beat, which is what I recommend for all. Don't listen to this sitting at your desk. 

Flosstradamus- Mad Decent Mix

Swagger Like Us

 Usually I don't like songs with more than 2 or 3 rappers contributing a verse, but I think all can make an exception for this one. This song reads like a who's who in hip hop, and beyond that it samples M.I.A.'s super jam from last summer, Paper Planes of course, for the hook. What else do you need? No introduction needed, you can recognize who's on this track from the second they open their mouth.

All I will say is this is my jam for the remainder of the summer, and probably the fall as well. 

T.I., Kanye West, Jay-Z, Lil' Wayne- Swagger Like Us (S.L.U.)

Fireworks at Lake Michigan

So this isn't new whatsoever, but  Young Berg resurrected this for me with his comments about how Kanye isn't hood enough.  Apparently, the other big Chi-Town MC's like Lupe and Common aren't hood enough either, but remember this is the dude that made The Business. I mean after watching that video can he honestly comment on who's hood and who's not? This is more R&B Jam than hood banger (besides the song just isn't good). And it's not like he's talking about up and comers with these comments. Kanye>>>>>>>>>Young Berg. 

We Bring it To Em Like Usain Bolt

This song actually has very little to do about the fastest man alive, but the song does feature Wale as well as about a million others in a feature heavy song which I usually am not interested in simply because it's difficult to get so many different verses from so many different people with so many different styles to form a song that is cohesive. 

But I love Wale so whatever. 

Wale ft. Young Chris, Freeway, Beanie Sigel- Cyphr

The Wire

I've been watching the last season of The Wire on my computer obsessively over the last couple days, so it's about time I post something from the mixtape by Sha Stimuli that was inspired by the Wire. I love watching these last episodes, but I keep telling myself to slow down because once I'm finished with this season there will be nothing new and I may actually have to do something academic again. Mixtape available for free here. 

Anyways, here are a couple songs. This first one is featuring Skyzoo, another BK favorite. 

Sha Stimuli- Cop & Go

This other one is more laid back and introspective. I love it when Sha accelerates the flow but manages to keep his words clear. 

Sha Stimuli- What I'm Gonna Do

My President Is Black

More Jeezy from the upcoming Recession with Nas contributing a verse. If the last few songs I've heard from Jeezy are any indication, this album is going to be way more political than people think. This song joins the other Obama rap songs that have been created in the past few months, but what sets it apart is that this is Young Jeezy. Most Obama songs are by the much maligned 'conscience rapper'.But Jeezy is the man that made Trap Star (T-R-A-P-S-T-R) and My Hood, both songs that I loved when they came out.  By the way, Recession comes out September 2nd and the anticipation builds for me with each new track.

Young Jeezy ft. Nas- My President Is Black

More Rhymefest

I know I've been posting a ton of stuff from him lately, but all these songs that are finding the light of day are so solid that they must be shared. Before all these songs leaked and his Man in the Mirror mixtape I was a fan of Rhymefest, but with his recent (and not so recent) work I have come to view him in even higher esteem. 

This song is a fine example of that. This is off an old EP titled Raw Dawg. A few tracks from this have been released and I think this one is the strongest. I can't imagine a better flow for this song as Rhymefest works the beat with ease and makes the whole song so smooth.

Rhymefest- In Time 

Pennies

The first single off the 'Cool Kids' upcoming album titled 'When Fish Ride Bicycles'. It's just what you'd expect from the Cool Kids as the beat is laid back with heavy bass and a Chuck Inglish verse that is chock full of Pistons references. 

Auburn Hills, Michigan home of the Palace

The place on the map where Isaiah beat Magic

Throwin' elbows makin' Rick Mahorn habits

With the 8 9 Bad Boy hammer on my cap

Cool Kids- Pennies

Birds and the Bees

This one made my weekend. Rumors have been floating around for a while about this Lupe Fiasco track that was produced by Kanye, and it has been liberated. Apparently this is off some old CD full of unheard Kanye beats which in the modern day is practically the Holy Grail to a hip hop fan. Anyways here it is. 

Lupe Fiasco- Birds and the Bees

High Fashion Music

This summer both Justice and Daft Punk made 15 minute mixes for some big name designers. Daft Punk made a mix for Louis Vuitton and Justice hooked up with Dior. Both of these groups are French, so I guess it makes sense that they would do something like this, but I always thought of Justice as an electronic duo with a much more cryptic sound. Daft Punk seems like the more natural fit, and I personally like their mix better. 

No disrespect to Justice, but Daft Punk have been around the block more than a few times while Justice has only been together roughly 3 years. If you like Kanye's 'Stronger' this mix is dominated by the Daft Punk song Kanye sampled 'Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger', and a little Kanye is even thrown in. How huge did Kanye make this song? Before 'Stronger' it was popular but no were near where it is today. This mix is crazy.

Daft Punk- Louis Vuitton Mix

This one is typical Justice, which means its great. It's darker than the Daft Punk mix and doesn't have any Kanye samples. But in many ways Justice is the next in line of great European electronic music duos, right behind Daft Punk, so check it out. 

Justice- Dior Mix

It's Louis Vuitton Don Night

So we gonna do everything that Kan like!

First the video for 'Champion', which I have to say is one of my favorite songs off 'Graduation', and that album is full of tracks that have dominated my speakers at some point. But on a serious note if I see one more person rockin' the cheap version of those Kanye shades I'm going to snap them in half. Stop jockin' Kanye!

This first track is apparently the song that got Kanye noticed by Dame Dash in terms of rapping and eventually lead to him being signed by the Roc. It's crazy to think of how creative Kanye is sometimes. Not only did he create some of Jay-Z's greatest beats like 'H to the Izzo' but he also has gone on to become one of the most successful rappers in the world. And he isn't going to stop as he is rumored to produce Blueprint 3 with his mentor No I.D. 

Kanye West-Wow

This track is one Kanye did with Rhymefest when Fest was still an aspiring Chicago MC and not yet the Chi-Town version of King Kong. I'm more of a fan of Rhymefest's newer stuff but this shows his progression so well. I'm not saying this song is weak, but my preference is for the politically charged Fest, but the menacing flow and passion is still there.

Kanye West & Rhymefest- On 10 in a Benz

Chi-Town's version of King Kong

In case you didn't know, it's Rhymefest. Apparently Rhymefest has answered complaints of fans like Prometheus.

This is some of the new stuff from Rhymefest, the first video from El Che. Track below. 

Rhymefest- Stolen

Here are a couple tracks that have come out recently. This first one is so much like Dynomite off 'Blue Collar', which isn't a bad thing. 

Rhymefest- In Between

This one was produced by DJ Jazzy Jeff. 

Rhymefest- Force of Nature

Jockin' Jay-Z

I posted about this last week, but the CD quality track was put out tonight. For starters, it doesn't sound like garbage cause it wasn't recorded live at the Garden and Jay-Z adds an extra verse to start off the song. Blueprint 3 is going to be crazy. Rumors are going around that Kanye will produce the whole thing, old school shit! 

Jay-Z- Jockin' Jay-Z

This Kid Is The Future

Ok, Lupe isn't a kid, but he is the future (and the past and the present). This one is unreleased, and I think the title of this song is the reason it is unreleased, it would destroy his image! But I love it, Lupe's flow is sick in this one. 

Lupe Fiasco- Gangster Up In Here

Theo

Coming out of none other than Providence, Rhode Island, not exactly a hip hop hotbed, but this dude is good. Theo just dropped a free mixtape titled 'The Birth'. Plus Theo raps over some crazy tracks on this mixtape and can adopt a few different flows to match them. Plus he pays homage to the late great J Dilla with a track titled 'Dillagence' which uses a Dilla beat. Download this mixtape for free here. 

Here takes on a bit of a quicker flow as he raps over Annie Lennox. I love this beat!

Theo- There's Meaning 

 

 I have to throw up this 'Paper Planes' remix for those who don't have it, also involving Annie Lennox.

DJ B. Cause- Annie Lennox+Paper Planes

You know I love Dilla, so I'll throw this track up. A Dilla beat automatically makes any flow/verse better. 

Theo- Dillagence 

Here We Go Yo

I first heard this remix of A Tribe Called Quest's 'Scenario' a while back in some Diplo mix, but here is the individual track. It's short (about 2 minutes), but those horns are crazy! It sounds a lot like the Rocky theme song horns to me. So triumphant!

A Tribe Called Quest- Scenario (Bobby LaBeat Remix)

Blueprint 3

Jay-Z is so big that just the mention of 'Blueprint' gets people excited , and why not the man is a living legend. After he pulled that Rock the Bells guest appearance, he appeared with Kanye West at Madison Square Garden for Kanye's last Glow in the Dark Tour stop. 

What happened was Kanye introduced a beat off the 'Blueprint 3' and as the bass dropped out come HOV and the crowd went crazy. I don't think anyone could here what he was saying in there, everyone was just so crazy. Here's the video and the track for download. 

That bloke from Oasis said I couldn't play guitar

Somebody should have told him I'm a fuckin' rock star

Today is gonna be the day that I'm gonna throw it back to you.

BLUEPRINT 3 from kwest on Vimeo.

A quick minute and a half snippet. 

Jay-Z- Blueprint 3 (Live)

Barack Odrama!

Young Jeezy is getting set to release his new album in about a month titled 'The Recession' and this is the latest song of it. At the start, he commands his audience 'yall better vote for Barack Odrama!' I'm feeling this song, despite a kind of weak hook. Jeezy is going beyond the typical drug/trap/crack rap (whatever you want to call it), without completely leaving it behind which I love. He is becoming way more political, check this lyric.

God damn another trial

I think Bush is trying to punish us

Send a little message out to each and every one of us

Real G shit well that's really unheard of

When you get more time for selling dope than murda

Young Jeezy- Crazy World

Here's a video of Jeezy hookin kids up with Jordans and school supplies at a bowling alley. 

Find more videos like this on .

Double O (Kidz in the Hall) Assaulted

I usually wouldn't post something like this but DAMN! Kidz in the Hall performed a show in Tempe, AZ a while ago and following the show Naledge was arrested for trying to interfere with a police investigation regarding a fight at the club. Double O meanwhile, was busy getting beat down by what looks like a gang, but the back of their shirts read security. Here's the video. 

Of course the news story that proceeded this one in the AZ Central was titled 'Hip Hop Artist Arrested at Tempe Club'. It also states that Double O was not hospitalized when in fact he was hospitalized and had a plate placed in his eye socket from the laceration he was given by security. The comments on that news article are too much by the way. Some racist shit. 

It should also be noted that Kidz in the Hall met at  an IVY LEAGUE College (UPenn). It's not like these guys are gangster rappers or anything like that. They were probably the smartest people in the club that night. 

Missed Opportunities

At the start of the summer I was thinking about attending the hip hop festival Rock the Bells, which I went to last summer (It was crazy!!!) But since it wasn't coming to the Mitten I figured I would try to catch it in NYC, the hip hop Mecca. Work obligations prevented this and I was pretty bummed considering the lineup read like a list of my favorite artists, many of which have appeared on this blog. 

It included A Tribe Called Quest, Nas, Mos Def, Method and Redman, Ghostface and Raekwon, De La Soul, Rakim, MF Doom, Dead Prez, Murs, Spank Rock, Kid Sister, Cool Kids, Jay Electronica, Wale, Flosstradamus, The Pack, and Afrika Bambaattaa. I mean DAMN. 

But to make me feel worse, apparently JAY-Z came out with Nas and did 'Black Republicans'. The crowd absolutely lost it, and I would have too.

But that's not all! Talib Kweli came out with Mos Def and did a Black Star reunion. AND Busta Rhymes came out with A Tribe Called Quest for 'Scenario'. I mean how dope must this show have been! And how dumb am I for passing. 

Here's Busta with the Tribe . Look at him runnin' out there! He brings so much energy!

Sweet Lord

Not long ago, Murs and 9th Wonder dropped a mixtape titled 'Sweet Lord' which you can download for free.  If you don't like drug and gangsta rap, this one if for you as pretty much all the negative connotations that people love to associate with hip hop are no where to be found on this mixtape. Murs and 9th Wonder are both unique people, and I'm not the biggest fan of what is typically labeled 'conscious rap' (I hate that label, but this by many would be considered conscious rap) but I think this mixtape is good. 

Murs and 9th Wonder- Are You Ready?

I love the flow of this track. A great list of Loveable things which includes Jordan's, Women, the Dodgers, Apple Jacks, and Obama. 

Murs and 9th Wonder- And I Love It

Enjoy the Show

This is an early Cool Kids track, pre-Bake Sale, pre-Gold and a Pager. I love songs that are just flow and this fits into that category as Mikey delivers solid flow for over 2. 5 minutes. 

Cool Kids- Enjoy the Show

Here also is the video clip from the Cool Kids Black Cab Sessions. As the two get a cab ride one makes a beat and another puts down a freestyle.