New Common – Universal Mind Control
Old buddy and ACL partner in crime Chris sent me a link to this new Common joint featuring Pharrell. “Universal Mind Control” is the title track from Common’s upcoming album, due in stores November 11.
Anything that sounds futuristic and like an old school Newcleus B-side is OK in my book.
Public Enemy at Pitchfork’s Festival
In the annals of classic hip-hop, last week’s Public Enemy show at the Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago has to go down in the books as Historic.
Chuck D., Flava Flav and the boys performed their classic, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, in its entirety.
Here’s “Rebel Without a Pause”…
I saw P.E. perform “Rebel” 20 years ago at a concert in Milwaukee with LL Cool J and Whodini (and..?) – long before the hipsters grabbed hold of “It Takes a Nation…” Aren’t I awesome?
Roots Rising
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-nyyQrmiQ0 336 278]
The Roots – Rising Up (feat. Wale & Chrisette Michele) (Video)It’s been a long time since I’ve exclaimed “that’s my JAM” but after hearing this record I did not walk, I ran to get my hands on The Roots latest masterpiece Rising Down. Seriously I’ve had this joint on repeat and I never do that.
Buy Rising Down: Amazon | iTunes
Links: Official Site | on Last.fm | on MySpace
Hot Stuff: Santogold
A few months ago I caught some buzz on Santogold as someone to check out. At the time, her record wasn’t out, and I simply forgot about it. This week I found a slip of paper (amongst many) on my desk that said simply ‘Santogold.’ Coincidentally, her album dropped in the US this week.
This might be my pick for 2008 so far.A knee jerk reaction would be to compare her to M.I.A. However, that comparison is unfair to both parties. Sure, there might be some stylistic similarities in some of Santogold’s tracks, but she’s hardly “this year’s M.I.A.” Rather, Santogold is straddling the fence between indie rock and hip-hop/dance. The current single, “L.E.S. Artistes,” is very much in the rock idiom. Check out the video (she also performed this tune on Conan recently):
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Hot track!
Other parts of the album are more in a hip hop/dance vein, and are executed equally well. For example:
Santogold – You’ll Find a Way (mp3)
Give the album a spin. This along with the new Roots and Jamie Lidell albums are basically all I’ve been listening to all week. Three hot releases in one week – score!
Buy:
Transforming Hip-Hop: Flobots
It’s been awhile since a tune I heard on the radio made me sit up and pay attention but that’s exactly what happened the first time I heard “Handlebars” by the Hip-Hop collective Flobots. Socially conscious and politically charged and completely live this is the visceral type of Hip-Hop that keeps me believing despite the crap they pass off as rap these days. The group was recently signed to Universal so I imagine you’ll be hearing and seeing a lot more in the near future. Stay tuned and check out the original video for the track that got me hooked.
Buy Fight With Tools: Amazon | iTunes
Links: Official Site | on Last.fm | on MySpace
Can I Kick It?
Yes you can! The annual Rock the Bells tour line up has been announced and it is, for my dollar, the most jam-packed bill of any tour crossing North America this year. Headlining the trek is the reunited members of A Tribe Called Quest, Nas, Mos Def, De La Soul, 1/3 of the Wu-Tang Clan and the master himself Rakim. So indeed, “before this, did you really know what live was?”
De La Soul – Buddy (Native Tongue Decision) (Video)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTkxCwEZx3A 500 418]Check the rest of the line up and the dates after the jump.
Ohmega’s Platypus Strut
Ohmega Watts is a hip-hop producer / MC from Brooklyn. Nestled within his impressive most recent release, Watts Happening, is this funky, old-school, afrobeat-licious instrumental groove called “The Platypus Strut”.
Everyone should have a personal theme song or two to play in their head (or iPod) while they’re walking down the street. For me, this may have to join the Commodores’ “Machine Gun”, Kool & the Gang’s “Jungle Boogie”, and Prince’s “Sexy MF” in my list of “walk down the street like a bad-ass” theme songs.
What’s your theme song?
Ohmega Watts – The Platypus Strut (mp3)
Buy Watts Happening
OhmegaWatts.com | myspace.com/ohmegawatts
On the Road: Ohmega Watts is spending February on the road with New Orleans funk-jam-meisters Galactic. Details here.
Help Take Hip-Hop to the Super Bowl
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Internet buzz can take you a long way, maybe even to a 60 second clip during the Super Bowl. That buzz is reaching a fever pitch for the New York based Indian influenced Hip-Hop act Nivla Feat. P.Oberoi. The crew is one of three finalists for the chance to win a record deal with Interscope Records and more importantly 60 seconds of premium air-time during the Super Bowl. Mixing traditional Indian melodies over slick beats and a flow that just does not stop the group stands to bring a breath of fresh air to a by in large stale Hip-Hop scene.
You can place your vote at www.crashthesuperbowl.com
Buy: “Be Easy (Koi Naa)”
Link: Official Site | MySpace
What the Kids are Listening to: Flo Rida
The # 1 song in the country, folks, is “Low” by Flo Rida.
It’s your basic club hit of the month. The same machismo / underlying misogyny, the same “baby girl” references, the same drum machine programming. Same same same. But it’s blowin’ up.
What grabbed my attention and sounded the alarm on the easily annoyed side of me was the name. Flo Rida. “Flow Rider” from Florida. Clever. As the calendar turns again to another year, these are the simple things that increasingly annoy me. The simple fact that the #1 song in our nation is performed by Flo Rida. With special guest T-Pain, of course. It’s always T-Pain or Akon.
So I’m ready to join up with a label and discover some new talent. My first acts:
- Ari Zona – Hasidic hip-hop act, a la Matisyahu, comin’ at you straight outta the deZert.
- Cal I. Fornia – New bubblegum mainstream Country act. Sort of looks like that country guy from the first season of the “Real World”. I see duets with Kellie Pickler. I see a 21st century Hee Haw. I see him impregnating Lindsay Lohan, Britney Spears, Jamie Lynn Spears, and Aries Spears. I see the twilight of his career spent in a trailer with Uncle Kracker and K-Fed.
- Minnie Sota – Dammit it’s time for a Nordic Hannah Montana from the Land of 10,000 Lakes! Hit singles: “He Grabbed My Lutefisk (and Stole My Heart)” and “Ya Darn Tootin’ (I’d Move to Bemidji with You)”.
Who am I missing?
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Ickmusic Giveaway: DJ Axel – Breakin’ the Law
Okay, so here’s the deal. This is not quite a “giveaway”; dear friends of Ickmusic you are going to have to work for this one. There are 52 faces on that record cover and whoever can name the most faces by November 9th wins a shiny new copy of DJ Axel‘s mash-up masterpiece Breakin’ The Law. If more than one person names them all I’ll toss the names in the hat and draw a winner. You can click on the file to see a larger version. Leave your entry in the comments and good luck!
While you are working on picking faces from the crowd dance in your chair to the lead off single:
DJ Axel – Push It Fergasonic (Fergie vs. Salt N’ Pepa vs. JJ Fad) (MP3)
Note: It does not appear that you can purchase this anywhere at the moment! I’ll be sure to update with a link as soon as it becomes available. In the meantime get to naming those names!
Link: Official Site | MySpace
