Filed under: Music, Television, Videos | Tags: Eclectic Method, Jersey Shore, MTV, remix, The Jersey Shore Remixed, Tiger Woods Press Conference
I’ve featured the Eclectic Method on R&S before (here and here). But they’ve done it again with “The Jersey Shore Remixed”. This is awesome and is actually a pretty good recap of the entire series.
I want the Tiger Woods Press Conference Remixed next.
Filed under: Canada, Hip-hop, Music, Olympics, Sports, Videos | Tags: Canada, Classified, Hip-Hop National Anthem, Oh Canada
As our great nation ramps up the Olympic nationalism to a fever pitch, I thought today would be a good day to share a hot interpretation of Canada’s national anthem. Props to Classified for this, the Heritage Moments are classic.
Now, if you’ll excuse me I’m gonna be spending the next two weeks trying to win the binge drinking gold medal.
Filed under: Movies, Music | Tags: B-Side, Bill Withers, Bill Withers movie, Lean on Me, Living Legends, Still Bill
Everyone knows Bill Wither’s “Lean On Me”. It’s an absolute classic track and one of only nine songs to reach #1 twice, recorded by two different artists. Mr. Withers is the creative genius behind such powerful songwriting, yet he is rarely mentioned among the all-time greats from the ’70s. The reason for his lack of spotlight is definitely not due to lack of quality songs, as Bill is also the muse behind gems such as “Ain’t No Sunshine”, “Use Me”, “Grandma’s Hands” and “Lovely Day”. The true reason has more to do with the man himself. Bill has always been skeptical of the fleeting nature of fame, even refusing to quit his menial job after recording “Ain’t No Sunshine” because he didn’t trust the music industry. This aversion to the limelight led Bill to walk away from recording all together in 1985 after his last studio album, which shortened his professional music window to just 15 years. Yet his brief and unorthodox career continues to live on…
Sampled by everyone from Kanye West to Cunninlynguists to The Fresh Prince to Teddy Riley, Withers has been embraced by crate diggers and hip-hop heads for his classic sound and unrivaled realness. His songs are from the soul, they tell real-life stories and are always expertly crafted. Bill has always been hailed as one of his generations best songwriters. But finally, for all the gifts this man has given the world of music, someone has decided to take a detailed look into his life and mind and shine the light back onto one of the true living legends.
The good folks at B-Side released “Still Bill” in 2009, and it features amazing footage, photos and interviews with the man himself, his family and friends and other artists such as Sting and Angelique Kidjo. If you live in the NYC, you can check it out at the IFC Center. If you aren’t in the big apple, you can pre-order the DVD, which is slated to drop sometime in the Spring.
With the recent loss of Teddy Pendergrass, there are only so many great voices from the ’60s and ’70s still around. Let’s not wait for them all to pass before we give them thanks for their amazing gifts and celebrate their influential careers. Bill Withers is definitely “Still Bill”, and any fan of the man, his music or his era would be slipping hard if they missed this flick.
Filed under: Clips, Hip-hop, Music, Nerds, Toys/Figures | Tags: 36 chambers, Da Mystery of Chessboxin, lego, Wu-Tang Clan
Ever wondered what the classic Wu-Tang Mystery of Chessboxin’ video would look like if it was given the lego treatment? Well thanks to some cat named Davo you needn’t wonder any longer. I thought the endless puzzles in lego Batman were time consuming enough but damn!
Filed under: Hip-hop, Movies, Music | Tags: Artistic expression, Copyright Criminals, Copyright law, DJ Q-Bert, Mixmaster Mike, PBS, sampling in hip-hop, The Funky Drummer
Every hip-hop head knows James Brown’s “The Funky Drummer”. You had heard the drum countless times, in various forms, before you ever even realized it was the Godfather of Soul. De La Soul’s “Oodles of O’s”, Eazy-E’s “We Want Eazy”, Ice T’s “Original Gangster” and even Kris Kross’ “Jump” all sampled from the classic track (amongst others), yet that would never be evident to the layman. Such is the beauty of sampling, and one of the biggest arguments for its validity as a form of authentic musical expression.
The movie Copyright Criminals, which will be televised tonight on PBS and available on DVD January 26th, takes an in-depth look at the magic of sampling, the musicianship behind manipulating and recreating a sample and the history of the sample in popular music. According the movie’s website:
Copyright Criminals examines the creative and commercial value of musical sampling, including the related debates over artistic expression, copyright law, and (of course) money.
With insight from hip-hop legends such as Chuck D, Mixmaster Mike, Q Bert, El-P, Shock G and Pete Rock, this movie is bound to shed light on one of hip-hop’s most powerful tools. Hopefully, it will also clear misconceptions for those of you who don’t see the validity or creativity in producing a beat using sampled snippets of other works.
I have always felt sampling was one of the most creative forms of musical expression and marvel at the musical genius of producers like Kno, DJ Premier, Ant, Dr. Dre and The RZA who are able to take a song or break and bring it to life again, only better, stronger and more developed. As if the sample is a caterpillar and the finished beat is a butterfly.
It’s not like groundbreaking artists such as The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and Elvis Presley didn’t effectively sample from the artists they were listening too. Yet they are considered three of the most influential artists of all-time. Just listen to Willie Dixon’s “You Need Love” and then listen to Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love”. “You Need Love” samples can be heard throughout Zep’s popular version. Did Led Zep steal Willie’s song or did they just want to infuse the spirit of it within their own track to create an even better song that paid homage to their vital influences?
So now you know where R&S stands on the sampling issue. We love it. What say you?
Filed under: Hip-hop, Music | Tags: 306, LeVar Burton, Martin Luther King Day, MLK, MLK Tribute, Random, Stevie Wonder
Good morning everyone. Enjoy the day, and don’t lose sight of the memory and sacrifice of one of the greatest people the world has ever seen. Dr. Martin Luther King was an inspirational activist, orator, preacher and father who gave so much to help so many. Give thanks for his good works and keep the spirit of MLK alive today as you go about your daily business.
By the way, this video is courtesy of R&S favourite Raheem “Random” Jarbo and his dynamite MLK tribute track “306″ (the room number at the Lorraine Hotel in Memphis where the Dr. was shot and killed). Great tribute from a great artist.
And check out this MLK vid featuring none other than Stevie Wonder and LeVar Burton!
Filed under: Comedy, Hip-hop, Music, Television | Tags: DJ Pauly D, Dorrough, Ice Cream Paint Job, Jersey Shore Guys Dancing, JWoww, Ronnie, The SItuation, Vinnie
I will be the first to admit that I love the Jersey Shore. Can’t miss television. Check this video of the Jersey Shore proto-guidos, Vinnie, DJ Pauly D, Ronnie and The Situation, getting their gangsta groove on while dancing and Jerzing out to some terrible rap music courtesy of some cat named Dorrough. Much like the show, it’s hard to look away. And don’t forget about JWoww.
Is it just me, but are Ronnie and Vinnie both genuinely funny guys?
Filed under: Music | Tags: colon cancer, Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes, R.I.P., Teddy Pendergrass
Sad day in the world of music, as former Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes lead singer Teddy Pendergrass passed away last night at the age of 59. Teddy Bear had recently undergone surgery to combat his colon cancer and it appears he succumbed to complications from that.
Although best known for his smooth and sensual vocals and helping to discover Whitney Houston, Teddy was also an inspiration for those with disabilities, as he had been paralyzed from the waist down after suffering injuries during an auto accident back in 1982.
Teddy was a pioneer of Soul and R&B music and had one of the great voices of all-time. He will be sadly missed.
Filed under: Hip-hop, Movies, Music, Videos | Tags: Lupe Fiasco, Rap-Rock, Solar Midnite, Twilight: New Moon soundtrack, Vampires, Werewolves
I try to avoid anything with the Twilight taint like the plague, but I stumbled upon this video over on the great blog for Profound Aesthetics and got sucked in. The video is for Lupe Fiasco’s newest track, “Solar Midnite”, which is from the Twilight: New Moon Soundtrack. While a new Lupe song is always cause for celebration, this particular track is different. Lupe gets his rock on. Don’t worry, you can forget any thoughts you just had of Limp Bizkit or Linkin Park. This is some Rap-Rock that is actually good.
Lupe had this to say about the track:
“Solar Midnite is my first commercial release that I actually produced as well as wrote. The New Moon team asked me if I could do a song specifically for the film. They invited me to an early screening of the unfinished film from which I pulled different elements that I thought would translate into a great song. I pulled in vocalist and bassist Graham Burris and acclaimed musician Matt Nelson to help fill it out my vision musically and “joila” Solar Midnite was born. The song basically deals with the chaotic love story that takes place between the characters. It’s more on the rock side of my musical catalog and comes straight from my die hard fanhood of Red Hot Chili Peppers and Anthony Keidis, one of my FAVORITE RAPPERS.”
I know this track has been out for awhile, and 16 year-old girls everywhere have undoubtedly already played this song out while fantasizing about forbidden vampire love, but I still felt it was worth a share, especially if you are like me and run the other way when anyone mentions the T word. And go check out Profound Aesthetics when you’ve got time. They run a great blog and produce some amazing t-shirts. Don’t sleep.
Filed under: Hip-hop, Music, Videos | Tags: Let There Be Horns, Minotaur music video, RJ's Electrical Connections, RJD2, The Colossus
Former Def Jux beat wizard RJD2 is coming out with a new album, The Colossus, on January 19th. In true RJ style there is an insane video, directed by Thom Glunt. “Let There Be Horns” gives us a glimpse into the life of a love-lorn Minotaur as he deals with modern society and its pressures. Hilarious. Ramble John himself makes an appearence at the end as the antique shopkeeper and instigator of Mino’s “bull in a china shop” rage. Such a good video, totally works in sync with the song and funny to boot.
Can’t wait for this album. The Third Hand wasn’t very good, although the instrumental version was alright, but from this video and the first leaked single, “Games You Can Win”, I am all aboard for The Colossus. Deadringer and The Horror, his stuff with Soul Position and Aceyalone and his various other side jobs are all excellent, and a return to form is a good sign for the coming decade in music.
Check out this serious quote from RJ, describing the mindset that is fueling his return to musical prominence:
“I have been SERIOUSLY busy in the last 2 years; and very little of it has to do with twittering. At the risk of sounding all corny, I feel the need to say something that’s important to me: I’ve realized recently that I do music, make records, LISTEN to records, tour, and generally hole myself up in the studio because I love it, not cause its my job. Its become as natural as breathing, and keeps me sane-most of the time. Im much more concerned with making a timeless record, than with how to sell a record nowadays. Also, if you don’t see me posting left and right on whatever the most current social networking site is, its not cause I don’t like being social, its cause I feel like our time on earth is very very short, and that the most I have to offer this planet in my little window of time here is through the vessel of music. I would rather leave behind something you can hopefully use a little more than an update on my belly button lint. Hopefully, a catalog that speaks more volumes than all the blogs I could possibly write in a hundred years.” from Plug One
Umm, well, I’m gonna go check my Twitter after I finish this blog post. Don’t think RJ would approve of my social media time wasting. But seriously, if I was as musically gifted as him I probably wouldn’t be blogging and tweeting as much anyways. Touché.
If you order the album from his website you can get all sorts of different versions, nothing quite as pimp as the Limited Edition package, of which only 100 were made. It runs $159.99, but you pretty much get RJ’s entire catalog, all slickly packaged and extremely limited, plus more. If I didn’t already have all his albums I’d be getting it for sure.
Big up to Okayplayer for the drop on this video. If you aren’t checking the site that Quest built for the latest hip-hop news, reviews, interviews and merch, you need to check yourself. 10 years in the web game and always coming strong.
Filed under: Comedy, Music, NFL, Sports | Tags: DJ Steve Porter, Funniest Web Videos, NFL Coaches Remix, NFL Playoffs
Steve Porter, the maestro behind countless YouTube remixes, has outdone himself with this absolute gem. This is one of the best videos I have ever seen. Jim Mora (Colts and Saints), Ditka, Bobby Ross, Jim Fassell, Buddy Ryan, Bill Parcells, Dennis Green, Mike Singletary and, of course, Herm Edwards all make an appearance, lending their legendary rants and press conferences to a funky song. I hate AutoTune as much as the next guy, but it adds an extra layer of hilarity to this track. I can’t pinpoint a favourite part, but the Mora Saints “You Don’t Know”, Buddy Ryan and Bobby Ross all had me losing my mind. This is bound to go into my Hall of YouTube Legends, along with Home Shopping Network Ladder Fail, Prison Inmate Thriller, and Lions vs. Buffaloes vs. Crocodiles.
I’ve watched this 4 times in a row. It’s so good.
Filed under: Athletes F'ing Up, Comedy, Music, Sports | Tags: cheater, funny, remix, slow jams, Tiger Woods, voice mail
Hahahaha. This remix is up there with the David After Dentist remix and Bill O’Reilly remix. Let the torrent of Tiger Woods parodies continue indefinitely.
Thanks to Lauren G for the hookup.
Filed under: Comedy, Hip-hop, Music, Videos | Tags: awful video, Major Lazer, PeeWee's Playhouse, Ponce De Floor, terrible song
Holy shit. I was reading the always hilarious Hot Chicks With Douchebags blog when I stumbled upon this monstrosity. Here is the quote they used to entice readers to click the link:
PeeWee’s Playhouse just got weird once they adapted it for B.E.T.
The headline alone let me know it was something worth clicking, yet my eyes nor my ears were prepared for the blitzkrieg they were about to deal with. This song is awful and the video might even be worse. My brain is a jumbled mess after watching so I can’t even tell.
Please help.
Filed under: Comedy, Movies, Music, NBA, Sports | Tags: Cleveland Cavs, Eye of the Tiger, Phoenix Suns, pre game intro, retro, The Warriors
“Pheeeonix. Come out and play.”
I saw this on The Score tonight and couldn’t believe it. Great tribute to The Warriors, a great film, and you can’t miss with Eye of the Tiger. Varejao and Ilgauskas also rated high on the comedy scale. Combine that with some slick retro jerseys and a win over the Suns, and it was a good day to be a Cavs fan.
Shaq really loves his Cyrus. Don’t forget, this isn’t The Big Replicators first crack at “Can you diggg it!!”
Filed under: Comedy, Music, Television, Videos | Tags: All Through The Night, Ante Up, Beaker, Bohemian Rhapsody, Escort, Grover, Jim Henson, Muppets, music videos
The Muppets are burning up the internet right now, and with good reason. The Muppet “Bohemian Rhapsody” is amazing, with Gonzo, Animal, Beaker, Miss Piggy and crew straight killing it. But this isn’t the first time Jim Henson’s creations have taken to song, and R&S is here to recap the greatest moments in Muppet musical history. Without further ado, we bring you the 5 Greatest Muppet Music Videos.
5) Beaker – Ode to Joy
Beaker is one of my favourite all-time Muppet characters, so I had to feature him on the list. Who knew that someone who was so vocally challenged would be such an accomplished musician?
Honourable Mention: Beaker singing “Yellow” by Coldplay
And more Beaker: singing “Habanera”
Update: Another forgotten gem, Beaker singing “Feelings”
4) Grover and Stevie Wonder
Stevie and Grover… what else is there to say. Two 20th century icons team up… puts the Jay-Z R. Kelly collabo to shame.
Honourable Mention: Cab Calloway sings “Hi De Ho Man” with the Muppets
3) All Through the Night – Escort
Classic music video right here. Brooklyn, NY electro outfit Escort hit pay dirt with this one. Great track too.
Honourable Mention: Cookie Monster raps about “Healthy Food”
2) Bohemian Rhapsody
The gangs all here, and in sparkling HD no less. The highlight for me is Beaker at the 2:02 mark, I almost fell out my chair the first time I saw it. A classic song, a great interpretation. For comparison, check out the Queen original here. And don’t forget Wayne & Garth.
1) Ernie & Bert – Ante Up
M.O.P. have never sounded or looked better. This really should be the official music video for this all-time club banger.
Filed under: Hip-hop, Music, Videos | Tags: Carried Away, Double K, People Under The Stairs, Thes One, Trippin' At The Disco
Is this not the freshest hip-hop video you have seen in a minute? Unbelievably awesome. People Under The Stairs have always brought the heat, and their new album Carried Away doesn’t disappoint. Pick up the limited fanclub edition and you’ll also get all of this:
The 1st pressing of the physical release will be wrapped around a die cut O-card and a fold out “PUTS Party Safety Guide” poster. Each CD also comes with a special VIP (Very Important Partier) lanyard that will allow fans to acquire exclusive material at the upcoming People Under the Stairs World Tour kicking off in September (stay tuned for dates on www.omrecords. com). For those who are not able to attend a PUTS show, the VIP lanyard will also be good for exclusive online unreleased material. All these items craft a certified premium physical package that no true fan can deny!
If you pick up the vinyl you’ll even get the sick bonus track “All Good Things“, which features a great Radiohead sample. Do it, do it.
Now watch “Trippin’ At The Disco” one more time and get your buy on.
Filed under: Canada, Hip-hop, Music, Videos | Tags: Canadian Hip-Hop, Grand Analog, K'Naan, k-os, Ok Cobra, old school, Swollen Members
2009 has been a great year in the world of hip-hop. Banner releases from the likes of Raekwon, Brother Ali, Mos Def and Doom let the world know that hip-hop is far from dead. The success of US hip-hop was also paralleled up here in Canada, where artists such as Kardinal Offishall, Marco Polo, K’Naan and (unfortunately) Drake built on the past success of Michie Mee, Maestro Fresh Wes, Buck 65 and the Rascalz and began to steer some attention North of the border. Let’s take a look at some of the hot fire that has emanated from the frozen tundra so far this year.
k-os – I Wish I Knew Natalie Portman
Arguably Canada’s best MC, k-os dropped his album Yes! in April (drops Nov 17th in US) and then embarked on one of the year’s most innovative and successful tours. Borrowing from visionaries such as Radiohead and Nine Inch Nails, k-os decided to make his entire tour “pay what you feel”, with donations made after the show rewarded with a bonus disc of remixes from the Yes! album. Needless to say, k-os played packed venues from Victoria to Halifax, often coupling every nightclub show with an all-ages gig to reach all of his fans. The album peaked at #9 on the Canadian Albums Chart and was longlisted for the Polaris Music Prize, further cementing Kheavon Brereton as one of Canada’s elite mic rippers. “I Wish I Knew Natalie Portman” is the 3rd single from the album and, personally, my favourite track. On a side note, I also wish I knew Natalie Portman.
Grand Analog – Take It Slow (Spaces and Places)
Originally from Winnipeg and fronted by Odario Williams, formerly of Mood Ruff, Grand Analog made waves with a modern sound described as a “beautiful mess of rap’n'roll, dub and soul”. Their 2009 release Metropolis Is Burning is a gem, with my two favourite tracks being “Play My Kazoo” and “Magnifico”. They are known for a great live show, so make sure to check them out if they are in your area. And if you don’t know Mood Ruff, Wu-Tang ain’t the only ones with “No Hooks“.
K’Naan – Somalia
Born Keinan Abdi Warsame, K’Naan is a Somali-Canadian rapper/musician who has been on a tear over the past couple years. His debut Canadian LP, The Dusty Foot Philosopher, showed a promising talent and his abilities were soon winning Juno’s, featuring in FIFA 06 and getting run on BET. With his second LP, Troubadour, K’Naan called in the big guns. Guest appearances include Mos Def, Chubb Rock, Chali 2na, Damian Marley, Metallica’s Kirk Hammett and Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine. The album has sold over 50,000 copies so far in the US, landed at #32 on the Billboard Hot 200 and was shortlisted for the 2009 Polaris Music Prize. K’Naan built on the success of Troubador with a trilogy of mixtapes, with each one based on one of three musical icons: Bob Marley, Fela Kuti and Bob Dylan. Done in collaboration with J. Period, all three albums tore up the blogs in 2009 and are available for free download here. If you haven’t heard them yet, chug a red bull and get your download on, cause you don’t want to sleep on this.
OK Cobra – I Quit (I Give Up)
Childhood friends from London, Ontario, rapper Fritz the Cat and producer Recordface comprise one of Canada’s newest underground sensations, OK Cobra. Fritz the Cat built up a cult following as the former writer of a popular music ‘zine “In Search of Divine Styler” and a weekly column in hipster bible Vice magazine, and the duo are now reaching to greater heights. Their 2009 release, Delirium Tremens, was the follow-up to their acclaimed self-titled debut. I Quit (I Give Up) is a track off Delireum Tremens and features a nice sample of the Edie Brickell song Circles. And for those in the know, OK Cobra aren’t the first cats to sample Edie & The New Bohemians… Brand Nubian in the house.
Swollen Members – Bollywood Chick
Not everything Canadian is excellent, which has been proven before by Celine Dion, the CFL and Snow, so our review of Canadian hip-hop in 2009 also had to include some sort of abomination. Enter… Swollen Members. At one point in my life (1999), Swollen were West Coast underground darlings and had released one of the most promising debut LPs for a Canadian hip hop group with Balance. Trust me, the album was a gem (listen to their first big single, Lady Venom, here). But somewhere along the way, Mad Child and Prevail got caught up in the rap game and now only like to make songs about strippers, bikers and sleeveless shirts. Definitely a departure from the dark and haunting imagery they built their fan-base on. R&S has it on good authority that Mad Child might be one of the most insecure and immature dudes in hip-hop, never quite knowing what “it” sound Swollen should follow (as evidenced by the use of Auto-Tune on Armed to the Teeth) and constantly reaching for validation. Validate this Mad Child… your new album blows. Just like every other SM album since Bad Dreams. And get a look at their latest album cover. Skulls, bandannas and AK-47s? Looks like an Ed Hardy knock-off.
So, like the title says… 4 out of 5 ain’t bad.
Canadian Hip-Hop Old School Vault
For some of the best Canadian old school, check out the following links:
Dream Warriors – My Definition of a Boombastic Jazz Style
Ghetto Concept – EZ on tha Motion
Kardinal Offishall – On Wit Da Show
Maestro Fresh Wes – Let Your Backbone Slide
Canada’s representing, eh.
Filed under: Hip-hop, Music | Tags: beat box, circular breathing, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Rahzel
Rahsaan Roland Kirk is one of the great jazz masters of the 20th century and also one of the most entertaining musicians of all-time. How can you not dig a guy who plays three saxaphones at the same time… with occasional nose flute? Unreal breath control. He was able to harness circular breathing (a talent shared by other prominent jazz musicians such as Wynton Marsalis and former circular breathing world record holder Kenny G) in order to make a constant tone and could channel his breath through different mouthpieces, allowing him to play multiple instruments at the same time.
Circular breathing has long been a specialized skill of players of wind instruments but I think it has also moved into the realm of hip-hop, as evidenced by the Human Beatbox, Rahzel. I’m not certain that Rahzel uses circular breathing to perform beats as well as spoken or sung lyrics simultaneously, but it seems to be a logical conclusion. How else do you explain this? And if he doesn’t use circular breathing, how sick of a beatboxer could he be if he did?
For a circular breathing lesson from Kenny G, click here.
Filed under: Download, Hip-hop, Music | Tags: Black Thought, Download, free, Hip-hop, Jimmy Fallon, live, Questlove, The Roots
One of hip-hop’s most beloved live acts, The Roots, have been rocking shows around the world since the early ’90s. From huge music festivals to small clubs to grand concert halls to college campuses, The Roots have been stunning fans with one of the most robust live shows in music today. Anyone who has seen or heard them perform live can testify to this. They aren’t just a rap group from Philly or Jimmy Fallon’s house band. The Roots are one of the great bands of the last 20 years, and their reputation as amazing musicians and performers reinforces that claim.
While Rock music has been battling concert bootlegs for 40+ years, concert bootlegs haven’t been nearly as prevalent in the hip-hop community. A few bands have released live albums (like MF Doom’s “Live From Planet X“) and occasional soundboard recordings of live shows do float around the torrents and blogs, but not on nearly the same scale as Rock music. However, this apparent “rule” of hip-hop doesn’t apply to The Roots. They have TheRootsLive.com, the online source for free, high-quality concert bootlegs.
Go check out the site and get your download on. I would recommend any of the Montreux Jazz Festival recordings (their 2003 performance is available here). Or just search around and listen to a random concert. It is bound to be good.
TheRootsLive.com has over 40 full concerts for download, all good quality, all free. They also feature a great history of the band, which you can read here.
And as always, support artists that you love. Buy their albums, go to their shows, maybe even watch the awful Jimmy Fallon show sometimes, if only to watch hip-hop royalty rock the stage like no other.
Filed under: Download, Hip-hop, Music, NBA, Predictions, Sports | Tags: Blake Griffin, Kno, Kobe, Lakers, Lamar Odom, Lebron James, Los Angeles Lakers, NBA, QN5, Raymone, tip-off
With opening tip-off just hours away, let’s celebrate the upcoming season with a hot new jam from the QN5 crew.
“This Year” features a sick beat from Kno, while Session and PackFM rock it over an accompanying montage of highlights from last season. I love the entire QN5 crew, and can’t wait to see Cunninlynguists in Bellingham, WA next month (Listen to their new single and pre-order their new album, Strange Journey Vol 2 here). But until then, let’s focus on some round ball. If you like the track, you can download it here.
R&S Predictions
MVP: Lebron Raymone James
Defensive Player: Dwight Howard
6th Man: Lamar Odom
ROY: Blake Griffin (even with the broken kneecap)
Finals: Lakers over Magic in 6 (again)
video via 2dopeboyz
Filed under: Hip-hop, Music | Tags: 7th, new, Rakim, Rakim Allah, sample, Seventh Seal, the greatest MC
The big year in hip hop releases continues with a couple more epic drops in November. We’ve already talked about the latest FELT project dropping November 17th, but that same day will also see the unveiling of the latest album from one of hip hops greatest and most influential MC’s… none other than Rakim. “The Seventh Seal” features production from several producers, including Nottz, Ty Fyffe, Jake One, and Nick Wiz, as well as guest appearances by New York emcees such as The L.O.X., Maino,Busta Rhymes, and his own daughter Destiny Griffin.
Listen to a sample of the album below. I’m not loving the production, would have preferred the original concept of The R teaming up with Dr. Dre, but new Rakim is still new Rakim.
via Okayplayer
Filed under: Clips, Hip-hop, Music | Tags: aesop rock, Felt, Get Cake, Murs, Rhymesayers, Slug
The new FELT project is eagerly anticipated at R&S, and Rhymesayers have released this latest video featuring the whole FELT 3 gang: Slug, Murs and Aesop Rock. A little look behind the scenes in Aesop’s adopted home of San Fran.
“Ninja turtles are to pizza what FELT is to Thai food” – drunken Murs
Album drops on November 17th.
Filed under: Hip-hop, Music, Television | Tags: Bobby Digital, Colbert Report, RZA, Tao of Wu, Wu-Tang Clan
The RZA aka The Abbot aka the RZArecta aka Bobby Digital aka Prince Rakeem aka Ruler Zig-Zag-Zig Allah was a guest on The Colbert Report this Thursday. He was pimping his new book, The Tao of Wu, which delves into the philosophies that motivated Robert Diggs to create one of the most influential and innovative hip-hop crews the world will ever see. Wu-tang, Wu-tang!
Filed under: Comedy, Hip-hop, Movies, Music, Nerds, Television | Tags: Eminem, Fantasy, Flight of the Conchords, Frodo, gangsta, Klenginem, Klingon, Lazy Sunday, Narnia, rap, Star Wars, WarCraft
Meet Klenginem, Klingon’s version of Eminem and King of all dorks. I don’t even know what to think right now. I knew that some Trekkie dorks out there spoke Klingon, just like Hobbit uber-fans are known to converse in Elvish. But Klingonese rappers? This takes the cake.
While Klenginem might be the worst musical monstrosity to come out of Germany since David Hasslehoff, it does give R&S a chance to reflect on some great Fantasy-themed raps, which are thankfully spat in English. Follow us as we get our nerd on.
Flight of the Conchords – “Frodo”
Lazy Sunday (Narnia Rap)
Star Wars Gangsta Rap
WarCraft: The Rap
We tried, but it looks like there are only 4 cool Fantasy-themed raps in existence. Know of some others? Hit us up in the comments.
