Finally back with some loose ends from some major artists, including The Game up above. It’s a nice track with a mellow beat that takes a backseat to Game’s lyrics. Down below, check out the latest from Jay-Z with a track that is produced by Kanye West. I’m not really feelin’ it but I know a lot of you will so be sure 2 check that one out right under this. There’s also some more trax featuring a couple nice ones from up and comers Jay Electronica and B.o.B. as well as some other names like Jamie Foxx, Baby Bash, & Colin Munroe! And of course there’s a couple videos featuring Common & Immortal Technique to be viewed below as well. Enjoy!
Producer: Jim Beanz - FULL, CDQ, Track from the upcoming, self-titled album*Tibs Fav.™
Brand NEW Jennifer Hudson from her upcoming, debut album on a hip hop inspired beat, where she still sounds great, but the story of the track is Luda killin’ it on the 3rd verse. The first few bars from Luda were clever enough 2 warrant a chuckle on 1st listen and he maintains the dope wordplay throughout. Below is a very solid hip hop track that could grow on me by Scarface, Weezy, & Bun B. Big fans of them will surely like it. And I can’t forget a nice R&B jam by Charlie Wilson and T-Pain and part 2 of the Immortal Technique interview from yesterday. Out for a Quiznos $2.99 Meatball… needless 2 say, I’m pumped! Back after.. Enjoy!
Producer: Don Cannon - FULL, CDQ, CLEAN, Track off upcoming album, Theatre Of The Mind *Tibs Fav.™
Some NEW hip hop from some big names here, starting off w/ the latest from Ludacris! As you should expect with Luda, his rhymes are clever and on point, even referencing the Indiana Pacers from the infamous brawl and Alonzo Mourning, which makes this NBA fan appreciate it even more. I’m not feelin’ the Don Cannon beat like I know some are, but it’s not a bad one and compliments Luda well. Down below are a couple trax from Nelly, featuring a host of big names like T.I., R. Kelly, and ‘it’ producer, Polow Da Don. I’m not really into them, but I know they’ll attract the ears of many others. Further down is the video premiere to one of my favorite songs of 2008, “Let It Rock” by Kevin Rudolf f/ Lil’ Wayne! The video is a nice one, with some cool laser special effects, and before today, I haven’t seen what Kevin Rudolf looks like, and it was a fun surprise when I watched the video, haha. But it’s a great track and dug it up from our summer archives for those who don’t have it already! Don’t forget to peep interviews w/ Erykah Badu & Immortal Technique as well as some upcoming events in the Chi f/ Twista that you shouldn’t sleep on if ur in the area. Enjoy!
Here’s yet another GWHH EXCLUSIVE Interview featuring the rapper, Immortal Technique, who GWHH got a pleasure to see perform on the Rock The Bells Tour where he certainly impressed. Thanks to Sam D. for making this all happen by asking various blogs and websites to submit 2-3 questions for Immortal to sit down and answer. Immortal came through with some very thought-provoking and interesting answers to a couple questions we sent over and you can check it out below! His latest album, The 3rd World, is in stores now!
GWHH: We saw that your album, The 3rd World, has hit the rap charts at #9 and was wondering what that type of success means to you, or if you don’t have a strong opinion on whether or not you make high sales on the charts?
IT: The first week of The 3rd World did about 10,000 units globally irrespective of what soundscan says. You see in the underground many mom and pop accounts don’t report the units sold to nielsen, and that’s not even counting overseas accounts that we sent out before Viper Records had established deals for the project with specific foreign distributors. It is a success in terms of being a progression from where I started but it just another step. My success was felt the most to as more and more people began to understand the concept behind the mixtape/album. There was a little criticism because of the production someone thought one or two beats sounded commercial, but we didn’t tailor make anything for radio, and the hardcore street element or the Revolutionary message has not changed. We were able to build on what we do and more people are listening. Some people measure that in sales, but the strength of a support based can’t just be looked at in those terms. I can sell out large venues by myself East to West Coast that some gold and platinum niggaz need to grouped together and payola promoted by the local radio to fill. This is because of my extensive tour schedule and the connections I’ve made in my work on the streets all over the country and now the world. Our struggle is not forgotten, in fact its presence is being felt even moreso now, that, more than anything symbolizes success to me.
GWHH: What is your favorite track or specific verse/lyric from the album and why?
IT: My favorite track is the title track “The 3rd World”. I wrote it after coming back from South America and being reminded that no matter how underprivileged we are we still have a great deal to feel blessed about. Being technologically superior doesn’t imply moral superiority or a greater expansion of consciousness. Were the white slave masters more human and more civilized than the Africans they enslaved? One could argue that they in fact were more barbaric and more idolatrous, for their God was not that of the bible but a physical one made of precious metals. I felt that the song I made embodied that and strengthened by network in West Africa, The Middle East, South East Asia and all Latin America. I got calls and emails thanking me for recognizing the struggle going on there and for putting the idea of what a ghetto is in perspective for the American public. I returned to the land where I came into the world screaming in a Military hospital and I was inspired to speak to root of issues. So yeah it’s “The 3rd World”, but “Mistakes” and “Harlem Renaissance” come in at a close second.
***Added some Nas performance videos from the event below!***
From Left 2 Right: Sgt. Tibs, stic.man of Dead Prez, & Max G.
Jay Electronica & Max G.
S-Preme & Max G.
Immortal Technique
Rakim
Method Man & Redman
Redman
Mos Def
Nas
A Tribe Called Quest
The 2008 Rock The Bells tour kicked off in Chicago this past Saturday on July 19th with a bevy of artists taking stage at the First Midwest Bank Ampitheatre. Artists and legends like Kidz In The Hall, Jay Electronica, Dead Prez, Immortal Technique, Rakim, De La Soul, Method Man & Redman, and Mos Def, The Pharcyde, Nas, and A Tribe Called Quest provided a concert of live, raw hip hop lasting nearly half a day! All the artists brought their own style and entertainment to the stage so there was never really a time to drift off and take a break. Some notable highlights and characteristics from the performances were the passion and clarity of the messages from Immortal Technique, the high-octane energy Method Man & Redman came with to ignite the crowd to another level (even stage-diving), Mos Def’s incredibly slick acapellas, Nas’ entire set, especially his “One Mic” finale, & finally the best moment for me - The Pharcyde performing one of my all-time favorite jams “Runnin’”, enhanced by the live energy by all four MCs and the live drums and instruments. One critique of ours was that Nas should have closed the concert because his buzz is at the highest with his recent release of Untitled and the hip hop legend had the crowd in the biggest frenzy of the night. No disrespect to A Tribe Called Quest, who were great in their own right as well, but we noticed the crowd was not as into them as they were with Nas. Again, “One Mic” was an excellent closing song to Nas’ set and would have been a perfect cap off for the entire day of real hip hop performances. We would have also liked to see artists like Dead Prez and Kidz In The Hall later on in the bill as the crowd was still filing in well into the early evening. We had a great time chillin’ with our friends, GWHH ‘Return Of The MC’ Contest winner S-Preme, and even some of the artists who were in and out of the SanDisk VIP lounge! Much love to Ronda & SanDisk for the hookups!
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Nas LIVE @ Rock The Bells Chicago (Pt. 1)
(Check for Tibs in the gray Cubs hat snappin’ some pics around 3:45!)
Nas LIVE @ Rock The Bells Chicago (Pt. 2)
(Check for Max G. & Jay Electronica with his cane around 4:30!)
Above is the official? RMX 2 Lupe Fiasco’s next hit single, “Paris, Tokyo” featuring the legendary C.L. Smooth! I say “official?” because I hear it is just a Mick Boggie Mix and that’s why I was hesitant to post it when I saw it a little bit earlier in the week I think. Either way, I figure I would share it as this week has finally cooled off for me a lil. Haha, anyway, there’s some more Tibs Favs below by Immortal Technique & 2Pac, Kidz In The Hall f/ The Cool Kids & more and a sweet Ne-Yo feature - all of which you guys should DL and give a try. Below them, you can find the latest video premiere for Rihanna and a sick freestyle by ‘Quence, Nelly, & Murphy Lee (where’s he been at the past few yrs?) I’ll be back early Sunday for Old School Sundays and looking forward 2 a good week in music, with hopefully the full version of the Busta Rhymes/Linkin Park track, a NEW T.I. track, and albums from The Roots & Estelle (out here in the States.) For now, enjoy!
The Game “Laugh” - MORE
