Definitely the busiest weekend in awhile for me (and I’ll eventually have a post dedicated to a part of the reason why.. stay tuned) so allow me 2 catch up and post some loose ends from the weekend. We’ll start with some heavy heat from the Chi, with the video premiere of the summer smash “Universal Mind Control” by Common f/ Pharrell. As is the song, the video has a very futuristic, predominantly bright white setting and makes for quite the unique watch compared 2 ur everyday video. Hopin’ for more news on Common’s album soon; can’t wait! Down below, the first 2 trax are “Swagga Like Us” RMXs featuring a bevy of Chicago artists. I like Mikkey Halsted’s verse on the “Swagga Like Chi” version the most, but our boy S-Preme steals the show with his 3rd verse in “The Super Duper Song”. Try if you can catch every Chicago rapper he gives love 2 with his clever play on all of their names. Straight up ridiculous. And finally, we got some NEW Ludacris & T-Pain and R&B f/ Sterling Simms, Avant, Christina Milian, & Casely as well as Lupe Fiasco talking 2 MTV. Enjoy!
I’d also suggest the illVibes Love Lockdown RMX called “Love Rolex” for a nice change of pace on the original. Big ups 2 illVibes for the love as well.
PSA Announcement f/ Usher, Will.I.Am., & a TON of Celebs (Jonah Hill is HILARIOUS)
Politics get the top spot in this post 2day as Obama graces the next cover of Vibe, but what’s really important is what follows: the Public Service Announcement from various major celebrities and musicians (Usher & Will.I.Am.) as they effectively convey how important this election is for our generation and how time is running out to register to vote! I recently jumped on board as well and will be voting in Minnesota so I can attest to the fact that it is real easy to register to vote. In fact, I did so while waiting on my roommate who was in the shower, haha. So watch the video, get more inspired, and if you are an Obama supporter, get more psyched by the STRONG words our boy Lupe Fiasco had to say about the election just the other night:
“A vote for Barack is a vote for the future, a vote for McCain is a vote for the past,” said Fiasco. He added, “Ladies and gentlemen, the most important vote is the vote for yourselves.” At this point, Lupe’s sunglasses came off and the performance became a bit more personal.
Near the end of the show, Fiasco performed what is arguably his most famous single, “Superstar.” He then entered into a lengthy dialogue with the crowd, imploring them up from the apathetic daydream that seems to be characteristic of much of our generation: “If we don’t wake up now, ladies and gentlemen, there might not be a tomorrow to wake up to. Wake up!”
That’s real passionate and just on point. Obama personifies change, and change is something this country needs for it to better itself and better our status around the world. Period.
Down below, some loose end trax and vids; not much else comments 2 add, but I’m sure u’ll find somethin’ that piques your interest. Enjoy!
Some NEW hip hop and R&B for ya ears with The Game headlining this post, comin’ thru w/ a deep, lyrical slow jam (hip hop slow jam.. not R&B slow jam, haha.) Definitely some thought-provoking lines in there, and of course the prerequisite double digit name-drops in the track, but at least it comes off more clever than annoying in this case. Down below, some T.I. trax that I didn’t really dig, esp the RMXs where I felt Trina, Foxy Brown, & Rick Ross didn’t add anything 2 the respective trax. And finally, R&B fans will enjoy the latest from Johnta Austin & Israel! I’m feelin’ “Killing Me” a lil’ more from the Filipino singer (represent!). Oh, and I didn’t forget… Luda said in the conference call last week that the video for “Undisputed” would drop this week and there it is @ the bottom! Def lookin’ forward 2 Theatre Of The Mind in November, but I think fellow ATLien T.I. will more than hold me over w/ Paper Trail, which I’m waking up early for 2morrow! Jyea! Enjoy!
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Here’s a couple unofficial “Love Lockdown” RMXs courtesy of some close friends of the GWHH fam, S-Preme & Dj MiniMaxX! First off, S-Preme was on some Red Bull shit last nite and just started talkin’ silly over Kanye’s latest single…and still killed it. Some freshness 2 “Love Lockdown” is found at the end there, so listen 2 that all the way thru. Also, Dj MiniMaxX brought a ‘House’ feel 2 “Love Lockdown” and it’s definitely a version of the track that should be bumpin’ @ ur parties! Down below, the latest from the boy Consequence, T-Pain & Luda, MJB, Leona Lewis (damn, she can sing..), & MORE, including the alternate version of the video for Ryan Leslie’s “Addiction”. No Cassie again.. (ugh, R-Les did u lose her number or somethin??) but it’s all good cuz I like this version of the video better w/ a cool inside look at the genius R-Les in the studio. MUST-SEE for all u R&B fans.. “Addiction” has gotta catch some air time. Don’t forget to VOTE FOR US ABOVE! Enjoy!
FULL, Radio Rip, Track off upcoming album, Evolver *Tibs Fav.™
Had 2 MediaFire the track above cuz zShare had probs w/ just that file and not the ones below, but anyway, NEW JL & Kanye! It’s HQ, but not CDQ b/c the track was premiered on that radio show. I like it though. Kanye’s on the autotune once again, but it’s not annoying. JL is pretty nice on the chorus 2 the midtempo track. I’m expecting the CDQ version soon. Check out the rest of the forgettable trax below, haha. 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!
Tonight’s MTV Video Music Awards were centered around three themes:
Theme #1: “Nothing is what it seems” (at least that’s the cliché MTV fed to viewers through what I gathered from the sometimes mumbling, unfunny, and out of place U.K. host, Russell Brand, who cared more about expressing his distaste for G.W. Bush while empathizing with American citizens who have suffered under Bush’s 8-year reign, which could have been effective if 1 out of every 3 people actually knew who he was. I digress.)
Theme #2: MTV’s predictable efforts to re-launch Britney Spears’ career to her untouchable #1 pop-star status last experienced roughly a decade ago, by handing her 3 of the night’s biggest awards, including the coveted Moonman for Video of the Year. Britney’s stock is once again on the rise, and I say that with the literal meaning that pop stars like herself are viewed as stocks. Using Britney as an example, she entered the music and entertainment industry as the ideal, young, adorable pop star who was given lyrics, beats, appearances, everything. All she had to do was sing halfway decently and smile; the rest was up to the suits. When her irresponsible choices caused a downward spiral in her life, so did her support and status as a pop icon until now - when her cleaned up image ignited MTV to launch her back into superstardom, which ties into my last theme of the VMAs.
Theme #3: The MTV Video Music Awards unintentionally illustrated what is wrong with the music and entertainment business in the year 2008. And as sick as it may sound, I hesitate to write ‘unintentionally’.
Skepticism has overwhelmed me after considering the curious, yet predictable choices of nominees and winners at tonight’s VMAs and just how deep everything in the music industry is controlled. I am surely not alone in discounting the VMAs as a serious judge of the best in videos and music in the past year; however, watching how spoon-fed pop stars like Britney Spears, T-Pain, Rihanna, and even one of my favorites, Chris Brown dominate the show’s attention, it is easy to analyze the similarities between the above pop stars and many others like them. It is the industry that controls who blows up and when, until their fireworks fizzle into thin air. A charismatic personality and pretty eyes to match are the two prerequisites for the formulaic creation of a pop star. When those are satisfied, the artist is generally fed catchy hooks and the latest sound to become popular for as long as people in the industry can exploit them for their own gain and/or until they become yesterday’s news. In fact, more often than not, today’s pop stars do not even write their own songs! They are actually the torch-carriers of the latest fad in pop music, which in recent history is voice enhancement.
It started with female pop singers having their voice enhanced in the studio and becoming painfully evident when the same singers were asked to perform their hit singles in front of live audiences, with Rihanna being the most recent example at tonight’s VMAs. Most recently, the trend is the autotuner a.k.a. the T-Pain effect, indeed named after the pioneer of its success. With the autotuner, T-Pain created a sound that no one has ever heard before and it was appealing; it was appealing to the point where more and more artists used the technology to create hit songs. It has taken its turn on hip hop as, not even arguably, the two hottest artists in hip hop today - Lil’ Wayne and Kanye West - have used this technology, as well as rap legend Snoop Dogg with “Sensual Seduction”, showing first how the hip hop/autotuner crossover can be done. It seems like everything that Kanye has released since mid-summer has involved him on the autotuner (”Put On”, “Lollipop RMX”, “S.L.U.”, and his next single, “Love Lockdown”), and while his experimentation with this technology has pleased more of his fans then not, myself included, it is alarming to the hip hop purists that he is following the trend. The autotuner is currently at the peak of its popularity as a trend in pop music and Kanye has recently discovered that his fans are generally loving what he is doing with the technology, whereas some like myself are tiring of the autotuner effect in general. While he normally takes almost a year to complete an album, I get the sense that he is trying to push another album out so soon to capitalize on the autotuner trend while it is still hot. I respect his strategy as “Love Lockdown” is sure to be a number 1 single in the U.S., yet it is a valid concern that Kanye’s true hip hop fans will think he is selling out to the flashy trends of pop music. It is disturbing that Kanye West may be following the industry cliché of the autotuner, yet considering the fact that each of his previous albums had their own unprecedented sounds, there is reason to believe Kanye will push the autotuner to unforeseen heights, or even bring something entirely new to the album. It remains to be seen just how much Kanye will “go pop” once his upcoming album hits stores, and with its release comes the re-definition of Kanye West’s status as a pop star and as a hip hop legend. My prediction: If the album shapes up to be more like “Love Lockdown” and with the lines between hip hop and pop already blurred, Kanye West will NOT be considered a hip hop legend. No matter what, Kanye West will be heralded as today’s hottest star and the decade’s most influential artistic icon, due to his innovation in fashion, new sound, positive approach, and creative choices in his artwork, videos, & performances.
T.I. “Whatever You Like” & “Live Your Life” f/ Rihanna LIVE @ VMAs
Lil’ Wayne Medley f/ Leona Lewis & T-Pain LIVE @ VMAs
First off, I should note that I fully expect these videos 2 be taken down within the next day, but for those who can view it while they still can AND those who missed the VMAs 2nite or those who just wanna see them again, [raises hand] guilty, u can watch the performances by the 3 hottest names in hip hop 2day - Kanye West, T.I., & Lil’ Wayne!
Starting off w/ my first HQ experience with Kanye’s NEW single, “Love Lockdown”… loved the performance. It was passionate, the lighting and theatrics at the end were sweet, and the song itself was a great song for a live show, especially closing out a show as big as the VMAs. While Kanye didn’t go home w/ any major moonmen, he finally got that coveted closing performance spot at the annual MTV award show and delivered like we should all expect. He does get on that autotuner again, but he makes it sound good. What stands out about this song is the mood created by the beat and lyrics, and only enhanced by the lighting on the stage. I’m really lovin’ the lyrics in fact, that hook got me on first listen, but I was also truthfully expecting a lil’ more depth in terms of variety of the lyrics throughout the song. It seemed like it was a lil’ repetitive, but the track is still NEW 2 me and that opinion can change once the studio version of the song is leaked, most likely within the next few days, even hours. One other thing that I wasn’t expecting was that Kanye didn’t straight up rap. Not that that’s bad tho as it works here, but I’m coming to realize that this is more of a pop track than a hip hop track, and if that’s the direction Kanye goes in w/ the whole album, then I’m not sure I’d like that. That being said, “Love Lockdown” is certainly a track I’m psyched for and we all know it’s goin 2 be all over ur radio stations and Kanye’s next #1 hit.
T.I.’s performance also warrants mentioning as the whole concept of takin’ the girl around 2 the different sets on “Whatever You Like” was real fly, followed up by Rihanna joining him on the actual stage for their premiere (2 the general public) of T.I.’s next big hit “Live Your Life”. I wasn’t huge on it when I heard it a few weeks ago, but the live performance made me like the song more. Rihanna was nothin’ more than aite on it (and very average on “Disturbia” 2 kick off the show) but T.I. was just killin’ the mic and rappin’ every word clearly. Definitely enjoyed that performance. Lil’ Wayne also kicked it in his lil’ medley, and while all u GWHH fans kno by now that I’m not huge on Weezy, he def came thru w/ an entertaining performance that I respected and I know his huge cult of followers will surely enjoy. Just wanted 2 also express my frustration @ MTV for giving GWHH’s beloved, Lupe Fiasco one verse on air (and not even on stage) that was interrupted by shameless advertising. But what do u expect from MTV? It’s never about the music. In closing… CAN’T wait for “Love Lockdown”, haha. Enjoy!
FULL, CDQ, Bonus track off upcoming album, Year Of The Gentleman *Tibs Fav.™
Miss Independent Pt. 2! I heard that Jamie Foxx was goin’ 2 be on the official RMX, but wasn’t expecting Fab as well. It’s a solid track, yet the original is where it’s at. Foxx and the new beat are decent at best (altho Foxx has some nice lines) but Ne-Yo and Fab kill their verses and make the song. I like how it’s an extension of the original and from what I can dig up, it’ll be a U.K. bonus track for Year Of The Gentleman, which hits stores real soon in the U.S. on September 16th! Down below a few trax and a Mikkey Halsted mixtape (via Andrew) but I should also draw attention 2 Stat Quo yet again with Pt. 2 of “Dear Summer”. He goes fully in depth about how Shady and Aftermath have been screwin’ him, gettin’ undermined by Dre & Em even tho he still loves them, and even expresses condolences for both of the artists’ recent problems (Dre’s son passing and Em getting real sick from pneumonia). It’s a great lyrical track for Stat, yet his flow coulda been better at times. Still a MUST-DL for the hip hop fans. Finally, in some Kanye West news, he plans 2 reveal his 4th album’s details at the VMAs on Sunday as he is also expected to close the show (maybe with “Love Lockdown”?)! Can’t wait. Enjoy!
HUGE update as I haven’t had time 2 post in the past 24 hrs… which is like a year or 2 in the world of the blogs. Hope u beared through and can see the boatload of NEW trax and vids featuring Lauryn Hill above w/ the feature track - a long, nice soulful song that was previously unreleased! Down below, a bunch of big names including a few trax from LL Cool J’s upcoming album, Exit 13, and trax f/ 50 Cent, Young Jeezy, Ciara, T-Pain, Donnie Klang, & MUCH MORE! Don’t forget 2 check out the ultra-fresh video from the U.K.’s Wiley f/ Kenna and a nice Daft Punk sample! And Consequence fans have GOT 2 scroll down as well. Enjoy!
Common “Universal Mind Control” f/ Pharrell - VIDEO PREMIERE + Loose Ends
Enjoy!
