This round’s on us.

Oh, Ronnie, Crooked I’s latest weekly is in there for you.

Loosies

Cam’ron – Just Us

Cassidy – Innocent

Nature – Back from the Dead

Beanie Sigel – What You Gonna Say To Me

The Lox – Nobody

Lil Wayne- Stand Tall

Crooked I – Dogg Pound 4 Life (Hip Hop Weekly 31)

Ice Cube – Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It (Prod. By Maestro)

Fabolous Feat. Lloyd Banks – Million Dollar Nigga

Dem Franchise Boyz – Talkin Out Da Side Of Ya Neck

Royce Da 5’9 Ft. Cormega – Back Against The Wall 9Prod. By Statik Selektah)

Loosies

These dudes have to be an all-time favorite group of mine. When they first came out, The Source hyped them as sound architects of the future. Being young @ the time, it took me a while, a lot of weed to enhance my listening and starting to understand musical engineering & production to grasp why they were receiving all the kudos they were getting. But once I started listening, I was hooked. Read the rest of this entry »

Words By Corey Bloom

Over the last seven months, Red Bull has been sliding through cities coast to coast looking for the next big producer with their first annual Big Tune competition. From San Francisco and Los Angeles, to Houston and then up to Chicago, back to Seattle, and finally New York, twelve individuals squared off battling through the brackets. The top two from each city advanced on, all converging to now, The Big Tune finale taking place Nov. 1st in Seattle.

While the idea of a “beat battle” reads pretty dry on screen, the idea behind Big Tune runs a lot deeper. Inspired by the infamous Jamaican Reggae and Dancehall Sound Clash competitions, Big Tune is set up by pitting two producers against one another with nothing but an arsenal of their original productions, with the crowd responsible for determining who moves on and who goes home. Equipped with two CDJ’s, each producer is given two shots, playing each track for around 60 seconds aiming to convince the crowd. A pattern in each cities battle seemed to be the more pumped the producer was (i.e., getting out from behind the comfort of the CDJ and bringing it to their competitor), the longer they lasted. Of course there were a few who got by their own interpretive hand gestures, but the ones who put the same energy out that they put into the music tended to fair well. You can check for yourself at www.redbullbigtune.com, and get up to speed as each of the six cities battles are posted.

Of the twelve remaining producers, a few names might stand out. Representing New York is Marco Polo and Los Angeles resident Babu took his city’s title. But for the most part Big Tune is out to display the lesser known talent. Judging from things, it will be tough to take out the hometown dudes Sabzi and Brainstrom (Rich Boy got a younger brother?). While they have a slight advantage, the energy brought fourth by Chicago’s Tall Black Guy and Rio will be hard to match. I’m biased because as a Bay Area dude at heart I gotta go with Cambo, who’s a little hyphy, but he’s got some heat. If you’re in the area, look out for the kid. I’ll be posted up somewhere with a drink and a camera. And check back here because we’ll have updates on the event.

====================================

Red Bull Big Tune Finals will begin taking place 11.1.07 in Seattle @ The War Room. For more info, visit the official site, www.redbullbigtune.com, to see video recaps and highlights from the previous contest stops.

Related articles

A head-to-head hip-hop homecoming (The Seattle Times)

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The Red Sox won another World Series championship.

It seems Tom Brady & the Patriots can do no wrong.

And the recently dormant Celtics seemed poised to make a comeback this year with their new Big Three of Garnett, Pierce & Jesus Shuttleworth.

So can Boston representatives Guru & Premo give it one more go and do a few tracks together?

Gang Starr – Suckas Need Bodyguards (Vinyl, 12”)(1994)

A1 – Suckas Need Bodyguards (Clean Version) (4:05)
A2 – Suckas Need Bodyguards (Street Version) (4:05)
A3 – Suckas Need Bodyguards (Instrumental) (4:05)
B1 – The ? Remainz (Clean Version) (3:35)
B2 – The ? Remainz (Street Version) (3:35)
B3 – The ? Remainz (Instrumental) (3:35)

Gang Starr – Just To Get A Rep (Vinyl, 12”)(1990)

A1 – Just To Get A Rep (3:10)
A2 – Who’s Gonna Take The Weight? (3:54)
B1 – Just To Get A Rep (Instrumental) (3:08)
B2 – Who’s Gonna Take The Weight? (Instrumental) (3:57)
B3 – Just To Get A Rep (Acapella) (0:54)

Speaking of comebacks, is anyone pulling for MJ to make a comeback? There’s always that rule that Americans (and their prisoners) have the ultimate disdain for those even accused of child molestation if those accusations have an inkling of merit. So, as some get amped about him making a proposed comeback, producers talking about their additions to the project & the like, there’s always some negative publicity brewing around the man (“Michael Jackson Could ‘Lose Neverland’”). Does anyone who was a kid in the 80′s think he can actually make a successful comeback &, if so, will the music be worth listening to?

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrgVYKIIuTM[/youtube]

I’m glad to see a video for this track…finally. ‘Bron Bron makes a cameo.

And since we’re on this basketball kick, peep this Detroit Pistons ad and note what they did for Sam I Am. Cold-blooded lol.

TSS x Little Brother “Proof Of Purchase” Giveaway

Because who doesn’t like free?

Stray Shots

Keith Sweat – Make It Last Forever (1990)

Amy_Winehouse-Back_To_Black_(Deluxe_Edition)-2CD

BuckWild – Diggin` In The Crates[Rare Studio Masters`93-`97][2007][2CD]

Clinton Sparks & The Clipse – We Got It For Cheap Vol. 2 (No DJ)

Gorillaz – D-Sides

Blondie – Blondie Livid

TQ – They Never Saw Me Coming

The Chemical Brothers – We Are the Night

Mannish Boys – Big Plans

Sadat X- Wild Cowboys

Stray Shots

Like most heads out there, I’m in the middle of a Jigga Listening session today, so I don’t got the time to get deep on the latest. So, here’s a quick run-down of current news and some that we might’ve missed over the past week.

• American Gangster doesn’t even drop for a week, and Jay sold out all venues for the concurring tour in less than one minute. Hannah Montana better watch out, ‘cause Hova might be taking over her spot for hottest tickets on the black market.

• Staying in The Boroughs, Jimmy Jones will be releasing a free mixtape called, Harlem’s American Gangster, on November 6. With Dame Dash hosting it, and the not so subtle title, he’s obviously trying to steal some shine from the Diamond King. The real storyline, though, may be that it drops the day before Cam’ron’s much-anticipated return to the mixtape scene. I guess only time will tell if their purple blood is bad… Read the rest of this entry »

“That’s why I say ‘fuck’em all’/Hillary, Jesse Jack, even Barrack’s involved/When police beatin our ass, none of ya’ll do a damn thang/But you can raise a hundred million for a campaign?/Homie, you better explain/I’m in a cell wit a aggin that look like Ving Rhames…”

Rhymefest – Real Nigga Quotes (Produced By DJ Premier)

Courtesy of SpineMagazine.

‘Fest got bars and his politicized content & energy remind me so much of Killer Mike. El Che sure is shaping up nicely.

If you’re reading and you can’t post a comment…

Clear. Your. Cookies.

We heard your pleas of not being able to post so we flipped the button, did some tinkering and everything should be copasetic.

Stray Shots

Lil Wayne-The Real King Of The South Pt.4

DJ Delz And Snatchatape Present Joe Budden & Ransom – Bad Blood

Big_Mike_and_DJ_Thoro-Soundtrack_To_The_Streets_6

Oschino – The Diary Of A Boss Mixtape

E-Money_Bags-Im_the_Wrong_Nigga_to_Fuck_Wit (2003)

VA-DJ Nu Kid And Papoose – The Return Of The Living Dead-2007

Mobb Deep The Infamous Archives

Stray Shots

Words By Patrick M.

The New Yorker‘s main music critic, Sasha Frere-Jones, wrote an article entitled “A Paler Shade Of White” in last week’s issue looking at indie rock music, specifically the “whiteness” of the genre. Frere-Jones argues that indie rock has evolved as a musical genre notable for its independence from the traditional rhythmic influences of African-American music. 20th Century American popular music has a long tradition of drawing from both white and black culture, and the first truly mega rock and roll groups (The Rolling Stones/Beatles etc.) were all influenced or directly indebted to much of their material from African-American blues. However, this article argues that changes in the legal and cultural landscape of America have halted the musical “integration,” process.

My knowledge of indie rock is limited to The Killers and Arcade Fire, so I’m unable to fully judge Frere-Jones’ thesis, although I’ll admit I don’t hear a lot of Muddy Waters in their music. For our purposes, I’m more interested in Frere-Jones’ statements about how this divide between white and black music has influenced hip-hop, and more specifically his argument that the rise of gangster rap into mainstream popularity was the tipping point in this process. I’m always very interested Read the rest of this entry »

“…Aggin in here you already know
Got trapper of the year four times in a row (what they give you?)
A lifetime supply of baking soda clientele
A Rollie watch, two pots and three scales…”

From there, I was open. His word choices & the way he laid them together let me know he knew enough about the streets for me.

“…The Federales on my tail, call ‘em bird watchers
Minus the bullshit life’s great
Just got a camera in the peach in my license plate…”

Say he wasn’t lyrical & I point to humor of callin the Feds by their Mexican name & the attention to detail of describing the Georgia plate down to its intricacies.

Done.

Young Jeezy – Get Ya Mind Right

In a recent interview, DJ Khaled on Young Buck…

“He’s a liar,” Khaled countered. “Tell him to make a hit record. Tell him to do me the biggest favor — tell him I said this, tell him I said it in big letters — stop making excuses and make a hit record. Tell him he’s garbage. I don’t have time for the negative stuff. That’s not even my style. I hate when somebody makes an excuse when their music doesn’t get played. You think I’m not playing it? The whole country isn’t playing it. Put that in the interview. Tell me: Is he on ‘TRL’? Is he on the MTV countdown? OK, so that’s one other [outlet] that’s not playing him. Radio stations aren’t playing him right now because he doesn’t have a hit record. You can’t stop a hit record. If I don’t make a hit record, I’m not gonna get played. 50 Cent don’t make a hit record, he’s not gonna get played. Same for Nas; it’s just the game. I’ll pray for [Young Buck], but tell him to stop worrying about me. And tell him this: You can’t stop a brother that’s loved, and I’m loved.” (HHNLive)

Ethered.

There was no way to simply take excerpts from that and give them to you. Khaled sounds like the whole thing got under his skin or broke out of character because he didn’t even say “We Da Beessttt” as he usually does.

Oh, yeah, that’s the homie’s gear he’s rockin. Shoutouts to JJ.

Loosies

Sheek Louch – Let The Wolves Out (Freestyle)

The D.E.Y. – Give You The World

Trey Songz- No Clothes On (Produced by Tha Runnerz)

Chris Brown – Boombox

Foxx Ft. T-Pain- Bounce

Mistah FAB – Royce Da ’59 Diss

Un Pacino (Infamous)-Brandishing Guns

Styles P – Stop Scheming

Young_Cash_Ft._Yo_Gotti_&_Shawn_Jay-That_X_(Remix)

Jadakiss – Case Dismissed

Cormega Ft. Hell Rell – Stuntin (Remix)

Lil Wayne – When They Come For Me

Juelz Santana_Ft_Young_Jeezy_Cassidy_And_Fabol ous-I’m_A_Boss

Statik Selektah Ft. Joell Ortiz, Kool G Rap, & Sheek Louch – 6 N The Morning

Saigon – Saigon Meets Just Blaze

Loosies

Given all the recent clamor over Joey, his release from Def Jam & the one-sided battle with Ransom, we decided to shoot you these. We did these before, but just in case there’s some new fans, here they are again with the tracklistings included.

Joe Budden – Growth Of A Legend (12 Discs)

Words By Jada G.

Radiohead is the greatest rock band on earth.

Try to convince any fan differently and you’ll find it impossible.

I fell in love with England’s five-man band in high school. Like most of us, it was an era in my life that was filled with awkwardness, curiosity, and a need for self-expression. No one could sum up the angst and uncertainty of my fifteen year old existence like Thom Yorke. Radiohead is the music of intellectuals, and there’s an air of elitism that rests in the heart of us Radioheads. And yet again, they’ve made us proud. At the pinnacle of artistic praise and critical claim, they’ve made an attempt to revolutionize the business.

Radiohead released their latest album In Rainbows, on their official site, inrainbows.com. Its cost is up to each listener ­- if they even decide to pay for it at all. Whether you pay five cents or fifteen dollars, it’s clear upon listening that Read the rest of this entry »

“…I seen these two kids talkin’
about the Nubian reign had fallen.”

Who’s holding that Wild Cowboys?

Brand Nubian – Punks Jump Up To Get Beat Down 12″ (1992)

A1 – Punks Jump Up To Get Beat Down (Clean)
A2 – Punks Jump Up To Get Beat Down (Dirty)
A3 – Punks Jump Up To Get Beat Down (Instrumental)
B1 – Punks Jump Up To Get Beat Down (Remix) (Feat. Diamond D)
B2 – Punks Jump Up To Get Beat Down (Remix Instrumental)

Brand Nubian – Punks Jump Up To Get Beat Down 12″ (1992)

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This is the poster that hangs above my bed.

In three specific ways, it serves as an everyday reminder of not only why I love hip-hop, but also why I hate it.

Snoop represents the creativity and skill of the craft, while Pac serves as a better example of its means of personal expression than anyone ever could. On the other hand, Suge symbolizes the thing that makes our favorite form of music so popular in today’s covetous culture – greed.

Separately, in one way or another, these three used the art of Rhythm And Poetry Read the rest of this entry »

Wake up & get your Sunday started.

Loosies

Craig David – Trust Me

Lil Eazy E – I’m From Compton (Prod. by Neff-U)

Young Dro Ft T.i. – Well Known

Skyzoo Ft. Copywrite & Pacewon – From The Inside Out

Max B – Drop That Top

Trick Trick – Let’s Work

Ja Rule Ft Newz Tre And Merc Montana- 300 (Spartans)

Amil – Amil Gets D.O.E.

T.I. – Cat Like That

Obie Trice – Detroit

Lloyd- Hotter than the Sun

88 Keys Ft. Bilal- MILF

Joe Budden – Send Him Our Love (Stack Bundles Tribute)

Cashis Ft. ALC – Poppin’ (Prod. By The Alchemist)

Loosies