Now this is some extra cool sh#t, for it’s almost a rap-sin to mention that you have a family of your own or that you’re in a committed relationship. Nato bucks that stigma with the video for “Her,” the track dedicated to his moon and co-starring the kids as well. Even better is the idea that next time there’s a spat @ home he can always say “Yeah but, remember that time I put you in my video?” Read the rest of this entry »

Carmen Ortega

Why Hip-Hop Doesn’t Care Rick Ross Is A Lying Cop [Refined Hype]

Montel Williams Is Awesome [Warming Glow]

Cipha Sounds Presents The 75 Greatest Tunnel Bangers [Complex] Read the rest of this entry »

A short clip previewing Big Boi’s upcoming Walmart Soundcheck in which he discusses the videos for the deluxe version of Sir Lucious and collaborating with Jamie Foxx for “Hustle Blood.” Watch for Big’s full Soundcheck to debut on 7.20 @ Soundcheck.Walmart.com, which will include the full interview and performance footage. Read the rest of this entry »

I’m assuming the majority of you didn’t even know Jamie Foxx had a music career before he kicked “Slow Jams” with Kanye Titta and Twista back in 2004. Funny thing is, I have a feeling the fantastic Mr. Foxx didn’t either.

After the transitioning actor found out eleven years prior that unsubliminally awesome album titles like Peep This don’t sell records by themselves and subsequently moved on from his childhood passion, the burgeoning actor found himself on the receiving end of a game-changing alley-oop from the hands of the young son of Chicago, who would ultimately change the face of the soul genre that Jamie had once himself once tried to conquer.

Ever since, the man who vicariously won awards for the late Ray Charles peruses his way onto pretty much any high-profile industry release without a hitch. Which leads me to one question; Is Jamie Foxx really as talented a singer/songwriter as his resume reads, or did he just come across the perfect outliers to slide into a prime spot as the entertainment industry’s Bo Jackson?

The past week or so has been consumed by the sounds of Sir Lucious Left Foot and amongst nothing but choice material, the only song I skip is the Foxx-featuring “Hustle Blood.” It’s too grown and sexy gaudy for an average gent like myself. Once that singular realization hit, my overall disdain for Jamie Foxx’s music started to unravel further, dating back to the days of his lackluster layers on The Massacre, Doctor’s Advocate and Tha Blue Carpet Treatment, to name those in my personal collection. Sure, there were some huge hits in there — with “Gold Digger” and “Blame It” — but both were set off by hype surrounding his counterparts and not the God-given talent that sets the special artists apart from the average. On the contrary, a few of Foxx’s new songs have stirred up certain interest, but then the only time I hear the man on the radio is when I flip over to Sirius for funnies. Apparently getting gigantic guests like Justin Timberlake and T.I. for your mediocre single doesn’t even cut it anymore.

So, to answer my own question. I think it’s both. Foxx may have stumbled upon success in the one field that alluded him for years, but he’s also a legitimate musical talent. The problem, however, lies in the fact he has become type-cast in the role he plays. Not in movies, though, but in every forced, label-made playboy/high-class-hooker love song that he accepts royalty checks on behalf of.

Once Jamie and J Records stop shoving cheesy, Saran-Wrapped® odes to the opposite sex down the throats of Beyoncé’s fans and realize that respect and loyalty in the music industry lie in the very same honesty and emotion that earned him an Oscar, only then Foxx may see the more classy music career he’s always envisioned for himself.

While the majority of the rappers who made their start in the ’80s are either making reality shows or working their 9 to 5 miles away from the limelight they once basked in, WC is still waving the flag for the Pacific Coast with the same ferocity he came with when he was still paying dues with Low Profile. Read the rest of this entry »

Seeing that getting to the highest plateau is the ideal benchmark to set in the rapper gene pool, it comes as no surprise that The Kid Daytona feels like he’s “On The Hill” with the lyrical tirade he displays on the first official leak from The Interlude LP. Quite frankly, the opening verse alone contains more wit than you’ll find in some of his opposition’s entire projects. Read the rest of this entry »

Got $145 to spare? Sure, you could run out and buy a Flip Cam HD and take videos of you foxtrotting to the mailbox or you could soak up the summer sun and take pictures of yourself (and everything surrounding you) with The Lomography Spinner 360°. When I was a kid, we had View-Master and it was nothing short of artificial. With the Spinner 360°, the entire universe becomes one snapshot from the back, front and side to side. Read the rest of this entry »

Whut! Whut! CNN, channel 10, that’s the station. For the nation. Whut! Whut!

The hood’s favorite spokesmen are back at it a decade later, reporting from the front lines with The War Report 2: Report The War. Read the rest of this entry »

I’m sure I went on the record at one point of time, saying how 6th Sense was my favorite producer of the moment. No, he’s not rivaling a Dre or a Premo because that takes years of fine-tuning but whenever you see “Prod. By 6th Sense,” you know you’re in for a quality recording. Read the rest of this entry »

Although you may have peeped “Popularity” getting a brief guest spot on HBO’s Entourage this week, “Frisbees,” the first taste of Skyzoo’s joint album with producer !llmind, is the best solo dart we’ve heard from the Brooklynite since “The Beautiful Decay.” Read the rest of this entry »

So we just gonna leak every song off the album huh, Ross? We gonna jack little brother for his “Big Brother” steez, too? Even after a Jay track, the idea or album still hasn’t been sold yet. The demand is insatiable and you still may be a few chicken nuggets short of a buffet. I think we all know where this is heading. Read the rest of this entry »

The shooting star press. It’s a move that’s been pretty much banned from WWE since it almost killed Brock Lesnar a few years ago. In fact, only one person, Evan Bourne, is allowed to perform the move. Read the rest of this entry »

Taking a minute to shout out Marcus Troy for being influential enough to have his words marked on the pavement traveled by the Tour de France. Bar none, MT is one of the most genial and inspiring people I’ve met across this worldwide web. Read the rest of this entry »

With their grind in stride as always, Memphis microphone legends 8Ball & MJG return once ‘gain to bring their space-age-pimpin’ to the streets with “Blunts & Broads,” the Biggie-Smalls-sampling ode to both of your favorite things. Read the rest of this entry »

Couldn’t make it to Atlanta this past Saturday to watch K.R.I.T. and friends perform? We’ve got your covered with a short video recap, composed by our friends @ Life Under A Scope. Read the rest of this entry »