Metal Lungies

Drop everything you are doing its time for some Ghettalian.

Podcast

Who is the best rapper alive? We take some time and give you an answer.
(Hint: Not Lil Wayne)

Playlist (I Only List Our Nominees):
GZA- Duel of The Iron Mic
Raekwon, Ghostface, and Nas- Verbal Intercourse
MF Doom- Impostas
Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest- Jazz (We’ve Got)
Murs- Yesterday and Today
Mos Def- Traveling Man
Common- Book of Life
Ghostface Killah- Child’s Play
Dres of Black Sheep- Flavor of The Month
Ice Cube- What They Hittin’ Foe
A-Plus of Souls Of Mischief- Live And Let Live
Andre 3000 of Outkast- Jazzy Belle

WOW. Via a Pitchfork Media interview with Rivers:

Pitchfork: Can you elaborate on what a more experimental Weezer record might sound like?
RC: Longer songs, non-traditional song forms, different people writing and singing, instrument switching, TR-808s, synths, Southern rap, and baroque counterpoint– for starters.

When asked for clarification on the rapping part:

Pitchfork: Oh, and who’s doing the rapping?

RC: Moi.

Now, I love both the Blue Album & Pinkerton very dearly. But that sounds like a fucking awful idea. Is he taking a page from Cosby’s book? What would “Buddy Holly” sound like with 808s?

(amusing picture at top from Cuomo’s graduation, via Merry Swankster)

This week, before I get into the actual remix writeup, I’d like to highlight two other sites who have been doing this weekly remix thing longer than I have.

More Than Milk do something called ‘Remix Tuesdays’ too but their featured remixes tend to be of the indie/electronic variety. Palms Out Sounds do a weekly Remix Sundays post that’s pretty great. Their Sample Wednesdays are amazing too, definitely worth a look for diggers and expert sample spotters.

The song being covered today is the Ultramagnetic MCs’ “Poppa Large”. The original, found on their second LP, Funk Your Head Up, is dope but the remix off the “Poppa Large” single improves on it in nearly every way.

The original has a laidback drum break and some funky guitar, with looped cheering in the background.. The instrumental is much slower and less, well, frenzied, compared to the remix.

The “East Coast” remix of the Ultramagnetic MCs’ “Poppa Large” is done by a production team called ‘Da BeatMinerz’. Not to be confused with Da Beatminerz, best known for working with the Boot Camp Clik (Black Moon, Smif-N-Wessun, etc.) ; these are an entirely different BeatMinerz, consisting of producers Ike Lee & Aaron Lyles.

The remix starts with a classic James Brown sample “Hit me!” being scratched. Then the ominous bassline comes in, sounding a bit like the bass line from “The Choice Is Yours”. Shortly after that, the frantic horns come in. Samples of James Brown (?) saying “I’m poppa” are integrated into the beat, along with the odd sample of Kool Keith. Keith comes in on this one like he’s possessed. It doesn’t even matter that nothing he’s saying really makes sense. A sample:

I’m a eat ’em wit popcorn and treat ’em like suds you duds
Coming out the wick wack, wicky, wickable wack
Black jack, that’s a fact, writing exact behind your back

I mean, does anyone have any idea what “Poppa Large” even means?

The remix keeps the original a capella, but Keith sound a lot more energized on the remix. That’s the signature of a great beat/vocal matchup.

Also, holy shit is the video fucking amazing. Kool Keith wearing a straitjacket? Kool Keith with a bird cage on his head? Yes please.

Have a listen to both and share your thoughts in the comments:

Ultramagnetic MCs – Poppa Large

Ultramagnetic MCs – Poppa Large (East Coast Remix)

Is democratic like Florida circa November 2000:

(click for fullview).

Anyway, the most original dunk ever:

We’re going a little international with this one. Our man Niklas who’s laced ML with some dope graphics, tipped me off to a very unique artist by the name of Menteroja. He is a Spanish born Swedish raised rapper (don’t worry, he raps in English). Check out a track from last years EP Street Art & Street Science (which you can buy on his site in vinyl.), with a very mellow saxophone feel:

Mp3: Menteroja-Street Art (Produced by Robin Banks).

Check out Menteroja’s Myspace.

Youtube video after the jump:

Read the rest of this entry »

This is ill. If you’re well-versed in your sample history, you’ll recognize a lot of these breaks. 45 King=one of the most underrated producers ever.

There’s another video of him spinning classic breaks here.

Via Idolator via NY Daily News

“It’s a special day. It’s a day to understand the person who means the most to you.”

So how to celebrate?

“I’m the type of dude who may be in a helicopter over the city having sex.”

Love that the title of this article is “What beautiful single celebrities do on Valentine’s Day.”

Don’t forget to check out Know The Ledge‘s Valentine’s roundup, too.

As you know, we fancy Travis Barker’s drum work around here, thus we must share:

From The Roots annual Grammy party. Props to Eskay for the find.

Wow, is all I can really muster out to say, if you know who Coolio is you really do need to watch this. There are just too many things of note, one thing I will ask is what is the career of those girls on the set? “Hip Hop Cooking Video Hos Models”? This appears to be a weekly series, so be certain we’ll have the next masterpiece Chef Coolio makes.  Can you imagine if Cam’ron did something like this? I’d probably quit everything in life and watch that on repeat for the rest of my life.

Credit to EW.