Metal Lungies

Stop sleeping on the man with the dope initials.

Donwill & Von Pea’s new video is down-to-Earth, carefree, and fun — everything hip-hop usually isn’t. Sandwich Shop EP here.

ML’s international man of mystery DJ01 is on the ground at Bonnaroo spreading love and joy. If you see him, tell him the tuna sandwich he left in the Metal Lungies Refrigerator® is starting to stink. Keep up with his shenanigans on Twitter where he’ll keep us posted when he has service on his Blackberry.

Expect some interesting interviews as well as random run-ins with fabulous individuals and characters.

You can watch live shows here. Gawk at the massive lineup after the break.

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I’ve dominated games defensively, and sometimes people don’t see it. It’s like that Chinese death blow hit. You don’t feel until it’s in you, and five seconds later, you kind of die. I forget the name of it, but it’s a death blow.

–Ron Artest

Metal Lungies, the best place for hip-hop and peripheral Ron Artest coverage

I stopped reading and hit download when I saw Yela. The “Country Cool” remix stands above everything on Atlanta rapper Donnis’ new tape.

Download: Donnis – Country Cool (Remix) (ft. Yelawolf, Pill) (produced by J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League)

via DatPiff.com

I’ve been admiring Smoke DZA’s punchy weed rap for awhile now and Ski’s jazz lounge beat suits him perfectly. I’m waiting for the day when Ski can top Uptown Saturday Night. Off the upcoming George Kush Da Button mixtape.

Download: Smoke DZA – Sounds Of The Indo (ft. Terri Walker, Den10) (produced by Ski Beatz)

via GFCnewyork

John Robinson always shows up over great production and his album with Lewis Parker will be no exception. Listen to the single, you might learn something.

Download: John Robinson and Lewis Parker – International Summers

EPK after the break

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I lost all interest in Eminem after Relapse, but when he announced that Just Blaze was producing the bulk of the followup, I reluctantly got excited. Just Blaze, the man behind all the Roc-A-Fella classics, “Oh Boy” and most recently “Exhibit C.” This should be interesting, I thought.

Last night, Recovery leaked online and one of the first songs I heard was “No Love” which contains a prominent sample of Haddaway’s “What Is Love.” Utterly disturbed, I went on Twitter to cry about it and call out Mr. Blaze.

I reacted similarly when T.I. sampled an Internet meme for his single. According to nerd rap doctrine, samples should be old and obscure enough to be archaeological discoveries, preferably from the other side of the world. We like to think of producers as wizards who live in caverns of vinyl and collect records like Pokemon cards. Sampling a 1993 dance song that became an SNL skit and eventually a movie (EMILIOOO!!) is just wrong.

But Just asks a valid question: Why not? What if I pretend I’ve never heard of Haddaway or A Night at the Roxbury and the sample is just another rare loop? Are my elitist perceptions about what’s OK to sample totally arbitrary? I’m sure there two bros rocking out to Weezy’s bars right now with no qualms about the sample. What about “Girls Ain’t Nothing but Trouble” which contains a sample of the I Dream of Jeannie theme? There are countless examples of “questionable” samples that get a pass for one reason or another.

I don’t have good answers to those questions. Ultimately, there are no rules to sampling, it’s just a matter of what sounds right at the time. “No Love” has grown on me a little bit (not much) since my initial disgust, but I can’t see how anyone can absorb what Eminem is trying to pull out of his soul without bobbing their head to the side like Chris Kattan.

Joell put it best: “Puerto Rican parade after-after-after party anthem”

Download: Joell Ortiz – Drunk

via Joell Ortiz

“Pushin It” = “I Need a Girl 2010.” Game’s query, “Have you ever been to Cannes?” sounds oddly similar to Puff asking, “Have you ever been to Saint-Tropez?” No, I have never been to the South of France and neither have most of your fans. I’m sure it’s lovely.

Game and T.I.’s tough guy posturing makes their track more palatable, but I’m sure in eight years, this will be just as cheesy as Puff’s shenanigans in the “I Need a Girl (Part Two)” video. Enjoy it while you can (despite my snarky blogger remarks, I certainly am).

And is anyone else getting tired of the recent Diddy media blitz? The guy’s face is everywhere right now with no good music behind it — just a movie I don’t want to see and an album nobody cares about. Update: Thank you, 50.

Download: Game – Pushin It (ft. T.I., Robin Thicke)

via Game

Btw, this used to be a Ja Rule song.