Metal Lungies

So many names you’d think it was pieced together by a mixtape DJ. I remember when Chris Brown was that kid who had a song with Juelz Santana.

Update: A month later, here’s the final, full, dirty version of the remix. Chris Brown released an EP today with five different combinations of the remix’s guest verses, so you can choose which douchebags you want to listen to.

Listen here.

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Master producer Salaam Remi only pops up sporadically, but when he does, it’s always something extra special. Chrisette Michele’s tribute to Audrey Hepburn comes straight out of Amy Winehouse throwback soul territory. Miss Michele’s upcoming mixtape, Love Thy Brother, is all unreleased material and leftovers from previous albums.

Download: Chrisette Michele – Dear Miss Audrey (produced by Salaam Remi)

via Rap-Up.com

Nicki’s vocal tricks and Em’s rage match up surprisingly well, even if both routines are getting old. And to his credit, Swizz Beatz provides an interesting beat that doesn’t crumble under the weight of the collaboration. Hopefully Nicki’s energy can make her debut less boring than Drake’s. The cover could have used more ass.

Update: Added an early version of the song with a different hook.

Download: Nicki Minaj – Roman’s Revenge (ft. Eminem) (produced by Swizz Beatz)

via YourAudioFix

Download: Nicki Minaj – Roman’s Revenge (ft. Eminem) (original) (produced by Swizz Beatz)

via YouHeardThatNew

Behold Pete Rock’s contribution to Kanye and Jay-Z’s Watch The Throne (Thrown?) album. That’s right, Kanye said it’s an entire album now.

Kanye finally delivers on his promise of boom bap beats. You can tell Pete Rock relishes the magnitude of the placement as the beat oozes with soul. The oddball vocal sample shows definite J Dilla influence (Syl Johnson going “UH” followed by a high-pitched laugh that sounds just like the Dilla siren). Kanye and Jay-Z take to the beat like a long lost friend and acknowledge the departure from their usual pop rap. Kanye raps, “No electro, no metro / A little retro, ah perfecto.” Jay-Z, who has long since forsaken Ski and Clark Kent for Pharrell and Timbaland, reminisces on growing up.

This is the Yeezy that heads have been waiting for, but the mass audience might be a little lost here. Nevertheless, the combination of Kanye and Jay-Z could make “The Joy” one of the most well known songs in Pete Rock’s discography along with that song from NBA Street Vol. 2.

Download: Kanye West & Jay-Z – The Joy (ft. Charlie Wilson, Kid Cudi) (produced by Pete Rock)

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Another quotable from Premo’s press run.

You can write the illest rhymes in the world, but can you deliver it right? It’s like, we all know how to put our dick in the hole, but can you tear it up?

–DJ Premier

Same horn sample DJ Premier used on Blaq Poet’s “Don’t Give A Fuccc,” but it goes in a totally different direction. Premo flipped it mad militant while Statik Selektah skews it nostalgic for an appropriate backdrop to AZ’s street knowledge. Off Doe or Die: 15th Anniversary Edition, out November 23. Also peep the iTunes bonus track for Statik and Termanology’s 1982 album featuring Freddie Gibbs.

I saw Mr. Selektah during CMJ and as always, he told me about half a dozen albums he’s working on. I’m still waiting for his album with Bahamadia.

Download: AZ – The Calm (produced by Statik Selektah)

Download: 1982 – Fallin (ft. Freddie Gibbs)

via Dirty Glove Bastard

Today marks the kickoff of the Voodoo Experience in the heart of New Orleans. ML is taking this year off, but we have had documented an amazing time in years past.  Even though we aren’t going it doesn’t mean we can’t recommend some acts, amiright?! Ticket’s are still available, trust me this will be wayyy better than Halloween house party.

Here are some picks from ML (but don’t forget that discovering new artists is a clutch aspect of any music festival):

Muse; Ozzy Osbourne (that guy from MTV!!); MGMT (be sure to see mostly KIDS, if they do it lawls); Drake (Please report on his knee.);Metric; Hot Chip (sleeper pick of the festival!); Deadmau5 (biggest buzz on the festival scene this year?; Street Sweeper Social Club (Tom Morello+Boots Riley from The Coup=Win.); Paul Oakenfold; Florence and the Machine; Raphael Saadiq; Janelle Monae (one the best live acts of the year); Afrojack;  Kelis; the Crystal Method; Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue; Crookers; Preservation Hall Jazz Band; Boys Noize.

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…a guy committed suicide on the train that we were riding. We saw him when he was dead, right in front of us. When you’re in fifth grade, that’s the story to tell your friends: “Yo, man, we saw somebody kill themselves on our train, and his arm was cut off and it was still moving.” I was like, “I’m coming back here. This is where I wanna live. This is exciting. I wanna see all the crazy action.”

–DJ Premier

Last seen on Kanye West’s “Devil in a New Dress,” Bink! ventures West on this track from Cypress Hill’s SmokeOut compilation. So dope.

Download: Bink! – Smoke Sumthin (ft. Ras Kass, Kurupt, Young De)

via HRSMN

Last night I had an ‘oh shit’ moment similar to the first time I heard Yelawolf. Milwaukee rapper/producer Juiceboxxx sounds like the rebellious offspring of a Beastie Boy. As far as I can tell, he communicates exclusively in all caps. His new tape Journeyman from the Heartland is, in his words, “10 TRACKS OF EXTREME RAGING AND REAL LIFE SITUATIONS BUT DON’T WORRY IT IS ALSO A LOT OF MOTHERFUCKING FUN.” The beats are all over the place, but it’s all dope. There’s an amazing Block Beattaz track, some rock stuff, some electronic, and a track with a TLC sample that shouldn’t work, but does. Right now he’s touring Japan. As soon as he gets back, I’m going to ask to be his roadie.

I fucking love this guy.

Download: Juiceboxxx – Journeyman from the Heartland

via Juiceboxxx