Metal Lungies

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First single off Khaled’s upcoming We Global. Talk about using the same formula, same South-centric lineup, same synthy Runners beats, but I don’t doubt it will bang in the clubs.

Mp3: DJ Khaled Ft. Rick Ross, Plies, Akon, Lil Boosie, Trick Daddy, Ace Hoody & Lil Wayne-We Out Here Grindin (Dirty)

Update: More than one post about DJ Khaled would be obscene, so I’m putting this here. Khaled escapes from the zoo and “performs” his new song for Kanye (via Nah Right). How awkward must it have been to be in that room?

knobbz out.

“Shut the fuck up. Detox?” That was my reaction when I read that a track off the long-delayed, mythical Detox album had been leaked. More accurately, it’s a reference track, so it doesn’t even have Dr. Dre’s vocals on it yet. Rather, the vocals are from an artist named Prophet and it’s co-produced by an Atlanta producer named WallStreet. This is the first (or maybe second) actual material we’ve gotten off Detox so far and I can’t help but suspect it’s a hoax. Nevertheless here’s the link, courtesy of 2dopeboyz (the text of the email from the insider who leaked it is there too). Right now, all I can confidently say is, look out for Detox.

Download: Prophet – It’s Like That (reference track for Dr. Dre)

via Ya Heard???

Gotta love the lousy photoshop. Is that the new Audi that doesn’t cast a shadow?

A new mixtape from New Orleans’ own Curren$y. His chill vibe and smooth voice are the perfect antithesis to your angry east coast rappers and his beat selection is always on point. I was worried when his last mixtape, the west coast themed Higher than 30,000 Feet, didn’t live up to expectation, but Welcome to the Winner’s Circle sees Curren$y moving from airplanes to race cars and it’s fresh from beginning to end. Splitting with Weezy might have been the best thing he ever did. My House = generic/tired/wack

Download: Curren$y – Welcome to the Winner’s Circle

via OnSMASH

“Drop” was a single released by the Pharcyde, in support of their second album, Labcabincalifornia. It was produced by J Dilla, still going by Jay Dee at the time. Dilla employs his soon-to-be signature crisp, neck-snapping snares and claps. He uses a haunting, spacey backwards sample and a scratched chorus of Ad-Rock from “The New Style”: “Feel the beat….mmmmm…DROP!” I’ll be honest, most of the lyrics to this song don’t really make a lot of sense to me. Nevertheless Bootie Brown kills it, and just reading the lyrics doesn’t do his verse justice:

My name is Bootie Brown and I’m proceeding, leading,
they try to follow but they’re shallow and hollow
I can see right through them like an empty 40 bottle, of O.E.
they have no key, or no clue
to the game at all, now they washed up
hung out to dry
standing looking stupid, wondering why
(why man?)
it was the fame (fame!), that they tried to get
now they walking around talkin’ about represent
and keep it real, but I got to appeal
cause they existing in a fantasy when holding the steel

The song also got a fantastic video courtesy of one of my favourite directors, Spike Jonze. If you haven’t seen it before, see if you can figure out what’s going on before the video finishes:

You can read Jonze’s one-page treatment for the video at Delicious Vinyl’s blog, it’s really interesting.

Da Beatminerz did a remix for the song that appears on the  12′ for “Drop”/”Y?”, as pictured at the top of post. The Ad-rock sample remains but it’s placed low in the mix, and there’s a new chorus:

Believe it or not/it’s all divine/I got the super phat shit that will blow your mind

The backwards electronic-sounding sample is gone; instead the remix compliments a filtered bass line with thudding drum hits.  Lyrics are unchanged but the song’s intro and outro is different: Bootie Brown introduces the track as a Beatminerz remix and Tre adlibs a bit at the end.

It’s an interesting take on the track, and in lieu of new Pharcyde material from the original quartet, any material from that era is welcome. Though the original lineup is reuniting for Rock The Bells, maybe new material will come from it. This interview with the group seems to indicate so.

So, you guys gonna make a record?
Slimkid3: We’re gonna go to the lab and work it out. We don’t want to jump the gun, we just want to let it happen.
Is there a lab to go back to?
Slimkid3: Hmm. Uh, I guess we need a lab. Just got back together, uh, yesterday, so… If a lab just so happens to pop up, that would be great.
Fatlip: Yeah. I mean of course it’s hard to say, but the way things have been for the last day, I have to say yes. Things are good.

Listen to both and tell me which version you like better:

The Pharcyde – Drop

The Pharcyde – Drop (Da Beatminerz Remix)

Entitled ODB Ason Unique, this movie looks like it could be good. These rap documentaries often slip due to lousy production values or an excess of bullshit, but hopefully this one will have an appropriate mix of Wu mysticism and discussion of the man’s music. Either way, I’m more interested in this than I am in that other dead rapper movie.

Official Site

via GRANDGOOD

Once upon a time, Al Green taught the world how to treat a lady.  The silky grooves on “Lets Stay Together” are testements to the undying nature of true love, plus they are really bitchin tunes.  Back in the day, my father was clearly moved by the hopefulness of the title track.  He made it his ringtone as soon as he split with my mom.  I found this hilariously ironic; at the same time it made me lament for a record that could fill my heart with the love that my dad found in that song.  What the hell am I supposed to make babies too, huh?

Well my prayers are answered by the new Al Green Record, sort of.  Its an enjoyable listen and there are some standout tracks, but all in all its a little underwhelming.  Undoubtedly, the songs are still smothered in Al’s romantic goodness.  I mean every song is pretty much about his undying affection for a female or the lack there of.  So, in that respect I am satisfied (I give it a 8 out of 10 for babymaking potential).  But there isn’t the same “wow” factor that you saw in “Lets Stay Together” or “Tired of Being Alone.”  It seems that the soul vet has settled down a little, laying down tracks that are noticeably conservative.  

That being said I have been enjoying the record on repeat for the last few days.  ?uestlove nailed the production, and even added a little bit of hip-hop flavor without obstructing the soulful feel.  So, if your a fan of Al hit this up, no questions asked.  The record is released on May 27th. 

Download: Al Green-Standing in the Rain 

See Also: Al Green: Thought It Out 

Via sneakmove

Now, I’ve messed with FL Studio a few times, but I’ve always wanted to really bang out some beats on a proper Music Production Center, or MPC. These guys are living my dream of engaging in sampler-based combat, in this fantastic video for producer/DJ Egadz‘ song “What We Are Destined to Do”:

And here Egadz recreates the song live on an MPC:

And the video is just the tip of the iceberg. I’m a sucker for producers creating beats on the fly and the web is full of vids of them doing just that. Here’s a choice selection of videos of beatmakers producing with the MPC

Just Bleezy on the MPC:

Pete Rock plays with the MPC, and makes a beat out of Pat Benatar’s “Love Is A Battlefield”:

Damu the Fudgemunk (of Y Society) recreates DJ Premier’s beat for “Classic (Better Than I’ve Ever Been) on the MPC 2000:

Damu used to have several videos of him recreating beats by the likes of Pete Rock & Da Beatminerz but he seems to have taken them down. Anyone know the deal with this?

Jay-Z has closed a deal with Live Nation that will see the formation of Roc Nation, a joint venture between Live Nation and Hov. It’s a $150 million deal (baby on the way, mad bills to pay?) that includes Jay-Z’s touring and recordings for the next ten years. One of the most powerful people in music has opted to ditch the major labels. Is the antiquated record industry that nobody seems to like fading away?

via Billboard.com

To celebrate a month’s passing since our introductory Fun Facts post, here’s a second installment. Pat yourself on the back if you’ve noticed a trend here.

1. On “Stick 2 The Script” (off The Dynasty Roc La Familia), Jay-Z’s line “We gon’ run the streets/’til we reach Malik” is in reference to former NBA player Malik Sealy, who was killed by a drunk driver in 2000.

2. MF Grimm was arrested en route to a studio where he would have recorded a verse for Main Source’s “Live At The BBQ”.

3. T.I. shortened his rap name from “T.I.P.” out of respect for his at-the-time Arista Records labelmate, Q-Tip.

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So Soulja Boy attends the Wizards game acting as a lucky charm for the sole win in 4 games. Well, Jay-Z comes back with a hyphy flavored diss, that uhh pretty much ends the whole thing because there is no way Soulja can muster any thing that resembles a comeback…maybe DeShawn has a contingency plan where another rapper can be worked into this somehow.

Mp3: Jay-Z-Blow The Whistle via Eskay.