As much as I love Slow Motion Soundz, I have to admit that their videos are usually unwatchable. The “How Far” video looks like a Windows 95 screensaver and “Inner Circle” was just uncomfortable on multiple levels. But they finally found the right visual approach with “Purple Onion,” which looks the “Flava in Ya Ear” remix with the Pop-Up Video treatment — crisp black and white images and tongue-in-cheek annotations. Download the track here. Also, S.L.A.S.H. steals the show.
I usually don’t mess with videos that look like after school projects, but the video for J-Love’s “Mind on My Money” works because it doesn’t aspire to be anything more than a budgetless rap fest. No visual effects, just some shady shots of a casino floor for atmosphere.
Phil Ade is a competent, if generic rapper from DC whose new tape has a high concentration of dope tracks. It’s an amalgam of blog rap topics and styles: weed, parties, inspirational ‘just tryna make it’ joints, etc. The man can pick beats and he can even drop an exciting verse or two when he lets some hunger into his verse. Bink! supplies some regal post-Roc-A-Fella beats (“King,” “Scoreboard”) and Oddisee laces the title track with an amazing indie-rock-ish beat that deserves some radio play. Phil gets busy with his own producer Sunny Norway too. “The Let Out (Interlude)” is a strange but welcome dance break in the middle of the tape and “The Weekend” with U-N-I is as smooth as any Curren$y track.
The highlights on A Different World are many. I’ll take Phil Ade’s vision for pop rap over Maybach Music Group’s any day of the week.
It’s offically summer. You know how I know? Nope, it has nothing to do with the heat that people are bitching about on twitter. It is because Arthur King’s annual Summer Mix is here. I almost didn’t want to post this so all you aggregating savage blogs don’t get a sniff, but this man deserves more shine. I’ve been following the guys work since I stumbled his Pop Sh*t mix about 5 years ago. Arthur is a maestro of seamless transitions, remixes, and edits of jams that go hand in hand like Kells and underage girl.
So check out the first 25 minutes of his Summer 2011 mix NOW:
The kicker? If you like what you hear, you will have to buy it. from France.
Sidebar: That guy Knobbz is probably downloading this off the strength of the .gif mixtape cover alone.
If you like what you hear, I’ve procured some personal favorite jams from Arthur’s soundcloud, after the break. Stay tuned, I’m going to try to share the older Summer Mixes soon.
An early contender for beat of the year. The Greneberg EP makes me want to smash my iMac over my head. It makes me want to go Anakin on some sand people. It makes me want to throw a refrigerator off the Empire State Building. It makes me want to headbutt a rhinoceros. I am currently slamming my head on my desk. My family is worried. It’s that good.
Crown Royal is sponsoring a mini Big Boi tour that hits DC tonight (they even let him design his own bag, which I’d like to obtain to fill with quarters.). The folks at Rolling Stone teamed up with them to bring the internets massive a live stream. Based on seeing Big Boi at Bonnaroo come through with sharp raps, a lot of on stage dancing, a lively brass section, and just a straight up party vibe– you should definitely tune (stream?) in.
Releasing your mixtape without an animated cover in 2011 is like releasing it on an actual tape and selling those tapes in the parking lot of Home Depot. LA Da Boomman is ahead of the game with his new mixtape Boomin’.
