Producer Flying Lotus adds R&B to his repertoire with this cut from Jose James’ album Blackmagic. “Code” is less jagged than your typical Lotus production and shows the West Coast beat-head’s versatility.
Blackmagic is out now, and it’s great soul-jazz listen, especially if you’re snowed in.
via minigolfpharaos
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New Amerykah Part One‘s mind-blowing sound came from Erykah Badu’s squad of ace underground hip-hop producers (Madlib, Sa-Ra, Karriem Riggins). So it’s surprising to see the quintessential mainstream rapper on the first song off New Amerykah Part Two. But the song still bangs, in a random Erykah Badu kind of way.
Update: Video
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I’ve been waiting for more from Ms. Monae since Aaron hipped me to her earlier this week. The second single from The ArchAndroid is even more epic than the first. Equally fast-paced, but more serious, “Cold War” is an energetic me-against-the-world track with lyrics to match. Can’t wait for this album.
Update: video here.
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A perfect slice of rolling, summery funk backed by a killer Big Boi verse. Bit confused why they’re leaking this now; “Tightrope” was clearly made for BBQ season. Janelle’s debut on Bad Boy, The Arch-Android, drops on May 18.
BTW, go see Janelle live if you ever get the chance, she puts on one of the best live shows I’ve ever seen. Hit the jump for some upcoming tour dates.
X.Obama, same campaign. Off the excellent 1.1.10 mixtape, which we’ve posted about already. Cop and listen, I’m already prepared to call it one of the best mixtapes of ’10.
No far out Madlib beats or abstract social pondering this time. Just sweet and smooth Erykah.
via Rap Radar
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Melvin Van Peebles is a pioneer in black cinema, having directed, written, produced, scored and starred in what many people consider the first blaxploitation film, Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasss Song. The New York Times recently published a fantastic profile of Peebles’s attempt to turn Sweetback into a stage musical that’s essential reading, if only for passages like this:
In person Mr. Van Peebles is a throwback to the era of Afros and revolutionary rhetoric. His beard has gone ash white, but he still sports black leather vests and pants, purple-shaded glasses and vintage high-tops. He is rarely without a soggy cigar — occasionally lighted — or a bellicose zinger, like: “If somebody messes with me, it’s not a lecture they need. It’s a brick.”
Read the whole piece here.
Hip-hop fans may be more familiar with Peebles from Madlib’s prominent sampling of his music on his two Quasimoto albums; allegedly ‘Lib and Peebles were supposed to do a double album together back in ‘05, I wonder what happened to it?
Download: Quasimoto – Bad Character
Get up on a little of Peebles’ music too. Here’s “Come On Write Me” from his 1974 album, What The . . . . You Mean I Can’t Sing?!
D.C. singer Raheem DeVaughn just dropped a fantastic mixtape, including dope remakes/covers of the Clipse’s “I’m Good”, “Pretty Girls”, “Bonita Applebum” and “Redemption Song”. Appearances by Wale, X.O. and Tabi Bonney, among others. Raheem’s new album In Love & MasterPeace drops in March.
Track listing below the jump:
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Soul singer Teddy Pendergrass died yesterday in a hospital in Philadelphia, according to The Associated Press. He was 59.
He got his start as the lead singer of Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes before leaving the group for a successful solo career. He was one of the most significant soul singers of the 70s and the first black male singer to record five consecutive multi-platinum albums.
In 1982 he was paralyzed from the waist down in a car accident, but that didn’t stop him from recording and performing.
His kind of rough, powerful soul simply doesn’t exist anymore.
off Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes
off Teddy Pendergrass
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I can’t wait for Summer either.
Muhsinah sounds great over an electronic beat as she did on the Flying Lotus-produced “Lose My Fuse.”
