Metal Lungies

Fucking hilarious.

I would be on that list of donators if I wasn’t basically broke.  Definitely pitching in on the next video, DP & Raf.

Via Okayplayer

It’s crazy to think of a musical group actually capturing the moment of truth on video. Thank god for technology.

Bonus Beats

Like from Pac Div freestyles:

Pac Div takes over DJ Jamad’s Sirius Show “Afromentals”

And if you don’t know, now you know.

Does it frustrate you how the face of popular music and its accompanied art has evolved and lost most artistic credibility? Is it a product of disinterest by the fans or just the commercialization of the whole industry?

JJ: Not really. The classic days of the album cover ended with CDs and videos, and I started long after that. Records and covers have always been products and marketing, if you ignore all the culture involved. I’m in it for the culture though.

Read the rest here.

Jank is one of the nicest cats to ever reach out and contact me about the site. And he’s a really talented, creative artist.

Pictured above: an original sketch by Jank, courtesy of Flickr user Lelo**

I just saw this on MTV JAMS (yeah… my TV stays on it) and I have to say that this was one of the most weird videos I have ever seen. The whole first 1/3 of the video is just the rapper (Lil Wil) standing on his front lawn getting uncomfortable looks from his neighbors and some random ho. Then they end it with scenes of a shirtless first grader caressing himself. I know other rappers have kids in their videos, but does he need to be shirtless, and doing that dance? This seems borderline illegal.

Plus, when I saw it on MTV it didn’t silence his vocals when he swore, it brought back the hook. So I was just stuck wondering what the hell this badly edited child exploitation is doing on JAMS?! And, not to sound like an old fart, but what the HELL is My Dougie?????

These damn kids…

A few days late on this one, but no one on the internet cares about timeliness, right?  The original is my favorite song of the year.  Nas kills it on the remix, and Busta may have the greatest laugh of all time.   

Download: Busta Rhymes ft. Reek da Villain, Spliff Star, Lil’ Wayne, Nas, The Game, and Big Daddy Kane-Don’t Touch Me (Remix)

Download Original: Busta Rhymes-Don’t Touch Me (Throw Da Water On Em) 

It’s the summertime, and Pete Rock’s production has never sounded better. All I feel like doing these days is breaking out The Main Ingredient and chilling in the sun. So I’ve compiled a list of links related to the great producer.

Flood has a dope mix of Pete instrumentals, ’92-’94, which he rightfully proclaims as the producer’s golden period. If it’s warm where you are, get an iced tea and listen to this in the sun.

Dan at From Da Bricks has a shorter mix, blending Pete productions with original samples and interviews with Soul Brother #1. Click the link for the full track listing. (zshare link)

Bonus: Rafi clowns blog readers in a post linking to the mix. The comments are golden.

Robbie interviews Pete

Cipha Sounds goes behind the boards with the Chocolate Boy Wonder on Shade 45

Pete Rock guests on Juan Epstein

Kurupt rips a Pete treat. Yessir!

Pic courtesy of D-Nice

I just got this press release from the Sunshine, Sachs & Associates firm:

“My family and I are eternally thankful to Governor Paterson, my attorneys Michael Krinsky and Craig Kaplan at Rabinowitz, Boudin, Standard, Krinsky & Lieberman and to all of the people who have supported me throughout the past seventeen years.  This has been a long and difficult road and I am happy for this to be settled once and for all.  I look forward to enjoying this time with my family and friends and to continue leading an honest and productive life.”

– Ricky Walters

The New York Times has more:

New York Gov. David Paterson is granting a full and unconditional pardon to rapper Ricky ”Slick Rick” Walters for the attempted murders of two men in 1991.

The pardon is expected to halt efforts to deport Walters to the United Kingdom, the country he left as a child.

The eyepatch-wearing star behind the ’80s rap classic ”La-Di-Da-Di” served more than five years in prison after the shooting of his cousin and another man. Both survived.

The governor says Walters is now a rap artist and landlord in the Bronx who has not had any criminal problems since his release from prison in 1997. He also says Walters has volunteered to counsel youths against violence.

I’m so glad to hear this. Ricky was the first rapper to get me really interested in hip-hop.

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?

The Roots album, “Rising Down,” is set to release April 29th.  Video directed by Rik Cordero.  

Plus a dope freestyle with The Roots and Tribe after jump.  

Read the rest of this entry »

I don’t really care for Sean John as a clothing line but I’m curious to see how much Diddy actually cut & sews. Does the fashion industry have the equivalent of ghostwriters, ghostdesigners? Airs tonight at 10PM EST on MTV.