Metal Lungies

This is why I love Tha Thug Show. Slim Thug strikes a balance between amped up Lex Luger/Yo Gotti tracks and smooth riding music like “Caddy Music.” And he executes both just as well. The video is an amateur Cadillac commercial. The incorrigible Devin the Dude starts rapping about Cadillacs, but quickly goes on a tangent about weed.

Rick Ross wishes he could compete with this pimpage. Dr. Lecter is out now.

The beat! Exile’s signature diced up vocal samples often give his beats a jagged texture, but this is super mellow. Bean bag chair music.

Hip-hop artists aren’t good at the uplifting stuff. They get way too heavy-handed and preachy when they’re trying to inspire. Eminem’s “Not Afraid” was a whiny, emo mess, Nas’ “I Can” was an obvious attempt to placate Parent Teacher Associations, and Talib Kweli makes boring songs for goobers.

Donwill of Tanya Morgan does a much better job of connecting with the regular guy who’s down on his luck. The message of “Breathe” is simple: relax, it’s gonna be alright. He doesn’t spew platitudes or tell you about how you can be president if you believe in yourself and eat your vitamins. The video doesn’t have a children’s choir singing about perseverance, just a car that needs to be dug out of the snow. It’s powerful because it’s simple and real.

“Breathe” works even better in the context of the album. Don Cusack in High Fidelity is out now and one of the better rap releases of 2010.

E-40 is in a league of his own. Who else makes rap this dark, minimal, and weird?

Funniest rap video in a minute. Meyhem Lauren and Action Bronson just made New York rap cool again. Off Self-Induced Illness, which is dope, but runs a tad long at 41 songs.

“All of the Lights” is apex of Yeezy indulgence, so it needed a suitably coked up video. Hype Williams (who else?) took “All of the Lights” to mean constantly flashing neon lights and a daring display of Rihanna side boob. I think he interpreted correctly.

Update: The video is no longer available, probably because a British epilepsy organization said it could give people seizures.

Update: It’s back, but with a seizure warning.

New York hip-hop lives. More food network rap.

Now Flying Lotus has directed videos for Erykah Badu and Bilal. Sounds like Mr. Ellison has the neo-soul bug or maybe even full blown Baduizm. The lack of public nudity might stop this from getting as much attention as the “Window Seat” video, but I like cartoon spaceships just as much publicity stunts disguised as artistic statements.

Word to Mobbdeen, producer Million $ Mano did the impossible and pulled something original out of “Bumpy’s Lament” even though Dr. Dre seemed to have locked that sample away with “Xxplosive.” I love how Freddie sings a heartfelt hook about the kind of hos he’s looking for. Get the track and watch the making of here.