Hungry? Why Wait?

Much of the internet is in a tizzy over the new Wale track performed at his most recent LA show. Mr. Folarin has said the single will be officially released in a week or two, but c'mon guys. You know I don't do deadlines. So I'm giving you the "unfinished" version that leaked back in December for free.99. That's right, one easy payment of free.99 and it's yours, all yours! Disfruta.

(I can't post the name of the track cuz google bots are worse than inner-city police.)

If this post gets deleted, you know why<-click it. i dare u.

Crack Kills Careers

Randomly just heard DMX's classic "How's It Goin Down" and was reminded how great life was when DMX was scaring niggas before and after equally frightening prayers. Now this nigga's hiding out from the Feds in Scott Storch's crib... Newton's Laws I guess. Either way, can't deny this was a classic album. The late 90's were the ish. Click the album cover to download. And for memory's sake, here's the vid. Disfruta.

This pic makes me mad

For a fuller view, click the pic. It's pretty much every pair of Ubiq's, 90% of which I need in my life--inmediatamente. And I was just telling somebody I was ready to sell off most my collection and get out the kick game...

Me and Andy are gonna have a serious convo about some of these jawns next time I'm in the shop. Do you know how long I've wanted those Qwerty's?!

Follow The Yellow Brick Road

The full thing.


Jazmine Sullivan - "Lions, Tigers & Bears"

This song's bridge is 1 part dope, 2 parts super dope.

Bon Appetit

On the low, Philadelphia has the best restaurants in the country. Among those who dine out regularly, this is far from a secret, but to your average American, it's blasphemy. When you say Philly, most ppl think cheesesteaks, and those who don't, think cream cheese. Hardly a gastronomical paradise. Still, those who actually take the time to get to know the city and all it has to offer realize that any person can get their grub on here. Whether it's a hoagie or a cheesesteak or sushi and sashimi, Philly has it and it tastes great.

To showcase the depth and breadth of Philadelphia cuisine, the Center City District regularly hosts Restaurant Week where over 100 of the cities restaurants provide prix fixe menus for only $35. That's anywhere from 3-5 courses for $35. If you consider Chilli's, Red Lobster, or The Olive Garden as "going out" then maybe this isn't for you, but for the more bourgeois, you know that $35 is a deal and a half. This year they extended Restaurant Week to 2 weeks, which gives you more than enough time to hit at least one restaurant. Click the link above for details, menu's, etc.

With so many restaurants, some ppl might find picking one a bit of a task, so here are a few personal recommendations:
Alma de Cuba
Bistro Romano
Haru
Davio's
Susanna Foo

Consider this the first installment of Greazy's Grub Guide. Later one's will highlight the best food spots in the city. They'll run the gamut from $40 entrees to $1 slice pizzas. Cuz that's how I roll. I'm kinda hungry now. I'm out. In search of... food.

HUF x Wale

This is a great look:

For an upcoming Wale Cali-tour, HUF has hooked up the emerging artist to create a two exclusive t-shirts for the respective HUF flagship stores in Los Angeles and San Francisco. With 50 t-shirts available at each location, purchases made at each store on the day of the concert will also result in a free ticket to the show. Look for Wale to be on hand at autograph signings at HUF LA and SF as well.

I'm a huge fan of HUF. As far as streetwear retailers, they consistently produce some of the cleanest gear. Last seasons leather bombers are drool-worthy. Plus they do it all at reasonable pricepoints and are generally cool ppl, which is noteworthy by itself when you consider their status in the game. My guess is it prolly has something to do with the whole Bay Area vibe. Just makes a nigga real chill. How Wale managed to pull this off, I have no idea, but I guess all the time spent in Cali pre-Interscope was a wise investment.

No Days Like Snow Days

Red Wings are for hypebeasts. This shoe is easily the hottest winter boot out. I don't think I'll be wearing anything else until the temperature gets back up above 50 regularly.

Double RL

EDIT - Link fixed (for now)

His self-titled album. Features "Diamond Girl" and "Addiction". Haven't had the chance to listen to it yet, but it's Ryan Leslie. In other words, ur gonna love it and hate that you love it, all at the same time. Click the album cover to download. And yeah, it ain't in stores yet.

The Official Post-Inauguration Post

So your favorite blogger's favorite blogger made it down to the District MLK weekend to celebrate America's great half-white hype, B. Hussein Obama. Getting down there was a feat in and of itself, seeing as I didn't finalize my plans till 5:30 Saturday night. (I was on the 6:30 train, and barely made it.) That said, it was definitely unforgettable. The pre-inauguration shenanigans notwithstanding, Tuesday was a crazy day. It was friggin freezing and I contracted what is probably baby pneumonia from standing outside for 6 hours.

Still, the energy was insane. I met French people who were confused about why people left after Obama's speech--"They came to see Obama, not the poet, and it's very cold," was my response--and a Jamaican man who said in a most serious tone after Joe Biden was given the oath of office "Bring us Obama!" His response when they instead introduced Yo-Yo Ma and friends? "Bring us Obama... now!"

It was a great day for America, which is what everybody was saying. And, even if Obama's rhetoric was similar to Dubya's (as the Daily Show so succinctly pointed out), it was like cheese: on Italian food it tastes great, on Chinese food, it might make you throw up. (For the confused: Obama = Italian, Dubya = Chinese.) I was one of the millions stranded in the District after the ceremony and found shelter in a random hotel lobby to defrost. Later I hollered at the Natural History Museum and watched an IMAX movie on dinosaurs. Finally, by around 8 or 8:30 I got back to VA for dinner with the fam and some window shopping at Pentagon City. (Sidenote: Macy's and Nordstrom are giving away free women's fragrances as part of a class action suit settlement. No lie. That means free Valentine's gifts fellas.)

In the meantime, in between time, a lot has popped off on the 7 internets. I'm tempted to say that there is an 8th internet brewing, but more on that later (maybe). I caught Charles Hamilton at an art show at the National Harbor MLK weekend, along with Tabi Bonney (whose boy tried to sell me Tabi's CD. I got love for the DMV, but it's a recession, and I'm a blogger. Do you think I pay for anything?) There were a lotta local celebs at the jawn and I kinda found it funny to see ppl I went to high school with working hard to look cool. It made me appreciate Philly that much more, cuz Philadelphians don't try. They just are. Also caught wind of new Teedra that dropped before I left for the wknd (more on that later), and heard some of the much anticipated Paxton's mixtape (aural treats, oral heat. No Listerine.)

A new weekend is upon us, and with it, I have many tests to grade and lessons to plan. Hopefully this'll be the weekend when it all gets done. Irregardless, (I really appreciate smart dumb ppl for making that word up) I'll be dropping a couple joints this wknd, maybe one or two off the radar. I'm glad to see yall giving Adele her due. Hopefully yall are giving equal attention The Paxtons and some of the other drops as well. I'm done rambling. I got kicks to cop.

Watch and Believe

Vh1 decided to let the homey Adele do an impromptu concert in their offices and were so kind as to share it with the rest of the world. My fanaticism over Adele has been well-documented, and I kinda feel it's a shame that it took a year for Vh1 to even give her this opportunity. Either way, it's Grammy season, and with a notable number of noms, she's getting a healthy new round of publicity for those still unfamiliar. What I like most about these 3 vids is how you gradually see more and more ppl in the office crowd into the area where she's singing until by the end, she looks back and realizes she's attracted a small crowd of listeners. Her reaction is priceless. I apologize for the ads on the vids, but hey, bills don't pay themselves. Disfruta.

Right As Rain

VH1 TV Shows | Music Videos | Celebrity Photos | News & Gossip

Melt My Heart To Stone

VH1 TV Shows | Music Videos | Celebrity Photos | News & Gossip

Chasing Pavements

VH1 TV Shows | Music Videos | Celebrity Photos | News & Gossip

The Paxtons x Chester French Cypher

Outside Commonwealth DC, Inauguration Weekend. I'm posting the Charles Hamilton cypher later.

And You Know This...

You had to know we were putting this jawn up.

It's A Long Way To Go

Not really sure why this didnt end up on "Make Sure They See My Face", but nonetheless its awesome. Says it features Mr. Timberlake, but I really couldnt tell. Kenna KILLS it and the production is nothing short of amazing. Enjoy

Kenna - Rockaway Life feat. Justin Timberlake

Bricks

Word to Gucci Mane, Legoland is "ballin like a bitch with all these bricks"... If you're in CA, drop $17 and go check out the Lego Inauguration Exhibit opening today. If you're not, scroll down.

"Nah, we straight--- thats you!"

Whats not to love about Barry. Come Tuesday, we'll see just how thorough Mr. Obama is but in the meantime-betweentime you gotta love moments like this. Mr. President hits U Street with Mayor Fenty...

Taxation Without Representation Pt. 5

If you're not in the District this weekend... I cant blame you cuz we're in the midst of a recession. But if you are, here's the official C-City Recession Proof Guide to Inauguration Weekend. Courtesy of DanTheMan X Jerome Baker III X Judah... ENJOY.

Inside Stuff

If Dave Chappelle ever hosts another Racial Draft, I'm putting my bid in for Kobe EARLY! After jumping over whips and swimming pools in promo for his shoe (which is surprisingly dope) I determined that he was indeed Niggerian (no correction needed), but this joint takes the cake.



Exhibit A- Highlight #2 at 3:01
Perhaps if the Bobcats' Gerald Wallace had ankle insurance he wouldnt have let this happen...



That's ya boy Grease!!!

Its So Cold In The D!

Don't really know how this one slipped between the cracks, but I would like to apologiize for not blessing y'all with this gem. The same day that Mr. Garr & I previewed The Renaissance & Thr33 Ringz at the crib in VA, I downloaded the uber-hyped "Tronic" by Detroit producapper, Black Milk. The bloggers may have gotten it right with this one.

Gross-sounding moniker aside (can you imagine the academy nominating a nigga name Black Milk for anything... but then again I said the same about T-Pain) Black Milk might be the most promising new talent in the game. I'll trade in a mixtape, auto-tune hook, or vicious 16 from every single nigga on the cover of the December XXL for ONE of Black Milk's beats. Think Dilla meeting Just Blaze somewhere in the middle with the flow of Royce da 5'9", minus the depth. Seriously. I'm declaring this to be in 2008's best three rap albums alongside The Renaissance & The Recession.


Black Milk - Tronic

Furthermore inspired by Royce's guest verse on Tronic's "Losing Out" and this article I happened upon on HiphopDX, I had to check out his latest work. While by no means a superior mixtape as far as features, beat selection, or original production from Green Lantern... Royce is a BEAST. This nigga attacks every beat as if they owe him money. Like Pac on "7 Day Theory" hard.


Royce Da 5'9" - Bar Exam 2

Due in part to the catalogs of the late Dilla and a white boy named Marshall... Motown has BEEN a problem. But these niggas really got something in the water right now. Maybe all that political corruption, premature economic depression, and random violence is good for something after all.

Riverdale

For any YH!SN... faithful that slept when I first introduced you to the homie Mic Terror, be ashamed. A few weeks back in Chicago I ran into him at the weekly Creme de la Creme Party at Lava, where he hinted at having a new mixtape in the works. While I'm severely mixtaped out (ironic, I know) I'm definitely anticipating the new project after these clips...

Definition of a Freestyle


King of The New School Trailer

Sick

I would consider paying retail for these. In fact, don't be surprised if you see these on my feet. Rent will wait. (sike nah...)

Jack Sparrow

Somalia

ABC's

2 new tracks off K'Naan's upcoming album. Not sure if the google bots will delete this post or not so get it while the getting's good.

4 Million Niggas Strong

Wale, Tabi Bonney, UCB LIVE

Yours truly will be back in the DMV this wknd on a nigga retreat with the brother-in-blog. Holler.

Just Watch It

Homeboy Sandman - Lightning Bolt. Lightning Rod.

The early frontrunner for best song/video combo for 2009. I am so sincere.

Twitter Me Baby

The brother-in-blog recently pulled the trigger and signed me up for twitter. I've been suspicious of it since I first heard of it, and am still not sure of its utility (or even what exactly it is). It kinda seems like you have to have a lot of free time or a PDA/iphone at your hip to even begin to understand why it's the the newest craze like newborn baby jesus. Right now I feel like twitter is nothing more than just the Away Message on crack... or maybe heroin. Not sure, but it's prolly one of those two. Either way, I'm on it now. Those who "get it" twitter me and learn me a lil something on why I shouldn't believe that there is a huge web conspiracy behind the promulgation and proliferation (word to Jesse Jackson) of this new form of social networking (which is what I currently believe).

That Cool Refreshing Drink

Digital Gravel has teamed up with a number of their featured brands to produce a series of limited edition tees. All proceeds of every sale go toward the Digital Gravel Water Project to build a playground-powered water pump in Africa. I wouldn't normally put something like this on the blog (and I've previously vented about consumer-based advocacy), but I figured some of you more financially stable folks might be interested in copping a fresh tee and helping out the motherland in the process. The tees are available tomorrow. Here are a few:

Back to the Future

So you'll understand that the hype over k-os' latest album Yes! is deserved, I dug these out for you. Now you can act like you know. Click the album covers.

Happy New Year

An oldie but goody to (b)ring in the new year. Click the album cover and enjoy. I'm certain you'll be pleased.