The Brazilian Badu

Click the album cover to download

Good music defies arbitrary boundaries like time (and race). Given my present spirit of generosity, I'm gonna keep unloading gems like this till I start feeling selfish again. Click the album cover to download. You'll appreciate me for it. Trust me.

And in my attempt to court the cynics, I give you this jewel:



You'll be hearing this again, but if that doesn't convince, hopefully this will:



I swear,(Brazilian) Portuguese might be the most beautiful language in the world. I didn't understand not a single word of what she was saying, but cot durn if I didn't enjoy it. Aight. I'm done. Scroll back up and click the album cover already. Disfruta.

Why God invented white people

For pure comedic purpose. My apologies to anyone who finds this vid offensive. And yeah, I said "invented."

Mighty Casey... word to Uncut

I'm on my white girl steez really hard right now. Why? No idea. But I say the results are great cuz it's prompting me to unload some personal faves for yall. I'm sure some of these are hit or miss, but for those who tend to be conservative on random drops like this, I'll give you this trivia night nugget:

You know Feist? The "1,2,3,4" Feist? Well, New Buffalo wrote that song. Hope that's enough for you. Click the album cover to download. Disfruta.

Law School

Salmon

Scheduled June release. My birthday is June. Feel free to purchase for said event. This and the Futura G-shocks are the only ones I've seen worth mentioning or paying for. It's salmon. Nuff sedd.

(The alife jawn is fresh too.)

Don't Forget The Chi, Yo

Cam'ron - Get It In Ohio

I'm posting this off the strength of the part shot in Chicago.

We startin to look like OnSmash Lite over here. Do I care tho? Nah, son. It's the only viral video I can watch at work.

Self-Esteem

Mavado - I'm So Special

It's old in internet years, but I wanted to officially co-sign every aspect of this song+vid combo.

R&Autotune

Jamie Foxx - "Blame It" ft. T-Pain

I've been anticipating this video for a long time. I think I played this song non-stop for about 2 weeks when it first came out. It was literally the only song I listened to. For 2 weeks. As a white person would say, it's, like, 8 different kinds of amazing, wrapped in pure dopeness. No lie, this is/was/has been/forever will be the joint.

The most interesting part of this song, though, is T-Pain's verse. Besides it being the best part of the whole song, am I the only person who picked up on Teddy P's not-so-subliminal diss to The Dream? For those who never picked up on it, I'll provide the text:

Shawty got drunk, thought it all was "a dream"
So I made her say, "Ah, Ah, Ah"
Now she got her hands on my legs
Got my seats all wet in my ride (all wet in my ride)
All over my ride (all over my ride)
She look me dead in the eye (eye, eye)
Then my pants got bigger
She already knew what the figure
Had her looking at her boyfriend
Like "Fuck that Nigga"

First time I heard this, I kinda did the whole "!?" face. As far as disses go, I think it's one of the best I've heard in a long time. (Full disclosure: I don't do a good job of keeping up with most internet-fueled rapper beefs anyway... still don't think I'm missing much.) Not only did T-Pain son The Dream lyrically, he basically jacked The Dream's Autotune flow on some "Gimme dat!" tip. "Ah... ah, ah"? The whole harmonized echo of "all wet in my ride" and "all over my ride" with the final line of "[eff] that nigga"? Cot durn. I stand by my statement that T-Pain shoulda made 2007's Hottest Rappers in the Game list as well as 2008's.

And oh, there's a motley crue of celebs in this jawn. It's humorous.

Identity Crises

Peter Bjorn and John "Nothing To Worry About"

Late pass on the vid.

Fat Tuesday

Yeah, I'm opening the vault a bit. Some slightly different ish. Came out about a year ago. Click the album cover to download.

Nite-N-Day

A dyslexic post about Scott's feelings... Sike NAH! In fact its the complete opposite. My favorite rapper from Houston not named after a classic Brian De Palma film (Bun-B & The Pimp hail from Port Arthur, Texas) has a new video and from the sounds of it, he might a have a niggerish jam on his hands!



For the confused... you've probably never heard this album. On the low, Already Platinum was a southern classic with a ridiculous hybrid of Neptunes production and screwed-up goodness. Catch up niggas!


Slim Thug - Already Platinum

Dear Iggy...

Protect ya neck in them Philly streets when y'all get back home.


Outside of T-Mac, Andrew Bynum, Amar'e, Al Jefferson, Batman, Jason Terry, Greg Oden and Carlos Boozer being injured, the League has yet to let me down this year. Illest clip I've seen in like... a week.

Emo Rappers

I and my compadres had an in depth discussion about this video last weekend. Rap has been building towards this moment for some time, but the emo rapper has officially arrived. Did you hear what this nigga Cudi said?

Emo Quotables:
"I got 99 problems, and they all chickens/ wish i was jiggaman"
"She bought the toys that I would play with when i was by myself/ why he by himself?"
"but they all didn't see... the lil bit of sadness in me/Scotty I've got some issues that nobody can see and all of these emotions are pouring out of me. I bring them to the light, it's only right,this is the soundtrack of my life, the soundtrack of my life."

Am I wrong for calling this a landmark moment in hip-hop? And by "landmark" I don't mean to say that I consider this a positive development; I'm actually neutral. I mean it's a significant point in the development of the genre. A rapper gets on a program and sing/raps about how he's a sad little boy... Even with Kanye and the mullet, I still never thought I'd see the day that a rapper would ever say that. Shoot, singers don't even do ish like that.

Unless their emo. < cudi voice > Welcome to Heartbreak < cudi voice >

Best Intro Ever

Heron Flow

Tabi's latest. Click the album cover.

What really happened between CB and Rihanna...

A pic of Rihanna beat-the-f-up surfaced late last night. It's not a good look (for Chris or Ri-Ri). Right now, everybody's been on some ole "support Rihanna" tip, which is admirable. I mean the girl definitely got the life damn near beat out of her, but I don't think this situation is as cut and dry as a nigga beating a chick up jus cuz. Remember, Chris Brown is a light-skinded R&B singer with star tattoos. Dudes like that just don't go around laying hands on broads.

The following is what I think actually took place that fateful night:

Rihanna told Chris Brown she cheated on him, repeatedly. Brown, unable to control his light-skinded R&B singer emotions, wailed on Ri-Ri (pun intended). The rest is history.

Why do I think this? I think Rihanna is a trifling ho.

Now, in my characterization of her as a "ho," I'm not saying this out of malice. I just think that the reason she's so successful is because she saw her fair share of penises on her way to that #1 billboard spot (and I don't think she regretted it). While the hollywood rumor mill is, at it's worst, just a place for busybodies to gossip about foolishness cuz they don't have real lives, much of what they generate comes from somewhere truthful. Rihanna has dealt with rumors of her tryna get ahead with some head since she got signed to DefJam. While they all could have very well been unfounded, the fact they've persisted her entire career should leave you to wonder something. I mean, we all know Cassie's been cavorting for tracks, but Rihanna was always a "rumor".

Meanwhile, you got dudes like The Dream announcing--ON CAMERA--that he's on his way to beat the brakes off Rihanna, even though everybody knows she's sposed to be with CB. I think Chris just got caught up in tryna turn a ho into a housewife... or the R&B version of it.

The moral of the story is, R&B couples don't work. Tammi and Marvin didn't make it. And we all know what happened with Whitney and Bobby... just a pair of star-crossed lovers.

EDIT: and here's the video of The Dream putting Rihanna's bidness in the street.

Knives and Nails

So Far Gone, chopped and screwed. This is gonna be a good weekend. Click the album cover.

So Far Gone > Mixtape About Nothing

I said it.

Nicks, Dimes, & Dubs

Kid Cudi - Day N Nite

New Deal

K'Naan - The Great Depression

For the Philly heads, K'Naan is at World Cafe on March 2.

Breath like some thunder

I kinda just wanted to say that. Pat's latest. Click the album cover.

Jägerbombs!

Cubic Zirconia Mixtape Volume 1: CZ Does London

All you need to know is it involves Tiombe Lockhart and features a dead prez/art of noise mashup. And that's just the first 5 minutes. Get to clickin'. It's one long mp3. More info here.

Play cold.

Drake - Congratulations

The bonus track from the physical copy of Drake's latest. Dropped yesterday, but hey, if he can be a day late, so can I.

I Hate Niggas (The Sequel To "I Heart Niggas")

Remember this nigga?

Not a day removed from All-Star Weekend and Zach couldn't wait to put hands on white folks... and this guy nonetheless.

How to Make a Grape Sandwich

Rachel Ray, eat your heart out.

Buffering...

Kanye was all over the internets today.

Kanye is a fool

Normally I wouldn't post this, but this dood is funny as a mug. Real talk, Cam'ron and Kanye need to team up on Cam's Larry David-themed sitcom.

The Bell Jar

The latest from Tahiry's boyfriend. Click the album cover to download.

Relax, Relate, Release.

I woulda had this to yall earlier, but the wireless is actin up. Click the album cover to download.

You can't tell me this ain't a go-go beat

Listen to the first 8 seconds and fast forward to 5:28 to the end. You can't tell me that don't sound like the beginning of any good live show. Much respect.

Video's great too.

How can you not find this exciting?

Joe Budden - "In My Sleep" Promo from Three/21 Films on Vimeo.

Parker Report, Take Notes

A REAL conversation between hip-hop legends. I said it: legends.

Ignorant S---.

^click the album cover to download^

Straight face. It's an album cover. Click it to download. Do not sleep. I tried to told yall... Niggas can't outdo me. I be on some other ish...

And if you don't bang with this, you on some ignorant sh--. This goes hard. Black History Month is a historic month as far as good music releases. This is no disappointment. And oh, it doesn't drop til April I think? Maybe March. Hmm...

open:close

Coming soon.

Happy Valentine's Day

Consider this the first official leak off RNLC 5.

A Day Late

Remember this guy? Well, turns out, the nigga could rap--WELL. So Far Gone, his latest mixtape, quietly had the internets in a tizzy cuz it was sposed to be released yesterday. I guess homey took his cue from General Weezy and decided that release dates are arbitrary except for creating and maintaining hype. Click the album cover to download.

I definitely didn't give him his due initially, but honestly, I wrote the first post off the strength of the cover art, and his DeGrassi resume. I'm also a certified hater. I was quickly converted into a fan after I actually listened to Comeback Season. And the anonymous post by The Conscientious Observer was posted on the strength of its opening Drake quote.

Once again, I haven't listened to this one yet. (School just ended. Kids just left.) But on the strength of the leaks off this mixtape, especially "Say What's Real," and his recent features and guest verses, I'll be disappointed if it's anything less than outstanding.

I'm using the OG link cuz I'm still at school and it actually helps consolidate homey's numbers, but if it starts acting up, lemme know and I'll re-up.

YEEEAAAHHH! GET MONEY! OOHHH!

Reasons why I'm posting this:
1. I think Weezy ghost mic'd the last part of Soulja Boy's verse, beginning with "knick knack paddy wack, give a dog a bone..."
2. I do recall Weezy saying "white benz, crome wheels/like a napkin on a nickel." Am I alone in calling that line brilliant?
3. This song, ignorance not-notwithstanding, goes hard.
4. Don't have to worry bout gettin posts deleted. 8-)

Dear Valentine,

On Saturday.

Sincerely,

Me

You can't wu-tang betta than tha BAWSE

This is second only to 50's "it ain't trickin if you got it" shop till u drop wit Ross's baby mama. Word to this nigga's chain.

Those unfamiliar with the feud between Officer Ricky and Curtis or Ross' proven past as a correctional officer, google it. It's not what we do here. I will, however, echo Maino's statement that it's disappointing that Rick's been denying his past so hard. It was also trisomy 21- level retardation to think it wise to bring 50 into it. It is good for guaranteed entertainment though.

Had to change the title to reflect the Philadelphian ending.

Clap Off

Real Niggas Light Candles: Volume 4

Finally. I've been sitting on this for about a month. I won't lie. This is probably the most depressing mix I've made. And it's old (as in ur folks might actually enjoy it). But like always, it's mood music. It's about mellow solitude. This one might be about loneliness.

It's a npr mix. It's dark, and it's sorrow, mid 1900's style. Civil rights sorrow. Jukebox joint in the swamps of Louisiana sorrow. Crickets at night sorrow. It's your party and everyone's left sorrow. Mad Men sorrow. Revolutionary Road sorrow. Recession sorrow. After Vol 3, everything had to change, but it's the same theme.

It's a winter mix: the leaves are dead, only ice hangs from the tree branches. (notice the tree, stop waiting for leaves). You're sitting at home because it's cold. It's night. You have leftovers and fresh hot tea. Windows shut, curtains pulled open. Streetlights reflecting off the snow and ice make the night brighter than normal. No need for lights, you light a candle. This candle, the one on the cover. and it lights the floorboard beneath and the wooden planks of the nearest wall. It's not a neat flame, but it's naturally flawed. It bends and the straightness of its smoke seems to be it's final attempt to reconcile that imperfection.

It's still winter (even if it broke 60 degrees yesterday), which means there are plenty cold nights ahead. Grab a blanket, turn off the lights, light a candle and push play, but keep it real.

Those of you expecting a repeat of Volume 3 have a bit of a curveball headed your way. There are enough ppl tryna imitate that jawn. Cover art was done by the homey Jeff, and yes, it's vertical on purpose. The tracklisting:

1. "Lilac Wine" - Jeff Buckley
2. "Overrated" - Gavin DeGraw
3. "When I Fall" - Lizz Wright
4. "Dreamworld" - Robin Thicke
5. "I (Who Have Nothing)" - Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway
6. "Highway 7" - K-Os
7. "In A Sentimental Mood" - Ledisi
8. "Charlene (acoustic)" - Anthony Hamilton
9. "Kick Out of You" - Dwele
10. "We're Still Friends" - Donny Hathaway
11. "Rope of Sand" - Jamie Lidell
12. "Little Person (ft. Deanne Storey)" - Jon Brion
13. "Little Girl Blue" - Diana Krall
14. "The Thrill is Gone" - Chet Baker
15. "Good Morning, Heartache" - Billie Holiday
16. "Wild is the Wind" - Nina Simone
17. "Make Sure You're Sure" - Stevie Wonder


Enjoy. And be sure to leave comments here. I know a lotta yall hit me in my personal inbox and on facebook, but blog comments are easier to check from school.

Pump Up the Volume

click the album cover to download

No lie, I was just listening to "Summer" with India and Rascal Flatts a week or two ago, waiting on the 36 trolley one morning, and wondered if and when Volume 2 would ever drop. I must say, her timing is impeccable. It really is a Real Niggas Light Candles weekend.

Dave tells it best, but the story goes that back in my college days, I was known for sitting in my dorm room with the lights off, listening to India Arie in my PJ's (or drawls) with candles lit. It was a common occurrence, which made it even funnier to everybody else cuz I was so casual about it. No "no homos," cuz I just didn't give a flying uckfay. I literally watched Dave curl up on the floor, suffocating from laughter, when he walked in my room unaware that I was zoning out to India.Arie and other similarly emotional singers in the dark with candles lit. I can't blame him. It was like 2 in the afternoon and I'm sure it looked hilarious. I was prolly eating a Pop Tart too or eating apple sauce straight out the jar.

But those were the early days, when RNLC mixtapes were just untitled playlists that I burned onto CDs for other Wash U heads. It was the beginning of the beginning, and it's kinda cool to drop this and other volumed collections the same weekend of the RNLC4 drop. Without this chick, I'da never had such a clever title (among other things).

Coincidence? I've never believed in coincidence.

Blame Game

New album from the bad-girl-turned styled-good. Click the album cover to download.

EDIT: Link re-upped. It's rapidshare. I might sharebee or mediafire it later.

Pride of the Jungle

click the album cover to download

EDIT: new link until sharebee gets its act together.

The posterchild for "underground sensation" released this much-awaited, much-anticipated, much-delayed Volume 3 from her Young Hustla mixtape series at the turn of the New Year. It was floating around 2 of the internets for much of January and I finally have enough time to share it with yall this weekend.

If you don't know who Teedra is by now, rub a ped-egg across your face--eyes open. The woman who created the best R&B album of the decade requires no introduction. She is, simply, the truth. Click the album cover to download the mixtape. I'm tryna keep it googlebot-proof so no track listing. But when it's the young lioness, do you even need one?

Lastly, if you really like it, buy it off her MySpace. I know I'm giving it away for free.99 here, but she tryna pay her bills and it's a recession.

Smoke Signals

It's coming.

Real Niggas Light Candles 4.
Monday, February 9, 2009.
Noon.

Ivory Trade

Coming soon.

Keep it real, nigga

Real Niggas Light Candles 4 has been done for about a month. All I need is cover art. It's sad as... well, let's say there was about to be a lotta sibilance in that short sentence. I'm starting to feel that there's a vibe between the winter additions and the spring ones, cuz as soon as I rounded out the 4th, the 5th began with a completely dialetic vibe. That is to say, don't be fooled. There's a reason there's candle smoke on those covers. Vol 4 is done and Vol 5 is about a-third to halfway done. I might shock and awe. No theatrics? It worked for Biggie. It worked for L-boogie.

Volume 1 was groundbeaking, Volume 2 was historic, Volume 3 was classic. Only time will tell us how much it really... matters. All I can say is, quietly, I led a lotta leaders. I see yall and I know yall hear my footsteps: if I'm not in front of you then you know that if I keep running, I will be. Vol 5 might be my personal 808's and Heartbreak. That is, if Vol 4 is my hybrid of Ryan Leslie and Ready to Die.

Real Niggas Light Candles:
Volume 4, sooner
Volume 5, soon.

To the casual reader, this rant is nonsense--understandably. But to the regular reader, especially that reluctant, reticent, regular reader (because, in addition to being ur favorite blogger's favorite blogger, I'm also ur favorite blogger's least favorite blogger--you know who you are), you know what this means: I'm DipSet right when Cam took over the rock (CHEA!)--you can't tell me nothin'. I might have to stop supplying yall material till yall shout me out (a nigga can't get a link credit as the source?--"lls," as the young kids say now).

Don't you know that everybody hears a star?

Nevertheless, I only believe in riots of convenience.

Anybody interested in submitting cover art for Volume 4, send it to youhypesikenah@gmail.com.

I feel like Hov

Sincerely,

Your favorite blogger's favorite blogger

Jimmy Raps In His PJ's

I'm all for cute white backup singers. I have a litany of other snide remarks about this vid, but I respect it, so I'm muzzling myself.

Filament

The Fray's latest. Their song "Hundred" was featured on the last installment of Real Niggas Light Candles and "How to Save A Life" is a classic. Click the album cover to download.

Tahiri>>>>>>>>>>Your life, your mother's life, & the life of your unborn child

For the uninitiated, this is how Joe Budden keeps his rap career alive between mixtapes and beef. It's genius. Get a digicam and record your girl cleaning ur apartment, cooking for you, etc. all while you both squabble. I obviously don't post these webisodes regularly, but I felt that the camera still rightfully deserved a post. As a ole head at the barber shop said this weekend, a chick like this'd make me a "please, baby, please" typa negro. Well, not exactly, but it'd be pretty cot durn close.

Ape Shall Never Kill Ape

Nigo's boys. Click the album cover to download. Album has features from Martin Louie The King, Jr., Pharrell, Chris Brown, and others. Disfruta.

Obi and Femi, this one's for yall

Wale - Warrior (Freestyle)

I normally wouldn't post this, but I'm gonna try to do my part in maintaining a level of hype for Wale's '09 major label debut. Plus, this track goes. The original track is by a dude outta London named Donaeo and is called "African Warrior". It sounds like a summer warehouse party in Philly (which means it's heatrock). It's the hotness in LDN and I'm sure it would burn down any cool guy party between B-More and NYC. Not the pretentious jawns that are sadly all over my beloved DC, but the kinda parties these guys photoblog about where ppl are too cool to care about caring. That's a long way of saying download both these tracks. Your eardrums will love you for it.

Donaeo - African Warrior

I got the instrumental for this jawn as well. Holler if ur interested.

Bow Ties

A brief rant from yours truly on the sartorial taste of others. Bow ties are cool. Always have been, always will be. But they're cool when you wear them properly. The whole, "I bought a bow tie but I'm too cool to tie it" look is real lame. It's like when folks wear neckties with sweaters and leave the tie on the outside.

I don't care who you are or where you saw it, the only time leaving ur bow tie untied is appropriate is after you've been wearing it for a while and you genuinely needed to untie it. Otherwise, you're just tryna pull off a "look" which is usually too contrived to work.

Cool

Not cool

I'm done.

The Best

I know most yall negroes love Thin Mints, but I keep it OG with the original Girl Scout Cookie, the Trefoil, aka Shortbreads. It's cookie season in the streets of America, and I got two boxes of Shortbreads.

Shortbreads + Ginger Ale = Life is good.