Not-So-Sloppy Seconds

Really wanted to post a vid to one of my favorite Regina Spektor songs, but youtube deleted that jawn. This will do for now.

Not a fan of this song

...but the video is vintage Em.

Let's be honest

The kinda song you can only get away with in the springtime. I'm glad it's Spring.

Love Was The Egg

My favorite NERD song, featuring one of my favorite video models. Forgot her name, but chick useta be on The Price is Right too. There was a time when I could play this one on the ivories.

There's No Place Like Home

The 90's are well on their way back in hip hop. Don't know if I ever posted this one or not, but it's studio footage of The Paxtons working on a track--one of my favorites--off their soon-to-be-released album, Work. The track is called "Still Waiting" and flips a vicious Jodeci sample. The real reason I'm doing this is so that it can be definitively said that The Paxtons were ahead of the curve here. I'm posting this in April, but the vid was posted in November, and the instrumental was posted on the blog last September, around the same time we posted Members Only. Shoutouts to King Adrian of The Block with the brief cameo @2:45.

The Paxtons are currently streaming the promo sampler on their myspace page so head on over and take a listen.

Rocko's Modern Life

Internet beef is wack. If I've learned anything in 2009 so far, it's that some things are important, and others just aren't. The internet isn't. Among other things, I used to care when I would see someone jack something without giving credit. I used to care, but I no longer do. Life has reminded me of more pressing issues. I admit that I fanned many an e-flame of my own out of pure hubris with reckless jibberjabber. I considered it entertaining, but I admit that it was also immature. Por eso, I'm leaving that alone. Yall do yall. Let me do me.

I'm making this public cuz I detected a slice of hatred from one of the interwebs. I'm waving the white flag homey. Really, I am.

As always, any and all comments are welcome here on the blog or at the email. Peace people.

Long Live The Fourth Estate.

from nahright.

The Envelope

Click the album cover to download

Sorry for the delay, (my computer is currently fighting a bad case of Down's syndrome). You will either think this is the best RNLC mixtape thus far, or you will wonder about my mental stability. Hopefully you'll do both. I'm gonna leave all the big talk alone; the mixtape is sinister enough for that. The album cover tells you everything you need to know about this one. Old readers, you know the deal on these mixtapes, but for the uninitiated, I'll give yall a quick mini-lesson.

Real Niggas Light Candles is a volume of emotional-nigga mixtapes compiled by yours truly, a self-described emotional nigga. Each mixtape is a series of songs that flow between the grooves of a general melodramatic melancholy. I've always said that they're about solitude, the kinda music to which you dim the lights and light incense (or candles). And it's meant to be played in sequence--no skipping tracks--because the magic of these is in the order. It's what separates RNLC from every other blogger's mixtapes. It's always soul, but never in a typical way.

Which brings us to this one, the 5th iteration. I was considering making this my last edition (FAIL), but 6 got made on accident (so expect it sooner than later). If you've been keeping up with the vault, then there won't be too many surprises as far as names go. Click the album cover above to download, and the back cover below provides the tracklisting. Props to Jeff on the artwork.


Sharebee is loaded with viruses right now, so it's zshare until further notice. Holler if the zshare link goes nuts.

This dude is so hip hop

I'm so sincere about this. I tried to warn yall. I really did. Live from a hotel lobby at SXSW. And oh, RNLC6 (that's not a typo) is well on its way.

The Prequel

I've introduced a number of you to a few artists via the vault. I chose breadth over depth, but since I'm dropping RNLC5 tomorrow I'm gonna go ahead and pass these out to those who didn't find or look for them elsewhere cuz they are some of my personal favorites. Click the album covers to download. Links are stolen from the greater interwebs, but if you won't say anything, I won't either.

This chick is bad. Word to Penelope.

The first great album (cover) from two of Norway's coolest.

Fistful of Fives

Either you'll love it or you'll hate it. Either you'll get it or you won't.

Real Niggas Light Candles 5 drops Monday.

Put Some Breastmilk On It

I saw Erykah in concert once and almost touched her hand. It durn near changed my life because for an instant, I understood why Common wore crochet pants.

I'm Comfy, Cozy--My Spot is Solidified

YN is so sincere.

Más o Menos

Click the album cover to download

I'm giving out huge gifts right now. Hope yall aren't sleeping on these...

Where are you Yeezy?

I'm sure many of you know that the Air Yeezy's are releasing tomorrow. I've already given my two cents about the shoe, and it hasn't changed--they're underwhelming at best and jugo de basura at worst. Still, props must be given for a design that is somewhat innovative and for the mere accomplishment of being a recording artist with your own pair of Nike's. Stopped by Ubiq today after work and saw the beasts already camped out on Sydenham. I thought about camping out just to flip a pair to help pay my taxes this year, but I still can't stomach the thought of sleeping outside in the rain and wind for a pair of sneakers... much less a pair I don't even like.

Anyways, for the Philly heads, Ubiq has a VERY limited amount of The Paxtons' promo samplers available at their Walnut Street location for FREE. In case you've been under a rock, the Paxtons have released a couple street singles recently and are currently working on some things behind the scenes to help promote their next release, Work, this summer. Neither of the two most recent drops, "Ain't I" and "4321", are on the album, so if you wanna hear what all the fuss is about for yourself, I suggest you make your way downtown and pick up a copy before they're gone.

And huge shoutout to Ron, Vic, and the whole Ubiq staff for the support.

I Never Sleep

Hyperpotamus has a cover of this on his myspace. Figured it was worth showing yall a live version of the original by Mongo Santamaria. This joint goes HARD. He opens with a 3:30 min congo solo that should make any gogo band's conga player soil themselves.

A LOT of yall slept when I dropped some Mongo last summer. Oh well, your loss. Don't say I didn't try.

Mosaic Whispers

Click the album cover to download

You don't know this, but you really do want this album right here. You want it really bad. So click it and get it. You'll be happy you did. Disfruta.

EDIT: The link is fixed. Password free.

And I'll go ahead and give some pretext before ur completely disoriented by it. It's an acapella album. It's fly tho. It's one madrileño who layers his own vocals to create beautifully complex soundscapes. Google can fill you in on the rest.

Snap, [Cackle], & Pop

Click the album cover to download

I hope I don't have to say anything to convince you... Just follow the instructions above. Disfruta.

Whoever had this idea is a genius

[||] 16 homo minus 16 homo. Full blown homophobia status.

Still, the idea is genius.

A Rolling Stone Gathers No Moss

Peeped these earlier in the year and I received this in the inbox from Moss today:

The Nike Sportswear 1 World is a collection of AF1, created in partnership with global innovators in the fields of sport, music, art and design. Nike invited 18 innovators from across the world to re-imagine the Air Force 1. Early in the process, Nike Design selected Maharam, the 107-year-old American textile house renowned for its leadership in design innovation, to participate. Maharam's unique interpretation of the AF1 introduces a silhouette constructed of Layers, a textile created by the Maharam Design Studio in collaboration with Jongerius. Layers, produced in 100% wool felt, uses sophisticated embroidery equipment played against artisanal hand-cutting to create patterning, resulting in an "industrial craft" hybrid. This already complex textile was further engineered to meet the specific needs of the AF1. The result represents a multi-disciplinary undertaking, bridging disparate aspects of industrial design including sports technology, textile design and the conceptual avant-garde. Layers is included in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the Art Institute of Chicago and the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum.

A pair of classic kicks that are innovative but still low-key? Pretty much my estilo. A year ago, I'da already had my AMEX out, but at $250 a pair, I'ma have to wait for one of my beloved readers to bless me with a pair. If you're interested, or if you want a pair for yourself, click the link above and order directly from their site.