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.

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.