Sunday, September 26, 2010

Sunday, August 1, 2010

thekeenone - "Legal Drug Addict"


thekeenone - "Legal Drug Addict"
Produced by DJ Starscream
Video directed by Jon Buch
http://www.keen.tv

Grab Getaway if you haven't already.
Album bumps front to back.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Big Boi - "Fo Yo Sorrows" (Video)


Big Boi f. Too Short & George Clinton - "Fo Yo Sorrows" (Video)
Produced by Organized Noize

Big Boi, a purveyor of consistency, was responsible for releasing two of my favorite rap tunes of '09 with "Fo Yo Sorrows" and "Shine Blockas." In '08, he released "Royal Flush." Batting a thou, Daddy Fatacksacks has fans impatiently waiting for his solo LP, Sir Luscious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty, which at the moment has a March 23rd release date.

Big Boi f. Gucci Mane - "Shine Blockas"
Produced by Cutmaster Swiff

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Notorious B.I.G. - Rap Phenomenon


Biggie would've killed the mixtape era.
(Click image to download. 192kbps 95MB)

"Throw down some ice for the nicest emcee!" - Biggie

Related links:
EHR Potent Quotables

Sunday, March 7, 2010

The Dark Esquire - "Situations" (Video)


Under the new pseudonym The Dark Esquire, BCR, of Dumbwaiters' fame, recently branched out to work on his solo project. Moving away from his rock band roots, Dark Esquire's musical direction is geared more towards the synth-pop early disco sound. If this first single is any indication of what's to come, we're in for a treat. This is house party pegged pants popped collar (pre frat boy adoption of course) dance music.

Related links:
Chromeo - "Night by Night" (Video)
Electric Haze Records 2009 Year End Mix

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Lo-Fi-Fnk - "Marchin' In" (Video)


Video/Visual by: Mattias Erik Johansson and Isak Martinsson
Production company: Ofokus and Black Neon

Lo-Fi-Fnk, consisting of Leonard Drougge and August Hellsing, is a Swedish electro pop band. "Marchin' In" is the first single on the follow-up to their 2006 debut, Boylife.


(mp3 via Disco Dust)

This track reminds me of trips to McDonald's and 7-11 after a long day of lounging at the ocean front with my uncles and cousins. Seriously, old man winter, we've enjoyed your company but I think it's time for you to leave.

Related links:
Helsinki 78-82 - "Cruising" (Video)
The Dark Esquire - "Situations" (Video)
Electric Haze Records 2009 Year End Mix

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Helsinki 78-82 - "Cruising" (Video)


Directed by Miika Saksi
Concept by Nenolan Isäntä
Produced by Flatlight Films

"This is what we call Big City House music, when you’re cruising the streets at night with the top down - no words needed. In a manner Michael Mann would be proud of."
- Top Billin Music

Related links:
Broken Bells (Danger Mouse x The Shins' James Mercer)

Hang 'Em High Photography Exhibit


(click image to enlarge)

Support your local artists!

Commonwealth Presents
Hang 'Em High Photography Exhibit
(March 6th - April 3rd)
featuring:
Darrell Bryant
Liz Carney
Charles Harmon
Jeff Ocampo
Richard Perkins
& Howard Tarpey

^ Hit the links for a preview.

Commonwealth
717 W. 21st Street
Norfolk, VA 23517
757.622.3372

Related links:
Merkley???'s Photoshop Goodness (NSFW)
RIP Shawn Mortensen (1966-2009)
Notte Sento: Short film made with 4500+ still photos
Most Controversial Magazine Covers of All Time

EHR Potent Quotables #1

As a hip hop fan, I feel like there's a certain time and place for everything. I'm not one to complain about the state of hip hop or harp on the arbitrary idea that there's a difference between rap and hip hop. In reality, is it really that serious? It's 2010. We have so many avenues at our disposal to discover music. The music that you prefer is out there so stop spending so much time worrying about someone else's taste and find it yourself.

With that said, I enjoy beat driven call and response and often labeled "dumbed down" music just as much as the next man. Lil Boosie and Diddy albums* get plenty of burn over here. But as much as I like yelling "O leeeeh do it," I will always have a place in my heart for headphone music and verses that require the rewind button. As a tribute to emcees who catch wreck, we'll be spotlighting a verse each week titled "EHR Potent Quotables."

Off The Pretty Toney Album, this track became an instant classic upon first listen. The beat's frantic pace creates a type of tight rope tension that leaves little room for error. With the recent Winter Olympics still fresh, it actually reminds me of the short track speed skate relay with each rapper feeding off the other.

Ghost, Jada and even the fairly unknown Comp completely own this beat to the point that I couldn't imagine hearing anyone else on it. Though I eventually decided to go with Jadakiss' verse, either of these three are more than worthy of the EHR Potent Quotables designation.

Ghostface Killah f. Jadakiss & Comp - "Run"
Produced by RZA

"It's Task Force Tuesday, the NARCS is in the black car,
I got five hundred, hundred packs in my backyard,
Clear twelve twelves that look like stuff shells,
I'm cutting n***** throats on the sales while they puff L's,
Don't leave nothing unbagged, shave everything,
I learned from the O.G.'s to save everything,
They come by one more time, they gon' hop out,
They two deep and one is a b****, she getting knocked out,
Then I can get rid of the pack,
but I just copped this pretty chrome thing
so I'm dipping with that,
Down-shifting on 'em like I got gears on me,
Besides that, I got about 5 years on me,
Scared to death, running like I got bears on me,
My Timb's start feeling like they Nike Air's on me,
It's hard for me to slow down, it's like I'm on the thruway,
My belt's in the crib on the floor by my two-way,
Now I'm trying to hold my hammer up and my pants too,
If they don't kill me, they gon' give me a number I can't do,
Rather it be the streets than jail where I die at,
And I'm asthmatic so I'm looking for somewhere to hide at,
But they too close, and I got this new toast,
Imagine if I would've let off a shot or two,
you know what I gotta do"
- Jadakiss (via A-Z Lyrics)

*Both Superbad and Press Play were quality (4/5) albums btw.

Related links:
EHR Potent Quotables
Welcome to Virginia (Nottz Tribute)

Monday, March 1, 2010

Weezer - "Kids" & "Poker Face" (Live Cover)


Even though they shouldn't be taken seriously, I know a lot of folks dislike covers. I, however, am a huge proponent of them, especially when they're unexpected. I'm also extremely lenient when it comes to their quality. Weezer's "Poker Face" rendition is a perfect example. Though obviously terrible, I still found it highly amusing. So amusing that I had to find the mp3.


(mp3 via Pretty Much Amazing)

Also, I'm in the process of compiling a list of my favorite covers for a post this month and I could use some suggestions. Post your faves.

Related links:
Chester French - Jacques Jams Vol. 1 Mixtape
Broken Bells (Danger Mouse x The Shins' James Mercer)

Saturday, February 27, 2010

M1 Platoon - "Get Around"


"M1 Platoon consists of Chopps, Scoop, Arafat Yates, Sean D, C4 Black, Napalm, Beat Justice, and DJ Gonzo. They are the new group put together by 9th Wonder; all students NCCU and most were his students." - Kevin Nottingham

I was clicking around on twitter this morning and this track caught my ear. The beat, provided by Sinitus Tempo, is a definite head nodder and the BGesque hook is great. The emcees themselves give off a BCC-like vibe, which is a good look. All in all, my ears approve.

Related links:
Verbatim - "Get Dat (By Any Means)" (Video)
XO - "All I Had" (Video)
Tabi Bonney - "Duhh" (Video)

PostCarden


These gift/greeting cards, designed and produced by A Studio for Design, transform into mini gardens.

For more info, click here.

Related links:
Vintage Lighter Cufflinks

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Handmade Cigarette Necklace by PaypeRoute


The Cigarette Necklace pictured above was handcrafted by PaypeRoute. The piece was carefully painted with acrylics and sprayed with a generous clear coat of gloss enamel for extra protection. It's definitely a conversation starter and if you're looking to take it a step further, you can even couple it with a pair Vintage Lighter Cufflinks. Actually, that might be a bit much and to be honest, I just wanted to reference the lighters.

For those interested, the necklace is currently available at Etsy.

Related links:
Vintage Lighter Cufflinks
Recycled Bike Wheel Clock
PaypeRoute Ltd Co.
PostCarden - Post Cards that Turn Into Mini Gardens

Lupe Fiasco & B.o.B @ 9:30 Club



Tickets for their 4/13 stop at the 9:30 Club went on sale today. Between lackluster crowds and poor performances, I haven't attended a decent hip hop show in years it seems but based on the clips above, all of that will be ending shortly.

FYI, those youtube clips unfortunately are not from this tour. I can only hope that the two are traveling with a live band. And if ALIen comes through on the drums? Sheeiiit (© Clay Davis)

On another note, why are Jay-Z Norfolk Scope tickets selling for $58 to $112? Do tickets come with a shot of Ace of Spade and a lap dance from Beyonce? Live Nation seriously needs to stop with that nonsense. I understand that we have to take inflation into account but that's just ridiculous.

The Hard Knock Life Tour was the first concert I ever attended and that was priced at $30. Now that I think about it, it might've even been cheaper. Seriously, look at that lineup, and that was when most of the acts were at their peak. Paying absurd amounts for one headliner?* Nah, I'm off that.
(Hov puts on a great show though.)

*Edit: Jeezy and Trey Songz are on the tour as well.

Related links:
Official Steppin Laser Tour Dates f. Lupe Fiasco & B.o.B
Lupe Fiasco - "And He Gets The Girl" (Spec Video)

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Lupe Fiasco - "And He Gets The Girl" (Spec Video)


Video directed by Antoine Bandele
Starring Thaddeus Brown & Ashley Williams

"This music video was shot on a Panasonic PV-GS300 and was edited on Final Cut Pro 5.1. The titles were made in Adobe After Effects 6.5."

This spec, which placed first for "Best Music Video" at the 3rd Annual Santa Monica Teen Film Festival, was shot with a $300 camera by Antoine Bandele, who was still attending high school at the time*. Seriously, kids are on the come up these days.

*Excuse my late pass if you've seen this already.

Related links:
T-Shirt War (Stop Motion Music Video)
Notte Sento: Short film made with 4500+ still photos
Lupe Fiasco & B.o.B 2010 Tour Dates

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Broken Bells - The High Road (Video)


New video by Broken Bells, an indie band featuring Danger Mouse and The Shins' lead vocalist/guitarist James Mercer. Their debut is due out on March 9, 2010.

Upon hearing "The High Road" for the first time a couple of weeks ago, I told one of my close friends that I had a sudden urge to listen to this song while driving on the Bonneville Salt Flats with my eyes closed. He of course pointed out how dangerous that would be, even with the absence of plant life and other vehicles. With that said, playing this joint at an unnecessary volume with the windows down next time I'm sitting in DC traffic will have to suffice.

Related Links:
You Are Wrong I'm Bone Thugs & Harmon 2009 Year End Mix
Chromeo - "Night by Night" (Video)

Thursday, February 11, 2010

T-Shirt War! (Stop Motion Music Video)


Directed and Edited by Joe Penna
Art and Sounds by Billy Reid

Flick was shot using 222 different t-shirts over the span of 2 days. Click here to check out the behind the scenes footage.

"TECHNICAL EXPLANATION FOR GEEKS LIKE US: We changed shirts over 100 times each, taking individual pictures of each unique shirt. The designs on the shirts are not photoshopped. They are real shirts for each frame of animation. The video was exported at 30fps, while the T-shirt animation moves at 6fps (with a few exceptions where it moves faster) So, for each shirt, we took 5 pictures, so the animation of us (Rhett&Link) moves at 30fps, but the T-shirt animations move a bit slower. There are a few places where the motion seems so smooth that it looks like video. That's because, in those parts, there was no changing in T-shirts, and Joe used burst mode to capture the frames, making it look very smooth."

Related links:
Kseniya Simonova's Amazing Sand Drawing
Ridiculous Philips Carousel Commercial
Notte Sento: Short film made with 4500+ still photos
"Videogioco" by Donato Sansone

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Kam Moye - "Forever Fresh" (Video)


Kam Moye, formerly known as Supastition, is back with a new video for "Forever Fresh," a cut off his latest album, Splitting Image. With Marco Polo on the boards, Kam takes it back to his earlier braggadocio style, much to the delight of boom bap enthusiasts everywhere.

For aspiring emcees, please look at this man's discography and take notes. At any stage in your career, no matter the success, emcees should aspire to improve and have their music reflect their own growth. Regurgitating the same verse over the latest beat trend will only get you so far but if longevity isn't a priority, make sure your finance game is at least on lock.

Related links:
Kam Moye (Supastition) - Splitting Image (iTunes)
EHR Potent Quotables
Welcome to Virginia (Nottz Tribute)

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Intuition - Girls Like Me


Los Angeles emcee Intuition and producer Equalibrum are back together for their sophomore effort. If the title of the album didn't give it away already, the album's tone is definitely less serious and a distant departure from their debut, Stories About Nothing.

Instead, this time around, Intuition, equipped with a more palatable voice, chooses to regale listeners with easy living tales revolving around inebriation, dead end jobs, and women. Not missing a step, Equalibrum's layered soundscapes continue to provide the perfect compliment.

Girls Like Me is extremely accessible but most importantly, it does not sound forced. It will undoubtedly do well in the indie scene but with the correct push, I can easily see it reaching the alt/pop rock crowd as well.

Intuition - Girls Like Me (Click to stream)


Intuition - "Al Bundy" (Video)

Word to Polk High.

Related links:
2009 Year End Mix
XO - "All I Had" (Video)
Dumbfoundead f. Herbal T & Esna - "Jam Session 2.0" (Video)

Tabi Bonney - "Duhh" (Video)


Tabi Bonney - "Duhh"
Featured dancers:
The Boogie Bots
The Golden Girls
Rhythm Fetish
Beat Your Feet Kings

Track's a slapper with a video to match. I just checked iTunes and apparently this is off an album Tabi dropped at the beginning of '09. Shame on me for sleeping this long.

Related links:
XO - "All I Had" (Video)
Wale - "My Sweetie" (Video)

Monday, February 8, 2010

Wale - "My Sweetie" (Video)


Wale - "My Sweetie"
Produced by Apple Juice Kid
Directed by Tabi Bonney

"My Sweetie" is a bonus track off of Attention Deficit. I'm hoping this cut along with "Pretty Girls" gets spins since both tracks are a serious step up from the his first single. The production on these two is completely different from anything on the radio at the moment and I don't know if you've heard but the people need variety. DJs, make it happen.


Wale f. Gucci Mane - "Pretty Girls" (Video)

Related links:
UCB f. Wale - "Pat Your Weave" (Video)
2009 BET Awards Show Cypher
Wale On ESPN's First Take

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Skillz - Rap Up 2002 - 2009


Skillz - Rap Up 2002-2009

I compiled this for a friend and figured I'd share it with anyone else that was interested in Skillz's take on the last 8 years.

Related links:
Skillz Presents Hip Hip Confessions
The Silverust (Nickelus F & Kid Icarus) - "You Too" Video

Saturday, February 6, 2010

The Reign Man


(pic via NBA Hoot)

I figured I'd switch it up, add another element to the blog, and talk about my other love, basketball. I dedicate my first post to the Reign Man, but shouts to KJ in the bottom left, another personal favorite.


Shawn Kemp, before the weight problems and kid jokes, was a monster. Sure he had an all around game and his numbers between '90 and '97 were great but any NBA fan will tell you that his other skill sets paled in comparison to his freakish ability to touch the clouds.

Watching Kemp play is how I imagine it felt to watch Nique play in his prime, when he was pulling contest type caliber dunks during games. Sans Hersey Hawkins, a former Hornet, I was never a fan of Payton, Detlef, Perkins, or the rest of the Sonics but despite my dislike for the green and gold, I always went out of my way to watch #40.

Not only were his facials screw face inducing, his post dunk reactions were just as entertaining (see clip below for reference). He was definitely one of a kind and Vince Carter was probably the closest player to fill his shoes but that all but vanished after he fell in love with the J.

There's still a glimmer of hope though. Kemp's eldest son, Shawn Kemp Jr., recently signed with Auburn University. Whether or not he has hops like his father is still to be determined. No worries though, there's always the other seven. I kid. I kid.

(His dunk on Lister at the 3:16 mark made your grandma cry.)

Lace Up Save Lives


Lace up and save lives! Nike is contributing 100% of its profits from the sale of (NIKE)RED laces to the Global Fund and to soccer-based programs that help fight AIDS in Africa.

Related links:
Michael Stich AIDS prevention campaign from 2007
What is (NIKE)RED?
Read the latest news on (NIKE)RED
Join (RED)

Friday, January 29, 2010

Chester French - "Ciroc Star" Video


I'm puzzled to as why they put this video out so late but that's a good sign. That means Interscope is still promoting Love the Future. I'm hoping this late push translates into a second album, this year preferably. For those unfamiliar with CF, hit up their myspace. These Harvard grads are a worth a listen.

Related Links:
Chester French - Jacques James - Vol. 1 Endurance
You Are Wrong I'm Bone Thugs & Harmon 2009 Year End Mix