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Don’t stop this crazy thing: Coldcut and Ninja Tune
Don’t stop this crazy thing Ninja Tune XX traces Coldcut’s path through decades of sampledelia Coldcut used to brag that it was “Ahead Of Our Time.†In the late 80s, they slapped the phrase onto a host of groundbreaking forays … Continue reading
Posted in Interviews
Tagged anniversaries, beat scene, Coldcut, Eskmo, major-indies, Ninja Tune, SFBG, this is not trip-hop, UK hip-hop
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Review: Cee-Lo Green, “The Lady Killer”
Cee-Lo Green, The Lady Killer Elektra Cee-Lo Green mostly lives up to his billing as The Lady Killer. He imagines himself as a James Bond of love on the kitschy intro, but has none of that character’s world-weary cynicism. This … Continue reading
The Foreign Exchange and the Soul Revival
Rap Is Not Pop: The Foreign Exchange and the Soul Revival Earlier this year, the Foreign Exchange earned a Grammy nomination for “Daykeeper,†a dreamy ballad filled with soft percussion and cooed phrasings of “She Loves Me.†Cited for Best … Continue reading
Posted in News
Tagged Aloe Blacc, Foreign Exchange, hip hop is dead, indie-soul, Little Brother, Mayer Hawthorne, rap is not pop, Rhapsody
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Video: Amp Live, “Hot Right Now”
Here’s a massive Yay Area posse cut featuring the Grouch & Eligh, Zumbi, Chris Young, Bambu, Fashawn and Dude Royal. Created by Vital Films Inc. Taken from Amp Live’s Murder at the Discotech, in stores now.
Video: Bilal, “Robots”
Call it hypocrisy or subversion: This video, which criticizes corporate manipulation of public opinion, debuted on VTech Phones’ website. Directed by Mikael Columbu. Taken from Airtight’s Revenge, which is in stores now.
Video: Brother Ali, “Breakin’ Dawn”
Here’s a joint from Brother Ali’s US. The visuals are clearly inspired by Kara Walker’s silhouette art. Not sure why this is appearing a year after the album dropped, but it may have to do something with Ali’s upcoming appearance … Continue reading
Review: N*E*R*D, “Nothing”
N*E*R*D, Nothing Star Trak/Interscope N*E*R*D’s hipster cred dissipated after its widely hailed In Search of N*E*R*D However, Pharrell, Chad Hugo and Shay are still capable of delightfully quirky adventures. On Nothing, they offer a poetic abstraction modeled after the Doors … Continue reading
Review: Lil Wayne, “I Am Not a Human Being”
Lil Wayne, I Am Not a Human Being Young Money/Cash Money/Universal Motown Lil Wayne has spent much of 2010 in prison for gun possession. But life goes on as usual in the fantasy world of mainstream hip-hop. And despite its … Continue reading
Video: Ghostpoet, “Cash and Carry Me Home”
Time for some videos. First up: UK rapper Ghostpoet’s debut clip. Directed by Tim Brown. Taken from Peanut Butter Blues & Melancholy Jam, which drops February 7.
Video: Flying Lotus, “Kill Your Co-Workers”
Directed by Beeple. Taken from Pattern + Grid World, in stores now.
Smoker’s delight: Wiz Khalifa and Yelawolf
Smoker’s delight “Waken Baken” headliner Wiz Khalifa loves the green, while Yelawolf is ready to rock The first thing Wiz Khalifa wants to say is that he loves to smoke marijuana. “Usually I just wake up and get high to … Continue reading
Posted in Interviews
Tagged blog stars, Dirty South, SFBG, weed rappin', Wiz Khalifa, Yelawolf
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The Plug One 2000s: Black Milk, “Tronic”
72. Black Milk, Tronic Fat Beats Released October 28, 2008 While Black Milk’s past work (including 2007’s Popular Demand) hewed to typical Okayplayer backpacker styles established by Madlib and 9th Wonder, he finally found his voice with Tronic. On the … Continue reading
The Plug One 2000s: The Cool Kids, “The Bake Sale”
78. The Cool Kids, The Bake Sale Chocolate Industries Released May 20, 2008 The Bake Sale was the closing of a first chapter in the Cool Kids’ career. Most of its tracks had already circulated around the Internet, catapulting the … Continue reading
The Plug One 2000s: Kid Cudi, “A Kid Named Cudi”
81. Kid Cudi, A Kid Named Cudi Online mixtape Released July 2008 Mixtapes are by nature vocal showcases built on freestyles over familiar beats, a handful of original songs, and plenty of shout-outs to famous mentors and friends, as if … Continue reading
The Plug One 2000s: Flying Lotus, “1983”
82. Flying Lotus, 1983 Plug Research Released October 3, 2006 Born Steven Ellison and a nephew of Alice Coltrane, Flying Lotus appeared in random spots before 1983: a beat for Adult Swim here, a Mia Doi Todd remix there. And … Continue reading
The Plug One 2000s: Cormega, “The Realness”
83. Cormega, The Realness Legal Hustle/Landspeed Records Released July 24, 2001 Cormega’s debut arrived during a moment of reconciliation between the oppositional worlds of underground and mainstream rap. The Realness was distributed by Boston-based Landspeed Records, an indie distributor known … Continue reading
The Plug One 2000s: Prodigy, “Return Of The Mac”
85. Prodigy, Return of the Mac Koch Released March 27, 2007 On Return of the Mac, Prodigy plays the role of superthug. The Alchemist produces a context for his mannerisms, liberally lifting from 70s and 80s classics such as James … Continue reading
The Plug One 2000s: Tanya Morgan, “Moonlighting”
88. Tanya Morgan, Moonlighting Loud Minority Music Released April 4, 2006 In the Okayplayer-led world of soulful, classically inspired hip hop, Tanya Morgan’s debut marked a transition from the Little Brother styles of the mid-00s to the freewheeling blog rap … Continue reading
The Plug One 2000s: People Under The Stairs, “O.S.T.”
89. People Under the Stairs, O.S.T. Om Records Released June 4, 2002 First emerging in 1998 amidst an L.A. indie explosion led by Dilated Peoples, Jurassic 5 and the Lootpack, People Under the Stairs were the scrubs of the bunch. … Continue reading
The Plug One 2000s: Mr. Lif, “Enters The Colossus”
91. Mr. Lif, Enters the Colossus Definitive Jux Released November 28, 2000 A veteran of the East Coast battle rap scene, Jeffrey “Lif†Haynes’ loquacious rhymes hewed to the “super-scientifical†style – coined after a phrase in Jeru the Damaja’s … Continue reading