Steve Aoki: "Cudi The Kid" Featuring Kid Cudi & Travis Barker
Steve Aoki is at home with making edgy music. His latest track enlist Kid Cudi and Travis Barker, pairing the two with some airy synths that rise and fall throughout the track. The track evokes memories of Cudi lyrics from A Kid Named Cudi, albeit with a little more refined sound and far greater depth. Barker's drums are a great touch to the production and add unprecedented value to the song as a whole. Hit the jump for a listen to the track off of Aoki's upcoming Wonderland album.
[Mixtape] Rich Hil x Lex Lugar: 500 Grams
It was just early today that one of my friend posted a link to a story about Rich Hil, specifically about how he is the sun of THE Tommy Hilfiger!?! Wow, that was a shocker, but that's not the big news. Today Rich and producer Lex Luger have dropped 500 Grams, their collaborative project that has been in the works for some time. It features appearances from Smoke DZA, Ro Ransom, and Boo Bonic. Filled with drugged out and hazy tracks, if you're a fan of Rich's past works you will enjoy 500 Grams. Hit the jump for a download and look for Support Your Local Drug Dealer to drop in early 2012
Common: "Raw"
In one week Common will drop his highly anticipated The Dreamer, The Believer to the delight of fans everywhere. The NO ID produced project has already showed a great deal of diversity in the sounds the two have created together and "Raw" adds yet another, with production undoubtably inspired by breakbeats. He premiered the track today through VIBE, and also dropped a BTS look at the video for the track. Take a listen and a look below and support G.O.O.D. Music by purchasing the album in a week.
[Videos] VOYR Comes Home
A little over a week ago Kanye, Hova, and their WTT Tour rolled through Chicago, Mr. West's hometown and the greatest city on earth. Their behind the scenes service, VOYR, was there to capture it all and boy does it look like and amazing time. The stars visited 79th and South Shore Drive, visited Kanye's childhood home, and reminisced over times that now seem worlds away. They stop by Vanderpoel elementary school, where Kanye was lucky enough be enrolled for kindergarten and where his credits his journey as beginning. The crew also caught up with Don C, who discussed his illustrious snakeskin hats and their inspiration. Check out the video below and also make sure to read DJ RTC's coverage of the concert, which everyone said was amazing.
Sidenote: One reason why Kanye and Jay-Z are sitting in the throne? Because they've got my fifty year old parents rocking out to WTT and saying that the concert was one of the best they've ever seen.
[Music] Lupe Fiasco: "American Terrorist III"
True to Lupe's nature, the superstar released his latest track, "American Terrorist III", this weekend over twitter. The song is a story of a disturbed veteran with some serious qualms with the United States Government. Lupe fashioned the song in the form of a phonecall to the soldier's loved ones, right before the protagonist disappears underground. Throughout the song he switches between voices and it ends up somewhere in between first and third person. A robotic voice on the hook and the selection of Kavinsky & Lovefoxxx‘s "Nightcall" as the backdrop illustrate Lupe's new affinity for electronic sounds. As a Lupe fanatic, I was very pleased with the release of the new track, but I couldn't help but notice how the sequel to Food & Liquor's "American Terrorist" is missing from his discography. Maybe one day we will see its release but for now we can enjoy the third installment, which is available for play and download below.
[Video] The Roots & Big K.R.I.T.: "Make My" Live
The other night The Roots brought Big K.R.I.T. on stage for a performance of "Make My" off of there new release undun. If you have yet to purchase The Roots' new project, you are truly missing out. The whole album is utterly amazing, 14 tracks meant to tell the life story of a young man, Redford Stephans, and in my opinion is the best album of 2011. Check out the live performance from the other night at the Highline Ballroom below, props to Steve-Ography for the footage.
[Song] Blu: "The Clean Hand" (Prod. Pete Rock)
Man it was only last week when I posted Fashawn's "Generation F," a track whose sound heralded back to Fashawn I love. Now Blu has gone and done the same thing. It seems like forever since Blu released anything that felt this much like Hip Hop and in case my memory is failing me, it's the first track he and Pete Rock have ever collaborated on. "The Clean Hand" brightened my whole night, and I still have at least 6 pages of an essay left to write. If you're a fan of all of Blu's material or only Below The Heavens, this track is sure to satisfy you too. Blu let this loose over twitter and also mention that it was only the first of the batch..... check it below.
[Album] Sulaiman and Chris Mathien: Local Nobodies
Together rapper Sulaiman and singer/producer Chris Mathien have created a very eclectic project with Local Nobodies. The mix of Sulaiman rhyming and Mathien singing the hooks blends the line between hiphop and rock. On top of that the project is littered with funky guitar riffs and some great horn samples. If you happen to be in the mood to simply lounge around and jam out, this is the tape to download. Sulaiman also dropped his own project, Past Perfect, earlier today. Both albums serve as the final notches in the MCs belt this year and help to commemorate what an astounding year it was. Check it out and download below.