MISS MONDAYS.

Mondays are all about the ladies here at Hip Hop Official. Today, in honor of MJ, I offer up one of my favorite Janet jams of all time. Perfect Monday morning music. Thoughts and prayers go out to the entire Jackson family.

[VIDEO] Kanye West - "Street LIghts"

Pretty fresh animation.

[VIDEO] Jay-Z - "D.O.A." (Death of Autotune)

Featuring Harvey Keitel, LeBron James, and explosions. I can't get over how banging this track is. No I.D., you're a fool for that one.

Crown Royale (Buff1 x Rhettmatic)- "Get It Up" [Live]

Ann Arbor's Buff1 links with DJ Rhettmatic of the World Famous Beat Junkies to form Crown Royale. The duo fell through the studio to debut one of the new bangers from their upcoming collaboration project exclusively for Hip Hop Official. This shit knocks. Contagious as fuck. Word.

BEST MICHAEL JACKSON SAMPLED HIP HOP SONGS.

There's no denying Michael Jackson's impact on music. He influenced so many musicians across so many genres, it's hard to even quantify his impact. So I wanted highlight some of the greatest hip hop songs that took inspiration from the King of Pop, by sampling his music. There are some CLASSIC hip hop songs in here. Here they are, in no particular order:


Nas - "It Ain't Hard To Tell"
SAMPLE: Michael Jackson - "Human Nature"




De La Soul - "Breakadawn"
SAMPLE: Michael Jackson - "I Can't Help It"




Naughty By Nature - "O.P.P."
SAMPLE: Jackson 5 - "ABC"




Ghostface (ft. Mary J. Blige) - "All That I Got Is You"
SAMPLE: Jackson 5 - "Maybe Tomorrow"




Q-Tip - "Move"
SAMPLE: Jackson 5 - "Dancing Machine"




Kanye West - "Good Life"
SAMPLE: Michael Jackson - P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)




Jay-Z - "IZZO" (Hova)
SAMPLE: Jackson 5 - "I Want You"

R.I.P. MICHAEL JACKSON.

(1958-2009)

Wow.

Words truly escape me right now. I'm speechless. This is surreal to me. MJ was that dude. I grew up on his music. He was a staple in my life. Thriller was the first cassette tape I ever owned, back when I was 6 years old. I used to listen to it and dance around my living room, practicing my dance moves. I had the silver glove and everything...

I never thought I would see this day. Honestly. The unbelievable has truly happened. The King of Pop, Michael Jackson has passed away today at only 50 years old. Jackson was rushed to the hospital this afternoon after suffering from a cardiac arrest. He arrived to the emergency room in a coma, and was pronouced dead shortly.

Despite all the rumors, the crazy trials and tribulations, the altering of his appearance - no other artist has ever (or will ever) accomplished what Michael did in his career. I mean, he has sold over 1oo million copies of his album Thriller - that's ONE ALBUM! From the ground breaking music videos, the dance steps, and electrifying world tours, Michael truly was an artist before his time. He transcended musical genres, and was truly the biggest and most famous musician of our lifetime. Hands down.

Jackson had planned to hit the road again to perform 50 shows this summer, in what was going to be the biggest concert event of the year. Tickets for the entire series, which were scheduled to kick off July 8th, sold out in hours. 50 show dates sold out in hours. Amazing. That was a testament to his star power, and that after 40 years in the music biz he still was in enormous demand. Mike, you were a pioneer and an icon, and you will truly be missed.

Rest in Peace.

STAKES IS HIGH.

New De La shirt from the good people at UNDRCRWN. Available now at Metropark.

THROWBACK THURSDAYS.

I mean, it's only right...I am wearing my Southernplayalistic shirt today. But for real, for real...when I first heard this joint back in 1993, I was blown away. I actually remember where I was when I first saw the music video, sitting in my dad's living room watching Rap City over the summer. That shit changed my life.

I had never heard any rappers from Atlanta. it was all so new to me. These cats were talking about some ill player shit. The music was incredible. Fonky. Something to ride to in your Cadillac. These cats painted pictures. And it wasn't just what they were saying, it was how they were saying it. The style was so laid back and effortlessly cool. I naturally gravitated towards it. I wanted more. A few months later, I copped their debut album Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik and was hooked. To this day, Outkast remains one my top 3 favorite groups of all time, and I can honestly say their first 3 albums rival ANYBODY'S first 3 albums. Ask somebody.

So with that being said, we take it throw it back to where it all started....The Players Ball.

Smif-N-Wessun at the Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival.

Our NYC correspondent Shani Kulture goes "On The Run" and the 2009 Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival. He catches up with Duck Down veterans Smif-N-Wessun to talk about their career longevity, upcoming shows and repping BK to the fullest.

[NEW] Shawn Chrystropher - "Untitled"

Here is the lead single from Shawn's upcoming album, A City With No Seasons. I've had this joint in my iTunes for a minute, but Shawn finally gave the green light to release it to the masses. Here's what Shawn has to say about this jammy jam:

The reason why the song is untitled is because it’s a love story, and I felt if I gave the song any kind of “love” title it would already be looked at as ‘cheesy’ and ‘predictable’ before anyone got a chance to listen to it. So this way, people get to judge the song solely based on its production and lyrics (as they should anyway). Sort of like reading a book with no cover or synopsis on the back, just you and the art

Dope.

Shawn has some big things poppin, so it's time to take notice. This week he is being featured on MySpace. And next week he'll be the Hip Hop Official Artist of the Week. That's what's up.

[DOWNLOAD] Shawn Chrystropher - "Untitled"

Basicali & El Prez - "Revolutionary Cali Muzik" [LIVE]

The homies Basicali and El Prez performed their song "Revolutionary Cali Muzik" for the first time together last Sunday. And wouldn't you know, cameras were on hand to catch the performance. This song also features U-N-I, and will be released on Basicali's upcoming album CA, All Day. Check for that this August.


Below, check out some more performances from the likes of Tunji and TiRon

[NEW] Ghostface, RZA & Havoc - "Evil Deeds"

Wu-Tang Wednesday! Here's another leak off the upcoming Wu album, Chamber Music, which drops next Tuesday. This album pairs Wu-Tang members with classic New York MCs from the 1990’s era over beats and live instrumentation from Brooklyn soul crew The Revelations. RZA is the project’s Executive Producer. I mean, seriously...how dope does that sound? I will definitely be copping this one.

[DOWNLOAD] Ghostface, RZA & Havoc - "Evil Deeds"

Drake (ft. Phonte & Elzhi) - "Think Good Thoughts" (prod. by 9th Wonder)

This guy loves making songs about women. And I'm pretty sure they love listening to them. This one is an older song of his mixtape "Comeback Season" that dropped in 2007, but due to legal issues (i.e. he hadn't paid for the beat yet) it couldn't release the full song - including Elzhi's verse.

[DOWNLOAD] Drake ft. (Phonte & Elzhi) - "Think Good Thoughts"

Courtesy of Heinz.

WESTCOAST WEDNESDAY.

The Luniz were made famous for creating one of the most popular weed smoking songs of all time (that wasn't written by Cypress Hill). This is a Killa Cali classic right here. I remember when it first came out in 1995, it had people going bananas. Everyone who ever inhaled seems to know all the words to this joint too.

It's funny watching this video right now, it's maaaaaaaaad dated. Especially the Aaliyah-esque "Gangsta Bitch" outfits the girls are wearing.

The Luniz - "I Got 5 On It"

[VIDEO] Pac Div - "The Mayor"

"Just another day out in sunny L.A...."

[VIDEO] 50 Cent - "I'll Do Anything"

There's a lot of Gucci, ass, and close-ups in this one.

[VIDEO] Reflection Eternal - "Back Again"

Here's the official video for Talib Kweli and Hi-Tek's first single from their reunion album, featuring the lovely Res on the hook. Directed by the homie Todd Angkasuwan. If you wanna see how they made the video, check out our exclusive behind the scenes footage. Why? Because Talib Kweli said so.

ARTIST OF THE WEEK: Crown Royale.

What do you get when you mix 1 part Michigan microphone master with 1 part vinyl vandalizer from the World Famous Beat Junkies crew? You get a shot of Crown Royale. Meet the new duo, compromised of two veterans to this hip hop landscape, Buff1 and DJ Rhettmatic. If you're not familiar, Buff honed his mic skills in Michigan as part of the Athletic Mic League crew while Rhett earned his stripes winning the DMC West Coast Title in 1996, and the ITF World Champion in 1997 for his turntablism skills. These dudes are no joke.

Now they've joined forces to release a new album together, with Buff on the mic and Rhett on the beats. Wondering what it will sound like? Pure unadulterated hip hop. Some real live shit. Take a look for yourself...

BUZZ ALDRIN GOT FLOWS.

The original Man on The Moon (sorry CuDi) joins Snoop Dogg and Talib Kweli in the studio to record a rap song called "Rocket Experience." I can't tell if this is a joke or not. But regardless, it's funny. And if it's good enough for Snoop, it's good enough for you.

CurT@!n$ - The Great Adventures of Dope Boy C: Dope For President [Mixtape]

The homie CurT@!ns just dropped a new mixtape, and he's not playing around with you. I'll let him tell it:

Just when you thought it was safe, CurT@!n$ and HIgh Society Life Inc. give you the latest installment to The Great Adventures of Dope Boy C saga… “Dope for President”. The album features the controversial single “Black Folks”, the heartfelt “Tomorrow” the street anthem “I Been Hustlin”, and also features cameo’s by Bun-B of U.G.K and Tyrese. The people needed change, so they voted Dope!

[DOWNLOAD HERE.]


Enjoy.

ON THE ROAD w/ WALE: Pt. 5

In episode 5 of his ongoing series with Microsoft Zune, Wale breaks down some DC slang for you out-of-towners . Words like "Juicing" "Milking" and "Jamming" take on a whole new meaning in the DMV. Learn you some.

B.O.B. vs. Bobby Ray [MIXTAPE]

B.O.B. is Bobby Ray. Bobby Ray is B.O.B. Call him what you want, but make sure you call him talented. If you don't believe me, listen for yourself. He's actually a musician who just happens to rap. Or a rapper who knows instrumentation, production, musical theory and harmonization. Like I said, he's talented. Hosted by DJ Green Lantern and Don Cannon.

[DOWNLOAD.]

...or if you prefer the "No DJ/tagless" version get that HERE.

MISS MONDAYS.

Mondays are all about the ladies here at Hip Hop Official. Today we honor the Lady of Rage with her hip hop classic, "Afro Puffs." Now that I think about it, this video could be a Miss Mondays, a Westcoast Wednesday, Throwback Thursday, and Forgotten Friday all rolled into one. Incredible. That might be a first and only one of it's kind. Talk about a blogosphere schmorgesborg og hip hop goodness.

[VIDEO] Clipse ft. (Kanye West) - "Kinda Like A Big Deal"

I'm no expert, but I don't think this is the final version. Audio is bunk, and the picture quality is shotty. I smell a leak.

:: awaits Kanye's ALL CAPS tirad on his blog ::

Dom Kennedy - "Everybody Knows Us" x"Hard Work" [LIVE]

Dom rolled through the job to lace us with an exclusive performance. Peep game as he runs through a live medley for us in the HHO Lounge as he rocks "Everybody Knows Us" and then goes into "Hard Work" off his new album Future Street/Drug Sounds. Go cop that album right now.

Wale x 9th Wonder - Back To The Feature [MIXTAPE]

Muthafuckas BEEN waiting for this one. Wale drops his lastest mixtape, produced by 9th Wonder. That's a deadly combo if you ask me. This dropped on Friday, but I was mad busy so you get it today. It had like 20,000 downloads in 2 days so go ahead and make it 20,001. There are some good features on here, including Bun B, Freeway, Talib Kweli, Black Thought, Joe Budden, and Rocye Da 5'9"...basically, a whole bunch of spitting going down on this one.

I interviewed Wale on Saturday, so stay tuned for that.

[DOWNLOAD HERE.]

Reflection Eternal - "Back Again" [BEHIND THE SCENES]

A few months back, we were allowed exclusive access to the Reflection Eternal video shoot for their first single off their reunion album. The song is bangin. We caught up with Talib, Hi-Tek and Res to talk about the song "Back Again" as well as the concept of the unique video, directed by Todd Angkasuwan. It was shot all in one take with mutliple cameras, and we'll let you in on how they did it right here.

The video drops next week, and you can catch Reflection Eternal on tour all summer at the Rock The Bells Festival.

[VIDEO] Alchemist & Oh No - "Under Siege"

Dope video. Make sure to pay attention closely, as Al and Oh No insert themselves back into the 1992 L.A. Riots. Green screen is a helluva drug.

Shout out to actor Scott Caan for his cameo. For those of you not knowing, Alchemist and Scott are childhood friends who actually started a rap group together back in early 1990's called the Whooliganz. Don't believe me? Wikipedia that shit.

DAMN, I WISH I WAS ON THAT!!!

I love this segment. Because honestly, we can all relate. We all a have a song (or songs) that we've heard and said to ourselves, "Daaaaaamn, I wish I was on that!" Whether you wanted to spit a verse on it, produce it, write it, or just shout out some Diddy-like adlibs in the background. What song do you wish you could have been a part of?

Well we asked hip hop artists Dom Kennedy and Donny Goines that very question. They talk about some classic 90's music and songs that they would have liked to have been a part of. The answers may surprise you.

MOS DEF WANTS YOU TO WEAR HIS MUSIC.

That's right, the Brooklyn rapper who just released his latest album, The Ecstatic, is planning on releasing T-shirts with his album embedded in them. The shirts will feature the album cover art work on the front, and the tracklisting on the back. Each short will have a hanging tag with a special URL and code allowing you to download the album, that's pretty clever. The shirts will hit stores july 7th for $39 dollars. I might just have to cop me one. Or if you're charitable, hook me up with a crispy Large.

THROWBACK THURSDAYS.

Masta Ace - "Born To Roll"

This is one of the hardest beats of all time. I mean, seriously, how dope is this track? Masta Ace made a whole song about the sound system in his jeep. And it's a classic. TURN IT UP!

I remember hearing a story about how Ace really had a legendary system that would rival anybody in the streets. And one day somebody broken into his ride and stole it. Damn. How you gonna jack the dude who made Born To Roll? That's not even right.

[VIDEO] Busta Rhymes (ft. Big Tigger) - "If You Don't Know, Now You Know"

Yes, featuring Big Tigger from Rap City. Don't ask, it makes sense when you hear the song. It's actually a pretty dope concept. I'll let Tigger explain:

Well I came up for the concept for the song “If You Don’t I Know Now You Know” I told Busta about it bout 2yrs ago. About a year ago Busta wakes me up at 2 in the morning like “Yo we need to do the song” and I’m like “What song?” He’s like, “The song you told me about”. So now I’m waking up and he’s like “Yo, I’m done with my album but I don’t really have that joint. I need a concept record. Nobody really does concepts anymore”.

So the basic concept of the song, if you haven’t heard it you need to go get Back On My BS, is as I’m interviewing Busta I’m rhyming the questions and he’s rhyming the answers.

EMINEM TO REUNITE WITH D12.

Building off the success of his latest album, Relapse, Eminem plans to hit the studio again very soon... this time to release a new album with his former group D12. It's been 5 years since Detroit's Dirty Dozen released an album together, as the group stopped recording after the death of it's founding member, Proof. Em recently said that Proof's passing was one of the reason's he wanted to do another D12 album, stating "I think this is what proof always wanted."

D12 was formed by Proof back in the early 90's as a way to showcase the best hip hop talent in Detroit. The group consisted of himself, Eminem, Bizarre, Denaun Porter aka Kon Artist, Kuniva, and Swiffty.

[NEW] Diz Gibran - "Dark End Of The Street"

Since the release of his Soon You'll Understand tape, Diz's buzz has been steadily increasing. Most recently, he opened for the Clipse at Club Nokia in downtown L.A. (footage of that coming soon). Diz N Moon are back with another heater for you, "Dark End Of The Street."

[DOWNLOAD HERE.]

WESTCOAST WEDNESDAY.

Long before Xzibit was Pimpin' Rides or hunting aliens, he was making dope music. Before he was rapping with Dre and Snoop he was making moves with the Likwit Crew alongside King Tee, Defari, and Tha Alkaholiks. His first album, At The Speed Of Life, dropped in 1996 and produced his first hit single "Paparazzi" and one of my favorite X-to-the-Z songs, "The Foundation" (below).

Not only is the beat off the chain (it was produced by DJ Muggs), but I love the message in the music. The concept of the song is Xzibit rapping to his 2 year old son - telling him what to expect in life, how to act, what to watch for, and how to be a man. You know, laying the "Foundation."

LAKERS THEME SONG.

A tribute to the Purple and Gold from two of their biggest fans: Snoop Dogg and Kurupt. This one is in honor of the 2009 NBA Champions Los Angeles Lakers. Get your parade on today!

50 Cent - War Angel [MIXTAPE]

50 puts on pause on the acting, beefing with Ricky, Pimpin with Curly, videogame making, and Vitamin Water selling to drop a free LP on you.

[DOWNLOAD HERE.]

Courtesy of Nahright.

ARTIST OF THE WEEK: Mayer Hawthorne.

Say hello to Mayer Hawthorne. This dude is creating one of the the most unique buzzes in the hip hop game right now with his fusion of 1960's Motown soul, Do Wop, R&B and a splash of classic break-driven hip-hop. It's so refreshing, because nobody...and I mean NOBODY...is on this steez. Hailing from Ann Arbor, Michigan, Mayer Hawthorne a.k.a. DJ Haircut a.k.a. Andrew Cohen is making retro soul cool again. Thanks to Peanutbutter Wolf, who signed Mayer to Stonesthrow Records, we will see an album in early Fall.

The lead single, "Just Ain't Gonna Work Out" had the internets going crazy, and nobody seemed to know what to think. Everybody was asking the same question: Who is Mayer Hawthorne? Well, we got your answer right here. In the interview, he talks about how the Mayer Hawthorne character came to fruition and discusses where he'd like to see him go.

BAD IDEAS IN HIP-HOP: K.O.B.E.

After winning his 4th NBA Championship and a Finals MVP, Kobe Bryant just cemented his legacy as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. Too bad he might be one of the worst rappers ever. Back in 1999, Kobe released a rap single called "K.O.B.E." (below) in which he raps about "basketball, beats, and broads" as well as typical rapperish things like how much money he has and how nice his Mercedes is. Ironically, it's actually believable as opposed to 90% of these fake rich rappers out. Despite that validity of what he's saying, it comes off as corny, forced, and contrived. Especially when he goes into "playboy" mode, talking about all the women chasing him. Please. He riddles off clique after clique in attempt to....actually, I don't know what the hell he was attempting to do.

But that's not the worst part. The worst part is that he got Trya Banks to sing the hook. Yes, that Tyra Banks. The one who has no singing background whatsoever. These are the exact words that she sings on the hook:

K-O-B-E, I L-O-V-E you
I believe you are very fine
If you give me one chance, I promise to love you
And be with you forever more

It's painful. it's hilarious. It was a bad idea. Kobe, you're not a rapper. Stick to what you're good at - being the best basketball on the planet (sorry Lebron).

Listen to the song here...

Murs x Tech N9ne.

We had a chance to catch up with the living legend, Murs, and the Kansas City chief, Tech N9ne, during a recent press conference for Rock the Bells. They talk about why this festival will be the biggest concert of the year, and in the video below they show some love for their fans, including the people who don't even know they are their fans yet. Maybe somebody like you...

Blaq Poet - "Ain't Nuttin Changed" [LIVE]

Our Artist of the Week, Blaq Poet from the group Screwball blesses HHO with a dope ass live performance of his DJ Premier-produced single, Aint Nuthin Changed. This shit is break-your-neck-type bangin. Peep how Blaq does the self edits on the curse words. Who needs an FCC censor? Blaq Poet love the kids.

Check for the album, The Blaqprint in stores June 30th.

[VIDEO] Buff1 - "Real Appeal"

Here's a brand new video from the homie Buff1. I'm really feeling this joint right here. It's silky smooth, proving that hip hop doesn't need to be all guns, drugs, and hoes all the time to be good. Shout out to Jackson Perry for directing the video. And if you like what you're hearing, I threw in an extra treat for you...

[DOWNLOAD] Buff1 - "Real Appeal"

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PAC.

Today would be Pac's 38th birthday. Or maybe it really is, depending on your theory. Regardless, Pac was one of the most influential rap artists of all time. Whether you liked him or not, there is no denying his legacy. So pour out a little liquor for the homie today.

I imagine he's throwing a party up in heaven right now to celebrate his life, chilling with Marvin Gaye, Frank Sinatra, Curtis Mayfiled, Jimi Hendrix, Malcolm X, Eazy-E, and of course Biggie Smalls. Now that ain't nothing but a Gangster Party.

2Pac - "I Ain't Mad Atcha"

[NEW] Camp Lo - "Summer Love"

Ahhhhh, summer love. We've all been there. Apparently, so has Camp Lo. They flip one of my favorite songs of all time by Sylvia Striplin. Which you might recognize because some other dude by the name of Biggie Smalls also used it. How could you go wrong?

This one just makes you feel good. So if you enjoy feeling good, download this and bump it in the whip with the windows down, and the sun beaming down on you. God, I love the summer.

[DOWNLOAD] Camp Lo - "Summer Love"

Eminem In The Booth.

Marshall Mathers hits BET for the Rap City Relapse, a special feature in which they brought back the classic Rap City for one episode just to interview Eminem. That's it. Well that, and maybe Tigger needed a paycheck. The interview is blah, but the above video is Em hitting the infamous Booth and ripping the shit out of the mic. Don't know if it's an actual freestyle, but one thing's for sure...He's still got it.

[NEW] U-God (ft. Raewkwon & Slanie) - "Cocaine"

U-God is probably the least heralded of the Wu members (well, except for Masta Killa), and the dude I probably check for the least (well, except Masta Killa), but this song is actually pretty dope. Granted, the title gives away the entire concept of the song, and the cocaine raps have been beaten into the ground. But it's got a classic gutter Wu sound to it. Give it a spin.

[DOWNLOAD] U-God (ft. Raewkwon & Slanie) - "Cocaine"

[NEW] Lupe Fiasco - "Fire"

Here's some new fire (pun intended) from Lupe. This is previously unreleased track that is...well, released as on the second you click the link. I swear, this cat has more unreleased music laying around than 2Pac. What's going on in that studio of yours, Lu?

[DOWNLOAD] Lupe Fiasco - "Fire"

Courtesy of YoungKingz.

MISS MONDAYS.

Mondays are all about the ladies around these parts. Today we honor the late Aaliyah who possessed the voice of an angel, and passed away in a tragic plane crash at the young age of 22. God always takes the best ones for himself. Rest in peace, babygirl.

Aaliyah - "One In A Million"

[VIDEO] The Alchemist (ft. Maxwell & Twista) - "Smile"

This is the most random combination people on one song. But it works. It works well. This track is off ALC’s album Chemical Warfare, due out July 7th. The Chemistry Man is a beast on the boards, and also shows off some mics skills on this one. But the best part is the message.

Smile for me, baby.

[NEW] Clipse - "I'm Good" (ft.Pharrell)

Here’s the official single from the Clipse’ third album Til The Casket Drops, which is coming in September. I know the streets are fiending for some of that new Clipse crack. This one is produced by the Neptunes and is the first of 2 official singles coming this week. Best believe you'll be able to get the second one right here too.

FUN FACT: I will be interviewing the Clipse later this afternoon. And chilling at their video shoot on Saturday. And attending their concert Saturday night. You can be jealous now.

[DOWNLOAD] Clipse - "I'm Good" (ft.Pharrell)

Shout out to Complex.

THROWBACK THURSDAYS.

Damn, I've been doing Throwback Thursdays for about 3 months now, and I've NEVER used a Tribe Called Quest video...WTF is wrong with me? Their probably my favorite rap group of all time (along with Outkast and the Wu) and I've negelected them for this long? I feel like a horrible parent. But in all seriousness, I could probably just use a different Tribe video ever week for this segment. Their catalog is that extensive. But I won't.

We'll set it off with the classic "Bonita Applebum" from their debut album, Peoples Instinctive Travels. It's a bonafida hip-hop sing-along song - in fact, if I ever went to a hip-hop karaoke bar, I'd probably perform this joint first. It's timeless. And every time you hear it, it's like hearing it for the first time.

"38-24-37,
You and me, hun, we're a match made in heaven,
I like to kiss you places some brotha's won't,
I like to tell you things some brotha's don't."

Shout out to Jabori for his cameo in the video!

HOUSE SHOES SPEAKS ON THE CHARLES HAMILTON SITUATION.

For those of you not knowing the "situation," Harlem rapper Charles Hamilton falsely listed James Yancey a.k.a. J DIlla as the executive producer of his upcoming album. Without ever meeting the man. Needless to say, this angered a couple folks, especially those close to J Dilla. One of the those people is House Shoes: Detroit's hip hop ambassador to the world, Dilla's Dj, and one of his closest friends. He came through the offices yesterday to give us the exclusive interview about this whole fuckery. Needless to say, he's not happy and neither is the whole city of Detroit.

Shout out to Shoes for coming through. We salute you, Respect due.

DJ Quik x Kurupt: The Outtakes.

This is the stuff we couldn't show you the first time around. Straight comedy here. It's Quik and Kurupt basically just chopping it up, talking about anything and everything from Back To The Future, The Watchmen, sneakers, and of course, The Lock Ness Monster.

Don't forget to go cop Quik and Kurupt's album, Blaqkout, which is in stores now!

WESTCOAST WEDNESDAY.

I'm sure you know the name, but might not know the deal. The D.O.C.'s contributions to gangsta rap extend far beyond his handful of rap songs, as he was one of the creative forces behind a little group called N.W.A. and some dude named Dr. Dre.

He was featured on N.W.A.'s second album, Straight Outta Compton, and Eazy-E's debut, Eazy Duz It. In 1989, he released his Dr. Dre-produced debut album, No One Can Do It Better, which was hailed by critics and rap fans alike as a West Coast classic. Unfortunately, shortly after the release of his album, he was in a car accident that damaged his vocals cords, leaving him unable to fully rap.

Despite his voice, he remained important to the hip hop landscape. He was Dr. Dre's right hand man, who used his talents as one of the writers for his debut solo album The Chronic, penning numerous songs on the classic album. Dre even credits the D.O.C. for being the one who talked him into doing the original Chronic album. He' also the third dude in car with Dre and Snoop in the "Nothin But A G-Thang" video.

"like my homie D.O.C., no one can do it better..."

The D.O.C. - "It's Funky Enough"

HAMMER PANTS ARE BACK.

This is viral marketing at it's best right here. A group of dancers wearing shiny gold Hammer Pants flashmob a trendy L.A. store and break out into a dance routine straight outta 1991. Why? Because Hammer has a new show on A&E called "Hammertime" coming soon, that's way. Like I said, marketing genius. Good job, A&E.

BAD IDEAS IN HIP-HOP: Claiming J Dilla Executive Produced Your Album.

In this week's version of BAD IDEAS IN HIP-HOP (our newest Tuesday segment), we explore the stupidity that is Charles Hamilton. In case you were sleeping all day yesterday, or don't have a Twitter account, Interscope signee Charles Hamilton just released details on his debut, This Perfect Life on his blog, and for some retarded reason, he gave an executive producer credit to late great Detroit producer, James Yancey a.k.a. J Dilla.




Oh word? Dilla worked with Charles Hamilton? Hellllll Nooooooo. Charles, who has never met, seen, spoken to, or even been in the same room as Dilla, explained the reason he did this on his blog:

I also wanna thank James Yancey for his guidance in putting this album together. Sound wise, I couldn't be happier. Again, the album was mastered reel-to-reel/digital-to-digital, and I couldn't have done the entire process without him being a total jerk about me getting that EXTRA vinyl-ish sound. Thanks Dilla.

Nah seriously. He helped master the album.

Wow. So, obviously word spreads fast on these here internets, and some well-known Detroit cats didn't take too kindly to this bold ass statement. In fact, it pretty much started a Twitter shit storm. A Shwitter Storm if you will. Some people very close to Dilla (a.k.a. his real life friends who actually knew him) said that (a) Dilla didn't know who the fuck Charles Hamilton was, and (b) he would never put his name on such garbage music. So people started to see this as a (very) cheap marketing ploy to gain more attention for his album and to ultimately sell more records. I mean, who wouldn't check out something that was apparently co-signed by one of the greatest producers of all time?

So Chuckie tried to flip the script and claim that he was going to donate proceeds from the album to the "J Dilla Music Foundation" which, well....doesn't fucking exist. He also claimed that he was close with the Yancey family and had some sort of deal with Dilla's mother, Maureen Yancey a.k.a. Ma Dukes. Well, that was another total fucking lie. DJ Houseshoes, who was Dilla's personal DJ, friend, and ambassador to Detroit, called Ma Dukes personally to clear the air, and yep...you guess it...she said had never heard of any Charles Hamilton. Now the entire Detroit hip-hop scene is on a mission to personally tear down Charles Hamilton's reputation and what's left of his career.



And it's working. Charles has become the laughing stock of the hip-hop culture and real hip-hop heads everywhere. He's a big fucking joke who wears only pink and loves Sonic The Hedgehog. He has a big ego and a bigger mouth, and it's started to catch up to him. Even his girl wanted to kick his ass. He doesn't get it. Anyone who has any sense would never tie a legend's name to their project without proper consent. Especially when that legend has been laid to rest. What you did was disrespectful, contrived, and out of line. You got called out, and then tried to lie about it to make yourself look better, and then you got caught again. Now need to take your ass beating like a man. Charles Hamilton, you are an idiot, a moron, an idiotic moron, and a dumbfuck. And you had another bad idea in Hip-hop.

Until next Tuesday, ya'll...oh, and please don't buy this goomba's album.

ON THE ROAD WITH WALE: Part 3

Here's the third installment from the 10-part podcast series following Wale on his Attention Deficit Tour. The DC rapper takes some time off from filming the video for his single Chillin to drop a freestyle rhyme.

MAX B. IS HEADED TO PRISON.

And could be facing a long, long, looooooong sentence. The Harlem rapper was found guilty today for his involvement in a robbery that left one man dead. Max faces LIFE IN PRISON after a jury convicted him of, “aggravated manslaughter, two counts of felony murder, three counts of armed robbery, and one count of conspiracy to commit robbery.”

Max, born Charly Wingate, was accused of being the mastermind behind a $30,000 heist targeting two wealthy men. Reportedly Max conspired with his step brother Kelvin Leerdam, and his girlfriend Gina Conway, who served as the prosecution’s secret weapon in the case against him. She turned on Max, testifying against Max in return for a shorter jail sentence.

Max is currently being detained in Bergan County Jail awaiting sentencing, set for July 31. He is facing life behind bars. Max is no stranger to prison bars, he has already served 8 years in jail, from 1997- 2005, for a seperate robbery charge. But facing life is prison is no joke. Looks like the Harlem wave is coming to an end.

Max's attorney Gerald Saluti said he has already filed a motion for a judgment not withstanding the verdict – a precursor to asking for an appeal – assuring fans that “We’re gonna keep fighting and fighting until we win.”

[NEW] L.E.G.A.C.Y. - "TKO" (ft. Phonte, Chaundon, Sean P)

New music from the Justus League (not to be confused with these guys). This joint is from L.E.G.A.C.Y.'s upcoming album, Suicide Music, which drops June 16th. There are some dope emcees and even doper lyrics on this joint. Oh yeah, and it's produced by the board smasher Khrysis. Hotdamn, the Hall of Justus stays putting out good music.

[DOWNLOAD] L.E.G.A.C.Y. - "TKO" (ft. Phonte, Chaundon, Sean P)

Courtesy of Nahright.

[VIDEO] Eminem (ft. Dr. Dre & 50 Cent) - "Crack A Bottle"

And the winner for the weirdest open to a music video goes to...

Mos Def Live on David Letterman.

Ok, now this is dope. The Mighty Mos perfroms his song "Quiet Dog" on Late Night with David Letterman, and he's actually playing the timpanis while rhyming. I've seen Mos a handful of times, and he's never done that. In fact, he's barely even gotten out of bed. One time I saw this cat perform in a bathrobe, and no not some Hugh Heffner or Ghostface type shit, I mean a white bathrobe that he probably stole from the hotel he was staying in. I'm just saying.

Mos pretty much kills this performance. His new album, The Ecstatic, is in stores today. Honestly, I'm actually feeling the album. I'm even surprised that I'm feeling the album. Pretty Flaco has pretty much disappointed me with his slew of half-assed releases. It's his best work since Black On Both Sides. I highly suggest you give it a spin.

Video courtesy of RapRadar.

ARTIST OF THE WEEK: Blaq Poet.

Ya'll remember Screwball, don't you? They dropped an underground classic in 2000 CALLED Y2K that featured the headnodic song "H.O.S.T.Y.L.E." Well, then you also remember Blaq Poet. The fonder of the group returns for his solo effort, The Blaq Print, which drops June 30th. It's street rap at it's finest, and not to mention it's produced by the legendary DJ Premier. How can you front on that? This ain't no playing around here, this is some real grimey-type NY hip-hop.

Blaq took time out of his busy day (he was shooting a music video, and came through on his break) to come through the studios and bless us with an interview and a live performance (coming Friday). He talks about the new album, working with Premo and how he got started spittin back in the day in the Queensbridge. After you watch the interview, listen to the lead single, "Ain't Nuthin Change" which is produced by Premier and sounds like a 1997 neck breaker. I'm lovin it (no McDonals)

[DOWNLOAD] Blaq Poet - "Ain't Nuthin Changed"

HIP HOP OFFICIAL’S ARTIST OF THE WEEK CONTEST.

By now you've noticed Hip Hop Offcial's Artist of the Week features. Every day I get hundreds of emails asking if they can be featured as the Artist of the Week. I barely even listen to a quarter of the music I get sent. So I got to thinking...maybe I should have a contest, with the winner getting the opportunity to be featured as the Artist of the Week. Dope idea, right? I thought so too.

We're giving any aspiring, up and coming, unsigned, independent artist a shot of be covered on Hip Hop Official. It doesn't matter if you live in your mom's basement, have never performed on stage, or never even traded shots in a cypher - if you have the skills, you'll get your shot. This is your time to get some shine.

Submit 1 song to us, and we're gonna select the top 16 unsigned hip hop artists to compete through an elimination-style tournament to be the crowned the coveted Hip Hop Official Artist of the Week. The winner will get their own artist feature produced by HHO. The tournament will be conducted via our website (hiphopofficial.com) and Twitter (twitter.com/hiphopofficial), and the winners will be determined by you, THE PEOPLE. Hip Hop Official is for the children!

Starting Monday July 6th, the previously selected artists will be pitted against each other in a one-on-one type battle in which we will post a song from each artist on our blog. Fans will log on to the website and vote for their favorite, with the winner in each match-up advancing to the next round. Each round (or voting period) will last from Monday to Sunday, with the winners being announced the following Monday. At that time, the next round match-ups will be posted with BRAND NEW SONGS and voting will commence once again. This will continue for 4 weeks until a winner is crowned.

JULY 6: Round 1 match-ups: ROUND OF 16
JULY 13: Round 2 match-ups: ELITE 8
JULY 20: Round 3 match-ups: FINAL FOUR
JULY 27: Round 4: THE CHAMPIONSHIP

The winner will be announced via our blog, and at that time the winners will be notified and we’ll schedule the interview. A camera crew will meet the winners and shoot the segment to be aired later in August. The voting is open to the public, so make sure you get your people together to vote for you!

So how do you enter this amazing contest? It's mad easy. Just follow these simple steps:

1.Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/hiphopofficial
(If you already are, you're ahead of the game. If you don't have a Twitter account, create one – it's FREE.)

2.Email us at hiphopofficial@gmail.com
(IMPORTANT: In the email include your name, twitter account (so we know you are actually following us), a phone number, a brief bio, website/myspace page, and a song submission. JUST SEND ONE SONG.

That's it. If you forget any of those items, you'll automatically be disqualified. I don't care if you're Rakim. SUBMISSIONS CLOSE JUNE 28TH. Don't miss the deadline. If you are one of the 16 chosen to compete, we will email you to notify you and then more rules will follow. Nothing too crazy, but enough to keep you on your toes. Keep in mind this is 4 rounds, so you will need to provide 4 different songs over the course of the competition. NOT ALL AT ONCE. We will have specifics for each round, just to keep it interesting.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KANYE.

Today the Louis Vuitton Don turns 32. Damn, imagine the party that dude is gonna have. It might be slightly better than my last one, but I know I'll have a better cake.

Shout out to Yeezy. Have a great day, and don't forget to celebrate that Good Life.

MISS MONDAYS.

Erykah Badu - "Didn't You Know"

Mondays are all about the ladies around these parts. This is one of my all time favorite joints from Ms. Badu, produced by the legendary j Dilla. I love Erykah's voice. It's like honeysuckle mixed with Camomile, with a splash of Xanax - It's so soothing. I hope it can bring you some relaxation and peace of mind on this hectic Monday.

[NEW] Jay-Z - "D.O.A." (Death of Autotune)

I'm sure you've heard it. I'm sure you've downloaded it elsewhere. I'm sure you've probably even talked about it on Twitter. But I wouldn't be doing my proper service to you if I didn't post this monstrosity of a rap record. Hove goes in on the horrific trend that is auto-tuning your music. Finally. I've been saying this shit needs to die for months.

DOWNLOAD: Jay-Z - "D.O.A." (Death of Autotune)

Courtesy of 2dopeboyz

[NEW] Alchemist ft. Eminem - "Chemical Warfare"

Here's Eminem's contribution to the Alchemist's upcoming album, Chemical Warfare, which drops July 7th. For all of you wondering how the hell Em and the Chemisty Man linked up for this joint, The Alchemist is and has been Eminem's DJ for his live performances. That's how.

This joint is only 1:24, but it's the full version that will appear on the album.

[DOWNLOAD] Alchemist ft. Eminem - "Chemical Warfare"

Courtesy of Nahright.com

H.O.P.E. Interview.

Get to know the Compton rapper H.O.P.E. who aims to seperate himself from the rest of the pack on his new album Follow The Leader. This dude has serious skills, and is very celebral about his music. Meaning he puts thought into it, as opposed to "just spittin." I like that.

If you missed the live performance of his single "Nightlife" make sure you go catch that. I H.O.P.E. you like.

WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO: Positive K?

What's your man got to do with me?

On this edition of Forgotten Fridays we reminisce over you, Positive K. The Bronx born rapper scored a major hip-hop hit with 1992's "I Got a Man." The song peaked at #14 on the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1993. Between the infectious disco sample, the back and forth rhyming, and catchy hook, it was undeniable. I was always wondering who the "female" was on the track, but it turns out that Positive actually did the female parts, and pitched his voice up. Clever. Honestly this joint was my jam back then. And the video is a classic, despite being corny as all hell now.

The song is featured on his debut album, The Skills Dat Pay Da Bills, which dropped on November 3, 1992 on Island Records. With the single "I Got a Man" making waves in the radio, he was also doing underground compilation appearances, guest spots on other hip-hop artists' albums (like his duet with MC Lyte "I Ain't Having That"), and even worked with Big Daddy Kane on the single "Nightshift". Despite reviews calling the album more than a fluke hit, it lacked perseverance on the album charts, leading him to become a dreaded one-hit wonder.

Little know fact: His album is the first recorded instance of the phrase "drop it like it's hot", which appears on the song "Ain't No Crime". Whatchu you know about that, Snoop?

So after his debut release, he pretty much off the rap radar (shouts to YN). I guess he didn't have enough skills to continue paying those bills. He did release a 12" record in 2001 called "Supreme Alphabet" but I think that's the last time his voice was heard on record. Have no fear though, because evidently Positive K is still available for booking club dates and tours. According to this awesome promo, you better hurry though, because dates are filling up!

According to his website, or as he calls it, his Web Crib, he seems to still be involved in the music industry, after he kept his Creative Control label in operation, signing and cultivating new talent. So there's that. There's also a song on his site called "Heat Rock" which appears to be new. Maybe. I'm not "Positive." Hahaaaaa. See what I did there?

But that's all I could dig up on the dude. If anyone has any more info regarding the whereabouts of Positive K, please contact us immediately. We need your help.

Thank you,
Hip Hop Official: Finding rappers who the masses have forgotten.

POSITIVE K - "I GOT A MAN"

[VIDEO] Tanya Morgan - "So Damn Down"

Peep the video for the lead single from Tanya Morgan’s sophomore LP, Brooklynati. The trio of Von Pea, Ilyas, and Donwill have been some of the hardest working rappers around recently, and with their new video they finally got the chance to unwind, have a little fun, and bring the Rap Pack to life, complete with three-piece suits, bowties, and beautiful women. Don’t let the fancy clothes and coordinated dance steps fool you though, Tanya Morgan still knows how to rap their Mouth Off. Get it? You will.

PREVIOUSLY: Tanya Morgan Interview: Welcome to Brooklynati.

[VIDEO] Kid CuDi - "Heaven at Nite"

This dude likes the night time. I wonder if he's an insomniac?

H.O.P.E. - "Nightlife" [LIVE]

May 6th was defintiely West Coast Wednesday at Hip Hop Official as not one, not two, but three of L.A.’s best up-and-coming artists fell through the studio. Convinced, Shawn Chrys and H.O.P.E are all dope and definitely stand out from not only each other, but from the other artists breaking new ground in their region. Today’s HHO Soundcheck features H.O.P.E with his live performance of “Nightlife” which you can find on his album, Follow The Leader. And if you’re really feelin his music, follow him on Twitter.

Stay tuned for the interview, arriving shortly.

Raekwon & Crooked I Get Ready To Rock The Bells.

East meets West as the Rock The Bells veteran Raekwon talks to the rookie Crooked I about hitting this summer's biggest hip hop tour, and what to expect while he's out there. Dope moment from these too lyrical assassins. Rae even goes as far as to stay he might have to touch the stage with Crook to perform together. Can you image that shit? Good Lawd. I'm already getting excited for the L.A. spot at Rock The Bells...and it's over 2 months away. Stay thirsty, my friends.

[NEW] Ghostface, AZ, and Inspectah Deck - "Harbor Masters"

Woooooooooow. It's like it's 1994 all over again. Lace up ya Timb boots. This one appears on the upcoming album, Wu-Tang: Chamber Music, which drops June 30th. The album will be pairing Wu-Tang members with classic 90’s-era New York emcees, and all the music will be performed by Brooklyn-based soul band The Revelations. I can dig it. That idea is stupid dope. Wuuuuuuuuuu!

DOWNLOAD: Ghostface, AZ, and Inspectah Deck - "Harbor Masters"

U-N-I x MOUNTAIN DEW.

The homies Thurzday and Y-O (of U-N-I) talk about their new deal with Mountain Dew, and take you behind the scenes for the recording of their latest song, "Land Of The Kings" which was released on the Dew's Green Label Sound. Thumbs up to the haters.

[VIDEO] Wale - "Family Affair"

Wale is everywhere right now. It's all good, because he's coming on that new unique sound. I say embrace it. This is a brand new video, directed by Rik Cordero, for this joint that will appear on his upcoming Back To The Feature mixtape. If you like the song, treat yourself and download it below.

[DOWNLOAD] Wale - "Family Affair"

THROWBACK THURSDAYS.

AZ - "SUGAR HILL"

Today we revisit a classic joint from Nasir's partner in rhyme. Real talk, AZ is one of my most underrated emcees. This dude just knows how to rap. The mutli-syllabic flow is flawless. And his beat selection is top notch, he always choses beats that perfectly match his overall style and create a certain vibe. The lyrics are street, but the beats are triumphant. It's a dope juxtaposition. I like to call it that "exquisite feel-good street music for kings." Actually, I just made that up.

Enjoy.

Mos Def, Mos Definitely.

The Mighty Mos kicks an acapella version of his song "Casa Bey" while walking the streets of Osaka, Japan in overalls. Yup, overalls. Mos Def is most definitely on some other shit. But I'm excited for his new album, which drops next Tueday June 9th.

RELATED: Mos Def (ft. Talib Kweli) - "History" (prod by J. Dilla

Clipse Ticket Giveaway [Club Nokia L.A. 6/13]

So the folks over at Grassroots Productons have laced us with 3 pairs of tickets to pass out for the June 13 Clipse show at Club Nokia in Downtown LA. Also on the bill: Pac Div, Diz Gibran and Bobby Ray aka B.O.B.

So....lets do a trivia, shall we. You only have to answer 1 of the 3 questions correctly and you win a pair of tickets. Mad easy. Just email your answers to: hiphopofficial@gmail.com with the subject: CLIPSE TICKET GIVEAWAY. First 3 people to respond with right answers wins the tickets.

1. What label is B.O.B. signed to?
2. Who’s riding in the back seat on the cover of The Clipse’s Lord Willin album?
3. What’s the name of the crew that Pav Div, Diz Gibran, Blue Collar and Ben Kartwright belong to?

So what are you waiting for? Send those emails, win free tickets! GO!

Mos Def x Talib Kweli x J Dilla.

Do you even need an explanation? Two of the dopest emcees lacing a track from one of the dopest producers of all time? You're wasting time even reading this. But this is a new joint from Mos Def's upcoming album, The Ecstatic, which drops next Tuesday. It features Talib Kweli and was produced by J Dilla. Enjoy, you bumperheads.

[DOWNLOAD] Mos Def (ft. Talib Kweli) - "History" (prod by J. Dilla)

[NEW] Ghostface Killah - "Forever"

Ghost is back! From what I understand, this is a new drop from his upcoming album in which Pretty Toney is going to smooth it out a bit and come on an R&B tip. It's only right, since Ghost has always been about the ladies. Word on the streets is the first single will be with Mary J Blige. But this isn't that one...

[DOWNLOAD] Ghostface Killah - "Forever"

[VIDEO] Wale - Chillin (Ft. Lady GaGa)

Wale's new video just leaked to the internets. I don't think it was supposed to drop until tomorrow, but you know how that goes. Directed by Chris Robinson. You can't really deny this joint, it's bangs. And Lady GaGa kills the hook.

D.C. in the building.

WESTCOAST WEDNESDAY.

2Pac - "How Do You Want It"

Most of you are probably familiar with this concert version of the video, but below is the original version that was not approved by the MPAA to run on television. Maybe it was the girl riding the mechanical bull.

Looking back, this video is actually pretty hilarious. It didn't age very well at all, and almost comes off corny. And seriously, why is Pac wearing a girdle in half the shots? Is that what was hot in the streets back in 1996?

R.I.P. Pac.

[VIDEO] Kanye West - "Paranoid" [FINAL VERSION]

By now you probably heard that this version we posted wasn't the final version. In fact, it wasn't even really a version, more like a timeline of shots they used as a pre-rough draft. No worries, everything's been cleared up. This is the final FINAL version. It's now in black and white and makes a heck of a lot more sense. It has a old school 1950's low budget horror flick look to it, and some graphics and titles have been added to enhance that feel. And don't worry, Rihanna is still in it.

ON THE ROAD WITH WALE: Part 2

Here's part 2 of the 10-part video podcast series with Wale, in which Microspft Zune follows the Washington D.C. rapper around on his Attention Deficit Tour. In this segment, the catch up with Wale on the set of his video shoot for "Chillin." If you missed Part 1, go here.

[VIDEO] Kanye West (ft. GLC & Consequence) - "Spaceship"

This is a never before seen, never before released video for Kanye's song "Spaceship" off his debut album, College Dropout, back in 2004. It's still not finished, but GLC has just released a rough cut of the video for the world to see (you'll even see the diagonal red line thru a few shots). Here's what GLC said:

First off, I’d just like to thank everyone for believing! There’s a lot of people saying where we could of been if this was released in 04 but for what ever reasons it wasn’t. I no longer wanna deprive the people of their rights! You have the right to embrace my concept as well as those of Kanye, Consequence & Tony Williams as we gave you are all! This is a story of triumph over the ills of society & the workforce interfering with your pimpin’ & in this time of a recession this record may be more relevant now than it was in 2004! Thank for letting me grow with you! Love, Life & Loyalty coming soon! Hello World! Oh yeah my player is fixed too sorry about the prior non pimpish auto-play!

Shout out to the homie 88-Keys for his cameo, see if you can spot him. Shout out to Fake Shore Drive for the video.

The Escobars.

Cookin Soul presents another dope mashup, this time between two famous Escobars. Nas Escobar x Manolo Escobar. Hip Hop meets Flamenco. Queensbridge meets Spain. We worldwide up in here.

Enjoy this one. It's well done, as always.

BAD IDEAS IN HIP-HOP: Spencer Pratt.

Alright, so I've been trying to have a different segment for every day of the week. Miss Monday, Westcoast Wednesday, Throwback Thursday, and Forgotten Friday. Well, Tuesday was the only day that eluded me. It's been bothering me for months. Anyway, I got sent this video this morning and almost fell the fuck out my chair. It's horrible. It's hilarious. It's so bad that it's almost good. So it got me thinking about how bad of an idea this, and then BOOM it hit me. Every Tuesday I'm gonna highlight a different BAD IDEA IN HIP-HOP. I'll present it to you, and then we can all laugh at how ridiculous it is, and then go bump some Wu-Tang or something. It'll be fun.

So we set it off with reality TV star douche-bag, Spencer Pratt, and his debut rap video "I'm a Celebrity." I guess this is the theme song for his new reality show. It looks like an Animal Planet commercial to me. I mean, he's rapping to an iguana. While dressed like he's gong on a jungle cruise. Hey Spencer, David Hasslehoff called and he wants his safari outfit back. What I can't figure out about this song is this: Is this kid serious? Or is he completely fucking with us and laughing all the way to the bank? And What's worse? I don't know, but I do know this is a horribly bad idea.

DISCLAIMER: Spencer Pratt is NOT Hip-Hop. He is just trying to be Hip Hop. I will claim him to be such, this is for fun.

Jay-Z x Eminem.

Here's pretty decent, fairly watchable footage from Jay-Z and Eminem performing "Renegade" live at the DJ Hero party at the Wiltern in Los Angeles last night. This is historic. The 2 biggest rappers on the planet on the same stage. I'm still mad that I wasn't in the building for this one. Screw you, Live Nation.

UPDATE:

Rap Radar uploaded some better footage. Now you can work all the angles

ARTIST OF THE WEEK: 6th Sense.

Since it's the start of the 6th month of the year, it's only right that 6th Sense sets it off as our first Artist of the Week for June. But it goes beyond simple mathematics... 6th is nice, yo. The NY rapper/producer is killin the game right now, and everything that he touches seems to break necks. Although he started rapping first, lately he's been making a name for himself with the beats, working with everyone and their momma including Outasight, The Kid Daytona, Mick Boogie, UNI, Donny Goines, Cook Classics and Evidence...just to name a few. The resume is too extensive to put it all here, and quite frankly you don't have enough time to read it all. But if you're not familiar with the music, it's time to heighten your awareness take notice of 6th Sense.

After the video, download yourself some tracks and thank me later.



[DOWNLOAD] U-N-I - "Stakes Is High" (Revised) (prod. by 6th Sense)
[DOWNLOAD] 6th Sense & WIldabeast - "What Up (Eye Know I'm Nice)"
[DOWNLOAD] 6th Sense & Wildabeast - "Arcade Fly" (Remix ft. Donny Goines, Buff1, U-N-I & Fashawn)