Lupe Is Hip-Hop

Here is a live snippet of Lupe Fiasco's "Shining Down" featuring Matthew Santos. I'm guessing this is signs of things to come on his next album "We Are Lasers".  Short and not very reveling this track may be, however, it has to get every fan of hip-hop pumped to hear something from Lupe. After all, Lupe is hip-hop. 

Shining Down- Lupe Fiasco featuring Matthew Santos (Live Snippet)

The Fray Cover Kanye's Heartless

The Fray cover Kanye West's hit single "Heartless". This might even be better than the original.

The Lonely Island

Everyone has seen the video "Jizz in My Pants" by The Lonely Island. I just found these two videos for songs that Andy Samberg did on SNL that I've never seen before and only "Lazy Sunday" is on their new c.d. Incredibad. I thought they we're pretty funny...hopefully you will too. For some reason the videos don't play when you initially hit play so you have to wait after you click it for them to load and then click "watch again".

You Tell 'Em Soulja Boy

Its hard to believe that the same guy who gave us Crank That and Yahhh! could release a relatively good, even a par or even a mediocre song. After a debut album of what sounded like the exact same track (he must hang out with Flo Rida), Soulja Boy finally released something that is praiseworthy.  This "something" comes off of his newest album iSouljaBoyTellem and its called "Kiss Me Thru The Phone." This love song introduces a softer side of the Southern rapper who previously would repeatedly shout at us to "superman that hoe." Despite the 2.5 star itunes album review that is quoted as saying "Even if he is a Southern rap Danny Osmand for the new millennium, there is something to be said for an artist who can make hip-hop love songs without using profanity" this is a solid song. Danny Osmand must be pretty dam good because "Kiss Me Thru The Phone" is a must have for all iPod playlists.

Kiss Me Thru The Phone Music Video

Haterz in the House

Although rap and hip-hop have a strong following there are still many haters out there who think anyone with half a brain can compete with the likes of Kanye, Weezy...and Cam'ron?? Yes, Cam'ron. Despite the immense public appeal of artists such as the ones we saw perform "Swagger Like Us" at the Grammy's, there are other rappers out there who have elevated this musical genre to an art form. One artist in particular who has done this throughout his career is Cam'ron. There are those who believe that rap isn't art and on top of that it isn't even music. Well, I'm about to debunk those theories...like immediately. Lets look at an excerpt from his song "Bubble Music":

Mami all on me cause I'm touchin' her belly

I'm on butter Pirellis

With purple and yellow, hello

That's butter and jelly

I flip butter on cellys

All right in front of the deli

Holly, Lilly, to Kelly all spent once on the telly

(And what else) and I got hella gear

Three townhomes in Delaware

Tomato Porsche lookin' like tomato sauce....

 Technically speaking, this verse has several different components of prosody. It contains assonance (repetition of vowel sounds to create internal rhyming within sentences). "Mi...me, lly...llis, llow...llo" It goes on and on. Consonance (the repetition of two or more consonants using different vowels) is used often, "yellow...hello, holly...lilly...kelly...telly...hella." He includes Triple-Rhyme (sdruccio) and he uses rime riche (rhyme of words with identical sounds), "tomato...tomato." 

I'm not english teacher, however, Cam'ron does use all of these techniques in his verses. Cam'ron may be too "hardcore" for some but credit should be given where credit is due. 

Here's some Cam'ron songs to listen to:

I Used To Get It In Ohio- Cam'ron

Down and Out- Cam'ron

Cookies & Apple Juice- Cam'ron

I Hate My Job- Cam'ron

Still The Reason- Cam'ron

Weezy Wee Must Reads

For all of the scholarly types out there or for those who love a good novel every once in a while heres a list of some of my favorite novels:

1. All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy

2. Watchmen by Alan Moore

3. You Suck by Christopher Moore

4. No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy

5. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck 

6. When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris 

7. Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer

***More Novels to be added Periodically***

Music to My Ears

I'm a huge Lil Wayne fan. Here's a pretty sick track that he did with Drake and with Santogold on the chorus. It came out in late January. Weezy and Drizzy spit straight fire. Enjoy

Drake f. Lil Wayne & Santogold - Unstoppable (rmx) | Hip Hop Songs > HipHopDX.com