Ads I Love: "Ice Cream"

I like the ending, nice twist on "2 Girls 1 Cup"

I think they should do a remix with the Wu-Tang "Ice Cream" cut in the back. French Vanilla, Caramel Sundae, Chocolate Deluxe!

Hip-Hop Appreciation: Open Your Eyes (Cover)

If you're not familiar with the Bobby Caldwell classic "Open Your Eyes" which Dilla freaked for Common's "The Light" please acquaint yourself immediately with the original and remix immediately. Many many props go to the Bol youtube.com/eebsofresh for being such a diligent student.

Watch This: Ryan Leslie is a Yahoo!

Yahoo Presents "Sound Decisions" - Ryan Leslie Doc from Ryan Leslie on Vimeo.

But nah for real. I Fux Wit R.Les... heavy! That first album was AMAZING. What do I love to say? Nothing better than an intelligent, talented young brother.

Watch This: Diz Gibran ft. BJ the Chicago Kid "Truly Yours"

Diz Gibran- "Truly Yours" Ft. BJ The Chicago Kid from The Brolly Group on Vimeo.

The long awaited first video from the critically acclaimed album "Soon You'll Understand" Presented by Crooks & Castles and produced entirely by Moonshine.

Directed by Jerome D. for The Top Shelf Company

Download "Soon You'll Understand" for free at diznmoon.com

Me being me, I also wanted to put a little spin on this one. You see that painting at the beginning of Diz's parents? Well I happen to be EXTREMELY jealous of their art collection. That Diz is so talented and artistic should come as no surprise, seeing as how his folks have incredible taste and know the value of culture. Check out this video of Diz's mom talking about The Kinsey Collection below:





Awesome right? Diz is your mom as cool as she seems?

Watch This: Alchemist & Just Blaze Battle It Out

Tuesday night at Opera was a night I'll never forget. I went to support my homies from the RedBull BigTune team -- J.Moore, DV One, Jake One & Vitamin D -- since they were in town. Watching the up and coming producers battle it out is pretty funny -- a lot of them do little dances and stuff -- but what got me really excited was seeing the exhibition rounds where Tha Bizness and Denaun Porter showed off their hit songs and then Alchemist & Just Blaze went head to head in an amazing showdown. I shot most of the battle so I could share it with you -- one of the videos is super blurry but the rest seem to have turned out pretty well. This is the stuff that makes me love my life. I live for nights like these.













And there you have it. Sorry it's not always clear and it's sometimes shaky but film isn't my area of expertise just yet :). Hope you enjoyed.

This Ish Never Gets Old

Shouts to Langston Sessoms for brightening my day with this little gem.

Source

Ryan Leslie Makes Another Album

I love his music and I hate this album cover. Not sure if he's trying to distract us from his nose or what but uhhh. No likey.

Son's self-titled debut was bananas, I'm hoping the second lives up to the first. Mind you, this will be album #2 for 2009. He's on that Plies/The-Dream release cycle.

Tracklisting

1. Never Gonna Break Up
2. Something That I Like (feat. Pusha T)
3. Zodiac
4. Is It Real Love
5. Sunday Night
6. You’re Not My Girl
7. To The Top
8. Nothing
9. Guardian Angel
10. All My Love
11. I Choose You

November 3 NextSelection/Universal Motown... don't sleep

Watch This Now: More A3C Coverage From Yelawolf & Pill

Whatsupper, so bear with me as I slowly finish uploading all this video footage I got at A3C. Check check it out...

Pill talks A3C - Rakim performance, his Perfect Attendance set, and polyin wit other artists.



Pill "Glass"



Pill "Trap Goin' Ham"



Yelawolf "Wish"

IFWI: Yelawolf Performs "Hip-Hop" @A3C Festival Perfect Attendance Day 2 from Janee Bolden on Vimeo.

Yelawolf "Fuck You"

Yelawolf "F*%# You" Live @ A3C Perfect Attendance from Janee Bolden on Vimeo.

Okay DEN!

Last Night ... In Atlanta: A3C Perfect Attendance

Man... I don't even know where to start. A3C kicked off on Thursday night and it has been sooo dope to watch some of hip-hop's legends meet the new wave of hot rappers and mingle with hip-hop writers like myself, Maurice Garland and the TSS Crew. I've been running back and forth between Little 5 Points and East Atlanta Village for the last 48 hours and tired as I am I have a huge smile on my face!!!

Here's a few flicks, YouTube is not being my friend right now so video will have to wait.



Hands down, best moment so far this weekend for me was watching Curren$y shut it down and then chopping it up with him, only to learn that his SOHH interview w/ yours truly was his first and that it helped him realize he had an audience after leaving Young Money.



Two of the best writers in hip-hop Trent Clark of The Smoking Section and Maurice Garland



TC and fellow TSS writer Marshall Zigler aka MZ -- aka Quiet Storm, cuz in my couple days worth of observation he's a man of few words, but he will catch you slippin with the unexpected cracks.




Okay, let me just say that I've known Naledge (who I actually call Jabari!) since he signed to Rawkus in like '05/'06 -- so I have watched him grow from a skinny little kid with lyrics, to this big brawny hip-hop cat. Shawty got thick! I likes I likes... but yeah I'm sure none of ya'll care much about that. Joe Scudda is the new homie -- I'm loving the beard. I had to give him a hard time about the random white chick on his tee and he was a good sport.

Looking forward to seeing Diz Gibran J.Cole and El Prez rip it tonight. Also gotta spend some time with the Seattle homies DV One, J. Moore, Vitamin D and Jake One over at the Earl tonight -- they're doing Red Bull Big Tune with Premier, Battlecat, 9th Wonder and hella folks.

50 Don't Play

Taking bets on how much work Tia had done on 50's tab. G-G-G-G-Unit!

Blah Blah Blah Yeah Kanye

Yawn over all this talky talky and drama. Serena, Kanye, Lil Mama. I especially don't believe the Kanye incident wasn't a paid MTV stunt. Especially after this Leno episode. Sorry suckas!

Watch This: Sean Falyon "Inside Her"

BURR? Lol, Sean Falyon is quite the character and this video definitely highlights one of his strengths (or err, weaknesses, depending on how you look at it) but I think over all it's a good look for the kid. Don't Sleep on the Power of the Beard!

Last Night ... In Atlanta: Killer Mike Underground Atlanta Listening Session

Y'all already know how much I love Killer Mike. He's one of the smartest, coolest, realest MC's to ever breathe so imagine how stoked I was to see him looking absolutely GEEKED over the love Atlanta showed him at his listening at Mood Lounge last night.



The spot was packed with many of the artists who appear on the Underground Atlanta compilation -- including Princess of Crime Mobb, Slimm Calhoun and Fonzworth Bentley -- who embraced me after I overwhelmed him with my forces of good energy once he confessed to not messing wit bloggers too tough.





Hey ifuxwit you Bentley :)

Grind Time's current Underground Atlanta Golden Child Pill was also in the building...



Since we're talking about energy I might as well tell you Pill is really that nikka. Aside from the Newports I caught him holding, I can't find anything I don't like about him. I"m looking forward to watching his story unfold.





I also spotted Bonecrusher outside, along with Big Kountry and Big Boi's Lil Bruh (um, did I spell that right?). Crusher was nice enough to introduce me to his artist Sean Falyon, who made this really cute face for me. Lovely right?



And here's a little about the project:

Some of ATL’s finest make up the two-disc masterpiece, most of whom helped to create and/or contribute to the Crunk, Snap & Pop, Trap and Swag movements: from T.I., Gucci Mane, Soulja Boy, OJ Da Juiceman, Young Dro, Pastor Troy, Yung Ralph and Shawty Lo to Princess of Crime Mob, Big Kuntry King, Bobby Creekwater, Dem Getaway Boyz, Rich Kidz, Stat Quo, Da Backwudz, B.o.B, Khujo, Fonzworth Bentley and Slimm Calhoun, the set has major mass appeal. It came out Tuesday, go get that!

Ain't No Party Like A Mick Boogie Party

Le Tourment Vert Absinthe is bringing folks out to PentHouse tonight at the Rivington Hotel... I can only imagine the results of a possible open bar with absinthe as the featured liquor. Be careful friends, that shit made Van Gogh cut his ear off. There is a reason why the ish was illegal for a minute.

Where Imma Be

Footage soon come...

The Relapse Will Be Televised

The revolution might not happen on TV, but Cinemax is helping resurrect Eminem by premiering his "3 AM" video Saturday May 2nd at 10pm EST/PST.



Looks kinda scary, might not wanna watch that one alone.

The Great Debates: Misguided Muse Edition - "Black Girl Lost" VS. "Jazzybelle"

Outkast - Jazzy Belle

My vote is with 'Kast (nobody that knows me should be surprised) but Nas hits that point home hard too.

Fight The Power - Lockdown USA Rally in NYC

Tomorrow: Russell Simmons, Hundreds of New Yorkers to Rally at Gov’s Office to End Rockefeller Drug Laws

March 24, 2009 – On Wednesday, hundreds of people -- including Russell Simmons and Meile Rockefeller and the families of those in prison for drug offenses, people who were formerly incarcerated, doctors, lawyers and advocates -- will rally at Governor Paterson’s Manhattan office to urge him and legislative leaders to end the Rockefeller Drug Laws.

The Rockefeller Drug Laws mandate extremely harsh sentences for sale or possession of small amounts of drugs. Most of the thousands of people incarcerated under Rockefeller are low-level drug offenders, and most come from just a handful of low-income New York City neighborhoods. Ninety percent are black or Latino even though most people who use and sell drugs are white.

In 2002, Paterson, then a state senator, was arrested in an act of civil disobedience promoting a proposed overhaul of the Rockefeller Drug Laws outside of the New York City offices of then-Governor George Pataki. Now hundreds of people will gather outside his office to demand an end to the outdated, discriminatory laws.


What:
Rally to end New York’s Rockefeller Drug Laws

When:
Wednesday, March 25, 1 p.m.

Where:
Governor Paterson’s office, 633 3rd Ave., between 40th and 41st

Nas + Jay Electronica + Emmitt Till + Muhammed Ali + Etc... = Queens Get The Money Video

BUT REALLY, WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?




VIBE's current issue calls it one of the 80 hottest songs of '08 and argues it is perhaps the most relevant record off Nas' UNTITLED. The video is quintessential Jay Electronica if you ask me (look around, I have posted several of his videos on this very blog) and if I had the time I'd love to index the damn thing for all the cultural references. I don't know who Racmaninoff is but damn, you had me at James Baldwin.

The Hardest Working Man In The Business?

He might just be