"One More Chance" x Notorious B.I.G

     Biggie Smalls is arguably the best rapper ever, especially if you're from the East Coast and grew up when I did.  So it's no surprise when this song and video is one of the best in my humble opinion.  "One More Chance (remix)" is different altogether from the original song on the classic Ready to Die album.  It's one of the smoothest party jams ever as it samples Debarge's "Stay With Me" from 1983.  You can tell this is the beginning of the Bad Boy hey day as the video has numerous cameo's of the top artists of the day, including the label's own sizzling roster.  Craig Mack, Total, his wife Faith Evans, joined stars Mary J. Blige, SWV, Da Brat, Tyson Beckford, Uncle Luke, Queen Latifah, Jermaine Dupri, sporting the adidas soccer goalie jersey, amongst others.  How could I forget Puff with his Pelle Pelle jacket.
Of course, the video has the late Heavy D and Aaliyah.
     The original Throne holder will be remembered forever and this classic is timeless. It was released in 1994, with the infamous Hype Williams directing the video.  Makes me want to throw a house party! Baby, baby!

Nike Huarache Free 2012 Quick Strike

     Nike's released a retro sneaker that features a combination of two of their technologies, which seem to have been made for each other.  The 90's sock liner Huarache has been put on a Free sole that was introduced in 2004, giving it a very snug and secure fit with a light, cushy ride.  It's also Nike Plus ready to log all of your miles.  I loved the way the Huarache looked back then and it looks just as good now, as the color way is the same as the original release in White/White-Blue Emerald-Resin. This runner and the familiar basketball Huarache that Michigan made famous were both just released as a Quick Strike, so quantities are limited.  Expect many more color ways coming soon.

Lana Del Rey - "Born To Die"

     New artists can burn out before they even get under the bright lights, but I think the light will only get brighter for Elizabeth Grant.  Better known as Lana Del Rey, the 25 year old Lake Placid, NY native has taken Youtube by storm with her "Video Games" single and video released in October and the buzz is only getting bigger.  She just released this video, "Born To Die" and you can see first hand how captivating her voice and looks are.  Lana carries her hipster pin up looks with uber sexiness and her sound is just as confident.   It's been said she calls herself the "gangster Nancy Sinatra".  The video reminds me a lot of Kanye's Power video and of course the Throne reference.  She was just featured in Complex magazine and I see many more in the future, as she's been working on her full-length album.  I'm really liking this video and song and can't wait to hear and see more from her.  The "Video Games" video is below as well.

NYC Beerathon X Scream Team

November 19, 2011

     The Scream Team made an epic showing at this year's 2011 NYC Beerathon held in the Village in lower Manhattan.  In celebration of Meghan J's birthday, a group of more than 20 thirsty day drinkers,  trained it up to the Big Apple.  Everyone had their sites set on taking on the 26 bar - 26 beer course that started at high noon and went all day and night.  Within this group, there was the legendary Scream Team that fully represented once L-Ron made it to the first bar after registration.  More importantly,  he had the official uniform of the Scream Team which would set the pace all day.   (He was literally making the T's that morning, major props).  You could literally spot the various members in all the bars easily with the trademark red tops and numbers.  At some point, the yells of Scream Team could be heard upon entrance of the drinking establishments as the entire group would take up most of the bars.

OG ScreamTeamers

     This event has to be commended for the organization and overall great time provided to the 1,000 participants.  Each bar was more than happy to entertain the throngs of drunken revelers for more than 12 hours.  The beer flowed aplenty and the weather was absolutely perfect.  New friends were made all day, especially the Brew-Tang Clan who we declared an honorary faction of Scream Team.  Extra special thanks and Happy Birthday to Meghan J for completely taking care of everything for our group, along with making pretzel necklaces for everyone (which I ate by the 3rd bar).  Everybody in the group was super awesome and made it that much better.  Definitely looking forward to next year.

DS, Bday Girl and friends, yes, we were seeing double

Shout to the Scream Team roster of L-Ron, Truth, Executioner, DS, Rizza, and last but definitely not least Big Wes, who actually completed the Beerathon and got punched by all 26 bars.  That's handling your business.  See you in 2012.  Enjoy the pics and hit the jump for more pics.

Biggie Baby Baby

     I'm sure a lot of you have seen this already, but I pretty much fell out of my seat laughing when I first saw this.  The Notorious B.I.G. is one of my favorite musical artists aka rappers of all time, like most of you east coasters.  Who knew it would be the favorite for a brand new generation??  All you newer parents out there better get your Life After Death Disc 1 out of the attic and put it on repeat.  One of the better viral video's out there.  Shout to Frank and Jaclyn from the land down under for putting me on.  Love you guys

Mixtape Mayhem IV

     The holidays are getting close and that means a lot of new music will be coming from all directions trying to get your hard earned dollar.  Have no fear, Mixtape Mayhem is here, as there is a ton of free heat to keep you warm this fall season.  The mixtape game is hot and heavy as rap's superstars, savvy vets, R&B semithugs, and everything in between have released mixtapes in the last few weeks.

       We'll start off with one of rap's unique voices and flows straight from the Illadelph, our favorite bearded rapper, Freeway.  We've heard from Free on twitter about him working on his upcoming album, Free At Last, along with his mixtape, The Intermission, which he just released.   Free's as ill as ever on the entire album as he many new cuts and only a couple freestyles where he displays his full repertoire of rhymes.  This tape is as good as anything out there and has appearances from Meek Mill, Wale, Yo Gotti, along with the reunion of the Roc group, State Property.  Various producers give it a fresh sound where the Philly Freezer sounds as fresh as ever, no skips needed.

     Keeping with the Philly theme, the State Property vet, Young Chris, released another mixtape, The Revival, as he continues to promote his upcoming major release on Rico Love's Division 1 records.  The tape has numerous cameo's from the members of State Property, but Peedi Crack makes a handful of features on the tape.  Peedi Peedi sounds pretty focused on staying relevant, I enjoy his sound.  Young Chris will continue to grow his fan base by feeding the streets with quality music every few months.  The young gunner has been in the game for quite a while and continue's to work as hard as anyone.
     One of the best voices and flows the past handful of years has to be Blue Hefner aka Lloyd Banks of G-Unit.  He seemed to have fell off for a while as he switched record labels but has been a mainstay since releasing his last solo album, H.F.M 2, a year ago.  Banks dropped his newest mixtape, Cold Corner 2 and it's pretty much what the title says….cold…cold blooded.  Banks sets a dark tone for the whole tape right from the beginning with a guest spot by Mobb Deep's Prodigy.  Nobody does that sound better than the Mobb but if winter in NYC could come out with a mixtape, this would be it.  I'm a big fan of Banks and this is 18 new bangers full of punchlines.  Check out "Score", "Shock The World" and "Make it Stack" w/ ASAP Rocky.
     Speaking of ASAP Rocky and staying in New York, this rapper is generating as much buzz as anyone.  The song and video for "Purple Swag" had the internet going nuts as the Harlem native was delivering his own southern screwed sound as the video has a snow bunny with gold fronts singing chorus.  He recently dropped his highly anticipated mixtape, Live, Love, A.S.A.P. to a thirsty crowd.  The tape has it's own distinctive sound that leans heavy on southern influences but he has that New York City flow that seems to come easy.  Combined, it sounds like you're on a smoke induced trip that stops in Mars, Houston, and your speaker box.  We'll be waiting to see what's next for the syrup sippin spitter.  Also, look out for the producer, Clams Casino, who produced a handful of records for the mixtape (and has one of the coolest names).
     There was even something for the ladies in the mixtape game as Trey Songz released not one, but two mixtapes a couple weeks ago.  Anticipation 2 and LetMeHolDatBeat2 are proving that artists continue to self-promote themselves through mixtapes and providing their music for free to their fans.  Surprised rock bands and other genres of music haven't tried this avenue of promotion, but I'm sure at some point…
     Lastly, rapper/actor, Ludacris just dropped his mixtape called 1.21 Gigawatts: Back To The First Time.  I can't front…the cover and title sounds a little…okay, a lot like the main man Wale's mixtape, Back To The Feature, which is an official banger.  Luda has star features such as Rozay, Wiz, Big K.R.I.T., Meek Mills and others that let them showcase their skills over new beats from new and veteran producers.  At this point, if you're on as a rapper, you have your own mixtape and you're on everybody else's.  Not a bad thing at all especially since it's FREE and a lot of it is quality music and a different sound for everyone.
     As always, you can revisit the Mixtape Mayhem series if you've missed anything this past year.  Vol. I, II, III.  Let me know what you think about any of these collections or if there is a tape out there that's a must listen.  Feel free to forward as well.
Be safe over the next handful of weeks and enjoy all the gratis beats that are a click away.
Shout to datpiff.com, thee official mixtape site.  All downloads below.

Downloads
Freeway
Young Chris
Lloyd Banks
A.S.A.P. Rocky
Ludacris
Trey Songz Anticipation 2
Trey Songz LetMeHolDatBeat2

Wobbeldee Wobble

     At some point, even I'm speechless.  Don't need many words to describe this video or more importantly, what's shakin in the video.  Nicki has redefined hammertime….watch, repeat, watch.

Star Boards

     Star Wars is collaborating with Burton Snowboards in a limited line of boards and a helmet for the holiday season.  They're both available in youth sizes only.  There are eight boards that have the images of our favorite galactic hero's and villains.  The helmet is super cool as it's modeled after R2-D2.  More information here.

Watch The Throne x Philadelphia

Otis

      Philadelphia was almost on hip hop overload last week as new mixtapes were released from Freeway and Young Chris along with live shows featuring Theophilus London, Kendrick Lamar, and local fire starter Meek Mills.  Last, but definitely not least, was the Watch The Throne concert at the Wells Fargo Center in South Philly featuring the king's Jay-Z and Kanye West.   Expectations were super high for this dynamic duo, who are both considered icon's in the game, as they are traveling across North America in support of their collaborative album, Watch The Throne.

Hova

     The excitement was definitely in the crowd as the females dressed in their best club attire along with the dudes showing off their latest kicks, as you can imagine, it was the place to be seen….that is until the lights went down and the speakers started to thump.   Fans went scrambling like cockroaches for their seats as Hov and Ye started the show with "HAM".  They each were standing on elevated cubes on opposite sides of the arena floor.  This theme continued all night as they alternated songs with each taking turns on the cubes while also both being on the main stage belting out hit after hit.  Each side of the cube showed various images of sharks and all kinds of wild life, along with the images shown on giant screens on the main stage.  Huge flames and a tremendous laser light show also highlighted the epic event as we expected nothing less than a rock star performance.   Kanye definitely dressed the part as well by wearing a leather kilt along with the anticipated Nike Air Yeezy 2's.  Hov donned his usual Yankee cap, this time snap back and all black everything.
     Some of the highlights included Kanye's performance of "Runaway" as he was on the far cube by himself as it glowed red in the middle of the arena.  That song is definitely made for stadium status.  Kanye also gave Philly local and ex-gf, Amber Rose, an emotional mention during the song.  I  managed to get that on video and posted after the break.

Runaway

Jigga and Ye played on their relationships with their ladies as they did intro's for the classics GoldDigger and then 99 Problems.  Mr. West and Jay also took a seat on the stage to do what Kanye says his is favorite track on the WTT album and most introspective ever, "New Day".  "Me and the RZA connect…"  They both did their own best hits while sprinkling in most of WTT which gave the concert great energy.  Their catalogs drip with classics as they continue to make more.  The night culminated in everybody's favorite right now, "N***** in Paris" as they literally did a triple encore of the jam that lasted more than 12 minutes.  Yes, three times.  Crowd went bonkers every time.  Of course, there was one more song to appropriately finish the show and that was Jay's "Encore"…. do you want more.  Yes, of course we do.
     One thing that impressed me was the genuine emotion that Kanye and Jay put into the show.  They continually talked to the crowd, shook hands with the front row, ran and danced all over the stage and really gave a total effort.  Both smiling and enjoying the audience dancing all two and a half hours while they were in complete control.  They've accomplished everything that most artists can dream of and instead of competing or staying in their lanes, they've combined their talents to really give the fans a great experience.  Both the album and show set the bar of what great artists can do.  It doesn't have to be the best show or album ever, but their resumes draw those kinds of expectations.  Honestly, they didn't disappoint on either account.  If anything, they've cemented themselves as truly great artists of any musical genre and personally, my all time favorites…..  as they say...it's get the people going.
More pics at the break with the set list.

Hoop Dreams

     Nike tries to instill hope in the basketball world by releasing this new commercial titled "Basketball Never Stops".  It features some of the top names of the game such as King James, Kevin Durant, Coach Mike K., Dirk along a couple cameo's from hip-hop's Questlove and J.Cole.  It's a reminder that regardless of the NBA strike and what seems a bigger feeling that the general public doesn't care, that basketball will never stop being played, ever.  Images of college, high school, rec league, and random pick up games by people of all ages, colors, boys, girls shows where the game is truly played and appreciated.

Section.80

     One of my favorite aspects of hip-hop, or any musical genre, is when a new artist has a distinct sound, voice, topic matter, flow, et cetera, it can be anything, but you know it when you hear it.  More specifically to rap is when someone lyrically separates himself from everyone else.  It literally makes you think and process the words, metaphors, and similes in ways others don't.  He's not wasting any words.  Not to discredit your Soula Boy and Waka's, okay, yes, to discredit them, but there are artists that make it an art form and poetry.  Kendrick Lamar is one of them.

     West Coast rap has a new ambassador in this young lyricist hailing from Compton, California.  A product of the 80's, Kendrick lays layer after layer of verbal chapters that can be listened on replay without skippage on his debut album, Section:80.  A fully entertaining album that you end up liking more with every listen.  You'll hear an honesty that draws you to the songs that explains the emotions of stories, relationships and thoughts of misguided youth.  The production is also fantastic and it doesn't sound like your typical west coast beat album at all.  More like a mix of that Chi-town soul, NY underground and southern draw that compliments Lamar's flow perfectly.  

     It's reassuring to know there are young artists like K.L. providing art that still pushes the envelope in the right direction.  Especially when hip hop seems to have tangents in every direction, some with more gimmick than substance. 

He recently released a video of one of the best lyrical songs on the album, produced by Willie B, called "Rigamortis".  It has K.L. almost competing with the horns on the track.  He picks up the cadence as it progresses as he serves up lyrical dessert that has subpar rappers checking themselves. Also checkout the J.Cole produced "Hiiipower", another gem, video below.  Video for "A.D.H.D" is also posted, love the beat on this one, produced by Sounwave.

As he says "Smoke good, Eat good, Live good".   

Video via BlowHipHop TV.

Shady Records Shoe Game

     Paul Rosenburg, Eminem's manager, narrates this video that shows the collaborations between Em's Shady Records label and Nike, Jordan Brand.  They've had a relationship for quite some time with Nike releasing some of their most rare kicks of their most popular runners and J's.  Awesome stuff.

Steve Jobs - 1955-2011

     Apple has announced this evening that their founder, Steve Jobs, has passed away at the age of 56.   It's been known that he's been battling cancer as he stepped down from Chief Executive of Apple in August, also taking a medical leave in January of this year.
     Rightly considered a modern genius for his innovations and world changing influence of consumer technology, he will be recognized as one of the greatest pioneers of any era.  He's responsible for advancing personal computer to developing todays iTunes, iPod, iPad, iPhone, the App store, et cetera.  He revived Pixar Animation Studios as well, after he purchased them and released Toy Story and Finding Nemo to name a couple.  His resume will be discussed through every outlet countless times in the days, months, years following, well deservedly.  It's only fitting as I found out of his passing on my iPhone and type this up on my iMac.  His influence is literally with and used by millions of humans every day.

God Bless

Pics from Apple.com

Unemployed Royalty

     There's a certain percentage of the unemployed population that are trying to find ways to keep themselves busy while their union is on strike.  Celebrity charity basketball games having been popping up on the regular in the last couple months as the NBA owners and Players Union try to negotiate a new agreement.  The season looks destined to definitely be postponed indefinitely but the jobless ballers are keeping busy by playing games in various cities in the name of charity.  Kudos to them for doing something productive while showcasing some of their world class skills.  Here's a video highlight reel of some of the games best at Chris Paul's charity game in Winston-Salem, NC.  King James, DWade, CP3, Durantula, John Wall and others get busy and show there unbelievable athleticism.

I'm About My Bills Like Stevie Johnson

     The Buffalo Bills are officially on the map.  After a tremendous comeback victory against the New England Patriots, down 21-0 in the first quarter, they are now 3-0 and the talk of the league.  With the proclaimed Amish Rifle, Ryan Fitzpatrick, doing the quarterbacking and the dynamic duo of running back Fred Jackson and receiver Stevie Johnson proving tons of offense, they are as enjoyable to watch as any team.  Especially since they've been a consistently poor team for quite a while, basically since they lost those 4 straight Super Bowls in the 90's.  Yeah, Ouch.

     The Bills do have a special place in my sports loving soul since Ralph P. Wilson Stadium was the first place I ever got to see a live NFL game.  It also happened to be Hall of Famer Jim Kelly's last game ever as the Bills lost to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC WildCard playoff game, 1996.  If you get a chance to catch a game there, it's a must.  It's a stadium that's literally in the middle of your everyday neighborhood.  The locals rent their backyards for parking and use the snow as coolers for their local Honey Brown.  Completely Awesome or I should say the Bills fans are on their Stevie Johnson.

     In tribute of the Bills early success, I'm posting this video of "Stevie Johnson" by Ya Boy featuring Cik.Money.  It's dedicated to the work ethic of SJ13 making it from JuCo to Kentucky to the league. It's Stevie approved as he appears throughout the entire video, doing his off field maneuvers.  One thing to look for in the video is Ya Boy eating a "money sandwich".  Yes, I said a money sandwich.  They get a loaf of bread, put stacks in between and take a bite, absolutely classic.
I'm always entertained when athletes try their talents on the mic, even though he doesn't rap in this video.  Although, he just put a mixtape out last week, called "Why So Serious" with G5Gi, download here if you're feeling adventurous.  I also posted a video below of him freestylin.
Enjoy and I'll be making sure to stay on my Stevie Johnson.

Backyard Art

     Beautiful design is timeless as well is anything that makes itself a part of American history and considered the epitome.  Those are some of the thoughts when it comes to Frank Lloyd Wright and the legacy of the United States' foremost architect.  I'm a long time fan of the genius that is him and the magical structures that he created over the better part of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
    He designed everything from homes to churches, schools to museums the Guggenheim), hotels to skyscrapers, and always imprinted his view and created forms that are timeless.  One of the more intriguing things that Wright did, regardless of fame, was that he still accepted commissions to do smaller projects, such as these smaller one family homes.  They called these homes Usonian.  I was pleasantly surprised to find out that he actually designed four homes in New Jersey, one being in Cherry Hill.  After driving back and forth a few times, I found the J. A. Sweenton residence behind an office building and I was quite impressed.  Most of the time, you know that when you see a Wright piece, it's different than most buildings  you've ever seen.
     I asked the home owner politely if I could take some pictures and he graciously suggested I go along the tree line to get better pictures. You can see the wonderful angles and shapes he used, for example the dramatic shape of the roof on the one side, it's only 3 feet from the ground.   The 3 bedroom, 1 bath home was built in 1950 and is about 1,500 square feet.   The back of the house has 6 glass doors and uses natural light and the surroundings to be part of the dwelling.  His buildings are known for being organic and trying to be a part of the land rather than something completely foreign.  A lot of times, furniture is actually built into the home as part of it, which is a very unique look.  If you're not familiar, I definitely suggest reading up on it.  The man is pure genius.

6 Glass doors in the back

Philly's Boss

     In tribute of the Fightin Phils winning their 91st game tonight and sweeping the Braves, along with the Union soccer team coming back down 4-1 in the first half, to tie the game.  "I'm A Boss" seems appropriate.  Still burning up the clubs and speakers as one of summer's anthems, Meek Mills and MMG released a (second) video for this hit, directed by Benny Boom.  Reppin Philly to the fullest, Milly has local legends Beanie Sigel, Freeway, and Young Chris all make cameo's in the video.   Of course, the rest of Maybach Music's star-studded roster is front and center as well.  Wale still doing his thing with the Mitchell & Ness throwbacks, which I'll always be a fan of.  He's even got the live shot in front of Geno's Cheese steaks which is dope, even though I'm Pats all day.
     I'm a Boss is both on the MMG Self Made Album and Meek's mixtape which you can find on my Mixtape Mayhem 3 review here.

Under The Bridge

     This is one of the best songs of all time from one of the best bands of all time.  The video might not be the most capturing but the Red Hot Chili Peppers have been one of the most consistent and invigorating bands of our generation, providing songs like this for the past couple decades.  This is the song that catapulted them into the mainstream and officially made them superstars.  Lead singer, Anthony Keidis, wrote this song in response to his own emotions about drug addiction and loneliness, and you can hear the emotion in the song with every listen.  This song was released in early 1992 from their fifth album, but arguably their best, Blood Sugar Sex Magik.    Legendary hip-hop producer, Rick Rubin, produced this album and pushed Keidis to write the song after finding a poem in his notebook.  The Chili Peppers have had hip-hop influences in their music, especially with lead singer Keidis's very quick, rhyming style that would probably sound just at home over drum and bass kicks than he does over his fantastic band which includes the infamous bassist, Flea.
     I'll always be a fan of the Peppers since it seems that we basically grew up with them and they produced some of the best music around.  I also had the luck to see them perform at Woodstock 1999 in Rome, NY where their rendition of Jimi Hendrix's Fire basically was the kickoff to the audience literally burning the venue to the ground.  I'll never forget the image of small fires being started throughout the crowd to full fledge giant bonfires and large trucks being set ablaze.  A visual that can never be scripted nor duplicated.
     This video was directed by Gus Van Sant in California, enjoy.

Mixtape Mayhem III

     Summer is always a great time of year filled with barbecues, pool parties, and days off at the beach.  Windows down, not really, windows up, AC blowing, but still a great time to turn up the volume in your whip and bump your favorite cuts.  As we get close to the end of this season, we reflect on the songs that made up the soundtrack to the summer and what music will get us through to the fall and football season.
As always, there's a bevy of free mixtapes out there from some of the most popular artists to up and comers that give a preview of what's to come.  Some of these have been out for a while, but good music is good music whenever you stumble upon it.
     Although it's been out for a minute, Young Chris released his second mixtape with L.I.FE. Ladies In Free Everywhere where you can download here.   As the title says, Chris goes in over R&B beats and his ode to the females everywhere.  He's definitely working hard to be a consistent artist, especially now under mega-producer Rico Love's Turn The Lights Out record label.
Fabo did something similar with his last S.O.U.L. tape (click here) where it's definitely a slowed down tempo that caters to the women, which of course, is all good as long as it's quality.  It wouldn't be Fabo if he didn't have his gansta cuts like "You'll Don't Really Here Me Though" and "That's Not Love" with Weezy.
     Next up is G.O.O.D Music's Cyhi Da Prince who came out with Royal Flush 2, download here.  He hasn't disappointed at all since signing with Kanye's label and seems to be a professor of metaphor as he continues to deliver original rap music.  He has great production on this mixtape and you can listen  from the beginning to the end. Quality, seriously, it sounds like a legit full release, you will have your favorites.  Check out "Woopty Doo" with Big Sean, "Dance", "1000 Pounds" for some official bangers.  28 tracks.  Yes, enjoy.
     As we keep it moving, the top names in the game have been on their self-promotion as they have major releases coming late summer, fall.  We had Lil Weezy release Sorry 4 The Wait, as he appeased his fans until Carter IV comes out.    He basically kicks it over the hottest beats of the summer and as it's nothing to go crazy over, its good enough to keep the uber fans at bay until the release in the fall.  Download here.  Right behind Weezy, comes Young Jeezy…..who released his usual mixtape with DJ Drama, The Real is Back, and his what you come to expect from Jizzle.  Hard knocking, bass kicking, drug flow.  I listened to Ballin with Wayne more than enough this summer.  As he's been in a bit of lull, he still has start power and until he fails, who can doubt. Download here.
     Right behind them dudes is The Game, who has been releasing tapes, since his label has had his major label release, RED, on hold forever.  The album will come out in a couple weeks, but he did release another mixtape a couple weeks ago, Hoodmorning Candy Coronas, download here.  Honestly, haven't gotten to listen to it with everything else out, cough cough, Watch The Throne.  I know he's got an "Otis remix" dissin Hov and his other mixtapes have been pretty good.  Facts are Game is talented and has skills.  Also has been blessed with thee best production as well, but he carries his own weight.  The RED album should be top notch.  Click below for the Maybach boys new mixtapes.

Heineken x UBIQ x Wale

       What was that heat wave that passed through South St in Philadelphia last Thursday?…Oh, that was only the Heineken Red Star Access concert series at the TLA with Wale as the headlining act.  With lines in front of the theatre all night, there was a buzz about the surprise concert that was only announced a few days before the show.  Tickets were distributed for FREE on a very limited basis with local streetwear boutique UBIQ co-sponsoring the event with Heineken and giving tickets away through Twitter and Facebook.  (Make sure to follow them.)  Heineken has been providing free concerts all summer all over the country with the hottest names in hip-hop, rap, and R& B.

     Upon entering, they had the Heineken "green" carpet for those wanting to get their paparazzi on, along with everything else in that familiar color.  The green continued as the sponsor provided free Heineken's all night long.  Doors opened at 9 pm and DJ Nice provided a great set of old school jams with current hits for a couple hours as the crowd anxiously waited for Wale to hit the stage.  Eventually, he erupted on the stage a little after 11 and the party then officially started.  Click below for more.

Mr. Ocean

     I was writing up my Mixtape Mayhem III for the Summer and I figured I'd give Frank Ocean his own post since his tape review started taking up most of the post.  Plus, I really dig the mixtape, even though it was released in February, it's dynamite for the summer or anytime.

     Frank Ocean, a member of the hip-hop collective OFWGKTA , who have been garnering more popularity everyday, looks to be a new voice in the R&B game.  Although, I wouldn't just put him that lane, as his sound definitely goes beyond that.  
     This 23 year old has already worked with some of the games best and will be featured on a couple songs on Kanye's and Jay-Z's Watch The Throne album which is due to compete for record of the year.  He's also worked with Pharrel, Nas, Beyonce, John Legend and even the Bieb.  He's definitely got a refreshing sound along with some conscious, honest, lyrics that separate him from most.  He released a pretty fantastic mixtape in February of this year, which has been acclaimed by many media outlets.  Nostalgia, ULTRA combines numerous sounds which are slightly alternative, bouncy, and upbeat.   "American Wedding" is a great track that is basically a Hotel California cover with his own song on it.  The equivalent of a rap freestyle but a R&B song over a rock ballad.  "Novacane" has been so popular that they've released an official video and they will release this mixtape with some extra songs this summer as a major label release.  I have a handful of favorite tracks on this tape and I'm pretty sure we will be hearing and seeing a lot more of Mr. Ocean, with anticipation.  Download the mixtape here.  I also put his video for "Acura Integurl" song which isn't on the mixtape, but hopefully on the album.  **I also added the video for "Swim Good" below.  One of my favorites on the album, the video is pretty dope along with a shout to the sneakerheads with Frank rocking the Black/CementGrey Jordan III's that are coming out early next year.





frank ocean [swim good] from christopher francis ocean on Vimeo.

Black Out

     Umbro has been in full support of the historic NY Cosmos futbol.  They've been releasing sportswear lines based on the professional soccer team team that played in the NASL (North American Soccer League) from 1971 to 1984.  The infamous Pele played for them from 1975 to 1977 and obviously it was at it's most popular here in the United States.  Last year, Pele announced as an honorary president of the NY Cosmos, that the new team plans to be an expansion team in the MLS within the next few years.

     Another great player on the great Cosmos' teams of the 70's was Brazilian international star defender Carlos Alberto Torres.  He was captain of the Brazilian team that won the World Cup in 1970 and then he came to play with the Cosmos in 1977.  That day was infamous for another reason as a panicking blackout hit New York City the same day he arrived to sign his contract.   In this wonderful black and white animated short sponsored by Umbro, Carlos himself, narrates his experience the day the biggest city in the world had no power, while going to meet with the Cosmos to give his signature.  In tribute of that day 34 years ago, July 13 1977, Umbro releases a Blackout collection of Cosmos gear that is all black.
Enjoy this clip and for more great info on Mr. Torres, you can click here to get to the NY Cosmos offical page. 

Coincidence…I Think Not

     The general population have been warned about the dangers of continuing practices of pumping carbon emissions into our planets atmosphere for decades now.  The constant debate of the effects of global warming have gone back and forth between scientists, researchers, governments, politicians and of course, commercial corporations.  As more and more information gets released as to the negative effects of human actions on our environment and climate, it's harder than ever to ignore the real consequences of these actions.  There aren't too many places in the globe that hasn't felt these negative climate impacts directly.  Many communities have experienced record breaking floods, snowfalls, droughts, forest fires, hurricanes, tornadoes in recent years, it begs the question as to WHY this is happening.  At this point, I think we know why, but the bigger question becomes how do we make changes to slow down these effects.  Common sense says that we must pass legislation, increase awareness, and fund further research and development for alternative fuel sources and limit our carbon footprint.
     As I mentioned before, there is a constant debate…and that debate comes in the form of some of the largest companies in the world that have been taking in record-breaking profits based on humans consumptions of fossil fuels.  These fuels emit these dangerous carbon emissions.
The corporate opposition spends gobs of money with lobbyists to discredit and down play the effects of carbon emissions in our environment.  Some companies even try to act as if they're trying to help and want to be a part of the solution rather than be the main cause.  These corporations and lobbyists have a huge hand in influencing legislation and being major road blocks in environmental laws getting passed.  They simply make too much money to allow those profits to be compromised by bills that get passed that could affect their agenda and major sources of profits, which is selling fossil fuels.  If I sell gasoline as a major source of income, why would I support any initiative that promotes alternative fuels, even though it's for the better of the common good?  Because I make too much money and society as it is today, is completely dependent on these fuels so we can live our everyday lives.  It's a dilemma that needs to be addressed and its starts with the general public understanding the information, asking more questions, and forcing our government and corporations to be more socially responsible or else we won't have a viable world to sustain our future.
     What spawned my little rant was this sarcastic video done by Stephen Thomson that was based on a Washington Post editorial by Bill McKibben on connecting the facts from recent extreme weather conditions in the US as well as globally.  You can either be part of the solution, no matter how small the action, or we can continue to ignore the glaring problems at hand until a tornado or flood changes your life forever.  The full editorial article is here and the article discussing the piece and video by Lindsay E. Brown can be found here.


    

Forest Fire

     A couple of music videos have been released recently that pay tribute to the earth's natural mood lifter, cannabis sativa.  It's no secret in 2011 that socially and legally that marijuana has a prominent culture, especially the "arts" and especially our favorite, hip-hop.
     Wale is a premiere wordsmith in todays game of rap and his free mixtapes along with his major label release Attention Deficit are all definitely worth spending the money and time to listen to.  He's also been rocking throwbacks which to me will always be classic instead of some fad.  Wale is definitely known for his gear and sneaker game and he's on point with his Barkley Maxes and the purp 95-96 Scottie Pippen All-Star Throwback…coldblooded.  "Wear what you dig".
This video for "The Cloud" off his More About Nothing Mixtape is a great song with acoustic guitars and a sultry chorus by Tiara Thomas.  You can download this fantasic mixtape here.



     The other video is courtesy of Shia LeBouf….yeah, Transformers, who directs and shoots Kid Cudi's video for his song of his second album, Man on the Moon II, "Marijuana".  Doesn't get more direct than that, but the video is a cool version of a documentary of Cudi's visit to Amsterdam and the Red Light District.  He guest judges for the infamous Cannabis Cup 2011.


KID CUDI - MARIJUANA from Grassy Slope on Vimeo.

Just Do It Better

     At this point, a lot of people my age, have grown up with Nike pretty much being a staple in our lives in many ways.  First, the easiest being the sneakers and athletic apparel that we've worn since we knew how to tie shoes, then through the countless soccer games and practices, let alone every other sport kids play.  The marketing of Air Jordan, Bo "Knows", Nike Air to current day products and innovations has cemented Nike as a global company that is at the forefront of athletic performance equipment/apparel in a very fashion forward style.  They've masterfully combined function and performance with cutting edge style and design.  Couple that with marketing genius and a long history of continuing to innovate and improve and you have one of the most intriguing entities on our planet.  The founder of Nike, Phil Knight, along with Nike have released this short video of Nike's own self-awareness and their place on this planet.
The responsibilities that come with a company of this magnitude and balancing that with the ability to continue to grow and move forward as a successful corporation.  The recognition of the immense footprint that Nike leaves on all scales, from the creation of their products, to the people who design them and the ones who wear them, the consumer.
    It's unbelievable to see how far Nike has come and grown in the past 33 years since it started, but I'm also very inspired to see what the next 33 years will bring….enjoy the video.

Summer Time

     The summer is always one of the best times of the year, especially the 4th of July weekend, since there's not much that goes into the holiday except for hanging out with friends and family, grilling various meats and enjoying various cold beverages.  Hit up the beach or pool and you're set.
Last week, Google celebrated the Summer Solstice by having world famous, Takashi Murakami, design a google logo in honor of the longest day of the year, being the first day of summer.  Murakami is known for his cartoony pop art work as he designed Kanye's "Graduation" album cover and has collaborated with Louis Vuitton many times as well.

Can't Tell Me Nothing...

     "This is my life homie, you decide yours….."  is one of the many lyrics on Kanye's single Can't Tell Me Nothing that speak to one of his best street anthems that he's ever released.  This was the lead single for his Graduation album from 2007.  Mr. West co-produced the song with DJ Toomp and is one of all time favorites.  The wonderful metaphor in the chorus can be sung by pretty much anybody as it has as many meanings as listeners…everybody's had that feeling of being told they can't do this or do that or not having the means to achieve their goals and thinking ..you can't tell me nothing…wait until I make it so I can show you, that yeah…..I am the man.  Which of course, is the perfect topic for Kanye, showing and telling the world where he came from to where he is now.  Even the clanging percussion on the song gives off a hardworking, hammering mood.
     Young Jeezy's laugh on the background vocals along with the looping Ooooohoohoho is the icing on the cake on this all time great.  The video isn't one of Ye's most original, but sometimes the video let's the song do the talking.

You Have To Fight For It...

     Those are the words and mentality of Clint "Deuces" Dempsey,  arguably, the best player on the US Men's National Soccer team and team scoring leader for English Premier League's FC Fulham club.  This candid sit down with Clint goes through his emotional mindset when it comes to his literal and figurative journey from Texas to England.  These world class athletes have a desire to push themselves past any limits set by others, distance, or circumstance.  They also are everyday humans just like you and I even though they seem larger than life, especially on two continents.  They have families, kids, and hobbies that they attend to.  Clint seems to be very grounded with his priorities and it has shown on the pitch as he enjoyed his finest season in the Premier League as he set the record for highest goals in a season by an American and also became Fulham's All-Time Goal Scorer.  He was voted top player for 2010-11 by the Fulham fans.  He's been a veteran of two World Cups and will lead the team in this summer's CONCACAF Gold Cup being played in the US.  Enjoy the video from USSoccer.com and here's the link to my previous Dempsey write up.

Yanks Sawks Commercial

     This New Era commercial is pretty awesome.  Real actors do lend something extra to advertising.  Alec Baldwin and John Krasinski do a hilarious job with the Yankees vs Red Sox rivalry.  Enjoy!
Update: I just added the first commercial between these two, which is just as good.

House of Balloons

     It's really refreshing when you hear something new that isn't quite like anything else you've ever heard.   The Weeknd released a 9 song mixtape in March that would be classified as R&B although it transcends that genre in many ways.  The 20 year old Toronto native, Abel Tesfaye, is behind this fantastic blend of modern love and raw emotion called  House of Balloons.  The production creates a landscape by going in different directions but all ending at the same point of delivering a very consistent sound.  This is an album that you hit play and listen to it in it's entirety.  It's worth it, believe me.   The hip-hop, electronic sound invokes Sade, The XX, and Drake, who has been one of The Weeknd's biggest supporters.  Another plus to this is that you can download the album for FREE from his site at http://the-weeknd.com/ or link through Drake's label's site, October's Very Own by clicking on the right hand side.   I'm definitely looking forward to the next release from The Weeknd.  Currently, there are no official video's released even though some fans have done their own versions.
You can download the album from this link as well.
Download The Weeknd - House of Balloons

I'll Be Your Motivation

     I've been listening to the song for the past couple weeks and looked for the video this evening.  I'll be honest and say the song is better than the video…most definitely, but I'll post it for the sake of Kelly Rowland looking fantastic, Weezy laying a spot on verse on a great song.  Disclaimer that I am not feeling all those dudes with no shirts on in the video.  I stay focused on the purple lipstick.  Props to Rico Love for writing another one.

Mr. Robinson

     Major League Baseball has set up a great site where numerous Major Leaguers and Hall of Famers share a moment of what Jackie Robinson means to them.  Today marks the 64th anniversary of when Mr. Robinson broke the color barrier as the first black player in Major League Baseball as a first basemen for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1946.  The League retired his number 42 throughout the league in 1997 and have celebrated a Jackie Robinson day, April 15th, every year since 2004.  Each player in the league wears the #42 as their number on their jersey as well in respect.  It is pretty neat to see every player on both teams with the same number.  The public has no choice but to reflect and honor a true pioneer and symbol of strength and freedom in our country and as human beings.
     Go to the site www.iam42.com for the player video's and more great information on Jackie Robinson.

Sith Ink

     This is one of the coolest tatoo's I've ever seen, let alone, a Star Wars tatoo, which earns triple bonus points.  Obviously, she's a follower of the Darkside, with the iconic portraits of the Death Star, Darth Vader, and a Stormtrooper all intertwined with roses on her sleeve.  Love how the Tie Fighter is coming out of the flower as well.  You can follow the canvas of this tattoo on twitter, @PrincessLesha for many, humorous Star Wars related comments.  Kudos to one of the illest tributes.  Simply Awesome, I can hear Darth Vader's asthma from here..

Fresh Out The Oven

     Nike's marketing department does it again with this pretty fresh commercial for Foot Locker.  The Cool Kids provide the beats while Amare Stoudemire, Chris Bosh, and the homie Desean Jackson playfully act in this cartoon world as they cruise to the Bodega to get the freshest sneaks out for the spring.
The surprise is the chef cooking up the Special of the Day in the back kitchen and who is it? None other than an original old school Nike superstar, Ken Griffey Jr., serving up new colorways of his signature cross trainer.  I grew up being a Griffey fan so it's great to see Nike still incorporating him in their new school campaigns.  Enjoy

"Fear Of God"

     I don't need to change the title when it's as much of an emotional state of awareness as it is one of the hottest mixtapes to hit the internet in a minute.  The public has been waiting for one half of the Clipse, Push a Ton,  to release his highly anticipated solo mixtape.  He signed to Kanye's record label, G.O.O.D. Music, last year and was a main staple of Ye's free song of the week, Good Fridays, where he dropped gem verses to validate his status as one of the top lyricists of all time.....yes, I said it.  This
FREE mixtape has original music as well as freestyle's over some current bangers and unexpected ones.  One thing I do recommend if you appreciate lyrics is to listen more than a handful of times as Pusha T does not leave any word, metaphor, sound, simile, verbal gift unturned.  This is intelligent rap people even though the content is the usual Push powder flow.  His topic has always been about the illegal and the mental/spiritual aspect of immoral behavior balanced with monetary success that pays the bills along with living a life of luxury.

    Rick Ross, Mr. West, Skateboard P, 50-Cent, Re-Up Gang Captain Ab-Liva, all provide guest spots even though some leave more to be desired....ugh um, Ye...but as I've done, just put this on repeat and you'll hear something you didn't before every time.  Again, I've mentioned numerous times how major artists continue to promote themselves by giving free music and doing what they need to do to stay relevant in the uber competitive world of music.  The Clipse has always been one of my all time favorites and he continues to validate that.  This is supposed to be the warm up to Mr. T's official solo album and if it ends up being anything close to this, it will be a success.  Even if it doesn't scan units, Pusha will always be appreciated as one of the most underrated rappers to ever have existed.  Study the resume and I think you might agree...somewhat.  Download "Fear Of God" from his site here.  Updated with the video's for Blow, My God, Alone in Las Vegas, Can I Live and Open Your Eyes.

Here's the video for "Cook It Down" from the mixtape.

Pusha T - Cook It Down from Illusive Media on Vimeo.