Lupe Fiasco Leaks Single "Superstar"

Lupe Fiasco Live @ Myspace Secret Show


I know, I know. This coming week is gonna be an avalanche of 50 vs. Kanye stuff. But I wanna drop this new Lupe Fiasco on ya early cuz you're gonna be fiendin' for it in a month or so. This will be the next big hip hop release of 2007 and you can get the hot shit right now. Don't ever say I never did nothin' for ya.

I like this track a little more than "Dumb it Down" (and I really liked "Dumb It Down"). This one is on the emotional tip while "d.i.d." was more of an ironic club banger.


Lupe Fiasco feat. Mathew Santos - "Superstar" - Atlantic Records

You're gonna wanna pick up the album "THE COOL" when it drops Nov. 20th

Download "Superstar"

DJ KRUSH in St. Pete!! Oct. 17th

This is pretty major! Dj Krush drops down in the dirty burg for a show alongside St. Pete representers Positive Response...

And It's All FREE!!!
Show at 10 PM
Bishop Tavern Downtown St. Pete


DJ Krush visuals

Fool's Gold Label Announces Tour

Too bad they're skipping Florida... :-(

After a non-stop summer of boombox detonations and stadium invasions, the entire Fool’s Gold roster gets extra-shiny for their Fall tour of the US and Canada. It’s everything you’d want from a night at the club: new-school rap princess Kid Sister, tag team DJ sets from the world-renowned A-Trak and his brother from another DJ Mehdi (Ed Banger), electro madness from Daft Punk’s favorite DJ, Kavinsky, the Cool Kids’ back-to-the-future boom, and brand-new jams from Nick Catchdubs, along with surprise guest appearances along the way.

DJs A-Trak and Nick Catchdubs founded Fool’s Gold earlier this year, bringing together the hip-hop and electronic music they play in their sets through official releases like Kid Sister’s debut single “Control” and A-Trak’s Dirty South Dance remixes (in stores now). “This DJ scene that we're a part of in North America has influenced music scenes across the world, but ironically there aren't enough labels that represent it,” says A-Trak. “That's where Fool's Gold comes in.”

Dim Mak Collection will be producing limited-edition tees for the tour, featuring original artwork by Fool’s Gold in-house graphic designer Dust La Rock. The label will use their tour momentum to launch a slew of releases for the rest of the year, including new singles from Cool Kids, Kid Sister, Kavinsky and new signing Kid Cudi, an EP of ‘90s dance re-edits by Sammy Bananas called High Top Fades, international bass rattlers from Jokers of the Scene (Ottawa) and Bag Raiders (Sydney), and more.

Following these North American dates, A-Trak and Mehdi embark on a two-week European jaunt that the bass bros have dubbed “The DJ Mehdi & A-Trak Spectacular Review.” A-Trak’s also been shaking dancefloors on his own, with thumping official remixes for Digitalism (Kitsune), Bumblebeez (Modular), Architecture in Helsinki (Polyvinyl) and Roc-A-Fella’s own Kanye West.

OCTOBER 2007 FOOL’S GOLD TOUR DATES (NORTH AMERICA)
10/4 – Montreal (Club Soda - Pop Montreal)
10/17 – New York (Hiro Ballroom – CMJ Showcase)
10/18 – Vancouver (Celebrities)
10/19 – Los Angeles (Roxy)
10/20 – San Francisco (Mezzanine)
10/21 – Chicago (Empty Bottle)
10/22 – Toronto (Revival)

DJ MEHDI & A-TRAK SPECTACULAR REVIEW TOUR DATES (EUROPE)
10/25 – Glasgow (Sub Club)
10/26 – Cabaret Voltaire (Edinburgh)
10/27 – Clockwork (Bristol - with Kavinsky)
10/31 – Venue TBA (Paris)
11/2 – Chibuku (Liverpool)
11/3 – Venue TBA (Moscow)

Nike Alphabet Pack

Sneaker Freaker strikes again with some cool pics of a new Nike release. The Air Max gets the treatment on this one but of the three different versions I'm really only feelin' the more reserved brown Air max 90. Go over to Sneaker Freaker and check out the detailed pics of all three. No release date yet but they also come with a backpack! Crazy!

Mestizo "Dream State" Drops 9/18 On Galapagos4

Galapagos4 the home of Typical Cats, Qwel, Qwazaar, Maker, Offwhyte, Meaty Ogre, and more drops another album on us. West Coast MC Mestizo hasn't put out an album in a couple years so "Dream State" is ostensibly his re-introduction to listeners. The album is described as "Mestizo's interpretation of his native land of California, which is a dream world in itself, filled with eccentric beings entranced in a dream state."

The music (handled entirely by production duo Julian Code) is right in line with the album's title. Dreamy soundscapes, loopy samples, & dusty drums are all to be expected from a Galapagos4 release. However, one is left to wonder why Mestizo passes on the prodigious talents within his own label. Maker, Meaty Ogre, and Mike Gao are all oddly absent. That aside, Julian Code provides listeners with plenty of cool, 60's lounge-style, organ/keyboard samples and meandering guitar loops. It sends the listener into an era when the Rat Pack was jetting off to Vegas and making the original "Ocean's 11." Laid back. That's the record in a nutshell. Laid back. Nothing wrong with that, but I was left wishing that Mestizo would have pulled out a little something more aggressive and urgent on a track or two. "Tolerance," featuring Qwel, teases us with a simmering late 60's / early 70's funk that hints at what Mestizo and Julian Code can do. He is, without question, capable of delivering fiery lyrics, but seems to have opted for a slow burn rather than a 4 alarm fire on "Dream State."

You can pre-order or pick up the album at Galapagos4. It drops Sept. 18th.

Download "Tolerance"

J.J. Brown mixes Hall & Oates & Gym Class Heroes

J.J. Brown is makin' major moves! Following the mainstream attention he received for re-working Ludacris' most recent album using Jackson 5 songs as the template (you can download it here), J.J. has taken on the task of melding Gym Class Heroes "As Cruel As Schoolchildren" with Hall & Oates entire catalogue!!

"We've been making indie rap records since 1998, and Trav has always been a huge fan," Brown explained of the relationship, which began a few years ago when the Heroes opened up for Brown's crew. After the Luda album was released, McCoy called up and asked if Brown and his 5G Productions team could do the same with the Heroes' album.

"We asked him if he had any suggestions for catalogs — and he didn't know our camp were huge fans of Hall & Oates — and [McCoy] stuttered a bit and said, 'What about Daryl Hall and John Oates?' since [the Heroes' summer] tour was called 'Daryl Hall for President,' " Brown recalled. "The timing was crazy, because we almost did the Ludacris album with Hall & Oates, so we had the stack of records waiting for the next thing."

Not only did 5G not get a cease and desist from the Hall & Oates camp, Brown said, but in a remarkable coincidence, a company that bought the blue-eyed soul duo's catalog sent out an e-mail to the managers of several hot groups earlier this summer asking them if they had any ideas for new ways to market the tunes. That led to a meeting with the new owners of the H&O catalog, which Brown said went better than he could have imagined. "We got past song number two, and everyone is on their Blackberries!" he said. "Hall & Oates' managers are on the phone, the original producers of the tracks are on the phone. When I imagine in my fantasy world what might happen with a great idea, it was happening. We're New York hip-hop producers, and we're used to sampling things and hoping the artists don't catch us. Now we're doing it with their blessing and they're impressed with what we're doing."

How impressed? Two weeks ago, Brown and his partner were given the VIP treatment at a Hall & Oates show in New York, where the duo were as excited to meet Brown as he was to meet them. "I was trying not to be star-struck, but whenever I paid them a compliment, they hit us back with five more."

No release date has been set for the Heroes match-up album so far, but Brown said he's been told it might be part of a package the group is planning to release before the end of this year.

Download "7 weeks" Gym Class Heroes
Download "Re-Release Therapy" Ludacris & The Jackson5


interview via MTV.com

Daryl Hall Interview at Pitchfork

One more reason why Hall and Oates is so fucking cool! The guy is all about the upcoming Gym Class Heroes Hall & Oates Mash up Project!

Pitchfork: We've also just heard that the Gym Class Heroes produced a mash-up album with your music. What do you think of people sampling your music?

DH: I love it. I talked to the producers that did that, John and I both talked to them, and we're working on a project with them. Out of all this came a probable collaboration. What they did was really artistically groundbreaking, I think...And it created a really interesting piece of music. To me, it's like the spirit of Sacred Songs. That's what it reminds me of. It's that experimental spirit that breaks new ground artistically, and I really like it.

To answer your question about people using my samples, once I do something it belongs to the world. Now, I like being paid obviously, but other than the credit, financial and-- you know, real credit, I love it. Do whatever you want. Mess with me. It's fair game.

Read the full interview at PITCHFORK

Promise & Numonics "First Name Basis"

Got a pretty hot E.P. today and figured I better let folks know about it.
Promise & Numonics "A Brief Introduction" is just that, a quick hit into the talents and abilities of Trendsetters members, Promise & Numonics. It's also the introduction to their soon to be released full length album "First Name Basis"

Tampa's been seeing some talented artists on the come up lately (Acafool, Strizzo, Dutchmassive, Breakdown, Surreal). It seems like only a matter of time before somebody breaks big around here. I don't know if these are the cats ta do it but I don't know why they shouldn't either.

The opening track "Ya'll Ain't Ready" is an urgent banger, wrapped up in horn stabs, and sped up vocals (ala Kanye West). What's most striking about the entire E.P. is the extremely well crafted production. Numonics delivers just the right mix of sampling and clean drums, and MC Promise rides the beat with a delivery that usually fits right in the pocket. Numonics, however, is the star here. More than just a beat maker, his tracks have movement and a progression to them that isn't always in effect for most producers these days.

His talents are most notably on display in "Sick & Tired" when the song opens with bongos and a vocal sample and quickly swells into an uptempo, 70's guitar driven, fiery, anthem. They do fall into a cliche or two here and there (suffice it to say that if I never hear another song about smoking weed I'll be just fine) but overall these are some talented cats that you're gonna wanna pay attention to in the very near future. Plus Numonics rocks Mishka gear so I gotta give him love right?!?!



Don't take my word for it. Check 'em out!


Download "Ya'll Ain't Ready"

Download "Sick & Tired"