The Word

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Lupe has been all over the net recently and today there are several things of his that I would like to post. First is this alternate version song for “Blackout” which was available as a bonus song on the Japanese version of The Cool. Trey Songz basically takes over the chorus but besides that there isn’t too much of a difference from the original. Second, Lupe released a public statement clearing up a lot of the rumors surrounding him and his music over the past year or so. There are definitely some interesting facts regarding his new album and his band Japanese Cartoon so check after the break for that and the download for this song.

Trey Songz Net Worth
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I have worked in Music for 4 and a half years now (not including this site either) and I continually try to bring these articles explaining the nature of the industry to the forefront. Usually, these articles garner little to no attention from the readers, at least by comment standards, yet I still get bombarded with questions by artists about the industry. READ THIS ARTICLE IF YOU ARE AN ARTIST! The title says it all. For this particular article, someone whose band was signed to Warner Music Group explains how his band’s digital sales have been tallied and the overall ridiculousness of how major labels frequently err in their accounting. I particularly was interested in reading the first asterisk at the bottom which proves labels make more money with certain artists then they let on. Learn something and don’t say I never did anything for you lol!

Article Link: My Hilarious Warner Bros. Royalty Statement

I recently purchased Kid Cudi’s “Man On The Moon: The End Of Day”. Admittedly, I was never much of a Cudi fan, but “Solo Dolo” convinced me that this was an album worth purchasing. What I normally do after listening to a new album a couple of times is search up reviews for it, just to see what everyone else thinks. It was with this I was influenced to write this post.

Left, right, and centre, there are critics calling this album awkward, emo-rap, an “808s & Heartbreak” clone, etc. In general, the reviews are more or less good, but for the most part, they’re written in tunnel vision. I went from total apathy towards Kid Cudi to calling this album a work of exellence. I have listened to enough hip-hop to recognize the fact that nowadays, great albums that are solid from beginning to end are few and far between. The combination of beautiful production, a well-executed concept, and innovation make “Man On The Moon” a must-own for this year. I’m sorry if I sound like I’m gushing but these are my sincere feelings.

In order to fully appreciate hip-hop as a whole, you have to appreciate it’s parts. Once you’ve found your preference (be it with the Raekwons or the Drakes or the Talibs of the rap world), be open to listening to other styles as well. I am so tired of hip-hop fans who enclose themselves into a box and listen to the same five or so artists ad nauseum. My preference is towards acts such as Lupe Fiasco, DOOM, and The Roots, but I still listen all the time to Wu-Tang, Snoop Dogg, Ludacris, etc.

The point I’m trying to get at is this: recognize “Man On The Moon” for the great piece of work it is, even if it’s not your style. If Kid Cudi released such a solid album on his first try, imagine the possibilities when he develops over time into a more stable artist.

I’m sure you all have heard now that Kanye Mr. Gay Fish interrupted Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech just so he could say that he thought Beyonce’s video was the best. When it comes to his music he is  undeniably great, but as a person this guy continually loses my respect. After he got ethered on the South Park episode about his ego you would think he would’ve tried to start toning it down a little bit, but after tonight the answer to that is clearly no. The thing that really pisses me off though is he issues an apology on his website saying how sorry he is but when you read it over (see it below the break) you can tell he just doesn’t get it. You can’t disrespect someone like that and then just issue an apology and then act as if it didn’t happen, that isn’t how the world works, even for superstars. No one cares what you thought about the Beyonce video and especially not at the expense of ruining someone else’s moment in the spotlight. He is on top of the music world and continually acts like a spoiled child when he disagrees with anything. There is nothing left for him to prove now except that he has some class somewhere in that egotistical head of his but the more I see the way he acts the less I believe that he has any. Kanye should check with Beyonce on how to be a classy person because after his little tantrum Beyonce won an award and called Taylor back out so she could give her acceptance speech uninterrupted. Now that is a class act. Check below the break for his apology.

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This weekend, I was listening to the remix of “Woo Hah! Got You All In Check” featuring Ol’ Dirty Bastard and I realized that this song was the most well-matched collaboration of all time in hip-hop. The energy level of Busta circa The Coming and ODB was unmatched, and together they made one of the most stupid tracks ever (stupid being a good thing lol). The video alone was a hyperactive mess, proving even further how strong this collaboration was.

So this got me thinking: which collaborations today would be able to match that of Busta Rhymes & ODB? Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the top seven fantasy collaborations. Read the rest of this entry »

We all know that when it comes to hip-hop, no one does it better than the States. Being the home of the movement, the U.S. involves itself in the development of the genre much more than any other country. As time went on, though, hip-hop became a global movement. From the favelas of Brazil to the streets of London, England, the culture made its presence known. One country that knows how to do it right is Canada.

Being a Canadian myself, it’s fair to assume that I have some sort of bias, but regardless the talent in this country is definitely present. From Vancouver to the Maritimes, rappers come correct and deliver. Granted, Canada doesn’t seem like a very welcoming place to hip-hop (our border patrol is a constant nightmare for any rapper coming to tour in Canada), but from the days of Maestro Fresh Wes and his hit single “Let Your Backbone Slide”, to the recent success of Drake, Canadians have popped up here and there throughout hip-hop history.

These five rappers/rap groups aren’t being highlighted because they’re Canadian. They’re being listed here as great rappers first and Canadian citizens second. So without further ado, here are five Canadian rappers/rap groups you need to know about.

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