The Word
According to HitsDailyDouble, Drake’s TML first-week haul docks in at around 463K. So what does that mean in the grand scheme of things? Drake said that he’d be extremely happy if he pushed 400K units, so it looks like he’ll be content with the sales. But for an album that was hyped to being everything just short of hip-hop’s gift from God, does that number translate into a success or a flop? To really evaluate the situation, you’ve got to look at several key points and lessons learned. First and foremost, as an ambassador of the Great White North and more specifically Toronto, Drake pulled through. For a city with a hip-hop history almost as long as NYC’s, it was incredible to see people finally coming together for one of their one artists. Sure, Choclair and the rest of the megacity vets are household names for hip-hop fans who reside here. But this is the first time I can recall music fans of all levels and ages flocking to CD stores to cop a home-grown product. For making this city that much less screwface, Drake wins on the home front. You can also mark TML as a success nationally for breaking platinum in a week (even though Canadian platinum means 80K…go ahead and laugh). (continued after the jump)
I was recently asked to do a write up for Outkast.com which was published yesterday so I thought I would share it with the B&B community. The article is a personal reflection of how I came to hear about and eventually become an Outkast fan. There was a lot of leeway with the article so I decided to stick with what I knew best and that is my own personal history of watching and listening to the group. Outkast have been a group that I have followed for years now and even though I wouldn’t call myself a die hard fan I certainly have been a big one throughout most of their career. I had a great time writing the article and it brought back a lot of good memories and I’m hoping that it will do the same for some of you too. Thanks again to the group and to the site for allowing me to reminisce for them. Article Link: Guest Blog: BeatsandBombs
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. 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.
Tagged: alternate version, audio, blackout, download, japanese cartoon, lupe, Lupe Fiasco, mp3, Rumors, the cool, trey songz
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.
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.
Tagged: Canada, Classified, God Only Knows, hip hop, k-os, man i used to be, Moka Only, no mistakes, old prince, Point Blank, shad, starfish, sunday morning, talent
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