The Audacity of Dope

I was pretty apprehensive when I heard this was a “live” video, but I actually like what they’ve done here. Mixing in live footage with what appears to be staged model shots (or I suppose that really could be the LA crowd…they’re winning with the females down there) and alternating between live and studio audio was a nice touch. Plus, as long as you aren’t prone to epileptic seizures (no, seriously…heed the warning at the beginning), the effects are great. Kanye even gets directorial credit on this one. Yeezy taught you.

Speaking of Shad, here’s a great mini-documentary about a recent trip to his family’s homeland, Rwanda. As I always tell MC’s, and really any young people in general, think global, not local.

This clip of Shad talking to kids at a middle school in Surrey, BC exemplifies why he’s one of my favorite MC’s.  It’s one thing to be an incredibly talented rapper and musician, but when combined with intelligence and the realization that you have an obligation to help make the world a better place, it takes it to the next level.  I wish more MC’s were as forward thinking and intelligent as Shad, so they could speak to our youth as well.  As it stands now, there are probably less than 20 MC’s around that I’d encourage they go speak to kids.  And that’s horrifying.

I’ve been meaning to post this up since last week, but I’ve been caught up in the post-Thanksgiving madness.  Florence kills this version of Drake and Rihanna’s soon to be smash in this live performance for BBC Radio 1.  As I’ve mentioned on Twitter, I can’t tell whether I live it and then Drake puts it in to song, or he writes about it and then it happens to me.  Either way, I’m pretty sure he owes me royalties on my life right now.

Like any sane individual, I didn’t watch the BET Awards and I knew that anything worth seeing would pop up online later.  Sure enough, the video that had Twitter going crazy and everyone professing their love for Eminem is here in all its explicit glory.

Em’s verse is bananas and it’s funny to hear him rhyme over East Flatbush Project’s “Tried By 12″ beat almost 15 years after he was killing the Rap Olympics over similar records, but like any moment that gets SO much hype…I just instinctively have a little bit of a “meh” reaction.  Don’t get me wrong, every rapper here is dope and spits crazy, but there’s just so many bars upon bars upon bars upon bars for me.  I would have spazzed about this in 2000, but now, it’s cool…plus, it’s a great look for lyrics to actually be highlighted on a network like BET.

Well done 2.0 Boys.

I’ll readily admit that I’ve been sleeping on Allen’s music (unaware, even), which is especially embarrassing because he’s from the NW. In any event, I’m asleep no longer! Check out this live performance of “Unaware” to hear his incredible voice and see his mom’s living room decor.

Mac takes a lot of heat from hip-hop heads, mainly because his fan base is heavily comprised of young white kids. However, as his hype continues to build, he’s been winning over more and more cats, which is sure to continue when his upcoming mixtape with Jazzy Jeff drops.  Plus, if he keeps making appearances like this, spitting a better, legitimate, off the dome freestyle at 2:25 than a TON of these underground lyrical miracle cats I know, he’ll be in great shape.

Go head Mac, killin’ em.

The homies at Fortune Sound Club in Vancouver, BC wanted to make sure our Seattle readers know that MPC wizard and all around dope beatsmith AraabMuzik will be performing on Thursday, September 22nd.  If you’re in the area or can make the trip, it should be a dope show.  Here’s one of my favorite tracks off his newly released instrumental album, Electronic Dream.

Seeing footage like this from the promotional campaign for Frank is bittersweet.  While the challenges she faced a few years later undoubtedly contributed to the classic nature of Back To Black (her pain was our gain), it’s interesting to think what could have been if she never got too deep in to depression and drugs.  Frank is a more upbeat record — emotionally, not necessarily tempo-wise — though “I Heard Love Is Blind” is one of the more caustic songs on the album.  If the lyrics truly depict a situation she went through with her boyfriend at the time, I can’t imagine hearing anything more gut-wrenching coming from your lady.

We shouldn’t be surprised though, she was handing out ether left and right on that record.  Sorry ladies, but she got at a TON of y’all with this one:

RIP Amy.

A few weeks ago, Shad performed at the Capitol Hill Block Party here in Seattle and his super talented DJ, T-Lo, sadly wasn’t able to make the trip. I was honored to step behind the tables and help keep the show moving in his absence, though I don’t think I’ll ever get used to being on stage. Just not for me.

Shad, on the other hand, is a natural. Above is a quick clip of him performing “Compromise,” a great record off his classic The Old Prince album.  If you missed the official video for the track, peep it here.