The Audacity of Dope

On last week’s SNSS, we started talking about our favorite MC’s of all time and my answer for the last decade plus has always been the late, great Big L.  I did mention that there might be another artist overtaking L in my personal list, and I think it’s actually already happened.  Kanye is hands down my favorite artist of all time, throughout any genre.  The music has been dope from day one and the man is absolutely hilarious with everything he does.  If you haven’t seen Aziz Ansari’s bit about ‘Ye, he nails it perfectly.  Dude is just so excited about everything, it’s comedy.

With the new album finished (and no longer called Good Ass Job), ‘Ye has started making the rounds to media outlets to get the buzz going.  While the above trip to the Rolling Stone office was great, the highlight of the week has clearly been his entry to the Twitterverse.  You have to follow this dude…it’s incredible.  Peep it – @kanyewest.

Be prepared for a lot of Kanye talk on TAOD.  You’ve been warned.

The homey Cook on the beat…chyea!

Um, this pool party looks enjoyable.  Highly.

Though working in the video production world, I must comment on the seemingly poor encode they uploaded.  Ugh.  Perhaps it had something to do with the waterproof camera, but I would have loved to see a more crisp version of this video.  That said, still dope and the song is obviously greatness.

To this day, Trek remains the only MC that I had never heard of when they gave me a really dope demo.  This was back in 2000 when I was in my first year of college radio at KSPC.  Since then, if you’re dope, I’ve heard of you before you’ve heard of me.

I don’t post up too many single joints these days, but when a collaboration like John Legend and the Roots comes along, it’s cause for a celebration.  Plus the homies at Columbia specifically asked and I’m hoping for some inter-office label drama between the old “internet is dead” Prince style execs and the ones that actually understand the new model.  Be on the lookout for a possible appearance from JL & ?uest on SNSS soon!

John Legend & The Roots ft. Melanie Fiona & Common – “Wake Up Everybody”

Greatness.  Tim Westwood is possibly the funniest character in this entire high school musical that is the hip-hop industry.

UPDATE:  I suppose I should include the original for those who haven’t seen it yet…

I cannot stop listening to Miike Snow right now.  While I posted up the exceptional “Animal” video a while back, I never tossed this one up for “Black & Blue.”  It’s what I wish all pop and dance music sounded like.

And while there isn’t a video for “Cult Logic,” it might be my favorite record from the band.  Incredible lyrics.

I love this record, particularly the chorus.  More great music from our friendly neighbors to the north…Canadian hip-hop is kinda killin’ it these days.

This record is so ill…

1997 was a great year too.  I was 15 and life really couldn’t have been better.  Well, maybe it was the best around 17 or 18, but you catch my drift.  Not to say that life goes downhill after high school or college, but for all the benefits of growing older and wiser, there are certainly some things that you’ll never get back.  Such is life, and it’s always fun to use joints like this to reminisce.

I’ve been meeting cats in the industry for a decade now and I don’t think there’s anyone funnier than the homey Phonte.  His 90’s reggae impression is on poooooooint.