KiD CuDi – REVOFEV
Spark up ya lighters. Dope pic, biggups to Highsnobiety on the update. Download the latest track to come from KiD CuDi “REVOFEV”, stands for Revolution of Evolution and is produced by Plain Pat, Waddup!
Video: Miguel – All I Want Is You feat. J. Cole
This been one of my top songs for the last couple months. Soulful West coast artist Miguel Jontel went in on the vocals and the down south NaS, & the East coast Pac killed with his smooth wordplay. All around great song.
Video: Guerilla Style Marketing
Iloveit man, while half the city is asleep, he’s working literally. Homeboy Sandman’s The Good Sun is out now, go support great hip-hop, and hardwork.
Video: Shutterbug – Big Boi
Directed by Chris Robinson, Big Boi presents a great video for his song “Shutterbugg”. Enjoy here
Video: Lupe Fiasco – I’m Beaming
Superstar was my shit last year, but you see me now? Just look around, I’m beam’n!
Video: Wiz Khalifa x Toads Place
I procrastinated creating a Vimeo account, which prevented me from publishing this video. Anyway I decided to hit the Wiz Khalifa concert at Toads Place on York Street in New Haven. A few local artist hit the stage before Yelawolf opened for Mr. Khalifa man. Toads was packed like a regular Saturday night, except steady blunts and paper planes were being passed around. I managed to get the last song he performed on video despite the madness in the crowd.
Video: Aloe Blacc – I Need A Dollar
It’s the intro song to How To Make It In America, dude has an awesome voice. “I Need A Dollar” from his forth coming album, Good Things.
Video: Nas & Damian Marley Interview W/ Okayplayer TV
Okayplayer hooked up with Nas & Damian Marley whilst they were at SXSW, in part 1 of this interview they touch on the overall aesthetic of the album, health care, and Barack Obama after completing one year in office.
Alright Gucci
DJ JAYCEEOH PRRESENTS: AVANT-GUCCI threw me so off when I spotted it. It’s a completely different mixtape cover I expected to see – from anybody. The cover took me back to Design History, I was thinking it could have been inspired by the cubist movement or African art. Anyway, the design is fitting and it kinda looks like Gucci, haha. It also reminded me of some African masks I was looking at a couple days ago..
Check it out after the jump.
Video: Raekwon – “House of Flying Daggers” Produced By J. Dilla
The Wu always had a unique gritty taste for the martial arts. Artwork by 1000Styles +animation by Ryan Johnson x drew Taylor is SICK ! House of Flying Daggers is off Raekwon’s Only Built 4 Cuban Linxx II.
Video: Roger Steffens’ Reggae Archives
This past January Roger Steffens gave us a full guided tour of all six rooms of his Reggae Archives. Comprised of collections within collections the ‘Ark-Hives’ represents a lifetime dedicated to Reggae music. Involved since the earliest days of Reggae music’s debut on the international scene Roger has not only been a collector but a participant and key player in the development and spread of the music and culture.
Affectionately known as the Reggae Ambassador to some, Steffens has left his mark on the music through his work as radio host at KCRW 89.9 in LA, a founding editor of The Beat magazine (1981-2009), as well as the various liner notes and books he has authored, the interviews he’s conducted, the lectures he’s given, the shows he’s emceed, his position as the chairman of the Reggae Grammy committee, and his open door policy at the ‘Ark-Hives’.
Video: Another J. Cole x Elite joint, “Who Dat” @SOB’s
The hook had me rock’n from early! J. Cole x Elite put together another track with a mean hook and uncut thought provoking word play. I mean, it’s a simple hook, but it’s live… I’m think’n back to the early ’90s, anybody contest me, I wanna know some thoughts. J. Cole performs a new track entitled ‘Who Dat’ to a sold out SOB’s crowd last night. Footage courtesy of Hot97, who put on the show.
Also listen to Grown Simba off the Warm Up. Cole World put together another simple hook and still have you rock’n.
Drake – Over
I’m real late on this but I just touched down from the Bahamas. When I first heard the song I didn’t like it, and after a few listens I’m still not too fond of it. The drum infused song that he spits over anchors his voice in a interesting way. The chorus to the song is very harsh. Overall the song is an inconsistent mess in my eyes. The first debut song off his album “Thank me Later” was kind of disappointing as well. Especially after all of the hype he was built on. This must mean he’s saving the good songs for the album.
J. Cole > Drake, but that is for another time..
Video: Nothin’ On You – B.o.B x BTS footage
They shot the video on a white sound stage. I edited it on Final Cut Pro. Then they printed out over 3,000 frames onto paper. Then every frame was hand torn by a team of 8 people. From there we animated the frames, photographing each frame with a digital camera, and then imported it back into Final Cut Pro. The backgrounds are also paper collages we took digital stills of and keyed in after animation.
Behind the scene footage after the footage
Supreme x “Scratchy” Perry
If y’all don’t know who Lee Scratch Perry is you better do your research; google him, find his musiq, or pick up a back issue of Waxpoetics Magazine.
A complex and contradictory being, Lee Scratch Perry is one of the most important creative, artistic and musical figures to emerge in the latter half of the 20th Century. He is a devout Rastafarian that believes in extraterrestrials, has proclaimed his children angels in the literal sense, and advocates black supremacy and an end to taxation while living with a wealthy European wife in Switzerland. The sonic innovations he fostered at his Black Ark studio in Kingston during the 1970s have spawned immeasurable changes to popular music worldwide, and he has directly influenced numerous important figures active in other genres, including everyone from Paul McCartney and Brian Eno to the Clash, the Beastie Boys and Jay Z.
For this Spring season, Lee Perry has collaborated with Supreme on two T-Shirt designs featuring his written word and his original artwork. Available in-store on now.
Source via: Culture Shoq
It’s Surreal: Kanye speaks on nostalgia x opinion x creativity
Kanye gets real deep with this one. From where he’s been to where he’s at now, the need have an opinion and the need to create. ‘Ye makes a heart felt address on Alexander McQueen’s contribution to fashion, damn, that was a big blow. The only fact is “COMMON OPINION”.
I’m on the plane listening to the college dropout. It brings back so many memories. When we made it I had all 6 parents, 4 grandparents and my mom and dad. Now I have my dad and my grandfather.
Music is so nostalgic. Every song I listen to brings me back to when I first played them for my mom, when I first played from for Dame, when I first played them Jay, when I first played them for Kweli, when I first played them for my niggas back in Chi, when the album first came out, when I first called Ebro from Hot 97 and begged him to play through the wire, when DJ Pharris blew me up in the Chi.
We used to be the niggas rocking polo shirts, Louie back packs, paper denim jeans, and exclusive Adidas from Sporty LA. We were the underdogs. I never feel like I’m not the underdog. I never felt completely comfortable. I’m tormented by the need to create. With the loss of McQueen I feel like we lost one of those faces of modern creativity’s Mount Rushmore.
There were times that the only thing that kept me on this earth was the need and responsibility to create. Maybe McQueen felt his job was done because his last collection was the greatest of the decade. We are all so hurt. I know we’re selfish because he brought us so much joy and inspiration.
I know how it feels when the night demons come. We can’t let them control our hands and feet. Sometimes when it hurts so bad we have to just lay in the bed. Just lay in bed and don’t move please, I know how it feels. I wish McQueen could have just been still. Don’t let the psychiatrists give you their drugs because it slows down your wings. Society and public opinion can beat the wings off of angels. When god sees they can’t take it anymore he brings them back home.
During this new album process sometimes I turn the music up and drink and cry. When something sounds so amazing and ground breaking I’m reminded of why I live. I drink the pain of now 2 generations and breathe our melodies and messages. The music keeps us alive.
I was blessed with the opportunity to bring my and others dreams to life. It’s like performing magic or something. It’s surreal. We bring the unrealistic to reality. “Go hard, go hard, go hard” echoes in my dreams. When I wake up and brush my teeth and look in the mirror it’s like I see Michael and my mom and Malcolm. Who’s that African in the background mom? Oh he created the original layouts for the pyramids but was written out the history books and his MTV award was given to “aliens”.
There’s no such thing as fact anymore, only opinion. The closest thing we have to fact is “common opinion”. Everything is an opinion. The way you dress is an expression of your opinion. Your religious beliefs are your opinion. The music you turn up loud is your opinion. For most people it’s easier to just agree. For me the hardest thing is to ‘just’ agree and that is what sparks creativity, the feeling that something can be better, the feeling that something’s missing. The feeling that something’s needed.
Video: J. Cole @ The Loft
J. Cole is that dude! I can’t believe I missed him when he was in New Haven for the Yale Black Solidarity Conference. Believe we will be front lining for Cole at the next concert.
Curren$y – Smokee Robinson
So Curren$y relased his new mistape in honor of the New Orleans Saints. This was supposed to drop last night during the second qtr of the superbowl. The mixtape is hot, apperances from Wiz Khalifa, Big Sean, Fly Union, Nipsey Hussle and much more. Check it out
Mick Boogie x Busta Rhymes – Dillagence
In respect to Dilla’s b day, why not pay homage to the 2 greatest to ever grace this earth.
Video: How to Make It in America x KiD CuDi
“How to Make It in America follows two enterprising Brooklyn twentysomethings as they hustle their way through New York City, determined to achieve the American Dream. Trying to make a name for themselves in New York’s competitive fashion scene, Ben Epstein (Greenberg) and his friend and business partner Cam Calderon (Rasuk) use their street knowledge and connections to bring their ambitions to fruition. With the help of Cam’s cousin Rene (Guzman), who is trying to market his own high-energy drink, and their well-connected friend Domingo (“Kid Cudi”), the burgeoning entrepreneurs set out to make it big, encountering obstacles along the way that will require all their ingenuity to overcome”.
“How to Make It in America,” HBO’s new dollar and a dream series premieres February 14. I don’t know too much about the film, but a story about struggle, ambition, and determination plotted in Brooklyn, NY gains my attention and anticipation for something exciting.
Teaser after the jump.
Video: Gallis/Sassa Step
I had to get back to basics for a little bit and digress from the mainstream musiq. Originally, my fam and I are from Jamaica; and this type of musiq and dance is typical of our culture. The song is a sell off!
Jermaine Squad took over the dancehall!
el fin.
NOIR
(Click the picture above to download and make your day better.)
Erick “Arc” Elliott presents “Noir.” In the midst of a game full of ’rappers’ who are more concerned with singing their verses or convincing us all that they are an alien from another planet, it’s refreshing to sit down and hear a tape full of nothing short of straight forward, heart felt, authentic rap. No gimmicks, no nonsense-just the voice of a hungry, 21 year old, MC from Flatbush Brooklyn relating his day to day to the listener over some beautiful original production from The Remedy + (!!) and Flash Frequency Music.
Personally, I love this composition! Download to see what I’m talking about. Make me happy knowing you made a good choice, haha.
Follow him on Twitter and check out TheLoveInUs.com
Source via: The Award Tour & NYSF
I Deserve To Be Here
Here is the long-awaited first single from Preme Da Prez, “I Deserve To Be Here,” featuring and produced by Kayla Bliss. Also, the “I Deserve To Be Here Mixtape” Will be available for download IMMEDIATELY after the song receives it 10.000th download. This is a real inspirational song about overcoming the odds – it’s a wonderful mix between real rap and R&B. I Deserve To Be Here is one of those songs you blast in ya car, hands in air – carefree. You have to listen to the song to understand where I’m coming from. Can we make this a trending topic on twitter people?!
Download I Deserve To Be Here here
Chad Harris
Broccoli
Keep It Surreal we can talk about what we want, when we want, how we want. Bloggers keeping it real. Our purpose is to touch on topics from art, design and musiq to life and habitat. We try to give a shining light on all creatives, especially folks with aspirations of growing viral, as well as, already established folk in pop-culture. We’ll use this blog to explore a thing or two. Hopefully you’ll contribute.
Recent Comments