I ain’t got lyrics neither, but I’m not trying to have a rap career.

City of Gods Son is an experimental movie for the blind/hip-hop opera starring Nas, Jay Z, Ghostface, Biggie Smalls, Raekwon, Samuel Jackson, Delroy Lindo, and Laurence Fishburne. It is a crime drama/coming of age tale of three fictitious characters growing up in a crime ridden mythical city in a jungle. This project explores the icon of the gangster in modern media, and weaves musical history and gangster film history into an operatic music based story of brotherhood and survival. An homage to 90s New York hip-hop, City of Gods Son is the redefinition of the remix.

I cross paths with Kenzo fairly frequently, but I just discovered this project of his through facebook. I love the mashed-up archival footage mixed with shots from music vids and beaten up to look coherently like its all part of one blaxploitation film. This project looks mad interesting. I’m definitely going to check it out and you should to: HERE.

Not that I ever get sassed, but if I did, I’d hella work on my ability to summon wolves.

(Via TSOYA)

Posted by Austin Tyler

We waited 5 years for a new Eminem solo album. After a series of unfortunate events in the personal life of Marshall Mathers (a failed second marriage, the loss of best friend Proof, his mother’s battle with cancer, and Stat Quo and Obie Trice’s departure from Shady Records), one of the biggest names in modern music has blessed us with….more of the same wack shit that we were sick of and hated on his last album.

I’m really disappointed because I read multiple reports that had me convinced that Eminem was not concerned with doing any records for the mainstream listeners (hard to believe) and that he was getting back to some real lyrical hip hop music. So far, “I’m Having a Relapse”, “Crack A Bottle”, and now “We Made You”–all 3 of his last comeback records have been pure gutter wackness. And I really can’t imagine ADULTS bumping this song at a club, in the car with friends, or even in an iPod! Either Eminem has lost sight of his audience, or he just flat doesn’t want to be taken seriously as a hip hop artist anymore. Don’t underestimate your fans, Em. Just because you have Dr. Dre in your corner making your beats, that doesn’t mean that hip hop heads are going to blindly flock you. Keep in mind; Dre produced songs for GWEN STEFANI a few years back. In this case, the IDEA of Eminem and Dr. Dre sounds much better than the actual results.

Last year, Vibe magazine had a reader poll set up in tourney brackets to let the public decide who in fact was “The Best Rapper Alive”, and despite the fact that Em had been unusually quiet to the point of being almost reclusive, he beat out Jay Z by a landslide of votes. I guess absence does make the heart grow fonder. The only thing is, now that he’s back and the whole world has been anticipating his return, does he deliver what the “Best Rapper Alive” would deliver? Obviously, it’s a matter of taste. Very questionable taste.

I feel embarrassed for 50 Cent that he has to ride Em and Dre’s coattails the next few months to get his music on the charts again. Because I know 50 doesn’t feel this new corny Eminem shit at all. Fif, just duck your head, fulfill your contract by dropping your album, and just go independent. Because sticking around this clown is not a good luck for you my dude.

Posted by Austin Tyler

The legendary troublemakers are dropping their first single for the upcoming “Blackout 2″! Peep a behind the scenes look below!

Posted by Austin Tyler

He’s a pale-faced white kid from the suburbs of Philadelphia. He doesn’t really have any kind of a shoddy history as a drug dealer, gangsta, or a hustler. He isn’t hard, and he sounds too much like Eminem. This kid can’t possibly be taken seriously as a rapper…

What hasn’t already been said about 21 year-old Asher Roth? Just like many emerging artists, especially coming into the hip-hop world, Asher knows there are bound to be detractors and haters that just want to see him fail. It’s expected really. I mean, for every Eminem, Paul Wall, Beastie Boys, Brother Ali, and Alchemist, there are plenty of others that have represented poorly, making it hard for people to stomach a new MC with a light complexion. And then there’s that one sacred hip-hop rule: authenticity.

The fact of the matter is that instead of Vanilla Icing his past, he chooses to actually embrace who he is and use it to his advantage. His frat-gem “I Love College” is pretty much 2008/2009’s college party anthem right now. And although Dipset capo Jim Jones jumped on a remix of the track, I really wouldn’t hold my breath on seeing Asher Roth featured on a some street banger with Beanie Sigel or Styles P any time soon. He’s just not that type of rapper.

But, to his credit, the kid is fully aware of where he fits.
“I was always from the outside looking in,” says Roth. “Hip-hop has always been very influential in the ‘burbs, [but] it’s just a matter of where we could relate to it. You find a lot of kids that are really confused. You look at them and they’re dressed out of character. They don’t look right. I figured out, I don’t have to dress this way, but you can still love hip-hop.”

It’s this grounded approach that he has about himself and his music that I think is very commendable. And as long as he doesn’t get confused and stays true to himself, he will definitely find himself a respectable deal of success and open new doors for similar artists in the future.

Posted by Austin Tyler

Those of you who attended last month’s Double 7 Short Shorts Event will probably remember a music video that premiered called “I Hate My Job” by BK rapper Nova. According to Nova, the video was given to Cam through a mutual acquaintance in hopes of securing a record deal. Apparently Cam’ron was so impressed, he took Nova’s concept and ideas and made them into his 1st single off of his upcoming album coincidently titled, “Crime Pays”; the rapper’s first solo album in 4 years.

NOTE: Stealing ideas from up-and-coming rappers is not a good look when trying to make a comeback, Cam.

Nova – I Hate My Job (Original)


And now for Cam’s;

Question; Anyone else having a hard time believing that Killa Cam even remembers what it’s like to actually have a 9-to-5?

Posted by Austin Tyler

Rolling Stone recently said that Lil Wayne is the “voice” of my generation. In that case, I hereby revoke my generation card and wish to join another.

I know I will catch a lot of flack for this, BUT it is my humble opinion that Lil Wayne is ridiculously over-rated. He’s not someone who is supposed to be a mega star. But somehow the man with tattoos all over his face and body, with his blunted, scratchy voice, and completely non-sensical rhymes has defied all conventional odds to be where he is.

The scary thing; OLD white America has taken notice of his star power, and Lil Wayne has awkwardly been thrust into the limelight with Katie Couric to give the older crowd a chance to understand what it is their kids are listening to. You can tell that even she doesn’t understand how Wayne got to where he is.

RANT: Like Jay Z and Big, Lil Wayne doesn’t write his rhymes down. But unlike Jay Z and Big, Wayne SOUNDS like he doesn’t write his rhymes down. And this is where my beef with Weezy begins. And I only use him the same context as the other two because Puff recently compared Wayne to Biggie. And Wayne is definitely no Big. Hell, I’ll name emcees off the top of my head better than him just because; 4 of them are in Slaughterhouse (Joe, Joell, Royce, and Crooked I), Termanology, Kanye, Nas, Cassidy, Jadakiss, Game, Saigon, Andre AND Big Boi, Lloyd Banks, Ghost, Rae, Meth, GZA, and like every other member of the Wu.

But I could be wrong…am I?

Posted by Austin Tyler

To me, this is just inspiring. Even though the video is relatively simple, the director’s use of special effects on the clouds is really amazing with the song.

This video has been out for a little while, but I hadn’t discovered it until recently. Hope you enjoy it.

Posted by Benjamin Ahr Harrison

Ashkon is a young artist starting to make waves on the west coast. I’ve been a fan since his super funny video “Hot Tubbin” made a huge splash on YouTube last year. This is his new vid, directed by Arlene and Marcin, who I’ve had the pleasure of meeting. Keep an eye on them and an ear on Ashkeezy.