| bad, real bad: *walks to exit* |

Here's footage of ex-Fugee (and long-ballyhooed hip-hop recluse) Lauryn Hill showing up 4 hours late to a gig in Brooklyn. Upon being booed by the impatient crowd, she reacted by scolding them like she was their Mama. By the end of the short clip, there are two lines that remains festering in my head:

"I personally know I'm worth the wait."

Few, if any, people walking this planet should ever be able to utter those words and get away with it. Yeah sure, it's disrespectful of the fans to boo. But did they ever stop to think about why people boo? Maybe it's because by throwing down $100 for a pair of tickets, you have purchased the right to see the featured artist perform at the time shown on the face of the tickets. Any experienced concert-goer will tell you that if you have to wait more than 1 hour (after doors) to see the opening act, that's pretty bunk. If you have to wait more than 2 1/2 hours to see the headliner, they really must not have their shit together. So in the case of Lauryn Hill's Brooklyn gig shown above, a 4-hour wait is totally worthy of boos.

Side story: I recently went to see J.Cole at Fortune Sound Club. Doors @ 8PM, the opener didn't hit the stage until 11-something, and Cole didn't come out until just past 12:30AM. And no, it's not because he was late or held up at the border... his tour bus was outside the club well before people even started to line up for the show at about 7pm. Yeah, mindlessly waiting around for someone to show up is incredibly frustrating. This is especially true when the club is over capacity, and people are drunk, sweaty, and tired. Worst 4+ hours of my life.

That said, I fully support any and all people at the Lauryn Hill show who booed or made an attempt to show her that this kind of shit doesn't fly. It's truly disappointing how little of a shit she gave that people had to stand around and wait for hours on end. Like how is she going to hit the stage and front like her time is more precious than everyone else's, like she's doing everyone a favour merely by showing up? The crazy part is they're there just to see if she can still put on a good show. No one even knows is she's still got it (whatever "it" is that she's supposed to have).

"You get what you get."

Dear Lauryn: what they got was TICKETS to your damn show! They showed up on time, so should you! No one said it's easy getting a tour up and running, but how is calling your fans ignorant going to make things better? We probably don't know what it takes to set up a concert, but evidently neither do you.What you get is two clenched fists pointed in your direction with my thumbs pointing downwards. I hate it when people ego-trip like they don't need or want your money. If no one buys tickets to your shows, you don't have a job anymore, Lauryn Hill. You understand me?

I don't care who you are: if you're going to address the lateness, just apologize and sing a damn song.  Either that, or just don't address it but put on a great show.

I'm all for real talk, but exposed in this clip is a once-great entertainer believing her own hype well before she's earned back the right. In a "What have you done for me lately?" world of celebrity, this definitely knocks her down a few pegs in my books. Disappointing...

| merry christmas! |

(still like the version with just Yeezy, CyHi and Teyana tho)

| change gon' come |

Timbaland wants to start a new chapter in the new year. Part of his refreshed take on life is "Timbaland Thursdays," which is his version of Kanye West's GOOD Fridays. While definitely a nice gesture, the concept isn't "different" at all. In fact, he's not even the second or third artist into the gate. West originated the concept of free weekly music drops earlier this year, with the idea already taking hold with a few hip-hop notables, including Swizz Beatz (Monster Mondays) and Lloyd Banks (Blue Fridays).

With Timbaland being the latest of the super-producers trying his hand at scheduled, pseudo-official leaks, we're now beginning to see a new trend in the digital music era. Artists have already circumvented the relative PR stranglehold of their labels by joining the twitters of the world. Now, it appears that at least some of them are given some kind of free-rein to put out new music directly to the consumer. What I see with these kinds of drops is artists trying to maintain some semblance of control over their material. The the most basic of computer users today know something about downloading free music; it's a way of life and even a habit for some. Timbaland himself notes that some people just don't have the extra money for pay for music, so here he is joining his trail-blazing peers in taking the anti-Metallica approach to things.

It would be a huge understatement to say that this is merely an interesting trend. With Timbo the King now also promoting this distribution tactict, are we seeing the war against free music shift towards a more careful embrace of the once(still?)-villified MP3? I'll also accept Dr. Dre Saturdays, but probably stay away from Diddy Tuesdays. Stay tuned...

| doot doola doot doo |

Great interview by one of Vancity's finest, Nardwuar the Human Serviette, with J.Cole during his recent visit to Vancouver. Nardwuar brings his trademark flare and a ton of gifts to boot. J.Cole is also a great interview here - it's always nice to see both interviewer and interviewee having a good time. This might not be as good as Nardwuar's interviews with Snoop Dogg, but it's definitely still worth the 9:34. Check it out!

| something calming |

// Madeleine Peyroux - La Javanaise //

I've dabbled with some of Madeleine Peyroux's material before, but I guess I missed this one. Her version of the classic French ballad, "La Javanaise", was featured in a recent episode of How I Met Your Mother. Great mood music, especially for the stresses of the holiday season. It's nice to have something calming after a few solid days of blasting my ears with Tron.

// Download //

| tron-a-rific |

// Daft Punk - Tron: Legacy OST //

Rating: 3.8 out of 5

As nostalgic 80s-babies will soon flock to movie theatres in droves to catch the new update of the iconic sci-fi flick, fans of the film's audio have been treated to its monstrous soundtrack a little early. Orchestrated by electronic gods Daft Punk, the film's score is comprised of short-ish tracks that are intense and moody.

Well known for their plethora of party jams, the French duo display a drastically different kind of range with their work on this soundtrack. Sinister horns and white-knuckle string arrangements are featured throughout most of the album - a far cry from the dance anthems that got Daft Punk to the big show. Uppn reaching the end credits, my sense is that there's a bit of a sameness to each song. But that's kind of expected given the relatively limited scope of the project. Despite this small issue, each song is an absolute treat to listen to. Pick any one of the main tracks and turn it up as loud as your speakers will allow:

Summary: it's tricky comparing this to a normal album release because the of the narrow focus of the project. It's expected that there won't be a huge variety from song to song, but the entire thing is so masterfully put-together that it's impossible to not appreciate what they've done. The Tron: Legacy soundtrack is no doubt the work of polished professionals; add this to an already-impressive resume for the godfathers of electronica.

// Torrent //
// DL //

| bad, real bad: don gorilla |

Probably the worst album cover I've seen all year.

Racist jokes will ensue...

| the single life: issue thirteen |

// Jay-Z & Kanye West f. Elly Jackson (of La Roux) - That's My Bitch //

 

Former Tribe stalwart, Q-Tip, continues his streak of tight production with this track featuring the duelling kings of rap. "That's My Bitch" is rumoured to be a feature single off Jay-Z and Kanye's upcoming joint EP, Watch The Throne. The quality isn't great, but it's definitely enough for you to bump in your car. The bongos are crazy! I don't mind admitting that I've drummed the shit out of my steerling wheel to this song.

// T.I. f. Kanye West & KiD CuDi - Welcome to the World //

 

T.I. must be the unofficial king of coming out with stuff that sounds like 90% of his previous hits, but people continue to eat it up anyway. A grim, bassy synth beat with slick lyrics of hardship, struggle, etc... Both rappers go hard over the No I.D. production, with Tip peaking with a series of punchy, stuttering lines. Ye answers with an exhaustive verse addressing various conspiracy theories. His line about the illuminati scandal is a classic. Cudi provides his trademark haunting vocals on the hook. Would've been awesome to hear J. Cole or Pusha on this one...

// Keri Hilson f. Kanye West - Pretty Girl Rock RMX //

 

Ms. Keri is almost ready to drop her 2nd album, No Boys Allowed. The lead single, "Pretty Girl Rock," is a pleasant pop tune packaged as an anthem for young girls to feel good about themselves. It's something of a self-esteem booster, I suppose. Or maybe a self-esteem over-booster for chicks who are actually hot? "Knock You Down" collaborator Kanye West makes a cameo, recycling  part of his verse from the Good Friday release, "Take One For The Team." It's aight.

// B.o.B f. Wiz Khalifa - Fuck Tha Money //

I'm not posting this so much because I think B.o.B and Wiz are amazing on the track, but more so because this beat is actually the work of pre-College Dropout Kanye. "Crazy" was written by the late great Static Major and recorded by an R&B chick named Aura and The Clipse. Although a complete copy of "Crazy" surfaced earlier this year, it's pretty clear that Aura isn't destined to cash in one of the remaining Dropout-era soul beats from Mr. West. B.o.B doesn't do much with it either, but Wiz does his best to bring some life to the track.

// Metric - Black Sheep //

 

For fans of Metric, this isn't a new track. The band has been performing "Black Sheep" on tour for years, but never committed to including it on a studio album. Fans have clamoured for them to do it, so they did the smart thing and ponied up for the soundtrack of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (which is a great movie by the way). The song appears in the movie for about a minute, and it defeinitely stood out in my mind. I managed to track it down, so here it is. A real gem!

 

// Destroyer - Chinatown //

Vancouver-based indie artist Dan Bejar (aka Destroyer), has been putting out music and gaining devout fans  for the better part of the last decade. I don't know much about him, but I'll definitely try to get my hands on his older stuff if "Chinatown" is any indication of his talents. It's a beautiful, uncomplicated song that one typically wouldn't hear this late in the year, but the warm nostalgic feel and jazzy horn sections are certainly welcome as we get deeper into the winter months. The instrumentation and songwriting style reminds me of Memphis, the vastly under-appreciated duo headed by Stars frontman, Torquil Campbell. Look for Destroyer's next EP, Kaputt, due out in January 2011.

| mr. (im)perfect |

// Kanye West //
// My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy//

5 out of 5

When Kanye West tentatively named his 5th studio album Good Ass Job, it seemed he would do the expected and just make another hit record, no big deal. Unexpected, though, was West's now-famous MTV VMA stagebomb.  Mr. West has since made strides in redeeming himself but still struggles to win back that segment of his fanbase that just can't get over his douchebaggery. How ironic, then, is it that his glaring faults became the springboard to his latest triumph? Lauded as one of the most artistically diverse rap/pop albums of our time, Dark Twisted Fantasy stands out as an intimate look into the psyche of a modern hip-hop visionary.

Simply put, Dark Twisted Fantasy is Kanye at his dynamic best, crafting a balanced effort that is as sophisticated or simple as the listener makes it. With a stacked tracklisting that reads like a best-of, there's no doubt that the album is strong enough to garner acclaim from even the most critical music writers. What makes the difference between an "A" effort and "A+" like Dark Twisted Fantasy is the fact that it makes people feel things. If you should so choose, you are invited to delve deeper into West's schizophrenic, over-indulgent lifestyle.

Not since Eminem's "Love You More" have I felt this degree of "holy shit, what has this guy been through?" If it weren't for the luxurious instrumentation and story-time pacing of the album, there'd be little for Kanye's demons to hide behind. Take "Runaway," for example. Unfortunately, the "toast for the douchebags" hook is what most people remember the song by. The track finds the normally-egomaniacal West pointing the finger at himself for everything shitty he's ever done. I'm glad the Rick James sample (like live version he premiered at this year's VMAs) was added to the album version of the song. The "look atcha!" line adds to the track immensely, relentlessly taunting West at his most insecure moment. It is this brand of honesty that will continue to be Kanye's saving grace and downfall. As a real fan, it's not hard to appreciate the sincerity behind the lyrics.

For those not interested in the message behind the message, the album is tricked out with an impressive lineup of guest stars from John Legend to Elton John to Fergie to Nicki Minaj to big brother himself, Jay-Z. It's evident that Kanye aimed to go big on every track. He has effectively designed and constructed a sonic boardwalk, each song representing a landmark building with a unique structure and aesthetic. What ties everything together is a sense of an A-B-C progression (Minaj's storyteller intro sort of primes you for it). It begs for the listener to hear it in full, in this order only. When listening to the album, it seems to makes sense.

It's very hard for me to describe how rare an accomplishment Twisted Fantasy is. In the age of viral internet, it doesn't take long for the most obscure, unfinished track to be up- and downloaded thousands of times before the artist even knew it was leaked. Using Good Fridays, Kanye willingly gave away most of the album over the last few months. If the songs were anything less than classic, I would've been done with them a long time ago. I'm so not-done with this album that I had to go buy the CD and hear it as it needs to be heard. $14.99 plus tax later, I'm completely satisfied that I've heard it in all of its uncompressed glory. It's like those poor people who think waiting for Avatar to come out on DVD is good enough; no it's not, and you cheated yourself when you didn't line up to see it in 3D at the theatre. If you don't buy a hard copy of My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, your ears will miss out on the last little bit of polish that you just can't get with an MP3.

Summary:  It's hard to classify Dark Twisted Fantasy as pop, rap, R&B, or hip-hop. The neatest description I can offer is: it spans multiple genres and weaves every version of Kanye West together seamlessly. What I call it is music for life. It's a soundtrack for people who act first and process later. It's fuel for those souls who want to be bigger and braver, but are crippled by insecurity and regret. For better or worse, we look to celebrities to give us a compass towards success. What Kanye West has done is told us a story about the riches, but also reminded us that success - however you measure it - can a nasty bitch. The music is great, but that was a given. What puts this album over the top is the fact that he didn't just write a few lines about living large, dating crazy bitches, or repeatedly drawing the wrath of a nation. He wrote whole songs about sensitive topics and packaged them as anthems. Perfect, through and through.

// Torrent //

// Mediafire //

^ but seriously, it's worth the purchase