| watching the throne |

// Jay-Z & Kanye West - Otis (Video) //

(Sorry, couldn't help myself from reposting)



Considering their tumultuous, over-romanticized relationship over the years, Jay-Z and Kanye West sure are pushing hard to convince the world that everything between them is kosher. Call me cynical, but the "Otis" video looks like it could be a lot of fake smiles and posing. Can the good times last, or are we waiting until the next ego clash...?

If you ask me, two awesome things coming together doesn't always make something double-awesome. As my buddy Rich would say: "It's aaaaight."

"Hahahawhatarewelaughingabouthahahaha!"

| the single life: issue twenty two |

// Chris Brown f. Joelle James - Leave The Club //

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Is it just me, or is Chris Brown the R&B version of Lil' Wayne? All these mixtapes are extras leaking in the last year or so have kept the once-villified star steadily in our sights. Of course, non of this would matter if the stuff he was putting out sucked. Thankfully though, a lot of it is top notch material. "Leave The Club" is a smooth jam featuring sweet-singing YouTube sensation Joelle James, whom Brown recently signed to his CBE sub-label. The pair have some nice chemistry and they make great use of another excellent Justice League production.

// J. Cole - Be (Freestyle) //

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Acknowledging he didn't mean to compete with Jay-Z and Kanye's Throne drop, J. Cole decided it would be safe to put out a quick 3-track download for his fans via his Twitter. Going in on Common's classic BE intro, Cole definitely does his thing. Best line: "Cole got delivery, bitch - you got Digiorno's." #niceee If you missed him last time he was in town, check him out @ The Vogue theatre on August 23rd.

// Big Sean f. Rick Ross & Pusha T - 100 Keys //

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Continuing his staggering rise to pop music prominence, Big Sean is giving us a surprisingly solid debut with Finally Famous. Backed by impressive guests and top tier production, the Detroit-bred rapper really is doing it big. While many of the tracks from the album are winners, my pick comes from the Deluxe Edition. The energy of the synths and the flawless timing of the piano riffs in the hook are irresistable. This is a different type of hustle anthem. It's not trap music or another DJ Khaled street banger, and I actually like that. A nod to WrighTrax for the beat is also well-deserved.

// XV - Foreign Exchange Student //

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I was a bit late getting to this, but I've recently been getting solid replay value out of XV's latest mixtape, Zero Heroes. The diverse rapper from Kansas has been b-u-s-y in the last 5 years. He's put out 16 mixtapes and 1 LP. If it wasn't obvious just from the album art, XV isn't afraid to mix it up and draw from various sources and genres. One of my favourite tracks from Zero Heroes is "Foreign Exchange Student." Sampling Miami Horror's "Holidays," Vizzy oozes about a girl who kills it in Black Ops, listens to The Pixies (religiously), and dresses her ass off to boot. Yeah, that'd be nice. Keep your eyes open for XV's new album coming sometime later this year.

// Elle Varner f. J. Cole - Only Wanna Give It To You //

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For a while, it was killing me that I couldn't figure out with 90's R&B track this reminded me of. Then it hit me: Groove Theory - Tell Me. What a classic throwback. (It makes me want to go on an Amel Larrieux DL spree!) R&B newcomer Elle Varner packs a bit more punch than Ms. Larrieux, and I would consider her new single with J. Cole a hit. The track is turning heads for its old school vibe. Get it on your summer playlist, pronto.

 // Big K.R.I.T. f. Yelawolf - Happy Birthday Hip-Hop //

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A early gift of rapper/producer Big K.R.I.T.'s soon-to-be released mixtape, Last King 2: God's Machine, "Happy Birthday Hip-Hop" is an ultra cool summer joint. Joined by Yelawolf, the two southern rappers toast hip hop over a jazzy piano-laden beat. The instrumental feels so good - I'll give God's Machine a serious listen if the rest of it sounds anything like this. Even with the DJ tags at the beginning, do not sleep on this! It's too sick.

// Washed Out - A Dedication //

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I've been a fan of Washed Out for years, and I was really happy to see his recently released Within and Without get such a positive reception. Boasting dreamy arrangements and surprising depth, the album really is a treat to behold. "A Dedication" ends the masterwork with a plodding, methodical clinic on nostalgic music-making. I never ever bothering to decipher the lyrics - all you need to do is just put it on and lay around for an hour or two. Best served on lazy summer afternoons.

// Pusha T f. Tyler, The Creator - Trouble On My Mind //

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Pusha's back, this time teaming with fiendish rap enigma Tyler, The Creator. Making a team of "hipsters, felons and thugs," Pusha's Re-Up fam shot the video alongside members of Tyler's OFWGKTA crew. The grimey beat complements both rappers in entirely different ways, but still manages to find balance. Still on the fence about Tyler's antics, I regrettably give him top marks for outshining Pusha. "Trouble On My Mind" will appear on Pusha's upcoming 9-track EP titled Fear of God 2: Let Us Pray.

// Gardens & Villa - Black Hills //

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Equipped with a wide-ranging array of sounds, California's Gardens & Villa recently made a decent splash with their self-titled debut album. My favourite track so far is the synth-heavy single, "Black Hills." Lead singer Adam Rasmussen's whimsical falsetto grows on you in a way not unlike that of Of Montreal's Kevin Barnes. I'd recommend their album for a good listen or two - you'll find at least one or two tracks to keep. Gardens & Villa will be making a stop in Seattle on October 11th @ The Sunset.

// Lloyd - Naked //

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At first I thought this song was kind of corny, but it grew on me. It's a rare successful attempt at something new for the grown and sexy. It's not old Barry White, but Lloyd takes a pretty good shot at creating something sexy without it coming across as sleazy or lame. (see: whatever song that was about him missing that pussy. Seriously, what was that garbage?)

| so this is inevitable withdrawal |

"All I can ever be to you is the darkness that we know."
- Amy Winehouse

She was one of the first artists I followed seriously when I started to care about music, and it's a pity to see her go like this. I kept waiting for the new Amy Winehouse material, and now we'll have to wait for the cheesy post-humous marketing blitz. To the casual fan or someone who's ignorant to her music altogether, she was probably just some trashy, anorexic junkie with a big voice who had one good album then died.

Winehouse was no saint while alive and shouldn't be anointed as such just because she died young, but it saddens me to see so many people taking the "no pity for the drug addict" stance on the topic. She was someone's daughter, sister and friend. This was a human being who walked among us only one week ago.

On a music level, I don't think there's any greater injustice you could do to an artist who was as widely acclaimed to simply discount her as a flash in the pan. It would be like saying Michael Jackson had "Thriller" then became white and creepy and died. Would it be just to say Elvis had "Hound Dog" then got fat and croaked?

With copies of her previous work being bought up like hot cakes, I hope that all those people buying up Back to Black and Frank aren't doing it just because they want to know what the fuss is all about now that she's gone. I hope they want to know more about the singer and the indescribable talent she possessed. Yes, she had top tier production from Mark Ronson and Salaam Remi. But in her own right, she was reputed and respected for her songwriting ability and work ethic in the booth. Then there's her voice. All I will say is that they'll eventually make a movie about Amy Winehouse, and they're going to hell of a time trying to find someone that sounds anywhere in the same solar system as her.

Somewhere underneath that crazy beehive and the tattoos was a real artist. Looking through the videos below, you can see the transformation over the years. Once youthful, excited, and happy to be performing, Winehouse becomes visibly anxious, gaunt-looking, and generally out of it. The crazy thing is, she actually looked a little bit healthier in her performances last month. She could have been an even bigger icon in life than she has became now in death. Instead, she is a symbol of abuse and the darkness that we all struggle with in our own daily lives.


2003.


2005.


2007.


2008.


2010.


2011.


So sad...