Lately, the weather has been acting odd. One week, the weather is warm and sunny, then the following week, it’s cold and windy with fall-like temperatures. But there’s nothing odd about producer Oddisee’s instrumental LP Odd Spring. This is the Washington, D.C. native’s fourth and final installment of his season-themed series, which includes Odd Summer, Odd Winter and Odd Autumn LPs. Odd Spring is free for downloading. Peep this banging track from the collection:
Oddisee – Two Way Street (Featuring Muneshine)
Speaking of weather, Nashville, Tennessee is completely under water due to overflown rivers after several days of record-breaking rainfall hit the city earlier this month. Nashville native Young Buck recorded a song recounting the disaster and how citizens are coping in its aftermath. If you want to help the people of Nashville with either a monetary donation or volunteer your services, visit the Red Cross website – Middle Tennessee Red Cross.
Although she is not known for her lyrical skills, R&B’s rising superstar Janelle Monae is being dubbed the “Lauryn Hill reincarnate” with her new track “Neon Valley Street.” The song is indeed beautiful and infectious. Her debut LP, The ArchAndroid, is in stores Tuesday (May 18).
Janelle Monae – Neon Valley Street
Next up, London rapper Dizzee Rascal is making some crazy noise with the chaotic track “Heavy” (featuring Chase Status). Fair warning: this is not your atypical rap song. The lyrics are hard and fast. Plus, there’s enough feedback on the track to make your ears bleed. Not as club-friendly as “Dirtee Disco,” but more in line with Dizzee’s grime style. Dizzee’s new LP Dirtee Disco hits stores on May 24.
Dizzee Rascal – “Heavy” (featuring Chase Status)
Are you ready to rock? Check out Bronx, N.Y. rapper Mickey Factz’s video for “Alpha,” his club-ready, body-rocking anthem. Pump your fists and let’s get alpha!
In dancehall/reggae news, Mavado is catching some heat for his involvement in Drake’s new video for “Find Your Love.” Apparently, Jamaica’s acting Minister of Tourism Edmund Barlett feels that the clip portrays the island in a negative light. In the clip, Drake plays a foreigner who falls in love with a woman who is the trophy wife of the town’s bad guy Puffy (played by Mavado). It’s a story about forbidden love in a town that can be unforgivable to outsiders.
The Minister of Tourism may have a point. Jamaica is beautiful island with its fair-share of problems, buy they don’t need to be associated with guns and thugs in a popular music video. Right? But, on the flip side, it’s just a Drake video. It’s entertainment. Right?
What do you guys think?
In other news, Nas and Damian Marley’s collaborative LP Distant Relatives dropped their album on Tuesday (May 18). The duo explore their musical roots on the album, which has garnered rave reviews, so far. One of the standout tracks from the LP is the somber “Patience.”
Nas & Damian Marley – “Patience” (via Hip-Hop Wired)
Finally, New York rapper Nutso dropped a new video for “My Hood,” his tribute to his hometown of Queens. The clip features Queens rap legends Mic Geronimo and Royal Flush. Props to producer Reef for flipping the Teddy Pendergrass sample.
Pop the hood for mixtapes releases . . .
This is the most exquisite mixtape cover I have ever seen in a long time. In an industry where a slew of artists are dropping mixtapes daily, having a creative cover art will certainly get you noticed. The Chase the Dreams, Not the Competition mixtape is from an up-and-coming rapper named J. Ferb. The Memphis, Tenn. rhyme-spitter is known for his gravel-voiced rap style and thought-provoking lyrics. His mixtape actually sounds like a complete full-length album. Bravo! The Chase the Dreams . . . mixtape is so good, here are THREE outstanding tracks from the collection:
J. Ferb – Bullseye (prod. by T.A.S.K Productions)
J. Ferb – No Tomorrow (prod. by T.A.S.K.)
J. Ferb – You’re Welcome (prod. by Don Judo)
On May 25, Cam’ron will drop a new mixtape called Heat in Here, Vol. 1. The 14-song collection features new songs from Cam and his protégé Vado. A couple of tunes have already leaked onto the ‘Net. Here’s the latest leak, “Throw It Up.”
Cam’ron & Vado – Throw It Up (via Def Pen Radio)
Guru maybe gone, but his musical legacy with Gang Starr will never be forgotten. In honor of the late rapper, DJ Critical Hype produced The Art of Guru Blends mixtape. Actually, it’s not a mixtape. What DJ Critical Hype did was cohesively blended some of Gang Starr’s classic songs. It’s not as easy as it sounds. This is a great tribute to Guru. To download the mixtape, err, blend tape, click HERE.
Two for two! This is a great mixtape cover from DJ A-Trak who is Kanye West’s touring DJ and Kid Sister’s boyfriend. His Dirty South Dance 2 mixtape is his second installment of his popular Dirty South series, in which he remixes popular crunk tracks and adds his production twists to them. This is some fist-pumping, “Alpha”-yelling, groove music.
A-Trak – O Let’s Overdo It [**A dance flip of Wacka Flocka Flame’s “O Let’s Do It” (Remix)**]
BONUS BEATS:
Fashawn – Samsonite Man (featuring Blu) [Music Video]
LMNO & Kev Brown — “We Stay Rockin'” (F/ Declaime & Mr. Brady)
“I’m the undisputed heavyweight champion of hip-hop. We are going to have to deal with those facts. There is nobody that can fuck with me with what I do, which is getting busy. We are going across the board, as an entrepreneur, innovator, motivator. Who was there first? Who traveled to Europe first? The first. The first. The first. The first. I was the first.”
Diddy is featured on his first-ever cover for XXL magazine (hits newsstands June 1).
Finally, I’m going to leave you with this new video from Nick Javas, an up-and-coming rapper from New Jersey who is an artist on DJ Premier’s record label Year Round Records. On “Not a Game,” Javas flips basketball metaphors over the Premo-blessed track. Javas’ debut LP is due out this summer.
Mixpak Records . . . it’s not a game, over here. Holla!
