Chyea, those A.R.M. boys are on a roll lately. If you missed Krukid‘s “Swagger Lockdown” voting PSA, download that and then peep M.anifest‘s “Age of Obama” track:
M.anifest drops some great, timely lyrics about Obama and the change we need in this country over an ill beat from Seattle’s own Budo. Be on the lookout for an A.R.M. mixtape coming soon!
Here’s the full version for Skateboard’s “I’m A PC” commercial. If you ever wondered what N.E.R.D. stands for, now you know. Microsoft and Zune have done a great job linking up with some of the dopest artists out there (shout to Murs & Kidz In The Hall for yesterday’s Zune sponsored show here in Seattle), but it’s going to be tough to convince kids not to go the Apple route. I’ve been a PC user all my life, and while I’ll be keeping my desktop, your boy might be getting himself one of those new MacBook’s next week…
This has been in the works forever, so I’m glad to see the super dope video for U-N-I‘s “Soul Hop” finally drop. Not only did it take the net by storm, but it was officially added to MTVu on Monday and will be getting lots of love on the MTV Networks. The homies Thurz & Y-O are doing big things! Couldn’t happen to nicer dudes or doper artists. Be on the lookout for The Love Supreme EP dropping soon…
In the immortal words of Cam’Ron on Bill O’Reilly, “I got dirty on you doggy!!!!!”
But in all seriousness, this is rather important stuff. For many of us, the Keating Five scandal happened when we were just children. I certainly didn’t know anything about it at the time, and only heard vague references about it before becoming heavily interested in politics a few years ago.
In essence, the behavior and decisions McCain made during this scandal, and even today, make it painfully clear that he is not someone who should have any impact over our economy, especially during a crisis like this. I’m not an economist, but I do firmly believe that there’s a certain level of regulation that you need. The basic Republican tenet of deregulation has been shown time and time again that it’s not beneficial for the country. Simply put, they are awful in all economic matters unless you’re “rich.” May I remind you:
Even if we make every single right decision from here on out, it will take years for us to recover, let alone excel. Obama’s plan and team of economic advisors is head and shoulders above McCain’s, which is why the Republicans have decided to throw the kitchen sink of smears at Barack. It’ll continue to get worse, until McCain completely ruins any sort of positive legacy he has cultivated over the years. But actually, when you look at things like the Keating Five, perhaps his reputation isn’t so sterling after all.
Dope new video for the lead single from Murs‘ latest album, Murs For President, which is in stores now. I hate when I get chased by acrobatic parkour experts wearing gimp masks too. But on the serious tip:
“I coulda done a Nas and screamed “hip-hop is dead”/
I got up off my ass and I did something instead/
Signed with the devil, brought the scene up a level/
Killed the beast from within, I’m a born again rebel”
That sums up Sound Session perfectly. I’ve always said that we’re like Neo operating within the Matrix.
Anyway, Murs will be here in Seattle on Saturday for a show with Kidz In The Hall at Nectar. Before that, I’ll be linking up with him…any questions y’all want me to ask?
Video courtesy of OnSmash.
Brand new freestyle joint from 1/3rd of the mighty A.R.M. (what up Budo! what up M.anifest!), the immensely talented Krukid. You really need to peep how he rips Kanye’s beats and drops some insightful, educational ish about voting in this year’s election at the same time. It was already my kind of track, and then Krukid went ahead and blessed The Audacity of Dope with a shout too? Aw man, it’s a wrap. Thanks homey!
Krukid – “Swagger Lockdown (A Voting PSA)”
Speaking of voting, an important note to my Seattle people: while our registration by mail deadline has passed, you can still register in person until October 20th if you go down to the King County Elections HQ in Renton. For more information, take your tardy ass here.
Love it, especially because it’s open to so much interpretation. Thoughts? Ready for 808’s and Heartbreak, or are you scared?
Swiped from Tunj.
I was just talking to Jay Bird about this video at Jake One’s release party on Monday night, and lo and behold, here it is. Slug and Ant never disappoint and this clip for “You” off their last album, When Life Gives You Lemons, Paint That Sh*t Gold, is no different. I didn’t know this, but according to Jay Bird, that “fingerboarding” stuff is actually a legit activity. It looks pretty dope, but I don’t think I’d want to spend my time practicing “fingerboarding.” Maybe that’s just me.
Cop that Atmos! Cop that Jake One! RSE/206 connect all day.
(man, Marco is smoking in every video. we gotta get you off those homey!)
Here’s the brand new video for Reef The Lost Cauze‘s “I Wonder,” produced by Marco Polo. They circulated a trailer for this a few days ago, but here’s the full product. Super dope. In Reef’s own words:
This song actually was never supposed to happen. I got a beat cd from Marco at a Beat Society in like 2005. He gave me all these bangers, battle ready type joints. I was lovin it but there was this one joint that had such a dope feel to it, and it had this voice sayin “I wonder” in the chorus and I knew that was my beat. This shit was like number 14 on the cd and he was like “you sure? This is the one you want?” but I convinced him I would do it justice.
So some time went by and due to my budget I couldn’t afford to cop it off him, and he was trying to hook me up but he had bills too so I understood. I told him to try and hold it for as long as he could. So like a year went by, and the track was pretty much not gonna happen. We hadn’t spoken really, he was grinding and getting his placements and he was workin on his album as well. So I figured by now it was gone.
So as fate would have it, I seen him in Philly at this show I was playin at wit Wu, Redman, Jedi, and mad other people. It was nuts. He was supposed to have some tickets waiting but things got screwed up and I got him in, and after that he waived the fee haha. Funny thing is, after I got the greenlight to write to it, I got shook. I knew I wanted to say something but I didn’t know what. So I ended up not even finishing the song until I was on the train to his crib in Brooklyn to record it. I got high as shit, got on the train with the first verse written, put the beat on in my headphones and just wrote around the hook. It’s just things I wonder about, things I think about as a grown man in America. My perspective has changed over the years, I’m aware of more things going on in the world and this song articulates that somewhat.
A lot of it is just me trying to sound smart.
Word up. Cop Reef’s album, A Vicious Cycle, on the 28th. I thiiiiiiiink Seattle’s own MTK might have a beat on there.
Reef The Lost Cauze – “I Wonder”
Swiped from 2DopeBoyz.
I’m on my white guy ish right now. My t-shirts feel tighter every day. Sometimes you just gotta do it.
Here are two joints that have leaked recently, both of which are absolute fire. The first is from Pharrell’s new group, Chester French, who are set to blow the hell up in 2009, if not earlier. I’m still mad that these dudes had to cancel their Bumbershoot appearance and then didn’t open for Common & N.E.R.D.’s tour here in Seattle like they were supposed to. Wtfffff. Anyway, here’s the official, mastered version of their single:
Chester French – “She Loves Everybody”
Yeah, the dude who remade Kanye’s “Flashing Lights” into one of the illest joints of last year, Colin Munroe, is back with his own single.
Be on the lookout for the remix with Wale too. Eh what the hell, one more Chester French joint for the road…