Well I had a very interesting day yesterday, aside from it being busy with tons of posts and updates and twitter and what not, it included a, "Freestyle" Interview with Charles Hamilton.  Now why do I say "Freestyle?"  The answer is simple... I never planned on this interview to happen.  I sort of wanted to just set a date and time with him, but he was rearing to go with it, so we did the interview off the dome.  Check the interview below, and a big thank you goes out to Charles Hamilton for the interview.

Charles Hamilton: Wassup?

TGLR: Not much man, how are things for you?

Charles Hamilton: Blessed, happy to be alive

TGLR: yea yea, that's good... so i gotta ask you, what was the inspiration and idea behind the making of that sick song, "Brooklyn Girls"?

Charles Hamilton: It was just a freestyle, an old beat, felt like comin' off the top and I had some things to get off my chest, kinda the usual

TGLR: Yea yea, it is pretty dope, especially for a freestyle!  Now you have been putting out a ton of mixtapes (or music projects as you call them), where do you get all these crazy beats and all the lyrics for all these songs!?

Charles Hamilton: I make like 99% of my beats and I write my own stuff, so its very organic.

TGLR: That's dope, a lot of work put into it though, which you don't really see from some musicians in today's music industry.

Charles Hamilton: I'm not focused on the old way of the business

TGLR: Yea, that's good, it is great for the industry to have guys like yourself, Asher Roth, KiD CuDi, and B.o.B... What is your opinion on them?

Charles Hamilton: They're all good artists, but to be 100%, I'm so focused on getting myself out there, as well as my artists, that I don't really check for many people.  I appreciate what they bring to the table, but I have several goals.  When the time is right, I'll be able to sit back and be a fan.

TGLR: No man, I hear yea... that's good though.  Now, out of all your musical works, I got to say that Well Isn't This Awkward has been my favorite... take me through the creation and making of that mixtape.

Charles Hamilton: Believe it or not, it's about 2 years in the making.  MAD throw away songs, mad demos, rough drafts.  My whole thing was if I'ma be with Rihanna, I'm gonna go HARD.  Listened to mad of her music OUTSIDE of what I already felt about her and when the time was right, I recorded it in like 2-3 days. I didn't wanna look like a stalker, or ungenuine

TGLR: I hear yea, haha, but that stuff was dope, now my friend Max (Over @ The Revolution Will Be Tape Recorded) submitted a question for me to ask you a long time ago, so I guess I will just go ahead and pose the question!  He wanted me to ask you "about c food and if he watches a lot of family guy cuz he samples it here"

Charles Hamilton: It's a funny show, but that wasn't the only premise of the song.  What am I supposed to do when I feel good about being me, but got no one to share such joy with?  Nothing to do but watch Family Guy and talk about halloucinating about sh1t, haha.

 
TGLR: Haha, I feel ya... so what influences you to do what you do!?

Charles Hamilton: Life, flashbacks, and the promise of sh1t gettin' better on the strength of open-minded music listening

TGLR: Yea, that's good, seems to be working out for you!

Charles Hamilton: One can pray

TGLR: Now tell me a bit more about your upcoming album! There sure is a buzz about the blogs!

Charles Hamilton: It's called "This Perfect Life", and it has 11 songs talking about the ills of the world and more specifically, how to move on.  I don't ask questions in it, if you listen you'll understand.  To make listening more of a focused act, it's digitally mastered to sound OLDER than it really is, which is my overall sound, thus making the album an AudiBook, the first of its kind.

TGLR: Yea, sounds real legit, I hope I got enough saved up to buy it, stuff is getting expensive now a day! What are your views on iTunes vs. Buying LP's at a store?

Charles Hamilton: iTunes has some gems, but you can be more hands on buying LP's

TGLR: True true... Do you think that album and single leaks on blogs are good or bad?

Charles Hamilton: Depends on the quality of song and artist

TGLR: Let's say you have a really great song, but a crappy artist (like a one hit wonder, i.e. Soulja Boy's Superman Song)

Charles Hamilton: Well it's funny, I wouldn't say Soulja Boy is a crappy artist anymore, and I didn't say he was before, I just didn't want our lanes confused.

TGLR: Oh no, I was just refrencing that, I am personally not a big Soulja Boy fan...  Haha, not trying to get you and Soulja mixed up, no worries

Charles Hamilton: Honestly, I don't like calling artists crappy anymore, that makes creating competitive... Are we competing or sharing?

TGLR: I like to think that musicians share... but sadly in today's industry it is the other way around.

Charles Hamilton: Well, that's why I got my lane

 
TGLR: I hear ya, and that's what makes you unique and special

Charles Hamilton: Thank you

TGLR: Anytime, any collaborations on the upcoming LP?

Charles Hamilton: Show Tufli, Crooked I

TGLR: So guys from your group... no Asher Roth's or anyone like that?

Charles Hamilton: No

TGLR: I see, well that's still cool, it's good to see musicians not adding on other people sometimes, gives you a true feel for who they are.  Alright, my last question.  I recently spotted a video on Hood News that featured you and a female. During the video, you start a rap battle and the video ends with her punching you in the face... care to explain/elaborate?

Charles Hamilton: No, I said all I need to say.  The situation is over

TGLR: Fair enough, thanks for taking the time to answer these questions and I guess I will talk to you at some other point, much love and good luck with the album!

Charles Hamilton: Thanks

Haven't Seen The Rap Battle We Were Talking About Above?  Check It Below:

Check Back Here For More Charles Hamilton Updates & More Interviews!!!

I love to laugh at stupid stuff, and then again, I am always tempted to post it up on the site! So go figure I am back at it again, posting up another silly video for you all to check out.  This one has B.o.B going in on Auto-Tune.  Regardless of whether he sounds good on Auto-Tune (which isn't the theme of the song), the dude has talent.  Eminem said it, B.o.B is one of the most talented musicians out there... He Sings, He Raps, He Produces, He Plays, what more can you ask for in a rising star!?  Bobby Ray has a lot going for him, and I think he will be one of the top MC's in the game, he is sort of under rated right now, and not everyone knows who he is (mainly because he is being grouped with the likes of KiD CuDi, Big Sean, Asher Roth, etc.).  Be on the lookout for more B.o.B news, and for his upcoming release... The Adventures of B.o.B.

Download The Track Here

B.o.B - Auto Tune:

Gotta get that album... YEA...  Ah, Asher was back at it again, and I know I am a little late on this one, but Ash just tears it up on the Black Eyed Peas hit single song, "Boom Boom Pow."  Dude really knows how to tear things up, and he will be leaving his mark on the music industry for a long time.  Ash Roth definitely knows where it is at, so be on the lookout for more Freestyles, Remixes, and other tracks from him.  Peep the video below, and feel free to download the track, it is very solid!

Download: [MegaUpload]

Asher Roth In The Studio Doing His Thing:

Well Jimmy Fallon sucks, dude just isn't funny.  On the other hand, the Beastie Boys + The Roots (Back Up Band) are freaking sick...  I think Fallon should just retire with the small dignity he has and just give the show up to some person.  I mean the dude just isn't funny, and I don't enjoy watching HIM on the show (and the name of the show is the freaking Jimmy Fallon Show!!!).  I would rather just watch his musical guests over watching him talk on stage.  Don't know if anyone else out there has similar feelings, if you do, feel free to leave a comment.  Oh, and by the way, The Beastie Boys still got it, they have gotten older, but the dudes are still able to rock out!

The Beastie Boys + The Roots on Jimmy Fallon:

Check Back Here For More Beastie Boys News, Be Sure To Check Back Here For More Updates On Their Upcoming Album, Hot Sauce Committee

Like our fellow Jewish brethren over at "It's The Real.COM", we agree, Drizzy Drake is the bee's knees.  The dude has taken over the music by storm, and there seems to be no end in sight to the amount of success he will have in the industry.  Besides him being a great musician, he is JEWISH, which is a rare commodity in the Hip-Hop industry.  If you go by Jewish lineage, then Drizzy Drake is Jewish (since his mother was Jewish).  I don't know how religious Drake is, but if I ever get a chance to do an interview with Drake, I will be sure to find that out for all of you!  Anyway, check out the funny video below, and we here at the Tha Good Life Reviews send much love to the Jew boys at "It's The Real" and our boy Drake.  Keep doing your thing, hopefully one day Drizzy Drake will meet Tha Good Life Reviews!?

Check Back Here For More Drake & It's The Real Updates!!!

Don't act like when you were a kid you were not diggin' the whole Toy Story movie thing.  If you deny it, then you are only being untruthful to yourself, and that's the worst thing to do.  Anyway, just saw this short little video posted up by Miss Passion over at The Young Kingz Daily 2.0 and I figured since I share a similar love for the whole Toy Story series, that I would do the same and post it up.  The movie is going to be 3D, and should be killer awesome, and I am sure that it will be getting pulls from people of all different age groups.  Just because you are eighteen or sixteen doesn't mean you should be embarrassed to go to the theatre and see this movie.  In fact, it is almost your duty to do so as a teenager who grew up watching these movies, it would be irresponsible to your childhood not to!  Anyway, the movie drops June 18th, 2010 (holy crap, 2010 is not that far away!), and I expect that if you go, you leave a comment somewhere on either my site, my twitter, or someone else's site/twitter.  This movie is kinda a big deal.  Check the teaser below, and be sure to leave a comment on what you think!

More Movie/Music Updates Coming Your Way In The Near Future!!!

Every now and then you find a funny remake or a classic Remix of the Week on our site, but this one is just downright clever.  I mean the lyrical flow that went down in the video below is pretty unreal, and I like that someone made a women's perspective of the whole, "Jizz in my Pants" ordeal.  Anyway, check the video below, I am sure you all are going to get a laugh out of it, and find it just as clever as I do.  Leave a comment and if you like the video enough, then send them a message on Twitter or leave a comment on their FaceBook fan page, these people deserve much love and props for what they did!  Leave a comment, and check back here for more remixes, mashups, reviews, interviews, news, and updates!

Check Them Out On...

Homepage

FaceBook

YouTube

Twitter

Every now and then, the music industry is graced with an album that is truly extraordinary, something that gives fans around the world a great listen, on every single track.  Back on my B.S. or known as B.O.M.B. is just that, in every sense of the word, "extraordinary."  B.O.M.B. features a lot of different musicians on a lot of tracks, and the album gives listeners a lot of everything.  Some tracks are fast paced songs that just get your riled up and ready for whatever it is you have to do, while other tracks are much slower, and have a heavier drum beat. Whatever the case is, every track on this album was straight fire, and even if you have not listened to Busta's other great albums, I would advise picking this one up.

Busta's most recent release features something that you don't really find on my other albums out there.  He put a concentrated effort on every single track, making each one good enough to be released as a single.  The great part about this album was that while it did take forever for its' release, it gave Mr. Rhymes and all who he worked with, enough time to truly make this project special.  Tracks like "Give Em What They Askin For," "Hustler's Anthem '09," "Respect My Conglomerate," and "Don't Believe Em" are all tracks that take time to make.  Those are just to name a few really great and stand out tracks on the album.  I wish more artists would take more time on their releases instead of spitting out a record each and every year, I would prefer a really great album every year, two years, or even three years!  Sure, I would be itching to hear new stuff from musicians, but that's what mixtapes, mashups, and remixes are for!  Musicians out there need to spend more time on their LP's and give the fans what they really want... Quality is better then Quantity.

Another thing that really made this album what it is was all the producers that went all in on this musical project.  Cool & Dre, Dr. Dre, Pete Rock Focus..., The Neptunes, Ty Fyffe, Mike Shinoda, DJ Scratch, Ron Browz, Mr. Porter, Jelly Roll, Danja, Swizz Beatz, King Karnov, Needlz (just to name a few) all played a large role on the outcome of the LP.  It seems like that no matter what Cool & Dre touch, it turns into solid gold.  Same goes for The Neptunes, Danja, Swizz Beatz and Dr. Dre.  I mean that is an all-star producing lineup right there, Busta drafted some of the top producers in the music game, and because of that, it put his album over the top. 

Producers can make or break an album sometimes, but in most cases, the musicians featured on an album can either really help advance the greatness of an LP or decrease the popularity exponentially.  Busta made excellent choices in who he had featured on tracks, and the thing that I love about Mr. Rhymes is that he puts a ton of musicians on his musical works.  He featured some big names on this album, such as: Weezy, Jadakiss, T-Pain, Pharrell, Akon, T.I., Jamie Foxx, Mary J Blige, John Legend & Common, and Estelle.  All of these musicians really helped put Busta's album over the decent/good level, and turned it into something truly special.  I think that this album will ultimately go down as one of Busta Rhymes' better albums, and if you don't really know his stuff, then I advise picking up this album and giving it a listen, I promise it won't be a let down!  Most of the tracks on the album are gold, and I don't know how someone put together an album so great (then again, he has had forever to work on it, seeing as it's original projected release date was December 4, 2007).  Anyway, the album came out May 19th (in the UK, the 18th) and is in stores now.  I give this album a straight up A, without any hesitation or denial.  Normally, I am hesitant with the grade I give an album, and generally give it two grades (i.e. A-/A or something like that), but I can confidently say that this album deserves a "A" and that it should be listened by all hip-hop/rap fans out there.  The LP is not done justice if you just listen to a few tracks, you have to listen to the whole thing through in entirety to see the true beauty and greatness of Back on my B.S.

Back On My B.S. (B.O.M.B.) Track Listing:

1. Wheel Of Fortune
   
2. Give Em What They Askin For
   
3. Respect My Conglomerate (Feat. Lil' Wayne & Jadakiss)
   
4. Shoot for the Moon
   
5. Hustler's Anthem '09 (Feat. T-Pain)
   
6. Kill Dem (Feat. Pharrell & Tosh)
   
7. Arab Money (Feat. Ron Browz) 
   
8. I'm A Go and Get My... (Feat. Mike Epps)
   
9. We Want In (Feat. Ron Browz, Flipmode Movement, Spliff Star & Show Money)
   
10. We Miss You (Feat. Demarco & Jelly Roll)
    
11. Sugar (Feat. Jelly Roll)
    
12. Don't Believe Em (Feat. Akon & T.I.)
    
13. Decision (Feat. Jamie Foxx, Mary J Blige, John Legend & Common)
    
14. World Go Round (Feat. Estelle)
    
15. How You Really Want It (Feat. Jesse West) (Bonus Track)
    

Game one is in the books, Osgood looked super solid in the next, making thirty one out of thirty two saves.  The Wings also got extreme production out of some of their main playmakers, and got goals from Brad Stuart, Johan Franzen (The Mule), and last but most definitely not least, Justin Abdelkader (featured above, he has scored his first playoff goal, and is a former MSU hockey player).  I don't think I have seen a prettier goal than the one Abdelkader scored today.  He somehow grabbed the puck out of mid air off a high rising rebound, and then threw the puck onto the ice, and with one foul swoop with his stick, the pick goes off the far post and into the back of the net.  It was truly something special, I will look to get it posted up somehow.  Looks like my predictions are correct thus far, the Wings are well on their way to winning the Stanley Cup for a second straight season!  I am going to say that the Wings win the Cup in five, but that's just me!  The next game is tomorrow night at 8 P.M. (ET), and if you are an avid hockey fan, you should tune in, mainly because this series is one of the most high packed, energy filled, and highest hitting contests in the playoffs this year!  Congrats to the Wings on going 1-0 in the series, time to sit back, relax, and watch the Wings kick some more butt tomorrow night! GO WINGS!!!

Normally Remix of the Week does not come this early/late in the week, so expect a whole bunch more coming your way in the coming week.  I haven't seen any remixes up as of late, so when I stumbled upon this one, I figured it was a, "must add" on the site!  I like to keep you all well informed and well advised on what is going on in the music world, and that is one of the reasons why I do this site!  I truly loved "3 A.M." when it first started hitting the airwaves, but there just seems to be something special about Travis Barkers remix of the hit new song.  It seems as though whatever Travis remixes turns into instant GOLD.  I guess he has that golden touch.  I have never really stumbled onto any compilations of Mr. Barkers remixes, but I assume that some day there will be one formed... Maybe it will be a project for our site!?  Who knows!  Anyway, check out his remix of the hit new song, "3 A.M.", and be sure to be on the lookout for more remixes by Travis and his crazy drum skills!

Download It Here: [zShare] [MediaFire]

Download Travis Barker & DJ AM's Fix Your Face (Mixtape) HERE

Travis Barker - "3 A.M." Rock (Drum) Remix:

Lethal Chaos - "3 A.M." Rock (Guitar) Remix:

Check Out The Banned Ad For Relapse:

Also Check Out Who The Next Joker Might Be Played By... The Dude Is For Sure Crazy Enough To Play The Part! (via 2DopeBoyz)

ON A SMALL SIDE NOT (no, not the writer on our site named TheSideNote)...

Eminem recently addressed Nick Cannons accusations about his calling out Mariah Carey on his track, "Bagpipes From Baghdad" and said that he knows his comments were harsh, and he doesn't really understand why Nick Cannon was, "Wild n' Out".  Be on the lookout for more Eminem beef in the near future.  I guess we would be hard pressed to think that in Eminems return to the music industry, people would not get offended and take things the wrong way.  The dude has been rapping this way his whole career, so why do people take all his lyrics and crazy talk seriously, just let him do his thing, he is a great musician, maybe musicians out there should just take him a little less seriously when he attacks people in songs...

Surprisingly enough, this is our first Matisyahu post... and I can guarantee you that it won't be our last, I guess I never really got around to covering his first two/three albums, but that's all about to change!  My brother just showed me this sick song by the Hasidic rapping reggae musician.  The song is entitled, "One Day", and will be featured on his upcoming LP release which is to titled, Light!  The album is set for an August 2009 release, but with the way that musicians work, I would be hard pressed to believe that the album date doesn't change (seeing as it is not too close to today's date, it's hard for me to believe that the date won't get bumped around.)  The song is sick, just straight up sick narsty doodle (I don't think that is an expression, but I guess it is now, because I just used it).  The track features some great vocals, some crazy beats, and the message is so beautiful.  If there is one guy out there that I would love to just sit down and do an interview with, it would most definitely be Matisyahu.  The guy just seems so interesting, so nice, and so inviting!  I hope that one day, both Matisyahu and myself could sit down at a kosher cafe' and just talk, it would be a dream come true!  Anyway, check the song out below, and keep checking back here for more Matisyahu updates, news, and releases!  We will do a review of his past musical works as the potential August 2009 release date approaches!  PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT, I have been rocking this song on replay so much as of late!

Matisyahu - "One Day" Single:

Check Back Here For More Information On The Upcoming Album Entitled, Light!, In Stores August 2009!!!

I'm always one for a good laugh, and seeing as I haven't had one in a short period of time, I figured this video would be great to just post up for the heck of it.  We are not solely a music site (as we used to be), and I like that both myself and my co-writers can post up stuff that we find interesting and "funny" (although you all probably don't have the same humor that we have...)  This video has got Nick Swardson (Grandma's Boy, 2006) in it, along with David Spade and Simon Rex.  I guess T.G.I. Friday's better watch their backs!  Leave A Comment Below!

Check Back Here For More Updates, There Should Be Tons Of New Stuff As The Day Progresses!!!

It's something special when technology advances, but I think that all those gamers and technology geeks out there are going to be having their minds blown (probably the first thing that is going to get blown for them, just kidding) with the announcement that there will be a DJ'ing segment/game added to the Guitar Hero series.  Now let's think about this for just about one second; is this just going to be another Guitar Hero'esque game, or are we dealing with something way cooler!?  On top of that, the news is that both hip-hop/rap legends Jay-Z and Eminem are teaming up and giving some of their material to the game.  It was epic enough for them to make the original Guitar Hero, but this is just something special!

Now wait a minute... This could actually suck.  I mean if we think realistically about this, how hi-tech and tech savvy are the creators of Guitar Hero going to get with this.  Is the turn table actually going to turn!?  There is no confirmed schematics (that I have come across) for the turntable that will be provided upon buying this epic game.  Let me put it this way, the game is either going to flop because it will be too hard, to easy, or too simple.  They need to be very careful in deciding the look for the turntable, and the difficulty of the game.  It can't just be a three button turntable and the wheel doesn't move (as depicted to your left), and at the same time, it can't be as complicated and crazy (as depicted below).  Anyway, it is up to you to decide whether or not this game will be "epic", stellar, or just downright dumb... I mean I am hoping that with the creative genius of Eminem and Jay-Z, the game will be just straight up dope...  

The More Advance Version... NOTE: IT LOOKS PRETTY FAKE!!!

Some Comments Made On The Upcoming Game:

"an extension of what we do. I put out a cappella versions of my albums because I encourage mashups and this sort of thing. When I put out an a cappella version of The Black Album (in 2003), The Grey Album (a mashup of Jay-Z's lyrics with The Beatles' White Album) was created by (DJ) Danger Mouse and there was this whole phenomenon on the Internet. That is pretty much how I feel. It's a natural integration and blending of cultures and sounds and genres. I always encourage that. … It's not I want to be in the video game business. I want to be in the business that does that." - Jay-Z on the upcoming game and why he releases A Capella albums

"after seeing what Activision did with Guitar Hero and how innovative and successful that was in combining music and great game play, I felt comfortable with working with them. They are as passionate about video games as I am about music, and we both also really enjoy the other's field of work. I'm an old school classic video game fanatic, I have an entire arcade at my studio. ... I am actually pretty obsessed with the classics like Ms. Pac Man and Donkey Kong. But I have a Playstation, Xbox and a Wii also. Remember, I've got kids at home - so I'm always up for a challenge on whatever games they think they can whup me at." - Eminem on why he got involved with the game

What Will Be Featured On The Game?

The complete list of tracks the rappers are providing is still being worked out. Jay-Z plans on including Izzo (H.O.V.A.) and Dirt Off Your Shoulder for sure. Also possible: tracks from his in-the-works Blueprint 3 album. “I have a ton of content, I just need the pipeline,” he says. “I love the freedom of (DJ Hero). I could wake up tomorrow morning with the idea for a song and call the guys at Activision and start working on getting it out.”

Eminem is more cryptic about his contributions. “I don’t want to give away any surprises yet,” he says in an e-mail interview. “DJ Hero will include my music, and I’ll be providing additional material as downloadable content by the end of the year.”

Players use the features on the game’s controller — a rotating record platter, sampling buttons, an effects dial and a cross fader — to match streams of song tracks, create effects and add personal touches to score points.

“You actually get lost doing it,” says Jay-Z, who has played the game. It creates “a DJ’s universe,” he says.

In addition to single-DJ action, two players can compete or play cooperatively. Special mixes will let players use the Guitar Hero controller. The game spans hip-hop, electronica, R&B, soul and pop/rock with songs by 50 Cent, Beastie Boys, KRS-One, Blondie, N.E.R.D., Gorillaz and David Bowie. Superstar DJs such as DJ Shadow, DJ Z-Trip and DJ AM will contribute, too.

“You are going to get over 100 songs from 80 artists and 80 brand-new mixes that have never been heard before, including one with Eminem and Jay-Z (together),” says Guitar Hero president and CEO Dan Rosensweig.

“This is a game I can see myself actually playing,” Eminem says. “DJ’ing is fundamental to rap music, so it’s a great fit.” - From 2DopeBoyz

How The Controller Will Work?

"Players use the features on the game's controller — a rotating record platter, sampling buttons, an effects dial and a cross fader — to match streams of song tracks, create effects and add personal touches to score points." - USA Today

Jay-Z Discussing His Experience With The Controller: "It creates "a DJ's universe"" - USA Today

For More Information, Visit These Site(s):

DJ Hero Homepage

Compatible With...

XBox

Playstation

Wii

Don't Know If This Is The Real Deal Here, But Here Is The Cover For DJ Hero:

More News & Updates To Come In The Near Future... Be On The Lookout For DJ Hero To Hit Stores THIS SUMMER!!!

Something epic has just gone down, maybe not the most epic thing in everyones lives, but when two of my favorite things combine together, I define it in only one simple word... EPIC!!!  I am a huge Dr. Dre fan, have been for a very long time.  At the same time, I am an avid Dr. Pepper fan... So when I am flipping through the TV channels and stop to see a Dr. Pepper commercial with Dr. Dre in it, I got all giddy and excited!  Now it doesn't work the same for everyone, I just truly love music and it is such an integral part of my life, so call me crazy if I get worked up like this for small things that involve musicians and soda pop.  Anyway, check the commercial below, and trust him, he's a doctor!

New Dr. Pepper Ad Featuring Dr. Dre:

More Dr. Dre/Detox News Coming Your Way In The Very Near Future!!!

Mat Kearney just seems to know what he's doing. As my life becomes exponentially busier by the second, I find it hard to sit down and listen to a full album for sheer appreciation purposes. I get new albums for reviews, but I never seem to always listen to the whole album, and if I do, it is in numerous listening sessions where I can't keep my mind on anything. Fortunately, the nice people over at Columbia Records sent us a copy of Mat Kearney's City of Black & White, and I immediately bumped it in my car. I was able to listen to the whole CD more than one time through, and all in one session. As I expected, Mat did a phenomenal job. He put together an experience, weighting all songs equally, and devoting his heart and soul to every track. The album was golden.

As I was going through the tracks to select my favorites, I found it extremely difficult to pick a few out because they were all really good. Usually artists invest all of their energy into one or two songs, but with Mat, he makes sure to keep himself in check. My favorite track on the album had to be "Annie", followed by "Fire and Rain", "Closer to Love", "Lifeline", "New York to California", in no particular order (actually in numerical order as they appear on the album).

Mat is special because he's an acoustic artist. His music is soft, his voice soothing, and lyrics powerful. It seems as if he transitioned more from his rapping and upbeat days, into a calmer state of euphoria, but his message is not lost. The first time I heard about Mat Kearney was when I saw him open up for John Mayer and Cheryl Crowe a few years ago at Jones Beach. He was hot, new, fresh, and the man. My friends saw him Wednesday night, opening for Keane, and remarked that he was real, down to earth, but more chill. They said he just sounded exactly like he does on his albums. While I enjoy his style, I feel like this album was a little too chill compared to his last album, and he's beginning to fade away as he drops the hip hop funk. It would be terrible to lose Mat at the expense of his awesome music, but it seems like people these days are pushing for Kanye, Shopping Cart Drizzy Drake, Lady Gaga, etc. Don't get me wrong, I grew up on Classic Rock, and alternative rock like Guster and Dispatch, and Mat appeals to me. But to the masses...I don't know what he can do. We need to push him over the edge, and I don't know if he can do that with a soft album like this one.

That being said however, I rate this album a solid A for the overall experience that the album provides. Every track has its own special meaning, and every track has a purpose. I hope that Mat experiences success with this release, and that we see him grow into the future. Man, I love Keane, but what if he opened for Coldplay...what if?

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• Mat Kearney Explains 'Concise' New Album (idiomag.com)

It's about time that people out there start warning young teens and others who are sexually active about the dangers of unprotected sex.  Now normally I won't turn this site into an ad for causes out there, but I do believe that it is important that people out there are warned about the dangers.  It is good to see that celebrities such as KiD CuDi (who may not do it in the most conventional way) show their support for a better, safer, and healthier lifestyle for all.  Anyway, check out CuDi spazzin' below, dude has a point, and for everyone out there that is sexually active, be safe, use protection!

Eminem is a straight up "G", and the album was rather great and had a lot of meaning to it.  Em talks about the upcoming class, and shows his love for Asher and B.o.B.  Ya'll better watch out for B.o.B., the dude is straight crazy and will for sure be bringing it hard in the coming months leading up to his Freshman LP release!  Just some questions that I would love to get some answers to... Has Eminem changed the face of hip-hop/rap?  Has he had a huge influence in upcoming MC's?  Is Asher Roth THAT similar to Eminem?  Will B.o.B. one day sign to Shady Records!?  Leave your comments below!!!

Check out the music video below... It is pretty sick, and with 'Ye on board his "Spaceship", this music video has the makings of "OUT OF THIS EARTH" status.  Hi-Tech and Spacey is something that comes to mind when you watch this bad boy.  Not to mention, The-Dream has some pretty attractive female in this music video.  Anyway, check out the music video, not much to say about it, it's a rip from the TV, when we get a DVD-esque rip on the web, we will post it up or link to it!  Leave a comment about what you think on the music video, the album, and The-Dream.

Check Back Here For More The-Dream/Kanye West News!!!

You all know I am an avid Detroit Red Wings fan, and I will be until the day I die!  I was elated to find out that my men in red had eeked out a victory against the Chicago Blackhawks last night in OT, but what made me even happier as a Red Wings fan, and as a fan of the sport of hockey, was the fact that the Detroit Red Wings will be taking on the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Stanley Cup Finals this year.  If you don't follow hockey, then you wouldn't really care that the two teams are meeting up for A SECOND STRAIGHT TIME in the Cup Finals.  The two teams really went at it last year, and while it was an outstanding matchup, the Red Wings won the series and took home the cup, which was rightfully theirs!  It would appear that since taking the cup from the Penguins last year, they have also taken Marian Hossa (one large factor and player for the Penguins last year), and Ty Conklin (who was on the Penguin, but signed with Detroit as a backup for this season).  There is going to be a lot of high-intensity play going on, a lot of huge hits, flashy goals, and oh yes, a whole bunch of smack talk on and off the ice.  This series will be filled with emotion and heart, and I think that even people who are not fans of hockey will appreciate the hard fought series that is about to go down against these two teams.  My prediction is that the Wings will repeat (the first team to do so since they did it in '97 and in '98).  Feel free to drop a comment and give your opinion on what the series is going to be like, I would love to hear some feedback from me fellow musical sports fans. 

PS. Darren Helm is the man, dude killed off a penalty last night for like 25 seconds by himself, scored a goal, and has a pretty hot girlfriend... what more can you ask for!?

The Series Should End With Something Like This...

GO WINGS!!! GIVE THEM PENGUINS HELL!!!

I'm sorry, but this video is straight up crazy...
Yeezy is downright paranoid.
Thanks for the Peep from Alex @ LiveAGl

Unfortunately, Maino isn't ready to release just yet, as the release date for his album has been pushed back to next month...But don't you worry! We here at TGLR KNOW that his album is going to be straight fire. With his first single, "All The Above", even getting a little remix with Young Jeezy (Peeped @ yk2d), we are excited for the release of his new album, If Tomorrow Comes. The album will drop June 30th, and thanks to XXL, we have a confirmed Tracklist for Maino's release.

XXLMag.com has obtained the official track listing for the LP as well as the album credits. Boasting 19 tracks, five of which are skits, Maino recruited an impressive lineup of producers for the disc. Along with Just Blaze, who provided the sounds for Maino’s second single, “All The Above,” – which was recently certified Gold - Swizz Beatz has also hopped on board for the MC’s latest single “Million Bucks.” Other big names on the album include Rick Ross hitmakers the J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, “Amusement Park” producer Dangerous LLC and Charlemagne. As far as artist cameos Maino shares mic time with former Cash Money rapper B.G. on “Gangsta” and R&B crooner Trey Songz assists on “Hood Love.”

Tracklist:

1. Million Bucks (Feat. Swizz Beatz)
2. Scene 1: If Tomorrow Comes…
3. Back To Life (Feat. Push! Montana)
4. Remember My Name
5. Gangsta (Feat. B.G.)
6. Scene 2: The Meeting
7. All The Above (Feat. T-Pain)
8. Here Comes Trouble
9. Scene 3: Hating
10. Hi Hater
11. Let's Make A Movie
12. Kill You
13. Scene 4: Contemplating
14. Runaway Slave
15. Soldier
16. Hood Love (Feat. Trey Songz)
17. Floating
18. Scene 5: The Phone Call
19. Celebrate

Thanks Max for the tip...now we know where Em has been!
What a thug.

It's our boy Mike Posner, and he's back for more! Tearin' up Soulja Boy, bringin' it hard, he has just delivered his remixed version of "Kiss Me Thru The Phone". Check it out! It's pretty ill and if you love Posner you'll be sure to love this song. Comment on here, because Posner reads the blog. He'd love to see your feedback.

Payce!
ICECrush


Download Posner's "Kiss Me Thru The Phone" REMIX!!!

Hey guys what's up? Hopefully everything is going pretty well in your lives, because I know everything over here is awesome. This week's remix of the week is by a sweet Belgian musician named Milow, and he did a fantastic job remixing 50, Timbaland, and JT's "Ayo Technology". He then produced a music video with Homerun Records & MTV Networks, and is scorin' over 11 million views on YouTube. What a dude! Perez Hilton and Kanye posted up this music video on their blogs, so it would seem silly not to post it up on ours. Shout out to Tets who sent it to me through Facebook. Social networking is really something isn't it? This music video is fantastic, and I can't stop watching it. Acoustic versions just downright blow away the originals; e.g. Thugz Mansion ft. Nas. The ladies in this vid, the deVilles Harem Girls, are pretty hot too!

Aight, Keep it real,
ICECrush

Rap and hip-hop is nothing without its roots, and before the mixtapes, the remixes, the beats, and the SouljaBoy, there was only the rhythm and rhyme of the words. Spoken word poetry pays homage to that simpler time, and delievers soul-rattling calls for change with straight fire delievery. These clips are from the HBO show Def Poetry, and I cannot stop watching them, and soaking in the lyrical genius. These three are just a few of my favorite poem productions:

The Hebrew Mamita is Vanessa Hidary's kvetching opus for Jewish identity in a world of secular skeptisim. It hits home for me, as a member of the Tribe Called Moshe, but the language enraptures anyone who will listen.


Niggers, Niggas and Niggaz calls out the black community's constant use of the N-Word. Some may argue that African Americans have "taken back" the slur of white slave masters, but Julian Curry questions the prevalence of the ugly word in the vocabulary of blacks in America.


Before John Mayer and Graduation, there was just Kanye on stage and his accapella rendition. Bitter Sweet was just a poem, and is amazing to hear when he's performing the spoken word. Extra bonus: freestyle with extra egotism!



Know your roots, and the rap just keeps getting better.
--TheSideNote

Have we got a great summer coming up! Pretty soon Fuse will be kicking off its Fuse Fest summer musical festival programming featuring BONNAROO '09! What I would give up to be there. Anyway, On June 20th, the network will be airing a one hour concert special highlighting musical performances from Bonnaroo ’09, entitled "Fuse Fest: Bonnaroo 2009." This year's Bonnaroo acts include Snoop Dogg, MGMT, Phish, Animal Collective, Nine Inch Nails, Beastie Boys, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band and MANY more.

Tune-in to Fuse on June 20th at 9pm/8c to catch the BEST performances from 'Roo '09. Check out the video teaser here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ng6yVedVAc

If that’s not enough, Fuse will be counting down to Bonnaroo ’09 all month long with plenty of other Bonnaroo-related concert specials, including “Fuse Fest: Bonnaroo 2008,” a 1 hour show highlighting Bonnaroo ’08 performances from Metallica, Jack Johnson, Mastodon, Raconteurs and Pearl Jam on June 3rd at 10pm. A night of Bruce Springsteen on June 11th starting at 8pm that includes a Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Concert, followed by “Bruce Springsteen: Making of Working on a Dream,” a special documentary on the making of the Boss's newest album premiering June 11th @ 10:30pm, and much, much more!

For more information on Fuse’s Bonnaroo ’09 concert special and programming, head here: http://fuse.tv/tours/bonnaroo

*Fuse national carriers:
DirecTV channel 339 and DISH Network channel 158.
Or, to find Fuse TV in your area, click here:http://fuse.tv/channelfinder.html

It's no secret that TGRL is a fan of Asher Roth, so I was pretty surprised to see an article about everyone's favorite college student pop up on the front page of TheDailyBeast.com, a news and pop culture site to which I am mildly addicted . Written by black officionato Touré, it described the racial threat of Asher Roth to hip-hop culture as a black music genre. Since Roth doesn't idolize or greatly respect blackness, it must be the Caucasianization of hip-hop as the African American community knows it.

I respect Touré as a writer, credible hip-hop enthusiast, and representer of black pride, but something got to me about a page in. He writes, "Hip-hop, like America, is anything but race blind, but Asher doesn't consider hip-hop a black thing—likely because he's from a generation of white kids that thinks black culture belongs to them, too.”

My eyes stopped flicking through the lines. Wait. Hold on. Who said anything about the take over of black culture? What if he just wants to rap? Is there really something that scary about another white rapper? I was confused, but I pushed on. Another quote from the article reveals the real problem. “Ok, but what’s wrong with Asher not wanting to be black? Shouldn’t he be happy being who he is? Sure he should. Everyone should be happy to be themselves. But in hip-hop nowadays being white is a perverse advantage and being happy about being white looks like being a little too happy about having a winning Lotto ticket in a roomful of losers. Because being white in hip-hop shoves white privilege in our faces. It makes the advantages of being white in America that much more obvious.”

It makes sense now; its the invasion of white mediocrity when blacks need to strive to just be heard. I wish I had seen this at the beginning, just leave all the cards on the table at the start and work from there.

Now, digs at Roth’s ability aside, I understand Touré’s worry. But, where does that leave me? I’m a white, teenage Jew who lives in an affluent neighborhood, and I don’t think, and will never think, that I am black in any way, shape, or form. On the other hand, I enjoy rap, I blog on TGLR, and have dabbled in writing rhymes. Am I also perilous to hip-hop, yet another “fan” who erodes the true roots of hip-hop?

I had a conversation in one of my classes of the validity of the n-word, and who should use it. I believed that black people could, and should, use a supposedly demeaning word because of their recognition of its roots and reversal as a prideful stand. A blond-haired girl vehemently opposed me, on the grounds that “I call all my friends n----, and it doesn’t really mean anything.” I buried my face in my hands, and sobbed for the lost causes of Malcom X and W.E.B DuBois. This is why race relations don’t work in our country. The new generation is supposed to be making this great leap into a colorblind world, but so many don’t care enough to actually respect others. It’s like white kids think that black culture belongs to…

Oh.

I guess I’m the minority. I recognize rap for its lyrics, beats, and flow, and leave the black pride for those who have it. What Asher Roth does and where he stands in among these racial rumblings is only known by him, but let’s just let him be for now. He’s not dropping n-bombs in his music, so that’s a start. Just let the white kid rap, see where he goes, and focus on techno/trans mainstream “hip-hop” that’s spewing from our radios. Popular black rappers can’t produce the rap needed to preserve the roots of hip-hop bodes more trouble than a rap album by a Caucasian artist.

Leave responses, rebuttals, reflections, and check out the full article here.

Keep scribbling in the margins,

TheSideNote

Drip, Drip, Drip, Pee on You

I am quite sorry that this week's Remix of the Week is delayed, but things are getting busy around here towards the end of the year. That being said though, hopefully you know that I will always bring you high quality remixes. For those of you that are Dave Chappelle fans, then hopefully you already have seen this clip, but if not, I bet that you'll love R. Kelly's "Doo Doo Butter". This remix with Nas puts a new spin on R. Kelly's "Ignition"; one that I really enjoy.

So enjoy, and COMMENT, COMMENT, COMMENT!
We'd love to hear from you!

Much love,
ICECrush

Chapelle Show: R-Kelly Piss On YOU - watch more funny videos

To: Asher Roth, Love: TGLR

IceCrush and I love to put together mixtapes with our collective iTunes power, and the only thing we love more is telling all ye faithful in the blogosphere. This new CD for our car is pretty different than our last installment (which can be seen here), but we're sticking with a few of our favorites. We got strong bookends from J-HOVA and Kanye, and some samplings of rap, rock, and remixes. Leave evaluations in the comment box, and keep on keepin' on.

1) This Way ft. Kanye West - Dilated Peoples

2) Dreaming of You - The Coral

3) She Loves Everybody - Chester French

4) Turn It Up - Adrian Champion

5) All Around the World - Red Hot Chili Peppers

6) Used to Love U - John Legend

7) Let's Dance to Joy Division - The Wombats

8) As I Em ft. Chester French - Asher Roth

9) Cooler Than Me ft. Big Sean - Mike Posner and the Brain Trust

10) Greener - Tally Hall

11) Somebody Told Me - The Killers

12) Kids ft. MGMT - Chiddy Bing

13) Sex on Fire - Kings of Leon

14) Hiphopopatamus Vs. Rhymenocerous - Flight of the Concords

15) Future Dads - Super Mash Bros.

16) What's My Age Again? - Blink-128

17) E-Pro - Beck

18) Love Lockdown (Tom Wrecks Remix) - Kanye West

19) Sould Meets Body - Death Cab for Cutie

20) 99 Problems - Jay-Z