The Original Dom Kennedy

Brand new Dom Kennedy mixtape, just dropped today. FutureSex/DrugSounds is still one of my favorite mixtapes of the past few years. If you're not up on Dom, here's your chance to listen to one of the more talented up-and-coming rappers in the game. I haven't listened to this tape yet, but if it's anywhere near as good as FS/DS, that would be a WIN.

Dom Kennedy- The Original Dom Kennedy

Throwback: The Notorious B.I.G.- "One More Chance"

Seeing as today marks the day Biggie was taken away from us (R.I.P. May 21st, 1972 - March 9th, 1997), I felt it was only fitting to make today's throwback in his honor. To this day, I still believe Biggie was the greatest MC of all time. His lyrics, flow, delivery, and tone of voice were all top-notch, and the man made hits for days. All this on top of the fact that he delivered a classic album (Ready to Die), and a near-classic as well (Life After Death), it makes it hard to dispute the man's greatness and the impact he had in such a short amount of time. "One More Chance" is just one of the many amazing songs in his catalogue, but I always seem to come back to this one because of the iconic image of him sitting on the staircase, plus the overall legendary aspect of the song.

The Race

Finally... a song off of Wiz's album that I can bump. I love the kid's mixtapes, but some of the stuff I've been hearing of late has been a little too commercial for my personal taste. Wiz claims "The Race" is his favorite song off the album, and although I haven't heard his new LP, I'd say he has good reason to make this statement- it's a real smooth beat, akin to something you might hear on Kush & OJ, so give it a listen...

Wiz Khalifa- "The Race" (props to nahright.com for the DL link)

Act II... Coming Soon

Although we still don't have a release date for Act II, Jay Elect decided to release a promo video for his upcoming highly anticipated mixtape. If the music reflects the effort that it appears he's putting into this project, I have no problem waiting a little bit longer until it drops. 'Til then, enjoy this visual of the making of what is assumed to be one of the songs on Act II.

Push A Ton

With only a few weeks until Pusha T unleashes his Fear of God mixtape, he's making a full court press in terms of getting the word out about his new venture with G.O.O.D. Music. Complex Magazine (which I'm convinced is one of the top publications in the world, now) did a comprehensive preview of the mixtape, which I couldn't be more excited about. With features and production from Pharrell, 50 Cent, Rick Ross, and Kanye, this could end up being one of the top releases of the year. You can check out the preview here.

Here's another leak off of Fear of God called "Cook It Down," which uses the instrumental of the Bun B and Drake-assisted song, "Put It Down." Be on the lookout for the 'tape to drop on March 21st.

Pusha T- "Cook It Down" (props to nahright.com for the DL link)

Throwback: Jadakiss- "We Gonna Make It"

I hate to go on a rant right now, but just listening to this song really brought somethin outta me. They just do not make jams like this anymore... everything is so manufactured- as NaS would say, "No Ideas Original." These days, it's basically grab Alex Da Kid or Lex Lugar to produce the track, and add some sing-a-long hook, and who cares about the content.

This right here though, is absolutely timeless... probably my favorite Jadakiss song, and a banger of a beat from The Alchemist, who I still think is way too underrated as a producer. I apologize that the video is censored, but if you want to check out the explicit version, I'm sure you can find it laying around the internet somewhere.

*by the way, pretty hilarious that Jalen Rose makes a cameo appearance from 3:03-3:06 lol

Throwback: Shyne- "Bad Boyz"

Before he got locked up, Shyne was without a doubt one of the most hardcore MCs in the game. His story is classic- legendary DJ, Clark Kent, discovered him freestyling in a barbershop. Clark noted how unique Shyne's voice was, and how it was so similar to that of the late Notorious B.I.G. "Bad Boyz" is one of the most gully songs you'll ever hear, with Barrington Levy doing his "jamaican wail" all over the track, and an incredibly sparse beat that leaves room for Shyne to get as raw as possible.

Rich & Black

Nasir Jones left a lot of people disappointed, including myself, when he failed to make an appearance on Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. 2. After all, NaS and Rae teamed up for one of the greatest Hip Hop songs of all time, "Verbal Intercourse." Many yearned for a "Verbal Intercourse 2," and in many ways, "Rich & Black" serves as just that. While it may not be the lyrical display that "Intercourse" was, "Rich & Black" does present two of Hip Hop's finest MCs doing what they do best over an incredibly dope beat. Be on the lookout for Raekwon's new album, Shaolin Vs. Wu-Tang, which drops on March 8th.

Raekwon feat. NaS- "Rich & Black" (prod. by Sean C & LV) [props to 2dopeboyz for the DL link]

OFWGFTA

Odd Future is a hip-hop collective based out of California who are everything that the rap industry is not. That is where a lot of their appeal comes from, though. A lot of the subject matter is darker, almost a la a 90's Eminem at times, but their delivery is definitely up to par with other young artists. Tyler, The Creator is the originator of the Odd Future clique.

Impressively enough, all of his music and videos are produced and directed by him. After being introduced to his music, I took the time to research some of Tyler and OFWGFTA's back catalog and I was impressed by the music as well as the message.

He recently released a video for his new song Yonkers, and made the Odd Future television debut on Jimmy Fallon with Hodgy Beats not long ago, wiling out and performing the song Sandwiches. The Yonkers video is wild, with an obscurely dark side, but it is done incredibly well. The attention the video has received is just evidence of the potential Tyler has to really break out. He recently signed to XL Recordings for a one album deal, keeping full creative control of Goblin, due out in April. Check out the video and links for a couple songs below.

Yonkers

Sandwiches ft. Hodgy Beats

AssMilk ft. Earl Sweatshirt

Rock Life, Every Night

This video had me captivated for the whole five-plus. The use of the flashing lights and colors throughout the video was pretty epic. I have to admit that I didn't know what to expect when the video first began, but I must say I am not disappointed with what Kanye West and Hype Williams put together. The visual for the song, off Kanye's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, also features appearences from Rihanna and KiD CuDi.

Word Around Town

Dr. Dre's young co-sign strikes again. This time, Kendrick Lamar recruited the help of Gucci Mane on the hook to revisit a former track. Through his lyrics, Kendrick addresses the materialism of life on the track Vanity Slave Pt. 2, embracing the positives and the negatives.

"Found my swag, but lost my roof."

-Gucci Mane

Speaking of Gucci, I am looking forward to hearing the work that he is supposedly doing with Wiz. In other relevant collab news, we can expect a project featuring both Kendrick and my man J. Cole, who is said to both produce and rap on the mixtape.

Vanity Slave Pt. 2

That's Really Raw

I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't a sucker for a smooth Pharrell hook. That's exactly what P creatively gives us on a new track from Tyga that he fully laces with a bumping Neptune track. The rapper, hailing from Compton, peppered the track with a few other Cali rappers, and he couldn't have chosen better. The Game and Snoop give this Young Money rapper's track a harder sound that we might not be used to from the dude who came out with Coconut Juice.

Really Raw

Perfectionists

Say what you will about Rick Ross, but over the past 2-3 years the guy has been one of the most consistent rappers out there. Trilla had jams, Deeper Than Rap was a step up, and Teflon Don essentially sealed the deal that the man is one of the hottest rappers in the game. Although his flow has undoubtedly improved, the one area where he consistently outshines the competition is beat-selection. With "Perfectionists," it's no different... The Alchemist steps behind the boards and laces Ross with an absolute heater. Rozay and Meek Mill trade bars over what I think is probably the dopest song out right now.

Rick Ross feat. Meek Mill- "Perfectionists" (prod. by The Alchemist)

For The Ladies

I guess I'm just in one of those moods. Check out the awesome J. Cole track off his most recent mixtape, Friday Night Lights. I can't wait for this kids debut album, due out later this year. The song features a verse from none other than Drizzy Drake, and you can check out the video below, as well.

In The Morning

Train Lights

I definitely deserve a late pass with Gilbere Forte', but if the kid keeps releasing music like this, I will absolutely put more time into his music. "Train Lights" is one of the best songs I've heard in 2011, thanks in large part to the production supplied by Bink!, one of Roc-A-Fella's go-to producers back in the day. Bink! produced three songs on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, and most recently produced Kanye's song, "Devil In A New Dress," and Rick Ross' song, "Cigar Music." That said, Gilbere holds it down on the track and spits some dope lines.

For more info, check out his twitter page here.

Gilbere Forte'- "Train Lights" (prod. by Bink!) [props to 2dopeboyz.com for the DL link]

Throwback: DJ Kay Slay- "Too Much For Me"

Back in 2003, Kay Slay teamed up with NYC-based rapper Loon & Amerie to release a single called "Too Much For Me," off of his compilation album Streetsweeper Vol. 1. The song was hot, but it went way under the radar and a lot of people missed it for one reason or another. I remember seeing it on MTV (back when they used to play music videos), and thinkin' that the song was hot (and it didn't hurt that Amerie was lookin real nice in the video). If you've never seen it, check it out- there's a good chance you'll find yourself humming it for the rest of the day.

Happy Belated Valentine's Day

Considering the holiday, I decided it would be a perfect time to revisit some great music. If you haven't heard it, U-N-I's A Love Supreme 2.0 is an excellent combination of RO Blvd's hard=hitting, progressive beats and Y-O and Thurz's delivery that has an almost old-school appeal.

A Love Supreme 2.0

RIP

Travis Barker just killed another track. While I am looking forward to Watch The Throne, the single H.A.M just never did it for me. I felt like it was missing something but with Travis gives the track a new energy by throwing down his drums over the original. While I still can't say I enjoyed it more than That's My Bitch, it's definitely an improvement.

H.A.M

She In The Mood For Jet Infused Music

The JETS and Taylor Gang link up once again on a (2)dopeboyz production. The track has Ski Beatz on the boards and McKenzie Eddy on vocals. Her hook is almost hypnotizing and it mentally prepares you for Wiz and Curren$y's verses. The song is the single to her A Prelude mixtape, but was originally featured on Pilot Talk. Check out the footage from the "Making Of" below.

McKenzie Eddy ft. Curren$y & Wiz Khalifa - Silence

Kick, Push, Coast

I don't know how I haven't heard this track before, but it's a great example of a young Drake. He still has the skill, but it's interesting to note his sound before the Young Money touch.

I couldn't pass up a remix of a classic Lupe track that could hold me over until the release of his album LASERS on March 8th. Is it to much to ask what a current-day collab between these two artists would sound like?

Lupe ft. Drake - Kick, Push Remix

Label Politics

For a while, I had been anticipating Big Boi's first solo album, Sir Luscious Leftfoot. With that said, I was more than disappointed to hear that the album would not feature any songs with Andre 3000 as originally planned, including Royal Flush with Raekwon.

Sadly, Big Boi recently signed with Def Jam for his solo album, and Jive Records refused to let any of the Three Stacks features recorded to make it to the final album.

Big Boi, being the man he is, wouldn't let a great track like Lookin' 4 Ya be taken away from the fans. Even though he was blocked from having this track on the album, he let light of day anyways. The track is dope and also features Sleepy Brown on the chorus. Peep the song below, and you can check out the album tracklist here.

Big Boi ft. Andre 3000, Sleepy Brown - Lookin' 4 Ya

Bonus: Big Boi ft. Andre 3000, Raekwon - Royal Flush

Unexplainable

Sometimes it amazes me to see some of the features different artists can pull off. There are artists like Yo Gotti that don't really do much for me. Impressively though, he was able to pull three of the biggest young rappers in the game right now over his Look In The Mirror Remix.

Wale comes in first for a couple of sick bars preceding Yo's verse. J. Cole and Wiz Khalifa tear it up next and their verses flow together pretty well. Overall, it's not an awesome or unique song that has me posting this, but what a couple of features can do for a track that I probably wouldn't give the time of day otherwise.

Yo Gotti ft. Wale, J. Cole, Wiz Khalifa - Look In The Mirror Remix

Yadidimean

At this point I guess it could be considered a guilty pleasure, but I do love me some E-40. There is something about his unorthodox delivery that I feel because you will never hear him sounding like any other artist. Combine that with his endless Bay Area slang game and somehow me makes the most complex lines just flow off his tongue.

I haven't heard much of his (two) new album(s), Revenue Retrievin' (Day Shift/Night Shift), but it seems like it's not up to the caliber of some of his older material. I became a fan when I was introduced to him sometime before My Ghetto Report Card was released because I remember my anticipation for that album. To this day, I still keep it in rotation.

On that note, one track I did enjoy off the Day Shift featured both Too Short and surprisingly 50 Cent.

E-40 - Bitch (ft. Too Short, 50 Cent)

Hola Hovito

I recently came across a remixed version of Jay-Z's Song Cry. DJ Green Lantern created the remix track that uses Chris Brown's Deuces track and chorus along with Hov's lyrics. The two songs work well together, and it sort of gives Song Cry a different feel.

Jay-Z - Song Cry (Green Lantern Deuces Remix)

Make It Rain

Not a big fan of Travis Porter, but I can't say I've listened to much of their music. One thing I have heard often is their instrumental to the track Make It Rain.

Some of my favorite young rappers brought their talents to the track. Wale, B.o.B and Chip Tha Ripper all take the track to the next level. I'm working on getting a version with all three of the artists on one track, but for now, you can enjoy each of them separately.

Wale - Make It Rain Freestyle

B.o.B - Make It Rain Remix

Chip Tha Ripper - Roll That Weed Bitch

I'm The King

As you may have read in previous posts on AYGP, The Game is set to release his next album, The R.E.D. Album, sometime this year. Many of supposed tracks have been leaked, and failed to create the kind of buzz I'm sure The Game was hoping for, so the album has been wrought with delays.

With some time until the release, he has released a two-disk mixtape with DJ Skee called Purp & Patron, as well as The Hangover. While I have yet to listen to them in their entirety, one of the tracks I'm The King does it for me, and could be the first single to the actual album.

The Games lyricism sounds effortless. He works the track well, gives us a nice little hook, and I definitely enjoyed the overall product.

I'm The King

I Wish A Tiger Would

If Pac Div wasn't enough, U-N-I have been bringing the heat over on the West Coast as well. I recently revisited A Love Supreme 2.0 which I recommend if you want a taste of what this duo can do. Y-O and Thurz bring us some a little bit of storytelling chronicling addiction in their newest release Muddy Jane.

The track is set to appear on their upcoming mixtape, Kings Keep Marching, out February 15th. While this track is definitely on a more serious tip, I'm sure we can expect plenty of bounce from their next release.

Muddy Jane (ft. BJ Da Chicago Kid)

Damn If I Lose

I don't remember the last time I liked a track with Jim Jones (see: We Fly High), but for some strange reason I don't mind him on this recent Lloyd Banks track.

When he started his comeback to the spotlight with Beamer, Benz, or Bentley I was seriously skeptical. Still rocking the raspy voice, one guest verse on Christian Dior Denim Flow and a Start It Up I might just be convinced.

Fly Like The Wind (ft. Jim Jones)

Shady 2.0

If there is one thing I need more in my life, it's a bit of Slaughterhouse. Thankfully that is something I can expect with their recent official signing to Shady Records alongside Yelawolf, a match that was made in hip-hop heaven.

I can not explain how much I enjoy seeing these four talented lyricists team up and absolutely demolish tracks. The combination of these very different artists over a wild piano track by Mr. Porter works well even without any sort of hook on the track Sun Doobie. The tracks Put Some Money On It with the LOX and Back On The Scene have also been leaked and are definitely not to be ignored.

The group is set to release their Slaughterhouse EP February 8th.

Sun Doobie

Have You Feeling So Thirsty

Sticking to the West Coast kick, some of you may have heard of the producer and artist Terrace Martin. He's worked with the likes of Snoop Dogg and recently collaborated with two other young talents in the industry.

First is Kendrick Lamar, the kid with the Dr. Dre co-sign, who sounds at home over the beat. The second goes by the name CyHi. The most recent G.O.O.D. Music signee has made his appearance on plenty of recent Kanye tracks. While at times he leaves me unimpressed, this track shows a bit of his potential.

Definitely a track I'll be playing before heading out this weekend.

Thirsty

See The Options Really Open

Finally got a bit of new music from the West Coast group Pac Div. This beat is out of control and the track is definitely something I've had in rotation lately. This will have to hold me over until the release of their newest mixtape Mania!. All of this will eventually lead up to the release of their debut album, Grown Kid Syndrome, where I hope they really come with it.

Your Fucking Song

I Can Only Make Only Hits

With late last years release of MBDTF, we have all been exposed to a ton of Kanye. The man has been releasing music left and right for the majority of November and December. He teased the fans with the G.O.O.D. Friday releases, giving out three of the best tracks off his album before it was even released. When his album dropped it quickly became one of my favorites of the year.

I recently came across the track Eyes Closed featuring easily one of my favorite artists John Legend. Since we didn't see this on MBDTF, I have to assume it's a leftover. Some of you might remember a few lines from the G.O.O.D. Music cypher performed for the BET Rewards. Regardless, I'm glad the track got to see the light of day. Kanye really brought it lyrically, and showed us a softer side with on the first verse

Eyes Closed

G.O.O.D. Music Cypher

This The Top, Oh Yeah, The Tippy

With his album, Rolling Papers, coming up, there has been a whole lot of Wiz being released. One of my favorite recent tracks is one that wont appear on the album. I have to admit that the autotune is a bit over the top at times, but Big Screen is a hypnotizing track that didn't end up making the Flight School mixtape. The melodic track is everything you would expect from Young Khalifa Man.

“Got me drinking out the bottle, Living for today aint thinking about tomorrow”

Big Screen

Throwback: Busta Rhymes - Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See

Busta Rhymes has been making some recent contributions to hip-hop, most notably on Chris Breezy's Look At Me Now track, where Chris tries his hand at rapping. Busta starts his verse by telling Chris "let me show you how to keep the dice rolling when your doing that thing over there."

It's amazing the resilience you see in older rappers like Busta Rhymes and Jay-Z for example. Busta is still spitting in the same fashion he was in 1997 when When Disaster Strikes dropped. The track Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See was the lead single off the album eventually was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Solo Rap Performance.

The sampling for the song came from Sweet Green Fields by Seals & Crofts and is transformed into the tribal-centric video that was inspired by Eddie Murphy's Coming To America.

2011 Music Festivals: Ultra Music Festival

If there is one music festival to attend this year, Ultra is it. There are few events like it in the world- almost every top electronic DJ will be there. With five different stages, and headliners like Tiesto, Deadmau5, David Guetta, Armin Van Buuren, Carl Cox, Moby, Kaskade, Laidback Luke, and many others, this year's show is sure to be one of the best festivals of the year. The party goes from March 25th-27th in Miami, and you can check out the full lineup here.

However, the one drawback of this year's show is that it is not happening the same week as Winter Music Conference. In the past, WMC worked in conjunction with Ultra so when ultra was over, WMC would host various DJs at clubs such as Mansion, Liv, and Space, among others. Some DJs have voiced their displeasure about this, most notably Axwell, Steve Angello, and Sebastien Ingrosso, a.k.a Swedish House Mafia. Rather than play at Ultra this year, they've decided to host their own 12-hour long show called the Masquerade Motel, alongside Calvin Harris, Duck Sauce (A-Trak & Armand Van Helden), Dirty South, Pete Tong, Max Vangeli, and an21. It's sure to be an incredible experience, and the mafia never fails to entertain.

Throwback: Papoose- "Alphabetical Slaughter"

Let's rewind back to 2004-2006 in NYC... Saigon was droppin' mixtape after mixtape, and was gearing up to release his debut LP (which is dropping February 15th of THIS year), and a Brooklyn-born MC named Papoose was killin' the scene as well. Pap used to hustle mixtapes outside of NYC-radio station, Hot 97's, office building. DJ Kay Slay got a hold of one and was impressed by the kid's talent. Papoose ended up signing a $1.5 million deal with Jive, but his album The Nacirema Dream was shelved indefintely due to "A&R hell"- essentially, disagreements over the album. Below, I've posted what is Pap's essential song, "Alphabetical Slaughter." He goes through every letter, A-Z, and "breaks it down for you."

I'm On My Level, Yeah...

Yesterday, a new song and accompanying video leaked off of Wiz's upcoming CD, Rolling Papers. "On My Level," which features O.G. legend, Too Short, is a hot little jam in the same vein as a lot of Wiz's previous material- "I take one shot to the brain, and I order three more shots, I'm goin' in...". All in all, I'm definitely feeling it and lookin' forward to hearing more from Young Khalifa.

2011's Most Anticipated Albums- #4: Take Care

If I have to inform who Drake is, you've probably been living under a rock the past two years. Needless to say, everyone knows the kid is on fire. His debut album, Thank Me Later, was certified platinum and spawned numerous singles including, "Over," "Miss Me," and "Find Your Love," all of which were "successful" (get it?). So when Drake announced that he had already started working on his new album, Take Care, people started talking about what improvements the kid from "Degrassi" could make on his sophomore effort. Drake, himself, has said that he didn't get to put the time and effort into his first album that he wanted to. This time around, he's looking to change that. Drizzy's already hit the studio with his go-to producers Boi-1da, and Noah "40" Shebib. And rumor has it that he's reached out to DJ Premier, Q-Tip, and 9th Wonder as well. The album should be fire, but we're probably gonna be waiting on it for a minute since no release date has been announced.

To hold you over, check out one of my favorite songs off of Thank Me Later... "Fireworks."

New York In The House, I Dare You To "Walk It Out"

Back in 2009, Blaq Poet, a Queensbridge-based MC (which also happens to be home to NaS, Mobb Deep, and Ron Artest among others), released an album called, Tha Blaqprint, on DJ Premier's label Year Round Records. It didn't sell particularly well, but that was never the point- it received solid reviews and went under the radar as one of the better releases of the year.

His video for "Ain't Nuttin' Changed," the first single off of the album, is about as Hip Hop as it gets. You got dudes from his hood, Poet kickin' rhymes, and of course DJ Premier cuttin' and scratchin' on the decks... you just can't top that.

We In The 25th Hour, It's Now Or Never

Not gonna lie, I definitely have a "late pass" when it comes to REKS, but the little bit that I've heard from him has been dope. To be completely honest, I don't have too much info on him but I plan on coppin' his album, Rhythmatic Eternal King Supreme, which dropped today. With production coming from DJ Premier, Pete Rock, The Alchemist, Nottz (of Dre's label Aftermath), Sha Money XL (of G-Unit), and Sean C & LV (of Diddy's crew, The Hitmen), this is pretty much a must-buy. REKS shot a video for his single (?) "25th Hour," which is produced by preemo. The beat is too serious, and he drops some nice bars as well.

Throwback: Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth- "They Reminisce Over You"

Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth's "They Reminisce Over You," also known as "T.R.O.Y.", is one of the greatest Hip Hop songs of all time. Pete Rock's funky horns, along with C.L.'s lament about a lost friend makes for what Pitchfork Media ranked as the #35 best track of the 1990s. "T.R.O.Y." always finds its way onto lists like "top tracks of the 1990s," and the "best Hip Hop songs of all time," and for good reason. There are few songs that can give a lasting impression, but this one is undeniably classic.

2011's Most Anticipated Albums- #5: Cole World

When J. Cole came onto the scene with his two critically acclaimed mixtapes, The Come Up and The Warm Up, people began to wonder who was this fiery, young MC from North Carolina. Having been featured on numerous songs the past couple months, the man has made a name for himself as one of the brightest up-and-coming stars in Hip Hop. He unfairly gets compared to Drake, but to his credit, he's made a lane for himself- he isn't trying to be the cool mainstream rapper/part-time R&B crooner. Instead, he's shown a lyrical dexterity that hasn't been heard from a young MC in quite some time.

A few months ago, Jay-Z signed him to his label Roc Nation and his debut album, Cole World, is slated to hit stores in March. With production from No I.D., Salaam Remi, The Neptunes, and Danja (Timbaland's protégé), Cole World should be one of the highlights of 2011. Below is the video for "Who Dat," which is the street single for his album.

Throwback: Camp Lo- "Luchini"

The Bronx duo known as Camp Lo, has released quality music over the years- most notably their 1997 debut album, Uptown Saturday Night. Upon release, it was widely acclaimed, and has since gained a cult-like status. Ski (now known as Ski Beatz), who is known mostly for the cuts he produced on Jay-Z's Reasonable Doubt, produced the majority of Uptown. Even if you've never heard of Camp Lo, you've most likely heard "Luchini." It's been featured in TV shows like "Entourage," and numerous commercials as well.

2011's Most Anticipated Albums- #6: Act II/ROC Nation Debut

If there is one man who could single-handedly resurrect lyric-driven Hip Hop back into the mainstream, it could be Jay Electronica. The man is a poet, almost prophetic with the way he "paints the picture." His first mixtape, Act I: The Eternal Sunshine (The Pledge), was unlike anything Hip Hop had heard in years when it came out back in 2008. But then he released the Just Blaze-produced bangers, "Exhibit A," and the reigning underground Hip Hop song of the year, "Exhibit C." When "C" dropped, all the Internet blogs went crazy... not only was the beat absolutely bananas, but then you've got this guy kickin' rhymes like, "so now I'm back spittin' that he could pass a polygraph, that Reverend Run rockin' Adidas out on Hollis Ave., that F.O.I., Marcus Garvey, Nikki Tesla, I'll shock you like an eel electric feel Jay Electra" .... ridiculous. Jay has been working closely with Just Blaze and Diddy on his next highly-anticipated mixtape, Act II: Patents Of Nobility, and recently signed a deal with Jay-Z's label, Roc Nation, to release his debut album. I'm excited to see what this man can do with a platform such as Roc Nation, because even with the most limited sources imaginable, Jay Elect can make music of the highest quality. Below is the preview for his song "Dear Moleskin," which was supposed to come out a while ago but still hasn't been released.

We Don't Believe You, You Need More People

You probably haven't heard of Slim Da Mobster, but it's a name should get familiar with. Hailing from South Central, L.A., Slim signed with Dr. Dre's Aftermath record label back in 2009, and has been ghost-writing for Dre's upcoming album, Detox. Like many Aftermath artists that have come and gone before him, I expected Slim to bite the dust just like Bishop Lamont and Rakim. However, two years later he's still around, and it appears that we have the first song (at least first I've heard) from Dre's newest protégé. I consider it a near miracle that this song is out because Aftermath is notorious for making music and never releasing any of it.

Slim Da Mobster feat. Xzibit- "Don't Believe You" (prod. by Nottz) [props to nahright.com for the DL link]

2011's Most Anticipated Albums- #7: Fear of God/G.O.O.D. Music Debut

In my humble opinion, Pusha T is one of the best MCs in the game. Alongside his P.I.C., Malice, the Clipse have released some excellent albums including Lord Willin', Hell Hath No Fury, and Till The Casket Drops. Pusha's dropped some of the hottest lines I've ever heard, most notably, "I move 'caine like a cripple," off of their 2002 hit song, "Grindin'." When news broke that Pusha would be signing a solo deal with Kanye's label, G.O.O.D. Music, I rejoiced as did many Hip Hop fans. Imagining Pusha rapping over Kanye beats, as well as the standard productions from The Neptunes, is an incredible prospect. Although no release dates have been mentioned, we do know that Pusha will be releasing a mixtape in the coming months called Fear of God, and his as-of-now untitled solo album should appear soon after. In the meantime, enjoy the G.O.O.D. music cipher from this past B.E.T. Awards featuring Pusha, Kanye, CyHi Da Prynce, Big Sean, and Common.

Throwback: Jay-Z- "Anything"

"Anything," is definitely one of my favorite Jay songs. When you hear it, it's obvious that it was produced in the same vein as "Hard Knock Life," with both of their samples coming from musicals (Oliver! for "Anything," and Annie for "Hard Knock Life"). This song actually wasn't on any of Jay's albums, it was released on Beanie Sigel's 1999 album, The Truth. I would love it if Jay made another sample-heavy album with producers like DJ Premier, Pete Rock, and Bink!. Blueprint 3 had some cool samples, but its focus was to build something for this day and age. I have a feeling that for that to happen, the stars would have to perfectly align, but one can only hope. For now, take a listen to one of the more underappreciated Jay-Z songs.

Shaolin Vs. Wu-Tang

One of the albums I foolishly left off of the "2011's Most Anticipated Albums" list is Raekwon's Shaolin Vs. Wu-Tang, which is the follow-up to his near-classic Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. 2. For whatever reason, Rae has gone under my radar of late, and I completely forgot about what should be one of the best releases of the new year. Earlier today, Funkmaster Flex premiered the title track off of the album and it is fire. This shit right here is tough as nails- exactly what you'd hope and expect from a member of the Wu.

Raekwon- "Shaolin Vs. Wu-Tang" (props to illRoots.com for the DL link)

H.A.M. (prod. by Lex Luger)

Here it is... the first single off of Jay-Z and Kanye's collaboration album, Watch The Throne. To be honest, I'm a little disappointed. Anytime you hear that the two of these guys are gonna team up, you expect some music that's gonna slap you across the face, but this is just 'eh.' And Lex Luger... people seriously need to get off this dude's jock, cause this is just getting outta hand. His beats are OK, but not hot enough where he should even be in consideration to be doin the first single for a project like this. Not hatin', just sayin'. Regardless, don't let my opinion stop you from checking this out, it's definitely worth a listen, just not quite as hot as I hoped it would be.

Jay-Z & Kanye West- "H.A.M." (prod. by Lex Luger) [props to illRoots.com for the DL link]

You Just Got To Be, The Best Thing For Me

I've always listened to a wide range of music, but of late, I've probably listened to The Black Keys more than any other band, MC, rapper, or DJ. The Keys have been around for a while, but I first started listening to them due to their Blakroc project, as well as the songs they contributed to the soundtrack of Eastbound & Down. Their combination of Blues and Rock & Roll is something the music world has been missing lately. It's great to see them getting some mainstream press, most recently with their performance on Saturday Night Live. "Just Got To Be" is one of my favorite Keys songs, so give it a listen.

Magnetic Man

Dubstep has really blown up over in the U.K., and here in the U.S. its following is getting larger and larger. Skream, Benga, and Artwork have been at the forefront of this movement. I wrote about Benga a few weeks ago, and you can check that out right here. Together, the three Dubstep maestros have joined forces to create a super-group called Magnetic Man. Their debut album came out back in October, with a sound that is very different than their usual thick sub-basslines. By incorporating more elements of 2step and drum & bass into their music, they've almost created a new genre of music- or at least a subgenre of Dubstep. Below, I've posted the video for their second single, "Perfect Stranger," which has been in heavy rotation for the past couple weeks.