New! Fabolous ft. Lil Wayne - "Salute"

Here's the Fabolous/Lil Wayne track off Fab's upcoming Loso's Way. Saw it at LilWayneHQ.com.

Fabolous ft. Lil Wayne - Salute

New/Unreleased Fabolous, T.I., The Game

Time to clear off my desktop. Ready? Go.

New Loso.

Fabolous ft. Ryan Leslie - Fabolous Life

Fabolous - Everything, Everyday, Everywhere

Unreleased T.I.

T.I. - That's What I Thought

The Game's new Jay-Z diss song

The Game - I'm So Wavy

New! Drake - "The Winner", "Juice", "Do It Now" + Heartbreak Drake (Full Mixtape)

Here's a few new tracks from the unofficial Heartbreak Drake mixtape, plus a link for the whole tape. "The Winner" is a beast of a track produced by Tha Bizness. I would write more about it, but I just ate so much Chinese food and I think I need to lie down. Really digging all three of these joints. Who says Drake is overrated? Drizzy!

Drake - The Winner

Drake - Juice

Drake - Do It Now

Drake - Heartbreak Drake Part Two (Full Mixtape)

01. Drake Signs (Intro)
02. Do It Now
03. Juice
04. The Winner
05. Slow It Down
06. Something
07. Stunt On You
08. Belly Shit
09. The One (Mary J Blige)
10. Invented Sex (Trey Songz)
11. Digital Girl (Jamie Foxx & Kanye West)
12. Successful f. Trey Songz
13. Unstoppable f. Lil Wayne & Santogold
14. Goin In f. Lil Wayne & Young Jeezy
15. Take You Down
16. Best I Ever Had (rmx) f. Ma$e
17. Thank Me Later Coming Soon (Outro)

New! Lil' Wayne & Grizzly Bear - 2 More Cuts!

Here's two more cuts from The Soundemen's project in which they use their production, Wayne vocals & Grizzly Bear samples. The first one a remake of Wayne's "Lollipop" remix w/ Kanye West. The second, I have no clue. Anybody know? I think Confusion might've posted it a while back also.

Lil' Wayne & Grizzly Bear - "Fine For Pop"

Lil' Wayne & Grizzly Bear - "Hate The Cheerleader"

New! Cam'Ron Ft. Mase & Da Kid Rossy - "Get It"

Ok, I wasn't expecting some new Andre today, but damn am I happy! Now another unexpected drop; some new, 2009 Cam'Ron & Mase!!

Cam'Ron Ft. Mase & Da Kid Rossy - "Get It"

New! Val Venosta - "Peace And Quiet Is For Libraries"

Here's a new cut from Val Venosta, a two man production team from Sweden, called "Peace & Quiet Is For Libraries". This is definitely a dope record, can't tell you how long I've had this on repeat. Please be sure to check out their myspace page!

Below the mp3 is the visual for the cut also!

Val Venosta - "Peace & Quiet Is For Libraries"

New! Andre 3000 - "Lookin' 4 Ya"

Just spotted this over @ the dopehouse; had to steal the pic too!!!
Andre 3-Stacks is definitely in my top 5 list of rappers. This joint is off of DJ Envy & Tapemasters Inc. *Purple Codeine Vol. 25*!
Just listened to this for the 50th time & realized it has tags on it, but nothing serious, obviously!

Andre 3000 - "Lookin' 4 Ya" | Box.net

New! Linus Loves - "Prom Night" (2 Remixes)

Here we have 2 remixes to Linus Loves hit, "Prom Night". The first one is delivered by none other than Don Diablo! The 2nd is done by BURNs!

Linus Loves - "Prom Night" (Don Diablo Remix)

Linus Loves - "Prom Night" (BURNs Remix)

Bonus: Also here's BURNs latest single!

BURNs - "Turbo"

?uestlove, Foreign Exchange, Zo! & Carlitta Durand - "Purple Flip"

?uestlove teams up w/ Foreign Exchange, Zo! & Carlitta Durand for this tribute record for Prince! Definitely a great song! Here's what F.E. had to say about this record:

"We recorded this over a month ago specifically for a ?uestlove tribute party dedicated to The Purple One himself. Other than passing it off to a few DJ friends who vowed to keep it on some secret squirrel, “bet you aint up on THIS!” status, no one has ever heard it. In the wake of the incredible loss we suffered on June 25 however, this joint took on somewhat of a deeper meaning.

We decided to share it with our fans not only as a token of appreciation, but also as a way of paying respect to one of our last living musical geniuses.

Let’s not wait until tragedy strikes before we show love and gratitude to our heroes, people. Give them their flowers while they live.

This one’s for you, Mr. Nelson. You are loved and appreciated."

?uestlove, Foreign Exchange, Zo! & Carlitta Durand - "Purple Flip"

The xx - "Crystalized"

*Hands in late pass, makes up excuse* I've been hearing a lot about The xx lately and I decided to finally check them out. They're already being considered a band to watch even though they only have 2 official songs and a few demos, and soon you'll see (hear) why. The xx is a young quartet out of London and lead singers Romy and Oliver showcase a nice male-female chemistry on the first single "Crystalized". This reminds me a little bit of a more subtle, flirtatious version of The Kills. Dark, minimalist, sexy, and smooth as fuck. I'm really loving this song. Got it at PMA.

The xx - Crystalized | Box.net

New! Peter Bjorn & John Ft. Wale, Young Chris & Rhymefest - "Nothing To Worry About" (Kickdrums Remix)

Peter Bjorn & John are teaming up w/ Mick Boogie to create an album called, *Re-Living Thing*. It is basically a remix of their album which was titled *Living Thing*. The project will be dropping August 1st.
They decided to leak the first single off of the original album which is called "Nothing To Worry About" & featured Wale, Young Chris & Rhymefest. It has now been remixed by The Kickdrums!

Peter Bjorn & John Ft. Wale, Young Chris & Rhymefest - "Nothing To Worry About" (Kickdrums Remix)

New! White Lies - "Death" (Serotonin Thieves Remix)

Just got this dope cut in my inbox earlier today! The Serotonin Thieves consist of Scott & Ryan and they are a DJ/Producer duo out of the U.K.
They shot me this email of their remix to White Lies track, "Death".

White Lies - "Death" (Serotonin Thieves Remix)

You can stream and/or download some of their other remixes on their soundcloud music page.

New! The Very Best - "Julia" and "Rain Dance" (ft M.I.A.)

More from The Very Best. Really cool stuff. The Very Best = Esau Mwamwaya + Radioclit. I've posted them on here a few times already, so you should know by now, but if you've been ignorant, it's like afro electro pop for the open minded hipster. Consider M.I.A. and Santigold like the gateways into slightly more, but not completely authentic stuff like this. I don't really give a fuck if I can understand them. I can't understand Dizzee Rascal most of the time either, and he's speaking English. But for real, I can't wait to hear more from them. The Warm Heart Of Africa will be out soon. Thanks to IGIF.

The Very Best - Julia | Box.net (removed)

The Very Best - Rain Dance ft. M.I.A. | Box.net (removed)

Video! 5 Year Old Korean Dances

Not really anything amazing, but this 5 year old dances like a drunken primate. Not bad, though. When I was 5 I still didn't know that I was in control of my own arms and legs. I thought all my movements were random.

Lil Wayne - "Sacrifice" ft Gudda Gudda, Mack Maine, Channell

Originally a mixtape joint, this one has been given the No DJ Treatment. At first, I saw this as a throwaway song by Lil Wayne and a few of his goons, but people are loving it, so maybe it deserves another chance. What do you think?

Lil Wayne - "Sacrifice" Gudda, Mack Maine, Channell

Wing Span - "Good Morning NY"

Wing Span will be dropping his first EP Growing Wings in August and even though I'm not very familiar with the emcee, I'm excited because the project is executive produced by up and coming producer Charlie Hilton. Here's a promotional track over the beat from Cage's "Good Morning".

Wing Span said of this track:

I was testing on a new studio when i did this track, recorded it very quickly. I'm in love with the whole NY hip hop scene. I wanted to do like a live gritty, talk shit, but still be kinda lyrical at the same time type of track. This is nothing serious, "Growing Wings EP" coming soon executive produced by Charlie Hilton, look out for it.

Wing Span - Good Morning NY

Forbes' 2009 Hip-Hop Cash Kings

I posted the full article in the Wings section, but (since there's not much else to post today) I figured I'd put up a quick recap. It's okay. Money's not everything, right? I'd rather be poor and not Diddy.

1. Jay-Z - 35 Million
2. Diddy - 30 Million
3. Kanye West - 25 Million
4. 50 Cent - 20 Million
5. Akon - 20 Million
6. Lil Wayne - 18 Million
7. Timbaland - 17 Million
8. Pharrell - 16 Million
9. T-Pain - 15 Million
10. Eminem - 14 Million
11. Dr.Dre - 13 Million
12. Snoop Dogg - 11 Million
13. Ludacris - 10 Million
14. Common - 8 Million
15. Will.I.Am - 8 Million
16. T.I. - 8 Million
17. Swizz Beatz - 8 Million
18. Andre 3000 - 7 Million
19. Big Boi- 7 Million
20. Flo-Rida - 6 Million
21. Rick Ross - 6 Million
22. The Game - 6 Million
23. Young Jeezy- 6 Million

New! 3OH!3 Ft. Kid CuDi & Mike Posner - "Don't Trust Me"

Not too long ago I posted this track, but without Mike Posner. Well Mike jumped on it and definitely spiced it up! Dope sh!t !!! Courtesy of DatNewCudi!

3OH!3 Ft. Kid CuDi & Mike Posner - "Don't Trust Me" (Remix Remix)

New! Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Heads Will Roll" 2 Remixes

Spotted this over @ Mossip!

Passion Pit & Weird Tapes both remixed Yeah Yeah Yeahs smash single "Heads Will Roll".

YYYs - "Heads Will Roll" (Passion Pit Remix)

YYYs - "Heads Will Roll" (Weird Tapes Remix)

Also, YYYs is holding a T-shirt contest. Basically, you design your own YYYs T-shirt & submit it to them. You get chance to have your T-shirt design published on their site, printed & sold on their tours & online store. For more details on the contest and/or to submit a design, click HERE!

New! Jet Audio Ft. CurT@!n$, Mickey Factz, Outasight & Danny - "Stand Alone"

Here's the title track for Jet Audio's project titled *Stand Alone Complex* which drops July 21st! This is a dope fricking track!!

Jet Audio Ft. CurT@!n$, Mickey Factz, Outasight & Danny - "Stand Alone"

MGMT - "Destrokk" Remastered

I read over at We Like It Indie that MGMT's 2005 Time To Pretend EP (crazy how long it took those two to blow up off old material) was remastered and rereleased today. Buy that shit here. A lot of the time I don't even notice the sound difference when post-90's stuff gets remastered, but it's nice to know that someone put the time/effort into making sure I get high quality sound.

MGMT - Destrokk (Remastered)

Tracklist:
Time to Pretend
Boogie Down
Destrokk
Love Always Remains
Indie Rokkers
Kids

New! Jay Reatard - "Wounded"

Jay Reatard’s new album Watch Me Fall comes out on August 4 (on vinyl) and August 18 (on cd and digital). The second promo MP3, entitled “Wounded,” wraps layers of Tall Dwarfs-ish acoustic guitar around a typically complex Jay song structure. In two and a half minutes it builds to an ironically celebratory refrain. We challenge you to get this one out of your head after listening to it a couple of times. via Matador Records

Jay Reatard - Wounded | Box.net

Video! Lil Wayne Interview @ Kobe Bryant Photo Shoot

Not sure why, but I get a kick out of Lil Wayne interviews. Maybe just because he's such an extreme character, that it's weird to see him face to face with another human being having a conversation. Here he is talking about Kobe, Rebirth, Hot Boyz Reunion. Courtesy of Shake.

Lil Wayne - Kobe Bryant | Box.net

VIdeo! Andrew Bird Performs "Oh No" On Conan

You know the deal: casually expressed but beautiful melodies, bad ass whistling, violins, and giant phonograph horn speakers. *Does Birdman call* Stuntin' like my daddy.

New! Lady Gaga - "2nd Time Around"

Gaga stated via her twitter that this is a song that she wrote for another artist as a reference. It's definitely different from the material that she normally puts out so it makes sense.

Lady Gaga - "2nd Time Around"

Music Video + MP3! B.o.B. (Bobby Ray) - "Put Me On"

Here is the video for Bobby Ray's reimagining of ATCQ's classic. Hip hop remakes of classics don't usually do much for me, but I think Bobby did a good job making this different enough to sound fresh.

Bobby Ray - Put Me On

Video! Unaired Michael Jackson Tribute from 2009 BET Awards

This was meant to air on the 2009 BET Awards but was scrapped (possibly to ensure there was enough time for Drake and company to frolic on stage with pre-teen girls to the smash hit about fucking every girl in the world (no shots, I love that song).

Bonus Vid: Mass Moonwalk On Seattle's Jackson St. (Courtesy of alibomaye's twitter))

Lil Wayne vs. Grizzly Bear - "2 Weeks Until Prom"

Ever feel like you are listening to something that was made for the internet? When I first got this in my inbox, I ignored it, because Grizzly Bear annoys me and I've heard enough Lil' Wayne mash ups in the past two weeks to hold me over until 2020. But like wildfires and STDs, this song seems to be irritating my crotch. I mean spreading quickly. So check it out. The Soundmen have created Veckaflyest, a 3 song project that mashes up Lil Wayne with Grizzly Bear. This is the standout track.

Lil Wayne vs. Grizzly Bear - 2 Weeks Until Prom |Box.net

New! The Cribs - "We Were Aborted"

Here's a new track from The Cribs off their upcoming "Ignore The Ignorant". Apparently those sneaky fuckers recruited Johnny Marr (The Smiths, Modest Mouse) to lend some guitar skills. He is like the Travis Barker of trendy rock guitarists. To his credit, he usually makes whoever he's working with a little bit better, and this is no different. Pre-Marr Cribs bored me on some "another senseless 'The' band from the UK" type shit. Post-Marr Cribs make me wanna fist pump! Check it out. Saw it at We All Want Someone.

The Cribs - We Were Aborted

New! Paramore - "Ignorance"

Here is the first single from the pop punkers' third album Brand New Eyes, out September 29th. I'm not really a Paramore fan. To me, it sounds very manufactured... like someone took a Kelly Clarkson song and said "How can we tweek this in order to appeal to a more rebellious, frustrated, teenage female audience?" then gave it to Paramore. Saw it at MFR.

Paramore - Ignorance

DMX - "Fuck You Bitch"

New and/or unreleased DMX entitled "Fuck You Bitch", barking included. Don't lie, I know you want it.

DMX - "Fuck You Bitch"

Video! Kinky - "Those Girls"

Here's the visual for Kinky's latest single "Those Girls" off of their *Barracuda* album which you can purchase HERE!

Kinky - "Those Girls"

Video! Jennifer Hudson Performs "Will You Be There" at Michael Jackson Memorial

What did you all think of the memorial?

New! Keshia Chante Ft. Drake - "Fallen"

New joint from R&B singer Keshia Chante featuring Drake. By the looks of it (via her myspace), Freeway was originally featured on this cut, but was taking out for a Drake 16.

Keshia Chante Ft. Drake - "Fallen"

Exclusive Interview w/ Izza Kizza

Izza Kizza found some time out of his busy schedule to chop it up me and answer a few questions. After listening to his latest mixtape (thanks to Confusion) I had a few questions in mind & coincidently his manager had already reached out to P&P in regards to an interview. First, for those of you who haven't heard anything from Izza, please download *The Wizard of IZ*. It's a great way to get introduced to him & get familiar with his sound.

Ramz: First just let everyone @ P&P know where you're from.

Izza: I'm from the bottom of the map....Valdosta, GA...

Ok, now I have to ask, where did the name "Izza Kizza" come from?

Izza Kizza is a name I chose as a cool factor ...something different that had an appeal… it also kinda describes my spicy delivery. When you hear Izza Kizza as a name, you can imagine what my music will sound like.... And when you hear my music, you can imagine my name being something like Izza Kizza.

The name definitely does match with the music; they both stand out! You have a very polished sound & strong mic presence. How long have you been laying it down on the mic?

I’ve been slayin’ the iron dragon (a.k.a the mic) for well over a decade...it grew from a hobby…to a art…and into a career. And now it’s a lifestyle. Most people may not realize this, but I engineer myself for my recording sessions. I learned to use Protools when I didn’t have an engineer. I decided "Fuck it, I’m gonna learn this shit and record myself". So I set the mic up right next to the board and the Protools computer and record all of my own vocals. One day, I will learn how to mix my own records as well.

CLICK HERE FOR THE ENTIRE IZZA KIZZA INTERVIEW

Izza Kizza - *Wizard Of Iz* (Full Mixtape)

New! The ILLZ - *This Is...* (EP)

New hip-hop artist from Jersey named The ILLZ recently dropped this EP in my inbox. Definitely a solid EP. It serves as a prelude to his upcoming album which is titled, *What Comes After*.

His description of this EP is:
Powerful, inspirational real hip-hop, with a unique and fresh style of production.

Gritty, intense lyricism with the promise of a future for the genre that has lost its way.

You can stream the EP HERE for free or download it below!

The ILLZ - *This Is...*

Support Frank Ramz!

I don't like to tell people what to do (yes I do), but I wanted to let you all know that Frank Ramz is nominated for the 2009 Artist To Watch at Urban Buzz Factor. To vote, go here and scroll down to the category "Artist To Watch".

Here are the contenders:
S.H.A.H CYPHA (www.myspace.com/shahcypha)
Frank Ramz (www.myspace.com/mrfrankramz)
City Scholar (www.myspace.com/cityscholar)
Mc Friction (www.myspace.com/mcfriction )
Moss (www.myspace.com/manofskilledstrategies )
Hunned Proof (www.myspace.com/hunnedproof )
Welches (www.myspace.com/welchesmusic)

You all know who I'll be voting for.

Frank Ramz - Make The Road By Walking (Full)
Frank Ramz - The Traitor

Mr. Hudson - Anyone But Him (ft. Kanye West)

Welcome back, Mr. Hudson. Another one from Straight No Chaser, out in October. Not bad, but from Mr. Hudson and Mr. West? I expected a little more. With all the talk about an album sampler (too lazy to search for it), not 100% sure that these leaks are actual full, finished songs. Still very excited to hear the rest of this album. There are a few snippets going around that sound craaazy.

Mr. Hudson - Anyone But Him (ft. Kanye West)

The Bloody Beetroots ft. The Cool Kids - "Awesome"

Honestly, I wasn't going to post this, but I put it out on my Twitter (follow me, stop pretending you're too cool ((or not cool enough)) for Twitter) and it got a positive response. It's a great concept but the beat completely drowns the vocals out in my opinion. I guess it deserves a post just because it's a song with the Bloody Beetroots and The Cool Kids and it's called "Awesome." If I didn't post, I could wake up to a mob of angry hipsters. Plus, I will always support good DJs in masks. Always.

The Bloody Beetroots ft. The Cool Kids - Awesome

Mr. Hudson - "Everything Is Broken" ft KiD CuDi

7/6/09 = International Leak Your Shit Day.

Here's a track from Mr. Hudson's highly anticipated Straight No Chaser. Word on the street (when I say "street" I mean "internet") is that the entire album sampler is out. This track is labeled with that sampler tag, so I'm not sure if this is complete, or just meant as a teaser. The album is due in October. Thanks to DatNewCudi and ItsARap for the heads up.

Mr. Hudson - Everything Is Broken ft. KiD CuDi | Box.net

New! The Alchemist ft. Travis McCoy & Lil Wayne - I Know Your Name (Final)

I hate when bloggers brag, but I love Pigeons and Planes...just saying. Here is the final version of The Alchemist track featuring the Gym Class Heroes frontman and Weezy. An earlier version leaked but Alchemist decided to redo it and releak it himself. This beat is serious. I wasn't sure if this trio would work well together (autotuned Wayne over an Alchemist beat?), but welcome to 2009. Chemical Warfare is out tomorrow (7/7). Credit to NR.

The Alchemist ft. Travis McCoy & Lil Wayne - I Know Your Name | Box.net

New! Arctic Monkeys - Crying Lightning

Here is the first single from the Arctic Monkeys' upcoming album Humbug. The single leaked on the net hours before it was supposed to be debuted on BBC radio. I'm really liking this track on first listen. Not as catchy as I expected, but the dark, sinister sounds remind me of the soundtrack to a circus animal escape scene in a creepy, low budget movie. Why? I'm not sure. Thanks to WAWSTSF and Pretty Much Amazing.

Arctic Monkeys - Crying Lightning

Up and Coming Emcees: On A Scale of 1-10

With all the talk of up and coming emcees, I decided to throw in a couple pennies and let you know what I think. When reading this, I'm sure some Stans will get all worked up and dish me some hate; try to keep in mind that this entire post is my opinion only. I do not consider myself a professional critic by any means, so take it how you want. Here's how I'll break it down:

Delivery: For me, this is probably the most important category. Most of the time, I care more about how an emcee sounds than about what he/she is saying. Inflection, flow, tone, rhyme scheme, and voice all come in to play.

Lyrics: Whether it be some deep shit that makes you sit back and scratch your head, or some mean one-liners that make you crack a smile. If an artist can capture some shit that you've been thinking, or think of some shit that you wish you could have, then the lyrics are on point.

Beats: It's impressive when emcees are also producers, but almost just as good when an artist has an ear for picking out beats that mesh with their style. It's important to know what you sound good over, and what clashes.

Image: My least favorite category, but it's part of the game. People want to listen to someone that they can either relate to, or that they wish they could be like. If you have no image, you're going to blend in with the crowd. This is that "it" factor that you always hear about.

Consistency: Anyone can stumble upon a hit. Few can recreate that magic. Even fewer can come correctly time after time.

Here we go. Click on the "CONTINUE READING" button on the bottom right under the pics.


Wale

Delivery: 10
High energy, loads of inflection, and a great sense of timing. Wale has that adrenaline injected type of flow that can tear shit up during live performances and make your heart beat a little faster.

Lyrics: 8
Wale sprinkles his lyrics with some good punchlines, and he showed on the ironically titled A Mixtape About Nothing that he can touch on some serious subjects and stick to the topic. Too often, however, Wale just boasts about various unrelated things for 3 minutes.

Beats: 9
He's got a knack for picking the bangers, and those go-go inspired beats give the music that sound unique to him. I don't think 9th Wonder was the right choice for his last mixtape, but other than that, he's made great production decisions.

Image: 9
He's down with the in crowd, he's always got the newest gear, his shoe game is flawless, and he's got DC behind him. All good, but if you follow him on Twitter you know he can be pretty obnoxious.

Consistency: 9
A Mixtape About Nothing was great from start to finish. Back To The Feature is spotty. I'm loving his new joints that may/may not be on the album. I know if I see a new Wale track there's a very good chance I'll dig it.

Total: 45
Wale - Pretty Girls

KiD CuDi

Delivery: 10
I know people are going to disagree with this, because Cudder doesn't have that high speed, lyrical prowess that hip-hop purists drool over. But his laid back, half-singing flow is so unique and so clearly spoken, that for me his verses become more catchy than most rappers choruses.

Lyrics: 8
KiD CuDi comes across as a real dude. He isn't afraid to be a little vulnerable, but at the same time, he's too cool to be picked on. Very relatable, and good word choice makes you able to listen to songs about being an outcast without feeling like a loser. Just a little too simple to get a 9 or 10.

Beats: 9
I love the beats CuDi chooses. Usually they've got that outerspace vibe to them, and unlike some rappers who go in over beats that consist of nothing but claps, air horns, and car alarms, Cudder's beats always seem to have something called melody. Being friends with Ye (who in my opinion, has a great ear for music) doesn't hurt either.

Image: 10
He's got appeal that reaches much farther than the typical hip-hop audience, and he comes across as the type of guy you'd want to have a beer (or a blunt) with.

Consistency: 10
His solo joints are sick, his guest spots are sick, and even his on the spot freestyles get gobbled up faster than most rappers' new album leaks.

Overall: 47
KiD CuDi - Man On The Moon

J.Cole

Delivery: 8
J. Cole also comes with a lot of energy on most tracks, but his classic flow is a little more straightforward and comes across as slightly monotonous on his slower tracks.

Lyrics: 9
On his latest mixtape The Warm Up, J. Cole proves that he can manhandle the English language and he gets his passion across with a fierceness that lets the listener feel how hungry he is.

Beats: 7
As more doors open for him, he'll be able to be a little more picky when it comes to production. Up until now, his beat choices have been solid, but nothing outstanding.

Image: 7
Not that he's got a tarnished image, but he hasn't built it up enough to let people know what he's about yet. A little more time mixed with a little bit of marketing and we'll all (or just me, if you already know) have a better idea of who the man behind the music is.

Consistency: 7
Again, this is a matter of opinion. I know a lot of people put The Warm Up up there with the top mixtapes of the year, but i still find my finger itching to hit the "skip" button on a handful of tracks.

Overall: 38
J.Cole - Heartache

Frank Ramz

Delivery: 9
Ramz is another emcee with a more laid back flow, but it's filled with attitude and emphasis at all the right moments. At times, I'd like a little more energy, but to his credit, Ramz sounds better every month.

Lyrics: 10
Real shit. Relatable. Story telling ability. Punch lines and metaphors that could only be born in the brain of Ramz.

Beats: 9
As with J. Cole, Ramz will soon have more options for production. So far, he's done a hell of a job picking some top notch up and coming producers like Charlie Hilton to get behind him, and his latest mixtape Make The Road By Walking is musically backed entirely by a pre-recorded instrumental album. The results are incredible.

Image: 8
Again, it would be a 10 if more people knew what he's all about. I've gotten to know him and from what I've gathered, Ramz is the type of guy that will win you over quickly. He's a guy that you want to see succeed, and one that you can tell won't turn into a total asshole when he does.

Consistency: 8
Ramz never puts out garbage, but (at least for me) his projects all have standout tracks that shine a little brighter than the others.

Overall: 44
Frank Ramz - The Traitor

Charles Hamilton

Delivery: 8
Charles has proven that he can bless the microphone with some greatness. His first couple mixtapes won over a lot of fans (including myself), but his massive output afterwards was spotty. At times it sounds as if he's lazily thinking out loud over a beat, and his singing can be like listening to a high school talent show. Then again, one listen to the flow on "Brooklyn Girls" and you know why he has (had) the internet on lock.

Lyrics: 8
Great wordplay, sick metaphors and some hilarious one-liners. Charles isn't afraid to get deep. He's also not afraid to get raunchy. Sometimes he takes things a little too far, and sometimes his philosophies only make sense to himself. When he's at his best, he can lyrically fuck with the best of them.

Beats: 8
Again, due to the massive amount of output, sometimes finding a dope beat among Hamilton songs is like digging in a pack of starbursts and only picking out the pink ones. Credit for producing a lot of his own material.

Image: 5
The sonic obsession, the stoner philosophies, and the large doses of pink. After a burst of popularity, Charles seems to be losing fans as quickly as he's gaining them these days. I'm gonna speak up and let it be known that I still like Charles, and I think he can dig himself out of this, but he's got some work to do. Right now, it's all about damage control.

Consistency: 6
It's hard to be consistent when you're putting out a mixtape (or two) a week. He's slowed down (stopped) for now, but when he returns I think he should put a little more work into each song instead of trying to put out every song that pops into his head.

Overall: 35
Charles Hamilton - Brooklyn Girls

Bobby Ray (aka B.o.B.)

Delivery: 10
Bobby Ray can rap his ass off, and even more often lately he's shown us that he can sing his ass off too. His southern drawl add flavor to his sound and his personality shines whenever he lays down vocals on a track, whether singing or rapping. Andre 3000 comparisons are inevitable.

Lyrics: 9
Another great example of what it means to keep it real. Bobby Ray isn't always caught up with being that cool motherfucker (although he can be). He also speaks about internal struggles with the way things are, and he isn't afraid to play the outcast.

Beats: 8
Lots of melody, lots of production that crosses paths with other genres. I need to hear more non-mixtape tracks from Bobby before I really get a feel for what direction he's going to take.

Image: 10
Bobby Ray is a down to earth (and out in space) guy that seems open minded, humble, and easy to root for. From what I know, he's matured a lot in the past years, and I think he'll be accepted with open arms by fans from all the niches of the music world. He's also funny as hell.

Consistency: 9
I always like what I hear from him, and he's definitely got a good ear for music. A couple of his mixtape tracks are skippable, but for the most part, if it has the name Bobby Ray on it, it's gonna make it to my iPod.

Overall: 46
B.o.B. - Grip Ur Body

Mickey Factz

Delivery: 5
Nothing about Mickey's flow stands out in my mind. Put him on a track with 10 other dudes and I'd probably have trouble distinguishing.

Lyrics: 6
Some good wordplay, but a lot of played out/slightly altered one liners and nothing that's ever made me want to press rewind.

Beats: 7
Mickey can boast a diverse set of beats, and he has taken some risks and gone in over some stuff that most rappers wouldn't dare to touch. Some work. Some don't. Given his new status as a Roc Nation member (along with J. Cole), I think his musical backings will only get better.

Image: 9
The Bronx native has got style, he's got connections, he's got endorsements. Factz has little to worry about in this category.

Consistency: 6
Again, opinion. I think the quality of his output will get dramatically better now that he'll have a team of musical experts around him, but so far it's been miss and occasional hit.

Overall: 33
Mickey Factz - Who's Hotter

Drake

Delivery: 10
Out of all the up and comers, I would rate Drake the highest in this category. He has a way of putting syllables together that is unmatched. Even in rapid fire mode, his flow is buttery smooth and the man can sing too. Another thing about Drake is he can go from laid back smooth talker to high energy spitter to R&B crooner...all in one song.

Lyrics: 10
Just listen to "Say What's Real" or "Successful". Drake is an intelligent guy and he can put his thoughts together well. Even when he's speaking ignorant shit, he does it with a great choice of words. Too many quotables to even get started.

Beats: 9
One of the things that loved about So Far Gone is that it was cohesive, and it had a feeling to it that was present throughout. A lot of that had to do with the production. Drake sounds great over those clean, minimalistic stylings that sound like they were dipped in white chocolate.

Image: 9
Right now, he's that dude. He's got famous friends, he's got the buzz, ladies love him, he's got wide appeal. Pretty much the perfect image. 1 point off for being in Degrassi.

Consistency: 9
I fuck with pretty much anything Drake raps on. I pass on a couple of his straight up R&B songs. And sometimes his guest spots are a little questionable.

Overall: 47
Drake - Successful ft. Lil Wayne & Trey Songz

Fuze the MC

Delivery: 9
Another up and comer with a great sense of when to fire things up and when to cool them down. Fuze also has an instantly recognizable voice so even when he switches up the flow from song to song (which he does effortlessly) you know who's speaking to you.

Lyrics: 9
From his spoken word biography to his reference filled braggadocio, it only takes one listen to realize that Fuze has a lot of brain power and he isn't afraid to use it. A lot of rappers talk about keeping it real, Fuze actually does it.

Beats: 7
Besides a few standout tracks, Fuze outshines the production on a majority of his material in my opinion. I'm hoping to hear him over some better beats soon.

Image: 8
Another good guy, instantly likeable, but in need of some promotion so people can get to know him. I think Fuze will be straight in this category as long as he gets more heads to pay attention.

Consistency: 8
No trash, but I keep going back to the same songs when I'm in the mood for some Fuze. As with other young up and comers, I think Fuze is getting better with time and still in the early stages of his progression as an artist.

Overall: 41
Fuze The MC - Here We Go

Izza Kizza

Delivery: 10
Izza Kizza has a flow like no other. With his highly animated delivery, touches of trippy vocal effects, and his thick Southern accent, every line is entertaining.

Lyrics: 9
It's not so much what he's saying, but how he chooses to express it. He often fucks with the English language so much that it sounds like he's inventing his own slang. By the end of most tracks, I couldn't even tell you what the song was about, but I'm absolutely okay with it.

Beats: 9
Bass heavy, Timbaland style synths (he's worked with Timbo in the past), and sounds that you'd expect to hear in an extra-terrestrial cartoon.

Image: 9
Izza Kizza is just a wild ass dude. The type of dude that you'd expect to jump off a building, land in the middle of a crowd and start beating his chest like an ape. Relatable? Not sure, but very unique.

Consistency: 8
I've come to expect stuff so out of this world from Izza that when a track sounds even half way tamed, I'm disappointed.

Overall: 45
Izza Kizza - Connect the Dots ft. Colin Munroe

Michael Jackson ft. Lil Wayne - Dirty Diana (Remix)

I pass on most of these MJ tributes/post death mash ups, but I just couldn't resist this one. Production by Dem Jointz.

Michael Jackson ft. Lil Wayne - Dirty Diana (Remix) | Box.net

Music Video! Death Cab For Cutie - Little Bribes

Death Cab for Cutie - Little Bribes from Ross Ching on Vimeo.

I posted this video a while back, but I wanted to repost because when it first came out it was just a fan-made video. Now it is a fan-made video turned into the official video. Cool huh? Death Cab liked it so much that the even asked fan Ross Ching to be a part of the band's next video project.

Death Cab For Cutie - Little Bribes | Box.net

New! La Roux - "Saviour"

This is a bonus UK iTunes track off of La Roux's self-titled debut album. Spotted @ Mossip.

La Roux - "Saviour"

New! Chris Brown - "Shine For Me"

I'm definitely digging this cut! I know alot of ppl aren't feeling Chris after what he did, but everybody f*cks up in life; be it minor or major. Dudes young. I Could go on forever about this situation tho...
He's still making some good ish. No auto tune or lyrics about liquor & all that other non-sense, so it's cool with me.
I could

Chris Brown - "Shine For Me"

Rich Hill ft. KiD CuDi - "Girls, Sounds, Colors"

Not sure if this is brand new, but I haven't heard it, so let's just pretend it's new. I'm not familiar with Rich Hill, but apparently he's the son of Tommy Hilfiger. That's a good thing in some ways (connections), but it's a little odd rocking to Hilfiger's seed. He'll be dropping a mixtape soon called Ima Limo Ima Stoner. Honestly, I do it for the Cudder. It's a cool track regardless, but CuDi takes it to that post-worthy level. Saw it at First Up.

Update: The song is not new. It came out a couple months ago.

Rich Hill ft. KiD CuDi - Girls, Sounds, Colors | Box.net

Jovi Rockwell - "Tonight" and Major Lazer - "Can't Stop"

Here's a track from Major Lazer featuring Jamaican artists Jovi Rockwell and Mr. Vegas from Guns Don't Kill People, Lazers Kill People, and one track from Jovi Rockwell solo. Both very cool.

The Complex Co-Sign: When we heard that the two white boys behind M.I.A.’s hits had moved to Jamaica to make a reggae album, we were a little concerned. Luckily, Diplo and Switch come through with a dope dancehall LP that doesn’t fake the funk at all. By adding electro touches to classic reggae formulas and recruiting some big Jamaican names to contribute vocals, they manage to stay true to the culture while still putting their own spin on it.

Jovi Rockwell - Tonight | Box.net

Major Lazer - Can't Stop Now ft. Mr. Vegas and Jovi Rockwell |Box.net

Music Video! Eels - "In My Dreams"

EELS - In My Dreams - from HOMBRE LOBO

Here's the new video for Eels' "In My Dreams", off of the new album Hombre Lobo (Wolf Man). The video captures the feeling of a strange dream pretty well.

Related: Eels - Fresh Blood

Gucci Mane - I'm On One ft. Rich Boy

I wasn't sure about this at first, but it's growing on me. In my opinion, overly simplified music > overly complicated music. Plus, Gucci Mane is getting a lot of love lately. What do you guys think of him? I still haven't made up my mind yet. He seems a little slow to me.

Gucci Mane - I'm On One ft. Rich Boy

New! Wale - Pretty Girls

Hell yes! Wale is killing it lately. Production on this one by Best Kept Secret. This has recently been played on DC radio and there have been some shitty leaks and early versions of the song going around. Not sure if this one is complete (rumors of Gucci Mane getting on it), but it's a dope track as is, and is probably the second single off the album. BKS + Wale is a deadly combination. No shots at 9th Wonder, but I don't think he matched the energy that Wale brings on a lot of the Back To The Feature tracks as well as BKS does. Can't wait to hear more album material from Wale.

Wale - Pretty Girls | Box.net

Rap In 30 Languages

Not sure if these clips are all old, or if other countries just love 90's style rap.