Written by: Stress the Lyricist
Check out his blog at: http://www.tmikwid.com/

I’m not gonna make this about illegal downloading/pirating. That actually has nothing to do with what I’m about to say. I do, however, believe the internet is having two very important effects on the music industry right now that are exciting and frightening at the very same time.

First, the good news. The internet has become a viable medium for artists to reach their fans. We’re more likely to head to youtube to see a new video than watch 106&Park. An artist can throw a mixtape on their personal website and toss the link to their twitter followers and instantly reach hundreds of thousands of fans without the need for a record label. It’s ironic that the same methods that have been used by indie artists looking for their big break are now being utilized even more efficiently by those who are already in the bright lights. We clearly haven’t escaped the need for record labels to feed music to the masses but it’s nice to know that artists are reaching us in new ways and fans are actively seeking out good music rather than accepting what the suits at the top feed us.

But the bad thing is almost other side of the coin of the same good thing. The accessibility that fans have is becoming an issue. We know too much about the inner workings of the industry. Hip hop blogs have been throwing up a new song release under the title of “Under Pressure” by Dr. Dre featuring Jay-Z. Obviously this is a highly anticipated song but what I heard clearly wasn’t the finished version. The beat seemed a tad undercooked, there was no hook (at all), only two verses, and not even mastered. I can’t imagine that a perfectionist like Dr. Dre, who’s been holding this album close to his chest for over 10 years, would want us to hear the song in THIS condition. Of course everyone wants to be the first to “break” the new song so no one thinks to themselves “this song is unfinished, why leak it”, and the fans don’t care that it’s unfinished, they’ll hit the internet and call it wack. Next think you know, word on the street is the new Dre/Jay-Z song is garbage. And they don’t even know what the full song sounds like.

There are pros and cons to everything but I think the ability for fans to now see through the curtain of the industry is doing more harm than good. Fans feel entitled to anything and they consider themselves critics of everything that hits their ear. Rather than enjoying the music, listeners throw salt and complain about everything, using the far reaching grasp of the internet as their platform. I feel like I’m the last person left who just sits back, listens to the music I like and enjoys it.

Big Boi’s first stand-alone solo project since OutKast’s landmark 11-times platinum double-album, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below in 2003

Download the MP3 for “Follow Us” here: http://www.mediafire.com/?jz0yqdmqjgf

The world knows him as Big Boi -Antwan André Patton – one-half of multi-platinum, five-time Grammy Award-winning supergroup OutKast, whose albums and singles have sold over 25-times platinum in the U.S. alone. Now make way for SIR LUCIOUS LEFT FOOT: THE SON OF CHICO DUSTY, Big Boi’s first stand-alone solo album, nearly four years in the making and finally set to arrive July 6th on Def Jam Recordings. 10 days later, Big Boi joins the lineup at the Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago’s Union Park, over the July 16-18th weekend.

Big Boi is already back in the picture with his Def Jam debut,”Shutterbug” featuring Cutty, produced by Scott Storch, the lead single from SIR LUCIOUS LEFT FOOT. Writing on the Wall Street Journal’s Speakeasy blog last week, Jozen Cummings elaborated on a few other tracks: “… the melodic ‘Turn Me On,’ produced by long-time OutKast collaborators, Organized Noize… the widely bootlegged ‘”Tangerine’ featuring T.I…. And the Lil Jon-produced ‘Hustle Blood’… complete with Jamie Foxx singing the hook.”

The tentative track listing for SIR LUCIOUS LEFT FOOT is: 1. Feel Me (Intro) * 2. Daddy Fat Sax * 3. Shutterbugg featuring Cutty * 4. Follow Us * 5. General Patton * 6. Bubble Bath Bobby (Interlude) * 7. Tangerine featuring T.I. * 8. Looking For Ya featuring André 3000 * 9. Turns Me On * 10. Shine Blocka featuring Gucci Mane * 11. King Henry (Interlude) * 12. Hustle Blood featuring Jamie Foxx * 13. Night, Night * 14. ADP (Interlude) * 15. Fo Yo Sorrows * 16. The Train Pt. 2 * 17. Back Up Plan (Go).

Big Boi’s signing to the Island Def Jam Music Group marks a reunion with the label’s Chairman, Antonio ‘L.A.’ Reid, as officially announced throughout the media last week. “L.A. knows what time it is since I was a teeny bopper, so when I first started working on the record I talked to L.A.,” Big Boi told Mariel Concepcion of Billboard.com, referring to Mr. Reid’s near 20-year association with OutKast. The duo signed their first record deal with Mr. Reid, and his Atlanta-based LaFace Records, the label he founded with Babyface. He has been in OutKast’s corner since the creation of their first album, 1994’sSouthernplayalisticadillacmuzik, which was recorded when Big Boi was still a teenager. A decade later in 2003, OutKast released Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, their 5th studio album, a landmark double-CD containing solo albums by Big Boi and his partner André 3000, respectively. One of the biggest-selling hip-hop albums in history – 11-times platinum in the U.S., over 15 million worldwide – the album generated three Grammys (including Best Rap Album and Album Of the Year) and spun off two life-changing #1 hit singles, André 3000’s “Hey Ya!” and Big Boi’s “The Way You Move” (with Sleepy Brown).

SIR LUCIOUS LEFT FOOT is essentially Big Boi’s first stand-alone solo album project since Speakerboxxx. As reported by New York magazine, “he started working on his solo album on Martin Luther King Day … three years ago.” Now the wait is over – and SIR LUCIOUS LEFT FOOT walks amongst us!

Also, slated to perform are T.I., Diddy-Dirty Money, Nicki Minaj, and Trey Songz. The BET Awards ‘10 will be hosted by Queen Latifah and some presenters confirmed are Taraji P. Henson, and Mike Epps, as well as this year’s Humanitarian Award will be given to John Legend.

The BET Awards ‘10 airs live, Sunday, June 27th 8:00 PM*, from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, CA.

Celebration of “The Dirty South” Averages a 1.2 in the 18-49 Demo

and Attracts Nearly 2 Million Total Viewers

Streams For “The Dirty South” at HipHop.VH1.com Up 168% Compared to Day-Of-Show Total From Last Year

NEW YORK, June 8, 2010 — The VH1 premiere of its 7th annual “2010 VH1 Hip Hop Honors” music event on Monday, June 7 averaged a 1.2 rating among 18-49 viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research. The telecast, which aired from 9-11 PM ET/PT, attracted nearly 2 million total viewers and scored as the second highest rated edition yet of the hip hop performance franchise.

The 7th annual “2010 VH1 Hip Hop Honors” gathered some of the biggest names in entertainment to honor the “Dirty South.” Taped at the Hammerstein Ballroom on Thursday, June 3 in New York City, and hosted by Craig Robinson (“The Office”/”Last Comic Standing”), Southern-based talent came together to celebrate this significant milestone in American hip hop music.

DOWNLOAD>>>>>>>HERE

01. Goldschläger (Produced by The Grey Area)
02. You Don’t Shock Me Anymore (Produced by The Grey Area)
03. Cho Cha the Cat (with the B-52’s) (Produced by The Teddy Bears)
04. I Like It (Produced by The Grey Area)
05. Little Black Book (Produced by The Grey Area)
06. Talking To Strangers (Produced by The Grey Area)
07. ChamPain (Produced by Doc & The Grey Area)
08. Night Train (with the Goodie Mob) (Produced by The Grey Area & Anthony Kronfle)
09. The Secret (Produced by The Grey Area)
10. Sophistic@ted B!$ch (Produced by The Grey Area)
11. I’ll Kill Her (feat. ME & LOnan the Destroyer) (Produced by ?????)
12. Is It _ (Produced by The Grey Area)
13. Super Woman Theme Song (Produced by The Grey Area)
14. Night Cap Outro (One Last Shot of Goldschläger) (Produced by The Grey Area)

The Wu Music Group in following and furthering WUTANG tradition in its truest and purest form will release the 3rd installment of the official swarm franchise dubbed POLLEN: THE SWARM PART 3 due this SUMMER JUNE 22, 2010. Why Pollen? Because it’s WUTANG authentic! Word to Shaolin!! This installment is complete with new songs from the RZA as Bobby Digital, MEF MAN himself Johnny Blazing a track with the GZA, GHOSTFACE “Smooth Sailing” on the remix featuring Trife and Solomon Childs, and unlocked from the Wutang vault, the late great ODB with a fresh splash from his son and new comer BOY JONES on “Dirt’s the Boogie”. The SWARM represents the Wutang Killer Beez on the move. The first album in the trilogy introduced fans to other emcees in the Wu empire from east to west coast and across the seas. In true killer bee fashion, this album wouldn’t be complete with out new music from the Killer Beez themselves 12 o clock, Prodigal Sun, Killer Priest, Street Life, Remedy, JoJo Pelligrino, the Rev Burke, and others. This is history once again in the making with the Wutang massive disciples and its affiliates aligning to swarm, bringing the ruckus and creating a frenzy to massacre the masses across the globe. This album will effectively pollinate and enter your senses and is guaranteed to inspire and buzz the ears of any true Wu fan looking for that real WUTANG indulgence and experience without leaving out the this generation’s expressions of hip hop and those still to come. At press time the RZA of the Clan says “Wutang is forever and we will continue to shine light and spread music to the world.”

Listen to teaser of never before released track by the late O.D.B. & Y.D.B. Boy Jones, “Dirts The Boogie”:

Tracklist:

01 ROLL WITH KILLER BEES – YELLOW JACKETS

02 HEADLINE – ARMEL, 12 OCLOCK, P SUNN, REV BURKS

03 ASSED OUT – WUTANG CLAN

04 DIRTS THE BOOGIE – O.D.B & Y.D.B. BOY JONES

05 YOU MUST BE DREAMING – BOBBY DIGITAL, KINETIC

06 M.E.F. – JOHNNY BLAZE

07 SMOOTH SAILING – GHOSTFACE, TRIFE, SOLOMON CHILDS

08 GET IT STARTED – KING JUST, NATE, Y.C.

09 FACED DOWN – STREETLIFE

10 THE TESTIMONY – REMEDY & KILLER PRIEST

11 ACTION – SOLOMON CHILDS

12 NO GAME AROUND HERE – KILLER BEES

13 INTO YOU – REV BURKE & RUGGED MONK

14 TRANSPORTING – REMEDY & JO JO PELLIGRINO

15 FLIGHT OF THE KILLER BEES – PRODIGAL SON & REV BURKS

When I was young just like thousands and thousands of kids today, I always wanted fresh sneakers. I can remember some of my favorite childhood sneakers, suede Adidas, Black leather Pumas with the blue logo on the side, Blue high top suede Pro Keds and the very first edition of Nike Jordans. Now I did not come from a rich family and I pretty much had to beg and beg to get these sneakers back then. Thank God I had understanding parents who could afford to get me a fresh pair of kicks every now and then. Today I must admit that I have sort of grown out of my childhood sneaker phase. Don’t get me wrong I still love sneakers and I will on occasion cop a fresh pair not out of necessity but on impulse. Even as I type, I am rocking a pair of Black on Black leather Adidas Shell Toes, not anything particularly rare but more of a throwback shoe from days past.

So the other day I was in a local store which carries overstocked Nike shoes. This spot was a quiet as kept spot in the city because anybody who likes sneakers and truly has an obsession with them will go here periodically to see what is there. At the secret location I spotted the last two or three runs of Jordan’s, a couple pair of old Lebron’s and several selections of Nike Dunks! As a matter of fact I saw a pair of neon Yellow Dunk’s made out a nylon type fabric, only a true sneakehead with acquired taste would understand the value of these shoes. The best part about my secret location is that all of the sneakers are about $49.00 so no complaints here.

So why does a true sneakerhead collect or purchase so many sneakers? First we must understand what a sneakerhead is. A sneakerhead is a person who owns multiple pairs of shoes as a form of collection and fashion. It is often manifested by the use of shoes primarily made for sports, such as tennis or basketball, as normal everyday clothing. The birth of sneakerhead culture in the US came in the late 1980s and can be attributed to two major sources: basketball and hip hop music. Often, sneakerheads started by buying shoes that are general releases, or just buying a pair of shoes that they thought were interesting. Some started by seeing a pair of shoes they wanted when they were a kid. If their interests increase over time, they have a potentially highly expensive hobby on their hands. Some begin to look for examples of everything. Others just look to collect all of the shoes of a particular set.

Recently at another sneaker store in my city I asked a couple of kids who were “sneakerheads” why do you collect sneakers. Jay one of the collectors in his mid twenties told me it was because he always has to be the first one with the hottest shoe. Jay told me in his quest to be first he would bribe store employees to give him a pair a day or two before they are to be released. On certain release dates he would arrive at the store hours early just to grab a pair and be the first one out in public wearing his latest conquest. Adam another kid in the store told me he did not care for new releases or being the first, he was more of the type that would go out to find limited editions or dead stock, which are vintage sneakers that have never been worn. For example he would search the internet for original issue Jordan’s that have never been worn, sometimes the price for these can be outrageous, other times he can find a deal and maybe purchase two pairs. For what ever reason both of these guys love to collect sneakers.

To find out more about “sneakerheads” or collecting sneakers check out the following sites:

http://sneakermaniac.com/
http://www.sneakerhead.com/
http://www.dunkxchange.com/

Also check out the 2006 documentary “Just For Kicks” – Here’s the first 10 minutes to wet your whistle…..

The eclectic duo of The Cool Kids are back with a brand new project: the Tacklebox mixtape that features a mix of some new tracks and unreleased songs.

There is a lot of consistent and quality material on Tacklebox with very few misses. Longtime fans will definitely be happy with the slow flowin’, thumping sound that’s characteristic of The Cool Kids and the variety of sounds and tempos will keep new listeners intrigued from start to finish. Download and enjoy!
1. Fishing Lessons (Prod. Chuck Inglish)
2. Flying Kytes (Prod. Chuck Inglish)
3. Freak City (Prod. Chuck Inglish & Old Young)
4. Neat (Ft. Tennille)
5. Going Camping (Prod. Chuck Inglish)
6. Volume II (Prod. Chuck Inglish)
7. Birthdays (Prod. Ski Beats)
8. Great Outdoors (Prod. Chuck Inglish)
9. Strawberry Girl (Prod. Chuck Inglish)
10. Systems (Prod. Chuck Inglish)
11. Good Afternoon (Prod. The Productionix)
12. Parking Lot (Prod. Chuck Inglish)
13. Summer Nights ft. Tennille (Prod. Chuck Inglish)
14. Los Angeles Leakers Outro (Prod. Chuck Inglish)
15. Gettin’ Flick (Prod. Chuck Inglish)

The Cool Kids – Tacklebox >>> DOWNLOAD HERE

Fortunately, Virginia native Nickelus F is clear on how to stand out amongst the masses, and neither the purist underground or international mainstream are off limits for him. A champion of The Source Unsigned Hype Emcee Battle and BET’s 106 & Park Freestyle Friday, the gifted lyricist has developed his powerful wordplay into songs that music fans not only appreciate… they demand!

With the May 31, 2010 release of his street album Season Premiere, Nickelus F will offer his worldwide fanbase a look into world views and pop culture through his eyes. Of course, experience plays a role in good songwriting, and the young MC is no stranger to controversy. Through overcoming personal challenges and streamlining business practices, Nick has firmly taken control of his destiny.

Check out and download >>>> Season Premiere

The Roots, recently debuted a new track from their upcoming album How I Got Over This called “Dear God 2.o.” The song was the first single off of their ninth studio album and finds them collaborating with My Morning Jacket’s Jim James.

The band has called the tone of their new album, which is set to be released on June 22nd, a positive one. The new single is a remake of “Dear God” which was a track from James’ Monsters of Folk side project.

The Roots Dear God 2.0