Jan 3. Troy Bar
I have four videos to upload, for this day. Four. I went to Troy Bar (Open Mic night in Old Street every Tuesday) and it was the best night ever... Absolutely adored some of the songs that were covered; I'll Take You There by The Staple Singers, a couple of freestyles and a jazzy rendition of an old favourite - Golden by Jill Scott. I can't wait to share them with you! It amazes me just how much talent there is around me; I heard pure voices that night. But yes... Videos soon!
Jan 4. Orelsan - Suicide Social
I don't listen to as much French rap as I should to be honest - I'm completely slacking. Heard this joint by Orelsan, dubbed the "French Eminem" and I was gobbed. It's so scathing and aggressive. The thing about French rap is, the language allows rappers to be much more creative with words. Maybe one day, if I get gassed enough, I'll rap a lil somsing in français ... *shrugs* maybe. And so you're not phased by the language barrier, the video has words to it, so any non-French speaker can whip out Google Translate whilst having a listen. Considerate, non?
Jan 5. Schoolboy Q f/ Kendrick Lamar - Blessed
These guys are so, so serious. Kendrick Lamar certainly left a lasting impression on 2011 what with Section.80 and all that jazz, so it comes as no surprise that another 1/4 of Black Hippy, has come to nab his time in the spotlight. There's no way that the West Coast wordsworth won't appear on this year's XXL Freshman list - Schoolboy Q's skill and talent are undeniable. Too slick with it! Habits and Contradictions drops on the 14th.
Jan 6. Robert Glasper Experiment f/ Erykah Badu - Afro Blue
Gotta love this cover of the Mongo Santamaría Latin jazz classic. I ladore the way Robert Glasper manages to catch the essence of hip-hop and jazz perfectly and as usual Erykah's vocals make any track sound sweet. Pay attention to the original posted below too.
Jan 7. Musiq Soulchild - So Beautiful (Lapalux Bootleg Remix)
Bruv. I've always said that I find Musiq Soulchild to be a bit yawn most of the time, so I'm thankful for this refix by Lapalux. Kudos to Mikey at AboutToBlow.com for the bring-in!
Musiq Soulchild - So Beautiful (Lapalux's bootleg remix) by Lapalux
Jan. 8. Razorlight - I Can't Stop This Feeling I've Got (Live On Jools Holland)
Today I was reminded of an old favourite. Makes me feel a certain way everytime I hear it!
Jan 9. Jay-Z f/ Blue Ivy Carter - Glory
Papa Jigga wasted no time telling the world about how proud he is to finally be a father and I love it! We're seeing a new side to Jay; not hustla Jay, not Marcy Projects Jay, but family guy Jay *cue theme music*. And it's so cute! I love how he sampled Blue Ivy's cry and had the nerve to say she "featured" on the track. LOL -it's awesome. And though the production sounds a bit rushed (not one of The Neptunes best by a country mile) the sentiments on this track make it damn near impossible for you not to respect the guy. Everything from revealing Bey's miscarriage, to her place of conception; it's just an honest track. When little Blue grows up, she'll surely be able to brag about her super-cool Pop. Beautiful.
