When Grammy nominated artist Raphael Saadiq stopped by NPR he brought his guitar and fellow guitarist Rob Bacon. The two performed acoustic versions of Love That Girl, 100 Yard Dash and Sure Hope You Mean It for NPR’s “Tiny Desk Concert.” Watch below.
XXclusive: The Daily Show’s Wyatt Cenac Talks Slim Thug Collabo
Thursday Oct 8 4:54 PM CDT posted by xxl staff
Last night [October 7], Daily Show correspondent Wyatt Cenac interviewed Slim Thug as part of a segment exploring how rappers— who depend heavily on flossing and other forms of conspicuous consumption— are being negatively affected by the recession. [Watch Below]
On tonight’s episode, The Daily Show will follow up by debuting Slim Thug’s video for “Still a Boss,” a new song which will parody Thugga’s real life struggle with juggling his duties as a rapper and the realities of the recession.
In advance of tonight’s episode XXLMag.com caught up with Cenac to talk about how the collaboration came about and what we can expect from tonight’s world premiere.
According to Cenac the idea for it came about after a Texas governor went in front of the Senate to appeal for a bailout of chicken farmers in his district, after the Cash for Clunkers program received funds. The idea sounded silly, but for Cenac, this governor raised some legitimate questions.
“As he [the Texas governor] was talking about how much that chicken factory meant to his district… it was like… well you can make that argument about anybody,” Wyatt said. “And rappers they promote spending by having fancy cars, and fancy clothes and if anybody should receive a bailout, why not rappers?”
So they teamed up with the Houston MC to investigate the issue in this segment, which, all jokes aside may sound like scripted jokes, but includes actual accounts of things that have happened to the Houston rapper personally.
“It was all him,” Cenac said. “He told us this story about being thrown out of a strip club for not tipping and that was a real thing. I don’t remember the name of the strip club but he was really upset about it. When we do these pieces, we’re talking to people and we’re gauging their honest reactions to things. We wind up sort of saying and doing stupid things and they just kind of react to it.”
Wyatt, who admits to being a big hip-hop admirer, says that the segment was not only fun to put together, but necessary at a time like this. “I’m a big fan, so it was fun…,” Wyatt shared. “Just kind of looking at this issue because you do see it in videos and there are people who talk about it. We’re going through some pretty tough economic times …you do still see a lot of rappers talking about how good they have it and it’s sort of a weird thing.”
“Still a Boss” was written by Slim along with Cenac and Von Pea of the rap group Tanya Morgan (who also produced the song). The video will premiere tonight at 11 p.m. on Comedy Central. -Brooklyne Gipson
A.R. Rahman scored big in Hollywood last year with the soundtrack to Slumdog Millionaire, though of course those of us who have been listening to him since the 1990s know that in fact Slumdog was far from his best work (my favorite, Dil Se… was actually my first; those songs completely changed how I thought about Hindi film music). In the wake of all the Oscar love, I was fully expecting Rahman to get some calls from prominent American directors for upcoming films.
Well, Rahman is going to make his debut with a Hollywood soundtrack this fall. But he’s not working with Steven Soderbergh, Steven Spielberg, or Clint Eastwood. Instead, his debut soundtrack is for a Vince Vaughn comedy called Couples Retreat.
Thrilling.
The soundtrack hasn’t been released yet, but you can listen to the tracks on the Soundtrack website: here.
As a partial relief, the soundtrack sounds great. I think “Sajna” sounds especially nice, but even some of the instrumental tracks are cool (try “Undress”). Tamil-speakers might also like “Kuru Kuru Kan,” [update: track removed]. (Anyone want to do some translation help?)
I’m still trying to digest the decision to debut with what looks like a second-rate sex comedy. From what I have heard from the soundtrack so far, it sounds like Rahman has made some great music for this film. But will anyone be paying attention?
SS: Lohit, aka DJ Supafly, does it again......great download. Also check out the Flyvibes Studios and posterous blog to get other FlyVibes episodes and the latest information on music and industry trends....
So, as promised, I’m back with FlyVibes Radio Episode #2! This time I’ve called on an old friend, L.A.’s very own DJ G-Spot, to help add to the flavor! For this episode, I’ve split the mix up into two segments. In Part 1, I set things off with an 80’s Freestyle Set that’s sure to give you flashbacks and get your blood pumping! In Part 2, I have an exclusive interview with DJ G-Spot, and then he blesses us with a classic Miami Bass/Booty set! In total, expect about 80 minutes of that raw, unadulterated energy to keep you movin’!
Stream the mixes online, download them to your iPod or burn a CD for your ride – just make sure you don’t sleep on FlyVibes Radio Episode #2!! Oh, and please keep the feedback coming via comments below; and pass on the links below to anyone you know who would appreciate FlyVibes Radio. Thanks for the continued support, and until we meet again y’all, stay blessedl!!!
To check out the set list, stream and/or download FlyVibes Radio Episode #2, click here:
Thirteen years ago, Tupac Amaru Shakur was tragically gunned down in Las Vegas. While his physical is no more, his spirit forever remains. Vibe Magazine unearthed this vintage interview with the icon, and he spoke on a unified rap nation and where he (would have) been in 2016.
SS: A women after my own heart...check out the youTube clip, she's got some skills. "DJ Jazzy Jeff was quoted as saying that you are the best female DJ he has ever seen" - That is some really high praise...here are some more clips you can check out if you're interested, as well as her MySpace page.
It's a Saturday night and hundreds of clubbers pack into the hottest venues to move to the beats of a woman who is taking over the DJ circuit. The crowd goes bananas when DJ Kayper, aka, Kaajal Bakrania, takes over the DJ booth. Watching her cousins DJ is what sparked Kayper's interest to get involved in the spinning circuit. Her determination is what got her hands on her brother's turntables at the young age of 12, when DJ Kayper honed her skills. When she went off to university, she entered the prestigious Vestax Juice DJ competition. Kayper was the first female to ever win the competition, and her career skyrocketed from there! Now, she travels all over the world, leaving a trail of global die-hard fans. DH! got an exclusive interview with this young girl, who discussed her phenomenal career and new mix tape, '2080's'!
DH!: DJ Jazzy Jeff was quoted as saying that you are the best female DJ he has ever seen. How did you get acquainted with him?
DJ Kayper: In University I used to do this club night called 'Ebonics'. I made it a point to book quality DJs, legends. People know that when I want something I find a way to get it, and I wanted to book Jazzy Jeff. I ended up booking him three times. He saw me DJ and he was curious about me. I never went hard in front of him because I wanted him to be the star and I wanted people to praise him. So, he didn't know that I scratched or did tricks on the turntables. He checked me out on Youtube and I guess he was impressed. After watching my video he said that I was the best female DJ he has ever seen!"
DH!: You have traveled all over the world at a young age. Tell us about your first gig overseas.
DJ Kayper: Greece was the first time I went abroad. I went to one of the Greek Islands. It was the first time I had been on a plane since holiday with my parents when I was ten and I didn't have a clue what to do. I went by myself and as soon as I walked in I didn't realize what was happening [because] I never deejayed abroad before. The club turned out to be about 2000 capacity. I walked into the club and my flight was delayed so I couldn't change! I had all kinds of people and lights, cameras around me and I didn't know what to do. This was the first club I deejayed at that was big! They had TV crews and all kinds of stuff.
DH!: Out of the different places you have traveled to, what is one of your recent favorites?
DJ Kayper: I went to Malaysia this year and that was pretty sick! They are so up for it all the time there. Sometimes when DJs go abroad, they think the crowd won't know the music or whatever, so that they should stick to the commercial stuff, but they were really upfront. They knew their stuff! That was recently one of my favorite places.
DH!: People tend to make a huge deal about the fact that you are a female DJ. How does that make you feel?
DJ Kayper: I think that it's a bit sad to be honest [because] I would have thought that at this point I've been doing it so long that it wouldn't be such a novelty, but it still is. But, it's nobody's fault. People need to get over it! I get so many phones calls to do things like 'all female night'. In fact, I got a phone call yesterday and the dude [said], "We're doing this tour and I saw you DJ the other day. I don't know if you remember, but I'd really like you to get involved. It's like an all girl DJ group thing'. I'm like, "Come on, man, are you serious?" It's been like 13 years and...people asked me to do that 13 years ago. Alright, get over it now...girls DJ! It's not like football. It's not like you need a 'girl's league' and a 'boy's league'. People need to get over the whole girl DJ thing. DJs are DJs! Hopefully, they think that of me anyway.
DH!: People often associate you with hiphop. What are your thoughts about that?
DJ Kayper: Well, the thing is, everyone associates me with hiphop, but really I truly don't just consider myself just a hiphop DJ. I grew up listening to everything. Of course, hiphop is my first love, but I also grew up listening to 80s pop, new jack swing, drum and bass, UK garage and all these genres of music were around me. Maybe it's because the people I associate myself with or maybe it's because of my last mix tape, 'Bring Back Yo! MTV Raps' that makes everyone associate me with just hiphop. That's one of the reasons I'm putting this mix tape out so people know I'm not just limited to hiphop. It's not that it's a bad thing that people often just associate me to hiphop, but I just want to show that I'm a little bit diverse and I can do other things."
DH!: So, what prompted you to focus on 80s pop anthems for your new project?
DJ Kayper: I wanted to reminisce about some of the stuff I was listening to when I was a kid. What I want people to get from the mix tape is that music is just music. The mix tape has 80s pop and...it's also got 80s electro and then 80s soul as well, but that to me is all pop music. I just wanted to mix it up and show people it does go together well, and that's why I did the mash up thing as well. Some people that may be too young to know the tracks on the mix tape, but at least they'll recognize the a cappella because there all new a capella's of recent artists like Pitbull, and Nelly Furtado. They're going to recognize that because that's modern pop music and I'm just basically mixing it up with what I grew up listening to. It's kind of like a compromise between new stuff and the old stuff.
DH!: Is there a message you want to send out to our readers here at Desi Hits!?
DJ Kayper: Watch out for the next thing. Everything I do I kind of put a lot of work into. If you listen to my mix tapes...just know that whatever I put out, it's going to be quality and I'm going to put my all into it. Just keep checking my MySpace and Facebook if you want to find out what I'm doing and where I'm going to be.
Following up on the success of Lego Hip Hop Album Covers, Format Presents: No Homer – Hip Hop Icons Simpsonized. The set features Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Notorious B.I.G., 2Pac, Snoop Dogg, Flava Flav, Eazy E, Andre 3000, Eminem, and Fat Joe alongside iconic O representations for each artist.
Designed by Moxy Creative the posse shot is available in hi-res for download. For any inquiries relating to the project, e-mail Glenn.
In perhaps the biggest all-star hip-hop collaboration since “Swagga Like Us,” Lil Wayne, Eminem, Kanye West and Drake have come together for a six-minute-plus track called “Forever.” It took a giant name in sports to get these titans of rap together, though: the song will feature in an upcoming documentary about basketball star LeBron James called More Than a Game. “Forever” was produced by Drake’s “Best I Ever Had” beatmaker Boi-1da. Nah Right hinted at the collaboration earlier in the week, and the song leaked yesterday. Take a listen above.
Drake gets top billing on the track, even though he’s not quite in the same league as Eminem, Lil Wayne and Kanye West just yet (but a couple of platinum records could change that quickly). But one of the real surprises here is Lil Wayne, who has constantly professed on mixtapes that Kobe Bryant is the best basketball player alive ( Jay-Z and Justin Timberlake, however, remain firmly on Team LeBron). Still, Weezy has long expressed a desire to collaborate with Eminem, and “Forever” makes it happen.
Speaking of Eminem, the Relapse rapper saves the best verse for last on the track. Even though the song is destined for the soundtrack of a basketball film, Eminem is still in full-on serial killer mode like “Forever” was “3 AM,” with Slim Shady rapping, “I’m Hannibal Lector so in case you’re thinking about saving face, you ain’t gonna have no face to save by the time I’m through with this place.” All rappers involved bring their A-game to the track, but Em comes out the MVP.
According to MTV, these superpowers of rap will come together next month in New York to shoot a Hype Williams-directed video for the track. The More Than a Game soundtrack, out September 29th, will be executive produced by Polow Da Don and will also feature tracks by T.I., Mary J. Blige and Young Jeezy. “Forever” will reportedly officially be released to iTunes tomorrow, August 28th.
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