Jacked from hiphopdx:
Physician, Rani Whitfield, put out this track to educate urban youth about the prevention of heart disease. Say what you will about the after-school-special factor, but that beat knocks. Where’s Mic Flo, M.D./M.C. when you need him?
Memphis rapper Young Buck joins singer Colin Munroe to tell everybody out there to keep on truckin’ in this upbeat little soulful joint laced by Beatnik and K-Salaam.
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I’ve been pretty under the radar lately, but here’s a new one I put together in honor of Punisher’s 9th anniversary last week. Enjoy, pass the link along, and let me know what you think with some comments!
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A new track from former Re-Up Gang member, Sandman. This is the first thing I’ve heard out of him in a minute. Beat is unique and very nice with atmospheric electric pianos and synth choirs. I wonder who made it. Sandman has always been tight on the mic, and he continues with this story rap about the life of a C note. I can’t wait to see what’s up next for him.
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In honor of Valentimes (sic) Day, here’s a few versions of a classic. This song, a tune from the Broadway show Babes In Arms, has been covered dozens of times, mostly by jazz artists, but also pop and R&B vocalists.
The first rendition I’ll use is from cool jazz trumpeter, singer, and total mess, Chet Baker. In addition to being impeccably coiffed, Chet had a heroin addiction that kept his career from ever really taking off, despite the fact that it lasted for around 40 years. Still, he made several very good records, both in Gerry Mulligan’s group, and as a bandleader. but Chet’s 1952 recording is the first time the song made it into popular consciousness, and probably the signature performance of it. His breathy, haunting vocals sit in the quiet piano and bass arrangement.
Next comes Frank Sinatra’s version of the song on his album, Songs For Young Lovers (Capitol, 1955). Sinatra lightens the mood a bit relative to Baker, with a fuller string arrangement, and his rich tenor vocals. This song became a fixture of his live set for decades to come.
My favorite instrumental performance of the song is by the Miles Davis quintet off their album Cookin’ (Prestige, 1955). The song is as unique for the situation under which it was recorded as the song itself. Cookin’ was one of four albums recorded in two days by the group, so that they could get out of their contract. There were very few second takes, and as such, the songs are very raw expressions of cohesion between the very talented players. This particular one featured only Miles, drummer Philly Joe Jones, bassist Paul Chambers, and pianist Red Garland. John Coltrane, present on other recordings on the dates, sat this particular track out. Miles’ sparse, distant solo does an excellent job of capturing the irony of the song.
Fast forwarding to the 1990′s, Chaka Khan did an excellent job with the song on the Waiting To Exhale original soundtrack. A Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds production, it has a nice 1990′s R&B ballad feel to it, and Chaka puts it down on vocals.
Finally, there is Etta James. I was not able to find much info about this recording or where it came from. It has a Joe Pass-like acoustic guitar backing it. Also, you’ve probably noticed from the line, “Make me smile with my heart,” that this song was sampled in Kanye West’s Addiction.
There are a zillion versions of this song out there, though, and if you have a favorite I haven’t mentioned, let me know. Hope everyone had a great V-Day!
Congrats to the kid, and best of luck on finishing up the album.
Mama would be so proud. This week, I made my debut appearance on The 54 Reality Show, the video blog of Killeen’s Crew54. G Christ, C HOV and I talk some ish outside of Poise’s video premier party last Friday night. I would never advise anyone to miss a minute of these, but if you want me to show you what top-form hat game is all about, skip to 5:40.
54 Reality Show 2-02 from The 54 Reality Show on Vimeo.
Courtesy of Renaissance Soul Detroit.
This is the lead single off Big Tone’s forthcoming album, The Art of Ink. It is self-produced, and b/w the Blu feature, A Song Called Triumph. The D keeps coming with the heat.
Peep it:
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