More evidence...

"Let's go, Esco"

yo, is that 50 cent over there?

Jay's attempt to channel Michael Jackson

we major


.......that's all folks.

Bonus Picture

As you can see Nas has been rocking the same jacket since '94

Jay-Z and Nas officially squashed their beef last night as the former turned his "I Declare War" concert to "I declare Peace"(check your calendar again, it's not April Fool Day). Young Hov went as far as stating that "it's bigger than war" and officially making up with long-time nemesis, NaS. The brand new friends then performed the classic "Dead Presidents" with NaS supplying the hook, before lunging into some of his earlier cuts from the Illmatic masterpiece.

"We all in this sh*t together," Jay-Z said. "Y'all witnessed history everybody
in this building is a part of history. All that beef sh*t is wack."

I see how this is a typical Jay-Z plot - he figured that if he mentioned the word war, he'll raise eyebrows and acquire everybody's curiousity, which then allows him to surprise all. Genius.
And since, there's going to be a second show on October 28th, I'm assuming that the "War" part of his declarations is still valid.

Everyone in the Hip Hop community thinks Jay's bringing war to 50 Cent with the help of his new allies: NaS, The LOX, etc. Like I've been saying, there's no legitimate basis for a 50 vs Jay-Z since Curtis has been shouting out Jay in interviews and vice-versa. Unless this Jay-NaS reconciliation is trying to tell me something. But if this happens eventually, then it's, well, timely, and....innovative, oh and hypocritical two days after saying: "F..k all that beef sh..t"

According to Spinemagazine.com, this is what the tracklist for Notorious B.I.G's Duets:Final Chapter album looks like:

01. Hold Ya Head f/Bob Marley
02. The Most Shady f/Eminem, Obie Trice & P Diddy
03. Spit Your Game f/Twista, Paul Wall & Bone Thugs
04. Whatchu Want f/Jay-Z
05. The Funk f/Nate Dogg & Redman
06. Get Your Grind On f/Big Pun, Fat Joe & Freeway
07. Living The Life f/Snoop, Ludacris & Faith Evans
08. Somethin f/The Game & Mary J Blige
09. Nasty Girl f/Diddy, Nelly, Jagged Edge & Avery Storm
10. Living in Pain f/2Pac, Mary J Blige & Nas
11. Want That Old Thing Back f/Ja Rule & Ralph Tresvant
12. Recognize a Pimp f/Too Short & Webbie
13. Three Bricks f/Raekwon & Ghostface Killah
14. What’s Beef f/50 Cent & Mobb Deep
15. Hustler’s Story f/Scarface, Akon & Big Gee of Boyz N Da Hood
16. Breakin’ Old Habits f/TI & Slim Thug
17. Mi Casa f/R. Kelly & Charlie Wilson
18. Just A Memory f/The Clipse
19. Running Your Mouth f/Snoop, Nate Dogg, Foxy Brown & Fabolous
20. I’m With Whateva - f/Lil’ Wayne, Juelz Santana & Jim Jones
21. Here We Go Go f/Q-Tip, Babs & Aasim
22. Ultimate Rush f/Missy Elliot
23. Make It Hot f/Ness & Aasim
24. Wake Up Now f/KoRn

Apparently, these posthumous releases are getting worse everytime in terms of quality and guest features.
Now we all know that the singles are forgettable but unfortunately that applies to 90% of the tracklist. #10 and #13 might end up being showstoppers if everyone puts in work, and #15 may turn out fine if Akon gets his crooning right this time. But that's it. And maybe it's just me, but what do Biggie and Missy Elliot have in common. I mean I know the Clipse are gonna rhyme about crack all day but Missy? Give me a break.

It's easy to dismiss Linkin Park's front man aka Mike Shinoda's solo effort as a gimmick. Surprisingly, his mixtape collaboration with veteran Green Lantern is a cohesive compilation of listenable songs. Although joints like "Petrified" and "Dolla" easily remind listeners of Beastie Boys, Mike who now goes by Fort Minor refuses to get boxed in by diversifying his sound on "Respect 4 Grandma" and the unforgettable "Remember The Name".

He, no doubt, starts struggling with monotony after a while and that's when you're thankful for notable guest appearances by Styles of Beyond ("Bleach" and "Get It"), and Ghostface and Lupe Fiasco("Spray Paint & Ink Pens").
While, Mike definitely attempts to break away from the Linkin Park style, the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree. Fort Minor the rapper still has a lot of edges to roughen before making the full MC transition. i.e Basic rhyming has not existed since 1988(unless you're counting Rev Run's latest ear pollution project). But that's not necessarily a bad thing.

Regardless, some people are going to refer to FM as a breath of fresh air; the new Kanye West with a guitar, when he's actually re-inventing what's already been done.
Suffice to say his project will see the light of day mainly because Jay-Z is 100% behind itfor obvious reasons.
Let's hope his full length release The Rising Tied (which drops on November 22) will help cement the solid effort showcased on this mixtape.


DJ Green Lantern + Fort Minor - We Major Mixtape (Free Download)

Fort Minor - Remember The Name video(wmv)


But with fans like these(in Europe), there's no stopping this man.


Oh I almost forgot: Happy Halloween!

I ran into this interesting 'Secret' blog and thought I should share with y'all. Some of these secrets are mind-bogglin but here's a few of the postcards from the site that caught my eye:













































You can see more of these at Postsecret.com
They even got a compilation book out on Amazon for those who are into stuff like this.
(Warren, thanks for the email).

By now everyone's heard about Cam'ron getting shot and car-jacked or should i say carjacking attempt since the robbers lost their SUV in the process of running away. Well, for those of you living in caves, once again here's a CamSlam video (my man Eskay coined that word, I think). I'm sure someone somewhere is insinuating that Pinky shot himself as a promotion gimmick for his upcoming Killa Season album. Others think the shooting maybe beef-related.
I can imagine Cam's next joint though:

They tried to pop me, pop me
But they was sloppy sloppy

Seriously, would you trade your life for a $250,000 lambourghini?

In some strange news update, P. Diddy is slated to release a house music CD. This is isn't hearsy because Diddy has actually recorded a house song with Felix the HouseCat.

Evidence: Jack U(mp3) - P.Diddy [props to bigstereo.net]

I wonder who's the genius behind this but my man LetNoManJack has more on it.

NaS denies that Neptunes gave him a 2 million dollar beat but Pharrell claims it's true.
Hmm..which one of them is being sarcastic?

I know this isn't rap-related but British rocker Robbie Williams really sees dead people?
(source:O-dub's msn filter)

Ever wondered how much your neighborhood crack-slangers make on a yearly basis?
Well according to research, drug-dealers barely make minimum wage

And, this is why Tara Reid's ass (literally) gets its own reality show on TV.

Don't waste your time on this if you can’t stand any of the following words and phrases:
Purple
Free Pimp C
Trill
Trap
Syrup/sizzurp
Yeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaah

But if you wanna know how we do it in the H, then this is the blueprint and road-map all rolled in one. OK, now that we got that out the way, this is not an official review of Trill, these are my irregularly-shaped thoughts while listening to the record….for the first time.


The Solid:

• 
  The Inauguration - Why the hell does J Prince feel obligated to speak on the intro of every Rap-a-Lot record? But Bun B scores for showing us his lyrical side, and for being the first to mention New Orleans in a major release.
• 
  Get Throwed - Thankfully, this isn't Big Pimpin' 2. Believe it or not, Jay-Z's still in top form flow-wise. Pimp C’s verse is so fresh it makes you crave another UGK record. With Young Jeezy all over the track you’d think he’s getting paid extra just to say “ay” and “yeeeeaaahh” Thank God his actual verse only lasted 30 seconds.
• 
  Draped Up - By now, everyone’s heard this joint. I imagine it would sound better in S&C. I aint mad at the voice samples either. And wit always works: "I'm looking real shiny you can see me from a mile away" This will be getting spins for a while.
• 
  Draped up ft H-Town All Stars - This version features all the people that helped put H-Town on the map in 05(Paul Wall, Chamillionaire,Slim Thug, etc), and unfortunately that list includes Mike Jones. But we don't need to know that Flip did his verse for free. Who cares?
• 
  Trill Recognize Trill - It’s the creative use of southern slangs like these that make the album refreshing. Luda comes through on this one, as entertaining as ever.
• 
  The Story - Who knew that Bun B took storytelling classes from Scarface? This is the "audiobiography" of UGK’s rise to fame via Big Pimpin’ and Jive. A few more fanfare joints like this would have made Trill a masterpiece.

The So-So's:

• 
  What I Represent - Far from vintage UGK, but the beat' is sure to break ya neck if you try hard enough. That's not saying a lot since the selection of beats is collectively mediocre.
• 
  Bun - Anthemic songs that reference an artist’s name a gazillion times is usually a terrible idea (unless your name is X). Nothing special.
• 
  I’m A 'G' - Since T.I. was featured here, you'd expect the song title to read “I’m a King” or something to that effect. It’s a decent song once you can get past the keyboard-generated beat.
• 
  Pushin’ - I think they could have done without the samples on this one. Although it’s good to hear ‘Face on some new ish, but he sounds out of place on this beat. Like always, Jeezy manages to fit in but his second appearance helps drown Bun's presence...again.

The Skippable's:

• 
  Hold U Down - Bun B is good at playing the odd matchmaker but this one doesn't work as well as the others. Not to mention that one appearance by Mike Jones is way too much.
• 
  Git It - This is Wait(Whisper Song) ...part 71. Nuff said.
• 
  Who Need A Bitch - You’d think that by now Too $hort would be tired of talking about mackin. Unfortunately, the guest manages to overstay his welcome - another disadvantage of too many features.
• 
  Retaliation - Gritty from bar to hook but that's if you can get past the uninspiring production.
• 
  Late Night Creepin’ - blah...not a very nice way to end a solid album.

As I drive around town and find tons of Bun B posters everywhere sprawling from pole to pole, I imagine that UGK fans would be more excited than intrigued about Trill mainly because they had to wait damn near 10 years to get a Bun B solo. But that doesn't make this classic UGK . It looks like Rap-a-Lot spent more of the budget on guests than on beats. Some of the guest appearances were unecessary and tend to weigh the album down; Bun B can hold down an entire LP with positive results. The good news is that this is by far the best Texas release of 2005 so far, and it'll be in heavy rotation for a minute.

I found this over at Business Opportunities and decided to check it out. You too can find out how much your blog is worth. Mine's worth a few car payments, plasma TV and a ballerfific sound system.

Either 50 Cent is a good a$$ business man or he’s still dealing with some childhood issues. Curtis Jackson always finds a dubious way to keep his name in the public’s mouth(no homo?) right before the release of a major project: dope or wack. He's like the Britney Spears of Rap or something. Granted Fiddy's not the most articulate rapper(though he can spell “murder”; Ja Rule can’t), but his PhD in "Conflict & Controversy 101" has earned him a big chunk of change, fame, and Vivica Fox’s behind.

Just in case you’ve been living under a rock, 50 recently called Samuel L Jackson a crack head for refusing to star in the autobiographical Get Rich or Die Tryin’ movie.
But Curtis knows that the Samuel Jackson insult would only boost movie turn out by a meager 8% so he ups his gimmick game a notch by declaring on Tim Westwood that he’s willing to bite the finger that fed him: Dr. Dre (if Dre ever works with his protegee The Game).
Looks like we're going to see a 50 vs. Dre beef sometime soon because Dre is going to work with Chuck Taylor's project anyway.

Based on this Mel Man interview(whatever happened to him?), the friction between Dre and 50 has been brewing for a long time. I hope Eminem would get his ass off those sleeping pills and jump on Game's album, then it'd be a wrap. I'd say 50 should make like Mario Vasquez and discharge himself honorably from the Aftermath camp.

Nasir “I Love Jay-Z” Jones is a free agent(Ill Will records is officially in the dumpster) and is considering a label deal with Def Jam.

Speaking of Def Jam, will The Carter Administration invest in the hearing aid stock market and ear insurance for artists now that Foxy Brown is deaf?

I wouldn’t wanna be in the same cell block as this arrested rap icon from the early 90’s.
Hint: A certain white rapper was intimidated by his compulsive yelling and agreed to feature him on a song.

This is where you go....Aww man, not again?

This Japanese homie possibly has a collection of every tape known to man.



In Constant Rotation:
Kids That Rich - Raekwon(mp3) Now who said the Wu was done!?

#5. Welcome 2 My Block - Clinton Sparks ft Damien Marley, NaS,2Pac & Scarface: Shade45 soldier (aka the other white DJ) cooks up a mouth-watering blend featuring 3 legends and the son of a legend. Although Clinton Sparks is no Premo but he certainly has an ear that most DJ’s lack in the game.
Courtesy:Clinton Sparks

#4. Build Me Up - Rhymefest ft Ol' Dirty Bastard : People would checking more for ODB and less for Rhymefest on this joint even though the late great Dirty only sings the hook. It’s for delirious, yet entertaining acts like this that ODB will be immortalized. “I wanna get up in that bush like Dubya”

#3. Mince Meat - DangerDoom(mp3) : The Mouse and The Mask would probably never even smell the Billboard charts but that’s not taking away from the fact that MF Doom and DangerMouse have crafted one of 05’s better releases. Cee-Lo would have been better suited on "Mince Meat", which could really use a chorus, than on "Benzi Box"(although the latter is still solid in its own right).


#2. Cookies - MF Doom ft produced by Just Blaze(mp3) : Can’t get enough of Doom, especially when he’s feeding you cookies. I’m actually impressed that Just Blaze was able to pull this one out his hat - Doom doesn’t change his style a bit on this snippet. If anything the masked villain succeeds in pulling Justin into his own sound. This might have been a left over from Mmm…Food. “Some have gone blind, Like starring at the screen too long while online”. For real.
Source:Spine Magazine

#1. Dumb Out - Joe Budden (ram) : It’s obvious that Joe Budden is still gunning for his fair share of respect, which he hopes to stack up by dropping dope joints like “Three Sides to A Story(featured last week) and this one. Regardless, this is top notch Joey. (Beware: Name-dropping ahead). “Now if you don’t sell 5 million, they got enough of ‘em/Let me find out Hip Hop’s turning Republican//”
Props: HipHopDx

Ol skool Joint of the Day:
Baby Got Back (mp3) - cover by Jon Coulton: Not only is this cover of Sir Mix-a-Lot’s popular masterpiece humorous, but it’s also earnestly entertaining. “I like big butts, I cannot lie”.

Playstation® has put together a promising Hip Hop show dubbed "The Breed Love Odyssey".
Four of the most articulate lyricists of this generation will be coming together on the same stage in a city nearest to you. Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Pharoahe Monch and Jean Grae would be performing in various cities this fall. Thanks to WareHouse Live, Houston is already on the map for this one. Although they'll be completely exhausted by the time they arrive Houston(why are we always last on the bill), yours truly would be there in all his glory covering the event.

There have been promises of free PS games and Connect Cash Cards giveaways for those who bring their PlayStation to the show. My question is: is it OK to "borrow" a system from the guy next to you at the show? And what if mine gets jacked, is Mos going to buy me a brand new PS3 for the inconvenience.

Tickests: Hit up Ticketmaster.com

More information on the event.
October
28 Sacramento, CA Memorial Auditorium
29 San Francisco, CA Mezzanine
30 San Francisco, CA Mezzanine
31 Santa Cruz, CA Catalyst

November
3 Los Angeles, CA Gibson Amphitheatre
4 Anaheim, CA House of Blues Anaheim (2 shows)
5 San Diego, CA House of Blues San Diego (2 shows)
6 Las Vegas, NV House of Blues Las Vegas
7 Phoenix, AZ Marquee Theatre
10 Denver, CO Ogden Theater
11 Denver, CO Ogden Theater12 Albuquerque, NM Sunshine Theatre
13 Austin, TX Stubb's
14 Houston, TX Warehouse Live

Just as Apple Computer, makers of all things iPod were readying the launch of their unique iPod Video, MTV Networks were finalizing a deal to acquire online favorite for short footage, iFilm.
The $49 million purchase would help revolutionize video downloading as MTV, a division of Viacom plans to make downloadable versions of TV shows available online. While Viacom intends to utilize the deal as advertisement platform targeting the over 10 million net viewers that flood iFilm every month, video via the web could become more like music via the web in the near future.

...in related news:

Apple Launches iPod Video


In another effort to boost downloadable videos, Apple Computer has introduced yet another variation of the popular mp3 player - iPod Video. Yep, portable video. I see how this can help bolster the distribution of vids by independent artists. So now you can watch that MF Doom video that has eluded you since 5th grade, or (let's keep it real) your favorite Christina Milian video over and over on the long flight from LA to VA. Sounds good to me.

But there are a few downers to this new form of video pod casting. For a whopping $299 for a 30GB video iPod, and $100 more for a 60GB, this is one pricey product. Especially when you factor in the cost per video (from $1.99) via the new iTunes.
It's only graceful to admit that there are flaws in the iPod Nano, but what’s up with Apple CEO boldly stating that the Video iPod is a replacement for the old-fashioned iPod?

"The iPod has been a huge hit for us, so it's time to replace it," Apple CEO Steve Jobs.

Since when has it become a great marketing approach to refer to your product indirectly as outdated?

Jean Grae


Since she kicked in the door about 10 years ago, Jean Grae (Tsidi Ibrahim)has captured rap in a choke hold and she’s not letting go. Born in Capetown, South Africa to a jazz pianist father and a vocalist mother, the former LaGuardia High scholar is no stranger to music or the controversies that come along with it. Her parents fled to New York when she was a toddler in order to escape the blooming apartheid in South Africa at the time. Rapping about struggles, joy, pain, and sometimes simply kicking knowledge Nasir Jones style, Jean Grae is everything an average female rapper’s not. She’s the exact antithesis of Foxy Brown and Lil’ Kim.

Unlike most of her female counterparts, the rapper formerly known as “What? What?” vehemently refuses to market her feminine assets, and demands to be assessed on the strength of her talent and not by her physical endowments. Jean’s powerful punch lines, entertaining persona, and magnificent mic skills have earned her both praise and collaborations from veterans in the game including The Roots(she appeared on their Tippin’ Point album), Masta Ace, Guru, 9th Wonder, Mos Def, and Talib Kweli(who allegedly signed Ms. Grae to his Blacksmith Music imprint).

Well way before Jean Grae became a household name in underground circles, she was only slightly famous for two things: being a member of the defunct group Natural Resource which ruled college airwaves in the 90‘s with the satirical “Negro League Baseball”, and releasing a impressive debut album that no one cared about (The Attack of the Attacking Things). But after honing her skills by making multiple appearances on a plethora of underground records which earned her the nickname “Cameo Queen”, the waterproof emcee dropped another solid project ironically dubbed The Bootleg of The Bootleg EP(Babygrande). The Bootleg … gave birth to a more introspective Jean Grae on ethereal tracks like “Take Me” and “Code Red”; and a more prolific songwriter on “My Crew” where she creatively laments the state of Hip Hop - the Cd’s most outstanding joint. You see, Jean doesn’t just complain about Rap, she proffers her art as a solution, ambitiously respecting the purest form. But the 2003 EP was only an appetizer meant to usher in the main entrée.

When Jean’s sophomore album, This Week (Babygrande) arrived, fans were pleased by the stellar production that had been absent on most of JG’s previous releases. Also missing in action was her signature run-on rhyme structure which made way for a more polished albeit conversational style flow. The Jeanius proved that she had the power to grow on every LP without stripping her sound …or clothes. Intelligent, witty and knowledgeable, Jean Grae is the paradigm of a virtuous woman, even if it's the same woman who daydreams about "beatin' up little kids like a stepmother".

All rise for the Jeanius

Jean Grae (Audios)
Jean Grae - Going Crazy(mp3)
Jean Grae - Don't Rush Me(mp3) - produced by 9th Wonder

Now after hearing so many discouraging reviews of Apple's ipod and going by this man's experience, it appears the once idolized invention has been garnering more foes than fans.

Unmitigated by the negative criticisms, Apple has introduced another variation of the (un)popular invention for music-lovers. The Ipod nano is no longer a new face to internet heads, but the new wood case for the nano is a no-brainer. Now your ipod will be secured for sure. I wonder if the inspiration for a wood case came from an attempt to make it Hurricane-proof.
The new "IWood" accessory described by Boing Boing as stately will ship as early as October 20th.

Bringing us closer to nature?

Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina: Dre's Version:
The good doc was kind enough to share his wealth with Hurricane victims Bill Gates-stylee by donating a cool mil to the less fortunate. A nice move from the Hip Hop physician. Now all you gotta do is drop "Detox" sometime in this lifetime, and we cool.


In Constant Rotation:
Lyrical Swords Westside Rebellion mix(mp3) - Adisa Banjoko (Buy his book, it'll make him slightly richer, and you slightly smarter)

As a birthday treat from yours truly, I've decided to launch something exciting for my graceful readership. At the beginning of every new month, I'll post a list of upcoming albums that are suppose to drop for that month. So, as the antiquated saying goes: if horses were wishes, the following albums will grace record stores across the nation this month-

October 2005 Releases
Big Boi presents...The Purple Ribbon All-Stars
Killer Mike - Ghetto Extraordinary
Twista - The Day After
Atmosphere - You Can't Imagine How Much Fun We're Having
Big Tone - The Drought
Dwele - Some Kinda...
Alicia Keys - Unplugged
Busta Rhymes - The Big Bang
Dilated Peoples - (title TBA)
Royce Da 5'9 & Nottz - Politics
Sadat X - Experience & Education
Styles P. - Time Is Money
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony - Bone Thug Story
Crooked I - B.O.S.S. Music (Beginning Of Something Serious)
Jay Dee aka J-Dilla - (title TBA)
Sean Paul - The Trinity
Tragedy Khadafi - Thug Matrix II
8Ball & MJG - Space Age 4Eva
Danger Doom (Danger Mouse & MF Doom) - The Mouse & The Mask
Outkast - 10 The Hard Way
Papoose - The Nacirema Dream
Yukmouth - Million Dollar Mouthpiece
Stat Quo - Statlanta
DJ Muggs vs. The GZA/Genius - Grandmasters

TBA Album of the Month: The Growth - Joe Budden - as my man over at Nastack wisely points out, The Growth has been pushed back to 2025, and it's official!

Many Hip Hop heads have often compared this Oakland-native rapper/songstress to Lauryn Hill for the appropriate reasons. Her perspective of Hip Hop, albeit unique, Mystic is definitely one to express unadulterated truth and pure soul through her songs much like the great L'Boogie. The self-educated rapper keeps her sound diverse by alternating between soulful harmonizations, intelligent raps, and spoken word.


Although her 2001 underground masterpiece Cuts for Luck and Scars for Freedom stands as her sole body of work, Mystic’s larger than life music philosophy speaks for itself. Her album is a brilliant mesh of spirituality, lyricism and musicianship. On songs like the Grammy-nominated "W" with Planet Asia, she offers a sonic tour of the west coast. "The Gottas" finds her questioning rap's images without morphing into a preacher, while on cuts like "The Life" and "Ghetto Birds" she takes the listener by the hand and walks them through familiar struggles. On the classic “Fatherless Child” she channels an emotional account of her father's death from a heroin overdose.

It’s been three years since this beautiful rapper tintillated ears with her powerful addition to Hip Hop’s heavyweight catalog. Whether Mystic will ever record another album remains a mystery. But, she'll always be revered for stepping up to assume the throne during Lauryn Hill's Hip Hop sabbatical.

For now, the Bay Area femcee is helping out with Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.

This is the first of a week-long 7 part series in appreciation of commendable(often overlooked) women in Hip Hop. Downloads and links will be offered when available (for promotional use only). Suggestions, comments, and complaints are welcome as usual.

When Heather Hunter stormed the porn world in the 90’s, she was the first African-American to evolve in the mainstream adult entertainment industry. When she decided to switch careers and pursue Rap following her porn retirement, the likes of Lauryn Hill and MC Lyte had already set the standards higher than an average porn star could ever visualize. But, Double H is not your average pretty face with no talent.
Although, her rhyme scheme reeks of a carefully-crafted by-the-book style, her crisp and smooth flow is delivered with a sassy attitude. On her first single, Double H demands to be taken “So Serious”. It’s quite a challenge to be taken seriously as a rapper when you’re only known for your former career and for appearing in 2Pac’s “How Do You Want It” video. But her wish was granted when underground critics welcomed her debut album The Unexpected(Blo Records) as solid effort. So, before you dismiss Heather as a gimmick, keep in mind that she’ s been fully cosigned by no-nonsense Hip Hop purist and pioneer, DJ Premier who collaborated with Double H on The Unexpected.

Video(s):
So Serious(video) - Heather Hunter (appearance by Wyclef)

Audios:
In Love(mp3) - Heather Hunter
Wassup(mp3) - Heather Hunter

5. Hold Your Head - Notorious B.I.G. ft Bob Marley (mp3): Supposedly the first single off Big Poppa's Duets:Final Chapter album. The incarcerated Brooklyn don spits prophetic eulogies with a soulful assist from the legendary Bob Marley.
(props to spine)

4. Road To Zion - Damian Marley ft NaS (ram): From one Marley to another, this is one of the handful outstanding joints from JR Gong's latest addition to the Marley catalog Welcome to Jamrock. God's Son touches on the Black man's plight in his un-conventional off-beat conversational flow.
(Art of Rhyme)

3. Take It Easy - The Fugees (mp3) If you're one of the most respected rap groups ever and you reckon you're vital enough to make a comback after an 8-year hiatus, then you better make it a classic comeback (I don't think Fugees fans would settle for less). This is not vintage Fugees but it's more listenable than most of that other shit out there, which goes to show how further down the standards have slumped these days. "I ain't rhymed in a minute, but y'all ain't catch up, and that ain't blood on your shirt, that's ketchup!,"
(courtesy of O-dub)

2. Three Sides To A Story - Joe Budden: Def Jam was supposed to be putting out a Joe Budden album entitled The Growth sometime this year. Joey himself dissappeared from mixtapes for a while only to reappear on Roc Cafe with claims of being signed to Roc-a-fella. No matter what happens to The Growth or Budden's contract for that matter, "Three Sides..." a twisted 3-in-1 story, will go down in history as evidence of what he can do on the mic.....sometimes.

1. Something To Hold On To - Jay Electronica(mp3) : A delicate yet introspective song that'll get you thinking without making you scratch your head. Nottz adds substance to the joint with dense layers of soulful instrumentations, while the much under-appreciated Jay Electronica complements the beat with his crisp and clear flow.
(Thanks to Frank for this one)