Musicians Friend – A Place For Music Equipment
Musicians Friend – A Place For Music Equipment
Musician’s Friend is the only place to shop if you need to get something for your next gig or to rock a world wide concert. They have everything a big time or private musician could need. The items range from drums, guitars, keyboards, DJ sets, and many more tremendous guild classical at Musicians friend. Just starting off, they offer a vast selection of books and videos to choose from. They also have unbeatable prices!
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Solitaire and Sudoku Games
Solitaire and Sudoku Games
Excite your life by playing free solitaire games with fexi.com. From classics, pyramid, golf and more, there’s enough to keep your everyday fulfilled. And get this, there are many adventures from king, towers, castle, you name it. It will literally blow you away. All you need to do is go to www.fexi.com. Ever wanted to go to Miami? Just visit www.fexi.com. Want to feel like a king? Just visit www.fexi.com and you’ll be there instantly. Why wait? Log onto www.fexi.com and start your day off right. Pass those boring office working hours by, as you venture into free solitaire games. Surely your boss or manager wouldn’t mind as they’ll probably be doing the same. Ever wondered what may be going on over in the cubicals near the back office? They’re probably playing free solitaire games with www.felix.com. Desiring getting in on the action? Simply log www.felix.com and get started. Feel free to contact the Fexi Games company concerning any questions or comments by entering into the site, and click the Contact Us tab.
And don’t forget sudoku and it’s a great online puzzle adventures, including Sudoku of the Sponge and Samurai Sudoku. It’s not called sudoku daily for nothing. Play at home; gathering your friends and family for authentic sudoku challenges. Call up your friends for a game party to see whom gets crowned king or queen of sudoku. A great way to bring family and friends together over popcorn, soda, laughter and chitter chatter, while knocking each other’s head’s off in a race for the sudoku crown. Children, let mom and dad know that they can’t be good at everything and that they should stick to parenting. You don’t have to tell them, but you can show them. Add this to the top of your birthday or Christmas list. May your sudoku wish be granted. Log onto www.sudokuwizz.com TODAY!
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A Message To New Bloggers
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Watch ‘RapFix Live’ From The Brooklyn Nets’ Barclays Center
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On Friday, Jay-Z will officially open the doors, before Hov christens New York’s new entertainment arena with a whopping eight shows, “RapFix Live” will get the keys early. On Wednesday, MTV News’ Sway will take fans inside the house that Hovie built for an exclusive sneak peek.
Brooklyn Nets ballers Brook Lopez and MarShon Brooks will appear in the special episode of “RapFix Live” as we give our dedicated viewers the grand tour, but that’s not all. Lupe Fiasco, Juicy J and Jay-Z’s nephew, Mel Carter, are also set to appear.
On September 19, the younger Carter dropped Popular Stranger, a 15-track mixtape that he hopes will set him up as a mainstay in rap. With some clever wordplay and a fluid delivery, the MC seems to have a bright future. Now, the youngster will have the chance to chop it up with Sway and spit a verse or two.
That’s not all, though. Lupe Fiasco will also make an appearance, returning to the show to break down his brand-new record, Food Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album, Pt.1 Lupe’s fourth album, which he released on Tuesday (September 25), is spearheaded by the singles “Around My Way (Freedom Ain’t Free)” and “Bitch Bad” and marks the return of one of rap’s most powerful voices.
If that isn’t enough for you, rap veteran and Three Six Mafia member Juicy J will also appear to talk about his upcoming debut solo album, which he’s recording alongside Wiz Khalifa and Dr. Luke. You’re not going to want to miss this.
Catch your exclusive first look at the Barclays Center when “RapFix Live” invades the home of the Brooklyn Nets, with appearances by Lupe Fiasco, Juicy J, Mel Carter and more on Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET on RapFix.MTV.com. Be sure to join the Twitter conversation using the hashtag #RapFixLive!
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Bryan Leach Will Serve Two-Year Prison Sentence For Gun Charge
(Leach signed A$AP Rocky last year)By Rob Markman
Hip-hop executive Bryan Leach is in hot water. On Monday (September 24), the heavyweight who once ran TVT Records and launched the careers of artists like Lil Jon, Ying Yang Twins and Pitbull pleaded guilty to attempted gun possession in New York and could face two years in prison the New York Post reports.
Leach, who most recently signed A$AP Rocky to Polo Grounds Music was arrested in 2010 after police reportedly observed his Bentley swerving erratically in Manhattan’s West Side. After searching Leach’s vehicle police found a Kel-Tech handgun, which was loaded with hollow-tip bullets.
Originally the record exec was charged with two counts of weapons possession, but plead guilty to a reduced count of attempted weapons possession in the second degree. In addition to his prison-bid Leach will also have to serve a year and a half of probation once he is released.
Leach hasn’t officially been sentenced and he is being allowed to remain free until his November 8 hearing. Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Lewis Bart Stone warned Leach that he could wind up in jail for a total of seven years if he fails to cooperate with probation officials or if he doesn’t return to court for sentencing.
What do you think of Byran Leach’s looming prison sentence?
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Nicki Minaj Says ‘American Idol’ Gig Is A ‘Milestone’ For Hip-Hop
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Nicki Minaj‘s new judging gig on “American Idol” came as a surprise to some fans, despite rumors that the deal was in the works for a few weeks, but initial reactions aside–Minaj maintains that it’s a huge leap forward for the hip-hop community.
Confirmation of the new position was met with mixed reaction — naturally — and while Nicki admits that she hears the criticism loud and clear, she’s also learned to look past it.
Minaj’s addition to the “Idol” judging panel was rumored for weeks, and finally confirmed a few days ago when she and Keith Urban joined Mariah Carey and Randy Jackson in New York to begin filming the new season. Most of her Barbz were thrilled with the move, while the naysayers had their own opinions, but in the end the Trinidad-born, Queens-bred rapper is looking at the bigger picture.
“It’s a milestone for me; it’s a milestone for hip-hop; it’s a milestone for young black women,” Nicki told MTV News, reflecting on the weight of her new gig. “Has there ever been a black woman [judging] on the show? This is a show that 20 million people watch so I feel like we should be represented on that show and I’m very proud of my decision to do it.”
Her decision to accept the “Idol” position wasn’t an instantaneous one, but in the end it was the right one. “Of course I had doubts but I had to realize that my fears of doing the show came a lot from what I thought people would say,” she explained. “I had to really think and [realize that] a lot of decisions I’ve made in my career, people thought I was f—ing crazy and I made them, and I continue to make the hard decisions. I continue to make the decisions that people don’t have the balls to make. And that’s what separates me from everybody else.”
Consider this another notch on Nicki’s million-dollar belt — one that will likely come with exponential bragging rights soon enough. “This is just gonna be another tough decision that Nicki Minaj makes,” she added. “Another thing that I’m gonna open the door and pave the way for people to do. And I think that’s where I am with it, just feeling with OK with me and my choices and not having to answer to anybody, because people will criticize you to the f—ing poorhouse. I’m very, very excited. I can’t wait for my Barbz to watch.”
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Frank Ocean’s ‘Pyramids’ Video Director Breaks Down Visuals
By Rob Markman
Frank Ocean’s “Pyramids” video is just as epic as the almost 10-minute long track, and director Nabil Elderkin guided MTV News through the stunning visuals.
Strolling through a desert strip-club on an acid-induced trip with John Mayer sounds like fun, but if you’re not that adventurous, maybe you’d rather just stay home and watch Frank Ocean’s “Pyramids” video.
“Basically we wanted something enjoyable to watch that compliments the song,” Nabil Elderkin told MTV News of the eight-minute “Pyramids” video that he and Frank Ocean released on September 16. “We just tried to come at it in that way that felt like he was on a trip, however you interpret it; an absinthe-induced journey.”
The Channel Orange single finds Ocean at a crossroads of sorts as he lyrically plays a love-struck lothario who is torn between his heart’s desires and getting money as his girl struts back and forth between home and her job at a go-go bar. Frank’s vocals are emotionally complex, but for the video, all Nabil wanted to do was entertain. “I just wanted to create something visually entertaining,” he said. “He told me two things: ‘I want to have a desert scene driving a car and I want John Mayer performing somewhere with florescent lights behind him.’ So I just interpreted it in my own way.”
Ocean eventually changed his mind and opted for a motorcycle, ditching the original car concept, but of course the Mayer guitar solo remained. “It was about two musicians coming together, working together,” the director explained of the chemistry that guitarist and Ocean exhibited on set.
“Pyramids” features beautiful panoramic desert shots and then of course there is the NSFW eye candy with the strippers. Still, Elderkin, who has worked with Ocean on his “Novacane” and “Swim Good” videos, applied some subtle, but serious after-effects in post-production, providing more of an artsy vibe.
In the desert scene, Frank rides at blazing speeds, while neon trails of lights follow him. The video’s dancers look pretty cool too, after Nabil added some computer generated body art. He was influenced a bit by the 1997 Al Pacino film “The Devil’s Advocate” and Johnny Depp’s 1998 cult classic “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.”
“My whole goal during the post was to achieve something that felt real and surreal without it being overdone,” he said. “I wanted to give the same kind of dark feeling that was achieved in both those films. I just did it in my own way.”
What’s your favorite scene in Frank Ocean and Nabil Elderkin’s “Pyramids” video? Let us know in the comments!
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Kanye West’s Sex Tapes Stolen From His Computer
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Roscoe Dash Demands Credit For Kanye West, Wale Tracks
By Rob Markman
Roscoe Dash has quite the chip on his shoulder and on Thursday the “All the Way Turnt Up” spitter set his sights on Kanye West, Wale, Meek Mill and RB singer Miguel.
It all started when the Atlanta rapper/producer fired off a tweet claiming he wasn’t properly credited as a writer on G.O.O.D. Music’s Cruel Summer, LP which was released in stores on Tuesday. “Everybody go get the G.O.O.D album and listen to #1… tell me y I’m not on the credits,” he wrote.
“To the World,” the album opener to which Roscoe was referring, features Kanye West and R. Kelly. Both Kelly and West’s names appear in the credits as well as the track’s producer Pop Wansel, but Dash, whose real name is Jeffery Johnson Jr., does not. Though he doesn’t specifically say what his contribution to Cruel Summer was, Dash alludes that he did some writing for the song and says you can actually hear him on the track. ” as far as @KanyeWest ‘To The World’ if u listen close my adlibs are STILL in the song,” he tweeted before sending out an Instagram pic of his iTunes library with the track’s reference file appearing on his screen.
Seems like this isn’t the first time Dash has been short-changed either. After airing his grievance with Yeezy, he then focused on Wale, claiming that he wrote the hook for the Maybach Music rapper’s #1 single “Lotus Flower Bomb,” even though it was Miguel who actually appeared on the chorus. “the record went #1 I wasnt credited,” he wrote.
Dash seemed about done, until Miguel interviewed with Complex.com in which he called the situation “retarded.” Roscoe then retweeted a link to Miguel’s interview with the hashtag “#cornball.”
All of hip-hop seemingly took notice, and that’s when Meek Mill chimed in by tweeting: “Yo @Roscoedash u must not b getting no money b! Lol.”
Meek and Dash have gotten into it over the social networking site before. After the Philadelphia MC tossed his barb, Roscoe responded with an Instagram picture of Meek apologizing to him after their last tiff.
It was quite the spectacle, but at the end of the day, all Roscoe Dash wants is his just due. “Can’t do favors for n—as bcuz no matter how humble and generous u r to ppl n—as will take everything u have … Even n—as u look up to,” he wrote. “The most talented ppl get the least credit for everything and the crazy part is they put in the MOST work…”
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Big K.R.I.T. Brings ‘Live From The Underground’ To NYC With Slim Thug, Tito Lopez
By Sowmya Krishnamurthy
The Big Apple received a dose of Southern hospitality last night when Big K.R.I.T. brought his Live from the Underground tour to Irving Plaza. A slew of openers set the stage including newcomer Tito Lopez and most notably, Houston’s Slim Thug. In addition to his own repertoire of songs like “Thug,” “Like a Boss” and the remix to “Draped Up,” Slim Thugga surprised the audience with Swishahouse associate Paul Wall, who joined him onstage for “Still Tippin’” (yet unfortunately, sans Mike Jones).
K.R.I.T. started his set with an energetic frenzy and although he said it was his fifth show in NYC, the Mississippi native rapped like he had something still to prove. He touched upon beloved mixtape cuts like “Just Touched Down,” “Hometown Hero” and “Moon Stars” as well as more recent album fare, “Money on the Floor” and “Pull Up” featuring Big Sant. He even sang, sometimes acapella at that, during “The Vent” and “Highs Lows.”
It was certainly not a short show and after some 20 or so odd songs, the length began to plague both the audience and artist. He ended on a high note, bringing out producer 9th Wonder and others onstage during “I Got This” which turned into an impromptu rager filled with chants of “F–k these haters and f—k these h–s.”
Live from the Underground is slated for several more dates including stops in Philadelphia, Montreal and Cleveland.
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Taylor J Readies Control Mixtape
Taylor J is gearing up to drop his new mixtape Control, and the ATL rapper sat down with Shaheem Reid for a candid interview about his music, explaining, “I feel like right now I’m taking my career and everything into my own hands more than ever.” Check out the full interview above. Taylor J recently dropped his video for “No Good” featuring Gucci Mane and Dose.
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’42′ Trailer Gives First Glimpse At Jackie Robinson Biopic
The trailer for “42,” the upcoming film from director Brian Helgeland debuted on Thursday (September 20) giving fans a a first look at the true story, which will be based on the journey and struggle of legendary baseball player Jackie Robinson. Robinson made history in 1947 becoming the first Major League Baseball player.
Actor Chadwick Boseman will play the groundbreaking slugger in “42.” But what’s supposed to be an uplifting story starts on a tense note — appropriate enough given the climate of the times the movie is set in — as Robinson takes a long walk down a hall toward his team’s dugout, and eventually onto the field itself.
From there, the trailer shows a world steeped in segregation, where bathrooms and seating areas and more are assigned by skin color. It’s not a world that sits well with Dodgers general manager Branch Rickey, played here by Harrison Ford. It’s a world that he wants to change.
Enter Robinson. The legendary athlete is seen in numerous scenes from his early childhood to his first days in the major leagues, while Jay-Z and Santigold’s “Brooklyn Go Hard” blares in the background. And the going is very hard indeed for Robinson, who finds himself beaned in the face by a deliberately aimed pitch, a clear signal that he’s unwanted in this game.
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UK Video Of The Week: Squeeks Ft. Lonsdale Boys Club
By Joseph “JP” Patterson
Artist Name: Squeeks
Location: London, UK
Musical Style:Laid-back, yet thought-provoking rap music from a guy who sounds like no other.
Ever since he dropped Big Squeeko at the start of the year, north London’s Squeeks has been putting in that much-needed work to stand alongside UK rap’s finest. When I first came across the rapper, it was like a breath of fresh air. His gravely tone and effortless flow instantly stood out for me – lyrical content aside. Although Shyne and Ja Rule comparisons flew around for a hot minute (yes, I know what you’re thinking), the Islington representative has since proven that he’s in his own unique lane.
Underground artists can have one hit track, with hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube to prove it, and still come out at the back of it with no solid fanbase. When Squeeks put out his free Call Me Squeeko mixtape, that was when he started to see a real increase in true, loyal fans. The 14-track, well-constructed piece of work showed the rapper in a star-like light, intelligently sharing his love for both the street life and the ladies. Bad Boy’s French Montana seemed to also be a fan of the youngster’s work, as he asked Squeeks to perform at his London show a couple of months ago. Not bad for a newcomer, eh?
This week’s “UK Video Of The Week” comes from Squeeks and Lonsdale Boys Club, with I Got You. The luvvy-duvvey mixtape track gets a special acoustic reworking, courtesy of one of the UK’s brightest new bands, LBC, and SB.TV’s new Jam Sessions series…
RapFix’s “UK Video Of The Week” is a weekly column by UK-based music journalist, Joseph ‘JP’ Patterson, designed to give us a closer look at hip-hop across the pond. Stay tuned.
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Missy Elliott Reveals Her Two Sons On ‘RapFix Live’
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During her visit to “RapFix Live” this week Missy Elliott chatted plenty about her upcoming album and her illustrious career in general, but then Sway wanted to know a little more about her personal life. He asked Missy whether she would ever consider settling down to have a family, prompting her to open up about her “two sons.”
Missy Elliott Reminisces About Aaliyah’s Sense Of Humor
“I got two little boys–ya’ll are hearing it for the first time here, two sons,” she told Sway. “For a moment everything was still in the studio while everyone tried to process what Missy had just said. But she only let it linger for a few seconds before adding, “two Yorkies,” while laughing and noting that Twitter was probably going nuts from the news already. “Twitter done shut down,” she said, confirming that she was just talking about her two dogs.
“I love kids but you know how you can take them back to their mom and dad when they get to actin up? Well I gave god kids that I love dearly and then when they start crying and going in the store and ripping down stuff cause they can’t get it, then you call they momma and they daddy and you good,” she said.
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Snoop Lion And Son Smoke Marijuana Together, Share Pictures
By Sowmya Krishnamurthy
The family that smokes together…stays together? Photos of Snoop Lion and his son, Corde Calvin Broadus, hitting the bong together have surfaced online. Corde or “Spanky” as he’s known, is no stranger to marijuana and much of his Instagram shows the youngster enjoying the drug.
The father/son bonding may have been heightened with Snoop’s new reincarnation as the Rastafarian Snoop Lion.
Last month, Snoop gathered friends, family and the media to announce his new project, Reincarnated, produced by Diplo and Major Lazer. The rapper also spoke at length about his evolution from a West Coast MC to the chilled out Snoop Lion. Snoop admitted he got tired of rap and wanted to try something different. It was that yearning that led him to Jamaica, where he recorded his new LP after he got a blessing from Bob Marley’s family.
“Now he understands that I’m fully with it and I’m all in it to win it,” Snoop said of Dre, who was initially confused by the transformation. “So he gets it, and I got his support. He just didn’t understand it because I didn’t explain it to him. I wasn’t tryna keep it a secret; it just wasn’t time to unveil until now.”
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Nas And Lauryn Hill Co-Headlining Life Is Good/Black Rage Tour
By Miranda Johnson
After getting a big reaction from the crowd when they graced the stage together at Hot 97’s Summer Jam and again at Rock the Bells, it’s only fitting that Nas and Lauryn Hill share the stage for a tour this fall. The just-announced Life is Good/Black Rage tour featuring both Hill and Nas will give fans an experience that has been long waited for, beginning October 6th.
Deriving it’s name from Nas’s #1 album, Life is Good and “Black Rage,” a new song by Lauryn Hill due out later this fall, the two plan to make history once again by performing their collaborative hits as well as their individual crowd favorites. “I use the performance platform as an opportunity to express the energy of that moment, and the intention behind it,” Hill said in a statement. “I’ve been a long standing rebel against the stale, over commoditization. As artists we have opportunity to help the public evolve, raise consciousness and awareness, teach, heal, enlighten and inspire in ways the democratic process may not be able to touch. So we keep it moving.”
“This is history,” added Nas. “Better late than never. Life is good!”
Dates for the ‘Life Is Good/Black Rage Tour’ are as follows (plus additional Nas solo shows):
October 6th Columbia, MD Merriweather Post Pavilion (NAS ONLY)
October 20th Phoenix, AZ Arizona State Fairgrounds (NAS ONLY)
October 26th Asheville, NC MOOG Festival (NAS ONLY)
October 27th Nashville, TN Riverfront Park (NAS ONLY)
October 28th New Orleans, LA Voodoo Festival (NAS ONLY)
October 29th Dallas, TX Palladium Ballroom
October 31st Houston, TX Bayou Music Center
November 2nd Atlanta, GA Tabernacle
November 3rd Norfolk, VA NorVa Theatre (NAS ONLY)
November 4th Washington, DC DAR Constitution Hall
November 7th Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory
November 9th Rochester, NY Main Street Armory(NAS ONLY)
November 11th Boston, MA House of Blues
November 14th Chicago, IL Congress Theatre
November 16th Denver, CO Fillmore Auditorium
November 17th Magna, UT Salt Air
November 19th Oakland, CA Fox Oakland Theater
December 31st New York, NY Radio City Music Hall (NAS ONLY)
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Nas And Lauryn Hill Co-Headlining Life Is Good/Black Rage Tour
By Miranda Johnson
After getting a big reaction from the crowd when they graced the stage together at Hot 97’s Summer Jam and again at Rock the Bells, it’s only fitting that Nas and Lauryn Hill share the stage for a tour this fall. The just-announced Life is Good/Black Rage tour featuring both Hill and Nas will give fans an experience that has been long waited for, beginning October 6th.
Deriving it’s name from Nas’s #1 album, Life is Good and “Black Rage,” a new song by Lauryn Hill due out later this fall, the two plan to make history once again by performing their collaborative hits as well as their individual crowd favorites. “I use the performance platform as an opportunity to express the energy of that moment, and the intention behind it,” Hill said in a statement. “I’ve been a long standing rebel against the stale, over commoditization. As artists we have opportunity to help the public evolve, raise consciousness and awareness, teach, heal, enlighten and inspire in ways the democratic process may not be able to touch. So we keep it moving.”
“This is history,” added Nas. “Better late than never. Life is good!”
Dates for the ‘Life Is Good/Black Rage Tour’ are as follows (plus additional Nas solo shows):
October 6th Columbia, MD Merriweather Post Pavilion (NAS ONLY)
October 20th Phoenix, AZ Arizona State Fairgrounds (NAS ONLY)
October 26th Asheville, NC MOOG Festival (NAS ONLY)
October 27th Nashville, TN Riverfront Park (NAS ONLY)
October 28th New Orleans, LA Voodoo Festival (NAS ONLY)
October 29th Dallas, TX Palladium Ballroom
October 31st Houston, TX Bayou Music Center
November 2nd Atlanta, GA Tabernacle
November 3rd Norfolk, VA NorVa Theatre (NAS ONLY)
November 4th Washington, DC DAR Constitution Hall
November 7th Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory
November 9th Rochester, NY Main Street Armory(NAS ONLY)
November 11th Boston, MA House of Blues
November 14th Chicago, IL Congress Theatre
November 16th Denver, CO Fillmore Auditorium
November 17th Magna, UT Salt Air
November 19th Oakland, CA Fox Oakland Theater
December 31st New York, NY Radio City Music Hall (NAS ONLY)
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French Montana, Coke Boys Freestyle On ‘RapFix Live’
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French Montana and his Coke Boys dropped by Wednesday’s episode of “RapFix Live,” and left us with a freestyle. Check it above.
Visit RapFixLive.MTV.com to watch full episodes of #RapFixLive.
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Kanye West And G.O.O.D. Music’s Cruel Summer: Album Review Roundup
By Carter Maness
Is G.O.O.D. Music’s Cruel Summer a Kanye West album or not? With his lack of consistent presence and little-to-no personal promotion, that seems to be the central question that critics are asking when reviewing the eclectic posse compilation, which features adored singles like “Mercy” and “Clique,” but only sports a West verse on seven of its 12 tracks. Reviews have been mixed with most noting that West did not put a full effort into the anticipated album, instead relying too much on his roster and not enough on his trustworthy instincts.
Talented But Distracted
On Cruel Summer (G.O.O.D./Def Jam), the spotty new compilation from his G.O.O.D. Music label, Mr. West is characteristically loose, veering from rapping about depression after the death of his mother to nonsense about the former C.I.A. director George Tenet’s Maybach to making it plain exactly what’s at the forefront of his thinking lately, which is often not music. – Jon Caramanica, New York Times.
Quality Control
One of the summer’s most anticipated albums (apparently it’s summer until ‘Ye says it isn’t), the G.O.O.D. Music posse album is a mixed bag full of vigorous singles and minute made, mailed-in verses, tied with a red ribbon by Kanye. – Erika Ramirez, Billboard.
Too Much Of A Team Player
On Cruel Summer, too many people were given too much shine too often. And with Kanye’s absence on songs on which his participation was crucial, the listener was often left with nothing to go on, be it a triumphant Ye start, or a whirlwind Yeezy final verse. One has to admire the sprinkle of modesty that was his approach to constructing this album, but come Cruel Summer 2: Back in the Habit, it might be time to shed that modesty (and a few players) and reinvigorate some of that cocky bravado that he carries with him in seemingly every other walk of life. – Rembert Browne, Grantland.
Expectations
It’s the sense of Event, which has become as much of an art for Kanye as his music over the years, that is most blatantly missing here… A handful of guests aside, though, none of G.O.O.D. Music’s personalities do much to justify their newfound prominence. If Cruel Summer is meant to be an argument for the label’s other talent, it makes a weak case. -Jayson Greene, Pitchfork.
Maybe A Mixtape Instead?
Cruel Summer doesn’t feel directly connected to Kanye’s life in any real way (Kim K asides aside). BTW, what was the cruelest part of Ye’s summer? Refereeing Beyonce and KK backstage at Made in America? Giving Big Sean a post-show Mean Joe Greene/Coca-Cola pep talk? I mean, if Kanye ain’t bringing the mostest drama, musically or otherwise, then his movement seems off-message. But, honestly, quibbling like this feels pretty chintzy. This is a glorified summer mixtape, natch. – Charles Aaron, Spin.
Style First
An hourlong presentation of West’s musical line, Cruel Summer is a sonic runway show (West describes it as “a ghetto opera”) on which his taste in rappers is on full display, and for the most part they’re spitting poison. – Randall Roberts, Los Angeles Times.
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Kreayshawn Showcases Musical Tastes On Debut Somethin’ ‘Bout Kreay
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Kreayshawn released her debut album Somethin’ ‘Bout Kreay on Tuesday, marking a new milestone in the Bay Area rapper’s career.
The pint-sized rapper tells MTV News that the album is an eclectic mix of tracks that she put together primarily under the guidance of producer Jean Baptiste and his collective Free School. “It was a group of people who really understood how I am, so if I said, ‘I want a crazy song that sounds like New Orleans booty bounce music or Chicago house,’ he would know exactly what I meant,” Kreayshawn explained.
Features on the album include Kid Cudi on the punk-inspired track “Like It Or Love It” and a 2 Chainz feature on “Syrup,” and the 22-year-old said her lyrical content ranges as far as the beats and vibe of every song.
“The subjects fly around from nonsense to making too much sense and people might think I’m dissing people, but I’m not dissing anyone,” she said. “It’s just … when I was in the head space of making the album I didn’t wanna make an album that’s like, ‘This is me proving to everyone that I’m actually the best.’ This is just me proving that I’m myself. This is the music that I like, and I’m gonna replicate the music that I like and put my own spin on it and put a little Bay Area in it.”
Kreayshawn has been very hands on in every aspect of the album’s creation, including the trippy cover art (“With the album art it was me trying to prove a point — that I’m insane”) and the music videos for singles like “Go Hard (La.La.La)” which she wrote the treatment for after a trip to Japan. The video for “Go Hard” clearly reflect tidbits from her Japanese adventure, and she plans to have just as much creative input in all upcoming videos.
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Why Isn’t G.O.O.D. Music’s Cruel Summer Album On iTunes?
Posted 19 mins ago by Nadeska Alexis in Music News
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Missy Elliott And French Montana Dropping By ‘RapFix Live’
“RapFix Live” is about to get Supa Dupa Fly: Missy Elliott will be swinging through to kick it on the couch with host Sway Calloway.
It’s been seven years since Missy last dropped an album, but the multiplatinum rapper, songwriter and producer is gearing up to release a new album later this year. Just last week, Misdemeanor dropped a snippet of her upcoming single, “9th Inning.” The menacing piano-laced track, which also features Missy’s longtime production partner Timbaland, finds the Virginia MC spitting some pretty ferocious bars. “Now I’m in the ninth inning, thought I feel off, ain’t quite finished/ Yeah, I’m about to put my foot in it, talk wit’ it, walk wit’ it, I’m no gimmick,” she spits, before proclaiming 2012 her year.
Be sure to tune in as Missy talks about everything from her musical beginnings in the mid-1990s, her reign in the 2000s and her seven-year hiatus from the booth. Look for the decorated veteran to also weigh-in on the controversial posthumous Aaliyah album that is said to be in the works.
Bad Boy rapper French Montana will also be stopping by with his Coke Boys crew to talk about their upcoming “9000 Watts” video and French’s solo debut album, Excuse My French. The Bronx, New York, representative has already wowed fans with singles like “Shot Caller” and “Pop That,” and next he is looking to drop a collaboration with Nicki Minaj. “It’s just something for the clubs; you know, especially for New York. I feel like it’s big,” he told MTV News.
Catch Missy Elliott, French Montana and the Coke Boys on Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET on “RapFix Live,” on RapFix.MTV.com, and be sure to join the Twitter conversation using the hashtag #RapFixLive. Send your questions for the artists @MTVRapFix!
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Pregnant Amber Rose Tweets Baby Bump Photos
Amber Rose and her fiance Wiz Khalifa are expecting their first child shortly, and after revealing the news on the red carpet at MTV’s Video Music Awards Rose has continued to share updates via Twitter. This week she shared a new photo of her growing (and tattooed) baby bump, writing to followers, “Good morning Rosebuds Rosestuds Our lil wizbud Is growing so fast “
Wiz has been unable to contain his excitement about the upcoming addition to his family. ”We found out this summer, and it was more of a celebration than anything,” the rapper told MTV News backstage after the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards. “I did a backflip; she was doing this little dance that we made up.”
Rose chimed in: “It’s called the monkey butt dance!”
Celebratory gymnastics aside, Khalifa said he doesn’t expect that his life will slow down because he’s going to be a dad: “I’ve been pretty focused my entire life, and now that I have a family, I’m just going to keep that focus, but it’s going to be a family focus.”
Rose added, “He’s a rock star, so it’s never going to stop.”
The two confirmed the news before the show with MTV News’ Sway Calloway. “Well, Sway, you know you my brother, man, so we had to do it with you first and we had to do it with the whole world, and just let everybody know that we’re expecting a beautiful young baby,” Khalifa said, before screaming, “We’re having a baby!”
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Frank Ocean Croons Alongside John Mayer On ‘Saturday Night Live’
By Sowmya Krishnamurthy
Frank Ocean hit the “Saturday Night Live” stage on September 15 and performed two songs. Against a vintage arcade backdrop, Frank sang “Thinking About You” and an abridged version of “Pyramids” and was accompanied by singer John Mayer on guitar. Mayer also appears on Frank’s recent critically-acclaimed album, Channel Orange.
Fans loved the performance on Twitter. “John Mayer playing guitar for @FrankOcean…. night. made. Slam dunk,” tweeted one fan while another poked fun, “Wait- Is Frank Ocean really playing PacMan while John Mayer is doing this guitar solo?” The usually-quiet Frank also appeared on promo spots for the late-night show with host Seth MacFarlane.
Frank just hit another big stage, the 2012 MTV VMAs, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The stripped-down number had no frills. Ocean’s soaring vocals and an intensity that seemed to shut out everything around him. Earlier in the night, host Kevin Hart had saluted the 24-year-old — and simultaneously cracked a few jokes at his expense — recalling his decision to let the world know, via the liner notes for his album, that his first love was a man. Ocean has remained rather tight-lipped since sharing the note on his Tumblr account a few months ago, letting his music do all of the talking, and nothing changed that night.
