Devil In The Distance- Marvin The Martian's Blog

Keep sending beats...

2010-09-02T07:09:00.000-07:00

You guys are good. There's been some seriously inspirational stuff so far, I'm surprised we haven't done this before.

Keep sending whylout[at]hotmail[dot]com.

Marvin has started work on new music

2010-09-01T06:28:00.000-07:00

So you guys did what needed to be done and I caught up with Marvin on Monday night when he revealed to me that he had just been in a meeting with Jack where they played through some beats and started putting some plans together. The thinking at the moment is that Marvin actually has half a mixtape in the bag and maybe a 3rd of an album or half of an EP. The sounds of the mixtape and the album are very different but we will be releasing them both in 2010. The album currently sounds very dark, very haunted. An intriguing development I'm sure you'll agree.

He is accepting beat submissions for his mixtape via email whylout[at]hotmail[dot]com and would love to have you guys be involved.

I have told Marvin he needs to tell you what's going on directly and he says he will do.

Tell Marvin to release some music

2010-08-20T06:39:00.000-07:00

You guys know Marvin right? This is his blog. He hasn't posted anything on it since April and he really hasn't posted much in 2010 period. Which is cool, he works, he works hard. But he also hasn't given you any music in a long time, a really long time, I made him give away 'Loose Change' a few months back but that was it. He actually has several albums worth of material recorded. Really good shit too. He also has the ability to make new songs. He hasn't done that in months. I know right? Well he's on Facebook here and is on PlaystationNetwork as MusicMan1 so I suggest you add him on both and put some pressure on him to release some new music. He recorded on ATD:24 but he didn't even promote it here. What's that all about? If you want new Marvin music [and believe me he has it] you should absolutely get in touch via his Facebook and his PS3 identity to let him know.

Just thought I'd throw that out there.

While I'm on the subject though, you should hassle Jack Nimble who has loads of songs, he's on Facebook here and you should hassle Metin 'Pixel' Balli who has way more songs than he'd want you to believe, he's on Facebook here.

If this doesn't work I'll post their phone numbers.

[p.s. that photo is by Sladey K, yes, THE SLADEY K, from Envy's album launch a few months back and in the background you can see Ben, Tiago and Marco. The elusive Marco in photo form. This doesn't mean anything to you I know, but there he is.]

Akala's F64

2010-04-13T03:52:00.000-07:00

I watched Pro Green go in the other day, then I saw Sway go in yesterday, obviously I watched a bag of Grime man going in, but today SBTV dropped Akala's F64. Obviously that's the darg so we're gonna feel it on some level regardless, but listen to the man, he's peaking right now, not only is he fitting an insane amount of knowledge and soul in that verse, but he's way, way more in the pocket with the flow than anybody other than maybe Chipmunk I've ever seen on F64. Not to say I feel a way about Chipmunk because I really don't, but his flow was kinda nasty on his F64.

Akala's new album 'Doublethink' is out May 3rd. You already know I'm buying that shit.

VIDEO: Professor Green/ I Need You Tonight

2010-03-07T06:12:00.000-08:00

This debuted on The Sun's website. I have good feelings about this record I have to say.

VIDEO: Akala/ XXL

2010-03-07T06:10:00.000-08:00

Akala is coming back with his third album 'Doublethink' this summer.

VIDEO: Nappy Roots/ Ride [Trailer]

2010-03-05T03:15:00.001-08:00

This shit sounds extra nice. Before the was B.O.B there was Nappy Roots. Remember when this would have been a hit no question? People hated on the South but you look back and they had shit locked. Creatively as well as commercially.

Gully Vs Gaza: Reggae's Civil War

2010-03-03T05:42:00.000-08:00

Really good article on the Village Voice website about Vybz and Mavado's beef. Most of the quotes stink of Jamaican exaggeration but it's definitely a serious war and there has been some seriously great music come of it.

Read: Reggae's Civil War [Village Voice]

VIDEO: Marvin The Martian Feat. Jack Nimble/ Sterling Crumble

2010-03-02T04:39:00.000-08:00

Ha! Jack and Marvin don't even know I'm posting this. Just found it on an old hard-drive yesterday. Figured that since Marvin's taking so long to finish his new tape I'd let it go.

This is a hood video we actually filmed at the end of 2008 if I remember correctly. Filmed in Brixton and Hackney.

Download the song for free here

Paul Morley meets Giggs

2010-02-22T09:29:00.000-08:00

This is a really good article and video of Paul Morley interviewing Giggs. Morley really knows his shit, really well researched. Really interesting.

Crazy thing about Giggs is if you didn't know better you'd think he was a new school gangster-grime MC but because he's from Peckham in the same era as me I hear the No Limit, Dirty South, West Coast influence. You don't know how the hustlers were going crazy for Master-P and them back in the day.

LINK: Paul Morley interviews Giggs [Guardian]

Mixtape update

2010-02-22T09:15:00.000-08:00

Almost done, thanks to everybody who got in touch about doing the artwork. You all are some talented people for real. No pressure, I'll let you know how it turned out asap.

I was given B.O.B's new mixtape the other week, that guy's on some shit. Makes me want to start writing some bluesy pop ditties to see where they go.

I just broke some secret news to somebody via email. I'll reveal a little more to the rest of you once the mixtape drops.

I can't think if anything to say. I do things all week and go "I'll blog about that" and then when I sit in front of a computer I totally forget what they were. Too much weeds. Or not enough. I forget how that works. HA.

LATERS

MTM

What Ever Did Happen To Grindie?

2010-02-22T09:07:00.000-08:00

I spoke to Joseph 'JP' Patterson [from all those Grime articles you read] a couple of weeks ago about Grindie. Remember Grindie? Indie and Grannies? Grannies Indie? Grindie? Yeah that's the one. Anyway, the result of our conversation has been published on the MTV website here. I could go on for days but I'm introspective like that. HA! Sorry, I meant pretentious.

Sorry, sorry...

2010-02-18T05:11:00.000-08:00

Been MIA again. Busy as a busy prick. Who's not a prick but is still busy. Almost done with the tape. We really want to make it great. But also have enough ready for the follow-up tape so we're not left waiting like we are now.

I'm also looking for somebody to do me a little Mixtape cover? We usually do them in-house but the computer we had photoshop on has perished and it's all a bit too painful to think about. If any of you are geniuses and could do me a cover please email me whylout[at]hotmail.com.

For now, check akirathedon.com for ATD:21. One of my favourite Akira projects was his Valentines Day EP a few years ago. EPs are great. I'm listening to PUSH! Montana's Valentines Day EP 'The 5 Heart Beats' at the moment. It's free online. Google it. It's kinda saccharine but it's so polished and commercial, I kinda like it. Definitely does what it says on the tin.

I'm pretty much going to start the title of my mixtape with the letter A. Akira's smart like that, his mixtapes all come up first on iPods and MP3 players. I might call my mixtape "AAA- First on your iPod". Actually I might definitely call it that.

Aight peeps. I'll write again tomorrow. Or my name isn't Marvin Juggontanitis Thomas. Which it isn't.

The Stimulus Package

2010-02-02T09:05:00.000-08:00

Oh man this album is amazing. February 15th everybody has to buy it. Best producer/rapper combination since Gangstarr. I promise you.

MP3: Marvin The Martian Feat. Jack Nimble / Sterling Crumble

2010-02-01T05:10:00.000-08:00

With the UK economy finally clawing it's way out of recession I figured it would be a good time to unleash my ode to the financial mismanagement. We actually filmed a little hood video for this song, we delayed releasing it and ended up losing it to a dead hard drive hence its overall delay. It bangs so heavy though and the lyrics still resonate, especially considering the fact that most financial experts are predicting a double dip in the economy back into negative growth this Spring. Woo. They say the people don't feel the pinch until well after the "Recovery" we'll see.

This track features a guest vocal from Jacketh of Nimble. It's co-produced by Jack Nimble and Ben Official and is my official 'Get ready for the double dip' anthem. GET YOUR MONEY!

Marvin The Martian Feat. Jack Nimble/ Sterling Crumble [ZSHARE]

I've got a new song for you

2010-02-01T03:14:00.000-08:00

I said I would and I do. You're gonna have to wait until this afternoon for it though. I'm getting the final mix sent over.

I recorded a couple of big boy bangers yesterday. We had a real good studio time. Also got a tiny bit crunk on Saturday night to toast my birthday. A little Kirsch, a little Tequila, a little Cider, a little Lager, a little Amaretto, a little weedings. I didn't feel great Sunday morning but the cafe set me right before recording.

I've been asked to contribute a song to a charity album which I am going to do. I'll get more details on that to you soon.

I'll be back this afternoon with something for the masses.

VIDEO: Ginger people have souls...who knew?

2010-01-28T07:21:00.000-08:00

Why does racism intrigue me so?

2010-01-28T05:50:00.001-08:00

This story about a white guy from Brixton who was racist and tried to kill a black man in Mitcham is pretty scary. Mainly because the black guy could very easily have been me, very easily. Racism intrigues me so much, I don't know why! Racism from anybody, I like it. The humourous elements, the dangerous elements, the evil elements, I want to understand it all.

To be a racist with an intent to kill in Brixton? That's crazy. Not because you wouldn't expect it to happen here, but because it could so easily happen here. When you think about the route causes of racism in our society, they're as easy to see in Brixton as anywhere else in the world. If people find themselves facing enough instability and have access to weaponry like Jamie Bunter did (20 years old for fuck sake) you have a very unstable and unpredictable environment on your hands. Brixton is unstable and unpredictable at the best of times. I feel like a voyeur saying it, but Columbine style rampages are not too far in the future if this kind of behaviour is in any way consistent.

I think the escalating gun culture and the increasing levels of frustration and miscommunication between the communities in this country could lead to some fairly dark times.

EDIT: Reading this back it kinda seems like I'm blowing this out of proportion and trying to scare people. I'm not. Racism is just one potential catalyst in my opinion for something as horrific as a shooting spree. When writing this I was taken down a very visual path, one which ended in a very dark place, but I feel like my point is apt. It's very easy to feel trapped in London and it's very easy for your frustrations and your fears to become hate, at that point anything can happen. With gun culture in Britain becoming more and more the norm the fusion of those things, unfortunately, I think is inevitable. Maybe not on that scale, but the potential is very real.

Things keeping me occupied...

2010-01-28T04:02:00.000-08:00

Example and DJ Wire have got a new mixtape up on www.trythisforEXAMPLE.com

TRACKLIST IS HERE:

Dirtyphonics - Teleportation (Audioporn)
Don Diablo & Example - Hooligans (Spor Remix) (Data)
Chase and Status - Ruffest Gun Ark (Ram Records)
Miike Snow - Black and Blue (Netsky Remix) (Sony)
Noisia - Deception (Ram Records)
Deadmau5 - I Remember (J Majik and Wikaman Remix) (Virgin)
Example - Watch the Sun Come Up (Blame Remix) (Data)
Example - Girl Can't Dance (Chase and Status Remix) (Data)
Sydney Samson - Riverside (TC Remix) (Data)
Example - Won't Go Quietly (DC Breaks vs Vent Remix) (Data)
Animal Collective - Daily Routine (Domino)
Fake Blood - Mars (Jack Beats Remix) (Cheap Thrills)
Wiley - Take That (Island)
Dizzee Rascal - Bonkers (Dirtee Stank)
Example - Pink Notes (White)
Don Diablo & Example - Hooligans (Data)
Example - So Many Roads (Herve Remix) (The Beats)
Example - Instant Replay (White)
Example - Won't Go Quietly (E..P.I.C Remix) (Data)
Don Diablo & Example - Loud (Data)
Example - I Don't Want To (Jack Beats Remix) (The Beats)
Little Boots - New In Town (Semethy and Sheldrake Remix) (679)
Florence and the Machine - Drumming Song (Jack Beats remix) (Island)
Dubfire - Roadkill (Science & Technology)
Project Bassline - Drop The Pressure (Jack Beats Rave Rinse Remix) (Cheap Thrills)
La Roux - I'm Not Your Toy (Jack Beats Remix) (Polydor)
Jack Beats - U.F.O (Cheap Thrills)
Count & Sinden - Strange Things (High Rankin Remix) (Domino)
Faithless - Sun To Me (Emalkay Remix)
Skream & Instra:mental - No Future (Nonplus Records)
Example - Won't Go Quietly (Wire Remix) (Data)
Breakage ft. Newham Generals & David Rodigan - Hard (Digital Sound Boy)
Rusko - Cockney Thug (Caspa Remix) (Sub Soldiers)
Troller Snatcher - The Future (Dub Police)
Rusko - Woo Boost (White)
Wire & Sylo - Raise the Finger (Dub)
Redlight - MDMA (MTA Records)
Don Diablo & Wire - Hooligans (Wire Remix) (Data)
Wire - Tales From The Crypt (MTA Records)
Cotti ft. Doctor - Rise The Temperature (MTA Records)
Emalkay - When I Look At You (Dub Police)
Redlight - Robot Chopsticks (MTA Records)
Prodigy - Take Me To The Hospital (Rusko Remix) (Take Me To The Hospital)
Example - Watch The Sun Come Up (Joker & Ginz Remix) (Data)
Example - What We Made (The Bipolar Men Remix) (The Beats)
Liquid - Liquid is Liquid (Wire Remix) (Televizion)
Rogues - Not So Pretty (Example and Wire Remix) (50 Bones)
Your Twenties - Billionaires (The Bipolar Men Remix)

Download Link

This is the Tinie Tempah record I mentioned. I don't like Auto-Tune as you know, but it works on this song and the beat, the flow, the murkage. Shit is so hard.

WOW!!!

11 Most Scandalous Saved By The Bell Revelations In Screech's Autobiography.

Good to be back

2010-01-27T01:49:00.000-08:00

I appreciate all the comments, messages and emails you've been sending me. I also appreciate those who have posted the song, especially Akira who has a mixtape/T-Shirt coming out in 2 days. I now have to decide what song to give away next...I've got some "Songs" but I also have a thing I produced pretty much. That will be on the mixtape definitely. I wouldn't say I produced it but Jack says I did and I guess I did. It's my first original production. I did all the production and arrangements on 'Beware of the Voices' on my last tape which is where I got the bug for controlling the record front-to-back but that was Ice Cube's beat originally, he got jacked. How do you like that Cube? You got Cube'd!

Anyway, I doubt that's the song I'm going to be giving you next week. I've got a load of options. I should probably ask you guys but I don't want to spoil anything. It's going to be a banger though. Something with a more traditional arrangement than 'Loose Change' which was just...an amount of bars formed into one huge long verse while Jack brought in crazy synths, guitars, drums and what-not, building into a crescendo, an explosion, a cliff...which of course manifested itself in the word "Bitch". That's my style. Writers love to take their words and throw them off a cliff like that. Into the lake, after hitting a few rocks on the way down. "Bitch".

So it's my birthday tomorrow. I'm, years old. I'll tell you next year. To celebrate I am going to take Thursday off and spend time with my family. Woo. Then on Friday I'm going to see Avatar with Jack. I hear it's great. I'm not so into lanky blue guys talking for 3 hours but I can't ignore everybody who comes up to me and slaps me for not having seen it any longer. If I hate it I'm never trusting people ever again. I'm going to make an album about how Avatar made me stop trusting. Then I'm going to kick James Cameron in the nuts for stealing another 3 hours of my life. I'm, years old now. I can't waste that shit. Then on Saturday I'm going to get drunk with my niggas. I don't know where yet. But drunk is the important thing. Then on Sunday I'm doing straight, non-stop, unadulterated recording. Oh yeah. I've got many songs ready to go, Jack had to pick up some new studio elements this week and we're going to bang out some hits.

That's about it. I was given Hadouken's new album on Sunday, I haven't given it a proper listen but James is my boy from Leeds '06. God damn '06. That's 4 years ago now. Crazy.

Example is number 6 in the charts everybody. Number flipping 6. He'll be number 1 in the summer. He works so hard. We're all so proud of him. It's only when you look at the chart and see who he's ahead of that you realise just what an incredible job he's done. Keep going Ell.

Okay. That's me for now. I've run out of things to say. BE GONE!

MP3: Marvin The Martian/ Loose Change

2010-01-26T02:51:00.000-08:00

I said I was giving away a song today and here it is. I'm giving you another next Monday and then the mixtape. Spread it around, tell your mother and her mother that I went in, then Bluetooth her the joint on the bus. I'm going in and I'm staying in.

Marvin The Martian/ Loose Change [ZSHARE]

You've got 24 hours to get ready

2010-01-25T04:12:00.000-08:00

I'm dropping a pace setter tomorrow. I'm officially back Tuesday January 26th 2010. Two days before my birthday, I had a meeting yesterday to go through my new shit and what I want to do, we decided to give you something hard this week. I've decided tomorrow. I'm shitting into the abyss like fuck it. Kill the buffalo, leave his carcass and watch the vultures circle.

'Loose Change' will hurt feelings.

The best in the country. Sick of the games. Be ready.

Also buy Example's new single 'Won't Go Quietly'

2010-01-22T06:25:00.000-08:00

Because he's my boy and he's as real as they get. He's going to chart top 10 with this single because he worked his arse off and he fucking deserves it.

Like I said

2010-01-22T05:19:00.002-08:00

Blog claart!

I've neglected you. So sporadic, so busy, so exceptional.

I want to blog like I used to blog because a) it meant I kept up with all the B-S in the world and b) it was good for the Google Ads. But alas I am too busy and I just don't feel like it. I've noticed a lot of people have sacrificed that blogging boom of 2008 for pretty empty webspace. I'm not going to do that completely. I'm going to do some proper blogging over the next few months. What's going on Marvin? You okay? How's things? Excellent? Excellent I hope? Yes. Things are excellent. Thanks for asking. You're a scholar and a gentleman.

I wish I had some crazy depression story to tell, or an IV drip coming out of my thumb to explain my disappearance but I really don't. I've been in the studio, writing and recording, waiting for a reason to hurt feelings with my amazing rap skills again but nothing really came up. A whole gang of schoopidness. British rap is successful for the first time ever but it has come at a cost. Clearly. That new Tinie Tempah record goes extra hardness though. Everybody go and buy that when it comes out, I don't know when it does but I will find out because joints is bangin.

Instead of waiting for the climate I've decided I'll set the climate. Like fuel emissions, or government agenda, whatever. I'm going to drop 100+ songs in 2010 starting with a new mixtape which I'll be giving you in the next 31 days. I wanted it for the start of Jan, then the end of Jan, now I want it when it's ready. I'm sick of people asking me for a new mixtape for the whip, for school, for the ipod, for the journey to work, for the crew, for the block, for the blogs. So I'm just gonna fucking give you all one. Not just one, the best one yet. I've been listening to my last two recently and think they're pretty good, I know where I need to fine tune though.

After my first mixtape I'll have another pretty quickly following. Then another, then who knows? You will decide. I can't be fucked playing chess with these duck, duck, goose playing pricks. Waste of my fucking time. I know you feel me. Which one of those tramps comes near me? Not a one. Seriously. So I'm just gonna hurt the skreets with new shit.

That's my word for today. Tomorrow I'll fill you in on what I've been listening to/watching/eating or whatever.

YALLA!

Hi

2010-01-22T05:19:00.001-08:00

What the blog claart?

I won't read the BNP member list...

2009-10-22T06:07:00.000-07:00

Thanks to whoever sent it to me, I appreciate the gesture, I understand and share your feelings on the BNP. But I still believe in privacy and I still believe in democracy. Nick Griffin is on Question Time tonight, it's going to explosive but I urge the emotionally charged anti-BNP movement to allow democracy to play itself out. I've seen every corner of this country personally and know the power of the British people. We are not a racist, fascist, intolerant people, we are a patient, understanding and respectable people. There are those who identify with certain aspects of a dangerous (but legitimate) political party and are expressing their support in the ballot box, that's democracy, we have no right to protest that. Any acts outside of that process are fair game, but the right for any person in this country to join any political party in this country without fear of prosecution must be protected. The BNP can be beaten legitimately, this will not be the way, their policies don't stand up to scrutiny in any respect, but we're not allowing them the time to prove that to us and until we do they're going to keep growing.

VIDEO: Dave Chappelle is back

2009-10-21T06:39:00.000-07:00

The Laugh Factory are giving us a couple of minutes of the Chappelle return? What the face? Give me some proper content motherfuckers! This video is okay, they're more jokes he'd tell after he's got you open so the rhythm is a bit funky but you get the idea. DAVE CHAPPELLE WOOP!

Shout outs to Boyzone

2009-10-12T14:21:00.000-07:00

On tour we'd use the breakdown on 'Boyspot' to sing a random Boyzone song; usually 'Don't Love Me For Fun' since we reference them on the chorus. Rest in peace Stephen Gately, I can't say how much input he had into said classic number [I don't care to research it either] but this is in memory of him.

Marvin/ Boyspot [Spotify link]

BONUS: A performance of 'Boyspot' in Hartlepool with Example. Bad example for the most part because Tego was filling in as DJ so wasn't acting as hype man, therefore the 'Don't Love Me For Fun' was never started. Probably the only time we didn't do it though.

The Jack Nimble Monday Mix Part 1 (Spotify)

2009-10-12T11:20:00.000-07:00

The Jack Nimble Monday Mix Part 1 (Spotify)

1. You Don't Want It- Cormega
2. Threat- Jay Z
3. Devil's Pie- D'Angelo
4. The Champ- Ghostface Killah
5. Scenester- Cage
6. Riot Akt- Gang Starr
7. Day One- D.I.T.C
8. The Potion- Ludacris
9. Leflaur Leflah Eshkosnka- Heltah Skeltah
10. When The Gun Draws- Pharoahe Monch
11. Trocadero- Marvin (The Martian)
12. Eternalists- Talib Kweli, Hi- Tek (Reflection Eternal)
13. Hollow Bones- Wu-Tang Clan
14. Bury Me A G- Young Jeezy
15. My Uncle- Ill Bill
16. Get Busy- The Roots, Peedi Peedi, Dice Raw)

Download Spotify and go in.

Testing Tweet Feed

2009-10-12T11:15:00.000-07:00

Yeah yeah. I'm late on Twitter. I just wanted an easier way to push my DITD blogs.

Twitter.com/MarvTheMarsh

Gotta Believe It

2009-10-12T09:16:00.000-07:00

Drunk as a prick I was skipping through late night TV on Saturday when I came across 106 & Park on BET. I sometimes watch 106 & Park because it's hilarious, but low and behold Saigon and Just Blaze's 'Gotta Believe It' is being played. What? Saigon on 106 & Park? For 'Gotta Believe It' which is over a year old? I can dig it. Reminded me of my version which I didn't have to hand when I started typing this until I thought that I should probably check my sent items on Hotmail to see if it was there. It was. YEY.

Marvin/ Believe It [zSHARE]

Everything I say on this record is true. I really did have a cancer scare and it really did mess with me for a few days.

VIDEO: Tinie Tempah signs record deal

2009-10-12T05:21:00.000-07:00

I didn't do any of this when I signed my deal. You all know how long the process was for me, wasted a lot, A LOT of time dealing with the actual contract. Should have put out a single and a mixtape in that time but I was stuck. Ho hum. By the time the contract was actually finished I got a call from my lawyer saying it was done. I asked him if we had the time to sign it there and then and get it back to Universal before the end of the day, he said we could, I jumped in the whip, drove to the lawyer's office and got it done. Kind of an anti-climax to be honest. I think if the process was at all smooth I'd have been happier but I just went home. Never actually popped a bottle on it at all. Took a MINUTE for the advance to finally clear and a HOT MINUTE for my studio budget to clear. Fucking labels. They both cleared eventually though, so Universal will always be cool to me. That was my second record deal. My first [which was a development deal- also through Universal] was even less sensational. Tego brought the contract to my house one night, we took a picture of me signing it but my phone was extra crappy at the time, I doubt that picture still exists.

Anyway, congratulations Tinie Tempah, I have little doubt that he'll be going the Chipmunk, Tinchy Stryder route and more power to him, his single with Davinche 'Tears' was serious.

Creamie Cash

2009-10-12T03:41:00.000-07:00

My little brother's clothing brand Creamie Cash is heating up at the moment. The T-Shirt I'm wearing in the above picture is one of his designs, I've had a lot of people come up and ask me where they can get Creamie Cash on tour over tour over the last couple of years, after a period of testing and selling to order my Bro's finally online and getting ready to launch. Check out CreamieCash.Blogspot.com although I'm not in his links for some reason? The fuck? Wretch 32 and Worldstarhiphop but no Marvin? Seriously? I'm gonna have to complain about that shit.

ALSO: Creamie Cash on Facebook.

Wow. Australia. Wow.

2009-10-09T05:32:00.000-07:00

How uncomfortable is that? What's going on in Australia that only Harry Connick Jr was offended by that?

Has British rap music ever been worse?

2009-10-07T07:07:00.000-07:00

I wrote about three pages of blog for this post, read it and thought it sounded bitter. It wasn't. In an attempt to avoid controversy I spent about 20 minutes justifying my thoughts. Fuck that. This song is fucking shit as is most rap music being released in Britain today. Take it how you want. I'm not going at Kano for it, he wants to breathe, let him breathe, but a spade's a spade and a piece of shit disgrace of a record is exactly that. This song offends me, genuinely.

I'll be running a series of blogs calling out bullshit crossover attempts and corny rap songs.

CHOON: Basement Jaxx Feat. Kelis, Meleka & Chipmunk/ Scars

2009-10-07T04:29:00.000-07:00

This is a choon. I need this instrumental.

Wobble wobble and drop it like it's hot

2009-09-29T04:34:00.000-07:00

PEOPLE!?!??!!

It's your friendly neighbourhood Martian. Where have I been I hear you scream? I have been everywhere and nowhere whatsoever. I've mentioned these recession times in passing before now. I am surviving them. I am severely depressed and frustrated with life right now and I'm thinking about ending it all...I'm not. That would be awesome though wouldn't it? A non-white suicidal rapper could be what the world needs. My last actual blog was posted in July. Wow. July was a long time ago. I didn't have much time in the early part of August and I actually forgot about blogging until the other day when I logged into my Blog email address and saw loads of comments and emails asking where I was. I was nowhere special. I've been busy, busy for you, rest assured. I've seen a few of you out on the skreets over the last few months, you've had very personal blogs. Read from my own mouth. They were about my suicide and shit. Or they were about how I just got a television bigger than your mum's house. For serious, shit's so big, so HD and so expensive. Not expensive in a rapper way, more expensive in a; I'll be paying this off for a year kind of way. What was I supposed to do though? I wanted Hi-Def Xbox.

On the subject of music. Most specifically rap music, made by moi. I promised you an album/mixtape/ep thing in the summer didn't I? I'm flaky it has to be said. I have finished it. Me, Pixel and Jack, we have finished it, we have a project ready to go. We're going to master it THIS MONTH, no wait [checks date 29th? Damn] NEXT MONTH. When Pixel gets back from Germany where he's gone to see the wall in Berlin. He text to say he watched District 9 while he was out there, what a sucker, why did he wait so long? Best film of the millennium? Possibly. What a film. What I'm going to do with the new project is I'm going to master it, then I'm going to finalise the artwork, then I'm going to leak a heater to a few DJs and then I'm going to post it on this blog. When I leak it to DJs I'm going to want you to get in touch with them and let them know you want to hear it, that's important. Then I will do the same thing two more times [I could do it a few more, there is genuine heat on this thing]. After that I will be giving the whole thing to you guys for free. Revolutionary right? Not really. I plan revolution. Genuine revolution. I'm going to be locked in a studio next month for three days in which time I will completely reinvent my sound. I mean, completely. I have a few plans, it won't be called Marvin The Martian, or Marvin anything. It will be so sweaty you'll all shit yourselves because the sweat will act as a lubricant forcing the shit to fall through your cheeks no matter how hard you try to hold it in. How fucking disgusting was that? Can you tell I kinda need the toilet right now? Jesus. In Jack Nimble's removable harddrive right now I have at least 30 songs you've never heard. Pixel's got about the same, I need to get them out to you and promise I will.

For now I am done I think. That's all I have to say. If there's anything I'm missing here let me know. Until then, congrats to the big homie Example who got chart success last week. That bastard wanted it so much, he fucking deserves it. His next single is Calvin Harris produced ergo it will be a number 1. When it is I'm following him for a week to pick up a portion of the free shit he's gonna get.

Prize Fighter on Friday night. COME ON DANNY WILLIAMS!?!?!! Tyson Fury has to fight McDermott again, that's going to be a classic. Haye Vs Valuev November 7th. To PPV or not to PPV, Haye pulling out of the Klitchko fight was such a disappointment. This fight looks entertaining in a freakish way if nothing else though. That's enough boxing. That's enough everything.

HOLLA AT YOUR BOY!?!?!!! SCREAM AT ME WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!

Duck Season vol 3- Dj Babu

2009-08-17T06:03:00.000-07:00

Is it a mixtape? An album? Dunno, but it's fucking dope. Thats right, it prompted me to type the phrase "dope". It's that kinda rap album/mixtape/whatever.

Took me stupid long to listen to this. I only knew (and loved) the M.O.P joint beforehand. Don't sleep like I did.

(Yeah, "dope" and "don't sleep". So what? I still talk like that.)

"Question, n****a, have you heard of Sean? Yeah, but I prefer Uncle Murder songs". Sean Price- The Unexpected

Devil In The Distance came out 1 year and 2 days ago...

2009-07-29T05:52:00.000-07:00

Yup. I never actually popped champagne on my album. How crazy is that? We said we were gonna do it when we got the deal first deal with Universal, then the second deal with Universal, then when the album was done, then we the album dropped and we never got around to it. So we're planning to pop a bottle next week in honour of my debut album. My favourite album of all time. The Universal released rap album by me. The Champers is already on chill waiting for next week when we can actually toast what we achieved. Fuck thinking about what we could have achieved, the album is perfect as I see it and as I wanted it. The next one will be as perfect.

To mark the anniversary of it, a small thing in a lot of people's eyes but a big one in mine; the link on to the album on the right of this page will no longer take you to iTunes but instead it will go straight to Spotify where you can listen to the album for free. When Apple sign off on the Spotify app for the iPhone the software will be available for pretty much all next gen smart phones and Spotify will be the way that the large majority of us consume our music for better or for worse. Who am I to stand in it's way? I was in the Westfield HMV a couple of weeks back and started playing with their download machine thing, I actually stumbled across my album for sale in their system, it kinda shocked me like, why would anybody pay for an album like this? I was in HMV buying CDs, don't get me wrong, but honestly I still don't get why anybody has ever paid for an MP3. Neil Young said "When this digital age is over, people will ask 'I wonder what the music really sounded like?'" I'm paraphrasing but the point remains.

Rather than worry about all that bullshit though [I really can't be bothered any more. Take my music for free, then one day, when this thing makes sense again, I'll make money off it] I figured embrace the bullshit.

LISTEN TO DEVIL IN THE DISTANCE ON SPOTIFY BY CLICKING HERE

Things I've listened to over the last few weeks... Part 2.

2009-07-29T04:23:00.000-07:00

I feel I should explain what I've been listening to recently. I don't know why, is it to encourage you to listen to the same thing? Is it to make myself look busy? I don't know. I don't really take much from other rappers these days, not consciously anyway, I used to.

YOUNG CHRIS & DON CANNON/ THE NETWORK MIXTAPE: If you've been a regular on this site for a while you'll know I fucks with Young Chris. To me he's one of the best out there, he really needs an album but this tape is the closest he's come to a complete project so far. A lot of Roots style production leanings and pretty incredible guest rappers including Beanie Sigel, Wale, Freeway, Black Thought, Twista and Rhymefest. The mixtape was online exclusive freeness so if you search it you'll find a link.

JAY-Z/ DEATH OF AUTOTUNE: I know it's just one song and most people are sick of it but it doesn't stop being incredible. I'm not really in that 'Run This Town' place yet, not sure what I was expecting but I'm kinda nonplussed about it.

FREEWAY & JAKE ONE/ BLOGGERS: This Freeway and Jake One album is going to be amazing.

MAVADO/ MR. BROOKS...A BETTER TOMORROW: This album is way more soulful than the first album. It kinda lacks the punch but it makes up for it in some pretty amazing arrangements and concepts.

I'M ABOUT TO PUT THE FOLLOWING ON MY MP3 PLAYER....

CAGE/ DEPART FROM ME: Cage is one of the most underrated of all time, his first album had a big impact on me as a rapper. This album doesn't seem to have done very well for some reason, I might find out when I listen to it. I hope not.

NEWHAM GENERALS/ GENERALLY SPEAKING: I like Newham Generals, they fuck with some unusual production. I'm excited about this album.

FABOLOUS/ LOSO'S WAY: I've never really been a Fab fan but his last album held me down when I was writing 'Devil In The Distance'. During the day we weren't allowed to smoke in the studio so I'd grab the MP3 player, stand around the skreets and invariably end up listening to him. This album sounds a bit forced from what I've heard but it sounds a little less scatter-gun than his preview records so we'll see.

WALE/ BACK TO THE FEATURE: I wasn't sure about Wale for a while, but the more I hear him in context the more I appreciate how much better he is than most of the new generation of rappers. This tape got a lot of love so I need to listen to it.

Rap-a-doooo

2009-07-29T03:58:00.000-07:00

So I guess...ummm...yeah. I've been so frickin' busy. Surviving this crazy recession yuddig? I haven't done any blogging whatsoever. The fuck is wrong with me? I've probably had a little bit of time but if I did I can't remember when. Oh I might have had some time a couple of weekends ago but instead I filmed Akira's new video. I was up at crazy early hours, sitting in a make-up chair and almost as if magic...hold on...

That's what it's going to look like. I think it looks sick. It was a lot of fun.

The BNP thing seems to have settled a bit doesn't it? I don't think that's a good thing, they're probably more active than ever in their power-bases talking up their negative publicity as conspiracy. God knows the current government aren't going out of their way to clear anything up. Why are that headless monster allowed to continue? I mean, seriously?

Last time I checked into the blog I told you I was almost done with my new project. Well I am done. WHAT? Yes. It's not my project so much. It's a collaborative project between me, Jack and Pixel. Jack produced every beat front-to-back with me and Pixel handling the vocals throughout. It's a new concept for us, we're actually dropping it in two parts. The first part [which isn't actually named yet] is done, done and done. We're mastering it [yeah boy, mastering free music, you don't get that often], designing the artwork, hitting a few DJs with some exclusives and dropping it exclusively right here on you swines. The next part of the project is 70% complete and the last 30% of it will be based on your reactions to the first part. I'll have artwork, a drop date, a name and all the rest in the next 2-3 weeks swear downs.

What else is going on? Hmmm...I'm thinking about going Xbox Live on you rarses. Who's on Live? I need to know I've got enough people to fuck with before I commit to my Xbox going online, I still think it's going to kill it.

VIDEO: Craig David's manager is sick of people saying "Craig David's all over your boink!"

2009-07-10T04:37:00.000-07:00

That's good secret video footage. Craig David is a G for sitting in the corner.

Salvador Dali and Walt Disney- "Destino"

2009-07-09T07:40:00.000-07:00

I hear Disney might complete and release it. I didn't know it existed untill this morning.

Things That Are Better Than The Transformers Movies (part 4&5)

2009-07-09T06:24:00.000-07:00

Break

Heinrad

From Toplessrobot.com

"Heinrad is perhaps the greatest Transformers toy ever made, and let me tell you why. He's like the Doc Brown of the Maximals, containing a working alarm clock in his stomach that, in the fiction, allowed him to briefly stop time and phase between different points in time. He also rocks a badass pair of goggles. Heinrad (sometimes known as Heinlad, likely due to translation issues) transforms into a Tanuki, a Japanese Raccoon Dog. It is a real animal but is also a prominent trickster character in Japanese folklore. Like the Tanuki of folklore, Heinrad carries a purse full of notes payable and a jar of saki, from which he liberally swigs. Unlike the folklore, Heinrad can combine the purse and saki into a missile-firing blaster. The actual Tanuki is known for its comically large testicles, and the Japanese of yore blessed the fictional Tanuki with even larger balls, which it would sling over its shoulders like an *ahem* sack and beat madly like they were drums. And, yes, Heinrad is anatomically accurate. He's got a nice pair of robo-balls positioned beneath his alarm clock tummy. See, Devastator in Transformers 2 wasn't the first Transformer to have a scrotum!"

Japanese awesomeness!

More at ToplessRobot.com (The 12 Strangest Transformers Beast Wars Figures).

If Chris Brown was white he wouldn't be gettng such an easy ride.

2009-07-06T10:19:00.000-07:00

I said it. I meant it. The way the "Urban" world is giving this guy a pass makes me sick. If I see him I'm gonna fuck him up. If Rihanna was white? Oh shit. That's another story completely.

VIDEO: XXL's I Know Rap People: DJ Edition

2009-07-06T09:32:00.000-07:00

That Whoo Kid is a funny fucker.

Things I've listened to over the last few weeks...

2009-07-06T08:41:00.000-07:00

I'm just going to list some things I've been listening to...

MY NEW PROJECT: I've been recording it and therefore listening to it. I say it's my new project. It's not. It's mine, Pixel's and Jack's. We don't have a name for it but it's almost finished and is almost ready for you good people. We'll shoot the cover next week.

50 CENT/ WAR ANGEL LP: 50 Cent is one of the best doing it right now period. If you don't think so then you are clearly confused as to what it is this thing of ours is. 'War Angel LP' goes very hard (excluding those two every-so-slightly-fruity numbers in the middle). If you haven't grabbed this yet, do it now, it's free on ThisIs50.com.

J.COLE/ THE WARM-UP: I was given this CD totally blind. I'm down the middle with it. I think the guy's got skills but I think he over-reached with some of his beat selection and his flow can get pretty monotonous when he doesn't have a specific subject. I'm with him for the time being though.

More later. Three posts in one day. Who'da thunk it ey?

So...uhh...Michael Jackson died.

2009-07-06T08:18:00.000-07:00

Due to my slack blogging I've failed to mention the passing of one; Michael Jackson and my thoughts on it/him.

Well, suffice to say I'm sad. Of course. It's hard to truly quantify my feelings on Mike's passing as he'd spent the last 15-20 years going out of his way to annoy me and ruin his legacy...I guess. Did he? I don't know. I have to say I'm confused, not sit down and really think about it confused but more I'm writing right now and have to commit something in written form confused. The radio stations and music television channels have played Michael Jackson non-stop since, which probably helped me formulate my grief. Some of the greatest songs of all time were recorded by Michael Jackson, the greatest dancer of my lifetime (and that's the only time I'll ever not feel fruity talking about a man's dancing skills) and one of the only absolute ever-presents of my life (wargwarn Pat Butcher?). Is grief the right word though? I didn't expect him to ever achieve 'Billy Jean' again, I never expected to meet him, I never expected to see him live. I was absolutely convinced he'd pull-out of his scheduled O2 residency at some point (sad to think but I'm sure most of us had that feeling). I'd say I'm sad for his family (because of course it's sad for any family to lose a member, especially one so young) but for 20 years the public at large have had such a strange relationship with The Jackson family. Jermaine seems sad and he seems genuine. I'm definitely sad for him. Mike leaves behind an extraordinary body of music and a whole lot of questions. He definitely leaves the planet worse off, as his talent and showmanship doesn't seem to exist in any performer in the world today. I feel like there's a part of my soul missing without Jackson, not necessarily an important part, but those songs, that image, that voice, those moves, they've been with me my whole life in some form or other. I don't feel like I've lost anybody close to me, but I feel I've lost a little bit of the innocence I've carried with me from childhood, somehow knowing Michael Jackson was alive, thrilling, exciting and changing the lives of generation after generation obviously meant something to me. I can imagine this being the same way the majority of fans felt when Elvis died. Although Elvis wasn't fortunate enough to spend 45 years at the top man-and-boy influencing the world and surviving the cultural and technological advances Michael did.

There will never be another Michael Jackson.

I kind of got into it through my friend Danny. He’s really racist. Everyone calls him “Nazi Danny”

2009-07-06T08:13:00.000-07:00

Sure thing. What ethnicity would you most like to make love to?
Oh, God, British.

Outside of that?
Say… black.

Hilarious interviews with "Babes of the BNP".

Buzz Aldrin's Rocket Experience ft. Snoop Dogg and Talib Kweli

2009-06-23T11:17:00.000-07:00

Making of Buzz Aldrin's Rocket Experience w/ Snoop Dogg and Talib Kweli from Buzz Aldrin

The best bit is when Kweli explains where the "Black Star" name came from.

15 posts this month is not good enough

2009-06-23T05:45:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry. I've been busy as fuck. I'm finishing the new mixtape this month though so it will all be worth it. I swear.

Entourage sucks balls

2009-06-17T04:56:00.000-07:00

Watch Every Week on Entourage and more funny videos on CollegeHumor

VIDEO: Jadakiss Feat. Swizz Beats & OJ Da Juiceman/ Who's Real?

2009-06-11T02:50:00.000-07:00

I fuck with this song I don't care what anybody says. The video's on some proper Ruff Ryders shit too. Good times. Good feelings.

VIDEO: Zack Morris on Jimmy Fallon

2009-06-10T08:13:00.000-07:00

I belly laughed on several occasions watching this. He even brought back Zack Attack and the BANGER 'Friends Forever'. Oh shit that's genius.

God damn you Bob Crow!

2009-06-10T06:10:00.001-07:00

I left work early yesterday so that I could visit the gym and still have time to beat the tube strike. I left the gym with an hour to spare and was greeted by this site. Tube staff turning people away from the barriers because of "Overcrowding" which I have to say did not seem too evident. When asked "Is it worth us standing here?" We were told "Probably not. Strike starts in 45 minutes dunnit?" Fucked off as I was, I walked a mile towards London Bridge carrying a heavy gym bag and a backpack with my laptop in it [I had to take my laptop home because I wouldn't be in work for two days, due to the strike]. I then got on two busses and found my way home, an hour and 20 minutes later than I would have normally. I'm not really complaining about the journey, the strike or Bob Crow's reasoning. The Tube goes on strike all the time and let's face it, Bob Crow needed the publicity with his No2EU: Yes To Democracy Party running for a European seat last week. I'm just pissed off by the fact that I wake up this morning to radio reporting that "Most Tube lines are running as normal?" The fuck is that? This isn't a strike! This is some bullshit. Fuck going into the office today though. Tomorrow too. That's £7.60 of Oyster Card travel Bob Crow won't be getting out of me.

On the plus-side though, I had the world's greatest lunch yesterday, that right there is a Jacket Potato with Vegetarian Chilli, Sour Cream and Cheese with a delicious Lemon Ice Tea. God damn that's some good shit. I got it from B.L.T on Great Eastern Street and it was fucking expensive [£4.60 without the drink. Rich people are probably laughing at my "Expensive" claim right now]. Also I got a serious amount of Cardio work done in the gym. 70 minutes uninterrupted. I'm getting stronger. Be scared.

The BNP

2009-06-08T08:21:00.000-07:00

So, the British National Party won two seats in the European Parliament yesterday. Interesting. By the same token, UKIP picked up 13 seats and 16.6% of the national vote. Something to consider. Democracy is democracy though and the fact of the matter is that 6.2% of roughly 40% of British people voted for the British National Party on Thursday and by that token, Nick Griffin is now an elected official representing the North West Region of England. Interesting. This fascinating article on the Channel 4 website using YouGov polling statistics to build up a rough idea of why people chose to vote BNP furthers my interest still. While I've been accused of choosing to believe that we don't live in as intolerant a society as some may have you believe, there can be little doubt that every one of those 6.2% knew when they ticked that box marked BNP, who they were voting for and why. Nick Robinson said last night that the BNP and UKIP votes would naturally be inflated due to the perceived [and justified] underdog status of the two, especially considering the [expected] backlash against mainstream politics [which we probably saw more in the poor turnout than anything else] due to the expenses scandal.

There has been much debate as to where the 943,598 BNP voters came from and what their agenda may be. "Mainstream politics" has been blamed. But the Conservatives reserved an almost identical vote share as they did in 2005, as did the Liberal Democrats. The issue of Europe immigration has been cited as a reason for the sudden switch, but the party standing on the ticket of European immigration is UKIP who received almost three times as many votes. There's a very clear indication this morning that where the BNP succeeded, votes were transferred from the Labour Party, our current party of government. Which moves somewhat beyond being "Interesting". YouGov say...

"...perhaps the most startling finding came when we tested anecdotal reports that many BNP voters were old Labour sympathisers who felt that the party no longer speaks up for them. The BNP is constantly cited as a "Far right party" which is a convenient way of saying "Racist" but strangely their actual political beliefs [they have a manifesto, who knew?] is a quite Leftist one, calling for Nationalisation of just about every industry within Britain. As many as 59 per cent of BNP voters think that Labour "used to care about the concerns of people like me but doesn’t nowadays".

While I could go on about why somebody in Leeds would choose to act out against the government in this fashion, I don't think it would be right to pick-on the insecurities and frustrations of the "Real" people in this country who have very much, gone unnoticed under this "Big business" government that somehow has the cheek to call itself "Labour". No doubt there will be a shift in local constituencies to drum home the old Labour beliefs and a shallow attempt at painting The Conservatives as the capitalist, uncaring, Thatcherites of the 70s and 80s will more than likely, go ignored by a country who has not only had enough of this government, but let's be honest had enough of it the day after Tony Blair won the last election.

As for the BNP, I'm hopeful that the press they're currently receiving will react negatively for them, with the stay-at-home voters of this election taking to the ballot box next time around. I also hope that anybody who chose to vote BNP this time [without patronising them and belittling their right to an opinion, same as me] arrive at the next general election with a clearer idea of what's affecting them and people like them in this country. While it would be foolish to deny that Britain has an immigration problem [I live in London and have eyes], the problem is probably not that "they're taking all our jobs" or "they're all on crank and they eat babies" but that we currently do not have the resources in place to facilitate such a large influx of people who want to work, want to pay taxes and want to be a part of British society. Beyond that, post-2001 it can not be denied that the anti-Islamic sentiment among the nation at large has grown at a very rapid rate, a lack of understanding, a lack of communication and a lack of humanity is causing fear, suspicion and hatred to grow, perhaps manifesting itself in some pretty heinous acts. I don't know how to bridge the gap between Islam and Britain, there are Islamic MPs, there are Islamic MEPs, there is now a Muslim in the Cabinet for the first time. While commentators and hate mongers constantly site the "Muslim Council of Great Britain" and their failure to condemn acts of violence and hatred carried out in the name if Islam across the world, it shouldn't be that an unelected group can be viewed as the voice of such a large portion of British people [hint, hint, Gordon?] when what we're talking about is a religious group embodying people from so many countries, regions and continents who often share a god and not much more.

Yesterday's European Election results shouldn't surprise many. The BNP have been making inroads for the last few years and unless the political media start challenging the major parties on issues that British people clearly feel strongly about then they will continue to grow. All that being said, it's quite possible that the 900,000+ BNP voters saw this election for what it was, a complete joke [Gordon Brown scoffed on The Andrew Marr Show this Sunday about Britain's foolishness when he himself will do as he pleases in Europe to "Protect British Jobs" regardless of how we voted in the European Elections] and decided to cast the ultimate protest vote against a government that is well past its sell-by-date. It's not a coincidence that The BNP Picked up seats in traditional Labour heartlands.

While I attempt to consider the potential ramifications of a post-devolution Scotland being run from London by a government with little-to-no presence in the country, I'll leave you with this, Britain is; like the rest of Europe, standing at a crossroad, where we turn at the next general election will shape the next 50 years. I don't know what we need to do, but it's about time people started working out what politics can do for them, for their families, for their futures, because if we continue to leave it to the rest to make the decisions, we could well see extremist parties, religious parties and destructive parties gain more and more seats in local councils, Parliament and European Parliament. For now, this article on The Guardian website talks about Nick Griffin's relative treatment from the BBC this morning.

VIDEO: Bobb'e J. Thompson/ Bro Mitzvah

2009-06-08T06:30:00.000-07:00

This is the kid from Role Models and that one episode of Joey. I like it.

Death of Autotune- The hard shit's back

2009-06-08T06:21:00.001-07:00

By now you've all heard 'Death of Autotune' and whether or not you believe Jay-Z can kill the craze by his lonesome, you can't deny the record's bang-bang-bang-ness. Me, Jack, Pixel, Tego and Ben sat in Farside on Stockwell Road in January and talked about what we wanted to do this year. We kept coming back to the same point "We want to do hard shit" [pause]. I've mentioned on this site that I fucks with Tinchy Stryder, no doubt, I like him and I like his pop songs, I'm less into N-Dubz and DJ Ironik but you have to respect the way they communicate with their fans and produce hit-after-hit. The knock-on affect of those guys being as successful as they are has been that all the wannabes in the UK [NAMES GO HERE] sweetened themselves up for a Cadbury's Product launch. When "Grime" first reached the ears of the mainstream, it was in a [largely] negative context [beautiful], people were scared of these black boys scattered around London painting the City in a post millennium way nobody could ever have articulated. 'Boy In Da Corner' is and was, the best representation of teenage life in the capital, a triumph yet to be repeated. With that album came Dizzee clones [NAMES GO HERE], they came, they thinned the genre's credibility and made it hard for Dizzee's following albums to have the affect they probably deserved [I fucks with all of his albums no question]. Dizzee fights on and continues to achieve hit-after-hit with a backdrop of credibility and a body of work that nobody in the UK can ever touch [maybe The Streets' first album but that last one could have undone all that hardwork, we'll see what the next album offers].

When Kanye West dropped in '04 he changed hip-hop across the world, "The Kanye factor" probably wasn't totally evident until his '07 album 'Graduation' dropped and everybody started sampling from the same pool, wearing the same clothes and copying just about everything unique in his flow [the reason '808s and Heartbreak' was such a departure? I'd hazard a guess that maybe so]. With Kanye's success [inevitably] came a slight move to the centre in terms of aggression. Rappers started wearing Polos and Sweater Vests, they started singing on hooks and all of a sudden College was the Projects. At this point I should make it clear that I love Kanye West, 'Heartless' is my ringtone and I think he's one of the most important performers in the world today. The "Softening" of rap was not Kanye's fault, hip-hop needed him when it got him, originality is hard to come by in rap, being liberal and educated though; is not a trend. How did it become one? Because everybody wanted a bite of Kanye's apple. Three, four and five million sold is nothing to scoff at, after-all, hip-hop is run by "Entrepreneurs" and "CEOs" whose creative thought process generally works thusly "Which producer is doing the best impression of a Timbaland beat right now? How much does he charge? How much does his Mexican, non-union equivalent charge? Let's move!". The move away from confrontational rap music [three years before Kanye was the biggest rapper in the world he was producing the best beef record of all time for Jay-Z] and towards a more liberal, sensitive form of rap was not necessarily a bad one. Easier for the mainstream to consume and TV shows to licence, who knows how rap would have survived the industry recession without it? But inevitably the people grow wary. Believe it or not, 50 Cent was the only rapper in the mainstream even making an attempt to be aggressive and was wholly vilified for it during the Kanye West Soundscan war.

When Jay calls for "The mixtape Weezy" on 'DoA' he's calling for that rapper we were all amazed by once upon a time. Not the 'Let It Rock', 'Lollipop' rapper that tops the charts. Maybe I'm one of the few who actually wants to hear some well-produced, well-conceived, traditionalist, aggressive hip-hop again, but I somehow doubt it. In 2009, when Eminem's your mother's ringtone and N-Dubz are performing your Gran's birthday party, how are we letting Emo get away with being the most feared musical genre? Maybe I'm shallow, maybe I'm ignorant, but I want to get banned from the motherfucking radio like Giggs, I want to get banned from the clubs like Three 6 Mafia, I want to get banned from TV like Shabba. I don't want to force it, but for fuck sake, we're in a recession, the industry's dead and all we've got is a few autotune anthems about how "Shawty got weave" and such nonsense. I'm glad Jay's killing autotune and I'm glad he's doing it hardcore. Not for New York's sake, not for London's sake, but for disillusioned, frustrated people everywhere. We are the hip-hop generation and we're acting like we live in a Bratz DVD box-set. Fuck that.

Death of pussy rap. Moment of silence.

Is it true, that if I don't use it, I lose it?

2009-06-04T06:13:00.000-07:00

Democracy people. It's a sexy behemoth. A horny puddle. A warm massage. You may or may not remember 13 months ago, I exercised my right to vote in the pouring rain. Well today it was blazing sunshine, sunglasses and shorts as I placed a large cross in a column that didn't read Labour or BNP [new acronym; Blacks Never Parlay?]. How humiliated will Gordon Brown-Face be in the morning? I await with baited breath. Genuinely I do, the idea of another term in government for that party actually suffocates me. I can't take it. Democracy is a pregnant dwarf and sometimes you just want to kick it in the stomach. You've been pregnant for 12 years and you gave birth to this? You stupid dwarf prick! Hopefully a third or fourth place finish in today's European election will bring forward a general election. Then Vince Cable can tell me how to vote. You can do it Vince!

VIDEO: Boris falls into a river

2009-06-04T06:07:00.000-07:00

Hahaha. That's funny.

Well, fuck you whitey!

2009-06-04T05:51:00.000-07:00

This sort of thing plays right into the BNP's hands.

Friday night in photos: By Ian Byford

2009-06-02T08:48:00.001-07:00

The homie Ian Byford just dropped these in the comments section. Check them all out, including Akira's set HERE.

Leaked shots of the new PSP

2009-06-01T06:45:00.000-07:00

I still play my PSP [kinda] but there's no doubting it needed an upgrade. I hope this is backward compatible and I hope it costs a reasonable price [unlike the £200 the original retailed at]. Details...

- 16GB of internal memory, expandable memory slot.

- 43 percent lighter than the PSP-3000, making it roughly 108 grams. Nintendo's DSi weighs a comparatively chubby 214g.

- A smaller 3.8" screen (the PSP-3000's is 4.3"). The DSi's is 3.25".

- Bluetooth-capable.

- New games on deck, including Metal Gear Solid, Jak & Daxter, Gran Turismo, and LittleBigPlanet.

- No second analogue nub. Doh.

- Available this fall.

Little Big Planet on the PSP should be amazing.

Sunday afternoon...

2009-06-01T05:56:00.000-07:00

So the sun was out, I was restless after the F.A Cup Final [which was 50% darkness due to somebody forgetting how to design a proper football stadium] and I wanted to get some exercise. What better to do than drive 3 hours out of London to the greatest beach on these here British shores? Nothing. I went out to a secret location in Norfolk I discovered with my family some 5 or 6 years back and it was exactly as amazing as I remembered it.

The sun wasn't fucking around and the water was crisssssssp.
Ben was feeling it.

After stopping for a while, enjoying a cloudy lemonade and a tasty sammich I hit the sea for a spot of swimming. God damn. Shit was cold but oh so refreshing. While in the sea, I noticed a huge black dog wash past me on a wave. It made a noise something between moaning and gasping for air. I waited for the wave to subside before reaching around to find the dog. I couldn't. Slightly concerned I decided that what I'd actually seen was a man, his shoulder, his shorts, something, stride past me. But how could I? There was practically nobody on the beach with us. The swimmer's head never emerged. I'd all but forgotten about it by the time I exited the sea, found a seat on the beach and watched the waves. At which point I noticed another dog swimming, it disappeared "Wow that dog's dead!" I declared. Moments later it's head popped up 20 foot deeper facing the other direction "That's a motherfucking Seal!" I shouted. Desperate for photographic evidence to show you swine, I raced to the front of the tide to take a picture, the Seal reappeared twice and the second time popped up with a friend. Which was fairly awesome. My stupid camera phone didn't do a very good job of picking them out and I can't even find the shot that was taken at the time of the Seal affair. Who says you can't holiday in-land? Idiots that's who!

This was a fairly awesome sand car somebody made on the beach next to ours. No story, just thought it looked great.

Now it is hot and musty in London Town and I need lunch. I'm going back to my secret beach this month for a few days. I have to.

Friday night...

2009-06-01T05:35:00.000-07:00

So before I start I should say this, we had Pixel's super-flashy, expensive camera on Friday night, I took some shots, then Ben took some shots, then Tiago took some shots. Then of course Pixel left the last of the true ravers and while he has the camera I now realise that I have his camera charger. If he wants it back he knows what he has to do. These two [yeah I only have two] photos are taken on my phone and thus don't do much justice to my awesome photography skills.

So Friday was Marvin's first gig of 2009. It was Pixel's first gig in over 18 months. Which is crazy. Rather than ease themselves into it though, they decided to do a whole set of previously unheard numbers, not-a-one song in the set had ever been performed before. One of which [the finale and most awesome song by most accounts] has never been heard outside of the studio barring a couple of car journeys with man-dem. Shaking off a touch of rust Marvin and Pixel performed these songs in order...

1) Come On [Pixel]
2) Red Rum [Marvin]
3) The Forecast [Pixel]
4) Blaow Blaow [Marvin]
5) Bug Out [Pixel]
6) Sterling Crumble [Marvin]
7) Tin Can [Marvin]
8) Falling Down [Marvin & Pixel]

All of which [apart from 'Falling Down'] will feature on Marvin and Pixel's new mixtape coming early July to Devil In The Distance. What's 'Falling Down' for I hear you ask? *Taps nose*
After Marvin and Pixel's set, me and Ben Official hit the decks to pump out some classic hits, you may have heard the likes of 'Gamble On Me' by Cory Gunz and T-Pain, 'On The Rock' by Mavado and Jay-Z, 'Ghost Ride It' by Mister Fab, 'Tell Me When To Go' by E40 and Keak Da Sneak and a whole lot more. We then transitioned into Akira's set, which was the best I've seen him perform, without a doubt. His band was on some shit, brass section? Are you crazy! Genius. Morty was on point, so was Joey, shit was crazy. As the performance went on, the gangingest crew you ever did meet started to down ciders and unknown spirits [pictured above] and the night got fairly crunk. Video footage of what followed will be available soon. Suffice to say that Crusty Sleeve invented the Willy and used it to give Luke all the AIDS. At which point Luke proclaims to have borrowed the Willy and used it to transfer the AIDS on to Tiago, a motion that was then rejected. The video will of course decide.

Dawn of the Don tonight

2009-05-29T05:51:00.001-07:00

VIDEO: Me on The Politics Show

2009-05-27T05:39:00.001-07:00

The Hackney Wick DJ Vlad hooked it up! You might have spotted him on just about every hip-hop blog that matters yesterday. Hey Pix, fuck Joe Budden.

Me on The Politics Show

2009-05-26T05:19:00.000-07:00

As Jack mentioned on Saturday, I was invited to speak on The Politics Show this Sunday about the controversial Form 696. The form relates to live music and the Metropolitan Police's ability to request sensitive and discriminatory information from promoters, performers and patrons so as to assess the "Potential risk" of that event. Feargal Sharkey wrote a fairly explicit letter to the Met asking for the form, which while officially voluntary has become mandatory in many London boroughs, to be reviewed, an "Official review" has been announced and it's hoped will see the form repealed. While the main focus of the outrage has been a racial one, there are far reaching implications for the creative community as a whole. By filling in Form 696 we are effectively allowing The Police to decide that if they don't agree with my message and who I'm delivering it to, then they can shut me down. Throughout history music has been a great communicative tool in times of struggle and hardship, the idea that I can no longer use the gift I feel I've been given to communicate a message to my people, because The Police don't want me to, scares me to my soul. The Police State doesn't get much realer than that. In Chile, in South Africa, in Afghanistan, songs were used to inspire, to teach, to relay messages of hope and determination against fascist regimes. In London, 2009 we have to ask for permission. You can watch the show on the BBC iPlayer HERE. The Form 696 section kicks in at about 31 minutes. If anybody could rip the 696 section so I can put it on Youtube I'd appreciate it. I downloaded the whole thing through the iPlayer software but the BBC appear to have it coded like clever internet people.

While in the Green Room waiting to go on I managed to grab a quick chat with Peter Tatchell about Form 696 which was pretty great. Peter Tatchell's one of the bravest men in the country, he doesn't give a fuck, a real fighter for the downtrodden. I don't always agree with him but it takes a lot of balls to be that guy.

There's been a lot of people very outspoken on the Form 696 issue including DJ Semtex, DJ MK, Bashy and Tinchy Stryder whose blogging helped me when doing last minute research on Saturday night so I thank you all. Also thanks to Akira for sending the BBC in my direction. I'm gonna tear down Dawn of the Don on Friday. Yiggity!

This week I shall be mostly listening to... Method Man & Redman/ Blackout 2

2009-05-26T05:07:00.000-07:00

I'm satisfied. Red and Meth actually went out of their way to select nice beats, rather than stupid beats with obvious samples, they kept the skits to a minimum (when they're minimalist like that you actually enjoy them), they rapped better than either of them have on solo projects for a few years and they maintained their straight-man/ funny-man dynamic without making Method Man seem boring. Granted I've only listened once but got damn it I'm a fan. I will listen some more.

So Liverpool lost the Youth Cup Final First Leg

2009-05-26T04:55:00.000-07:00

My first football match ended in a humiliating defeat on Friday. Arsenal's kids were something else it has to be said, as a laymen I can tell you I saw some extraordinary talent on show. We lost 4-1 in the end but it could have been more, I spent the first half actually willing the ball to a kid named Jay Emanuel-Thomas' feet, he was incredible. Despite being with only one other Liverpool fan, one Chelsea fan and two Arsenal fans, we decided to ~~sit~~ stand in the Liverpool section, which at least gave the game a little bit of spice. It also taught me a whole new repertoire of songs I never knew existed. I now also know the Arsenal responses to them. To be fair the fan banter got a bit heated at times when a couple of cocky Arsenal fans started singing "Sign on" lyrics to the words of 'You'll Never Walk Alone'. Something I didn't personally agree with. The other half of the football crew were with child so couldn't really sit in the slightly hostile setting of the Liverpool away section, by all accounts they went to a different game. We ran into Paul Ince before kick-off (I think his son was playing?) and Spoony joined our stand in the second half to a chorus of "SPOONY! SPOONY!" I think the second leg of the final is tonight in Liverpool and barring some kind of Arsenal collapse I can't see my boys winning it. I will definitely go to another football match though, the stadium alone was worth the visit. Word to the Transport Police who wanted beef in Stockwell on the way home. Cock.

UPDATE: Just found out the second leg is on Setanta Sports. Gonna have to hit Jack's to watch that.

Giggs Feat. The Streets/ Slow Songs

2009-05-25T05:39:00.000-07:00

> Nite Nite

2009-05-23T06:37:00.000-07:00

Marv has been invited to discuss the controversial Form 696 on The Politics Show tomorrow. Tune in to BBC1 at 12 mid-day Sunday for some opinions.

More from Marv later on. He's revising.

Untill then, here is Form 696. Have a read. See what all the fuss is about.

VIDEO: Kanye West Feat. Mr Hundson/ Paranoid

2009-05-21T06:01:00.000-07:00

Why are you so Paranoid? Noid? Noid?

I'm going to my first football match tomorrow...

2009-05-21T05:07:00.000-07:00

I'm going to see my boys Liverpool play Arsenal in the Youth-Cup Final First Leg at The Emirates Stadium tomorrow night. Exciting I know. Pixel, Jack, Ben, Tego & Bosh went to the Semi-Final between Arsenal and Manchester City which ended 3-1, this time I think 12 of us are going so it should be a party. I've never been to an actual football match before as I don't generally give a shit about the game but over the last couple of years I've developed a certain understanding and appreciation for it and am hoping tomorrow's game will make me a proper fan in the eyes of the lord or whatever. I might even start a team. I got those teckers!

This week I shall be mostly listening to... Gangstarr/ The Ownerz

2009-05-21T05:00:00.000-07:00

I'm worried that this section has been too underground so far. I guess it's about that time of year when you want some of that underground shit.

I fucking love this album. Guru says he hated Premier when they made it, which I guess you can kinda hear. Beat for beat it's one of the best produced rap albums of all time. Not quite 'Moment Of Truth' lyrically it does feature some great guest features from Jadakiss, M.O.P, Bumpy Knuckles and even Fat Joe!?!?!

Things That Are Better Than The Transformers Movies (part 2&3)

2009-05-20T07:44:00.000-07:00

Blaster USB Hub

Grimlock lazer mouse

Getting my nerd on today, boy!

More Transformer geek stuff at Bigbadtoystore.com

Things That Are Better Than The Transformers Movies (part 1)

2009-05-20T06:22:00.000-07:00

So much better.

Pre-order at Bigbadtoystore.com.

OK, You're Right

2009-05-19T08:21:00.000-07:00

50 Cent is so great. His new track 'OK, You're Right' is produced by Dr Dre and was premiered yesterday by Funkmaster Flex...Interscope and Funk Flex, I was sure that would never happen again...so sure.

LISTEN: on RapRadar

HipHopGame.co.uk is back

2009-05-19T06:49:00.000-07:00

HipHopGame.co.uk is back and it looks like one of those highly-optimised future sites.

Related: Hip-Hop Connection's 2nd digital issue is out now.

LIVE NEWS: Me and Pixel added to 'Dawn Of The Don' line-up

2009-05-19T05:10:00.000-07:00

Me and Pixel are going to be performing exclusive new material [none of the songs we're performing have ever been performed or heard outside of the studio, if you want classics you'll be at the wrong show. Strictly future classics] at Akira The Don's 'Dawn of the Don' gig on Friday May 29th. Most of the songs performed will make up the new mixtape which Jack is in the process of mixing as I type [real mixing rather than DJ Mixing, that process is a few weeks off at least].

We'll be joining Akira on the bill with Stephen Hague, Joey2Tits, Blonde Jeremy Deacon, Zombiehamster and Kill Witnesses who are all DJ'ing. You should buy advance tickets and look at the awesome flyer HERE.

@ The Gaff
382 Holloway Road, London, N7 6PN
020 7609 3063

Friday, May 29th 2009
7pm till late
£6 on the door, or £5 with a flyer (you can print the flyer from Akira's site)

I'll bring you more details as and when.

Reactions

2009-05-18T09:47:00.001-07:00

So I just added a feature to the blog. You can click a "Reaction" to any of the posts. I currently have 3 options "For real" which basically means you agree with me "Gangster" which means I'm way too on point for this shit and "Bullsh*t" which means you're a knob and you dare disagree with the god. Clicky, clicky now. If you have any other suggested reactions let me know whylout[at]hotmail.com.

While we're on the subject of clicking, don't forget to click the ads on my page, they're so sexy, am I right? I'm right.

Jay-Z used to humiliate LL Cool J in underground rap battles? I can believe that...

2009-05-18T09:05:00.000-07:00

Lifted from HipHopDX

Former entertainment lawyer turned author and part-time blogger, Reggie Ossé, shared in his blog today stories of a long ago “secret war” between LL Cool J and Jay-Z [click here]. The blog, called Combat Jack With Today’s Mathematics, recounts Damon Dash and DJ Clark Kent’s efforts to provoke a Rap battle between the then '90s king, LL, and the relatively unknown rookie rapper, Jay-Z.

“[Dame and Clark] figured if Jay was known as the dude that kilt LL in battle, record labels would take note and give him that much sought after deal,” wrote Ossé. “Dame and Clark had the plan laid out, whenever LL was spotted by either of them, they would page each other and Jay and get him to meet at whatever location LL was. This went on a couple of times. Once contacted, Jay would roll up to the club, bar or whatever venue and lay in the cut, waiting for his opportunity to attack LL in battle. Dame would polly with, then taunt LL about how Jay was nicer than him, was ready to take his spot even. LL's ego would result in him agreeing to go head to head against the young and then unknown challenger.”

At the time (circa 1992) LL had found success with his Grammy-winning album Mama Said Knock You Out, and was known as the king of battle Rap. However, as Ossé tells it, LL had lost those secret battles with Jay-Z.

“Dame and Clark would end up in my office the following day, laughing about how Jay lit that ass up. Every time too. They was a bit sour too, cause after each battle, LL would kill the vibe, crush Jay's high by flinging the ‘Yo, my next record is dropping next month, uhm, when's yours coming out again, scrap?’ line at him. Jay, Dame and Clark didn't like that shit. Not one bit. I'm betting those battles are the reason LL is still kinda aggie towards Jay.”

Between 2006 and 2008, Jay-Z's presidency at Def Jam Records resulted in a public disapproval from veteran artist LL Cool J, who felt that his career and projects were mishandled, despite deing an artist since 1985 for the label.

Reggie Ossé is breaking walls of silence. This is fascinating shit and it makes so much sense when you think about it.

Top 100 Comic Book Villains of all time

2009-05-18T08:44:00.001-07:00

Jack just sent this link over. It's a pretty great list.

Top 100 Comic Book Villains of all time

Please do not "Rise" again

2009-05-18T06:40:00.000-07:00

Boris Johnson canceled 'Rise Festival' this year. The "Anti-Racism" music festival...however the hell that works? Was set to cost Londoners over £500k and being that we're in a recession and the whole thing is stupid as shit anyway, the mayor got rid of it. The London Assembly says they'll be redirecting the funds to music programs across the capital. While many would have you believe that the "Anti-Racism" festival was worthwhile in some capacity I can assure you it was not. How could it be? Black Eyed Peas play in a park and a skinhead sees the light? No. Shut up. Who cares? The Politics Show did a section on the cancellation on Sunday which was pretty awesome. The guy from the London Assembly would only refer to the BNP as "The Nazis" which was strange. Is that defamatory? Nick Griffin seems like the guy to phone a racist lawyer and get that looked into. Speaking of Nick Griffin, did anybody catch the BNP Party Political Broadcast the other night? It was awesome. It was made for 40p on Adobe Premier [default text settings, I see you BNP] and featured one member boasting about his new CCTV cameras, before Nick Griffin promises not to put computer chips in your dustbins. [Watch the video on Youtube below, it won't make you a racist I promise]*

* How evil does that woman look by the way? Debra Kent you evil looking woman! Nick Griffin looks pathetic, like a bottom feeding chancer and Mike Coleman looks like a cock but Debra Kent looks genuinely evil. A fatter, more racist Rene Zelwegger. There's no festival gonna stop her. Maybe some sort of Nazi Cannes.

UPDATE: Charlie Brooker saw the BNP PPB

This week I shall be mostly listening to... Murs/ Murs For President

2009-05-18T05:47:00.000-07:00

This album was a bit of a sleeper. He didn't consistently bring it with the beats the way he did on his 9th Wonder projects which is kinda frustrating but he's really talking some shit on 'Murs For President'.

LISTEN: on Spotify.

Chester French in the UK

2009-05-14T07:25:00.000-07:00

PRESS RELEASE- Chester French will release their debut album “Love The Future” on 8th June and will play a string of UK dates that very week, with a second London show on 20th June.

Signed to Pharrell Williams’ Star Trak label, Milwaukee-raised DA Wallach and Boston native Max Drummey are two friends who wrote and recorded their debut album Love The Future while in their final year studying at Harvard. Drawing on their love of everything from Sixties pop to hip hop and putting into practice the basics of songwriting they had learned from listening closely to Bowie and Beatles records, they put their unique songs to tape with Wallach handling most of the vocals and Drummey performing much of the music on an orchestra’s-worth of instruments. These recordings found their way into the hands of Don C, Kanye West’s manager, who offered them a deal. Competing offers from Jermaine Dupri and Pharrell Williams quickly followed. Encouraged by Pharrell’s promise of complete creative control, the duo signed to Star Trak.

Hear tracks including “The Jimmy Choos” and watch the video for “She Loves Everybody” at www.myspace.com/chesterfrench

Chester French’s return to the UK follows their handful of dates supporting N.E.R.D last year.

JUNE TOUR DATES:

Tue 09- London Old Blue Last £6.50
Wed 10- Brighton Freebutt £6.50
Thu 11- Bristol Louisianna £6
Fri 12- NottinghamBodega £6
Sat 13- Liverpool Korova £5
Sat 20- London BE @ Proud Galleries £10 (no advance sale)

I'm definitely hitting that Old Blue Last gig. I'm interested to see what these guys do live.

Who doesn't love M.O.P?

2009-05-14T06:16:00.001-07:00

Of course Michael Rappaport loves M.O.P. Everybody loves M.O.P.

This weekend I shall be mostly listening to...Company Flow/ Funcrusher Plus

2009-05-14T05:35:00.000-07:00

If you don't know about 'Funcrusher Plus' you need to get to knowing. The beats, oh lord the beats. Company Flow were seminal, the whole Rawkus/ Def Jux movement hinges on this album.

Spotify link

VIDEO: Inja Feat. Fallacy, Skinnyman & Mr Thing/ Hat Low

2009-05-13T06:36:00.000-07:00

'Ard. I like this.

Larry David could make a modern Woody Allen film watchable

2009-05-13T05:38:00.000-07:00

I can't stand modern Woody Allen films, it's like he's been trapped in a loop since the late 80s. Light Jazz music and New York skylines? Yey! Passive aggressive Jewish couple share loft apartment? For reals? Hopefully this film 'Whatever Works' he's made with Larry David will offer some respite. The trailer looks funny without being as funny as I think a Larry David vehicle always should be, but you can't fully tell from a trailer. The collaboration definitely represents a collective will of all comedy loving people for quality, if it's not good I'm going to encase Woody Allen in carbon. I'll do it respectfully but I'll do it so he can't get out. I'll do it whether you want me to or not.

The new Transformers game might be better than the new Transformers film

2009-05-13T05:03:00.001-07:00

I don't like the Transformers film as I've mentioned on this site before. Long shots of smoky landscapes with giant...what are those?...scorpions? Black Knights? What are those? I'm 108% sure the second film is going to kiss booty ring too so I'm pretty much going to avoid it totally. This is a trailer for the accompanying game 'Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen' dropping June 23rd on all formats and I have to say it looks pretty rock guns!

Also check this hidden camera Transformers spoof Jack just sent me. Funny shit.

Crime Pays

2009-05-13T03:55:00.000-07:00

It's true what they say, you don't know what you've got until it's gone. I didn't realise how crucial Cam was, the outstandingly low quality of 'Killa Season' [the album rather than the film, which I've thus far refused to watch] and the brain rotting lames that made up Cam's extended family [everybody that isn't Juelz Santana...and Max-B, but he doesn't really count] really tainted the Cam'ron brand between '04 and '09. The fact that Jim Jones is still allowed to breathe as a rapper should be a source of great shame for the entire hip-hop community. 'Crime Pays' is a true return to form, acting as part hardcore New York rap album, part Curb Your Enthusiasm style awkward hilarity. Production is solid without ever being exceptional, perhaps catering to Cam's comfort zone a little too much, but lyrically he's better than ever and seems to have matured his song writing and structuring abilities beyond a level he'd ever reached before. I advise you listen and remind yourself why the world loves Cam.

MIXTAPE: Method Man & Redman + DJ Green Lantern/ Lights Out

2009-05-12T05:17:00.000-07:00

Method Man & Redman + DJ Green Lantern/ Lights Out Mixtape [Sharebee]

Lights Out Intro
Dangerous MCs
Big Dogs
A Yo (Feat. Saukrates)
Well All Rite Cha
How High
City Lights (Feat. UGK)
Interlude (”We Back For The Smokers”)
The Rockwilder
Tear It Off
4 Minutes to Lock Down (Feat. Raekwon & Ghostface)
Lights Out Outro (”May 19th Is The Date For B.O. 2, Bitch!”)

Meth & Red! Woo I feel like a teenager! 'Blackout 2' better be better than 'Blackout' that album for the most part sucked anus.

VIDEO: Cam'ron/ Cookies 'N' Apple Juice/ Silky [No Homo]

2009-05-12T04:59:00.000-07:00

I am yet to listen to 'Crime Pays' . Or 'Relapse' for that matter. I can wait for the Eminem though I have to say. Semtex and Westwood are doing interviews with him today, they should ask him why this time around feels so forced. Why am I talking about Eminem in a Cam post? Well Cam once declared that Eminem was a genuine beef target when he claimed Eminem had dissed him in one of his videos. I still can't find what he's talking about and nothing ever came of the misunderstanding. That's not the reason I mentioned Eminem but I did always wonder...

Kate Hoey's had a great week

2009-05-12T04:02:00.000-07:00

My local MP, Kate Hoey has had a pretty stellar week it has to be said. While the press scrambled for an untarnished name in government at the height of the expenses scandal, Kate Hoey's name shone through. The former Sports minister has been the subject of some pretty brutal attacks over the years, most recently from Ken Livingston who called Kate "Batty" last year, when she decided to support Boris Johnson's Mayoral bid by becoming his non-paid executive adviser to the 2012 Olympics. As Sports Minister she was subject to what appeared to be unprovoked bile from a number of tabloid newspapers for opposing London's Olympic bid.

Kate famously stood against the Iraqi war and opposes Labour's ID Card scheme, the hunting ban, university top-up fees and the EU Lisbon Treaty. She's actively involved in issues such as affordable housing and sports in schools.

Yesterday she was subject to an attempted humiliation at the hands of our awesomely inept Speaker of the House, Michael Martin. When Kate challenged the Home Office's decision to order an inquiry into the MP's expenses leak calling it an "awful waste of money" at a time when the police already had a "huge job" to do in London, Michael Martin interrupted by saying "I listen to you often, when I turn on my television at midnight, and I hear your public utterances and your pearls of wisdom on Sky News. It's easy to talk then... Some of us in this House have other responsibilities". While a general feeling of disgust at Martin's actions are shared across the house with Nick Clegg warning that the Speaker should not be criticising the media at a time when he should "taking a lead" on the expenses issue and Conservative MP Douglas Carswell called for a vote of no confidence citing that "However good he may be at being Mr Martin, he is quite useless at being the Speaker" Gordon Brown is standing behind his man.

Is it proactive for the least popular Prime Minister of all time to support the least popular Speaker in recent memory? I don't know. I'm not sure it matters at this point, Gordon's got 12 months to rush through as much legacy destroying legislation as he possibly can before Labour can reshuffle and make themselves a viable prospect again in 8-12 years. Maybe with a proper MP like Kate Hoey back on the front-bench.

This week I shall be mostly listening to... DJ Vadim/ U.S.S.R Repertoire

2009-05-11T06:30:00.000-07:00

This album had a huge influence on Jack and the way he makes beats, we rediscovered it a few days ago and are really letting it sink in all over again. Definitely an underground classic, we're gonna do some straight tribute songs on the new mixtape based on the sound of this album. Jack's already got one lined-up, gonna have to go in.

Just ordered: Batman Gothic

2009-05-11T05:23:00.000-07:00

I've spent the last couple of months trying to get that Batman feeling from other sources. I actually got 6 or 7 pages into Watchmen and stopped reading. It just didn't start at a pace I thought was acceptable. I've slowed down on 'The Preacher' because I don't want to blow my load, I'm up to Part 3 and I bought Part 4 already, no need to rush. I've gone through Button Man, Blade, The Preacher, Ghost Rider, The Watchmen and Ironman since my last Batman novel. While I enjoyed all of them a lot [Ironman less so, time travel?], I've been chasing a buzz you can only really get from a great Batman, so I went with what I know, Grant Morrison. I'm kinda excited I have to say.

I really want some great X-Men novels. I've got 'God Loves Man Kills' and 'Fatal Attraction' in novel form but everything else looks either slim or wack-a-day. Somebody suggest something please.

2009-05-10T04:49:00.000-07:00

With 'Devil In The Distance' having been here over a year, It's now ads time. Check the advert to the right and below. If this isn't the top story on the page any more than ignore those directions. You guys should totally come to my site a lot and allow my ads to influence your click through decisions. For serious.

Devil In The Distance On Spotify

2009-05-09T10:08:00.000-07:00

All my Spotify thugs should know, you can listen to the whole of my debut album 'Devil In The Distance' by clicking here [if you don't have Spotify downloaded, then you probably should. As much as it pains me to admit it].

DJ Jack Nimble- Politically Incorrect Episode 3 Mixtape/ Podcast

2009-05-07T10:40:00.000-07:00

DJ Jack Nimble- Politically Incorrect Episode 3 Mixtape/ Podcast [Sendspace]

Download, listen at work, on your commute, in the gym, while you're washing up, while your washing your body, whatever. Peep exclusive game on track 10. Tell me you want it beyatches!