I Fux with...Blues

Bobby "Blue" Bland - When You Come to The End of Your Road


Bobby "Blue" Bland - Dreamer

After seeing the number of people who downloaded the Johnny Cash upload, I decided to do another one of these. This time I'm doing the blues. Bobby Bland is my favorite Bluesman ever and this is my favorite blues album. The most famous song on the album is "Ain't no Love in the Heart of the City" but my favorite is the one embedded above, "When You Come to The End of Your Road". Check it out.

Constellation Funk

El-P - Fantastic Damage [The Samples]

This one is for my fellow Def Jukies out there. If I was to say that this sample set dropped into my lap from the moon, I wouldn't be far off from the truth. I've been looking for the samples to this album since the beginning of this blog and I had only managed to find 1 (the Bowie sample). Then, out of nowhere , an angel, by the name of Kasper Beckmann, dropped it into my inbox. Though it isn't complete, I don't foresee it becoming any "completer" any time soon, so here goes.

UPDATE - Raymond Scott - Cyclic Bit ['T.O.J'] - zshare

Equinoxe III ['Squeege Man Shooting'] 1 Jean Michel Jarre 5:10 Fantastic Damage [The Samples]
Water ['Deep Space 9mm'] 2 Silver Apples 4:19 Fantastic Damage [The Samples]
Holy Ghost ['Deep Space 9mm'] 3 The Bar-Kays 3:56 Fantastic Damage [The Samples]
Bass Folk Song ['Tuned Mass Dumper'] 4 Joe Farrell 9:47 Fantastic Damage [The Samples]
Part Two [Tuned Mass Dumper'] 5 Mike Oldfield 23:23 Fantastic Damage [The Samples]
Power Surge ['DeLorean'] 6 Chris Rae/Frank McDonald 1:19 Fantastic Damage [The Samples]
Live Wire ['Accidents Don't Happen'] 7 The Meters 2:38 Fantastic Damage [The Samples]
Soul Love ['Innocent Leader'] 8 David Bowie 3:34 Fantastic Damage [The Samples]

Great Moments in Lyricism...Joell Ortiz

Joell Ortiz - Hip-Hop

I'm far from a hip-hop purist, but I still get a thrill down my leg ( (c) Chris Matthews) whenever this joint comes on. This is bar after bar of prison bar hard hip-hop at its finest.

Speaking of Ingenious, Original Videos...

This is Common's new video. It's unusual, but a good look.

Watch This...On Mute, If You Have To

This is one of the most original and ingenious hip-hop(ish) videos I've seen in a long time. I wouldn't have expected it from these two.

Great Moments in Lyricism...Jean Grae/Talib Kweli

Jean Grae ft. Talib Kweli


It's about time I did one of these on a femcee. Jean Grae, as I've said before on this blog, is my favorite female emcee. What she lacks in consistancy, she makes up for with rare passion and dynamic lycisims when she's on. And on this track, she's definitely ON!. She bodies this so hard, sometimes I forget that Kweli is even on the track, even though he spits a respectable verse. Just peep her second verse:

she lacks delivery, really, nigga I pack rap symmetry and send it to ya dorm
why y'all iggin' me for sure
Jean is synonymous with chivalry
open doors but I step through first
test the waters and I pee in them got no net worth
but now everyone's a rapper and everyone'll shoot you dead
only lead I stay strapped with a razor sharp pencil that could write but it could stab you rapid
it's all ass backwards, you're all mall performers, actors
what though?, come on let's race to where the cash is
get mauled like Roy and alter boy
I'll jet through you like a Jet through flight, I'm unemployed
you still cared to touch me, I got akin to rap leprosy
you face screwed ugly
I'm chasing all you club bunnies
and racing you tackle you down
take your money with your chest on the ground
I know it's foul, what you gonna do now

The Milky Way

Black Milk - Popular Demand [The Samples]
(Megaupload)

This was one of the first sets I started on. The fact that it has taken this long is both a testament to my laziness and to Black Milk's ability to camouflage his samples. This album, Popular Demand, was, by a wide margin, my favorite hip-hop album of '07. It was fresh and cohesive in a way that very few rap albums, at least nowadays, are.This isn't a complete set but I've been sitting on it for too long, so if I find any of the missing samples I'll update the set. As always, this is brought to you with a huge assist from Thomas.

You've Been My Inspiration ['Popular Demand'] 1 The Main Ingrediants 2:53 Popular Demand [The Samples]
We're A Winner ['Sound The Alarm'] 2 The Impressions 2:25 Popular Demand [The Samples]
Space Intro ['Sound The Alarm'] 3 Steve Miller Band 1:14 Popular Demand [The Samples]
Is There A Place (In His Heart For Me) ['U'] 4 The Supremes 4:03 Popular Demand [The Samples]
Nothing Can Stop Me ['Shut it Down'] 5 Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr. 4:26 Popular Demand [The Samples]
Tracks of my Tears ['Three+Sum'] 6 Aretha Franklin 2:55 Popular Demand [The Samples]
Roundabout ['Action'] 7 Yes 8:30 Popular Demand [The Samples]
Love Gonna Pack Up (And Walk Out) ['One Song'] 8 The Persuaders 3:20 Popular Demand [The Samples]
If You Can Wait ['I'm Out'] 9 The Miracles 2:45 Popular Demand [The Samples]

New Poll: Lightening vs. Dolphin

The question is simple: What was more impressive? Phelps' 8 golds or Bolt's 9.69 100m. Most people will reflexively vote for Phelps, so let me make the case for Bolt...actually no, just watch it (again) if you have any doubts about how insane a run, nay, a jog, it was. No need to say which way my vote will go.

A brief history of No Homo

Batman & Robin

Lupe on Lyrics, Ye on Beat - Birds & the Bees


I just came across this unreleased Lupe track while doing my usual blog-surfing. This song is more or less perfect because it solves the biggest issues I have with both talented artists. Namely, Lupe's horrible taste in beats and Kanye's insistence on keeping his best beats for himself.

Great Moments in Lyricism...Canibus/Common

Common ft. Canibus - Making a Name for Ourselves


For many people the name Canibus is synonymous with lyricist, so I couldn't do a series on lyrics without dropping at least one Canibus post. While he was always limited as an all-around music artist, no one, not even LL cool J, could doubt the kids spit game. Since I'm lazy I decided to kill two birds with one stone by picking a track that features both Canibus and Common, another artist I was bound to do a post about later. While this is far from Common (Sense) at his best, it is still a nice piece of work.

From now, I will post my favorite line from each artist in each post.

Canibus: (too many to choose from...but)
"My face don't belong in The Source
It belongs on the shroud of turin, for certain "

Common:
"It's like a Malcolm X-orcisim, fuck the rhythm, I hit him"

Great Moments in Lyricism...Ghostface Killah/Sheek Louch

Ghostface Killah ft. Sheek Louch - Blue Armor


As with the last post, picking a Ghostface verse that stands head and shoulders above the rest is a futile undertaking. He is incredibly consistent in his output; from album to album, track to track, and verse to verse. To go with the whole underapreciated theme, I decided to go with a banger from his least known album, More Fish. Sheek, another dope lyricist, drops a tight ham verse for Ghost's sandwich slices. I'll post the lyrics later.

Great Moments in Lyricism...Pusha-T (Clipse)

The Clipse - The Funeral (2nd verse)


Though both brothers have lyrics for days, as Thomas posted in the comments, Pusha is head and shoulders above his brother. Picking a Pusha verse to post was no easy task. He has too many classic verses to count. I didn't want to post something from the official albums or the Got it 4 cheap tapes so I had to reach back. This track is the last track on their unrealeased debut, Exclusive Audio Footage. It may not be up there with his later mastrpieces, but it is still superior to 99 percent of the verses ever put to DAT.

Hold me high Gucci suit and tie
Let my casket reach the sky tell my girl dont cry
Just sing me a lullabye and let the white doves fly
Cuz I heard from a bird its only sleep when you die
Break me in unison outside is right thru the lens
My mother cried cuz she knew that I was only true to sin
Celebrate my passing with gun shots and systems blasting
Blown up posters of Terror held by children laughing
No matter how foul my burial open casket
Now simply so they can see my clusters and my diamonds smiling
Im sorry I failed only cuz the ones I left were so real
For me my doggs will lie, die, shoot, cry, or kill
First to Malice sorry that I left you half in a hole
But now you'll write for both of us I'll channel thoughts thru your soul
Emmanuelle remember this when you see my nemesis
Draw my picture on his chest and make his family reminisce
Revenge so sweet and I crush you with the heat
Your the first one I call when its time to put em to sleep
Now Pharrel grand dragon horns stabbing the skys
Turn Mag' em laser tag em couldnt sever all ties
My final request on the day im layed to rest
Take my body to the ocean and have a water front ves'
This will be my burial this eulogy will be in stereo
Blue Angels will draw my face in smoke during an aerial

Great Moments in Lyricism...Lupe Fiasco

Lupe Fiasco - No One Does it Better (Unreleased)


I have my issues with Lupe, but this stands as the greatest lyrical performance I have ever experienced. Every line is wound, rewound, and wound again. 3 years after I heard it, I am still unraveling new layers every time I listen to it again. I won't post the lyrics because it wouldn't do the listening experience justice.

Underappreciated Moments of Great Lyricsim

Over the next week or so, while I try to finish up some half-finished sets I'm working on, I will be doing posts on some of my favorite lyrical performances of all time. I tend to put less emphasis on lyrics than most hip-hop heads do, but...great lyrics are great lyrics. I will concentrate on underrated rappers (AZ, Big L, Turf Talk, Z-Ro, Trae, Clipse), unrealeased tracks (Lupe, Jay-z, Ghostface), and mixtape gems (Lil Wayne, Pharrel).

I Fux with...Country Music

Johnny Cash - Flesh and Blood

The Essential Johnny Cash

N.E.R.D. ft. Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco & Pusha T - Everyone Nose (Remix)

I fux with all three guests on this song, especially P-to the-Ush-a, plus the video is stupid in a fun way so I decided to post my first ever (I think) music video on the blog.

Va-Va Voom

Buggati T73 (rarest car in the world)
Vs
Jaguar XJC (Only made between 1975-78. My favorite car in the world)
Vs
Bugatti Veyron ($2.25 million, only 80 will be built)

Have your say in the comments. I personally fux with the Jag, but, as some of you know, I'm a James Bond Stan (No 'mo, just in case) so my opinion is very biased.

"Production at Kantamanto"

Snr Eddie Donkor - Eye Banker
(This post is brought to you courtesy of the great work done over at http://awesometapesfromafrica.blogspot.com)

Over the last 2 months, I've been hanging out with a couple of my uncles and they have opened my eyes to a lot of old Ghanaian music, especially highlife from the 80's and early 90's, that I had been too young to experience at the time. This is one of the guys they've been knocking me to. He has a great sense of humor (which I guess doesn't mean much since most of you won't understand what he's saying) and, more importantly, the music is funky enough to get a paraplegic on the dancefloor. Apparently he was BIG back in the day but I had never heard of him until recently. If you enjoy this, check out more of the stuff over at Awesome Tapes. Most of these sorts of music are only available on cassete so it's great that the guy(s) over there are digitizing them and sharing: I'm just a conduit.

New Poll/Caption Contest: Does Jackos Skin Tan?

This absurdly beautiful poll question was inspired by a comment a friend made after I sent her the above pic so I can't take credit for its existance. With that said, if anyone else has any random comments to make about it, drop it in...well, the comments section. Vote early and vote oft...once.

Rice and Beans

Beanie Sigal - The Truth & The Reason [The Samples]

I post this with a huge apology to Thomas. He hooked me up with most of these from a while back, I just hadn't got'n around to posting them yet. I meant to add the samples for "The Solution" to this set, but I'm still digging out a good sample list for it. This has been a long time coming.

Back On My Blogging ish!

This is my official return to regular blogging. I've finally gotten over my Post-Graduation existential ennui. I will be posting regularly but probably less sample sets since I have done most of the albums I set out to do and I don't have the superfast internet access that I had at school. Let me shut up and get posting.

PS. - That picture is of my favorite person in the world (well, after myself...), my 6 year old cousin.