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Hip Hop

Bassnectar – Vava Voom (Feat. Lupe Fiasco)

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The internets have been buzzing about this Bassnectar/Lupe collab all week. Teasers, previews, blog promos, etc, etc, the promotional build-up has been extensive. So how’s the track stack up? First, it doesn’t sound really at all like anything we thought it would. (which is probably a good thing.) With its HEAVY bass bang, slowed vocal chop ups, and beefily synthed arpeggios, the track’s pedigree is more Dirty South rap than EDM, L.A.S.E.R.S. or whatever else. Swerve to it.

Bassnectar california (Facebook)

Rating 8.3

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reviewed by
03-23-12

Swizz Beatz – Street Knock (Feat. A$AP Rocky) (Prod. AraabMUZIK)

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AraabMUZIK is ON FIRE! Swizz Beatz is not a great rapper but with support from AM’s producing-out-of-his-mind level beat he sounds at least competent here (if not enjoyable). The hipster hammer A$AP Rocky is on the feature here and easily holds up his part of the song with a fresh set of rhymes.

Swizz Beatz newyork (Facebook)

Rating 8.3

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reviewed by
03-22-12

Tanya Morgan – Rock the Bells (Prod. Aeon)

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Just a reminder: Our home state just (IRL trolled your brackets) put 4 teams in the NCAA Sweet Sixteen, including Cincinnati, which is not only the alma mater of one b3sci’s writers; (shouts to Erin) but also the hometown of Tanya Morgan members Donwill and Illyas. Right so you know now that Brooklynati is in a stage of full effect. The chill subtle heater “Rock the Bells” is new from the trio and some of the group’s best and most consistent work to date. OATW.

Tanya Morgan ohio newyork (Facebook)

Rating 8.3

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reviewed by
03-21-12

K’naan – Nothing To Lose (Will.i.am Remix)

By Stephen Dobrinich

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K’naan’s track ‘Nothing to Lose’ gets a whole new feel here, courtesy of Will.I.Am, and it’s hard to overstate the transformation. In the original, the quality delivered flow of both Nas and K’naan is all but wasted because of the choices in production. Between the exaggerated hook, contrived inspirational tone, and that fucking annoying dinging noise it’s enough to turn this listener off. Meanwhile, Will.I.Am’s mix rides a soulful sample that brings the cool cool heat.

K’naan canada (Facebook)

Rating 8.5

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reviewed by
03-20-12

Big K.R.I.T. – I Got This (Prod. Big K.R.I.T.)

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Too nice. K.R.I.T. absolutely smashes this. New track “I Got This” is fire. Go and get it.

Big K.R.I.T. mississippi (Facebook)

Rating 8.6

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reviewed by
03-20-12

YG – I’m a Thug (Feat. Meek Mill)

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Compton native YG grabs MMG soldier (and one of the hottest in the game right now) Meek Mill for new track “I’m a Thug”. DJ Mustard, who produced “Rack City” is on the beat here, crafting an instrumental that is like its predecessor very repetitive but also insanely catchy. “I’m a Thug” is a bit of a throwback to the great ignant rap shit of c. ’06-’07 (the peak for ignorant rap in the mainstream) with its minimalist-styled arpeggiated beeps and dirty south-esque bass. Look out for YG’s 400 Hunnid Degreez mixtape due March 26.

YG california (Facebook)

Rating 8.1

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reviewed by
03-19-12

Lana Del Rey – Diet Mtn Dew (Urban Noize Remix)

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We (still) love “Video Games” and “Blue Jeans”. We’ll stand behind LDR on those tracks through for better and for worse; but the original “Diet Mtn Dew” track sucks. Despite that, Lana’s rhythmic ghostly hooky vocal line on the song is seemingly too much for remixers from all corners of the planet to resist messing with. The tract of “DMD” remixes is lengthy. Urban Noize’s mix, which interpolates rhymes from Jay-Z, just might be the best (that we’ve heard at least). Taking the unlistenable shitbrick that is the original and turning it into the fresh hip hop-influenced urban pop song the track’s creators probably first envisioned it being. Don’t miss this one.

Urban Noize florida (Facebook)

Rating 8.4

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reviewed by
03-19-12

Katy Perry – Niggas in Paris (Jay-Z & Kanye West Cover)

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We got our ninjas in London and they goin’ gorillas. This shouldn’t be so awesome (seriously could another artist-title combo strike more fear of shittiness?) but Kay Kay absolutely slays this. Here’s Katy’s “Niggas in Paris” cover from today she cut on Radio 1’s live lounge. (DoML)

Katy Perry – Niggas in Paris (Jay-Z & Kanye West Cover)

Katy Perry california (Facebook)

Rating 8.7

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reviewed by
03-19-12

SXSW Thursday Night Highlights: The Chevin, The Record Company, Kendrick Lamar, Big K.R.I.T., Sharon Van Etten

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The Chevin have all the tools to be a huge breakout band out of the UK. They’ve got the presence, the songs (“Champion” is a hit), and as we witnessed last night at Latitude 30, a great live show. In addition to the overall perfomance (which came off really well, the band’s songs translated very nicely live), the real standout was frontman Coyle Girelli. This guy can sing and from look to stage quality, ticks all the right “great UK band frontman” boxes. With the right push & support The Chevin are poised to be really something special. Keep them on your radar.

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L.A.’s The Record Company have been one of our favorite recent discoveries. The blues-driven trio, no doubt has great performance chops (that much was sure during their Ginger Man set last night), but what seperates this band from similar but much more mediocre bands is the quality of their songs. The skiffle-rattle of “Don’t Get Me Lonely” and The Yardbirdsesque “I Want Change” were highlights.

BET’s Music Matters showcase was packed. A bill that included Miguel, Nneka, Melanie Fiona and two of our must sees from Thursday night, Kendrick Lamar and Big K.R.I.T. K Dot had control of the house from moment one as he rolled through highlights from his excellent Section.80 mixtape. There was a heaviness and rasp in Lamar’s voice that revealed a bit of fatigue (The guy has been literally all over Austin the past few days) but there was no let up in performance quality as the L.A. rapper 100% knocked it out.

Big K.R.I.T. is a monster. The power and determination that focus through this guy as he spits is unreal. K.R.I.T. is a huge star in the making and his nasty Stage on Sixth performance was nothing less than an emphatic validation.

Sharon Van Etten has a magnetism in her music that is really really powerful. Her performance at The Secretly Canadian/Jagjaguwar showcase was (and I don’t use this word lightly) sublime. Sharon IRL captured our b3sci hearts last night (she’s had our non-IRL ones for a minute now). She was effortless. “Serpents” was captivating/hypnotic. “Warsaw” was straight class. POWER. The demure and unassuming Sharon is a force. This one woman should have all that power.

reviewed by
03-16-12

Nas – The Don

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“The Don” is Nas’ second and latest single to surface from his forthcoming Life Is Good LP. “The Don” selects for a hot 5-star/alarm Salaam Remi beat and, a dare we say, a ?hungry Nas. Nas sounds at least on a level with his better latter days records, ripping through a series fresh 16’s on the track. Get game below.

Nas newyork (Facebook)

Rating 8.5

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reviewed by
03-15-12

SXSW Tuesday Night Highlights: Star Slinger, Electric Wire Hustle

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The opening sortee in this week’s official SXSW music showcases was last night’s Pitchfork showcase at Mohawk. Among those on the bill were b3sci faves like Shlohmo, Schoolboy Q & one of our biggest must-sees for the festival, UK beatsman Star Slinger. Hitting a stage already left nicely warmed up by True Panther duo Teengirl Fantasy, Star Slinger had the house on lock from the moment the first bit of space-bass bumped through the venue. Mixing tracks from Jessie Ware & Rihanna with original compositions and new shit (there were maybe 4-5 new beats and mixes dropped into the set), Star Slinger’s brand of interstellar electro booty rap totally wrecked live.

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We are HUGE fans of Electric Wire Hustle. Their debut LP (despite being nearly three years old) is still in constant rotation around b3sci. The chance to finally see the New Zealand-based trio live was an opportunity we could not pass up. An Andre 3000-esque styled Mara TK and his mates keyboardist keyboardist Taay Ninh and drummer Myele Manzanza ripped through uptempo joints like the b3sci #1 song of 2009, “They Don’t Want” and then easily dialed down into more smoothed out tracks like set closer “Perception”. The multi-talented mult-tasking Ninh and the crazy skilled drumming of Manzanza were a perfect frame to Mara TK’s mindblower Marvin Gaye-styled vocals. The mixing at Swan Dive, where EWH’s set took place, did leave a bit to be desired however. We definitely would love to hear the trio perform at a venue, less like a shoebox, and more suited to their sound but that aside, the performance the band turned in was class. A+

Star Slinger england (Facebook)
Electric Wire Hustle newzealand (Facebook)

reviewed by
03-14-12

Willie the Kid – Goodfellas (ft. S-Class Sonny)

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Willie the Kid recently dropped a new vid for “Goodfellas” from his #TheCrates mixtape. Lush on the beat, this cut has become the victim of gangsta like #repeat at b3sci HQ.

Willie the Kid – Goodfellas (ft. S-Class Sonny)

Wille the Kid michigan (#TheCrates Mixtape)

Rating 8.1

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reviewed by
03-03-12