The biggest night of the year is tomorrow and if you’re plans are undecided on all the festivities happening in New York, here’s a listing of some events that should make the night go smoother.
Fever Ray- “When I Grow Up”- Taking the word “Haunting” to an extreme level, Karin Andersson definitely raised the creativity bar and scared the hell out of many.
Howlies- “Angeline” Providing one catchy single and a real in depth look into our MTA system and for that reason alone you gotta love it.
Washed Out- “Feel It All Around”; Ernest Green aka Washed Out made me think about the good times that Summer brings with this chill out video.
Q-Tip Ft. Norah Jones- “Life Is Better”; Who would’ve thought that such a collab could create such magic! 15 years strong and Hip Hop still makes me appreciate true gems like this.
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This just released video, Life is Better, is off of Q-Tip’s 2008, (underrated and overlooked) The Renaissance album . It’s weird that you have a video from an album that hasn’t been making much noise since Spring. But maybe the record company was sitting on this. Either way, go cop The Renaissance and his Q-Tip’s latest album, Kamaal The Abstract (an album recorded in 2001, but released in September 2009).
A couple of weeks ago we posted the trailer for Dame Dash and Black Keys‘ project entitled, BlakRoc [here]. This week we’re posting web episodes 1 & 2. It’s a detailed version of the trailer. We have high hopes for this project. In this day and age its rare that artists meet in studios and work together. For each artist to come in the studio and lay down vocals with the Black Keys, only makes the music that much better. Episode 1 after the jump.
BlakRoc [Official Site]
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While we here have been vibing to this tune all last week, Mos Def was nice enough to drop a video for us yesterday for “Casa Bey” the Banda Black Rio sample where Mos got his inspiration on the track after a trip to South America. The “Estatic” drops on June 9th and is rumored to be a return to the “Black On Sides” era, not sure about that after the release of his last two albums. Great tune though and looking forward to see if Dante Smith could be the Jonathan Davis (Q-Tip) of 2009.
If last years show is as crowded and unaccessible as last year we might have to pass. But the Lineup is looking really sweet. Each day is as intriguing as the next.
More information at: www.apwfestival.com
Q – Tip has dropped another video with director Rik Cordero. This one features the Amanda Diva (former MTV VJ and SOB vet). Check out what Mr. Cordero says about the above clip.
A surreal performance setting combined with clever narrative elements will define Man Woman Boogie with fluid camera movement and cinematic proportions. The uptempo jazzy beat inspired me to think about classic films that feature relationships between men and women on trains. Off the top of my head, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and The Darjeeling Limited featured some great scenes between a man and woman combined with the immediacy and urgency of a moving train about to reach its destination. Upon destination the man and woman would go their separate ways and reconcile later on. The moving train to me is a great metaphor for the ups and downs, ins and outs and the rush felt between the forces of man and woman. – Rik Cordero
Another video (this time official) from the mtvU Woodies Awards has hit the net. Here is a clip of Lykke Li rapping with Q-Tip to A Tribe Called Quest classic, “Can I Kick It.” Afterwards, Tip takes over the stage and performs “Move” and “Virant Thing.” If you want to see other peformances from last week’s Woodies (that sounds so wrong..lol), click here.
Q-Tip – “Renaissance Rap” from Three/21 Films on Vimeo.
Q-Tip & Rik Cordero are at it again. His latest video, “Renaissance Rap” is part-Bourne Identity part-we have no clue. Either way its another single off of Q-Tip’s incredible album.
Hip-Hop Emcee Jonathan Davis or Q-Tip if you prefer, has been getting an abundance of post love here at the cafe, Tips latest effort “The Renaissance” just hit stores yesterday. His collaborative fusion with Norah Jones is a little unexpected, but if you remember, this is the same Norah Jones who also showed her love for the genre with Talib Kweli on “Soon The New Day” from his last album”Eardrum“.
One of the things I’ve always admired about Norah, is her willingness to branch out musically, something which truly defines what being an artist is all about. After our recent historic outing, this track “Life Gets Better”is a soothing ode of what we hope for in the next coming years, not only for our country but also a genre that many of us feel no longer exist Hip-Hop.
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