Tag: Kanye West

Categories
Music

La Roux – Let Me Down Gently (Playless Club Mix)

As we sit here letting the matrix manipulate us into giving up our freedoms for the illusion of security we foolishly tell our selves we’re celebrating our independence. Yet how many of us know what July 4th, 1776 was really about? I’m not going to sit here retelling the great American story or preaching to you about what it means to stand up to oppression. I won’t do that because some of us have been slaves so long we wouldn’t even understand freedom, much less know that we want and need it. I won’t do it because our diets are so GMO fueled, our water flouridated, our culture so dumbed down that I probably have 10 more seconds before both the reader and writers A.D.D. kicks in and we have to go to the next website or skip to the next song. I will say this though, we’re at a one of the most important cross roads in our history …

The takeover, the breaks over  ni$&@…” – Jay-Z

This country only bares a faint resemblance to what it was designed to be. What was once the result of rebel forefathers creating the Constitution, perhaps the greatest blueprint against tyranny is now a land ruled by corporate interest and other forces better left untold.

Adversity makes men, and prosperity makes monsters. – Victor Hugo

In the great Roman empires they used entertainment to keep the people distracted and their mental hygiene in shambles. Go do some research on how long you use your “smart” phone everyday. Despite incredible odds, many of us have taken the red pill and bring challenge to this cheap version of the greatest country the world has known. So a new wave of obedient to “Dreamers” is needed to support both the current state and future of the system. That’s why the borders are opened up right now, to feed a new generation of dreams the blue pill…

I throw these Maybach keys, I wear my heart of my sleeve. I know that we the new slaves, I see the blood on the leaves…” – Yeezus

So as we go to our BBQ’s and drink our minds away with high-fructose corn syrup, caramel coloring, MSG, genetically modified hops “beer”…

Killin’ ’em, honey how I make the pain improve…” – King Louie

And gluten that suppresses the same vigor for life fight that created this holiday in the first place, remember that we’re not celebrating the day when everybody laid down because we thought the people in charge had our best interest at hand and would take care of things for us. We’re celebrating the day we stood up and fought for our God given right to take care of things ourselves. We’ve been spoon fed for so long that we’re afraid of everything now. We’re afraid of any form of conflict, we’re afraid to fight and we want the establishment to dictate the easiest way out because that’s what we’re use to hearing…

Let me down gently, that’s what I think I need
But when you let me down gently, it still feels it hard…”

It will always be difficult because that is the nature of growth. It’s through the bumps, noise and hard work that you get to the beautiful. The easy way out will always lead to more of the same. Enjoy.

La Roux – Let Me Down Gently (Playless Club Mix)

Categories
Art Video

do·er

Categories
Music

Space Age Rebels

Categories
Interview Music

Space Age Civil Rights

Categories
Music

EMPT Classics: Say Goodbye to Hollywood

No I’m not leaving LA but I was curating the music for a latin restaurant called Paladar Latin Kitchen this morning and I came across one of my al time favorite songs – La Fama by Hector Lavoe. The song is about Fame and all it’s complexities, a salsa classic. In this world, when you chase something its very important to fully understand what you’re dealing with. There’s nothing wrong with playing the game but if you don’t know how things truly work you will inevitably fail or even worse succeed and be destroyed in damaging ways.

If success took a shot at you, what are you gonna do now? How you gonna kill it, you gonna be unsuccessful?”

Anyways, it reminded me of an old post I wrote back in the early days of EMPT that I felt like sharing again, enjoy.

Originally posted January 29th, 2010

_____

Apologies to all our readers, I’ve been out in LA this week and haven’t had the time to post. You can’t blame me, it’s hard to think about blogging while driving down Pacific highway or walking around Venice beach, it’s just not gonna happen. Nevertheless, I woke up early because I didn’t want to leave you guys hanging. I did a post back in our early days about the complex nature of fame and success, given that SoCal is probably the pinnacle of this I thought it would be cool to bring that back, enjoy.

I saw a recent interview with Kanye in which he was justifying his narcissism by proposing that he is two people, Kanye West the product and Kanye West the person.

I have the right to talk in third person because I’m me as a person, but also I’m a walking brand.”

Interesting. Everyone see’s Kanye West as arrogant and self-righteous, I see him as someone coping with some very important issues we all have to deal with. I think Mr. West is developing into a master of consumerism, a master or a victim – it’s a very thin line. Either way, the one song from 808’s & Heartbreak that I’ve actually willingly listened to is Welcome to Heartbreak, a very authentic song which truly captures the bittersweet aspects of his recent success.

Dad cracked a joke, all the kids laughed,
But I couldn’t here him all the way in first-class.
Chased the good-life, all my life long,
Look back on my life, all my life gone,
Where did I go wrong?”

Kanye West – Welcome To Hearbreak (Featuring Kid Cudi)

This song falls in the same realm of Eminem’s Say Goodbye to Hollywood, Lily Allen’s The Fear, Hector Lavoe’s La Fama, Jay-Z’s Success, The Beatles’ Drive My Car and countless others.

I don’t know what’s right and what’s real anymore. I don’t know how I’m meant to feel anymore.”

Lily Allen – The Fear

The consistent theme in all of these songs is the juxtaposition between success in the public eye and the abandonment of self through extreme levels of sacrifice.

I don’t wanna quit, but shit, I feel like this is it
For me to have this much appeal like this is sick
This is not a game, this fame, in real life this is sick
Publicity stunt my ass, consume my fuckin’ dick
I love my fans but no one ever puts a grasp on the fact i’ve sacrificed everything I have
I never dreamt i’d get to the level that i’m at, this is whack
This is more than I ever could of asked
Everywhere I go, a hat, a sweater hood, or mask
What about math, how come I wasn’t ever good at that
It’s like the boy in the bubble, who never could adapt, i’m trapped
If I could go back, I never woulda rapped
I sold my soul to the devil, i’ll never get it back
I just wanna leave this game with level head intact
Imagine goin’ from bein’ a no one to seein’,
everything blow up and all you did was just grow up emceeing
It’s fuckin’ crazy
Cause all I wanted was to give Hailie the life I never had
But instead I forced us to live alienated, so i’m sayin’…

Eminem – Say Goodbye To Hollywood

I never went to my econ class in college so I don’t remember much but the one thing I did pick up was that the real cost of something is what you have to give up to get it. A concept I’ve really have to come to grips with lately, because even when you win big in this world you’re still losing something. That said, ambition is a complicated subject, one needs to be fully aware of who one is and what one wants before devoting to a particular end. The way to do that is by being brutally honest with yourself, a task not many are willing to undertake. In the words of Hector Lavoe:

Porque yo soy La Fama, soy aquel que la gente reclama pero nadie puede compreder… 

Anyways, this is way too complicated for my hungover state right now. Just what I was feeling at the time, enjoy.

I use to give a fuck, now I give a fuck less. What do I think of suc-cess? It sucks, too much stress…”

Jay-Z – Success

Categories
Music

Kanye West – Bound 2 (Feat. Charlie Wilson)

Bound to falling in love…”

The only true love I’ve ever known is the love I have for my family and the love I have for music. Music is everything I know jack, it’s gotten me everything I have and dictated pretty much all the major decisions I’ve made in my life. I’m in a very serious, exclusive and committed relationship. But this morning I was listening to Yeezus the whole way through and as much as I like the album when Bound 2 came on it threw me through a rough loop man, it really did. It made me sad as hell.

I can’t pin point it but I remember not long ago when my entire being depended on my artistic expression. If I didn’t sit down and write something or record something I didn’t feel like myself. Every time I listened to music and discovered something new I was falling in love left and right with the world of artistic expression. I needed that, I was bound to it.

Bound to falling in love…”

These days the thought is always in the back of my mind but it’s not life and death like before man, it’s not the same. My friend said something insightful to me yesterday, she said that when you care about something you always want to keep things in good order and when that’s not the case it makes you blue as hell…

It’s always been just me and my music but since moving to LA my life has been non-stop and in the mix. I haven’t had the alone time I needed dealing with so many different people, projects etc and everything is just bottled up. I guess it feels like I have all this love for music I want to share with the world and I can’t get it out…
I know you’re tired of loving, with nobody to love…”

That really rocks me man because I can’t stop, I can’t stop wanting to share everything I feel. You ever feel like you have all this love to give and can’t figure out how to share it? I guess I’m finally in a place where I feel like I can be alone with music again and this Yeezus album came right in time to spark the flame, I’m starting to need that feeling again, it’s a beautiful thing. Do what makes you feel love man, that’s all you need. You could have a billion dollars and be blue as hell if you’re not doing what makes you fall in love, don’t ever forget that. Enjoy.

Kanye West – Bound 2 (Feat. Charlie Wilson)

Categories
Music

Treat My First Like My Last & My Last Like My First

I’m just, tryin to stay above water y’know
Just stay busy, stay workin
Puff told me like, the key to this joint
The key to staying on top of things is treat everything like it’s your first project, know what I’m saying?
Like it’s your first day like back when you was an intern
Like, that’s how you try to treat things like, just stay hungry” – Notorious B.I.G. Interview

I love hearing Biggie say that, it never fails to remind me how important it is to stay fresh, active and always pushing. Have you ever noticed how people always put their best foot forward in the beginning but when they get comfortable you’re left with a mediocre version of what you initially met. It’s amazing how we have the nerve to wonder why a boss might be unhappy or why a lover may lose interest.

The key is to treat everything like it’s your first project…”

Stability and routine are important aspects in the pursuit of happiness and success but repetition can kill you if that’s all you do. For example, remember that first time you went for a run after slacking for a while? You were dying but pushed your way to finish line and now that same run is no problem and you do it everyday. That’s good and all but if you don’t push yourself to feel like you did that first day every now and then you’re getting nowhere fast. You gotta find a way to put a little extra into the things you do because it makes all the difference. I mean if you’re going to do it just to get by what’s the point really? Also when you give something everything you have and it doesn’t work out, you don’t have to think twice about it. So don’t be afraid to show a little passion, go the extra mile or be exhausted after that workout. Always remember what the first time felt like and indulge in that feeling of newness and challenge, it will make your try harder and give more every single time and that’s where it’s at.

Anyways it’s Friday folks! I have all my boys coming to pre-game the evening, the weather in New York City is autumn bliss and there’s nothing but good music in the background, time to be unstoppable. I’ve been listening to the following collection of songs all morning and will probably continue to do so all day so I thought I’d share that with you, enjoy.

Alex Winston – Velvet Elvis (Crystal Fighters Remix)

Kavinsky – Nightcall (Feat. Lovefoxxx)

Jay-Z & Kanye West – Niggas In Paris (VOODOO FARM DUBSTEP REMIX)

Chip Tha Ripper – The Truth

Birdy Nam Nam – Jaded Future

Pompeya – 90 (Korablove Remix)

Clubfeet – Last Words (RAC Maury Mix)

Subscribe to our newsletter

Categories
Music

Ghostface Killah: “Watch The Throne” (Album Review)

With the exception of the Q-Tip produced That’s My Bitch we posted a while back, you may be wondering why we haven’t even mentioned Kanye & Jay-Z’s self-proclaimed “sophisticated ignorance,” and well the reasons are just to vast to get into. However, my boy Nate sent me an hilarious/amazing review by one of “Wu-Tangs elite” (dude that impersonates Ghostface) that pretty much says it all…

1. No Church in the Wild (ft. Frank Ocean) – Thought the beat was kinda average at first to be honest wit yall. But the shit been growin on me. The fact that Jay brought back one of his most boring flows…the same one he used on Pray off American Gangster…didnt help nothin tho. Yeezy drops his least EMPHASIZED bars in a minute n gets the green light from Jiggaman to bring autotune back. I dont kno what hour in the day this shit was recorded but it sounds like some 5 AM shit. In the end tho… both them niggas got the job done n start shit off on the rite foot nahmean. The victim of Breezy’s high pitched goon squad attack did his thing too.

2. Lift Off (ft. Beyonce) – I almost aint wanna even comment on this shit son…. I dont even kno what to say bout it yo. This shit sounds like the anthem the fairies in Ferngully would use to go to war against evil humans to or some shit b. This shit is like Shia LeBeouf in song form yo. Lissenin to this shit is like havin ya ears penetrated by a million microscopic dicks namsayin. Shit sounds like niggas doin aerobics on a magical cloud of daisies. How many meadows did Kanye cartwheel across before he decided to make this beat? Seriously yo…. Jus how many lily pads did the nigga skip across the pond on before he got inspired to make some shit like this? Definitely one a the worst songs Jay ever been involved in…thats includin those lame joints off Vol 3 wit Amil n Mariah or the worst songs off Kingdom Come….EVEN the Timbo joints off Blueprint 3. Like this joint is SOFT son. Guess thats why Jay only spit like 5 n a half bars on it. Its like the song Yung Berg would play before he goes n commits his latest string of L’s. Shit is jus terrible son…especially since it took like 6 niggas to produce this muthafucka.

3. Niggas in Paris – If you can ignore the homoerotic title the shit actually aint bad son. I prefer it once the beat changes up tho. It starts off soundin like some shit them Young Money niggas mighta left behind in the studio one day. Like I swear I can hear Gudda Gudda gettin his mediocre on in the background for the first 2:43 minutes. But then shit gets dramatic n its all good yo. it aint really the monster track niggas made that shit out to be tho.

4. Otis (ft. Otis Redding) – First off they need to not be actin like Otis Redding is a “featured” artist on this shit. Since when do niggas sample a dude n then call that shit a feature. Son aint even been alive for like 40 years b. Otis Redding is my dude tho…so dont get that shit twisted son. That bein said…this shit still goes nahmean. Folks been divided on this joint for a minute…but that aint stop the dozen hasbeen ass niggas who hopped on this shit from strugglin the fuck out on it (Im lookin at you DMX).

5. Gotta Have It – This shit probably the least Neptunes soundin beat the Neptunes ever produced yo. Not sayin thats a bad thing tho. Im glad they aint bring no bongos or space sounds to this shit g. Niggas is jus tradin bars on some back n forth shit n basically talkin bout the usual shit they do. Kinda jus a filler joint nahmean. It probably wont be the next single or nothin…but its still a ill joint namsayin. This shit also got The Godfather of Soul’s voice all over it…but they aint put “featuring James Brown” on the tracklist for some reason. Guess they missed that one.

6. New Day – “Me n the RZA connect”….thats a nice little quasi-hook rite ther namsayin. Sorry yo…this aint the 36 Chambers RZA…but it aint the “fuckin ridicalish” aint had a meal in a hot minute soundin RZA neither yo. It basically dont sound like a RZA joint at all son. He aint bring out the pointy ass rings n get on his BONG BONG shit or nothin but the god did his thing namsayin. Shit has Kanyes fingerprints all over it still tho.

7. Thats My Bitch – I aint the biggest fan a this shit rite here yo. It aint horrible or nothin but I remember when this shit was unleashed at the end a last year n it still aint grow on me like that. Its got all that retro hip hop shit happenin on it but I aint feelin the end results like that. Not sayin its wack….but I be skippin this joint usually.

8. Welcome To The Jungle – If Jay gon insist on usin this niggas bullshit ass beats still…the least he can do is make sure that Swizzy dont go near the booth yo. Ayo Snoop Budden…nobody gon need to hear you gettin ya “One hand in the air if you dont really care” on durin the hooks to no joints ever ever ever again son. Jus go back to contaminatin whats left of Alicia Keys n stop cashin in those favors niggas owe you to get on these high profile joints you malnourished ass lookin muthafucka. Son been urinatin wackness on these songs for years now b…. so can we jus acknowledge that the nigga got no business actin like he kno how to put together a hook now n stop lettin this whippet lookin muthafucka get near a mic?

9. Who Gon Stop Me – Now THIS shit is a problem yo. When it started the god was like ok cool….you kno…I was enjoyin it….the bassline was soundin like a lion growlin n shit. There wasa ill mood to it. Im diggin the joint namsayin….but then it starts really transformin into a monster after a couple minutes….n its like yo…we got a serious contender for best song on the album now. By the middle it sounds like niggas is drivin Lamborghinis around in the studio n drums is hittin like automatic weapons. I love this track son.10. Murder to Excellence – Another ill joint. Not a lot I can say bout it tho son. If you heard it you kno its jus a solid track namsayin. Like a lotta these songs its got a change up in the beat halfway through. If I had to guess Id say its probably Wyclef’s favorite song on the album tho.

11. Made In America (ft. Frank Ocean) – First of all son….Lionel Richie called from 1986 n said he wants his song back yo. Word. Sade jus holla’d on twitter to say this shit is soft as fuck namsayin. I think Elton John wants to conceive babies to this joint b. Drake said he gon soak in his lotion pool to this shit rite here for like a week son. I think Wiz Khagina is scissorin wit Amber Rose to this shit rite now as we speak yo. I heard this shit gon be used for the next Gwyneth Paltrow movie too. I dont kno how the same nigga that did Who Gon Stop Me had anything to do wit this shit but apparently he did nahmean. This shit sounds like two niggas hang glidin over the ocean together at sunset holdin hands son. I think this is bout to be on Yung Berg’s yoga playlist. I cant fuck wit this shit at all b. This shit is like audio lesbian comin out my speakers son.

12.Why I Love You (ft. Mr Hudson) – Its almost like they knew they couldnt end the album on that Made In America shit. Contrary to the title n the fact that it says “featuring Mr Hudson” on this muthafucka….this shit goes hard yo. Mr Hudson does his thing too son. I fucks wit this joint forreal forreal. Might even be my favorite tomorrow.

Bonus tracks:
13. Illest Motherfucker Alive – Ok now…when you call a song “Illest Motherfucker Alive” you really gotta live up to that shit son. This shit kinda almost lives up to the name of the song…but it aint that special yo. But Im not mad at it. Actually if Made in America n Lift Off made the album I dont kno why this shit is jus a bonus track namsayin. I think Breezy’s cousins are singin at the end a the song tho.

14 H.A.M. – This joint is still ass. Id rather listen to a whole Tyga mixtape son.

15. Primetime – This shit cool namsayin.  Aint like my favorite song on earth or nothin….but No I.D. aint go n “Timbaland” these niggas wit no bullshit ass beat at least. Son always comes through wit sumthin decent or better. This shit better than decent tho nahmean.

16. The Joy (ft. Curtis Mayfield) – This shit shoulda been a official track on the album b. I dont care how old it is now…I still love this joint. I guess they aint wanna give they fans all this old shit…which is cool namsayin. But…AGAIN yo… if Lift Off gon be on the album anyway…you might as well jus swap that wit some old shit that AINT softer than Game’s emotions b. N they put Thats My Bitch on the album anyway so maybe there aint no real excuse for makin this shit a bonus joint. But why these niggas got “featuring Curtis Mayfield” on this shit?  I think Jay n Ye better cut that shit out before it becomes a trend for these lame muthafuckas to start havin “featuring (insert dead artist here)” on they joints too b.

Word yo. The album might got some filler n a couple joints thats jus beyond wack…but its still a pretty tight project son. Niggas produced the shit outta this muthafucka b. This aint jus some shit where dudes looped up a beat n banged out some drums on top n called that shit a finished product namsayin. Nah yo…niggas put some work in to get this shit done par. Tone appreciates that type a artistry tho nahmean. But it aint like its all fancy tricks n aint no real magic happenin under all the bullshit smoke n mirrors n shit namsayin. Niggas straight went HAM on summa thses tracks son…but not on the HAM joint tho. Another thing I appreciate is that niggas tried sumthin original n new. Plus they aint flood this shit wit guest appearances from they artist rosters n turn it into the Firm album. Hate it or love it…its probably gon be like that rare joint where niggas memorize all the lyrics to it after a week either way. Anyways I give this shit a solid 4 Zeus slaps namsayin.

Aight peace.

Via: Big Ghost

Categories
Music

Kevin Casey’s Sample Saturday – Gil Scott-Heron et Kanye West

On Friday afternoon, we lost one of the true originators of this thing called hip-hop.  Gil Scott-Heron was an accomplished poet, musician, and author, known mostly for his performances in spoken word during the 1970’s and 80’s.  The album pictured above, was in reality the first instance of the hip-hop genre in recorded fashion.  Over heavy percussion and some jazz chord progressions, Heron spoke freely and intellectually regarding the deep-rooted issues effecting the black communities.  That’s hip-hop.  Small Talk at 125th and Lenox opens up with a song called “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” – yea he said that first.  In my opinion the deepest piece on the album is the one titled “Comment #1”, I’ll let him tell it though…

The time is in the street you know
Us living as we do upside down
And the new word to have is revolution
People don’t even want to hear the preacher spill or spiel
Because God’s hole card has been thoroughly piqued
And America is now blood and tears instead of milk and honey
The youngsters who were programmed
To continue fucking up woke up one night
Digging Paul Revere and Nat Turner as the good guys. America stripped
For bed and we had not all yet closed our eyes.”

A list of hip-hop artists that have sampled Gil Scott-Heron goes on and on; Talib Kweli, Common, Brand Nubian, Black Starr, Mos Def, Dr. Dre, Q-Tip, and most recently Kanye West.  Heron’s work is known as the earliest instances of hip-hop, so it seems right for it to be sampled on My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, which pretty much is an example of how far the genre has gone, and how far it can still go.  On “Who Will Survive In America” Kanye takes a backseat into just producer, as the vocals are entirely Gil Scott-Heron doing what he does.  Then at two separate points during “Lost In The World”, Heron again takes the mic and his quotes become the centerpiece of the record.  MBDTF will further ensure his words carry on long after his life, as the question can be asked, and answered every day – “Who will survive in America?”.

Gil Scott-Heron – Comment #1

Kanye West – Who Will Survive in America

Kanye West – Lost In The World

Subscribe to our newsletter

Categories
Music

Cris Cab – All of the Lights (Cover)

Cris Cabs cover of this song is the best one of heard thus far and I hate to say for all the Kanye fans but I like it better than the original. The production manages to blend elements of ska and modern hip hop to perfection and there’s enough bass to make the pavement crank so turn it up!

All of the Lights is my favorite song from My Dark Twisted Fantasy. I grew up a performer so that song symbolizes something that my conductor, the late great Dr. Walter Turnbull instilled in all of us at a very early age – embrace the pressure, the expectations, the music, the spotlight and give the audience your all, then give them more. I remember being 13 years old and spending hours on end in rehearsals, Doc would have us practicing day and night till every single detail, note, dance move was mastered to perfection. When it was showtime you better believe we were beyond ready and we wanted everyone to feel it…

Turn up the lights in here baby, extra bright I want ya’ll to see this…”

I’m a long ways from traveling with the choir but that’s the same philosophy I apply to EMPT and pretty much anything I do in life. Doc showed us that you can get by giving people what they expect or you can put your heart into it, go the extra mile, be creative and give them something they’ll never forget.

Want you to see everything, want you to see all of the lights…”

Anyways, I’m yapping about all of this because I got an email last week from one of our San Francisco readers that shows you can bring that creative energy to all aspects of life. Ethan R. has been a long time reader of EMPT and he sent me a wonderful email showing love and letting me know about his upcoming high school prom. He said his girlfriend Sarah is an even bigger EMPT fan so he went out of his way to see if we could help him get her to prom in style. Everything we do is for our fans so that email meant the world to me and there was no way I was going to say no to such a romantic and creative request. That said, I dedicate this post to the California love and am happy to put it up for all to see – Spotlights, Street lights, Flash lights, Strobe lights…

So how about it Sara, you going to let our boy Ethan take you to prom?

Cris Cab – All of the Lights (Remix Cris Cab Cover)

Subscribe to our newsletter