Thursday, November 29, 2012

Keith Masters "Game Day: Part II" on iTunes & Thursday Night Football [MP3 Stream]


I'm not gonna lie, November hasn't been too bad of a month for me.  As mentioned in a post earlier this week, I had one of my tracks placed in an NBC prime time comedy show The New Normal, which I was really pleased with.  After already being licensed to ESPN, last week my newest single, Game Day: Part II, was used on the college football program, SEC Gridiron Live, airing on Fox Sports South.  Tonight, it will be used on the NFL Network broadcast, Thursday Night Football, featuring the New Orleans Saints vs the Atlanta Falcons.  This promises to be a great game against two bitter rivals as the resurgent Saints square off against the best record holding Falcons.  The song, produced by Curtis Marolt, is not only about the NFL football game, but about striving to be the absolute best and being dominant at what you do.  I've always had the mindset comparable to a Super Bowl MVP or NBA Champion and it was a lot of fun having it translate on this track.  Those who know me best, know I am a avid sports fan, and that sports always been apart of the music I make.  A few years back, I wrote the team song for the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA and that was a real thrill for me.  Game Day: Part II's involvement in the professional sports arena is nothing short of one of my most cherished accomplishments.  It was released on iTunes yesterday, and you can purchase the single here.


Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Top Ten Best Single-Artist Movie Soundtracks [List]


 There are few things better than a movie with a great soundtrack.  In a lot of cases, the soundtrack actually improves the quality of the movie itself.  There are a whole mess of movies with simply brilliant soundtracks: The Royal Tenenbaums, Pulp Fiction, Do The Right Thing immediately come to mind.  I thought it'd be interesting to look at movies with soundtracks done entirely by one artist, band, or collaboration.  I considered the impact of the movie with every selection, but mostly let the music speak for itself.  Below are the Top Ten Best Single Artist Movie Soundtracks:



(10) The Legend Of 1900 by Ennio Morricone - If you don't know about this man, now is the time to get familiar.  His music has been used across television sets and movie screens for many years.  The standout song "The Crisis" is a hauntingly beautiful piece that was also used for the movie Seven Pounds, which was one of the more under-rated stories in a movie ever.


(9) There Will Be Blood by Jonny Greenwood - Another score that does well in capturing the grim mood of a film.  I thought it was a good choice for it to not be as "old timey" as it could have been.  Definitely makes me want to affix a bunch of straws together and drink someone's milkshake.


(8) Labyrinth by Trevor Jones & Davie Bowie - I dig the mix of scored tracks, and traditional songs with Bowie's vocals.  This is kind of how I believe most soundtracks should be.  This soundtrack is like a treasure chest of samples for 80's synth pop lovers.  Probably the best soundtrack featuring an actor from the movie who also did the music, but that's only because LL Cool J has yet to do In Too Deep 2.  Fingers crossed.


 (7) The Virgin Suicides by Air - Great band whose trademark sounds of light yet complex strings and piano melodies create the perfect soundtrack for a lazy Sunday as well as for a movie.


(6) Where The Wild Things Are by Karen O & The Kids - This is where it starts to get tough for me to rank.  The songstress from Yeah Yeah Yeahs does a great job of  bringing the wild side of a youth's imagination into a set of songs.  I loved this book when I was younger and really enjoyed the movie.  Ahhh, to be innocent and confused...the kid in me really wanted to rank this higher.


(5) Superfly by Curtis Mayfield - Curtis Mayfield has to be on the short-list for best musicians across any genre.  I mean, top five style.  Not only does Superfly make a funky soundtrack, but it extracts the pressing issues for Black people in America so poignantly.  Of course Superfly is on here.


(4) The Social Network by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross - This is the soundtrack that could've easily been number 1.  I liked the movie, but it lacked color and sentiment.  The musical compositions, however, do not.  Trent and Atticus form one powerful force in scoring this tale of betrayal and widespread social accessibility.  The soundtrack emotes the grinding nature of technology, the anxiety of awaiting a future and the burgeoning leadership of today's youth all at once.  Fantastic standing alone and as a movie accompaniment.


(3) Magnolia by Aimee Mann - Every song somehow captures the joy and anguish of the movie so incredibly.  It's so good that she receives credit for other peoples songs!  4 of the 13 tracks are from other artists and that's the only drawback here...why couldn't she just do the entire soundtrack?  The other songs fit the movie, as well, so I was willing to overlook the other contributions.  Listening to "Nothing Is Good Enough", "Wise Up" and "Save Me" in a row would bring even the hardest thug to tears.  Oh yes...a thug can cry.


(2) Purple Rain by Prince and the Revolution - I noticed many journalists regard this as THE best movie soundtrack ever, and with good reason.  This is not only a great soundtrack, but one of the better albums of our time.  Here, Prince's penchant for rebelling against conventional societal rules and labels comes across so so well.  The album cover seals the deal for me...I love that font and looking at that photo of Prince makes me want pancakes for some reason.


(1) Tron Legacy by Daft Punk - This received the top spot because of the vividness of the music matching the movie perfectly.  This is the definition of an epic sound-scape done by one of my favorites bands, Daft Punk.  At first I was disappointed that there weren't more stand alone electronic bangers, but I had to take some time to understand what needed to be accomplished here.  This is a score, and a masterful one at that.  Though the stand alone value is not as high as The Social Network, nothing accompanies a film better than Tron Legacy.  With this, I think Daft Punk just became the Danny Elfman or Phillip Glass of the new generation.


Also worth mentioning:


American Gangster by Jay-Z - Who else but Jay-Z could have an official, unofficial soundtrack?  I mean, he even got lines from the movie on the album.  Many confuse this as the soundtrack to the movie, but the only Hip Hop on the actual soundtrack is from Public Enemy.  Great album, though and love that cover.


I got a lot of great suggestions on Facebook about the best single artist soundtracks.  Think I missed something?  Post your favs here and tell me why.  Thanks for reading!

Monday, November 26, 2012

Keith Masters "I Can't Go Now" NBC Placement [TV Video]



Okay so from time to time, I got to get my shameless promotion on.  Deal with it. A track I did with television/movie music producer Curtis Marolt got placed in one of this month's episodes of the new NBC comedy The New Normal.  Check out the spot below on NBC.com, it's right at the beginning and actually kind of funny.



You can catch the entire track on soundcloud below.  It features vocals from Sarah Leichtenberg, who you might have heard on other televised programs, including The Voice.  Okay, so maybe I have slightly more going for myself...

Saturday, November 24, 2012

The Game "Black Jesus" [MP3 Download]


Whoa...The Game has been taken us to church with his #SundayService promotional series and the holy ghost is ever present in his fourth installment.  Black Jesus showcases a beat with samples so soulful and a bass line so moving that it doesn't even need to leave it's 4 bar loop.  Shout out to SAP for producing this one.  The Game seems to have taken his style to another level on this one.  Always a confident rapper, The Game was previously more reliant on battle rhymes with aggressive wordplay - which was not a bad thing at all.  He allows himself to loosen up his flow a bit with a "Yeesy" inspired style, stretching words and playing with pronunciations.  I mean really...I thought that was Kanye and the hook.  The repeated mention of Yeezys didn't help matters.  The Game spits lines that fit the mood of the track well here, mentioning the untimely passing of Chris Lighty and Biggie's rightful place in heaven.  On one hand, i'm incredibly pleased that this track is released for free, but on the other hand i'm asking myself "How did this track NOT make the album?!".  Either way, this provides proper anticipation for the Jesus Piece album dropping 12.11.12, while possibly being the dopest free track released all year.


Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Adam Tensta feat. Duvchi "Raindrops" [MP3 Download]

I've always liked the music of Adam Tensta, the Swedish rapper who is a much bigger deal across the pond in Stockholm than in the US.  His 2007 release, "It's A Tensta Thing" topped the Swedish charts and was awarded the 2008 Swedish Grammis for best Dance/Hip Hop/Soul album.  Tensta is back with a series of 5 tracks he's releasing in conjuncture with Junkyard.com between November and December.  Raindrops is track number 2 (yes, this means I'm a little late) and he links with with Swedish pop producer Duvchi to create a laid back retrospective tune.  Very well done track with a melancholy overtone for Tensta to acutely flex his reminiscent lyrics over.



Adam Tensta is another one of those artists who deserve much more acclaim and recognition than they get.  I'd gladly trade Tensta's music for any of these trappers that dominate the US airwaves.  Check the free download of Raindrops below, and stay posted for the track number 3 in Adam Tensta's new musical saga.


*Bonus Track* Here is track one of the series Grapevine with Jage.  I actually dig this track more than track 2, but only because it's an uptempo track.  Very dope.


Saturday, November 17, 2012

Karniege "wOrKz Of aRt" EP [Album Stream]


This past week, Karniege released a brand new self produced EP "wOrKz Of aRt" on Bandcamp.  The album is 7 tracks (and three radio versions) of pure serrated blade New York City hip hop.  I first became familiar with Karni back in my I-love-everything-Def Jux-releases days when he linked up with producer Nasa to create the hard hitting single "Make News, which was featured on the Def Jux Presents 3 compilation in 2004.  Even though his name was spelled differently then, he really started to make a name for himself from there, performing with Hip Hop elites like The Roots, Vast Aire, Dead Prez and Little Brother.  I've personally known him since our days as part of the NYC "supergroup" The Reavers.  I've always loved his style, and I'm glad to see his flows are still as sharp as ever.  The thing about "wOrKz Of aRt" is that the beats really allow Karniege's flow to take center stage.  The production is cool, but it's not anything too extravagant, and I believe that is intended.  Its soul-purpose is to present the rhymes and provide the backdrop for every track.  From the second you hear Not Like Me and the Eric B & Rakim Paid In Full drum pattern drops, you know you're in New York; gritty, proud and fast paced.  Expect more of this throughout the EP - clever lyrics, aquatic flows and rhymes that pack a punch.  Stream the entire release below, and be sure to support good music.


Thursday, November 15, 2012

Murs and 9th Wonder "The Final Adventure" [Album Review]


Murs and 9th Wonder have formed a musical bond that began with their 2004 release "Murs 3:16: The 9th Edition" and that connection has only gotten stronger through the years that followed.  They came back with "Murray's Revenge" in 2006, and then 2008's "Sweet Lord" and "Fornever" in 2011.  Well it seems all good things must come to an end.  The appropriately titled 5th album "The Final Adventure" marks the duo's last collaboration together.  The two really benefited from their musical relationship together.  Murs made use of an opportunity to create music with one of Hip Hop's most talented producers whose style allowed him to use more traditional approaches on the mic.  9th got the chance to consistently work with an established emcee with skills as his relationship with his previous group, Little Brother, had dissipated.

Murs has been active in Hip Hop since 1993 when he released his first single, and three years later he solidified his hip hop membership when he joined the Livin Legends collective. Murs has been all over the place, seemingly re-defining himself every few years.  He has released music on popular underground labels Rhymesayers and Definitive Jux, been apart of numerous hip hop and rock groups including Felt, a duo of himself and Slug of Atmosphere.  He even released an album "Murs For President" in 2008 on Warner Bros. Records.   I've always had mixed feelings about Murs lyrically, but I have always respected his passion and dedication to music as well as his willingness to go outside of the box.  It's fair for me to say that his work with 9th Wonder showed some of his best work as a writer and emcee.

9th Wonder is a beat-maker's beat-maker.  Since his 2003 debut with Little Brother, the North Carolina native has shown the world the true way to flip a sample.  His landmark group consisted of Phonte and Rapper Big Pooh, before he left in 2007.  Under 9th's production, they released The Listening in 2003 and The Minstrel Show in 2005 which as far as I'm concerned, are two classic albums.  Since then, he has worked with elite musicians such as Mary J. Blige, Jay-Z, Chris Brown, Erykah Badu, Ludacris and Drake.  More impressive than this is 9th Wonders involvement in the world of academia.  In 2007, he was appointed Artist-In-Residence by the Chancellor of North Carolina Central University, and he began teaching Hip Hop classes there.  He has also recently been accepted into Harvard University as a fellow of the Hip Hop Archive and will spend three years working on a research project at Harvard's W.E.B. DuBois Institute.  My friend and college chum, Tom Wolejko, is the Media and Technology Coordinator there and says 9th is doing amazing work, and is quite charming with all of thee faculty.  Tom says hello if you're reading, 9th!  This makes me so proud as a listener and contributor to Hip Hop but also makes me proud as a part time teacher myself; we need so much more of this in the Hip Hop Community.  Read more about the project at The Harvard Fellow.  Along with all of this, 9th Wonder is a Chicago Bears fan, which was obviously the motivation for my writing this piece.

On "The Final Adventure" they keep it short and sweet.  10 tracks with 2 bonus on the iTunes release.  The album carries out the usual soulful, bob-your-head feel that you would expect from a 9th produced album.  Murs carries the rhyme duties with purpose, going into topics such as beef with old friends, complicated relationships with women and the irony in the death of a killer.  The two standout tracks are Whatuptho and Walk Like A Woman.  On Walk Like A Woman, 9th gives you three different beats in one track and transitions between them all seamlessly.  This is really where 9th is at his best.  The album features 9th's new prodigy, Rapsody, on the intro track Get Together.  I love that she references Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah in the verse.  It seems the Jamla family shows love for Chicago athletics!  Rapsody's style is close to that of fellow female emcee Jean Grae, and not just because they are both women.  They actually sound alike, tonally.  She's a clever emcee and is quickly becoming a popular artist amongst Hip Hop heads everywhere.  "The Final Adventure" is solid listen and provides a refreshing soundtrack leading into the end of 2012, mirroring the end of an era.  Nearly a decade of good music between Murs and 9th Wonder concludes, but I can imagine more great things coming from these two talents.  Thanks for the memories, fellas.

I give "The Final Adventure" 6 out of 8 bars.

*Bonus Track* Check out the remix of Tale Of Two Cities by 2 Sides below:


Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Vast Aire (Of Cannibal Ox) "Bongs Full/The Ingredient" [Music Video]


This time, it's not a game.  Cannibal Ox is getting the band back together!  Can Ox will be taking their legendary music on the road from New York to California, starting with a December 9th show at The Knitting Factory.  This is great news for anyone that has followed them since they released the monumental album "The Cold Vein" on Def Jux Records.  The Reunion Tour has already been written up in Stereogum and Brooklyn Vegan, so I'm expecting this to be a highly successful tour for the Ox.  I've known and admired Vast Aire and Vordul Mega since college and really nothing makes me happier than to share the news that not only are they performing live again, but are planning on recording their second LP!  The two have remained active with their solo ventures, with both Vast and Vordul releasing albums through their respective labels.  I've personally heard some of Vordul's new stuff, and I can't wait until it's out.  Vast has been keeping the promo material coming, and yesterday put out the video for Bongs Full/The Ingredient, a rendition of Kendrick Lamar's best songs IMO Swimming Pools and The Recipe.


Vast keeps it light-hearted and fun as he flips lyrics over two dope beats made popular by the current hottest rap ticket in town.  Vast has always been a versatile emcee, and he shows that he can rock over smooth mainstream beats just as well as grungy underground or spaced out hip hop.  Be sure to catch Cannibal Ox in New York on December 9th; you can get tickets here.  Stay posted for more tour dates coming soon, and and word on the street is that you'll be seeing this author on the West Coast live along with the Ox.  Cannibal O...handle you slow!

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Monday, November 12, 2012

Yyou "MadMadMad (feat. Muse)" [MP3 Download]


In my first time hearing of the rapper, Yyou, I can at least say that he has good taste in music.  I don't know anything about Yyou, just that his name is amusing and he already has a song featuring grammy winning UK band Muse.  Sidebar: I love when artists release tracks using the "featuring" tag, as if that band had any consent to what their track or voice was used for.  Why not just put "remix" or "cover"?  Anyway, Yyou gets on the masterful beat Madness and offers his rendition of a breakdown thru his bars.  The original track is so good, that it is hard to screw it up.  It really could carry anyone.  I think Yyou has style and obviously knows how to rap.  I don't think he shows cleverness here and I think the subject matter was questionable for this particular remix.  I can appreciate him taking a different view on how "madness" can manifest itself, but I thought the usual girl-you-drive-me-crazy take was a little lazy.  This could have been a really good opportunity to write something really dynamic that matched the emotion of the original...especially if you're gonna leave in Muse's vocals at the end.  The two emotional directions clashed for me.  I am interested to hear Yyou on some original material to see what he's really capable of.  For now, check out a free download of MadMadMad (feat. Muse) below.  Any chance I get to listen to this beat, I will take.  Love the vocal manipulation and the dirty synth and drum pattern combo is like a writer's wet dream. 


Saturday, November 10, 2012

Stop The Car "Entropy" [MP3 Stream]


UK producer Stop The Car has a sound that I can really see blowing up on an international level.  He's released his Kiez Beats Records debut, "Rosemary" last month which has an impressive lineup of tracks.  Entropy makes use of vocal samples and piano riffs much like Justice does.  He's able to create laid back vibes just as well as electro bangers.  Entropy is just a dope track and I'm looking forward to hearing more from the kid.  Expect some hotness from Stop The Car x Keith Masters very soon!  Check out Entropy below and cop the whole release here.



It's artists like this that really deserve more attention. Thanks to Stop The Car winning a remix competition using Bon Iver stems, he is starting to get that attention.  Check out the bonus track of Bon Iver's Towers (Stop The Car Remix) here...I can't get enough of this track!


Wednesday, November 7, 2012

SNDCLSH "Clocks" [MP3 Stream]


It seems for me, the good times keep rolling.  In the wake of our noble President begin re-elected, I have discovered some interesting news.  It's a good thing I follow Lupe Fiasco on twitter...otherwise I would have no idea who SNDCLSH was.  Apparently, Lupe teamed with DJ Sky Gellatly, a marketing strategist and artist manager, in 2011 to form a EDM group.  They started off remixing the single Letting Go from Lupe's album "Lasers", getting contributions from DJ Kue.  Later in the year, they began to focus on working towards releasing an EP.  The independently-released, "Don't Drop The Flag" is doing the incredibly generous and socially aware act of donating all of the album's profits to children in Chicago.  That's music that you can feel good about.  The single Clocks follows a standard EDM formula, but blends in Lupe's signature voice that is filled with emotion and sentimentality.  I've begin to notice Lupe's penchant for singing shown in the last couple albums, and i'm glad that he has chosen to explore it more.  I've got to say, few things make me more pleased than to hear one of the artists that I respect most (if not the most) take a journey into electronica.  Check out the very dope single below, and support the iTunes release here.  Cheers Lupe.


Tuesday, November 6, 2012

The Final Countdown: A Look At Why The Presedential Choice Is Clear [Politics]


Doesn't the above picture say it all about Mitt Romney?  With the Univision logo in the background, the former Governor perches himself on stool in front of a Latino audience; his face a shade of brown and his hands a shade off white.  That would rule out him just returning from vacation in Acapulco, unless he brought gloves to the beach.  Hell, I would have respected him more if he hit the tanning booth real hard before the appearance.  But no, he darkened his face to appear more "ethnic" to his much needed potential Latino voters, which is just taking the lazy route if you ask me.  The Snooki facial makeover was more than a political miscue...to me this has Ted Danson 1993 black face at The Friars Club written all over it.  It seems as if Romney is willing to do anything to get into office.  While in many other professions one would have to admire the extent to which Romney is willing to go in order to win, this is not an admirable quality in a Commander-In-Chief.

It's hard to imagine how any woman, Black or Latino voter would cast their ballot for Mitt Romney.  Romney has failed to deliver a definite stance on the issue of equal pay to women workers and has he has made it clear that as president, the federal funding would end for abortion advocates such as Planned Parenthood.  Also, he would appoint court justices to repeal Roe V. Wade.  How nice...way to prioritize, chief.  Black support for Romney is at 0 percent.  Former New Hampshire Governor John Sununu would like to believe that like Colin Powell, black people support Barack Obama because he is Black.  Well that's weird because in 2008 John McCain received 4 percent of the Black vote with George W. Bush earning 11 percent in 2004 and 8 percent in 2000.  I guess actual politics have something to do with it.  It's comments like the previous from Sununu about Colin Powell, and his labeling Obama as "lazy" after his first debate and former Governor Sarah Palin's "shuck and jive" remark that have completely alienated the Black vote.  We feel as if many republicans holding office probably refer to Blacks as niggers to their friends when the cameras are not running.  We feel that many republicans are probably racist...yeah I said it.  Take a look at the republican party.  The lack of racial diversity doesn't exactly fight off that assertion.  It really doesn't help that Romney, through all of his different personas, will not relieve tax pressure on the working class, which also brings me to the Latino vote.  Issues on economy and immigration have driven Latino voters to support our President in record numbers, according to the polls.  73 percent of Latino voters plan on casting their vote for Obama, with 24 percent going to Romney and 3 percent undecided.  These three groups make up a large part of America; I guess Romney will have to triple down on the White vote.

The above pictured Romney provides an excellent metaphor for what the former Governor stands for, if anything at all.  He's dark on one side, and light on the other.  Again that's weird, because that's how I like my eggs, not my presidential candidates.  He has an established history of flip flopping, so much so that I think NBA commissioner David Stern issued one of the first flopping warnings to the Detroit native.  Romney's antics and statements has made for good comedy, so I thought it'd be fun to look at some of his less publicized flip flops:

Flip: This is a completely airtight kennel mounted on the top of our car.
Flop: They're not happy that my dog loves fresh air.

 Flip: I'm not trying to return to Reagan-Bush.
Flop: Ronald Reagan is one of my heroes.

Flip: It was not my desire to go off and serve in Vietnam.
Flop: I longed in many respects to actually be in Vietnam and be representing our country there.

Flip: I will work and fight for stem cell research.
Flop: In the end, I became persuaded that the stem-cell debate was grounded in a false premise.

Flip: I saw my father march with Martin Luther King.
Flop: I did not see it with my own eyes.

Flip: Roe v. Wade has gone too far.
Flop: I believe that since Roe v. Wade has been the law for 20 years we should sustain and support it. 

Flip: I respect and will protect a woman's right to choose.
Flop: I never really called myself pro-choice. 

Oh Romney, you kill me with that one!  As of yesterday, the national polls show that the race is close, but President Obama has the lead, including taking the advantage in a critical battleground state Ohio.  Polls for Florida show it will come down to the wire, while Obama maintains the edge in the electoral college.  One thing I find to be interesting is that in both Michigan, where Romney is from, and Massachusetts, where Romney Governed, Obama is winning the electoral vote.  The two states where people would seem to know Mitt Romney best or at least where people would have an allegiance with, are voting for Obama.  That should really say something about the man Mitt Romney is.  Take a look at the two candidates, what they represent, and make an informed decision for yourself today.  I haven't even said anything here to support Obama, and still I believe the choice is clear.  I think America is more interested in hope and moving forward than ever, but still I will be carrying a nervousness into tonight's tally-a-thon.  I now bid you adieu to carry out your civic duty; just know that my future residency in this country depends on your vote.  I mean, seriously - I know I threatened this in 2000, but I will move to Canada if I have to. 

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Saturday, November 3, 2012

School Of Seven Bells "Secret Days" [MP3 Download]


This is the first I've heard of this band, but judging by their soundcloud presence, they have a very big fan base.  School Of Seven Bells is coming out with their EP "Put Your Sad Down" and they have leaked the free single Secret Days.  The track is making its rounds on Hype Machine and all the usual blogs: this is normally a bad sign for me.  But, it's Saturday and it's early, and this song hit me in the right place.  The beat is very chill, yet still maintains a progressive drum pattern with the help of some timely vocal samples.  The really excellent part about this song are the main vocals, though.  They carry this ethereal quality about them where they feel as if they are apart of every other element on the track.  As I said, very cool for a Saturday morning.  Download Secret Days for free below, and check out the new EP dropping November 13th.


Friday, November 2, 2012

A-Trak, Kimbra & Mark Foster "Warrior (What So Not Remix)" [MP3 Download]


Things have certainly taken off for Mark Foster, lately.  It seems like only yesterday I was hanging out with him and his band at SXSW and I was listening to their demo of Pumped Up Kicks.  After a swift move of dumping their manager (who is my current manager), who set up major label meetings for them, coincidentally enough they were signed!  Weird, right?  Now young Mark is in the public eye which saw him get kicked out of Prince's limited engagement concert last week.  Foster The People's front man was escorted out of The Sayers Club for messing around on his cell phone...and you know Prince ain't having that.  He did talk his way back in, though...how resilient of him!  Perhaps that provided the motivation for this song.  A-Trak, Kimbra & Mark Foster come together in the name of Converse for the track Warrior (What So Not Remix).  This remix presents a sort of moombahton versus dubstep standoff.  It's a pretty solid track; the bass is dirty and there is a steel drum in there.  I think the steel drum kind of throws off the feel of the song, but all in all it's not real biggie.  The vocals are integrated nicely and the beat is definitely made for the dance floor.  Check out the free download below.


Thursday, November 1, 2012

The NBA Is Back, And So Are The Commercials [Sports/Comedy]


Yes, the NBA is back, and unfortunately that means the Miami Heat return along with.  Even worse, they are NBA "champions" (note the quotation marks) so prepare for a whole new level of media lauding.  But cheer up, because perhaps the best part of season is also back: Blake Griffin KIA Optima commercials.  Blake and UVO, the voice activated info-tainment system are here with a whole new lineup of hilariously clever commercials, putting every other "funny commercial" to shame.  Last year, KIA began to place Blake in a series of random situations to promote the new model of the KIA Optima, and the world fell in love.  Blake presented himself as genuinely funny, a little weird looking, and charming.  The superior writing helped to establish a series which I deemed to be the best commercials of last year.

And now they are back.  The hair, the cheap looking jumpsuit with the 1970's trim, and the awkward silences are back.  We begin the season with two commercials, where we get a glimpse into the origins of the legend himself.  Blake takes a break from yamming on top of grown man - sized NBA players to travel back in time and give some valuable advice to a child in need - himself.


1995, and they captured the year perfectly with Montell Jordan's timeless classic "This Is How We Do It".  Yes.  I would have told young Blake to start seeing a barber early, as well.  You know, just to get into a routine.  It's called preparing for the future.  I'm assuming Blake's freakish jumping ability is what got him up on that rim, even at an early age; but he's got to prepare a better exit strategy.


I couldn't have said it better myself.  If only I had a future-me to warn me about the ills of jean shorts that early.  But I had to find out...the hard way.  This 1997 slice of time is the funnier of the two KIA offerings.  Everyone is brilliant here: the interaction between the two Blakes, and even the expression on the face of the other kid.  I've heard that he is supposed to be Blake's friend from Oklahoma Christian School, Wilson Holloway.  Holloway played football briefly at Tulsa, before succumbing to Hodgkins Lymphoma and passing away.  I imagine their was a painful element in staging this fictitious scene with real life pieces, but Blake is just awesome here.

Blake really is beginning to master the art of manipulating his face to establish a comedic moment.  In many of these commercials, the laughter rarely comes from what is said, but rather what his does with his face and body.  I am eagerly looking forward to more time-traveling from the Blakester.  If I have to endure a season of LeBron James junk-riding and over-coverage of the Miami Heat, then i'm gonna need a lot more KIA commercials.  Keep em coming, UVO...play funk.