As a live performer, Dizzee Rascal is amazing. And this was my favorite song that I heard him drop at Treasure Island Music Festival in SF Bay. Dizzee can spit super fast and with the English accent, it’s a very unique flow.

Calvin Harris’s beat and Chrome’s chorus add well to this track.

I’ve been on a big reggae tip this past 3 months. And not just party reggae music (dancehall), but more mellow and lyrical songs.

This track “Your House” comes from Steel Pulse. They are a roots reggae band from England. A really cool fact about them is that their first album was called Ku Klux Klan 45 – which was talking about the evils of racism.

I first heard this track from Jason Joseph live at a performance with Karmacy. And it was my favorite song from this South Asian soul / r&B singer. The chorus line is simple, yet beautiful:

oooo living our lives away
if the love we had is given to no one
oooo giving our lives away
if you open up your heart you’ll see, living love will truly set you free

This song was played in the latest episode of “How To Make It In America”. And I feel instantly in love with it. Jamie Woon has a beautiful voice.

How it took this long to post this song is beyond me. But this movie and this song is one of my all time favorites from Mos Def.

Atoma will be releasing their very first album this fall 2011. So far, they’ve only release this single. Very full sound and no yelling. I’m not a fan of yelling.

One of the most unique voices in the Indian music scene, Kailash Kher has a way with words that few possess. You can feel the power of his words within the first 1 minutes of this track.

This is the only Akon song that I really enjoy listening to. Not that he doesn’t have a totally unique voice, but his other songs are way too pop. This one has a deeper meaning and it’s with India Arie.

Good hair means curls and waves
Bad hair means you look like a slave
At the turn of the century
Its time for us to redefine who we be
You can shave it off
Like a South African beauty
Or get in on lock
Like Bob Marley
You can rock it straight
Like Oprah Winfrey
If its not what’s on your head
Its what’s underneath

I love it when my favorite artists choose to collaborate. This track has Mos Def, Hi-Tek, Raphael Saadiq, and Bootsy Collins. Not the most savy lyrics, but the track is fresh nonetheless.

There are two bands which sold me on high quality rock music = Tool and A Perfect Circle. Led by the same lead singer in both bands, James Maynard Keenan has the voice and style that other rockers only dream of. He doesn’t even look like he’s trying. Very little ego on stage and he nails every performance.

This song by A Perfect Circle is something I listened to during my first years of college. It was something that just spoke to me. Here’s some lyrics from the track:

But I through you the obvious
Just to see if there’s more behind the
Eyes of a fallen angel,
Eyes of a tragedy

Here I am expecting just a little bit
Too much from the wounded
But I see, see through it all
See through, see you