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Music: BADBADNOTGOOD "BBNG LIVE 2"

2012-02-26T10:18:00.000-05:00

Canadian Jazz/ Hip hop Trio, BADBADNOTGOOD have just released their second live album. The album was dropped as part of a series of teasers to get fans ready for the release of BBNG's second album, BBNG2. All tracks were recorded at the London World Wide Awards on January 21, 2012. The track list includes original works from the band as well as a couple very well done covers. Check it out and download the album for free.

BBNGLIVE 2 by BADBADNOTGOOD

Film: The Descendants - 84th Academy Awards - Nominee

2012-02-25T20:19:00.000-05:00

I always like to see all of the movies nominated for "Best Picture", but it's become more of a hassle ever since they upped the number of nominees to around double digit area a few years ago. But I was still able to watch a few of them (there's one or two I have a copy of lying around somewhere, but I'm not jumping at the chance to sitting through. I'm looking at your direction War Horse).

The Descendants is up for three nominations this year; the film's director Alexander Payne got the "Best Director" nod, a "Best Actor" nomination for George Clooney, and the Holy Grail for Hollywood movies, "Best Picture".

The movie revolves around a man dealing with the impending death of his wife due to a fatal injury. With Hawaii as the back drop to the drama, a perfect metaphor for the old phrase "Trouble in Paradise" emerges. Here he is, living in this tropical paradise, and a sudden, freak accident causes all the ugliness that he perhaps ignored to reveal itself. At the same time, a land deal that would see his family land sold is just a signature away from being finalized.

He has two major issues he has to deal with: the responsibility of his wife's last wishes and the fate of land owned by his family in Hawaii

Both are bound by legal documents, lawyers and what not, but there is also the added dynamic of family and blood. He is solely responsible for carrying the burden of the memory of the family that came before him, and the future with his two daughters.

The Descendants is one of the more straight-forward films up for "Best Picture", so it relies much on just the story, which is a strong one. Over the past few years, winners of the award have usually been less conventional in tone (Slum Dog Millionaire 2008, The Hurt Locker 2009). So, if that pattern continues, I see The Artist taking Best Picture. Clooney is more associated with the "Golden Globes" camp, so the film business being a business, he isn't a sure bet for Best Actor. If it was solely based on performance, I wouldn't give him the award. He was much, much better in 2009's Up in the Air.

The 84th Annual Academy Awards will take place on Sunday February 26th.

Other movies up for Best Picture include: Hugo, Midnight in Paris, Money Ball, The Tree of Life, War Horse, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, The Help, and The Artist.

Music: Michael Kiwanuka & Dan Auerbach - Lasan

2012-02-25T00:00:00.001-05:00

Being sick on a Friday night is never fun. You know that staying in is the best thing to do, however the party in the apartment upstairs keeps making you re-check the alcohol consumption warning on that bottle of cold medicine that you just took.Good music ( and a strong dose of nyquil) get me through these nights. This track by Michael Kiwanuka and (half of The Black Keys) Dan Auerbach, is something special. Kiwanuka's soulful voice just carries you away to place of serenity and thanks to the nyquil, sleep. You can check the track out here

Green Day Begin Tracking New Album

2012-02-24T22:26:00.000-05:00

Green Day, arguably one of the biggest rock bands in the world have entered the studio to begin recording their ninth studio album. Their last release, 21st Century Breakdown saw moderate commercial success and seemed to disappoint some of their most diehard fans and left something more to be desired. Their most recent performances at smaller capacity lower profile venues have given the fans something to look forward to though. In one case, when they performed at the Studio at Webster Hall this past fall the band arrived on the scene and wowed the crowd. The night saw them playing to an intimate 300 person capacity room and the band performed an hour of brand new unrecorded songs that harkened back to the days that lasted from Dookie to Nimrod. They then took a brief break and returned to the stage and blasted through another hour of their most enduring tunes. It can be assumed that a number of these new songs may in fact end up on the new album. It might also be safe to say that Green Day fans new and old will find this new record revitalizing and more daring than their most recent releases and that they should await it with eager ears. Green Day are even giving fans a preview of what is to come through a multitude of studio updates as they complete the recording process. Check out their most recent update.

You can see the previous updates that they have posted here :Green Day Studio Updates

Music: Hodgy Beats "Untitled EP"

2012-02-24T21:43:00.002-05:00

Hodgy Beats of OFWGKTA has just released his newest gathering of works entitled the Untitled EP. I'm only half way through this record and I'm hooked. Download it for free here UNTITLED.

Book Review: The Tiger's Wife

2012-02-23T20:20:00.004-05:00

Tea Obreht’s novel, The Tiger’s Wife, is a strange little book. It is three stories woven into one. One, set in an unnamed Balkan country, details one day in the life of a doctor as she and her friend go to a distant village across a war torn landscape to hand out much needed medicine and her relationship to her recently deceased grandfather. The other two tales are stories that the grandfather told his granddaughter years ago. One, “The Deathless Man,” is a tale about a man who quite literally cannot die. The other, “The Tiger’s Wife,” from which the book gets its name, showcases an experience the grandfather says he had as a little boy, when a tiger came to live in the mountain’s near his town. These two tales do not show the world as it is presented in the doctor’s story, instead utilizing magical realism to mix things up.

Although Obreht is young and this is her first book, it is excellently crafted. Her sentences are clean and precise, her descriptions excellent. Many of the characters come off as interesting, as do the twists and turns of the plot, right down to the very last page. Death plays a big part in this novel, but it never becomes a gimmick for Obreht to use to keep the reader reading.

Now, the whole book is worthwhile, but, as is the case where there are multiple narratives within a book, some of the stories shine above the others, to the point where the other(s) drag and seem dull and lifeless. When I was pulled away from the tales of the deathless man and the tiger’s wife and brought into the world of the young doctor, this is how I felt. I would sigh and keep reading, but only to get back to those two magical stories. The doctor, to me, came off as an almost unlikeable character (the only one in the book), and thus I really did not care what happened to her.

There is no doubt Obreht knows what she’s doing—almost everything about this book is bright and vibrant and keeps the reader alert—but she definitely needs time to refine her skill. Her first book is interesting and worth a read, and, if nothing else, you will find yourself interested just by the grandfather’s two stories. She is a writer to keep a watch on, and it would not surprise me if later on in her career she wrote a true masterpiece.

Music: Say Anything "Burn A Miracle"

2012-02-23T19:38:00.000-05:00

Alternative outfit, Say Anything have released a track off of their new album Anarchy, My Dear entitled "Burn A Miracle". This is the opening song on the album and emanates the classic Say Anything sound that we have all come to know and love. This is their first album since leaving RCA Records. The album is due out on March 13 via Equal Vision Records. Get the song here Burn A Miracle.

Music: BBU - Bell Hooks EP

2012-02-22T23:37:00.000-05:00

Here's something that I stumbled upon on the Mad Decent site. I don't know much about the BBU, but after the first listen I can at least say that you haven't heard anything like this before and that's not a bad thing. This is produced by DJ Benzi and features artists like Das Racist. Its well worth the download. Check it out below.

&lt;p&gt;&amp;lt;a href="http://mishkanyc.bandcamp.com/album/bell-hooks"&amp;gt;bell hooks by BBU&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Music: J. Cole "Grew Up Fast"

2012-02-22T19:48:00.001-05:00

J. Cole just dropped this track via his Twitter account. He lets off quiet a bit of steam about what has been on his mind lately. With a smooth beat and stellar delivery, this track shines. Download it here Grew Up Fast

Music:Dose Of Dopeness-Kid Cudi(Produced By Dot Da Genius)

2012-02-21T23:01:00.000-05:00

We are almost a week away from the release of Kid Cudi's and Dot Da Genius collab album "WZRD",Cudder releases this track "Dose Of Dopeness" off the album.This is looking to be a great album i must add.

Video: Cris Cab - Rihanna's Gun ft. Wyclef & Movado

2012-02-21T23:00:00.000-05:00

Here are the visuals for Wyclef's newest artist Cris Cab. His much anticipated mixtape "Echo Boom" is set to become one of the biggest tapes of the year and its only February! From what I've heard, the hype is well deserved. Check out the video above and the tape below courtesy of DatPiff.com.

Download Mixtape | Free Mixtapes Powered by DatPiff.com

Music:Jackpot-Lloyd Banks

2012-02-21T22:13:00.003-05:00

Judging by the pic above,he kinda did hit the "Jack Pot" but yea this is a new track from Banks.This track does go hard though.

Props to 2DB

Video: French Montana - Shot Caller rmx Feat Rick Ross and Diddy

2012-02-21T21:21:00.002-05:00

The Bawse and Diddy hop on this French Montana track. Considering the theme of the song, choosing these two to join him makes sense. Enjoy.

Music Video: OFWGKTA "Rella"

2012-02-21T12:30:00.000-05:00

The Golf Wang have returned to the scene, releasing the video for the song "Rella" off their upcoming Mixtape Odd Future Tape Volume 2. The song features production by Left Brain and verses from Hodgy Beats, Domo Genesis and of course Tyler, The Creator. The video was directed by Tyler as well. Odd Future live up to their crazy antics by including wig wearing centaurs, and Halo characters while galavanting around suburban neighborhoods and other interesting sceneries. We can most definitely expect great things if the rest of the tape is going to be like this.

Music: Rihanna and Chris Brown "Birthday Cake" Remix

2012-02-21T10:23:00.000-05:00

It looks like Rihanna and Brown have made amends and are at least back together musically. Rihanna released the remix to her song "Birthday Cake" yesterday to celebrate....(wait for it)... her birthday! The song actually features a verse or two from Chris Brown, hinting that the rift is starting to heal up. Check it out! Birthday Cake

Music: MTV Hottest MC's in the Game Roundup

2012-02-20T20:53:00.000-05:00

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The Bawse, Rick Ross came in at number one. I'm not all that surprised considering the huge jump in popularity that he's experienced over the past two years. Drake came in at number two which is a disappointment considering that he is barely a rapper, and Kanye rounded out the top three. Hit the jump to see the videos for the top 5 artists.

#3 Kanye West

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#4 Nicki Minaj

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#5 Lil Wayne

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Music:Monsters In My Head-Crooked I Ft. Slaughterhouse

2012-02-20T13:20:00.001-05:00

Crooked I is set to release his upcoming mixtape "Psalm 82:6" on March 8th,this will be the first leak off the tape which features his team Slaughterhouse.

Music: Chiddy Bang "Grab a Plate"

2012-02-20T07:12:00.000-05:00

Chiddy Bang's new song, "Grab a Plate" is the best way to start your week off. Chiddy and Xaphoon ease you into that Monday slump with a nice relaxed delivery to make the day a little more bearable. It's not even 7am yet, so come on all of you sleepyheads download the song and get movin!

Music: Anthony Raneri "Sandra Partial

2012-02-19T14:34:00.000-05:00

Anthony Raneri, frontman of the band Bayside has released a track from his solo EP entitled "Sandra Partial" for free download. The song is a laid-back track driven by acoustic guitar, contrary to Bayside's usual approach. Buy the the New Cathedrals on iTunes and download "Sandra Partial" here :Sandra Partial

Video; MTV's Hottest MC's of the Year - #6 Jay-Z

2012-02-17T22:46:00.000-05:00

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Jigga takes the #6 spot on the list today. He hasn't done much except co headline one of the biggest tours of year and make produce one of the most popular singles of all time. If you can somehow get N*ggas in Paris played on the Victoria Secret Fashion show, on live t.v., in America; you're doing something right. I have a feeling that Kanye will pop up on the list soon.

Music: Rusko "Somebody to Love" (Skream Remix)

2012-02-17T21:41:00.000-05:00

British dubstep producer Skream has just released his remix of Rusko's "Somebody to Love". Skream takes a different approach to this track creating a more drum and bass vibe on it by adding his signature flair. Check it out and download Somebody to Love.

Music: Nero "Syndicate Theme"

2012-02-17T10:31:00.002-05:00

Nero, the legendary British dub step duo have just released their version of the theme song from the Syndicate video games. This is a signature Nero track, coming with a haunting string section, heavy drums, and dirty face crushing synths and bass. This is one of the many remixes to the songs that have been released, with the most notable remix produced by none other than Skrillex. Syndicate will be a revamped and rebooted version of a previous game series of the same name that started production in 1993. The game is due out February 21 and will be available on Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and Windows. You can download the track here Nero- Syndicate theme.

Book Review: Holidays on Ice

2012-02-16T22:39:00.002-05:00

Mid-February, long past the Christmas season, is when people usually begin to long for spring. And thus not an apt time to discuss David Sedaris’s collection, “Holidays on Ice.” As the title suggests, all the stories relate to the most wonderful time of the year, but this book not most wonderful, and I cannot wait until ten months to vent about it. So I will do it now, when snow is still on the ground.

I got the book this past Christmas as a present. At the time I had never heard of David Sedaris, and didn’t know what to expect. Recently, I found myself with some free time and decided to crack it open. The first, and most substantial piece, an essay entitled “SantaLand Diaries,” is hilarious, brilliant, etc. I could shower positive words on to it until it rained with them. But after that, I have never seen a book so quickly--and steeply--take a nosedive.

The next two works are short stories and are horrible. They are flat, tasteless, and all around not funny. Some of the set ups seem decent (a Christmas letter telling how a Korean prostitute comes to live with a family here in America and the aftermath? Strange, but sounds good.), but boring prose, terrible characters (or lack of them), and innumerable other things turned me off. The next few stories are a bit better, but then that isn’t hard to do after the bar is set so low. One, though, “Christmas Means Giving,” a tale of overly competitive neighbors trying to upstage each other on the giving, actually had me laughing at some points.

A few more essays come after these, and although they are better than the stories, they are a far cry from “SantaLand Diaries.” They just don’t seem developed enough, like Sedaris could have easily expanded upon them, make them have a point that isn’t explained in two lines, and inject more FUNNY into them. They all are just a few pages long, and hardly ever did I find myself even thinking, “This is smile worthy.” Forget about laughs.

The last piece in the book, a gruesome short story about an animal getting led to the slaughter, seems to have almost no place in here. If you ever felt like playing the role of an English major, I suppose you could find some themes about consumerism and just how greedy society is, but even if you went that route and claimed there was a deeper meaning, I’ve read plenty of books with deeper meanings topped off with sad endings, and there is one key difference between them and this: those other books are actually good and satisfying to read.

“SantaLand Diaries” is hilarious, and maybe you’ll find a few chuckles elsewhere here too. The rest of the book after the first piece is short enough to warrant a read through if you want, but it’s not worth the money buying it. Get it from the library, if you decide the collection deserves a read.

Music Video: Ceremony "World Blue"

2012-02-16T20:12:00.000-05:00

Ceremony have just released the video for the first single off of their new album entitled Zoo. The Album will be out on March 6th via Matador Records. This single is interesting because it shows the band veering from their usual hardcore punk roots, although it is not to say that this change is for the worst by any means. Check it out!

Music: MTV Hottest MC's Update: #8 & #7

2012-02-16T18:43:00.000-05:00

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I made a mistake earlier posting Big Sean as the #9 MC on the list. He was the #8 artist and rightfully earned the title. Wiz came in at number 9 while Meek Mill comes in at number 7. Here's the Wiz video and hit the jump for the Meek Mill video.

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