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Bugz In The Attic - Back In The Doghouse...

Published by Warren Dell under on Thursday, August 31, 2006
After years of remixing other peoples tunes the 9 man group known as Bugz In The Attic finally get round to releasing their own long player, with ten years of making those funky dance numbers behind them. Back in 2004 we were laced with one of the songs of the year in Booty La La, featuring the lovely talents of Mpho Skeef, so we knew they had it in them to make their own songs.

This album may be deep in numbers at 18 tracks long, but with 9 people all fighting over the boards it was hardly going to be a short affair. Each of the guys may have their own different styles but rather than seeing a load of different tracks that give it a compilation feel, the various styles have been thrown in a blender to create the cohesion of a well rounded, funked out album.

As a bonus Booty La La is included but this wouldn't make the cut as one of the best five tracks, a testament to their creative talents. What would be the top five in my opinion are the spaced out funk of Knocks Me Off My Feet which reminds you off those perfect summer days. Don't Stop the music, I'm Gonna Letcha and Consequence are perfect floor fillers while the single Move Aside is a homage to the Rich Harrison go go beat produced 1 Thing.

Most dance producers or collectives go for years and years and never release an album, content with remix commissions and the odd single. Bugz In The Attic may not get the attention of Basement Jaxx with having only one album out so far, but Back In The Doghouse has, like those Brixton dance stars plenty of singles in vault to step away from remixers to fully fledged success.

Grassing up one, stop snitching nil...

Published by Warren Dell under on Wednesday, August 30, 2006
So it looks like the arrest of Busta Rhymes at Amsterjam was merely a chance for the NY police to grill him over the stabbing of his weed carrier earlier this year.

A Police source said "I don't know if this is normally something he would even be arrested for, but his bouncer was killed and he didn't want to cooperate”.

Not normally being arrested for assaulting someone doesn’t exactly show the police in good light when it comes to protecting New Yorkers, but Busta must have known the day would come where he would have to answer to the blue suits.

This whole ‘Stop Snitching’ stance has taken on trend setting proportions like the trucker cap, white tee and the saying ‘no homo’. Yet this new trend hardly has the subtlety of those last three.

Every time someone passes to the cipher in the sky through murder, fellow artists are quick to slam the police for their slackness. In the case of Biggie and Tupac they’re not wrong. But they’re hardly doing themselves favours by keeping to this universally accepted pact of keeping schtum.

After Busta’s weed carrier Israel Ramirez was shot he paid for his funeral and spoke about how close he was to him, yet will not talk. Is this because of the incompetent police or the knowledge that by snitching he will be next in line? Honestly, you would say yes to both, but surely it’s time for this ‘stop snitching’ thing to stop.

Stop Snitching gained its notoriety from a Baltimore based DVD that showcased drug dealers threatening anyone who turned them in with violence. Why not just keep away from the cameras? This then spread to t-shirts being made up that gained more popularity and in turn was taken upon rappers as the code to live by.

If you glance on the voice of reason Questlove’s Myspace page you see his quote as being ‘start snitching’. Now when I was at school you took the detention for possession of reading (looking?) at that lad mag in class, rather than grass up and lay pray to a playtime beat down. But playground rules don’t apply in the rap world. Even if it seems child’s play seems so appropriate for some of the rival crew beefing. So from now on I’ll be highlighting artists who get caught out against this ‘Stop Snitching’ mantra. Starting with Busta, it won’t be long till the next one pops by.

Start snitching…

Phuturehype Female Rapping/MC Comp 2006...

Published by Warren Dell under on Monday, August 28, 2006
The five finalists: Lexus, Lioness, Vdoublee, Oracle, Rdotc

Phuturehype have announced the date for the 2006 Female Rapping/MC Competition. The event is now in its third year and will take place on the 7th October at the Oh House in Bethnal Green, East London. In the lead up to the competition the 5 finalists have recorded a track ‘Phuture Journey’ produced by up and coming female producer CockTailMixer. The haunting boom-bap driven track sees emcees RdotC, VdoubleE, Lexus, Oracle and Lioness showcase their hunger and drive with their retrospective prose. Although they will be doing battle at the beginning of October the girls fit perfectly together on this female posse cut to make a complete song, rather than just try and out do each other with their bars. To hear the song for yourself you need to check out www.putitonline.net where you’ll also get to see the forthcoming video.


My first mixtape...

Published by Warren Dell under on Sunday, August 27, 2006



Reach for the download soon...

Yeah Kfed, it's your b'day, get your groove on...

Published by Warren Dell under on Thursday, August 24, 2006


Once you've picked yourself up off of the floor check these out

Martin Clarks monthly Pitchfork column debates Funky House v Grime

An interview with the co-founder of Okayplayer who isn't called Questlove

Atlantic Records A&R and XXL blogger DJ Sickamore breaks down how to get you demo heard

Still on the blog game plenty of artists have been dabbing their hand of late to give fans a little more incite. Mike Skinners myspace blog is full of the usual male antics and banter you would expect, including a day in the life of his The Beats label - where the toilet doubles up as the recording booth. Ryan Leslie is well known as breaking Cassie through (not in) but he is an artist in his own right and after his record label didn't put out his album he went started his Next Selection video blog, expect more of Cassie and Ryan going about his daily chores. Akira The Don's blog has been mentioned here before but is worth another and man of the moment Lupe Fiasco talks about anything from what he is currently doing to rare Japanese toys.

The life of Diddy...

Published by Warren Dell under on Thursday, August 24, 2006


Ever wondered what a day in the life of a multi-millionaire and the richest man in Hip-Hop is like? Well now your dream has come true as Diddy lets us into his world on Myspace for a set of video segments that lead to his October release of Press Play.

Whether you like the guy or not you can't knock his entertainment value as witneessed on his cutting of hopefuls on Making The Band 3 or his turn presenting the MTV Music Awards last year. If you Stans out there wanted to know what Diddy's pee sounded like or what he ate for breakfast then this is for you. Check out what he describes as his perfect wake-up breakfast while discussing what must be an everyday problem in the Diddy household - morning breath.

See the guy may make millions but he really is just like you and me, even having one of those days in the office.

The reality of all reality shows...

Published by Warren Dell under on Thursday, August 24, 2006


Reality TV shows are full of people wanting their 15 minutes of fame and the ones filled with celebrities are usually their last chance to grab the publics interest. But occassionaly you get to witness TV gold and BET have done what some TV company should have done along time ago. DMX: Soul Of The Man may never reach the UK but one needs to track footage down anyway they can.

We already know how explosive the guy is from his continual time in the press without any music being reviewed. Whether it's the constant arrests for reckless driving or the jail term for pretending to be an FBI officer, you know you're in for an entertaining ride.

Of the clips I've seen on Youtube and the reviews I've read viewers get to see DMX in the days leading up to his iron vacation, getting called Ja Rule by a 12 year old girl out in Arizona and the last family meal before the sentence. The clip above sees DMX trying Swizz Beats patience by being late for studio time while he checked out the fresh donuts and amazed at bazooka gum in a convenience store, "You get a joke and a piece of gum". Gold, wish we could get BET over here.

But let it be known, he'll eff a midget up.

The best of months...

Published by Warren Dell under on Tuesday, August 22, 2006
For model turned singer Cassie. First the internet goes wild with speculation that her lyrics to Me & U may not be as innocent as one seems. Then in what can only be described as amateur we get to see the unreleased video for the aforementioned single where Cassie does her best Paris Hilton. Just when you think the month couldn't get any better a cringe worthy live performance causes more internet heckling and causes the Diddy to take time out of his publicity for his new album to address her live wobbles. Is she the 2006 Lumidee? But clearly a lot better looking. Cleary...

MOBO nominations...

Published by Warren Dell under on Monday, August 21, 2006
Once again it's time for the MOBO nominations and every year begs the question whether they know what they're doing. Blues & Soul scribe Bigger is perhaps the most outspoken on the subject each year and I'm looking forward to reading what he thinks about this years list. Again there is enough ammo to be critical. Below is the nominations with my opinions underneath. At least they are finally going to show the awards live, but whether it will be worth watching is another story.

Best Group: Black Eyed Peas, Gnarls Barkley, OutKast, The Streets, Pussycat Dolls

BEP are more pop than anything these days and as much as I like Outkast they are only just about to release an album this month.

Best UK Female: Alesha Dixon, Beverley Knight, Corinne Bailey Rae, Jamelia, Keisha White

Jamelia has been changing nappys all year and Beverley Knight released a pop sounding album. Alesha Dixon has only just started her solo career and yet there is no place for Terri Walker.

Best International Female: Alicia Keys, Beyonce, Mary J Blige, Janet Jackson, Nelly Furtado

Nelly Furtado > Keyshia Cole? This one's Mary's but it does make you wonder what sort of criteria you have to match to get nominated.

Best UK Male: Kano, Lemar, Nate James, Plan B, Sway

This will be between Sway or Lemar but again Lemar's album is released just before the awards night. I'm sure Nate was nominated last year when he actually released an album.

Best International Male: Chris Brown,Jay-Z, Kanye West, Ne Yo, Pharrell Williams

Ok so we always knew he would make a return but has anyone seen Jay-Z release an album since 2003? Please let me know if he has so I can buy it.

Best UK Newcomer: Corinne Bailey Rae, Fundamental 03, Lady Sovereign, Plan B, Sound Bwoy Ent.

When I was trying to find these nominations I stumbled on the Wikipedia entry and it said that Choong Family were meant to be on this list but were pulled due to pressure from Def Jam who wanted Lady Sovereign on the list. A bit harsh if true but not all that surprising due to MOBO's credibiltiy these days. At least Choong Family have released more material than SoundBwoy Entertainment.

Best Song: Beyonce feat. Jay-Z - 'Déjà vu', Corinne Bailey Rae - 'Put Your Records On, 'Gnarls Barkley - 'Crazy', Mary J Blige - 'Be Without You, 'Ne Yo - 'So Sick'

Not exactly the best songs in the last year now. Too due the killing of the song that radio gave to it, I'd say Crazy pretty much has this one rapped up.

Best Video: Beyonce feat. Jay-Z - 'Déjà vu. 'Busta Rhymes - 'Touch It (remix)', Chris Brown - 'Run It', Kano - 'Brown Eyes', Roll Deep - 'Shake A Leg'

How do they choose this one? Out of all those Shake A Leg has to win because of the comedy factor. Who would have thought they'd see Wiley as an old man? Although he did look funny in the Pies video as a chubber. Not to pry though but shouldn't this have got nominated last year? And isn't that Beyonce video the one everyone is petitioning about? Hmmm...

Best Hip-Hop: Akala, Busta Rhymes, Kano, Kanye West, Sway

Sway won last year without releasing an album and was surely chosen as a winner to make MOBO look credible and seem like they are in touch with what is happening on the underground by recognising Sway's mixtapes. That's not to take anything away from Sway at all though as he is deserving of all his success. I doubt he'll win it for a second year running though.

Best R'n'B: Beyonce, Jamie Foxx, Mary J Blige, Ne-Yo, Rihanna

Probably the closest the panel have got to getting a fair selection of nominations. I'd pick Ne-Yo but reckon Mary will take it.

Best Reggae: Anthony Hamilton, Burning Spear, Damian Marley, Sean Paul, Shaggy

That Anthony Hamilton song is one of the best songs of the year period and as good as anything from a reggae artist. But a reggae artist he is not. Why not put him in the R'n'B catagory?

Best African Act: Batman Samini, Lebo Mathosa, P Square, Jose Chameleone, Tony Tetuila

I have to hold my hands up here and say I have no idea what any of these artists sound like so I hope they all deserve their nominations.

Best Gospel: Alan Charles, Kirk Franklin, Mary Mary, Noel Robinson, Nu Life

That Shackles song is still a floorfiller. It would be good to see the Uk's Nu Life win this one although that Kirk Franklin song is one of my favourites this summer. Take it to church!

Best DJ: Semtex, Shortee Blitz, Steve Sutherland, Tim Westwood, Trevor Nelson

If this is based on skills and ability then I would take Trevor Nelson and Tim Westwood out straight away. But if it does take into account personality as well then fair enough. Semtex or Shortee for me here. They used to have best radio DJ and best club DJ as seperate catagories.

I do take my hat of about the Luther Vandross tribute they have planned, I just hope they don't forget to mention Lynden David Hall and J Dilla.

No fries thanks...

Published by Warren Dell under on Monday, August 21, 2006
There seems to be no let up in the quest for what is surely one of the proudest records to hold in the Guinness Book of World Records. Well there is a lot of things more worthwhile doing but you have to take your hat off to the guys who are trying to create the world’s largest burger. I already mentioned the two previously noted record holders but Bob’s BBQ & Grill have blown them away with this colossus 78.5 pounds monster. It’s 23.62 inches wide and 13.78 inches high. The man behind it originally wanted to create a 60 pounder but it went a bit wrong, going more than double its previous record holder. I’ve always wondered how strange the people at the Guinness book job is, spending their days watching some strange people hell bent on breaking what most of the time are silly achievements. After travelling all that way I hope they gave the guy a slice…

Link

Pharrell - In My Mind...

Published by Warren Dell under on Friday, August 18, 2006
Things don't always seem to work out when an artist decides they have had enough of being in a group and decide to go solo. Just look at Wu-Tang, none of the guys have really had an impact apart from the limited success of Ghostface.

Sadly Pharrell Williams has found it's not so easy to find success as a solo star. After he made Frontin from the also disappointing Clones album, he said he would never go the solo route. He may now be wishing he kept that word.

In My Mind has been pushed back so much that it's been eight months or so since Can I Have It Like That made us think he could actually pull off this whole Skateboard P moniker. Throw in a bit more of that and I was actually looking forward to his premise of half R'n'B half Rap material.

Sadly the longer it went on and with Pharrell in a better label situation than his Virginia buddies The Clipse, it looked as though it was a case of material not being up to par - rather than label politics.

Was he finding it hard to recreate the Neptunes formula without his partner in beats Chad Hugo? Is Chad the main guy behind the success while Pharrel plays the face and croons on the records?

On listening to In My Mind I would say it misses the board work of Chad. There is a reason why the duo has been so successful with their work in the past. But without Chad to bounce ideas off of, the production lacks any decent moments. In the past you couldn't get a Neptunes beat out of your head.

Despite the bad press the album has received that has gone a little overboard with its dismissal, there are still some bright points. Although if you were to fill out a school report out for the album it would be labelled 'must try better'.

The strongest cut comes first and is already overly familar, but after Can I Have It Like That the track How Does It Feel is catchy enough to be used a future single. Angle sounds like the pop radio friendly track it was on release while sticking with the singles - is Number One a marketing ploy to re-ignite interest in a fading marketing campaign? Or were two of the greatest producers always planning on working together? It sounds like the first one and if you've seen the video then I take credit if you can hear the song again without thinking that is the campest video of all time (no phobia).

That Girl featuring Snoop Dogg is the closest production wise Pharrell goes to being anything near a good Neptunes beat and full credit goes to the eighties pop sounding and Jay-Z featuring Young Girl. Best Friend and Baby Father at least give us a different side to Pharrell as he delves into the personal, but it feels out of place.

Singing wise Pharrel needs to be supported on tracks or be throwing in his falsetto cameos, the rapping was what I was most looking forward to hearing as that Drop It Like It's Hot verse was hot. Some of the lyrics stand up but others sound silly. Even laughable if heard from an unknown.

Production wise The Neptunes are spot on. Ok every now and then a couple of the songs seem like they were made in similar bulk to send out to artists, but then they switch up their style again. See Superthug, Rock Your Body, Drop It Like It's Hot and Hollaback Girl.

As they've shown with The Clipse, Kelis and in recent years Justin Timberlake they can make albums for people. But when it comes to making one for them they don't quite seem to pull it off. Clones was no great shakes, the Nerd Fly Or Die sunk while In Search Of was credible. In My Mind will be forgotten about quite quickly. From now on the two should stick to what they do best - producing hits for other artists. Promised so much a year ago, now it's here this listener is disappointed.

Battle of the dollsnatch...

Published by Warren Dell under on Wednesday, August 16, 2006






















The first battle of the dollsnatch is one which sees Jay-Z's woman go head to head. So how do they match up? Let's jump straight in to it. But first it's well known how much Jigga liked Biggie and we all know that when Biggie settled down with Faith, he still had L’il Kim and Charli Baltimore on the side. So Beyonce read Faith and Rihanna read queen bee or the one with the pink hair.

With Rihanna the newcomer on the scene you would think that B has this on lock but now she's already looking to settle down Jigga perhaps has cold feet and understandably so if the rumours are true and he's dipping into Rihanna.
What 33 year-old wouldn't go for a slice of younger talent if he could get it?

When it comes to singing then Beyonce takes this one easy but then the dollsnatch battle doesn't take this into consideration.

While it took Beyonce years before she went from potential to 'god damn' material Rihanna managed this feat in less than a year. Check the progress from Pon De Replay to S.o.S. Impressive.

Only recently have we seen the daddy's girl roots disappear from Beyonce, just look at her in the controversal Deja Vu video - But grabbing Jay-Z's belt and pushing up on him looks as though she is trying too hard.

In the style stakes this would seem an easy one for B, as she has been around much longer than our Barbadian rookie. Yet letting your mum dress you when you're a kid may just about slide, when that shit is still going on at 24 it has to stop. I know mother Knowles has to be on the payroll doing something but couldn't she just turn up and wear T-shirts of her offspring like Allen Iverson mum does, rather than design those skanky dresses. Then again as impressive as Rihanna looks in the S.O.S vid, I can't help but think that when she is dancing by those mirrors, her haircut makes her look like that Big Brother crossdresser Kamal. Bonor-killer.

While Jay-Z has the best of both worlds (no R Kelly)and is easily the overall winner here, it's the younger model Rihanna that beats her older counterpart here. It certainly isn't a myth - an older bloke will always trade for a younger model if he can get it. Call it a mid-life crisis or something...

The video gets taken to task...

Published by Warren Dell under on Friday, August 11, 2006
This is the first of depending on how arsed I am reviews of the current music videos hitting an MTV Base, Channel U, You Tube screen near you. To get things under way I thought I would start with the video that has drawn a lot of controversy since it debuted, Beyonce and Jay-Z's Deja Vu.

Here is the video for those stuck under a rock or can't afford a TV (but still have Broadband).



First observation is that as noted earlier on this site, you have to be pretty sad at venting your anger at a video to the point you feel the need to petition its pulling off air. After all it's not like someones laying on a cross now is it? (shout to Nas).

Putting a media studies qualification to the test I figured that with the song being called Deja Vu and with lyrics mentioning B sees some old acquaintance everywhere she looks, this would be why she is running around in her country bumpkin dress through some woods.

Eventually she finds her man (Jigga) who is strangely sat in some disused shed, but seems to be happy on B's arrival. From the weird dance moves Beyonce seems happy too, even going as far as kneeling over and tugging on Jay's belt. Ahem. Maybe she was listening to Me & You that day.

At this point we get to the peak of the song and the part where B goes belting out with the vocals. If I saw a girl in a club dancing like she does here, I would assume she was either crazy or had downed too much Red Bull and tart fuel (Bacardi Breezers etc. for the American readers). But as it's Beyonce doing it and not some pramface the erratic moves are pulled off.

The final outro of the song has Beyonce out at night with a few more moves, then it's over and the campaigning begun. Again putting the media studies qualification to use I would say that although the song is as upbeat as Crazy In Love, visually it doesn't match it although full credit goes to Beyonce for the acknowledging who wears the trousers in the Jayonce household with her belt tugging.

These are The Shiznit...

Published by Warren Dell under on Thursday, August 10, 2006
1. The days when we get hot weather - pimms o'clock (so ghetto)
2. Black music artists reaching the festivals like V, Leeds and Reading etc.
3. The start of the football season (real football, not the overpaid premiership pansies)
4. Office woman in their summer work outfits
5. That Janet Jackson cover (god damn!)

These aren't The Shiznit...

Published by Warren Dell under on Thursday, August 10, 2006

1. Stuck in the office when we get hot weather - shirt and tie is not a good look
2. The lack of solely black music festivals
3. The Media Guardian thinking Touch is the only black music mag out there when they pride themsleves on being the best at media comment
4. Being stuck on the tube in this weather
5. Office woman in their sweaty work outfits

Nuff jokes...

Published by Warren Dell under on Wednesday, August 09, 2006
At the informative media Guardian who thinks Touch is the only black music publication out on the newsagents rack and Hip-Hop Connection is a US publication. When will they ever learn?...

Click and scroll

Kiss FM to re-launch...

Published by Warren Dell under on Wednesday, August 09, 2006
Kiss FM are going to be relaunching with new DJ's and shows with the aim of taking it back to its original roots as a more dance orientated, forward moving station. These days the music it plays has got so popular that the more generic records are being played constantly on most stations around the country. It's unsure whether this move will effect Logan Sama's monday night slot, but one would assume that if they are looking to move forward with new sounds and breaking more music then this show will stay with perhaps more growth in that area.

Article Link

Rhymest wants a nice cup of tea and sit down with Cameron...

Published by Warren Dell under on Monday, August 07, 2006
Surprisingly there hasn't been as much opinion expressed by artists over the comments made by David Cameron in June over Radio 1 being blamed for gun voilence in this country. Although Lethal B hit back in the Guardian (must get it delivered) there hasn't been the widespread response a topic like this deserves. Although some of the points are right and some music does glorify it rather than just paint the picture, not much has come out to defend it. Rhymefest recently wrote a letter to Cameron and which can be read here. Out of all the coverage given to it he puts across the most valid viewpoint I've seen which sits in between both arguments as the most balance read on the subject. Take a look...

Donell Jones - Journey Of A Gemini...

Published by Warren Dell under on Monday, August 07, 2006
Finally the album is here. Over the past 18 months we've heard more than a dozen tracks from one of R'n'b's most gifted flying around. Who knows what Jive were doing in the interim period but if the handling of the Clipse and the comments Donell made in a recent Blues & Soul interview are anything to go by, then it seems not a lot.

For the first time in his career Donnell has stepped reached out to producers other than longtime collaborator Eddie F with Tim & Bob, Ryan Leslie and Mike City responsible for some of the albums bright moments.

You're always guaranteed qaulity with Donell and again this album doesn't disappoint. Although there isn't a track with the potential chart success of U Know What's Up, his biggest hit to date, the is plenty for the the r'n'b/soul fraternity to coo about. One of Ryan Leslie's best productions Better Start Talking was a club anthem towards the latter part of 2005 this still rings true now. The track Special Girl, which I reviewed last year also holds its appeal despite being around for a while now.

Other mid-tempo numbers include the I'm Gonna Be, Lust Or Love and what must be the next single, Spend The Night.

Bun B of UGK assists on If U Want and this could work well in a DJ's warm up set. When it comes to the slow and sultry numbers, Portrait Of A Woman paints a picture of women so well lyrically, it makes most love songs look cheesy.

Donell Jones is an artist that should be so much bigger than he is, I'm talking the R Kelly, Usher platform. The guy doesn't dilute his music and oozes quality. He has the females weak at the knees and the fellas can relate to the lyrics. In a genre that has gone a bit stale of late with artists trying to have their own beef and a lot of music too similar. R'n'B needs someone like Donell and Ne-Yo right now. It's just a shame while Ne-Yo's stock keeps rising, Donell isn't getting the success he deserves.

Rhythm and beefing...

Published by Warren Dell under on Saturday, August 05, 2006
The genre of R'n'B is something that has taken a lot of knocks in recent years and there has been plenty of criticism, some warranted and some that was unfair. But now certain artists are opening it up for more criticism with their actions.

RL of Next fame and of his not so famous solo outing has been taking a Hip-Hop stance by calling out fellow R'n'B artists and aligning himself with the predominately Hip-Hop label G-Unit. DJ Whoo Kid recently assisted new G-Unit signing Kev Samples who released a mixtape full of pop shots at artists like Ne-Yo and Ray J.

The tactics have worked in the Hip-Hop arena but when people voice their concern that singers are trying too much to live up to their Hip-Hop counterparts this seems like further degrading of the genre.

Way back when it was all the rage for Hip-Hop acts to get an R'n'B singer(s) on the chorus to attract a bigger audience. The tides then turned and we were flooded with R'n'B acts chasing guest verses from rappers that can range from taking the song to a new level to an unnessecary waste of time. Now rather than the genre taking itself back to its roots it seems that people are looking at the rappers of today as an influence, rather than the repsected singers of yesteryear like Luther Vandross, Marvin Gaye and Teddy Pendergrass.
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2006 - The year of the pushed back album...

Published by Warren Dell under on Thursday, August 03, 2006
What's becoming as big a trend as downloading music in recent years is the pushing back of artist’s albums. Normally the two are closely linked like the case of past big releases like Eminem and 50 Cent and has happened again this year with Lupe Fiasco.

But the following albums from Pharrell, The Clipse and Rhymefest have all had months of delay with no valid reason. In the case of Pharrell it could be that they couldn’t follow up the success of Can I Have It Like That because the material was of no good and so it was back to the drawing board. This could explain the inconsistent end product. But more of that in the review coming later this week.

Although I've yet to check it out myself the Blue Collar album by Rhymefest has gone down well and could become quite an underrated album when those end of year lists come around. Sadly it took eight months to get it out when it had perfect leverage with the Kanye West assisted track Brand New.

Now we are finally getting a firm date for the release of the much anticipated Clipse album, four years after Lord Willin and about two after we first heard flashes of news that one was on the way. Pusha T and Malice have now recorded the album from scratch and ditched the material that they previously sat on ahead of the October release of Hell Hath No Fury.

Are the two previous artists mentioned examples of albums being pushed back due to poor material, or does the blame lie with incompetent label heads not knowing what to do. I'm pretty sure that it's similar to when an artist puts back his album after heavy downloading; the sales are never as high as what they might have been. Now with these albums not being released after their first singles we can expect the same results. Pharrell was flogging his third single before his album saw the light and the bandwagon for that has slowed so it will be interesting to see the numbers for when the Clipse and Lupe Fiasco drop.

The Game Dropped...

Published by Warren Dell under on Thursday, August 03, 2006
The long running internal feuding in the G-Unit camp seems to have come to an end now that The Game has been officially moved to another Interscope imprint, Geffen Records.

How this affects his relationship with Dre is anyone’s guess but I'm sure we'll find out in the days to come. There were rumours that The Game was keen to get off the label so not to have his latest long player released under the G-Unit Records name. It will be interesting to see whether Dre tried to stop the move but it does look as though it's actually 50 Cent and not the Dr that has the pull of Interscope head Jimmy Iovine. I'm sure The Game has his batch of Dre productions already in the hatch for the upcoming album release but if Fiddy does have all the pull then I wouldn't expect any more beats from him in the future.

Despite the stranglehold that Interscope have on the market the G-Unit/Aftermath label hasn't exaclty been firing on all cylinders of late and will be hoping people aren't tired of Fiddy when he next drops an album. With Eminem unlikely to make a Jay-Z like comeback, Busta Rhymes not doing as well as expected and albums from Tony Yayo and Mobb Deep flunking a lot will rest on the G-Unit/Aftermath heads with their eventual albums.

Future Sex/Love Sounds Tracklisting...

Published by Warren Dell under on Thursday, August 03, 2006
The tracklisting for Justin Timberlake's new album Future Sex/Love Sounds has been released, revealing some interesting collaborations. The self proclaimed King Of The South and man of the moment T.I drops by on My Love, while fellow R'n'B crooner Mario and the most surprising collaborator, neo-soul songstress India Aria teams up on Lose Your Way and Nocturn respectively. The albums main producer Timbaland and Nelly Furtado make up the collaborations. On Justified only Pusha T and Malice made guest appearences outside of the producers Timbaland and The Neptunes. The album drops 11th September.

1. Another Song
2. What Goes Around Comes Around
3. Sexyback
4. Crowd Control (feat. Nelly Furtado)
5. Lines (feat. Timbaland)
6. The One You Have Not Seen
7. Help Me Breathe
8. Lose Your Way (feat. Mario)
9. Nocturne (feat. India Arie)
10. I Walk Alone
11. No Connection
12. The Darkest Childe
13. My Love (feat. T.I)
14. Your Tongue Like The Sun In My Mouth

It's the Murkle Girl...

Published by Warren Dell under on Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Words really can't describe what you are about to witness...

That's a lot of meat...

Published by Warren Dell under on Wednesday, August 02, 2006
After wetting my appetite looking at that monster of a burger I had to go in search of what is the worlds largest one. After searching high and low (on Google) I managed to track down the 29.5-pound burger from Foxwoods Resort Casino, Fuddruckers restaurant. This one is Guiness certified and the beef itself is 29.5 pounds as apposed to the 50 pound in total one from last week on this site. This time 48 hours warning is needed and it will set you back $250. Just looking at that picture is giving me a heart attack.
 

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