Whoops, no it's this one...

Kanye you done done it again...

Early highlights for me are the Goodlife, Flashing Lights, Champion and Big Brother. The artwork is pretty hot too. Isn't it ironic that Kanye's embarrassing moment at the MTV Europe awards last year has seen him stumble across the sounds Ed Banger and other dance music, which are a clear influence on a few of the tracks. Those that like that Kanye boom-bap and sample sound needn't fret though as that's catered for too. I won't be buying Fiddy's album to compare as it's not my thing and I doubt he will make a better album. I'd expect he will out sell Kanye though as his name has a bigger reach in buyers than Kanye.

Akala - Bit by Bit

Akala is one of those artists that ticks all the right boxes yet never leaves you feeling that you've heard anything groundbreaking or that makes you go 'wow that's hot'. Yet he is nice on the mic and has plenty of substance in his lyrics. The guy also has his head screwed on business wise with his Illa State imprint putting out his first album and mixtape. But despite this he hasn't made the sort of noise previous Best Hip-Hop MOBO winner Sway has made. Bit by Bit though could be start of the breakthough as he spits over the electro heavy track sure to gain love from those outside his usual Hip-Hop/Grime fanbase. Already MTV Dance have started playing the video and with acts like Justice, Simian Mobile Disco and any dance act to have ever been near the Eifel Tower in vogue right now, this track will do Akala no harm at all.

Ali Love - Late Night Session

The amazingly talented and seriously overlooked Ali Love drops the next single from his hotly anticipated album Love Music on the 1st October. Late Night Session sounds like something the great Earth, Wind & Fire would have done and the video director has acknowledged this with a promo that looks like it came out way back with it's neon lights and plenty of special effects that may look dated in these CGI times, but suit the vibe of the track perfectly.

Next week sees the two undoubtedly biggest Hip-Hop artists of present day go head to head when their albums are both released on the same day. But while the artists, both cocky in front of any microphone and camera, may be a little worried at what they risk to lose when the record stores open on Monday.

Fiddy has been boasting that if he doesn’t outsell Kanye in first week sales then he will leave the rap game and looking at it, would he really be that missed. When his second album came out despite relying on a week rap about sex first single the buzz was still there.

Third time round and he doesn’t seem to be straying too far away from this formula. But it seems the listening public aren’t greatly enthused, as numerous singles have been floating around to promote the album with the latest finding him playing the third wheel to Justin Timberlake and Timberland on what was surely leftovers from the Future Sex/Love Sounds album.

Kanye on the other hand has seen his cockiness annoy and made many overlook his obvious talents because of this. But sonically Graduation will see him embarking on a new sound as the Daft Punk sampling first single showed. Ironically it was his cringe worthy drunken stance against fellow French Dance act Justice for winning the MTV Europe Best Video award, that had him directed towards the electro sounds by someone close to him.

While Late Registration wasn’t as strong lyrically as The College Dropout, his lyrics may now come under closer scrutiny with his boasts of how great a rapper he is, now he is going as far to say anyone not putting him in their top 3 greatest rappers of all time are losing credibility.

When both albums drop, no matter how good the albums are they will ultimately be overlooked in favour of comparing their sales and in the current climate of records being bought it may not match the highs they’ve been used to. My money is on Kanye to come up with a better album and personally wouldn’t see it as a bad thing he outsold Fiddy, if only to see if he keeps his promise.

Can't wait for the album.

According to Play.com website - release date is the 10th September on there but on Example's myspace it's down as the 17th.

So Many Roads
You Can't Rap
Milk Your Goat
Birthday Card
I Don't Want To
Popcorn & Fisticuffs
Posh Birds
No Sleep for the Wicked
Me & Mandy
Really Sorry
Today I Met Myself
Care 4 U
What we Made

Common feat. Lily Allen - Driving Me Wild
...and although Jeremy Piven is a legend as Ari Gold in Entourage, he loses man points for his non-convincing, one finger Hip-Hop swagger.

In support of the new album London Town, Kano will be hitting the road alongside Tinchy Styder on 9 dates including the Astoria, where his gig was notoriously shut down on police advice last year. Tour dates and ticket details are on his myspace. I saw him live last year in Bournemouth and for any purists who think grime doesn't come across well in gig form you need to think again.

The second video to promote the new album from The Go Team! is coming to a screen near you now, but for my money the track Grip Like A Vice is still the favouirte appetiser. I just about prefer it to Doing Alright, both tracks though bang and the album Proof Of Youth can only bring about more tracks that contain hints of just about every genre going and all sorts of random influences. I might just have to get a fake NUS card to catch them on the NME Freshers tour. Get the snakebites in.

If there is one thing I hate with a passion, then it is the dreaded cover version. It’s all well tackling your favourite song or that rare B-side of one of your much loved artists but when it comes to actually releasing a cover you better come correct.

Bringing something new to a song like Mark Ronson recently did with his Version album can go horribly wrong (especially if you’re a psychotic Smiths fan) or add a nice twist to the original. Thankfully the album did the latter but a couple of songs doing the rounds this year have pushed it too far. Not surprisingly they both come from the same camp.

Booty Luv is fronted by two ex-Big Brovaz members and in their second single Shine has shown that they can craft a great track. This isn’t to knock their talent as I’m hearing the other original workings on their forthcoming album sound promising. But by covering two classic R’n’B tracks in Tweets ‘Boogie 2nite’ and Lucy Pearls ‘Don’t Mess With My Man’ they have failed.

The two tracks at best work as a half decent remix that would luckily make the final cut when the single goes to packaging but due to Radio 1 and their inability to spot what’s hot (they barely played Kate Nash ‘Foundations’ until it’s 4th week in the top 3) bars full of Gary Lagers and Beyonce-Mercedes are rejoicing to a track that’s a substandard take on the originals.

It may make me sound like a music snob but it proves how fickle and clueless radio big wigs and some music buyers are when both Lucy Pearl and Tweet deserved their tracks to be hits and I have to have the pleasure of seeing these bad reworkings dominate the music video channels.

Talib Kweli feat Justin Timberlake – The Nature
The Go Team – Grip Like a Vice
Simian Mobile Disco – Tits and Acid
Calvin Harris – Merrymaking At My Place
Kate Nash – We Get On
Dizzee Rascal – Da Feelin
The Real Heat – Stand and Deliver
Amerie – Some Like It
David E Sugar – Chelsea Girls
50 Cent feat Justin Timberlake – Ayo Technology
Sinden – Organ Grinder
Diplo – Do The Bartman Refix
NYPC – The Get Go
Bonde Do Role - Marina Gasolina
Common – The People
Talib Kweli – Hot Thing
Chromeo – Tenderoni
Example – So Many Roads
Durrty Goodz – Switching Songs Part 2
Dave Spoon feat. Lisa Mafia
Smasher – Back In The Day Part 2

There should be more nights like this, why do we need so many clubs where the music sticks to one style. With lines becoming blurred between what's pop and what's underground and many artists being influenced by music from genres outside of what they play, more nights need to be appealing to this widening trend. One night which covers plenty for everyone is the second Urban Nerd night which takes place the weekend of the Notting Hill Carnival. Full details below, cop one of those t-shirts as well.

If you look, sound and have the mannerisms of the late Notorious B.I.G then head over to www.biggiecasting.com and find out how you can play the man in the film to be made about his life. The Wallace family is part of the team to bring the story to the screen so expect a tight screening process. Finally the role Gorilla Black has long been waiting for…

Although it would be a much healthier rap world if they all just got a long beef in the rap game is intriguing. The DVD series Beef hones in on this and is now on its 4 installment of the series. It’s like Lord of Mics but with little in way of bars, there is plenty of drama. There is the Game/50 Cent beef, break-up of Roc-A-Fella and even the beef between LL Cool J and Jamie Foxx from the filming of Any Given Sunday.

Recognition doesn't really bother me. Ok that's a lie we all like to be recognised don't we. We may not go as far to go on Big Brother then sell our story to Heat magazine, but a little attention doesn't hurt. So if you like what you read, the peeps at the Guardian seem to, click on the above and vote for me. I'll be very grateful and may reward you with prizes. An invisble CD or two.

Just as it's reached the 1000th issue Blues & Soul magazine has ceased publication for the time being. The iconic magazine has been the voice of soul and the various styles of music that have come out of the genre for over 40 years, but due to its current publisher going into receivership, the magazine racks will be a little light on the black music front for a while.

I first picked up the magazine while at school just seven years ago and it was still mainly a black and white publication bar the cover. It later went with more colour until earlier in the year it relaunched with colour throughout and a new size. The new publishers 4 The Wall Ltd had freshened the publication to give it a more modern feel and had received praise from the music industry and many long term readers.

The title will see the light with a new publisher and gladly so, at the moment the earliest it would resurface is September. In the meantime the website, newly launched in recent months, will still operate and update the situation with the magazine.

When in a local watering hole they play some hip-hop, this is how I get down. The old boy at the bar always disapproves...

Those that aren’t flocking to Ibiza for the summer season could do a lot worse than buy the latest Defected In The House CD to bring the warm nights to these rain filled shores. Eivissa is two CD’s filled with soulful Mediterranean and Latin grooves perfect for a warm up to a night out or to play the backdrop to your own Ibiza homage. Highlights include Get Down by the Todd Terry Allstars, U Don’t Know by Quentin Harris and Touch The Sky by Dennis Ferrer. Indeed the CD’s are packed with establish Defected names but the newer talent more than holds it’s own. The third disc in this package is a DVD mix set to the backdrop of footage from the island rounding off what is a must buy for any soulful house lover, as there is something for everyone. Another quality release from this brilliant label.