More Slop

Dilla Busta. I know it's gonna be hard to endure Bussa Buss for an albums worth of material but hey, it's unreleased J-Dilla tracks.

Mick Boogie & Busta Rhymes do it with Dillagence.

Miss Info presents: Inside The Rappers Studio with Big Ghost as he breaks down his latest enstallment "The Big Doe Rehab", in stores December 4.

5 Albums you need (in no particular order):

1. Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, 100 Days & 100 Nights

2. Aretha Franklin, Rare & Unreleased Recordings From The Golden Reign Of The Queen Of Soul

3. Radiohead, In Rainbows

4. AZ, The Memphis Sessions

5. Band Of Horses, Cease To Begin

Delegation, The Promise Of Love (Shady Brook Records, 1976):

If you're unfamiliar with this group, there's really no reason to get familiar. The short of it is that Delegation was an R&B group of three members from the UK that released The Promise Of Love in 1976. I only mention this album because it boasts the ultra-soulful "Oh Honey", one of my all-time soul classics. There's a 6-minute 12" version floating around out there that I absolutely need but for now, marinate.

Delegation: "Oh Honey"

Cosmic Slop

There's been a lot of hosility within the Wu-Tang camp lately. Apart from Ghostface's early grumbling about the Wu-Tang hierarchy, Raekwon has expressed his frustration with RZA's production choices for 8 Diagrams. RZA got on Tim Westwood's show to shed some wisdom on Raekwon's recent rants, in true RZA form (courtesy of Nahright).

I agree. STOP WITH THE CHRIS MARTIN COLLABOS! Two is two too many. "Beach Chair" and "Homecoming" are terrible. I doubt that featuring Coldplay's lead on a Hip Hop track will get their fans to buy your albums.

Oh Word! is giving away Lord Finesse's whole production catalog, practically.
Merry early X-mas.

Yes, Yes Y'all!

...And one of my favorite songs at the moment from Radiohead's In Rainbows.

Old American Gangster

The album is pretty run-of-the-mill production-wise with a couple of gems sprinkled in between. By now you've probably had your fill of the circumstances surrounding the idea for Jay-Z's American Gangster. The hype machine has been in full gear before and after the release of both the movie and album of the same name.

Some observations:

1. Jay-Z really embellishes on his hustler days. Saying he was inspired by some scenes in Ridley Scott's film that took him back to his hustling days, invoking those "raw emotions", sounds a little trite to me. After all, he was a small time drug dealer. It's not like he was even on the same level as Frank Lucas who upped his self worth to the hundreds of millions (in the 70's!) through a heroin dealing empire.

2. His tastes for beats is beginning to dwindle save a couple of exceptional moments like these:

"Roc Boys" - Produced by Diddy's Hitmen. Amazing interpolation of these horns. And the video is as gully as it gets...And the live horns just makes this cut exponentially ridiculous...

"Success" feat. Nas - Produced by No I.D. Now you've got to understand that this is the same producer who worked on the majority of Common's earlier work so No I.D. has got an impeccable catalog. He hasn't produced anything memorable in years, until now. The organ vamps are incredible and the way he chops this up...you've got to wonder why he's not getting more work.

3. Despite his recent shortcomings, he's arguably still one of the best rappers alive still recording. Definitely top 5. He still manages to stay relevant even though he's not really re-inventing himself. The skill he displays, even on the more lackluster production he jumps on, is undeniable. He's got the clever punchlines, the effortless delivery and style, and he's as charasmatic as they get.

"Drink A Heineken..."

"...as we go inside the mind again."

Been a while but times are busy.

Very random. One of my favorite Method Man verses heard here. From the first Bob Digi album...

Bobby Digital feat. Method Man: "NYC Everything"