All The J-Live

Whenever I hear J-Live, I have to check myself for always forgetting to include him in my mental list of upper-eschelon MC's.

I first heard "The Lyricist" on Ritchy Pitch's Live At Home EP (2002). The production isn't mind blowing by any means but catchy nonetheless. I feel like I should go on and on about J-Live's lyrical virtuosity on this track but all I can really say is that his flow is flawless. Style, content, delivery...it's all there.

J-Live: "The Lyricist"

Then there's "The Epilogue", the closing track from his excellent 2001 debut The Best Part. The solemn, echoeing guitar loop is nice but, again, J-Live shines all the way through.

"When it's all said and done it should be heard and seen

'Til this cold-hearted game forces us to change teams

While the lust for the loot spreads out like gangrene

So the haves chase their tails while the nots chase their dreams

As the years chase the days, past the futures, meet fate

Like your firstborn, waiting for pop's release date

Postpone, meanwhile, I accumulate means

To revise and renew what was just heard and seen"

J-Live: "Epilogue"

No Game

Nah Right's got some unreleased tracks from The Game that didn't make The Doctor's Advocate's final cut. "Beautiful Life" is the only song I'd keep, the rest just sound like throwaway tracks. Is it me or has Dr. Dre's production turned progressively bland and dry? With the tracks he gave Jay-Z for Kingdom Come and the snoozers I've heard since, including 50 Cent's song about money in the bank, I'm beginning to think the good Doctor is beginning to fall the fuck off. I always thought he's been overrated post-The Chronic-Doggystyle era. Nothing he's done has been mind blowing save The Chronic 2000. His new shit just makes me want to sleep.

Obscurity Knocks

Obscurity Knocks

(A McCrank's Juke collabo.)

Trashcan Sinatras - Live at The Casbah in San Diego May 14, 2005

I prefer live music, the kind you can't find in Sam Goody or any other large retail chain. This post showcases another rare music performance from the Trashcan Sinatras, a favorite of mine from back in the early nineties (Obscurity Knocks is one of their better tracks). I blame a college roommate, who sold me on these guys. It goes to show you that the record industry and labels are screwed-up for not promoting and selling live material, including bootlegs. Download the soundboard recording and take a listen... (Disc 1 / Disc 2)

In The Re-Mix

It's seldom you find exceptional remixes these days. If you're diligent and have enough patience and luck, you'll stumble upon jewels like these:

Eric B. & Rakim: "Let The Rhythm Hit 'Em (Beirut Remix)"

You can check out his work here. I don't know much about him other than the fact that he's got a Myspace page. The remixes I've heard aren't bad and you can probably still download a bunch from his page. The above remix is perfect. Rakim never sounded better.

Snoop Dogg: "Signs (Siik Remix)"

Personally, I think it's better than the original. I never really liked Pharrell's track for this anyway. Siik is adept at transforming some of your favorites into something very worthwhile:

Bonus:

Amerie: "1 Thing (Siik Remix)"

Big Illinois

You can check the tracklisting for Common's seventh album Finding Forever here. Kanye West handles the majority of the production with Will.I.Am, Devo Springstein and the late J-Dilla contributing a track each. Nothing is really final until it's released, tentatively, on July 10.

In the meantime, here's the supposed first single produced by the "new Premo", Kanye West. Let it marinate cause it's pretty damned good.

Common feat. Dwele: "The People"