Rhymes: Jay-Z "D.O.A." (Video/Live Performance)

I should be getting ready to leave for Michigan now, but here's the official video to the first single from jay-z's upcoming BP3 (9/11/09).


And here's the live performance of "D.O.A." at the BET Awards, where allegedily jay blackballed BRL's favorite Rhianna abuser, Chris Brown, and kept him from performing in honor of Michael. Add that to more reasons why Sean Carter is awesome.

Rhymes: IGottaStory2Tell

I've said before I dont really like talking about my own music on here, but I'll do it once in a while. Today I finished my "IGottaStory2Tell" album, which I've had in the works for a while. IGottaStory2Tell consists of songs that were left off of my last two albums, City Limits and Nothing Comes Easy. Before I started recording Nothing Comes Easy, I planned on doing an album consisting of nothing but story telling songs, I had quite a few tracks done and quite a few started and unfinished before I came up with the concept for Nothing Comes Easy, which I decided to scrap IGS2T. So here's the album cover and back cover to the album:




http://www.sendspace.com/file/67meyy

And here's the download link, its a .rar file, if you want a physical copy, contact me and you will recieve one July 7th.

Rhymes: #9 Greatest Albums: CunninLynguists "Dirty Acres"

CunninLynguists
Dirty Acres
Released: November 27, 2007
QN5/APOS Music/ Bad Taste Records

Track List:
01. Never (ft. Big Rube)
02. Valley of Death
03. Dirty Acres
04. Kentucky (Interlude)
05. K.K.K.Y.
06. Wonderful (ft. Devin the Dude)
07. Yellow Line (ft. Witchdoctor & Phonte of Little Brother)
08. The Park
09. Summer's Gone
10. They Call Me (Interlude)
11. Gun (ft. Shiesty Khrist)
12. Dance for Me
13. Georgia
14. Things I Dream
15. Mexico (ft. Club Dub)

Music is the cure for anything. Very few artists have the ability to make any situation better just from the sound of their music. I got the pre-order of Dirty Acres that came with a bonus disk with the instrumentals and the cd is signed by the 3 members (Kno, Deacon the Villian, and Natti). Unfortunately the order didnt come on the release date, but it had leaked to the internet. On the night of Thanksgiving, 2007, I caved in and downloaded it. This was during my senior year, and I was going through some hard times at that point, but from the opening pianos and Deacon's crooning "When life is just a memory...", and hearing Big Rube's (the guy who did poetry on Outkast's albums) powerful voice, it lifted me instantly.

After releasing an album like A Piece of Strange (Which is still coming on the countdown...), an artist may struggle at figuring out what to do to follow up. Dirty Acre's is a southern masterpiece, in which may not be better than its predecessor, but certainly more accessible and even more personal. The newest member of the group, Natti, improved phenominally on his second album with the group expecially with verses like his one from "Georgia". Deacon's singing on the hooks also seemed to be more prominent with great hooks on songs like "Mexico" and "Yellow Lines". Kno's production isn't necessarily better than APOS, but you really cant improve on perfection, you can only continue it, which he does on Dirty Acres. Kno also finds himself on the microphone more times on Dirty Acres than previous records, delievering 16s on "Georgia", "Gun", and the most impressive, the shockingly personal "Things I Dream" where he says "If you knew where my head is, when I'm doing these records, you would never listen to my music again..."

With this 2007 effort, the 'Lynguists established themselves as my favorite artists and the still hold that title today. This album is flawless all the way through with maybe the exception of the two interludes (they're not as good as they were on APOS) and the almost too mellow, "The Park", but even these would be highlights on several other albums. The climax of the album is after Kno's verse on "Things I Dream" where a vocal sample says "I wanna live a real life, I dont want to dream any longer" then it immediately cuts into the beautiful keys of "Mexico" where Deacon sings on the hook, "I know these dreams are make believe, but I dont think we should let them go...". The emotions evoked on my first listening of this album are indescribable. All music should give people that sort of feeling.

Rhymes: Lupe Fisco's L.A.S.E.R.S. (Manifesto)

Lupe always does something interesting when it comes to his albums, no LupEND, but instead we get Lupe Fiasco's Lasers. We are not losers, we are lasers.

Life: R.I.P. Michael Jackson...

Today one of the greatest were taken from us. Michael Jackson passed away from a heart attack at only the age of 50.

Life & Rhymes: R.I.P. My iTunes...

It was only 4 days ago where my iTunes shut down, and all my music was deleted. Since then, I have been in a heavy state of depression and denial, but now I am proud to say I have moved on, and am ready to restart my iTunes with a clean slate

Rhymes: #10 Greatest Album of All Time: Game Theory by The Roots

The Roots
Game Theory
Released: August 29, 2006
Def Jam

Track List:
1. Dilltastic Vol (Won)derful
2. False Media
3. Game Theory
4. Don't Feel Right
5. In The Music
6. Take It There
7. Baby
8. Here I Come
9. Long Time
10. Livin' In a New World
11. Clock With No Hands
12. Atonement
13. Can't Stop This
iTunes Bonus Track: Bread & Butter

I got this album for my 16th birthday. It came with a bonus t-shirt, that I ordered off of Okayplayer.com. The lead single, "Dont Feel Right" leaked in May and I played it throughout the summer. This is easily my favorite album from hip hop's best band. The North Philly crew brings a much darker tone throughout this ablum, with a heavy rock vibe. Also the group's emcee, Black Thought, delivers his most personal rhymes on standout tracks like "Clock With No Hands". The album also touches on many political issues including Hurricane Katrina. The album opens and closes with tributes to the late producer, J Dilla, who died earlier that year, including the phenominal "Can't Stop This" using a beat from J Dilla's Donuts album.

Rhymes: Patrick Stump "Love Lockdown" x KanyeWest Single Art Work

Love lockdown is totally a rock song that was begging for some emo band to cover. Fall Out Boy isn't the most popular band, but I think most of their hate is unjustified, I really like Stump, and this cover is excellent.

Also I was browsing Wikipedia, like I've Been known to do, and I came across the album art for the singles from 808s & Heartbreak, they are excellent i will share...


808s & Heartbreak Cover


808s & Heartbreak Exclusive iTunes Cover Done By KAWS


"Love Lockdown" Single Cover


"Heartless" Single Cover


"Amazing" Single Cover


and my favorite: "Paranoid" Single Cover

Life: An Ode to Sir Outlaw...

My former classmat/friend/fellow projector/ fellow blogger, Austin James "Bo Outlaw" M*ss (Censored for Security Reasons) went away to training for the US Marines Corps around May 20. I am going to take this post to write a few words for him...

Bear
Cheese
Sweat
Axe (The tool, not the pussy body spray)
America
Boots
Cameoflague
Guns
Wood
Heights
Beard
Grizz
Hair
Bacon
Sleeveless Shirts
Lumps (Large Dumps... not like Lady Lumps)
Blood
Grind
Bravery
Buffet
Motorboats
Freedom
Testostrone
MAN...


BRL would also like to thank Sir Outlaw for his undying allegence to this blog, and would like for all of our readers to investigate the revolution: http://outlawamerica.blogspot.com/

Its been a long time, I shouldnt have left you, with no dope beets to step to...

My appologies for my last departure. I've been keeping busy, a lot of paper work. I also joined a new gym, that's one thing. But seriously, its been a crazy past couple of blogless weeks. Good news though, my poison ivy which at one point was spread to about 45% of my body is starting to clear up, so please dont panic. The beats are back in town!

So did ya miss me?

Rhymes & Life: We Need Rockstars!

We need rockstars! Seriously our generation has been horribly deprived of the drug-addicted, sex inducing, ego driven superstardom of past generations. We may have the internet to thank for this. The millenial generation is a generation full of niches, where pop music is finally taking the fall. Pop music will always be here, but the struggles the music industry have been facing this decade has made the lifespan of a popstar an incredibly short one.

Take for example, Nelly. This man was an icon in the beginning of the decade, but now, only 9 years later, he is almost unrecognizable to young audiences. Nelly's first album, Coutry Grammar released in 2000, has sold over 9 million copies. Each album since then has sold less and less, and last year his release, Brass Knuckles, has only sold 200,000 copies. Nelly was a popstar, not a rockstar. A popstar appears on ET and in gossip magazines, their lifespan in limelight is a short one because they appeal to short-spanned audiences.

With the age of music piracy and ever-declining albums sales, there are very few actual rockstars because most potential rockstars sell out to make a quick buck, which is so not rock and roll. Most rockstars are not household names as they were in the 70s, but they are still out there. This generation is the generation of independence, where the best artists are on indie labels or they release their music themeselves.

MGMT "Kids" Video

I found this on okayplayer.com of all sites. Great video, of course its a little freaky, but afterall, its MGMT.

Rhymes: #20-11 Greatest Albums of All Time

#20) Common - Resurrection
What this album means to me: I bought this album in Tower Records during my freshman trip to Chicago. This album includes one of the best songs I've ever heard, "I Used to Love H.E.R." With excellent production from No I.D., Com gave 1994 the second best album of that year.
Best 3 consecutive Songs: Resurrection, I Used to Love H.E.R., Watermellon

#19) Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...
What this album means to me: Raekwon,Ghostface,and RZA all come together to deliever the best album from the WU with Cuban Linx. A perfect summer vibe album which occupied most of my summer 2006, when I first got this album.
Best 3 consecutive songs: Wu Gambinos, Heaven & Hell, North Star

#18) Outkast - Aquemini
What this album means to me: Arguably 'Kast's best album, and the peak of Andre 3000's lyrical ability. It took me a while to appriciate this album because it was so much different than ATLiens, but during the fall 2008, it finally grew on me.
Best 3 consecutive songs: Skew it on the Bar-B, Aquemini, Synthesizer

#17) Radiohead - OK Computer
What this album means to me: Critically acclaimed, and considered one of the 90s best offerings, there is little to be said about OK Computer that hasn't already been said. I bought this album in the height of my Radiohead obsession which took part from the fall of 07 to the summer 08. I bought this a couple months after I had gotten Kid A, which I didnt like much at the time.
Best 3 consecutive songs: Exit Music (For a Film), Let Down, Karma Police

#16) Blu & Exile - Below the Heavens
What this album means to me: Two no names put together one of the best debut albums in the decade. After being constantly praised on Okayplayer.com, I decided to give it a chance, I downloaded the Advance version of the album. Initially I thought the album was ok, but was overrated. Then I realized the version of the album I had was not the retail version, so I downloaded it again, and the sequencing and removal of two songs turned a good album into a classic. Blu is witty, funny, clever, personal, and insightful in his 2007 debut. Many of his songs helped me through my senior year in high school.
Best 3 consecutive Songs: First Things First, No Greater Love, Show Me the Good Life

#15) Common - Be
What this album means to me: This is the quitesential summer album. Summer 2005 this album did not leave my CD player. I've played this album front to back so many times, the vibes are incredible. Kanye and J Dilla laid the perfect landscape for the summer and Common knocked it out the park from the intro to Its Your World.
Best 3 consecutive songs: Love Is..., Chi-City, The Food (Live)

#14) Nas - Stillmatic
What this album means to me: This album, known to many as his come back album,was my introduction to Nas. I didnt actually get this album until 2005, but One Mic was the first song I've ever heard from Mr. Jones, and he is definitely in my top 5 emcees.
Best 3 consecutive songs: My Country, What Goes Around (Poison), Every Ghetto

#13) Outkast - ATLiens
What this album means to me: I got this album during the final days of my junior year, and played it constantly throughout the summer. One of my favorite intros ever "You May Die" is as beautiful as the first day of summer and the last song on the album, "13th Floor/ Growing Old" Feels like the last day of summer.
Best 3 consecutive songs: Millenium, E.T., 13th Floor/Growing Old

#12) Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here
What this album means to me: This 5 track album is easily the most coheisive album on this list, where the 5 tracks feel more like one. This is my favorite album from Pink Floyd, who is my favorite band from the 70s. Also the title track is probably one of my favorite rock songs of all time.
Best 3 consecutive songs: Have a Cigar, Wish You Were Here, Shine on You Crazy Diamond (parts iv-ix)

#11) Royce Da 5'9" - Death is Certain
What this album means to me: This album dominated my freshman year of high school, which I guess you call the height of my teen age aingst. This album is so dark and personal, Detroit's best emcee was severly depressed during the writing of this album, which he recorded in the very late nights, which kind of sets the dark mood for the record. With most of the production handled by 6 July, who worked with Biggie during his Life After Death album, its evident Royce was almost channelling Big and Pac during this ominous album. This also is one of the best sequenced and coheisive albums I have ever heard.
Best 3 consecutive songs: Everybody Goes, Death is Certain Pt 2 (It Hurts), Somethings Wrong With Him

Rhymes & Life: Dear Summer...

June is here, and one of my favorite things about Summer is the music. Here are some of the biggest summer songs that I listened to during the past few summers.

Jay-Z "Dear Summer" SUMMER 2005


T.I. "What You Know"


Atmosphere "Sunshine" SUMMER 2007


Coldplay "Viva La Vida" SUMMER 2008

Rhymes: Kanye West - "Paranoid" music video

video is pretty cool. one of my favs off of 808s. rhianna = good. additional production = not so sure yet.