Saigon & Tre Williams - What A Life

T.I. & Eminem - Touchdown (Snippet)

Check out some more of this week’s new music right here, courtesy of Shorty.

Enjoy and discuss!

- Ivan

Rizoh returns in 5 days…

This one’s only for the heads. Enjoy the first installment:

- On this day in 1981, Rick James’ smash hit ‘Give it 2 Me Baby’ topped Billboard’s R&B Singles chart. It stayed up there for the following four weeks. It would later become a key sample for hip-hop tracks such as Jay-Z’s ‘I Just Wanna Love U’, MC Hammer’s ‘Let’s Get it Started’ & DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince’s ‘All That’.

- On this day in 1988, hip-hop/r&b/soul group Guy released their eponymous debut record. The album featured the single ‘Teddy’s Jam’ which was later sampled by the Bomb Squad for Public Enemy’s classic track ‘Fight the Power’. The song ‘Piece of My Love’ was also chopped up for Cali’s own Ice Cube on his track ‘Turn Off the Radio’.

- On this day in 1992, R. Kelly’s single ‘Honey Love’ reached #1 on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs list. The track was also featured on the hood-flick-classic Menace II Society.

- On this day in 1995, the track ‘So Many Tears’ from 2pac’s classic album Me Against the World was released. ‘Hard to Imagine’ and ‘If I Die 2nite’ were the single’s B-sides.

- On this day in 1999, the realms of hip-hop and wrestling collided: Master P took it to the ring and made his wrestling debut.

- On this day in 2000, Slum Village released their second album Fantastic, Vol. II. Rest in peace Dilla! By mere coincidence, future collaborator Madlib released his alter ego Quasimoto’s debut album The Unseen on the very same day.

- Also on this day in 2000, Memphis, Tennessee’s own Three 6 Mafia released their fourth album When the Smoke Clears: Sixty 6, Sixty 1. A triumph for southern hip-hop, it not only earned Three 6 Mafia their first platinum plaque, it became the first platinum hip-hop album out of Memphis.

- On this day in 2006, Aftermath Entertainment released Busta Rhymes’ The Big Bang. Meaning what? Aftermath hasn’t dropped anything over the course of the past year…as of yet at least…

- Researched and compiled by ya boy Ivan; check the original article at Hip-Hop Is Read

Rizoh returns in 5 days…

Told ya so!

- Ivan

Guru + Common - ‘State of Clarity’

Off the fourth installment of Guru’s renowned Jazzmatazz series, this collabo track has been in my heavy rotation for a while and should be in yours. The video to match is superb to say the least. A throwback to the good ol’ days, it’s unreal: cartoons never looked and sounded so grimy.

Enjoy (and just be yourself)!

EDIT: The video utilizes various clips from Robert Crumb’s ‘Fritz the Cat’ (Big ups to our pal James for the find! ;-P)

Next up we’ve got:

Young Buck + Latoiya Williams - ‘U Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere’

Sure it’s a pretty weak track, but hey, I gotta keep things balanced, right? At least you can get to see Buck Marley dancing by the sea….. (pause)… You might wanna crawl back up to that Guru vid.

- Ivan

Rizoh returns in 6 days…

DJ Khaled’s new album We The Best hits stores today.

- As reported earlier, Rayquon Elliott a.k.a. Stack Bundles was shot and killed by a currently anonymous chain-snatcher. Rest in peace. S-s-s-s-Squad Up!

- Lupe Fiasco’s response to Stack’s untimely death.

- The internet will overtake television news within 5 years. Proof? The Rap Up.

- Reason #272396 the United States military has gone too far.

- The Teacha aims to take back hip-hop: one step at a time. KRS to launch his own TV station.

- Soul legend Etta James does her thing on Tavis Smiley. Video link should come soon… ;-D

- Shocking news (pun intended): Denver Nuggets’ Dermarr Johnson nearly gets Rodney’d.

- Ben Gay and Icy Hot can KILL YOU!

- Timbaland pops in and out of a German jail cell. Timbo: “It’s just the ‘Way I Are’”.

- If you haven’t already signed up to Stones Throw’s podcast, do so now. Their latest offering features PB Wolf’s set on KCRW’s Chocolate City, one of my all-time favorite radio shows.

- Paris Hilton: Converts and joins the Nation of Islam. Okay fine, maybe not, (would be funny) but at least she’s (pretending to be) trying.

- Let’s see Americans try and pull this one off.

- Ivan posts too many news headlines.

- And finally, the Spurs win game 3 in Cleveland………tonight….you’ll see…

- Ivan

Rizoh returns in 6 days…

The Rap Up is in the process of finishing up a mixtape titled “Summer Soundtrack 2007″. Mostly commercial music (Chris Brown, 50 Cent, R. Kelly) with a few “purists” (Kanye, Pharoahe Monch), the mixtape should be released within a few days. All we need is a fresh cover for it, and I’m leaving it up to our beloved readers to give it a go. Send what you got to ivan1087 at gmail dot com

- Ivan

From SOHH:

While details surrounding the emcee’s murder have yet to be revealed, a representative at his label has confirmed his passing with SOHH.

Bundles, who hails from Queens, made a name for himself in New York’s mixtape circuit via collaborations with DJ Clue, Fabolous and Joe Budden. After recently signing to Jim Jones’ Byrd Gang Records, Bundles has appeared on Jones’ third album, Hustler’s P.O.M.E. (Product of My Environment) and The Dipset Xmas album.

Bundles’ untimely death has overwhelmed his friends and fans who have left their heartfelt condolences on his MySpace page.

“R.I.P. my dude. You was going hard, sad to see you got caught up like that,” said HOT 16 aka Yung 6. “I always seen the Porsche parked in front of a studio all day, everyday. It made me think I was sleepin on rap. Gone but not forgotten. Much love from the Co-Star Family.”

“R.I.P Stack. It’s a shame, you were at your peak and look what happens. Still listening to all your mixtapes,” posted Straight Out Of Brooklyn.

REST IN PEACE…

::Today’s (repeat) Boondocks clip::

- According to a new study, beer is “good for you”! Alcoholics Anonymous’ members list rapidly dwindles within minutes.

- LL Cool J cancels his summer tour plans. Later blames Jay-Z & Def Jam.

- Michael Moore doin’ what he does best.

- This one’s a few days old: Jay-Z crowned the reigning king of hip-hop by none other than Charlie Murphy! I’m J-Hov’, bitch!

-Yet another old one: Andre 3000 will play Sammy Davis Jr. in an upcoming film. If that weren’t enough, Damon Dash is said to be the director. Meaning what? Only Biggs & Jigga can save the day!

- Not news: for all my people out there who enjoy reading (or wanna make a nice little hustle, lol), this site (which I recently found out about) is updated frequently with current coupons at Borders book store. Bookmark it! Coupons also work for CDs and DVDs, so even if you’re illiterate, you’d be stupid to pass this up.

- Ahem, and finally, the San Antonio Spurs win the NBA Finals…..within 10 days from now…(thought I should clarify that ;-D). Cav fans and stans/Lebron groupies: prove me wrong!

- Ivan

Rizoh returns in 7 days…