Hip Hop downloads for everyone

Lil Wayne - The Rebirth
On The Rebirth Lil Wayne explores the rock god inside us all and I have to be honest, I think its crap. The few things that I still enjoyed about his music (catchy beats and over production) have been smothered by the guitar on this album. Not a fan.

DJ Premier - On Tha Road Again (mixtape)
For the recreational hip hop user, DJ premier has a new mixtape, On Tha Road Again. He has produced some of the best songs of all time (for Nas, Jay-Z, MOP, the list goes on) and this mixtape features the likes of Rakewon, Royce da 5'9" and Clipse. That being said... usually mixtapes fall short of greatness. You be the judge.

DOOM Presents Unexpected Guests
For the hip hop connoisseur. This is a collection of some of the best tracks that have featured DOOM from artists all over the board; Wu Tang, Talib Kweli, Vast Aire, etc. I'm into it, check it out.

Angles

Un Prophete (Trailer)

This is the preview for Un Prophete, which won Cannes this year. Looks pretty incredible.

Danger Mouse and Jemini - Ghetto Pop Life (hip hop)

This is one of my favorite hip hop albums. Produced by Danger Mouse, Jemini tells it like it is over a rich, soulful soundscape. Best enjoyed in a pair of quality headphones or over the best speakers in the house. You can try it here!

Yeasayer - Ambling Alp (Video)

The new video from Yeasayer is a little different from your run of the mill. I think Dali would be proud. Check it out.

Top 100 Tracks of 2009 (Pitchfork)

It is officially that time of year. One of my favorite countdowns every year is the Pitchfork 100. This is the perfect opportunity to look at all the music that has come out over the last year and listen to some of those great songs that may have slipped through the cracks. I will leave a link to this list at the top of the page so you can check back until the New Year. Enjoy!

The Grouch & Eligh - Say G&E! (hip hop)

This is a recent CD by Grouch and Eligh of the Living Legends. It's called Say G&E! and you can try it here!

Yeasayer - Odd Blood (experimental, psychedelic, indie, folk)

 The new Yeasayer CD is out and I really enjoy it. You can download it here!

 

Travelers are Black and White

Evolution of a Dance Party

 I was at the Sasquatch Music festival this summer watching Santigold (which was delightful) just minding my own business really, and then I turned around and saw this... this is incredible.

Thai Nicknames

Just like any good organized crime ring, my third grade students all have nicknames to accompany their traditional Thai names. Below is a list of the students and their nicknames from my last class of the day. Just imagine how difficult it is to scold a kid named Yea.

Laos is Raw - The Lost Tapes

Laos is intense. It is a communist country with a strict curfew at midnight that is enforced by military police armed with AK-47s. We saw more than a few westerners get arrested for violating curfew (on the way back for violating it ourselves). In contrast, evidently it is acceptable to party your face off on the river all day before curfew. This means you tube down the river from bar to bar, enjoying free shots of whiskey, pumping dance music, and a variety of apparatuses that launch you into the water. There is even a slide that you cannot go down unless you have purchased a beer. Anyway, here are a few pictures of the mayhem. Enjoy!

The Kinch!

Nick Kinni is a writer in the city and a good friend of mine. Check out some of his travel literature at The Kinch.