Cimer Amor - Hear Me

Another WERS find. Seriously, this radio station is the tits and anyone seeking true hip hop, tune in to 88.9 Boston 10pm-2am daily. And if you're seeking all kinds of reggae, from roots reggae to dancehall to reggaton, tune in 6pm-10pm daily.

Cimer Amor is true fire. I just downloaded his EP, available for free here: http://cimeramor.bandcamp.com/album/taking-nowhere-somewhere-prelude. I couldn't find this song on YouTube, so yes I took the time to upload it myself. It's really not difficult (I used Windows Movie Maker), so if you have a song you want on YouTube do it up! Cimer Amor is a Philly-based producer making big moves.

More from Cimer Amor: "Another Classic" ft. Burke, Torae, Side Effect & DJ Waxwork

Another Classic (feat. Burke, Torae, Side Effect & DJ Waxwork) by CoalmineRecords

Serious fire. I thought this was Saigon the first time I heard it.

Collie Buddz - Phone Call (HQ) Produced by Beatnick & K-Salaam

I know this isn't the new of the new by Collie Buddz, but thanks again to WERS Boston to bringing this to my attention.

Great day on Mount Snow today

Monday Throwback Part 1, The Old: Hieroglyphics - Off the record

Here is the "old" throwback for your two-part Throwback Monday. Everyone knows the Hieroglyphics, but this track had slipped under my radar until recently. Del the Funky Homosapien kills it as usual (I think he is extremely underrated):

Hold up, stop the presses, this just came in
Del's done it again, you gotta get his name in
He's, infallible in battle flows and battle royals collects
all the spoils of soiled celebrities
Shape my fantasy as the form, lyrical oddessey
It's not modesty, I show my ass for all to see
Polishin wax with facts sharp like tacks
to stop your, heart like cracks rip, apart the tracks

Monday Throwback Part 2, The New: Marco Polo - Nostalgia featuring Masta Ace

It's funny what kind of paths music will take you down, especially in the digital age when you could hear 100 new songs by 100 new artists in a day thanks to websites like Pandora, YouTube, and Grooveshark. Thanks to Pandora, I heard a track by Copperpot last week (http://gilmansworld.blogspot.com/2010/12/copperpot-feat-longshot-diverse.html) and from there I went to YouTube to listen to it again (because we all know Pandora won't let you go back to tracks you've already played). On the right-hand menu I saw a playlist called "Copperpot." I clicked and it brought me to even more tracks I hadn't heard before, such as this one by Marco Polo.

According to Wikipedia, Marco Polo is a Canadian hip hop producer, and this was one of the singles off his debut album in 2007 called Port Authority. Every track I've heard from this guy is pure fire, so allow "Nostalgia" to be your "new" throwback on this stormy Throwback Monday.

Signal Path - Room of Monsters

Rediscovering music is great. Or, paying better attention to music that you got a year ago is great. Signal Path released their EP called Clash back during the summer of 2009 for free. I got it shortly after, not really knowing who they were, but liking similar groups (STS9, Lotus, Thievery Corporation, Pretty Lights, etc). A song came up on shuffle yesterday that I liked so I decided to re-listen to the album after a long hiatus and this track was the one that shined through to me.

The Brothers of Chico Dusty

http://mashville.bandcamp.com/album/the-brothers-of-chico-dusty

**Link below the image** A coworker of mine (thanks for the link Kara) brought this to my attention. It's a mashup of Big Boi's Sir Luscious Left Foot and the Black Keys' Brothers.

Big Boi's album is one of my favorite to come out in hip hop in a while, easily in my top 3-5 for the year. The Black Keys, although a relatively new band for me, are real tight. Their album has been heralded as one of the best of the year and the two albums come together to make some real interesting and awesome music. It has the feel of a "chill" hip hop album; a bunch of Big Boi's originals had that "club banger" feel to them, but now after being mashed with the Keys they feel like stoner jams.

Normally I am not a big fan of mashup albums. I think they are interesting and definitely creative, but I'd rather listen to originals. I like Left Foot and Brothers separately more than this album combined. I like Jay-Z's Black Album and the Beatles' White Album more than DJ Danger Mouse's Grey Album. Take this mashup for what it is - a combination of two awesome CDs that came out this year.

Coachella 2011 Rumored Lineup: Daft Punk?!

Again, this is only rumored, and a 4-year veteran at work says no way, but hot damn if DP is there

28 Drinks Later

28 Drinks Later from Futuristic Films on Vimeo.

Nick Swardson taking it to a whole new level, as usual.

Ultra Music Festival 2011 Initial Lineup Announced

http://www.ultramusicfestival.com/#

Only 3 months away....oh baby....

Tiesto Ft. Nelly Furtado - Who Wants To Be Alone (Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike Mix)

Dedicated to Tiesto's biggest fan, Becky Abrahams. Featured on Club Sessions with Cato K Episode 23 (podcast). Nelly Furtado is doing big things.

Monday Throw Back: De La Soul - Sunshine

Oldie but goody. How can you not feel good after listening to this gem?

De La is the crew that you must hear, but please don't rush the stage
'Cause even though them stakes are really high, we're really not here to race
We're just here to move your mind and soul with perpetuated ease
It's just about the show until it's time to go, and get with the young ladies

Green Line Inbound - What's My Name (cover)

Last night I went out to the Landsdowne Pub and these guys, Green Line Inbound (hilarious name), were the band playing. Their set included covers of hip hop/dance songs and let me tell you - they can spit and they can get the crowd moving. Very impressed by these dudes -- a bunch of white guys covering Snoop (and actually playing their instruments)?? Love it.

Copperpot feat. Longshot, Diverse & Profound - Dreams

This is some true underground shit. Thanks, as always, to Pandora I heard this track when listening to People Under the Stairs radio. I've never heard of Copperpot before but I will definitely be looking into him more.

Apologies for the lack of "video" but this is the best quality, up to 480p, that I could find.

Video Compilation: Pretty Lights - Let 'em Know It's Time To Go

I am a huge Pretty Lights fan. His music is so unique but at the same time so diverse (you can listen to it at the gym, while studying, after you've hit the ganj, while you're making whoopee, if you want to dance, etc). This song is not "new" in the sense that it came out in 2009, but it is off his last full album (as opposed to one of the 3 new EPs released throughout 2010). I received the December newsletter from PL today and he wrote that several new music videos have been put up on his YouTube channel (prttylghts). This is one of those videos and is very cool to watch along to the music. I'd say this track is among my top 5 or top 10 favorites.

Remember This? The Game - State of Emergency ft. Ice Cube

Out of the Game's albums LAX easily got the most overlooked. It came out during my junior year of college and although I listened to it a lot, not a lot of my friends did. This track is raw and true West Coast hip hop. If only Ice Cube had dropped a verse....In case you couldn't tell this is not an official video.

California ain't a state, it's an army

OFFICIAL VIDEO: Dr. Dre - Kush ft. Snoop Dogg, Akon

Yup. Dre's back (with a song about weed?! Dr. Dre?! Naaaah.....). I posted a link to the song a couple weeks ago but here is the official video. I like the freeze-frame action going on. I gotta say Akon seems a bit out of place with this song, I'd much prefer a Nate Dogg cameo, but according to a comment on YouTube, Nate Dogg has had 3 strokes. According to Wikipedia, Mr. Nathan has actually had 2 strokes, but the 2nd left him in pretty bad shape and he is still recovering: "It is currently unknown if he will be able to continue his singing career." That's too bad, Nate Dogg is/was the singing voice of West Coast hip hop.

As much as I like this song, Dre has said it's the only one about chronic nuggets. I actually support this, I think he can do better and if my predictions are correct this will be the weakest track of his upcoming album Detox (just to reiterate, a "weak" Dr. Dre cut is still better than most hip hop songs out there these days).

I know you tryna get high
Type of shit that have ya leaning sideways
Make her work for this suicide
Holla at me cuz I got it all day
No need to fly to Jamaica
Quarter ganja, we can get the same thing
You want that bom bom biggy, holla at my niggi right here in LA
Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale

Bob Marley - Could You Be Loved (Damian Marley Remix)

If Damian wasn't Bob's son this might be heresy. Funky little remix (if you want to call it that) of the classic "Could You Be Loved."

I'd say the lyrics are a bit different too...

Well its snow cold rinky dinky, oh so much young gal come to lick me
Jenday ragamuffin feel a pound a stinky
Even one good spliff off a da sweet life twinkie
Well buildings need expanding
To meet the supplies where the fans demanding
I jr gong microphone commanding
And there'll be no clearance for landing
Well too miss teeny tiny
Will you please undo the bikini kindly
Well she must a come from a wine refinery.
And get bless with the pretty cold minery

Louis Newman-Eminem-Same Song and Dance {Drum Cover}

Louis Newman has tons of instructional drumming videos on YouTube. I found this one particularly interesting because I enjoy hearing different drummers' takes on drum parts that AREN'T composed on live drums ("Same Song and Dance" is a Dr. Dre production and we all know Dre doesn't use live drums in his music). I think Newman's set sounds dope, especially that snare sound he is getting. His fills are really good, but I think for this song he went a little too far with them. To me this song is meant to be on the mellow side which, in my opinion, means sticking more to the beat than improvising, but as I said it's always interesting to hear a different take on an original.

Monday Throwback presented by Davis: eMC - Winds of Change

Not a "throwback" in the sense that it's from 2008, but it has that 90s feel and is oh so smooth. Thanks again to Davis for his contribution. Check out his blog at http://contratruth.wordpress.com/

Theme Song of the Week: Deadmau5 - Bad Selection

Well the new Deadmau5 album is out and that's what I spent much of my weekend listening to. I was skeptical at first listen but after several times with the bass cranked, it's grown on me. It's a departure from his progressive house sound (see: Alone with You, Strobe, Brazil, I Remember, etc) and I would describe it as "darker." For some reason this song has been stuck in my head for the past several days so hopefully it'll get stuck in yours too. Turn the bass up and listen to it in 720p

Lady Gaga - Alejandro (Skrillex Remix)

Yeah. I did it. In continuing with my theme of loving Skrillex and him becoming my new favorite DJ/Producer, this is one to take you in to the weekend. I can't stand Gaga or her music but this is not only tolerable, but fucking awesome.

Diplo Don Diablo - Make You Pop (Original Mix)

Featured in the Blackberry Torch commercial with Diplo (song starts playing toward the end when he's in the studio).

Diplo & Don Diablo - Make you pop (BEATPORT: 24/8) - Sitdown @ Extrema

This is what can happen...

The Roots - What They Do (REAL Music Video)

SingingFool.com - The Roots - What They Do - Music Video

I had posted this song a few weeks back as the Monday Throwback. It remains one of my top 5 favorite Roots songs. After further research, however, it turns out the video I shared was not the original one. Vevo, which is now a powerhouse for music videos on YouTube (and often censors the videos or doesn't post the 100% original versions), took out the subtitles which essentially were the whole point of the video. The song/video is talking about all the cliches in hip hop and the subtitles are used to express that. Now it all makes sense!

Jet Blue Crew Enjoying the Pats Stompdown

Stolen from the WAAF Facebook fan page

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Heads Will Roll (A-Trak Remix)

Monday Throwback #2: LL Cool J - 4,3,2,1 ft. Method Man, Redman, DMX

A special edition: Monday Throwback #2!

Theme Song of the Week: Grateful Dead - Fire on the Mountain - Live at the Capitol Theater, Passaic, NJ April 27, 1977

I went to check out a Grateful Dead cover band Friday night. They are called Playing Dead and they were actually really good (I'm tempted to use the word "skeptical" when talking about a cover band, but I don't think it's the correct word. Maybe I just prefer the originals, but since the Dead no longer exist as a complete band this was cool to see). While I enjoy listening to the Dead from time to time, I am not by any means a Dead Head nor a huge expert on them or their music. Playing Dead was extremely talented and I loved the 2-drummer dynamic (being a drummer myself). It was also great to step back and watch all the middle-aged Dead Heads dancing their pants off. This was definitely a night off the beaten path but it was fun nonetheless.

People who commented on this video consider the Dead to be at the peak/prime of their extensive days together as a band when the video was taken (young, hungry and just jamming).

Your Monday Throwback: Mobb Deep - Hoodlum (feat. Rakim & Big Noyd)

Cafe Del Mar - Energy 52 (Out Of Office Remix)

Probably should put this on your playlists for the weekend as well...

The Chemical Brothers - Swoon (Boys Noize Summer Mix)

Taking you into the weekend with a Boys Noize remix of the Chemical Brothers song Swoon. There are several remixes of this song out there and the original isn't bad either, but this version took the cake for me. Bass it up as always.

SKRILLEX - Rock N' Roll (Will Take You To The Mountain)

Skrillex is quickly becoming an addiction of mine. At first listen I wasn't so into it, but the way he combines house with dubstep and everything in between is crazy. Not to mention his signature high-pitched voices all throughout.