Don was a visionary pioneer and a giant in our business. Before MTV, there was ‘Soul Train.’ That will be the great legacy of Don Cornelius. His contributions to television, music and our culture as a whole will never be matched. My heart goes out to Don’s family and loved ones -Quincy Jones to the AP

Pusha T’s new album Fear Of God 2: Let Us Pray, is delivering that hotness for the Fall/Winter season. Yea I said Pusha T! Released  November 8th under Kayne’s G.O.O.D Music label, this album has that ‘moving weight’ vibe paired with great lyrics.  If you are into commercial rap then maybe this isn’t the album for you. In its first week Billboard has the album listed at 8th on the Rap albums chart, 10th on the Hip-Hop/R&B chart, and 66th on the top 200. Blasphemy! We all know numbers never depict how dope an album is, but we know it means a lot of cats are sleeping on the album. So wake up and got get this!

Pusha T has some big name  features on here, but still slang’s that dope-ness on his solo tracks. Some of the hits include:

• Alone in Vegas
• Body Work ft. Juicy J, Meek Mill and French Montana
• What Dreams Are Made Of
• Trouble On my Mind ft. Tyler The Creator

Grace Audio has developed 8 models of Internet radios ranging in price from $129.00- $249.00, including our review unit – The Solo.  Meant to be used in a home or office, the Solo allows you to connect to your preferred internet radio station and play it through speakers or headphones throughout your space.  Powered by an AC adapter, the device comes with both RCA cables to connect to speakers, as well as an outlet for headphones. Some of the key features include, access to over 17,000 free internet stations, the ability to stream music from your computer, as well as access to Pandora, Rhapsody, and more. The Wi-Fi radio also comes equiped with a remote and the ability to use your iPhone or Android to control the device.

[REVIEW]

The set-up of the device is fairly easy however,I’ll be honest – it can be a bit tedious.  BUT, after scrolling through the various choices, completing the steps of all your programs, Pandora ect, and finding some speakers to connect to, you’re all set.  The connectivity is great, with only a few static moments or buffering.  You can set a number of different stations for each one of the supported channels, and start listening in under a minute.

Just like with every device, there are the pros and cons.  In the age of the smartphone, it is far more practical to connect your own handheld device to a dock or simply stick headphones in and go.  However, if you are a text junkie and addicted to apps, you may not want to be inconvenienced with switching back and forth between apps or always having to have your phone occupied.  It is a genuine addition to any home or office space – something stationary, like a t.v.

With the holiday’s coming up, I could easily see this being a perfect gift for your parents or someone with a no so busy lifestyle. Make the purchase, add their personal preferences, and introduce them to a lifetime of easy relaxation.

Pros

• Access to over 17,000 free internet stations
• Ability to link music from your computer
• Connectivity to popular outlets i.e Pandora and Rhapsody
• Remote control

Cons

• Features available from other devices
• Tedious set-up
• Must reconnect to wireless every use

Rating : 3.85 out of 5

Product: The Solo from Grace Digital Audio

Purchase: http://www.gracedigitalaudio.com/

Price: $129

 

 

In Hip Hop we love to talk about the greats, the icons, the legends. These debates are always centered on lyrical dexterity. Who is the illest emcee? Who is the grittiest with words, who are our verbal swordsmen? The party rappers get overlooked.

But Hip Hop started out in the park with parties and fun and heart. There are people in the culture that cultivated that festive spirit through their songs, their style and sincerity. They might not ever make those coveted lyrical lists made by elitists, but it doesn’t make them any less legendary. That’s not to say Heavy D didn’t have a message, let’s be clear, check his verse on “Self Destruction” or even “Don’t Curse.” But Heavy D was definitely known as the life of the party. He was iconic, charming with words and moves. And now he’s gone.

The Mount Vernon New York rapper born Dwight Arrington Myers was reported dead today. He was just 44 years old.
TMZ reports that Heavy D was found unconscious near the entrance to his Beverly Hills, California home and rushed to the hospital. Details are still emerging.

It’s hard to believe he’s gone. He just blew our minds when he rocked the stage at the BET Hip Hop Awards last month. I nearly broke a sweat in my living room reliving old moves that he and the Boyz used to do in the late ’80s and early 90s.

Heavy D created the kind of songs that stick with you because they were the soundscape to childhood parties, summertime cookouts and all around good times. That is no small feat in this business of fleeting trends. Heavy D made timeless music that can still get a party live today. Even his more recent, reggae inspired work had a feel good groove to it. For that, I will always consider him a great.

He was unafraid to be himself, the happy dancing Overweight Lover, Waterbed Hev. Without his confidence we may never have seen B.I.G. Honestly, without his penchant for partying and dancing, maybe there wouldn’t have been a Puffy. He was a rapper, producer, actor, executive, father and gem. He worked with everyone from Michael Jackson to Jay-Z. His behind the scene contributions to music are vast. This man deserves his props.

When one of the Boyz in Heavy D’s beloved group, “Trouble” T. Roy, passed away in a sudden fall during a 1990 rehearsal, it inspired one of Hip Hop’s greatest and heartiest songs ever: “Will They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)” by Pete Rock and CL Smooth. CL Smooth told XXL that song signified what special people mean to the people when they just all of a sudden, at the prime of the lives, are just gone. It was his way of paying tribute, a memorial in song.

We’re all looking for a way to make sense of these tragic deaths that seem to kick us in the face with no warning. We reminisce over you Heavy D.

Nike SB knows all about captivating an audience with its style and innovation. So it’s no surprise that Nike SB is set to debut a video series, The SB Chronicles just in time for the winter. The three part collection features team riders Chet Childress, Daniel Shimizu, Clark Hassler, Youness Amrani, Stefan Janoski, Grant Taylor, Lewis Marnell and Wieger Van Wageningen. Catch the premiere online at Nike SB on December 3 at 7 p.m. EST. Check for the teaser right now. And don’t forget to “like” them on Facebook.

19 conveyed contemplating, rebound grabbing, ex-ego killing tracks like “Chasing Pavements”, “First Love”,” Best for Last”, and “Tired”. Lyrically and stylistically the album flowed keeping you tuned in wanting to hear what wild thing Adele would say next. Clear and concise Adele presented her situation and took us on an emotionally charged roller coaster but, in the end her decision was clear; this relationship had fizzled out and that was just fine with her. Prompting a more liberated sophomore album, or so I thought.

On 21 Adele seemed to re-think what she said prior and take it all back. Stylistically the album is scattered and over produced, taking away from that soulful sound we all know Adele to have. Smash singles such as “Rolling in the Deep” and “Someone like You” catapulted Adele into the U.S. mainstream (where she sits comfy) however, cruise the contradictory line of adieu and abide, but that’s love right. Lyrically she continues to deliver hard hitting lines, but the energy feels more remorseful than liberated. Is this just the maturation process where after talking a little madness, you think about all the good times and want it all back? Or is it the moment you get older and fear being alone?

Past fans may be riding the same relationship wave as Adele while new fans are wowed in their first discovery of the artist. All in all both albums propelled Adele into a league of elites but, has her 2nd album fallen under the cursed “Sophomore Slump”?

Clearly not, but for the original Adele fans…does it get better with age?

The Roots are back at it again, with their 13th project,”Undun.”  Influenced by soul, blues, hip-hop and funk, the band is a staple in the music industry and one of my personal faves.  Check out the preview vid above, before coppin’ the album – slated for release on December 6th.

Bonus: the dope album cover was done by noted photographer, lecturer and teacher, Jamel Shabazz.

Its been a while since we heard anything from the rapper turned actor, but today we spotted the new visuals for his lead single, Blue Sky. As we have come to expect, Common gives us an honest portrayal of the world today accompanied by a soulful beat produced by NO ID. The visual was shot at the Barclay Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. Off Common’s forthcoming album, The Dreamer/The Believer, which is due in December.

People have been studying the throne before Jay-Z was officially king, but Georgetown University has made it an official class. The course, “Sociology of Hip-Hop: Jay-Z” is a 3 credit course offered this semester. I figured it would be taught by Toure but noted educator and author Michael Eric Dyson is giving out the grades.

RapFix interviewed Jigga and he had this to say:

“Well obviously Jay-Z is one of the greatest entertainers of the world today,” he said. “Not only is he a remarkable rhetorical genius, he’s also a man of deep sympathy and empathy for those who are lost and vulnerable, but especially under-educated youth of all cultures and stripes.”

The course covers Jay-Z’s book “Decoded,” Adam Bradley’s “Book of Rhymes,” Zack O’Malley Greenburg’s “Empire State of Mind,” as well as other articles and films about hip-hop in general. I wish they had this as an elective when I was in school.