Shady XV: An Exciting Year For Shady Fans

Normally I'm more of a Twitter addict than I'd like to admit, but last night I was glued to it for one reason and one reason only. You'd probably think because of the VMAs right?  Wrong. Well, half right. But it wasn't because of Beyoncé's acceptance of the Video Vanguard Award, it wasn't because of Nicki Minaj or Iggy Azalea (at least not last night), and it wasn't even because of Usher's performance (shocker). I was glued to Twitter of course because of Eminem's Shady XV!  What is Shady XV you ask?  Well now I can tell you (since last night Mr. ILikeToRelease20SecondPromoVideosButGiveNoRealDetails didn't feel like... you know, giving any details).

At first I was excited about seeing an Eminem tweet that read "Blink and you'll miss it... #VMAs #SHADYXV." But of course we should know by now that when it comes to Mr. ILikeToRelease20SecondPromoVideosButGiveNoRealDetails, that was all people were going to get. Oddly enough the real promo didn't come during the Video Music Awards, but on Twitter. Shortly after this tweet, Eminem then continued to tweet a 20 second promo video that ended with the words "SHADYXV" on the screen. Check out the promo video below.

Pretty sweet right?  Now if you think too much about these sorts of things (like me) and start to make your own theories about what this could mean, your first assumption would be that it's another sequel to a classic album. Slim Shady LP 2 possibly?  Man would that be insane!  It only makes sense right?  Following up the successful 2013 effort Marshall Mathers LP 2 with a sequel to a record that started it all?  While all of this sounds cool, to me Shady fans got something equally as cool, released in a statement exclusively from shadyrecords.com. Shady XV is a compilation album release of Shady Record's 15th anniversary of its original start in 1999. It will include the greatest hits of all Shady Records members, including the newly released "Guts Over Fear" record from Eminem and Sia that will be used as the lead single for "The Equalizer," the new movie featuring Denzel Washington.

But there is more than just a compilation album coming folks. Yes that is correct, not only will we be getting a new album of the greatest hits from these fellow Shady Records members that will include new material, we will also be getting new albums from Eminem, Slaughterhouse, Yelawolf, Bad Meets Evil, and even a new D12 record is on the way. Are you excited yet? 

So admittedly I'm pretty damn excited about what is going to be happening in the rap world in what I can only assume to be the next year. I mean it wouldn't be proper to release this 15 year anniversary album the year after the anniversary, obviously, the compilation album is set for a November 24th release date. But in the year to come?!  A HUGE year for Shady Records alone, let alone all of hip hop. I've personally been waiting for a new Slaughterhouse album since after the last one came out (knowing they can do better production-wise, and they will, with Just Blaze at the helm obviously). Only time will tell what happens up until that point. It's funny, it's almost like the calm before the storm all over again. Enjoy Eminem's new single "Guts Over Fear" below.

    

A Mixing of Genres: My Favorite Rock + Rap Crossovers (Songs and Performances)

With Linkin Park making a triumphant comeback onto the music scene (once again) with their live performance on Yahoo this last Friday the 15th, I have to admit I was in awe. Growing up on Linkin Park, it was a nice blast from the past to see them to just kill the entire show, and that encore... oh my. What other bands can say they have as many hits as these guys?  No really, I'll wait. Nothing?  Alright then. Anyways, the performance was too awesome, but then I got to thinking about that Jay-Z collaboration they did awhile ago. Numb/Encore was one of my all time favorites growing up. One thing led to another, then eventually I was online looking up Kid Rock songs (don't judge me). So here is a list of some of my favorite rap/rock collaborations.

Linkin Park + Jay-Z - Numb/Encore

So obviously I had to pick this one with all the buzz Linkin Park has been creating lately with their new album. Plus that song with Rakim?  It's just Linkin Park getting back to making dope music as usual. It'll be interesting to see how they collaborate with other artists like they said they're finally opening up to doing. But I picked this particular one because not only is this song amazing, it's even more amazing live.

Imagine Dragons + Kendrick Lamar - Radioactive Remix

This one is just another example of Kendrick's longevity. Not only the most recent rock + rap collaboration of awesomeness, but on top of that it is just well... nothing short of incredible. Combining the already sweet imagine dragons banger (which sort of had a hip hop feel to it to begin with), then you add in a crazy rock and roll vibe verse that Kendrick destroys via his voice alone (not to discredit Kendrick's verse itself, he does his thing as usual), the finished product is something that appeals to two completely different types of audiences. Bravo to both parties.

Kid Rock, Run DMC + Aerosmith - Bawitdaba/Kings Of Rock/Walk This Way

Okay so admittedly I had to throw this one in because I grew up listening to Kid Rock. Come on, who didn't love Joe C. spitting verses out opposite Kid Rock?  They used this gigantic performance to open up the MTV Video Music Awards in 1999. Definitely the most unorthodox performance of the time, but it seemed to work pretty well. I love the microphone tossing back and forth between Rock and Tyler, I believe I remember hearing one of the two say they almost dropped one of the microphones so they had stopped throwing them after 3 tosses. The most interesting part to me about this performance is that you have one side of it (the rock: Aerosmith), the other side of it (the rap: Run DMC), and Kid Rock falling respectfully in between both genres (at least back then, now it seems old man Rock has sold himself out to country).

DJ Z-Trip ft. Chester Bennington - The Walking Dead

This one's not so well known, but back in 2005 a DJ by the name of Z-Trip collaborated with Linkin Park's own Chester Bennington on a song called "The Walking Dead." Yes...even before all the tv hoopla about some show that shares the same name, there was a song. I remember hearing this song myself when it first came out because I hadn't heard anything like it. What is it with Chester Bennington and Linkin Park being able to gel so well with hip hop and collaborating with rappers?  I certainly wish we got more of that. In case you haven't heard of DJ Z-Trip, he's collaborated with big names like LL Cool J, Public Enemy, Talib Kweli and many more. Thinking about him now I might have to go and check out some more of his work myself.

So those are just a few of some really good rock and rap collaborations. Don't forget that rap did get its start from rock, and of course has flourished as its own genre ever since. So when you think about it, you really do have to pay homage to acts like Run DMC, the Beasty Boys, and guys like that who started it all. Can you even imagine how scary it would have been to hear the backlash and criticism from people who didn't know what it was back then?  I know I can't. Rock has been popular forever, it may have changed over the past couple of decades, but bands are finding ways to make it sound better. Same thing goes for rap (arguably). It may have changed, but now its more global and getting more recognition than its ever gotten. But every now and then it is nice to get a feel for where it all started: an experiment of new sounds. Let me know your favorite rock and rap collaborations on Google+ or twitter (@SuperNovaRover).


(*Disclaimer: I do not own these videos, or the rights to them, or any of the artists shown in them*)

  

 

  

Kendrick Lamar And Dr. Dre's "Detox": An Insane, Not So Insane Theory

Kendrick Lamar is undoubtedly in the top five hottest emcees out right now, and really has been a giant on the scene since he became known roughly around 2010-2011. It's amazing what he can do on the microphone, and as a guest verse on ANYONE's song seemingly (see rap song catalog 2011-now). Dr. Dre is, well... he's Dr. Dre. A rap producer (a pretty damn good one at that, at least he was), and mentor to a strong list of established artists, along with being a headphone aficionado of a line that just sold for $3 billion. The two of these men together have the ability to make timeless hip hop, a sound, almost a certain type of hip hop branded by one coast:  the west. A bond of being from a troubled "hood" and knowing the struggles of the "streets" can take you a long way, or so they've shown to this point. But a certain idea was brought to my attention not too long ago that is just crazy enough to believe.

And now I propose to you...a question if you will:  Is Kendrick Lamar Dr. Dre's long awaited Detox?  Now hear me out here, this might not make sense to you like, at ALL, but then I really got to thinking about hip hop's best kept secret, and the ones keeping it. I know that Detox at this point is nearly a myth, the best album that no one has ever heard, incredible production, insane feature verses only from the best of the best in the game, production value rivaled by NO ONE, maybe even a few unheard Tupac verses?  The ideas for Detox are endless at this point, but I don't think Detox is what people think it is.

Now when it comes to Dre being the mentor that he is so well known to be, the list of names is a pretty good one. It's not far off to say that Dre is responsible for the come up of Snoop Dogg, Eminem, 50 Cent, Game, NWA, the list goes on (besides Slim The Mobster, whatever happened to that dude?). But the latest protégé taken under Dre's wing has been none other than fellow Compton emcee Kendrick Lamar. It wouldn't be wrong to think that Kendrick is just another successful artist, but it seems to me there is more to this...and now let me tell you why.

It is known that Kendrick Lamar is a clean, sober rapper that stays away from even the every-so-often beer. Yes Kendrick is 100% sober and has even rapped about overdosing on a laced blunt in Compton in the song "Maad City." The line is as follows: "Cocaine laced in marijuana and they wonder why I rarely smoke now, imagine if your first blunt had you foaming at the mouth." So its obviously safe to say that Kendrick is far out of the norm for a rapper/producer like Dr. Dre:  for God's sake Dre's first two albums are named The Chronic and The Chronic 2001, but the idea of Detox is to push Dre toward a new path. Whether he's sober or not nobody but Dre knows, but he has come out to say that Detox would be his final album.

Not only does Kendrick fit the "detox" theme that Dre is aimed for, but believe it or not, there is even more to this!  Obviously with both Dre and Kendrick being from Compton, there is (what you'd think) a certain chemistry between the two, you know, with seeing what they saw in Compton and all that. A bond had to be made with not only growing up with the hard ships of living in Compton, but with the music as well. It's like Dre is the king and Kendrick is the prince, he's still learning it all and has a way to go, but its like its set in stone:  Kendrick will carry on the tradition of west coast hip hop when Dre decides to call it a career. The torch will be passed, and in good measure, it's almost like Kendrick's come up was meant to be, seeing as its a known fact that Kendrick was ON SET of Dre and Tupac's California Love music video. That's right, the video was shot near his house in California. And on top of everything else, Dre and Kendrick even attended the same high school (Centennial High) in Compton!  Now it's starting to make a lot more sense that Kendrick has a song called "Look Out For Detox".

So when you think about things that are meant to be, this entire scenario is nothing less. It was pretty insane when I got to thinking about it I'll admit, but conspiracy theories be damned I had to address this. As reclusive as Dre is with everything nowadays (don't get me started on new music, or even something as simple as that incredibly dope Beats commercial with Dre and Kendrick in it. Can we at least get some official audio?), it didn't seem far off to assume that there was a bigger idea behind it all. Although the idea's insane, can you blame me for dreaming?  In case you didn't see the incredibly dope Beats commercial featuring the two, check out the director's cut below.

 

     *I do not own this video or the rights to it. I do not own Beats or the rights to them*



      




 

Carter V: What Do YOU Expect?

Lil Wayne has been the absolute biggest, most talked about rap artist out the past 10 years, more or less. Starting out rapping at the incredibly young age of 9, he signed to Young Money Records, and the rest is history. Now it is debated at one time that he was considered the best rapper alive (of course me being me, I cannot agree with this statement), but to some Wayne fans he has fallen off completely. A couple singles have been leaked off of his forthcoming Carter V album and they seem to be getting mixed reviews. But I'd like to hear from the real heads; has Wayne fallen off or will Carter V be his rise back to the top?

Now this year has been an unsure, rocky road for Wayne and his supporters. With Carter V originally being promised in May, obviously there were some complications, but Wayne has showed promise with the few singles he's released so far. I don't listen to Wayne regularly and I can truly say I like to get jiggy when I hear the Drake-assisted "Believe Me" come on the radio. He also recently put out his newest song "Grindin," with Drake adding a decent verse, although it is said that the "Grindin" cut would not be included on the album, supposedly just a song to kick off their hyped Drake vs. Lil Wayne tour coming up. It seems Wayne really wasn't kidding when he said "and we'll be okay if we put Drake on every hook." These Drake hooks have seen success up to this point, but how will the solo cuts fair?  I suppose we'll see soon enough.

To be honest, this whole Wayne situation confuses me. Who really knows what's in store for him and his future in music?  Talk of so many different projects has come up that it would make retiring a pretty hard concept to grasp. By the age of 35 Wayne wants to call it quits?  A pretty big part of me doesn't believe that for a second. See what I did there? Since Wayne's song is called... never mind. Wayne has put too many thoughts in the heads of his fans to just call it quits so soon, even if he still has a few years to go. With the rumors of the collaborative albums with Drake and Juelz Santana, and even rumors of contributions to a possible Big Tymers album, how will he be able to manage it all in less than 4 years?

If I can give my opinion on it I'd say he's bluffing, but he does have kids to attend to. So the thought of retirement certainly isn't out of the question, although its hard to tell if Wayne knows what he's leaving behind. A legacy of one of the hardest working rappers in the past 5 years, maybe more, is definitely evident to many, if not all hip hop fans. I see him staying on Young Money and helping out in the production process of the label's albums, such as Drake and Nicki Minaj's solo albums, but that's IF he really retires. Who knows?  Carter V is coming soon though, rumors of less than 2 months maybe, but no real date given yet. If it really is his last, just be a fan. Don't judge the album, don't say what he could of done better, just be a fan, listen and enjoy what he puts together for you. For Wayne's legacy, and for hip hop. Hit me up on twitter (@SuperNovaRover) and Google+ if you have opinions on what you think the album will be like, or if you think he'll really retire.

   

Producing Greatness: Rappers Who Produce for Themselves & Others

Rappers over the years have been seen as ignorant, braggadocios, and even in some cases untalented. While some of these claims may be true, I disagree with untalented, at least for most rappers. Rap has changed since the days of long gold chains and wearing all ADIDAS brand clothes and shoes. Although style is not the point here, I'm talking about the transcending of talent with every rapper you hear today. Each of them is different from the next, some may have a born singing voice, some may be fantastic writers, and so on. But if a rapper needs one thing to rap, its beats. The talent in the producing pool of rappers these days is more phenomenal than its ever been. Shall we discuss? 

Now obviously the first rapper/producer that comes to mind is the one that started it all:  Dr. Dre. Since his start with World Class Wreckin Cru, Dre has only moved his way up the hip hop corporate ladder. Not only producing for himself and NWA back in the day, he's produced not only music for, but started the careers of hip hop legends like Tupac and Eminem, as well as other mega stars 50 Cent, Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, and too many more to name. Not only being a producer for some of hip hop's biggest hits of all time, Dre has recently become known for selling his famous Beats headphone line for over a billion dollars, historically becoming hip hop's first billionaire (the importance of this event is monumental, but that discussion shall be saved for another day, by the way Dre, can we get Detox now?).

Nowadays its not rare to find another rapper that produces for not only themselves, but other rappers as well. Huge names in hip hop today such as Eminem, Mac Miller, J. Cole, Kanye West, Big K.R.I.T, Kid Cudi, B.o.B, and many more have dabbled in producing beats. Clearly to me Eminem has been taking production tips from Dr. Dre over the years, producing select songs from the first Marshall Mathers LP all the way down to his latest release Marshall Mathers LP 2. Em has even gone on to produce for Slaughterhouse on their major label debut album "Welcome To: Our House."

Mac Miller to me has absolutely been one of the most hard working men in the music business to date, not only rapping but producing as well. If you keep up with Mac you know he's constantly in the studio, having a huge year in 2013 not only releasing a mix tape of all his very own self produced instrumentals titled Run On Sentences Vol. 1 under the moniker Larry Fisherman, another self produced mix tape titled Delusional Thomas, his first live album Live From Space in December of 2013, but also his second studio album Watching Movies With The Sound Off. If you don't consider Mac to be one of the most consistent in the game, you might want to re-evaluate your list, or maybe even your life.

When people talk about Big K.R.I.T, they usually talk very heavily on his southern brand of bumping music heavily considered to be influenced by the likes of Bun B, UGK and all types of slow Houston type hip hop. But if you know anything about K.R.I.T, you know that he produces all of his music too, and he is very, VERY good at what he does. Not only did he produce his entire debut album Live From The Underground, meaning EVERY single song off of it, but he also produced almost every song off of his very successful 2013 mix tape King Remembered In Time. If you haven't listened to K.R.I.T yet, you're truly missing out, and that's coming from a fan that has only listened to him since the beginning of 2013, and is incredibly eager to hear what he has in store with his upcoming sophomore album Cadillactica, supposed to be hitting store shelves before the end of 2014.

Now J. Cole is a lesser known producer and more known for his rap, though it is hard to overlook his fantastic lyrical miracle efforts along with his blend of real, emotional, venting type of music. But Cole is a fantastic producer who doesn't really get the credit you'd think he deserves on his production. Not only has he produced such great songs for Kendrick Lamar such as "HiiPoWeR" and "The Jig Is Up," but he's also produced his entire Born Sinner album minus a couple songs, along with songs off of his debut album like "Work Out", "Can't Get Enough", "Nobody's Perfect" and many more from other rappers as well.

So you get the point, or you should by now. Rappers are more talented than you think!  Producing is getting to be more and more of a hands on thing now for rappers, whether they be making their own beats or beats for other rappers. When you think about it, doesn't it make it much more simple to rap over a beat you know all the ins and outs to?  In this sense, these guys probably deserve a lot more credit than they're all getting. All that work is being done so us the fans can love and appreciate true rap greatness the right way!  Get back to me with your thoughts on Twitter (@SuperNovaRover) or Google+, y'all know the drill.     







 

      



      

Internet Video Blogs: Why People Love a Day in the Life of a Superstar

I'll admit, whenever I get online to do my check ups, (songs, videos, mix tapes, etc.) I do have the guilty pleasure of watching the occasional Wiz Khalifa DayToday blog. I haven't even listened to any of his new music since after Cabin Fever 2 came out. I'll tell you what though, when it comes to watching that man live his life there's just something sweet about those videos that make me tune in for the next one, and I can't be the only one. Is anyone else guilty of getting caught up in the life of a superstar in his/her/their internet vlog?

In a generation where the internet basically rules the world, musicians and artists (mostly rappers that I've seen, I don't know if Taylor Swift does the occasional "look at me and how awesome I'm living" video, although I'm sure people would watch) know how to keep up in this young and hip day and age. What's the saying, if you can't beat em, join em?  Not to mention all the fans that tune in, if these artists give a day for when the next one airs they'll be waiting by their computer like Eminem and 50 Cent (although probably not as patiently, who knows).

But really when you look at it, who isn't doing this nowadays?  Internet vlogs are the new thing so to speak, such artists as Wiz Khalifa, Lil Wayne, Action Bronson, Slaughterhouse, and many more love to keep their fans updated with things like tour vlogs, a simple day in the life, or even traveling and just trying new foods (Bronson's "Fuck That's Delicious," I'd imagine watching it I'd just get hungry). But speaking as a fan of them myself, I have to admit I love the idea. I've watched Wiz's DayToday's basically since season 1, I've seen almost every episode (regrettably), and when it comes down to it, some of these videos really do give fans what they wish to see; a day in the life of a superstar.

Seriously though, I'd very much appreciate to live this type of life style.  Who wouldn't?  I'm low key jealous watching Wiz's DayToday's. All you see this man doing is living his life; he smokes weed, he drinks, goes on tour and performs, occasionally hits the jewelry store for a new chain, I mean come on. Not only is this sort of thing just TOO cool for people to watch, it benefits the artist that much more. That gives much more head room for artists to not only promote themselves, but other artists and friends as well. As a die hard hip hop fan, admittedly I really do like to be the first one to let people know the news on not only my favorite artists, but theirs as well.

Isn't it amazing how simply watching videos of people living can cause so much envy for fans?  Could they maybe even be motivation for some people to do better to a point?  I suppose we'll see the next big artist on the come up documenting it all themselves soon enough. Watching Wiz that early in his career back in 2009 and 2010 and thinking about it all now is crazy. He sold out a little too much for my liking, but even just thinking about that time period is a crazy, yet wonderful thing. Artists on the come up surely should be taking notes if they haven't been already. Maybe there's something to letting people get to know you and your journey to "the top." Or maybe people just can't help but succumb to artists' insane vlogs and rich lifestyle. I'm not sure which one I'm more drawn to yet. Well, maybe I am, but just scared to admit it...