Mos Def/"24 Hour Karate School"

Kanye posted new "24 Hour Karate School" from Mos Def. Track was produced by Jay Z beatmaker Ski Beatz. Track showcases all the low key too high to pronunciate flow that we all have come to dig.

Mos Def/"Supermagic"

"Supermagic" is one of the best lead-off tracks for an album I have heard in sometime. Unfortunately, it sets a tone for Mos Def's 2009 Ecstatic that is never maintained and you crave the duration of the record. Perhaps that is the magic of the track. Whether it is for his own album (Ehtiopium/sampling Ehtiopian music) or for Mos (sampling Turkish psych Sleda), Oh No takes ethnic/world music and produces another monster in "Supermagic." Ecstatic was good, not stellar or mind blowing, but good. "Supermagic" is mind blowing.

Sleigh Bells/"Infinity Guitars" on Tunnelvision

I am really only posting this video because of where it took place and because I have posted Sleigh Bells before. The performance isn't amazing, however, it took place at rap mogul Damon Dash's basement venue, Under 100, in Manhattan. Dash, Mos Def, and Curren$y were on hand for Sleigh Bells, Javelin, and Knife Hyts performance on the venue's inaugural night. What is with the crowd and their lack of groove. No rocking out in sight!

[via Pitchfork]

better on track?...

Sleigh Bells:: A/B Machines

Sleigh Bells:: Crown on the Ground

Sleigh Bells:: Infinity Guitars

"History" Live on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon

Mos Def and Talib Kweli stopped by "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" to perform "History" from Mos Def's '09 release the Ecstatic. The Roots (Fallon house band) performed the instrumentals along with guest performances by Amber Coffman and Haley Dekle of Dirty Projectors. This is a truly organic Hip Hop performance.

[via Pitchfork]

New Mos Def "Casa Bey" & Cudi talks with Pitchfork

Mos Def is back with some new material.  "Casa Bey" is off of his coming album Ecstatic (June 9).  I really dig the simplicity of the video along with the idea that the video's concept puts forth.  When discussing hip hop, the literal meaning of lyrics plays second to tempo, rhythme, and the style of language that creates the sonic environment. (words emerge from shapes) Some people criticize Mos Def's flow for being lyrically indecipherable.  Now that you know what he is saying...does it matter?

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When I first heard Destructo mix in Kid Cudi's Day 'N' Nite at the Avalon this past January, I took huge notice of Cudi and immediately got his mixtape A Kid Named Cudi.  The stoner anthem is unique in its ability to span multiple genres, house, electro, hip hop and I am sure some indie kids will add it to their Echoplex set sooner or later.  That element of his music is one of many that Cudi talks about in Pitchfork's short but to the point interview.  Cudi claims that his debut will be highly experimental in an effort to master creating his own sound because "people are taking [his] sound."  In the interview Cudi dishes on who he has collaborated with and who he hopes to before the album is finished.  One of his hopefuls is Band Of Horses, in which Cudi sampled Ben Bidwell's vocals for "The Prayer" on A Kid Named Cudi.  Check the entire interview here.

A Kid Named Cudi:: The Prayer

A Kid Named Cudi:: Day 'N' Nite