As previously reported, Island is releasing the first posthumous Amy Winehouse record, Lioness: Hidden Treasures – on December 5th – just in time for the Holidays. Just a couple days after the album announcement, the Nas-assisted “Like Smoke”, one of the few tracks on the album not an “alternate” take on an existing Winehouse recording, has hit the net after being premiered on New York’s Hot97.
Nas will drop his next record Life is Good on Def Jam soon (we saw the video for first single “Nasty” just yesterday), but he’s also lent his talents to the soundtrack for upcoming film “Tower Heist” with appropriately titled new Rick Ross collab “It’s a Tower Heist.” Deftly riding a horn-heavy spy-movie beat, the dynamic duo serve up a disappointingly short jam full of catchy lyrical hooks. Check it out.
“Nasty”, the first single from Nas’ forthcoming tenth LP, Life is Good, has received the music video treatment. The clip’s just another reason to listen to the incredibly awesome “Nasty”. Go for it.
It’s finally Friday and things are looking up with great weather and the Tiesto, Diplo, Dada Life, & Porter Robinson show that we will be attending tomorrow. Today’s headlines include a must-hear story about a documentary film, RE:GENERATION, the new Justice EP, and Mark Ronson. Check out a video, some articles, and a little inspiration after the jump…
Hyundai Veloster Presents: RE:GENERATION
“I like to say this is the first new Doors track of the 21st century,” Ray Manzarek tells Rolling Stone of a new song he’s recorded with Robby Krieger and John Densmore, as well as popular DJ/producer Skrillex (Sonny Moore). The recording session and song are part of a documentary film, RE:GENERATION, that recruited five popular DJs/producers to work with artists from five separate genres and had them record new music. A glimpse of the results are featured in the world premiere of the trailer (below).
The project, co-produced by the Grammys and directed by Amir Bar Lev (The Pat Tillman Story, My Child Can Paint That), brought in DJ Premier to produce a classical track with Nas and the Berklee School of Music Orchestra; Pretty Lights, who did a country song with Leann Rimes and Ralph Stanley; the Crystal Method, who headed to Detroit to spend two days recording a R&B tune with Martha Reeves; and Mark Ronson, who teamed with Erykah Badu, members of the Dap Kings and Trombone Shorty for a jazz cut in New Orleans. The film should premiere early in 2012 and will be a big part of Grammy Week next year, with the artists involved doing “Remix Labs,” as well an event at the Grammy Museum and screening that week. (via Rolling Stone)
I’m very interested to see how those tracks will turn out. Be sure to click the Hyundai ads here on GDD™ to see more footage of the recording sessions and other background information to get the inside scoop!
Justice’s Audio, Video, Disco
Justice’s long-awaited sophomore album, Audio, Video, Disco, arrives October 24th via Ed Banger Records. Listen to what it sounds like as a condensed, 4-minute medley, and see the full tracklist below. Justice was a big influence on my electronic music tastes and I hope they can bring us a quality follow-up to Cross. We’ve definitely been waiting long enough…
Mark Ronson lays down new track for London 2012 Olympics
After two solo records and an album with Amy Winehouse, Mark Ronson faces what may be his greatest challenge yet: an anthem for London 2012. The singer and producer has been tapped to create a theme for next year’s Olympic Games, which will be deployed on thousands of Coca-Cola adverts. “You have one shot, one song,” he said yesterday. “It has to be great.”
Ronson is reportedly collaborating with Katy B on this new song, which samples the sounds of athletes from around the world. From the thunks of tennis balls to the thwoks of arrows, all will be diced, spliced and layered on to the commercial soundtrack. Ronson has been travelling the globe, taping microphones to athletes’ legs, arms and chests, trying to make music from all the sweat and exertion.
The finished recording will purportedly be the theme for all of Coke’s London 2012 adverts, to be unveiled in March and subsequently aired thousands of times worldwide. The last time Coca-Cola did something similar – borrowing K’naan’s song Wavin’ Flag as the company’s 2010 Fifa World Cup theme – that song became a global hit, reaching No. 2 in the UK. (via The Guardian)
In honor of Steve Jobs
Last but not least, I wanted to share a bit of wisdom with you in honor of Steve Jobs. RIP.
Here’s to the Crazy Ones.
The misfits.
The rebels.
The troublemakers.
The round pegs in the square holes.
The ones who see things differently.
They’re not fond of rules.
And they have no respect for the status quo.
You can quote them, disagree with them,
disbelieve them, glorify or vilify them.
About the only thing that you can’t do, is ignore them.
Because they change things.
They invent. They imagine. They heal.
They explore. They create. They inspire.
They push the human race forward.
Maybe they have to be crazy.
How else can you stare at an empty canvas and see a work of art?
Or, sit in silence and hear a song that hasn’t been written?
Or, gaze at a red planet and see a laboratory on wheels?
We make tools for these kinds of people.
While some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius.
Because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world,
are the ones who do.
Nas has been hot on the radar recently, with his collaboration with Common on “Ghetto Dreams,” putting out unreleased tracks to promote the release of his forthcoming tenth LP, Life Is Good, (noteworthy mention, Tyler, The Creator and Frank Ocean will both appear on it) or the record’s bangin first single “Nasty.”
You and your friend ever have the same dream at the same time? Such is the premise of the new Common and Nas video for their track “Ghetto Dreams,” from Common’s forthcoming The Dreamer, The Believer.
Two months ago, Amazon premiered a preview of a collaboration between veteran conscious MC’s Nas and Common, which is going to appear on Common’s forthcoming ninth LP, The Dreamer, The Believer. Now, after a large public demand to hear the song in its entirety, Nas posted the track to his Twitter, which fans responded quite warmly to, and is live streaming below.
New Nas single is ridiculous. Reminds me of classic Nas material off “Illmatic.”
It’s been nearly three years since he’s released any new real solo work. “Life Is Good” is the title of the forthcoming album due for release later this year and it’s expected to have lots of collaborations including Kanye West and Frank Ocean.
Could it be? Is Nas really resurrecting hip hop from the ‘dead’? During a time when rappers are pretty much just kids from the suburbs complaining about nothing that warrants a four plus minute track, it’s pretty nice to get some of that old school ‘Nasty Nas’ back into our headphones.
