25 Magazine » Kanye West

Kanye West Debuts Official “Monster” Video

25 Music — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 08:25:34 +0000

In the small hours of June 5, Kanye West released the official video for “Monster” featuring Jay-Z, Nicki Minaj and Rick Ross on his official website. Previously, an unfinished version of the video had leaked in February featuring decapitated models and a sadomasochistic Nicki Minaj segment. New to the official version of the video–a disclaimer.

In what appears to be an attempt by West’s camp to deter a public relations scandal, the video opens with a disclaimer instead of it’s original Rick Ross cut. In February, the leaked version of the video prompted petitions to Universal Music Group and MTV asking senior management to cut support for the video due to images of “eroticized violence against women.” Despite garnering over 15,000 signatures on the online petition, few changes have been made to the video and instead, a disclaimer was added to the final production. After a minute into the video this much is clear, Kanye West certainly has a controversial interpretation of what it means to be a “monster,” one he’s well aware he will have to defend in the wake of the release.

Kanye’s Art: Reaching Beyond the Music

25Mag — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 21:04:25 +0000

Kanye West is not only a hip-hop legend, but also a pop culture icon. Contributing writer, Talib Babb, delves into Kanye’s endeavors throughout the past decade.

With over 15 million albums sold worldwide, four No. 1 albums in the U.S. and 14 Grammy Awards, there is no doubt that music extraordinaire Kanye West is among the greats in hip-hop. Beyond his individual talent, West is founder of G.O.O.D. Music, a label that has been receiving a huge buzz over the years. G.O.O.D. Music boasts a rap-heavy roster with artists like John Legend, Common, Kid Cudi and Big Sean under its management. West’s unique production and songwriting style has also been instrumental in emerging him into a crème de la crème musician of the past decade. What seems to get lost in the midst of all of West’s musical success, however, is what he has accomplished outside of the industry.

Since entering the music industry, Kanye West has been a trendsetter. “I always try to switch the game up. Anytime somebody do something, I always try to figure out something new,” West stated in a 2002 interview with DJ WhooKid. Nine years later, it is evident that he has not strayed far from his trailblazer mentality.

Star athletes, like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, are usually the only people to have success with Nike shoe collaborations. You think that stopped Kanye? In April 2009, Kanye West and Nike joined forces to create a modern classic, the Air Yeezys. The shoe fuses Nike’s traditional style with design concepts that reflect West’s polished flair. Sneaker lovers everywhere are awaiting the release of the Air Yeezy 2. French luxury brand Louis Vuitton was also fond enough of West’s fashion sense to coproduce a line of sneakers that were released in June 2009. West, the self-proclaimed “Louis Vuitton Don,” has been a sort of unofficial advocate for the brand, sporting it frequently since infiltrating the media in 2002.

Not only has West advocated for high-end clothing lines, in 2008 he began production on Pastelle, his own brand of street wear. Unfortunately, after West spent nearly a year designing the line, for reasons unknown Pastelle never reached the general public. Himself and his friends are the only people to ever wear the brand.

Controversy has also been one of Kanye’s specialties. West is far from being a sheepish voice in hip hop, having had his share of contentious encounters. Most notably were the comments he made about former President George W. Bush during a live broadcast for a Hurricane Katrina relief effort in 2005. “George Bush does not care about black people,” was the remark that shocked the world and put Kanye West in the media limelight. He had spoken what many people were too afraid to say; he had become the voice of an oppressed people. At the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, West took it upon himself to rectify Beyoncé losing the Video of the Year award to Taylor Swift. He jumped on stage, interrupting Taylor’s acceptance speech by snatching the mic, and let the world know whom he thought should win. His pompousness was met with resentment, and soon after he vanished from the public eye to face his monsters.

Don’t be mistaken, West does have a soft side. One of the biggest contributions he has made to the community is the Kanye West Foundation, established in 2003 with a mission to fight the severe dropout rate in schools across America. Through the foundation and in his mother’s honor, he has thrown numerous concerts and has donated over $500,000 to schools in an effort to motivate children to stay in school by helping them find inspiration through music. As part of his partnership with Nike, profits from the Air Yeezys are also donated to the foundation.

Throughout the years, Kanye West has worked to bring new ideas and perspectives to not only hip-hop, but pop culture in general. It is evident that he is a leader of the new school of entertainment, and it is also clear that he is not afraid to reinvent and propel himself to advanced dimensions. “Everyone says all great art comes from pain, but I think my greatest art comes from excitement and joy. It’s a completely different perspective about being extremely excited about something that is only cool to me,” West stated in a 2010 interview with Rolling Stone discussing his latest album’s motivation.

Kanye’s fifth studio album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy was released November 2010 and debuted at #1 on the US Billboard 200 chart, with 496,000 copies sold in the US the first week. This album featured many of the top musicians from all genres of music. Many music critics noted that the sound and vibe of this album was a “culmination” of Kanye’s previous four albums. His creativity and trendsetting abilities came into play once again on the collaboration he and contemporary artist George Condo had for MBDTF’s album cover. All of West’s previous albums’ covers carried titles with substance and artwork that has evolved and intensified with each album, but the five individual covers for My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy were otherworldly. One cover depicts a naked and distorted version of West grasping a beer bottle while a naked, nipple-flashing leopard-tail phoenix straddles him. Yet another cover shows an image of West’s decapitated head bearing a crown and a sword through its side.

For MBDTF, West also decided to take a seat in the director’s chair with his second single “Runaway.” To accompany the single, West directed a 35-minute short film which also served as the music video. The film was described by West as an “overall representation of what he dreams” and a parallel to his music career.

From his whimsical album covers, controversial actions, and avante garde fashion choices, Kanye West has and always will be something more than an ordinary Hip Hop artist, but someone who is also instrumental in the world’s pop culture. West is leaving a trail in the music industry that many budding artists are using as a guide, though Kanye doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. Currently working on a collaboration album with Jay-Z entitled Watch the Throne, we perceive West will be perched on the throne of hip-hop for many more years to come.

Kanye West- Runaway (Full-Length Film)

www.Kanyewestfoundation.org

nikeairyeezys.com

*Photo credit: madamenoir.com (Watch the Throne Art) and Adam Bielawski (Kanye West Foundation)

Kanye West x Cam’ron x Teyana Taylor – “Christmas in Harlem” (mp3)

25 Music — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 14:46:28 +0000

It hasn’t even been a month since Kanye West released his critically acclaimed album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, and the Chicago emcee is already back to business as usual and pumping out new music. This time West ditches some of the usual subjects for Teyana Taylor, Cam’ron, Musiq Soulchild, Jim Jones, CyHi Da Prynce, Pusha T, and Big Sean.

Kanye West - Christmas in Harlem Ft. Teyana Taylor, Cam'ron, Musiq Soulchild, Jim Jones, CyHi Da Prynce, Pusha T, and Big Sean

What do you think of West’s tribute to holidays on 125th?

Dear Lupe Fiasco, You’ve Been Unfollowed.

25Mag — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 15:41:18 +0000

Should artists keep their political views out of the public eye? Kendra Desrosiers writes about the latest developments in Chicago emcee, Lupe Fiasco’s timeline.

Hell hath no fury like a follower scorned. After a flurry of anti-Bush tweets from Chicago bred emcee, Lupe Fiasco, fan Robert Nalette (@detroitrobbie) unfollowed him.

In response, Lupe Fiasco retweeted the announcement and soon after, the post was nowhere to be found. Nalette deleted it.

Fiasco didn’t have to respond to Nalette’s attack, he knew several of his 250k+ followers would. And they did. Nalette was the recipient of over 100 opposing mentions that ranged from polite disagreements to racial insults. The twitter bullying presumably became too much for Nalette and he activated the private setting on his account.

Nalette’s tweet was only up for minutes, just long enough for 38 twitter users to spread the word and contribute to over 9k impressions and reach over 8.5k people according to TweetReach.

And for four hours, Nalette was a twitter celebrity. He engaged the onslaught of Lupe Fiasco fans, made his timeline public once again and found camaraderie in a handful of supporters—he even gained a few followers.

But did Nalette have a point? Should artists make public statements about their political views? In a recent Facebook study, a researcher found that one of the leading reasons a user would unfriend another user are posts on polarizing topics such as religion and politics. For artists, a web following can make the difference in album sales and reach—especially in the case of Lupe Fiasco and his web petition—so in the interest of maintaining a strong fan base, it may be advisable for a musician to remain neutral.

Preston Mann (@Preston_Schmann), a college student and self-proclaimed conservative political activist also found issue with Fiasco bringing a political agenda onto twitter. He didn’t unfollow Lupe Fiasco, but he did engage.

Lupe Fiasco sent over a dozen mentions Mann’s way, each a RT with his response included. Like Nalette, Mann was flooded with even more mentions from Fiasco followers, but this time they were civil— for the most part.

As much of Nalette and Mann’s opposition pointed out, Lupe Fiasco has always been one for controversy and has long rapped about what many consider liberal extremist views. But if you can listen to “American Terrorist” you can handle the three-dozen political tweets Fiasco posted Friday, right? Not quite.

Opposition by conservative fans to Fiasco’s liberal views are to be expected to some extent, but some followers weren’t simply opposed, but offended.

Even followers with no clear opposition to Lupe Fiasco’s views had had enough.

Without access to Lupe Fiasco’s account, it isn’t possible to quantify fluctuations in his following, butTweet Effect does offer some food for thought.

According to Tweet Effect, a website that measures the impact of twitter updates:

The Tweet Effect statistics are inconclusive but do note a drop in a handful of followers with half of Fiasco’s responses to Mann, the other half however, were marked with significant gains. Also, according to Tweet Analyzer, Lupe Fiasco’s follower gains are inconsistent and frequently fluctuates between gains of 800-900 followers to 1400-1500 daily.

Typically, artists tend to see a consistent average in follower growth when external events like mixtape releases don’t come into play. Interestingly enough, before J. Cole (213,631) released his mixtape Friday Night Lights on Nov. 12, he and Fiasco (267,585) had comparable follower growth despite the fact that J. Cole has never released an album, is a considerably less popular artist and hardly tweets—something to think about.

Some think Lupe Fiasco hinders himself, especially on twitter and in the digital space. Sabotaging his own career by battling media outlets that help keep him afloat, reneging on project release promises, andcriticizing his record label, Atlantic. Others consider Fiasco the underdog. Despite setbacks, Fiasco’s fan base remains intact, political agenda and all.

The issue of whether artists should maintain neutrality is heavily debated and the impact of taking a stance on polarizing issues has only been measured anecdotally. Until we can quantify, there’s no telling.

At the end of Lupe Fiasco’s tweet rant this much was clear; if the left had an extreme, Tea Party equivalent, it’d be called Lasers with Wasulu at the helm and fans on deck.

-@SincerelyJane

This post was republished from social media and hip-hop blog, BornIn88.com, courtesy of the author.

Kanye West x Keri Hilson x Pusha T – “Take One For The Team” (mp3)

25Mag — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 00:00:28 +0000

Well you can’t say we didn’t call it! In accordance with “G.O.O.D. Fridays,” Kanye West dropped “Take One for the Team” featuring Keri Hilson, Pusha T of The Clipse and Cyhi the Prynce and marked the end of his “nice guy” public relations campaign. The Chicago emcee went from tweeting “Yo being nice is my whole sh*t now” back to rapping:

You know what?/ I figured out I’m not a nice guy/ I shook hands, kissed babies, gave it a nice try,” ‘Ye raps. “You know what?/ I hate pictures of other people kids/ I hate plastic couches in other people cribs.

And his trademark curt, lady musings:

Why every ghetto b*tch gotta smell like Love Spell/ Or that God damn cucumber Bath and Body Works?/ I can still smell the sweat the sh*t hardly works/ What about cool water that sh*t probably worse

So much for Mr. Nice Guy. Not sure how Keri Hilson fits into this one, what do you think?

Kanye West - Take One for the Team Ft. Pusha T, Keri Hilson, Cyphi the Prynce

Kanye West x Jay-Z – “Power (remix)” (mp3)

25Mag — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 05:34:56 +0000

After a fruitful press tour of sorts Kanye West hit the studio and has been recording with everyone from Jay Electronica and Raekwon to Kobe Bryant and Mos Def. This time he gets big brother, Jay-Z to remix his single “Power.” Stream after the jump.

Kanye West - Power (remix) Ft. Jay-Z

Kanye West x Beyonce x Charlie Wilson – See Me Now (mp3)

25Mag — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 23:26:22 +0000

Uncle Charlie by the way/And I’m a let you finish but I got Beyonce on the track

“See Me Now” Ft. Beyonce and Charlie Wilson (yes, Charlie Wilson) premiered last night on Angie Martinez’s Hot 97 radio show. Expect a remix with none other than Jay-Z later this week. How do we feel about the new, enlightened Kanye West?

Kanye West - See Me Now Ft. Beyonce x Charlie Wilson

‘The Social Network Trailer,’ Features Kanye West’s “Power” (video)

Kendra Desrosiers — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 09:01:32 +0000

Check out the intriguing trailer for The Social Network, the film based on the youngest billionaire in history and creator of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg. The trailer features Kanye West’s “Power.” Hit the theaters October 1.

No one man should have all that power. Fitting.

Kanye West Rethinks Album Title x New Music (video)

Kendra Desrosiers — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 04:18:45 +0000

It appears that Kanye West no longer fancies the title to his upcoming album, Good Ass Job. He announced on twitter that he is back to the drawing board. West did however debut some new material a capella to the staff at Facebook. Check out the videos after the jump.

Kid Cudi x Kanye West – “Erase Me” (mp3)

Kendra Desrosiers — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 01:48:24 +0000

Who better to make an appearance on the indie emo-tinged “Erase Me” than Kanye West? The two are together again for Kid Cudi’s upcoming sophomore release Man on the Moon 2: The Legend of Mr. Rager.

Kid Cudi - Erase Me

Aziz Ansari Calls Out Jay-Z x Kanye West x Drake (mp3)

Kendra Desrosiers — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 03:33:35 +0000

RAAAAAAAANDY (a.k.a. comedian Aziz Ansari) is AAAAAAAANGRY. Randy with Eight A’s has released a “diss track,” “AAAAAAAANGRY,” with producer Dave Sitek calling out rappers Kid Cudi, Jay-Z, Ludacris, Drake, Wu-Tang Clan, Dr. Dre, Eminem, The Clipse, MF Doom, Mos Def, and Kanye West for not sending in their verses for his upcoming mixtape.

“Clipse! What are y’all making more Playcloths? How about putting on some work clothes on and sending us a verse? Next time you guys are baking some crack ,can you look in that oven and see if any lyrics crawled in there that you can rap into a microphone. I asked you guys, I was like ‘hey can you get verses back to me in a couple of weeks’ and y’all were like ‘yuhhh,’ I thought that meant yes but I guess not.” — Randy with Eight A’s – “AAAAAAAANGRY” excerpt

“Some of y’all, alright most of yall are probably like what are these guys talking about they never sent me any beats, well you’re probably right, we’re calling you out, so send us your verses,” says Ansari on the track.

RAAAAAAAANDY Mixtape is set to release, “whenever the f*ck we want it to.” If the “AAAAAAAANGRY” track is a prelude to what’s to come of the project, RAAAAAAAANDY Mixtape may become one of the better mixtapes of the year. #veryfunny

“AAAAAAAANGRY” – RAAAAAAAANDY | Download Here

Tony Williams “Finding Dakota Grey” (mixtape)

Stacyann — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 21:30:17 +0000

Tony Williams drops first solo mixtape. Artwork & tracklisting after the jump!

G.O.O.D. Music vocalist Tony Williams has released his first solo mixtape Finding Dakota Grey, a compilation of original songs and remakes of songs by fellow G.O.O.D. music recording artist, Kanye West. Though the name may sound foreign, you’re probably more familiar with his vocals on tracks such as “We Major,” featured on Kanye West’s Late Registration or “A Star Is Born,” featured on Jay-Z’s Blueprint 3. Williams finally showcases his unique style and voice in-depth, outside of hooks and ad-libs.

Download it here.

01. Intro
02. Hey Boy Hey Girl
03. Backstage Pass
04. Nuskyy Tv Interview
05. Dj Aktive Mix
06. Chicken Wings (Skit)
07. Amazing (Official Remix)
08. Late Early
09. Way I Like It
10. Flashlight
11. Dreamin’ Of Your Love (Parisian Remix)
12. You Know French_ (Skit)
13. Same Movie Scene
14. I’m Not Mad
15. Lala, Lala
16. Been A Lot Of Places (Skit)
17. Linda Garota
18. No (Skit)
19. King Or The Fool
20. Ain’t No Sunshine
21. Nightmares (Official Remix)
22. Still Got Love
23. We Can Make A Hit
24. I Don’t Give A Shit
25. Pro Tools (Skit)
26. Double Back On This Love
27. A Star Is Born

Big Sean ft. Mr. Hudson “Way Out” (mp3)

Stacyann — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 23:42:54 +0000

Big Sean drops new song featuring Mr. Hudson. Download link after the jump!

The G.O.O.D. Music signee dropped the song “Way Out” featuring Mr. Hudson, produced by his mentor, Kanye West.

Download the track here.

Shouts to GoWhereHipHop!

Kanye West “Coldest Winter” (Video)

Stacyann — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 21:44:24 +0000

After being absent from the music scene Kanye releases a chilling new video for the song “Coldest Winter.”

Starving Artists: 88-Keys (interview)

Kendra Desrosiers — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 06:14:54 +0000

Photo courtesy of eightyocho.com | Eric Vogel

WORDS BY LAUREN MCEWEN

Nepotism is alive and well in the music industry. For years, fans have watched as everyone from Kanye West and Lupe Fiasco to 50 Cent and Drake were able to break into the scene after being backed by a hip-hop heavyweight. Such is the case with 88-Keys, a seasoned producer who made his rap debut in 2008.

Cosigned by long-time friend, Kanye West and equipped with a nice flow, a gift for production and a hyphen in his name that he takes very seriously, 88-Keys is gunning for a spot among hip-hop’s elite. His first album, The Death of Adam, was a feature-heavy tribute to a fictional friend named “Adam,” who allowed his love and lust for women to lead him to his demise. Executively produced by West, 88-Keys’ debut was a virtual roll call of musical talent. Artists including Kid Cudi, Phonte of Little Brother, J*DaVeY, Bilal, Redman, Shitake Monkey and of course, Kanye West all paid their respects to Adam, the fallen “everyman.”

After the video for his first single, “Stay Up! (Viagra),” featuring Kanye West, began popping up on video playlists, 88-Keys gained a considerable amount of buzz in the music world. The Death of Adam made it’s way onto a variety of top albums lists, including MySpace’s “Top 50 Albums” and AllMusic’s “Top Hip Hop Albums.”

88-Keys’ latest song “Baggage Claim,” produced by multi-platinum talent Needlz, is themed after ABC’s hit show Lost, shows that Keys has more hits to offer hip-hop. He is currently working on a follow-up album to Adam and it should not disappoint.

Check out his new single, “Baggage Claim”:

Baggage Claim by 88-keys

25 Magazine: When did you decide to pursue a career in music?

88-keys: I guess it was ’97 or ’98 when I first got paid for my music, after doing it for a couple of years. I got about 700 or 900 bucks for selling my very first music that I ever made on a machine that I still use to this day. So I was like, “Ok, so, this is how this is going down. I see.” So I decided to make music my life.

25: Who are your major inspirations?

88-keys: Overall, my inspirations are my brother, Dr. Anthony K. Njapa, Q-Tip, Ralph Lauren and Pete Rock.

25: What’s behind your Polo obsession? Just loving the brand?

88-keys: It’s like you can’t go wrong with Ralph. I started buying the Polo brand back in ’91, but back then I was still buying other brands, but I always noticed that I was spending a long time rummaging through other people’s brands, and always coming up short because I didn’t really like the stuff, but by the time I went to the Ralph Lauren Polo section, of the department stores I used to shop in I couldn’t even decide which ones to pick because they were all fresh.

Finally I just said, “Why am I wasting my time trying to shop with other brands when I don’t love their clothing,” but I always love Polo stuff, so that was it, since ’92 until now. And then since ’06 is when I decided to wear Polo from head to toe. I don’t own any Nikes or whatever cats are wearing now days, Supras. I don’t own any New Era, or New York fitted hats, or anything like that. It’s just all Ralph Lauren Polo.

25: What made you choose dedicate entire debut album to your friend?

88-keys: It’s a story that everybody knows, and everybody is familiar with, but I felt like that story hadn’t been told through music in such detail. Sure, there are love songs, of course. There are songs about meeting that special someone. There are even songs about catching STDs out there, I’m sure, but I don’t think anyone has pulled it off quite the way I have: making the story very concise and fluid, almost.

25: Your bio on your website said that some of his other friends were upset that you dedicated your entire album to him. Why do you think that they feel that way?

88-keys: My bio is actually just a play on my album. Anything regarding myself on my bio is all true, but Adam is actually a fictional person, but he’s everybody. I do have friends who went through the same stuff that Adam went through, and I feel that every man has gone through some, if not all, of what Adam went through on my album—like what he actually went through physically and thought processes and his emotions.

And I feel that every woman of age knows an “Adam” in their lives. Whether they dealt with that person or their homegirls went out with that person and they were trying to steer them clear of that person. Adam could be mine and your father. So, Adam is every man in one way or the other.

Photo courtesy of eightyocho.com | Eric Vogel

25: How does it feel to be a family man breaking out into the music industry? Hip-hop isn’t always the most family-friendly of genres?

88-keys: I’m a father of two and a husband of one. That’s one of the reasons that I made the album because I’m trying to restore the traditional family unit. It definitely has its downsides. I don’t work on my music as much as I used to because I have other obligations to my wife and my daughters, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. I love them, and we plan on making more to add to the clan.

We’re actually working on a schedule. The schedule has allowed me to have three free days to work, and then my wife helps out as often as she can, like holding the kids down while I try to bring home the bacon. But she brings in bacon, too. She actually might wind up bringing home more bacon than I am, because she’s awesome and she has her creative business going on that she started.

25: Doing what?

88-keys: I’ll just say that it deals with photography. My wife is a self-taught photographer. She’s pretty dope. She has a website up. She met another woman who shares her interest and is a self-taught photographer. They clicked and formed a business plan, and it’s crazy. I think she might wind up making an “M” before I do, to be honest. But we’re married so, what’s mine is hers and what’s hers is mine.

25: What’s your favorite song on your entire album?

88-keys: My favorite song would be numbers 1 through 14. Had you asked me the same question before Kanye came in as executive producer, I would have said a song that no longer appears on the album, and everything else was secondary. But now, that the song was taken off I just love every song as much as the previous one. Yeah…my album’s pretty dope.

25: Who are three people that you would love to collaborate with in the future?

88-keys: Michael McDonald, Lupe Fiasco and, had he not passed so suddenly, I’d like to say the late, great, J-Dilla.

25: Do you have any plans for a tour in the future?

88-keys: Yeah, my management is working to get a meeting with a very well-known, reputable agency, but it’s been pretty hectic. The agency actually put me on tour with Kid Cudi, Asher Roth and B.O.B., and through them I also did a show with Lupe Fiasco a little while ago at Governors Island. As far as getting more touring gigs, that’s kind of up in the air right now. I’m pretty sure it’s gonna happen, but we just have to get the meeting. I’m actually happy that I’m not on the road right now because now I’m working on my next album, my next mixtape, and a bunch of projects, like some feature verses that I owe people, and my next beat CD—so I am a busy man!

25: Do any of your other projects have themes to them?

88-keys: They will. My next album most likely will, but I haven’t really decided yet. But I will say this—it’ll be dope! You heard it here first, folks.

25: Do you have any advice for other people who want to break into the music industry?

88-keys: Yes, don’t do it! Stay your ass in school! No, seriously. Be honest with yourself. That’s first and foremost. If you’re a rapper, and you know you’re not rapping as well as a Consequence, or a Lupe, or Kanye, or whoever. If you’re nowhere near their level of freshness, work on it behind closed doors, but don’t start putting songs up on MySpace, like “Yo! I’m the next Kid Cudi!” Be honest with yourself.

I have a feeling that people actually know that they’re not that fresh, but they’re just, like, throwing pasta at the wall. If you’re not that fresh then you’re just wasting people’s time. For producers, it’s the same thing. If your beats aren’t that crazy, keep working on it and actually surface when you have something buzzworthy. I mean, music is all a matter of opinion, but there are some people who should just know that they’re wack. I’m not saying hang it up completely—well, there does come a time when one should hang it up completely—but don’t like puff your chest out when there’s no air in your lungs.

For more on 88-Keys, check out www.eightyocho.com.

Peep 88-Keys’ video for “Stay Up (Viagra)” feat. Kanye West:

The Amber Rose Instrumentals (mixtape)

Stacyann — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:16:43 +0000

Judah puts forth compilation album featuring model Amber Rose. Tracklist after the jump!

D.C.’s producer Judah joins with the UK’s Dub MD for the compilation album The Amber Rose Instrumentals. Judah’s presence has lined the tracks of noted names in hip-hop such as Wale and Tabi Bonney. He uses Amber Rose’s edge and sex appeal in combination with his signature “strange” audibles to create a unique kind of beat.

You can download it here. Just a head’s up, you may scratch your head in confusion or scrunch up your face.

Here’s the tracklisting:

01.) The Call From Amber (Produced By Judah)
02.) Rose’ For Amber (Produced By Judah)
03.) Can’t We Do It Over (Produced By Judah)
04.) Love Therapy (Produced By Judah)
05.) My Damn Imagination… (Produced By Judah)
06.) When Love Leaves (Produced By Judah)
07.) I Don’t Care If You Was A Skripper (Produced By Judah)
08.) The Thank You (Produced By Judah)
09.) Slowly, Surely (Produced By Judah)
10.) Unconditional Love (Produced By The Judah)
11.) Dig This You Broad!!! (Produced By Judah)
12.) Revenge Is Sooo Sweet (Produced By Judah)
13.) The Imaginary Split (Produced By Judah)

Kanye West x A Bathing Ape Spring 2010 Lookbook

25 Music — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 17:44:29 +0000

Kanye West has been MIA lately, however he’s surfaced recently in A Bathing Ape’s Spring 2010 Lookbook.

Source: Hypebeast

Eminem – Relapse: Refill (Video)

Kendra Desrosiers — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 20:33:20 +0000

Eminem’s Relapse reissue LP, Refill drops tomorrow, Dec. 21. Bonus Tracklist and artwork after the jump!

TRACKLIST

1. Forever ft Drake, Kanye West, Lil Wayne
2. Hell Breaks Loose
3. Buffalo Bill
4. Elevator
5. Taking My Ball
6. Music Box
7. Drop The Bomb On ‘Em

Neptunes Named “Best Producers Of The Decade”

DFreeman — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 02:20:54 +0000

Billboard recently released its list of “Top Producers of the Decade,” The Neptunes topping the list at number one. Others on the list include Timbaland, Kanye West, and Bryan-Michael Cox (shouts to BMC, he participated in one of our first @25mag events!).

Interestingly enough, the majority of the producers owe their claim to fame to hip-hop. Thoughts?

Club LOVE of D.C. Offered Amber Rose $20K?!

Stacyann — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 17:30:08 +0000

Amber rose offered $20,000 for an appearance at noteworthy DC club.

Washington, D.C.’s infamous club LOVE reportedly offered Kanye’s latest arm candy, Amber Rose $20,000 for her appearance at their anniversary celebration last Friday, Dec. 11. The buzzed-cut bombshell receives on average $12,000 for her frequent party appearances.

Shouts to Talk of DC!

NPR’s 50 Most Important Recordings of The Decade

Kendra Desrosiers — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:14:40 +0000

NPR has released their list of the 50 Most Important Recordings of The Decade. Rap and R&B only accounted for about a dozen and included albums from the usual suspects, Jay-Z and Beyonce as well as the less expected, Little Brother. See the complete list after the jump.

The 50 Most Important Recordings Of The Decade

01. John Adams: On The Transmigration Of Souls
02. Animal Collective: Merriweather Post Pavilion
03. The Arcade Fire: Funeral
04. The Bad Plus: These Are The Vistas
05. Beyonce: Dangerously In Love
06. Bon Iver: For Emma, Forever Ago
07. Bright Eyes: I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning
08. Burial: Untrue
09. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah: S/T
10. Kelly Clarkson: Breakaway
11. Coldplay: A Rush Of Blood To The Head
12. Danger Mouse: The Grey Album
13. Death Cab For Cutie: Transatlanticism
14. The Decemberists: The Crane Wife
15. Eminem: The Marshall Mathers LP
16. The Flaming Lips: Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots
17. Osvaldo Golijov: La Pasión Segun San Marcos (Saint Mark’s Passion)
18. Green Day: American Idiot
19. Iron And Wine: Our Endless Numbered Days
20. Jay-Z: The Blueprint
21. Norah Jones: Come Away With Me
22. Juanes: Fijate Bien
23. LCD Soundsystem: Sound Of Silver
24. Lil’ Wayne: Tha Carter III
25. Little Brother: The Listening
26. M.I.A.: Kala
27. Yo-Yo Ma: Silk Road Journeys: When Strangers Meet
28. Mastodon: Black Stars
29. Jason Moran: Black Stars
30. OutKast: Stankonia
31. Brad Paisley: 5th Gear
32. Panda Bear: Person Pitch
33. Robert Plant & Alison Krauss: The Rising
34. The Postal Service: Give Up
35. Radiohead: In Rainbows
36. Radiohead: Kid A
37. Shakira: Fijación Oral, Vol. 1
38. Sigur Ros: ( )
39. Britney Spears: In The Zone
40. Sufjan Stevens: Illinois
41. The Strokes: Is This It
42. The Swell Season: Once Soundtrack
43. Ali Farka Toure & Toumani Diabate: In The Heart of the Moon
44. TV On The Radio: Return To Cookie Mountain
45. Various: Garden State Soundtrack
46. Various: O Brother, Where Art Thou? Soundtrack
47. Kanye West: The College Dropout
48. The White Stripes: White Blood Cells
49. Wilco: Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
50. Amy Winehouse: Back To Black

We think some notables are missing from the list, what do you think?

1st Listen: Kid Cudi- Man on the Moon

25 Music — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 07:02:06 +0000

25 Magazine’s India Banks gives Kid Cudi’s debut album Man on the Moon: The End of Day, a first listen.

Words by India Banks

Last year Kid Cudi released his first mixtape A Kid Named Cudi, and now a year later he’s released Man on the Moon: The End of Day, his debut album. One of the most buzzed about rap rookies in 2009, Cudi has peeled back his layers, allowing a transparent view of the internal struggles that made him feel alienable in this world, thus becoming “man on the moon.” Cudi crafts an experimental “electro-hop” album with melodious lyrics, into five different ‘Acts’ with rapper Common as narrator. The album features collaborations from Ratatat, MGMT, and Kanye West amongst others. Although Cudi shows worry and disdain on tracks like “Solo Dolo” and “Alive (Nightmare),” the songs “Pursuit of Happiness” and “Up Up Away” show Cudi’s emphatic views on his future. He may feel like he’s in a world of his own right now, but his extrinsic nature is a new wind gaining force in the evolving genre of hip-hop.

Act I: The End of Day

1. “In My Dreams” – Also known as the “Cudder Anthem,” Cudi enters his quest to outer space and invites his listeners into his dreams and thoughts.

2. “Soundtrack 2 My Life” – Cudi describes life’s depressing moments. He admits that he has hidden issues that he can only clearly express through his lyrics.

3. “Simple As…” – With lines such as, “I can’t be lame, I’m cooler than that,” Cudi shows his boastful side. He brushes off his shoulders to all his haters and keeps it moving.

Act II: Rise of the Night Terrors

4. “Solo Dolo” – This track is the opening to “Act II: Rise of the Night Terrors.” The slow beat and eerie background effects create a sinister theme. Cudi feels lonely, and he needs no one else as he is “soaring through paradise.”

5. “Heart of a Lion” –Cudi makes it clear that no one can break him. He is well on his path and is determined to accomplish his goals regardless of critics’ thoughts or actions.

6. “My World” – Cudi reminisces on times when his self esteem was low and no one cared about him. But he proudly affirms that “this will be my world,” to all the nay-sayers.

Act III: Taking a Trip

7. “Day N’ Nite” – The song subliminally revolves around using drugs to escape depression. The clever electro backdrops and heavy bass add to the overall sound of the track.

8. “Sky Might Fall” – This track puts listeners’ imaginations to work! Cudi spits, “Grey clouds stuck together fam/ lightening piercing through another land/ over the desert where the lost play/ soul searching each and every way, and then you see the awesome sounds.

9. “Enter Galactic (Love Connection)” – Cudi sings of his significant other joining him in entering a ‘galactic’ high.

Act IV: Stuck

10. “Alive (Nightmare)” – This is the classic tale of the werewolf-half man half monster, in which the latter comes alive with the full moon. Cudi eerily draws personal comparisons from this character.

11. “Cudi Zone” – Once again Cudi explains his contentment when he “soars high.”

12. “Make Her Say” – Kanye West and Common join Cudi on a tale of three men spitting about their humorous sexual conquests on a sample of Lady Gaga’s, “Poker Face.” Cudi’s verse is a refreshing change from the stop-start flow of his previous tracks.

13. “Pursuit of Happiness” – The combination of hip-hop and techno makes this track a success. These addictive lyrics are actually positive and simple. The smooth beat gives off a mellow vibe.

Act V: A New Beginning

14. Hyyerr – Another narcotic driven song! The mid-tempo beat and background claps are relaxing. “Hyyerr” is the first track where Cudi doesn’t use metaphors for drugs. His lyrics are blunt. “Back in high school smoke weed when I cut class and now I’m an addict tragic stay rolling up while reclining.”

15. Up, Up & Away – Great track to end this rather interesting album. It’s a new day and nothing has changed. Cudi states that he continues to be himself because people will judge anyway. His carefree attitude adds to his self-confidence.

FRESH TAKES: Drake – “Best I Ever Had” (Video)

Kendra Desrosiers — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 07:33:52 +0000

Photo: Ajani Photography

25 Editors, Kendra Desrosiers and Natelege Whaley, discuss highly anticipated music video for Drake’s “Best I Ever Had.”

Shouts to Nah Right for the video.

KD: This reminds me of Andre 3000. “Roses” was it?

NW: Yea the whole high school thing ain’t really new.
NW: Thats an ugly mascot

KD: Coach Jimmy! Sans wheel chair
KD: He must have recovered since the BET awards

NW: Workout plan

KD: …yea definitely looks like Kanye’s video for “New Workout Plan”
KD: Um so is this supposed to be high school varsity? Looks like jail time.
KD: Repeat of the BET performance of the song?

NW: Is there a plot to this video …I’m confused as to how it relates to the song.

KD: It doesn’t.

NW: Once again, titties jumping in my face, not cool.

KD: And Catholics?

NW: They should be ashamed. They filmed at Bishop Ford High School, a Catholic school

KD: Great acting.

NW: Why do the girls sound so dumb.

KD: Wow…that was really corny…”one, two, three…the best!”
KD: Trey and F-A–B-O–L-O–U-S. I bet he wishes he did the remix.

NW: Yea that kind of makes it better to see them. Kind of.

KD: I just had a really inappropriate Don Imus flashback.
KD: Forgive me.

NW: lol ha!

KD: Consequence?!
KD: GOOD Music in the building!
KD: And more asses in the air…

NW: Take that D!

KD: Take that D!
KD: Lmao

NW: I wonder what they’re talking about.

KD: You already know.

NW: While they show asses in the air.

KD: “Cause Wayne say, you know you know you know”
KD: Sorry, BET flashback.

NW: Ok.

KD: Lesbian stretching? Original.
KD: Look, some new video girl talent. Where are you Yeezy?!
KD: They’re giving this one chick a lot of love.

NW: Are they really surprised they lost?

KD: Haha. They bounced the best? KD: I’m a bit surprised

NW: Yea, she’s supposedly the new thing.

KD: No more Esther?
KD: I completely lost all of the meaning of this song.

NW: And i guess Drake and Kanye only like em light

KD: Yea, like Diddy. KD: “Calling all mixed and exotic looking girls”

NW: Lol they have like one token brown skinned girl.

KD: That’s to fulfill the ass to boob ratio.
KD: Some of the lighter ones didn’t make the cut
KD: Well that was five minutes of my life I can’t get back. This was completely not worth the hype, cameos and all.

NW: “HATED IT!”

KD: Lol. Yea it was bad.
KD: And that’s bad meaning bad not bad meaning good

NW: And I thought Drake was doing it for the ladies. I’m gonna watch a MJ video to recover from the horrible sight.

KD: I’m going to watch the last episode of Secret Life of the American Teenager. I need something wholesome.
KD: “You know a lot of girls be..thinking my songs are about them…” Sorry ladies, this ain’t for you.

South Park goes at Kanyeezy…and he responds!

H.E.R. — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 23:40:01 +0000

The South Park writers poked fun at Kanye with a music video called “I’m A Gay Fish”. From the looks of his response, it seems his ego may have been bruised.

Check the video:

Yeezy said…

“SOUTH PARK MURDERED ME LAST NIGHT AND IT’S PRETTY FUNNY. IT HURTS MY FEELINGS BUT WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT FROM SOUTH PARK! I ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN WORKING ON MY EGO THOUGH. HAVING THE CRAZY EGO IS PLAYED OUT AT THIS POINT IN MY LIFE AND CAREER. I USE TO USE IT TO BUILD UP MY ESTEEM WHEN NOBODY BELIEVED IN ME. NOW THAT PEOPLE DO BELIEVE AND SUPPORT MY MUSIC AND PRODUCTS THE BEST RESPONSE IS THANK YOU INSTEAD OF “I TOLD YOU SO!!!” IT’S COOL TO TALK SHIT WHEN YOU’RE RAPPING BUT NOT IN REAL LIFE. WHEN YOU MEET LITTLE WAYNE IN PERSON HE’S THE NICEST GUY FOR EXAMPLE. I JUST WANNA BE A DOPER PERSON WHICH STARTS WITH ME NOT ALWAYS TELLING PEOPLE HOW DOPE I THINK I AM. I NEED TO JUST GET PAST MYSELF. DROP THE BRAVADO AND JUST MAKE DOPE PRODUCT. EVERYTHING IS NOT THAT SERIOUS. AS LONG AS PEOPLE THINK I ACT LIKE A BITCH THIS TYPE OF SHIT WILL HAPPEN TO ME. I GOT A LONG ROAD AHEAD OF ME TO MAKE PEOPLE BELIEVE I’M NOT ACTUALLY A HUGE DOUCHE BUT I’M UP FOR THE CHALLENGE. I’M SURE THE WRITERS AT SOUTH PARK ARE REALLY NICE PEOPLE IN REAL LIFE. THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME TO DRAW MY CREW. THAT WAS PRETTY FUNNY ALSO!! I’M SURE THERE’S GRAMMATICAL ERRORS IN THIS… THAT’S HOW YOU KNOW IT’S ME!”

Not the temper tantrum we expected…big ups to ‘Ye

photo: imnotobsessed.com

“Ego Remix” – Beyonce x Kanye West

Kendra Desrosiers — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 03:48:13 +0000

New remix to Beyonce’s “Ego” featuring Kanye West, sorry guys it has a few drops. Read more for download.

“Could’ve let the dream killers kill my self esteem, Or use my arrogance as the steam to power my dreams.”….sound familiar? This isn’t the first time Kanye has recycled his own bars, especially from the “Last Call” track from his debut album College Dropout. Guess in a recession you can’t let any rhyme go unheard.

“Ego Remix” Feat. Kanye West – Beyonce | Download Here

Kid Cudi x Kanye West x Common Track

Kendra Desrosiers — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 03:21:27 +0000

New track from Kid Cudi “I Poke Her Face” featuring Kanye West and Common. Read more for download.

“I Poke Her Face” Ft. Kanye West & Common – Kid Cudi |Download Here

Shouts to 2dopeboyz

Kanye West x Chris Milk – Complex Cover

Zaria Poem — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 22:11:03 +0000

‘Ye is currently on the April/May 2009 issue of Complex. Through working with director Chris Milk, the “Louis Vuitton Don” helped create something that will definitely ”make you look.”

The computer-generated imagery for the photoshoot was based on “form and texture”, says the director. The photography started with a high resolution facial scan, and then a laser scan of Kanye’s entire body using the same technology used to create Brad Pitt’s character in “Benjamin Button”.

Chris Milk has previously worked with Kanye, directing both “Jesus Walks” and “Touch The Sky” videos. Other artists that he’s worked with includes Gnarls Barkley, U2, Audioslave, and John Mellencamp.

Photos: Complex Magazine

25 Review: The Dream ‘Love Vs Money’

25 Music — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 04:21:55 +0000

The Dream is back at it again. The self proclaimed “Radio Killa” releases his sophomore album Love vs. Money Tuesday, and fans wonder what he has up his sleeve this time.

The singer/songwriter came on the scene successfully in 2007 with his “Shawty Is a 10″ (Love Hate), and is also responsible for Beyonce’s quintessential ladies anthem “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)”. Yet, like far too many über-talented writers, he gives most of his good stuff to everyone else.

Love Vs. Money in it’s entirety is not a disappointment, with the melodic, chart-topping hit “Rockin That Thang” leading the pack as one of the best songs on the album. Not far behind is The Dream’s revived version of The Police’s 1979–dance-groove “Walkin on the Moon”, featuring a vocoder-less Kanye West (the way he should always be). However, The Dream shows signs that he may be running low on metaphors, especially on “Put It Down” where he compares his affection to a “monster truck” and a “white tee’d thug”, over a beat too hype to get it cracking to. The title track, “Love vs. Money”, has one of the most enthralling beats on the album and gives off a paranoid feel as he sings about losing love to what else, but money ( Instead of loving you/I was making it rain…). The melody and the sound of glocks popping are puzzling, but the point of the song becomes more clear after listening to “Love Vs. Money Part 2.”

The Dream gets his R.Kelly on in “Sweat It Out”, breaking down article-by-article what piece of clothing he wants to remove from his girl, so he can “properly put it down” and “sweat her hair out”. Fortunately for her, The Dream forewarns her to “call Latisha” her beautician before he takes action, so that she can get her hair re-whipped in the next morning.

Overall, Love Vs. Money saves itself from the evil pitfalls of the “sophomore curse”, but The Dream does not match the standard he set with his surprisingly pleasant debut Love Hate. The album still has worthy cop-ability though, and he proves he can still come correct…even if it is on someone else’s joint.

- Maya Rhodan

A-Trak – Infinity+1 Teaser

Kendra Desrosiers — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 22:40:26 +0000

Check out A-Trak’s 8 minute teaser to his upcoming mixtape Infinity +1. Read more for downloads.

Infinity +1 8 Minute Teaser – Download Here

DJ Medhi (also featured on the mixtape) will be touring with A-Trak in late March. Check out Mercury’s remix to the B-side of “Pocket Piano,” “Tunisia Bambaataa.”

“Tunisia Bambaataa” – Download Here

Keri Hilson x Kanye West x Ne-Yo

Kendra Desrosiers — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 21:57:03 +0000

Check out Keri Hilson’s latest, “Knock You Down” feat. Kanye West & Ne-Yo. Read more for download.

Download Here [shouts to 2dopeboyz]