Listen To This: 2/27

Because I have been so busy, I haven't been able to make any posts.  Because I am so lazy, I'm just gonna put the music into one post.

First up is an old song from B.o.B and T-Pain

B.o.B ft. T-Pain- Trunk Band

Next, here's a rerelease of an unreleased Kid Cudi song (it was originally called The Message)

KiD CuDi- Know Why 

Here's a recently officially released song, a nicely sung groove from Aloe Blacc. If you recognize it and can tell me what it's from (leave a comment), my respect for you will have doubled.

Aloe Blacc- I Need A Dolla

via 2dopeboyz

I feel like there were some more, but I don't remember. In the near future, check back for a review of a freakin' hilarious book, a new mixtape (if I like it), some great new (to me) artists, more new and good music, a few new segments, a new electronic cut from Nitelite, a new guest writer, an exclusive release, and of course (probably not) the reviews of College Dropout and Outliers that I promised like 2 months ago.  And that's just a few things I have planned. So yeah, stay tuned or miss out.

Listen To This: Crack the Code

Here's a new cut from Rhymefest.

Rhymefest & Skyzoo- Crack the Code

Also, Lupe just released tour dates and locations for his Steppin' Laser Tour  (he's touring with B.o.B and coming to Milwaukee on April 16th. I'm already pumped)

Also, I didn't really plug Xaphoon Jones' mixtape adequately in that Chiddy Bang post, so I'm gonna do it some more. You should definitely be checking it out if you like hip hop, electronic or mashups. The guy is really bringing some seriously good shit. Here's another great song from the mixtape.

The Xaphoon Jones Mixtape 

Also, that post was weak as hell, but you should still download that mixtape.

Listen To This: That Tree

Here is a new Kid Cudi collabo with Snoop Dogg, off of Snoop's next album.  This looks to be the first of a few collabs between the two, with Snoop Dogg already confirmed to be featured on Cudi's next album.

 

Snoop Dogg ft. Kid Cudi- That Tree

via Dat New 'Cudi'

Midnight Nightlight Monday: Awesome

Here's a new segment which I will be bringing you every Monday with the assistance of guest-writer Nitelite, a man well-versed in all music electronic.He writes better than I do, and has all these sick songs that I have never heard. I think you all are gonna enjoy what he brings to the table.

The marriage of electro and rap is a glorious, brutally abrasive marriage of thunderous hip-hop beats and clobbering, spastic buzz-saw synths. The Bloody Beetroots here team up with the Cool Kids to deliver an epic, bombastic little number by the name of "Awesome." This track has it all: the bass, the drums, the catchy chorus, and best of all, it doesn't overstay its welcome. Best played on high volume with maximum bass.- Nitelite

You can check out more sick tunes on Nitelite's blog, Midnight Nightlight

Listen To This: So Cool

I'm about a week later, but to be fair, neither of my main Kid Cudi sources have posted this yet. I found this while looking around the blogosphere, which got me thinking about quitting blogging (I'm serious).  I really don't think there's really any niche left for me to fill.  I mean, I guess I do kind of listen and filter out stuff I don't like, but couldn't I just give you guys the websites I check and let you do that for yourselves?  It's not like I have that many readers I'm letting down.  I guess the reviews I post every so often are something a little different, but I don't know.  I'm gonna think about it, but let me know how you guys feel about this.  Anyway...here's a new track featuring Cudi on the hook. It's decent, nothing special, but some of you might like it. Also, be sure to check in tomorrow for the debut of the blog's first guest writer (exciting, right?).

Talent Couture ft. Kid Cudi- So Cool

via First Up

BONUS!!: Barbara- Pursuit of Happiness (Kid Cudi cover) [DIRECT DOWNLOAD-Right click and save this to your computer]

Listen To This: Confetti

I don't know why I stopped reading Pretty Much Amazing, but I'm definitely going to start again.  Their editors have excellent taste in indie music, which is a nice contrast to the hip-hop I've been filling my iTunes library lately. I will be delving deeper in the archives of Pretty Much Amazing in the future (is that considered stealing) and sharing with you guys some more good songs like this one, a whimsically infectious tune from Pittsburgh newcomers 1,2,3. 

 1,2,3- Confetti

via Pretty Much Amazing

Listen To This: Knock On Wood

This song is from Tuesday, but I decided to hold off posting so more people would listen to Chiddy Bang.  In hindsight, I think I should have just released this one. It is just too sick, and probably tops my list of best J. Cole songs.  He delivers some scorchers over Kanye and John Mayer's "Go!" beat off of Common's Finding Forever.  If you haven't really given J. Cole a chance or have already written him off, this song might open/change your mind.

J. Cole- Knock On Wood

via 2dopeboyz

Listen To This: Stylo (rmx.)

With their EP dropping on Monday, Chiddy Bang decided to release their remix of the relatively weak Stylo, the first single from The Gorillaz Plastic Beach (I'll probably review that one, but I'm not expecting much after listening to the original version of Stylo).

 

Stylo (rmx.)- Chiddy Bang

 via PMA

Something I Like: Sleep Cycle

Sleep Cycle is possibly my new favorite iPod app.  This innovative app works like this: before you go to bed, you place the iPod on the corner of the mattress under the sheets.  As you sleep, the iPod's accelerometer monitors the movement on the bed, and uses that to calculate which stage of the sleep cycle you are in (for those that aren't aware of what sleep cycles are, basically you alternate between being really asleep and just kind of asleep).  You set the alarm for a certain time, and if you end a sleep cycle anytime after half an hour before that time, it wakes you up.  Sounds like a load of bull right?  But mark my words, this thing works perfectly (unless you set the alarm for 6:30 PM instead of 6:30 AM like I did).  I wake up every morning feel extremely refreshed, even if I didn't get as much sleep as usual. It's freakin' awesome.  Get it (it's only 99 cents). Also, the App Store says the app only works on iPhones, but it works fine on my Touch.  Also, there's some new music out today and some from yesterday, but I'm not gonna post it because I want all of you to go to the post below this one and listen to Chiddy Bang.

How it works

Lifehacker write-up

Something I Like: The Opposite Of Adults (Kids) -Yes, I realize how creepy that sounds.

As college students, hip hop duo Chiddy Bang have not been around that long. However, in that short time they have coupled exemplary production and nice vocals to create some sick tunes, and recently released a new alternate video for their incredible remix of MGMT's Kids (I discovered them last summer via Pretty Much Amazing, which is basically the music blog I wish this blog could be).  If you like one song I post this year, it will probably be this one.  The video is pretty cool, and is a great excuse for me to plug their awesome mixtape and their first EP, which drops next Monday.

Click here to download "The Opposite of Adults" on Chiddy Bangs' mixtape, The Swelly Express

via KanYe Universecity

BONUS: Chiddy Bang producer Xaphoon Jones' also mixes and remixes songs on the side (I spent all day trying to come up with something even remotely close to this with no success).

Find this song and many more sick mixes on The Xaphoon Jones Mixtape Vol. 1

History Lesson: Hallelujah

I'm pretty sure everyone has already heard this song, so I'm not gonna act like it's anything new.  I'm just using the opening ceremonies as an excuse to post one of my favorite songs of all time.  Orignally by Leonard Cohen, the song Hallelujah has been covered countless times, most recently by k.d. lang at the aforementioned opening ceremonies.  You may know it as "that song from Shrek".  My favorite version, however, definitely would have to be Jeff Buckley's haunting, emotional, and beautiful masterpiece of a cover.  Enjoy.

Jeff Buckley

Hallelujah

Grace (1994)

BONUS: This post kind of had to do with the Olympics, and so does this awesome new Nike commercial (the song is Ali in the Jungle by The Hours).

Also, this is my 69th post...ladies (shout out to winkdaddy.blogspot.com)

Listen To This: 2/11/10

There hasn't been much new music lately, which is why I haven't been posting (also I'm lazy).  There were two new songs, a new cut by B.o.B to celebrate the release date of his album being moved up to April 27th and a remix by Kid Cudi, which I figured I'm obliged to post. The B.o.B one is pretty good, but I'm not really feeling the new Cudi joint.

B.o.B- Down For Y'all 

 

 Riot Song (rmx.)- Johnny Polygon ft. Kid Cudi

via 2dopeboyz and  Dat New 'Cudi'

I Didn't Like It: We Are The World 2010

Those of you who tuned in before the Olympics Saturday probably caught the remake of Michael Jackson's We Are The World. The song was just supposed to make a bunch of money for Haiti, so I'll cut it a little slack, but seriously?  Justin Bieber got the first solo?  And really, Wyclef Jean?  You and the song lost all credibility as soon as that weird wailing came out of your mouth.  Yes, there were some good singers, but they all were brought down by autotuned Lil' Wayne, T-Pain, and Akon.  The part with Kanye and Will.i.am was sick, but by that point in the song I was already laughing too hard at Wyclef's THIRD solo and all the rappers yelling in unison (sounded like Kidz Bop).  We Are The World is a timeless classic which really didn't need to be remade. I'm sure no one will even remember this version in 6 months.  Next time, write a new song instead of doing a terrible cover of an classic.

Something I Like: Symphonies (rmx) Video

I was forced to take down my link for KiD CuDi's remix of Dan Black's Symphonies, but here is the video, which is actually an updated version of the original Symphonies video. It's a pretty cool concept, so you should definitely take a look.

DatNewCudi.com: Dan Black Feat. Kid Cudi - Symphonies Remix from DP on Vimeo.

BONUS: David Guetta ft. Kid Cudi- Memories video

DatNewCudi.com: Memories - David Guetta Feat. Kid Cudi from DP on Vimeo.

DOUBLE BONUS: Original version of Dan Black's Symphonies, HYPNTZ (Cover of Notorious B.I.G's Hypnotize

Something I Like: thesixtyone

Thesixtyone is a great site shown to me by my friend Michael.  Geared toward those always looking to discover new music, this website contains countless artists, and adds a little bit of fun through "quests" and a leveling system. Countless new artists post their song there, so anyone who wants a good way to open up to new bands will love it.  If you join, be sure to put mcmb03 or tannertheblog as the referrer. Click here to go there now.

thesixtyone

Listen To This: Lean

Old unreleased Lupe Fiasco song, check it out.

Lupe Fiasco- Lean (Unreleased)

via 2dopeboyz

Something I Like: How To Make It In America

How To Make It In America is the newest HBO comedy created by Entourage producer Mark Wahlberg.  Don't think of it as an East coast Entourage though, as it trades the glamor of living the high life in LA for the grind of trying to make a living in New York.  The pilot, available free on youtube, has promise.  It should also be noted that Scott Mescudi (Kid Cudi) stars in the series, though his role in the pilot is more like a cameo.  It's tough for those of us who don't have HBO to catch up on shows like this and Entourage, so I recommend checking out casttv.com, which has almost every show on TV available to stream.

BONUS- How To Make In America: The Mixtape (facebook link)- If there's one thing this show nailed for sure, it was the music.  This is a nice compilation of music. (Alternate link)

Listen To This: Victory

First of all, I'm gonna need someone to explain to me exactly what DJ Khaled does, because as far as I can see, he does absolutely nothing besides yell at the beginning of a track and put his name on albums which other people produce and big name rappers rap on.  Hopefully, I'm not the only one who wonders this (I googled "what does DJ Khaled do" and got over 600 hits). With that said, this is a nice track by Nas and John Legend with DJ Khaled yelling at the beginning.  I was more excited for this track when I thought Kanye was going to be on it, but Nas is an adequate replacement.

 

Victory- DJ Khaled ft. Nas and John Legend

via 2dopeboyz 

Listen To This: Run This Town (Super Bowl Intro Mix)

I missed the first quarter of the Super Bowl due to a soccer game, and haven't had a chance to see the commercials I missed. However, I have had the chance to go back and watch Jay-Z and Rihanna team up with orchestral group E.S. Posthumus perform an epic new version of their hit single to introduce the big game.

Run This Town (Super Bowl Intro Mix)- Jay-Z, Rhianna, and ES Posthumus

BONUS: Heart of the City (Who Dat)- Anyone cheering for the Saints last night will appreciate this song commemorating their victory.

Something I Like: Journey

The Super Bowl is fast approaching, so I thought it only fitting to post this new Gatorade commercial, which is narrated by Common (also there hasn't been any new music today, so this was the best I could find). I'm a sucker for commercials, especially those with sweet montages. If you enjoy good commercials as well, check back on Monday for my favorite Super Bowl commercials.

BONUS- CHAD OCHOCINCO- I guarantee you'll like him after you watch this. I also strongly recommend YouTubing the entire last season of Hard Knocks, the beautifully shot football documentary from which this clip was taken.

I Didn't Like It: The Grammys

The Grammys were on Sunday, and left me disappointed.  I'm gonna start off by listing winners I agreed with (only in fields I am familiar with), and then move on to ones I disagreed with, and finally wrap it up by sharing a little bit about my views on music today.  This is one of the few times where a post will take on a more negative tone.  If you have a problem with other people's opinions or do not like having your views challenged (some would argue this describes me), then I would recommend not reading.  If you agree or disagree with anything I have to say, I would love for you to comment and let me know (there's been a total of like 5 comments total, which isn't bad considering how few people read the blog, but still).

Alright, on to the winners I liked (note that I agree with these in the context of the other songs nominated in that category), followed by any personal commentary.


Record of the Year-"Use Somebody" – Kings of Leon - I guess so...better than the other nominees.


Song of the Year- "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" – Beyoncé- What's the difference between Record of the Year and Song of the Year? Anyone?

Best Hard Rock Performance- "War Machine" - AC/DC- I mean seriously, Nickelback was nominated in this one.

Best Rock Instrumental Performance-"A Day in the Life" - Jeff Beck- A simply fantastic Beatles cover.

Best Alternative Music Album-Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix - Phoenix- I would have been really really worried had Phoenix not won.  This eclectic and exuberant album blew me away from start to finish.
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration- "Run This Town" - Jay-Z, Rihanna & Kanye West- I don't disagree with this selection, it's a nice song, but it's tought to say that it was better than Knock You Down or Dead & Gone.  The Grammys also used this category to let everyone know that they don't give a shit about hip-hop at all, as evidenced by the nomination of I'm On A Boat (a fun song, but  clearly a parody of a bad T-Pain song which shouldn't have even crossed the mind of people who selected the nominees).

Best Rap Song-"Run This Town" - Jay-Z, Rihanna & Kanye West- Again, all of the nominees were equally above average, so I don't mind Hov takin home another. I would have liked to see Cudi or Drake get one though. 

Best Rap Solo Performance-"D.O.A. (Death Of Auto-Tune)" - Jay-Z- See comments on Best Rap Song.


Best Compilation Soundtrack Album- Slumdog Millionaire - Various Artists, A. R. Rahman (producer)- The movie was fantastic, and the soundtrack fits the movie perfectly. Interestingly enough, I actually agree with the nomination for the Twilight soundtrack, which had a few decent songs and would have had a real shot at winning if Radiohead's 15 Step had made it on.

Alright, so that was the stuff I agreed with, or at least could live with. I also realized that I don't really mind Lady Gaga that much either, but I didn't know enough about the others in her category to know if she deserved her Grammys (plus she's batshit insane).  Keep in mind the only one I agree with unquestionably is Phoenix's album.  Did anyone see Jamie Foxx and T-Pain "perform" Blame It or the Black Eye Peas spaz around worse than Shakira during I Gotta Feelin?  I mean wow, really, I love these guys but they need to step up their acts. On that note, here's the not so nice stuff.

Best Short Form Music Video- "Boom Boom Pow" - The Black Eyed Peas- I liked the Boom Boom Pow video but I loved the video for Coldplay's Life In Technicolor II which  was really tons more creative and unique.

Best Rap Album- Relapse - Eminem- NO!! NO!! NO!! Eminem is a great rapper, but between the weird accents and nasty subject matter, this album was terrible. Mos Def and Q-Tip had much better albums. Also, how did Flo Rida get a nominated? Again, proof that the Grammys don't take hip-hop seriously.

Best Rap Performance By a Duo/Group- "Crack A Bottle" - Eminem, Dr. Dre & 50 Cent- Is this serious? Crack A Bottle was fun for like the first 3 listens, but the best group performance? Not even close.  Amazing, or even Make Her Say should've taken this one easily.


Best Rock Performance By a Duo/Group w/ Vocals"Use Somebody" - Kings of Leon- I like this song, but I think Life In Technicolor II or I'll Go Crazy If I  Don't Go Crazy Tonight were just as good or better. (same thing applies to Best Rock Song)

  
Best Rock Album- 21st Century Breakdown - Green Day- This concept album was well executed, but without much substance and pales in comparison to the soaring melodies of U2's No Line On The Horizon.


Best New Artist-Zac Brown Band- I don't know that much about the Zac Brown Band, but seriously, how do you not choose MGMT or Keri Hilson?


Album of the Year- Fearless – Taylor Swift - Taylor, Taylor, Taylor.  I understand your appeal, I really do.  You sing about your own personal problems, i.e. "she wears short skirts, I wear t-shirts" which tween girls all across the country can relate to. You've found your niche, and I respect that.  Singing about that cute boy in 7th period French or whatever  is good and all, and I admire that you at least one upped Miley Cyrus in that you write your own songs, but do you really think that's what it takes to deserve a Grammy? I don't know, maybe your album destroyed all the other country nominees, but really? Better than The Ecstatic? Better than 808s? Better than I Am Sasha Fierce? Better then (I cringe to say this) The Fame? Oracular Spectacular? Prospekt's March? No Line? 21st Century Breakdown? Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix?  The list goes on and on. I'm sorry, Grammy voters, but this one was a horrific miscue, not even taking into account the lack of hip-hop nominations in this category.

So, there it is. I know I've offended some of you. Today, I was even called an "elitist" who"thinks that anything popular is automatically bad."  To that I say this.  I'm not an elitist, my music is just better than yours.  Haha, but in all seriousness, here is my response. Of course, I like the music I listen to better than the music  I don't listen to, otherwise I wouldn't listen to it.  To say that I only like music that isn't popular is completely untrue.  Many of my favorite bands and artists (The Beatles, Jay-Z, Michael Jackson, Led Zeppelin, Kanye West, Coldplay, and Marvin Gaye are a few examples) are some of the most universally popular and loved bands of all time.  So that's that point proven wrong. "But Tanner," you say, "whenever a new song comes out on KISS FM you never like it." First of all, music to me is more about discovery than fitting in and liking what's popular. That's one reason I'm not very enthusiastic every time She Wolf comes on (ugh...She Wolf). I like to think about it like this: popular music is like fast food. Sometimes it's decent, and it may taste good, but in the end I'm unsatisfied. Why would you want something over-produced and over-processed when you could have something that the chef/artist put his heart and soul into (and unlike good food, good music doesn't even cost more and many times it's free), something that will make you marvel about the flavors and make you think? That's the difference to me.

Listen To This: Highs N Lows

Today we have a "new" KiD CuDi track.  I say "new" instead of new because this is the just released CD quality version of a track from his original demo. This is a great track, possibly one of my favorites from him, and I think you all will enjoy it. Also, I will probably put up my opinion on the Grammys tomorrow, so check that out.

Kid Cudi- Highs N Lows

via 2dopeboyz

Cudder fanatics, download the aforementioned original demo tape here

BONUS

NEW TDA MIX!!!

Listen To This: May 25th

Here is the newest mixtape from B.o.B, titled May 25th as a reminder of the release date of his debut studio album.  I'm pretty sure it's gonna be amazing.  DOWNLOAD THIS!!!

B.o.B.- May 25th

BONUS
Bun B- No Mixtape
Bed Rock Part II (Original Mix)- Drake, Lloyd, some other crappy rappers.

via 2dopeboyz