Click the picture.
De La Soul Honored By Library Of Congress
From XXL:
De La Soul’s seminal debut album 3 Feet High and Rising has been selected by the Library of Congress as an addition to the 2010 National Recording Registry.
With input from the National Recording Preservation Board (NRPB), Librarian of Congress, James H. Billington, selected 25 works regarded as “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.â€
The honor positions 3 Feet High and Rising as part of an elite group of just 325 total recordings selected by the NRPB for preservation, ensuring that “these cultural, artistic and historical recordings always will be available to the American public.â€
The Native Tonguers join other hip-hop acts, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Public Enemy and 2Pac in the NRPB. Pac’s “Dear Mama†was inducted into the registry last year, while Flash’s “The Message†was added in 2003 and P.E.’s Fear of a Black Planet LP was honored with the distinction in 2005.
Released in 1989, 3 Feet High and Rising was praised by the NRPB for “bucking hip-hop’s increasing turn toward stark urban naturalism in the late 1980s†with an “upbeat and often humorous album [released] to widespread acclaim in the U.S. and abroad.â€
The debut album – which spawned singles including “Me Myself and I†and “The Magic Number†– was also noted for its “astonishing range of samples.†—Lauren Carter
Vado x Jadakiss x Ludacris – Check ‘Em Out
Hey, the even better (read: final) version of the song that dropped earlier.
Jay-Z & Gwyneth Paltrow Interview Eachother
If you care, feel free to click the picture for that news story.
Dom Kennedy – BlowHipHopTV Interview
Los Angeles rap has grown from khakis and bandanas into a eclectic hip-hop movement with some serious talent. Emerging from the pack of notable new artists is Leimert Park’s own Dom Kennedy. With some classic mixtapes and his finger on the pulse of the LA’s music scene, Dom is poised to make some noise while keeping it all original.
The Hype Men – Kanye West’s First Beats (?)
I really don’t know what the hell this is, but I’m about to find out:
Former Interscope-signed rapper Jensen Karp recently stumbled across a couple of CD’s in his garage, both given to him in 2001 during his time at the label. Each had the name Kanye West written on them and are believed to be the oldest Kanye West beats to ever be released. Jensen speaks on the find: “I think this collection of early Kanye beats shows you where he came from, even if it doesn’t necessarily sound like ‘Kanye’ now. He kept at it and became the incredible producer he is today. I remember he even had to leave the studio sessions early, so he could make the last train back to his mom’s house. He’s come a long way, and I’m proud to have been around, even if for just a second at the start.†Both can be streamed here for those interested in checking them out.
Hypetrak TV: DJ Premier
Source: Vimeo.
A Clip Of Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels Of A Tribe Called Quest (From Tribeca)
I’m really geeking to see this project at this point.
Keri Hilson…
I’m pretty sure there’s a story behind this, but I don’t care have a clue what it is.
[Update: It’s from Allure Magazine. You’re welcome.]
Joe Budden – Mood Muzik 4.5 (Artwork)
True. The re-release, which will feature 5 new tracks, drops 5/17. Feel free to pre-order here. If you haven’t, check out the initial release as well. It’s pretty dope.
Ashley Judd Is An Idiot*; Apologizes For Rap(e) Culture Remarks
If you haven’t heard about this initially, you can find out here…it apparently wasn’t long before the Hip-Hop community began to respond (initially through ?uestlove), and not long after the below update was spotted on HipHopDX:
Judd took to Russell Simmons’ GlobalGrind.com early on Monday to apologize for her statements, saying that while some of her words were taken out of context, she is at fault for the generalizations she made.
“The outcry regarding my remarks, 2 paragraphs out of my 400+ page book, regarding hip hop and rap, has been astounding as it is out of context…The general theme [now] is to express my gratitude for a chance to learn, to be corrected where I was wrong, to make amends, and hold firm and strong on the original intention and context of points I made, with a commitment to try to do so less clumsily and with more sensitivity in the future.”
She added, “I so regret that my indictment of rape culture as a whole has been interpreted as me blaming rap and hip hop exclusively. That was absolutely not my intention, and I so regret it has had that effect on some people. “
Judd finished by saying her eyes had been opened to a distinction between Rap and Hip Hop, and she’d also been introduced to new music. “Thank you to fans of both [Rap and Hip Hop] who have introduced me to artists whose lyrics embody activism and progressive values. I am glad to have more beats for my playlists. I celebrate the music, its meaning, and those who love it.”