Bambu + “Quit” Video

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Nice new video from up and comer, Bambu.

Jay-Z + D.O.A. Death Of Autotune

From the forthcoming “Blueprint 3” comes Jay-Z’s latest, and as he promised, it’s the killer of autotune.  I’m not immediately falling in love with this song, but hey, at least Jay admits it’s not a number-one record on the second verse.

Via The Life

Download here

Jay-Z Preps Rocawear Sneaker Line

From the ‘anything Kanye can do, I can do better’ files… Do these look a little TOO much like the Air Yeezy’s?  I have to say yes, especially around the tongue.  Hmmmm, Jay.  This is suspect…

The R+ sneakers make their way to stores on June 1st.  Get another look at the shoes after the jump.

Via Kanye

Kanye West + “Welcome To Heartbreak”

New video, not a single though, from Kanye. Directed by Nabil Elderkin, the video takes blurry, cable television static and flips its digital converter box just in time for the death of analog.  Yes, that’s Kid Cudi on the hook.  Maybe this nonsense is what made the video all squiggly?

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Air Jordan + A Tribe Called Quest

On first glance, Michael Jordan and A Tribe Called Quest don’t have much in common.  Jordan was a domineering, flashy, business-driven force of nature while Tribe always seemed content to play the background and rely upon attraction instead of promotion to draw fans to their brand of playful, wide-eyed rhymes.  While Jordan’s outsized personality couldn’t help but insert him front-row-center in the public’s consciousness as something completely new, Q-Tip, Phife and Ali worked with jazz samples and teenage wonder to foster a sense of familiarity and form an instant connection with fans. So, needless to say, putting Tribe imprints all over Jordan brand clothing is suspect at best (at least among those of us who grew up memorizing Tribe records).  At the height of the kids-getting-shot-in-the-subway-for-sneakers scare, Phife said it best, “I wear New Balance sneakers to avoid an arrow’s path.”

BUT, since the early 90s and golden era of hip hop serve as the inspirational fountain for 99% of streetwear designers nowadays, I guess even a tangential relationship is all it takes to align two icons with such opposing philosophies.  Anyway, I’ll get off my Internet soapbox and admit that these designs look lovingly made but, come on Nike — Jordan and Tribe?  That’s like nuts and gum.

See more pics after the jump.  If you don’t mind buying stuff from a website you probably can’t read, go here.

Thanks to Highsnobiety.

Biggie + Nas Mixtapes

Have to love the new looks at a couple of classic MCs.  Nick James takes on vintage Nas rhymes while DJ Graffiti and Talib Kweli team up to remix Biggie.  Download them at the links below.

Nick James Presents…The Nas Remixes

DJ Graffiti Presents: Astronote – Bigger & Better (The Notorious Remixes), Hosted By Talib Kweli

Thanks to Jake Davis for passing these along.

New Q-Tip Video + Manwomanboogie

As you’ve probably heard throughout the blogosphhhhh (that word makes me throw up in my mouth), the new Q-Tip album is a delight.  Directed by Rik Cordero, the new video for Manwomanboogie is nothing short of delightful as well. 

Damn that is a funky bassline!

*** Updated *** New Heartless Video From Kanye

Here’s the non-leaked version. Much better quality.

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Q-Tip + Gettin’ Up

For one thing, it’s so good to see that Q-Tip’s FINALLY escaped from record-release purgatory. On top of that, this song’s equally satisfying for the simple fact that, at long last, one of hip hop’s elder statesmen has stopped trying to act like he’s 20 (I’m looking at you L.L. Cool J, Ice Cube, Busta Rhymes) and decided that it’s okay to age gracefully. Bravo, Tip.

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Nike Human Race + Kanye & Common

Would you run a 10k with little-to-no training for a chance to see Kanye and Common once you finished?  This was the proposition facing us when a friend duped convinced us into competing in Nike’s Human Race last weekend.  We’re proud to say that we finished (barely) with our lungs and legs in tact and our nipples not-as-chafed as we feared.

Check out all the photos from the event at our Flickr Stream or see some of the highlights below.