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This page contains 94 entries posted under the "First Spin" category.

Thursday May 15

James Brown Gets Remixed By Kenny Dope

 

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Verve will be releasing the fourth edition of their world-renown Verve Remixed series on May 27th to the delight of music lovers everywhere. The concept of Verve Remixed is simple enough: take classic jazz and soul records and put them in the hands of the most capable mixologists to create updated versions of the tracks. Music from artists such as Nina Simone, Ella Fitzgerald and Betty Carter have been refixed by the likes of Masters At Work, Miguel Migs and DJ Spinna, respectively, over the course of three discs.

Now with the impending release of volume four, James Brown has been added to the mix for the first time. His 1967 release "There Was A Time" has found its way onto the project with incredible results. The producer responsible for flipping the track? None other than Kenny "Dope" Gonzalez, one-half of MAW. The song was already funky, but Kenny Dope's remix puts some more stank on it. Get your air freshener ready.

James Brown: "There Was A Time" Kenny Dope Remix


And be sure to peep James getting on the good foot performing this song during a 1982 appearance on Late Night with David Letterman after the bounce.

Read more...

Thursday May 15

Robin Thicke's New Single Is Pure 'Magic'

 

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I already knew that blue-eyed soul brotha Robin Thicke would be dropping a new release soon, but I didn't think that he would drop it this hot. "Magic" is the first single from his upcoming album, Something Else, which hits the block this July, and he has come back strong lest anyone think his last album was a fluke. The song is a throwback to the days when strings, percussion and horns ruled the dance floor and airwaves. The instrumentation is incredible, but it's Thicke's silky smooth vocals that set this bad mamma jamma off. Marvin Gaye would be so proud.      

Robin Thicke: "Magic"


Thursday May 15

Dwele 'Sketches' Out a Sampler of His New Album

 

800px-Dwele_2.jpgFull disclosure: I started SoulBounce just so I could talk about Dwele.

A few days ago, Koch released a 20-minute sampler of Dwele's forthcoming Sketches of a Man via YouTube, so I snagged the audio, naturally, and posted it here at the risk of having them send their packed roster of Southern rappers to my home to break my legs and call me things like "disloyal." All that aside, the new stuff sounds closer in spirit to Subject, with a little more bump and less of the Smooth Jazz approach of Some Kinda. Of note: Slum Village makes an appearance once again and the album includes "Open Your Eyes," the Bobby Caldwell remake Dwele did with The Platinum Pied Pipers.

Sketches of a Man drops 6/24, only a few days before I see this brother in concert and my birthday. Detroit stand up!

Dwele: "Sketches of a Man (Sampler)"


Wednesday May 14

Rise In 'Love' With KRS-One & MC Lyte

 

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The last time KRS-One and MC Lyte were together on a track fellas were rocking high-top fades and sistas were sporting the latest trunk jewelry while Lyte and the Teacher schooled us on where we were all headed. Almost 20 years later, the two G.O.A.T.S. have rejoined forces once again for a poetic new track that features them rapping rings around the majority of what is being passed off as Hip-Hop these days. "Love" kicks off with KRS-One urging folks not to fall in love but to rise in it, then he passes the mic to Lyte who kicks a few verses on the subject. This is a follow up to "Money" from his February release Adventures In Emceein', which found these two also taking turns with the rhyming. Whereas "Money" was good, "Love" is great. KRS even shouts out MC Lyte's new group Almost September a few times throughout the track.

Freak what you heard, THIS is Hip-Hop. And I'm loving every minute of it. 

KRS-One & MC Lyte: "Love"


[H/T: NR]
Wednesday May 14

Idle Warship to Hillary: 'Fall Back'

 

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We tend not to get into politics on SoulBounce, although we have been known to Barack our bodies on occasion. But nevermind that. Talib Kweli and Res of Idle Warship have a new track, "Fall Back," that came with the poster graphic above, which has been tastefully edited for content. It's much better than their last track in my opinion. Talib verbally berates Hillary as only he can, while Chester French lets her know on the hook that she "ain't gon' win," so "just throw the towel in." Strong message, nice track.

Idle Warship feat. Chester French: "Fall Back"


Tuesday May 13

Kanye Vs. Lupe? With Any Luck This is True

 

kanye-lupe-graduates.jpgNot that we want anything to endanger the execution of the oft-mythologized CRS project, but this is too juicy not to post. According to HamptonRoads, Kanye got into it with Lupe Fiasco over a verse for the "Everyone Nose" remix, basically accusing Lulu of stealing from him.

The Neptunes were working on a remix to their single "Everyone Nose" with a verse from Lupe Fiasco. All was going fine until Kanye enters and hears Lupe's verse, which was all too similar to one he had spit not long ago. Ye lost it, accusing Lupe of stealing/finishing his verse -- and that Lupe had the opportunity when he'd looked in Kanye's rhyme book previously. Everyone in the crowded room was laughing, thinking it was a joke, but Ye continued on, basically causing a massive, Naomi-worthy row and P had to calm everything down.
Props to Pharrell for being the moderator in this scenario, what with him being accused of stealing on occasion. So that was real big of him and everything. Perhaps being surrounded by peers that also think he's crazy will cause Kanye to re-evaluate his attitude. Maybe. (Intel via Idolator)

N*E*R*D: "Everyone Nose (Remix)" ft. CRS & Pusha T


Monday May 12

Get Drunk With KiDz In The Hall and Estelle

 

kidz_in_the_hall_estelle.jpgAnyone who still thinks that Hip-Hop is dead surely hasn't listened to KiDz In The Hall. Naledge and Double-O are doing the damn thing on their newest CD, The In Crowd, which officially hits the streets tomorrow. The entire album is already available on iTunes and is currently being streamed on their MySpace page for those who want to try before they buy. I highly recommend blessing your CD player with this if you'd like to hear one banger after the other. One such song that has I'm diggin' on is "Love Hangover" that features UK soul sensation Estelle on the hook and details a love/hate relationship. I'm sure that we've all been there, done that, got the t-shirt and now we have some music for the ride back.

KiDz In The Hall feat. Estelle: "Love Hangover"


KiDz In The Hall [Official][MySpace]
Monday May 12

'Wash Away' With Hil St. Soul

 

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Just in time for the summer, British export Hil St. Soul is returning with a new album. Black Rose hits the streets in June and finds the duo coming back strong with more of the mellow soul sounds that put singer Hilary Mwelwa and partner Victor Redwood Sawyerr on the map. One track from the new disc that has me wide open and wanting to book a trip to Jamaica is "Wash Away." The song flips a sweet sample of Sister Nancy's "Bam Bam, " which should be well known to reggae fans. After hearing this island-flavored goodie I'm gonna need someone please pass the summer pon de left hand side.

Hil St. Soul: "Wash Away"


Hil St. Soul [MySpace]
Friday May 09

N*E*R*D 'Spazz' Out On New Track

 

nerd.jpgN*E*R*D are purportedly coming out with Seeing Sounds this summer, and it's been awhile since we've had some new music from these guys. "Everyone Nose" may have been used for a Louis Vuitton ad, but its use to sell luxury goods didn't make me any more excited about it. Maybe because I'm not a fan of nose candy? "Spazz," however, cohorts Chad, Pharrell, and Shay feature on this track a N*E*R*D that sounds more like how they did on In Search Of... but with a 2008 feel. Does that make any sense? You'll see after giving it a listen.

N*E*R*D: "Spazz"


[H/T: 2DB]
Wednesday May 07

Ne-Yo Is 'Jealous'

 

neyosmall.jpgAfter last week's mixed reviews thumbs down to the video of "Closer," Ne-Yo's first single from the upcoming Year of the Gentleman, we figured we'd give you something a little bit easier to digest. Making the rounds on the interwebs now is another song from the disc entitled "Jealous." It's more Ne-Yo's trademark style, filled with the usual "oooh's" and "lipstick-on-collars" content we've come to expect from the singer/writer/producer/actor

The track isn't going to be the "it" song of the project, to be sure. And probably isn't meant to be. However, it's definitely a track that has single stamped all over it (as well as Tapemasters, Inc. *eyeroll*), and will most likely still make others jealous for the current "it" boy's talent. Shout to CL for the track. Check it out.

Ne-Yo: "Jealous"


Wednesday May 07

Dwele Helps Foxy Brown Make A Good Track. Seriously.

 

foxy_brown.jpgFoxy Brown has been busy since her release from jail recently. Gossiping about her trials of a bad weave gone wrong is always good fun. Trouble is, I really can't front on Foxy this time around. Because now Foxy has help from Dwele, and "Never Heard This Before" is dare I say, not only appropriate for her level of rhyme skills (which is decent even for Ms. Ill Na-Na), but pretty good if you ignore the parts when she falls back onto telling us about her womanly assets in a non-ladylike manner. True, it does sound like it may have come out five years ago, but you have to walk before you can run, right? If only Foxy could keep her ire on wax, she might last a little longer in the rap game instead of within jailhouse walls.

Foxy Brown feat. Dwele: "Never Heard This Before"

[H/T: JS]

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