Tuesday, July 22, 2008

The Evil Genius DJ Green Lantern Releases "Liberty City Invasion"

The Evil Genius DJ Green Lantern Releases “Liberty City Invasion” Music From And Inspired By Grand Theft Auto IV, Takes Over Rock The Bells & Joins Nas’ Jones Experience Tour

Track Listing for “Liberty City Invasion” Grand Theft Auto IV (all tracks produced by DJ Green Lantern)

01). Intro
02). Styles P - What’s the Problem
03.) Busta Rhymes - Where’s My Money
04.) Wyclef, Uncle Murda & Mavado - Informer
05.) Joell Ortiz & Dante Hawkins - Alone
06.) Jim Jones & Juelz Santana - Bustin’ Shots
07.) Maino - Get Away Driver
08.) Uncle Murda - Anybody Can Get It
09.) Fabolous & Fat Joe - I’m So Fly
10.) Qadir – Nickname
11.) 38 Special, Fever & Dwayne - Streets Raised Me
12.) Clipse f/ Re-Up Gang - 9mm
13.) Heltah Skeltah f/ Buckshot - Can’t Trust Em
14.) Red CafĂ© - Stick’m
15.) Immortal Technique - Parole
16.) Tru Life - Wet Em Up
17.) Johnny Polygon - Price On Your Head

(Grand Theft Auto IV is currently available for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system and the PLAYSTATION® 3 computer entertainment system.)

Be sure to catch Green Lantern this summer on the 2008 Rock The Bells tour we he will serve as Nas’ official DJ and the tours main DJ. In addition, Green Lantern will be featured on Nas’ “Jones Experience” tour that will also feature Talib Kweli and Jay Electronica.

2008 Rock The Bell Tour Dates:

Sat 7/19 - Chicago, IL - First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre

Sun 7/20 - Toronto, ON, CAN - Arrow Hall

Sat 7/26 - Boston, MA - Comcast Center

Sun 7/27 - Columbia, MD - Merriweather Post Pavilion

Sat 8/2 - Miami, FL - Bicentennial Park

Sun 8/3 - New York, NY - Jones Beach Amphitheatre

Sat 8/9 - San Bernardino, CA - Glen Helen Pavilion

Sat 8/16 - San Francisco, CA - Shoreline Amphitheatre

Sat 8/23 - Denver, CO - Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre

Sat 9/6 - George, WA - The Gorge Amphitheatre

2008 Dates for Nas’ “Jones Experience” Tour:

Tue 7/22- Montreal, Quebec- Metropolis

Thur 7/24- Burlington, VT- Higher Ground

Fri 7/25- New Haven, CT- Toad’s Place

Wed 7/30- Charleston, SC- Music Farm

Fri 8/8- Las Vegas, NV- House Of Blues

Fri 8/22- Park City, UT- Harry O’s

Sun 8/24- Dallas, TX- The Palladium

Mon 8/25- Houston, TX- Warehouse Live

Tue 8/26- Austin, TX- Stubbs Amphitheater

Thur 8/28- Cleveland, OH- House Of Blues

Fri 8/29- Detroit, MI- Chene Park

Sat 8/30- Champaign, IL- Canopy Club

Mon 9/1- Chicago, IL- House Of Blues

Wed 9/3- St. Louis, MO- The Pageant

Thur 9/4- Milwaukee, WI- The Rave

Fri 9/5- Minneapolis, MI- First Avenue

Thursday, July 03, 2008

Lil' Mama and the dillemas of the female MC

Despite the hype surrounding Lil' Mama's album because of the single "Lip Gloss", she put out an album that is suprisingly more hip hop than people think. I assumed that Lil'Mama was some kind of gimmick, but I was wrong.

Not that you would confuse her for Public Enemy or anything, but unlike other artists, Lil Mama knows who she is speaking to and chooses to speak to them to either to make them dance or make music that is uplifting and thought provoking. From an artist with a name Lil'Mama, you say? Well, when was the last time you heard some of the premier female MCs we got today talk about such things as females having self respect (like in "L.I.F.E"), or condeming men who refuse to grown up and girls who throw their lives away(like in "Stand Up")? Or how about the song "College" about a girl who visits her father in jail, showing how the "thug life" and its consequences breaks up families? I'm not naming any names, but I haven't heard that subject matter come from the any stripper turned rapper female artists out! But suprisingly, Lil' Mama touches on this and more on her CD.

Also, the album has many varying hip hop sounds from DC go-go, to dance pop, to straight up hip hop. The response to this album (sagging record sales and people not really feeling her)reflects the dilemmas of female MCs and how they are marketed by the record companies. Its the record companies and major corporations that have for years dressed up the female MC as a rapper/stripper. However, when they marketed Lil'Mama, it was as a gimmick, with the whole "Lip Gloss" and all the radio songs on here. The album packaging alone is a put off; guys wont buy it the way they would buy a Lil'Kim or Da Brat album because its too "girly", and females in the age range the record company is going for want to buy the latest R&B pretty boy thug. The record cover doesn't even reflect her image; she's not a "Barbie Doll" of rap like the packaging suggests.

When I got this album I thought Id just put it to the side, but then I listened to it, and after I did, I found myself wanting to see this young MC who speaks for the young people, as she says, grow as an artist. Wherever she ends up, since she'll probably be dropped for low record sales, I look forward to seeing what she does next.

Wednesday, July 02, 2008

THE HUSTLE GROUP!

I got this CD called "The Compilation" from this group called The Hustle Group. Who is The Hustle Group"?The Hustle Group is a group of young brothers making a comeup in the music industry. It consists of three artists. Rotimi is the cool R&B singer, Dre Dub is the cocky, grimy, blunt MC, and J Loonz is the lyrical, creative rhymesayer.

What I like about this group is they got variety. Dre Dub makes the club bangers, J Loonz does hip hop reminiscent of mid 90s "Golden Age" rap, Rotimi is the type of singer who though you could hear him on the radio, he's not commercial R&B and evokes soul in such a way he could be a "neo soul" singer. In what each of them do, they show their skills and truly shine on their respectable tracks.

From what I heard on their album titled "The Compilation" include J Loonz "Igniter". J's got skills and it shows on this excellent track. Some may object to the subject matter (smoking weed)but the tracks tight. Another track which stands out is "Alerp At Ya Boy!" where Dre Dub rips it up on this club track. Rotimi is soulful on "Heart Saying".

This is a compilation which seems to serve as a demo of this groups skills. Only thing I can suggest is that they each should do an album. Out of each of these stellar artists, I'm waiting for what comes next!