It’s been a long wait for Passion Pit fans everywhere for the indie outfit’s follow-up to 2009’s Manners. Today, NPR’s First Listen gives us a full stream of Gossamer, which you can listen to below. You can probably imagine how difficult it is to top their breakthrough debut record, but somehow, the group manages to do so by being a little more reflective, a little less circumspect in their songwriting, and a whole lot more daring. Gossamer will see its official release on July 24th and if you preorder the record on iTunes now, you’ll receive bonus material that won’t be available anywhere else.
Can’t really complain when it comes to new music from Kendrick Lamar. To build up some more hype for his soon-to-be-released classic (fingers-crossed), good kid, m.A.A.d. city out on October 2nd, Kendrick let loose about his alcoholic past on some T-Minus crafted string and bass. As usual, the track is mixed by Ali from Top Dawg.
Damon Albarn-fronted Blur are back with two new songs for the 2012 Summer Olympics, despite the fact that Albarn has repeatedly hinted that he won’t be making any new music with the band. The pair of songs, “Under The Westway” and “The Puritan”, will be released as a single on August 6th. Today, we get the official video of “Under The Westway”, which features footage of the band recording the song in the studio. Watch below.
The week is just about over and once again, the GOOD Music family celebrates Friday by gracing our ears with a new track. Hungry as always, Pusha T deals another hearty serving of dope (pun intended there) and hops on fellow GOOD Music artist John Legend‘s single “Tonight (Best You Ever Had)”. The original was already a great listen and with an additional verse from Pusha, things only get better. Hard to argue with that.
GOOD Music’s collaboration album Cruel Summer will hit the streets August 7th.
Frank Ocean drops a new song today, just days after posting an extremely poetic clarification about his sexuality. The new track “Sweet Life” was co-written by Pharrell and will appear on Frank’s studio debut Channel Orange, out July 17th via Island/Def Jam. This is the first thing he has posted on his Tumblr since coming out two days ago. Listen and download the soulful new track from the talented Odd Future member below.
Mac Miller, Casey Veggies, and 17-year-old rap prodigy Joey Bada$$ linked up in New York City to shoot the music video for “America”, a standout from Mac’s latest mixtape Macadelic. Directed by Mike Waxx and Mike Carson of illRoots, the visuals feature the three rappers dropping their bars as the world around them becomes cartoon-like and animated via some crazy editing. Plenty of American flags and Illuminati references to go around here, so sit back and enjoy.
Okay, Gambino is a mastermind, but you already knew that. Today, the Community star and rising rapper Childish Gambino releases his new mixtape, Royalty, complete with features from, well, almost everybody. TDE members ScHoolboy Q and Ab-Soul pack a double-punch on “Unneccessary”, Wu-Tang‘s RZA and Ghostface Killah make appearances on tracks number eight and nine respectively, Danny Brown seems to be hopping on everybody’s mixtape, and we even have features from singer-songwriter Beck and fellow comedian Tina Fey. Happy Fourth!
Royalty Tracklist:
1. Royalty
2. We Ain’t Them
3. One Up (feat. Steve G Lover)
4. Black Faces (feat. Nipsey Hussle)
5. Unnecessary (feat. ScHoolboy Q & Ab-Soul)
6. Shoulda Known
7. R.I.P (feat. Bun B)
8. American Royalty (feat. RZA & Hypnotic Brass Ensemble)
9. It May Be Glaour Life (feat. Ghostface Killah)
10. Toxic (feat. Danny Brown)
11. Silk Pillow (feat. Beck)
12. They Don’t Like Me (feat. Chance The Rapper)
13. Arrangement (feat. Conage)
14. Won’t Stop (feat. Danielle Haim of Haim)
15. Bronchitis
16. Wonderful (feat. Josh Osho)
17. Make It Go Right (feat. Kilo Kish)
18. Real Estate (feat. Alley Boy, Swank & Tina Fey)
G.O.O.D. Music will release their compilation album Cruel Summer on August 7th and the star-studded label is making sure that no one forgets. After premiering their new song on the BET Awards Show last night, the Louis Vuitton don Kanye West and his right-hand-man Pusha T have dropped the official studio version of “New God Flow”, available for streaming now via In Flex We Trust. “New God Flow” is yet another banger from the talented group of rappers, following in the footsteps of recent tracks “Mercy”, “Burn”, “Exodus 23:1”, and the remix of Chief Keef‘s “I Don’t Life”. Check it out below.
In 1988, Rony Seikalybecame the Miami Heat’s first ever draft pick when the center was signed ninth overall. Twelve years later, “The Spin Doctor”, as he was lovingly known by fans, hung up his basketball shoes after scoring 9,991 points and grabbing 6,424 rebounds in his NBA career and playing a one-on-one with Magic Johnson to prove that HIV is not contagious by touch. Fast forward to 2012 and now, the Heat have picked up their second ever NBA Championship and Rony is an international DJ and is currently promoting his first ever compilation record with Nervous Records, Nervous Nitelife Presents Rony Seikaly, released on June 5. A few days ago, I chatted with the former NBA star and DJ sensation about his new career in music, which you can read about below.
I’ve read that you wish to become a well-known musician not because of your basketball career, but because of your music, which is a very humble and grounded mindset to have. I’m just wondering though, has there been any overlap between your music career and your basketball one?
Music was always in my blood. When I played basketball, music was always my sanctuary. I never thought about making music as another career but it happened organically.
Did you ever think the nickname “The Spin Doctor” would extend outside the basketball court?
It’s very ironic but never thought it would.
What was your first exposure to music? Could you tell me more about the “music rooms” in your homes?
My parents were music enthusiasts. They would play classical music, disco and other genres always at the house and my dad would always play his guitar. When I turned 14, I wanted to get my own equipment so I saved up my money and bought two turntables and a mixer at first, then turned a storage area into my own club. All my friends would come and hang out for a nominal fee where I would play the music and with the money made I would upgrade the lights and sound. As the years went by and I started playing in the NBA, I would always turn one of the rooms in my house into a music room and invite friends — only difference was that it was free of charge.
Your music seems to have a very wide spread of influences. What was your favorite era of music and what influenced your sound the most?
I grew up on disco, early hip hop and early house but always had a wide range of musical taste from ethnic, tribal, rock to classical.
What has been your favorite moment in your music career so far? How does that compare to your favorite basketball moment?
Nothing compares to the adrenaline of sports. Music is a hobby, sports is my love. The highlight of my musical career is when I released my first track and thought it was so surreal.
What’s next for you?
I am enjoying the moment. Not looking ahead just yet.
How do you feel about how the way the NBA Finals ended this year?
I have my special ties with the Miami Heat as I was the number 1 pick in that franchise’s history. So it’s very satisfying for me personally to have seen the transformation of the franchise from its inception to champions.
Thanks for taking the time to chat. Best of luck with everything, Rony!
By now, you’ve probably seen the short film for Lana Del Rey‘s “National Anthem”. Apparently that wasn’t enough for A$AP Rocky and Lana Del Rey, who teamed up once again for the second single off Rocky’s forthcoming LongLiveA$AP LP. “Ridin'” was originally supposed to appear on April’s Follow The Leaders mixtape from The KickDrums, but Rocky liked it so much he wanted to save it for his album.
Lana, who has always described herself as a huge fan of hip-hop, trades verses with Rocky on the new cut, which is literally a tribute to the indie songstress and the Harlem rapper’s apparently budding romance. Rocky repeatedly mentions, “Long hair, Lana, that’s my b**ch. You can tell by the swagger in her lips.” Cute.
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