Author Archive

Michael Phelps also holds a gold medal for… Bong Olympics?

Posted in Culture with tags , , , on Tuesday, February 3, 2009 by Tim Althaus

bong-olympicsPictures are all over the net of Olympic Champion Michael Phelps taking a nice bong rip when he wasn’t training (he didn’t get tested). I think it’s pretty much hilarious. It just proves that you can be an olympian and still smoke grass. Why is everyone so harsh on this guy? He trains pretty much year round, and when he wants to relax and smoke all anyone does is criticize. He had to apologize to the IOC, and luckily they accepted his apology and took it as sincere.

Michael, you don’t have to appologize to me. The whole world now knows that you not only hold gold medals in swimming, but in the world of Bong Olympics as well. So wait until you go to your next college campus party, who knows, Michael Phelps might be in the back loading one up for you and your friends. This just proves more than ever that even an olympic athlete can be pretty down to earth. I honestly don’t think this would affect his training either because he works out so much.

Audio: Raekwon, “Back From the Slums” (Featuring Ghotface & Method Man)

Posted in Audio with tags , , , , , on Tuesday, February 3, 2009 by Tim Althaus

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I am starting to fiend for this album like crack. This is only the second track that I’ve heard and I’m completely blown away. Two tracks off of this album and I’m already feeling like this is a classic in the works. I posted about this album and the list of producers on this album is nothing short of amazing. Considering that Ghost has already been on two of the tracks, we can probably expect big things from the guest appearances on Only Built For Cuban Linx 2.

Listen: “Back From the Slums” (Featuring Ghostface & Method Man)

Spotted at OKP

Review: P.O.S., Never Better 

Posted in Music Reviews with tags , , , , , , , , on Monday, February 2, 2009 by Tim Althaus

pos-never-better-cd-cover-album-art I really don’t want to sell this album short because, this album is one more nail in the coffin as a testament to Rhymesayers Entertainment‘s complete solidity in independent Hip-Hop. I first heard about P.O.S. when Audition dropped in 2006, and I listened to the album and immediately fell in love with it. It was the perfect blend of Hip-Hop and punk attitude. I knew that this album was going to be special but I had no idea what to think.

I read an interview over at Culture Bully and the guy said that this album almost had the same fitting comparison as El-P’s masterpiece,  I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead. I honestly had the exact same thought in my mind because this album has different soundscapes all over the album but it shows major cohesiveness even while being so diverse with sound.

The opening track is called “Let It Rattle” and it starts off with Stef saying “Sorry I took so long”. I didn’t know the whole story about his album getting stolen at a show until I watched the interview with Kiwibox. P.O.S. rolls right in with an acapella first verse with no real beat in the background and political jabs and uppercuts. When the beat kicks in it’s a barrage of hard hitting drums and anger.  This might be one of the most politically driven albums you will hear the whole year, and it is pouring with Stef’s heart and soul. “Savion Glover” is one of those tracks that I could easily see playing at a party with a bunch of kids dancing infectiously to. It has some great cuts that had me smiling within the first five seconds of hearing the track. The track “Goodbye” could very well be the highlight of the album next to “Low Light Low Life”. “Goodbye” (produced by Lazer Beak) has an incredible beat with a great vocal sample, loud ear assaulting horns and Stef’s usual blood, sweat and tears pouring out onto the track like his life depended on it. Like I said before “Low Light Low Life” in opinion is probably the highlight of Never Better which features Sims & Dessa (of the Doomtree crew) on a great beat by Paper Tiger.

This is a fantastic album that is a great benchmark in the quality of music that P.O.S. and Rhymesayers are putting out. I hate to say things so early in the year, but this album will probably be one of my favorites this year. It’s great to see such great quality music coming out early in the year. It makes me proud to be from Minnesnota. It also lets me know that we can look forward to great things from P.O.S. and RSE this year.

9/10

Review: Evidence, The Purple Tape Instrumentals

Posted in Music Reviews with tags , , , , on Monday, February 2, 2009 by Tim Althaus

purple-tape You have all been hearing me talk about Evidence non-stop for what seems like the last 6 months. Everything that I have been discussing however has been about his emcee game, not his producing skills. I have to tell you that Evidence is one hell of a producer. I also have to let you know that I absolutely love beat tapes, so this one hits really close to home. I haven’t really listened to the Red or Yellow Tape Instrumentals for awhile, so I didn’t really know what to expect.

The album starts out with a track called “Take U Back”. The beat has a nice little sample flip and some hard hitting drums with your occasional guitar loop. It’s a great way to kick off the beat tape (not to mention the track has an intro almost as if a movie were beginning) and it hooked me right away. “Lost Cause” is one of those totally infectious beats, and it reminds me of a track that s0meone by the likes of Dr. Dre would spit over. This is another track that I could easily see being in a movie score. To be honest to me I kind of felt like I was listening to a movie score from beginning to end. This album is great quality and a great testament to EV’s production skills. I would love to hear emcees spitting over every single one of these beats. The song “Hour Glass” is truly a beautiful beat at the very least, and in my opinion might be the highlight of the beat tape.

The Purple Tape Instrumentals is a great supplement to follow up it’s predecessors (Red Tape & Yellow Tape Instrumentals) with 20 straight bangin’ beats, and I highly suggest that you go out and grab this if you are an Evidence fan because these are some great beats. Some of them are actually very simple beats, but the way they are arranged makes them very enjoyable.

8/10

Madlib & Cut Chemist to Headline “Timeless” Concert Series

Posted in Music News with tags , , , , on Monday, February 2, 2009 by Tim Althaus

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It turns out that two of the most consistently innovative producers in Hip-Hop will be headlining the same show together. The “Timeless” Concert Series is a four part series, that will be going down February 1st and every third Sunday after that. There is a different DJ headlining each night, the first one is Cut Chemist alongside a 15-piece orchestra, the second show (a tribute to Dilla) will be DJ Houseshoes along with a 36-piece orchestra (of L.A., formerly Detroit), the third will be Madlib with a 30-piece orchestra and the last DJ will be J Rocc along side David Axelrod and a 26-piece orchestra. To be honest this concert series sounds like it is going to be something that is beyond words to explain. I am almost to the point of weeping because I don’t live in California.

Spotted at HipHopDX

Congratulations to Jay Electronica & Erykah Badu!

Posted in Music News with tags , on Monday, February 2, 2009 by Tim Althaus

erykah-jay-congrats

This came as a surprise (seeing as I didn’t know Jay and Erykah were together) to me. Jay Electronica and Erykah Badu had a child at 1:30 PM on yesterday. I as well as everyone at Mind Inversion would like to congratulate Jay & Erykah on the birth of their new born daughter. Hopefully we get to hear some new material from Jay as well in the next few months, I can honestly say I can’t wait to hear what’s in store for us from Jay.

Spotted at OKP

Second Supper Issue 148, The Sound Issue 

Posted in Culture with tags , on Monday, February 2, 2009 by Tim Althaus

second-supper-148-cover Do you ever take for granted the ability of being able to hear? If this statement rings true at all (or you want a great read) I highly suggest that you take a look at this issue of the Second Supper. Briana Rupel and Adam Bissen have some very good articles in this issue that shouldn’t be missed. Adam Bissen decided that he would take a day where he would not hear anything. He put earplugs in his ear and had noise canceling headphones on all day. The result is very surprising and interesting when Bissen finds out what it’s like to have no sense of hearing. Briana Rupel has a great story about Wendy Arndt who became deaf when she was just one year old. It hits home with Bri because they are friends. Wendy is a very talented individual who plans on doing big things, and was actually named Miss Deaf Wisconsin in 2008. She is a very special individual because she transcends the bridge between the hearing and non-hearing world (read the article to find out why).

Brett Emerson does one of the most bold things that I have ever heard. He takes his iPod out of the mix (doesn’t use it, only in certain cases), listens to talk radio in the car and only listens to albums for reviewing purposes (but he “acknowledges reviewing as a slippery slope”). I honestly don’t know what I would do if I pretty much took all of my favorite music out of my life. I wouldn’t be the same person, I can definitely tell you that much.

You will also find, of course, the usual assortment of regular articles that you have grown to know and love. Do yourself a favor and give yourself a healthy portion of Second Supper.

Video: Ruby Hornet TV Interview with DJ Babu

Posted in Video with tags , , , , , on Saturday, January 31, 2009 by Tim Althaus

Vodpod videos no longer available.

I caught this video over at 2DopeBoyz, and I have to admit it’s really good. Babu recently did a DJ show in Chicago (I really wish I could have made it) and he did an interview with Ruby Hornet TV. Basically he talks about a wide variety of topics like being able to get into DJing these days, things with Dilated Peoples (The group and the side projects), Duck Season 3 and getting out of the “bedroom” DJ mode. Babu is one of the most down to earth and humble cats you will hear about. This interview is well worth the 13 minutes of my time, I’m learning knowledge from one of the best.

Marijuana Field found on Google Maps

Posted in Culture with tags , , , on Saturday, January 31, 2009 by Tim Althaus

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According to a news article that I found on Digg the Swizz Government found a “pot” farm buy using Google Earth. Apparently the bust yielded 1.2 tons of Marijuana and valuables and cash worth over $780,000. Personally I think this is absolutely insane. Is there anything you can really hide from Google these days? I mean yeah it’s a cool feature that you can find things via satellite, but it’s a little crazy. Granted these guys were kind of dumb just growing weed in the middle of a cornfield, but that’s not the principle of the matter at hand.

Apparently authorities found the marijuana field which was just about two acres hidden amongst a field of corn. According to the article they were looking for the address of two men that were supposively involved with the drug ring, and they stumbled upon this field of “green acres”. This group of people have apparently sold somewhere near seven tons of marijuana in the last 5 years.

Raekwon: “Criminology 2” (Featuring Ghostface)

Posted in Audio with tags , , , , on Friday, January 30, 2009 by Tim Althaus

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I can honestly tell you that if this is the actual cover for Only Built 4 Cuban Linx 2, I would buy it solely for the album cover. This track is complete hotness if you know what I mean. Anytime that you get Ghostface and Raekwon together you know you are going to have an almost instant classic on your hands. Make sure you check out the track and go get Only Built for Cuban Linx 2 when it comes out. OBC2 is going to be one of the best albums of this year, mark my words.

Listen: Criminology 2