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The Most Beautifullest Thing In This World

I have come to the realization that the most powerful and influential invention that I've come in contact with is….the mixtape. Yes people the creation of a mixtape is one of the most personal, yet satisfying processes ever.

I think I started making mixtapes in 7th grade when i realized that the walk to school was going to be a little longer than I thought. Every morning before school I had to make sure I had 2 things that would last throughout my day: batteries and headphones. Without these two essential items the day was shot. Man I'd take the batteries from remotes and use tape to keep headphones together just to make sure my day was cool. (The goodness comes after the jump…)
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Tags: Mandrill

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DIGABLE PLANETS CONTEST

Digable Planets formed in the early '90s, when Butterfly met Ladybug while attending college in Massachusetts. The two later hooked up with Doodlebug in Washington DC, and began recording. Their first single, “Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat),” hit the R&B Top Ten while their debut, Reachin' (A New Refutation of Time and Space), was a critical and commercial success. After embarking on an ambitious tour, which included several live musicians, the Planets returned in late 1994 with their best album. Blowout Comb continued the group's jazz-rap fusion, but also saw them branching out to embrace the old school sound of the street as well. After Blowout Comb, Digable Planets gradually dissolved due to the dreaded “creative differences.”

However, the Planets are back in '05 with The Creamy Spy Chronicles, a collection of hits, remixes, and rarities.

Alright fools, ya'll know the deal. Send an email with your name, age, and location to articleonline@gmail.com to be entered into the contest. Contest ends JANUARY 15th.

Tracklisting after the jump.
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Weekend Outlook

For most of ya'll in DC, it will be a three day weekend (please take the time to celebrate MLK's legacy though). For me, it's gonna be another day at the office. Yes, I'm still alive, but barely. I've been working 11 hour days programming my ass off so I can make that money and feed my kids.

But this weekend is packed with so much hip-hop goodness. I just gotta break away.

FRIDAY: Beatgrinder @ Captitol City Records - Yes, friends, its time for another Beat Grinder at CCR. TruSkool is putting together the best beatmakers from the DC area in a head to head battle. Haven't been to one of these before, so I'm definately up for the experience. Asheru (the dude who did the theme for The Boondocks) and Kev Brown will be judging.

SATURDAY: Jazzanova @ Five - The German duo will be gracing DC's Five in support of their “Remixes 2002-2005″ tour. I may or may not be going to this, but since I missed Mark De Clive Lowe and Bembe Segue, I feel that I have to make up for my lack of “Worldwide Winner” exposure. This is their only non-NYC appearence on the North American leg of their tour, by the way. Tickets only $10.

SUNDAY: J*Davey/Questlove @ The 9:30 Club. - This ish is gonna be hot. I'm not gonna even mention how much love this site has given J*Davey, but a Questlove DJ (spinning all Prince classics) set is well worth the price of admission. (More info and tickets)

If you're gonna be at any of these events, hit me up via email.

Tags: Mandrill

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Ms. Hill

February's issue of Essence features an exclusive interview with Lauryn Hill while in the midst of recording the Fugees reunion album. In it, she addresses the reasons for her withdrawal from the public eye in recent years and introduces us to her new public persona of 'Ms. Hill.'

First reported as a blind item by the New York Daily News a couple of months ago, Lauryn has insisted that everyone working on the Fugees reunion album refer to her as 'Ms. Hill.' I actually thought this was just another item from the rumor mill but apparently there's some credence to it.

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Tags: Mandrill

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You Know What This Is…Its French Pop B-tches!!!

So going back to my days living in the great state of Arizona I have always like dance music to a degree (salsoul nugget yamp!!). Not hella into it, but I always respected the genre and what not. So fast forward to me being the #1 black stock boy @ abercrombie and fitch (99-'02). So Abercrombie always gets cds full of random songs and this one kinda soulful house/dance jawn comes on. Safe to say I do some searhing and find out the song is called “If I Ever Feel Better” by a frech pop group named Phoenix. Heat, needless to say.

So this is what I'm saying people, due to my extensive and diverse* (* = outstanding) knowledge and appreciation of music I am putting y'all onto this group if you didn't already know. Cop (or download legally, haha) and you won't be disappointed. We listened to the first Phoenix cd driving from Baltimore to Hampton and we (young, black broke college students) were having techno moments in jeromes car.

recognize.

Tags: Mandrill

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Review: D4L's Down For Life

Original posted for Blogcritics:

The South has been altering the learning curve of popular music for the past five or more years. First it was the Dirty South sounds of Ludacris and the soulfulness of Usher. Then Lil John came on the scene and Crunk was born, giving way to a new array of artists including ???Crunk&B??? siren Ciara. Come 2006, however, Crunk is moving aside for the a similar but newer sound. It???s called Snap music. The frontrunner for this new genre is the group D4L.

D4L has already been making waves with their hit single ???Laffy Taffy.??? The track, which has been played and overplayed, is one of the hottest joints in the club. It very recently broke the record for SoundScan Digital Download Sales by selling over 175,000 copies. I have to admit??????Laffy Taffy??? is definitely a guilty pleasure.
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Concert Review: Capital City Takeover

Five is one of those clubs that always surprises me. When you think you have ???em pegged for a certain crowd or music type, they turn around and do something out of the ordinary. The Capital City Takeover Concert was definitely one of those times. Put on by Text Sosa???s ???SMF??? and the Target Squad (as in Target Squad Records), the show brought together some of DC???s ???hottest acts??? to perform together on one stage. Acts like Team Hardcore, 4 Corners, Hood Life Money, Mosburg Duck, and The Foundation went on stage in a showcase fashion.

The quality of show for the majority of the night was so-so. The attention span of the crowd was definitely waning, as the show didn???t start for a good hour and a half after it was supposed to. While a number of the groups had five or six people up on stage, there were only two or three who were doing anything at any given point. The rest were just standing on stage holding mics. However, there were two groups who were on top of their game: J.V.P and The Roll Wit Us All Stars.
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Tags: Mandrill

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Can't Knock the Hustle…

Vice Magazines latest edition of Dos & Don'ts

Lebron James speaks on how important it is to know the history of the NBA and basketball in general. This is good for all of hoops, because if “the chosen one” can wax hoops history with others, it might let the kids and fans who look up to him know that basketball history is “cool”.

Robin Thicke signed with Pharell/Star Trak to distribute/promote/bring heat to his new album. I'm sure everyone has caught his performance w/Lil Wayne on Jay Leno the other night, however if you haven't

So this dude is a celebrity because he parties alot? A male Paris Hilton? Is there a black version of him/her? (Nicole Ritchie does NOT count)

Freedom Plaza stand up!! The Forgotten City

What it dew baby its the iceman paul wall speaking on blackplanet, lil flip, and stealing grills.

Tags: Mandrill

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Pharrell Switchin' Up??

Before:

Looks like one of the reasons for the delay of Phrarell's solo album, In My Mind might be the album cover. The original cover was weird, but since I never thought of Skateboard P to be from the “hood,” I figured that it fit his personality. But I guess the image of a cartoon-like Pharrell doesn't resonate with the buying public. However, if they do switch up the album cover to the one below, it will probably come off as a record company's attempt to make the dude look more “street.”

After?

In My Mind is supposed to drop (in some form) this February. From (Crunk and D)

Tags: Mandrill

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Random Ish: The New Years Edition

What's up people, you know what time it is.

Support our advertisers: Keep the Couch Sessions running and give us some $$$ for some future projects. Click on the ads to the right and help a brotha website out! We have some new advertisers: Lexus/Hidden Beach Recordings and the American Cancer Socitey.

ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER CONTEST. Digable Planets Contest. We're giving away two copies of The Creamy Spy Chronicles compilation CD. Email your name, age, and location to articleonline@gmail.com right now.

Forget “Diamonds from Sierra Leone,” this is the real deal.

This is weird: Some Sweedish chicks cover Saul Williams', “List of Demands.” At first I was like WTF?, but by the end I was diggin' it.

Speaking of Google Video, when in the HELL did this ish become cool? Case in point : Here. Here. And Here.

Test Icicles: For real, or just a Bloc Party knockoff?

The Carps: Look out for them in '06. This is my song right now.

Lupe Fiasco article in The Fader (via Rome). Just made me want to listen to the 1st and 15th mixtape again.

This dude walks through glass. WTF? (From my new fav. blog Qarxis.)

Tags: Mandrill

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