This past Fall, Heineken staged a series of tours across the country in support of their INSPIRE campaign, which brought together influencers in the name of art, design, and music. In October, the tour stopped through the Nation’s Capital at the legendary Dream nightclub, with Wale, Rick Ross, Clipse, and surprise guest Eyrkah Badu.

The tour was held during an already busy Howard Homecoming weekend, which already brought thosands of people into the DMV. In case you missed it, however, the guys from Heineken provided this brief recap, including interviews with all of the performers. Check it.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Holidays can be an extremely busy and stressful time of year.  Between attending all the Egg-Nog fueled Happy Hours and battling with your family members over who has dibs on the pull-out couch at Grandma’s, no one has anytime to get any shopping done.  Well your Hanukkah, Christmas or Kwanzaa prayers have been answered because Subsoniq Radio’s Gangsta Mittens and K-Murdock are delivering their Top 10 Gift Ideas for 2009. So pull up a seat on the couch and check out the Mittens & Murdock list so that you can actually enjoy the holidays…

From: K-MURDOCK
To: That person who knows they are too damn old to be reading comic books, but still believe in super-heroes!
Game: Batman: Arkham Asylum

Batman: Arkham Asylum is the perfect gift simply because Batman isn’t a real superhero, he’s just a dude with mad money who kicks ass and dresses weird!  Plus,  after 20 years of making Batman games, they finally got the formula right: part crime solving + part beat em up + amazing graphics and voice-acting = a “MCS” aka a “Must-Cop-Situation”…. especially for that person in your life who really thinks Gotham City exist!  (Batman: Arkham Asylum is available now for both PS3 & Xbox 360)

From: Mittens
To: the avowed boom-bap lover
Album: Buckshot and KRS-One – Survival Skills

I’ll just get this out of the way:  I don’t like KRS-One (insert Kanye shrug here). There, I said it.  Nevertheless I will go out on a limb and give this album one of the highest compliments that I can think of:  It makes KRS-One bearable.  With slew of talented producers (including Nottz, Illmind and Marco Polo), lots of guest appearances, and a strong performance by Buckshot, KRS-One annoyed me a lot less than I expected.  While I don’t think this album will bring on many new fans, it is likely to appeal to that crotchety old hip hop fan in your life.  You know, the one that believes that ’88 was the best year for hip hop (despite the fact that 1993 is actually the best year) and who begins sentences with “back in my day…”  It’s sure to be a welcomed gift for that old school elitist in your life.

From: K-MURDOCK
To: That person who sees every action movie out – from the good Nicholas Cage ones… to the bad Dolph Lundgren ones!
Game: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves will be the go-to-gift for this type simply because you get so into the action that you will be checkin for bullet wounds at the end of your sessions!  With gorgeous graphics, immersive ambiance & non-stop action, this game would give a Michael Bay movie a run for its money, sans the cheesy dialogue and stereo-typical characters!  Plus, any game that opens up with you escaping from a train that’s literally falling off a cliff is as about extreme as you are gonna get! (Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is available exclusively on PS3)

From: Mittens
To: the kid that you think knows nothing about hip-hop
Album: Drake – So Far Gone (EP)

We all know that one young person… She or He marvels at your age, calls you old, rolls their eyes when you talk about the “golden era of hip hop” or “real hip hop”… similar to the way you did when your mom would call it hippity hop and just to piss you off.   This is the album for them.

I should take a moment to note that this isn’t about it being one of the best albums of 2009, rather I think it falls under the category of most tolerable.  Drake’s buzz is undeniable.   For a guy who hasn’t released an official full-length album, he’s got a lot of people talking.   On the So Far Gone EP, Drake collaborates with artists like Lil Wayne and Young Jeezy, which will appeal to that eye-rolling young person, but he’s talented enough to keep you from wanting to rip your ears off of your head after the 30^th time of hearing “Successful.”  Add to that the fact that it’s an EP (only 33 minutes long) and you have a winner.  Drake is also talented enough that when your young person goes out and downloads all of the other mixtapes, you won’t mind too much.

From: K-MURDOCK
To: That person who has allowed life’s hardships to beat them down to the point they need a self esteem boost… BADLY!
Game: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

You know the type- simple law-abiding citizens who have become bullied by an occasional annoyance and need an outlet to vent their anger or else they could be the next Michael Douglas in “Falling Down”!  If you know this person, then please suggest Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 to help them vent their pent-up rage. This game will allow them to live vicariously through the life of a soldier trained to kill terrorist, thus allowing them to get their “internet gangsta” on and help save the country… BONG, BONG aka double win!  Not to mention, there’s over 6 million worldwide players online at anytime, so you can always choose to get some quick kills in if you don’t feel like playing through the story mode. (COD: Modern Warfare 2 is available now for both PS3 & Xbox 360)

From: Mittens
To: the drug-dealing hip hop enthusiast
Album: Clipse – Til the Casket Drops

I’ll start with a disclaimer; this album isn’t just for drug dealers.  It’s for just about anyone who loves hip-hop, in my opinion, but I will say that those who participate in certain illegal activities will likely relate.  Having gone to college near Malice and Pusha T’s old stomping grounds, I’ve always wanted to see them succeed.  With the requisite production by the Neptunes combined with some heat from Kanye, and some gems from Sean C and LV, Til the Casket Drops addresses the typical Clipse subject matter (money, drugs, women), but it still manages to sound fresh without losing sight of what attracted their fan base to begin with.

From: K-MURDOCK
To: That guy who takes football “super-fan” to the next level by getting his favorite team’s mascot tattooed on his back or spending more money on NFL team apparel than on anything in his wardrobe
Game: Madden NFL 10

One word for these guys…. Madden!  Madden NFL 10 is the closest any dude is gonna get to playing in the NF,L unless…. you know, they play in the NFL!  That said, the presentation is so spot on, you’ll be just annoyed with all the gratuitous sponsors in the game as you are watching those annoying as Bud Light commercials- “tailgate tested, tailgate approved!” (Madden NFL 10 is available now for all major video game systems)

From: Mittens
To: Anyone that you know wouldn’t hear about it on their own
Album: Foreign Exchange – Leave it All Behind

I feel like all of these are starting with a disclaimer, but sometimes they’re just necessary so here it goes:  I don’t like R&B.  It’s just not my thing… but somehow, this album works for me.  I have said it before and I’ll say it again.  I prefer rapping Phonte.  He’s got a nice voice and he’s a talented singer, but I like what I like.  This album is weird to me.  It has the same vibe as Connected (Foreign Exchange’s 2004 album), thanks to Nicolay’s production, but this time around Phonte is singing.  The subject matter is similar, the feel is similar, and yet it’s totally different.  Give this album to someone who probably wouldn’t have heard of it on their own, and then tell them to tell a friend.

From: K-MURDOCK
To: That girl who wants to spend more time with her man as he games and have some fun of hew own too
Game System: Nintendo Wii

In the past, the of “gaming with ya girl” was one that usually caused one f two reactions with guys…. 1. laughter or 2. (if she was serious) despair…. Enter the Wii aka the the uni-sex system which stays mostly devoid of gore, violence and all those other things that feed our male libidos, and instead offers an assortment of games that actually encourage people to play together no matter what sex as the each gender will equally enjoy the library of games which range from Wii Fit to Wii Sports to Wii Play… you get the picture!  Be it tennis, bowling, or boxing, you will never has as much fun with your significant other competing with or against one another! AND you get a workout, so thats two birds with one stone as u all sweat and spend time together… out of the bedroom…. BAM!  (The Nintendo Wii is available right now for a new low price of $199)

From: Mittens
To: The eclectic music lover
Album: Blakroc – Blakroc

Since back in the days of Public Enemy doing songs with Anthrax and Run DMC pairing up with Aerosmith, I have always loved the pairing of hip-hop and rock – two aggressive forms of music feeding off of one another.  When I heard about the Blakroc project though, I was a bit hesitant… not because of Dame Dash’s involvement, but more so because of the type of music that The Black Keys are known for.  Instead of the more aggressive hard rock, they’re sound is a kind of a bluesy rock.  There’s nothing wrong with it at all, but I wondered how it would pair with hip-hop.  I am happy to admit that I worried for nothing.  The artists that were chosen for this project all have the type of laid back flows necessary to make this project work.  Well, most of them do – I don’t think that M.O.P.’s Billy Danze knows how to be laid back on the mic, but I suppose that after M.O.P.’s work with Shiner Massive for their Mash Out Posse album, this was somewhat familiar to him.  This album is probably best suited for someone who is open to various types of music or for those who listen to music with an open mind rather than insisting that each genre remain in it’s own separate box.

I can’t really imagine a rap environment without The Clipse. But it almost happened. Malice and Pusha T, the brothers Thornton, were casualties of having an unwavering creative vision in desperate economic times. However, their perseverance makes them refuse to stop rapping, performing and hustling towards success until, well, the casket drops on their lives. The boys responsible for “Grindin’,” “Wamp Wamp,” and some of the most original portraits of urban landscapes in recent memory haven’t released an album since 2006 not because they haven’t wanted to, but because they haven’t had the label to do so. Signed to Pharrell Williams’ Star Trak imprint, when Arista was dissolved into Jive Records, Star Trak went to Jive, and, well, needless to stay that gritty tales of urban blight and witty recountings of daily minutiae were tabled, while less potentially offensive pop acts were pushed. Now, in 2009, the Clipse are on Columbia Records, and have released Til the Casket Drops, a bitter, angry and surprisingly reflective release that shows the Clipse as battle tested but industry worn, throwing it all out on the line in the desire for success. And that’s where the problem is. Part of the Clipse’s initial success on record can be attributed to the fact that they frankly seemed calmer and more assured on their previous releases. They were on the way to success, a calm trek buoyed by the support of Star Trak. Now, the Clipse are hungry and demanding, a new look that succeeds on lyrical content, but with an unfamiliar production style to the group, is not quite what it needs to be.

For the unfamiliar, The Neptunes aren’t the sole producers of record on Clipse albums anymore. The work has been delegated, as Sean C and LV, The Hitmen, of Diddy fame, alongside relative new jack DJ Khalil join in on the fun. DJ Khalil may be the biggest fan of the Neptunes’ production style ever, as for “Kinda Like A Big Deal,” those hollow drum patterns and loops and racing synths make the track sound like something directly from the Clipse’s past, and Malice and Pusha and guest Kanye West all respond in kind, lyrical giants performing like beasts on the exemplary production. Khalil’s “Footsteps” pleases as well, as I’d much rather hear the Clipse discuss consigning kilos of cocaine and flashing pistols over low key banger beats than pretty much anything else. Sean C and LV succeed in creating non Southern fried boom bap meant for instantaneous radio success, and succeed with the gigantic sounding album opener “Freedom,” but on “Never Will It Stop,” what sounds like a Kanye West throwaway track is hampered further by hollow sounding, meaningless plaudits being thrown around by Malice and Pusha. The opener, “Freedom” is incredible, as it discusses the trails and tribulations of the group over the past three years, and is as emotive as it is lyrically superior.

The Clipse are hungry and demanding, a new look that succeeds on lyrical content, but with an unfamiliar production style to the group, is not quite what it needs to be.

This album succeeds when it’s The Clipse and guest Cam’ron “outside Popeyes eatin’ chicken and fries” on “Back By Popular Demand,” as the former Dipset Capo feels completely at home on the Neptunes’ production. That hook, coincidentally shows that the Clipse have lost absolutely nothing lyrically over their hiatus, and are as potent as ever in creating exact urban moments that any urban dweller can associate with. Album closer “Life Change” with Kenna is a pleasant surprise not just for Kenna’s involvement, but because the Neptunes’ production here really allows for the heartfelt notions regarding the careers of Pusha and Malice to shine through. These men would give their souls for hip hop, and clearly have. The laid back radio jam “I’m Good” is totally expected, and very reminiscent of NERD’s “Loungin’” or Jay-Z’s “Change Clothes,” two “champagne rap” favorites that really expanded the Neptunes’ production style. “All Eyes on Me,” the club number really isn’t the Clipse’s forte, but they soldier through, as discussions of their Miami, South Beach party lifestyle feel highly incongrouous with previous album topics and their most notable and appreciated qualities as emcees.

Overall, it’s great to have the Clipse back. However, their situation has left them seemingly jumbled and confused and truly unable to find a proper creative direction. The pinpoint reflection, humor, drug talk and crime content is still here, but there’s some emotional despondence that the Virginia Beach bad boys obviously have attempted to work through on record, with mixed results. As well, adding an attempt at being the very thing they resisted, a pop friendly radio act, was maybe not their best idea. Given their particular situation, take what you wanted to hear, and forget what you didn’t, as it probably will not make a return for the next release. The Clipse are still emperors, they’re just fitting into new clothes.

Photos by Joann Gomez, Music Looks Like This. Follow her on Twitter @MLLT.

Last Tuesday night, Myspace and Digiwaxx presented The Release at Hiro Ballroom in New York, on the first night of CMJ. The show was headlined by The Clipse and featured a bill that included Couch Sessions favorite Adam Tensta, newcomer Jasmine Solano and ATL rapper Donnis.

Click on the link below for additional pictures.

Jasmine Solano

Donnis

Adam Tensta

Clipse

Mary Mary feat Malice of The Clipse – God In Me (remix)

As most of y’all know, Mary Mary’s God In Me is one of my favorite tracks of the year, and I’m glad to see that it’s getting some attention and radio spins. The gospel duo gets some unlikely help from Malice of The Clipse. Seriously, I never thought that Malice was the church-goin’ kind, but I take it this is just a way to get this track more mainstream radio spins. Praise the lord!

Of course there were lots of youngins wearing their fancy streetwear gear. It was all very hypebeast and whatnot (not that I wasn’t rocking a pair of fly kicks myself, but that’s a different story).

There was even some car trunk shoe sales going on:

New artist J. Cole even stopped by for a bit. At least enough time to buy something, take some photos and pet the above dog.

I know I put a bunch in here, but you can check out the rest of the shots on Flickr, here

Download Clipse – Road Till The Casket Drops Mixtape at Complex

Another night, another very dope in-store event at Commonwealth, who just got a feature in WaPo this week. Just like the Diplo event, it was pure craziness, and this time Pusha T of the Clipse was in the building for the launch of their new Play Cloths line as well as the mixtape Road to When the Casket Drops, which is a prelude to their new album which drops in 2009. The party was off the chain as always, and Wale, Raheem DeVaughn, Tabi Bonney were in the building. Photos by Lady Glock.

It’s been a hot minute since I heard anything from Kardinal, but things are looking up for the Canadian MC since we first wrote about him on ’05. It’s been a long struggle for the dude, who has bounced around labels in Canada for years. But things have taken off for Kardi since he got signed to Akon’s label. With such names as The Clipse behind him, and major label and radio support here in the US Kardinal is set to become a household name.

His album, Not 4 Sale, drops on September 9th.

myspace.com/kardinaloffishall

DC is getting some fly shows lately! They’re not free like our friends in New York , but I still can’t complain.

Gnarls Barkley at 9:30 Club – August 5th

Show just added today. Gnarls is rocking 9:30 with (er, transvestite fronted) Hercules Love Affair on August 5th. I saw Gnarls at the MCI Center when they opened for Red Hot Chili Peppers, but to see them at a club as small as 9:30 will be a treat. Tickets go on sale today at 10 AM.

Other shows to check out next month:

July 7th – Seun Kuti & Egypt 80, 9:30 Club
July 8th – Rza As Bobby Digital Feat. Stone Mecca, 9:30 Club
July 11th – Platinum Pied Pipers, Black Cat
July 16th – DJ Shadow, 9:30 Club
July 18th – Clipse, Club Five
July 19th – George Clinton And Parliament Funkadelic, 9:30 Club
July 25th – Anthony David, Black Cat
July 28th – MGMT, 9:30 Club

Also, in September:
Sept 21st – Mos Def Big Band, Kennedy Center

Whats up people. I can’t even believe that Its been almost a year since the last Podcast dropped. My bad. There were so many circumstances that prevented me from getting it up for y’all. But it’s a new year, and in tribute to the upcoming relaunch of the site, we have a brand new Podcast. And you ITunes/Ipod people get another dope bonus…Enhanced Podcasts with tracklistings and images. Only thing is, thanks to Apple, you have to subscribe to a new RSS feed, but trust me, its worth it.

So nothing truly special this time around as far as music goes, but I do have some nice remixes of Clipse and Jay-Z, as well as Jaylib and a triple threat of Daptones Records remixes. Enjoy!

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TrackListing

Andre 3000, Erykah Badu, and CeeLo – Liberation
from Andre 3000 Whole Foods Mixtape (Atlanta, GA)

Clipse – Mr. Me Too (ZAK Remix)
from Unknown (Virginia Beach, VA)

Jay-Z and Pharrell – I Know (Benzi Remix)
from American Gangster (Brooklyn, NY)

Cyne – Haze
from Evolution Fight (Gainesville, FL)

Jaylib – The Mission (Stringed Out Mix)
from Champion Sound Reissue (Los Angeles/Detroit)

****Daptone Records Triple Play****

Sharon Jones – Stranded In Your Love (Cool Calm Pete Remix)
from Daptone Records Remixed (Brooklyn, NY)

Sharon Jones – How Long Do I Have to Wait (Ticklah Remix)
from Daptone Records Remixed (Brooklyn, NY)

The Budos Band feat. Wale – Chicago Falcon
from Daptone Records Remixed (Brooklyn, NY/Washington, DC)

Random Ish Radio features music for evaluation purposes only. If you are an artist, manager, or record company and you feel that our actions violates your copyright, please send an email to articleonline at gmail.com and the tracks will be removed immediately.