MTV's "52 Bands/52 Weeks": Santogold

I saw these the other day while watching MTV. I really like the idea the channel is running with but its too bad they're merely commercials instead of actual shows featuring the music. Please give me more new artists and less "Parental Control" or "My Super Sweet 16"... Nonetheless, Santogold is about to blow up.

L.E.S. Artistes


The Creator (Live)


Garage Talk

Grown Folks - Fakts One feat. Little Brother

Apparently this joint isn't recent, but along with with Mr. Lif and Akrobatik, he founded The Perceptionists a couple of years back and then fell off the face of the earth. He’s still missing to this day. Now his long lost album is being released on Greenstreets Entertainment. It features guest appearances from Lif, Boot Camp Clik, Planet Asia, Souls of Mischief and more.

Grown Folks - Fakts One feat. Little Brother

Embarrassingly jacked from Nah Right.

Video: Tecmo Super Bowl - Curren$y

FS Jets, where haven't we been yet?

There is really no dude in the game like Curren$y, with his Mase-like flow and Fly Society swag. (pause) Dude is from New Orleans, but his style is so off the wall. His hustle right now reminds me of Weezy back in 2005. Look at all of the material he's put out in 08: The Winner's Circle and Fear and Loathing in New Orleans were both rediculous... and now he's about to put out Tecmo Super Bowl. The dude is on his grind forreal.

Yeah, alls I posts is videos rights about nows.

Video: The Artistic Integrity - Wale

First video off of The Mixtape About Nothing. Directed by Rik Cordero.

Video: Cool and Fly - Tabi Bonney

Tabi definitely doesn't get the respect he deserves, and in some ways I think he's cursed by "The Pocket" which was a fad song in DC a few years back. Hopefully he'll be able to catch the tide started by Wale and gain some national exposure. I'd say "Cool and Fly" is a good start...

Video: The State of Black Skate

Very interesting minidoc on the now trendy skateboard community and how experienced skaters have seen the acceptance from the mainstream change in the last few years. Words are by some of the Zoo York Skate Team and Lupe, who speaks on "Kick, Push" which along with Pharrell made skateboarding cool in hip hop circles.

Esperanza Spalding

I first heard of Esperanza Spalding when I saw her listed on the line-up for The Roots Picnic, which was held this last Saturday in Philadelphia (see ?uestlove OkayPlayer introduction). I then saw her incredible performance of her first single "Precious," on my Late Show with David Letterman. Esperanza is a gifted bassist, vocalist and composer and her name means "hope" in Spanish. Her sound is in the similar to that of Norah Jones, but she pushes the envelope at the same time and her voice is of Corrine Bailey Rae, but stronger and more pure. I'm really becoming a fan of hers as I find more material by her on her MySpace. Also check out her interview on NPR's All Things Considered. Her self titled album, Esperanza, is in stores now.

Watch Letterman gush over Esparanza in the clip of her Late Show performance.

"Oh my gosh, that was wonderful. You were absolutely right Paul. The coolest person we've ever had on the show. Beautiful!"

Precious - Esperanza Spalding

Video: Rosenberg at Summer Jam 08

I remember living in Brooklyn last summer and watching Rosenberg's first Hot 97 assignment on YouTube... one year later, the dude has made a name for himself! I like how there are mad people in the game who love his show on the low. Rosenberg is the movement!

Plenty of New Phonte

Here are several recent tracks from Phonte, including one which is off of Jean Grae's new album Jeanius, executive produced by none other than 9th Wondraaa. Despite their differences, there is nothing like Tigga over 9th's production. Just sounds so sweet!

The Time Is Now - Jean Grae feat. Phonte

Paper Trail - Kidz In The Hall feat. Phonte

All Because She's Gone - Oddisee feat. Phonte

Next Day - Phonte

Just Because - J*Davey feat. Phonte

Halfway - Trackademicks feat. Phonte & Carlitta Durand

FP - Skillz feat. Phonte & Lil' Roc

And for those of you who miss the phenomenon who was Percy Miracles:

The Ladies Champ EP - Percy Miracles

Gordon Gartrell Radio: Episode 2

Phonte talks about the R. Kelly trial and the homoerotic nature of male-male-female threesomes.

Gordon Gartrell Radio: Episode 2