The Hangover (sans overpaid Caucasian actors)

So I’ve certainly been following the necromantic fancies of NY based rap group Flatbush Zombies. Needless to say we believe that they are a fundamental component of the rap renaissance taking place in New York today. In my opinion this group will do well because they are doing something that is fundamental to being successful with music nowadays, namely, creating a vision and consistently running with it. This “vision” can also be identified as a “world” and you saw guys like Wiz Khalifa and Curren$y do similar things. In the case of those commercially successful acts the illustrated world consisted of flying on airplanes and blazing bales of marijuana. Another example of this type of branding is with Joe Budden, his “world” literally consisted of his commitment to being unapologetic about pretty much everything, fans who could relate to that apathy bought in. Machine Gun Kelly and his youthful “Lace Up” take on YOLO is another prime example. For Flatbush Zombies it seems their world is a hazy place where partying and rapping make love often with the assistance of drugs and plenty of it. It’s kind of like party rap if you were already dead. Surely not everyone will jump on this hearse, but if the success of the aforementioned acts are any indication, I expect the zombies to follow suit.

Download this track here.

You can follow the moaning and lumbering @FlatbushZombies

Friday Free Joints

Big Boi-Gossip (Feat. UGK And Big K.R.I.T.)

El Prez – Pass It

James Vega – Shellfish Feat. Johnny Chill

Kid Static – World Goes Round

Mistah F.A.B.- Killin These Rap Niggas Feat. Fred The Godson & Ya Boy 

Wiz Khalifa – It’s Nothin featuring 2 Chainz

Day To Day Khalifa

I sincerely doubt that Wiz’s days are as benign as this. Frankly, I envision much more shopping, eating, debauchery and plenty of Amber. Nevertheless, I haven’t posted about Wiz in a while, you know, that whole blowing up thing doesn’t bequeath everyone. Dope video journal though, if you call it that and not a music video, which I just did. Priceless moment of the video is at the 2:38 mark, Juicy J is absolutely zonked, a rarity to say the least.

ZIF Video of The Week: Beedie – Old Soul

Quick Facts

• Track was produced by M-Pyre
  
• Video was shot by a dude called Ben Fredette 
• I interviewed Beedie recently and it was a goodie.
• Beedie is significantly better than “other” rappers out of Pittsburgh. 
• You can catch the Above the Weather Tour with ease.

Beedie Be Touring

Beedie’s tour just got announced, a couple of those shows will include some other ZIF approved artists, including  Too Deep. In case you missed our exclusive interview with Beedie, peep it here. Here’s hoping we can get the Pittsburgh saliva spitter a show in L.A. soon, working on it

Not All Rappers From Pittsburgh Are Created Equal: Beedie (Exclusive ZIF Interview)

I admire our ability to filter exceptional content for my readers, in essence, that’s why blogs have made it through the trend-heavy rise and fall of internet phenomenons. Nowhere is that more satisfying than sharing great music from an artist on the come-up. That brings me to this interview with Pittsburgh rapper, Beedie. There’s no doubt that Pittsburgh is finally on the rap map after the meteoric rise of Wiz Khalifa and the subsequent success of fellow Rostrum Records artist Mac Miller. When I was introduced to Beedie’s music I had no idea on where he came from, it didn’t matter. His sound can best be described as a contemporary take on Boom Bap combined with the steady swagged out flow you would expect from a young wordsmith intent on making power moves. He’s a throwback rapper in many ways and yet I thank the rap gods that guys like this still spit. As 1/2 of the rap duo Varsity Squad and formerly 1/2 of Ill Spoken along with Mac Miller, there’s little denying, Beedie stands out. When artists I respect have something to say, it’s always an honor to chop it up with them. Be sure to check out the interview with him in it’s entirety or broken down into three parts after the jump.

Beedie Interview (Whole)

Nasty Nas, Straight Nasty, Literally.

New Nas will make it onto the Serengeti everytime. This is the lead single off the upcoming Life Is Good LP. If the rest of the album is en par with this track, life in my Infiniti will be good when I’m bumping the living hell out of this living legend’s new album. Kids, don’t let the Wiz Khalifa’s of this rap game fool you, the legends are still very much relevant, ask your ears, son.

Nas – Nasty (Dirty)

Punny Title, Falside.

My man Falside is dropping another seasonal mixtape. This time it’s fall, though we pretty much in winter, yo, do we capitalize seasons? Fall or fall?

The following Wiz Khalifa remix is also on the beat tape. It is 6.87 times better than the original track.

Wiz Khalifa – Say Yeah (Falside Remix)

“Fall, Stand The F*ck Up” will be released everywhere, including here, November 16th.

Friday Free Joints

DaVinci – This Is How We Do Download

KNO – Not At The End ft. Tunji Download

Koyaki - Shpring (What You Want) Download

N.O.R.E.-Nutcracker (Remix) (Feat. Imam Thug, Red Cafe, Bun B, & DMX) Download

Yo Gotti – Look In Da Mirror (feat. Wale, J. Cole  Wiz Khalifa) Download

Young Rocky-Touch The Sky (Feat. Saul Williams) Download

Friday Free Joints

Free Downloads: (Right click, click Save As)

Cassidy – Speakin’ In Tongues Freestyle

DJ Muggs Vs. Ill Bill – Trouble Shooters feat. Sick Jacken, Sean Price & O.C.

Pill – Dope Boys (feat. Young Dro, Rocko  All-Star)

Quazedelic – Reach Out

Sheek Louch-This Is Hip Hop (Feat. Joell Ortiz & Termanology

Trek Life – Ready To Live

Wiz Khalifa-Too Late

Boston Wiz Party

There are two primary reasons why I found this shotty footage of a Wiz Khalifa performance at the Boston Urban Music Festival compelling:

1. I was certain that Boston was a dead hip hop city, especially when it came to live shows and support for a non-mainstream artist like Wiz Khalifa
2. I thought Wiz Khalifa (one of my all time favorite rappers) was down and out, I mean I know he hasn’t been making outstanding music lately (fact), I just presumed this meant his fan base wasn’t on the up and up.

Well Bob’s your Uncle, I was wrong. The recent signing to Atlantic Records has clearly got this 22 year old veteran primed for reentry into the U.S. marketplace, the belligerent reaction from fans in Beantown is proof pudding.

ZIF Video Of the Week: Pill – On Da Korner

Pill – On Da Korner

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Admittedly, I go through stages in regards to who my “favorite rapper” is at any given moment. Perhaps they are linked to my life mood. For a while it was Wiz Khalifa, alas, that was years ago, though I still have a personal attachment to that cat. After that I went through a Curren$y era and now it’s Pill. He’s like T.I., 11 years ago!

Watch out for next month, I plan on making Danny Brown my favorite rapper. #fairweatherfan

Rock The Bells 2010 is extremely ZIF-friendly

There aren’t too many acts that I’m not personally eager to check out. For the locals, RTB will be going down in Los Angeles, CA, Saturday August 21, 2010 @ the NOS Events Center. Tickets are available at Ticketfly.com. Peep the rest of the venue lineup after the jump. Well, if you don’t live in Frisco, NYC or D.C., don’t bother. By the way, the inclusion of Lauryn Hill on this tour is genius, and it’s making my ears salivate.

You Best Believe I Never Forget The Swishers

I’ve been playing Pac Div’s Don’t Mention It (do yourself a favor and download it now at: http://itspacdiv.com/) pretty consistently since it was released for free download in April. It slaps from beginning to end, while managing to hit a variety of subject matter and moods. It most definitely deserves your listen, and probably a full review from us. And while it’s a little too late for a review, it’s never too late to give something a listen. And if one – two months is too old for you, you probably have a very serious downloading problem, and aren’t giving very much of anything a full listen. I know I’ve been that way on a few too many occasions.

Anyways, while pretty much the entire album is impressive, I have been finding my self listening to one song more than the others. “Don’t Forget The Swishers” is a song I think most hip-hop fans can relate to. The lyrics are funny but honest and while the topic is pretty much getting fucked up and hitting on chicks, it’s done in an down to earth and relatable way, rather than saying that every night they put on their $500,000 necklace, roll up to the club on four quarters, buy out the bar, and then run trains on supermodels in the handicapped bathroom stall. In addition, while hip-hop choruses more often than not fail to please me, Pac DIv always seems to do a solid job with theirs. I find this hook enjoyable as hell, and catchier than the clap. I think we’ve all gave the same message or felt the same way as the chorus at at least one point in our lives, but hopefully, much more than that.

Pac Div – Don’t Forget the Swishers (ft. Dom Kennedy, cARTer, Chip Tha Ripper)

Statements are usually overrated…

I’ve been sicker than a Jay Electronica flow lately, hence my virtual absence from ZIF. I woke up out my daze and saw that Wiz Khalifa finally got a decent track/video up. It’s funny that he shot this near my abode, I would have been all about picking his brain, though I do believe it’s scraps at this point, you know, like your college condom collection after a weekend, bare bones. For real though, I like the track. So you should do, duh!