Drankenstein Says “App”ly yourself!

Everyone has a Twitter account, thousands of “followers” and a Facebook account that has more spam than a Hawaiian lunch buffet. Remember when being on a new social network guranteed you some level of exposure, whether it be Reverb Nation, Soundcloud, Bandcamp, or countless others, if you played, you won a little. Those times are long gone, which is why I was so intrigued by Young Money rapper Short Dawg’s most recent attempt at exposing himself, creating a video game application for Google Play and the Apple Store; Drankenstein!

 The game is described as the following:

Join Short Dawg as he blasts through the crowded streets of Houston, capping gangsters and collecting his favorite purple beverage to transform into the invincible Drankenstein, smashing through cars with a rocket launcher and earning bonus cash! How fresh is your ride?

Yes, I know, it’s the worst application in the history of gaming applications, however, you do get to enjoy his soundtrack (if you like your money Young) during game play, and here’s the music sharing kicker, new tracks are downloaded right to your phone as you play. It ain’t rocket science, but it is music business science.

Still, you must like the music…

Biblical Beef: Pusha T v. Tunechi

After releasing the track last week, I wasn’t sure whether this beef would actually materialize into anything. Pusha T was quoted as saying it wasn’t related to Weezy, to me that’s enough to leave it alone. If I was Lil Wayne, I would have let that sleeping do lie, god knows that G.O.O.D. has more traction with tastemakers than YM does right now. However, when Weezy dropped the “Goulish” freestyle in response to the suppposed diss, we all knew the switch was moved into the “on” position. If I was a sports analyst slash Vegas bookie, my odds would favor Weezy still, his history with beef, let alone his ability to ride his fans into a campaign significantly outweigh the ability Pusha T has to make himself worthy of media hype without something as absurd as Kanye jumping on a track with him. Tag team though, Kanye and Pusha T versus Drake and Tunechi? That would potentially extend the predictably short shelf life of hip hop beef, here’s hoping that doesn’t happen. 

Oh, for those of you wondering about the actual biblical significance, Exodus 23:1 reads : ”Do not spread false reports. Do not help a wicked man by being a malicious witness.”

God, smh, always stepping in and causing shit between gangster rappers.

 posted at the 301 view mark

Pink Friday: Richer Than You Think

Yes, we are talking Minaj es Nicki. By default Nicki being the polarizing character that she is, will turn off plenty of ZIF heads, perhaps with a scoff or wave of the hoof. However, let me say this, Nicki Minaj is the most important “character” in hip hop right now, and all of us should be watching carefully. Nobody illicits more Google searches than Nicki Minaj, and every rapper from Kanye West to your neighborhood underground cat fantasizes about a feature from the plastic rap star. On some real shit, her flow is beyond a Weezy impersonation, and the mish mash of content she crams into most of her tracks leaves fans hungry, they like those delectable bites. Nicki is a power player, a first string tailback in the NFL, one on the Patriots or Colts, one that matters (excuse the NFL analogy, Eagles are killing it, I got it on my mind). For these reasons, the Pink Friday album is a big deal.

And here is one reason to care about the album that nobody can deny. The album is being used to support the Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Beating cancer and taking the game by storm, there’s nothing plastic about that, Barbie or not!

Peep a few tracks off the upcoming album, and pre-order your deluxe copy on ITUNES.

Roman’s Revenge (feat. Eminem)

Right Thru Me

Blazin (feat. Kanye West)

Juno What? Drake just killed himself. Proverbially.

You know how many times I’ve had to defend my appreciation of Drake as an emcee? Too many to count son, that’s how many! I’m that guy saying Drizzy needs to leave Young Money, find a label that will let him be a true lyricist, as he’s demonstrated on “Scriptures“, or even take his commercial platform to more comfortable heights, as his swagger suggests on “Over“.  But no, no more endless support from moi. I appreciate the effort to show your Canadian pride at the Juno’s, but being the sidekick for Justin Bieber’s performance? Nah homie, we done, like badly cooked steak.

It’s Nicki Minaj Attack, And It’s Massive.

It’s Barbie bitches!

ZIF Video Of The Week: Young Money: Roger That

Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj & Tyga – Roger That

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For those of you who enjoyed the last few posts, you’re probably wondering, why is this is ZIF video of the week? Well, for starters, I like Tyga, I think he’s ill and will be around longer than Young Money. Having said that, I am guilty of the pleasure that is Nicki Minaj, and I think her verse is somewhat ill on this track. Weezy is the captain of this vessel, leading these youngsters to money land, I have nothing else to say about Weezy F. Baby. Other things to take into consideration: the lack of a Drake verse, whether or not Nicki is ghostwritten for by Weezy, and if Chase and Status should remix this track(like they did with Saxon).

The Stimulus Package for The Whole Damn Industry

Ironically it takes a G from Philly and not a President from Chicago to truly put together a stimulus package that makes sense, let alone cents. Philly fire spitter Freeway has teamed up with hip hop Godsend Jake One. The collaboration has produced a virtual stimulus package for hip hop sonically, however, this will also stimulate the real economy, literally! People will buy this CD. Why? Why buy when you can pirate? Watch the video, and let Rhymesayers show you exactly why son!

Cop the physical copy of this ridiculously marvelous marketing item passing itself off as a CD, everywhere February 15th 2010!

The Proverbial Money and Mind Connection

Lil Wayne – Money On My Mind

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As if any of us would have thought that Snoop rapping about cash on his brain back in the Murder Was The Case days would be a message perpetuated to this day by contemporary rappers. With success mind you!

Video Download: Lil Wayne – Money On My Mind

Drake’s New Shit Don’t Stink

I recall a few different moments when I came across Drake’s material early in his career, certainly pre-Weezy. First of all, it was difficult to put aside the fact that I recognized him from Canadian TV, his now infamous role on Degrassi, as I found out, many people down in the States also peeped Degrassi, and thus, shared the same preconceived notions I had. However, Drake seemed to be on some different shit, certainly a different sound from the stable of T-Dot rappers that had the rap game on lock in Toronto. But more impressive than his sound, was his visible awareness of the industry and what it takes to entertain. When he linked up with Lil Wayne and Young Money I figured that was the end of what could have been a reasonable Toronto MC making it. Boy, was I wrong about that one eh?

What I like about Drake is his ability to absolutely murder 16 bars when he’s not being finagled by the YM camp. Have you heard his verses on Scriptures? Anyways, this new shit is some dope ass stank. Check it.

Download: Drake – My New Shit

Spitter

Sure it’s still early on in the nascent year, and yeah, another “spitter” could potentially arise and earn the lime light, but I really hope this pans out to be Curren$y’s 3-6-5. His nasally delivery and witty punchlines are some of the illest floating around the blogosphere lately, especially since he and Jay Electronica have become besties. And, I think I’m rooting for the guy because he’s been pinballed around so many labels. He also comes off as a dork in interviews, yet still viciously shreds the beats–and I dig the lion-in-sheepskin dynamic . Here’s his latest “Smash On O’Leary.”

Curren$y-Smash On O’Leary

Carter Bootleg

If you’re a Lil Wayne fan, this is pure YouTube gold, some bootleg footage of Weezy during a session in the Big Apple. It’s filled with little Weezy idiosyncracies like his search for his “drank” and his propensity to surround himself with grand instruments which he cannot play. If you’re not a Lil Wayne fan, the lovely lady introducing the YouTube clip is worth the 15 seconds. Viral marketing man, it’s really not that difficult, get hot girls to introduce your product, that’s half the battle.

Not a Goon, Not a Goblin, But a Gaol

Well folks, it was another Weezy day in the neighborhood today. Lil Wayne is going to the big house. The young mogul pleaded guilty on Thursday to attempted criminal possession of a firearm in a July 2007 incident and will serve a year behind bars. Another 1 year stint in a federal pen for a rap superstar. With T.I. and now Lil Wayne behind bars, maybe the indie scene will be able to capitalize. This is good news for the Glasses Malone’s and the Jayo Felony’s, because consumption of the Young Money camp will cease, nobody wants to see those clowns up there without at least a shot of peeping Weezy. So if you see Maino on the street, tell him to step up the pace, everyone has a year to capitalize, it’s reppin’ time.

On a brighter note, Weezy leaked this track today. It’s a remix off his upcoming mixtape, I like it, I like it a lot. Must be something about me and swag surfing.

Lil Wayne – Swag Surfin’

Will You Settle for 80% of All Girls?

Look, Young Money, there are a lot of really pretty girls in the world–lots of them. But, you have to admit that your said-sexual conquest is a tad bit irrational, every single girl in the world?

San Francisco rapper A1 has reworked Young Money’s declaration to make it just a touch more pragmatic. Also, if you’re in the San Francisco-area on October 22nd, be sure to peep him at the Blue Macaw, on Mission between 21st and 22nd.

Download “Not Every Girl!”

A-1-”Not Every Girl!”

Friday Free Joints

MPFREE’S

Wiz Khalifa – This Plane

Lupe Fiasco – Solar Midnite

Cormega ft. Lil Fame – Get It In

Snoop Dogg – Protocol

Drake ft. Birdman – More Milli (Prod. by Boi-1Da)

Tyga ft. Gata – Space Joyridin

Ron Contour – Damage

I have seen you in the movies

When I think about Canada, music and intelligent thought, my thoughts turn to Neil Young*.

*The verse chords to Ambulance Blues are Bert Jansch’s “Needle Of Death” transposed down a whole step (rather than playing C-FMaj7-Am-G7, you would hit Bb-EbMaj7-Gm-F7), the song that supposedly directly inspired the NY penned “Needle and the Damage Done”). A Studio version of this can be found on the out of print “On The Beach”

When I think about half-ass freestyles, Drake might be first up: