New School Music - New Year '09 edition

It's a New Year and I'm hitting you off with New School Music to ring in the Year. The Year must be looking good for me to already have new joints on deck for the masses. I felt it's best to have you readers join me in getting up on these new artists before everyone else does. And has anyone noticed how many times I used the word "new" in this paragraph :-)? Enjoy yourselves....

Charles Hamilton - "Brooklyn Girls"

I had heard a few of Ham's tracks from some of his mixtapes. Needless to say I wasn't impressed. This couldn't have been the same cat that XXL, Vibe, Source and countless internet music sites were touting as the Hip Hop version of Prince (He plays a ton of instruments). Then one day, I'm doing my couch potato routine and this pops up on my TV. Good job of converting me back to the Force young Padawan



Asher Roth - "I Love College"

He was in the same XXL issue as Charles Hamilton aka the 10 artists to watch for in 2009. Initially I was put off by the whole let's compare him to Em because he's white yada yada yada stuff. I got past that and caught this gem online. I think I like him more for the fact that he's not trying to be something he's not and just doing him. Plus I can relate more to this than getting shot a gazillion times or being on the run from the Feds.





Median f 9th Wonder - "Visionary"

I can't even front on taking credit for this. My boy AY put me on to this when I was visiting the Dirty Durham. He's part of the whole Little Brother-Jean Grae clique and he's backed by the infamous 9th Wonder on his album. Nice laid back flow combined with smooth beats equals a Happy Waldini.





Jay Electronica - "Swagger Jack's Revenge"

Dude's flow is simple but you just find yourself mesmerized by what's he saying. Just peep that Cassius line. OH. MY. GOD. Just brilliant. Here's a fact that will mess your mind up. He's representing New Orleans. Yes the same New Orleans that has produced "lyrical geniuses" like Manny Fresh, Master P, Silkk the Shocker, etc. I give props to anyone that rise out of that rubbish to actually spit (For the record, I do think Weezy and Juvy can spit) decent rhymes. Like his other NO brethren, the Knux, another refresher out of the Big Easy.




GUILTY PLEASURE OF THE WEEK

Ludacris f T-Pain - "One More Drink"

Luda pisses me off repeatedly. He is one of the better rappers in hip hop. Yet his albums are always uneven to me. For every song on his album I might like, he has another I hate. Fortunately this song AND video are hilarious.