[CONTEST] Win FREE Tickets to See Rapper Stalley Live in Toronto TOMORROW (Feb. 1)

Stalley is one of our favorites here at The Kitchen. His O.H.I.O. album was one of the under-appreciated classics of 2014, but not around these parts. His brand of streetwise-but-thoughtful, classic-meets-contemporary hip-hop is right up our alley so we were super psyched to learn that he was coming to Toronto this week (TOMORROW in fact) as part of his current From Me To You tour. Thanks to the good people at The Academy Presents, we are able to offer one free pair of tickets. Wanna win them? Here’s the drill:

1. Follow me on twitter at @Stellaskid (necessary so I can DM you in the event that you win)

2. Tweet the following message exactly: “Hey @Stellaskid: I wanna win tickets to see @Stalley at @RevivalBarTO in Toronto on Feb. 1” (note: no quotation marks needed, just the message inside the quotation marks is fine)

Simply RT-ing any tweets I do promoting this contest does NOT enter you to win (unless there no entrants!). The contest will close at 12 noon EST tomorrow (Monday Feb. 1). The winner will be notified via twitter DM. Winner will also be responsible for their own transportation to the show.

For more info on the show, CLICK HERE: Facebook | tickets

Not up on Stalley? Then peep these tracks from his brand new, just released (last night) new mixtape album Saving Yusuf. Like what you hear? Listen the album in its entirety HERE.

[MP3] Macklemore & Ryan Lewis – White Privilege II

“White Privilege II”, where do we even begin with this one? This track probably deserves far more discussion than I’m going to give it here. That being said, there are plenty of think pieces out there already. We live in a time where diversity and access to express one’s voice for POC are themes or discussion points front and centre in the media currently so, let’s be honest, one more blogger talking about it is probably not going to move the needle in any meaningful way.

The issue of white participation in hip hop as artists and behind the scenes running the business has been long been contentious but it’s part of a larger discussion about the contribution of Black voices and bodies in creating American culture and how that culture has spread worldwide (these issues are salient up here in Canada too!). Acknowledgement and appropriation play an integral role in this discussion too. The nomination artists like Macklemore and Iggy Azalea, a target in “White Privilege II”, have received have been the source of much discussion and controversy. Macklemore is not unaware of this and his attempts to address this have drawn plenty of reaction in the past.

The sprawling “White Privilege II” is his attempt to continue addressing those issues and ones beyond it. Macklemore wades into the #BlackLivesMatter debate and explores the idea of whether he has right to speak on it and what it means if he doesn’t.

I’ve seen some commentary online dismissive of the song. But, even if the song is flawed (and at almost nine minutes, chances are, even if you love it or the idea of it, you’re probably going to find fault or have problems with something in it!), doesn’t every journey begins with a single step? People carp on about how America (especially white America) doesn’t want to have a conversation about race. And I see criticism of the calls for a boycott in response to the #OscarSoWhite controversy saying white liberals and white Hollywood need to do more of the heavy lifting on the fixes needed to address the problems. But when Macklemore tries to initiative that conversation with what I would argue is a reasonably solid or at least certainly thoroughly prepared opening take on addressing the issues with “White Privilege II”, he gets pilloried for it. I’ll put it like this: if someone like Macklemore can’t spark this conversation in his world, I’m really not sure who could or what people who have called for this to happen would like to see happen or done instead of this song. I’d be curious what others think though.

Related reading:

– On Macklemore’s Sprawling Track About Race, ‘White Privilege II’ (Fast Company)

– ‘This Song Is Uncomfortable’: Macklemore On The Contradictions Of ‘White Privilege’ (NPR Music)

– Meet Hollis Wong-Wear & Jamila Woods, the Women of Color Behind Macklemore’s ‘White Privilege II’ (Jezebel)

[MP3] Kanye West – No More Parties in LA Feat. Kendrick Lamar / Real Friends

Been kind of mixed reviews of this ‘new’ track featuring Kanye and Kendrick Lamar. Apparently was actually a track made by Madlib during the sessions for the My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy album. What y’all think though?

Previously on The Kitchen:

– Kanye West – Facts [MP3]

[MP3] Anderson .Paak – Come Down

Another track from buzzy new Compton soundtrack MC, Anderson .Paak‘s actually pretty excellent Malibu album. See what he did there?

Previously on The Kitchen:

– Listen to Two Recent Tracks from Anderson .Paak: Am I Wrong Feat. Schoolboy Q / The Season/Carry Me

[MP3] Black Milk – For 4ever / Like I Need It All

Two new tracks from Detroit MC, Black Milk. Always welcome….