New Music and Videos featuring Common: Announcement feat. Pharrell / We Can Do It Now feat. Lupe Fiasco, Jennifer Hudson & No I.D.

Hit the jump for the original version of the Announcement video and an mp3 stream. (more…)

Chicago Rapper Rhymefest Declares His Candidacy to Run for City Council

Read more:

– NBC Chicago

– Washington Post

Hit the jump for Fest’s candidacy promo video. (more…)

Throwback Music: Mobb Deep – Shook Ones Pt 1. (Beatnuts Remix)

More rare music form that classic 90’s hip hop era!

[via Unkut]

TONIGHT on the Radio: the Strech Armstrong and Bobbito 20th Anniversary Radio Show

THIS IS F-CKING MAJOR!!!! If you didn’t live in NYC during the 90’s, you cannot really understand just how influential their radio show was in the market to both music fans and the industry. Careers were made off getting on the show to freestyle or even just getting your 12″ spun by Stretch. Everyone listened (or tried to record as much of the 4-hour show as they could with a dual tape deck and a couple chrome C100 or C120 tapes) – it was like Nah Right on steroids with far more influence: backpackers, thugs and industry executives & artists all checked the show out. Songs that started there would end up on Hot 97 and by extension stations nationwide if they had the right stuff. But as amazing as the music was, I think I liked the late-night banter, when they ran out of or got bored playing music, even better. Bob, Stretch & Lord Sear (pictured above) and the rest of the crew would talk sh-t and snap on each other, try to get girls to call in and clown aspiring MC’s who called in to freestyle. So much of the slang I used then (and some still now) I ripped off from these dudes (“Eh yo!”) Man, that was hip hop culture at it’s finest. I miss those days although Combat and Dallas ain’t too bad at what they do in this new era. 89-Tek-Nine forever!

Not sold by my plug alone though? Then check the official one that follows:

“Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito have gone a long way since their radio show started 20 years ago on WKCR 89.9FM NYC. To celebrate the 20 year anniversary of starting what The Source magazine in 1998 named “the best Hip Hop radio show of all-time,” we now have one more chance to adjust our dials to something that will be very special.

Tonight (technically very early Friday morning) from 1am-5am, tune in to the duo who gave Nas, Jay-Z, Biggie, Wu-Tang, Big Pun, Mobb Deep, Redman and more their very first airplay – when they were all unsigned artists! Not in range to hear on your radio? Stream it on WKCR’s website! You will not want to miss the surprise guests that are going to stop by.

“Bobbito and I are really looking forward to Thursday night. That show was such an amazing ride, and it’s going to be pure fun to relive some of those moments. We hope the listeners will have as much fun as we will!” – Stretch”

Still need convincing??! Check the classic 10-minute Big L and Jay-Z freestyle from February 23, 1995 below:



Not in the tri-state/NYC area? You can still listen to this sure-to-be-classic radio experience online: Real Audio | MP3 Stream

Finally, wanna help preserve the legacy of Stretch & Bob? Hit the jump for the details on how to save Squeeze Radio. (more…)

Music Video: Masia One – Montreal In The Fall

Directed by Bread & Circuses, this video is beautifully shot. And unlike that Kweli video that just dropped, this is actually season appropriate!

Mp3 stream after the jump! (more…)