If you look at Jay-Z’s track list for his upcoming album Blueprint 3 (above), you will recognize many of the names of the guest artists he has lined up (there’s alot of them).  He’s got everyone big, from Kanye West to Alicia Keys to Swizz Beats to Rihanna to Pharrell to Young Jeezy.  And he’s got the new guys on there too that you’ve definitely heard of by now due to their heavy radio spins, Drake and Kid Cudi (who’s got his own debut coming out next month too).  But he’s also got a couple guests that you may not be up on just yet.  Well let me introduce them to you if that’s the case.  

Above is a dope video from J. Cole, a rapper from North Carolina signed to Jay-Z’s Roc Nation who is making a ton of noise in the music industry right now and is featured on the album.  The song is called “Grown Simba”, my personal favorite of all the stuff he has out.  And below is a video from Empire of the Sun (their lead singer Luke Steele is featured on the leadoff track) for their song “Standing on the Shore”.  Supposedly Hov discovered them when he heard their music on a recent episode of Entourage.  Funny, because I’ve discovered a bunch of great songs that way too, and from other HBO shows as well.  This video is bananas.  It has dancing shark girls in it!!!!  

Here’s another.  It’s from G.O.O.D. Music’s Mr. Hudson, who you may know from his work with labelmate Kanye West on 808’s and Heartbreak (*inside fam joke* he’s the UK Matty B hahahaha).  His song is called “There Will Be Tears”, which I kind of like, and as you can see above, he appears on the final track on Blueprint 3.  Pretty eclectic mix Mr. Carter!!!!!

Since Jay-Z’s album is basically neck and neck right now with Raekwon’s sequel to Only Built 4 Cuban Linx in terms of causing hip hop fans anxiety while they wait for their respective release dates, I’ve got to post Rae’s new video for “House Of Flying Daggers”, which features supreme Wu veterans Ghostface Killah, Gza/Genius, Inspector Deck, and Method Man.  Now those are some good old fashioned guest artists!  The video is straight animated graphics (and graphically violent too)…

Which album are you more excited for?  Yeah I know I’ve put up back to back Blueprint 3 related posts, but I’m equally pumped to hear Only Built 4 Cuban Linx 2.  I’m hoping for two classic albums.  We’ll see…

Raekwon supposedly has Jadakiss, Styles P, Busta Rhymes, Beanie Sigel, Slick Rick, and the rest of the Wu Tang Clan on his album too.  Wow.