Thai Joint

Uncategorized

I stumbled upon this video by rapper Denmark Vessey called “That One Thai Joint” on Egotripland a week or so ago (watch above), and I love it. The beat is SICK. And dude can spit too. I immediately dug deeper to see what he was all about. Turns out he’s a Detroit native now holding it down in Chicago, and he’s starting to build a buzz with his “Leakly Weeks” series where he drops a new video every Monday. Check out “Green Party Swishercrat” below also, a smoker’s song of his that I’m feeling…

More on Denmark Vessey HERE, and follow him on Twitter to stay up on all his new shit. One.

*UPDATE*

#CultClassic

The Tanning Interview with Nigel Sylvester

Interviews, Published Material, Sports, Youth

For my latest interview with Steve Stoute’s site The Tanning of America, I had the opportunity to talk to BMX pro Nigel Sylvester. Check the intro, a video of him biking through NYC (he’s from Jamaica, Queens), and the link to the interview below…

African-American professional BMX bike rider Nigel Sylvester is one of the premiere sensations in his rapidly growing sport. A native of Jamaica, Queens, Nigel first got put on to the pro world of BMX at age 12 while watching the X Games on television. He immediately went outside, grabbed his bike, and tried to mimic every trick he had just seen. Since then, his number one passion in life has been riding BMX bikes and embodying the culture that goes along with it. After crafting his style on the streets of New York City, he was noticed by legendary BMX rider Dave Mirra, who gave him his first sponsorship. And now, he is sponsored by enormous brands like Nike 6.0 and Gatorade, and leading the sport of BMX to the next level through his exciting, hip-hop infused videos, filmed worldwide. The catch is that he doesn’t compete anymore. He’s a pro street rider, for real.

In this in-depth interview, Nigel talks about how he handled being called “whiteboy” as a young teenager due to his interest in BMX, his run-ins with the police in New York City parks, his experiences traveling the world as a pro, and his hands on involvement in the production of his BMX videos. Plus, he discusses interracial dating, his love of hip-hop music, how he felt seeing Pharrell ride a BMX bike in N.E.R.D.’s “Provider” music video, and what exactly being a professional BMX bike rider entails for him in 2012.

The Tanning Interview with Nigel Sylvester

Knicks Rap 2012

My Dudes, Sports, Stan Ipcus

Yo, this Knicks season has been sooooooo crazy. Melo-drama, Lin-sanity, you name it. Shit, Amar’e lost his brother in a car accident. They got rid of D’Antoni. Injury after injury. Winning streaks. Losing streaks. FUCKING NUTS. Now that Lin is out for the season, and Amar’e is out for the next couple weeks, it really is going to be interesting as we move towards the playoffs. Anyway, I’m a little late in posting this here. In fact, the day I wrote and filmed this, which was a week and a half ago, things were on the up and up, which is why I did it in the first place, and the reason I’m so damn jovial in the video. Check the stylings of me and my young boy Lonie Rock on the beat box as we pay tribute to our 2012 Knicks. One time, one take (you know how we do). Shout to TheKnicksBlog and Posting and Toasting for showing this some love, and my man J. Tunes for the camera work…

I’m out like D’Antoni. Ha!

Fly Females

Events, My Dudes, Published Material

This appeared on Egotripland yesterday as part of their new partnership with UpNorthTrips. Check it out, it came out pretty dope…

UpNorthTrips Presents The 10s | Honey Dips: 10 Classic Raps About Fly Females

March is National Women’s History Month, so to end it off, we thought we’d sneak in a fresh new edition of The 10s, dedicated to the flyest females ever immortalized on wax. Proppers to our big homies at ego trip for their brolic list of “69 Songs Dedicated To That Special Lady” (which you can find in their Book of Rap Lists), but we thought we’d narrow it down and update their list a bit for UpNorthTripspurposes. We included a handful of our favorites from their list, mixed with some post-’98 joints, all named after the the honeys they pay tribute to. From the girl who claims she’s a virgin, to the chick with the “ass so fat you can see it from the front,” we celebrate the baddest of the bad in this episode of The 10s.

1. Slick Rick — “Mona Lisa”
Album: The Great Adventures of Slick Rick
Year: 1988
Description: She tells Rick, “I got courage, and I don’t like porridge/ I’ve never been to college, but I’ve got crazy knowledge/ over eighteen and my eyes are green/ I wear more gold than that man on A-Team/ trim, slim, and also light skinned/ best believe Mona’s a virgin.” A virgin??!?!
Breakdown: The Rulers sees Mona Lisa in the pizza shop, and decides to push up. But his friend cock-blocks him, shoving him in a cab abruptly to go see some more “mature women,” leaving Mona Lisa singing that familiar Dionne Warwick melody, “If you see me walkin’ down the street, and I start to cry, walk on by…”

2. A Tribe Called Quest — “Bonita Applebum”
Album: People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm
Year: 1990
Description: “Stunning newness” with “elaborate eyes” and the perfect figure, “38-24-37.”
Breakdown: Tip is glad to meet Bonita Applebum, who is certainly appealing to him on another level. He questions his feelings, saying, “Do I love you? Do I lust for you? Am I a sinner because I do the two?” Either or, or both, Tip wants to get put on. And he’s got “crazy prophylactics” if it comes to that. Let’s hope she likes rap songs, for his sake.

3. Eric B. and Rakim — “Mahogany”
Album: Let the Rhythm Hit ‘Em
Year: 1990
Description: “Almost looked Korean, but European.”
Breakdown: Rakim is cooling before a performance with Eric B. at the Palladium, when he sees Mahogany, and tells her, “I wanna get to know you better.” They dip off to take a walk before the 1 a.m. show time, and it’s clear that his ability to get inside her head has her wide open. Then, seeing the God rap on stage only magnifies her desires, and quickly they murk off together after his set, back to his condo. Now tell us he ain’t finesse Mahogany.

4. EPMD — “Jane”
Album: Strictly Business
Year: 1988
Description: “She’s fly, haircut like Anita Baker.”
Breakdown: During the first episode of the “Jane” series, Erick and Parrish introduce us to Jane. As fly as they think she is, this is actually a bit of a diss record towards her. Parrish even refers to her as a “skeezer” in the intro banter. But it seems that she’s the one doing the dissing, as she claims in her bedside note the morning after a night of gettin’ buckwild, “You have to be better, bigger, stronger, and much faster.” But this is just the beginning. The saga continues.

5. Ghostface Killah — “Beauty Jackson”
Album: Fish Scale
Year: 2006
Description: “Her voice was a slow jam, full length white mink/ hella fine with a beauty mark on her right cheek.”
Breakdown: So, she’s standing at the bus stop, no lollipop. Ghostface introduces himself, “Sweetie call me Tony Starks, Ghost if ya like ta,” and he lights her bogie as he admires her attributes. It’s not long before the bus comes, and he has to rush to pass off his math to Ms. Jackson, and as he does he accidentally “dropped the chrome.” Not a good look, Starks. Then again, maybe she respects heat holders.

6. Mos Def — “Ms. Fat Booty”
Album: Black on Both Sides
Year: 1999
Description: “The type of girl giving out fake cell phone and name” with her “neck and wrist laced up, very little makeup” and an “ass so fat that you could see it from the front.” Mos reveals, “She was like Jayne Kennedy, word bond, to my mother man, she was that ill.”
Breakdown: Mos meets Charise, but at first she plays him when he asks her to dance. Soon after, he sees her again, and is properly introduced to her by his boy. Turns out she was playing hard to get, but was actually feeling him, and ends up asking him to dance. Say word. After “weeks of dating and late night conversation,” he finally “smashed it like an Idaho potato.” But months into their love affair, she suddenly disappears. It isn’t long before Mos discovers Sharice is actually a bi-sexual stripper. What?!?!?

7. The Lost Boyz — “Renee”
Album: Legal Drug Money
Year: 1995
Description: “Her gear was mad phat” and “she wants to be a lawyer, in other words shorty studies Law.”
Breakdown: Mr. Cheeks, intrigued by Renee’s dope wears, approaches her on the street as she’s heading towards the train. He cops them a couple hot dogs, and as she reaches into her bag for a subway token, she drops a pack of rolling papers. Wait, Renee smokes trees?!?! Keeper! They proceed to go back to her crib to twist up and get it in. Then tragically, weeks later, after Cheeks basically wifes her up, Renee is shot and killed. Damn, son. RIP.

8. Poor Righteous Teachers — “Shakiyla [JRH]”
Album: Pure Poverty
Year: 1991
Description: Shakiyla is “no hooker, no slut, no bitch, and she listens.” She’s “civilized, and despises the drugs you sell.” Simply put, she’s a “wise, black queen.”
Breakdown: No need to flaunt your wealth around Shakiyla, and try to bag her by sending her gifts. She’s not into that type of shit. Wake up. The Earth don’t give a fuck about materialism. She respects wisdom.

9. O.C. — “Stronjay”
Album: Jewelz
Year: 1997
Description: “Five foot six, body thick, hair silky/ she could make the hardest man melt and turn milky.” Also, “bugged out shit, one eye was hazel, one was blue.” In other words, “The bizomb.”
Breakdown: O.C. sees Stronjay shopping in the city, and says to himself, “This sugar be a dime.” He invites her to have a drink, and they end up in a Sushi bar, politicking over Saki. His G must’ve been correct, because she invites him back to her penthouse suite on Park Avenue, and she’s whippin’ the 500 Benz and all that. She wastes no time, slipping off her draws in the elevator, assisting O.C. in taking off his clothes upon entering her crib, and eventually engaging in a full-on skinz session equipped with Moet, strawberries, and whip cream. Hey love.

10. Aceyalone — “Makeba”
Album: All Balls Don’t Bounce
Year: 1995
Description: “Not a young girl anymore.”
Breakdown: Aceyalone runs into his old girl Makeba after a few years, and they catch up on what’s been going on in their time apart. It seems Makeba’s been traveling, and searching, and most likely leaving every man that she’s met along the way in a tizzy. And Aceyalone’s moved on to new women, and been doing his thing with the raps. They reminisce on their days of love making and smoking cheeba together, and recall how loyal they were to each other and how they wanted to get married and have mad kids. But it seems she’s all grown up now, and has changed quite a bit during their separation. Still, there seems to be a chance that the two will re-unite, and hopefully, if it happens, she won’t leave Acey lonely again.

words by @StanIpcus / mix by @UNITEDCRATES / graphics by @CNTRBND

Leaders of the New School 2012

Youth

The next generation of really, really dope rappers is starting to emerge. Thank god. I was getting worried, but it makes sense that these guys who were born during the 90’s when shit was so pure and rugged are coming around full circle to make the same type of shit. Their parents probably played Wu-Tang and Nas and shit like that when they were in the crib (literally) and it soaked in to their brains or something. As a parent, I know I try to put my kids on to the ill shit, even though they’re both under two. Fuck it. My older son Luca feels beats. He bops his head hard and all that. It’s hysterical.

The first guy who really caught me by surprise is Wiki, who’s from Uptown and spits like a young Eminem but with an NYC flair. His video for “Wikispeaks” is excellent, and it’s apparent with this one song that he’s one of the most talented young rappers out right now. It’s actually mind-boggling how nice he is. And he’s definitely on some throwback shit. He looks like a kid from the movie Kids, seems to have a preference for beers and blunts, and “Wikispeaks” sounds like something from an old Stretch and Bobbito radio show. Watch the video above, and then check out his EP 1993.

Somehow, as I explored Wiki’s Twitter page and other posts on the net about him, I came across another young rapper from NYC, Brooklyn to be exact, named Joey Bada$$ (picture above). Yo. This dude is sick. He reminds me of my boy Nef from the BX that I went to Maryland with, who I always tell people is the nicest rapper I ever exchanged bars with. Anyway, Joey Bada$$ is down with Smoker’s Club (Smoke DZA, Johnny Shipes is his manager, etc) and is only a Junior in High School, but is super duper dope, with smart, clever lyrics, tons of flow, and a great rap voice. His song “Waves” is my favorite shit out right now hands down. Listen above, and then watch his video for “Survival Tactics” with his boy Capital STEEZ below…

Kid is nice, right? Finally, Cali collective Odd Future, who I admit I was never the hugest fan of, is back at it, especially with the return of Earl Sweatshirt, their most talented and lyrical rapper who had been missing in action for the past year. Check the video for their posse cut “Oldie” led by Tyler, The Creator and featuring their whole crew (off their new album coming soon), including a top notch verse from Earl towards the end. These kids are off the chain (they basically just fuck around at a photo shoot in the video), and the beat is straight boom bap…

Finally, I never really posted A$AP Rocky’s shit, but him and his A$AP crew from Harlem are making a lot of noise, and it would be irresponsible of me not to include them in this post. He covered the last issue of Complex, and has lots of new material starting to surface. My favorite shit of his is easily “Peso” which you’re probably up on by now since they play it on Hot 97 and the video’s been on every blog in the world. He’s not the most amazing rapper, and is more on some next shit than some throwback shit, but for good measure, I’m including him here, because this song/video is hot and he’s for sure one of the leaders of the 2012 new school…

Yes, the next generation of spitters is here, and they’re ready to make their mark. We’ll have to see how far they can take it. Regardless, it’s nice to see that the hip-hop community is embracing that realness again. Enough with the party and bullshit, right? Cheah.

*Related*

Odd Future vs. Joey Bada$$ (MTV Rap Fix Live)

Peter Rosenberg interviews Earl Sweatshirt for the first time since his return

Nardwuar vs. A$AP Rocky (and A$AP crew)

*Update*

Watch this mini-doc Vice Magazine did with Joey Bada$$, where they visit him at school and kick it with his crew too. Dope…

ALSO, MUST READ: Who is Wiki? | Complex

The 20 Best Shins Songs

Events, Published Material

To celebrate The Shins’ new album, which was released today, I put together a list over at Pigeons & Planes of the 20 Best Shins Songs. It’s not so easy to rank your favorite band’s best songs, but I gave it a whirl, and I’m pretty proud of how it came out. Props to Confusion for hooking up the pics and artwork and audio streams. Check the intro and link to the feature below…

The Shins released their fourth album today, Port of Morrow—their first in five years—led by brilliant songwriter/musician/auteur James Mercer and supported by a 2.0 version of the band. Even with a new lineup, the album has everything we love about The Shins on it. The songs are gorgeous, with enough pop sensibility to sing along to and the right touch of indie appeal to keep music snobs happy.

To celebrate The Shins’ latest opus, we gathered our picks for the 20 Best Shins Songs in their discography. From the song that Natalie Portman insisted would “change your life” in Garden State, to a B-side off one of their early 7 inch record releases, to their awesome Squeeze cover, we considered them all. Find out the stories and meanings behind their most celebrated records (via quotes by James Mercer), what song off Port of Morrow cracked our Top 5, and of course, the melancholy masterpiece we crowned #1.

The 20 Best Shins Songs | Pigeons & Planes

This is probably the last of The Shins wave of posts here at Westcheddar, so I hope you enjoyed them. But hey, you never know, their may just be another one around the bend! Now go cop the album. Thanks for reading…

*Bonus*

The Shins Live on Letterman (Full Set)

SXSW Highlights 2012

Events

So SXSW really stepped it’s game up in 2012, huh? Lucky for music fans like me who were unable to leave their daily grind to enjoy the party in Austin, Texas, there were lots of shows streaming live, and some quality video footage was recorded and posted on the internet in the past week from the various venues too. And the cool thing about the festival is that not only is it for up and coming acts, but the big boys like Jay-Z and Nas were doing their thing also! Here are Westcheddar’s choice clips from the week, led by my favorite rapper out right now by a mile, Action Bronson, who goes in on stage with the raps! Plus, my other current faves, including The Shins, Electric Guest, and Alabama Shakes…

Action Bronson (Full Set @ Shady 2.0)

Action Bronson x Smoke DZA (The FADER FORT)

The Shins “Bait And Switch” & “It’s Only Life” (#VEVOSXSW)

 Electric Guest “Amber” (Virgin Mobile LiveHouse)

Alabama Shakes “Hold On” (Hotel San Jose)

Maybe one year I’ll actually make it down to the festival. Stay tuned for Nardwuar’s interview with Action Bronson live from SXSW, I hear it’s coming soon…

*UPDATE*

It’s here, and it’s incredible. Nardwuar interviews Action Bronson…

The Godfather Turns 40

Events

40 years ago today, on March 15, 1972, the epic Mafia movie The Godfather was released. I think I saw it for the first time in when I was in my late teens, and I remember a period during my sophomore year of college where I was completely obsessed with both The Godfather and The Godfather Part II. I love Goodfellas, and Carlito’s Way, but The Godfather trilogy (minus Part III lol) is where it’s at. Every time I watch the first and second Godfather, I notice something new that I never picked up on before. To celebrate the film’s 40th, I encourage you all to read this in-depth story from Vanity Fair (originally published in 2009) about the making of the film. It’s an excellent look behind the scenes of how arguably the greatest movie of all time came to be…

The Godfather Wars | Vanity Fair

Shout to AMC, who has been running The Godfather trilogy all month. Keep your eye out for it. Later gangsters.

*Bonus*

Stan Ipcus “The Godfather” (off Real Breezy)

Sermon Stories

Interviews, Published Material

I had the absolute pleasure of spending an evening at Erick Sermon’s home studio a couple weeks ago, talking with him about all his classic records for a Complex Magazine feature (check the pic of us above). We went through his whole catalog, from the early EPMD days all the way up to his involvement with Raekwon’s Only Built 4 Cuban Linx Pt. 2, and everything in between. Dude has so many bangers it’s not even funny. Between all the shit he did for Redman and Keith Murray, to his solo songs, to the tracks he did for Busta and LL Cool J and Jay-Z, to the endless EPMD hits, his name HAS TO be brought up in G.O.A.T. producer discussions. Read both parts below…

Erick Sermon Tells All: The Stories Behind His Classic Records: 

Part 1  | Part 2

Thanks to Erick Sermon for a great interview! And shout to Complex for continuing to kill it in 2012. Nice to be down with winners. Cheah.

What’s Woody

Uncategorized

Being a huge Woody Allen fan, I was hyped when his new documentary arrived on my doorstep last week. Turns out my Mom saw it on Amazon and had it shipped to me as a surprise. How cool is that? Anyway, after a long week of work and being a Dad, I finally found some time over the weekend while the kids were napping and my wife was out shopping to watch the two part doc in full. And though I admit I dozed off towards the end of part one with my younger son asleep on my chest (shit I was up on the morning shift feeding the kid at 6 A.M. what do you want from me?), I loved every minute of it. Check the trailer…

There are some great parts of this doc. Of course, the interviews with everyone are interesting, from Scarlett Johansson to Larry David, but the best is the behind the scenes access we get to Woody’s private life. He shows us the old ass typewriter he’s written every one of his movies on, and how he literally cuts and pastes his scripts together. Plus, he pulls out a pile of scrap papers he has compiled next to his bed, filled with notes and ideas that he turns into movie magic. Lots more stuff too as the doc runs through Woody’s entire career. Yo, dude has so many movies! There’s lots I need to catch up on for real for real. Stuff I not only hadn’t seen, but never even really heard of. Anyway, to get you warmed up some more, watch Filmmaker Robert Weide’s 12 Question interview with Woody Allen…

Cop the DVD HERE. Thanks Mom!