Am I the only one who thinks Kanye West’s new album 808’s and Heartbreak is going to be amazing?  All of the five songs I’ve heard off it thus far are great, especially “Heartless”, his second official leak from the new album.   THE VIDEO FOR THE SONG IS ABSOLUTELY SICK!!!!!  Check it out…

Hype Williams directed it, and according to Kanye, the animated look of the video was inspired by an old film from the 80’s called AMERICAN POP that Hype put him on to.  Watch the trailer below…can you see the similarities?  Pretty fresh take on it though, huh?

Kanye West has definitely had his share of innovative videos in his day, and the music to match.  I posted my favorite of them all, his first video (that he funded himself) “Thru the Wire”, a couple months ago as part of my post reviewing his Glow in the Dark tour.  But here is a serious contender for best Kanye West video of all time, “The Good Life”.  When this came out, it blew me away, alot like the “Heartless” video did when I first saw it a few days ago…

I gotta say, Kanye West is #1 right now in all of music.  He’s got it all, from the beats to the raps to the sing song melodies to the live shows to the videos to the everything.  I can’t wait for his new album to drop.  Don’t sleep, he put out a trilogy of classic hip hop albums, and now he is about to conquer the pop world while managing to still keep his sound street and cutting edge.  Impressive to say the least.  Don’t hate, congratulate.  Check the links below for more Kanye West videos (his full collection actually), and exclusive tracks and footage (check the Nah Right link for new songs off the album, just click and scroll through the posts they’re all there, along with some recent live performances and interviews)…

Kanye West official video collection 

Kanye West Blog

Kanye West exclusives on Nah Right

Raphael Saadiq’s new album The Way I See It sounds like it was released during the original classic Motown era of the late 1960’s and early 1970’s.  From the production to the melodies, it just has that throwback feel, alot like Amy Winehouse’s Back to Black.  He even got Stevie Wonder to play harmonica on one of the tracks (my favorite song on the album by the way)!!!!  White Plains’ own Leah Rose, host of Flow TV’s Soundproof, went behind the scenes with him to listen to songs from the album before it dropped (they performed live for her!!!), and also check out Saadiq’s studio….

Cop the album it’s great, and stay tuned to Flow TV for more exclusives with Leah Rose…and as a bonus, here’s the video from my favorite Raphael Saadiq song ever, “Still Ray”…peep the tuba player!!!

Borat, the movie film, is probably the funniest movie ever made.  I’m not sure if there is another movie as funny.  I’ve tried to put my all time favorites in the same category, and they just can not compete.  Every scene is hilarious.  But before the movie ever came out, it was his appearances on Da Ali G Show that had us all hooked.  Walk with me as I deliver Westcheddar’s Best of Borat Part 1:

This was the first Borat clip I ever saw, where he learns about dating in America.  There are so many funny things about this.  Every line is amazing.  Needless to say, I was an instant fan.

OMG, Borat goes wine tasting.  So funny.  Peep when he kisses dude on the lips at the end of the clip.  Wow.

This is like a three part Borat.  He explores hobbies in America.  It’s so bizarre I had to include it, especially the end.  THE CLAW!!!!

Borat learns to be a country-western singer.  Need I say more?

I’ll end Part 1 with a deleted scene from the movie that is unbelievable.  “And what iz a deees?”

Well, did I miss one of your favorites?  Feel free to let me know, but don’t forget this is just Part 1.  Stay tuned…

Of all the new groups and hip rappers, The Cool Kids are by far my favorite.  The self-proclaimed “new black version of the Beastie Boys” had an EP that leaked on the internet in 2007 that was superfresh, with more than a few dope cuts.  Now, after officially releasing the EP titled The Bake Sale, touring heavily and appearing in TV commercials, they have propelled into the mainstream eye.  Still, they managed to keep their music purely hip-hop with throwback hard beats and ill-styled rhymes.  They both can flow, Mikey and Chuck, and both have sick voices and rap accents that compliment each other well (they’re from the Chicago suburbs though they sound more like A Tribe Called Quest then Bone Thugs n Harmony).  And their latest release, “Delivery Man”, may be their best work to date.  Check out the video and keep and eye out for them in the next year, they may be the coolest new thing in hip-hop, pun intended…

The Cool Kids have a bunch of other great songs floating around out their, and some other nice videos too.  I suggest checking them out if you’re into real hip-hop.  They might seem like a gimmick, but they’re the real deal.

Back in New York, a group called the Retro Kidz (above) has been making the rounds, looking like they stepped right out off the set of Do The Right Thing.  Supposedly they go in to clubs and shut them down with their fresh take on The Fresh Prince of Bel Air years, flat tops and all, doing Kid n Play dance moves and having a blast.  I love their fun video, and the song itself is hot too.  They spit and dance.  Check it out, it’s called “New Era”…

There are plenty of gassed up new acts out here that don’t deserve the accolades.  Keep an eye out for these two though, The Cool Kids especially for you hip hop heads.  And as for the Retro Kidz, well they are just TOO FUN!!!!  Later.