Filed under: Hip-hop, Music, Videos | Tags: Chicago, El Che, Konee Rok, Rhymefest
For doz that slept, Rhymefest released his second LP “El Che” on June 8th. Not only is the album full of hot jams and thoughtful lyricism but Fest has teamed with director Konee Rok and decided to release a new video for every track on the album. Rhymefest videos seem to be falling out of the sky, so R&S decided to put together an easy access list of the video’s from “El Che” for your viewing pleasure. We’ll keep the list updated as new clips drop.
Don’t miss “Say Wassup”, hip-hop’s first 3-D video.
01 Intro The Agent
02 Talk My Shit
03 Say Wassup feat. Phonte
04 How High feat. Little Brother and Darien Brockington
05 Chocolates
06 One Hand Push Up
07 Prosperity
08 Truth On You feat. Twone Gabz
09 Intermission Juan Carlos
10 Chicago
11 Agony feat. Glenn Lewis
12 Last Night
13 Give It To Me feat Saigon and Adad
14 Intermission No Help
15 City Is Falling feat. Slique
16 Celebration
Filed under: Hip-hop, Music, Videos | Tags: animation, Anthony F. Schepperd, Blockhead, Ninja Tune, The Music Scene
Alright kids, I’d like to put a disclaimer on the above video as it could very well make your head explode. Animated by Anthony F. Schepperd, this video for the excellent Blockhead track “The Music Scene” was completed in less than five months and was created using Flash.
Really, the creativity and animation in this video are off the richter scale. It’s beautiful to watch, fits perfectly with an already mesmerizing audio track and gets better after repeat viewings. Amazing work.
You can check out Anthony Schepperd’s first video, another animated spot for Ape School’s “Wail to God“. Also awesome.
Filed under: Music, Television, Videos | Tags: Eclectic Method, Jersey Shore, MTV, remix, The Jersey Shore Remixed, Tiger Woods Press Conference
I’ve featured the Eclectic Method on R&S before (here and here). But they’ve done it again with “The Jersey Shore Remixed”. This is awesome and is actually a pretty good recap of the entire series.
I want the Tiger Woods Press Conference Remixed next.
Filed under: Canada, Hip-hop, Music, Olympics, Sports, Videos | Tags: Canada, Classified, Hip-Hop National Anthem, Oh Canada
As our great nation ramps up the Olympic nationalism to a fever pitch, I thought today would be a good day to share a hot interpretation of Canada’s national anthem. Props to Classified for this, the Heritage Moments are classic.
Now, if you’ll excuse me I’m gonna be spending the next two weeks trying to win the binge drinking gold medal.
Filed under: Hip-hop, Movies, Music, Videos | Tags: Lupe Fiasco, Rap-Rock, Solar Midnite, Twilight: New Moon soundtrack, Vampires, Werewolves
I try to avoid anything with the Twilight taint like the plague, but I stumbled upon this video over on the great blog for Profound Aesthetics and got sucked in. The video is for Lupe Fiasco’s newest track, “Solar Midnite”, which is from the Twilight: New Moon Soundtrack. While a new Lupe song is always cause for celebration, this particular track is different. Lupe gets his rock on. Don’t worry, you can forget any thoughts you just had of Limp Bizkit or Linkin Park. This is some Rap-Rock that is actually good.
Lupe had this to say about the track:
“Solar Midnite is my first commercial release that I actually produced as well as wrote. The New Moon team asked me if I could do a song specifically for the film. They invited me to an early screening of the unfinished film from which I pulled different elements that I thought would translate into a great song. I pulled in vocalist and bassist Graham Burris and acclaimed musician Matt Nelson to help fill it out my vision musically and “joila” Solar Midnite was born. The song basically deals with the chaotic love story that takes place between the characters. It’s more on the rock side of my musical catalog and comes straight from my die hard fanhood of Red Hot Chili Peppers and Anthony Keidis, one of my FAVORITE RAPPERS.”
I know this track has been out for awhile, and 16 year-old girls everywhere have undoubtedly already played this song out while fantasizing about forbidden vampire love, but I still felt it was worth a share, especially if you are like me and run the other way when anyone mentions the T word. And go check out Profound Aesthetics when you’ve got time. They run a great blog and produce some amazing t-shirts. Don’t sleep.
Filed under: Hip-hop, Music, Videos | Tags: Let There Be Horns, Minotaur music video, RJ's Electrical Connections, RJD2, The Colossus
Former Def Jux beat wizard RJD2 is coming out with a new album, The Colossus, on January 19th. In true RJ style there is an insane video, directed by Thom Glunt. “Let There Be Horns” gives us a glimpse into the life of a love-lorn Minotaur as he deals with modern society and its pressures. Hilarious. Ramble John himself makes an appearence at the end as the antique shopkeeper and instigator of Mino’s “bull in a china shop” rage. Such a good video, totally works in sync with the song and funny to boot.
Can’t wait for this album. The Third Hand wasn’t very good, although the instrumental version was alright, but from this video and the first leaked single, “Games You Can Win”, I am all aboard for The Colossus. Deadringer and The Horror, his stuff with Soul Position and Aceyalone and his various other side jobs are all excellent, and a return to form is a good sign for the coming decade in music.
Check out this serious quote from RJ, describing the mindset that is fueling his return to musical prominence:
“I have been SERIOUSLY busy in the last 2 years; and very little of it has to do with twittering. At the risk of sounding all corny, I feel the need to say something that’s important to me: I’ve realized recently that I do music, make records, LISTEN to records, tour, and generally hole myself up in the studio because I love it, not cause its my job. Its become as natural as breathing, and keeps me sane-most of the time. Im much more concerned with making a timeless record, than with how to sell a record nowadays. Also, if you don’t see me posting left and right on whatever the most current social networking site is, its not cause I don’t like being social, its cause I feel like our time on earth is very very short, and that the most I have to offer this planet in my little window of time here is through the vessel of music. I would rather leave behind something you can hopefully use a little more than an update on my belly button lint. Hopefully, a catalog that speaks more volumes than all the blogs I could possibly write in a hundred years.” from Plug One
Umm, well, I’m gonna go check my Twitter after I finish this blog post. Don’t think RJ would approve of my social media time wasting. But seriously, if I was as musically gifted as him I probably wouldn’t be blogging and tweeting as much anyways. Touché.
If you order the album from his website you can get all sorts of different versions, nothing quite as pimp as the Limited Edition package, of which only 100 were made. It runs $159.99, but you pretty much get RJ’s entire catalog, all slickly packaged and extremely limited, plus more. If I didn’t already have all his albums I’d be getting it for sure.
Big up to Okayplayer for the drop on this video. If you aren’t checking the site that Quest built for the latest hip-hop news, reviews, interviews and merch, you need to check yourself. 10 years in the web game and always coming strong.
Filed under: Comedy, Hip-hop, Music, Videos | Tags: awful video, Major Lazer, PeeWee's Playhouse, Ponce De Floor, terrible song
Holy shit. I was reading the always hilarious Hot Chicks With Douchebags blog when I stumbled upon this monstrosity. Here is the quote they used to entice readers to click the link:
PeeWee’s Playhouse just got weird once they adapted it for B.E.T.
The headline alone let me know it was something worth clicking, yet my eyes nor my ears were prepared for the blitzkrieg they were about to deal with. This song is awful and the video might even be worse. My brain is a jumbled mess after watching so I can’t even tell.
Please help.
Filed under: Comedy, Music, Television, Videos | Tags: All Through The Night, Ante Up, Beaker, Bohemian Rhapsody, Escort, Grover, Jim Henson, Muppets, music videos
The Muppets are burning up the internet right now, and with good reason. The Muppet “Bohemian Rhapsody” is amazing, with Gonzo, Animal, Beaker, Miss Piggy and crew straight killing it. But this isn’t the first time Jim Henson’s creations have taken to song, and R&S is here to recap the greatest moments in Muppet musical history. Without further ado, we bring you the 5 Greatest Muppet Music Videos.
5) Beaker – Ode to Joy
Beaker is one of my favourite all-time Muppet characters, so I had to feature him on the list. Who knew that someone who was so vocally challenged would be such an accomplished musician?
Honourable Mention: Beaker singing “Yellow” by Coldplay
And more Beaker: singing “Habanera”
Update: Another forgotten gem, Beaker singing “Feelings”
4) Grover and Stevie Wonder
Stevie and Grover… what else is there to say. Two 20th century icons team up… puts the Jay-Z R. Kelly collabo to shame.
Honourable Mention: Cab Calloway sings “Hi De Ho Man” with the Muppets
3) All Through the Night – Escort
Classic music video right here. Brooklyn, NY electro outfit Escort hit pay dirt with this one. Great track too.
Honourable Mention: Cookie Monster raps about “Healthy Food”
2) Bohemian Rhapsody
The gangs all here, and in sparkling HD no less. The highlight for me is Beaker at the 2:02 mark, I almost fell out my chair the first time I saw it. A classic song, a great interpretation. For comparison, check out the Queen original here. And don’t forget Wayne & Garth.
1) Ernie & Bert – Ante Up
M.O.P. have never sounded or looked better. This really should be the official music video for this all-time club banger.
Filed under: Hip-hop, Music, Videos | Tags: Carried Away, Double K, People Under The Stairs, Thes One, Trippin' At The Disco
Is this not the freshest hip-hop video you have seen in a minute? Unbelievably awesome. People Under The Stairs have always brought the heat, and their new album Carried Away doesn’t disappoint. Pick up the limited fanclub edition and you’ll also get all of this:
The 1st pressing of the physical release will be wrapped around a die cut O-card and a fold out “PUTS Party Safety Guide” poster. Each CD also comes with a special VIP (Very Important Partier) lanyard that will allow fans to acquire exclusive material at the upcoming People Under the Stairs World Tour kicking off in September (stay tuned for dates on www.omrecords. com). For those who are not able to attend a PUTS show, the VIP lanyard will also be good for exclusive online unreleased material. All these items craft a certified premium physical package that no true fan can deny!
If you pick up the vinyl you’ll even get the sick bonus track “All Good Things“, which features a great Radiohead sample. Do it, do it.
Now watch “Trippin’ At The Disco” one more time and get your buy on.
Filed under: Canada, Hip-hop, Music, Videos | Tags: Canadian Hip-Hop, Grand Analog, K'Naan, k-os, Ok Cobra, old school, Swollen Members
2009 has been a great year in the world of hip-hop. Banner releases from the likes of Raekwon, Brother Ali, Mos Def and Doom let the world know that hip-hop is far from dead. The success of US hip-hop was also paralleled up here in Canada, where artists such as Kardinal Offishall, Marco Polo, K’Naan and (unfortunately) Drake built on the past success of Michie Mee, Maestro Fresh Wes, Buck 65 and the Rascalz and began to steer some attention North of the border. Let’s take a look at some of the hot fire that has emanated from the frozen tundra so far this year.
k-os – I Wish I Knew Natalie Portman
Arguably Canada’s best MC, k-os dropped his album Yes! in April (drops Nov 17th in US) and then embarked on one of the year’s most innovative and successful tours. Borrowing from visionaries such as Radiohead and Nine Inch Nails, k-os decided to make his entire tour “pay what you feel”, with donations made after the show rewarded with a bonus disc of remixes from the Yes! album. Needless to say, k-os played packed venues from Victoria to Halifax, often coupling every nightclub show with an all-ages gig to reach all of his fans. The album peaked at #9 on the Canadian Albums Chart and was longlisted for the Polaris Music Prize, further cementing Kheavon Brereton as one of Canada’s elite mic rippers. “I Wish I Knew Natalie Portman” is the 3rd single from the album and, personally, my favourite track. On a side note, I also wish I knew Natalie Portman.
Grand Analog – Take It Slow (Spaces and Places)
Originally from Winnipeg and fronted by Odario Williams, formerly of Mood Ruff, Grand Analog made waves with a modern sound described as a “beautiful mess of rap’n'roll, dub and soul”. Their 2009 release Metropolis Is Burning is a gem, with my two favourite tracks being “Play My Kazoo” and “Magnifico”. They are known for a great live show, so make sure to check them out if they are in your area. And if you don’t know Mood Ruff, Wu-Tang ain’t the only ones with “No Hooks“.
K’Naan – Somalia
Born Keinan Abdi Warsame, K’Naan is a Somali-Canadian rapper/musician who has been on a tear over the past couple years. His debut Canadian LP, The Dusty Foot Philosopher, showed a promising talent and his abilities were soon winning Juno’s, featuring in FIFA 06 and getting run on BET. With his second LP, Troubadour, K’Naan called in the big guns. Guest appearances include Mos Def, Chubb Rock, Chali 2na, Damian Marley, Metallica’s Kirk Hammett and Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine. The album has sold over 50,000 copies so far in the US, landed at #32 on the Billboard Hot 200 and was shortlisted for the 2009 Polaris Music Prize. K’Naan built on the success of Troubador with a trilogy of mixtapes, with each one based on one of three musical icons: Bob Marley, Fela Kuti and Bob Dylan. Done in collaboration with J. Period, all three albums tore up the blogs in 2009 and are available for free download here. If you haven’t heard them yet, chug a red bull and get your download on, cause you don’t want to sleep on this.
OK Cobra – I Quit (I Give Up)
Childhood friends from London, Ontario, rapper Fritz the Cat and producer Recordface comprise one of Canada’s newest underground sensations, OK Cobra. Fritz the Cat built up a cult following as the former writer of a popular music ‘zine “In Search of Divine Styler” and a weekly column in hipster bible Vice magazine, and the duo are now reaching to greater heights. Their 2009 release, Delirium Tremens, was the follow-up to their acclaimed self-titled debut. I Quit (I Give Up) is a track off Delireum Tremens and features a nice sample of the Edie Brickell song Circles. And for those in the know, OK Cobra aren’t the first cats to sample Edie & The New Bohemians… Brand Nubian in the house.
Swollen Members – Bollywood Chick
Not everything Canadian is excellent, which has been proven before by Celine Dion, the CFL and Snow, so our review of Canadian hip-hop in 2009 also had to include some sort of abomination. Enter… Swollen Members. At one point in my life (1999), Swollen were West Coast underground darlings and had released one of the most promising debut LPs for a Canadian hip hop group with Balance. Trust me, the album was a gem (listen to their first big single, Lady Venom, here). But somewhere along the way, Mad Child and Prevail got caught up in the rap game and now only like to make songs about strippers, bikers and sleeveless shirts. Definitely a departure from the dark and haunting imagery they built their fan-base on. R&S has it on good authority that Mad Child might be one of the most insecure and immature dudes in hip-hop, never quite knowing what “it” sound Swollen should follow (as evidenced by the use of Auto-Tune on Armed to the Teeth) and constantly reaching for validation. Validate this Mad Child… your new album blows. Just like every other SM album since Bad Dreams. And get a look at their latest album cover. Skulls, bandannas and AK-47s? Looks like an Ed Hardy knock-off.
So, like the title says… 4 out of 5 ain’t bad.
Canadian Hip-Hop Old School Vault
For some of the best Canadian old school, check out the following links:
Dream Warriors – My Definition of a Boombastic Jazz Style
Ghetto Concept – EZ on tha Motion
Kardinal Offishall – On Wit Da Show
Maestro Fresh Wes – Let Your Backbone Slide
Canada’s representing, eh.
Filed under: Comedy, Download, Hip-hop, Kicks, Music, NBA, Sports, Videos | Tags: Andre Iguodala, DJ Quik, Hyperize, Hyperizers, Kevin Durant, Mo Williams, music videos, Nike, Rashard Lewis
Nike is the king of marketing and promoting, especially when it comes to basketball. From Air Jordan to the Fun Police, they are always doing something to build a groundswell of interest in their latest kicks. This time, they harnessed the vibe of the early ’90s West Coast with the new “Hyperizers” music video to promote the Nike Hyperize.
Featuring Mo Williams, Kevin Durant, Rashard Lewis and Andre Iguodala and with a beat crafted by none other than DJ Quik (who makes a cameo in the video), the Hyperizers show that they are smooth both on and off the court. Honestly, if it was 1993 and this song came on the radio, I probably would have gone down to HMV and picked up the CD. This track is bangin’ and is hilarious to boot.
Check out more from the Hyperizers on their official site, where you can download the track, ringtones, wallpapers and all that jazz.
Filed under: Videos | Tags: fireworks, July 25, lightning, orange sky, summer, sunset, time lapse, Vancouver
Check out this time-lapse video of Vancouver that was taken this past Saturday. The cam looks west, with the Burrard Bridge and English Bay in view. We had an incredible day of blue sky, followed by a crazy orange sunset, a fierce electrical storm and then our yearly fireworks. Vancouver is the shit.
Filed under: Music, Videos | Tags: animation, Gorillaz, matthieu bessudo, mcbess, music videos, the dead pirates, the mill, wood
This has been out for a month or two but check out this amazing music video for a band called The Dead Pirates. It was animated/directed by illustrators mcbess & Simon and produced by The Mill. Not only did mcbess draw and animate the video, but he also wrote the song… and is The Dead Pirates!
mcbess (real name Matthieu Bessudo) really outdid himself on this one. Not only is the animation great, but the song itself is excellent. I like the Gorillaz, and this obviously is influenced by the original virtual band, but I can’t wait to hear more tracks from the Pirates. Love the harder sound.
Check mcbess’ blog for the latest updates, the next video is due soon.
Filed under: Hip-hop, Movies, Music, Videos | Tags: 80s, Back To The Future, Doc Brown, Eclectic Method, Marty McFly, mashup
The Eclectic Method are back with another crazy video. This time they twist up some sweet Delorean action. Do these guys ever quit with the gems?
Filed under: Music, Videos | Tags: dance, india, Jacko, King of Pop, legend, lego, Michael Jackson, MJ, opera house, prison, R.I.P., Thriller, train, wedding, world record, zombies
Now I know what our parents felt like when John Lennon died. Michael was one of the most innovative, daring, influential, charismatic and loved performers in modern history.
I can remember so many moments in my life that are tied to the music and dancing of the King. And seriously, who doesn’t like Thriller?
As a tribute to Michael Joseph Jackson, here is a look at Thriller and its colossal influence.
Watch the 14 minute version of the video here.
And here MJ kills it live.
Now for the influence…
My favorite (and yours)… Goalie Ma
The Thriller dance on the train
Thriller Down Under… in front of the Opera House
Lego Thriller
The Wedding Dance Thriller
Video Game Thriller
Filipino Prison
The most people to dance to Thriller in one place World Record holders
Keeping morale up
Filed under: Hip-hop, Links, Movies, Music, Videos | Tags: Cut Chemist, DJ Shadow, Download, Eclectic Method, Kutiman, mashup, Mike Relm, music videos, Quentin Tarantino, remix, Rip: A Remix Manifesto, Temptations
Let’s be straight. I’m well aware that the mash-up concept reached it’s apex a few years back, with DangerMouse’s “Grey Album” and almost anything by Z-Trip motivating countless heads to come-up with their own “unique” combos. Now you can find Jay-Z rapping over anything. So the style is quite played. But the video mash-up is a much more stunning and cerebral version, and it is now being incorporated in the live shows of visionaries like DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist, Mike Relm and more.
Check the Eclectic Method for example. Their Temptations video (embedded above), which was commisioned by Motown Records themselves to help commemorate the labels 50th anniversary, hits you not just on a sonic level but on a visual level as well, allowing for a more complete musical experience. If you didn’t get that experience from watching the Temptations vid, check this out. It is the Eclectic Method’s tribute to one of my dopplegangers, Quentin Tarantino.
You can watch it with no video and be impressed by the audio. Or you can go vice versa, and also be impressed. But watching AND listening makes it one of the most creative forms of musical art around. I highly recommend checking out more from the Eclectic Method by perusing their website. They have tonnes of amazing videos, with the king being Lock Up Your Videos, a 45 min+ collection of music videos mashed up for maximum enjoyment. Download it for free (or pay what you’d like a la Radiohead), kick back and enjoy.
I’ve sang the praises of the video mash-up before on this blog, primarily with an earlier post on the Israeli wunder-nerd Kutiman and his amazing ThruYou YouTube project. Advocates for this most creative art form are sprouting up everywhere, and this advocacy is most apparent in a new movie entitled Rip: A Remix Manifesto (trailer below).
In Rip, filmmaker Brett Gaylor explores the mash-up and its increasing relevance on modern music and popular culture. He looks at the art form itself, the inherent copyright issues and argues for the validity and viability of this truly new medium. It’s a great movie and can be viewed for free or downloaded using the pay what you want model (US only). If you appreciate Eclectic Method, DJ Shadow, Kutiman, Girl Talk, Z-Trip or any other artist that is experimenting with video this way, do yourself a favor and check out the movie.
Filed under: Music, Polls, Videos | Tags: A-ha, aesop rock, Beastie Boys, Clint Eastwood, Dire Straits, Do the Evolution, Gorillaz, Money for Nothing, MTV, None Shall Pass, Paranoid Android, Pearl Jam, Radiohead, Röyksopp, Remind Me, Runnin' Down a Dream, Shadrach, Take on Me, Tom Petty
Do you remember the days when you would set your VCR to record the latest episode of Rap City or made sure you were at your TV for the worldwide premier of the newest music video? Well, at Rhymin & Stealin, we sure do. And while we grew up during the golden age of music videos, we always had a soft spot for those of the animated variety. Over the years, their have been a bunch of excellent animated videos attached to incredible songs and we have taken the time to revisit this lost art in order to bring you the Top 10 Animated Music Videos of All-Time. Enjoy.
Due to the record companies hoarding their music videos, we are unable to embed most of the actual videos into this post. Just click the image for each video and you will be taken to YouTube where you can watch the videos in all their glory.
10) Tom Petty – Runnin’ Down a Dream
One of Tom Petty’s best songs is also one of TP’s best videos. Released in July of 1989 and directed by Jim Lenahan, this black and white video takes its visual style from the early 20th century comic strip Little Nemo in Slumberland. This is a song that has aged incredibly well and the video is no exception. Compared to some of the other music videos that came out in 1989, this one is a gem. And as a bonus, Tom Petty looks far less goofy in animated form.
9) Aesop Rock – None Shall Pass
This is the title track off Aesop Rock’s 2007 album and it was directed by San Francisco’s Ordinary Kids. It features the artwork of long-time Aesop collaborator Jeremy Fish (who also did all the album artwork). The two have collaborated on many projects since 2005, and we featured one of them a couple months back. Such a unique song needed a unique video, and Jeremy Fish never disappoints.
8) Radiohead – Paranoid Android
Radiohead are always on the cutting edge of everything, so it’s not a surprise that their foray into animated videos is so great. Released in 1997 and directed by Magnus Carlsson, this video really hits a high note for me around the 4:40 mark, when the fat man goes to town on a lamppost only to chop himself up and sink to the ocean where he is saved by two mermaids who leave him bundled in a tree. I wonder if any drugs were consumed in the storyboard process of this video’s creation?
7) Dire Straits – Money for Nothing
This is one of the first music videos I can remember watching and it was one of the biggest videos of the ’80s, no doubt helping to propel the music video as another medium for artists to connect with fans. Directed by Steve Barron, this video was released on July 1, 1985 and went on to win numerous accolades, including Video of the Year. It was also the first video aired when MTV Europe launched in 1987. Mark Knopfler didn’t want the video to feature computer animation but he was persuaded by Steve Barron and MTV, who said they loved the song but wouldn’t play it if the video was just Dire Straits playing live. Good call.
Any video with zombie apes dancing like Michael Jackson in “Thriller” is fine by me. Since the Gorillaz are a “virtual band”, they pretty much have to animate all of their videos, but this was their first (and best) attempt. Released in early 2001, this video propelled the Gorillaz to massive acclaim and sales and helped them sell 7 million copies of their first album. This particular song features Del tha Funkee Homosapien, who had worked with Gorillaz frontman Damon Albarn previously on Del’s classic Deltron 3030 album and which heavily influenced the Gorillaz style.
The Beastie’s abstract impressionist version of Shadrach was released in 1989 and directed by none other than Nathanial Hörnblowér (aka MCA). The video is set to a live version of Shadrach, which was originally released on Paul’s Boutique. Each frame of this video was painted by hand and its immense creativity makes it a perfect companion to an album as revolutionary as Paul’s Boutique. The Beastie Boys are the kings of great music videos, and this might be the best of them all.
Everyone’s favourite Norwegian electronic duo have a few videos that qualified for this list, but “Remind Me” is the cream of the crop. Presented as a day in the life of an average London female from the perspective of an educational brochure, this gem won the 2003 MTV Europe Video Award for Best Video. It was created by French firm H5 and benefits from having a damn catchy song to accompany it. Although I’m not going to lie, the first time I heard the song was in this Geico commercial.
3) Michael Jackson – Leave Me Alone
This is one of MJ’s hidden gems and is often overlooked when people talk of the Gloved Ones hits. Bad was an awesome album and this was the eighth single. It was only included on the CD version but the video made it another hit. It was one of MJ’s first F.U.’s to the media and the tabloid imagery resonates even more when you watch it today. Highlights include Jacko dancing with the Elephant Man, the wacky Elizabeth Taylor museum and Giant Jacko busting out of the Amusement Park at the end. This video was directed by Jim Blashfield and won the Best Video Grammy in 1990.
2) Pearl Jam – Do the Evolution
When this video came out in 1998, Pearl Jam hadn’t made a video since the award-winning “Jeremy“, successfully avoiding their fear of becoming known more for their videos than music. They got back into the game with Spawn creator Todd MacFarlane directing, and the resulting collaboration took over 16 weeks of production and the work of over 100 artists. When Pearl Jam released the video they stated:
As artists we are challenged to expand the meaning of our work and by utilizing this visual medium and working with a visionary like Todd, we were able to further explore some of the themes we depicted in the song “Do the Evolution”. Basically we’ve tried to make a good stoner video.
Mission accomplished. The video explores themes such as evolution, the Holocaust, the Crusades, the Great Depression, pollution and nuclear armageddon. It was nominated for a Best Video Grammy in 1999 and is a true showcase of the animated genre.
This was actually the second video for this song and I’m sure they are glad they did it, because it won six MTV Music Video Awards in 1986. It remains one of the most iconic music videos of all-time and was extremely influential in heping MTV in its huge rise to prominence. It was directed by Steve Barron (who also directed video #7 on this list) and features pencil-sketching over live movement to create the animated effect. You pretty much can’t even talk about great music videos without mentioning this one. And it also gave us this hilarious clip.
That’s it. Vote for your choice below and let us know what you think of our list.
Filed under: Clips, Music, Videos | Tags: Fela Kuti, Kutiman, mashup, Ophir Kutiel, The Mother of all Funk Chords, Thru You, YouTube
Ophir Kutiel, a 28-year-old who performs under the name Kutiman (a tribute to the legendary Fela Kuti), has completely blown the doors off the traditional model of making music. Kutiman has created a seven-song EP entitled Thru You that is as much of a treat visually as it is sonically. By finding, splicing, editing, chopping and combining various user-generated YouTube clips, Kutiel has not just created a musical journey that is incredibly satisfying, but he has also paved the way for a new type of open-source music making that is practically limitless in its application. He has connected into the soul that feeds the Internet (users) and shown a level of imagination that can only propel other musicians to new heights. Who would have guessed that all those various clips could be combined to form the ultimate musical Voltron?
Jon Newton of P2P.net gave the project some of the highest praise possible for any 21st century musician:
”absolutely, 100% guaranteed to inspire artists around the world to produce art which has never been seen before, and never could have been seen without the Internet.”
While watching any of Kutiman’s tracks on the Thru You website, you can click the credits button to get a complete list of all the contributors to that particular track and you can then view the originals. Once you look at the o.g. clips layer by layer, you really get an understanding of the vision behind this project. Don’t forget to check track eight, as it features Kutiman explaining how he built Thru You and shows some of the construction in action.
The viral power of this Thru You is also amazing, as it was only a month ago that Kutiman emailed 20 of his friends to tell them about the finished project. Next thing he knew, his videos were all creeping close to a million views.
For further insight into this open-source opus, read Timothy Kerr’s great piece from the Huffington Post about Kutiman, Thru You and the revolution that will be computerized.
And if you were as blown away by Thru You as I was, spread the knowledge.
Filed under: Hip-hop, Music, Videos | Tags: autographed copy, Cunninlynguists, instrumental, preorder, Strange Journey Volume 1
The newest offering from one of hip-hop’s finest, Cunninlynguists, is due to drop in store in late April. However, Kno, Natti and Deacon The Villain and the crew at QN5 are offering a hot pre-sale for their commited fans.
Preorder your copy of “Strange Journey Volume 1″ for $12US ($16 International), shipping included, and they will hook you up with an autographed copy, instrumental version and a bumper sticker. Sounds like a hot deal from a hot group, right?
It’s even better. They are shipping preorders on March 24th, so you will get your deluxe version 4-6 weeks before all the suckers that want to buy it in a store.
I know I ordered my copy, did you?
Filed under: Music, Video Games, Videos | Tags: Eple, Happy Up Here, Junior, music videos, Röyksopp, Remind Me, Space Invaders
Any video that has Space Invaders attacking a city is fine by me.
This is the video for Röyksopp’s “Happy Up Here”. It’s the lead single from their new album, Junior, which is due March 23rd.
Music videos are somewhat of a lost art, and these guys produce some great ones. Like “Remind Me“ and “Eple”.
Filed under: Comedy, Hip-hop, Music, Television, Videos | Tags: ?uestlove, Bill Cosby, Fat Albert, hey hey hey, in the hood, Pikhsso, Tahiti, Whack Piktures, YouTube
Fat Albert is back… sort of. The brainchild of Pikhsso and Tahiti is a dynamite remix of Bill Cosby’s classic cartoon.
Hey hey hey, you can watch all of the episodes on Whack Pictures YouTube channel.
Thanks to ?uestlove of the Legendary Roots Crew for droppin’ the knowledge via Twitter.
Filed under: Hip-hop, Music, Videos | Tags: 1, 2, 3, 4, k-os, nettwerk, new album, Yes!
New k-os album, Yes!, drops March 31, 2009. If you dig the first single, pick it up on iTunes.
