Kendrick Tops 2013 BET Hip-Hop Awards Nominations

The nominations are in for the 2013 BET Hip-Hop awards and it's no surprise to me and millions of others (i would guess) that Kendrick Lamar tops the nominations. Leading with 14 nominations then closely followed by Drake with 13 and J.Cole holding his own with 10. This years show should be interesting as its hosted by Uncle Snoop!! We'll just have to wait to see who leaves with what, for now it's just a guessing game.

Check some of the categories below:

Best Hip-Hop Video
A$AP Rocky f/ Drake, 2 Chainz & Kendrick Lamar – “Problems”
B.o.B f/ T.I. & Juicy J – “We Still in This”
J. Cole f/ Miguel – “Power Trip”
Drake – “Started From the Bottom”
Kendrick Lamar – “Don’t Kill My Vibe”

Best Live Performer
2 Chainz
J. Cole
Jay Z
Kendrick Lamar
Kanye West

Lyricist of the Year
J. Cole
Drake
Jay Z
Kendrick Lamar
Wale

Video Director of the Year
A$AP Rocky & A$AP Ferg
Benny Boom
Director X
Dre Films
Hype Williams
Producer of the Year
J. Cole
Hit-Boy
DJ Mustard
Mike WiLL Made It
Pharrell Williams

MVP of the Year
2 Chainz
J. Cole
Drake
Jay Z
Kendrick Lamar

Track of the Year
“Power Trip” – Produced by J. Cole (J. Cole f/ Miguel)
“Problems” – Produced by Noah “40″ Shebib (A$AP Rocky f/ Drake, 2 Chainz & Kendrick Lamar)
“Don’t Kill My Vibe” – Produced by Sounwave (Kendrick Lamar)
“Bugatti” – Produced by Mike WiLL Made It (Ace Hood f/ Rick Ross & Future)
“Started From the Bottom” – Produced by Mike Zombie & Noah “40″ Shebib (Drake)

Album of the Year
J. Cole – Born Sinner
Jay Z – Magna Carta… Holy Grail
Kendrick Lamar – good kid, m.A.A.d city
Nas – Life Is Good
Wale – The Gifted

Full list here.

images - Source, idreambig, soundmag

Ice Cube - It Was A Good Day

                     
Today lets revisit Ice Cubes 1993 hit single "It Was a Good Day" from his third solo album, The Predator.

JMSN - Fallin'

                       

This here is something different, what a provocative visual along with the lyrics! There's a lot of smoke which appears to be "fallin" add to that scenes which look like The Last Supper  Jesus had with his disciples. Instead of disciples though, JMSN is surrounded by nude women with beastly actions and tendencies. I didn't know much about the guy, first time i heard of him was on Ab-Soul's Nibiru which he produced. I went on to discover that he's also a singer and songwriter.

Here are some of the lyrics:

“All this Darkness won’t turn light, and all these wrongs wont make it right.”

With so many things that are supposed to give you pleasure surrounding you, how could anyone be so lonely and unfulfilled.

All these things around me that superficially would seem to bring me pleasure, (the food, the women, the sex, etc.), have just made the numbness worse and noticeable through my soul.

These demons are fighting for me and even fighting each other over my soul. Of course these things look enticing, but my soul is not swayed.

My soul will win with innocence.

In the end all of these things will destroy themselves with the chaos they create. They will all fall away from me and fade out of my life. I will be left just how I started, Innocent.

And when you make it through the storm, you have only yourself to judge. If you can accept and carry yourself through the midst of fire. You will be born again. Innocent.”

What you think?

hardknock.tv

J. Cole - Born Sinner [Official Trailer]

   

                      

J. Cole's 'Born Sinner' is just one of those albums that got me cringing in anticipation. The artwork and the official trailer just look too dope!! To me these are signs that he'll showcase the same form (or even better) that shot him to the top of the charts with his debut album.

hiphopdx.com

The Man With The Iron Fists

 The Man With The Iron Fists is Wu-Tangs mastermind RZA's directorial debut. RZA teamed up with Quentin Tarantino and Eli Roth for this Kung-Fu project. Looking back at the 'Tragedy' video it seems like it has always been a life long dream of his. The film boasts stars such as Russell Crowe and Lucy Lui

 The first cut of the film was four hours long and RZA wanting to split it into two films. Producer Eli Roth disagreed and the film was cut down to 90 minutes. The plot: A blacksmith who makes weapons for a small village is put into a position in which he must defend himself and the rest of the village. I know it doesn't sound like much, but i just cant wait for the ass-kicking!

 

 

I don't even want to get started on the soundtrack!

The soundtrack looks to ill and the lineup includes artists such as - The Wu-Tang Clan (together and separately), Kanye West, The Black Keys, Pusha T, Flatbush Zombies, and Corrine Bailey Rae. Check out the track list below:

1. The Black Keys / RZA “The Baddest Man Alive”
2. Ghostface Killah / M.O.P / Pharoahe Monch “Black Out”
3. Kanye West “White Dress”
4. The Revelations feat. Tre Williams “I Forgot To Be Your Lover”
5. Talib Kweli / RES “Get Your Way (Sex as a Weapon)”
6. Raekwon / Ghostface Killah / Kool G. Rap “Rivers of Blood”
7. Method Man / Freddie Gibbs / StreetLife “Built for This”
8. 24 Carat Black “Poverty’s Paradise”
9. Killa Sin “The Archer”
10. RZA / Flatbush Zombies “Just Blowin’ In The Wind”
12. Corrine Bailey Rae “Chains”
13. Pusha T / Raekwon “Tick Tock”
14. Frances Yip “Green is the Mountain”
15. The Wu-Tang Clan “Six Directions of Boxing”
16. Mabel John “Your Good Thing Is About To End”

Stream and have a listen here: The Man With The Iron Fists Soundtrack

movieline.com

indiewire.com

filmjunk.com

A Few Rappers Who Have Written Books

Nas Cherry Wine

Esco gives us the visuals to his third single 'Cherry Wine' featuring the late and great Amy Winehouse from his dope album Life is Good.

Welcome To The New West

I am currently listening to Ab-Soul's Control System. For those of you who don't know him yet, he is a  member of Black Hippy that also consists of Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q and Jay Rock. He definitely caught my ear on this one. His flow and ability of story-telling is too sick! To me this is one of the best Hip-Hop albums of 2012.