a song i penned shortly after the spark of the egyptian revolution in in january 2011. i hope you find strength in the words and music as i have.

NEW MUSIC: Caro Emerald - “That Man”

and another joint from caro. neo-swing this time…the world needs more of this!

NEW MUSIC: Caro Emerald - “A Night Like This”

i’m about a year late on this artist, but ever since i discovered her in december, she’s in steady rotation. the dutch jazz singer caught her break in 2007 when she got a phone call to fill in for another demo singer. she killed the demo, performed it publicly a year later, watched it catch fire and went on to create an entire album of dope music inspired by the films and music of the 40s and 50s with the producers who one day called her to fill in.

more on caro: http://www.caroemerald.com

NEW MUSIC: The Weeknd - “Montreal”

i’ve had this joint on repeat all week. although i didn’t dig everything about his first few mixtapes, ?uestlove calls The Weeknd “the future” and i must say, i’m increasingly convinced. go download “Echoes of Silence” for free and hear for yourself.

NEW MUSIC: Black Star - “Fix Up”

it’s black star friday! needless to say, it feels so good to have these guys back. 

+ Gary Clark Jr. - “Bright Lights”last week i had the privilege of attending Alicia Keys’ Keep A Child Alive Black Ball. it was inspiring, to say the least. at one point, alicia brought out Gary Clark Jr. - who i had just heard of but never heard at the time. he proceeded to kill it on the guitar as she sang, then kill it on his own (singing and playing) after she left the stage. he tore the place down. it was a sit-down dinner sort of event but he had everyone in the place standing and whylin out by the end. he’s got soul, both on the mic and the guitar. enjoy.

new drizzy? with nicki goin in on it? happy friday. counting down to 11/15…

NEW MUSIC: Collie Buddz - “Too Watchy”

it’s been a while since his first album dropped, and a few mixtapes and leaked singles later, collie buddz still brings it on the mic. in my opinion, his rookie album is one of the most solid reggae has seen in the past several years. this new(ish) joint on the bomboflow riddim is smooth and positive.

some people ‘dem too watchy watchy…

NEW MUSIC: Di Genius - “Nuh Beg Friend”
big up fellow MWBer Von Swayne for putting me onto this earlier this week. one of dancehall’s hottest producer-artists celebrating good friendship through music = win. this track has provided me with about 85% of the music in my ears this week - i can’t stop playing it!

New Music - LxE For The Uncool- “BORDƏƋUX VIIs”
the homie L.e never slacks. this joint’s been on repeat for a few days now. enjoy and pass along!

NEW MUSIC: Alicia Keys - “Girlfriend (Krucial Keys Sista Girl UK Video Remix Edit)”

in case you missed it, alicia re-released Songs in A Minor last week with a whole slew of bonuses, previously unreleased tracks and some quality film. this remix of one of my favorite songs in her catalogue caught my ear immediately and is smoooooth. you can (and should) cop the whole thing.

and if you missed her show last week to celebrate the release at the beacon theatre in nyc, you can watch it here. video of this joint below:

NEW MUSIC: Adele - “Rolling In The Deep (Heatwave Refix)”

i spent 2 out of 4 weekends in June in non-pedestrian cities, so i spent a lot of time in the car listening to the radio. 2 out of 4 weekends later, i can barely stand to hear the original of this song, which is sad cuz it’s a dope tune. that said, this remix is heat, pun intended. reggae slant = victory in my ears, and i can only hope the same for yours…