MIXTAPE 106 -TYPE A PERSONALITY

You all ever heard of this thing? Type A personality? It’s like I can’t even slow down here. Start up this episode, illness take a deep breath, and try to see the big picture here – it’s bigger than just your issues, kids.

Aside from that, though, I got two pairs of tickets to Nicolay + Kay shows to give away – one in each of these venues:
April 12 – The Forbidden City, Hollywood, CA
April 18 – The Black Cat, Washington, DC

So, I guess I’m supposed to do some sort of “contest” or something. I’ll make this one easy – just write me an email or leave a comment and tell me the number of the last Mixtape Show episode in which Nicolay appeared. Extra consideration given if you make the comment interesting. I’ll pick the winners pretty much asap. This will also be going on the Facebook thing too, so…get moving. Enough of that, let’s do it…

Intro beat – CL Smooth and Skyzoo – Perfect Timing instrumental.

Big Boi – Royal Flush feat Andre 3000 and Raekwon. It’s like the three of them sat down and said “Listen here, Andre. You rap good. Have like seven verses.” And Andre said “Okay”. And it was good. myspace.com/outkast.

The Roots - 75 Bars (Black‘s Reconstruction). I didn’t count them, but if there are 75 bars here, they are all good. Suburb put me up on this one and I’m still kicking myself for taking this long to actually get to it. I’m sometimes not too big on The Roots’ recorded material, but this is just kind of great. Even if there are probably more niggas in this song than bars (bonus points for anyone that counts them up!). myspace.com/theroots

Percee P – Untitled Percee P Track. Or at least that’s word-for-word how it was labeled on this CD. Dig the rhyme patterns that dude uses, and the Billy Jack quotes (I think I should check this film). Once again, kids – the bigger picture. “Payback’s a bitch, America / Karma too” myspace.com/perceep

Jay Electronica – Colors. Seriously, fam? 45 seconds? Don’t worry, kids, I got more.

Guilty Simpson – Pigs. I don’t think I really forsaw anyone attempting to rap over this Madlib jawn. Can’t hate on this dude for taking this one on, because he kinda tore it up. Quotable lines abound. myspace.com/guiltysimpson

Rhymefest – Mentor Mike feat Michael Jackson. What could I possibly have been doing that was so important that I didn’t listen to this song until this morning? Wow. myspace.com/rhymefest

Spec Boogie – Bed Stuy. The beat is just ridiculous. This one came highly recommended from our good friend Suburb, who is currently too busy eating Hot Chee-tos or something to let me listen to his new record. That’s fine, buddy. Spec, though – this is a great track. Plenty more of the same on his myspace. myspace.com/specboogie

Nicolay and Kay – Grand Theft Auto. Yes, the subject matter matches the title. If you dig this cut, hey, maybe try to get yourself a couple tickets. I really shoulda saved this for the next edition of the Nintendo Mixtape, but hey, who knows when that one’s gonna actually drop…myspace.com/nicolay.

Outro beat – Amplive / Radiohead – Weird Fishez. You all have the Amplive remixes of Radiohead’s In Rainbows, right? Good.

Shouts to Aimee, and everyone else that made this episode possible. Bedtime.

MIXTAPE 94: TRAVIS

You could probably say that there is some sort of skewed-ass social consciousness theme in theme in here, find but no official concept this time. This is the Travis Episode, because my friend Travis is in the hospital and I want him to get healed up soon so we can continue partying. Stay strong, famo.

On to the episode.

Intro Beat: Beewirks – Make It Happen. This isn’t the first time dude has placed on a Mixtape Show intro. myspace.com/beewirks.

Sha Stimuli – The N Word. Two dollars says most of you didn’t realize what was going on until a few bars into the first verse. This is inevitably going to bring up controversy, which is brilliant. What do you all think of this one (the theme, I mean – musically it’s beyond dispute that dude has talent). As far as n-word alternatives, I’m a fan of the word “family” in all its iterations – famo, fam, etc – or “dude”, as anyone who reads this site often can probably surmise. “Brah”, however, is not okay unless you are an islander, period. myspace.com/shastimuli.

Duo Live – Caught Up (feat Talib Kweli). I coulda cut the outro short on this one, but it’s just too nice. This is my first time hearing of dudes, but apparently they are really on their grind nowadays. Sounds good to me. myspace.com/duolive.

M.I.A. – Paper Planes (remix feat Bun B and Rich Boy). All three of these artists should be on your “man hol up these people go hard” list. I gotta say, after Arular dropped I was a little mild on M.I.A (Piracy Funds Terrorism went way harder) but this last album is just the business. Then you add Bun B AND Rich Boy to the mix? Too much. Plus this is at once the catchiest and most violent hook in recent memory. I gotta do a post about M.I.A.’s show sometime soon. miauk.com.

Guru – Cuz I’m Jazzy (feat Slum Village). Well, the production on this cut doesn’t exactly belie the title. Apparently this was a very good week for music. Dig the synth violins in the chorus. gurusjazzmatazz.net.

Scienz Of Life – Build Wit Me (feat Baretta 9). John Robinson is one of the most positive people I know. This is an old 2001 cut from the ATL days, showing us all that you don’t need to go crazy with the drums because sometimes the sample just wants to be left alone. And what’s with the bonus beat outro? myspace.com/scienzoflife.

Nicolay and Kay – Stop My Way (feat Mic of The Legendary KO aka K-Otix). As seen before way back in Ep 16, Mic graces the B-side for the N&K concept project single. I wasn’t quite sold on this cut until that whistle synth came in – then it was game over. Great cut. Too bad I didn’t get hold of this one in time for the Love Episode. And the outro is some of the most ignorant shit I’ve heard in like two days. myspace.com/nicolay.

Outro Bonus Cut: Bomani – Read A Book Remix (feat Hueman Prophets) (snippet). If you wanna hear the full version, you’ll have to check Bomani’s myspace! I think most people remember the video and song from this, but not too many people actually know who is behind the song. This song is totally different from the original, but for some reason the end of the last version is really hilarious to me. I’ve got to admit that I haven’t read most of the books on these dudes’ lists. Somebody should make a dance to this song.

And we should start a Mixtape Show Book Club.