Uncovered Gems #1: The Roots, Atmosphere, and Gang Starr

So here's another installment you'll probably forget about that I just came up with. Basically what I'm going to do is post under valued and appreciated songs from established, or at least widely appreciated, artists. Whether it be a b-side, on one of their "taboo" albums, or just a song no one gave proper love to. The idea came to me while I was going through The Roots and Atmosphere's discographies, two of the greatest music groups in music regardless of genre.

And since I'll be posting 3 songs or so (and I'm not in the mood to make cover art for this installment), I'll just hook you guys up with a picture of a hot lady. This will be our new form of Weekly Women Wednesdays, haha.

Don't worry, Ariana Grande is 18.

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[NEW!!!] Black Star - Fix Up (Live)

This is Jon back on this blogging shit, and for good reason. This is one of those "stop the presses!" moments that only happen so often in music (at least as far as I'm concerned). Black Star dropped their genre defining debut album "Mos Def and Talib Kweli Are Black Star" in 1998. After both pursuing successful solo careers, they've always been flirting with the idea of dropping a second album...they're finally doing it!

Anyways, they appeared on The Colbert Report during the week. After explaining Mos Def's name change to Yasiin Bey (kind of like The Beatles changing their name to Gravy Train during their career) and explaining how they release music, they performed. Live. It. Was. Fucking. Beautiful. It felt like something they would release in '99.

After the jump I link you to their interview, an embed of their live performance, and a handy 320 kbs mp3 of their live performance. Best available for awhile, I'm sure. FUCKING DOWNLOAD IT.

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J. Cole - Sideline Story

Support on iTunes...or not...

So, after years of releasing killer track after track and accumulating thousands of high-school female fans, Cole finally drops a non-mixtape...and yet, two of the album's best songs we've heard before. Cole World: The Sideline Story is kind of a disappointment. I was expecting some of Cole's finest production (in the mold of "HiiPoWer") and what I got was nothing special. No doubt Cole will get heavy rotation in Euro Pop Clubs with "Mr. Nice Watch". This track was supposed to show us what Cole and Jay could do, but all it really does is show us what Timbaland will sound like in 20 years. Sadly, that may be the most creative beat on the album. I mean, the track "Lost Ones" has pretty much the same beat pattern as Cole's old hit "Lights Please"!

With that being said, Cole World as a whole isn't really worth the computer space. Throughout the entire album, one track really caught my ear:

Sideline Story

This is the type of beat that's playing in the background while you're treating your girl to some shrimp and lobster (or something that's NOT a 2-for-20 deal) at her favorite restaurant. Nevermind the lyrics, the music is just classy.