Kanye West - The Joy (ft. Pete Rock, Jay-Z, Charlie Wilson, Curtis Mayfield & KiD CuDi)

Kanye West - The Joy (ft. Pete Rock, Jay-Z, Charlie Wilson, Curtis Mayfield & KiD CuDi)

Okay, so it's another GOOD Saturday Friday track from Kanye, this time with a sultry Curtis Mayfield sample. Ye and (I'm assuming) Pete Rock sped the first verse up for the chorus, then put it over a slowed down, minimal beat. Kanye raps about the ills of his sex life, ironically after pictures of his nether regions leaked onto the interwebs. Jay puts together a better than average verse, while CuDi and Charlie sing. I liked that Pete Rock got to close out the song with that funky riff in the background. Also, I'll be honest. The past two GOOD Fridays have been a bit boring to me. I guess a roster like this on a track can't help but pique one's interest. Doesn't hurt that the track is good...

Pete Rock vs. DJ Premier

I literally jumped for joy when I saw this. It was like waking up on Christmas to see a life-size GI Joe under the tree, and then seeing it shoot its way out of the box. For you hip-hop heads, it should be the same reaction. Manhattan Records, a Japanese record store, is celebrating its 30th anniversary by having a battle of epic proportions. Pete Rock and DJ Premier will be having a once-in-a-lifetime battle to help the Tokyo-based vinyl spot throw down, and for the upteenth time, I'm truly saddened that I have no connects in Japan to crash with. Both Pete Rock and DJ Premier are legends in their own right, with some of the illest production and DJing in hip-hop history. I can't stress how ridiculous an event like this is. Please believe I will be taking donations to somehow get to Tokyo for the May 2nd show. Check the promo video out, and get excited!!

PS: On a somewhat related note, why is there never a production of this scale going down on this side of the pond? Someone get on that, ASAP!!!