Video: Gucci Mane f. Usher, “Spotlight”
- story Peter Macia
People (us and everyone else) have been wondering why anyone in his or her right mind would assemble this song, let alone make it the lead single for Gucci’s new album. BUT, having now watched this video twice through, it is clearly just a means to this hilarious visual end. It’s like, look how not bummed Gucci is when Eddie Murphy’s daughter busts him in the club partying with Nicki Minaj. Look how not bummed Gucci is when he’s dancing with Usher. Look how extremely not bummed Gucci is wearing a chain that is a claw from one of those stupid toy vending machines that are impossible. Gucci is so not bummed with all of it that we’re just going to call him Doctor Not Bummed from now on. Paging Doctor Not Bummed, there is a record label hemorrhaging money, please report to the ATM stat.
Rich Boy f. Chili Chil, “Top of the World” (prod Polow da Don) MP3
- story Peter Macia
Leave it to Polow to be the first to interpolate The Jacksons without it sounding like a gimmick. For “Top of the World,” he’s all over “Can You Feel It?” (still one of the best videos) while Rich Boy shreds as usual. We’re trying to think of an analogy for his Rich Boy’s relentless snarl, but the only person who comes to mind is Kurt Cobain and that’s not really right. Maybe Johnny Rotten? MOP? Whatever, we’re just saying he never seems to let his foot of the pedal and might be semi-crazy. Also, Chili Chil is on the hook, and if you’re like us and have time for this stuff, you might remember him as part of Surf Club, the Polow proteges who’ve produced a bunch of under-the-radar major jams and are, like, 10 years old.
Download: Rich Boy f. Chili Chil, “Top of the World” (prod Polow da Don) (via Nah Right)
Freeload: Rich Boy f. Polow da Don, “Drop”
- story THE FADER
We don’t know where this is from or what it’s for, but it’s new Rich Boy and Polow da Don says he and Diddy are going to pay someone’s mortgage for a whole year on it. So that’s pretty cool. Outside of P&D’s bailout plan, though, “Drop” is good news for all of us who’ve been wondering where the shirtless wonder has been since April, and it doesn’t hurt our feelings that Polow also promises Rich Boy’s new album 5 Million (along with a bunch of other stuff) for 2009.
Download: Rich Boy f. Polow da Don, “Drop” (via OS)
Freeload: Keri Hilson f. Lil Wayne, “Turn Me Off”
- story THE FADER
Ever since Pharrell and Chad began focusing their energies on making mosh-pit music for college beerfests in N.E.R.D., we’ve been wondering where our next anti-gravity space beats were coming from and, further, if they would be a mere redux of Neptunesian splendor, or if they’d build on the meme. But of course! Brave and fealty FADER 45 cover star Polow da Don Dada took up the relay, and of course he’s concocted a characteristically lush tableau of elastic basslines and a dude-chorus hollering like a down-South cheer section, making futuristic beats new with hefty personal flavor. Polow: we like how you think. Atop his gaseous anti-gravity beat-cloud, two more FADER cover stars, lady Ms. Keri Hilson (FADER 51) and Lil Wayne (FADER 47) put their heads together for an impeccable jernt that scolds dudes for coming at ladies with their drooly wackass C-game. We completely relate, especially when we’re walking down the street and some ‘bag shouts something grody from down the block. [For awhile in the summer we were doing daily intra-office street harrassment reports.] So thanks for this Ms. Keri, we will bump this in the iPod next time some nasty road-warrior tries to grab at our booty meat. NOTE: GLAD TO SEE YOUR RECORD IS FINALLY DROPPING.
Download: Keri Hilson f. Lil Wayne, “Turn Me Off”
Freeload: NKOTB f. Ne-Yo, “Single” (Produced by Polow Da Don)
- story THE FADER
Let us genuflect once again at the rhinestone encrusted altar of Polow Da Don. “Single” could have been a slow-jam vessel for anyone to sing about absolutely anything – Ciara’s vacant yearnings, Usher lamenting nightclub bottle service, Plies mumbling about things that your lady parts can do – yet Polow said “No! I shall bestow this upon Jordan, Jonathan, Joey, Donnie and Danny, for only they are truly deserving.” Why? We don’t want to dwell on the fact that New Kids are old (it requires dwelling on the fact that we are old) but you can tell it was on Polow’s mind when he whipped this up. On the surface, “Single” is an ode to all the single (duh) ladies out there with their own jobs / real hair / etc, but it’s really an anthem for the over-40 set playing the bar, wrinkling in ill-fitting Ed Hardy sweatshirts and unbuttoned Armani Exchange, copping appletinis for Rebecca and Amy and ‘em just to “be your boyfriend till the song goes off.” These dudes. You know these dudes! You have seen them in every nightclub in every city in the world. New Kids On The Block are these dudes. Polow you a genius! (Not sure where Ne-Yo falls into this particular May-September romance, but we forsee a Rex Manning Day somewhere in his future too.)
Download: NKOTB f. Ne-Yo, “Single”
Video: Polow And Bangladesh At Castle T-Pania
- story THE FADER
There literally is not one person who appears or is talked about in this newest episode of Bangladesh TV, filmed at a T-Pain album party, who hasn’t been in the pages of The FADER. In fact, the one dude doing most of the talking, Polow Da Don, shared an issue with Bill Callahan, successfully forming one of our oddest cover duos ever (Smog not big triangle samples and goblin voices, maybe should be). The best thing about the video though is that those of us who didn’t get to interview Polow for that story can now imagine how much fun it must have been listening to him talk this fast about Rich Boy for three days.
-
posted on Jul 8, 2008 in MUSIC VIDEO tags Bangladesh, David Banner, hip hop, Kardinal Offishal, Polow da Don, Static Major, T-Pain
Video/Freeload: Nas, “Be A Nigger Too” + “Hero”
- story THE FADER
Our relationship with Nas is kinda complicated. We know—WE KNOW!—that Nas can come with heat, and he always gets so so excited before each album and then it comes out and there are like three hot songs and the rest is kind of confusing and not really worth checking. Right now, he seems more fired up about his music than he’s been in awhile, resulting in a mixtape and EIGHT MINUTE LONG VIDEO, featuring a cameo by a building we recognize well. We’re also posting “Hero” from the Nas and Green Lantern mixtape (and also from Friday’s EVR show), which, besides featuring a Polow beat with stomping elephant horns that we love so much and Keri HIlson on the hook, has Nas shouting out Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen over (briefly) wailing guitar. NAS MEDIA BLITZ 2008.
Download: Nas, “Hero”
Audio: Slim Thug f. TGT, “Let Me Grind”
- story THE FADER
We’re pretty sure Tyrese sent this to us from his personal email which is pretty fucking foreboding but is overridden by the Slim Thug (raps) and the Polow da Don (musics) affiliations. TGT, in case you’re wondering, is Tank-Ginuwine-Tyrese… feel the wifebeater madness. Really though, this is kind of a hit. At least in one corner of our office.
