mixtape maestro (2.0)

With the ‘Net world currently immersed in “new Jay-Z = meh” banter (thanks to the like 52 fine, but mostly underwhelming, maybe-or-maybe-not B3 Jigga tracks that have leaked this past week alone), it’s kinda easy to forget that things didn’t look so depressing waaaay back in January when a likable ditty titled “When The Money Goes” mysteriously bubbled onto the Web.

While it took a minute to figure out whether it was the first taste of the Blueprint junior volume or not (it was later revealed to be nothing more than an American Gangster outtake), what we did know was that we immediately liked it. And how could we not? Backed by crisp R&B-like production that honed in on a champagne glass-clinking, “livin’ the good life” luxuriousness, “When The Money Goes” featured Jay delivering a tight and concise narrative based on the tried-and-true “Can I Get A…” concept: “I know you riding with a nigga through the Gucci store/ All through Prada…but what if I had nada?”.

Hey, it sounded like a surefire hit to us. But somewhere along the line, Jay decided that he didn’t need to cater to radio so blatantly (he’d rather play the cantankerous old fogey role and denounce everything the kids liked, whether it be Auto-Tune or allowing Drake his own verse), so he opted on handing off the track elsewhere. Whatever. In the end, it makes for a nice grab for Fabolous, who adopts the “When The Money Goes” concept and beat, laying down three verses that are so sharp, Jay really isn’t even needed beyond the hook duties he’s reduced to here.

Catch the “Money Goes, Honey Stay” clip below, followed by MP3’s of Jay’s unreleased original and a nice “Jamerican Remix” of “Off That” featuring reggae/ dancehall newcomer Atiba:

DL: Jay-Z “When The Money Goes (Original)” (alt)

DL: Jay-Z featuring Drake & Atiba “Off That (Jamerican Remix)” (alt)

Uncategorized atiba, fabolous, jay-z, reggae remix, the blueprint 3

It seems we’re about six or seven months too late in hitching a ride on the Esser bandwagon, but that won’t at all stop us from belatedly hyping Mad Professor’s island-soaked remix of the Essex-born drummer-turned-frontman’s 2008 single, “Satisfied”.

Justfiably praised as one of last year’s best singles (it can currently be found on Esser’s recently dropped full-length, Braveface), the original “Satisfied” immediately wooed with an oddly alluring, old-vinyl-leaning air of tango and ska influences, topped off by the 23-year-old’s lazily crooned advice towards his fellow gender (“You know a man can never win/ Even if you buy her all the shoes/ So when you play the game of love, my friend/ It’s a game you’ll always lose”).

Under Mad Prof’s helm, the song undergoes a dubby re-haul that further heightens the original’s innate spookiness and transfixing timelessness, while attaching an even more darker slant to Esser’s caution.

So captivating. So twisted. We’d love to hear these two hook up again.

DL: “Satisfied (Mad Professor Mix)” (alt)

Uncategorized dub, esser, mad professor, reggae remix, UK

The Sweet Escape’s Gwen and Swizz Beatz team-up “Now That You Got It” seemed more like the prototype of a great pop song made very awkward by it’s minimalist boom bap beat and annoying sirens (a tired soundbite that has drawn more than enough love this past year). On this better adjusted Marley mix, the song’s cutesy girl group melody comes alive with the accompaniment of classic reggae harmonics and radiant toasts from Bob’s offspring.

Though her chameleonic tendencies have made for a varied collection of hits in the past, Stefani consistently hits a homerun when she tucks her girlish musings in island-accented surroundings, whether it be ska, dancehall or full on reggae. Under Swizz’ hard-hitting sonics, Stefani came across a little threatening (and unattainable), sculpting her new boytoy into some personal sex slave (“I’d train him like a Marine Corps/…Yes ma’am/ That always better be his response”). Here, her goofy taunting of “Now that you got it/ What you gon’ do about it” feels more flirtatous and playful, she carefully nudging him to live up to all his pre-courting big talk as they frolick happily on some tropical beach while the beaming sun begins it’s settle below the horizon. It’s a sweetened redux that neatly corrects everything that was wrong before in one simple beat switch, while also getting us one step closer to the No Doubt reunion we’ve been anxiously awaiting.

Uncategorized damian marley, gwen stefani, reggae remix, summertime