Samsung Galaxy Pre-review: Jay-Z - "Magna Carta... Holy Grail" (Watch The Throne 2!?)

Once you're able to get past the semi-absurd notion that Jay-Z decided to employ former-N'syncer Justin Timberlake to re-sing some Nirvana lyrics, "And we all just / entertainers / and we're stupid / and contagious," "Holy Grail" is actually a pretty awesome album opener/lead single contender. While Jay-Z & Beyoncé were spotted at a Grizzly Bear show pre-Blueprint 3 and Empire of The Sun frontman Luke Steele actually sang back-up vocals on that very album, it seems as though Beyoncé's 27-year-old Indie Rock-loving little sister Solange really has quite the influence on Jay-Z's varied musical tastes; Not only does Magna Carta Holy Grail (MCHG) feature interpolated Nirvana & R.E.M. lyrics, but it also makes use of M.I.A. and Alternative Hip-Hop weirdo Gonjasufi samples, "Bad Girls" and "Nikels and Dimes" respectively. Thanks to Samsung Galaxies, MCHG has already "sold" 1 million+ copies nearly 5 days ahead of it's Tuesday, June 9th wide release.

After a few early listens, it's a weirdly-assembled clunky-sounding album overall -- something we've kinda grown to expect from a live wire like Kanye, but not from a seasoned emcee and entrepreneur like Jay-Z. It's been a damn good 2-3 week stretch for Hip-Hop and fresh on the heels of Kanye and Run The Jewels' excellent genre-blending albums, a mish-moshed 16-track collection like Magna Carta Holy Grail sadly, just hits a little left of center. But don't let me discourage you, if you're a long-time fan, Magna Carta Holy Grail is definitely a worth while, interesting listen... even for it's sheer Monday morning water cooler capabilities; I just think Jay-Z could've easily stopped when initially "retiring" with The Black Album, which spawned Danger Mouse's ingenious Grey Album mash-up. Early favourites include: "Holy Grail," "Picasso Baby," "Nickels and Dimes," "Tom Ford," "Somewhere In America," and "BBC" #noorder.

Roc-Nation managed to recruit Justin Timberlake, Rick Ross, Frank Ocean, Beyoncé, Nas, and Pharrell with production work submitted by everyone from Timbaland to Mike WiLL Made It. However. my biggest qualm with Magna Carter Holy Grail is more or less a minor stylistic touch: slightly tweaking the title so that it would've read "Magna CartER Holy Grail," a la Sean Carter. It just seems like a slight mis-step on Jay-Z's management an PR teams' part(s), who arguably already spent multi-millions promoting the album online, across elaborate billboards, NBA Finals commercial spots, with Samsung's specially-designed app, etc. While Jay-Z's currently headed out on a 15-date co-headlining Legends of The Summer [baseball stadium] tour with repeat collaborator Justin Timberlake, veteran Yeezus/MCHG producer Mike Dean basically confirmed that "Watch The Throne 2" is indeed in-the-works!? Unlike Magna Carta Holy Grail, which is out world-wide July 8-9th, WTT2 currently lacks a solid release date. But I'd guestimate that it'll most likely end up fully materializing by Summer 2014 or before.

"Let Me Shine for You:" Lindsay Lohan for Playboy (Winter 2011-12 Leak)

Lindsay Lohan essentially embodies exactly "What NOT to Do In Hollywood :" Fame, fortune, success... sex, drugs & Rock "N" Roll . Within a fairly short period of time, Lohan somehow managed to obtain a plentiful helping of POWER @ a very young age. This gradual rise-downfall was captured on film; Between 1998-2010, she portrayed a wide array of roles across the silver screen in movies including: Mean Girls, Bobby , Herbie Fully Loaded , Georgia Rule, Machete , and Freaky Friday . Between rapid-paced film shoots, Lindsay Lohan also found time to record 2 Pop Rock albums for Casablanca , Speak (2004) and A Litter More Personal-Raw (2005). Needless to say, Lindsay Lohan has gotten roped up in a lot of troubles and woes with the law over the last 3-5 years... a vicious cycle of drugs, arrest, court, rehab, "daddy issues," jail time [Repeat]. That's the pure basics of it - But Google that shit for additional info, if necessary. Towards the end of

[W]reckless, Topless American Youth: Lana del Rey - "Born 2 Die" (Britney Spears Birthday 30)

Lana del Rey [Lizzy Grant] effectively became 2011's "It Girl" with the release of her phenomenal debut single, "Video Games" (Stranger) . Like many struggling singer-songwriters, Grant has been signed, dropped, and significantly changed her public image since bursting onto the scene (2009). With that said, it can be assumed that Lana del Rey has collected just as many "haters" as she has avid supporters. To be perfectly honest, the only other artist I can think of that made this much commotion... garnered so much wide-spread buzz/hate and critical acclaim -- right out of the gates -- with just one track is Britney Spears . And maybe in this post- Mike musical era, that's the true synthesis of Pop Culture: Britney Lynn Spears . After months of repeated teasing and speculation, Lana del Rey 's major label debut, Born 2 Die will [finally] be released this coming Jan. 30-31, 2012. Pitchfork reports that it will feature "Off to The Ra

Liberty Bell Cracked In 1/2: Ween - "Freedom of '76" (Gene Ween's Final Send-Off)

Chocolate & Cheese (1994) was one of the first albums I bought with my own money. I was in some sort of BMG Music Club , where you'd buy 5 CD's and then get 10 for "FREE." It was all sent through mail order and you picked the titles from some special booklet. I'm almost positive that Chocolate & Cheese's side boob-baring album cover was what initially drew me in... mind you, I was 12-15 and the zany Ween logo/middle finger CD graphic really didn't hurt either. Honestly, I forget how I really felt about it @ the time, but a few years later, my older cousin Josh told me that Ween were this BIG college "jam band." CKY did some sort pf 93.3 radio takeover to promote their new album and played "Freedom of '76" late that night on air. Needless to say, I re-visited Chocolate & Cheese @ about 20-something this go 'round and I fucking loved it! Ween were really weird, yet talented... almost too talented. I can vaguel

The Witzard

Search This Blog