The FADER Presents: Heems & Riz MC - SWET SHOP [BOYS] EP & "Batalvi" (Greedhead)

Das Racist were hands down, one of the greatest post-2000 New York area Hip-Hop groups, who essentially created their own "outsider rap" scene, which would later harbor up-and-coming guys like Lakutis, LE1F, Mr. Muthaf*ckin' eXquire, Antwon, Kassa Overall, KechPhrase, Big Baby Gandhi, etc. Luckily enough, I had a chance to see Das Racist on their then unannounced 2012 "farewell tour" in Philly, a show which additionally featured a mini-Greehead label showcase: Lakutis, LE1F, and Weekend Money as opening acts. Since disbanding, founding members Himanshu "Heems" Suri and Victor "Kool A.D." Vazquez have each released a number of critically-acclaimed solo mixtapes; well, Heems actually uploaded two mixtapes, Nehru Jackets and Wild Water Kingdom, while Das Racist were still actively together. Suri then moved to Bombay, India between 2012-mid-2014 as part of a self-imposed exile, wherein he began recording material for his first proper album for Sony/Megaforce Records, tentatively titled "EAT PRAY THUG." Amidst compiling tracks for possible inclusion on EAT PRAY THUG, Himanshu Suri quietly began recording material for a separate project entirely, Swet Shop Boys, a self-described Indo-Pak rap group with London-based Pakistani rapper-actor, "Riz MC" Ahmed.

Then, with little to no prior notice, The FADER sporadically premiered their 4-song SWET SHOP EP Friday afternoon, along with a music video for new EP-plucked single, "Batalvi." "Shiv Kumar Batalvi was a renowned Punjabi poet and singer, who loved hard, lived fast, and died young... the late Batalvi pops up between archived shots of Bollywood glamour and militant handy-cam footage to remind us that life is a "slow suicide,"' reads a chunk of The FADER's featured "Batalvi" piece, which attempts to make sense of director Zarina Muhammad's scatter-brained FaceTime-aided video clip. The then untitled SWET SHOP EP was previously reported to consist of a mere three tracks, two of which seemingly had producer clearance issues, but I guess Greedhead were able to tack one back on; production work on Heems & Riz MC's recently uploaded FREE EP comes from Greedhead-affiliates Lushlife, Lynas, Ryan Hemsworth, and Trooko. It seems as though Himanshu Suri & Riz Ahmed are "both into the idea of doing some more work when [their] schedules permit," stringent on if SWET SHOP BOYS EP ends up being well-received, while Heems' roughly 11-track EAT PRAY THUG is rumored for a late 2014-15 release on his new-found label, Sony/Megaforce Records.

"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

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