3 Feet High & Rising: Inglewood-based Emcee LOW BLOW Readies Gospel, Funk & Soul-steeped First Book of Timothy (Common Good Records)

Since its 2017 inception, LA-based imprint Common Good Records has released a string of continually phenomenal records and tapes, including: Te'Amir Sweeney's Tiger Breaks 45 + drum kit, Drtysoap's Merry Chrithmith, Unown & DJ Ragz's Pasta & Wings cassette, and Jake Najor's D$RTY M$NEY BREAKS 45 + drum kit. Plus, label co-founder J.D. (@OlogistBBB) has been extremely hospitable and supportive of both myself and The Witzard; even mixing and sequencing Mitchell Kezin's festive Mitchell's 'SOUL SISTA' Holiday Mix for The Witzard extremely last-minute! Now, J.D. & Common Good Records have announced their next proper release: Low Blow's full-length debut, First Book of Timothy. "Soulful, West Coast Hip-Hop. A sound unique unto itself. A sound that recalls a classic era nostalgia. A sound steeped in the deep roots of Gospel, Funk, and Soul. Low Blow [@thereallowblow] builds on that tradition with his debut album, First Book of Timothy," reads an album description on Common Good's Bandcamp. First Book of Timothy has a sound evocative of, in my humble opinion, Sa-Ra Creative Partners AKA Sa-Ra, Janelle Monáe, Kendrick Lamar, and OutKast—due in part to its soulful G-Funk-inflected production/co-production work from both Allakoi "Mic Holden" Peete (@micholdenfresh) and Luke Ellington (@luke.ellington) throughout. Mic Holden has previously worked with the likes of Kamasi Washington, Blu, Shafiq Husayn, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, The Gaslamp Killer, Josef Leimberg, Fergie on Double Dutchess, Terrace Martin, and GB AKA Gifted & Blessed.

Luke Ellington, on the other hand, has had the opportunity to work alongside Anderson .Paak FKA Breezy LoveJoy, Jimetta Rose, Jonah Levine, Philip Ray, Tre Hickman, and Ernest Tibbs, as well as Mic Holden, Atwood-Ferguson, Washington, and Leimberg. Low Blow's First Book of Timothy features appearances throughout from many of Holden & Ellington's past collaborators and fellow LA-based artists, such as Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, Uncle Chucc (1500 or Nothin') Jose Rios, Ernest Tibbs, LEAVING RECORDS' Jamire Williams, Jimetta Rose, Breezy LoveJoy, and Inglewood's own Damani Nkosi. Low Blow's First Book of Timothy is currently available for pre-order in a number of formats including: Test Press Vinyl, Test Press + Metallic Gold Vinyl, Metallic Gold Vinyl, Standard Black Vinyl, Black + Metallic Gold Vinyl, and of course, Digital Album. Ahead of First Book of Timothy's Friday, September 14th wide release, Common Good Records are now streaming 'teaser' singles "Outta Control / Gangsta Walk" and "Can't Wait." Ladies and gents, trust me, I've heard the entirety of Low Blow's 10-track First Book of Timothy and this album is phenomenal! IT'S NOT TO BE MISSED and is, hands down, one of the strongest albums of 2018 (so far!) Expect a comprehensive interview with Low Blow, Mic Holden & Luke Ellington coming soon to The Witzard...

"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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