Big Boi f/ Raekwon & Andre 3000 – “Royal Flush“

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from Royal Flush 12″ (Jive, 2008)

Big Boi f/ Mary J. Blige – “Something’s Gotta Give“

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from Something’s Gotta Give 12″ (Jive, 2008)

Big Boi f/ Backbone – “Dubbz“

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Big Boi f/ Andre 3000 – “Lookin For Ya“

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from Sir Lucious Left Foot Sessions (unreleased, 2009/2010)

Big Boi – “Theme Song (Ringtone)“

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Big Boi f/ Gucci Mane, Project Pat & Bun B – “Shine Blockas (Remix)”

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from Sir Lucious Left Foot Billboard Bonus Tracks (Def Jam, 2010)

It’s rare that a studio outtakes post is necessary on the day of an albums release but Big Boi’s Sir Lucious Leftfoot, which drops today, has been marinating for close to three years in the Jive vaults and a lot of excess has been trimmed from the final release. Apart from the two blacked out Andre tracks, “Dubbz” feels like the only essential omission here. Backbone has an outstanding rap voice and more artists should be taking advantage of it. That poorly executed Mary J. song appears for comprehension’s sake alone. I also posted the Billboard bonus tracks because I had no idea that Billboard sold mp3s until I heard about there being Billboard-exclusive bonus tracks. “Theme Song” was originally leaked to the web last year as “Ringtone.” Buy the album wherever you can.

The double purple vinyl seems to have been pushed back to July 20th.

I don’t profess to understand the innerworkings of the music industry at all, but there is truly no underbelly more confusing than the terrestrial radio arm. In this day and age the only place one ever encounters is in cars or diners or on construction sites, correct? The kids all have ipods and youtubes and other crazy gadgets. Yet, apart from the midday old school mixshows, “urban” radio programmers still target the 12-16 demographic almost exclusively. Where are children listening to radio? Or is there some sort of creepy manchild contingent that pushes records like “Stanky Leg” into the upper reaches of the charts?

In an attempt to answer these and other questions, I’ve dug deep into radio playlists, looking not at the major hits, but at weird indie records that have been added to radio recently. (Actually, I don’t think this process will answer any of these questions. I was just bored while waiting to do an interview.) (more…)

Last week NPR’s All Things Considered ran an interview I conducted with Bun B about one of his (and my, and your) favorite rap albums – Goodie Mob’s Soul Food. As is often the case with radio features the conversation was condensed considerably for time, so I’m bringing you the extended cut over here. Bare in mind that the conversation was originally intended for a bigger-than-rap audience, so forgive me if the questions are a too leading or expositionish. Shout to NPR and the great Frannie Kelley for making this all happen. And to Bun, of course.

Noz: What made you choose Soul Food?
Bun: I picked Soul Food because at the time it dropped I was an artist, I was part of the industry and for different reasons I was starting to become [disenchanted] with the industry. After being on the inside I started not being crazy about everything worked. I was having a lot of issues with sample clearance and being able to promote myself or market myself the way I thought we should have been and I was like “is there still room for an artist to make the music that they want to make?” When I heard Soul Food I realized that [there was]. It was obvious that Soul Food was not made for a record company’s commercial standpoint. (more…)

Yung Joc f/ Gucci Mane & Yung Ralph – “Posted At The Store”
from Mr. Robinson’s Neighborhood (Bad Boy, Coming Soon)

Yung Chill f/ Bun B – “Posted At The Store“

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from Stop Talking and Listen (BMG, 2007)

I thought the Joc record sounded familiar. Turns out another Yungin flipped the same “It’s Goin Down” hook just a few years back. It’s probably just a case of great minds thinking alike.

Okay, it might be a little generous to call Joc’s a great mind.

So why did they scrap the cartoon cover? Was it the semi-eroticism of a manly embrace?

Wale f/ Bun B – “Talkin Shyt“

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from Back To The Feature (Mixtape, 2009)

I made some quick notes on this painfully competent Wale tape at the City Paper blog.