tha pumpsta: no crying at the disco.

dl: THA PUMPSTA - L-O-V-E (No Crying At The Disco) (Black Cracker remix) f/ Black Cracker and Shunda K of Yo! Majesty (alt)
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Oh snap. Just in time for Valentine's Day, Tha Pumpsta has liberated one of my favorite tracks--the Black Cracker remix of "L-O-V-E (No Crying At The Disco)". I first heard him perform it with Shunda K a while back at Santos Party House, and I anxiously awaited its official release. I also desperately wanted to be this man, who straight up cut a rug to the song in a Snoopy tie.

The original version showcases Jeremy's stellar trumpet skills and boasts a video with "lighting by Lance Bass" (An appropriate joke, because somebody's gotta give him work, right?). But I'm a sucker for Black Cracker's production and Shunda K's vocal presence, so the remix gets a permanent place on my iPod (until it dies, eternal digi-love). With that said, I am definitely looking forward to hearing more trumpet and elements that aren't conventionally "hip-hop" on the upcoming album, Tha Charm.

This is a outstanding offering from a queer cast of artists, so let's keep our fingers crossed that I'll be reviewing the full album for Queerty in the near future. Speaking of which, thank you to all of you for contributing to my extreme, "unethical" lead. You never know what can happen up until Monday, so if you haven't voted yet... help a brother out!

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dl: THA PUMPSTA - Don Juan (Stay High remix) (alt)
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- BUY IT - SITE IT - SPACE IT - HYPE IT -

siik: single ladies remix.

dl: Single Ladies (siik remix) (alt)

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I made the exciting graphic you see above for work a while back, and I've been looking for an excuse to repost it. Thankfully, Mixtape Maestro reminded me that I should never take my eyes off of siik.org, posting an excellent "remix" of "Single Ladies".

I say "remix" since Siik's work leans more towards blend or mash-up. It's all either hit or near-miss, but the good ones make you hear songs in entirely different ways. Placing Sasha up in the club with Talib Kweli gives the song a bit of an Amerie vibe, and I mean that in the most complimentary way.

Don't forget to check out Siik's takes on T-Pain & Brandy. They're also delicioso, even if the woozy Weezy part is cut out of the former.

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BONER TRACK: Can't Believe It (siik remix) (alt)
BONER TRACK II: I Wanna Be Down (siik remix) (alt)
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- SITE IT - SPACE IT - HYPE IT -

general elektriks + pigeon john: crush.

dl: GENERAL ELEKTRIKS f/ PIGEON JOHN - Crush (alt)
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I walked into "Crush" having no idea what to expect, and my mind was blown as I encountered a sample of "When Doves Cry". Purple Rain ranks in my unofficial top ten albums of all time, to the degree that it may even be number one. This should have been so wrong. BEYOND WRONG.

Funny thing. I wanted to believe that the first time I listened to the song--I shouldn't like this, so I won't. But the pure "WTF" factor kept drawing me back in, and by the fourth time I was pumping my fist along and all skepticism was diminished.

Pigeon John embodies a less annoying version of will.i.am. His charm rests in his self-awareness of his loser-like tendencies, while will.i.am thinks he's the shit when he's quite the opposite. Like, he's so the opposite of the shit that he's constipation.

But I digress. Pigeon John's chorus of "I got no game, no game, no game at all" seems like an anthem for scrubs and chumps, but anyone who's ever had a crush can relate. You're at a party and the cutest motherfucker walks past you. They go chill with some friends, and you're sitting there sipping your drink, peeking back over and waiting for your moment to introduce yourself. You start thinking of crazy schemes to get your future boo's attention, but by the time you've worked out your diabolical plan... they're walking away hand-in-hand with someone else! No one else at the party is really doing it for you, so you start thinking you might as well, er, do it to yourself. Masturbate, I'm talking about masturbation. But no matter how much you wank it out, you'll never be able to wank out those thoughts of your crush. Pathetic, but c'est la vie. Pigeon John knows your pain. But only Pigeon John.

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- BUY IT - SITE IT - SPACE IT - HYPE IT / BUY IT - SITE IT - SPACE IT - HYPE IT - WIK IT -

n.e.r.d.: lazer gun carrying.

dl: N.E.R.D. - Lazer Gun Carrying (YSI)

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I still haven't formed an opinion on N.E.R.D.'s third album Seeing Sounds, mostly because I know that it will never come close to being as classic (on a personal level) as their first. Spine Magazine posted a UK bonus track called "Lazer Gun Carrying", and I can't help but thinking after a few listens that it's better than I thought anything on the album was after a few listens. One thing's for sure. This shit is better than that song they did with Santogold and Julian Casablancas. No hatin' though! Santi sounds great on that track...

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- BUY IT - SITE IT - SPACE IT - HYPE IT - WIK IT -

inflowential: caged bird.

dl: INFLOWENTIAL - Caged Bird (YSI)
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Raleigh, NC may not be the first place you think of when it comes to blossoming underground hip-hop acts, eh? In fact, when I first heard "NC Shit" (a North Carolina variation of Busta Rhymes' "New York Shit") it was just as odd as falling upon a "CT Shit" shoutout to Bridgeport while listening to Hartford's Power 104.1. I don't know why a Raleigh anthem threw me for a loop. I mean, it's not as if I hadn't heard of Inflowential and the Kooley High crew. My friend Crystal tried to put me up on them ages ago, but I wasn't really hearing them until she forwarded me an invitation to their show at the John Street Bar & Grill. The e-mail's subject heading was not a suggestion, but a demand-- "We're going to this." And go I went.

Upon stepping into the performance space, I got worried. A crew of three guys stood on stage "rapping" over Daft Punk. Now I love me some Daft Punk, but if you ain't gonna have any flow over it...don't flow over it. Just because Kanye and Busta did it*, doesn't mean that you can. Also, can someone please explain this Daft Punk sampling trend? Even Janet Jackson and her people jumped on the bandwagon by sampling Homework's "Daftendirekt" on her new album Discipline. This is going too far. Are Daft Punk hip-hop's new James Brown?

Rant aside, I needed some Jack Daniels in my system after that experience. And then Inflow took the stage, and all that tension disintegrated. Charlie Smarts and Tab-One on the mic, Bender on bass, Kyle Phelps on guitar, DJ IllDigitz on (er) DJ stuff, and A-did on vocal percussion. Yes, vocal percussion. I'm talking real beatboxing, not some Blake-Lewis-college-a-cappella-group shit. Think Rahzel, and you'll probably get an idea why so much of the Inflow press is littered with comparisons to The Roots.

Their live show is not one to miss, as you can't get a glimpse of how impressive the group is by solely listening to the recordings. Their command on an audience was particularly impressive on "We Get Down". Having never seen the group before, I found myself joining in with the veteran fans as they bent their knees and got "down". While the mood may have gotten stale during a string of slower songs, Inflow was ready to bring the crowd back up with an energetic jam.

Speaking of energetic jams, I have unconditional love for a currently unrecorded tune that could be referred to as "One-conditional". The song plays on gender roles, as the two male MCs complain about a girl (or girls) who only wants them for their bodies. It maintains a level of hip-hop machismo by presenting a "damn, I'm so hot and chicks want me" attitude but spices it up with sensitivity and vulnerability. It makes them infinitely more likable, and makes it clear that they're not just spitting lies on the Evolutionary Process EP's "Love Is".

This EP is the first release from the group, available for free download on their site. And whether the EP's "Caged Bird" is a nod to Maya Angelou or a song inspired by a trip to the Raleigh-Durham Caged Bird Society, it holds a place as one of the standout tracks. Accompanied by Blu Thompson on saxophone and a soothing bass line, Charlie Smarts and Tab-One deliver a message of hope that wouldn't serve as a bad choice for Barack Obama's campaign.

Experience the hope, love, and nodding heads live this Friday March 14th at Blaggard's Pub & Restaurant (8 W. 38th Street, NYC).

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BONER TRACK: KOOLEY HIGH - NC Shit (YSI)
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- BUY IT - SITE IT - SPACE IT - SPACE IT -

medina: number man.

d/l: MEDINA - Number Man (YSI)

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It's not every day that the words "produced by Timbaland" pop up in my inbox, but that isn't the only selling point Medina has going for him. In fact, Timbaland's production is the least interesting thing about "Number Man".

I'll be honest. When most rappers pull the "my life was so hard" card, it can come off as entirely trite and "been there, heard that". Perhaps that is a problematic statement to make, but I fully acknowledge that their lives were legitimately hard. That doesn't mean they should be rapping about them. With that said, there's something really sincere about Medina's flow as he states, "Hate my mother for making me sleep in a shelter or dwell in the basement of an abandoned hotel. Why she do this shit? Locked in a mental ward, afraid she'd kill herself, they made her take out her shoelaces." Just try to ignore that those particular lines of the song don't rhyme at all. Ignore that this is (at best) a mediocre Timbaland beat. Ignore that the chorus leaves something to be desired. But please don't ignore that Medina kills it on this track when it comes to sheer flow.
Rumor has it that he's being chased by a few labels including Dr. Dre's Aftermath, and has already worked on tracks with Timbaland, Polow Da Don, Nappy Roots, Dr. Dre, Mark Batson, and (for serious press release?) Carlos Santana. On his space, you can here "The Yeah Yeah's", his latest rock-tinged single that will go over well with the Gym Class Heroes crowd without being as annoying as Gym Class Heroes. Did I mention that it will appear on the Sex and the City soundtrack? Because it will. I'm a little uncertain about this whole rock vibe he has going on, but I'll be rooting for Medina all the way to the top either way.

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bonus track: MEDINA - Even Superman Dies (YSI)
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- space it -

ced hughes: and the technicolor sound wave

CED HUGHES made a mixtape, and it's pretty much better than anything you're going to hear from 50 Cent or Kanye West.

I recognize that this is a heavy claim to make, and I will say at the very least...this mixtape is better than Kanye's. Seriously. Can we raise our standards music bloggers? I mean, dude defecates all over Peter Bjorn & John and bitches are flipping their shit over it? I deleted that mp3 seconds after you told me how awesome it was.

Ced takes a variety of hype-worthy artists including (but not limited to) Amy Winehouse, Daft Punk, Justice, Mark Ronson, Interpol, Sa-Ra, and Stereolab and raps over their songs. And the result is often mind-blowingly great. These songs don't seem to be chosen for their hype-factor, so much as the sheer appreciation of the other artists' music. Dispersed throughout the mixtape we have a few of Ced's original songs, which provide evidence that he doesn't only sound good on other people's music...and talent beyond his rapping. Three of these songs are original productions by Ced himself.

But don't let me convince you that he needs talent beyond his skills on the mic. Upon first listen to this mixtape, I immediately drew comparisons to Lupe Fiasco, 7L & Esoteric, Pigeon John, Black Thought of The Roots, Common, etc. Ced is a talented emcee. He's not just some guy who thought it'd be cute to rap over "We Are Your Friends".

He's also not 50 Cent. Holy crap, he's such a shitty rapper. I once read on some obnoxious kid's space that "Fiddy rap like he got a dick in his mouth". Originally I found this extremely offensive and homophobic, but that kid may have been on to something...

If you feel compelled to go out this September 11th and purchase Curtis or Graduation...do yourself a favor. Stay home. Just download Ced and the Technicolor Sound Wave.*

TRACKLIST:

1. Greetings from the Firing Squad (Interpol mix)
2. Say Hello and Make Sure You Applaud (Sneaky Soundsystem mix)
3. Friends Don't Let Friends Use Protection (Justice vs. Simian mix)
4. Polyphonic Prostitution (Mark Ronson & Kasabian mix)
5. The Juke Joint (produced by Ced)
6. On My Lean Casually (produced by EJ and Steve)
7. My Cool is the Envy of Iceman (produced by Ced)
8. Jus Move (produced by Nick Speed)
9. Ced Can't Hold Her (Amy Winehouse mix)
10. Instead of U and I, It Could Be Us (featuring Kid A, produced by Gabe Niles)
11. Moonlight TigraRhymeKiller on the Misty Planes of Neptune (Justice mix)
12. ReWorked Angles (Justice vs. Daft Punk mix)
13. Nething U Want 2 Do (Sa-Ra mix)
14. Blame It On Ced (Phoenix mix)
15. Simple Addiction, Boy Meets Girl (produced by Ced)
16. We Don't Care. Really We Don't (Mark Ronson & Daptones mix)
17. Are We Gonna Give Up Umm No (produced by Flying Lotus)
18. Sunset Round Up the Galaxy (Stereolab mix)

-- DOWNLOAD ENTIRE MIXTAPE --

dl: CED HUGHES f/ KID A - Instead of U and I (YSI)
dl: CED HUGHES - ReWorked Angles (Justice vs. Daft Punk mix)** (YSI)
(two hip-hop mixtape tracks)
- space it - virb it -

* Okay, so neither of those other albums are seriously as bad as I'm making them out to be. But Ced's shit is free. You honestly can't lose anything but a minimal amount of space on your hard-drive.
** I honestly swear that posting two Daft Punk mixes in a row is a coincidence. I can't resist the "Guitar Hero" solo on this song.

jay electronica: act one, eternal sunshine.

JAY ELECTRONICA came to me coincidentally while I was doing a bit of research for my last post about the GotdioN remix of Erykah Badu. Ms. Badu has this to say about him:

"Jay Electronica, the person...hmm, I wouldn't even call him a person, cause he's a weird lookin' cat. His ears are kind of pointy, he has a square head. He looks kind of like he's an alien from somewhere, really. But in a very beautiful way. Like uh, like some kind of mythical creature who would have a bow & arrow on his back, with wings under that bow & arrow."

Long story short, Jay Electronica is the first artist to be signed to Erykah Badu's record label Control FreaQ. In fact, the label was created solely after Badu first heard his music. She says so on "Act 1: eternal sunshine (the pledge)", which features an intro by her and producer Just Blaze. The song itself includes Jon Brion's compositions from the film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind overlapping with rhymes, interviews, and soundclips from films (including the original Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory). Apparently Act 1 is the first of three, the final of which will be his full-length debut album.

It would surprise some to learn that Jay is from New Orleans. I have yet to understand this element of surprise. There are plenty of intelligent, intriguing rappers in the south. They're just not getting airplay, but in hip-hop's current state even the intelligent, intriguing artists from the east and west coasts aren't getting much airplay. Sex, club jams, and novelty tracks sell these days like hotcakes. Do hotcakes actually sell fast? Instead, let's just say that they sell like Nintendo Wiis.

Jay shows a lot of promise in gaining the south respect that the holier-than-thou "real" hip-hop artists deny it. He's very concerned about his artistic integrity, having turned down a contract with Universal to work with Badu at Control FreaQ. He's innovative. He's weird. He's a lover of Willy Wonka. He's a beautiful alien. That's really all that matters.

d/l: JAY ELECTRONICA- Act One (snippet) (YSI)
d/l: JAY ELECTRONICA- Act One: Eternal Sunshine (the pledge) (YSI)
d/l: JAY ELECTRONICA- Bitches and Drugs (produced by J. Dilla) (YSI)
(amazing hip-hop)
- space it -

gotdion: erykah badu remix.

GOTDION wowed me on this one.

I've been in a real music drought now that I've started my job, and I know it's a blogger faux-pas to post about a single artist/producer after only a short period of time...but I honestly don't give a fuck. I've been pumping this jam everywhere I go-- from my desk to my car, and I am proud to say that it is significantly better than his "Lip Gloss" remix.

Erykah Badu's "Bag Lady"* may be one of my favorite songs of all time, and it certainly is my favorite R&B video of all time (link). The simple multi-colored costuming, choreography, and sheer attitude of this video collectively blow me away for some reason. There's this great sincerity in both the song and the video** that only Ms. Badu possesses. To put it simply, Erykah Badu is kind of crazy. And I love her for it. She's got Badu-tude, and I can only dream of gaining this quality.

While I generally have considered most of GotdioN's best work to be remixes that are better than the original, "Bag Lady" doesn't fall into that category. It's not better than the original, it's a complete reinvention of the original. The heavy drums and drawling synth add an element of urgency to Badu's message to "pack light", contrasting with the smooth laziness of the originals. It would seem that an electro remix of Erykah would strip the song of its integrity, but instead it adds a new element of truth-- a harsh truth. It may not be the way Badu intended to deliver her message, but it totally works...and rocks while doing so.

* Both the radio mix and the album version. They're incredible.

** Thanks to wikipedia, I learned that this is largely because the entire video was shot on Mini DV digital video.

d/l: ERYKAH BADU- Bag Lady (GotdioN remix) (YSI)
(electro reinvention of R&B goddess)
- space it / buy it - site it - space it - hype it - wik it -

WEBBYVANDERQUACKIN': Speaking of remixes, there were some particularly good ones on the most recent Remix Sunday on Palms Out Sounds, particularly a great Valiant remix of The Roots.

q-tip: work it out.

Q-TIP is apparently coming back.

Technically, I guess you could say he never left given his guest appearances on songs by Busta Rhymes, DJ Shadow, Hi-Tek, and R.E.M. since the disbanding of A Tribe Called Quest and his first solo album Amplified.

Due to label politics, two Q-Tip albums Kamaal the Abstract (2002) and Open (2005) were never released. Apparently the tunes weren't "commercial" enough. Now that he's parted ways with Arista and signed to Motown/Universal, it seems like we may finally hear a new album from Mr. Kamaal Ibn John Fareed. The Renaissance is set to be released in October 2007, with the lead single being "Work It Out".

While I don't think "Work It Out" has the commercial appeal that Arista could never find, I ask--- who cares? While I definitely have nothing against mainstream hip-hop production (a la Swizzy), it's really refreshing to hear Q-Tip with a live band. In some ways, I feel like this is how he's meant to be heard. Not to mention that there will be a few more unheard J. Dilla productions on this album.

PS: Word of advice. This track is a grower. Give it about four listens before you dismiss it.

d/l: Q-TIP- Work It Out (YSI)
(new hip-hop)
- buy it - space it - wik it - hype it -

WEBBYVANDERQUACKIN': Speaking of Swizzy, have you heard the new Busta single "Watch Ya Mouth"? It's definitely doesn't have the commercial appeal of "Touch It", but once again--- who cares? Busta sounds great on this one, even if I don't really like him much...hear it at allhiphop.

copperpot: come back home.

COPPERPOT, born Daniel Kuypers, is a Chicago hip-hop producer. He produces what some people call "real hip-hop". I just call it hip-hop. Either way, it's all good.

The latest Copperpot album, WYLA? (What're You Looking At?), marks the first time that Kuypers has pulled in outside musicians to bring his music to life.

WYLA? also boasts two original songs featuring one of "the greatest rappers to hold the mic" KRS-One. "Come Back Home" is the lead track of the album, in which KRS-One states, "Hip-hop, I think it's time for you to come back home". It arguably comes off as grumpy and didactic as the last release from Nas, but...well, there's something a bit more organic about his verses. He closes the song by saying, "Don't be afraid to come back home". I'd like to support this message, but I'm not sure if Hip-hop knows where to find it's home. I'm not even sure if KRS-One knows where Hip-hop's home is. And if he does, he certainly didn't deliver the address in this song. Also, where did Hip-hop go that it needs to come back home? Why is it afraid to come home? I'm confused, but it's a good confusion. KRS-One has me thinking. And I think that's his point...sort of. Hip-hop isn't making us think like we used to. Knowledge Reigns Supremely Over Nearly Everyone. In the world of hip-hop, knowledge isn't reigning anymore, and KRS-One has every reason to be pissed.

Beyond the music, Kuypers is an intriguing individual. From 2000-2003 he spun records with the Phonograph Scientists, suffering from terrible stage-fright and anxiety. In 2005, he started a small gig in Chicago which soon became large. Apparently fans would approach him and say things like, "Hey man, I am going to sit right here and watch you deejay." This still scared the shit out of him, and my assumption is that it probably would still scare the shit out of him.

If you're in New York City and you'd like to hear Copperpot play some tunes, be sure to check him out at Shebeen (located in Soho, 202 Mott St. btw Spring & Kenmare) tomorrow night (May 15, 2007). Have a listen, but be sure not to scare the shit out of him.

d/l: COPPERPOT f/ KRS-ONE- Come Back Home (YSI)
d/l: COPPERPOT f/ ANG13- Ain't Goin' Down (YSI)
(Two Chicago hip-hop tracks)
- buy it - site it - space it -

BLOGWATCH: Deaf Indie Elephants has a new tune by the Go! Team. That's all that matters to me right now.

mike b: italian pop lock.

MIKE B is a DJ, and he might be the one that saved your life last night. No? Not right? Well, it's a fact that he is the man behind "Italian Pop Lock", which I'm currently bumping as I type.

"Italian Pop Lock" brings together the delightful anthem "Pop Lock and Drop It" by Baby Huey (see video) and Black Strobe's "Italian Fireflies". I honestly don't know the latter song, and I probably wouldn't like this as much if I did.

In fact, I initially thought the instrumental of "Italian Fireflies" was annoying, but when I thought about it...it's no more annoying than the original instrumental of "Pop Lock and Drop It" (or the entire song for that matter). For some reason, it seems like these songs were meant to be together...and that's the only way I'll take my mash-ups and blendinis. Maybe the vocals and instrumental are annoying, but they're annoying together. Ain't that some cute shit?

Now we just need some girls to dance with us in empty pools. DO NOT RUN. Running is not acceptable, but I'm sure the lifeguards won't mind if you toot that thang up.

d/l: MIKE B (BABY HUEY vs. BLACK STROBE)- Italian Pop Lock (YSI)
(Electro/hip-hop mash-up)
- site it - space it -

BLOGWATCH: Culture Bully has mp3s and videos of Bjork's recent appearance on Saturday Night Live. Fluo kids has that Chromeo remix that's been making the blog rounds.

macromantics: scorch.

download: MACROMANTICS- Scorch (YSI)
(Australian indie hip-hop jam)
- buy it - site it - space it - read it - wik it -

I try not to name-drop too much on here, but Macromantics is basically like Lady Sovereign but Australian, less disgusting, and more intelligent. Her album dropped in the US this past Tuesday on Kill Rock Stars, and I am mad late blogging this shit. I'm not sure if I am jumping out of my shoes over this song, but it makes me look forward to her future releases.

summer album preview: loose.

Nelly Furtado's new material has gained her titles ranging from slut to sellout to comeback queen. The lead single in the US, "Promiscuous", is in heavy rotation on video channels and radio. Some are shocked by her new sexy, "hip-hop" sound and image. Some are shocked by the fact that she's working with Timbaland...

These people are idiots.

Okay, that's a bit harsh...You may be among those people. If you are, let me educate you dearie. Ms. Furtado and Timbaland have collaborated as early as 2001 on the "Turn Off the Lights" remix. She was featured on Missy Elliott's "Get Ur Freak On" remix (2001) and Ms. Jade's "Ching Ching"...both produced by Timbo and recorded a year or two after her debut album was recorded. They're not strangers. On top of that, she has collaborated with The Roots, Jurassic 5, and Swollen Members. She even experimented with rapping and spoken word poetry on her first album. Nelly Furtado and the hip-hop genre aren't strangers either.

With that said, let's address the sexy image. Nelly has recently split with her husband. Quite simply, the girl is doing her thang and letting...um...Loose. You may be surprised to hear that the material of the album isn't all sex-charged pop. "In God's Hands" addresses the end of her relationship with her husband, "Afraid" is a classic soul-searching Furtado song that just happens to have a Timbaland beat, and "What I Wanted" showcases the same acoustic-guitar bearing Nelly who sang about birds. The album maintains Nelly's power of making every song a cultural and emotional explosion. It's the same Nelly we know and love (or hate), but she's back with a bit more...uh...flava.

And she sort of needs it. While her debut album Whoa, Nelly! managed to push two million off the shelves in the US, the follow-up, Folklore, only pushed a quarter of that off the shelves. This was partially due to issues with the record company and lack of promotion, as the album was minorly successful on a global level ("Try" reached #1 in Mexico) and embraced by her die-hard fans. In any case, Nelly had to switch things up if she wanted to keep making music. Timbaland was the man to help her do it.

Random interruption: Have you heard that Timbaland and Bjork are collaborating? I hope more than anything that this is true.

The track that stood out most for me was "Do It", mostly because it is a dance anthem strangely between two of the album's slower, more introspective tracks. "Do It" is sure to be compared to the style of Gwen Stefani's Love Angel Music Baby, a much more accurate comparison than Paris Hilton's "Stars are Blind" (which is reminiscent of Gwen, but on the No Doubt album, Rocksteady). The straight-up 80s feel of this track will likely enable it to be adopted as an underground dance party gem.

Another surprise on the album is the exciting alternate conclusion to the UK single "Maneater", which brings in the genius Mr. Mosley chanting "I been around the world, never seen a girl like this."

In less words, Loose is a strange collection of songs that are sure to gain a new collection of fans without straying too far from the formula that gained her the old ones. Will the original fans embrace it? Honestly...I don't even think that matters at this point.

DOWNLOAD: NELLY FURTADO- Do It
DOWNLOAD: NELLY FURTADO- Maneater (album version)

PRE-ORDER Loose, out on June 20th

BLOGWATCH: The big blogs are catching on to Tigarah...check out "Fake Out" and "Roppongi-Dori" at bigstereo.

cee-lo: the closet freaks come out at night.

Cee-Lo Green the soul machine is certainly living up to his name these days. Whether he's singing about contemplating suicide or buying ladies drinks, he brings a full-force whirlwind of soul. And these days, he is turning out soulful sounds like a MACHINE.

You may be among those who are sick of "Crazy" thanks to the constant airplay on radio and video channels, or you may be among those who just realized how fabulous St. Elsewhere is. Either way, you probably want more Cee-Lo than can possibly be delivered. Or can it be?

Currently Cee-Lo is working on three musical projects...Gnarls Barkley with DJ Danger Mouse, The Heart Attack with Jack Splash of Plantlife, and an un-named collaboration with producer Jazze Pha.

If you haven't heard Gnarls Barkley yet than you must live on another planet. The extremely bizarre duo has lucked out, becoming pop music superstars.

WATCH: first draft of "Crazy" video
WATCH: live slow version of "Crazy" (Gnarls Barkley as men in uniform, violins)

DOWNLOAD: GNARLS BARKLEY- Just a Thought
DOWNLOAD: GNARLS BARKLEY vs. THE SHIRELLES- Crazy (Baby It's You)

BUY St. Elsewhere

The Heart Attack is a collaboration that makes sense the minute you actually hear Jack Splash's music. It's blatantly right up Cee-Lo's alley.

DOWNLOAD: THE HEART ATTACK- Right Now
DOWNLOAD: THE HEART ATTACK- Gangsta Boogie

Jazze Pha & Cee-Lo's collabo Happy Hour was originally shelved, but will probably be released after the success of Gnarls Barkley. Honestly, there's no reason it shouldn't have been shelved because it's the least interesting and uninspired of this bunch. But whatevs...the show goes on for Mr. Green.

WATCH: "Happy Hour" video at website

DOWNLOAD: JAZZE PHA & CEE-LO f/ THE PUSSYCAT DOLLS- Disco Chick

On top of that, there are rumors that Cee-Lo will be involved in a Goodie Mobb reunion album. All of that, and we're not even taking into account his solo career. Below you will find a video featuring Cee-Lo and a closing jam that was brought to my attention by Ms. Moondance Gypsyfox.

BONUS VIDEO: Mayday f/ Cee-Lo & DJ Craze- Groundhog Day

DOWNLOAD: CEE-LO- Under the Influence (Follow Me)

BUY Cee-Lo's music