Video: The Roots - Rising Up (Official)

I just picked up the new Roots CD the other day, Rising Down, and let me say, after a few listen throughs, I like it a lot.

The Roots are an amazing hip-hop group and have been for a long time. They’ve grown on me more and more as I listen to all the bullshit rap out on the radio and the stuff that comes out today.

Here’s the first single and video “Rising Up,” off of the new LP. This song gets me pretty hype and in a good mood. Hope you enjoy it…

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Quote of the Day: 4/28

“He’s Prince, man. He could walk into a

room and point at me and be like, ‘Shut

the fuck up’ and I’d be like, okay Prince,

whatever you say, man.”

- Mikey Rocks of The Cool Kids

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Video: Kanye West - Homecoming (Official)

Here is the newest video from Kanye West, off of his album Graduation.

Honestly, I had no idea there was even a video for this song until today, but apparently it’s been out for a least a little while…

I really like this song…it’s one of my favorites off of the album.

Chris Martin’s piano riff is awesome (I’m a big Coldplay fan in general).

But I think my favorite part is one of Kanye’s lyrics in the last verse:

“Reach for the stars so if you fall, you land on a cloud”

Good stuff right there…

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Obama Gets The Boss’ Approval

It looks like Bruce Springsteen has pledged his public support for Barack Obama. Here’s what he had to say…

“At the moment, critics have tried to diminish Senator Obama through the exaggeration of certain of his comments and relationships,” said the New Jersey native, in a statement posted on his Web site Wednesday. “While these matters are worthy of some discussion, they have been ripped out of the context and fabric of the man’s life and vision… Over here on E Street, we’re proud to support Obama for President.”

In February, Springsteen stated a few reasons to USA Today as to why he likes Obama:

“I always look at my work as trying to measure the distance between American promise and American reality,” he told the paper. “And I think (Obama’s) inspired a lot of people with that idea: How do you make that distance shorter?”

Let ‘em know Boss!

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The Cool Kids Announce Release Dates

Here’s what you’ve all been waiting for…

Also in a recent MySpace bulletin, the band had a few other announcements as well…and I quote:

“That’s Stupid” -the mixtape… coming in 2 weeks.. (alll new joints for the summer)
available online on our new website…www.coolxkids.com

Also this summer.. we will be headed back over the pond…
U.K, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, France, and Portugal

get ready to rock! GET THOSE TICKETS

Lollapalooza GET TICKETS

Coachella GET TICKETS

Lollapalooza GET TICKETS (the show will be so insane)

NEW VIDEO from the EP coming SOON

also… get ready for our first full length album…

“WHEN FISH RIDE BICYCLES”….Fall 2008

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Quote of the Day: 4/8

“There’s been a lot of talk of change

in this election year,” he said. “It remains

my belief that change is not made by

politicians, but by people. No matter

who is elected, we do not abdicate our

responsibility to take action, to organize,

to struggle and to push who is in office

to make change on the ground. You

can’t wait and hope your vote will turn

the system around. You need to take

action where you live and where you

work.”

-Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine

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Quote of the Day - 3/17

“What the fuck is a Barack? Barack Obama. Where he from,

Africa? Wow, Barack! The nigga’s name is Barack.

Barack? Nigga named Barack Obama. What the

fuck, man? Is he serious? That ain’t his fuckin’

name. I’ma tell this nigga when I see him, ‘Stop that

bullshit. Stop that bullshit.’ [Laughs] That ain’t your

fuckin’ name. Your mama ain’t name you no damn

Barack.”

- DMX

This, coming from a man about to release a gospel album…

Way to insult the possible first-ever African American president, you moron.

Good thing you don’t sound ignorant or anything, DMX a.k.a. Earl Simmons.

Wait, “What the fuck is a Earl Simmons?”

Go read a book.

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Video: Gnarls Barkley - Who’s Gonna Save My Soul? By ?uest Love

Alright kiddies, this is the second single from the new Gnarls album, The Odd Couple.

The video is (obviously) done by ?uest Love of The Roots.

Apparently, ?uest was so moved by the song, he “begged and begged and begged Sir Mouse could he leak it first on the net.”

Here is a message from him about the posting of the video…

“Most idiots will probably be on some, ‘scoff…this aint no CRAZY‘–well you dumb ass parrots–this to me digs deeper. And what an apt title. The Odd Couple: a very dense dark atmospheric moody templet just dramatic enough for the last great living and WORKING soul singer under 40 and the most creative and intuitive producer maniac music has seen in a sec.

“Thanks fellas for giving me the honor.”

Note on the video according to YouTube: “Thelma Schoonmaker did the editing after 9 shots of Patron.”

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Video: Gnarls Barkley - Run (Official)

I’ve been hearing a lot of people saying they don’t really care for this song…but I happen to love it!

I think Gnarls Barkley has done it again. They’re fresh and they’re creative.

And if this is any indication of how The Odd Couple will be, I am extremely excited.

The video is pretty tight. I like the retro feel (which seems to be making a huge comeback lately).

It looks like Soul Train meets early early-80s hip-hop. I especially like when everything gets all “trippy” with the black and white lines.

Also, what in the hell is Justin Timberlake doing in this video?! Definitely a surprise to me, but still cool nonetheless.

Note: Also, just for clarification, Justin Timberlake is NOT featured on this song. He is simply in the video, that’s it.

Check it out…

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Music News Hits: 2/14

Gnarls Barkley has set a release date for their sophomore album The Odd Couple: April 8.

The video for their first single “Run,” which was leaked a few weeks back, will be directed by “the filmmaking team known as Happy,” according to Atlantic. The second single “Who’s Gonna Save My Soul” will have a video directed by Chris Milk.

Gnarls will tour this summer in the U.S. to support the album, along with playing various European and American music festivals.

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Absolut Vodka will be sponsoring Kanye West’s Glow In The Dark Tour this summer, dubbing it “The Glow in the Dark Tour Ignited by Absolut 100.”

“This is a brand that has worked with the pre-eminent artists of the 20th century — Tom Ford, Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, Helmut Newton,” West said in a statement. “These are individuals who have inspired me in my work, and I feel honored to be a part of this legacy.”

During the tour, after-parties in each city will be sponsored by the vodka maker.

Dates for the show are as follows, according to Def Jam Records:

· 4/16 - Seattle, WA @ Key Arena
· 4/18 - Sacramento, CA @ ARCO Arena
· 4/19 - San Jose, CA @ HP Pavilion
· 4/20 - San Diego, CA @ Sports Arena
· 4/21 - Los Angeles, CA @ Nokia Theatre
· 4/24 - * Tucson, AZ @ University of Arizona’s McKale Auditorium
· 4/25 - * Las Vegas, NV @ Red Rock Casino Resort Spa
· 4/26 - * Albuquerque, NM @ Journal Pavilion
· 4/27 - Denver, CO @ Pepsi Center
· 4/29 - Oklahoma City, OK @ Ford Center
· 4/30 - Austin, TX @ Frank Irwin Center
· 5/1 - Dallas, TX @ SuperPages.com Center
· 5/2 - Houston, TX @ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
· 5/4 - Atlanta, GA @ Gwinette Arena
· 5/5 - Tampa, FL @ Ford Amphitheatre
· 5/6 - W. Palm Beach, FL @ Cruzan Amphitheatre
· 5/8 - Charlotte, NC @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
· 5/9 - Raleigh, NC @ Walnut Creek Amphitheatre
· 5/10 - Washington, DC @ Nissan Pavilion
· 5/11 - Virginia Beach, VA @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
· 5/13 - New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
· 5/15 - Boston, MA @ Tweeter Center
· 5/16 - Hartford, CT @ North East Dodge Music Center
· 5/17 - Philadelphia, PA @ Susquehana Bank Center
· 5/18 - Scranton, PA @ Toyota Pavilion
· 5/20 - Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre
· 5/21 - Toronto, ON @ Molson Centre
· 5/22 - Auburn Hills, MI @ The Palace of Auburn Hills
· 5/23 - Chicago, IL @ United Center
· 5/24 - Minneapolis, MN @ Target Center
· 5/27 - Saskatoon, SK @ Credit Union Centre
· 5/29 - Edmonton, AB @ Rexall Palace
· 5/30 - Calgary, AB @ Saddledome

* indicates dates that do not include Rihanna.

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Video: Kanye West - Flashing Lights

Here’s the new video from Kanye for his newest single, “Flashing Lights.”

This is one of my personal favorites off of the Graduation disc.

And the video is pretty wild. Definitely not what I expected.

Word on the street is, this isn’t the entire thing. And another word from the street is that the video is to be released in three parts.

Stay tuned to find out…

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Neil Young: Music Can’t Change the World

At the Berlin Film Festival last week, Neil Young told reporters that he doesn’t believe music can save the world.

“The time when music could change the world is past,” he said. “I think it would be very naive to think that in this day and age. The world today is a different place, and that it’s time for science and physics and spirituality to make a difference in this world and to try to save the planet.”

In defending his reasoning, Young released this comment:

A Song Alone.
By Neil Young

No one song can change the world. But that doesn’t mean its time to stop singing.
Somewhere on Earth a scientist is alone working. No one knows what he or she is thinking. The secret is just within reach. If I knew that answer I would be singing the song.

This is the Age of innovation. Hope matters. But not hope alone. In the age of innovation, the people’s fuel must be found. That is the biggest challenge. Who is up to the challenge? Who is searching today? All day. All night. Every hour that goes by. I know I am.

My friends write to me don’t give up. I am not giving up. I know this is the time for change. But I know that it’s not a song. Maybe it was. But it isn’t now. It’s an action, an accomplishment, a revelation, a new way. I am searching for the people’s fuel. Will I find it? Yes. I think so. I don’t know why I may have been chosen to help enable a discovery of this magnitude. I know I can only write a song about it when I find it. Until then I can write a song about the search or spend all my time looking. But a song alone will not change the world. Even so, I will keep on singing.

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I don’t quite know how I feel about Young’s comments.

Maybe he’s right. Maybe the time that music could have an affect on the world is in the past.

Today’s music does not have the importance or impact it once had.

It’s a bit disheartening to think that such a great song writer and amazing musician like Neil Young feels that the art of song has lost it’s power to change things.

It’s also encouraging to know that he won’t give up on the power of music.

A song alone will not change the world, no. But, a song alone may change a person, it may change people and only people can change the world…

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