Rap Radar

Talib Kweli and Hi-Tek spoke with MTV on their The RE:Union mixtape and how “Just Begun” came to fruition.

“The record started, Hi-Tek had a sample idea,” Talib explained. “A song he was working on in the studio. He flipped it. I was like, ‘That’s dope right there.’ I had the verse, I was in the studio kicking it with Jay Electronica. I was like, ‘You might need to get on this Reflection Eternal album.’ I was talking on text to J. Cole, trying to get some ideas. Then I was like, it might be crazy if I got Jay Electronica and J. Cole on the same record. Two new dudes on the record with me, they killing it, doing they thing. So I was like, ‘Nah.’ I had to go get some support. So I called my man Mos.

“We had to go find Mos. I need some backup,” he added with a laugh. “My verse is bragging and boasting, but it’s also a lot of literary references, which people might know me for. Jay Electronica is talking about his journey from New Orleans to New York. J. Cole is trying to shine, talking about his connection to Roc Nation. He’s got the girls. He’s trying to shine, establish his place with these other lyricists. Mos’ verse is super, super scientific and intelligent. Mos got flow for days. But if you don’t know nothing about the world, you ain’t ready for Mos Def’s verse.”

Quite honestly, this is not as bad as you’d expect. At least Barbie’s flow is tolerable this time around. Check it out.

Props: OS

Peep the latest visual from the incarcerated La Flare. Yelp, we got all of that too.

Props: WSHH

More footage from Bobby Ray’s gig from Saturday night and here he performs a new track off his upcoming mixtape, May 25th.

Props: Jennifer Brix

What a wild and crazy game. An exciting contest that was at times as sloppy as Oscar Madison’s bedroom, it was a gang of fumbles and a key interception by Brett Favre which cost the Vikings in the end. In a postseason where kickers kept choking, N.O.’s Garret Hartley knocked a 40-yard field goal in OT. The final score: Saints 31. Vikes 28. The Superbowl in Miami will feature the two truly best teams in each conference. Indy vs. Nawlins. It’s gonna be a zoovie!

Hey it’s Championship Game Sunday so it’s only right both games get their own posts. Sadly for us Empire Staters, that after a great start, The Jets succumbed to the simply better Indianapolis Colts. Peyton Manning’s crew 30. Joe Willie Namath’s old sqaud 17. No upset here.

You’ve seen the pictures, now here are the performances from Justin’s b-day bash yesterday night at M2 Lounge in NYC. After the concert, Justin donates his $10,000 birthday money to Wyclef’s Yele Haiti charity. Good move, young man.

Mike Feeney

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In issue #10 of DJ Kay Slay’s Straight Stuntin, The Drama King published an obituary of Mr. Magic. But instead of highlighting an image of the fallen radio pioneer, the mag mistakenly pictured the former No Limit solider, Magic. Damn!

Apparently there was another Sprite Step Off show last night. This one was in Charlotte and Bobby Ray was on the bill. Check out “On Top Of The World” above and after the jump, B. Rich sent a clip of his artist jumpin’ in the crowd lookin’ for some haters.

Jennifer Brix

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The hometown boy returned to Chicago (yup, Mr. Bridges wasn’t born in the A) as the headliner of a Regal Theater show sponsored by Sprite Step Off. Here ‘Cris runs through three cuts from the extensive catalogue: the ‘bow-throwin’ “Southern Hospitality”, the new single “How Low”, and the always crowd-pleasing “Move Bitch”. Luda!

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