Up/Down: High on Summer

The DC heat must be softening my typically judicious taste. Lots of good things this week, and not a lot of bad. So I've got six in a grabbag for you, but they're mostly up. I'll be back to cranky form next week.

Big Ups

1. Raekwon the Chef, "The New Wu" / Cuban Linx II- Almost two years ago, I stood in the crowd of the Virgin Music Festival at Pimlico race track in Baltimore, watching Wu-Tang Clan absolutely tear down the house. That day, RZA wore a shirt advertising the long-awaited and highly anticipated Raekwon solo album, Only Built for Cuban Linx II. For those not in the know, the original Cuban Linx (1994) was one of the original Wu-Tang solo albums that fortified the Wu empire via a series of groundbreaking platinum albums/satellite republics to include GZA’s Liquid Swords and Method Man’s Tical. Since then, Raekwon albums have come an gone, but when word leaked that Raekwon was harkening back to the spirit of Cuban Linx, heads flipped. Furthermore, early rumors swirled that production of the album would be split between Dr. Dre and RZA. Are you kidding me?

Only problem: two years have passed since RZA promised the crowd at Pimlico a November 2007 release, and we’ve got nothing.

That might be about to change. Raekwon’s Myspace page heralds an August 11th release date—“Witness the Rebirth.”

Me? I’ll believe it when I see it. But in the meantime, we skeptics can bite our tongues and feast on the new Raekwon single, “The New Wu” featuring Method and Ghostface. It's listed as "WU Ooh" on the Myspace playlist, but check the Itunes Link. Like RZA’s 08 single, "You Can't Stop Me Now," it’s smooth, soulful, and ultra-refined. These guys are masters of the hip hop craft. Everything points to rebirth. This could be huge. So huge.

2. Z-Trip at Movement/Paxahau- Was reading up on Summer festivals and came across some press on the Detroit electronic music festival Movement, put on by Paxahau Events. Not exactly my scene, but I have spent some time in the dance tent in my day, and I find the Detroit music scene pretty awesome. For a city widely considered to be down on its luck, it seems to have a massive wellspring of creative energy, not unlike what you find in Baltimore. This article on Z-Trip’s Detroit-flavored mash-up set was especially dig-inspiring. I couldn’t find the audio for it, but I’ve added his “Motown Breakdown” to my mixtape below, an it should give you some of that Detroit flavor. Girl Talk fans take heed.

3. THE BEASTIE BOYS NEW ALBUM IS GOING TO BE CALLED HOT SAUCE COMMITTEE.
3a. Their "impromptu" performance with the Roots on Jimmy Fallon was excellent. Mike D looks so fly. Shout out to And-Rock for the heads-up!



More Big Ups

4. Weezer and Blink 182 on tour -The Summer tour bill to end all Summer tour bills? I'll be there, potentially incognito. And while we're at it...
4a. Weezer Snuggies- "It's a totally legit Snuggie."

5. Email from someone I trust-
Subject: oh my goodness
new grizzly bear album is absolutely incredible

check it here.

Big Down

1. Jay-Z and Def Jam
Jay-Z splits but still owes them an album. Will he record? Do I care? The most interesting thing about Jay-Z at this point is whether he'll be able to fulfill the absurd terms of the contract he signed with Live Nation last year, before Live Nation goes the way of pets.com. Plus, didn't he retire?

Maybe Hov should take a cue from Beastie Boys' Mike D, who levied a nice shot at Def Jam on 2007's To the Five Buroughs: "I see that Def Jam doesn't recognize me/ I'm Mike D: the one that put the satin in your panties."