Nas, Rakim, EPMD, Craig G & Dana Dane Perform
@ Paul Rosenberg’s 40th Birthday
Otis Redding's Daughter Talks Jay-Z & Kanye West
"Otis" Track
Karla Redding-Andrews talks about how the "Otis" sample was cleared, and how her father landed a feature credit on the track.
As Jay-Z and Kanye West's "Otis" makes its way around the internet and airwaves - to great acclaim - the daughter of the late Soul singer after whom the song is named has revealed the back story to the track.
"We first heard about the song in early July, end of June," said Karla Redding-Andrews in an interview with Billboard. "Concord Music Group has the masters and Bill Belmont and Michele Smith from Concord brought it to us. There was a back and forth about whether the name of the song would be 'Otis' or 'Otis Redding.' And we just wanted to make sure lyrics and references in the song worked with the legacy of my father. To have two current, legendary artists use the legendary music of Otis Redding-we were quite honored."
Redding-Andrews explained that she didn't meet with either Hov or West, the latter of whom previously sampled Redding on Late Registration's "Gone," but explained that the determining factor in deciding whether or not co clear the sample is that "[i]t always amounts to respect to Otis."
Fans will notice that "Otis" is listed as "featuring Otis Redding." When asked about how that came to be, Redding-Andrews simply replied, "The estate was offered the option to have 'Otis' receive a 'featuring Otis Redding' credit, and agreed."
Amy Winehouse's Best Hip Hop Moments
Not only did she rock the pop world, but the fallen soulstress left a big mark on the Hip Hop community.
In the wake of her untimely death yesterday, Amy Winehouse left behind her a mark on Hip Hop that not only contributed to the culture, but made her part of it. The beehive-sporting soulstress not only got props from Jay-Z and Ghostface Killah on remixes to her vintage-sounding tracks, but she had a deep love for Hip Hop that shone through in work with producers Salaaam Remi and Mark Ronson. Not only that, but her schoolgirl crush on Nas proved that she was a B-girl at heart.
Amy Winehouse Pays Respect To Nas On “In My Bed” & “Me & Mr. Jones”
Winehouse didn’t hold back when it came to pledging allegiance to Nasir Jones. On her debut album Frank, she teamed with producer Salaam Remi for the cut “In My Bed,” which touted a soft-edged interpolation of the beat for Nas’ “Made You Look.” Her Escobar stannery didn’t stop there, with Winehouse taking an opportunity to pay respects to the Queensbridge MC on “Me & Mr. Jones.” With its emblematic opening line “What kind of fuckery is this?” Amy let loose an excoriation of some chump who broke a promise to take her to a Slick Rick gig. Now, her plus one to a Nas show was in danger, too, and she wasn't having it. She eventually got her wish to meet Nasty Nas in real life - only this time, no guest list required.
Amy Winehouse Taps Ghostface Killah For “You Know I’m No Good” Remix
Ghostface Killah can make anything Hip Hop, but the hard-edged flair of “You Know I’m No Good” didn’t need a rap verse to take it there. But with its chunky drums, rusty horns and a pool hall vibe, the remixed cut helped give Winehouse the credibility that she needed to carve a space in Hip Hop. Her smoky vocals counter Ghost’s smirk-worthy verses, which include a shout-out to Kelly Clarkson and Cheech and Chong.
Amy Winehouse Works With Producers Salaam Remi & Mark Ronson
One of her earliest co-signs from the Hip Hop community came from producers Salaam Remi and Mark Ronson. Remi, who’s worked with everyone from The Fugees and Nas to Jazmine Sullivan and Nelly Furtado, helped to create a jazzy aesthetic for many of Frank’s stand-out tracks, veering her into Hip Hop territory by supplying her with boom bap drums and sampled loops. Ronson, who has produced for Saigon, Wale, Ghostface Killah and plenty more, split production duties with Remi on Back to Black, a dip into Motown soul with some tough girl attitude.
Amy Winehouse Enlists Jay-Z & Pharoahe Monch For “Rehab” Remixes
When Jay-Z hops on your track, ears perk up. That’s the case for one of two officially sanctioned remixes to “Rehab,” the other of which features Pharoahe Monch. Released in April 2007, Hov’s rendition of "Rehab" gave Winehouse a lifelong membership to Hip Hop, while Monch’s remix of "Rehab" showed just how much space there was in her tracks to insert dizzying verses. "I wouldn't know what it is, apart from being different," Amy told MTV News of rappers’ taking a shine to her music. "Obviously I didn't set out to do that, but I have pride in being different. And the Jay-Z remix is wicked. I'm flattered that he liked [the song] enough to do something with it."
CD releases from Pharoahe Monch, Black Rob, Smif-n-Wessun & Pete Rock, Random Axe and more come with a zip-drive and autographed poster on the cheap.
New York City-based Duck Down Records will celebrate their busy 2011 by releasing the "Duck Down Season Pass." The label, owned and operated by Dru Ha and Black Moon's emcee Buckshot, will offer fans CD releases of albums including Pharoahe Monche's W.A.R. (We Are Renegades), Smif-N-Wessun & Pete Rock's Monumental, Sean Price, Guilty Simpson and Black Milk's Random Axe project, as well as Black Rob's new album Game Tested, Streets Approved release and the forthcoming Buckshot & 9th Wonder The Solution album, all for the price of $55 USD.
The package comes with a specially-made Duck Down Records 2GB zip drive keychain and an autographed Duck Down poster. Fans can purchase the package here.http://store.duckdown.com/index.php?fuseaction=item_cat.ecom_superitem_detail&item_cat_id=6543
Jay-Z Reflects On Kanye West In
"Watch The Throne" Mini-Documentary
"Watch The Throne" Mini-Documentary
