Narkworthy: April 8th edition

I have mostly complained about the rap/hip-hop game (or the lack there of) for the past year. Some of my peers have even claimed I have given up on what I used to be known for: Pushing new bass-thumping rap onto anyone who will listen in the form of "Nark" mixtapes.

To give a brief history, the "Nark" mixtape was originated by my friend Gutter and he aptly titled it, "The Nark Out Remix: Vol. 1". This blockbuster disc featured the latest and greatest in the Spring of 2006 (Drama, Big Tymers to name a few). As for the name "Nark" (not to be confused with the DEA-affiliated "Narc"), I'm pretty sure it simply sounded funny at the time and made no sense, so why not? I inherited the franchise with the next installment on my newly purchased Roxio, external CD drive and tried to drop hits every 4-6 weeks. I pretty much scoured any file sharing avenue possible (Napster, Limewire, mIRC, etc.), in search of the newest and most exclusive songs rap had to offer.

As of April 2008, there have been over 40 "Narks", many "classics" ("Narked Out Reloaded", at least in my eyes), and plenty of ridiculous titles ("Raiders of the Lost Nark", "Jurassic Nark"). Since I don't make those mixtapes that often, I'm going to try to post a few songs per week that I would deem "Narkworthy". Eventually, when I have enough tracks, I'll then turn these into traditional "Narks", but this should satisfy those that need a rap "fix" instantly. I'll also post "Narked Up", my most recent collection.

1. Paper Route Gangstaz "'Bama Gettin' Money" (Diplo Remix)
Their name is pretty laughable, but I'm not sure I have heard anything like them in awhile. Hailing from Hunstville, Alabama, this crew has a hungry sound that is reminiscent of Three Six Mafia's early days. With the help of producer Diplo, they manage to make a George Michael sample drenched in swampy bass and southern drawl, sound very eerie.

Paper Route Gangstaz - 'Bama Gettin' Money (Diplo Remix)

2. Jay-Z "Ain't I"
After Young Hov got his artistic angst out of his system (last year's amazing, American Gangster), he decided to show youngn's how to flow on any beat. DJ Clue released it and originally claimed it was from S. Carter's next opus. Later, Jay-Z said "Ain't I" was supposed to be on Timbaland's Shock Value, but just missed deadline.

Jay-Z - Ain't I

3. Wyclef Jean ft Lupe Fiasco "Fast Car" remix
Though I haven't checked out Clef's new album, Carnival II: Memoirs of an Immigrant, I probably should if his 1st two singles ("Sweetest Girl", "Slow Down") are any indication. The former leader of The Fugees seems to paint pictures with troubled characters over catchy beats with ease consistently and the remix to "Fast Car" is no exception. Substituting Paul Simon for Lupe Fiasco brings another great storyteller to the table on a solid remix.

Wyclef Jean ft Lupe Fiasco - Fast Car remix

Narked Up - featuring Jay Rock, Lil' Wayne, Lupe Fiasco, 9th Wonder, Kanye West, and more.

Rothbury: A Music Festival....in Michigan?!?!?

While I was going through my daily routine of scouring music sites for the latest news, I was not very shocked to see another 3-day music festival scheduled for this summer. From Woodstock to South By Southwest, fans have paid their savings ($100-$500) to check out mile-long lists of "it" bands on a long weekend. While Lollapalooza has been the only way for Mid-westerners to join in the fun, without having to drive 8 hours or more, I never thought there would be a festival closer than Chicago.

So imagine my surprise when I ran across an article on Billboard.com stating Rothbury, MI would be hosting "Rothbury - A Sustainable Camping Festival Celebrating Music and Art". What?!?!?! I was sure this was actually a misprint for the rumored Vineland Music Festival supposedly happening in New Jersey, in August, but wrongo bongo my friend. Rothbury Festival will most definitely be taking place about 3 1/2 hours Northwest of Detroit on the coast of Lake Michigan.

So far, the lineup looks like this: Dave Matthews Band, John Mayer, 311, Snoop Dogg, Modest Mouse, The Black Keys, Citizen Cope, Ray Lamontagne, Drive-By Truckers, Of Montreal, Gomez, Diplo, and more. I can't say I would be too excited to pay $250 to see that list, but if this year was a success, can you imagine what this could turn into? This wouldn't be too bad, would it? Or how about this?

On another note, Rothbury brands itself as "a music festival revolution". It might also be a hippie's dream with a very cool, "green initiative". Hoping to minimize the damage past Woodstock and other gatherings have caused the environment, Rothbury wants to create a "zero-waste" event. Their mission is "committed to harnessing the spirit of the music festival community into a durable social movement." To make this happen, there are volunteer opportunities, such as "Work Exchange - Green Team" where concert goers volunteer for 5 hour shifts during the show, where they will be reimbursed for their concert ticket. Of course, you have to purchase a ticket at regular price as a "deposit", but not a bad way to give back and listen to great live music at the same time.

While I think I am still going to hold out hope that I'll have the funds and an opportunity to hit Lollapalooza this year, I am ecstatic at the idea of a major music fest in Michigan. It wasn't very long ago when Ms. Waters and I were hoping we could start a festival of our own (never say never). If Rothbury succeeds this summer, it could be the next Coachella? Early bird tickets go on sale February 27th.

The Black Keys - Your Touch

MIA ft Bun B & Rich Boy - Paper Planes (Diplo Remix)