Kanye West Yeezus with Kendrick Lamar Tour Dates

Oct. 19 Seattle, WA KeyArena * #
20 Vancouver, B.C. Pepsi Live at Rogers Arena * #
22 San Jose, CA SAP Center * #
23 Oakland, CA Oracle Arena * #
25 Las Vegas, NV MGM Grand Garden Arena * ^
26 Los Angeles, CA STAPLES Center * #
Nov. 1 Salt Lake City, UT EnergySolutions Arena * #
3 Denver, CO Pepsi Center * #
5 Minneapolis, MN Target Center * #
7 Chicago, IL United Center * #
10 Detroit, MI Palace of Auburn Hills * #
12 Toronto, Ont. Air Canada Centre * #
14 Montreal, Que. Bell Centre #
16 Philadelphia, PA Wells Fargo Center ^
17 Boston, MA TD Garden * #
19 Brooklyn, NY Barclays Center * ^
21 Washington, DC Verizon Center #
23 New York, NY Madison Square Garden * ^
29 Miami, FL AmericanAirlines Arena * #
30 Tampa, FL Tampa Bay Times Forum ^
Dec. 1 Atlanta, GA Philips Arena #
6 Dallas, TX American Airlines Center #
7 Houston, TX Toyota Center #
* Tickets on sale Friday, September 13
# With Kendrick Lamar
^ Special Guest To Be Announced

Kendrick will not be at the 2 New York shows in Brooklyn and Madison Square Garden.  Special guests will be instead, with I'm assuming will be a slew of people.

[Music Video] Robin Thicke - Give It 2 U Remix ft. Kendrick Lamar and 2 Chainz

Visual for the "Give It 2 U" Remix, featuring a verse form 2 Chainz.  Directed by Diane Martel, the same director of "Blurred Lines," this features a bizarre half time show which sights like an "ass float," cotton candy mascot, HBCU dancers, and Robin Thicke's son Julian.  No naked girls like "Blurred Lines," but still has a an out of the box theme and features the bold red lettering on the screen.

Big Sean talks about the controversial Kendrick Lamar verse on "Control"

Big Sean talks about why he didn't change his verse after hearing Kendrick's and the hip hop community's response.

I like how Sean says he didn't go back to change his verse or edit Kendrick's verse because he would consider it cheating.  Any song with multiple rappers, there are going to be stand out verses.  For instance, Sean had the stand out verse on "Clique."  However, with hip hop, it all depends on the song and what is happening right now.  And with that song, Kendrick is the hottest right now. 

I'm surprised that there is so much backlash from other rappers on this song.  He wasn't being disrespectful, he's just saying he has his eye out on you.  It's actually a compliment to be mentioned in the song, because if not, you are pretty much not a factor in this rap game.  All industry have competition.  Every rapper wants to be the best rapper, every actor wants to be the best.  Whatever craft is yours you want to be the best in it and whether or not you have friends in the industry, when it comes to business, you are competitive.  I don't think the song was an insult to anyone, and I appreciated that he was straight forward and not subtle.

Big Sean Ft Kendrick Lamar & Jay Electronica - Control

This track didn't make the album due to clearance issues.  However, it is creating quite a stir because of Kendrick's controversial verse.  Listen above.  Kendrick's lyrics below

Tell Flex to drop a bomb on this shit
So many bombs, ring the alarm like Vietnam in this shit
So many bombs, make Farrakhan think Saddam in this bitch
One at a time, I line 'em up and bomb on they mom while she watchin' the kids
I'm in a destruction mode if the gold exists
I'm important like the pope, I'm a muslim on pork
I'm Makaveli's offspring, I'm the king of New York
King of the Coast, one hand, I juggle them both
The juggernaut's all in your jugular, you take me for jokes
Live in the basement, church pews and funeral faces
Cartier bracelets for my women friends I'm in Vegas
Who the fuck y'all thought it's supposed to be?
If Phil Jackson came back, still no coachin' me
I'm uncoachable, I'm unsociable
Fuck y'all clubs, fuck y'all pictures, your Instagram can gobble these nuts
Gobble dick up 'til you hiccup, my big homie Kurupt
This the same flow that put the rap game on a crutch
I've seen niggas transform like villain Decepticons
Mollies'll prolly turn these niggas to fuckin' Lindsay Lohan
A bunch of rich ass white girls lookin' for parties
Playin with Barbies, wreck the Porsche before you give 'em the car key
Judgement to the monarchy, blessings to Paul McCartney
You called me a black Beatle, I'm either that or a Marley
(I don't smoke crack motherfucker I sell it)
I'm dressed in all black, this is not for the fan of Elvis
I'm aimin' straight for your pelvis, you can't stomach me
You plan on stumpin' me? Bitch I’ve been jumped before you put a gun on me
Bitch I put one on yours, I'm Sean Connery
James Bonding with none of you niggas, climbing 100 mil in front of me
And I'm gonna get it even if you're in the way
And if you're in it, better run for Pete's sake
I heard the barbershops spittin' great debates all the time
Bout who's the best MC? Kendrick, Jigga and Nas
Eminem, Andre 3000, the rest of y'all
New niggas just new niggas, don't get involved
And I ain't rockin no more designer shit
White T’s and Nike Cortez, this is red Corvettes anonymous
I'm usually homeboys with the same niggas I'm rhymin' wit
But this is hip hop and them niggas should know what time it is
And that goes for Jermaine Cole, Big KRIT, Wale
Pusha T, Meek Millz, A$AP Rocky, Drake
Big Sean, Jay Electron', Tyler, Mac Miller
I got love for you all but I'm tryna murder you niggas
Tryna make sure your core fans never heard of you niggas
They dont wanna hear not one more noun or verb from you niggas
What is competition? I'm tryna raise the bar high
Who tryna jump and get it? You better off tryna skydive
Out the exit window of 5 G5’s with 5 grand
With your granddad as the pilot he drunk as fuck tryna land
With the hand full of arthritis and popping prosthetic leg
Bumpin Pac in the cockpit so the shit that pops in his head
Is an option of violence, someone heard the stewardess said
That your parachute is a latex condom hooked to a thread

Kendrick Lamar Govenor's Ball show at Roseland Ballroom

For the Hot 97 Metro PCS 5 Boro Takeover Tour, Kendrick Lamar was the first stop at the Roseland Ballroom in Manhattan.  Originally it was just suppose to be a 9 o’clock show, but due to selling out very quickly, he added a second show at 6 o’clock that same day, meaning he would be performing back-to-back concerts.  I think it is great that he was willing to perform two shows so as many fans as possible could see him, even though I’m sure it was exhausting.

After the preshow Hot 97 DJ set, Kendrick Lamar runs on the stage wearing a white T, a blue NY hat by 40 oz. NYC, and black pants. With no opening act, he immediately starts performing “Westside, Right On Time.” His DJ was Ali, the engineer that he often shots out of tracks. He then goes into the beginning of his set that features many songs from his previous mix tapes and songs he is featured on, such “Hol’ Up” from Section. 80 and his verse from A$AP Rocky’s “Fuckin’ Problems.” Soon after he brought out Ab-Soul to the stage so they could perform Ab-Soul’s song “Terrorist Threat.” 

During breaks between songs, Kendrick interacted with the audience, which would segue into an introduction to a song.  Kendrick goes into a monologue about how people wonder why he is so popular on the east coast when he is from the west coast.  He mentions that this song connected him to the east coast.  Audience members shouted out their guesses, including “Swimming Pools” and “Tammy’s Song” but those who guessed “ADHD.”  After performing “ADHD” with a lot of participation with the audience by having them sing the chorus a capella. He had other anecdotes in between songs, like how staying in the studio kept him off the streets, or how even though he and his friends were broke, they always had money for beat tapes before going into performing “Backstreet Freestyle.”  He also talked with the audience, teasing some people about being shy or uncomfortable and saying just to vibe with the music.

The concert also featured appearances by members of Black Hippy, including Schoolboy Q with his hit song “Hands on the Wheel.”  He made fun of the popularity of the song, saying “F**k that song. I’m tired of playing that mother**ker. Can’t wait for all of you to hear my new album.” The crowd responded excitedly, ready to hear new music from him too.

Overall the show was not just for the recent fans of Kendrick Lamar who were just introduced to him through “good kid, m.A.A.d city.”  He often shouted out the fans that have been with him since day ones, playing songs from his previous mix tapes “(O)verly (D)edicated” and Section. 80 like “P & P,” “Cut You Off (To Grow Closer),” and “Chapter 6.”  Even though he frequently targeted out fans from day one and mentioned his first body of work “Kendrick Lamar EP” he did not perform any songs from that mix tape. After coming back to do an encore by performing his song “Cartoons & Cereal” with Black Hippy, Kendrick showed that all the hype was well worth it.  Yet he remained humble, stating that his fame still surprises him, but he hasn’t changed, and that he had mainstream come to him.

Bottom Line: Kendrick Lamar’s passion for his artistry and work translates spectacularly on stage.

Setlist:
Westside, Right On Time
Hol’ Up
P&P
Fuckin’ Problems
Terrorist Threats (Feat. Ab-Soul)
A.D.H.D.
Tammy’s Song (Her Evils)
Look Out For Detox
Money Trees (Feat. Jay Rock)
Backseat Freestyle
Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe
Poetic Justice
Hands On The Wheel (Feat. ScHoolboy Q)
m.A.A.d city
Chapter Six
The Recipe
Cut You Off (To Grow Closer)
Blow My High (Members Only)
Swimming Pools (Drank)
I Am
-Encore-
Cartoon And Cereal (Feat. Black Hippy)

[Music Video Review] Kendrick Lamar ft. Drake - Poetic Justice

According to Wikipedia, Poetic Justice is "a literary device in which virtue is ultimately rewarded or vice punished, often in modern literature by an ironic twist of fate intimately related to the character's own conduct." This device is evident in both the video and the song.  Kendrick has a way of having many different level and elements of his songs that can be understood in different ways.  On first glance, the song title "Poetic Justice" might just be a reference to the Janet Jackson/Tupac film, but it also is a reference to this literally device and how him trying to meet up with Sherane ultimately turns out.  The song is filled with double entredres and ironic twists.  This also translates in the video.  Kendrick wants to be alone with Sherane, and he ultimately is, but in death.  He thought Sherane was the only one for him and vice versa, but she was also talking to other dudes, including Drake.  Very reminiscent of Romeo + Juliet, the Leonardo Dicaprio/Claire Danes version.

[Mixtape] Jhene Aiko-sailing soul(s)

You may remember Jhene Aiko as the girl that sang the hook to the drake leak song "July" from last summer or the "cousin" of Lil Fizz from B2K (they aren't actually cousins. She admitted it was just a media ploy). But now she is making moves to stand on her own with the release of her mixtape sailing soul(s). The singer, song writer, and mother (she has a daughter with Omarion's brother O'Ryan) wrote all the songs on the mixtape excluding "July". The mixtape doesn't really have a theme. Its reads more like a diary. "sailing soul(s)" is filled with songs about the thoughts you have when you let your mind wander. My favorite songs are "hoe," "you vs. them," and "growing apart too". This mixtape also features artists Miguel, Kanye West, Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Roosevelt, and HOPE. She also samples verses from 50 Cent (Wanksta) and Gucci Mane (Pretty Girls).
Download here