Here we have the first official music video featuring a song off Frank Ocean’s debut album Channel Orange. Clocking in at 7 minutes fifty-eight seconds it nearly matches the longevity of the album version (9:53). The clip stars Ocean on a flashy motorcycle and inside an even flashier strip club (NSFW ladies, included). John Mayer joins the festivities for the guitar solo later on the track. Ocean is hot off his “Thinkin Bout You“/”Pyramids” SNL performances.
Kanye West talks ‘Cruel Summer’
At last, Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. Music collaboration album Cruel Summer is out. To celebrate its release, Mr. West has released a video in which he discusses the inspiration behind the music. The rapper speaks candidly above.
Exclusive interview with G.O.O.D. Music’s Malik Yusef
Tomorrow (9/18) the highly anticipated G.O.O.D. Music album Cruel Summer drops. Earlier this week the album became available to preorder, and if you eyed the official tracklist you surely noticed a featured artist’s name you might not have seen before. On the eighth track “Sin City” G.O.O.D. Music signees John Legend and Cyhi the Prynce headline with Malik Yusef.
A five-time Grammy award winner, forty one year old Yusef is a longtime collaborator of Kanye West’s, having co-wrote a whopping seven songs from West’s impressive 2010 release My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. He also dipped his creative hand in helping produce West’s Runaway short film, and he went on to co-write two tracks off West and Jay-Z’s collab album Watch The Throne (2011). With a youth literacy foundation under his belt and an eye for high fashion, Yusef is a philanthropic member of West’s G.O.O.D. Music team, and his sense of style, word choice, and ear for a solid beat make him a vital member of the formidable team ‘Ye built in the rap community.
Jump after the break to read experience-it-all‘s exclusive interview with Malik Yusef. In it the spoken word artist discusses what it is like working with Kanye West in the studio, what G.O.O.D. Music stands for, he’s asked about the Chicago rap scene, and hypes a new, up-and-coming artist by the name of Tyran Brown. Continue reading Exclusive interview with G.O.O.D. Music’s Malik Yusef
The Weeknd readies ‘Trilogy’ release, drops “Wicked Games” as lead single
Twenty-two year old Abel Tesfaye, better known by his stage name The Weeknd, is about to take the industry by storm. If you haven’t heard of the R&B crooner, it’s about time you did. In 2011, Tesfaye released three critically acclaimed mixtapes consisting of nine tracks each through his own label XO. It didn’t take very long for rap superstar Drake to notice his talents; Drake is featured on the second mixtape in the song “The Zone” and Tesfaye would go on to take over Drake’s Take Care track “Crew Love.” After performing at this year’s Coachella, he started a US tour that goes into the fall when he will release Trilogy, an album that will combine all three previously released mixtapes–House of Balloons, Thursday, and Echoes of Silence–delicately mixed and remastered. It will also include three bonus tracks he’s currently producing in the studio today. His label XO has teamed with Universal Music Group’s Republic Records for the commercial release.
Fans of The Weeknd will all agree: choosing standout track “Wicked Games” from House of Balloons is the perfect single to promote Tesfaye’s Trilogy. You’ll notice striking and subtle differences in the remastered, radio-friendly version of the song. Listen to it below, and compare it to the original. Soon the single will be sold via iTunes, and when it hits the ‘Net I’ll amend the post. If you haven’t already, you can download the mixtapes for free right here.
The Weeknd started out as an undercover oddity whose actual identity was shrouded in mystery. With “Wicked Games” on the rise and Trilogy around the corner, Abel Tesfaye and his decadent themes and soothing, sophisticated style better be ready for the spotlight.
[Via PotholesInMyBlog; Billboard]
Nintendo announces Wii U pricing, availability & launch window titles, details Nintendo TVii service
66 days. That’s when Nintendo’s next generation home console the Wii U releases. Calculating… the Wii U ships November 18, 2012. Consumers will have two SKUs to choose from: a $299.99 basic set and a $349.99 deluxe set. The basic set includes an 8GB Wii U console and GamePad splashed in white, one GamePad stylus, the sensor bar, an HDMI cable, and AC adapters for the console and controller. The deluxe set adds a Wii U console stand, a Gamepad cradle and stand, a deluxe digital promotion for redeemable points in the Nintendo eShop, and the Nintendo Land game. This slightly more expensive model also upgrades the internal storage to 32GB and switches the console and GamePad’s color to black. The console stand, GamePad stand and cradle will be sold separately, along with the Wii U Pro Controller. Nintendo has confirmed that they won’t be separately selling GamePads at launch since games don’t support two at once just yet.
More than 50 games will be available for Wii U adopters during a launch window that extends from launch day to March 31, 2013. In typical fashion, Nintendo has a Mario game in the mix along with the anticipated Pikmin 3 but you may be surprised to discover many high profile third party games coming to the Wii U as well including Call of Duty: Black Ops II from Activision, Assassin’s Creed III from Ubisoft, and Batman: Arkham City Armored Edition from Warner Bros. Jump after the break to view the full list of launch windows games.
In addition to announcing the Wii U’s pricing, availability, and games lineup this week, Nintendo also previewed a new service that takes advantage of the GamePad. It’s called Nintendo TVii and it serves as an interactive second screen experience playing on the way you “find, watch, and engage” entertainment content. It’s a free service that functions as a “personalized program guide,” collating TV shows, movies, and sports from services like Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Instant Video, live TV, and your DVR (if it’s powered by TiVo). The user interface is straightforward; click Movies and you’ll be able to browse a collection of flicks provided by the streaming video companies you subscribe to. Click one and it will begin to play on your big screen TV. During the course of the movie, your GamePad is a second screen that provides additional information pertaining to the content that’s being played. While a TV show or movie is on, you can access social media networks like Facebook, Twitter, and Nintendo’s own MiiVerse to share and comment on what you’re watching and interact with your friends. The Sports section shows you scores from your favorite teams; tap a scoreboard for additional information related to that game and if it’s playing in your region you can hit play to watch it on your TV. Jump after the break to watch a video demonstration.
The Wii U is up for preorder today at GameStop. Get a closer look at the HD-capable console in the gallery below. PR after the break.
[Via Nintendo] Continue reading Nintendo announces Wii U pricing, availability & launch window titles, details Nintendo TVii service
Apple unveils iPhone 5, previews revamped iTunes & showcases new iPod family
On Wednesday Apple unveiled the next-generation iPhone and it’s called the iPhone 5. They also used their stage time to discuss iTunes+iPod, showing off a redesigned iTunes Store for iOS, a simplified version of iTunes for desktop, and showcasing the next-generation iPod nano and touch. We begin with the top story…
iPhone 5
The iPhone 5 is a beautiful piece of hardware made entirely of glass and aluminum. It’s the thinnest and lightest iPhone to date, measuring at 7.6mm thin (that’s 18% thinner than the iPhone 4S) and weighing 112 grams (20% lighter than the 4S). Apple’s calling it “the world’s thinnest smartphone.” The screen has grown for the first time to 4-inches, boasting a Retina display with 326 pixels per inch and a resolution of 1136×640. The additional screen real estate allows for a fifth row of apps in the home screen, and all of Apple’s apps take advantage of it. Third party apps will see the letterbox effect, but developers can easily tweak their apps to also fill up the screen properly. The iPhone 5 also features 44% more color saturation than it’s predecessor and integrated touch sensors in the screen make it 30% thinner than before outputting a sharper image and less glare in sunlight.
The bigger screen is just the tip of the iceberg. The new iPhone packs ultrafast wireless with built-in GPRS, EDGE, EV-DO, HSPA, HSPA+, DC-HSDPA, and, yes, LTE. In the U.S., LTE will be provided by Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint. A single chip does voice and data; also inside is a single radio chip and a dynamic antenna. 802.11a/b/g/n WiFi is there as well.
The newly designed-by-Apple A6 chip features a CPU that’s 2x faster than before, with 2x faster graphics as well. The chip itself is 22% smaller than the previous A5 processor. Apple managed to make battery life better, too. It goes like this: 8 hours of 3G talk time, 3G browsing, and LTE browsing; 10 hours of Wi-Fi browsing and video playback; 40 hours of music playback; and 225 hours of standby time.
Both the back-facing iSight camera and the front-facing FaceTime camera have been upgraded. The iSight cam features an 8 megapixel sensor (3264×2448) with backside illumination, hybrid IR filter, five-element lens, and fast f/2.4 aperture. The 25% smaller design also boasts a dynamic low light mode, spatial noise reduction, a smart filter for improved color matching, better low-light performance, and faster photo capture (40% faster than the 4S). 1080p HD video recording is still here with improved video stabilization, face detection, and the ability to take photos while recording video. The back-facing camera can also take panoramic shots now thanks to a simple enhancement in the Camera app in iOS 6. Moving to the front side, the FaceTime camera takes 1.2 megapixel photos, shoots 720p HD video, and features backside illumination, face detection, and FaceTime over cellular (with Verizon and Sprint only).
Audio is better with three built-in microphones located in the front, back, and bottom of the phone. The improved speaker design is 20% smaller than before and features a five magnet transducer, a noise-canceling earpiece, and wideband audio for better phone call performance.
Say goodbye to the nearly decade old 30-pin dock connector. Apple announced the new Lightning connector that is found in the iPhone 5. It’s 80% smaller than its predecessor, it’s all-digital with an 8-signal design and adaptive interface with improved durability and get this–it’s reversible, meaning you can plug it into the bottom of your device face up or down. Apple will sell a 30-pin to Lightning adapter for those who own accessories like sound docks that were strictly designed with the 30-pin connector in mind.
Apple spent time detailing the next version of their mobile OS, and you can read all about iOS 6 right here. It brings Apple-designed Maps, the new app Passbook, and enhancements to Notification Center, Safari, Mail, Photos, and Siri (among over 250 new features) to the iPhone and its brethren. It’s available as a free upgrade to iPhone 4S, 4, 3GS, 3rd-gen iPad, iPad 2, and 4th-gen iPod touch owners on September 19.
Now it’s time to talk pricing and availability. The iPhone 5 features a two-tone exterior and will come in two hues: black/slate and white/silver. It’s priced exactly like the 4S was: $199 (16GB), $299 (32GB), $399 (64GB). It’s available for preorder starting Friday, September 14 and ships one week later on September 21 in the U.S., Canada, UK, France, Germany, Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, and Singapore. A week after that it releases in 20 more countries, and by December it will ship in 100 countries with 240 carriers around the world. In other news, the iPhone 4 (8GB) is free and the iPhone 4S (16GB) is dropping to $99 effective immediately.
Continue reading Apple unveils iPhone 5, previews revamped iTunes & showcases new iPod family
Flight of the Conchords returns for charity
Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement–the duo that makes up parody folk band Flight of the Conchords–reunited this summer for Red Nose Day 2012 to support Cure Kids, a New Zealand charity whose proceeds fund medical research into life-threatening childhood illnesses. The 14-minute clip starts off like a typical Flight of the Conchords episode that would air on HBO. Band manager Murray Hewitt (Rhys Darby) plays the “present” game with the guys and informs them that they’ve got a new gig to play. After some nostalgic back and forth between the three of them, the bulk of the clip features Bret and Jemaine interviewing schoolchildren from Auckland and Wellington about a range of topics including what it means to be sick and how to raise money. The video concludes with a brand new Conchords track featuring other NZ celebrity voices; the lyrics are born out of the entertaining answers provided by the kids. Bret and Jemaine are known for their comedic timing and keeping a straight face, so when they break out in fits of laughter during the interviews it makes it all the more fun.
Revisiting the band meeting and watching Bret and Jemaine back in full form is such a treat, but let’s not forget why they did it. After watching the video embedded above, purchase the song “Feel Inside (and stuff like that)” at iTunes and .91 cents from the sale of the track will go to the Cure Kids organization. Continue reading Flight of the Conchords returns for charity
G.O.O.D. Music’s ‘Cruel Summer’ up for preorder, see tracklist here
Kanye West is cutting it close, but he’s just going to make it. His G.O.O.D. Music compilation album Cruel Summer is set to hit stores September 18, three days before the sweltering season comes to a close. Since the album is now available to preorder digitally at iTunes, the official tracklist is out in the open. You may be surprised to discover that ‘Ye reached out to artists outside his G.O.O.D. Music label to contribute to the album. Such guests include R. Kelly, The-Dream, and Ma$e. A total of 12 tracks make up Cruel Summer, and five of them we’ve already heard: Mercy, Cold, I Don’t Like, New God Flow, and Clique. Disappointing? Perhaps. Even more so is that Kid Cudi is only featured on a single track (all by himself) and Mr. Hudson is no where to be seen.
Jump after the break to view the full tracklisting. The video embedded above features an animated rendition of the artistic tri-fold packaging. [Preorder a digital copy at iTunes / Preorder a physical copy at Amazon]
Continue reading G.O.O.D. Music’s ‘Cruel Summer’ up for preorder, see tracklist here
Movie trailer round-up: Steven Spielberg’s ‘Lincoln’, Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Mama’, hot comedy ‘The Oranges’ & ‘Wreck-It Ralph’
Steven Spielberg has found his stride again. In Lincoln he tells the historic tale… As the Civil War nears its end, President Abraham Lincoln clashes with members of his cabinet over the issue of abolishing slavery. Daniel Day-Lewis plays our sixteenth President to a T, Sally Field is Mary Todd, Joseph Gordon-Levitt is Robert Todd, and Tommy Lee Jones is Thaddeus Stevens. Rounding out this all-star cast is Lee Pace, Jackie Earle Haley, Gregory Itzin, James Spader, Hal Holbrook, and Jared Harris as Ulysses S. Grant.
Lincoln is out November 9.
Jump after the break for more trailers. Continue reading Movie trailer round-up: Steven Spielberg’s ‘Lincoln’, Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Mama’, hot comedy ‘The Oranges’ & ‘Wreck-It Ralph’
‘Entourage’ movie update: Creator Doug Ellin is almost done with the script!
If you thought you’d never see the boys again, you thought wrong. Entourage creator Doug Ellin spilled to Deadline that his plans to bring back Vince, Drama, Turtle, E, and Ari for one last big screen hurrah are chugging along at a brisk pace. As of this past Wednesday he claimed to be on page 110 of the screenplay and that he has hopes to finish it by this Sunday. Though the plot is being kept under wraps, Ellin teased what’s in store for fans of the hit HBO series. If you recall, during a post-credits sequence agent Ari Gold received an important phone call from John Ellis asking if he would succeed him as the head of a studio. “There are interesting developments about Ari as a studio head, and that’s still the first page for me,” said Ellin. “But foremost is the friendship between the guys who are still hanging out and going to fun parties, and it continues with the same characters.”
And now we wait with bated breath for HBO to greenlight Entourage: The Movie. When there’s more, you’ll know. For now, smoke more weed Turtle, seriously.
[Via Deadline]
‘SNL’ adds three featured players, Jason Sudeikis staying on (for now)
As we inch ever so close to the 38th season premiere of Saturday Night Live, it’s been confirmed that three new featured players will take the place of the departed Kristin Wiig, Andy Samberg, and Abby Elliot. They are Aidy Bryant, Tim Robinson, and Cecily Strong and they all hail from Chicago’s Second City improv comedy club.
In other SNL news, although the most recent reports had Jason Sudeikis eyeing an exit from the late-night NBC show, head honcho Lorne Michaels informs us that the actor will remain on the show “at least until January” so that he can reprise his roles as presidential candidate Mitt Romney and Vice President Joe Biden as we head into election season.
And there’s one more thing: Michaels has shared that featured player Jay Pharoah will be replacing Fred Armisen as President Obama on the show this season. In an interview with the New York Times Michaels said, “Jay has been doing Obama in his act this summer, and Jay is coming into his own. I just thought it might be time to shake it up.”
SNL returns to NBC’s lineup this Saturday night (9/15) at 11:35PM with host Seth MacFarlane and musical guest Frank Ocean.
FOX schedules bonus episode of ‘Touch’ before second season premieres
Touch fans, listen here! Kiefer Sutherland’s Martin Bohm is returning to TV earlier than expected in a bonus episode that airs tomorrow night, Friday, September 14 at 8PM. The logline for “The Road Not Taken” goes like this:
In an all-new bonus episode, Martin’s car mysteriously breaks down in the town where he first became a reporter. When he begins to suspect his mentor is involved in illegal activity there, he risks severing their friendship in order to find the truth.
It’s certainly not the more reliable source, but according to Wikipedia this unaired episode is part of season one and takes place after the two-part finale “Gyre.” That final sequence when (spoiler alert) Martin and Jake connect with Amelia’s mother Lucy felt like a fantastic season ender; it will be interesting to see how this lost “episode 13” (which sounds like it may entirely be a flashback) plays into the story and where we left off.
Touch returns for its second season on October 26 on FOX. It will be paired with Fringe on Fridays.