A mouthful, isn’t it? But so is this two-part music video. DJ Khaled sixth studio album Kiss the Ring is out tomorrow (August 21) and to kick-start the hype machine he enlisted famed hip-hop clip director Hype Williams to shoot a music video for the album’s single “I Wish You Would” that features Rick Ross the boss and Kanye West. At 3:53 that track comes to a halt and ‘Ye’s controversial “Cold” (formally “Theraflu” and “So Cold”) starts up. Though the track is edited and gets cut short there is a brief cameo from West’s current girlfriend Kim Kardashian, so don’t blink. Though the clips are literally all over the place with shaky cam business, Williams did a good overall with it; I especially like the parts when West’s eyes go dark and are replaced with those glow-in-the-dark slits. How does it compare to the unofficial clip from Caleb Harper aka mini Kanye? Can your headphones go louder? Check it out.
Music video: Hit-Boy – “Old School Caddy” (Featuring Kid Cudi)
Called it. After Hit-Boy released that teaser for his second single “Old School Caddy” ya’ll knew those clips had to have been taken from a lengthier music video. And presto, here it is. In it producer-turned-rapper Hit-Boy jumps in an old school Caddy and featured artist Kid Cudi takes a new school Benz for a spin and leggy models assist. The smooth beat is the purest ear candy and the raps flow without waver from newcomer Hit-Boy and his fellow G.O.O.D. Music signee Mr. Rager. Watch it above. And if you haven’t already, download Hit-Boy’s first album HITstory for free.
Kid Cudi drops first single from ‘Indicud’ album “Just What Iam”
After releasing two rap albums and a rock album, Kid Cudi is returning to his roots with Indicud, his upcoming fourth studio album that promises to prominently feature Cudi the rapper. “Just What Iam” was produced by Cudi himself and it features guest artist and long-time Cudder collaborator Chip tha Ripper who now likes to be called King Chip. During the hook Cudi makes it clear: “I need smoke.” But I thought he quit smoking… Preview the track below and snag it for keeps at the download link.
Download: Kid Cudi – “Just What Iam” (Featuring King Chip)
[Via DatNewCudi]
SpeakSonic album reviews: Zac Brown Band’s ‘Uncaged’, Joss Stone’s ‘The Soul Sessions’ & Yellow Card’s ‘Southern Air’
Zac Brown Band is back; does Uncaged stick to country roots or does it bring the genre to new heights? Joss Stone’s second volume of Soul Sessions is a self-reflecting effort that will please fans, but is it for everyone? Yellowcard released their eighth studio album Southern Air; do any of the tracks live up to their popular 2003 hit “Ocean Avenue?”
SpeakSonic delivers with this week’s bite-sized album reviews.
TV teasers: ‘American Horror Story: Asylum’
Don’t expect to understand anything that’s going on in these three creep-tastic teasers for the next season of American Horror Story subtitled Asylum. In the first (titled “Special Delivery) a nun walks into a dark forest with two buckets filled with who the hell knows (I’m thinking body parts), dumps one of them out for some reason or other, and then continues nonchalantly into the woods. The next two are embedded after the break. In #2 (“Blue Coat”) we see a nun in black garb praying in an alcove as another in white passes by to hang a blue coat on the wall; then she sits down (to pray?) and at the very last second she sneaks a peek at us! In #3 (“Hydrobath”) we get a birds-eye view of a bathtub filled with a milky substance and inside it a body writhes around until a zipper magically locks the thing (a human?) inside. So many questions but these “clues” dropped by co-creator Ryan Murphy and co. will surely get you excited for what’s to come next in his anthology series.
American Horror Story: Asylum premieres this October on FX. Continue reading TV teasers: ‘American Horror Story: Asylum’
TV trailer: ‘Homeland’ season 2
Following two tantalizing teasers, Showtime has released a full-on trailer for the second season of its critically acclaimed drama Homeland. Carrie looks to be a lot more stable following her shock treatment at the end of the first season, and this time she’s going undercover as a brunette with brown eyes. She’s still popping pills, mind you, but now we know that without them she can’t do her job. What else? Saul is there for moral and professional support, and David Estes looks on with suspicion. On the other side Brody is still praying with the Qur’an in cahoots with the terrorist Abu Nazir, but it appears as if he’s still treading a fine line between acting as war hero and serving as a “turned” terrorist. In the meantime, Carrie and Virgil and his cousin are back at video surveilling Brody and the clip ends with a major twist: Carrie and Brody get back together again? All of this plays in front of a beautiful, haunting rendition of The Police’s “Every Breath You Take” by Scala & Kolacny Brothers.
Homeland returns Sunday, September 30 on Showtime.
TV teasers: ‘FRINGE’ season 5
Fringe fans, I have not one but two teasers for you today. The first, embedded above, is simple yet enticing; as a barrage of Observers briskly walk toward the camera, our heroes (namely Broyles, Peter, Olivia, Walter, and September) recap the evolution of the term “Observer” as it has changed significantly since its introduction in season one. The teaser concludes with the final season’s tagline “they are coming.”
Next you’ll want to jump after the break to watch another new teaser that includes the very first real footage from the season five premiere. In it a happily married (Peter is indeed wearing a wedding band on his left hand) Peter and Olivia are enjoying themselves in a park with their daughter Etta when all of a sudden a group of Observers make it their mission to disturb the peace.
Fringe returns for its fifth and final season on Friday, September 28. Continue reading TV teasers: ‘FRINGE’ season 5
It’s official: Joss Whedon will return to write & direct ‘The Avengers 2’, develop a Marvel-based TV series
What a day! Arrested Development keeps its head down and powers through and Disney and Marvel announce that The Avengers helmer and geek god Joss Whedon will return to write and direct the anticipated sequel tentatively titled The Avengers 2. The superhero summer blockbuster hasn’t even hit Blu-ray yet, and we still have to get through Iron Man 3, Thor: The Dark World, Captain America: The Winter Solider, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Ant-Man, but just knowing that the mastermind behind arguably the greatest superhero movie of all time is going to do it again. And if that wasn’t enough, Whedon also plans to develop a live action drama series set in the Marvel universe for ABC (it may or may not star members of the elite Avengers team).
After Disney CEO Bob Iger spilled the beans during the company’s earnings call, Marvel released the following statement nicely summing it all up: “Joss Whedon has signed an exclusive deal with Marvel Studios for film and television through the end of June 2015. As part of that deal, Whedon will write and direct Marvel’s The Avengers 2 as well as help develop a new live action series for Marvel Television at ABC. He will also contribute creatively to the next phase of Marvel’s cinematic universe.”
That last bit is interesting, isn’t it? Will Whedon be free to dip his toe in Phase Two waters? Whatever comes of that, rest assured knowing that the man behind Firefly isn’t going anywhere anytime soon Marvel fans. And for you Whedon fans, perhaps his recent shift in luck will amount to a TV series lasting more than a few seasons (Buffy and Angel notwithstanding).
Update: Save the date; The Avengers 2 (that’s a tentative title) releases May 1, 2015. Now cry because that’s so far from now. And then later recover because you know that new installments from the other Marvel franchises are on the way.
‘Arrested Development’ begins shooting new episodes today, photos from set inside
Believe it, people. Arrested Development is back…in production. On Tuesday the seventh of August in the year 2012 the cult comedy was officially resurrected as shooting began on the upcoming 10 episode fourth season for Netflix. To celebrate the occasion (and prove it was actually taking place) star Jason Bateman (aka family man Michael Bluth) tweeted a picture (see above) from the set, tagging it with the words “First day. Away we go…” There isn’t much that can be gleaned from the photo, except that Workaholics stars Adam DeVine and Anders Holm are present inside of what appears to be an airport. Speculate!
Although the pic does not contain any familiar Development faces, Deadline reports that the entire cast–that is Jason Bateman, Jeffrey Tambor, Portia de Rossi, David Cross, Jessica Walter, Will Arnett, Michael Cera, Alia Shawkat and Tony Hale–is returning for the relaunch; actor contracts are currently “in final negotiations” as shooting begins. This news deserves a loud, obstructive “STEVE HOLT!” chant right about now… STEVE HOLT! So does this: Executive producer Ron Howard is back as the show’s all-knowing narrator. If you were afraid this comeback would play differently than before, your fears are now righteously quelled.
Howard’s Imagine TV and 20th Century Fox TV are the studios behind Arrested Development 2.0, and series creator Mitch Hurwitz, Troy Miller, and Imagine TV’s Howard, Brian Grazer, and Francie Calfo are executive producing. All ten episodes will go live on Netflix in 2013, and the word on the street is that while some episodes will bring us up to speed with each character individually, storylines will still cross into one another for a true Bluth family reunion.
BONUS! Hop after the break to view two more photos from the set. Bateman shared these via Twitter about a week back and they feature his TV son George Michael.
[Via Deadline; Twitter] Continue reading ‘Arrested Development’ begins shooting new episodes today, photos from set inside
NBC to preview new comedies ‘Go On’ & ‘Animal Practice’ during Olympics
NBC is taking advantage of its exclusive Olympics coverage by stuffing previews of two upcoming fall sitcoms smack in the middle of it. Tomorrow, on August 8, viewers will get a sneak peek at the premiere of the latest Matthew Perry vehicle Go On. A few days later on Sunday, August 12 the already easy-to-pan Animal Practice starring Justin Kirk and Crystal the monkey from The Hangover Part II will screen its pilot. Both episodes will premiere following the Olympics broadcasts on their respective days and will return to NBC’s primetime schedule in September.
To learn more about Go On and Animal Practice, refer to NBC’s Upfronts report. And Grimm fans, note that your show returns earlier than most, premiering on Monday, August 13 at 10PM; new episodes will air on three consecutive Mondays and then during their regular Friday at 9PM timeslot beginning September 14.
Kanye West reveals ‘Cruel Summer’ cover art and album packaging
Summer is about to turn cruel. On August 2 Kanye West took to Twitter to share the provocative, bright white, raised cover art for his upcoming G.O.O.D. Music collaboration album Cruel Summer. In addition to the art, he also posted a side shot of the album’s packing, revealing that it is of the tri-fold variety much like his previous release Watch The Throne. What’s inside? The CD, of course; but what else? That’s still a mystery. For now, eye the art above and jump the break for the angled shot.
Cruel Summer drops September 4, featuring the slick single “Mercy.” Swerve. Continue reading Kanye West reveals ‘Cruel Summer’ cover art and album packaging
Hit-Boy shares “Old School Caddy” (featuring Kid Cudi) ahead of album release [Update: ‘HITstory’ out now]
G.O.O.D. Music member Hit-Boy is best known for wearing his producer hat; he’s collaborated with Kanye West, Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, and A$AP Rocky to design the beats behind “Christmas in Harlem,” N****s in Paris,” “Drop the World,” and “Goldie.” But now he’s ready to step into the spotlight and become a solo artist, his own rapper. Earlier this summer he dropped his first single “Jay-Z Interview” and left the producing to Bink!; it blew up on Twitter as he quickly made a name for himself as a solo rapper in the hip-hop community. This week he shared a new track “Old School Caddy,” and for this one he jumped behind the boards to produce. He is joined by fellow G.O.O.D. Music signee Kid Cudi in the laid back rap that’s spit in front of a smooth-as-butter beat. Listen above. (This release was teased with a 30-second clip featuring Hit-Boy and Cudi, so a full-fledged music video may be coming soon.)
All of this comes ahead of HITstory, the producer-turned-rapper’s first album that’s expected to release August 7. “This album is for the sophisticated ear,” tweets 25-year-old Hit-Boy. Check back here next week for a link to download the free album.
Update (8/7): HITstory is out today. Hit-Boy’s first release contains 11 tracks and guest appearances from Big Sean, Kid Cudi, Chip tha Ripper, Bun B, John Legend, and Stacy Barthe. Download it for free here. Snag the cover art and back tracklisting after the break. Continue reading Hit-Boy shares “Old School Caddy” (featuring Kid Cudi) ahead of album release [Update: ‘HITstory’ out now]