Unmissable: Kayo

As you have probably ascertained by now, I don't deal with the UK scene much at all - frankly I'm really not all too enamoured with the direction it is taking. That being said, one UK artist that I am really impressed by in terms of lyricism and style is Kayo aka KoKEN. Just to get a taster, take a listen to the track below and as usual any feedback is more than welcome.

   Latest tracks by Kayo Music

You can keep up with Kayo on Twitter (@LinesOfKoKEN)

HAN'S HIP-HOP REPORT: 'MOGUL' BOOK REVIEW

"I hear my breathing. It’s loud, hard and fast. I don’t know why I’m doing this, but I have to go through with it. I’ve summoned every entertainment reporter and photographer to the Ritz Carlton this morning for a news conference. Hell, every media outlet across the country received the press release..."
There are few situations left that would send shockwaves through the urban music industry. The death of a legendary artist? Nope! Sorry, Tupac. Sorry, Biggie. I mean, you’re both sorely missed but we handled. The retirement of a superstar? C’mon Jay-Z, precisely who you thought you were kidding I do not know. No, there is only one scenario that could shake the rap world to its very core: the public announcement of one of the hip-hop elite’s homosexuality....

To read the full special edition review, just go to MTV UK's The Wrap Up now. 

The E-book version of 'MOGUL' is currently available for purchase and hard copies can be pre-ordered in the UK from August 25.

HAN'S HIP-HOP REPORT: PHAROAHE MONCH'S RENEGADE MUSIC‏!

 

“This is Lieutenant Gaviston of Bravo Command second division, thirteenth brigade. While on a recon mission in Kabul, Afghanistan, I have discovered classified information that changes everything that I believe about this WAR. I’m gonna upload this information of great importance to Horus, a military satellite, which has the technology to transmit information through time. If you are hearing this, you have been genetically predisposed to receive this information. What you are hearing is a warning!”

Introduced by an intriguing concept piece delivered by Idris Elba, the latest offering from one of the game’s best wordsmiths Pharoahe Monch, ‘W.A.R (We Are Renegades)’ has the impact of a 50-megaton warhead...

To read more, got to the full review of 'W.A.R (We Are Renegades)' on MTV UK's The Wrap Up!

Joell Ortiz Show: London, Cargo

Is anybody else extremely excited about the Joell Ortiz show at London's Cargo next week? I must admit that it's been a while since I've been looking forward to an event this much. Not only a fantastic solo artist but also having recently made major moves as a part of Slaughterhouse, Mr Yaowa is one of the most exciting figures in the scene at the moment. Plus, just when you thought it couldn't get any better, support will be offered up by one of my favourite UK hip-hop artists Stylah! This will be a good day for hip-hop in Britain...



Be sure to get your tickets to see Joell Ortiz do what he does best at Cargo, London on March 10th 2011 NOW because this is one event that is not to be missed.

Kanye West - All Of The Lights ft. Rihanna, Kid Cudi

I don't what's best about this video: the relatively impressive use of graphics, the oh-so-subtle label marketing, Rihanna's very tiny outfit or the fact that it now has to come with an Epilepsy Action disclaimer? That being said, surely the latest Kanye West single could have warranted something a tad more powerful and a little less mainstream. After 'Power' and Ye's claims about creativity in his XXL cover piece - that I naturally had a thought or two on myself - I must admit that I was somewhat disappointed with the video for 'All of the Lights'....again, Rihanna's outfit aside, which certainly warrented a refresh or two.

Danny Boyle's Frankenstein

I did vow when I agreed to take up my blog again (despite having funding applications up to my eyeballs, a paper to deliver and several dissertation chapters to go) that I would also be integrating my academic research, as well as my freelance journalism work. I surely need not outline the relationship between my two areas of interest or explain my opinions on the academic merit of hip hop again, although if unsure you can read up HERE. Being perhaps one of the darker genres out there in terms on lyricism and the issues raised, I have often felt that hip hop had a close relationship with the conventions of the gothic. I know I have used them as prime examples of the relationship between the genre and Shakespeare before, but you only have to listen to the words of Chino XL or Immortal Technique for example to see the influence - let alone the Horrorcore sub-genre!

Anyway, the success of the award-winning director Danny Boyle's staging of the classic novel 'Frankenstein,' which will be screened live in cinemas worldwide in March, has also provided some great evidence for the relevancy of the gothic in mainstream culture. Whilst I appreciate that literature and theatre are not for everyone, this re-adaptation is a great way to take in this thrilling story, which poses so many questions that remain relevant in our everyday life today. With a 5-star review from The Times newspaper - a rarity in itself - this is not to be missed!

'Frankenstein' will be screened in UK and US cinemas on March 17th and 24th.

New Music: Donny Goines - Ich!ban prod by F.R.E.A.K.

Officially loving the latest single from Donny Goines! Delivered with style and precision 'Ich!ban' is yet another convincing argument as to why the New York emcee is one of the key players on the independent scene. Building on an already impressive anthology of tracks, his forthcoming album 'Success Served Cold,' which coincidentally drops on my birthday (March 22nd 2011) is certainly worth some spins. Kudos Donny...this is going to be in heavy rotation on my workout playlist for some time!

Be sure to support the artist and purchase 'Ich!ban' on iTunes NOW!

Dance With The Devil - Immortal Technique

Been listening to this throwback classic from Immortal Technique a lot recently. It all started with an essay I wrote on Hip-Hop and Shakespeare entitled 'From Hamlet to Hip-Hop: Why Shakespeare is Relevant Today.' Everyone is quick to liken the wordplay of our genre to the influential playwright but less quick to offer up any real textual examples or true comparisons, so I made a rare attempt at combining both my academic and music journalism skills. 'Dance With the Devil' was just one of the tracks I engaged with in the piece and it's been in heavy rotation since then.

KINGS OF THE CITY - Darkness ft. Klashnekoff (Official Video) [HD]

I don't normally deal with the UK scene very much but I must say that this track really caught my eye. I don't know whether it was the verses or the fabulously gothic video - or a bit of both - but this stood out as being a refreshing change from the status quo. I for one will certainly be keeping an eye on Kings of the City in future. Watch this space...

To download the track or keep up with the guys, check out their website : http://www.kingsofthecity.co.uk/

Raekwon: The Interview! (MTV UK)

With 18 years in the business and arguably a few of the best albums released in the last decade to his name, Corey Woods could retire to the hip-hop hall of fame a proud man - if he wanted to that is. Thankfully, for the future of the genre - he does not. Fresh from the success of ‘Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II’, Raekwon delivers his latest dish with the passion of the number one draft pick and the precision of a veteran quarterback…

Despite his hectic schedule, The Wrap Up's Hannah O'Connor managed to catch up with the Chef to discuss the ‘Shaolin Vs Wu-Tang’ album concept in-depth and give an insight into his seemingly infallible recipe for success. Vivid, vibrant and veracious, Rae’s wordplay still impacts like a Tek-Nine after 18 years in the game, catering for both those that grew up on New York Times side and the new generation of hip-hop heads, simultaneously. Forget the features; this is Wu-Tang’s resident street anthropologist at his finest.

Take a read of PART ONE and PART TWO only on MTV UK's The Wrap Up!

Get Superhan Super Fit (Again) Blog Campaign! Vol. 2

 Proof...I really was once pretty slim!

Well, needless to say the last time I tried this it did not go all too well really. Two months or so, numerous deadlines and one extremely painful back injury later, however, I feel it's time to get back in the gym and begin my epic journey from flab to fab once more! As anybody that knows me will be aware of, I'm not a 'big' girl at all per se...sadly several serious injuries (mostly my own silly fault) and manic work schedule, leading to a slight lapse in my generally rather good diet have just somewhat obliterated my one-time pretty athletic figure. So, in an attempt downsize certain areas and regain my - and I quote - "hulk arms" I decided to take on this rather public challenge and get back into shape.

So without further ado...here are some of the things I have learnt in week one:

1 - Do NOT under any circumstances attempt to bench anywhere near what you were benching before a major injury...it's not big, it's not clever and boy does it hurt!

2 - If you go to the gym with your partner you will inevitably be inclined to show off slightly and therefore spend the entirety of the following day walking like one of the zombie-esque things in 'I Am Legend'...not cool!

3 - Crunches are actually the work of the devil himself!

4 - Workouts are much easier when you have the support of good friends, such as the lovely and very talented Donny Goines, whose first guest blog you can read right HERE.


Also, as before each week I'll also include my top five song choices from my gym playlist, which is left on shuffle to make sure we switch it up a little each time. So, here goes week 1...


Dr Dre - Next Episode
Donny Goines - Larva
DMX - Ruff Ryders Anthem
Chino XL - Nahh!
The Redland - Epic


Well Th-Th-Th-That's all folks but stay tuned for next week's efforts!

Donny Goines Helps Superhan Get Super Fit Vol. 1

 

 

That's me last night at Stadium Red Studios. I look like a Abercormbie & Fitch model don't I? Hahaha nah I'm not that conceded (Or am I lol????) but it's the most recent picture I have. I'm about 178 pounds in this one and it took alot of hard work and determination to get there. Before I get into that let me take you back to the beginning....

 

My life is a strange one. I could sit here and tell you about it but I'm sure you don't want to hear that lol. You wanna know how I lost so much weight right? Well, back in November of 2009 I went to the doctor for a physical and jumped on the scale. It read 214 pounds. That for me, is way too much excessive weight. I am only 5'8 and it didn't look to flattering on me (as shown in Exhibt A and I'm not talking no Jay Elec) so I decided to lose it then and there. Honestly though, this is not the first time in my life that I've been overweight (it has fluctuated throughout the years) but I told myself that it would be the last. 

 

 

 

One of the biggest motivators was my career. Unfortunately, image is extremely important for a person such as myself (I'm a pretty good artist in case you didn't know lol...) so I knew that I had to alter and recreate myself. Another issue for me was my stage performance, I always would run out of breath (if you've seen me perform you know why) and that just wasn't cutting it for me. The last problem that worried me was my blood pressure. I had to take medication in order to control my pressure and as a young man I knew these were early warning signs which I heeded. Suffice it to say, I took action. 

 

 

 

The first thing I had to do was change my eating habits. My menu consisted of nothing but take out and candy. Bad combination. So I learned how to cook. This, believe it or not was one of the most challenging parts of this transition. I decided to learn though because it saved me money (which for a starving artist is imperative) and also allowed me to control and moniter my intake. The next step was physical exercise. Ughhhhhhhhh. Little known fact, I HATE working out. It hurts, consumes too much time and really doesn't interest me. I had to force myself to get into the groove of that (which is normal actually) but in time it started to become routine. After a few months I started to see improvement in many different areas. Breathing, energy, mood, etc so I worked even harder. My goal was to lose about 40 pounds (which I did in about a year) and fit properly in clothes (seriously). Which brings me to this moment in time.

 

 

 

I'm going to help you guys with this. Maybe I can inspire, give advice, help to motivate you, whatever (Han needs it too so I'm on her ass hahaha) but my story is a common one. I hope sharing mines with you will benefit you in some way.

 

Stay tuned...

 

Donny Goines

HAN'S HIP-HOP REPORT: RAP'S LAST MAN STANDING

2014. New York City, PA (Post-Apocalypse) 

A lone figure wanders through Manhattan, passing the remains of the newly completed World Trade Centre – Freedom Tower, my ass. He almost laughs aloud to himself upon noting the irony – taking just a moment, attempting a futile effort to comprehend precisely what has happened and what we could have done differently...

Who has what it takes to be Hip-Hop's Last Man Standing? Continue reading HERE on MTV UK's The Wrap Up!

ANNOUNCEMENT: 2011 Relaunch

2010 was a tough year...productive, progressive, at times painful (hence the lack of fitness and even music blogs sadly) and predominently positive but all in all tough. Well, a new year is upon us and it seemed fitting to relaunch the Superhan says blog as well as my Han's Hip-Hop Report column in order to reflect the changes (both personal and professional) that arose in the past year. So, without further ado I shall announce that the new and improved blog will be with us shortly and wish you all a Happy New Year! I wanted to take this oppurtunity to thank my readers, old and new, for the continued love and support, it truly is appreciated.

Han