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.

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.

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.

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!

New Music: Me'Mo 'My Boom Box'

Following the success of his 2008 mixtape Tha Epidemic, Nigerian emcee Me'Mo is back once again with his latest - and much-anticipated - offering My Boom Box. The project serves to solidify not only his presence within the international rap game but also his marketability and commercial potential. Distinctly Naija, whilst not out of touch with the US scene (even boasting a little Southern flavour), his delivery is precise yet a little rough around the edges, which perfectly reflects the grittiness of the genre in question and is therefore no disadvantage whatsoever.

Having had the pleasure to watch this talented young emcee grow as an artist over the past few years, I for one cannot wait to see his career flourish and develop further in the near future. My Boom Box is sure to mark a successful new chapter in his already noteworthy story.

To download the mixtape, just go to datpiff.com or click HERE
For more information about Me'Mo and his music, go to www.memomusiconline.com