Devin the Dude (Official Video) – I’m Just Gettin’ Blowed (Assigned to The Shipment by Rick Gerard)

I mean who doesn’t love Devin the Dude?? He’s been referred to as “raps best kept secret” and “your favorite rapper’s favorite rapper”. For those hip hop fans who aren’t familiar with this man, you really need to remedy that and enjoy a nice session of Devin, perhaps accompanied by a joint of that good green ……or six.

This song in particular called, “I’m Just Gettin’ Blowed”, drives home my previous statement about a nice herbal session. I often wonder if there is ever a time that a joint or blunt isn’t burning and being smoked in his personal aura? Honestly I think the answer is NO.  In the words of O.C. from a recent Apollo Brown track, “…when the joint gets down to the roach, I light anotha one.”, I think Devin lives by this code.

This video is pretty cool….just basically Devin flying around a little remote controlled drone helicopter camera on a beach and surrounding areas. You get some cool views and perspective….the song itself is a smoothed out jazzy kind of beat with some great saxophone work involved and some background piano. Another in a LONG line of tracks from this genius that can touch you so many ways.

For me personally, Devin the Dude signifies friendship and great memories. The four of us involved in this project and countless others of our close friends love this man and his music.  So many days and weeks and even into years, some sort of music by (or involving) Devin would almost be theme music to the craziness that we would be involved in.  It’s a guarantee that if you throw on a track by Devin in the vicinity of any of our good friends we will get hyped.

So my suggestion to everyone that happens to read this: GO LISTEN TO DEVIN THE DUDE RIGHT NOW!!!! Trust me you will not be sorry….and my apologies for this shipment taking longer that normal……I was just gettin’ blowed.

-THE SHIPMENT-

Black Milk – “Rhythm Roulette” (assigned to Ricky G. by The Shipment)

Music…. Passion….. Obsession…… Life. To me these four words are synonymous. I wasn’t born a musically gifted person. Nor was I gifted with the ability to craft something so beautiful, but through my upbringing, I developed this passion to seek out and enjoy music. To me, music is life and life without music is like watching a black and white movie. Yeah it’s still life, but it doesn’t have a soul (and all you movie buffs forgive me, I know they’re classics, but I’m trying to make a point).  Music is just that…… SOUL.

Now I can all ready tell I’m going to be all over the place with this one. Not because i can”t articulate my feelings, but because music in it’s entirety gets me all jacked up. I actually told mi compadre who sent me this, ” I wish I hadn’t watched this video before bed, because all I wanna do now is “dig through the crates”. Nothing else in this world can give you this type of feeling… and I’m speaking from experience. Anybody who knows me, knows I’m a glutton for life. By it’s definition, that’s exactly what I am when it comes to this shit. A fuckin’ glutton.

So not knowing (due to my excitement) where to go with this, I guess I”ll kick a little bit of my musical history to you. I pretty much started out listening to what my parents listened to… or at least what I can remember. I recall listening to Patsy Cline, Travis Tritt, maybe some of the “BOSS”, Bruce Springstein for you fuckers who don’t know. Then my step dad came into the picture, and what I thought I knew about music was quickly replaced by what music was and is.

Through my stepfather I discovered the Pouges, 10,000 maniacs, Reverend Horton Heat, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Rancid, Nirvana, and countless other groups. Then I started getting into Blues and reggae with the likes of B.B. King, John Lee Hooker, Bob Marley and the Wailers, and Peter Tosh (thanks to my mother). Dead Kennedys, Operation Ivy, Suicide Machines, Black Flag, Mustard Plug were all due to my good friends. I mean the list could go on forever and it should. That’s the beauty of music. Just like learning anything there is never an end. Thank god for that.

So in trying to keep this within the format I’ll end it with this( and awkwardly so) Are you having a bad day?? Put on “Don’t Worry be Happy” by Bobby McFerrin or “Three Little Birds” by Bob Marley. If you’re ready to party, maybe put on some Push it by Salt N Peppa, (or for you Scotty, some “99 Red Balloons”). And for my hip hop heads (my true passion) I’ll give you my at-the-moment TOP 5: Anything off Nas’s Illmatic, “Ante Up” by M.O.P. “Beautiful Struggle” by Talib Kweli ( thank you Scotty), “Kick in the Door” by Biggie, and last, but not least, “Hellrazor” by Tupac Shakur. So Regardless of your taste, get in them damn crates, and loose yourself in the true gift to mankind…….. Music…..

-Ricky G-

Whodini – Friends Live at the Apollo 1990 (Assigned to Matt Ramah by Scotty2Hotty)

Tylenol, Beer or…… Headphones?

I’ve got a sickness and it needs more….headphones?? You’re damn right. It has been one of those weeks (Months really) where work has been out of control busy. There are not enough hours in the day. Frankly, I could work 12 hour days and be good, but that is not a sacrifice that I will make with my son waiting at home to see me. The stress is enormous at times and it is hard not to let it get to me. There are a few things that help during these times. Cocktailing always will calm the nerves, until you find yourself up too late watching a meaningless NBA game just asking for a reason to have one more beer. Going home to my awesome family puts things into a positive perspective. But there is one thing that at any moment in the day can cure whatever ails me at that time, music.

I could probably punch holes in a wall today with the amount of work flowing in. Two people have saved me today, Skylar Gray, who in my opinion has the most amazing voice in music and Whodini. Scotty assigned me “Friends” from their 1990 Apollo performance and I have been sitting on this one for a while. I’ve listened to it a few times and hadn’t felt the inspiration to write about it. Nasty Nas created a monster jam sampling this beat with “If I Ruled the World,” but I didn’t have a blog’s worth of inspiration from that connection. I could probably write a book talking about my friends, so I wasn’t going to take the easy way out and write a 5 paragraph blurb. It was 4 o’clock and I needed to put in some extra time and I figured that I would throw this song on and see what it did for me.

I found myself energized. It was the combination of the message, the beat, Nas’s version and just that 90’s groove. I found what I needed to not let frustration and anger overcome me, making me useless in finishing out my day. My final push was achieved, just simply by throwing in the headphones. ~Shameless plug- I love my Bose in-ear headphones!~ My emotional balance was on the wrong side of the scale and such a simple action changed it at the 1st beat.

This week has been eclectic. From Dave Matthews to E-40, from Skylar Grey to Outkast. I have listened to the new Foo Fighters album and I have checked out some new music from Nino Bless. All music that at that time was perfect for the situation I was in. It was a jump start to my morning, the alley-oop windmill dunk that was assisted by caffeine. It has been the extra motivation for the final reps in the gym or the wind down music in the sauna. At the end of the day it proves to be the cure for that “2:30 feeling.”

I’m thankful for having friends that share my musical passion. In fact, that is one of the reasons this project was started. We joined together to inspire each other (And you readers) through new music and challenge each other to break out of our comfort zones. We text each other new music and talk about it. In fact, some of my best memories with these three individuals can always trace back to new music. So when you find yourself struggling with your day, some bad news, getting in a good work out or whatever it may be, throw on a go to jam or call up your friends and get into something new. Either way you will surely find answers to whatever situation you were trying to solve.

-Matt Ramah-