Photo by Callie Richmond for AThousandGrams.


The Austin Ace, Phrancyhze, impresses at another national battle. Don't talk to me 'bout emcees got skills...

Check the furious, three-round fight post-jump. If this were 1997, he'd have a deal from Def Jam. Phran even gets dissed for being too good at freestyling and for being too smart.

His closing line is my favorite: "When I win, son, it won't be the first time a nigga came from Austin to Cali to get shit done...VINCE. YOUNG."

With a summer onslaught of big, stuffy summer albums closer than you realized, labels are passing down hearty helpings of "exclusives," generating interest in new recordings from names. Most of these songs range from solid to tight to sweet. Initial thoughts included.


Cee Lo - Georgia

Not as good as the singles from 2004's excellent solo album or the best Gnarls Barkley. But I'm intrigued to hear what a Cee Lo solo album sounds like post-household name status.


Black Milk - Don Cornelius

Milk money.


Blu & Exile - So Perfect

Reggie loves to overrate Blu. I get why on gems like this.


Bun B featuring Young Jeezy - Just Like That

Apocalyptic hustle rap. Gimme my respect.


Copywrite - Last Laugh

Khrysis produces for a relatively unknown white guy with miserably bad promotional art. He's a good rapper though, if a bit crass.


Estelle featuring Nas - Fell In Love

Same type of house/retro beat Estelle surfed on 2008's "American Boy." The guest rap is cool. I dig the synths.


Freddie Gibbs featuring Bun B - Rock Bottom

Gibbs makes up for an average, sung hook by bringing out a marvelous narrative from Bun.


Killer Mike featuring T.I. - Ready Set Go

Get ready for Killer Mike's album ya'll.


Madvillain - Papermill

Ever notice Jay Electronica sounds just like DOOM ten years ago?


The Roots featuring John Legend - Doin' It Again

One of the most delectable, ear candy mp3s the Roots have ever leaked. Instantly likable.


The Dream featuring Diddy - Champagne

You may be asking the wrong person, I love all these silly excess anthems.


Waka Flocka Flame featuring Roscoe Dash, Wale - No Hands

Tough to really enjoy even ironically.

And here it is. With guest work from Black Milk, Bun B, Joe Budden and Elzhi complimenting Detroit's motor-mouthed icon, Royce Da 5'9'''s trilogy-completing mixtape is already a street summer classic. Just ask my friends. Get it after the jump.

Did you know our web guy is also a talented author, can dunk a basketball and is a delicate craftsman with respects to segueing a mean playlist? Well, Jeremy Hurd, said web guy, is a maestro. Thankfully, he's on his New Jack Swing tip and made us a brilliant mixtape for that drive outta town. I'll let him elaborate, though he egregiously left out the Bobby Brown cut from "Ghostbusters 2."


I was inspired tonight by a series of YouTube videos bearing the same name. This is a collection (can't really call it a mix because it's only in alphabetical order) I made paying tribute to what I sincerely believe is one of the best genres of music ever. This is by no means meant as a comprehensive retrospective of the genre, but I think it's an essential compilation for anyone who feels the same affection I do for the late 80s/early 90s. 26 fantastic gems from some of New Jack Swing's finest artists. From the not so obscure (Bobby Brown, SWV, R. Kelly) to the almost completely obscure (Me 2 U, James Williams, Michael Cooper) and beyond.

Hope you appreciate it. Hope you love it.


Tracklist + link, you know, after the jump and shit. Have a safe start to summer. Make sure you got some marquee hip-hop. Drive safely.

Front court starters Raekwon, T.I. and Rick Ross earned their three-day weekends by unsheathing respective, promised mixtapes Friday morning. Get them after the jump.

Kanye West featuring Dwele - Power

What's been the best Thank Me Later leak thus far? How many units will this move when it drops June 15?
Does Drake know what he's doing?

I'll say "Miss Me," 500,000 and yes.


1. Fireworks (Feat. Alicia Keys) [Produced by Crada, 40]
2. Karaoke [Produced by Francis and the Lights]
3. The Resistance  [Produced by 40]
4. Over [Produced by Boi-1 da]
5. Show Me A Good Time [Produced by Kanye West]
6. Up All Night (Feat. Nicki Minaj)  [Produced by Boi-1 da]
7. Fancy (Feat. TI and Swizz Beatz)  [Produced by Swizz Beatz]
8. Shut It Down (Feat. The Dream) [Produced by Omen, 40]
9. Unforgettable (Feat. Young Jeezy) [Produced by Boi-1 da, 40]
10. Light Up (Feat. Jay-Z) [Produced by Tone Mason, 40]
11. Miss Me (Feat. Lil Wayne) [Produced by Boi-1 da, 40]
12. Cece's Interlude [Produced by 40]
13. Find Your Love [Produced by Kanye West, Jeff Basker, No I.D.]
14. Thank Me Now [Produced by Timbaland]