Lil' Wayne

Lil’ Wayne has unveiled the video for “Drop The World,” which features veteran rapper Eminem. The video is directed by Chris Robinson, features both rappers engulfed in a street battle.

“Drop The World” is the latest single from Lil’ Wayne’s recently released rock-rap hybrid album, ‘Rebirth’.

The video’s release comes just hours before the rapper is due to be sentenced in New York for gun possession. In October 2009, the rapper plead guilty to criminal possession of a weapon. He admitted to illegally having a loaded .40-caliber semiautomatic gun on his tour bus in July 2007.

Check out a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the Cypress Hill video for “It Ain’t Nothin’,” off of the west coast rappers’ upcoming album Rise Up, available everywhere April 6th. T

he clip takes fans through the video scene-by-scene and includes a guest appearance from legendary lyricist Xzibit.

Watch the behind the scenes footage at the band’s official YouTube page and visit iTunes to to see the finished music video for “It Ain’t Nothin’.”

Rise Up is Cypress Hill’s first new album in six years and the first release being issued through Priority/EMI. Priority Records Creative Chairman Snoop Dogg signed the band to the label. The follow-up to 2004’s Till Death Do Us Part, RISE UP was recorded over the course of the past three years at B-Real’s studio, The Temple, in Los Angeles.

The track listing for Rise Up is as follows:

1. It Ain’t Nothin’ (feat. Young De)
2. Light It Up
3. Rise Up (feat. Tom Morello)
4. Get It Anyway
5. Pass The Dutch (feat. Evidence and Alchemist)
6. Bang Bang
7. K.U.S.H
8. Get ‘Em Up
9. Carry Me Away (feat. Mike Shinoda)
10. Trouble Seeker (feat. Daron Malakian)
11. Day Destroys the Night featuring Everlast
12. I Unlimited
13. Armed & Dangerous14. Shut ‘Em Down (feat. Tom Morello)
15. Armada Latina (feat. Marc Anthony and Pitbull)

Cypress Hill returns April 6th with Rise Up (Priority/EMI), an album whose thrilling mix of deep grooves and hard riffs are amplified by guest appearances from Rage Against The Machine/Street Sweeper Social Club guitarist Tom Morello, Linkin Park vocalist Mike Shinoda, System of a Down guitarist/vocalist Daron Malakian, singer-songwriter Marc Anthony, rapper Pitbull, Everlast, Young De, Evidence, The Alchemist and comic legends Cheech & Chong.

The album spotlights not one, but two lead singles: the incendiary title cut “Rise Up,” which features Tom Morello (who co-wrote and co-produced the song) and “Armada Latina,” a hip-hop-flavored track spiced with vocals by Marc Anthony and Pitbull and production by Jim Jonsin (Lil Wayne, Beyonce).

“We spent time in the studio with some of our favorite artists and friends and we’re really proud of how the album turned out,” says Cypress Hill emcee B-Real. “We’re looking forward to taking these songs on the road and playing them for our fans around the world.”

Rise Up is Cypress Hill’s first new album in six years and the first release being issued through Priority/EMI. Priority Records Creative Chairman Snoop Dogg signed the band to the label. The follow-up to 2004’s Till Death Do Us Part, RISE UP was recorded over the course of the past three years at B-Real’s studio, The Temple, in Los Angeles.

The track listing for Rise Up is as follows:

1. It Ain’t Nothin’ (feat. Young De)
2. Light It Up
3. Rise Up (feat. Tom Morello)
4. Get It Anyway
5. Pass The Dutch (feat. Evidence and Alchemist)
6. Bang Bang
7. K.U.S.H
8. Get ‘Em Up
9. Carry Me Away (feat. Mike Shinoda)
10. Trouble Seeker (feat. Daron Malakian)
11. Day Destroys the Night featuring Everlast
12. I Unlimited
13. Armed & Dangerous14. Shut ‘Em Down (feat. Tom Morello)
15. Armada Latina (feat. Marc Anthony and Pitbull)

Cypress Hill’s have premiered the video for “It Ain’t Nothin’” from the group’s forthcoming albumRise Up, due out April 6.

The song is currently available for free download at CypressHill.com.

The album will be the groups first since 2004’s Til Death Do Us Part, and will feature a special guest appearance from Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morrello.

Watch the brand new video here, and head over to the official Cypress Hill website for the latest information.

Flobots

Acclaimed Universal Republic alternative/hip hop collective Flobots will release their sophomore album Survival Story on March 16th. The first single from their new offering is a call-to-unarm, “White Flag Warrior,” featuring a guest appearance by Tim McIIrath, founder of influential Chicago band Rise Against. Survival Story is the follow-up to their 2008 game-changing, 300,000-plus selling Universal Republic debut album, ‘Fight With Tools’. The new album was helmed by noted producer Mario Caldato Jr. (Beastie Boys, Beck, Jack Johnson, Moby), and finds the group at yet another turning point of inspiring transformation.

Flobots garnered across-the-board critical, cultural and commercial acclaim in 2008 with their grassroots-waged kickoff single, the rousing Top 5, platinum-plus smash “Handlebars.” The song became the mind-bending clarion call of both the rap and rock worlds, with the spirited anthem soaring to #1 on the alternative radio chart as the format’s most requested song of the year. “Handlebars” became a digital, video, and MySpace phenomenon, (along with ‘Fight With Tools’ follow-up hit “Rise”) soaring to #10 on the iTunes hip hop chart, with the digital version of the band’s CD climbing to #2 on the iTunes hip hop countdown.

The six-member band was also recognized as innovative agents of massive cultural change during their mainstream rise, with media outlets such as USA Today praising their “stinging social commentary,” and the Boston Herald calling them “rap’s most singular breakthrough act in years.” Flobots became a symbol of a new generation shifting priorities at the decade’s close, thanks to the hands-on and highly charged social-activism embedded in their music and their vigorous community networking. Their uplifting calls to action mirrored the communal reawakening taking place throughout the entire country. The band’s galvanizing live presence rocked late night TV (The Tonight Show, Conan O’Brien, and others,) and saw them ‘own’ the stage at the Democratic National Convention in their hometown of Denver, as well as on election night. The group also logged several sold-out tours across the U.S. and inspired audiences throughout the world with their incredible live show.

Survival Story finds the band invigorated by the range of life-experiences that flowed through the Flobots’ global collective the past two years (their extremely effective non-profit organization, flobots.org, has mobilized fans to become change-agents in their own communities throughout the world). But, the sophomore album also arrives in 2010 as a vision of hope for a world pondering its limits: Flobots’ unique birds-eye view of a world changed and rearranged – both inside and out.

The new effort features songs such as the counter-intuitive “White Flag Warrior,” the signature “Whips And Chains,” and the funk-infested “Infatuation,” among others. “We understand change can be complicated,” says co-founder Jonny 5. “We’re six different people ourselves trying to make a difference. We’ve always been about valuing everyone’s voice, whether in or outside of the band. We believe Survival Story is a true record of our growth as we all process this great new world that’s emerging.”

Created in Blasting Room studios in Ft. Collins CO, Survival Story was produced by Mario Caldato Jr. (Beastie Boys).

Flobots Are:
Jonny 5 – MC/Vocals
Brer Rabbit – MC/Vocals
Andy Guerrero – Guitar
Mackenzie Roberts – Viola/Vocals
Jesse Walker – Guitar
Kenny Ortiz – Drums

ABOUT FLOBOTS:
Since their launch several years ago as a driving catalyst of the Denver creative scene, Flobots have crafted one of the most loyal and independent audiences in music. Among the Flobots’ goals are engaging a new musical culture – one mind at a time – and enacting change in local communities and beyond.

For more information on the band or its multi-platform social networking landscape, log on to:

www.flobots.com
myspace.com/flobots

Cypress Hill

Here is your chance to get a brand new Cypress Hill joint off their upcoming record Rise Up, due out on April 6. The song is called “It Ain’t Nothin’” and you can download it for free for a limited time at cypresshill.com.

Click here to enter your information and download now!

The album features special guest appearances from Rage Against The Machine/Street Sweeper Social Club’s Tom Morello, who co-wrote and co-produced the title track and lead single “Rise Up.” The famed guitarist also appears on a second track titled “Shut ‘Em Down.”

The legendary hip-hop/rock group have signed an exclusive worldwide deal with Priority/EMI and are gearing up for the release of their first new studio album in six years. “We’re very excited to be part of the Priority Records family,” says B-Real. “It’s a label with a rich history, and together with Snoop we’re going to add to its legacy.”

Make sure to pick up your free download today to get a sneak peek at what Cypress Hill has to offer on their upcoming release, Rise Up. The album is slated to be released on April 6th, 2010.

Cypress Hill

Snoop Dogg has made his first signing as Creative Chairman of Priority Records, adding West Coast rappers Cypress Hill to the revived label’s roster. Snoop and Cypress Hill made the announcement on yesterday’s Lopez Tonight show, where the Black Sunday band performed their hit “Insane in the Brain.” Cypress Hill will release Rise Up, their first album since 2004′’s Til Death Do Us Part, on April 6th.

The album’s first single, “Rise Up,” features the guitar work of Rage Against the Machine’’s Tom Morello. “It was great to work with my longtime friends and comrades Cypress Hill on these two monster rock tracks,” Morello said of his new collaborators. “Cypress are back with a vengeance!” Morello will also appear on another Rise Up track called “Shut ‘Em Down.” This isn’t the first time Cypress and Rage have teamed up: Drummer Brad Wilk also performed on Cypress Hill’’s 2000 rap-rock album Skull & Bones.

Cypress Hill spent the last three years in the studio working on Rise Up. “Making this record was so much fun,” Hill’’s Sen Dog said in a statement. “It felt like the first record we ever made together. We recorded whatever we wanted to with no musical boundaries. And having the chance to work with one of my favorite guitar players of all time, Tom Morello, was amazing. I always knew we would make some kickass music together.”

Snoop was handed the reins to Priority Records last year in the hopes that he could help bring the famed West Coast label — which featured artists like N.W.A, Ice Cube and Eazy-E — back to prominence. Snoop didn’’t have to look far for his first signing, since Cypress Hill have been rap staples from Los Angeles’ South Gate for over 20 years. Other rockers rumored to be featured on Rise Up include Slash and Linkin Park’’s Mike Shinoda.

For more information on Cypress Hill visit www.CypressHill.com.

Since their debut album, 1993’s Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), Wu-Tang has become synonymous with gritty, direct lyrics and beats that draw from classic soul, horn-blasted funk, cinematic curios, and dirty guitar licks (among many others.) With each successive album, the group solidifies their hold on hip-hop, watching over the years as rappers, trends and ephemeral styles come and go and become musical footnotes in the game.

As devoted fans clamor and salivate for anything Wu-related, Gold Dust & Nature Sounds are proud to announce the release of Return of the Wu & Friends, produced and compiled by Wu-Tang Clan producer/DJ Mathematics and including some exclusive tracks, lost gems and old time favorites featuring all nine emcees.

The 16 tracks featured on Return of the Wu & Friends were compiled from songs recorded during the group’s critically acclaimed 2000 album The W through 2008, including exclusive tracks like “Steppin 2 Me” featuring GZA, Inspectah Deck and Masta Killa. The producer also offers a slew of new remixes, including “Respect Mine” and “Clap”. On the former, featuring Raekwon, Method Man and Cappadonna, the sprightly piano loop found on the original (from Mathematics’ 2003 solo album Love, Hell or Right) gets flipped into a slower, more ominous track anchored by a funky slap bass line.

On Return of the Wu & Friends, every member gets their chance to shine, backed by Mathematics’ acute ability to perfectly match each member’s cadence and tone to the respective beat. Slower, more soulful tracks like “Da Way We Were” and “Strawberries & Cream” are balanced with classic Wu funk like “Iron God Chamber” and “It’s What It Is” (the latter the new superhero anthem for the 21st century.) For anyone fiending for more Wu classics, Return of the Wu & Friends offers up an album’s worth of tracks sure to fill the need for Wu bangers.

Having known the Clan since the mid-80s and produced for them since 1996, Mathematics is no stranger to the group. Starting off as GZA’s DJ during the emcee’s Cold Chillin’ days, the producer has since gone on to create a diverse and memorable production catalog with the group, contributing tracks to The W and 8 Diagrams, as well as Ghostface Killah’s Supreme Clientele, GZA’s Beneath The Surface, Method Man’s Tical 2000: Judgement Day and Method Man & Redman’s Blackout!.

Wu-Tang- The Return of The Wu-Friends will be released on 2-16-10 on Gold Dust Records. Check out the official website at www.wutang-returnofthewu.com

Download “Clap 2010″ f/Raekwon, Ghostface Method Man & U-God at this location >

Lil' Wayne

Lil Wayne’s new album, Rebirth, finally has an official release date. According to Billboard.com, the disc long rumored to be Wayne’s “rock” album will drop on December 15.

The album will come on the heels of his just-released No Ceilings mixtape. No Ceilings is available for download now at www.weareyoungmoney.com.

The album is slated to include guest spots from Drake, members of Fall Out Boy and Lenny Kravitz. It’s unknown if Rebirth will be the last full-length album the rapper will release before he is scheduled to go to prison in New York for at least eight months after pleading guilty to a felony charge of attempted criminal possession of a weapon.

50 Cent’s fourth studio album, Before I Self Destruct, will be released exclusively on the iTunes Store on November 9th at 12:00AM EST (midnight, Sunday night).

The album will be available exclusively on the iTunes Store (www.itunes.com) until its November 16 street date.

Selling more than 30 million albums worldwide, 50 Cent continues his phenomenal rise from street culture hero to pop culture icon.

About the album:
For the explosive Before I Self Destruct album, 50 Cent returned to working closely with Dr. Dre and Eminem as he did on Get Rich Or Die Tryin’, his first official album. With Dr. Dre and Eminem producing and guesting, Before I Self Destruct is darker and harder than 2007’s Curtis, as shown by the grimy single and video to “OK, You’re Right” (produced by Dr. Dre), which was released earlier this year. In early September, 50 released the hit single “Baby By Me” produced by Polow da Don (Fergie, T.I., Ludacris).