"Feel My Pain" - AZ

AZ "Feel My Pain" (Official video) from Clockwork Music on Vimeo.

Serious spittage & simple yet creative art direction give AZ's new "Feel My Pain" video that coveted rewind-ability.

"Outta the Window" by J*Davey

J*DaVeY "Outta the Window" from SOCKETUMi Iam on Vimeo.

The new J*Davey vid is nice & bugged out, LOL. The shear randomness of sets versus what seems like well thought out blocking (that's positioning of the subjects for you non film buffs out there) gives "Outta the Window" real repeatability. I haven't even spoken on the actual song, right? That's because it's pure crack I tell you! Dreamy, feel good, energetic & colorful are all words that come to mind.

Also, my good friends @ Audible Treats were nice enough to include in the J*Davey update a link to the group's five track mixtape 'Boudoir Synema- The Great Mistapes.' Apparently it's the first of three free EPs that Miss Jack Davey & Brook D'Leau will drop before their Warner Bros. debut 'New Designer Drug.' Checka check it out & let me know what you think. In the meantime watch "Outta The Window" over & over again.

Nas & Damian Marley R 'Distant Cousins'

Looks like the son of Queens Bridge & the son of cultural icon Bob Marley shall continue May 18 on their "Road to Zion"; the pair attempts to stretch the parameters of their respective genres with the new "Distant Cousins" album. Judging from the above trailer, "Distant Cousins" sure seems like a venture inspired by creativity.

Hopefully the quality of the tracks surpass Junior Gong & God Son's somewhat underwhelming first try, "Road to Zion (2005)." Peep the vid below to judge for yourself (the audio isn't great so go here 4 "As We Enter")

Peace 2 Brain Scully & ThinkTank Marketing!

"Window Seat" by Eryka Badu

I wonder if Ms. Badu knew that she'd be charged & fined by the Dallas Police Dept. when she got naked in Dealy Plaza for her new video "Window Seat." It's great watching the video for peoples' reactions; they're definitely not extras, LOL. I know Ms. Badu was doing her artistic symbolism thing, but I just have to say that she looks awesome! Fallout from the misdemeanor charge, which carries a $500 fine, may include questions of whether the uproar over Badu's bare bottom is due to its' wide, round, brown-ness. But I think that any artist who did what she did would have been charged & fined.

BTW, the song is hot & the video gets straight to the point.

P.S. - Who are 'Matt & Kim?'

Kelis on Making of "Acapella"

MTV Shows

We @ RFM love when MTV devotes airspace to pop artists' occasional artistic vents; in this case Kelis tells a boring but cute story of the time she received some beats from Dave Guetta & diddled around with lyrics & melodies to accent the music that would become her chart topping dance joint "Acapella." Eventually a cool, energetic song was done, but before that Kelis met David on Paris' party circuit & a creative bond began to form. Cheesy? Maybe a little. But where there is a song there is a story. Here's just a slice of it via MTV.

Shout out to THINKTANK MARKETING! Kelis' 'Flesh Tone' project comes out this Spring. Buy "Acapella" HERE.

Jay-Z & Absolut Take Shot @ a Doc

"I need the stabs up a little bit" (Jay-Z). Hip hop & hard alcohol have been going steady like Zack & Kelly for a good while now; 'NY-Z,' a short film (directed by photog Danny Clinch, starring Jay-Z) about NYC's effect on the central rapper of the last ten years, is the latest high point in the relationship. Already highly adept at following the right metaphor with the best simile, Jay-Z has now begun to master the art of spin as he continues to wholesale ship the nuances of his life story to a widening fan base.

Clinch's black & white motif is ideal for making the subject and his city seem classic without subtracting from the edginess of hip hop or Absolut Vodka. There are some flat out artful shots, cuts and audio mixes in 'NY-Z.' The film also features cool footage of Jay-Z rehearsing with John Mayer & Keri Hilson.

Willie The Kid & Lee Bannon f. La The Darkman "Necessary Way" (VIDEO)

WILLIE THE KID x LA THE DARKMAN NECESSARY WAY from williethekid on Vimeo.

Willie The Kid has some cool video directing ideas for a guy who spends much of his creative energy on witty raps. I like how he installs brother LA The Darkman as a present narrator. Now, there's plenty of gratuitous gun totting and crack rock pot stirring in the video; sometimes these types of shots can come off cheesy and they're bad for the game, but you can't deny a certain genuineness & consistency in the presentation of the Gun Rule, Michigan brothers Willie & LA.