Podcast: "Shut Up & Listen" (The BackBeat)

In this week’s episode of The BackBeat, we discuss why TI should have just shut the hell up instead of saying his sexist comments about Hillary Clinton & women presidents, we review Bryson Tiller’s new LP Trap Soul, & share our thoughts on the American Music Award nominations, which recognized both Fetty Wap for Best New Artist and D’Angelo’s Black Messiah LP for Soul/R&B Album. We also look out how hip-hop culture is slowly taking over primetime with new shows by Ludacris, Diddy, and Donald Glover aka Childish Gambino are in the works. We get into our feelings over Bobby Brown’s alleged “tell all” book on Whitney Houston and Bobbi Kristina, as well as highlight the activism of Lady Gaga and Lupe Fiasco through their foundations to serve teenagers struggling with mental illness and bring start-ups to inner city communities.

Stay tuned to the end of the episode to hear what our Songs of The Moment are this week! Marcus chooses some great songs from Amel Larrieux, Tamar Braxton, and Janet Jackson. Kyera dips into the discography of Musiq Soulchild, Lady Leshurr, and The Internet.

Enjoy!

Podcast: "Young, Gifted, & Black" (The BackBeat)

In this week’s episode of The BackBeat, we tackle Lupe Fiasco’s letter on white supremacy, Taylor Swift’s fight for artist compensation from #Apple, #TheDream’s Billboard interview about race and music, Bobbi Kristina’s medical condition, Eminem’s new show Narc, D’Angelo’s follow up to Black Messiah, Beyoncé headlines the Made in America music festival, and Diddy’s kettlebell fight.

We also highlight new music from Janet Jackson, Fetty Wap, Jidenna, Tiffany Evans, Kendrick Lamar, Bilal, and #LeonBridges. In our Blast From the Past segment, we honor Jay Z’s Reasonable Doubt and remember Michael Jackson on the anniversary of his passing. And make sure you stay tuned to the end of the episode to hear our favorite songs of the moment.

Remix: "Automatic (Remix)" (DJ Lupe Fiasco x DJ Sky Gellatly ft DJ Kue)

DJ Kue and The SNDCLSH have collaborated once again, this time with a remix of the classic Pointer Sisters hit "Automatic." The original Pointer Sisters track first appeared on their seminal album Break Out, released in 1983.

A favorite of Lupe, Sky, and Kue, "Automatic" won the Pointer Sisters a Grammy Award for Best Vocal Arrangement for Two or More Voices in 1985. The SNDCLSH x DJ Kue Automatic Remix is for promotional use only, and is nothing more than a tribute to the widely-loved Pointer Sisters' hit.

The trio of DJ Kue, Lupe, and Sky felt that it was only fitting to drop their homage to this Grammy-Award Winning track, and to the venerated vocal trio, on the first day of Grammy Award week back in 2012. Once a classic, forever a classic.

Take a listen below and Enjoy!

Song of the Day: "Daydreamin'" (Lupe Fiasco ft. Jill Scott)

"Daydreamin'" - Lupe Fiasco featuring Jill Scott

• Writers: Craig Kallman, Lupe Fiasco, Dave Mackay, Sylveer VanHolman, Raymond Vincent
• Producer: Craig Kallman
• Record Label: 1st & 15th Entertainment & Atlantic Records
• Released in 2006 from Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor
• Peaked at #63 on the U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
• Won the 2008 Grammy for Best Urban/ Alternative Performance

Remix: "Automatic (Remix)" (DJ Lupe Fiasco x DJ Sky Gellatly featuring DJ Kue)

DJ Kue and The SNDCLSH have collaborated once again, this time with a remix of the classic Pointer Sisters hit "Automatic." The original Pointer Sisters track first appeared on their seminal album Break Out, released in 1983.

A favorite of Lupe, Sky, and Kue, "Automatic" won the Pointer Sisters a Grammy Award for Best Vocal Arrangement for Two or More Voices in 1985. The SNDCLSH x DJ Kue Automatic Remix is for promotional use only, and is nothing more than a tribute to the widely-loved Pointer Sisters' hit.

The trio of DJ Kue, Lupe, and Sky felt that it was only fitting to drop their homage to this Grammy-Award Winning track, and to the venerated vocal trio, on the first day of Grammy Award week back in 2012. Once a classic, forever a classic.

Take a listen below and Enjoy!

Album in the Works: "Black Radio 2" (Robert Glasper Experiment)

Having won a Grammy for their first collaborative album Black Radio, Robert Glasper and the Robert Glasper Experiment are looking to potentially match the success of their last LP with Black Radio 2. Set for an October 26th release, Black Radio 2 will feature collaborations with Common, Brandy, Jill Scott, Dwele, Marsha Ambrosius, Anthony Hamilton, Faith Evans, Norah Jones, Snoop Dogg, Lupe Fiasco, Emeli Sandé and  Lalah Hathaway and I don't know about you, but I can't wait to hear what Black Radio 2 will sound like. With that said, peep the official album cover above and the tracklisting after the jump and Enjoy!

Song of the Day: "Daydreamin'" (Lupe Fiasco feat. Jill Scott)

"Daydreamin'" - Lupe Fiasco featuring Jill Scott

• Writers: Craig Kallman, Lupe Fiasco, Dave Mackay, Sylveer VanHolman, Raymond Vincent
• Producer: Craig Kallman
• Record Label: 1st & 15th Entertainment & Atlantic Records
• Released in 2006 from Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor
• Peaked at #63 on the U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
• Won the 2008 Grammy for Best Urban/ Alternative Performance

Remix: "Automatic (Remix)" (SNDCLSH (DJ Lupe Fiasco x DJ Sky Gellatly) featuring DJ Kue)

DJ Kue and The SNDCLSH have collaborated once again, this time with a remix of the classic Pointer Sisters hit "Automatic." The original Pointer Sisters track first appeared on their seminal album Break Out, released in 1983.

A favorite of Lupe, Sky, and Kue, "Automatic" won the Pointer Sisters a Grammy Award for "Best Vocal Arrangement for Two or More Voices" in 1985. The SNDCLSH x DJ Kue Automatic Remix is for promotional use only, and is nothing more than a tribute to the widely-loved Pointer Sisters' hit.

The trio of DJ Kue, Lupe, and Sky felt that it was only fitting to drop their homage to this Grammy-Award Winning track, and to the venerated vocal trio, on the first day of Grammy Award week back in 2012. Once a classic, forever a classic.

Take a listen below and Enjoy!

Live Clip: "Battle Scars" (Lupe Fiasco & Guy Sebastian)

Last night Lupe Fiasco took to a Samsung sponsored event in New York City to perform once again with Guy Sebastian on "Battle Scars." In addition to Sebastian, Chicago's own Verzatile Band joined Lupe on this special performance of "Battle Scars" and you can watch this special performance go down below!

Live Video of the Day: "Battle Scars" (Lupe Fiasco & Guy Sebastian)

Lupe Fiasco and Guy Sebastian took to "The Late Show with David Letterman," last night to perform their collaboration "Battle Scars," which is lifted from Lupe Fiasco's latest release Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album Pt. 1." With that said, peep the duo's performance of "Battle Scars" below and Enjoy!

New Joint: "Battle Scars" (Guy Sebastian featuring Lupe Fiasco)

Guy Sebastian and Lupe Fiasco have teamed up on a rather unexpected collaboration entitled "Battle Scars." Lifted as the first single from Guy's forthcoming seventh LP "Armageddon," "Battle Scars" is a solid mid-tempo from the Australian crooner and hopefully this could serve as his breakout single for the US. Peep Guy Sebastian's latest single "Battle Scars" below and Enjoy!

Song of the Day: "Daydreamin'" (Lupe Fiasco featuring Jill Scott)

"Daydreamin'" - Lupe Fiasco featuring Jill Scott

• Writers: Craig Kallman, Lupe Fiasco, Dave Mackay, Sylveer VanHolman, Raymond Vincent
• Producer: Craig Kallman
• Record Label: 1st & 15th Entertainment & Atlantic Records
• Released in 2006 from "Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor.
• Peaked at #63 on the U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
• Won the 2008 Grammy for Best Urban/ Alternative Performance

Live Video of the Day: "Always Shine" (Robert Glasper, Bilal, & Lupe Fiasco)

Robert Glasper's "Black Radio" has been causing a lot of buzz since its release this past tuesday and Glasper along with Bilal and Lupe Fiasco recently look to "Late Night with David Letterman" to perform their cut "Always Shine," from Glasper's latest release. Watch their solid performance below and Enjoy!

Remix: "Automatic (Remix)" (SNDCLSH (DJ Lupe Fiasco x DJ Sky Gellatly) featuring DJ Kue)

Someone might've been peaking our second listen of The Pointer Sisters' "Automatic" from a few days ago because earlier today a remix of their infectious joint has hit the net courtesy of SNDCLSH (DJ Lupe Fiasco x DJ Sky Gellatly) featuring DJ Kue. With that said, you can take a listen below to their chopped and screwed rendition and Enjoy!

Live Video of the Day: "Words I Never Said" (Lupe Fiasco & Erykah Badu)

Lupe Fiasco and Erykah Badu dropped the hottest performance at this year's "BET Hip-Hop Awards 2011." The duo performed their politically charged joint "Words I Never Said," and I  must say that I am really disappointed in the crowd's reaction. The two did the damn thing and really were talking about something but were shown minimal love in comparison to some other performances that were subpar at best. Either way you might feel, watch Badu and Lupe take  on "Words I Never Said" and Enjoy!

Song of the Day: "Daydreamin'" (Lupe Fiasco featuring Jill Scott)

"Daydreamin'" - Lupe Fiasco featuring Jill Scott

• Writers: Craig Kallman, Lupe Fiasco, Dave Mackay, Sylveer VanHolman, Raymond Vincent
• Producer: Craig Kallman
• Record Label: 1st & 15th Entertainment & Atlantic Records
• Released in 2006 from "Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor.
• Peaked at #63 on the U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
• Won the 2008 Grammy for Best Urban/ Alternative Performance

New Joint: "Million Star Motel" (Nikki Jean ft. Lupe Fiasco & Black Thought)

Nikki Jean's highly anticipated album "Pennies in a Jar" was released today and one of the new joints from the effort is the Lupe Fiasco and Black Thought assisted joint "Million Star Motel." Her throwback vocals along with their verses off up a nice smooth jam. Listen below to "Million Star Motel" and pick up a copy of "Pennies in a Jar" if you don't have it.

Interview: B.o.B, Estelle, Janelle Monáe, Lupe Fiasco

In honor of Black History Month, Atlantic records has created a series of conversations entitled Game Changers which takes a closer look at artists that have challenged the boundaries of music.  We posted part 1  and part 2 earlier where Danyel Smith shared a round table with Janelle Monáe, Lupe Fiasco, Estelle, and B.o.B., to talk about the current state of the record industry in terms of their careers and if they have ever compromised their music to garner more success. Now the third and final segment has been released where the artists talk about an event that hurt their artistic feelings and leave some words of encouragement... Enjoy!

Interview: Lupe Fiasco, Estelle, B.o.B, & Janelle Monáe

In honor of Black History Month, Atlantic records has created a series of conversations entitled Game Changers which takes a closer look at artists that have challenged the boundaries of music.  We posted part 1 earlier where Danyel Smith shared a round table with Janelle Monáe, Lupe Fiasco, Estelle, and B.o.B., to talk about the current state of the record industry in terms of their careers and if they have ever compromised their music to garner more success. Now part 2 has been released where the artists talk about one another any why they believe each other are game changers as well as how they've had to struggle in the industry... Enjoy!

Interview: Lupe Fiasco, Estelle, B.o.B, & Janelle Monáe

In honor of Black History Month, Atlantic records has created a series of conversations entitled Game Changers which takes a closer look at artists that have challenged the boundaries of music. In part 1 of the series, Danyel Smith shares a round table with Janelle Monáe, Lupe Fiasco, Estelle, and B.o.B., to talk about the current state of the record industry in terms of their careers and if they have ever compromised their music to garner more success. An interesting piece and hopefully the subsequent parts will delve into other issues and possibly include other "Game Changers"... Enjoy!