OCD for Moosh & Twist: Obsessive behaviour for these Rap fanatics.

Moosh & Twist  taking a quick flick with Hoodie Allen on tour.

This I must say has been my obsession since I heard the song 'Black Forest Gummy Worms' in  April 2011. I was overcome with an inate sense of simultaneous musical serenity and genuine hype;  and not that seasonal hype that the typical recording artists for the major labels fabricate,  but that authentic hip hop buzz that only wordsmiths like Mos Def, The Roots, Pharoahe Monche, Talib Kweli gave you when playing, replaying and replaying again their songs.

These guys born and bred in  Philadelphia are DeQuincy "Moosh" Coleman McRae and Oliver "Twist" Feighan. What struck me as phenomenal was the fact that these two have been not only partners in crime  but  friends since first grade! It seems somewhat a fairytale starting a rap group with your childhood friend!

Nonetheless it's evident that their work  ethic is formidable and I can't  imagine it was all candy canes and love throughout their campaign,  but their love for their art and depiction of their desire to  succeed at it seems to shine through their lyrics and videography the majority of which produced by Rex Arrow.

Moosh & Twists' success has been proven by boasting over 100,000 mixtape downloads and over 7 million Youtube views, all without a debut album! They have  been touring and performing for their thousands of fans as headliners as well as opening for The White Panda, Hoodie Allen, Wale, and many more. However, my only criticism is despite the evident fan base abroad particularly Europe, Moosh and Twist still haven't heeded calls request from overseas fans to do an international tour. Call it bias  or  call it a flaw which ever way you see it demand from Europeans fans is there and I think it's time OCD answered there xalls.

To find out more about these guys check out there website at  www.mooshandtwist.com 

Have you been #Neknominated?

Neknomination (noun.) When you are nominated to "neck" a drink.

'Someone who is neknominated has 24 hours after nomination to mix together a variety of spirits (and whatever else they deem worthy/disgusting/difficult) and post a video of chugging it in one go. After necking your drink you then nominate at least one other person.'

The online community has yet again given birth to a new craze that one could be forgiven  for thinking that it was likely the brainchild of a bored university student that ached for some amusement to tear them away from their regular mundane bouts of inactivity or by a social president of some university/college sports team desperate for a new drinking game. The birthplace of this game however, was Perth in Australia! Nonetheless, the phenomenon has definitely become a frequently mentioned topic in current affairs.

The evolution of the Neknomination seems to have taken a sporadic and unpredictable form, from the simple downing of a pint while in a water slide to mixing vile concoctions which have included kitchen condiments as well as kitchen cleaners, or consuming lethal doses of alcohol, or committing outrageous stunts before finishing pints.

With the death Toll for Neknomination participants has now risen to 5 as of the 10th of February 2014, local councils are trying to put more pressure on social media to put warnings over Neknomination  participation. 

Love or hate it there is still a viable argument to be made for the alcohol industry experiencing a temporary stimulus boost in sales after the dip in revenue for many alcohol firms like Diageo were suffering from before the Christmas period. The development of the this trend. Could have been perceived as some warped form of Guerilla advertising that took advantage of the rising 'LAD' mentality in the UK. Whatever the case may be, as a marketing aficionado I am fully aware of how any publicity whether it be good or bad can be manipulated for promoting a brand. This hypothesis however would be typical of maybe conpiracy enthusiasts.

On a lighter note the Neknomination craze has received some competition. RAKnominations Which  involve nominations to people after committing  Random Acts of Kindness.  The most notable RAKnotmination has been by Brent Lindeque in South Africa.  To see what his RAKnotmination was, watch the clip below, his blog can also be found at razzlemonster.wordpress.com 

                                               I do not own this video

In addition to the RAKnomination, NIPnomination is another idea that took advantage of the Neknomination phenomenon. Michelle Kent, 31 came up with the idea after watching participants going to outrageous lengths in order to out do their challengers and wanted encourage a positive use for the trend. But there have been critics who disagree with the purposefulness of the campaign calling trivial and somewhat offensive to women who have no breast. I personally think that any cynics should take the time to understand the cause and refrain from nitpicking issues in a suggested solution. 

Thanks for reading and feel free to leave any thoughts you have in the comment box. PEACES.

THE BRITS 2014 AWARDS ARE HERE!!!!

Established in 1977, The Brits launched, but not under their current name; the British Record Industry Britannia Centenary Awards were held in the Wembley Conference Centre. This event however was not solely launched to celebrated the various musical achievements it was very much to hallmark the Silver Jubilee (25 years as the monarch) of Her Royal Highness as well as a commemoration of Thomas Edison inventing the sound recording.

Hosted by Michael Aspel, OBE established TV host who I can only say I have seen from his time presenting 'THIS IS YOUR LIFE' the event boasted winners such as Shirley Bassey, Queen and The Beatles accompanied by a incredibly popular performance by Simon & Garfunkel which was repeatedly demanded by the audience ( I can only visualise an assembly of well dressed members of the gentry assuming the form of farm crop being brushed by a cool breeze to the 'Sounds of silence').

47 years on  The Brits are still going strong with James Corden  hosting tomorrow's show. A prestigious award by many accounts, an annual ceremony to celebrate not only British music but also International music breaking through in Britain with twelve awards up for grabs.

Performers for this years award show include Arctic Monkeys, Katy Perry and Bruno Mars. Collaborations will consist of Pharrell Williams and NIle Rodgers, pop sensation Lorde with Disclosure and Rudimental teaming up with Bastille. Rumours are afloat that Beyonce is tipped to perform, and if so will it top her spectacular Grammy performance earlier this year? All in all The Brits 2014 Awards promises to be a star studded event that cannot be missed. 

Nominations for each award for tomorrows show can be found on www.brits.co.uk

New School in Rap music or Kindergarten lyricists?

It's no secret that hip hop has enjoyed renewed publicity and possibly identity to accompany it  in recent  times, but has it lost its integrity in the transition? 2Chainz, Trinidad James and Chief Keef; these are just a few celebrities that have made me cynical of the new breed of hip hop. To what end must the art form that I truly love be publicly mutilated as a popular circus act for (pardon the stereotype) those Beverley Hills residents who entertain their guests with meaningless notions, and the entertained continue to gyrate to lyrics of overly lavish lifestyles conveniently stitched to EDM backdrops.

Its with even greater sadness, that I learn that the range of hip hop accolades that can be won in The Grammy Awards have been downsized to one award! I now find myself enraged by either one of two notions. My initial thought is that revival of rap is not as formidable as initially thought and the second being that many of these dubious 'hip hop' artists are the only type of artists that are recognized in such a vast industry. To further compound my frustrations, I was listening to a radio interview with D.C. rapper Wale, and during  that interview he actually brought to my attention that the only hip hop artists that have ever won best Grammy Album were OutKast in 2004 and Lauren Hill in 1994. Without taking any credit away from these exceptional artists, what one may argue is that the respective albums that won did not really employ the same melodic environment that was typical of their hip hop background.

Even though I am concentrating on the most recent contributions to rap music, it has sadly been an endemic issue. KRS One, Pharoahe Monche, Curt@!n$, Talib Kweli and Yaslin Bey (Mos Def) to name a few have been plagued by their innate obligation to resist the pollution of commercial music. At the risk of sounding hypocritical I am by no means a purist, I will admit to have the club tracks and the hype hop, and I enjoy the odd Diggy track but it just seems that so much of it is dominating good rap music. I may receive a lot of negative feedback by addressing the following artists, but even lyricists such as Kanye West and Jay Z are exploiting the commercial revenue in order to stay relevant.

However with new pioneers in hip hop such as J. Cole, Kendrick Lamar, Wale and Joey Badass, I still have hope that rap will remain an art form and not just a fashionable distraction for cool-chasers. So far 2013 has proved a promising year for these artists gaining a lot of exposure, but will they retain their integrity? Only time will tell, till then.  PEACES.

New 007 movie trailer 'SKYFALL' is released

The 23rd 007 sequel is being released on 50th anniversary of bond feature film productions. the great british spy almost every young impressionable teen aspires to be will be released on the ninth of november this year. despite fears of daniel craig's reign as James bond being under threat it is said he's already looking forward to filming for bond 24.

The trailer released SKYFALL boasts yet again the suave combination of style and chaos, that all the while manages to affect viewers in a way that only be described as an adrenaline soaked paralysis.
Without exposing the plot it seems Bond is presented with a dilemma where he must choose between loyalty or patriotism.

The cast also intrigues me with Ben Whishaw assuming the role if every beloved tech heads 'Q' which begs the question "Will daniel craig get more gadgets?" The Bond franchise has injected a useful face to Bond's  support network. Ralph Fiennes and Javier Bardem will also star in the film.

In addition to the film release 007 has been designated a scent with the aid of the new 007 fragrance

 Enjoy.(I do not own any of the media shown apart from what I have written.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kw1UVovByw

G-Shock releases "The Dark Knight"

(I do not own any of the media shown apart from what I have written.)

G-Shock GA-100-1A1  A.K.A. "The Dark Knight"

Reminiscent of a stealthy gadget that would probably find its way into Bruce Wayne's desk or amongst Batman's plethora of artillery in the Bat Cave, the aptly named The Dark Knight was released this year most likely  in celebration of Christopher Nolan's  latest Batman sequel "The Dark Knight Rises" Which finalises his take on the DC Comic heroes journey featuring Bane. Anyway enough banter here's the stats Very tough G-Shock - Analogue-digital G-Shock watch features magnetic resistant, 200 Meter Water Resistant, Auto LED Light with Afterglow, World Time (29 times zones),4 Daily Alarms and 1 Snooze Alarm Hourly Time Signal, 1/1000 Second Stopwatch, Countdown Timer, Full Auto-Calendar (pre-programmed until the year 2099).



Shock resistant (G-SHOCK)
Magnetic resistant
LED light
Auto light switch, selectable illumination duration, afterglow
World time
29 time zones (48 cities + coordinated universal time), daylight saving on/off, Home city / World time city swapping
1/1000-second stopwatch
Measuring capacity: 99:59'59.999''
Measuring modes: Elapsed time, lap time, split time
Others: Speed (0 to 1998 units / hour), Distance input (0.0 to 99.9)
Mach indicator (speed exceeding 1225 units / hour)
Countdown timer
Measuring unit: 1 second
Input range: 1 minute to 24 hours (1-minute increments and 1-hour increments)
Other: Auto-repeat
Daily alarms
independent daily alarms (4 one-time alarms and 1 snooze alarm)
Hourly time signal
Full auto-calendar (to year 2099)
12/24-hour format
Regular timekeeping
Analog: 2 hands (hour, minute (hand moves every 20 seconds))
Digital: Hour, minute, second, pm, month, date, day
Accuracy: ±15 seconds per month
Approx. battery life: 2 years on CR1220
Size of case / total weight
GA-100 : 55.0 X 51.2 X 16.9 mm / 70 g
GA-100A : 55.0 X 51.2 X 16.9 mm / 70 g

Complete with:
Casio Presentation box and instructions
2 year Casio guarantee

iPad Nano Hype

(I do not own any of the media apart from what I have written)              

Is Apple CEO Tim Cook going to make a big reveal this year?

Have over zealous Apple fanatics gone fruity or is Tim Cook actually going to treat Apple Mac lovers to a new addition the family? Either way the idea of a smaller iPad  is getting a lot of media attention and I mean A LOT. The hype may have died down with the iPhone 5 image releases.(For more info on iPhone 5 see http://www.apple.com/uk/iphone/#video)

Many consumers feel that the new approach would make Apple more affordable although Die hard Apple loyalists feel that the brand will lose exclusivity by selling out to the cheaper market. There are two ways you can consider this  Apple are prepared to do this to possibly take a goliath approach to business by occupying the majority of the segments in the market.  How strategically Apple lose their image as possibly premium or niche. Whatever it is everyone's goin' CRAY!!!!

I'd like to know what everyone thinks so let me know PLEASE!!