HipHopAtLunch.com met up with Rhymefest at Fat Beats in NYC to speak about the El Che album, his viral music videos, and the new Chicago super-group, Blacksploitation.

Blacksploitation’s upcoming project, The DuSable Museum, sounds really interesting – great concept!  I can’t wait to see what the Chicago super group, consisting of Rhymefest, Mikkey Halsted, J.U.I.C.E., and Twone Gabz, cooks up.

Let’s take a look at the cartoon music videos discussed in the interview:

Rhymefest – “Say Wassup” (Featuring Phonte)

The 3-D video for “Saw Wassup” is entertaining enough to warrant three minutes of your time, especially given Phonte’s smooth hook and Rhymefest’s always thought-provoking lyrics.

Rhymefest – “Give It To Me”

It’s hard to believe that respectable companies such as Warner Brothers and Disney used to create these culturally insensitive cartoons.  I agree with Rhymefest that we should allow hip hop artists the opportunity to mature with their music before writing them off, in a similar fashion to how Warner Bros. and Disney were allowed to come up with more appropriate cartoons before loosing our attention.  Also, if you enjoyed the video, be sure to check out the album version of “Give It To Me,” as it has guest verses from Saigon and Adad.

By the way, if you want to hear Rhymefest’s personal favorite, “Truth On You,” you’ll have to buy the album.  Youtube.com has already blocked the content.

Buy Rhymefest’s El Che album.

The 3-D video for “Say Wassup” utilizes some of our favorite cartoon characters in a real creative way. Enjoy the visuals, but don’t overlook the smooth track!
 

Thoughts on the video?

Shout out to Konee Rok for directing this video full of controversial cartoons.

Rhymefest’s long awaited El Che album is set to drop on June 8th.

Court Dunn did it again, and this time he has Rhymefest rapping in front of a faded image of the Chicago emcee typing his lyrics.  I’m surprised more directors haven’t started biting Restless Films‘ style and extremely successful one-shot videos!

Rhymefest uses the song as a personal letter to a friend, and the smooth hook provided by John Mayer (previously heard on Wale’s version of the track) fits in very well.

Here’s the first couple lines:

“All the places, I’ve been,
People I’ve seen,
Women I’ve sinned,
Been a long time since I wrote, my friend,
They say all good things gotta end,
How is that?
We fam, we done been through the thin and the thick.”

The song continues to get more personal from there.

“Letter” can be found on Rhymefest’s most recent mixtape, “Dangerous: 5-18,″  which serves as the final preview to his sophomore album, “El Che.”

Big K.R.I.T. – They Got Us All

At this point, it’s safe to assume that every track from Big K.R.I.T. is worth a listen.  Not convinced?  Check out this list of recent releases from the Mississippi artist.

Rapping over his own production on “They Got Us All,” Big K.R.I.T. displays his story telling skills with a few verses about unfortunate circumstances.  Here’s an excerpt from the second verse about an adult dancer:

“Since the recession, its been hard if you’re strippin,
Cause niggas pay to get in, but niggas ain’t tippin,
She short on rent, the landlord trippin,
Tired of eating noodles that taste like chicken,
Don’t really like hoe’in, ain’t hard to tell,
But when all else fails, pussy always sell,
The song stopped spinnin and her time was up,
Snatched the money off the floor and said
They got us all fucked up.”

The other two verses deal with HIV and jail.

Be sure to keep an eye out for the May 3rd release of KRIT Wuz Here, as the project should jump start the emcee’s career!

After the success of “Break Up Remix,” Sean Garrett teamed up with Nicki Minaj for what promises to be another radio hit.  “Get It All” has a fun and youthful beat, which greatly complements Nicki’s flow.  She needs to make more tracks like this.

Here’s her verse in it’s entirety:

“Stop playin man, I’ve been hotter than summer school,
Cause even then, I used to make the motherfuckers drool,
I’ve been bad since sticky hands, now all these bitches is Nicki fans,
I gotta chuckle, excuse the duffel,
I mean my ring so big it just bruised my knuckle,
And I just heard that you was back on the market,
Let me stick shift ride it, back it up and then park it.
Cause you and me we should be together,
Cop the matching Lamborghini, Swahili leather.
Now that that that, that’s black on black,
And if the bitch call your phone, that’s a back hand slap.”

Nicki Minaj’s talent lies in the unique way she flows on tracks while building up the larger-than-life Barbie Bitch personality that she’s made famous.

Bun B – “Big Dick Cheney”

I love how this freestyle starts out with Bun B calling for an end to all the “Exhibit C” remixes.  I feel the same way and dread hearing more versions of the hit track by Jay Electronica and Just Blaze.

“Big Dick Cheney” continues Bun’s recent freestyle onslaught, where he’s been dropping sick verses and building his buzz.   Here’s the last couple lines of the track which are directed at some of hip hop’s current stars:

“Your O.G.’s O.G. will tell ya I’ve been a cold nigga,
With the heat, on the rise like a dinner roll,
I’m on the block in all black with the flame tucked,
Oh yea you got the top spot, but you a lame duck,
And you the reason that the whole rap game suck,
And I’m the big dick that’s finna leave the game fucked.”

“Big Dick Cheney” will be on Bun’s upcoming mixtape, No Mixtape, but I’m really looking forward to the upcoming album, Trill O.G. It sounds like he’s going to make a classic!

Rhymefest – “Exodus 5.1″

I’m a fan of spoken word, and Rhymefest blessed us this week with the impressive video to his “Exodus 5.1.”  The track has thought provoking phrases such as:

“Tryin to find a heaven on Earth, I pray to God and the Devil in church,
I’mma worship whoever help me first.
Folks, what you know about trust,
You ever been locked up and had the prosecutor say you in luck,
Tell us who gave you the dope, who gave you the pistol, who told you to shoot it,
Think smart and your sentence is cut,
That’s the same shit that set Fred Hampton up,
And that’s the reason the people got the clamps on us,
Sell dope lil nigga, rap, dance for us,
I saw the cops beat a shorty when his hands was cuffed.”

In case you’re wondering who Fred Hampton is, here’s some more info.

Rhymefest’s El Che is looking at a summer release date.

Rhymefest drops some spoken word on us with “Exodus 5.1.”

Here’s a new one from Rhymefest, that features some nice lines about Wale’s album sales.

Download “Talk My Shit.”

Jay-z’s first official single from The Blueprint 3 due out 9/11/09, “Run This Shit.” This album is going to be a classic. Kanye West kills his verse on this one! More on OzoneMag.com

J.Cole releases the mastered version of “Lights Please.” Check this track out…It’s the reason Jay-z signed the North Carolina MC to Roc Nation! More on XXLMag.com

No I.D. (The man behind Jay-z’s D.O.A.) gives words of advice for Drake and a shout out to J.Cole! All up and coming artists should take note. More on 2DopeBoyz.com

I feel like Gucci Mane was awkwardly put in this song… Why in the world would he jump on an Eminem diss record? BURR! More on WorldStarHipHop.com

Good looks on Rhymefest physically showing his support for his community! The hood needs jobs. This Recession is killing us! More on Xclusiveszone.net

This is the best Hip Hop video I have seen in a LONG time! Got the link from @Big_Sean <– Follow his Twitter. Seriously dope video and song. More on Big Sean’s Website

Check out Mike Posner & Big Sean’s performance last night at SOB’s in NYC. They killed it, just as the sold out crowd expected them to! More on NahRight.com

To keep us entertained while we wait for more diss tracks from Jay-z & The Game, DatPiff.com gives us The Game’s RED Mixtape. Lots of features on this one, Enjoy! More on DatPiff.com