why can't you tell me

(Insert ridiculous excuse about why this post is late here)

Mr Evil- She Waah

This guy is an interesting figure in the Jamaican dancehall scene. To start off, Mr Evil is actually an alias of the producer/deejay Leftside (of the hit-making duo Leftside & Esco), created for the sole purpose of making dancehall songs imitating the voice of Dr. Evil of the Austin Powers trilogy. Unfortunately, Mr Evil is also infamous for writing a handful of very graphic homophobic songs (but then again, so are most dancehall and reggae artists). She Waah is a fast-paced futuristic dancehall banger that briefly borrows the rhyme structure of a very popular song (listen for yourselves). The beat goes hard, and is a perfect summer sizzler of a tune. Also, this particular version might be censored, but I'm having a wee bit of trouble understanding what words are omitted. Oh well.

Sonny Spoon ft Young Jeezy & Lil C- The Game

Since we're continuing on the theme of older songs that I dig, this one cannot be left out. Not entirely sure on its rarity though(but really, what is "rare" these days). This is an early Young Jeezy cut featuring Atlanta talent Sonny Spoon and Lil C., a jazzy ode to how the hustle game and the code of the streets has changed over the years.

Sleigh Bells- Tell Em

This short, cacophonous mindfuck of a track, by Brooklyn group Sleigh Bells, has been lauded and applauded on more blogs than I can count. It seems like they purposefully made it sound screechy and rough, so that no matter the quality of your speakers, it still sounds the same. Kudos to them, because they finally caught on to the fact that most people listen to music out of shitty, tinny speakers or laptops. All in all, they have a really raw lo-fi sound that people really seem to dig. Also, they are co-headlining with the mighty DIE ANTWOORD this wednesday at Le National on Ste-Catherine, which should be the aural equivalent of GHB. Can't wait, it's gonna be doooooope.

DJ Eleven ft Mike Baker the Bike Maker- Every Freakin (DJ Ayres remix)

DJ Eleven is a member of the incredibly influential trio of DJs known as The Rub, and this is the first release by his new record label, the cleverly named 11 Inch Records. If memory serves, the hook is sampled from a Jodeci song, and the emceeing duties are handled by Mike Baker the Bike Maker, one of the best monikers I have ever heard. The Rub (DJ Ayres, Cosmo Baker & DJ Eleven) are quite important, and never get enough props for creating the best mash-ups of the early 2000s, mixing shit that no one had ever thought of mixing. They are technically amazing djs, and they often pay respects to the O.G's, either in their mixes or in their live sets. The reason I'm posting this tune, besides the fact that it is funky as hell, is to show respect for a group of DJs that changed my views on mixing genres and on playing older, more obscure songs in sets filled with hip hop & other genres. Basically, they opened my mind to the limitless scope of influences that emcompass dance music. Respect the architects. (p.s: Girl Talk owes these motherfuckers a check. They did it the mash-up shit better than him, and before him.)

DJ Eleven Website
11 Inch Records Website (They just released a great disco EP by DJ Apt One that you should really scope out)

Buenas Tardes, motherfuckers. Hope you enjoyed.