K-Dot Takes T-Dot: Good Kid, m.A.A.d Talent

(Photo via flickr.com)

I'm not a huge fan of weekday concerts. Can't really bust loose and get into it (if you know what I mean). This is especially true for a hip hop show. The wait...it always drives me crazy, waiting for all of the fluff to run its course before the main event (while staying disciplined). Mix in the young fans, a few too many unannounced opening acts, a few too many announced acts not showing up. It usually becomes an adventure and test of patience, which I don't have on a weekday. We arrived an hour later than the posted show start time for the previously stated reasons and didn't miss a thing.

Get Rich Or Die Ansari

(All photos via  emceezansari.tumblr.com)

Please welcome Emceez Ansari to the webosphere, a brilliant tumblr account that features mashups of hip hop album covers and one of my favorite comedians Aziz Ansari. His face/look kills me when he's on stage and this takes it to the next level of awesome.

Take the jump to see more of these P&B approved gems.

Hip Hop Mafioso Turf War: Team Money VS Team Throne

Of all the beefs in the Hip Hop game right now, the Lil Wayne VS Jay-Z beef is proving to be the most interesting. Both sides have thrown jabs at each other, but no one has thrown a knock out punch. So, I'll do what P&B do and break it down with an analysis of these 2 crews to see who's Capo dei capi and who's the paisano:

Your Top 5 New Year's Resolutions Brought To You By Paqman&Bull

(Photo via nafbm.org)

1 - Stop posting EVERYTHING on Twitter and Facebook, especially your criminal activities

2 - Don't judge someone for their taste in music since your unabated love for M83 is nothing to be proud of

3 - Keep your vices on lock - moderation is the key to survival

4 - Wear proper attire during the appropriate season. You're not that cool, man, rocking your spring jacket in the dead of winter in Toronto

5 - Read P&B every damn day

BONUS RESOLUTION Sponsored by Drake

(Photo via ugliesttattoos.failblog.org)

YOLO is the motto

-Paqman

Paqman's Top 10 Albums Of 2011 - The Year Of The Mixtape

Tens of thousands of albums have been released this past year, so P&B are taking on the arduous task of breaking down our very own Top 10 Albums of 2011 List. This is the second of a 2-part series (Turnbull's first, with Paqman's second). We'll break down the albums, EPs, and mixtapes, etc, that made for quintessential listening throughout the year. If you don't see something on here that you feel should've made the lists, feel free to leave a comment or send us an email about it!

10) Foo Fighters - Wasting Light

The Foo had one hell of a year. They reestablished themselves as the premiere stadium rock band with a massive sold out tour. If you haven't checked out the "Back and Forth" documentary which chronicles the band's history and the making of "Wasting Light", it's a must for any fan of the Foo Fighters and modern rock.

P&B Approved Cuts: Bridges Burning, Rope, Arlandia

 9) Drake - Take Care

Canada's hottest export did not fail with his sophomore release. With longtime producer Noah "40" Shebib, Just Blaze and T-Minus, Drake proved that his star continues to rise as he delivers his trademark introspective lyrics over fantastically produced beats.

P&B Approved Cuts: Buried Alive Interlude, Under Ground Kings, Take Care

Quick Shot Review: Drake - Take Care

(Photo via aglobalculture.com)

I added Drake's Take Care to my Blackberry this morning (legally) so that I could sample the delayed and anticipated album. Singles, or leaks, are usually an indication of what we should expect from the official release. For Take Care, this is the case.

The feel of the album is dark and moody on my first listen. In contrast, I thought that Thank Me Later had more kick to it, with a great mix of ballads, bangers and everything in between. Based on what's been written about Drake's process in creating his sophomore effort, he took his time. And his meticulous and drawn out process is reflected in his work.

The main themes of the album are fame (don't hate) and the ladies. This isn't a shocking deviation from what he's released in the past. My feeling is that he could've expanded on what he previously established, but why fix something when it isn't broken.

So take Take Care for what it is. A deeper exploration into Drake's soul and his struggle with fame. It's a darker journey that you might not want to take more than a few times.

P&B Approved Cuts:

- Make Me Proud feat. Nicki Minaj
- Headlines
- Lord Knows feat. Rick Ross

-Paqman

Wartime Confessional: the Eventual Rise of Gorilla Warfare Tactics

(Photo via goodmusicallday.com)

I stumbled upon this group by accident. It was a little more than a month ago when the name Gorilla Warfare Tactics popped into my view. I usually give newly discovered music a few bars before I move on to the next. They earned more of my time.