BOO, 'YE.

WTF is up with the new Kanye track? The recorded version "Love Lockdown" leaked this week, giving us a slightly better impression of the song than his raucous rendition of it at the VMA's. And to clarify: I use the term "slightly better" solely in terms of our ability to gauge the merit of this track -- because after listening to it, I think the overall impression is far worse. I was really hoping that the studio version would have incorporated some crazy beats, heavy bass, or even some RAPPING, Kanye? But no, no, and no -- the recording is equally as bland and unimpressive as the VMA performance.

So seriously -- WTF is up with Kanye right now? Why is he shunning his roots as an amazing hip-hop producer and witty MC to make watered-down pop music that sounds like a reject JT track? I'm holding out hope that maybe, just MAYBE, he'll come to his senses before releasing a mediocre album that all but destroys his credibility in the music world. Until then, I'll just try to happy with the fact that I caught the Glow in the Dark Tour before 'Ye fell so far from grace.

Sad.

Download: Kanye West // Love Lockdown

a mixtape named cudi

man on the moon, KiD CuDi

Cleveland's KiD CuDi, whose obsessively good "Day N Night (Crookers Remix)" dropped earlier this year, just put out a free(!) mixtape that's making its way around the music blogosphere as of late. I finally downloaded it, and my initial impression of it is good. Given that my first exposure to CuDi was the considerably upbeat Crookers remix, the mixtape is a lot more slow-jam/R&B-influenced than I expected, but I think the chill vibe suits CuDi -- just listen to the chorus of "Day N Night" or the track "Maui Wowie" and I think you'll see why. And we can always leave it to the blog-house circuit to upgrade the tracks to bangers, I suppose (lol). There's also a sick Band of Horses sample on one track that I really enjoyed, and CuDi also name-drops Justice, Google, and Barack Obama at points -- I chuckled accordingly.

Get KiD CuDi's "A Kid Named CuDi" mixtape HERE.

**End-note**
Based on the photo above, is it not glaringly obvious that KiD CuDi's signed to Fool's Gold? (heh)