Watch Devlin's "London City" on Tripletimexl.com!

This is the video for Devlin's new single "London City", which is produced by Kraze and directed by Digital Dan. The song contains a sample of Utada Hikaru's "Passion" (also known as "Sanctuary") from the Kingdom Hearts soundtrack. The video, which features cameos from Ghetts and Griminal, is an artistic masterpiece. It is by far one of the best new music videos of 2009, and it'll definitely be remembered as one of the greatest low budget videos of the decade!

"London City"
Artist: Devlin
Producer: Kraze Productions
Sampled: Utada Hikaru – "Passion" (Kindom Hearts)
Director: Digital Dan
Cameos: Ghetts & Griminal
Location: London, UK
Year: 2009
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/devlinot
Label: O.T Recordings/J. Clarke Enterprise

Watch Major Lazer's "Hold The Line (Remix)" on Tripletimexl.com!

This is the official video for the amazing remix of Major Lazer's "Hold The Line," from the album "Guns Don't Kill People… Lazers Do".  The video contains exclusive clips from some of Henok's live performances. You're going to love this!

"Hold The Line (Remix)"
Artist: Major Lazer (Switch & Diplo)
Featuring: Henok Achido, Santigold, Mr. Lexx
Album: Guns Don't Kill People… Lazers Do
Year: 2009
Henok Achido on Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/henokachido
Major Lazer on Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/majorlazer
Record Label: SSC/Mad Decent
Booking: TheSecretSocietyClub@gmail.com

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I really don't like this video. It's too American! Seriously… I love listening to Swedish rap because it's usually progressive, creative, different, avant-garde, and rebellious. This video just doesn't take me anywhere that I haven't been before. It's sounds very reminiscent of 2001 to 2003 Hip-Hop Club Songs and the video looks like something that I've seen before. Plus, where's the lyrics? Tensta? Eboi? What happened on this one? Lazee had the best verse out of everyone on this song. The whole record seems like it was rushed.

Now this is suppose to be Kartellen's big summer hit of 2009, and it probably will end up being their big summer hit of 2009… overall, it's probably one of the most marketable records that I've ever heard from Kartellen. I hope this record does really well over there in Stockholm. I just can't deny the fact that this record simply doesn't live up to the great Swedish dance rap records like Adam Tensta's "Dopeboy" & "My Cool"; Lazee's "Rock Away"; Paragon's "Aavisst"; and Henok's "Pusher" and "Can I". I wish the record had a stronger foundation of meaningful lyrics instead of "have fun and party". Freeway and Memphis Bleek already mastered the art of "have fun and party" music. I gotta hear something more progressive. So I'm just voicing my opinion on this one. I'm sure that some people will feel the same way.

I'm going to continue to support Kartellen because their music is simply getting better and better, I just hope their next single is a bit more thought provoking and ground breaking.

"GÃ¥ Loss"
Artist: Kartellen
Featuring: Lazee, Adam Tensta, Eboi, J-Son, Glaciuz, and MOFO
Director: Mikadelika
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
Year: 2009
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/kartellen

This is what happens when multifaceted rappers have way too much time on their hands. Here’s the back story: In 2008, XXL made a magazine cover documenting the top ten rising starts in hip-hop, "The Top Ten 09 Freshmen", which included, Mickey Factz, Charles Hamilton, Asher Roth, Blu, Wale and more… Strangely XXL made the bold decision to put Ace Hood on the list instead of XV, and many hip-hop fans weren't too happy about it, including me. People began flooding XXL's blog site asking questions like "Where's XV?" "Where's Drake?". Most of the artists on the list are connected to each other by one or two degrees of separation and they were all major players in the internet rap movement except for Mr. Hood. Ace Hood is simply part of different scene; he can't be compared to "blog rappers" or anyone that's associated with the new hipster rap genre. I like Ace, but personally I'd rather see him compared to Plies, or Gucci Mane – major label, flashy southern rappers that are getting nation-wide commercial airplay.
What if Ace Hood wasn't on the cover? Who should have taken his place? XV? Drake? Skyzoo? Maybe Skyzoo didn't make the list because he's an "underground rapper" that is often ignored by mainstream media. Maybe Drake didn't make the list because he's a Canadian rapper that wasn't as popular in the US during most of 2008… So what about XV? Maybe XV wasn't on there because the entire "Top Ten Freshmen of 2009" cover was a well designed product of a joint lobbying effort from major label executives to promote their newly signed artists on a grand scale. Whatever the case, the controversy still looms. Now that it's 2009, XV decides that he's not going to continue to rant about XXL, and burn a potential bridge, he instead decides to send them a subliminal "F-You" through this beautifully crafted, ignorant image of the week.

Watch Henok Achido's "Stones In My Shoes" on Tripletimexl.com!

Henok Achido is one of the only rappers that can perform without a hypeman. That's all I'm going to say. Buy the album!

"Stones In My Shoes"
Artist: Henok Achido
Footage: PopCirkus on SVT (Sveriges Television)
Album: Almaz Charming Child
Year: 2009
Henok Achido on Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/henokachido
Record Label: DLX Entertainment/Secret Society Club
Contact: thesecretsocietyclub@gmail.com

This is brand new music from TN who is, by far, the best rapper in all of Massachusetts. Lyrically there just isn't any competition out there. If you've ever been to Massachusetts you'll know that there really isn't a scene for hip-hop. There's thousands of rappers yet, there are zero major record labels in Massachusetts, and almost every rapper in the state has a day job. As the saying goes "No one is eating off rap music in Mass. And if someone says that they are, they're lying." TN's been jumping around from venue to venue playing shows with everyone from Canibus to Akrobatik. He had the crowd going nuts at the Middle East in Cambridge last week, and he recently got a standing ovation in Allston at the Harpers Ferry. His unique vocal presence and delivery is what separates him from all the other new rappers out there. He carries this unmatched intensity on every verse and he's often compared to a young 50 Cent, or a late 90's Busta Rhymes. He knows that he's one of the best rappers out… you can hear it in his voice. I've been told that this song is just an early taste of the numerous freestyles that are coming. You may have heard this beat before but you haven't heard it flipped like this. Let's get into one of the biggest freestyles of the 09 summer, TN… "You better know now".

Download: Download and Share!

"You Better Know Now (Freestyle)"
Artist: T.N.
Producer: Red Spyda
Year: 2009
Country: USA
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/tnfromthema
Booking: truenem@yahoo.com

Watch Metal Hill's "Hollywood No More" on Tripletimexl.com!

Check this out – Metal Hill, a hip-hop duo out of Philadelphia, recently released a video for their new single "Hollywood No More" directed by the veteran director, Steven Tapia. In the video, Tapia uses a wide array of color and lighting to perfectly execute and intensify the emotional story within the song. Fashion played a major role throughout the filming of this video. There aren't any extras wearing trendy sneakers and designer urban t-shirts; instead, the musicians in the video are dressed in normal, form fitting clothing, such as blazers, slacks, ties and button downs. The video, which could have headed down a very raunchy path, continued to maintain a strong sense of class. Jivanta Roberts, the beautiful young woman in the film, really helped bring everything together. She's a budding actress who's been a back-up dancer for dozens of hip-hop stars and was one of the leading ladies in Charles Hamilton's "Brooklyn Girls" and Ron Browz's "Jumpin Out The Window". Enjoy this new creative song and video, from the talented musicians of Metal Hill.

"Hollywood No More"
Artist: Metal Hill
Director: Steven Tapia
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Year: 2009
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/metalhill
Record Label: Unsigned

I'm calling this out early, even though the track is unfinished, and there's still 8 months before 2010, I honestly believe that when these two artists begin to establish themselves as two of the world's most popular rap acts, people will look back at this collaboration in the same light as the legendary 1997 Masta Ace & Eminem collaboration for Hellbound.
I got a chance to listen to this record about 3 months, ago over the phone; I still have no idea when the full remix will be done and released, but I know for a fact that it’s going to feature some pretty big names (you'll have to wait and see). This verse was recently placed on the new "Please, Hold" mixtape which is a gathering of some very very old XV songs such as Cooler Than Ya Boyfriend, along with some very new XV songs and remixes including this one right here. It's sort of a mixed bag for me since I already had 60% of those songs on my computer, but it's great for people that missed all the unreleased XV songs through the years and feel a need to catch up.

So pick that mixtape up, and enjoy the very short, yet memorable, verse from XV on this epic Swedish instrumental with one of the world's best rappers, Henok Achido.

Download: Right Click Save As

"Fly, Fresh, Forever (Remix)"
Artists: XV and Henok Achido
Producer: Filthy
Album: Please, Hold
Year: 2009
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/xtothevizzy
Contact: Xtothev@gmail.com

First off, This is one of the best songs of Henok's debut album, "Almaz Charming Child" (Buy It). It's lyrically in another world. This record is just years ahead of it's time. So enjoy one of the most lyrical songs of 2009! Henok Achido's "Crazy"… and yes you are CRAZY if you don't have the new album from Henok titled "Almaz Charming Child", so go get yourself a copy, you won't regret it. Preview the rest of the album at http://www.myspace.com/henokachido.

"Crazy"
Artist: Henok Achido
Producer: Dj Large
Album: Almaz Charming Child
Year: 2009
Country: Sweden
Henok Achido on Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/henokachido
Record Label: DLX Entertainment/Secret Society Club
Contact: thesecretsocietyclub@gmail.com

Watch Eboi's Version of Kano's "Hustler" on Tripletimexl.com!

What more can be said, Listen to the song! I've heard , Kano, Ghetto, Lazee, Adam Tensta, and now Eboi on this epic Hustler track. Lyrically, I still have to give it to Adam Tensta, but DELIVERY, I have to say that Eboi took it! He made 100% of every second of that Mikey J instrumental into his own work of art. I can't even believe I'm saying this but it is now very difficult to listen to the Kano version after hearing this song, and the original Kano tune use to be one of my favorite records. Speaking of great songs, the Tensta/Eboi duo have been picking some great instrumentals to rap over as of late, for example, Electric Feel (Justice Remix), Waters of Nazareth, Thunderstuck was amazing and now this!!!

What's next!? Seriously?

"Hustler"
Artist: Eboi
Music Producer: Mikey J
Filmed By: Keynote
Editor: Marcus Lundin
Album: "Unreleased"
Country: Sweden
Year: 2009
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/eboirmh
Record Label: RMH Ent.
Booking: rmh.ent@gmail.com