Watch Drake's "Best I Ever Had" on TripletimeXL.com

This may be one of the few times you'll hear me mention Drake on this site, unless he continues to work with skilled seasoned video directors like Kanye West (yes I said it). Kanye West needs a lot more credit for his artistic talents, especially when it comes to videos, he never disappoints. I've read a lot of negative reviews on Drake's "Best I Ever Had" video (which was directed by Kanye West) from people that simply aren't Drake fans and that are greatly overlooking the brilliance of this video. You can hate the artist, but, don't hate the video. You can hate the director, but do not hate the video… because the video is amazing. Starting from the opening shot which sets the scene of a high school gym with raining confetti and a basketball team made up of "video models" running in slow motion in a comedic, yet sexy way, which pays homage to the slow motion effects used in the television series Baywatch. Kanye West made the video classy, and humorous throughout the entire way, by including a storyline of a girls basketball team that cares more about looking good for their coach (Drake) then they do about winning. This video is sheer entertainment. It's a creative concept that allows the hired music video models to be utilized as actresses instead of dancing props (like in other rap videos). The fictional school in the clip is named after Drake and it pays a slight homage to the real Drake University. The team that they're playing against are suppose to resemble the multi-championship winning Bishop Ford Academy in Brooklyn, New York, and Kanye West made sure to include multiple shots of the team banners hanging on the wall.
One common complaint from online critics is that the song has nothing to with the video and vice versa. My question is, why should it? Did any Brittany Spears music videos have anything to do with her songs? No. Did any P. Diddy music videos (other than "I'll be missing you") have anything to do with his songs? No. Were all those music videos brilliant… yes (with the exception of a couple flops). It takes a large amount of skill to take a song and make a video piece that is five to ten times bigger than the original song; and Kanye West achieved this feat with this video.

"Best I Ever Had"
Artist: Drake
Director: Kanye West
Setting: Bishop Ford Academy, Brooklyn, NYC
Album: Thank Me Later
Country: Canada/USA
Year: 2009
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/thisisdrake
Label: Young Money/Universal
Booking: booking@bryant-management.com

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

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.

"Ga 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

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

Watch Perfekt And Chance's "Don't Break It Up" on Tripletimexl.com!

First of all, Boston rappers rarely get any publicity outside of New England, and it's a shame because there's a lot of talent in the city, and most people don’t seem to care. So I'm going to do something that many bloggers have never done…. post music from a Boston hip-hop act. (When's the last time you seen a blog writer do that…?)
Perfekt N Chance, have been hopping from radio station to radio station in New England, and getting some notable airplay at stations like WJMN 94.5FM, WERS 88.9FM and WUML 91.5FM. This is their new video, which was created by a brilliant director named Derek Pike of NYU. It's doesn't look amateur at all. Derek has a knack for making very dynamic and entertaining music videos. The song is called Don't Break It Up; 2 Thumbs up! Pick up their new album slash mixtape titled "Return of Da Bully".

"Don't Break It Up"
Artist: Perfekt And Chance
Director: Derek Pike For So Fresh Productions
Album: Return of Da Bully (unhosted)
Year: 2009
Perfekt And Chance on Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/perfektandchance
Record Label: Gittuff Records
Contact: perfektandchance@gmail.com

Watch Henok's "Fly Fresh" on Tripletimexl.com!

So many rappers are reliant on fads while others are reliant on skill. Henok Achido is one of those rappers that are reliant on skill. You can play his music 5 years from now, you could have played his music 5 years ago; his style is timeless and classic. So many rappers are all about their shoes, clothes, and coolness. Henok is simply about being a good rapper period, nothing more nothing less. His delivery is so powerful that he doesn’t even need metaphors in his music. Right now we live in an era where rappers are defined by the amount of metaphors they can sneak into a song. Tupac, B.I.G., Nas rarely used metaphors… yet they're still considered the greatest rappers of all time, why? The answer to that question is the reason why Henok will be considered as one of the hip-hop greats when it's all said and done. Fly Fly Fresh Forever!

Henok – "Fly Fresh"

"Fly Fresh"
Artist: Henok Achido
Cameo: Cami
Director: Karl-Uno and John Lindgren of Film de Liberte
Album: Almaz Charming Child
Year: 2008
Henok Achido on Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/henokachido
Record Label: DLX Entertainment/Secret Society Club
Contact: thesecretsocietyclub@gmail.com

Watch Adam Tensta's "DopeBoy" on Tripletimexl.com!

This is by far one of the best videos of 2008. I love the message. Director, Marcus Lundin creates his own electro-house drug party with attendees wearing the usual 2008 hipster attire of skinny jeans, all-over-print-hoodies, zip-all-the-way-up-hoodies, neon lipstick, neck bandanas, large letter tee shirts, gold spandex ect… Everyone's holding a bottle of beer in their hand, yet no one's drinking and no one's doing drugs; hence the overall theme of the video "Do I look like I sell drugs?" (which was excerpted from Adam Tensta's debut single "They Wanna Know" where Adam speaks about how people treat him as if he's a drug dealer even though he's a strong advocate against drug use and a member of the non-profit group, "A Non Smoking Generation")

"Dopeboy"
Artist: Adam Tensta
Featuring: Eboi
Music Producer: Howard Who
Director: Marcus Lundin
Line Producer: Bonnie Skoog
Cinematographer: Niklas Johansson
Make up: Martina Nilsson
Art Director: Albin Holmqvist
Video Producer: Tomadj Karimi
Post production: Mats Skoglund and Dennis Nenov
Album: "It's A Tensta Thing"
Year: 2008
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/adamtensta
Website: http://www.rmh-ent.com/
Record Label: RMH ent.
Booking: rmh.ent@gmail.com

Watch Paragon's "Ta Det Till Skyn" on Tripletimexl.com!

Ny video frÃ¥n Paragon… Ta Det Till Skyn!
There's a few cameo's in it from Adam Tensta.
I believe Ta Det Till Skyn means take it to the clouds.

"Ta Det Till Skyn"
Artist: Paragon
Album: "GLÖD"
Year: 2008
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/stadsbarn
Website: www.hemmalaget.nu
Record Label: Hemmalaget
Contact: Info@hemmalaget.nu

Watch Henok's "Can I" on Tripletimexl.com!

Henok, aka the best international rapper in the world, has finally dropped his brand new single, and video, "Can I". It needs no introduction… just dig it.

“Can I”
Artist: Henok
Producer: Astma & Rocwell
Directors: Senay, Kristoff Kolacz, TekleStreet, Morgan Röhl and Douglas Wahlberg.
Album: "Almaz Charming Child"
Year: 2008
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/henokmusic
Website: http://www.henokmusic.com/
Record Label: DLX/SSC
Booking: burntfacemusic@gmail.com

Watch Paragon's "AAVISST" on Tripletimexl.com!

Ny video frÃ¥n Paragon… AAVISST.
This is the brand new video from Paragon…. AAVISST. His new album titled "GLÖD" will be released on May 7th 2008.

“AAVISST”
Artist: Paragon
Album: "GLÖD"
Year: 2008
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/stadsbarn
Website: www.hemmalaget.nu
Record Label: Hemmalaget
Contact: Info@hemmalaget.nu