FRIDAY TRACK: HERE COMES THE SUN

Happy Friday,

Allegedly, today (July 25) is going to be the hottest day in London so far with a predicted 30oC expected to pierce my oily skin.

It has been an interesting week of discovery and fine-turning my musical knowledge. I have been a student of hip hop all week as your kind selves have been sending your favourite rap verses of all time as a result of last week’s challenge. With every contribution, I go back and dig, dust and relive the words which range from NWA to WuTang to Masta Ace to Andre 3000.

I’d like to say thank you for your participation, this has been a real eye-opener to the joys that music brings to us all.

We have put together a table of all the verses which were sent to us @ the FRIDAY TRACK. A big thank you to Osa for painstakingly ensuring that we have a comprehensive list. The list is particularly great as it provides instant links to youtube and the respective lyrics forum. It’s great fun!

This week’s choice is a hot scorcher just like this hot summer day. This is DAYS LIKE THESE by the hugely underrated Shaun Escoffery. This is a monster tune.

If you eat anything today make sure it’s an Ice Cream. Go on ladies, ignore the calories.

Enjoy the rest of the day. Mad love to our people from San Fran to Lagos to London to Singapore to New York to Amsterdam to Paris to Washington DC to Tokyo.

We truly love days like these!

VIDEO OF THE WEEK: PHARELL & Co.

You can't say we don't find exclusive. This is the new converse commercial theme tune; it's a NERD production featuring Julian Casablanca and Santiago (we like her!!)

Enjoy, this is My Drive Thru! We give it 5-stars.

LOOKS BETTER IN WAX

Despite all the drama and crack pipes, our favourite Ms 'No-no-no' keeps hording up the spotlight. Last week, her album was declared the biggest-seller globally, racking up a total of 9.78 million copies (yep, she's almost diamond people) and today, Madame Tussuad's London has just unveiled a waxwork of our favourite beehive.

Mum and Dad decided to stand next to it. Why we say, why?

SHWAYZE & CISCO

These dudes are so out-of-the-world with their Malibu-BEHAVIOUR, it's ridiculous.

Check out this very catchy 'Buzzin'

SHIT HAPPENS!

Just to think Christian Bale should be on top of the world as his Batman jsut scored big with cinema-goers across the globe grossing a whooping $79 million in its first week opening in America ($11m less than the estimated cost of production). It has just been revealed that he has been charged with assault by the British police. Guess by who.....his mother and sister.

Is that bizzare enough for you? Apparently he lashed out at both members of the family on sunday night at the Dorchester Hotel in London's Park Lane.

Our heart bleeds for one of the most successful Batmans on his generation. First, Heath Ledger's performance has overshadowed everyone's including the lead performance and now a possible arrest. What a timing? Perhaps, this is what happens when the media have forgotten Batman himself, falling needlessly for the 'joker'.

Go figure!

MERCURY DONE GOOD

The Mercury music prize shortlisted albums were announced this morning at an event in Covent Garden, london. We are quite pleased as two of our favourite albums from the year so far, were acknowledged.

Adele's 19 and Estelle's Shine.



I'm pretty positive neither would win but wouldn't it be special if Adele won. I saw her at the Somerset House on Saturday and she was breathtaking considering this time last year, she wasn't even signed to Excel.

VIDEO OF THE WEEK: LITTLE JACKIE

Courtesy of the Renaissance Man, here are some of our favourite videos at the moment.

This is Little Jackie's The World should revolve around me

KATY PERRY: HAS SHE KISSED HER CAREER AWAY?

I hope the lord forgives me for this one cause I don't know Katy Perry from Adam and I'm certainly not qualified to determine what her capabilities are as an artist but I can't help but feel after hearing her debut single "I kissed a girl...." don't artists run the risk of doom after launching their career with such a 'controversial/brave/tongue-in-cheek' debut. So many spring to mind - Meredith Brook's Bitch, Sandi Thom's Punk Rocker, etc.

These songs will certainly guarantee radio airplay and might end up at the top of the charts however the stigma that sticks for the rest of the artist's career is this silly debut that people sadly can't detach themselves from.

WORKING UP A SWEAT

Despite several glitches and technical mishaps, the 3rd Annual THISDAY Africa is rising concert went ahead as planned.

Here are some images and my world, it's nice to see that the Lagos heat doesn't only affect the common man, even the celebs dey sweat.

IGNORANCE STILL RULES THE WORLD

What were they thinking?

You are looking at an illustration that is donning the current cover of the New Yorker magazine. The illustration depicts presidential hopeful Barack Obama dressed as a Muslim and his wife as a terrorist.

The illustration on the issue, titled The Politics Of Fear, depicts Mr Obama wearing sandals, robe and a turban, and his wife Michelle dressed in camouflage and combat boots, with an assault rifle strapped over her shoulder. The setting is the the White House's Oval Office with the couple doing a fist tap in front of a fireplace in which an American flag is burning. Over the fire hangs a portrait of Osama bin Laden.

Is this really funny and more importantly is this really necessary? At what point do we draw the line with satire and blatant lack of reasoning? The response to this image is inevitable - it is going to spark rage amongst many stakeholder groups and continue to cloud the hopefuls' campaign.

In a statement, the magazine said the cover "combines a number of fantastical images about the Obamas and shows them for the obvious distortions they are, the burning flag, the nationalist-radical and Islamic outfits, the fist-bump, the portrait on the wall? All of them echo one attack or another.

Right......does this make it okay then?

To be brutally honest, as much as I can try to see the funny side of things, I cannot help but feel slightly unsettled by some of the connotations that this images drums up. It is great that intelligent, political journals like New York Magazine have supported Barack at some point in his campaign but are they really supporting him for the right reasons?

Images like this should really make us question what are the ethos and reasons for their support and more importantly - at what cost?

Let's marinade on this for a moment!

LETS TALK ACCESSORIES: DON'T RUB A BANK HOWEVER...

Clearly summer is in full swing and we are all trying to put a presentable face out there. To some it comes easier than others hence why the Renaissance Man has taken it upon himself to point men in the right directions for the coming months.

Our edition is solemnly focusing on how to add a LOUD touch that will make all the impact this summer. We're talking accessories.
Here are some of our MOST outlandish picks for elevating your presence a notch.



Hermes 32 mm reversible leather strap in Black/Gold, Box/Togo calfskin & 5382 buckle, silver and palladium plated
Ref. 052000CAAB080 & 052170CK05
£295



Bottega Veneta Grafite Intercciato Perforated VN Holdall
£1,115,000




Tom Ford's FALCONER BR
Folding pilot style with oval frame. Black metal frame with black acetate eye rims and smoke lens
£179

MARIAH ON FIRE

I just read a quote by Mariah (from a local newspaper) on reasons why she felt her last single "Bye Bye" bombed and it went something like "My fans prefer me single...", I thought - you damn Skippy!

The truth is, I will love Mariah for the rest of my existence. She makes me love her more and more with every new release and unsurprisingly music video and the new promotional vid for Loving you long time featuring T.I is no exception.

This is the new HOT HOT HOT vid which makes the thirty something look like she's just discovered a gym. She looks fantastic and marriage might be doing this superstar some good.

Anyway, judge the video yourself. I'm just glad Nick's butt is not in the video, she clearly learnt from the last Bye Bye shambles. No one wants to see it - put it away peeps!

SOLANGE: ISH-NO-THINK SO.

So Solange has decided that after having a baby at the ripe age of 17 and playing second fiddle to her superstar sister that she's going to go back to her original passion....music.

Yep, how could you have forgotten that her real reason for her fame was her hugely successful solo career. How could you?????

Yep, she's back. Didn't we miss her???!

She's wearing her musical influence on her sleeve with her recent efforts - a cross of 60s soul/ Amy Winehouse/ Pop-starlet, it is so confusing that I can't actually decide on what her "I Decided" single is all about. No pun indeed.

This is my problem with kids of privilege, just because a record deal is like asking your father/mother for a $100 bill doesn't mean you have to take it.

This is just wrong!

BADGE OF HONOUR: ALICE SMITH

Who is Alice Smith?

The same question I found myself asking as I looked at the billing list of the recently concluded O2 Wireless Festival at London's Hyde Park last Thursday.

Like any other festival fanatic, I was determined to scout all the new acts as I was in desperate need to reshuffle my music collection after all that's what Summer is all about.....isn't it?

At a hollow tent away from the main stage where the likes of the fabulous Hot Chip and Mark Ronson thrilled the many drunk punters was a tent which honestly resembled a circus backdrop; dark and littered I must confessed I was terrified as I approached it's entrance.

As we moved closer, it was evident that we were about to experience something quite special, what stood in front of us was the 29-year old, DC-raised woman looking every bit the star in fitted clothing and my personal favourite, stilettos.



It was almost unbelievable to hear the voice which powered through her standing mic backed by an all-male band, I quickly readjust after a few songs and basked in the glow of what is simply a fabulous talent.

Upon getting home, I trawled through the Internet to find background information on mu new love story and quickly realised that the person whom I thought was relatively unknown had been hailed by several credible music publications as "the one to watch" and has several TV appearances under her belt including The Ellen DeGeneres Show. I guess she's not so unknown after all, we're just ignorant here in England.

Anyway, here is Alice Smith with what I think is her most recognised song so far, this is Dream