Spread love is the Brooklyn way...

A little trip down memory lane again. Topic of the day: Hip hop Classics from the 90's


It's impossible to NOT include this first song. Sorry about the poor quality on the video. I remember sitting between the two towers in NYC back in... 98-ish maybe, when a police-officer walked by dropping a few lines from this tune... ah, the memories:


Notorious B.I.G. - Juicy




Can't do a post on this subject without the Wu-Tang Clan, and here's one of my first fave rap-tunes...


Wu-Tang Clan - C.R.E.A.M.




I have to include two more Wu-related tunes:


Method Man - All I Need




Ghostface Killah (feat. Mary J. Blige) - All That I Got is You




Anyone remember Lost Boyz? Well, here's an old classic...

Lost Boyz - Renee




Tupac could've had a dozen of songs here, but just one this time:

Tupac - Keep Ya Head Up



... and now to something completely different... who can forget this classic?

Luniz - I got 5 on it




Last tune out.. an odd favorite, maybe

Nine - Whutcha Want

Femmina Alfa

My love for Italy is no big secret. The culture, the history, Roma, the beaches, the people, the language, the football (AS Roma) etc. I've also heard my share of Italian music through the years, most notably Gianna Nannini, who I basically grew up listening to.

This next artist however, is someone I recently became aware of, after a friend of mine (who again had her recommended from another friend) told me to check her out. I've had the following songs on repeat basically ever since. Seriously.

Baby K is the name of the artist, and... well, now it's my turn to recommend her tunes to you. Rap has had it's ups and downs lately, and to me this is definitely one of the ups. Great beats, wonderfully built up tunes, great flow. Enjoy!


Baby K - Femmina Alfa




Baby K - Primo Round




Baby K - In Piedi




Baby K - Una su un millione




Baby K - Sole

Autumn

It's mid-September, and summer is over. In all honosty, it never really seemed to be present here in Norway this year, at least not for a duration of time. These last couple of weeks have given me plenty of time to sit inside looking out... Being sick is mostly just a pain the... well, throat in my case, but there is also something quite swell about sitting inside when the rain is falling down HARD on the outside.

Here are a couple of songs that'll make sure that autumn isn't as dark and depressing as it can be...


Bon Iver - Skinny Love - Painfully beautiful




Bon Iver - Re:stacks




Bon Iver - Flume




Ray LaMontagne - You Are the Best Thing





Ray LaMontagne - Let it be Me




Ray LaMontagne - Meg White - Yes, it's the Meg White from White Stripes


Iron & Wine - Such Great Heights




Iron & Wine - Flightless Bird, American Moth - Live version




The Avett Brothers - Murder in the City




Bon Iver - Perth




Dave Matthews - The Stone





Hope you enjoy!

The end of summer...

Tomorrow is the first day of school after the summer. It's been, mostly, a great summer. Been working a lot, but have also been to a beautiful Wedding in wonderful Cinque Terre in Italy, had one of - if not THE - best concert-experiences in my life, and enjoyed another week in Italy later on. Can't complain.

My iPod has been a bit on and off the last few months, but luckily it's working now, and here are a few songs that have been played during the summer, as well as some other nice tunes. As usual, not brand-new tunes, but tunes worth a listen anyway.


Adele - Someone Like You (Live AOL Session)




Tyler the Creator feat. Frank Ocean - She




Manu Chao - Bongo Bong




Santana feat. Musiq - Nothing At All




Gianna Nannini - Ti Voglio Tanto Bene




And a last little bonus for you, I gotta show some love for my friend Vertel. Check out this song, which I've had on repeat since she dropped it. Ear-candy! Follow her on twitter @vforvertel. It's a good idea. Just sayin'.

Vertel - A Woman's Requiem

Live this summer...

Well, it's been forever, so it's about time with an update. Summer is here, and due to a Wedding in Italy, as well as working full-time for a few weeks, I haven't kept this blog as updated as I would have wanted to. Anyway, here's a couple of tunes from artists which I have seen, or will see, live this summer.

About two weeks ago I saw Aloe Blacc live in Oslo at the Oslo Live Festival. I had been looking forward to the concert for quite some time, and he didn't dissapoint me. Due to bad weather (and maybe the Foo Fighters concert, which was on the same day just outside of Oslo), the attendance wasn't as high as I (and probably Aloe) had hoped, but that didn't stop him. He did a great gig, and here are a few favorites of mine:

You Make Me Smile




Loving You is Killing Me

Aloe performed a great version of this at the concert




Mama Hold My Hand



















In less then two weeks, I'm off to Berlin to watch Gianna Nannini again. Last time I saw her in concert was in Rome 2009. This time, she will be performing in Berlin in a venue with a capacity of 3500, and I'm looking foward to seeing her at a smaller venue then last time, even though the concert at Palalottomatica was amazing. Nice to see her in different settings. Anyway, here are a couple of great tunes from the amazing Gianna Nannini.

Ogni Tanto - from her most recent album, Io e Te.



America - live from the Amiche per L'Abruzzo concert



Fotoromanza - an old classic




Bonus: Fabri Fibra feat. Gianna Nannini - In Italia




Later the same week, I'll be back in Oslo to see a legend. Prince sold out in a couple of minutes when the tickets for his concert in Oslo Spektrum became available. No surprise. Here are a couple of reasons why Prince is regarded a living legend in the music-industry.


When Doves Cry



Little Red Corvette

A journey through the music of a legend.

Stevie Wonder is most definitely one of my favorite artists, and today Stevie celebrates his 61st birthday. Needless to say, this is dedicated to the wonderful music of the multi-talented soul-legend from Michigan. I've had the pleasure of seeing him live in concert on two occasions, and his stage-presence matches his unique sense of musicality.

Although still active today, his best work (in my opinion) is to be found in his releases during the 60's and 70's. The diversity in his repetoire is incredible, as is the range of his voice.

Here are some of my favorite tunes from one of the true Motown-legends. Happy Birthday, Stevie!


Sir Duke

Probably one of the most well-known songs from his funky catalogue, this song is taken from the classic album Songs in the Key of Life.




Free

Taken from the album Characters, released in 1987, this song and the lyrics speak volumes of Stevie Wonder's range, and the choir does a pretty amazing job as well.




A Place in the Sun

A young Stevie Wonder without his characteristic long hair performs one of his songs from the album Down to Earth, released in 1966.



Don't Know Why I Love You

Stevie sings his heart out in this great tune from the album For Once in My Life, released in 1968.




They Won't Go When I Go

Haunting song from the album Fullfillingness' First Finale, released in 1974.




Lately

This ballad was on the album Hotter Than July, released in 1980.




Part Time Lover

Stevie Wonder encapsulates the 80's in less then 5 minutes. From the album In Square Circle from... you guessed it, 1985.




Living for the City

Another great live performance of another great song, from the album Innervisions, released in 1973.




Higher Ground

Funky classic from the same album, Innervisions.




Evil

Amazing tune from the album Music of My Mind, released in 1972.




Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday

Stevie just standing there kicking ass as usual. From the album My Cherie Amour, released in 1969.




Never Had a Dream Come True

Great song from the album Signed, Sealed and Delivered, released in 1970 (with possibly the corniest album-cover he ever had).




Village Ghetto Land

Another song from the album Songs in the Key of Life, this time showing the more socially interested side of Stevie.




I Wish

More of the funky stuff, again from Songs in the Key of Life.




If It's Magic

Live performance of another beautiful tune, again from SOngs in the Key of Life.




You & I

One of Stevie's, in my opinion, most beautiful ballads. From Talking Book, released in 1972.




Never Dreamed You'd Leave in Summer

Another great ballad. From the album Where I'm Coming From, released in 1971.





To end this journey through the music of Stevie Wonder, here's a few songs that should get your feet moving for the Weekend, as well as the one song I really couldn't leave out on this occasion. Enjoy!


For Once in My Life



Superstition



Happy Birthday

If I sing a song...

Spring has finally settled in Oslo, and this means one thing for a student. It's time for finals, studying and a hellish month before one can finally put the books away and return to social life. This is somewhat ironic, as part of what I'm studying this semester is sociology... Anyway, this blog has been quiet for a while now, much due to the aforementioned school-work, but also because I went to Rome for a week to live the good life. Rome was, as always, amazing, and it only took me a couple of days before I booked myself another couple of days to Rome this summer... Grande!

I've finally "fixed" my iPod, that is to say.. I bought new headphones. Here are some great tunes I recommend you to have available on your iPod as you stroll along the streets of.. wherever you are.

First off, a tune a friend of mine recommended to me.

Charles Bradley - "The World (is going up in flames). Cheers Ståle!



Aloe Blacc should me a name most of you recognize after his hit "I Need a Dollay", which was also featured in the Tv-show How to Make it in America. His album "Good Things" came out last year, and has a lot of great tunes, such as...

If I



Life so Hard




And one of my def favorites from the album:

Mama Hold My Hand




And speaking of songs about mamas, here are two bonus songs. Have a good one!

Tupac - Dear Mama



Nas - Dance