Kings of A&R — Check out the track Modest Mouseketeer by Playdough. Playdough has opened for and/or collaborated with The Black Keys, Method Man & Redman, Mos Def, Erikah Badu, Mutemath, and others… He is also the freestyle battle champion of Dallas, TX for 2 yea... more info

All About Jazz — Jazz vocalist and multi Grammy nominee Nnenna Freelon joins hip-hop quartet The Beast release Freedom Suite: a 10-track collection of creative reflections on jazz and hip-hop. Freedom Suite is available for FREE download, digitally released on Okaypl... more info

Guardian Music — We asked you to select tracks that would best introduce a newcomer to hip-hop. So here's your playlist for rap rookiesTo quote Kritik from yesterday's blog about Jay-Z's choice of hip-hop tracks for rap rookies: "Picking a playlist is tough." That it... more info

NME — Singer joins the likes of Lou Reed, Mos Def and De La Soul at Los Angeles gig more info

We All Want Someone To Shout For — Still playing catch up after my CMJ week. Here’s the song Kanye gave away last G.O.O.D. Friday. It’s called “Don’t Look Down” and it features a pretty great supporting cast of Mos Def, Lupe Fiasco, and Big Sean. Chilled and relaxed, this is... more info

Idolator — As is apt for the weekend he’s officially rolling out a 40-minute mini-movie about his relationship with a mythological bird, Kanye West dropped “Don’t Look Down (The Phoenix Story) as the latest installment in his weekly digital singles series... more info

Totally Fuzzy — Robert said... AC/DC - "Live USA". Black Sabbath - 1986-06-04 - Nottingham England. "Last Gig with Ray". Dream Theater - 1993-05-18 - Buffalo, NY. "Dream Out Loud". Thanks Fuzzy http://rockpopbootlegs.blogspot.com Barbatrucmobile said... - Dominique... more info

Silent Uproar — Mos Def has signed to Kanye's G.O.O.D. Music label, presumably to release the follow-up to 2009's The Ecstatic sometime in 2011. Def also appears on "Lord, Lord, Lord" on West's forthcoming album. [mtv.com] more info

Brooklyn Vegan — photos by Bao Nguyen "If anyone tells you the Gorillaz show at MSG on Friday was anything less than incredible, they're lying to you. Some bands you wish to see in their earlier stages, but now is the time to... more info

NME — Alicia Keys, Mos Def and more for 'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy' more info