CEDTalks

Take a listen to "Swappin Spit", the new single from new artist NerdBoy. Swappin Spit is off the debut EP "Reservoir Bars", premiering Monday January 27th!

"Sooooo...when are we going to hang out?" (Ed. Note: Don't ask a girl, "When are we going to hang out?" What is this, Glee? Be a man and ask her to go out! Ced P ) Screening through Facebook last night, I found an interesting quandary posted by a high school friend of mine. In speaking with an associate of the opposite gender, she was questioned on when they could spend time together; from his tone (or smiley faces, if sent through text) she gathered he had intimate intentions. She of course possessed no interest in this man and in her account never gave off the impression that she did. Curious about how she should handle this situation, she took to the (Face) book and asked her friends how she should tell this unknowing gentleman it "ain't going down". Based on what offer on the table, it may not be best to go on that "harmless" date. Female readers, I'm sure many of you experience this situation in some form or fa...

Talib Kweli decodes the classic anthem "Get By" from his 2002 album, Quality, explaining the influence of JAY Z's "I Just Wanna Love You" and The Beatles in the writing of the record.

Voice alteration is by no means a new tool to music, but in recent years we have seen a renaissance in its inclusion. Undoubtedly, the Hip Hop and R&B genre have lead the way in including these tools, primarily through its use of the Auto Tune digital processor. Artists such as Will.I.Am, Chris Brown, and Drake have utilized auto tune to create dozens of hits. In our latest installment of Choose Your Artist, we visit the world of Auto Tune as we pit one of the most successful users of the tool, T-Pain, against the recently crowned champion, rapper Future. Tale of the Tape: Singer T-Pain emerged on the scene in 2004 with unique style and voice that fans had not heard in many years. T-Pain's surge to stardom was spearheaded with his use of the largely underutilized voice adjustment tool Auto-Tune.Originally used to disguise and hide off-key discrepancies, T-Pain used Auto-Tune as a device to assist in his melody. The technique would lead to such hits as "Bart...

"Paranoid" is a song by American hip hop recording artist Kanye West, released March 24, 2009 as the fourth and final single from his fourth studio album, 808s & Heartbreak (2008). The song was co-produced with Jeff Bhasker and Plain Pat, while co-written by the three along with Consequence and Kid Cudi. The original version of the song, which appears on the album, features Mr Hudson, an English R&B/alternative rock singer who had recently been signed to West's GOOD Music label.

"Hov on that new sh*t n*ggas like how come N*ggas want my old sh*t, buy my old album N*ggas stuck on stupid, I gotta keep it moving N*ggas make the same sh*t, me I make the blueprint" Jay-Z, "On to the Next One" This past Saturday, comedy sketch show Saturday Night Live  featured a guest appearance from Kanye West, who debuted two songs from his upcoming album, Yeezus . West perfomed "Black Skinhead"  and "New Slaves" (posted below), two songs that drive us through the introspective, darker mind of  Kanye. The star rapper and producer continues to travel to different worlds with his music; while his production remains stellar, his sound is a far cry from his 2004 release of  The College Dropout. With Dropout,  Kanye West established himself as one of the premier artists and producers of the industry. His sound was an incredible fusion of joy, family values, rebellion, spirit, and drive; West's lyrics and beats were a stylish struggle sp...

Like most people in their 9-5 work endeavors, I enjoy very interesting conversations. My coworkers and I are a family of sorts..a multiracial family who commonly disagree due to differences in age and upbringing. Despite the difference in opinion, we are able to discuss a number of topics considered taboo, including money, reality television, relationships, and even sex. The scenario is usually the same: two people are discussing the subject, and another party is ear hustling and joins the fray. This opens the floor for discussion, "everybody gets their cups, now they CAN chip in" ( Snoop  remix). Sorry Romeo and girl from Disney, this "Master P" has limits. One of our most interesting conversations took place Thursday. The coworker who sits next to me asked me about the double standard of promiscuity during relationships. It was presented to me informally, but "the double standard of promiscuity during relationships" makes me sound extremely i...

"Now she want a photo/ You already know though/ You only live once: that’s the motto n*gga YOLO/ We bout it every day, every day, every day/ Like we sittin’ on the bench, n*gga we don’t really play/ Every day, every day, f$%k what anybody say/ Can’t see 'em 'cause the money in the way/ Real n*gga what's up?" -Drake,  "The Motto" The acronym YOLO (you only live once) spread like wildfire and is arguably the most commonly used phrase now amongst the 18-25 demographic. Drake's four letter mantra on life symbolizes the rebellious spirit of our culture, placing sole emphasis on what satisfaction can be gained from the current moment. Those who follow the creed live by simply throwing caution to the wind, ignoring the risk of future consequences for what is available, as Luther Vandross called it, "Here and Now" . If Drake was saying "YOLO" to his accountants, He wouldn't be smiling like this. When this theory is...

Before turning eh...25 and becoming old IMMEDIATELY, there were a lot of bad habits my body could tolerate and still operate at a high level. Sleep was an afterthought, exercising was unnecessary, and eating healthy was uncalled for. Why did I need to eat healthy? Didn't you see my album cover ? Well now, a year and a half later, my bad habits caught up with me like FedEx (Overnight). Staying up late leaves me damaged like Danity Kane (remember them?). I'm no longer at my "fight" weight, and even getting feedback at the doctors. That's when you know you're getting old; the doctors actually says something after the check up. My doc started mentioning words like, "cholesterol" and "blood pressure", and suggested substituting burgers and shakes for carrots and grapes. The verbiage seems more appropriate for a man 46 instead of 26, but in an effort to be the black Channing Tatum, I'm cleaning out my fridge. Acknowledge your past re...