After a series of releases last week, Cocaine 80s yet again offer up more new music. This time No I.D. and lead singer James Fauntleroy collaborate with Nas, who provides a passionate guest verse. This may replace ‘Queen to Be’ as my favourite release of theirs this past week. Listen/download below.

After a string of successful tour dates in Europe earlier this year, D’Angelo sits down with GQ Magazine for his first interview in years. The Grammy award winning singer discusses a whole range of topics including the effects his infamous ‘Untitled’ video had on his life/career, a weird encounter with Madonna at a party and the powerful (sometimes evil) effects music can have on people. The interview also includes a shocking story from D’Angelo’s ex-wife Angie Stone…

The feature also includes new photos of D’Angelo (above) – check them out after the jump.

D’Angelo on the “forces” in music

“There’s forces that are going on that I don’t think a lot of motherf-ckers that make music today are aware of,” he says. “It’s deep. I’ve felt it. I’ve felt other forces puling at me.” He stubs out his cigarette and leans toward me, taking my hand. “This is a very powerful medium that we are involved in,” he says gravely.” “I learned at an early age that what we were doing in the choir was just as important as the preacher. It was a ministry in itself. We could stir the pot, you know? The stage is our pulpit, and you can use all of the energy and that music and the lights and the colors and the sound. But you know, you’ve got to be careful.”

Paul Hunter (Director of Untitled) on the video being misunderstood

“Most people think the ‘Untitled’ video was about sex, but my direction was completely opposite of that. It was about his grandmother’s cooking. Think of your grandmother’s greens, how it smelled in the kitchen. What did the yams and the fried chicken taste like? That’s what I want you to express.” The video may have looked like foreplay, but it was actually about family, Hunter insists-about intimacy.
Later when I tell D’Angelo this, he says, “It’s so true: We talked about the Holy Ghost and the church before that take. The veil is the nudity and the sexuality. But what they’re really getting is the spirit.”

Read more…

‘Around My Way (Freedom Ain’t Free)’ is the brand new single from Lupe Fiasco, taken off his recently announced Food & Liquor double album. And as promised, he’s returned to the way we first found him – spitting fire over soulful, knocking beats. Throw in that ’92 sample/horn section and you got a fresh new joint with a warm nostalgic undercurrent. I’m not mad at it. Plus no emosh-Popsters on the hook – smashing.

I’m finally excited to hear Lupe Fiasco again.

(via FSD)

Finally the Michael Jackson estate is doing something right. After a string of terrible posthumous albums, the legal team looking after Michael Jackson’s legacy (and thus their bank balances) is finally releasing something that will have fans genuinely excited and something that respectfully honours MJ’s name.

In celebration of the 25th anniversary of Jackson’s classic Bad album, which spawned five consecutive #1 singles, the estate is releasing his legendary concert at Wembley Stadium in full on DVD. Not only that but they’ll also be including some unreleased private studio sessions and a re-mastered edition of the LP.

Dope.

Course, for every step forward, they take 10 back. MJ’s image was recently licensed to Pepsi – the company who Jackson teamed up with in the 80′s for a series of historic deals/commercials. MJ’s “dancing image” will be used on “a billion cans”. Sigh.

Animalistic fantasy creatures, a young hero boy, a white city above the clouds, giants and a flying pirate ship make up the visuals of Yoann Lemoine aka Woodkid’s new video. Using a very similar style of direction to his ‘Iron’ video, the new vid is another look into this talented producer/director’s vision. ‘Run Boy Run’ is taken off his new EP of the same name – out now.

Benga delivers another impressive video, this time taking to the sky for a little parachute dive. ‘Icon’ comes off his new album Chapter 2, due out August 27th.

Here is the new single from Bristol based quartet Seasfire. Set for a July 9th release I have fallen in love with this low-fi, deeply atmospheric number. Half expecting this to drop into some poor dubstep-esque beat trap, I was pleasantly suprised with it’s direction. The juxtaposition between heavy fuzz and the uplifting keys with the right dose of levelled distortion. Let us not also bypass the serious serious groove underwriting the whole thing. The video follows in the same black and white vein as their debut single Falling. Gutted I missed them over the Great Escape weekender. Expect major movements from this lot