Ryan j Budke

Along with the podcasts and audiobooks I’ve been listening to lately, I’ve stumbled onto a lot of good music from all over the place.

First up is a guy that some people may have heard of, Lupe Fiasco. He’s relatively new but has been getting a lot of airplay with his song Superstar, off of his second album Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor. His first album, The Cool, is a little less polished, but that may appeal to some. If you think rap is dead or stagnate, definitely check him out. My favorite song of his is Pressure which I’ve embedded below.

Next up is someone that I just found via Perez Hilton today. Her name is Nicole Atkins, and besides a solo act, she also fronts Nicole Atkins & The Sea. 2006 was Regina Spektor, 2007 was Feist’s year, and I think this is Nicole Atkins is 2008’s indy hippie acoustic chick. Brooklyn’s On Fire is below is a fun chorus-y jig and below for your enjoyment.

Finally is a swedish mc named Adam Tensta. I freaking love his album It’s A Tensta Thing. His rap is a little bit heavier than Lupe Fiasco’s, but it’s cut by being laid on top of some really great electronic beats. If you’re a fan of early 90’s rap or techno (two great tastes that taste great together?) definitely give him a try. I dare you to not bop your head listening to My Cool below.

That’s all I’ve got right now, but if you know of anyone that I should give a listen to, let me know. I’ve been checking out Mr. Rojas’ RCRD LBL from time to time, but I desperately wish they would start a podcast or featured mp3 feed so I could have it download into iTunes.

Tags: adam tensta, lupe fiasco, nicole atkins, new music, rcrd lbl