By shelz.

What’s going on Planeteers?  It’s 2011.  My car still doesn’t fly, people still don’t live on the moon and I don’t yet have my own robot butler. However, people are still stealing beats.  There is quite a bit of bitten music floating around and Planet Ill has rounded some of it up for your listening pleasure. We are going to get to it, but before we do let’s take a moment to reflect on some of the odd things that have been going on recently.

Did you know Ginuwine was moon lighting as a milk man?  Well, I guess you have to have a viable day job to moonlight, but yes, Ginuwine is selling milk; Adult Chocolate Milk. It’s some new milk-like liquor that sounds like hell for the lactose intolerant.  I guess he couldn’t ride ponies forever. Then of course, there was that Lauryn Hill incident in New York where she showed up four hours late for a show and told everyone who bothered to stay that she was entitled to showing up whenever the hell she wanted to because shes worth the wait.  Way to ingratiate yourself to folks who I’m sure were fuming.  I’m thinking if she keeps it up, her diehard fans are going start taking off those rose colored lenses they have been looking at her through.

Anyway, on with the show.  First up is J*Davey.

Now this isn’t really new.  J*Davey has been covering Nirvana live for some time, but they finally decided to commit the song to a hard drive. Swiping “Smells Like Teen Spirit” is a ballsy move considering it’s revered as one of the best songs in the history of songs, but J*Davey removes every ounce of aggression and makes this song their own.  Well done.

J*Davey – “Smells Like Teen Spirit”

jDavey – smells like teen spirit

Next is Iyaz laying down some lyrics over Rihanna’s “Whats My Name.” I’m not really down with this dude or his catalogue, but there’s obviously a West Indian vibe here.  He can probably do a song justice, just not this one.

Iyaz – “What’s My Name”

Iyaz – What_’s My Name

Taio Cruz is up with his cover of John Lennon’s “Imagine.”  This song has been done more than Super Head, but I have to give the ultimate remix to Patti Labelle.  Taio isn’t bad.  There is warmth to his voice here that is lost in his dance music.  I guess this rendition is underwhelming because so many great efforts are in the history books.

Taio Cruz – “Imagine”

Taio Cruz – Imagine

Moving on we, have GhostWridah with his attempt at working over the classic Tribe Track, Scenario.  I don’t know.  I guess the holidays had people feeling invincible or something because these people are tinkering with some legendary ish.  Sigh . It’s not bad but someone get with dude on how you pronounce the KKK’s name.  Thanks.

GhostWridah – “Scenario”

GhostWridah-Scenario_Freestyle-2dope

Last, we have Fashawn who stays in this column because he stays releasing new material.  This week we find him adding some touches to the already impossibly dope “Strange Fruit” by Common.  Fashawn bemoans mental slavery and the unfinished business of the black community’s dead leaders.  There is also some proper homage to Huey Newton so Wiz Khalifa may want to give this song a spin or two.

Fashawn – “Strange Fruit”

Fashawn-Strange_Fruit_(rmx)-2dope(2)

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