Put Your Hands Up Here Comes My DJ!

In an industry that has been said to be over saturated with peripherals for rhythm games do we really need a plastic turntable? People that don’t enjoy the gentle musings of Children of Bodom and Metallica would have to say: Yes!

Activision and FreeStyleGame’s DJ Hero is a game that still has you making coloured circles disappear much like previous Guitar Hero games but adds in the new functionality of scratching and cross-fader manipulation. Does DJ Hero have the replay value and fun factor to have it stand beside Guitar Hero though? In the words of Flava Flav, “CHECK THIS OUT!”

The Controller

DJ Hero’s controller consists of a spinning record with three buttons on it, a cross-fader that has slight resistance/click in the middle, an effects knob, an euphoria button (DJ Hero’s star power), and of course the standard native system controls shielded by a hinged compartment.

The controller works great from the hours I’ve put into it,  though I think that the effects knob and the euphoria button should be swapped as I find my hand knocks the cross-fader around while twisting. The disc itself spins very easily, sometimes on complicated scratching sections this can be bothersome as the buttons sometimes slip away from me. Being a right handed guitar hero player, complicated button patterns can be quite daunting as the hand positioning is awkward at first and having to press and scratch with my strumming hand can be quite tiresome.

You cannot play this game without the turntable peripheral which forces the $130.00 package on you. Or, if you are an Eminem/Jay-Z fan, the $230.00 package for The Renegade Edition.

Gameplay

DJ Hero’s learning curve is interesting. You cannot start the game without playing the tutorial which ensures the player knows the basics of the game. The only way to bypass the tutorial is with the unlock all code which disables all achievements. After the tutorial narrated by Grandmaster Flash you get to play 3 of the easiest songs in the game. The next tier however is significantly more difficult, I still haven’t gotten 5*s on some of those songs and it only gets harder from there.

DJ Hero compensates for this increased level of difficulty by making the game all about getting points, there is no way to fail (you can only fail yourself). Once you unlock later set lists such as The Scratch Perverts or Daft Punk’s Record Bag you’ll understand why.

DJ Hero’s set up is fairly simple and when watching a video of it you might find it appears to be very easy compare to the 5 lanes in Guitar Hero you’ve come to know.

The green track (left) represents record one, The red track (middle) are your samples, and blue (right) is record two. Using the cross-fader you have 3 positions you can be in: Left, Middle, and Right. On earlier difficulties scratching is non-dependent on what direction you move but on Expert not following the pattern of up or down will cause you to break combo.

Some things that set aside DJ Hero’s gameplay mechanics from Guitar Hero’s is the new concept of rewinding. Rewinds occur when you reach a 60 note streak and allow you to go back to a section of the song you’ve already played. How far you go back depends on how fast you spin the turntable backwards (as far as I can tell). Rewinds should be used as soon as you get them as you cannot store more than one.

The second feature of DJ Hero is the effects knob which can be used on sections with an orange bridge over the track. The faster you twist the knob, the more points you get. If you are familiar with the club scene you might like to slowly twist the knob for an interesting effect reminiscent of a real mixer setup with less points awarded.

Euphoria works like the star power in guitar hero however you can activate it after only one phrase is collected. Activating Euphoria auto-cross-fades allowing you to focus on button taps and scratching. However, if euphoria runs out and your cross-fader is not aligned properly you will break combo instantly.

While providing a challenge, DJ Hero’s game play is quite fun!

Who would’ve thought that scratching a complicated section would feel as cool as hitting a crazy solo in Guitar Hero!

Graphics

DJ Hero is a game about the club scene, so it features scantily clad female dancers, flashing lights, and of course DJs!

The Graphics are good for what they are, which is essentially Guitar Hero 5 but in the Club. Though, I doubt you will be paying attention to them much given the fact you’ll be concentrated on looking at the notes. One thing that could be improved is sometimes the DJ on screen doesn’t exactly do what you are doing with your peripheral. Maybe DJ Hero 2?

One thing to note however. is the great job they did on the Celebrity DJs. DJ AM (RIP), DJ Shadow, Z-Trip, and yes even Daft Punk all look fantastic.

Sound

This game sounds great! Even artists I previously hated (Black Eyed Peas, The Killers) have mixes I enjoy.

I especially enjoy playing the mixes involving KRS-One’s Jack of Spades and Daft Punk. It also should be mentioned that I have never been a fan of Jay-Z yet I keep coming back to his set list for more.

One downside however is the lack of electronica/dance music but the David Guetta DLC pack coming out on Tuesday (November 24th, 2009) will fix that.

DJ Hero boasts 93 original mixes so there is bound to be something you’ll like!

Multiplayer

Here is the downside of DJ Hero.

In my opinion it is a very anti-social game, when it comes to actually playing. While the Guitar/DJ Mixes can be enjoyable there are only 10 of them and the scroll speed difference seems to make playing them quite tiresome. This could however be corrected with the Hyperdeck code which for some reason nobody can figure out.

Online Multiplayer is a total wash since there is no ranked matches or indication of any reason to try to win against people besides an achievement/trophy.

One amazing thing though about online is that your score achieved in a pro face off match is transferred to your career- a feature that should definitely show up in future Guitar Hero games.

Given the fact there is no stand-alone turntable available I see no real reason to even consider playing anything but the single player campaign in this game- maybe a future DJ Hero game will address this.

The Interface

One thing that has to be said about DJ Hero, is the whole set up of  “Make a Setlist” is very confusing at first. You have to add mixes to play a setlist with the blue button rather than with green as we’d come to expect. As well there is no way to sort the setlist by title. You can only sort by mix author, intensity, high score, and stars needed. This makes finding one song out of 93 quite annoying. Also DJ Hero erases your lower scores even if they were on a higher difficulty than the one you achieved a higher one on.

Your best way of going about making a set list is going to quick list rather than using the “Custom DJ Set list 1/2″

Final Thoughts

DJ Hero is off to slow start much like the original Guitar Hero. Nobody would have thought a game where you play plastic guitar would get as big as it is now, yet many people scoff at the idea that anyone would want to play DJ Hero.

I say to you, try the game before you dismiss it! It’s one of the most refreshing, unique, and difficult titles North American rhythm gaming has ever seen.

DJ Hero is also a game that can be as difficult as the mix authors want it to be, they don’t need to depend on whether a band has a guitarist that can shred for hours for the song to be difficult- and if the final songs are any indication of what FreeStyleGames/Activision can come up with, expert players should be very scared for what’s to come.

Gameplay: 4.5/5

Graphics: 4.5/5

Sound: 5/5

Replay: 4.5/5

Codes for DJ Hero

DJHero.com

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It’s difficult to say if Solange Knowles’ hip factor is real, or if it’s just the cause of hanging out with her uber-cool older sister. But she sure seems to be harnessing it nicely. O Friday, her cover of The Dirty Projectors’ “Stillness is the Move” surfaced on Pitchfork.com before being yanked by Universal at the label’s behest.

Unimpressed, Solange took to Twitter to voice her frustrations.

“So fucking crazy universal has been taking down a COVER I’m NOT selling or trying to publish. Never heard of that shit in my life! Not to mention Dirty Projectors, LOVED the cover& all parties are happy Doesn’t Lil Wayne a Universal artist rap over other folks records?”

Solange has certainly stepped up her media presence since her days as the Disney version of Beyonce.

Not only is she credited with introducing B and hubby Jay-Z to Grizzly Bear (which resulted in a frenzy of media coverage when the two attended their New York show), she has also started her own band to some legitimate critical acclaim. Solange and the Hadley Street Dreams performed at SXSW on the same night as scene legends Dinosaur Jr. and Tinted Windows (the world’s weirdest side project featuring members of The Smashing Pumpkins, Hanson, Cheap Trick and Fountains of Wayne.)

Her sophomore album, Sol-Angel and the Hadley Street Dreams, was “endorsed with trepidation” by the perpetually skeptical Pitchfork, even warranting a 7.3 rating (which is practically a high-five in their books). Solange drew Motown comparisons on the one hand, and the keen ear picked up a Boards of Canada sample that could swoon any indie kid.

Today’s Universal debacle is still being sorted out, but hopefully this won’t be the last of Solange’s forays into sampling because it seems this informed persona is working out for her.

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Rapper Jay-Z was joined onstage by rising pop phenomenon Mr. Hudson at his London show yesterday, reports nme.com.

Jay-Z is currently on tour in support of his new album, The Blueprint III, which took him to London’s Alexandra Palace last night. For the encore, Jay-Z sang a song off The Blueprint III, called “Young Forever,” which features Mr. Hudson. The singer joined Jay-Z onstage for the song.

Mr. Hudson’s appearance wasn’t the only surprise that the London audience got last night: they also found out they were going to be in a music video for the song. Jay-Z and Mr. Hudson used the crowd to film the video.

The crowd, once informed by Mr. Hudson that they were being filmed for the forthcoming promo, responded by holding lighters in the air and singing along while the artists and Jay-Z’s live band carried the song. ”Young Forever” closed off Jay-Z’s sold-out performance at the UK capital, which saw him play other hits including “Empire State of Mind,” “DOA (Death of Autotune)”, and “Izzo (H.O.V.A.).”

The rapper showed his love for the British crowd by projecting the Union Jack flag on a huge screen behind his band at various points throughout the show. He also made light of his success and his rather well-known self-confidence.

“I want to thank anyone who bought my ‘Blueprint III’,” he said to the crowd. “My 11th Number One album, surpassing Elvis Presley. I can officially say Elvis has left the building… That’s a joke.”

Later on Jay-Z rapped to a medley that included part of his wife Beyonce’s “Crazy In Love.” He also stopped in the middle of “Big Pimpin,’” making the crowd earn a restart by cheering loudly.

Before the “Young Forever” encore, the rapper picked out members of the crowd and thanked them, pointing out the clothing they were wearing or the flags they were waving to identify them individually.

His stop in Toronto on Halloween night also had surprise guests, including rising rap star and Toronto native Drake.

Next, Jay-Z will play Fresno, California’s Save Mart Center on Saturday, Nov. 7.

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In an interview with CBC radio’s Q, Jay-Z (Shawn Carter) discussed the current state of hip hop, and how it needs to progress through maturity.

“There’s been this reluctance to mature in hip hop and when you do that, you leave the audience very narrow. My whole thing is to expand the audience and the genre of music in any way, because music is music,” he said.

Jay-Z’s rise to success came a long time before his music began to mature. The artist has released platinum albums throughout the 90’s and early 21st century, and with his latest album, “The Blueprint III”, Carter surpassed Elvis Pressley’s record for total number one singles by a solo artist.

Hip hop’s history is so young that many of the artists who popularized it over 20 years ago are still icons of the present genre. The difference is that when they began in the industry they rapped about legitimate struggles in their life at that point, but when they all became millionaires, and continued with the same style and stories, the music lost its authenticity.

“In the beginning, it was at its purest form because everyone was struggling. All great music and all great art, I believe, comes from pain. As hip hop started to get successful, and really successful — you had these guys coming from these neighbourhoods that were now millionaires — it’s tough to draw back to that place [of creativity].”

Jay-Z, who turns 40 in December, performed in London, Ontario on Friday and then headed to Toronto to perform a show at The Air Canada Centre on Halloween night.

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Get an exclusive track from Eminem "Take My Ball" with DJ Hero: Renegade Edition on October 27th!

Activision has revealed the track lists for both Jay-Z and Eminem’s albums that come with DJ Hero: Renegade Edition next week.

Jay-Z with possibly his first “best of” compilation he’s ever had features a hit song from each of his 11 studio albums and additionally his contribution to the Notorious soundtrack, the film chronicling the life of Notorious BIG.

The Eminem CD is much more interesting as it features rarities and an all new unreleased track called “Taking My Ball,” which is only available through purchasing the DJ Hero: Renegade Edition.

“The tracks we put on this disc are mostly overlooked or rarer favorites of mine from all different parts of my career,” said Eminem. “I also put a brand new, unheard song on there so even the biggest fan has something new.”
Of course as we mentioned previously the CDs aren’t the only perk of handing over the extra money for this special edition of DJ Hero, the full package boasts a premium controller in gold and black and a carrying case which converts to a stand for optimal fake plastic DJing.

Strange how the song “Renegade” isn’t included though- dontcha think?

Jay-Z’s track list:

Ain’t No N***a – Jay-Z Featuring Foxy Brown
Where I’m From – Jay-Z
Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem) – Jay-Z
Jigga My N***a – Ruff Ryders Featuring Jay-Z
I Just Wanna Love U (Give it 2 Me) – Jay-Z
Izzo (H.O.V.A.) – Jay-Z
03′ Bonnie & Clyde – Jay-Z Featuring Beyoncé Knowles
Dirt Off Your Shoulder – Jay-Z
Show Me What You Got – Jay-Z
Roc Boys (And the Winner Is)… – Jay-Z
Brooklyn Go Hard – Jay-Z Featuring Santigold
D.O.A. (Death of Auto Tune) – Jay-Z

Eminem’s track list:

Taking My Ball – Eminem
Say Goodbye to Hollywood – Eminem
Soldier – Eminem
The Re-Up – Eminem & 50 Cent
Rabbit Run – Eminem
Get U Mad – Eminem
Bad Guys Always Die – Dr. Dre & Eminem
Public Enemy No. 1 – Eminem
Say What You Say – Eminem Featuring Dr. Dre
Lose Yourself – Eminem
Hey Lady – Obie Trice Featuring Eminem
One Shot 2 Shot – Eminem Featuring D-12

http://www.djhero.com

Related posts:

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Move aside, guitar, there’s a new Hero taking over the video game world: the turntable.

Video game creator Activision has released the much-anticipated massive set list for the DJ Hero video game, which comes out on Oct. 27, according to CHARTattack.

The game features 93 exclusive mixes by some of the industry’s top DJs, including Cut Chemist, DJ Shadow, and the late DJ AM. On the game these DJs slice up songs by artists such as Daft Punk, The Killers, Jay-Z, Public Enemies, and the Beastie Boys.

DJ Hero aims to expand on the technology used in video games such as Guitar Hero and Rock Band. The game will use a turntable controller to help immerse players into DJ culture. It will give aspiring DJs the chance to learn DJ techniques including sampling, crossfading, and scratching.

DJ Hero is being marketed as a game to be played in groups. Activision is hoping the game will do for house parties what Guitar Hero did for guitars. Unlike other games of its kind, DJ Hero actively encourages players put their own artistic input onto the tracks, as there is room for creative expression on all mixes.

The Renegade Edition of the game, featuring Eminem and Jay-Z, includes a copy of the game, a premium controller, and a hard-shell turntable carrying case that converts to a performance-ready DJ stand. The special edition also contains an exclusive Eminem and Jay-Z two-CD pack including some new and unreleased material.

Here is the full DJ Hero set list:

2Pac – “All Eyez On Me” vs. The Aranbee Pop Orchestra — “Bittersweet Symphony (Instrumental)”
50 Cent – “Disco Inferno” vs. David Bowie — “Let’s Dance”
50 Cent – “Disco Inferno” vs. InDeep — “Last Night A DJ Saved My Life”
Afrika Bambaataa – “Zulu Nation Throwdown” vs. Freedom Express — “Get Down”
Beastie Boys – “Here’s A Little Somethin’ For Ya” vs. DJ Shadow — “The Number Song (2009 Version)” (Produced and mixed by DJ Shadow)
Beastie Boys – “Intergalactic” vs. Blondie — “Rapture”
Beastie Boys – “Lee Majors Come Again” vs. Daft Punk — “Da Funk” (Produced and mixed by Cut Chemist)
Beck – “Where It’s At” vs. DJ Shadow — “Six Days (Remix ft. Mos Def)”
Bell Biv DeVoe — “Poison” Beat Juggle
Bell Biv DeVoe – “Poison” vs. Beastie Boys — “Intergalactic” (Produced and mixed by DJ AM)
Bell Biv DeVoe – “Poison” vs. Cameo — “Word Up!”
Benny Benassi – “Satisfaction” vs. Tiësto — “Elements Of Life”
Billy Squier – “The Big Beat” vs. N.E.R.D. — “Lapdance” (DJ-Guitar mix)
Black Eyed Peas – “Boom Boom Pow” vs. Benny Benassi — “Satisfaction”
Bobby “Blue” Bland – “Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City” vs. 2Pac — “How Do You Want It”
Bobby “Blue” Bland – “Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City” vs. Connie Price & The Keystones — “Fuzz And Them”
Boogie Down Productions – “Jack Of Spades” vs. David Bowie — “Let’s Dance” (Produced and mixed by DJ Shadow)
Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers — “Bustin’ Loose” vs. The Zombies — “Time Of The Season” (Produced and mixed by DJ Shadow)
Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers —”Bustin’ Loose” vs. Young MC — “Bust A Move”
Common – “Universal Mind Control (U.M.C.)” vs. Masta Ace — “Jeep A** Gutter (Aaron LaCrate & Debonair Samir RMX)” (Produced and mixed by The Scratch Perverts)
Cypress Hill – “Insane In The Brain” vs. Classics IV — “Spooky”
Cypress Hill – “Insane In The Brain” vs. David Axelrod — “The Edge”
Daft Punk – “Around The World” vs. Young MC — “Bust A Move”
Daft Punk – “Da Funk” vs. N.A.S.A. — “Strange Enough ft. Karen O, ODB & Fatlip”
Daft Punk — “Megamix 1″
Daft Punk — “Megamix 2″
Daft Punk — “Robot Rock” vs. Hashim – “Al Naafyish (The Soul)” (Produced and mixed by The Scratch Perverts)
Daft Punk — “Robot Rock” vs. Queen – “We Will Rock You”
Daft Punk — “Short Circuit” vs. Boogie Down Productions – “Jack Of Spades”
Daft Punk — “Technologic” vs. Gary Numan – “Cars”
Daft Punk — “Television Rules the Nation” vs. No Doubt – “Hella Good”
David Axelrod — “The Edge” vs. Eric B. & Rakim – “Eric B. Is President”
Dizzee Rascal — “Fix Up, Look Sharp” vs. DJ Shadow – “Organ Donor (Extended Overhaul)”
Dizzee Rascal — “Fix Up, Look Sharp” vs. Justice – “Genesis”
DJ Shadow — “Six Days (Remix ft. Mos Def)” vs. D-Code – “Annie’s Horn”
Eminem — “My Name Is” vs. Beck – “Loser”
Fedde Le Grand — “Put Your Hands Up For Detroit” vs. Sandy Rivera and David Penn — “I Can’t Stop (David Penn Remix)”
Foo Fighters — “Monkey Wrench” vs. Beastie Boys — “Sabotage” (DJ-Guitar mix)
Foreigner — “Juke Box Hero” vs. DJ Z-Trip ft. Murs — “DJ Hero” (Produced and mixed by DJ Z-Trip)
Foreigner — “Juke Box Hero” vs. DJ Z-Trip ft. Murs — “DJ Hero” (DJ-Guitar mix, produced and mixed by DJ Z-Trip)
Gang Starr — “Just To Get A Rep” vs. Mobb Deep — “Shook Ones, Pt 2″ (Produced and mixed by J. Period)
Gorillaz — “Feel Good Inc.” vs. Blondie — “Atomic”
Grandmaster Flash’s — “Boom” vs. “Tap” (Produced and mixed by Grandmaster Flash)
Grandmaster Flash, DJ Kool, DJ Demo — “Here Comes My DJ” vs. Gary Numan – “Cars” (Produced and mixed by Grandmaster Flash)
Gwen Stefani — “Hollaback Girl” vs. Gorillaz – “Feel Good Inc.”
Gwen Stefani — “Hollaback Girl” vs. InDeep “Last Night A DJ Saved My Life” (Produced and mixed by DJ AM)
Gwen Stefani — “Hollaback Girl” vs. Rick James — “Give It To Me”
Herbie Hancock — “Rockit” Beat Juggle
Herbie Hancock – “Rockit” vs. N.E.R.D. – “Lapdance” (Produced and mixed by Grandmaster Flash)
InDeep — “Last Night A DJ Saved My Life” vs. Cameo — “Word Up!”
Jackson 5 — “I Want You Back” vs. Gang Starr — “Just To Get A Rep” (Produced and mixed by DJ Yoda)
Jackson 5 — “I Want You Back” vs. Third Eye Blind — “Semi-Charmed Life” (DJ-Guitar mix)
Jackson 5 — “I Want You Back” vs. Third Eye Blind — “Semi-Charmed Life”
JAY-Z feat. Pharrell — “Change Clothes” vs. 2Pac — “All Eyez on Me”
JAY-Z — “Izzo (H.O.V.A.)” vs. Eminem — “My Name Is”
JAY-Z — “Izzo (H.O.V.A.)” vs. Jackson 5 — “I Want You Back”
JAY-Z — “Excuse Me Miss” vs. Rick James — “Give It To Me”
Jean Knight — “Mr. Big Stuff” vs. Masta Ace — “Born To Roll”
Jurassic 5 — “Jayou” vs. Billy Squier — “The Big Beat”
Jurassic 5 — “Jayou” vs. Herbie Hancock — “Rockit”
Kid Cudi — “Day ‘N’ Nite” vs. Black Eyed Peas — “Boom Boom Pow”
Kool Moe Dee — “How Ya Like Me Now” vs. Reel 2 Real featuring The Mad Stuntman — “I Like To Move It”
Little Richard — “Tutti Frutti” vs. Shlomo — “Beats” (Produced and mixed by DJ Yoda)
M.I.A. — “Paper Planes” vs. Eric B. & Rakim — “Eric B. Is President” (Produced and mixed by The Scratch Perverts)
M.I.A. — “Paper Planes” vs. Wale — “Lookin’ At Me”
Marvin Gaye — “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” vs. David Bowie — “Let’s Dance”
Marvin Gaye — “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” vs. Gorillaz — “Feel Good Inc.”
Motörhead — “Ace Of Spades” vs. Noisia — “Groundhog” (DJ—Guitar mix)
N.A.S.A. — “Strange Enough ft. Karen O, ODB & Fatlip” vs. Isaac Hayes — “Theme From Shaft”
Noisia — “Groundhog” Beat Juggle (Produced and mixed by The Scratch Perverts)
Paul van Dyk — “Nothing But You” vs. Sandy Rivera and David Penn — “I Can’t Stop (David Penn Remix)”
Public Enemy — “Shut ‘Em Down” vs. Beck — “Where It’s At”
Public Enemy ft. Zakk Wylde — “Bring The Noise 20XX” vs. Justice — “Genesis” (Produced and mixed by DJ Z—Trip)
Public Enemy featuring Zakk Wylde — “Bring The Noise 20XX” (DJ—Guitar mix)
Q—Tip — “Good Thang” vs. Billy Squier — “The Big Beat” (Produced and mixed by J. Period)
Queen — “Another One Bites The Dust” vs. Beastie Boys — “Brass Monkey” (Produced and mixed by DJ Z—Trip)
Queen — “Another One Bites The Dust” vs. Daft Punk — “Da Funk”
Rihanna — “Disturbia” vs. Kid Sister — “Control”
Rihanna — “Disturbia” vs. The Killers — “Somebody Told Me” (DJ—Guitar mix)
Rihanna — “Disturbia” vs. The Trammps — “Disco Inferno”
Shlomo — “Beats” vs. Billy Squier — “The Big Beat”
Street Sweeper Social Club — “Fight! Smash! Win!” vs. Beastie Boys — “Intergalactic” (DJ—Guitar mix)
Tears For Fears — “Shout” vs. DJ Shadow — “Six Days (Remix ft. Mos Def)”
Tears For Fears — “Shout” vs. Eric B. & Rakim — “Eric B. Is President” (Produced and mixed by DJ Jazzy Jeff)
Tears For Fears — “Shout” vs. Eric Prydz — “Pjanoo”
The Aranbee Pop Orchestra — “Bittersweet Symphony (Instrumental)” vs. LL Cool J — “Rock The Bells” (Produced and mixed by DJ Jazzy Jeff)
The Scratch Perverts Beats and Pieces (Produced and mixed by The Scratch Perverts)
The Killers — “Somebody Told Me” vs. Eric Prydz — “Pjanoo”
Vanilla Ice — “Ice Ice Baby” vs. MC Hammer — “U Can’t Touch This”
Vanilla Ice — “Ice Ice Baby” vs. Paula Abdul — “Straight Up”
Wale — “Lookin’ At Me” vs. Black Eyed Peas ft. Tippa Irie — “Hey Mama”
Weezer — “Beverly Hills” vs. Evidence, The Alchemist, Aceyalone, Rakaa & 88 Keys — “Fresh Rhymes And Videotape” (DJ—Guitar mix)
Wild Cherry — “Play That Funky Music” vs. Gang Starr — “Just To Get A Rep” (DJ— Guitar mix)

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Last night MTV’s expert panel capped off their top ten “Hottest MC’s” with long-time heavyweight Jay-Z coming out on top. The controversial list was compiled by Hip Hop critics and enthusiasts, and for the first time included the opinion of fans across North America. The criteria: lyrics, flow, impact, buzz, sales and intangibles.

The final list: 1. Jay-Z, 2. Lil Wayne, 3. Drake, 4. Kanye West, 5. Rick Ross, 6. Gucci Mane, 7. Young Jeezy, 8. Fabolous, 9. 50 cent, 10. Raekwon

A few names are mysteriously absent from the list, most notably, Eminem. The rapper should not only have appeared on the list, he should have been in the top five. His recent album wasn’t his best of all time but its popularity continues to grow, and his verse on Drake’s new ‘Forever’ remix was the best on the track.

Kid Cudi’s name has spread like wildfire in the music industry, and TI continues to maintain his popularity; yet neither of them appear on the list.

Canadians may be excited, though, to see young Toronto native Aubrey ‘Drake’ Graham crack the top three. The MC has been one of the busiest in the music industry this year, quickly building relationships with the most powerful names in Hip Hop. Names like Lil Wayne, Kanye West and most notably Jay-Z.

While his new album, The Blueprint III, isn’t considered by Jay-Z fans as his strongest album, his ranking at the top of Hip Hop is long overdue. He was even given a stamp of approval from New York Governor David Paterson: “I can personally attest to his commitment to New York and the impact he has on New Yorkers of all ages,” he said.

If the list surprises – or angers – you, you’re not alone. Comments on the MTV website aren’t very supportive of the compiled list, and a few fans were especially vocal on omission of Eminem. While the MCs that made the list are deserving of recognition at this point, expect the list to be drastically different next year.

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We all know what KanyeWest did at the VMAs and it looks like we’ll be talking about it until the Grammys. But shouldn’t we be prepared for this by now?

Kanye has based his career on the unlikely pairing. College student becomes iced-out rapper. Rapper wears sweater vests and horn-rimmed glasses. Prep-school rapper spits rhymes about Jesus and the politics of blood diamonds. Catholic hip-hopper samples Ray Charles for a song about women horny for money. Blues piano samples replaced with electro-house synthesizers and Auto-Tune.

Et cetera.

When he stormed the MTV VMA stage on Sunday, interrupting the sugary acceptance speech of tween country princess Taylor Swift, the event was actually more scripted than offensive. It wasn’t like the time Kanye accepted an MTV Europe award he didn’t win, or refused to accept an award he did win because he felt Outkast deserved it more.

No, it was more of a half-assed display of choreographed ego, just Kanye scoping out the most unlikely character to stand next to and making sure it happened before commercial break. Sure, Kany emay have been upset Beyonce’s video for “Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)” lost out to Swift’s beige video for “You Belong with Me”.

But both Beyonce and Swift are making millions and will undoubtedly be remembered as this decade’s roster of leading ladies, so there is much more to Kanye’s outburst than being a sore loser.

Kanye was nominated for four VMAs this year, three for “Love Lockdown” and one for “Paranoid”, both off his late-2008 release 808s and Heartbreak. It’s safe to say no one expected him to win like they have in the past and considering the comebacks and break-throughs crowding this year’s nomination (Eminem and Lady GaGa, to name a few), Kanye hardly stood a chance.

Certainly four nominations is no small feat, and the genre-bending album isn’t one to shirk. But once 2009 arrived and Kanye’s techno treatments were duplicated and redubbed by nearly every pop act out there, both indie and mainstream, Kanye as a soloist drifted into the wings. It’s a trend that actually summarizes most of this year, as any hit out there has been remixed to a blurry, electronic hilt.

Kanye doesn’t like to share the spotlight, though. While he is content to invite Young Jeezy and Kid Cudi to guest on his album, he doesn’t seem to be taking well to his decreased visibility.

In the video for Jay-Z’s “Run This Town”, Kanye spends the first two minutes of the song bobbing uncomfortably next to Jay and Rihanna who undoubtedly steal the show. His verse is nearly forgotten by the time Rihanna’s last triumphant chorus closes out the song.

So what better time to get some attention on his own terms than the star-studded and media-hounded VMAs? Lady GaGa appeared in indecipherable-themed garb and Madonna somehow manipulated a Michael Jackson tribute into a retelling of her personal history, but Kanye will be the one everyone talks about this week.

Because who wouldn’t gape at the sight of Kanye ambushing the slight Taylor Swift, purer than the Jonas Brothers and most recently famous for gushing at the standing ovation she received when she walked on stage to her first Madison Square Garden headlining gig.

It’s natural to wince when a kitten is eaten by a lion, or when an antagonistic rapper in scary sunglasses brashly steals candy from a baby. But even more natural is this trick pulled from Kanye’s bottomless bag of them.

Kanye’s entire career is based on being looked at. He just spent a year very irrevocably in the spotlight.

The third installment to his career trilogy, Graduation, literally smashed the charts two years ago, dishing 50 Cent a large helping of crow following the challenge as to who would sell more records on opening day. (As if it weren’t enough, the albums hit shelves on Sept. 11, 2007.) Following the break-up with his fiancee, Kanye’s mother Donda, who he rapped about and brought to more events than credibility should allow, died in a plastic surgery snafu. Then his Glow in the Dark World Tour sold out nearly every venue.

He was very busy and very famous, even broaching notorious. 2009 has been noticeably slow for West in comparison. Sure, you can blame him for his cruel grasp at spicing things up. Or, you could try to understand.

He feels old, irrelevant and if you can believe it, threatened by the youth of America. Kanye is no spring chicken – at 32, he would have been introduced to the Internet shortly before college and now he is forced to compete with a generation born into it.

He is still graciously steering the careers of most this year’s youngsters by way of trend-magnet Kid Cudi. But for the man who was hyped as one of the top MCs in the game just a few short years ago, Kanye has become the PR guy rather than the hype itself.

The shoe, so far, doesn’t seem to fit and even the most seasoned rock stars aren’t above a temper tantrum now and then.

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2. Kanye West and Taylor Swift At VMAs
3. Kanye West and Lady Gaga To Team Up For Tour

I didn’t think anybody but T-Pain bought into the Autotune trend, but it looks like I was wrong.

Apple has released an iPhone application that allows you to Autotune your voice, and has apply called it “I Am T-Pain” after the rapper who brought the device to overwhelming mainstream employment. The app retails at $2.99 and comes with T-Pain’s instrumental discography as well as a Freestyle option that allows you to sing whatever the heck you want and sound like a robot.

T-Pain has actually based his career on his electronic-induced vocals, with songs like “Buy you a Drank (Shawty Snappin’)” and even won a spot “singing” on the SNL’s Lonely Island skit, “I’m on a Boat.”

The app comes just weeks after Jay-Z released the single “Death of Autotune” on YouTube, where he slams the device, saying “I know we facin’ a recession/ but the music y’all makin’ gonna make it the Great Depression.”

T-Pain told MTV News he was “honored” by the song, somehow.

“That affected me in a great way, man. I made sure I honored him as a great songwriter . . . that’s like the best song I heard in a couple years, man,” he told MTV. “And it’s great that somebody that important stepped up and vouched for me.”

But Twitter reported something different this week. Fabolous spent his weekend tweeting from Rehab nightclub in Las Vegas where T-Pain was DJing and apparently slamming Jay-Z.

“Yo I’m at Rehab in Vegas.. T-Pain is Dj’ing.. Sayin Fuck Jay Z, he old, blah blah.. guess its backlash from D.O.A..,” Fabolous posted.

Apparently the DJ who followed T-Pain was unfazed and started his set with “Death of Autotune.”

Jay-Z has not responded, because Jay-Z doesn’t care.

Related posts:

1. T-Pain Cancels Concert, Fears For His Safety
2. T-Pain Working with Britney Spears, Usher and Kanye West
3. T-Pain Has Epiphany: ‘What The Hell Am I Doing?’

The wait for Jay-Z’s much-hyped new album will be over sooner than expected thanks to an Internet leak, according to NME.com.

The Blueprint 3 will now be released tomorrow (Sept. 8), three days earlier than plan. This will mark Hova’s third album following his alleged retirement in 2003 and the third instalment in his critically-revered Blueprint series. The Sept. 11 release was originally planned to fall eight years to the day following the 2001 release of Blueprint.

Despite being overshadowed by the 9/11 attacks, Blueprint still sold 426,000 copies in its first week and has since been named a must-have album by nearly every music critic out there. It even squeezed into Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list at #464.

The online leak of the much-awaited Blueprint 3 was a minor hitch in Jay’s plan.

“I may be the most bootlegged artist in history,” he told MTV News. “It’s a preview. I’m excited for people to hear the album. I’m very proud of the work I’ve done, so enjoy it.”

The album, produced by Kanye West, will feature the already chart-topping single “Run This Town” with West and Rihanna. It hit number one in the UK Singles Chart this week, marking Jay’s first UK single in the top spot, according to MTV UK. Clearly he has won over the oft-pop-dominated UK music world, as he is scheduled to support Coldplay at their Wembley Stadium show later this month.

A North American tour has also been announced in support of the album, including an impressive road trip through the Great White North. Aside from the mandatory stops in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, Jay will play shows in Calgary, Edmonton, Kelowna, London, and Ottawa (much to my delight.) No details about supporting acts have been released, although rumours flew about Eminem joining him on the road.

As unlikely as that roster would be, Jay does have a show scheduled for Sept. 11 at Madison Square Garden in NYC as a charity event for New York Police and Fire Widows’ and Children’s Benefit Fund. Jay’s retirement concert at MSG in 2003 was a historical affair, in support of another of his acclaimed albums, The Black Album, and featuring every special guest from The Roots (his frequently employed backup band), Missy Elliott, Mary J. Blige, Beyonce, Pharrell Williams to the mothers of both Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G.

In his 40th year, Jay has a vice-like handle on the rap game and his plans for this fall only attest to it. Stay tuned to see how it pans out.

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