Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. Music label (the acronym stands for Getting Out Our Dreams) is gathering a pretty impressive stable of artists. A glance at the roster shows long-established names like Common and John Legend alongside up-and-comers like Kid Cudi and Fonzworth Bentley. And right at the top (alphabetically) of these names is Big Sean, known for having featured on two songs from Mike Posner and the Brain Trust’s mixtape A Matter of Time. Well, at least at Duke he is.
Sean’s making his way back to campus this Wednesday for an LDOC performance with Mike Posner, hot off the heels of his April 16 mixtape U Know Big Sean—Finally Famous Vol. 2. The mixtape clocks in at a bloated 30 tracks, nine of which are either skits or shoutouts that clock in at under 1:30, generally focused on establishing the legitimacy of Big Sean. They are unnecessary. While the songs themselves don’t quite leave the listener begging for more, they do point to a not inconsiderable amount of talent and potential.
Being a free mixtape, Sean can lean on the crutch that he won’t have on his upcoming full-length debut, Finally Famous, which is due sometime in ‘09: dynamite, battle-hardened beats. Granted, some of his originals are strong as well, “Getcha Some” and “Desire, Want, Need” especially. But what these mixtapes are really about is the rapper, and by the end of the hour-plus one gets a pretty good idea of what Sean’s about: clothes, self-promotion and being fresh. Kanye doesn’t stray too far when he’s picking these guys, apparently.
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Mike Posner friend/collaborator Big Sean, also an associate of Yeezy, is dropping a new mixtape today. You can download U Know Big Sean, Vol. 2 at his Web site, and you can catch Mike Posner and the Brain Trust with Big Sean Wednesday, April 22 at Duke’s LDOC celebration on the Main Quad at 6 p.m.
I’d been shown some of Mike Posner’s stuff via his MySpace page by friends anxiously awaiting my opinion. (Some people mistake me for an authority on music, what with me being in a band and writing for recess and being so cool and all.)
To be honest, I don’t listen to a lot of hip hop, and therefore have severely embarrassing and unrefined tastes in the genre, leading me to adore guilty pleasures like “Soulja Boy,” “Paper Planes” and “Hey Ya!” So my response was aimed at staying on the fence, not wanting to soil my reputation on a claim I couldn’t actually defend.
“Yeah, it’s OK I guess.”
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Pictured: Sweeney Todd at Duke. Courtesy Chase Olivieri.
Featured:
Student Performers
Mike Posner & the Brain Trust
“I’ve never performed music like this, where people can really get into it and have a good time listening to it.” – Eric Holljes.
Panda Force
Please. Sit in your room and vote for Panda Force over and over again. Or see them and the rest of Small Town Records at the Broad St. Cafe tonight at 10 p.m.
Sweeney Todd
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street will be performed in Reynolds Industries Theater Oct. 23, 24, 25, 30 and Nov. 1 at 8 p.m.; Oct. 26 and Nov. 2 at 2 p.m.; and Oct. 31 at 7 p.m.
Karamu
Douglas Turner Ward’s poignant Day of Absence. What would happen if all the blacks in town disappeared?
Savion Glover Dances at Duke
Glover, who is often labeled the best living tap dancer, will perform his show Bare Soundz Sunday in Page Auditorium.
Carl Kurlander, writer of St. Elmo’s Fire
My Tale of Two Cities and St. Elmo’s Fire will be screened Oct. 27 at 8:30 and 11:30 p.m., respectively, in Page Auditorium, with introductions by Carl Kurlander.
Monsters of Mock
A symphony of sycophancy.
Sandbox:
Speedfriending
“What have I learned from this experience? Simple: you will never outrun awkward conversations. Making new friends will never be easy. You will always doubt yourself.”
Editor’s Note:
The Playground
Films reviewed:
High School Musical 3: Senior Year
W.
Albums reviewed:
Bob Dylan – The Bootleg Series Volume 8: Tell Tale Signs
Of Montreal – Skeletal Lamping
