Tag: Wiz Khalifa

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Devin Miles – Finding My Own EP review

Listen I’m a young writer. I Don’t have the experience of going to a record shop and picking up a fresh vinyl. Nor have I walked 10 miles to school uphill both ways.

As a young writer, I tend to find things that I can only assume would give you the same feeling as a new vinyl would. For me, it’s about going to my favorite site and finding out that my favorite artist has just released an EP or just that he dropped an exclusive track with some top notch producers.

As a lot of you may know Devin Miles released his Finding My Own EP recently. It was highly anticipated and lots of us could not wait. I have literally sat here listening to the CD on repeat. Not because I have nothing to say, but because I’m speechless. Im blown way with each track. You listen to “The Beginning” featuring Young Scolla and already the bar is set high. Now this track was released many weeks back and even then I was amazed. Then “Heart Strings” starts, and Devin kills an acoustic track. How many artists can do that?

I could have sat here all day listed off each track and what I loved about them. That would just get boring, but I will promise that if you are a fan of Devin then you won’t be disappointed at any single moment. It’s like when you go to grandma’s house for her famous apple pie. No matter what, it will cheer you up.

Devin Miles is young, not to mention hes basically a rookie. When a rookie gets in the game its hard for them to stand on their own two feet and take the hate and disrespect. Even though he has major support of some of the biggest names in Hip-hop right now, just to mention a few; Mac Miller and Wiz Khalifa. He still has some hurdles to get over. Honestly, Im not in the least bit worried. I think he’s here for good, so get used to it.

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Reviews

Wiz Khalifa – Rolling Papers review

I am fan of Wiz Khalifa. I thoroughly enjoyed Burn After Rolling, Kush and Orange Juice and loved the mix tape he did with Curren$y — How Fly. I felt Cabin Fever, his latest official mix tape, was full of bangers as well yet felt a bit more safe if you will; it felt a lot more commercial. Usually what you find is that rappers are more akin to dropping the really bonkers stuff on their mix tapes and then the mainstream stuff on their major backed releases. What then would Rolling Papers hold for one who is admittedly a fan?

After “Black And Yellow” left no doubt about how much of a buzz the self proclaimed “Kushton Shlater” had amassed some in the hip hop community said he was leaning pop. Please excuse Wiz for making a hit. It is not his fault he is hot right now and just because he does not want to live in obscurity for the rest of his life does not mean he is not a talented artist. This song could not be escaped, but, if you take a step back it is still good.

Having listened to this CD in its entirety I am not sure you could come away not saying this is hip pop. If that is what you dig then you will most definitely be pleased with this album. It is hook heavy and has a lot of singing. No one can say that this is something new for Mr. Khalifa — he has always been hook heavy and dabbled in singing — what you can say is the direction that it has gone is something new. This is not the Kush and Orange Juice Wiz.

Fans of the Taylors will already know what it is. The content has not really changed but more so the delivery. A lot more singing then anything I have previously heard from Wiz. There are still heavy weed smoking anthems mixed in with 808’s but it feels like something is missing and it is hard to put a finger on it. It just feels really safe. This is the most commercial album I have heard in years and while that is not necessarily a bad thing, it is hard to give credence to that. The reason so many people fell in love with Wiz was because of songs like “The Thrill” and “In The Cut” that felt poppy yet hard body, provided something “new” and was somewhat edgy.

There is nothing that pushes the art on this cd. There is nothing that will blow you away and if that is ok with you then you will be fine with this. Rolling Papers is run of the mill and rather vanilla. Very formulaic in that A + B = C type of way; Stargate beat plus Wiz singing on a hook equals a hit. Nothing stands out nothing wows you, nothing leaves a staying taste in your mouth. The hardest verse on here is from the only guest appearance — Fly Spitta — on “Rooftops”. It would be shocking to hear that people were still listening to this in a couple months. Nothing about this CD resembles epic, in truth it is rather mediocre.

If someone told you they thought Rolling Papers was going to “change the game” or even really elevate it they were either misguided or being facetious. The phrase, “It is what it is” comes to mind. The CD, while not atrocious, is not magnificent and to me that’s a bit sad. For long time fans this CD will be either hit or miss. You either will like the newer pop leaning Wiz or you will not. Either way it is going to sell and sell it should that is what this Rolling Papers was made to do. Some are going in expecting full contact football but what you are left with is two hand touch.

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Press Releases

Wiz Khalifa, Sleigh Bells Rocked Austin Music Hall as Comedian Donald Glover Hosted the Live Event mtvU Unveils First-Ever “SHOULDA COULDA” Woodie with Voting Open Now

COLLEGE STUDENTS AWARD CHUNKS OF WOOD TO

WIZ KHALIFA, KANYE WEST, MATT & KIM, TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB AND CHIDDY BANG
AT THE “2011 mtvU WOODIE AWARDS”

Explosive Performances by the Foo Fighters, Wiz Khalifa, Sleigh Bells, Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All and Two Door Cinema Club Rocked Austin Music Hall as Comedian Donald Glover Hosted the Live Event mtvU Unveils First-Ever “SHOULDA COULDA” Woodie with Voting Open Now

mtvU, MTV’s 24-hour college network, tonight declared Wiz Khalifa, Kanye West, Matt & Kim, Two Door Cinema Club and Chiddy Bang winners of the “2011 mtvU Woodie Awards” – the only night honoring college students’ favorite emerging artists and music. Packed with fans paying homage to the music they live their lives to, the show aired live on MTV, MTV2 and mtvU from Austin, Texas during the South by Southwest Music Festival.

The night kicked off with a bang as a garage door opened to reveal the Foo Fighters performing their newest single, “Rope.” Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All (OFWGKTA) went wild with “Sandwitches,” giving the crowd a crazy, explosive performance (complete with gnomes, a chicken and a goldfish mascot). After getting rowdy, security carried members of the rap collective off the stage, wrapping the show.

Meanwhile, the show’s first-ever host, triple-threat actor, writer and musician Donald Glover upheld the “Woodies” college-party meets kick-ass concert atmosphere throughout the night, and even threw in some freestyle via his alter-ego Childish Gambino. 2011 “Woodie of the Year” winner Wiz Khalifa commanded the stage with “Roll Up” and “Black & Yellow” as the audience whipped black and yellow towels in the air.

Before capturing the coveted “Breaking Woodie” award for best new artist, Two Door Cinema Club rocked the stage, infecting the crowd with their signature guitar riffs and inventive sound as they performed, “What You Know.” Exclusively sponsored by ck one, the Breaking Woodie was voted on for the first time online, via Twitter and on Facebook, with the band taking home the award over nominees Local Natives, Sleigh Bells, Dev and Wavves. During their first televised performance ever, Sleigh Bells brought a larger-than-life performance to Austin Music Hall, treating fans to exploding guitars and rapid fire beats met with the college marching band “Marching Storm” from Prairie View A&M for their performance of “Riot Rhythm.”

In between acts, the drama remained high — while introducing Kanye West as the “Left Field Woodie” award winner, Lil B’s friend grabbed the microphone from Pete Wentz’s hands, demanding that the up-and-coming artist was robbed. Lil B stepped to the mic and took his chance to accept the award, professing his love for the true winner, Kanye, who was not in attendance.

As official DJ of the Woodies, Skrillex kept the night going with beats throughout the night. Additionally, an all-star cast of presenters took the stage to hand out this year’s Woodie Awards, including Aziz Ansari, Matt & Kim, Lil B, Friendly Fires, Pete Wentz, Yelawolf, Skylar Grey, Zoe Kravitz, Eliza Doolittle, Dev, Chiddy Bang, Theophilus London and MTV’s Liz Lee from “My Life as Liz.”

For music fans disappointed that their favorite artists didn’t win this year, mtvU is giving them a second chance with the first-ever mtvU “SHOULDA COULDA” Woodie Award sponsored by the Citi mtvU Card. Beginning at midnight on March 16th through April 14th, students can head to mtvU.com to vote for the artist they believe deserves a second chance at Woodies honors. Whether rallying around Daft Punk or Lil’ Wayne who were beat out by Muse for “Best Performing Woodie” in 2007 or taking a stand for Draft, MGMT and Silversun Pickups as payback for being robbed by Kings of Leon for “Woodie of the Year” in 2009, this new category was created in response to student outcry for a second chance. The winner will be announced on April 18.

The winners of the “2011 mtvU Woodie Awards” are:

Woodie of the Year – (Artist of the Year)

Wiz Khalifa (Atlantic)

The Breaking Woodie – (Best Emerging Artist)

Two Door Cinema Club (Glassnote)

Best Video Woodie – (Best Video of the Year)

Chiddy Bang “Opposite of Adults” (Capitol)

Performing Woodie – (Best Tour)

Matt & Kim (FADER Label)

Left Field Woodie – (Most Original)

Kanye West (Island Def Jam)

College Radio Woodie – (Best Campus Radio Station)

WVUM College Radio – The Voice of the University of Miami

Official sponsors of the “2011 mtvU Woodie Awards” include American Family Insurance, ck one, DORITOS®, Rhapsody®, Samsung Galaxy Tab™, Sun Drop and U.S. Army.

Jesse Ignjatovic/Den of Thieves is the Executive Producer for the “2011 mtvU Woodie Awards.” Garrett English and Amy Doyle are Executive Producers for MTV. Jen Jones is Producer. Joanna Bomberg and Gina Esposito are Executives in Charge of Music and Talent, MTV. Eric Conte is Executive Producer for mtvU.

About mtvU:

Broadcast to more than 750 college campuses and via top cable distributors in 700 college communities nationwide, mtvU reaches nearly 9 million U.S. college students – making it the largest, most comprehensive television network just for college students. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, mtvU can be seen in the dining areas, fitness centers, student lounges and dorm rooms of campuses throughout the U.S., as well as on cable systems from Charter Communications, Verizon FiOS TV, Suddenlink Communications, AT&T u-Verse and nearly 70 others. mtvU is dedicated to every aspect of college life, reaching students everywhere they are: on-air, online and on the campus. mtvU programs music videos from emerging artists that can’t be seen anywhere else, news, student life features and initiatives that give college students the tools to advance positive social change. mtvU is always on campus, with hundreds of events per year, including exclusive concerts, giveaways, shooting mtvU series and more.

About Den of Thieves:

Founded in 2007 by Jesse Ignjatovic and Evan Prager, Den of Thieves has quickly emerged as a force for ambitious event shows and uniquely stylized reality television series. Using their extensive experience working with talent, Ignjatovic and Prager launched Den of Thieves as the TV arm of the Warner Music Group in 2007. After a successful three year partnership there, they branched out and are now fully independent. With an array of formats ranging from Comedy Central’s stand-up special Russell Brand in NYC to VH1’s The T.O.Show to the MTV Video Music Awards, Den of Thieves continues to create, develop and produce original television.

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Press Releases

Wiz Khalifa, Sleigh Bells, Two Door Cinema Club, and Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All (OFWGKTA) To Perform At “2011 mtvU Woodie Awards”

WIZ KHALIFA, SLEIGH BELLS, TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB, AND ODD FUTURE WOLF GANG KILL THEM ALL (OFWGKTA) TO PERFORM AT “2011 mtvU WOODIE AWARDS”

Matt & Kim, Lupe Fiasco, Skylar Grey, Dev, Chiddy Bang and MTV’s Liz Lee
to Present at Show Airing Live on MTV, MTV2 and mtvU from Austin, Texas on Wednesday, March 16th at Midnight (ET/PT)

MTV’s 24-hour college network, mtvU, today announced that Wiz Khalifa, Sleigh Bells, Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All and Two Door Cinema Club will take the Woodies stage with LIVE performances during the “2011 mtvU Woodie Awards” — the only night honoring college students favorite emerging artists and music. Matt & Kim, Lupe Fiasco, Dev, Chiddy Bang, Skylar Grey and MTV’s Liz Lee from “My Life as Liz” will present the Awards, handing over chunks of wood to the 2011 winners. Additionally, MNDR will keep the night going as the Woodies’ house DJ. The “2011 mtvU Woodie Awards” air live on Wednesday night, March 16 at 12am (Live ET/ Tape delayed PT) on MTV, MTV2 and mtvU from Austin, Texas during the South by Southwest Music Festival. Additional performers and presenters will be announced at a later date.

In addition to performing, one of the rap-game’s brightest young stars to watch, Wiz Khalifa, is nominated for “Woodie of the Year,” along with The Black Keys, B.o.B, Arcade Fire, and LCD Soundsystem. With 3.5 million friends on Facebook, over 1 million fans following him on Twitter, and 40 million views on YouTube for his first Atlantic Records video release, “Black & Yellow,” fans of this up-and-coming artist are eagerly awaiting the debut of his first album on March 29th. “Breaking Woodie” nominee and Brooklyn duo Sleigh Bells – comprised of guitarist / producer Derek Miller and singer Alexis Krauss – will also take the stage with a maelstrom of exploding guitars and rapid fire beats mixed with sweet-as-sugar vocals and a larger-than-life stage presence. Meanwhile, Glassnote Records’ Two Door Cinema Club, also vying for a “Breaking Woodie,” will travel from their native Northern Ireland to rock the Woodies this year with their signature guitar riffs, infectious live energy and inventive sound that is rooted in indie rock and pop. Adding some high-energy, live insanity to the mix, the hip-hop collective and grassroots phenomenon Odd Future, or Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All (OFWGKTA), will also command the stage with a live performance.

“Damn. We are beyond psyched to be nominated for a ‘Breaking Woodie,” said Derek and Alexis of Sleigh Bells. “We look forward to a night of chaos and fireworks. Many thanks to everyone voting for us!”

“We’re so happy to be nominated for a ‘Breaking Woodie.’ It’s a really respectable award to be up for and a massive opportunity for us,” said Kevin Baird of Two Door Cinema Club. “Not only that, but we get to smash the awards show with a live performance. It’s going to be a good night.”

Fans can vote for their favorite artists at Woodies.MTV.com now through March 1, 2011, except for the “Breaking Woodie” category which will continue during the live show on March 16. mtvU will collect “Breaking Woodie” votes in via Tweets and Facebook posts that include a combination of the nominee’s official “@” Twitter handle and the hashtag #Woodies. Artists will earn more votes as the “social voting” gets amplified via re-tweets, “likes” and comments.

As the only award show to honor and highlight the music and artists voted ‘best’ by the US college audience, the 7th annual show promises an unforgettable night of music and performances. College students established the “mtvU Woodie Awards” in 2004 and have since propelled numerous recognized acts to the next level of their careers – including surging record sales, headlining tours and mainstream notoriety. Examples include: Fall Out Boy (Streaming Woodie ’04), the Killers (Breaking Woodie ’04), Death Cab for Cutie (Best Video Woodie ’05), Plain White Ts (Breaking Woodie ’06), Gym Class Heroes (Woodie of the Year ’07), Paramore (Woodie of the Year ‘08) and Matt & Kim (Best Video Woodie ’09).

Jesse Ignjatovic/Den of Thieves is the Executive Producer for the “2011 mtvU Woodie Awards.” Garrett English and Amy Doyle are Executive Producers for MTV. Jen Jones is Producer. Joanna Bomberg and Gina Esposito are Executives in Charge of Music and Talent, MTV. Eric Conte is Executive Producer for mtvU.

Official sponsors of the “2011 mtvU Woodie Awards” include American Family Insurance, DORITOS®, Rhapsody®, Samsung Galaxy Tab™, Sun Drop and U.S. Army.

About mtvU:
Broadcast to more than 750 college campuses and via top cable distributors in 700 college communities nationwide, mtvU reaches nearly 9 million U.S. college students – making it the largest, most comprehensive television network just for college students. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, mtvU can be seen in the dining areas, fitness centers, student lounges and dorm rooms of campuses throughout the U.S., as well as on cable systems from Charter Communications, Verizon FiOS TV, Suddenlink Communications, AT&T u-Verse and nearly 70 others. mtvU is dedicated to every aspect of college life, reaching students everywhere they are: on-air, online and on the campus. mtvU programs music videos from emerging artists that can’t be seen anywhere else, news, student life features and initiatives that give college students the tools to advance positive social change. mtvU is always on campus, with hundreds of events per year, including exclusive concerts, giveaways, shooting mtvU series and more.

About Den of Thieves:

Founded in 2007 by Jesse Ignjatovic and Evan Prager, Den of Thieves has quickly emerged as a force for ambitious event shows and uniquely stylized reality television series. Using their extensive experience working with talent, Ignjatovic and Prager launched Den of Thieves as the TV arm of the Warner Music Group in 2007. After a successful three year partnership there, they branched out and are now fully independent. With an array of formats ranging from Comedy Central’s stand-up special Russell Brand in NYC to VH1’s The T.O.Show to the MTV Video Music Awards, Den of Thieves continues to create, develop and produce original television.