Sheena Beaston

Interview Time with Dominique Young Unique

From showing her ass to breaking down music time while spitting out war talk, Dominique Young Unique is one name that's as memorable as it is dead-on accurate. Over the past year, the 19-year old rapper from Tampa, FL has sparked a buzz around the blogs with her truly innovative style, which has lit a flare to signal both that she's arrived and that other emcees, be it male or female, need to take notice....and fair warning.

 

 

After a strong showing at this year's SXSW, Dominique is now gearing up to release her first mixtape, Domination (due out the second week of May), headed on tours of Europe and the States beginning next month, all on top of getting her debut album together. Sure that's all the hard and fast details, but we wanted to know a little more about the gal who's been put on our repeated playlists way too often, so a proper chat was deemed necessary. Let's kick it with this "gangster hard hitter outta 8 - 1 - 3".

 

SB: How did you decide you wanted to be referred to as Dominique Young Unique? It is, for lack of a better term, a unique moniker...and definitely memorable at that!

DYO: Well my name really is Dominique! [laughs] Basically, I came up with the name Dominique Young Unique when I just stepped in the rap game. I was just 12, but it did kind of stand out to me because I am a one of a kind person, got my own twisted up flow and a unique swagg. I get the young because I'll consider myself as a young lady until I reach 21, then I'mm'a take that off! So that's what it is!

 

Christina Aguilera - Not Myself Tonight (new video)

I think Christina Aguilera's naughty new visuals for single, Not Myself Tonight, can be characterized by my first reaction to the clip. S & oMg. Really...if you're at work, you should probably watch this behind closed doors, or at the very least, in a "shroud your monitor" sense, for all you cubicle-kids.

 

 

 

With a song produced by Polow Da Don and written by Ester Dean, Aguilera's lead single from forthcoming album, Bionic, gets a "riddled with raunch" video from director Hype Williams. While my jaw dropped a number of times during the initial viewing of it, repeated views lead me to believe that Xtina has fed right into what audiences expect from a song with lyrical content about "kissing on boys and girls" and a driving beat that lends your "nethers" to quivertown.

 

It's decent, nothing groundbreaking...and yes for all you who are claiming it's a blatant rip-off of Madonna's Human Nature, it's not a carbon copy, which is good enough for me...so cool your latex pants.

 

Ultimately....

 

Kitty want some dirty sweaty men? Meow.

 

Kitty want some girl on girl bondange? Purr.

 

Kitty want a good pop song with an ok video that I'm gonna watch again now? Hisssss.

  

 

  

mp3: Christina Aguilera - Not Myself Tonight (Shahaf Moran Same Girl Remix)

 

 

Passporte Royale - Born Free (M.I.A. Cover)

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and if that's how we're playing this game of life, then my boy Passporte Royale is straight up winning at everything. Having already featured a few of his remakes and remixes, each with a significantly awesome and unique Balkan brass flare, this morning, he takes the blue ribbon yet again with his take on the most talked about song of the past week.

 

 

When asking him if he had a MySpace or any site to link to his super slick work, he replied with a no, however, he was kind enough to pass along a bit of a bio to tide us over.

 

"Passporte Royale is a DJ/Musician/Producer based in Stockholm, Sweden who's been running clubs and been DJing for about 10 years. After touring the world as a musician, the love for many different kinds music and influences from a lot of different cultures culminates in a series of somewhat different tracks and remixes. They are probably also an effect of a hunger for something fresh to spin...something new. His love for balkan brass and so forth shines thru all his work to date and is inspired by musicians like Fanfare Ciocarlia, Mahala Rai Banda, 17 Hippies, LaBrassBanda, Shantel, Balkan Beat Box and so on…" 

 

Good enough for me...and his cover of M.I.A.'s Born Free is great enough that you probably don't need to listen to anything else today.

 

Seriously.

 

mp3: Passporte Royale - Born Free (M.I.A. Cover)

 

 

Beastly Bits #66

Fitting that this is post 66 of the beastliest and bittiest variety. Why? Hailiing originally from Pittsburgh, PA, I was born and bred on sports of the city. That said, tonight, the Penguins begin their second round playoff hockey series with the Montreal Canadiens...and the best most beastiest dude from P'Burgh to ever lace them up is none other than the great Mario Lemieux, he of the #66 sweater wearing radness. PSAMP would be proud...

 

 

Yeah, I know stuff about sports. Say something.

   

The Killers' Brandon Flowers reveals details of debut solo album, Flamingo. link

 

MTV's Daria finally sees a DVD release on May 11. Hell and yes. link

 

Neil Young recently announced a solo acoustic tour and that he's working with producer Daniel Lanois. link

 

A lyrics sheet from John Lennon and The Beatles could snag $700k. Share dollars please? link

 

Valerna remixes Juelz Santana's Clockwork in anticipation of their new EP. Download it below.

  

mp3: Juelz Santana - Clockwork (Valerna Remix)

 

Blaqstarr - Oh My Darling (new single!)

With all the N.E.E.T. news coming out this week (see: M.I.A. and Sleigh Bells), it's no wonder that we're rounding out the Maya-bred label with another member of her coalition. Blaqstarr's been known best for his work with co-collaborators, but he's promised to put out new tunes by year's end, and we're pretty stoked on this.

 

 

The Baltimore singer, rapper, DJ and producer recently unveiled a video for his new single, Oh My Darling, a sexy and seduction-filled storm riddled with Blaq's half-whisper and moaning tones.

 

Watch the video below. Oh yum.

 

 

 

  

mp3: Blaqstarr - Oh My Darling

 

 

De La Soul to Headline Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival

For the past 5 years, the Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival has showcased some of the finest local and legendary talents from the worlds of udnerground to mainstream street rap and hip hop styles. From Lupe Fiasco and Ghostface, to Nyle and KRS-One, the lineup has always been an excellent depiction of who's hot and always has been. 

 

 

This year, we're treated to another famed act at this year's fest. Earlier today, De La Soul were announced as headliners for the July 10 event.

 

Wes Jackson, executive director of the fest notes: "To be honest, we have been trying to get De La Soul to headline the Festival since we first came up with the idea in 2005. On many levels they are the perfect flag bearers for our mission to use hip-hop as an agent of change. For over 20 years they have traveled the world inspiring MC’s, producers, DJ’s and fans alike."

 

Tickets for the Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival go on sale May 3 at this link. Additional performers to be named later.

  

mp3: De La Soul - A Roller Skating Jam Named Saturdays

 

Win Tickets to See Kaskade in NYC on May 8!

Earlier this month, we went all sorts of "oooooh" for Kaskade's single with Dragonette, titled Fire In Your New Shoes. That, along with a number of other tracks that have surfaced off his 6th studio album, Dynasty, are totally guilt-free dance-floor fillers that are bound to make you break a sweat.

 

  

With the album getting its proper release just yesterday (buy it here), you have every reason to take dance breaks if you find yourself at a day job. Hey, office workers need love too!

 

And what makes his music even better, is catching it in a live setting. So I'm giving a lucky reader the chance to catch Kaskade, along with Infected Mushroom and Hercules and Love Affair, live at Roseland Ballroom on May 8. Want to win this pair of hot tickets? Read on for details.

 

Want to win the set of tickets? If you've frequented the contests here before, then you'll know we are cerifiably "twitter-crazy". So start by following us if you aren't already...winners get notified by DM, and the only way we can send you a beastly congratulatory message is if you're on board our tweetable train.

 

Next, simply copy and paste the below message and hit send in whatever tweeterrific application you use (we're partial to TweetDeck ourselves...)

 

yo @sheenabeaston, my dynasty is to check out @kaskade @infectedtwitt and @herculesLA on may 8 at roseland ballroom!

 

That's all you gotta do...easy peasy. Contest will remain open until 5pm on Friday May 7, so you've got just over a full week to hit me with your tweets.   

  

mp3: Lady Gaga (featuring Beyonce) - Telephone (Kaskade Remix)

mp3: Kaskade (featuring Tiesto and Haley) - Only You

 

 

Graffiti6 Have a Stone in Their Heart and a Special Message for Sheena Beaston

Often, the best ideas come when you rip up the rulebook and follow what feels good. Just ask Graffiti6. The unlikely pairing of producer TommyD (he's worked with Kanye, Jay-z, Kylie and Janet!) and singer/songwriter Jamie Scott began 18 months ago as an experiment neither thought would work and has grown in a pop project so refreshingly rule-free a sense of adventure seeps from every song.

 

 

Pairing classic harmonies with a touch of "down home" ditties, the band is one who is sure to soon turn a few heads. Having just released their debut EP back in March, this 4-track sampler gives audiences an idea of who and what Graffiti6 is all about. As mate Tommy notes: "To me, Graffiti6 is party music....[but] everything about this band is a happy accident. Even now, we’re trying to plan as little as we can. It has to stay fresh."

 

On their initial offering, which you can purchase here, you'll find the track Stone In My Heart, a soulfully-throttling romp that is one part "O Brother Where Art Thou" and two parts "get it on up on the dance-floor".

 

The lads recorded an exclusive acoustic version of the track, and gave us a rad to the max shout out in the clip. Watch below!

  

 

 

mp3: Graffiti6 - Stone In My Heart

 

 

Florrie - Panic Attack (d.Franklyn Remix)

Yep, we're still 100% enamored with Xenomaniac, Florrie, and all 2 of her original tunes...along with each "better than the next and the previous" remixes she continues to toss out. All for free too. So yeah, we're going to continue posting stuff regarding the talented singer, songwriter, drummer and producer. I'm pretty convinced that you won't mind a dose of new with a splash of the rad.

 

 

Today's mix comes from d.Franklyn as he takes on her original tune, Panic Attack. Even though Florrie just came back from a trip to the sunny and lovely west coast of the States, she returns with a darker twist on the track, which brings forth all sorts of emotions that make me feel like it's Halloween.

 

This one might be our favorite yet...in that it strays way far from the gushy lusciousness of the other fixes. 

 

Scary good!

 

mp3: Florrie - Panic Attack (d.Franklyn Remix)

 

  

Grace Jones' Hurricane Limited Edition Vinyl Available to Pre-Order Now

Limited to just 500 copies worldwide and signed by both Grace Jones and acclaimed artist Chris Levine, this exclusive vinyl edition of Jones' Hurricane has been handcrafted in celebration of the new Grace Jones by Chris Levine exhibition, Stillness at the Speed of Light, taking place at The Vinyl Factory gallery from April 30 to May 14.

 

 

This stunning gatefold edition includes the legendary icon's most recent album, Hurricane, pressed on vinyl for the first time, plus an exclusive fine art Giclee print and bespoke screen printed cover featuring unique treated artwork. The full on list of what's included is as below. Pre-order link here.

 

Breathtaking pink flouro screen-printed gatefold sleeve, printed on 300gsm pristine white Colorplan, featuring unique treatment of iconic Grace Jones image by creative collaborator and acclaimed artist Chris Levine.

Two 200-gram super-heavyweight vinyl records, containing Grace Jones' critically celebrated recent album, 'Hurricane', released on vinyl for the very first time

Album especially mastered for vinyl by the legendary Bob Ludwig in New York, and pressed on the peerless EMI 1400 in Hayes, Middlesex.

Fine art Giclee print featuring exclusive Grace Jones single 'Superstar' image by Chris Levine, hand numbered and signed by both Grace Jones and Chris Levine.

Custom-made thumb-cut inner sleeves screen printed pink fluoro inside with clear foil blocked tracklisting and complete album credits.

Produced by Ivor Guest, 'Hurricane' features long-time Grace Jones collborators Sly and Robbie, as well as Brian Eno, Tricky and Tony Allen. 

  

mp3: Grace Jones - Hurricane