There's quite a bit more rock than rap on Kid Rock's upcoming Atlantic album, tentatively titled "Rock'n'Roll Jesus," which will arrive Oct. 9. Recorded at the Clarkston Chophouse studio on his home property in Michigan, the set cuts a broad stylistic swath, from metallic headbangers like first single "So Hot" and "Sugar" (the set's only rap track) to such rootsy, gospel-hued fare as "Amen" ("The best song I've ever written," Rock tells Billboard) and "When You Love Someone."
The Motown-influenced "Roll On" rolls alongside the power ballad "Miss Understood" and the Crescent City-flavored "New Orleans" (co-written with pal David Allen Coe), while "All Summer Long" entertainingly mashes up elements of Warren Zevon's "Werewolves of London" and Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama"-with the latter group's Billy Powell on piano.
The album ends with "Half Your Age," a sly country kissoff to ex-wife Pamela Anderson. When it reaches the chorus' closing line about finding a younger girlfriend who's "twice as hot," Rock throws his arms up and offers an exultant high five. "I think people expect it," he says with a shrug and smile, tapping on a cigar. "It'd be stupid to pretend that it didn't happen and not say anything."
Overall, Rock -- who's dedicating the album to his late friend, Atlantic co-founder Ahmet Ertegun -- hopes the effect is "like going to church drunk on Saturday night. It defines America; if you just had to play one American rock album for somebody, this would be it."
To support the album, Rock is planning a promo tour, which will include radio events, prior to the release. There will also be a series of theater and club dates to promote the album, with a full-scale tour planned for 2008.
SOURCE: BILLBOARD.COM
BOB DYLAN IS OKAY TO A HIP HOP REMIX OF HIS SONG
In a monumental move, Bob Dylan has agreed to let producer Mark Ronson do a Hip-Hop remix of one of his songs.
According to the UK Times, Ronson will remix Dylan's "Most Likely You'll Go Your Way (And I'll Go Mine)" from his 1967 album "Blonde on Blonde."
The song will debut next week on BBC Radio 1 on the Zane Lowe show.
“It’s the first time Bob Dylan has given anyone the original multi-tracks of his songs to do remixes," Ronson told The Times. "I’m a huge Dylan fan, so it’s a great honor, along with the fact that he heard it and approved it, because, as you imagine, he’d be quite picky.”
Ronson and Columbia Records UK Managing Director Mike Smith decided on the song due to its "rhythmic breakbeat" and deep lyrical content.
"We hope the fans will see this as an addition to the canon, not a desecration," Smith said. "It’s a new interpretation of Bob’s world and adds to the mystery. We all approached the remix with respect and awe.”
INTERESTING TAKE ON WHY KANYE WEST IS THE BEST RAPPER RIGHT NOW...
I've heard people say that Kanye West is the 2007 version of Will Smith. I guess this comparison is given because Kanye's flow and rhymes are simple enough for a casual listener to understand, but true enough to the Hip-Hop culture that he still garners respect in that circle (albeit a lot more than Will does). But the appeal of Kanye West goes much deeper than mainstream love and easy to remember rhyme schemes. There is a reason why (in a day of declining record sales) Def Jam pushed up the release of YE's "Graduation" album. People are eagerly anticipating this album as if they were still buying records (and the thing is they probably will when it comes to Kanye).
So what is the appeal of Kanye West? The answer is simple; he's like you. Ok well take away the millions and millions of dollars. Ok good. Now, Kanye West is just like you. Check these lines from his recently released "Bittersweet":
"I'll never hit a girl but ill shake the shit out of you"
and you talkin bout her family her aunts and shit
and she sayin muhfucka yo mama's a bitch
you know domestic drama and shit"
Who can't relate to drama with a girlfriend? But what makes Kanye unique is when he says things like "I'll never hit a girl..." YE shows a sense of perceived weakness that most rappers wouldn't dare to. Let's be honest, most of us have never pimp slapped a ho or back handed a bitch. Yet, a lot of Rap albums contain such references as if they are common place everyday occurrences for their listeners. People relate to Kanye West. When his first album came out, references to working at The Gap and being broke contemplating to yourself on a smoke break connected with listeners. Sure, the life of a drug dealer seems glamorous and flashy, but the majority of people buying Rap music had their first job servin' another kind of white...vanilla ice cream at the local mall.
That being said, artists the complete opposite of Kanye such as Young Jeezy (who ironically is sampled on Kanye's new song "Can't Tell Me Nothing") sell huge amounts of records and there is still a market for this kind of Hip-Hop...but it's shrinking. Beanie Sigel recently called out Kanye for dressing gay and said that no one identifies with that in the hood. And you know what, for the most part Beanie is right. There is a sector of the Hip-Hop audience that may never identify with Kanye's almost suburban, everyday joe Rap life and would never imagine in a million years rocking some of the clothes he does. But the thing is, I highly doubt we'll see both Young Jeezy AND Kanye West being celebrated during VH-1 Hip-Hop Honors one day...guess which one will be there?
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