The Witzard

It's not really about Diplo or Zeb Malik , 2 left-field multi-instrumentalists hailing from the heart of Philly . It isn't even about stupid, in-descriptive genre classification(s). It's just "About That Life:" The plain and simple, every day is Saturday type of GOOD SHIT! The Mad Decent labelhead and super-producer who has semi-recently worked with Beyoncé , No Doubt , Usher, and Kid Cudi is finally gearing up to release his long-awaited follow-up LP to Florida (2004). Teaming up with JAHAN LENNON aka Zeb Malik from PO PO fame, who amidst inner-band fighting, have now disbanded after liberating their "debut album," DOPE BOY MAGICK (20012) ... Diplo has self-described "About That Life" as a Psychedelic Southern Gospel jam. Along with "Express Yourself," it'll eventually appear on Diplo 's untitled 2012-13 solo record. Somehow making use of a bunch of instruments that're even pretty "weird" for adv...

While it was just announced late yesterday afternoon, WILD WATER KINGDOM is quickly shaping up to be[come] his second mixtape of 2012, and Heems has already tapped a wide array of beat-makers for possible inclusion: Diplo , Le1f, Harry Fraud , Yorrissey, " @keyboardkid206 , @beautifullou1, AND @MikeFinito ." Making a pretty un-characteristically bold move, Yorrissey (BLKHRTS) decides to employ a tricky sample pulled from Shoegaze godfathers, Echo & The Bunnymen on "Killing Time." It sounds a lot like Donnie Darko from the get-go and after a re-purposed vocal fragment [hook] plays out, Heems comes in... rapping full-force about being bored? For all intensive purposes, "Killing Time" just might be the true genesis of Slacker Rap-Rock . Along with friend-producer Yorrissey , Heems somehow manages to find the middle ground between self-loathing 80's Indie Rock and Underground Hip-Hop . Heems recently stated on Twitter that Beautiful Lou ...

Diplo reportedly antied up some $3-5 million to sign "viral rapper" RiFF RAFF to Mad Decent for a staggering 8 album deal; The labelhead also threw in a $45,000 3-D/reversible gold-encrusted Cheshire Cat chain to further sweeten their deal. Over the weekend, RiFF RAFF unveiled his first official [mixtape] project for Mad Decent , BiRTH OF AN iCON . It's basically a collection of 25 re-mastered tracks total, including 7 BRAND NEW productions to hold fans over til his 2013 full-length. 16 of 25 tracks already have music videos , all varying in quality and some of which date way back to Spring 2011. RiFF RAFF 's currently-untitled album will probably be released sooner than later and is supposed to highlight Dubstep production(s) from Diplo, Skrillex , and Rusko . BiRTH OF AN iCON kinda plays out like a "Best Of" collection and it's material was selected from a super-sized mix of old tracks, remixes, and features ... that further display the vast ta...

Since PO PO basically de-constructed right before our very eyes without even releasing an album, sole remaining brother Zeb Malik has christened a BRAND NEW musical moniker: Jahan Lennon . While readying his official [re-]debut and the proper follow-up to DOPE BOY MAGICK , Zeb sent a twisted Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers cover over to Stereogum late Thurs. afternoon. "DON'T COME AROUND HERE" here is an interesting take on the Southern Accents (1985) original; First off, Jahan Lennon decides to sub in a sitar and gun-shot rhythm for the stock Rock "N" Roll guitar/drum pattern. Zeb Malik really did his best to try and describe his "Don't Come Around Here No More" cover to @tompetty on Twitter : "I did a trap cover of "dnt come around here" about my hometown, philadelphia ... thnk u for the inspiration *." While Jahan Lennon is busy finishing up his Mad Decent EP (October), Diplo 's gonna release a Rock tr...

Jah artist formerly know as Snoop Dogg has finally decided to unveil that he has plans to release a Reggae record, sometime within the next few months. Diplo & "Snoop Lion" somehow managed to record a batch of 18 tracks for the long-rumored album, which has now been dubbed Reincarnated , over @ Major Lazer's TOP SECRET Jamaican headquarters/studio. Ariel Rechtshaid also assisted in producing the first single, "La La La," which dually showcases a pretty solid Roots Rock Reggae sound and Jovi Rockwell on backing vocals. It's all actually built around a simple Ken Boothe riddim [sample] that Diplo pulled from "Artibella;" Mad Decent and Vice Records plan to co-release Snoop Lion 's album in a few months' time. Below the break is a nifty little quote from Diplo (MTV) about recording with Snoop... along with Snoop Dogg / Diplo & Kid Cudi 's previous Weed Rap -tinged collaborative track, "That Tree" (2010). ...

For some odd reason, I just feel that a Das Racist -fried Lana del Rey remix really isn't going to need much "hard selling" 'round these parts of town [The Internet]. Das Racist are without a doubt one of my favourite Hip-Hop bands; I'm still not too sure exactly how I feel about Lizzy Grant I mean, May Jailer er, uh... Lana del Rey . Regardless, "National Anthem" (Das Racist Remix) should manage to pique the interest(s) of all sorts of music fans far and wide! Heems & Kool A.D. work their lyrical "magic" over a stripped down, nearly vocal-less re-worked beat. Frantically bragging about everything from money/rupees to Bruce Willis and somehow working in mentions of Lil B , Tyler The Creator, Bad Brains , Boy Crisis, Diplo , Oscar The Grouch, deadmau5 , and Amy Winehouse. * Shouts to Pedro (Daplib) @ Illuminati Zone for the "Private" Soundcloud link hook-up! Lately, it seems like Lana del Rey , who also recently linked u...

KREAYSHAWN is definitely hot in that "Ghetto Fabulous" sort of way. She's the type of girl that if I saw her on the street, I'd still attempt to spit game @, even though I'm sure we'd have absolutely nothing in common ha. Anyways, Columbia reportedly signed a $1 million record deal with KREAYSHAWN on the sheer strength of her premier single, "Gucci Gucci." Since dropping out of Berkeley film school in 2009-10, Natassia "KREAYSHAWN" Zolot has self-released 2 mixtapes: Kittys X Choppas and Kreayshawn X The Bay , in addition to shooting music videos for a number of [famous] friends. During this formative period, KREAYSHAWN also submitted guest verses to a wide variety of Hip-Hop artists: The Madden Brothers , Juicy J, Theophilus London , Millionaires, and Insane Clown Posse . "Breakfast" (Syrup) fully employs KREAYSHAWN 's witty, inventive sense of building rhyme patterns... Ex(s)ample: "I'm hungry. Hungry fo...

Philly -bred DJ, Thomas Wesley "Diplo[docus]" Pentz has recently gone against music production's coveted behind-the-scenes nature by essentially becoming the world's mos recognizable champion of Dubstep and various progressive Dance -based formats. In recent days, Diplo has managed to bridge the gap between underground independence and mainstream success... working with house-hold names like: Beyoncé, Wale, Usher , Passion Pit , Lil' Wayne, Chris Brown, Das Racist, Yelawolf & Fefe Dobson . Pentz is nearly 18 tracks deep into a mysterious full-length joint album along with Snoop Dogg , of which little else is known. Before breaking onto the Electronic music scene in 2003, Diplo worked as a Philadelphia -area school teacher: Mr. Pentz . Dilpo is gearing up to liberate his latest solo release, a 6-track EP titled Express Yourself (May); It looks like Elephant Man, Datsik, Sabi , LAzerdisk Party Sex , and Billy The Gent will be featured within. Earlier ...

Earlier this year, Usher linked with Diplo to make "Climax," a pretty amazing heartbroken R&B track with masterful Dance -music flourishes and an excellently subtle string arrangement from Indie-Classical wunderkind, Nico Muhly . It's an early contender for Single of The Year (2012) and a fine reminder that, no matter what you may think of Usher and/or Diplo , they are both extremely good @ driving their respective lanes. The new "Climax" video is a bit of fairly typical R&B -video melodrama, all about Usher contemplating the different tragic paths he and his ladyfriend could take, but it's a nice excuse to enjoy the song again. Watch it below... Usher hasn't announced a new album yet or anything, but the "Climax" single is @ iTunes now. - Tom Breihan (Stereogum)

Pretty simple premise for a "music video" and companion blog post here, if I do say so myself: Philly Dubstep Master and Mad Decent label head honcho, Diplo recently teamed up with Dutch DJ-songwriter, Don Diablo to record the sheer bo(o)mbastic goodness that is "Make You Pop." Soon after laying down and properly "lacing up" said track, Diplo & Diablo quickly sent the final edit over to their Dutch compadres, Zanger Rinus & Romana . Legend has it... the music video below showcases their honest, eccentric reaction(s) while whilst initially listening to the snailmailed "Make You Pop" promotape [cassette]. Internet -savvy fans just might liken Zanger Rinus & Romana 's escapades to something that exists somewhere in-between Napoleon Dynamite and Major Lazer 's recent Lo-Fi comeback clip, "Original Don." Almost positive that a segmented portion of "Make You Pop" was previously featured @ the tail-e...

Since initially bursting onto the music scene in 2008-09, Philly Psych-Pop band PO PO has somehow mysteriously morphed from "family affair" (3 brothers) to the solo endeavor of remaining member, Zeb Malik . Regardless of "current events," PO PO have signed to home-bred label, Mad Decent and are gearing up to release their long-awaited debut album, DOPE BOY MAGICK . Labelhead Diplo and Nick Launay lent their production talents, but with such a tensured past, it's almost hard to tell how many bandmembers are ACTUALLY present on each specific recording. Zeb teamed up with [art] director, Clayton Vomero on Staten Island to produce the music video for "Teen Dreamz / "Let's Get Away" along with DOPE BOY MAGICK's featured artwork (Noah Conopask) . Stereogum debuted the new PO PO video yesterday afternoon, which for all intensive purposes... is a short film oddly rooted somewhere between the genres of gut-wrenching Horror and Roman...