So there’s this guy… he’s sort up-and-coming on the underground hip-hop scene… goes by the handle “Ludacris.” Heard of him?

Ok. I realize it’s ridiculous but I LOVE THIS TRACK. (I even talk about it on our year in review episode.)

Why do I like Ludacris? He’s funny. He’s in on the joke. Even when he’s saying heinous things, you can hear the smirk in his voice and sense the twinkle in his eye. He reminds me of a (hypothetical) adorable bad boy in the back of class who I might pretend to be disgusted by, but I would definitely make out with him up against a locker after school.

Sure, we’re from different walks of life- I’m too whitebread for him, and he’s from the other side of the tracks- but there’s an undeniable chemistry- a spark that will last at least for a few weeks (until he is disgusted by my fear of authority and I am repelled by his penchant for shoplifting CDs by people he doesn’t even LIKE. Sade? Really? Tyrone, I just don’t GET you! Oh, you don’t get *me*? No, I’m NOT going to quit playing the flute. I don’t care if it doesn’t have street cred- I love the sound of woodwinds. This is never going to work, is it? We’re over. OVER. Don’t look at me like that! Come here, you…)

Anyway. Ludacris is hilarious. And whenever I cough or clear my throat, I find myself uncontrollably blurting “LUDA!”

The beats are hot, the key-tone melody is delightful, and it’s total a ear-crush, every time.

LUDACRIS / SEXTING

Oh boy, oh boy. This is the BEST trouble you’ll get into all day. “Around the World” is the first release by new artist Sonny Trouble. Sonny Trouble’s sound is a delicious mix of funky pop and soul with just enough electroliciousness to shake every kind of butt. (I’m beginning to think I’m REALLY good at writing about music.)

Sonny’s going to be releasing more tracks soon- but I wanted you in on the ground floor with me so we can get excited together and then we don’t have to get on the elevator alone. We will arrive at the top at the same time and it won’t be all awkward because we’ll be arm in arm; laughing and grooving. WE WILL BE THE PARTY.

Give “Around the World” a listen below, you can get this track as a free download on his site. Oh, and PS- he’s super cute. Damn boy!

Cole and I get along like gangbusters (or gang-bangers that are really good friends and deciding to beat the odds and get out of the gang-banging lifestyle) but I’ll tell you something…. SPOILER*… we are not the same person.  While Cole is off somewhere wearing an ironic t-shirt, listening to something artsy and vaguely European as he plays trivia with himself, you will probably find me covered in dog hair, daydreaming and shaking my ka-tush to some big fat bass. Really though, my music tastes are pretty extreme; I’m either listening to something acoustic and raw that makes me want to cry, or drowning out the pain of my inner torment with RAPS. I loooooves me some raps. So, this little section will be for JAMZ that are currently fueling my inner swagger.

First up: Kid Sister. Kid Sister (normal name: Melissa Young) is a Chicago rap artist who makes me happy from my toeses to my hurrdo (read: all over) because she’s one of the best females on the scene. I fell in love with her after hearing “Damn Girl” two years ago, and she hasn’t let me down since. You might have heard her track with Kanye West, Pro-Nails, but in my opinion that’s hardly her best work.
I was so happy when she (via Fool’s Gold Records) released her free mixtape this year!
KISSKISSKISS is a delight- pure electro-pop/hip-hop fun. Kid Sister is full of joy and has a smooth control in her delivery that somehow manages to be full of hip-hop confidence while still being in on the joke. (The joke being that NO one is that confident. I’m sure even rappers have bad hair days and sometimes their big cars are not the BIGGEST car. )

Download it! Shake your shakey-parts.

In the mean time enjoy “click, clack”!

*“SPOILER!” is so 2008, but I’m so 2000 & irrelevant. And I’m fine with that.