VIDEO: MATEO PERFORMS "HOW GOOD IS YOUR LOVE" ACOUSTIC

In front of the Bowery Mural in NYC, painted by established artists Pose and Revok, Mateo performs "How Good Is Your Love" acoustic off of his EP, We've Met Before. It's on iTunes now.--GB

VIDEO: SID SRIRAM, "LUCID" (COCAINE 80'S COVER/SID SRIRAM RENDITION)

Sid Sriam dropped his latest cover as part of a prelude to West Coast Nightfall pt II. The vid, shot and edited by Lake Effects films, is a shortened version of Cocaine 80's "Lucid," for Sid counts James Fauntleroy and No I.D. as major influences. Watch Sid in the studio performing this guitar-laden track alongside Sean Tracy.--GB

MICKEY FACTZ, ASTRO, & MORE RESPOND WITH TRACKS TO KENDRICK LAMAR'S "CONTROL" VERSE

Monday night, rapper Kendrick Lamar's verse on Big Sean's unreleased song "Control" hit the net, which just missed his latest album Hall of Fame tracklisting, and which also features Jay Electronica. While the three of them collab'd, it seems as though Kendrick's verse has created the most hype, and the most controversy.

In addition to calling out rappers such as A$AP Rocky, Cole, Tyler the Creator, and even Big Sean and Jay Electronica themselves, he says he is basically coming for them lyrically, and hopes their fans will even forget the sound of them. (I got love for you all but I'm tryna murder you ni****/Tryna make sure your core fans never heard of you ni****/They dont wanna hear not one more noun or verb from you ni****).

This has sparked a few rappers to backlash. While B.O.B. and Joell Ortiz  put out some response tracks, Astro and Mickey Factz put out tracks as well. Astro's is entitled "KONY" for "King of New York," and he sampled the Newsies track of the same name, and Mickey Factz's is called "South Park."

While Kendrick has probably unsettled some rappers for calling himself the King of NY, being from Compton, he has also sparked a healthy competition. While it's not safe to say which of these rappers (and all who will respond in the coming days/weeks) has won as of yet, one things for sure. Kendrick is sitting pretty knowing he lit a burning flame.

Here's Mickey Factz and Astro's response, just released, below.

MICKEY FACTZ



ASTRO



Check the original "Control" song after the jump.

VIDEO: ARIANA GRANDE PERFORMS "BABY I" AND "THE WAY" ACOUSTIC

Ariana Grande performs an acoustic "The Way" & "Baby I" with guitarist Dan Kanter (Justin Bieber's guitarist) to a room full of lucky, lucky people. Check it.--GB

PREVIEW: LUKE JAMES FT. HIT BOY, "OH GOD" (VIDEO) (UPDATED).

Drama; passion; deception; dogs; dancing, and getting caught in the act! Who said you needed to pay $12 dollars to see a movie? Expect this and more in Luke James' new "Oh God" video from his mixtape Whispers in The Dark, coming really soon to a tube near you.--GB

UPDATE: Link: Watch the "Oh God" video here..--GB

NEW SONG, V V BROWN, "THE APPLE"

V V Brown's new song "The Apple" is along the lines of her first single "Samson" with the Biblical influences, but this track is a bit more upbeat. V V orders a person who is not "the apple of her eye" not to patronize her or bring her down with an electro rhythm produced by Pascal Gabriel and Dave Okumu (of Jesse Ware fame). Will this video be pt. II to the "Samson" video? *Fingers crossed*

Samson & Delilah is out in the US on Oct 8 via YOY Records.--GB 

LISTEN TO V V BROWN'S "THE APPLE"

Propers--SPIN

NEW SONG: MATEO, "AFTER DARK"

Mateo brings the heat with "After Dark," the new single from his EP entitled We've Met Before out Aug 13. Listen below.--GB

NEW SONG: ARIANA GRANDE FEAT. BIG SEAN, "RIGHT THERE"

Ariana Grande has been gearing up for her Listening Sessions tour, but until then, she has dropped a song with Big Sean called "Right There," along with putting snippets of her album Yours Truly on Keek and Instagram. Look out for the release on September 3. --GB

NEW SONG: ASTRO, "CRAZY"

For the love of money! Astro has his take on the "almighty dollar" in "Crazy," a track off of his upcoming album, out in September. For this he samples reggae artist Supercat's "Dolly My Baby," while focusing on monetary issues. Listen below.--GB

NEW VIDEO: BIRDY, "WINGS"

Birdy is surrounded by a fairytale dreamland in the video for "Wings," the first single off of her sophomore album, Fire Within, to be released this September. After a night of antics with friends dressed up in faux garb, Birdy recalls the night in flashbacks amongst the sleeping counterparts, making it clear that she can't forget that special someone. Watch above.