[WATCH] Sam I - "Don't Give Up" / Heaven: Short Film Dance Rehearsal BTS

Sam I and Nevaeh Meraz, lovingly lifted from his Instagram

Not sure why I sat on this video for a few days, but after re-watching it again I’m tryna make sure that the inspiration gets spread around.

Before we get to the nitty gritty about why this video is specifically giving me The Feels™ imma make sure we’re all on the same page. TL;DR - Sam Speigel, whom we have adored thoroughly on this site for his N.A.S.A. projects is clearing the slate on any other AKA of his and will be moving forward releasing music as Sam I.

With that, he’s just released his debut full-length under his aforementioned new moniker titled, Random Shit From The Internet Era. The album is full of features from like…everybody? No but really. We’re talking Freddie Gibbs, Theophilus London, Doja Cat, Anderson .Paak, RZA, Barbie Hatch, etc. etc. As the name would suggest, it’s not exactly a “cohesive album” per say, as it’s more a collection of ideas that have been lingering around for awhile that he decided to finish and shoot out into the world. “I usually love to work conceptually,” notes Spiegel. “Call me old school, but I love making albums that have a theme or concept that carries you through the record.” For me, the magic of this record is knowing that some of these songs were ideas that were over 15 years old. Yes, you read right. That was not a typo. Some of these are 15 years in the making. It really speaks to the equally groundbreaking and timeless nature of Spiegel’s music IMO.

OKAY BUT LET’S GET TO THIS VIDEO BECAUSE YOU PROBABLY NEED THIS.

For his latest single, “Don’t Give Up”, which features Sia, Busta Rhymes & Vic Mensa (I fucking told you everybody is on this goddamn record 😂), Spiegel assembled some lovely behind the scenes footage from his forthcoming short film that he began working on prior to the pandemic. Would you be surprised to hear that COVID derailed his plans to shoot the film back in March? 🙄 yeah didn’t think so. The film is based off the real life experiences of a dancer named Nevaeh Meraz who overcame abuse, depression and suicide attempts to become an acclaimed performer.

As the backstory goes (because I refuse to spoil her part of the story), the way he and Meraz linked up was a byproduct of her tagging him in videos of her dancing to his music on Instagram. Some more random shit from the internet era, if you will. As he shares, “I was struck by her. She dances with so much feeling. It's all there...right on the surface. She lays it all out in her expression, not hiding anything.” Even though some filming restrictions have been lifted he decided to cut together some of the dance rehearsal and interview footage as a kind of behind-the-scenes prequel to the film.

When I say I was covered in goosebumps after hearing her story of how she got into dancing. Y’all…. 🥺 It’s so beautiful the way that a world of pain can produce moments like this. I hope taking four minutes and four seconds to have a glance at this video helps you remember that your life can dramatically change in an instant, so if you’re struggling right now like I feel like we all are (thanks stupid fucking pandemic), don’t give up.

(ps 404 - more random internet shit, I SEE YOU SAM I 🤪😂)

Watch “Don’t Give Up” below. If you want the full message from Spiegel about his decision to work under Sam I, I’ve included that after the video. 😊

A NOTE FROM SAM SPIEGEL, AKA SAM I

With Random Shit from the Internet Era, I’ll be releasing my first album as a solo artist. Like so many things in our world, I’ve gone through a huge transition these past few years, and I feel like I’m embarking on a new life…a new version of myself. I’ve always created music behind a pseudonym. It was fun to be N.A.S.A. because I love space so much. I could explore my passion for the foreign, the mysterious, the unknown, the unity of humanity, all of the things that space signifies to me. With Maximum Hedrum, the only rule in the studio with Derrick and I was to have fun so I expressed my goofy side. I wrote just to make Derrick and myself laugh, I explored my perversions, got psychedelic. But at a certain point I started to feel limited by these projects—like I wasn’t able to express all of the feelings, thoughts, and ideas I have within their concepts—so I started releasing music as myself, Sam Spiegel.

With N.A.S.A.’s “Jihad Love Squad” I started to learn how to work with moving picture and discovered my love for directing, which I continued developing as I embarked on a transitional period. I needed to clear my musical slate and release everything that I’ve had stored up for years; music that I’ve been wanting to release but has never fit within my other projects. It’s been a few years of putting out these random songs, some of which have ended up on Random Shit…

I’m clearing my slate with Random Shit… It is a new beginning for me. My music coming out going forward is not reiterations of old songs modernized, but where I stand now and into the future. It is day one for me in my new life as a grown-ass human and artist, and so I’ll be releasing everything from here on out under my new name, Sam I, both on the audio and the visual side. I hope you all come along on this new adventure with me. 

Lots of love and thanks for listening,
Sam I

[News] Full Tracklist for RZA's 'The Man With the Iron Fists' Revealed

RZA's upcoming directorial debut The Man With the Iron Fists is easily one of my most anticipated movies of the year (and no doubt Rocko's too), and how could it not be? It's all kinds of Wu-Tang Clan Shaolin love, mixed with awesome stunts, tons of gore, and a killer cast. Turns out the soundtrack is pretty damn amazing, as well. The full tracklist for the official movie soundtrack has been revealed, and it looks to be one of the most stacked movie soundtracks in a long time. Kanye West? Check. The Black Keys? Check. A Pusha T and Raekwon collab? Check. Talib Kweli, Ghostface Killah, Freddie Gibbs, Method Man, and the rest of the Wu-Tang Clan? Check, check, check, fucking check.

For your first taste of the soundtrack, stream Method Man and Freddie Gibbs' collaborative track "Built For This" below, along with the full tracklist for The Man With the Iron Fists Soundtrack, which drops on October 23rd via Soul Temple/STAX/Red. The film hits theatres on November 2nd.

The Man With the Iron Fists Soundtrack Tracklist:
01. The Black Keys & RZA – “The Baddest Man Alive”
02. Ghostface Killah, M.O.P & Pharoahe Monch – “Black Out”
03. Kanye West – “White Dress”
04. The Revelations feat. Tre Williams – “I Forgot To Be Your Lover”
05. Talib Kweli & RES – “Get Your Way (Sex as a Weapon)”
06. Raekwon, Ghostface Killah & Kool G. Rap – “Rivers of Blood”
07. Method Man, Freddie Gibbs & StreetLife – “Built for This”
08. 24 Carat Black – “Poverty’s Paradise”
09. Killa Sin – “The Archer”
10. RZA & Flatbush Zombies – “Just Blowin’ In The Wind”
12. Corrine Bailey Rae – “Chains”
13. Pusha T & Raekwon – “Tick Tock”
14. Frances Yip – “Green is the Mountain”
15. The Wu-Tang Clan – “Six Directions of Boxing”
16. Mabel John – “Your Good Thing Is About To End”

[Download] The KickDrums Drop 'Follow The Leaders' Mixtape, Feat. A$AP Rocky, Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire, Freddie Gibbs & More

The big homies Fitts and Tilla of the infamous KickDrums have released their long awaited mixtape, Follow The Leaders today. The mixtape features new songs from the duo following up last years release of Meet Your Ghost and collaborations with some of the blogospheres most buzzworthy artists such as A$AP Rocky, Machine Gun Kelly, Mr. Muthafuckin eXquire, Casey Veggies, Alan Wilkis, Lana Del Rey, Freddie "Gangsta" Gibbs and more. Peep out the A$AP Rocky x Lana Del Rey x KickDrums collaboration "Ridin'" that we've been bumping for the past month or so since getting an early preview of full mixtape below minus the A$AP Rocky x Lana Del Rey collab which was pulled as A$AP wanted it for his LP and and head over to Live Mixtapes to download the full release. Kickdrummmmmmmmmmmms Uh!

01. The KickDrums - Thieves In The Choir (Feat. Casey Veggies) 
02. The KickDrums - Want My Blood (Feat. DZ Deathrays & Rockie Fresh) 
03. The KickDrums - Ridin' (Feat. Lana Del Rey & A$AP Rocky) 
04. The KickDrums - My Life (Feat. Machine Gun Kelly) 
05. The KickDrums - Naked 
06. The KickDrums - The Way It Goes (Feat. Big Pooh) (Co-Prod. By Anna Yvette) 
07. The KickDrums - The Last Goodbye (Feat. YP) 
08. The KickDrums - Lights (Feat. Rebecca Jordan) 
09. The KickDrums - Traces 
10. The KickDrums - Death Wish (Feat. Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire & Maluca) 
11. The KickDrums - Safer Than Heaven 
12. The KickDrums - Whatever You'd Like (Feat. Gilbert Forte) (Co-Prod. By Sk8beatz) 
13. The KickDrums - Come Come (Feat. Hot As Sun & Freddie Gibbs) 
14. The KickDrums - Come And Go (Alan Wilkis & The KickDrums) 

[Listen] Freddie Gibbs And Madlib Team Up For Joint EP, 'Thuggin‘' & Upcoming Collaborative Album

Freddie Gibbs has been hard at work over the last few months in which he released a free mixtape and collaborated with Indie band Cults for a remix of their self titled debut album track "Bad Things". But now Gangsta Gibbs is back and this time he's hooked up with Madlib (Madvillain, Quasimoto, Jaylib) for a brand new EP titled Thuggin'. The EP was first released as a limited run at Madlib's show last Friday in San Francisco. But now you can pick up the EP which features 2 new cuts from the upcoming album currently in the works from the duo (that were gonna just call Madgibbs to save time) today at the Stones Throw website. Peep the EP's title track below, then click on the link above to grab the rest of the EP.

Freddie Gibbs & Madlib - Thuggin' by Rappcats

[Listen] Cults - "Bad Things" (Remix) Feat. Freddie Gibbs

A couple a months ago indie rockers Cults announced they were working on a hip hop mixtape reworking their debut self titled album. The duo expressed interest in featuring "up and coming rappers" like Freddie Gibbs and Lil B. And lo and behold, we have our first taste from the upcoming project courtesy of our friends at Hypetrak with a remix of the Cults self titled album track "Bad Things" featuring none other than Freddie "Gangsta" Gibbs. Peep the track below and let us know what you think.

Hypetrak Premiere: Cults featuring Freddie Gibbs - Bad Things (Remix) by Hypetrak

[Download] Freddie Gibbs - 'Cold Day in Hell' (Mixtape)

You know it's a good day when you can download an entire album or mixtape for free, and today, being Halloween and all, Indiana rapper Freddie Gibbs has released his Cold Day in Hell mixtape. You can listen to the entire 16-track mixtape below, as well as download it for free.

The rapper is currently working on his debut studio album Baby-Face Killa, which is set for release early next year.

Freddie Gibbs - 'Cold Day in Hell' Mixtape by Some Kind of Awesome

[News] Cults Working On Hip Hop Mixtape

Indie band Cults recently announced in an interview with Spinner, that they are currently working on a hip hop mixtape based on their recently released amazing self titled album. Guitarist Brian Oblivion states, "We're working on a hip hop mixtape of the album. Like, changing all the songs up and getting up and coming rappers, guys like Freddie Gibbs and Lil B and stuff. That's gonna be really exciting. We've been dealing with a lot of really bizarre managers ... interesting personalities." Hmmm...Gangsta Gibbs and The Based God with Cults? That sounds pretty awesome.

Brooklyn emcee, Erick Arc Elliot featured a hip hop version of the band's single "Go Outside" on his latest record Almost Remembered, which was also featured on a Rough Trade Bonus CD included free as a pre-order bonus with Cults debut LP and to Rough Trade Record Club members. Check out the track down below.

[Listen & Download] The Kid Daytona - "Take Aim... Bang!" Feat. Freddie Gibbs & Alex of The Kickdrums x The Interlude LP (Album)

Check out the incredibly dope track "Take Aim... Bang!" from The Kid Daytona featuring Freddie "Gangsta" Gibbs and the homie Alex Fitts of The Kickdrums. This banger produced by 6th sense was influenced by Dr. Dre's classic album The Chronic as you can tell right off the bat when that classic west coast sound kicks in. This track appears on Daytona's latest release The Interlude LP presented by LRG which you can grab right by clicking here and has guest spots from emcees like Styles P, Freddie Gibbs, NORE, Aloe Blacc and Vaughn Anthony and production by 6th Sense, 9th Wonder, Bink!, Cook Classics, nVMe and AMP. Check out the track below and then grab the album and expect the video for "Take Aim... Bang!" to drop very soon.

The Kid Daytona - "Take Aim... Bang!" Feat. Freddie Gibbs & Alex of The Kickdrums by Some Kind of Awesome