Top Ten of 2009 - Georgia Anne Muldrow "Run Away"

Yep. We already posted it. Save your emails/comments. Regardless, GAM is still in the "Top Ten" with this one. Recorded a few years ago (and released last year), you can never get enough of this song. Dope. Makes me feel all magical inside. Magical.

From the album, Early (Animated CarTunes).

Note: Top Ten are in NO numerical order/position.

Top Ten of 2009 - Savoir Adore "MERP"

Savoir Adore? This song bangs...literally. Free spirited vocals over rumbling drum work.

This song goes in two directions for me. Partly, it reminds me of something Prince would write for one of his side-projects (The Family). The end of the track treads into Jamiroquai/disco territory. It works.

From the album, In The Wooded Forest. Cantora Records.

Props to: 99dollarmusicvideos.com.

Top Ten of 2009 - Robert Glasper "Downtime"

Rob G. is my dude. I started rocking with him on the Canvas album. I followed him to the In My Element album. His latest Double Booked features both of his groups; The Robert Glasper Trio and The Robert Glasper Experiment. The first half of the album is straight-ahead jazz from his trio. The second half contains the Hip-Hop fusion of the The Experiment. I appreciate both aspects.

The song "Downtime" is classic Glasper.

Salute.

The album, Double Booked, on Blue Note Records.

Top Ten of 2009 - Major Lazer "Pon De Floor"

Major Lazer "Pon De Floor"

Stop and stutter beats? Check.

Crazy art direction? Check.

Insane video that makes absolutely NO sense? Check.

An imaginary Jamaican superhero, with a gun for an arm? Check.

Dancehall tunes that turns chicks into scandalous wenches? Check. Check. Check.

Major Lazer (comprised of Diplo and Switch, producers of M.I.A. and Santigold) scores with this track. Not only does it bang, but the video may get you side-eye looks while viewing at work.

Crazy. All the way around.

From the album, Guns Don't Kill People, Lazers Do (Downtown Records).

Top Ten of 2009 - Colin Munroe feat. Joell Ortiz "Piano Lessons"

Colin Munroe - Piano Lessons

I must've rocked this a million times since I heard it.

Maybe it's the voice EFX that's not quite Auto-Tune?

Or maybe it's Black Milk channeling the late great Dilla?

Or maybe it's the theme of giving the finger (very nicely) to your detractors?

Whatever.....it's a heater.

From the mixtape, Colin Munroe Is The Unsung Hero.

Top Ten of 2009 - Method Man + Redman "Mrs. International"

Meth & Red and a visual from the highly slept-on Blackout 2. Classic joints on this album.

"Mrs. International"? I wish I would've wrote this song. Damn.

Lyrically, you can never go wrong with Red & Meth.

Cameo by "The Green-Eyed Bandit" Erick Sermon.

This goes out to all the beautiful ladies.

[Note: Top Ten not in any particular order.....outside of there being ten of them.

Ahem.]

Mayer Hawthorne - "Maybe So Maybe No"

Since we're saluting Teddy P., I wanted to drop a gem from last year. The connection to Mr. Pendergrass? The intro of this song has a strong nod to "Wake Up Everybody" from Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes. From MH's album, A Strange Arrangement (Stones Throw).

Dope.

Play.

Repeat.

You & Me

The above song by Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes; sung by the incredible talent---Mr. Teddy Pendergrass. Sometimes the kids need to turn on the radio and hear songs like these.

Wake Up Everybody.

Everybody.

Teddy Pendergrass

March 26, 1950 – January 13, 2010

Lemons, Lemonade, Lemonheads.

To you kids at home,

The following is the statement that Conan O'Brien released in the aftermath of NBC's decision to return Jay Leno to his former 11:30 time slot.

This is how you handle a f*cked up situation. Read up. Take notes. Quiz tomorrow.

p.s. Conan, you really are a gangster.

Conan O'Brien statement. 01/12/2010.

People of Earth:

In the last few days, I’ve been getting a lot of sympathy calls, and I want to start by making it clear that no one should waste a second feeling sorry for me. For 17 years, I’ve been getting paid to do what I love most and, in a world with real problems, I’ve been absurdly lucky. That said, I’ve been suddenly put in a very public predicament and my bosses are demanding an immediate decision.

Six years ago, I signed a contract with NBC to take over The Tonight Show in June of 2009. Like a lot of us, I grew up watching Johnny Carson every night and the chance to one day sit in that chair has meant everything to me. I worked long and hard to get that opportunity, passed up far more lucrative offers, and since 2004 I have spent literally hundreds of hours thinking of ways to extend the franchise long into the future. It was my mistaken belief that, like my predecessor, I would have the benefit of some time and, just as important, some degree of ratings support from the prime-time schedule. Building a lasting audience at 11:30 is impossible without both.

But sadly, we were never given that chance. After only seven months, with my Tonight Show in its infancy, NBC has decided to react to their terrible difficulties in prime-time by making a change in their long-established late night schedule.

Last Thursday, NBC executives told me they intended to move the Tonight Show to 12:05 to accommodate the Jay Leno Show at 11:35. For 60 years the Tonight Show has aired immediately following the late local news. I sincerely believe that delaying the Tonight Show into the next day to accommodate another comedy program will seriously damage what I consider to be the greatest franchise in the history of broadcasting. The Tonight Show at 12:05 simply isn’t the Tonight Show. Also, if I accept this move I will be knocking the Late Night show, which I inherited from David Letterman and passed on to Jimmy Fallon, out of its long-held time slot. That would hurt the other NBC franchise that I love, and it would be unfair to Jimmy.

So it has come to this: I cannot express in words how much I enjoy hosting this program and what an enormous personal disappointment it is for me to consider losing it. My staff and I have worked unbelievably hard and we are very proud of our contribution to the legacy of The Tonight Show. But I cannot participate in what I honestly believe is its destruction. Some people will make the argument that with DVRs and the Internet a time slot doesn’t matter. But with the Tonight Show, I believe nothing could matter more.

There has been speculation about my going to another network but, to set the record straight, I currently have no other offer and honestly have no idea what happens next. My hope is that NBC and I can resolve this quickly so that my staff, crew, and I can do a show we can be proud of, for a company that values our work.

Have a great day and, for the record, I am truly sorry about my hair; it's always been that way.

Yours,

Conan