Adidas Originals have been going to great lengths to promote themselves around London and this is a very small part of what they are doing.
This is taking place at the Earlham Street store, which is near Covent Garden. This is very close to where I used to work in Soho so I know the store well and recognised it from the video above. I know that there are a lot of budding MC's out there so this is a great opportunity for someone to get noticed. Def Jam are the biggest hip-hop label going and have helped names like NaS and Jay-Z get to where they are today.
As Adidas say:
From the 25th to the 27th November, we invite all budding MCs, gamers and music fans alike to head down to the adidas Originals Earlham Street store and have a go rocking the mic with the ground-breaking new console title, DEF JAM RAPSTAR. Winners of the mic 'battles' on the day will win some huge prizes courtesy of Def Jam Rapstar, adidas and Nokia and the chance to battle Roll Deep live instore!
Think you got what it takes??
From 5pm Thursday 25th November to 7pm 27th November @ adidas Originals store, Earlham St, London WC2
You can find more information on the Facebook page here.
Kanye's gone and brought out a half hour long music video entitled "Runaway". Really looking forward to his new album dropping, but for now, we can enjoy what YouTube has to offer us! This feature length movie was premiered on MTV, and is now on YouTube for us all to enjoy.
I was a big fan of Power and Monster, and Runaway only helps add to the expectation by showcasing some of the tracks we will find on the forthcoming album, My Beautiful, Dark, Twisted Fantasy.
This album has been out for a couple of weeks so I've been able to give it a good listen - and I'm impressed.
I had first heard of Tinie Tempah when he featured on Killa Kela's album Amplified. I had no idea that he was on the brink of something very special. He had made mixtapes before, but nothing that had earned plays on Radio One, or come close to the charts. Pass Out - Which features on the album - Launched Tinie Tempah to stardom. An iconic tune, it took electric hip-hop, and drum and bass influences with catchy lyrics that you will hear people repeating for a long time to come.
So fair enough. Anyone can have a one hit wonder right? This wasn't the case for Tinie Tempah. A strong follow up Frisky came out shortly after. A similar format, Frisky took the same influences and was equally as iconic as Pass Out. I actually prefer Frisky and it is one of my favourite tracks from the album. Would You Risk it for a Chocolate Biscuit?
So now with two strong singles under his belt, Tinie Tempah really caught my attention. I can honestly say that when I first heard Pass Out I thought Tinie had one hit wonder written all over him. I am so glad that he has proved me wrong; there is not a bad song on Disc-Overy.
This is currently my favourite track from the album, Miami 2 Ibiza. I am a massive fan of Swedish House Mafia, and I loved One (Your Name) which they collaborated with Pharrell Williams for. Miami 2 Ibiza is a jumped up, feel good house track that is massive in clubs. It's one of those tracks that makes you want to dance, and never fails to put a smile on your face.
Another single worth mentioning is Written in The Stars. Featuring Eric Turner, this track features guitar solos, clever lyrics, and a catchy hook. All the ingredients needed for a great hip-hop track. I think it's quite incredible just how successful each track has been, and the album itself is very strong.
Where Now for Tinie Tempah?
The PR and promotion for Disc-Overy is far from over. There are concerts, signings and appearances to take care of I imagine, and then work will start on new material.
I hope that Disc-Overy isn't a sign of peaking too early for Tinie Tempah, although the way he proved me wrong with follow ups to Pass Out, I feel he will prove me wrong again. The success of Disc-Overy is sure to attract attention from bigger stars, he managed to get Kelly Rowland to collaborate on the song Invincible, which is extremely impressive for a debut album. Who's next, Beyonce? Lady Gaga? Dare I say it... Cher Lloyd?
Jokes aside, I expect some high profile collaborations in the future, and I think Tinie Tempah is UK hip-hop's best chance of truly breaking America. I would love to see Tinie Tempah work with the likes of Jay-Z, Eminem, or Dr Dre. I could also see him taking the electric route and working with Chase & Status, Jack Beats, or even Magnetic Man.
