Props to N.A.S.A. who continue their Boing Boing-sponsored run of excellent animated videos (e.g. that Syd Garon directed “People Tree” video featuring David Byrne, Chali 2Na, Z-Trip and Gift of Gab, “Whachadoin?” with M.I.A., Santogold and Spank Rock, “Spacious Thoughts” with Tom Waits & Kool Keith, etc). This time it’s a vid for “Strange Enough”, which features the vocal talents of Karen O (Yeah Yeah Yeahs), Fatlip (The Pharycyde), and what are among the last recorded sessions of Big Baby Jesus (aka Ol Dirty Bastard of Wu Tang). The animation’s original artwork comes courtesy of Stephan Doitschinoff, and it’s directed by Lorna T and Studio Giblets.

Some clever producer named  Tom Caruana just put together this Wu Tang Vs. The Beatles Enter the Magical Mystery Chambers mixtape and man it’s made my day. No, it’s not as good as Danger Mouse’s Grey Album, but it really hits a delicious intersection in my brain where the Wu meets the Beatles — a nexus I previously had no idea even existed. Download it free, throw on the Wallabees, and take a long walk around the neighborhood this weekend bobbing your head to the beautiful peanut butter & jelly that is this mixtape…

PS: If you like this, you may wanna check out that Wu Tang vs. Dubstep mix we talked about last November

If you asked me to wax poetic about my love of Wu Tang Clan, I’d deliver a handsome leatherbound 1,200 page tome to your doorstep with a 24-karat gold W embossed on the cover. They blew my mind in the mid-90s, made me switch from blue Champion hoodies to black ones, and created an entire aesthetic, lexicon, attitude and Kung Fu obsession that was before unseen in music. Oh, and under RZA’s production finesse the group delivered some of the best hip hop albums of all time in a 3-year prolific blast (Enter the Wu-Tang, GZA’s Liquid Swords, Ghostface’s Ironman, Meth’s Tical, Rae’s Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, ODB’s Return to the 36 Chambers, and even Forever, etc). But then again, if you’ve ever listened to hip hop in your life you already know this, so why am I still typing?

Because today Frank151 released a collaboration between two of my favorite things in this world: Wu Tang and Dubstep. As they say:

“Up & comers and A-list Dubstep producers alike contribute the musical underpinning for a goldmine of Wu-Tang verses from the vaults that feature Raekwon, Ghostface Killa, RZA, GZA, Method Man, U-God & Masta Killa and guest spots from Busta Rhymes, MF Doom, Pimp C, Three 6 Mafia & many more… Check out the sleek 2-CD design and the deluxe booklet, that features a history of the Dubstep movement, along with biographies chronicling all the producers who participated in the project. This album is truly setting the tone for the future of independent and underground music movements, in both the hip-hop and electronic worlds.”

Now truth be told there are a lot of Wu affiliates mixed in with the Wu headliners, and the dubstep producers are mostly all up’n'comers (where exactly are those A-listers, Frank?). But the tracks I’ve heard are solid, and married to those familiar Wu voices are like sushi and beer for your ears. If you’re a fan of the above then y’all should know this gem is out there. Give the album a preview listen on iTunes.

Shallah Raekwon the Chef is back, this time modernizing his game with a free mixtape to whet the people’s appetite for the much anticipated Cuban Linx II LP (can you even call it “much anticipated” when kids have been waiting for like 12 years?). No reason to intro the Chef — you’re either a Wu fan hoping this is the shit or you don’t care. If you’re the former, you’re in luck — Blood On the Chefs Apron is solid; always good to hear Rae’s voice talking babble over a nice beat. Download right HERE for free.

Also, been listening a bit to U-God’s free mixtape, Bring Back God, from Frank. Much better than I expected, I gotta say…

Setlist and backcover after the Jump

UPDATE: A little video below showing the Chef ain’t just a nickname, from Xclusiveszone:

Ive’ been wanting to catch The Wackness ever since my friend went to Sundance last year and was gushing how much the Madman would love it. Finally I caught it last night and, I gotta admit, dude knows me pretty well. I thought the film was just bad ass. Maybe its cos I grew up in that era, but the magic of the film comes from how proficiently and accurately it stirs nostalgia — from the impeccable Golden Era hip hop soundtrack (Wu Tang, Biggie, Biz Markie, Craig Mack, Tribe, Nasty Nas, etc), to the daily streetwear, to the almost visceral muggy sweatiness of a torrid New York summer — the film is as much a love song to Old New York as it is a teenage love story. And the music is so expertly wielded it becomes a character of the film. Remember how much you loved the lo-fi dirtiness of a breakbeat, ridden by some immaculate flows?? Smoking blunts in the stairways, getting blazed all day? Man, this movie brings back that first summer romance — both with that unattainable girl, and with the music of Wu Tang Clan.

Olivia Thirlby nails the girl in high school that toyed with your heart, and Josh Peck manages not to annoy you too much as he mulls around wallowing in self-pity. But the real achievement is writer/director Jonathan Levine, who it’s almost impossible to believe is directing only his second film. The kid knows how to film and pace, but he manages to craft a great tidal flow between a coming of age/drug comedy/buddy film/romance. That takes real skill (and talent). What would normally come off as the clumsy dallying of a dilettante comes off with seasoned adroitness. And even his scenes of tenderness are handled deftly, never corny — sure, the sun-drenched, lens flare summer scenes could be cliched, but they just work. If you grew up in the 90s, listened to hip hop, or lived in New York I imagine you will surely love this movie (Hell, you’ve probly already seen it!).

Trailer after the Jump…

Prodigy is back. And unlike many of their 90′s Brotherhood of “Electronica” (remember that word?), they apparently are not trying to advance their sound or evolve or take us to the next level (we kinda miss you, og Daft Punk). Instead, they’re just embracing what made them rave staples since Charly in ’92 and turning that to 11. Check out the first video “Invaders Must Die” below, or Download the track straight from their site till this Wednesday, Nov 3.

For the record, I hated Prodigy for about 5 years there, mostly cos of Keith Flint and the fact that MTV draped the “Next Big Thing” label on them just when Slushee-slurping kids in Des Moines needed a t-shirt to buy at JC Penney. At a time when rock music was staler than lost Cheetohs under your couch cushion (oh Filter, Creed and Bush, wherefore hath thy gone?), Prodigy was the face The Industry gave America to save music. And I hated them for it.

But that’s cos I’m an idiot. Because in the end, Liam Howlett is about as great a producer as any that touched a Roland in the 90s, and as an aesthetic outfit the group set ablaze the vast beige blah bleakscape of Superstar DJs with all the personality of a junior high administrator. I mean, Sasha & Digweed could spin some serious tunes in the day but come on — my gym socks make more conversation. Oh, and I remember the first time I heard “Voodoo People”  I nearly pooped my knickers. And do you remember that “Release Yo ‘Delf” remix he did for Meth back in the day? It’s firmly lodged in the upper pantheon of e-rinsed hip hop remixes of all time — not because it pumped me up enough to punch a cop in the face (which it does), but because it took an already amazing Wu Tang track, flipped it, and made it arguably better than the already-immaculate original.

So now they’re back. Haven’t heard any more of the album, but if the title track serves any notice than they’re piloting full rave ahead…which is the only way for the Prodigy to go. Album drops March 3rd (featuring David Grohl drumming on “Run With The Wolves”).

Tracklisting, plus Meth’s original and Prodigy’s remix of “Release Yo Delf” after the Jump…

Invaders Must Die Tracklisting:

01. Invaders Must Die
02. Omen
03. Thunder
04. Colours
05. Take Me To The Hospital
06. Warrior’s Dance
07. Run With The Wolves
08. Omen Reprise
09. World’s On Fire
10. Piranha
11. Stand Up

The original Method Man version…

…And the Prodigy version…