Earlier today I watched the Rap Cyphers that will be aired on the BET Hip Hop Awards 2011 on Tuesday October 11. I must say that I was highly disappointed. Dudes, of which most I never even heard of, were featured on the Cypher like they were nice or something. I’m not saying I could do any better but I know individuals at Cornell would murder any track. I mostly feel bad for DJ Premier because it was his beat that the “rappers” were destroying (and def not in a good way). I mean these dudes were messing up on their own lines; where they do that at? These featured artists didn’t seem to fully recognize the great opportunity they got to showcase their skills. Popular rapper Skillz attended the “Cypher” and in an interview with allhiphop.com stated, “I lost so much respect for so many rappers today…”

I am a big fan of artists and music producers that have shown their skills here at Cornell; Chance Fischer, Joe Kleanest, and Malik Major, to name a few. CUBE, Cornell University Black Entertainment, would love to give any starving artists the opportunity to showcase their skills. A possible CUBE Rap Cypher would do just that. And I know rappers would deliver uncontested raw sewage for a wide anticipating audience to hear.

Check out the flows of these dudes and let me know if you can do any better. If you think you can, holla at me about being featured on the CUBE Rap Cypher.

Hey there listeners,

This week we will not be having a conventional episode of Sonic Landscapes. However, in honor of our wonderfully overburdened workload, I have prepared a one hour study mix for all you latenight libraryfolk, dormroom numbercrunchers, and “we’resodamnbusyallthetime” architects. Just a little somethin somethin to get you going.

The music is available above, and here’s the playlist:

1. Silver Morning – Brian Eno

2. Cliffs – Aphex Twin

3. Aftermath – Tricky

4. Roygbiv – Boards of Canada

5. La Femme d’Argent – Air

6. Polaris – Zero 7

7. Nocturne in G minor – Chopin

8. Ghost Ship – Ambrose Akinmusire

9. Oceanic Pt. I (feat. Ravi Shankar) – Anoushka Shankar & Karsh Kale

10. Emperor’s Hymn from String Quartet in C – Kodaly Quartet

11. Main Title Theme (Billy) – Bob Dylan

STUDY ON, GARTH!