Jukebox the Ghost – Empire

Think good enough to open for Ben Folds. That’s pretty much all you have to know, but I’ll give you more anyway ‘cause I’m nice. This rock trio has a distinctly indie flavor, but just like Folds they keep it on just this side of pop so it actually sounds pleasant to the general public as well as the indie purists. “Empire” is typical of their style, and it’s a great track. Taste it, savor it with all your buds of taste. Or sound. Image like you could taste in your ear. Do that.

Stromae – Alors on Danse (Remix)

I’m not 100% sure how Kanye West got mixed up with Belgian singer Stromae, but this collaboration between one of America’s most influential artists and one of 2009’s hottest European songs is definitely interesting enough to warrant a listen.

Crooked I – Light Up Freestyle

We’ve featured damn near everybody in rap supergroup Slaughterhouse except Crooked I, so here ya go. It’s an extremely up-to-date social commentary that rides the beat hard enough for any hip-hope head to both bob and weave. Plus, it makes you think, which is what rap was invented to do.

Joell Ortiz has had a lot of bad breaks. It seems like every major record label he’s tried to latch on with has made promises they couldn’t keep. That, of course, led to nasty splits and several trips back to square one that have kept Ortiz from releasing a solo major label despite being one of the nastiest lyricists in the industry.

It’s a G.D. shame.

After gaining a ton of momentum in 2009 with super-group Slaughterhouse, also featuring Crooked I, Joe Budden, and Royce Da 5’9”, Ortiz recorded an album called, fittingly, “Free Agent,” which was supposed to be released all the way back in June. In the midst of trying to leave E1 for Eminem’s Shady Records, the release got held up, and now it’s just sort of hanging out there in development hell, while huge fans like myself wait impatiently to finally hear it.

In the meantime, the best you can do is get a hold of mixtapes where Ortiz is prominently featured. That’s where I’ve bumped into a few of my favorite lyrical gems of the last couple months, including his “Lemonade” freestyle and 50 bars over J. Cole’s “Who Dat.”

Throughout these and every other Ortiz track I’ve ever heard, I laugh. I laugh because the metaphors and analogies and wordplay he employs are so witty that I’m not sure what else to do. Also, I laugh because, ya know, some of them are actually very funny. The guy cares about the words that are spilling forth from his mouth, which is exactly what real hip-hop heads should be looking for. Well, hip-hop heads, here they are. Indulge yourselves.

In the end, Ortiz didn’t end up with E1 or Shady; last month he signed on with SRC/Universal Motown, and shortly afterwards it was made known that “Free Agent” would hit streets before ’10 was over. I say thank God to that, and I’m sure Ortiz is saying it too, but louder.

Here’s the “Lemonade” freestyle, which rocks:

And Joell’s version of “Who Dat,” which I might even prefer over J. Cole’s: