You know its real when your
Latest nights are your greatest nights
The sun is up when you get home, that’s just a way of life
Apartment 1503: some couches and paintings
When you record with 2 others that want the same things
It start to feel better than home feels
And so you up there every night, you swear you getting close.

Hip Hop Album of The Year – Take Care by Drake.

Turn up the lights in here baby
Extra bright, I want y’all to see this
Turn up the lights in here, baby
You know what I need
Want you to see everything
Want you to see all of the lights

If you want it you can get it for the rest of your life

Something wrong
I hold my head
MJ gone…our nigga dead!
I slapped my girl, she called the feds
I did that time and spent that bread
I’m heading home, I’m almost there
I’m on my way, heading up the stairs
To my surprise, a nigga replacing me
I had to take ‘em to that ghetto university

Restraining order
Can’t see my daughter
Her mother, brother, grandmother hate me in that order
Public visitation
We met at Borders
Told her she take me back
I’ll be more supportive
I made mistakes
I bump my head
Courts suck me dry
I spent that bread
She need a daddy
Baby please, can’t let her grow up in that ghetto university

Unemployment line, credit card declined
Did I not mention I was about to lose my mind?
(my mind, my mind, my mind)
And also was about to do that line
Okay, okay, you know we going all the way this time
(this time, this time, this time)
We going all the way this time

I tried to tell you but all I could say is ohhhh

This song has an eclectic mix of vocals for a hip-hop track, featuring – Rihanna, Kid Cudi, Tony Williams, The-Dream, Charlie Wilson, John Legend, Elly Jackson (of La Roux), Alicia Keys, Elton John, Fergie, Ryan Leslie, Drake, Alvin Fields, and Ken Lewis. Phew!

Its also the only hip-hop video I know of which features a discretionary warning that the video “potentially triggers seizures for people with photosensitive epilepsy”. Only Hype Williams can come up with something this crazy (read: original)!

It’s been forever since we heard anything awesome from Karsh Kale. His last work was with Anoushka Shankar (Breathing Under Water) and that seems ages ago, what with Bollywood keeping him & the Punditz busy. Vishal Vaid is back after a hiatus as well, so this is gonna be a return to Karsh’s desi fusion roots (I hope)!

Asian Massive in the house!

My fifth time seeing karsh kale live and second in India.

He finally got some of his trademark Indian classical mixes going at this moment.

Taken at The Blue Bar, Bangalore.

Watch from the 7 minute mark, the final few seconds are the best.

I don’t know how lost I was in my own empty space that I missed the launch, the success of ‘Breathing Under Water‘ and the phenomenal return of Karsh Kale with another favorite of mine, Anoushka Shankar. This is a co-produced album that in my opinion returns Kale to his roots. Tracks like Sea Dreamer feat. Sting and they bring in the grand-daddy of sitar, Pandit Ravi Shankar for Oceanic Pt. 1 & 2.

Not to be left out, Karsh’s favorite and a great voice of his own – Vishal Vaid. ‘Abyss’ stands out as the track and is one of those evergreens that will be on my playlist for a long time.

All of these stories pass through time
All these verses and rhymes
All these heroes and crimes
changing water into wine
- Abyss, Breathing Under Water

Breathing Under Water – Abyss (sample)