#DailyDrop

I thought I had it all

Tuxedo. "July (Sly & Robbie's Dub)." July (Sly & Robbie's Dub), Stones Throw Records, 2017.

I really can't ever get enough of anything that Mayer Hawthorne does, including this jam. And yes, I know we're already into August, but I'm still feeling these July vibes.

🎶  You know I've been around the block a few times
Felt like I had it all figured out
Then you walked in with them Isabel Marants and that je ne sais quoi
And just threw a wrench in my whole situation
Wha gwan? 🎶 

If we have faith in each other then we can be strong

George Michael. "Father Figure." Atomic Blonde O.S.T., Backlot Music, 2017.

Charlize Theron taking out all of these KGB agents while George Michael's epic ballad "Father Figure" plays in the background in this scene from Atomic Blonde is everything to me right now.

A pretty little body dancing like go-go

French Montana, Swae Lee. "Unforgettable." Jungle Rules, Bad Boy Entertainment / Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment, 2017.

Happy Friday, y'all! Feeling the dancehall beat on this track.

For those of you who caught last week's edition of #views with Vivek Agrawal, you can scroll down to listen to his latest Bollywood-style cover of "Unforgettable," with some original Hindi lyrics thrown in there.

Wide eyed kids being kids

Tatiana Manaois. "Same Drugs." Same Drugs, Taste Records, 2017. (Cover of Chance The Rapper. "Same Drugs." Coloring Book, Chance The Rapper, 2016.)

I'm a sucker for a good cover.

This track gives me all the feels and makes me want to get my sister and all our friends who love to sing together in a recording studio and arrange some harmonies.

Social media songbird Tatiana Manaois makes the lyrics of this track her own and belts them out with so much emotion. It's so incredible to watch how platforms like YouTube, Vine, Musical.ly, and SoundCloud are giving talented young people a place to create and share their art in ways we've never known before. The Future, #FTW. 

Threw another one in here because, well, just listen and you'll know.

Still scrollin'? Here's a mega-mix of Tatiana's best, if you want more. So many classic R&B bangers up in here. <3.

Chowder for the kitten, Mello Yello lemon

KAYTRANADA, Anderson .Paak. "GLOWED UP." 99.9%, XL Recordings Limited, 2016.

You gotta love those Facebook friendship video notifications. Big Blue just reminded me that six years ago, I met Kevin Celestin (aka Kaytranada), when he and his brother, Louis, nervously registered to perform at Hip Hop Karaoke in Montréal. Looking a spitting image of Kid 'n Play with their backpacks and snapbacks, as soon as they stepped on stage, you could tell these kids were destined for greatness. Their nerves dissipated, raw stage presence took over as they fed off the crowd's energy, and I can only imagine they were hooked from there on out.

The self-styled "Celestics" returned to perform at HHKMTL several times (throwback videos below, pardon the audio quality) sometimes as a duo, other times a solo act, and often with their larger crew.

In the years to follow, the Montréal beats scene, affectionately called "PIU PIU music," took off (check the documentary), Kevin would proceed to work his ass off, make killer beats, tour the world, meet some legendary folks in the music industry, and produce one of my favourite, and Polaris Prize award-winning, albums with 99.9%. That record featured a stacked roster of guest appearances, including this jam with the incredibly talented Anderson .Paak.