2011 was a banner year in the world of Asian-American music. We saw more releases than ever, more artists achieving more mainstream success, and more fans across more ethnic backgrounds recognizing the great music by our artists. But along with more of the good comes more of the bad – with there also being an influx in mediocre music, an increase in hate and bigotry (check Youtube comments) and even more pressure to try and stand out. That’s why I wanted to look back on the past year and choose what I consider to be my top 10 favorite music videos from 2011. Now this doesn’t mean that these are the MVs with the top production values (although this is often the case), but rather it’s a reflection of what I found to be the most well executed, balanced, and entertaining visuals. On the very last page we also have a list of 10 honorable mentions that I thought deserved to be recognized as well.

So without futher ado let’s jump straight into number 10…

10. IAMMEDIC – “Spaceship” (article)

Electronica-Pop group IAMMEDIC took the concept of their song “Spaceship” to the max by injecting a silly Star Trek inspired motif and alien abduction. The video is fun, looks great, and represents the high energy of the audio perfectly. Deep? Not so much, but fun and well executed? Very much so.

Directors/Cinematographers/ Dan Fisher and Ed Park
Produced by Joe Park and IAMMEDIC
Edited by Steve Arcenio
Visual Effects – Ed Park and Derrick Lee
3D Model by Daniel Harris
“Spaceship” Written and Produced by IAMMEDIC
Mixed by Enik Lin

Next Page >>

With Drake being undoubtedly one of the hottest acts in the business right now, it’s no wonder why his music has been covered and remixed by artists thousands of times over. For this installment of our Showdown series we’ve decided to highlight a few recent remixes of Drake’s song “The Motto” featuring Lil Wayne. This one is a three way battle with On Fire & Rocky in one corner, Hopie repping the fairer sex on her own in another, and a huge mega roster of artists in the last corner – comprised of Lyricks, De, The Yellow Boyz, Excel Cruz, Koreone, Manifest & Smokes. So by all means, go ahead and take a listen to the three renditions and vote for your favorite below!

On Fire Ent x Rocky Sandoval

Hopie Spitshard

Lyricks, Decipher, Al P, JL, Excel Cruz, Koreone, PassDa, Joel, Manifest, Smokes

So who do you think did the track the must justice? The one two punch of On Fire & Rocky? Hopie rocking the mic via webcam? Or the gigantic 10-man lineup from this years’ Asian Hip-Hop Summit tour? Cast your vote now! Why? … Bragging rights? We really don’t have an answer except to say it’s fun!

L to R: Lyricks, Dumbfoundead, Esna Yoon, Manifest, Zo, Lyraflip, JL

I’m honestly not sure when or where this picture was taken, or even how we found it. But my best guess is that this is on set of the music video for “Lava” by JL, L. Scatterbrain, Lyraflip, Lyricks, Manifest, Dumbfoundead and DJ Zo – meaning the photo has to be at least a year and a half to two years old. How’s that for a Snapshot in time? Esna makes an appearance though L.S. is curiously missing… perhaps he’s taking the picture?

Odd to think how much has happened since this photo was taken. Mani & JL have been to Korea and back again (welcome home fellas!), Lyricks has remained a staple in the DMV/East Coast Hip-Hop scene, Dumb & Zo have been conquering the world… and I dunno where Flip & Scatter are right now. They’ve been kind of quiet, fell off our radar a bit. Can’t wait to see what will become of everyone in another two years!

Say Cheese!

LYRICS:

DECIPHER:
I was given a gift
could picture the pain of my people, paint it perfect, depict it as if
it was me trying to get at a citizenship, some wouldn’t get on the ship
but I understand them, call you chink, can’t understand it
but you recognize hate in their eyes, but they can’t see yours, your eyes are slanted
our parents were fiending for their share of the green
was it arrogant greed, the American dream, or the care to succeed as America’s cleaners
apparently we the slaves now, picking their cotton and pressing it flat
pick it up promptly, ready in half an hour to an hour, now the question is asked
credit or cash? we probably better at math or so I’ve been told
tried to divide our division in half, in addition to that, they know we got soul
low and behold, we folding their clothes, language barriers bury us
we drive terribly, curious how we got cast in Fast and the Furious
the problem being Bobby Lee is proudly being an Uncle Tomagachi
Hollywood got him good, wouldn’t watch me serving hot tea, work a wok, he the perfect Chinese
role model, eyeglasses made out of Coke bottles
TaeKwanDo spokes model, sister’s an import model
I am not gonna follow.

MANIFEST:
What’s wrong with an Asian rapping? everything.
people rather see me study medicine,
‘stead of picking up a mic, spitting in the booth
try to pick a fight cause you looking similar to Bruce
but I had soul as a lasso, through the backdoor
had to blast off from the plateau
went from sitting in the back row to killing rap shows
leaving assholes baffled, I put us on the map yo
never mind your remarks Imma go hard
till I’m getting more customers than Walmart
and we’re not just doctors, watch us
rock this mic till hiphop just prospers
get rid of the middleman now wit the internet, better give hundred percent
and credit the veterans never contend wit them, listen they telling them “Mani went in”
I’m breaking the trend, maybe I’m born to be different
what an epiphany, gonna make history now
who the ones that did this to me now, throw a diss get a fist to the mouth Imma show yall
please make no noise, I don’t mind if you hate my voice, respect me
and it’s not just music, props to the man overseas who made Old Boy
this the new generation of Asians, killing all the stereotypes having a hell of a time
always thought if you living by the rules and you never making moves, then it’s better to die
the majority will generalize instead of giving recognition solely cause of the shape of our eyes?
sweeter than grapes on a vine, all you suckas need to see greatness, put the hate to the side
let me rise.

DJ cuts by DJ Zo

Produced by Anno Domini

Video by Descendant Films
www.descendantfilms.com

Writer/Director: Erik Lu
Executive Producers: Andy Yoo/ Soonho Choi
Producers: Willa Yeh/ Franklin Shen

With the calendar officially reading October 31st we find ourselves upon the release date for JL‘s latest mixtape project, Destination:Murdertown. There are 10 tracks both old and new on this one featuring a roster of strictly immediate and extended family guest artists courtesy of drops by Lyricks, Mani and De. The tape is available as a free DL via the Bandcamp widget below but feel free to kick in a few bucks if you want to show some financial support.

JL has got a new EP in the works called Murdertown and the first single has just been released with a MV to match. “Clash of the Titans” features J’s frequent partner in rhyme and fellow VA to Korea transplant, Manifest. True to their style, the song is an exhibition of lyrical prowess more than anything else. If ya feeling the track, it’s already available for purchase via JL’s bandcamp, check the widget below.

“Clash of the Titans”
Produced by Peez Beats (www.peezbeats.com)

(Manifest)
A super saiyan cruising through an oompa loompa land
now who complaining? lose my cool and you the dudes i’m slayin’
before i use my hands, you freezin up – medusa trance
you only seein red like 3D glasses with no blue saran
what i do for fans.. man i’m too advanced but i’m real while you pretend
i told you before when we kill it we do it with ease, every track is proof we can
upgraded computer ram, and i’m strong like the hoover damn, give who a damn?
and i’m newer than a newborn out the womb first time consuming air

(JL)
I’m maneuvering
Zoomin right past em laughing
Castin a shadow over their wack rappin tactics
after I splash massive vats of acid
I’ve mastered torture methods
Past a force to reckon wid
Craftin sorcerer hexes
Corpses infected order an Exorcist
Leaving they heads spinning beginnin wid killen em off, slowly
Spittin it venomous gettin inventive
Til all the listeners all, know me
Spun from a different cloth
Come wid a imminent force bringing it sickin than Vick when he’s sickin a dog, to get at a different dog

(Manifest)
steadily bringing the raw..
i’m taking a look at the little competitors, think for a second then cripple em all
leaving em limpin and all, finished it over ridiculous symphony scores

(JL)
Wid infinite bars to rip it pick em apart
Spit it wid limitless heart

(Manifest)
we did it for y’all, typing or write with a pen that you dipping the ink in a jar

(JL)
Nobody thinking as hard as the Beautiful Cycle and doin it truthful as us
Givin u food for ya guts
We been given a future that musically few could adjust

(Manifest)
if you were like us, spotting a rapper would spark you to see em as who you could crush

(JL)
But U would get stuck and u wouldn’t be able to move and u woulda been given it up

what we doin now
it’s back and forth
its time to light it up
then we pass the torch
now the fires growing
u feel it at ur door
so where you think you goin
you comin back for more

(JL)
And we here to supply it raw
Providin a high u could die from
try it and buy it all
hittin u harder than Ken and then Ryu’s fireballs
dissolving u quicker than alcohol in styrofoam
ur fires gone, while mine is steadily rising gettin up high my bars maniacal
im spaced out. leavin these rappers in baggies like it was some take out
i breaks down, their bodies to bone and then all of its thrown in a lake now
it may sound, a little bit vicious, but thats how it is
this lyrically gettin to business
and then ur a victim and ur swimmin wid fishes

(Manifest)
who i see? is not you. my posse, colossal.
we great whites to macos, we way cold, but fuego
the titans, we got your back like tight ends,
had the game inside our palms but now our grip has tightened
snapping you out of your mindstate, thanking me later but not drake
you’ll never be eating from my plate, you got 8′s but got ate
now watch J…L sharing the entree, (it’s all day)
what i play is high stakes, might as well bet it on us so people why wait?

Verseatile is getting ready to unveil his next visual project for the single “Who We Are” off of his Worlds Apart EP from earlier this year. The original track features Manifest and JoAnne, the latter who will be definitely making an appearance based on the teaser above. No word if Mani is gonna feature too (considering he’s in the motherland ATM, but it wouldn’t be the first time Verse has released an MV without one of his co-stars. But speaking of JoAnne, some of you KPOP fans from the early 2000′s may find her vaguely familiar. It’s because nearly a decade ago she had a moderately successful albeit short career overseas as a budding young pop star. Check after the break for a reminder, but she’s sure grown up!