What's Golden: Miguel Street - "Call Me Maybe" (Greedhead Remix) & Ron Artiste with Chali 2na
Gotta admit, I'm pretty STOKED on the [possible] idea of hearing more music from these 2 newly-formed Hip-Hop groups: Miguel Street and Ron Artiste. Almost simultaneously announced on this fairly quiet Monday afternoon, Miguel Street consists of Heems and Big Baby Gandhi, who's debut track features them rapping over a re-tweaked version of "Call Me Maybe." Ron Artiste on the other hand, is the latest nom de plume of former Jurassic 5 leader, Chali 2na and veteran emcee Roc "C" ... either paying homage/goofing on the infamous basketball player who now goes by Metta World Peace. I'm not really sure which one it is just yet, but I think they're LEGIT tried and true ballers!
Much like Heems & Mike Finito's "Teenage Dream" (Katy Perry) remix from last year, "Call Me Maybe" has that same sort of "so, are they like kidding or are they serious" type of vibe going on. Hot 97, the also SUPER-FRESH dual production moniker of Gandhi and Hot Sugar, cleverly re-constructed Carly Rae Jepsen's breakout radio hit for Greedhead's unique remix. Nasty Nigel, who usually rolls with Queens-bred upstart crew Children of The Night, manages to help Heems and Big Baby Gandhi properly lace up "Call Me Maybe" with a few swagged out bars; Playfully bragging about their full sets of teeth, American citizenship, non-Google cell numbers, pizza like-age, etc... Hoping that Carly Rae Jepsen will ultimately decide to "Call [Them], Maybe." Since Heems runs his own New York Hip-Hop imprint, the possibilities really are endless for what Miguel Street could end up doing for Greedhead!
Chali 2na has remained pretty silent since Jurassic 5 split up back in 2007... giving a solo career a modest shot. But Ron Artiste marks his resurgence as part of a Hip-Hop group, with former Stones Throw alum, Roc "C" fully in toe, too. In my eyes, Power In Numbers era Jurassic 5 could essentially do no wrong, so I almost hate to admit that Chali 2na has been just barely "missing the mark" ever since then. While they actually released a song called "I Will" over @ DJ Booth earlier this month, "Ron's Theme" is serving as Ron Artiste's proper video-single debut. It features a guest verse from Ed O.G. and a beat produced by DJ Rhettmatic, who also strung together a 30-minute introductory Ron Artiste mix for KashRoc Ent. Chali 2na sounds rough and fucking great, as usual and it'll be sweet to hear more on their album, R.I.D.S. when it's released on August 14th. The fellas of Ron Artiste managed to rope in a handful of verses from some rapping friends like Oh No, Rapper Big Pooh, LMNO, The Alchemist, Lee Bannon, and M.E.D.