Justin Timberlake

We ain't historians, but we'd argue that much of late 90s/early 2000s hip hop was all about the front: cars, women, cash, money, attitude. And while we loved some of that livin' large stuff, it's a breath of fresh air when a rapper comes along who isn't afraid to find the rhymns within the real life: his flaws, his unhappiness, his sensitivity (all while not sounding self-consumed). The track below by the Cleveland kid Kid Cudi, "Soundtrack 2 My Life" is a song that's so honest and raw, it will make you bite your metaphorical tongue, soap your metaphysical mouth and call your mom. (PS It is a million miles away from the song KC's better known for, the Lady Gaga-sampling "Make Her Say".)

Be warned. Some of these lyrics aren't for the faint-hearted (or those phobic of profanities):

"Soundtrack 2 My Life" is taken from Kid's debut album Man On The Moon: The End Of Day (out now through Motown). And if, after you pick that up, you're still in more need of Cudi, check out his website - which is basically a very entertaining personal blog.

PS There are rumors that Man On The Moon will be part of an album trilogy. Needless to say, we're crossing our fingers really, really hard right now...

SXSW Flashback: Behind The Scenes Music and Style Tips @ Levi's® Fader Fort 2010: We teased you a while back with a fashion post on Chicago rappers Hollywood Holt, Million Dollar Mano and Brooklyn club-crunkers Ninjasonik and other cool ca...

Only in an Air Guitar competition could a man in hot pink leggings and a black spaghetti-strapped dress named RICKY STINKFINGERS take judges' and the crowds' hearts. But that is exactly what happened in the New York Regional Air Guitar Championship, Friday, April 9, at Williamsburg's Brooklyn Bowl. And it was delightful.

RICKY rockin' it out for the crowd

The annual US Air Guitar Championships offers the dorkiest-of-dorky, nerdiest-of-nerdy, and awesomest-of-awesome a chance to compete in the most wacky of spectator sports/musical events.  For those who have not experienced the cult-like phenomenon of air guitar contests, it's sort of like figure skating without the athleticism and a lot more booze.

As chronicled in the award-winning documentary, Air Guitar Nation, the championships are held in cities all over the country, with American Idol-style judging that can be meaner than Simon Cowell at his meanest. The competition culminates to a national stand-off: a mishmash of the regional champs, to crown the one and only U.S. Air Guitar Champion.  The champ then goes on to Oulu, Finland to compete for the GRAND PRIZE - WORLD Air Guitar Champion.

WILLIAM OCEAN in the limelight

This year's NY Regional Championship was held at Williamsburg's Brooklyn Bowl, and brought out new talent as well as air guitar all-stars, including special guest performances from reigning U.S. champion ANDREW 'WILLIAM OCEAN' LITZ, and an opener from always-the-bridesmaid-never-the-bride, MC and air guitar memoirist DAN 'BJORN TUROQUE' CRANE and former U.S. and World Champion CRAIG 'HOT LIXX HULAHAN' BILLMEIER.

BJORN getting clever with his fingers...

BJORN & HOT LIXX

New York competitors included crowd favorite SHREDDY MERCURY, San Francisco transplant RICKY STINKFINGERS, MIT ÜMLAUT, SANJAR THE DESTROYER (aka STD), JURIS ROCKTOR and TOMMY FRETLESS.  The contest was judged by the boozy trio of JASÖN JÖNES (Daily Show), BEN WIZNER (ACLU senior attorney), and HOT LIXX HULAHAN (duh).

SHREDDY, a crowd fav

MIT ÜMLAUT

JURIS ROCKTOR

There was EVEN some drink tossing and insulting from the audience when they didn't agree with judgments. It was also rumored that Drew Barrymore attended, but we couldn't see her over the rim of our beers.

Being in the front row of an annual air guitar contest feels like a family reunion - or sitting next to the same season ticket holder at a sporting event.  Although no one lost a toe at this year's NY contest, fun was had.

TOMMY FRETLESS in the air...

If you live in any of the following cities, and enjoy a good, sweaty, guitar-loving fun, you should check it out:

April 6 || Harper's Ferry || Boston, MA
April 8 || Johnny Brenda's || Philadelphia, PA
April 9 || Brooklyn Bowl || Brooklyn, NY
April 10 || 9:30 Club || Washington, DC
April 12 || House of Blues || Houston, TX
April 13 || Highball || Austin, TX
April 15 || Metro || Chicago, IL
April 16 || Cactus Club || Milwaukee, WI
April 17 || Varsity Theater || Minneapolis, MN
April 19 || Fox Theater || Boulder, CO
April 20 || Bluebird Theater || Denver, CO
April 22 || Dante's || Portland, OR
April 23 || Casbah || San Diego, CA
April 24 || Troubadour || Los Angeles, CA
May 28 || Hard Rock Café || Las Vegas, NV
June 5 || The Fillmore || San Francisco, CA
July 22 || Irving Plaza || New York, NY

Links:  
Air Guitar Nation
Air Guitar Memoirist
No One Lost A Toe
US Air Guitar

Photos and commentary by Gabi Porter

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