How Tha Carter III came to be “the most anticipated rap album of 2008″ is a story that involves the usual delays and promises of a masterpiece, plus a whole lot of bullet points that could only exist in the absurd world of Lil Wayne. There’s his complete annihilation of the mixtape game, the ridiculous amount of guest shots he granted since Tha Carter II made him a hip-hop superstar, that photograph of him kissing his mentor Birdman, rumors of addiction to the sizzurp, plus the gargantuan ego and aggravating aloofness. (Wayne will ignore all incoming beefs and infuriate challengers even further by offering the lethal “I don’t listen to your records.”)

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With his wife and family by his side, the legendary reggae Renaissance man Mikey Dread passed away on Saturday, March 15th after battling with a brain tumor. His death wasn’t a complete shock since his family and his record label, Dread at the Controls, had issued a press release last October, one that spoke of his positive attitude and valiant struggle against this disease. “Positive” was a word often associated with Mikey, but in this case you can attribute a great deal of his hope to the birth of his son on the 12th of that month. Often, in cases like this, friends and family will contribute thoughts and memories to some type of time capsule, one that the now five-month old Zylen Jahlight could explore when he’s older in order to know his father better. No doubt Zylen will be showered with adoring words of praise and regard for a man who was able to communicate his love of reggae, justice, and humanity in such a way that it became infectious.

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The original idea behind what Snoop Dogg considers his ninth album — ignoring all those pesky and shoddy fringe releases — was that the title represented a truly solo effort with no guest shots. As the street date grew closer, the rapper flipped the script and decided that Ego Trippin’ referred to how he “let” people write songs the album, songs Snoop could rap and sometimes, shockingly, sing. The leadoff good-time single “Sensual Seduction” — or “Sexual Eruption” on the explicit album — proved the latter wasn’t a bad idea at all with Snoop crafting a hooky bedroom track using both a smirk and a throwback Zapp feel. It was a perfect flagship release for an album that tries numerous things but never tries too hard, plus one where the nostalgia is plentiful and perfectly chosen.

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Synth-pop fans should brace yourselves, because what you’re about to read is going to make you fall backwards, knocking over all your Book of Love and Propaganda CDs. After 23 years apart, vocalist Alison Moyet and synth-wizard Vince Clarke are reuniting as Yaz — or Yazoo if you’re outside the States — and are touring not only in Europe, but also in America for six shows come this July. All of this is happening in celebration of their new 4-disc box set In Your Room, which will arrive in May of this year. The box will include remasters and 5.1 mixes of both Yaz albums along with a CD of rarities, plus a DVD featuring all their videos and a new documentary. Check out these five prime Yaz moments below, then go to their official website for tour dates.

Yaz - Situation
Yaz - Bad Connection
Yaz - Nobody’s Diary
Yaz - Only You

Yaz - Don’t Go:

Word came over the weekend that reggae legend Joe Gibbs succumbed to a fatal heart attack last Thursday at the age of 65. A label owner and producer, Gibbs was involved with Jamaican music from the heyday of rocksteady to the dancehall explosion of the ‘80s. He played an important role in the careers of so many reggae greats, including Niney the Observer, Dennis Brown, Culture, Sly & Robbie, Errol Thompson, and Lee “Scratch” Perry — who wrote the bitter “People Funny Boy” after his business relationship with Gibbs went sour. Perry couldn’t stop Gibbs, but oddly enough, a lawsuit from country singer Charley Pride over royalties brought Gibbs’ career to a halt. You can read details on all of the above in AMG’s Joe Gibbs biography.

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While its great grandson YouTube may have stolen the thunder, local access cable television is still out there. Thanks to people like artist/jazz musician Mark Kostabi, it’s still going strong. Produced for the Manhattan Neighborhood Network, Kostabi’s show Title This “is a game show where celebrities compete to title Kostabi paintings for cash awards”. A panel of three contestants – like film director Michel Gondry or maybe Spin magazine founder Bob Guccione Jr. — are shown a Kostabi painting, then they try to name it and throw out ideas like “Sourpuss Tantrum” or “Condoleezza Rides”.

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An unsung hero of post-punk, guitarist John McGeoch passed away in 2004, leaving behind an amazing body of work. Fans of Magazine, Public Image Ltd., Siouxsie and the Banshees, or Visage will recognize his shimmery arpeggios and sharp, strange chords since McGeoch spent time in all of the above. You can also hear his influence on the Edge’s playing or on the Radiohead track “There There”. Since he wasn’t one to steal the spotlight his story is rarely told and little is known about the man behind so many iconic riffs. Looking to right this wrong, BBC Radio 2 recently aired Spellbound: The Story of John McGeoch, an audio documentary featuring interviews with Howard Devoto, Dave Formula, Siouxsie Sioux, Johnny Marr, and others. Fans of post-punk, indie rock, or innovative guitar playing should check out the archived edition, available for streaming here.

If you attended Iced Earth’s The Glorious Burden 2004 tour and took pictures, check to see if any show the two custom-painted Les Pauls the band brought out during the epic “Gettysburg” portion of the show. One has the Union flag, the other shows the Confederate, and both are going up for auction to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project, a non-profit organization that helps severely injured veterans. Iced Earth doesn’t own any suitable photos to help promote the upcoming auction, and right now, they don’t have a bass player either. If you have a “commanding stage presence that bleeds intensity, aggression, and emotion,” you can audition for “metal’s most bulletproof rhythm section” by sending them a DVD or CD. Other 2008 activity includes the band headlining the two-day ProgPower USA festival this September in Atlanta, plus there’s the temporary return of vocalist Matt Barlow, who will be keeping his job as police officer while moonlighting in Iced Earth. Check the band’s official website for details on all the above.

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