Morning Music Notes – Collaborations Everywhere!

Jay-Z’s Made in America Festival Pulls Out All the Stops

The inaugural Made In America festival, curated and topped by Jay-Z, certainly had a lot of surprises. Sadly, free beer was not upon the surprises. To some it all up in one run on sentence: Kanye West and G.O.O.D. Music made a surprise appearance (as if Kanye showing up is a surprise), President Barack Obama had a pre-recorded announcement play, and Jay-Z and Pearl Jam collaborated on 99 Problems (via Pitchfork and Consequence of Sound).

We have video proof of this stuff, too, courtesy of Mr. World Premiere. Check out sets by the G.O.O.D. Music crew (Kanye West, Common, 2 Chainz, Big Sean, and Pusha T), Jay-Z’s set (with President Obama talking around the 5:00 mark), and the somewhat shaky filmed collaboration between Pearl Jam and Jay-Z. Yes, the President of the biggest super power in the world is talking about people working hard like Jay-Z. I bet Jay never thought that would EVER happen when he was pushing drugs in the street 20 years ago!

G.O.O.D. Music set at Made in America Festival

Jay-Z set at Made in America Festival

Pearl Jam and Jay-Z – 99 Problems (Live at Made in America Festival)

Music and President Barack Obama, Take 2

It’s 2012 and that means it’s an election year in America, which means the rest of the world gets to hear all the non-stop, campaigning bullshit that no one outside (or possibly inside) the States really cares about. President Obama had a rally in Iowa on the weekend and he managed to nab some heavyweight musical guests of his own – Chris Cornell from Soundgarden and The National, who backed his 2008 campaign (via Rolling Stone).

The free outdoor event at Urbandale’s Living History Farms had about 10,000 people in attendance. The National played Mr. November at the end of a 5-song set. This song became a slogan of sorts of Obama’s previous election, appearing on t-shirts with his image. These shirts were much more positive than the “War Criminal” shirts with former President George W Bush’s image on them, but equally as true.

Rihanna Joins Coldplay Live in Paris to Play Princess of China, and Umbrella

Coldplay were in Paris filming a live show for a new DVD to sell to the masses. This meant they needed to up their already excellent live show. They attempted to do this by bringing collaborator Rihanna live to Paris, instead of playing a recording of her on the video screen. Did it work? The crowd says yes! They also played the Rihanna hit, Umbrella. Gotta love these artist collaborations in a live setting – makes the night that much more awesome. Unfortunately the Princess of China clip only shows the part where Rihanna joins the song.

Coldplay and Rihanna – Princess of China (Live in Paris)

Coldplay and Rihanna – Umbrella (Live in Paris)

Kanye West Kills My Twitter Feed, Muses on the Word “Bitch”

The best and worst thing about following Kanye West on Twitter is you’ll go months without hearing anything, then you’ll get a stream of conscious akin to a drunk rambling at 3am, which will fill 99% of your Twitter feed. “Lucky” people like PeteHatesMusic got a huge dose of Kanye West yesterday, wondering if the word “bitch” is okay in raps, and to call your lady friend in a positive manner. He wonders this because he has a song about Kim Kardashian called Perfect Bitch, where “bitch” is used in supposedly positive light.

“Is it acceptable for a man to call a woman a bitch even if it’s endearing” he tweeted. Another of the many tweets that followed said “Initially was offended by anyone questioning anything in my music.”

“Is it ok to use bitch as long as we put BAD in front of it? Like you a BAD BITCH,” and “I will admit that I sometimes go back an omit cursing from my records. I like to use profanity as a tool and not a crutch,” also followed. Interesting train of thought about the crutch and swearing. Comedian Jerry Seinfeld said on the HBO special Talking Funny that he doesn’t swear because it becomes a crutch and almost forces laughter. If a joke is funny without a swear word, then why add one? You’re probably adding one because it’s not funny, which is an excellent point.

Pirate Bay Founder Arrested in Cambodia

Illegal torrent website, The Pirate Bay, has had one of their founders arrested in Cambodia over the weekend (via Dvice). The 27 year old Gottfrid Svartholm was arrested in his apartment in Phnom Pehn. He had made an appeal on the Pirate Bay case in Sweden, and was too sick to leave Cambodia to go to the appeal hearing in Sweden. He skipped the make up date without any documentation, and has since been arrested. This means the $1.1 million fine and 1 year jail sentence original sentence should be applied. But the Pirate Bay won’t shut down, will it?! I haven’t gotten the latest Breaking Bad episodes!

Can’t Make it to the Isle of Wight this weekend? Stream Bestival Online!

The annual Isle of Wight music festival, Bestival, kicks off this upcoming weekend. If the trek is a little far, or if the weather is scaring you off, fret not – that’s why aliens created the Internet. The festival will be streamed on Bestival’s YouTube channel. This makes Bestival the first UK festival to be streamed online.

Bestival organizer, Rob da Bank said “I’ve been watching festivals such as Coachella and Tomorrowland on YouTube and loving the futuristic new angle on showing festivals in a different light,” said Bestival organiser Rob da Bank. “We’re really pleased that Bestival is the first UK festival to go down this route,” (via Guardian).

Streamed artists will include The xx, Azealia Banks, Bat for Lashes, and New Order, as well as many artists on the main and secondary stages. The festival runs Sept 7 through 9.