Clipse/Rick Rubin Collaboration Actually Happening

(swiped from Pitchfork Media)

Back in the 80s, Rick Rubin co-founded Def Jam Records and produced an absurd number of monster jams for the likes of LL Cool J and Run-DMC. Ever since he left Def Jam, though, Rubin's been busy racking up Dixie Chicks Grammys and becoming the music industry's favorite beardo swami figure, and he hasn't had much time to fuck with rap. In recent years, though, Rubin's occasional toe-dips into beatmaking have been infrequent but devastating: Jay-Z's deathless "99 Problems", for one, or Lil Jon's Slayer-sample pileup "Stop Fuckin' Wit Me". (I could make a Lordz of Brooklyn or Saul Williams joke here, but those records were actually sort of awesome, so fuck it.)

Further proving the occasional sharpness of his instincts, Rubin signed masterful coke-rap free agents Clipse to Columbia in 2007. And last summer, we reported that Rubin and Clipse would be working together on music for Clipse's Columbia debut. But these kinds of things are often rumored and rarely actually take place. So we were stoked when, yesterday, EW.com revealed a few more details of the Clipse/Rubin collabo. The Re-Up Gang blog also posted some awesome photos.

According to EW, they've already finished one song together, and they plan to do one or two more. We already know from their two classic Neptunes-produced albums that Clipse know how to handle themselves over icy, minimal beats. Rubin usually traffics in punchy, metallic, cluttered thuds, so this will be a stretch. But all the people involved know exactly what they're doing, so I'm confident.

Til the Casket Drops, the third Clipse album, is due for release sometime this summer. Hopefully they won't experience any of the same release-date delays that plagued Hell Hath No Fury. EW reports that the first single, "Kinda Like a Big Deal", will be out on March 9. It features Kanye West, and DJ Khalil, who did the beat for 50 Cent's pretty good "I Still Kill", produced it.

The last time I wrote something about Clipse for Pitchfork, the brothers Thornton weren't too happy. So I should point out right here that this Rubin collaboration is a really good idea. It gets way higher than a 7.6. Like 8.2 at least.

Also, this picture is hilarious. How long has Rick Rubin been living in that car?

Clipse Preview LP With Mixtape, Launch Clothing Line

(swiped from Pitchfork Media)

So Clipse's third LP, Till the Casket Drops, won't make its way to stores this month as originally planned. It's an unfortunate (if hardly unexpected) fate you're sure to hear plenty about on Road to Till the Casket Drops, an all new Clipse mixtape set to, you know, drop December 1 exclusively through complex.com.

The new set packs tie-ins galore: not only is it the first glimpse into the next Clipse record proper-- now due in March, supposedly-- but its appearance is intended to coincide with the duo's long in the works Play Cloths clothing line, which launched today (November 21).

Clipse look to be putting together a Play Cloths tour too, but thus far just a couple dates have emerged.

Play Cloths tour:

01-18 Calgary, Alberta - Tequila Nightclub
01-21 Vancouver, British Columbia - Richard's on Richards

• Stream: Clipse: Intro [from the forthcoming Road to Till the Casket Drops mixtape]
• Stream: Re-Up Gang [ft. Joss Stone]: Celebrate

Clipse Album Gets Title, Rick Rubin Production

(swiped from Pitchfork Media)

Hot dog, do I ever hope that overwhelming feeling of déjà vu is just my breakfast not quite settling right. A few more tantalizing details surrounding the forthcoming third LP from Clipse have emerged, which should give us something to chew on until the sucker is almost inevitably pushed back from its slated November release via Columbia.

According to a Billboard.biz report [via BrooklynVegan], the new album is called Till the Casket Drops, and it will reportedly feature all-too-infrequent rap producer Rick Rubin behind the boards for an as-yet-untitled tune. Rick fucking Rubin! Early prediction: that song will be both loud and good.

Additionally, longtime collaborator Pharrell Williams, Justice League, Sean C and LV, DJ Khalil, and Dame Grease all contribute tracks to the set.

It's but a few weeks away, and things are looking good for the release of Clipse Presents: Re-Up Gang. That LP, from the group featuring both Pusha T and Malice of Clipse and their old friends Ab-Liva and Sandman, is due August 5 from Koch. Er, lord willin', anyhow. Clipse and Re-Up Gang will take the stage at New York's Highline Ballroom August 12.

Video: Re-Up Gang: Fast Life [from the Clipse Presents: Re-Up Gang LP]

Re-Up Gang LP Due in August, Clipse in November

(Swiped from Pitchfork Media)

f you're expecting to stroll up to your local mixtape dude August 5 to land yourself a copy of that new Re-Up Gang disc, you may find yourself the recipient of a puzzled look. Indeed, the next release from the lyrically venomous VA-to-PA supergroup featuring Malice and Pusha T of Clipse and Philly MCs Ab-Liva and Sandman will in fact be traveling through some atypically traditional channels to get to your ears.

Clipse Presents: Re-Up Gang is due in stores August 5 from Koch Records. The disc sports nine new songs-- including the recently Forkcasted "Fast Life", produced by Scott "Mayor of Clowntown" Storch-- and a trio of previously unreleased remixes of cuts from the fab free-to-download We Got It for Cheap, Vol. 3 mixtape they laid on us this winter. Oh, and lest you forgot, British soul singer Joss Stone was at least at one point slated to appear on the set, though there's no mention of her involvement in the recent press material.

Clipse, meanwhile, are still busy working up their third LP, now slated for a November release on their new label Sony/Columbia. I'll believe it when I own it.

MP3: Re-Up Gang: Fast Life [from the forthcoming Clipse Presents: Re-Up Gang LP]

The Clipse Signs With Columbia

(swiped from Billboard)

This time last year, the Clipse complained to anyone who'd listen how unhappy it was on Jive Records. Now, the act's wish to leave has been granted. Sibling MCs Malice and Pusha T have ended their deal with Jive and the Neptunes' Star Trak Entertainment in favor of a new arrangement with Columbia, Billboard has learned.

The Clipse emerged early this decade on Star Trak, which at the time was distributed by Arista. The duo's 2002 debut, "Lord Willin'," was a critical and commercial smash, and has sold 948,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

When Arista was restructured in 2004, the label's artists were split between J and Jive. But Star Trak joined Interscope, leaving the Clipse behind at Jive. The act lobbied to be allowed to follow Star Trak to its new home, but Jive refused, resulting in a lawsuit that sought to break the Clipse's four-album deal (Jive had no comment at deadline).

Although the suit was settled after Jive agreed to a distribution deal for the Clipse's own Re-Up Gang Records label, the relationship continued to deteriorate, with release dates for the group's sophomore album constantly shifting. That set, "Hell Hath No Fury," emerged last November via Jive, but struggled out of the gate. It has sold just 194,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan.By then, the Clipse was in talks with a variety of labels about a new deal, eventually settling on a five-year, 50/50 profit-sharing arrangement with Columbia for Re-Up Gang Records.

The Clipse will own the masters for its Re-Up Gang artists, Ab Liva and Sandman. Next year, the Clipse will issue a Re-Up Gang album as well as a new studio disc, but for the first time, the latter will not be produced solely by the Neptunes. Instead, the brothers are anticipating working with Timbaland, Danjahandz and Dame Grease."I can honestly say that we were all friends before the music and will be friends to the end," Malice says of his relationship with the Neptunes. "Everything is business. If we had our way, we would always be on Star Trak. But it's what's working for you and what's not. We just want good energy, and Columbia has both the urgency and the muscle."