So unless you hate hip hop, live under a rock or are just plain racist, you know by now that Jay Electronica, tipped by this publication long before the name Barack Obama meant anything (see SHK1 for our worldwide print exclusive – hat tip sweeney kovar), finally put his much coveted signature on the golden dotted line that is Roc Nation, Jay Z’s label, apparently upsetting Puff the magic Diddy in the process according to some reports.

The launch party at lurid Lower East Side hangout The Box was no doubt a wack, exclusive affair for media types but Jay (E) has already dropped a tune to celebrate, called The Announcement. Probably on Rap Radar first, but here’s a link to NQM where you can download it.

Maximum respect to Mr Electronica, I remember seeing him support Mos Def in April 2008 and he was fucking awful, but this is a man with talent who works hard, has clearly learned that berating your crowd before they know or care who you are is not the way to make friends, and is and has always been on some original ish so Jay, we salute you.

Now, someone we don’t respect, because he is a douchebag, is Kanye West, but the beat Q-Tip supplies for his latest track Chain Heavy is, well, heavy. Check it out and download here on our good friend’s blog, and appreciate Kweli for saving the track. Instrumental drop soon please peoples.