I’m not a big fan of mixtapes. There’s something about uninspired verses and recycled beats that has always turned me off. But Wale’s Mixtape About Nothing, available for free since last Friday, is making me re-evaluate my skepticism.

From the onset, you can tell that the DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia) representative has something to say; the tape is more than just self promotion with music in the background.

He starts off by taking a page from Jerry Seinfeld’s comedy book with “what’s the deal with…”-style observations about the state of hip-hop on a beat that samples the bass guitar used in the legendary sitcom’s opening sequence. Nods to the show are sprinkled throughout the mixtape: from snippets of some of the most memorable episodes to a Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Elaine) cameo to a poignant track, “The Kramer,” sparked by Michael Richard’s hateful Laugh Factory rant.

Yes, Wale, born Olubowale Folarin of Nigerian immigrants, did the damn the thing on the Mixtape About Nothing. I must admit that I didn’t always get what all the fuss was about: the magazine covers, the blogosphere ubiquity, the Mark Ronson co-sign and the numerous “next big thing” claims — all of which came without an album justifying them. I kinda understand now; his long-winded flow, wit and wordplay forced me to pay attention. He can spit and isn’t doing so because he can — he’s saying something.

Funny how much one can learn from a mixtape about nothing, huh? Download it here.

Thursday nights are great ’cause the weekend’s promises of chaotic fun and new experiences are well within reach. Paris’ Centre Pompidou offers you the latter every second Thursday of the month with the Les Jeudis projects. On those days, the Center invites art academies and schools across Europe to put on productions in a variety of disciplines: from theater to music, fashion, performance art and dance.

This week, London’s Central School of Speech and Drama will be the institution doing the honors with Urban-I-City. In the performance, actors and dancers will examine “the relation between space, architecture and the body.” May is the last month of Les Jeudis shows: I recommend that you find a way to get to Paris ASAP and start the weekend on the right foot.

We haven’t yet invented a time machine that can physically take us to the past, but great music can definitely do so on a mental level. Insert Nigeria 70: Lagos Jump in your CD player (or download it — legally please) and 1970s West Africa is where you’ll find yourself.

The compilation is a musical celebration of the vibrant sounds that were produced in post-independence Nigeria and is sure to induce some head-nodding and hip-moving though afro-funk and highlife memory lane. The Nigeria 70 series began in 2001 and the O-eight version goes deeper in the Lagos underground than ever before with music from the likes of Bola Johnson, Sir Shina Peters and Peter King just to name a few. It drops tomorrow on Strut records and comes with sleeve notes written by former Fela Kuti bandmate, John Collins, who breaks down the genre’s history.

Listen a bit here.

The intercontinental lovescapades that Lupe Fiasco narrates on Paris, Tokyo are the stuff dreams are made of. Okay, maybe not everybody’s dreams, but speaking for myself, globe-trotting with a special someone or two would definitely be the perfect way to spend the next few weeks.

With spring now in full swing and bulky winter jackets chillin’ in the back of the closet, daydreams of beautiful summer days are livelier as the senses and imagination are slowly waking up to the season’s bright colors. Paris, Tokyo is a smooth-like-the-perfect-pina-colada track you can dream to year-round, but any spring or summer playlist would be incomplete without it. Peep the visuals above.

“Thinking outside the box”. That’s such a cliché. The expression has been so overused and abused that it has lost its cachet and using it in reference to true originals doesn’t really say much about how creative said individuals are. Nevertheless, when attempting to describe the ingenuity behind the Art Battles concept, there has never been a better cliché to use.

To make a long story short, Sean Bono and Max Bode put their creative spirits to use in an entrepreneurial way without “selling out”. They took what began as a friendly inter-roommate art battle between them to a whole new level. And today their creation is a premiere outlet for up and coming New York artists seeking to compete against their peers while putting their raw talents on display and wowing crowds in real time.

Some of the artists who’ll be putting it down this Friday are the aforementioned Sean Bono and Max Bode. Concep, Pesu and Fly Lady Di will be co-headlining the showcase alongside the founders and will no doubt bring their own unique styles to the table.

Concep has been down with Art Battles since its inception in 2000, first performed with the show in 2005 and won last year’s MTV | Art Battles. Pesu, a native of Mount Fuji in Japan joined in 2005 and has since become one of the movement’s most recognized names. Fly Lady Di is a full time B-girl, born in Toronto and she now resides in BK. This is her first year performing with Art Battles.

Friday’s show will be taking place at The Green Room on 45 Bleecker Theater, where doors will open at 10:30. There’ll be lots of live art, music and drinks. I don’t know about you, but that sounds like a pretty cool way to spend a Friday night.

Also — you can your homework beforehand by checking out the artists in the latest issue of TRACE, downloadable free on the homepage.

If you’re a hip-hop head and you happen to be in Atlanta this week, the A3C festival will have you feeling exactly like a kid in a candy store. Three days of live music, street fashion and break-dancing battles are just some of the treats you’ll be getting.

The party gets started today with performances from Little Brother, Wale, and Del tha Funkee Homosapien — just to name a few. Make sure to get a good night’s rest ‘cause Friday will consist of a whole new level of craziness with a Rawkus showcase and the Juice Crew reunion. Yeah that wasn’t a typo, a Juice Crew reunion!

Other legends will be in the building doing what they do. L.A sensation Blu will also be on deck along with Ta’Raach and they’ll be performing some of their new collaborative material. The festivities come to an end on Saturday with a producer showcase featuring the likes of The Alchemist and DJ Toomp and performances from the Re-Up Gang and Tanya Morgan amongst others.

This was just an avant-gout of some of the goodies that you’ll be getting this weekend; make sure to hit up this for more details on exactly how sick the weekend is bound to be.

Breathless. That’s how I imagine Black Thought must have felt after his 75 bar workout on Black’s Reconstruction. The South Philly MC refuses to let a pause for air come in between him and the neck-breaking track, as he abuses it non-stop for 3 minutes and 17 seconds, and has it gasping for air when Questlove holds the drums and lets him go acapella for a couple lines - forcing you to pay close attention to the MC at work. (Pause for breath.) Rick Cordero’s also putting in some work as he matched The Roots frenetic single with a mini-movie, where an unlucky bastard is dragged around, has gasoline poured on his bloody cuts, and is about to be burnt alive a la Reservoir Dogs. My ramblings don’t do it justice though - check it out for yourself and remember to circle April 29^th on your calendar: Rising Down will be on shelves nationwide.

Nicolay is back at it again. The Dutch producer whose collaboration with Phonte of Little Brother brought to life sonic love stories in the form of Connected, is blessing us with another concept album. This time around, Kay is the lucky MC who gets to spit on his brand of electro-soul-hip-hop beats. Time: Line is their LP’s title and the human life cycle is its concept. The pair explores, birth, death and all the stages in between over the course of 12 tracks. The album is in stores worldwide, and based on the tracks I’ve heard thus far, sounds like it’s gonna be another timeless collabo. Long live good music!

The Bronx Museum of the Arts Teen Council will be honoring acclaimed photographer, Jamel Shabazz, this Sunday March 2^nd. Shabazz’s work will be celebrated with an exhibition of some of his most compelling images along with those from the Museum’s permanent collection. While most will describe his photographs as visually appealing representations of street culture, Shabazz feels that they are more than just pretty pictures, he believes that “they represent a kind of social activism inspiring youth through unique portrayals of their peers and neighborhoods.” The exhibit will be running until July 27^th, giving you ample time to experience the world through Shabazz’ lens.

Guru dropped Jazzmatazz: The Hip-Hop Messenger (Back To The Future) on 7 Grand Records early last summer and he’s back with an encore, this time in the form of a DJ Doo Wop hosted mixtape. Produced by Solar, Guru’s Jazzmatazz: The Time Bomb (Back To The Future) Mixtape is the “raw” companion to the aforementioned album. The release features notable cameos from the likes of Common, Mr. Lif, Damian Marley and Tony Touch just to name a few. Guru and Solar established 7 Grand Records together, and that entrepreneurial move has put them in a position of power where they’re free to introduce more “forward thinking hip-hop concepts to the masses.” The Jazzmatazz series was already music to the ears of all jazz cats and hip-hop heads out there, and February 18th when the CD finally drops, will be another occasion for the two complementary extremes to celebrate together.