Kid Cudi x HBO. HBO released the first episode of “How To Make It In America” free online as a way to get viewers interested in the new series. We were just interested to see Kid Cudi’s acting chops. Not bad…looks like there could be a future there. And hey…since the show has a rapper that means….promotional mixtape time! Via: NahRight

Kanye’s latest blog entry says it all. And this time it’s not in all caps. Maybe Kayne should finally launch Pastelle.com while he’s on a roll.

As we all know, the Super Bowl TV ads get just as much press and publicity as the actual game itself. Fortune 500 companies and the entire advertising industry use these ads as a way to gauge the creative and pop culture influences that shape the advertising and consumer landscape. So it’s no surprise that yesterday’s entire Super Bowl and its advertising had a clear hip-hop flavor to it. To start things off The NFL hooked up with Diddy and Jay-Z for custom TV spot promotions (Run This Town NFL promo & Angels NFL promo), but even the ads spotlighted how influential hip-hop has become in mainstream media.

T-Pain’s Bud Light commercial was one of the rare memorable ads of the day, and even consumer electronics companies like Vizio w/ Beyonce and Flo TV w/ Will.I.Am were perfect examples of how the icons of hip-hop and urban music shape the popular culture of today. This just leaves one question then…when will The Half Time show go hip-hop? Everyone knows groups like The Rolling Stones and this year’s Half Time show performers The Who are safe, mainstream, middle-America appealing bands but who can honestly say that they watched the entire performance without a “ummm when does this end?” They are boring…but safe.

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I wonder if the artists/writers are getting any royalties off this. I seriously doubt it. Nothing says “I love you” more than a “Lick Me Like A Lollipop” Valentine’s Day card. Check out the rest of the series after the jump. You can order them here.

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I get a lot a couple of e-mails a day from aspiring artists asking how they can get their music featured in TV or film. Although I have some experience in this realm I’d rather let an expert get into it. Some of this might seem obvious but you have no idea how many artists fail to adhere to the most basic rules of music submission…not just to music supervisors but to A&R as well.

So here are Six Tips for getting your music placed in TV and film from music biz expert Mike King. While this isn’t hip-hop specific I can tell you the big death trap for original hip-hop submissions is sampling. If you are an amateur artist not backed by a publishing group or label and submit music with samples or riffs from other songs you will most likely be passed up just due to the legal ramifications and clearance issues behind it. Take that in mind.

1) Although they take Mp3 files in emails, supervisors still primarily work with full art CDs. They prefer their music in proper jewel cases with a spine that lists the artists name and title. Madonna from Whoopsie Daisy (who has worked on “Smallville,” “One Tree Hill,” “Alias,” and “Felicity,” and others) said that she receives upwards of 150 submissions a week, many of which she files away. Artists have to make it as easy as possible for them to file your music, and find it later.
2) If you are burning a CD, be sure you have added all the track info to the individual songs (particularly artist and song names). If a supervisor burns your music into iTunes, you don’t want to be in their library as “Track 2.”
3) Clearance problems are always an issue. Make the publishing and master info as prominent as possible, especially if you control both.
4) Be sure you are targeting the right show. Supervisors hate emails that ask: “What are you looking for?” Know your show’s demo, and send them appropriate music.
5) Do Not Call. Supervisors have no time to spend on the phone. Quick email reminders are appropriate. Successful pitches are those that do not expect anything, and do not put too much pressure on the supervisor. Keeping in front of them is great; stalking them is not.
6) Do not ask them for opinions on your music. Supervisors are not A&R reps. Good music will stand out and get placed at some point.

Now that the rapping Santa’s and reindeer are done with, here is the latest Nike Kobe vs. LeBron MVPuppets ad as LeBron goes to the barbershop. Via: Hypebeast

Jay-Z x The NFL. Jay-Z started Super Bowl XLIV with a performance of “Run This Town” featuring E.S. Posthumus and the Rutgers Symphony Orchestra before the kick off. This is the second major sport performance he has performed in with music from his latest album “The Blue Print III”. In October he performed in the World Series, now its the Super Bowl, could the NBA finals be next?

Beyonce x Vizio. Beyoncé gets snatched by a robotic arm while performing “Beautiful Nightmare” in this Vizio Super Bowl commercial. Was expecting this ad to be more creative but not bad with a 10 second appearance and Beyoncé obtaining a big check for licensing her hit single.