Santogold and the Beastie Boys: "Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win"

Editor's note: For some undisclosed reason, Blogger had some major issues behind the scenes and some posts from earlier this week were removed or lost. So, I'm re-posting this bit today...

Just have to call to attention my current obsession with the incredibly hypnotic new Santogold/Beastie Boys reggae collaboration "Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win"--off their Hot Sauce Committee Part Two. (They really should consider releasing this as a vinyl single--it more than deserves the high profile treatment.) Gotta love the Lee "Scratch" Perry-referencing dubby sax blast that heralds the start of the track (the Beasties are big Perry fans----I have an old copy of their "Grand Royal Magazine" that contains an extensive article covering Perry's extraordinary career and rating many of the releases from his mega-deep back catalogue). And Santogold (AKA Santi White) has one hell of a sultry alto voice that's perfectly designed for reggae and blows me away.

"Don't Play No Game..." also has one of the best rhymes for our times: "You work hard to climb the list/20 years of schooling and they put you on the day shift."

Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win (featuring Santigold) by Beastie Boys

Here's hoping that the Beasties and Santogold team up for more version excursions...would it be too much to ask for an album's worth?

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Not sure how many ska fans out there are aware of Santogold's amazing work with producer Diplo on Top Ranking Santo Gold a Diplo Dub, which came out a few years ago. But this crazy mash-up mix tape of sorts has a lot to like on it (ska, skinhead reggae, roots reggae, and dancehall, amongst other genres), including a stunning cover of The Clash's "Guns of Brixton" (retitled here as "Guns of Brooklyn").