Ghostface Killah Is Checking For the New Vampire Weekend

​There must be a lot of celebrating going down in the old VW compound right about now. From yesterday's Q+A in the Times, with Ghost and his manager Mike Caruso, an interview which took place inside a "parked S.U.V. around midnight recently":

Q: Vampire Weekend is a group you said you liked. How'd you first hear about them?

MR. CARUSO: My son, he's 15, left his iPod in the car, and that was on it.

GHOSTFACE: You know how kids be, they on [stuff] before you be on [stuff]. But he knew what he was talking about. The beat was like something I never heard before. It was interesting. It sounded like they could've had have some Jamaican in it. I try to listen to all music with an open head, a clear head, try not to say just because I don't know it, it's weak.

Also endorsed: Billy Joel, Springsteen, Pink, and the production on Jay-Z's "Empire State of Mind," about which Ghost says "That beat might be one of the best beats I heard in years. Forget what he said on it, let's talk about the beat." From over here, that looks a lot like a shot: Jay might have to let Ezra and the gang know who still runs things in this city. Otherwise we're just going to have to assume he's handing over the crown.

Playlist | Ghostface Killah [NYT]