​As we've already informed you, just about all of the shows that you were planning on attending this weekend have been called off. In other words, no Afro-Punk, no Ted Leo, no P.S. 1 Warm Up, and no Dave Matthews Band. After we collectively begin to pull ourselves together, put away our hacky sacks and fill our bathtubs up with water, we're going to need a new set of tunes to get us through to Monday. So, as an alternative to the Bob Dylan and Scorpions YouTubes that have been filling your newsfeeds for the past 24 hours, we've pulled together ten of our favorite rap songs that maintain some sort of connection to this weekend's storm, ranging from The Click's ode to Hurricane Malt Liquor to a Beastie Boys collaboration with DJ Hurricane and Jadakiss asking, "What if Manhattan was hit by Hurricane Katrina?" Enjoy these tracks while you still have power, and don't hestitate to remind those co-workers that "Hurricane" is one of the weak links on the mad underrated Desire.

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In the run-up to yesterday's release of Watch The Throne, the project's first official single, the Otis Redding-sampling "Otis," was re-done and freestyled over by many a rapper. So to tide you over until the physical version of Watch The Throne (packaged with a bonus CD-ROM containing a vector graphics screen-saver of the planets and stars) becomes available to buy on Friday, here's a rundown of hip-hop's best "Otis" freestyles and flips.

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Jadakiss
Apple Store Soho
Tuesday, June 14

Better than: Waiting your turn at the Genius Bar.

Jadakiss stood in front of a large projection screen, dressed in black tee and jeans; Steve Jobs kitted. He had just "freestyled" the lyrics to "Trading Places," which is to say that he performed his fully completed song a capella. Styles P had left the stage, but an impenetrable sea of snapbacks, hoodies, and jerseys held steady, 500 deep, nodding along to each word, capital-O "Ohhhh"-ing each punchline. It sounded like a strong breeze.

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"This guy's on the internet," says DJ Green Lantern, by way of introducing Atlanta's Pill--a curious diminution for a rapper whose best songs ("Trap Goin' Ham," or you know, "We Outside") are very much about being nowhere near anything like a computer. Anyway, it's not like being on the internet will save you: just ask OJ Da Juiceman, whose three-song set and subsequent crowd-aided flight from the stage at last night's Nah Right/On Smash CMJ showcase at BB Kings proved--if nothing else--that in New York, it's still where you're from that matters. "What happened to mutual respect?" asked HOT97's Miss Info from the stage, as she attempted to quiet the emphatic chorus of boos that had just chased OJ from the stage. "Fuck that," yelled some dude. "Wu-Tang!"

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​It's an unusually bad day for New York rappers and police. First the jakes ran up in Jadakiss's Yonkers apartment and walked out with 5 grams of heroin, 6.5 pounds of marijuana, and $40,000 cash. (Jada wasn't there, and isn't presently wanted by the police--his roommate (?!) seems to be taking the weight). Then some member of 50 Cent's staff caught an assault charge after he beat up a woman who refused his polite request for oral sex in one of the many rooms of 50's enormous Connecticut mansion. And now, finally, AllHipHop is reporting that Dipset's Juelz Santana was arrested this morning on domestic battery charges in Teaneck, NJ after police received a 911 call from his terrified wife neighbor. Evidently none of these guys got Jay-Z's memo yesterday.

Your usual Jadakiss correspondent here at SOTC is enjoying a well-deserved, hopefully Internet-free vacation, so it falls to me to discuss this here video for Bronx/Akon product French Montana's "New York Minute," a hallmark of tics both conventional (immediate cameo from someone in The Wire) and . . . not so conventional (sped-up full-chorus sample of the titular Don Henley, uh, hit). As FM and Jadakiss reel off a depressing roll-call of shot and/or incarcerated NYC rappers (Remy Ma appreciates the shout-out), the video juxtaposes gritty/gorgeous hometown panoramas with what has to be the most dour game of poker ever played. Jadakiss, in the midst of various unpleasantries that might befall you: "C4 to your mom's front door, gift-wrapped/Whole fanbase could start thinkin' that your shit's wack." Possibly on the same day, even.

(It's tempting to go off on a big rant about how "French Montana" is still the strangest name for a rapper I've ever heard in my life, but let's not and say we did.)

(Important announcement from his Twitter.)

Less than a month ago, Jadakiss was telling MTV that he wanted Cam'ron and Kanye West on the remix for "Who's Real," the Swizz Beatz-produced, improbably successful fifth single off The Last Kiss. Instead, it turns out we got...a Ruff Ryders reunion? This was a buzzed-about possibility ever since Kiss said, essentially, that he'd looking for DMX ever since X had gotten out of a Florida jail. And then on Monday X's verse from the song leaked, and by Monday night, Flex was dropping thousands of bombs heralding the return of a New York rap legend. But nobody said anything about Eve or Drag-On, two rappers nobody's heard much of anything from in years. Add Styles P and Sheek Louch and you've got a full-blown reconvention of a long-departed New York movement.

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Yes, our fair blog's most avid Summer Jam enthusiast is long gone. But Hot 97's annual fete/debacle raged on last night at Giants Stadium, and friend of SOTC/Vibe guru Sean Fennessey was there to bemusedly take it all in, including yes, Jay-Z's live debut of his Auto-Tune riposte and thrilling communion with, uh, T-Pain. Sean's Twitter offered splendid insight for those stuck watching the Lakers/Tonys -- here, we provide some highlights of his highlights.

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Proof that Cam'ron's Crime Pays, despite a May 12 release date, basically remains a work in progress: "Let's Talk About It," a late Jadakiss-featuring addition to the record that name-checks swine flu, threatens his own producers for leaking other tracks off Crime Pays, and generally remedies a certain imbalance this LP had a month or two ago. (Let's just say in back February, if Cam was being honest, he would've had to call the record Female Ejaculation Pays.) And, speaking of leaks, Cam's now got a bunch of 'em: the full version of "Cookin' Up," a song called "Silky (No Homo)"--he remains a rapper who couldn't call a song "Silky" without hitting pause--and "Where I Know You From," on which Cam brags about how much his girl's toe-ring cost, a brag that somehow isn't pause-worthy. Killa?

Monday, he wanted to wake up beside you naked (I said Porn Week was almost over). The very next day, Jadakiss is praised for his brand management on adage.com. No, seriously. "What Brands Can Learn From Jadakiss." That's the title. And it's not completely insane!

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