If you were out and about in New York City yesterday afternoon, you may have seen me walking around Manhattan, earbuds in, and focused. I was a man on a mission. Last December I drrruuunnnnkenly left my iPhone in the back of a cab - on my birthday, no less. Fortunately a kind, benevolent soul donated an old, yet failing iPhone 3GS to the cause to tide me over until I was due for an upgrade. So yeah, I was trying to cop that new iPhone 5. I was also getting my exercise for the month (read: Not a typo. I'm generally lazy.) by walking to each Apple Store in the city and popping in AT&T stores along the way. Needless to say, I'm still rockin' the 3GS, but I also spent some quality time with this week's Mixtape Mondays selections. #FirstWorldProblems

J3 - The Good Word Getdown:

The quest to make AAPL shareholders happier began with J3's The Good Word Getdown, which I stumbled upon via our very own message boards. The Good Word Getdown is an amazing, yet lengthy 2-hour compilation of soulful and funky Gospel music. Parliament (and Funkadelic), Eddie Kendricks, The Clark Sisters, Dorothy Norwood, Rahsaan Roland Kirk and Albert Ayler all find the common ground in funk and spirituality (OkayPrayer? trademark that - ed.). A fine, uplifting way to kick off the day's adventure.

Tracklist

1. Prelude: Rev. G.W. Killens and the Mt. Calvary Congregation “Father, I Stretch My Arms to Thee”
2. Eddie Kendricks “People Hold On”
3. Clarence Fountain “This Little Light of Mine”
4. Andrew Wartts and the Gospel Storytellers “Peter and John”
5. The Marion Gaines Singers “When Will We Be Paid?”
6. Parliament “Oh Lord, Why Lord (Prayer)”
7. Religious Souls “Rich Man”
8. Albert Ayler “Heart Love”
9. The Horace Family “God Will Dry My Weeping Eyes”
10. The Clark Sisters “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright”
11. Dorothy Norwood “He’s a Friend”
12. Precious Bryant “When the Saints Go Marching In”
13. The Meditation Singers “Good Old Gospel Music”
14. The Relatives “Walking On”
15. Rashaan Roland Kirk “Old Rugged Cross”
16. Amnesty “Lord Help Me”
17. Funkadelic “A Joyful Process”
18. 5 Spiritual Tones “Bad Situation”
19. Nicole Willis and the Soul Investigators “Keep Reachin’ Up”
20. The Hopson Family “Prayer Will Take You There”
21. The Violinaires “Groovin’ With Jesus”
22. The Mighty Walker Brothers “God’s Been Good to Me”
23. The Meditation Singers “I Love My Jesus”
24. The Howard Lemon Singers “Let Me Come Home”
25. New Hope “Godofallofus”
26. The Traveling Echoes “I’d Like to Know”
27. The Mighty Voices of Wonder “I Thank the Lord”
28. The Marion Gaines Singers “Do Your Thing”
29. Eugene McDaniels “The Lord is Back”
30. Postlude: Clear Creek Missionary Baptist Church Congregation “I Love the Lord”

>>>Download (original .m4a file)

>>>Download (.mp3 version)

Melting Pot Music - 10 YRS MPM x HHV.DE:

With my spirit fed from J3's mix, my stomach was dying for some food of its own, so my delicious lunch at [redacted] was consumed in part to the sounds of the 10th anniversary compilation from Cologne-based Melting Pot Music, featuring many unreleased and exclusive tracks from artists on the label's diverse roster like Miles Bonny, TBRCK, Fid Mella,DJ Adlib and many more.  Please be sure to peep Dexter's flip of "The Simpsons" theme song. I nearly choked on my food.

>>>Download (via MPM)

Hex Murda - Hex Murda Presents Hex Hates U:

By the time I got to Hex Hates U, presented by Detroit's own sh*t starter (and finisher) Hex Murda, my phone upgrade mission had failed.  Mixed by Statik Selektah and Sammy Needlz, Hex Hates U is a rowdy mix of mostly Detroit hip-hop from Black Milk, D-12, and J Dilla, as well as tracks from Sean Price, Bumpy Knuckles, and Ras Kass. I had fortunately resigned to the fact that I was gonna have to squeeze a few more weeks out of this iPhone 3GS or else the high-energy of Hex Hates U probably would've inspired the trashing of a few AT&T stores on my route from Lincoln Center up to 125th street.