It’s Luda’s song (off the upcoming album Theater of the Mind — out November 24, as you’ll quickly gather from the annoying voice stamp on the track), and Jay-Z contributes the guest verse with the most old-school exuberance, but you can be forgiven for thinking that it’s stubborn Nas, if anyone, who can most convincingly claim “I Do It for Hip Hop.” Whether or not this trio steps to the mike for their portfolios or “cuz it’s art,” this is a fine tribute to the music these rappers love, with nods to Kool Herc in the lyrics and plenty of actual scratching toward the end. [Download: East of L.A.]
