China seems to be kicking everyone’s ass these days.  On the same day it’s being reported that the People’s Republic has taken over Japan as the world’s second-largest economy, a Chinese company has revealed a vehicle that promises to revolutionize public transit: a giant bus that straddles traffic!  Called a “three-dimensional fast bus”, the outlandish vehicle is being described as a “mobile tunnel.”  According to UTNE:
Commuters board from a station one story above the ground, and when the straddling bus parks to pick up riders—as many as 1200 per …

Yesterday, Kanye released his newest single, “See Me Now” featuring Mrs. Jay-Z and Charlie Wilson, the man who provided cash and Stinger missiles to the Afghan Mujahideen founded the Gap Band.  Kanye’s raps cover the usual ground: equating himself to the font of Western philosophy (“I’m Socrates/But my skin more chocolate-y”) and Jesus (“This the Christ year/Last year was magic, 32″ … “Imagine the direction of this immaculate conception”).  The beat is a buoyant vocal sample that keeps things moving along, and Beyonce does a decent job on the hook.  …

Blood is The New Black Free.  This t-shirt from Urban Outfitters made me laugh pretty damn hard.  I remember the days when people used to say this sort of message about someone and a) actually mean it and b) the person actually deserved it.
Still, good work, whoever thought this one up.

You can’t fault Mos Def for kickin it on Yo Gabba Gabba!  This show has managed to lock down some pretty major artists (including the Roots).  Mos plays a superhero in this that has to go calm down a monster.  It’s equal parts cute and awesome.

This makes me extremely happy: Aziz Ansari, of Parks and Recreation fame, is releasing a mixtape under his alter ego, Raaaaaaaandy (who also happens to be the character he played in Funny People).  Produced by Dave Sitek of TV on the Radio, the mixtape was supposed to be released in February, but that date has reportedly been pushed back.
In the meantime, the first track has been leaked and it’s awesome/hilarious.  It’s called AAAAAAAANGRY, and it’s a diss track aimed at all the emcees who didn’t deliver verses for the song.  …

While we don’t normally offer a lot of architecture coverage, this story seemed too good/bizarre to pass up: the firm Fitzsimmons Architects recently posted photos of Wayne Coyne’s new Oklahoma City home.  Coyne, who is the frontman of ‘space rock’ band The Flaming Lips, is a strange and imaginative dude, and his new house certainly embodies those characteristics.  According to Pitchfork, while the house “looks like a simple brick house from the outside,” … it “turns pretty phantasmagorical once you get inside.” 
Indeed, as you’ll see in the photos, the house …

In addition to sporting events, this year’s Winter Olympics will feature a large and surprisingly diverse schedule of free concerts.  Being held at two ‘LiveCity’ venues in downtown Vancouver, the concerts will span the length of the games and represent an excellent opportunity to take in high quality music for zero dollars.  Here’s a sampling of some of the performers who will take the stage:

Wilco
DJ Spooky (!)
Matisyahu
Deadmau5
Jully Black
Damian Marley
Blue Rodeo
Jets Overhead
Buck 65

Not bad at all.  I plan on seeing several of these shows, if not all of them.  And here’s …

You know that we here at 4080 are pretty big fans of TED Talks.  Not only are they good for dropping some knowledge on you, sometimes they come up with great entertainment too.
Check out the video below to see Herbie Hancock give a solid performance.

This isn’t nearly as snarky as that headline comes off.  This guy is actually pretty talented.  He does impressions of LL Cool J, Snoop Dogg, DMX, and Jay-Z.
Just a little something to distract you for a few minutes.

Here he is doing it on a radio show.  A little bit different, but still entertaining.

What do you get when you combine Black Element, djBC, and Big D and the Kids Table? A hip hop video for a Wicked Hardcore Christmas.
You’re welcome.

Props to BoingBoing.