Hip Hop is Bled

Brother Ali To Release Free Album

2012-02-10T20:27:00.002-05:00

"Crab Cakes to Shakespeare". Ha. Nice. The great Brother Ali has a free album to offer up on February 13th. It's called The Bite Marked Heart. Here's a video from it. Song produced by Jake One. Happy Valentine's Day to all of us.

2Pac After Death

2012-02-10T19:01:00.002-05:00

For some reason, I pulled out 2Pac's Until The End of Time CD today. Shortly after, I remembered why I shouldn't do that. There's so many corny beats and hooks added on to those songs posthumously it's ridiculous. It really amazes me what those involved put together, especially considering that for the most part they worked with Pac when he was alive (i.e. Johnny "J", QD3). Although, to be fair, those tracks probably weren't his best songs either.

I don't know how many of you heard the bootlegged versions of the actual songs that Pac recorded, which later became much of what you hear on these albums. My older brother ordered the 16-disc collection from some website shortly after Pac's passing...I'm so thankful. Many were unmixed, and the sound quality wasn't great. But, they were 10x better the way they were. The label should've mixed and mastered them and left it at that (especially not editing out Wendy Williams' name while keeping Jay's, Havoc's and P's - dumb shit). If, for some reason they couldn't do that legally, they should have done it anyway and released them for free. Because these posthumous "interpretations" are an embarrassment to his legacy. That is all.

Note: The pic above is a poster I had on my wall growing up. Well, from age 14 or so to 22.

De La Soul - "We Made It (Skit)"

2012-01-31T17:57:00.001-05:00

New De La. Plug 1 & Plug 2 Present: First Serve. April 2nd. On Duck Down Records.

Goddamn that label has everyone worth talking about it seems.

Here's a video from one of the skits which serves as a teaser for the album. I know you probably don't like skits. Well, just remember that De La Soul and Prince Paul pretty much invented the skit on their debut album to further a theme and turn an album into something more cinematic. It was a bunch of other rappers that ruined it with their uninspired bullshit in years to come.

Who has two thumbs and can't fucking wait for this album??

De La Soul's Plug 1 & Plug 2 present First Serve -- The album out April 2nd. Watch the 'We Made It Skit' from the animated world of De La Soul's Plug 1 & Plug 2 present First Serve. The video follows our heroes Deen Whitter and Jacob 'Pop Life' Barrow from their early days of laying down demos and mixtapes to hitting the big time, signing to Goon Time Records.

The Jean Grae Experience

2012-01-06T15:11:00.002-05:00

Here is something I've been wanting to post up here for a while. As you can tell from all of the posts about her music, I'm a big fan of Jean Grae. And, I'm not the only one. Jean has a LOT of fans, each one more passionate than the last. And, it's a good thing to see because her music is sooo dope. It sucks to have mainstream nobodies hogging all of the attention because of dollars rather than skill.

I love talking Hip Hop with people on Twitter. You never know when you'll come across someone who appreciates the art the way you do. Aisha Behar is someone I've conversed with a lot, and when I saw some of the photos she took at Hip Hop shows, I knew I had to share them with my circle as well. So, she sent a few my way. Below is a short write up about what it was like for her to be in the audience for a Jean Grae show (a treat I have yet to experience), and some photos she took while there enjoying herself. If you like what you see, you can follow her on Twitter @EeeshISDope. Enjoy.

I mean I really don’t even know where to start. A Jean Graeshow is unlike any other show I’ve ever been to. I had the pleasure to catchJean Grae a few months ago in L.A. at the Airliner when she was touringpromoting her ‘Cookies or Comas’ EP. What I liked most was that she makeseveryone feel as if we are all friends. In a packed venue, it was still a veryintimate show. She even makes sure no one takes pictures during theperformance, so that you can actually enjoy the show.

The majority of the songswere from ‘Cookies or Comas’, but some of the songs were songs I had neverheard, off the upcoming LP ‘Cake or Death’. With any other performer I probablywould’ve been a little turned off; due to wanting to hear songs that I knew soI could sing along. However, with Jean songs it only makes me even moreimpatient to listen to ‘Cake or Death’. Shout out to Mr. Len her DJ he isamazing as well.

She’s a witty, sarcastic, classy, intellectual, asshole. Whobrings with a vodka filled water gun on stage, performed the entire time with acigarette behind her ear, taught us how to two-step, and actually spent timewith fans after the show. What more could you possibly ask for? The Jean GraeExperience is awesome! Enjoy the pictures I captured from this amazing show.

Apollo Brown & OC Announce Trophies

2012-01-06T14:45:00.003-05:00

I've been a fan of OC for a long time. Probably 15+ years. He's one of my favorite MCs and someone I always bring up when discussing the most slept-on in Hip Hop. He's definitely slept-on, though among serious heads he's considered a legend. Apollo Brown hasn't been on my radar for too long, maybe a year or two, but his production is amazing - refreshing, original, and a mix of sounds and genres that's purely Hip Hop in the end. Doesn't that sound funny?

Apollo Brown and D.C. producer Oddisee are two of my favorite beatsmiths right now. You can find both on my Best of 2011 list (scroll down). Brown shows up in the "top 25 albums" section for his collaboration with Hassaan Mackey, Daily Bread; and in the "songs" section for a track with Oddisee rapping called "The Times". OC shows up on the DJ JS-1 album with a song dedicated to DJ Roc Raida.

Today it was announced that Apollo Brown and OC have completed a joint album together entitled "Trophies", which is sure to make my top albums of 2012 by year's end. Needless to say, I'm excited. The release date is March 27, 2012.

Below an instrumental from Brown's Clouds project, which later became "The Times" after Oddisee recorded vocals, and the OC/JS-1 song I mentioned earlier called "Life" which I happened to be listening to this morning before reading this news.

Best Hip Hop of 2011

2011-12-31T14:18:00.004-05:00

Happy 'End of 2011' everyone. It's been a long, trying year for me. Things are always better than they could be though. This is a list of the music (released this year) that served as my life's soundtrack.

Because the line between albums, EPs, and mixtapes has been further blurred in Hip Hop, I just put together a list of my top 25 favorite projects of the year, an honorable mention list for other projects I recommend, and a list of some of my favorite songs (which I have conveniently included a link for, if you're interested). I try not to be too negative on here anymore, as it's much more productive to talk about the things I like. But, there are a few disappointments that I felt I had to mention as well.

Try not to take the order too seriously. Good is good. But, please feel free to agree or disagree (if you dare. Ha!). And, do what you can to support the artists you like. See ya in 2012.

Top 25 Projects
The Roots - Undun
Talib Kweli - Gutter Rainbows
9th Wonder - The Wonder Years
Money Making Jam Boys mixtape
Mohammad Dangerfield
Big K.R.I.T. - Return of 4Eva mixtape
Atmosphere - The Family Sign
Pharoahe Monch - W.A.R.
Zion I & The Grouch - Heroes in the Healing of a Nation
Skyzoo - The Great Debater
Jean Grae - Cookies or Comas mixtape
Jermiside - Live & Let Live
Kendrick Lamar - Section 80
eLZhi - Elmatic
Cunninlynguists - Oneirology
Fresh Daily - The Quiet Life
Random Axe
DJ JS-1 - No One Cares
Focus - Music of the Misinterpreted
Pete Rock & Smif N Wessun - Monumental
Hassaan Mackey & Apollo Brown - Daily Bread
Evidence - Cats & Dogs
Phonte - Charity Starts at Home
Tanya Morgan - You & What Army EP
J-Live - S.P.T.A.

Other Notables (25 More Ha!)
Consequence - MOD 2
MC Esoteric - Boston Pharaoh
Fashawn - Higher Learning 2
Malcolm & Martin - Life Doesn't Frighten Me
80 Blocks From Tiffany's mixtape
Edo G. - A Face in the Crowd
Fly Union - TGTC
One Be Lo - Laborhood 1
Outasight - Figure 8 EP
Astronote - Weapon of the Future
The Doppelgangaz - Lone Sharks
Bad Meets Evil
STS - The Illustrious (STS is GOLD)
Casual - The Hierophant
Apathy - Honkey Kong
Rapper Big Pooh - Dirty Pretty Things/Fat Boy Fresh Vol. 1 mixtape
yU - The Earn
A-Plus - Pepper Spray
The Away Team - Scars & Stripes
Torae - For The Record
Strange Fruit Project - A Dreamer's Journey
The Black Keys - El Camino
Self Scientific - Songs of the Blackhearted EP
Murs & Ski Beatz - Love & Rockets Vol. 1
M.O.P & Snowgoons - Sparta

Disappointments
Saigon - The Greatest Story Never Told - This album got a love, but I think it's bullshit. You'd think after how ever many years it took to get this out he would've come with an undeniable classic. But, I'm denying it. The whole thing sounded thrown together to me, and was overall boring.

Lupe Fiasco - Lasers - Give me a fucking break.

Watch The Throne - No doubt this album was a defining one of 2011. There is some good material on it, but lyrically I think it fell way short of expectations. Plus, "Lift Off" and "Made in America" are two of the worst songs I've heard all year by any artist.

Some Favorite Songs
"25th Hour" - Reks (prod. by DJ Premier)
"AfriKingStyle" - Spec Boogie
"Back to Back" - Fresh Daily
"Beautifully Bad" - Idle Warship
"Black Hand Side" - Pharoahe Monch f/ Styles P. & Phonte
"Chewbacca" - Random Axe f/ Roc Marciano
"Dance Pants" - Recess f/ Donwill
"Daydreams" - Green Street f/ Donwill
"Designer Drugs" - Skyzoo
"Distractions" - Talib Kweli
"Dreamin' - Big K.R.I.T.
"Epic Salutations" - Murs & Ski Beatz
"Fake I.D." - Consequence f. Q-Tip, Large Professor, & Havoc
"Fast Lane" - Edo G. (prod. by DJ Premier)
"For Certain" - Oddisee f/ Diamond District
"I Used to be Vegan" - Zion I & The Grouch
"Kidnap Your Boyfriend" - George Watsky
"Make Some Noise" - Beastie Boys
"I-10" - Murs & Whole Wheat Bread
"One Time" - Rapsody f/ Tab One, Charlie Smarts & Phonte
"Palin/Vick" - MC Esoteric
"Put Some Money On It Remix" - Slaughterhouse f/ The Lox
"R.I.P." - Jean Grae f/ Style P. & Talib Kweli
"Shady 2.0 BET Cypher" - Yelawolf, Slaughterhouse, & Eminem
"The Times" - Apollo Brown f/ Oddisee
"Whatever That's Mine" - Tanya Morgan
"You Don't Like It (So What)" - Jean Grae

Link: Favorite Songs of 2011

Hasan Salaam - Music Is My Weapon EP

2011-12-29T15:14:00.001-05:00

After the greatness that was the Mohammad Dangerfield project earlier this year (read about it HERE), I think it's safe to say that my ears are open to anything Hasan Salaam &/or Rugged N Raw are a part of. This especially goes to a philanthropic project aimed at helping the world through music

Salaam recently put out an EP titled Music Is My Weapon which you can purchase on his website http://www.hasansalaammusic.com/. Though the title is much more than a metaphor in this case. Instead of explaining the project here, click the video below and hear it from Salaam himself.

Overall, I like the EP. It's 9 tracks deep, and most are pretty good. My favorite would probably have to be "Shining" which features Salaam alongside Steele (of Smif 'N' Wessun), Reef The Lost Cause, and Chace Infinite (the lyrical half of Self Scientific). My least favorite may have to be a track most others seem to like, "AK-47", if for nothing else than its all-too-familiar subject matter. The personification of a gun is about as original in Hip Hop as the personification of Hip Hop itself (as a female), and I'm fucking tired of it.

Listen to a preview on his website or YouTube and support his cause for under $10. Also, since 100% of proceeds from this album go to the village in Africa, consider picking up the MoDanger album as well, and put some well-deserved money in Salaam's pocket. Good Hip Hop needs to be supported.

Murs - "'67 Cutlass"

2011-12-29T15:03:00.001-05:00

Have you heard Murs' joint project with Ski Beatz, Love & Rockets Vol. 1, yet? If not, I suggest you check it out (as well as Murs' back catalog if you're not familiar - Ski's too, for that matter).

Since becoming aware of him through his first collaboration with 9th Wonder, Murs has quickly climbed into my favorite MCs list. Here is a video he put online recently for one of the tracks off of Love & Rockets.

"'67 Cutlass" was descriptive enough to paint a clear picture without visuals, but this video, with animated additions, really succeeds at adding some humor to the song.

Jingle Fucking Bells

2011-12-25T21:33:00.001-05:00

Well, would you check these two fucking weirdos out?

For the xmas season, Jean Grae & Mela Machinko team up as the Hellpit Faeries to spread some holiday cheer with a FreEp. And, to top it off they shot this video "It's the Most Fucking Wonderful Time of the Year" with an iPhone. Merry Muthaphuckin' Xmas to all!!!

It's The Most Fucking Wonderful Time - Hellpit Faeries from W.A.R. Media on Vimeo.

Jingle Fucking Bells FreEp

Common Premiers Video On AMC

2011-12-21T11:03:00.002-05:00

After about two listens, I can say that I like the new Common album, The Dreamer, The Believer. It's definitely an improvement over the last two he put out. I wouldn't say he's going back to his roots or anything like that. The Common of old seems to be gone. Well, maybe just with the overall sound, not so much the lyrical content or approach.

That's okay with me though. He had classics, sure. But, if I want that I can listen to those albums. There's no need to repeat it. I like when artists grow and try new things. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't. But, the risk is worth it. The risk is what can end producing something new that works.

I finally watched this past week's episode of Hell on Wheels on AMC, which Common has a major role in. I like the show. Though I thought it was a big mistake for Common to premier (a sneak peak of) his new music video for "Celebrate" right after it ended. To me, it kind of hurt the integrity of the show, and of Common as an actor.

Hell on Wheels after all is not The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (remember when they premiered the video for "Summertime" after that show?). It is a period piece taking place in the mid 19th Century just after the Civil War. The audience spends an hour sinking into that reality only to be jolted out of it, out of the realness of the characters, when Common presents himself in a tuxedo at a present day party scene.

If he wants to be taken seriously as an actor, on AMC, he should just act. There's no need to push the music on people. I think his people probably thought it would be good for him to reach out to the audience of the show who may not know his music. But, this is forced. Just branching out with the acting gets Common's name and image out to these new audiences. After putting himself out there though, it would have been wiser to sit back and let the audience come to him.

All that said, "Celebrate" is a nice song and video, and a good choice for a single. Drop me a line here or on Twitter and let me know what you think.

Undun - Short Film

2011-12-19T17:51:00.004-05:00

Directed by Clifton Bell, this video offers us a visual interpretation of 4 songs from The Roots' new album Undun. While the story is told backwards on the album, this film depicts the events chronologically. I'm looking forward to the possibility of a full movie for the entire album eventually...this is a good teaser though.

The more I listen to Undun the more I enjoy it. The story, at first, wasn't completely clear to me. But, it wasn't needed. The songs really have the ability to stand on their own without their larger concept attached. This makes it all the more impressive that The Roots were able to weave in a story. And, it's not just the verses from Black Thought and co. The band's music is thematic in and of itself, and adds to the richness of the story as it plays out.

Definitely take a listen to Undun if you haven't yet. The Roots seem to get better as time goes on, and this album is no exception. They're trying new things and challenging themselves with their approach to music, and are continually producing the kind of work that sets them apart from the rest as the premier band and torch carrier for hip hop music.

The Roots - UNDUN from The Ghettonerd Company, LLC on Vimeo.

My Thoughts On Heavy D

2011-11-09T12:13:00.001-05:00

I was starting to post somethoughts on Twitter last night. But, they were coming too fast and my signalwas choppy. Plus, there are much more important people to me that all of youwant to hear from more I'm sure. D-Nice had some good anecdotes. I'm sure Hev'scousin Pete Rock did too. I'll have to check today. Apparently, Heavy D's lasttweet of his own read "Be Inspired". Those are good last words, Ithink. Words which serve to encourage others.

I was in my wife's car yesterdayafternoon, and one thing we had talked about was Heavy D's appearance on Law& Order: SVU recently. Literally ten minutes later I got a text that hehad died. It took me by surprise. I know the size was in his name, but Heavy Dwasn't really all that heavy anymore. When people are young (he was 44) andhealthy it's hard to imagine them dying. And, 44?!?! That was surprising too. Ithink his first album came out in 1987. That would have made him 20 at thetime! He always seemed older to me though. Maybe because I was so young when Istarted listening to his music.

I first heard Heavy D & TheBoyz on a song called "We Got Our Own Thang" off of his second album.I didn't have the album. I had the 2nd volume of the Yo! MTV Raps compilation,and it appeared on there. I was a very young kid, but I loved his rhyme style, andthe way he said "diddly-diddly-dee". It was fun. It was something Iwould practice too. In the early 90's, Hev started popping up everywhere.He did the theme song to In Living Color (if you're not from that era just knowthat EVERYONE watched that show), appeared on Yo! MTV Raps (which I watchedreligiously back then), appeared as himself on A Different World and The FreshPrince of Bel-Air, and had an actual role for several episodes on Roc that I'llalways remember.

I ran out to buyhis 1991 album Peaceful Journey largely off the strength of his personality,and the lead single "Now That We Found Love" featuring Aaron Hall. Iremember he wore a black jumpsuit that looked like a garbage bag in the video -this was years before Missy wore something similar in her video. I'm not sayingit was fashionable, but it was memorable. I listened to thistape over and over and over again. It was this album that helped me understanda little more about how Hip Hop came together with DJs, Producers, MCs, andsamples. I also got to know who Pete Rock was, and how great it was to hear a'posse cut' with a bunch of great rappers on the same song. "Don'tCurse" is still my all-time favorite. Raw beat. Dope verses. The song isinfectious to this day. And, Big Daddy Kane was my favorite MC at the time. So,to hear him on a Heavy D song made me like Hev even more, I think. While HeavyD clearly shined on the album, he brought in one hell of a supporting castincluding K-Ci & JoJo (way before they broke away from Jodeci), Aaron Hall,Kane, CL Smooth, Grand Puba, Q-Tip, and Johnny Gill which rounded out the UptownRecords sound he was putting out there.

Heavy D had alight, fun, and soulful approach to Hip Hop even while others were getting moreand more street. He didn't try to keep up with trends. He, well, had his ownthang...going on. He hardly cursed (and encouraged other MCs not to on "Don't Curse" to show Hip Hop haters that they could do it, even if they didn't always want to), and that made older people accept him, and thus, bemore accepting of Hip Hop too. He was able to express himself anyway. Imaginethat.

Now, I won't sithere and say he was the greatest rapper to ever pick up a microphone. Hewasn't (though he was underrated). But, he had style and personality to match his unique talent. He hadskills. He was nonthreatening and genuine. He positioned himself as a lover with many songs on each album about women (not bitches) and it worked. He drew people in and pushed Hip Hop culture forward. He developed newtalent ("Heavy D and Who!?!?!?"), produced great songs (Beanie Sigel's"Feel it in the Air" is amazing), became a serious actor, and beganto record some decent reggae music as well.

Dwight "Heavy D" Myerswas a real talent, and to hear his peers tell it, was a genuinely good person.I will miss what he brought to the Hip Hop/entertainment industry, and I'm surehis loved ones will miss the person they got to spend time with during theirlifetime.

R.I.P. HeavyDiddley-Diddley- D

Tanya Morgan - Whatever That's Mine

2011-11-08T14:40:00.000-05:00

I had to post this because I haven't been able to stop playing it since I saw it posted an hour or so ago. This is a new song by Tanya Morgan called "Whatever That's Mine" off of their EP, You And What Army, that'll be out November 22nd.

Click below to d/l.

http://donwill.me/2011/11/08/download-tanya-morgan-whatever-thats-mine/

R.I.P. Joe Frazier

2011-11-08T14:25:00.001-05:00

Word to Joe Frazier, got to do what pays ya!!!

Jean Grae is a Jenius...You Idiots!!

2011-10-26T23:43:00.004-04:00

Check this out because Jean Grae is fucking awesome. Definitely the best female lyricist I've ever heard, and definitely up in the running with any male MC you could name. She's fucking amazing. If you haven't heard 'Cookies or Comas' you're really missing out on some great Hip Hop this year. 'Cake or Death' (hopefully) coming soon - but, I do not have the attention span of a gnat, so I'm still enjoying the rest of her catalog!

Action Bronson Makes a TV Appearance

2011-10-26T23:16:00.000-04:00

What do you all think of Action Bronson? I got into him for a while. That Dr. Lecter album is pretty nice. Haven't felt some of his stuff lately - a joint called "Muslim Wedding" and a feature on MarQ Spekt & Kno's album for a song called "Roadhouse" had me underwhelmed. I tweeted about it, and he found it and retweeted it. I'm not sure why. I guess some people think it's funny to retweet negative comments about themselves - Kweli and 9th Wonder come to mind. And, some others probably hope their "yes men" fans will defend them publicly. I did get one guy respond with "you buggin'!" Yeah, whatever. It's my opinion. But, some people latch on to someone and suddenly feel like they can do no wrong.

Anyway, I like Action Bronson. I wish him success. And, I'm exicted about the project he has coming with one of my favorite producer/DJs as of late, Statik Selektah. And, by the way, I love that more producers are bringing back this producing an entire album (or close to it) thing.

Below is a video from Carson Daly's show (yea, thankfully the Internet exists, right? I literally know one person that watches the show) where Action talks about some shit and freestyles. He used to be a chef too? Nice. Maybe we'll see him make an appearance on Chopped one day and knock out one of those annoying, pompous judges.

Talib Kweli at Occupy Wall Street

2011-10-07T21:12:00.002-04:00

This is too dope not to post up here. It's nice to see that our best and most loved and appreciated street poets in this Hip Hop genre are still out there spitting that real shit and representing for the average hard working people of this world.

But, the average people have allowed themselves to be brainwashed. Why? Because they're fucking busy. And, they're stressed. And, they need an escape. Bullshit feels like it grants that escape into a world that's more fucked up than our own. But, it's doesn't. And, it sucks too many of our good people into it, and makes them complacent. That's how those in power control us. And, they have. For too long. We trusted this 'representative democracy' to lead us using our will. But, it has failed us. Special interests with deeper pockets than our own took it over long ago.

But, it looks like people are finally starting to rise up, and stand up, for themselves. It's a beautiful thing. People are sick and tired of being sick and tired. And, the bravery of citizens in other countries has inspired a lot of us here in America. If we keep it up, our elected officials are going to have to start truly answering to us. The true majority.

This right here from Kweli is beautiful...and it almost brings a tear to my eye. Check it out. Occupy Cincinnati is tomorrow. Peace. Love. Share. Change.

New Hip Hop Releases From North Carolina

2011-10-02T02:00:00.001-04:00

This week saw the release of several notable albums that are sure to be on the top of a lot of people's 'Best Of' lists at year's end. And, another cool thing is that three of the artists are from North Carolina. That's something when a single state can dominate a week with three highly anticipated releases. Of course, I'm talking about 9th Wonder, Phonte, and J.Cole.

9th Wonder's project The Wonder Years was probably the most impressive to me. It definitely had 9th's signature production sound. But, it also had range. It had depth. He tried new things, and really built on what he has done in the past to make the most cohesive project I've heard all year. 9th hosted an impressive array of talented MCs and singers, and did a really good job of strategically sprinkling in his Jamla artists throughout. What really put The Wonder Years over the top for me was 9th's work with Terrace Martin, whose jazz sax added the perfect element to 9th's musical backdrops. On the negative side, I still have to say that I don't get Mac Miller's appeal. He shows up here spitting rhymes that I find boring and forgettable.The good news is that even though this track didn't hold up lyrically, the beat and vocal arrangement still make it bearable.

Phonte's Charity Starts at Home is another great album from one of my favorite MCs of the last ten years. His flows are dope, his rhymes relevant and relateable, and the beats are always hittin' whether they come from 9th, Khrysis, Nicolay, or anyone else. Te has an ability to understand how words relate to each other which few can match. My complaint with this one? "New Tiggalo, New Tiggalo, New Tiggalo, New Tiggalo". That little saying was humorous the first time or two, but got extremely old after hearing it on every track. It even wound up coming off as a little pretentious in my mind.

The collaborations between Phonte & 9th Wonder on this and The Wonder Years just make it that much clearer to me that Little Brother needs to continue existing as a unit even though the members also pursue music individually. I felt Pooh was missed on these projects and it would have been nice to have them all on at least one track between the 2 albums.

I was also anticipating the debut album from Jay-Z's NC investment, J. Cole, especially since his verse over Kanye West's "Devil in a New Dress" ("Villematic") last year (or, was it earlier this year?). Cole seemed to get off to a slow start on Cole World to me, new tracks that were just ok and didn't really stick out to me were placed in between more well-known songs from previously released mixtapes.I like Cole because he spits like a young guy, but still has a depth to his content that makes him interesting. I didn't see this throughout like I did, on say Fashawn's debut. The deeper layer seemed to not appear until the later part of the album. "God's Gift" and "Breakdown" were solid, but was it weird for anyone but me that he referenced old Bone songs on two songs back to back like he did on these two? Was it weird for anyone else that he sang Paula Abdul lyrics on the next track "Work Out"? All of these things just made the album less than impressive to me. Not to say there isn't good stuff to be found here. I just hope it gets better the next time around.

Styles P. Tracklist for Master of Ceremonies

2011-09-25T00:19:00.005-04:00

I just saw this tracklist posted up on a few sites for SP's latest. I've seen a few different dates in October, but it's looking like the 4th is it now. Honestly, I care nothing about the features aside from track 6. Though, Pharoahe just may end up doing the hook again, which would be disappointing to me - not that "My Life" isn't dope.

Styles P. is, in my opinion, the most talented of The LOX, so I'm always interested to see what he puts together. By the way, if you're interested in hearing a collection of some of his older stuff, check out the DJ Kay Slay-hosted mixtape that was put out, shit, nearly a decade ago now. I think it's just called The Best of Styles P. (if not, you'll be seeing an update below tomorrow morning). I still pull it out once in a while. It's a great listen.

What do you think of this tracklist??

1 How We Fly f. Avery Storm
2 We Don’t Play f. Lloyd Banks
3 I’m A Gee f. Rell
4 Ryde On Da Regular
5 Keep The Faith f. Aja
6 Children f. Pharoahe Monch
7 Street Shit f. Sheek Louch
8 Feelings Gone
9 Harsh f. Rick Ross & Busta Rhymes
10 It’s Ok f. Jadakiss
11 Don’t Turn Away f. Pharrell
12 Uh-Ohh f. Sheek Louch

The Academy Ft. Royce da 5'9", Bronze Nazareth, Sean Price, & K-Solo - "Let's Go"

2011-09-18T00:03:00.009-04:00

Holy Shit!!!

I just got through listening to this track 5 times in a row. I couldn't stop spinning it back over and over. So many quotables on this one. It was released about a month ago. I had it in my iPod, but must've overlooked it until now. Whoa.

I dig the summer anthems, the jazzy loops, and the feel good Hip Hop that comes with the season. But, when the weather starts to turn, I need this raw street shit in my ears again. There's nothing like it. This track, "Let's Go" hit me in the perfect mood.

Royce. Bronze Nazareth. Sean Price. K-Solo (yea, I know. WTF?). This song comes off The Academy, a project being headed by Kurupt, and featuring a who's who of capable MCs from all over. Click HERE to read more about it.

The great thing about "Let's Go" is that each MC brings his A++ game, knowing they need to put in work to compete with the others. That's something you don't see all that often anymore. Too many MCs give away their weaker verses for compilation projects (save for Statik Selektah and DJ JS-1's material). This is Hip Hop competition at its finest right here.

Can't say I noticed K-Solo much yet, but Bronze Nazareth definitely held his own with some clever bars that have single-handedly restored my faith in Wu-affiliates. Of course, the shine really comes from Royce and P, as they had me skipping back again and again. This song is without a doubt going on my top favorite songs of 2011. Hip Hop always needs music like this. Enjoy.

Money Mayweather Loses at Hip Hop

2011-09-17T23:18:00.007-04:00

This fight should be getting underway now. Maywether v. Ortiz. I'm not watching. If someone I knew was ordering it I would watch, sure. But, I don't feel like shelling out the $$ to watch another challenger (even if he is a champion) likely go down at the hands of Floyd Mayweather Jr.

I don't think much of Mayweather as a person (of course, judging just by his public image). He seems like a grown child to me. Overly arrogant if only to cover up his massive insecurities. Claiming he doesn't care what people think of him all the while begging to be noticed by each and every one of them. But, the guy can fight. And, if you watch HBO's 24/7, you know that no one outworks him in the gym either. So, the dedication to be a winner has to be respected.

But, one thing I found laughable during the 24/7 series was Mayweather's attempt at being a hip hop mogul. Roy Jones Jr. tried the same thing years ago, remember? Didn't work. Everyone that listens to hip hop and has money, it seems, also wanted to run a label at some point.

The time has really passed for the hip hop record label mogul. That's not the way the business is anymore. The music gives more back to the individual artist for their hustle at networking and utilizing social media to get their work out there. And that change, due to Internet usage, has pushed some of the less creative business-wise (and often less talented musically) out of the game and made room for some that want to push the genre forward with new approaches to the music - the MCs, DJs, and Producers that have Hip Hop in their blood, not loud mouths looking for another hustle.

The bullshit still exists. But, I see the tide turning as labels have less and less control of listener's ears. And, rappers like Flo-Rida being signed after their biggest song is a bad idea. And Ray J? Was he on the show because he's on the label? Another bad move. Even with the help of 50 Cent, who seems to be around Mayweather, uh, 24/7, I think what was shown on HBO is some of the last you will see from Mayweather's Philthy Rich Records...depending on how many of his millions he wants to sink into making shitty club music.

Blackroc 2 Trailer

2011-09-01T20:17:00.004-04:00

I kinda like the whole trailers-for-albums-like-they're-movies thing. It adds to the excitement a little, makes it interesting again for the Internet age where we don't often hold the liner notes to records and thumb through them studiously for the names and samples involved in its creation.

This one here for the new Blakroc project is doing what it's meant to do, build anticipation. I'm definitely looking forward to most of these MCs contributing rhymes to the Black Keys music. Helluva lineup here.

Tanya Morgan - We Bad

2011-08-18T21:33:00.003-04:00

I probably post more TM stuff than anything else on here. It's nice to have such a dynamic group coming from (in part) Cincinnati. Heard today that the group is down to two now - Donwill and Von Pea. Apparently, Ilyas is keeping busy with solo music and some other projects that are taking him away of the group for now.

It's disappointing. You never want to see members leave a great group. It always tends to happen as people grow and want to try other things. But, more great music will still come out of it, even if they do it separately. Hopefully, this ends up just being a hiatus and he comes back in the future.

I don't really need to reminisce because I listen to Tanya Morgan all the time, but here is an older one for you to enjoy that I haven't heard for a while. It's from 2006. It's a rough, gritty, black & white video with some nice shots of both Cincinnati and Brooklyn. Just what I need today. Directed by Ilyas, actually.

If you're not that familiar with Tanya Morgan, go and look up their catalog. It's a pretty extensive amount of material in a relatively short amount of time. And all quality hip hop. Spend some money on them. They're worth it. If you look back through this blog you'll see tons of their material as well as naming their 2008 classic Brooklynati my favorite album that year.

Consequence - Comic Book Flow

2011-08-17T22:05:00.004-04:00

Consequence's Comic Book Flow comes to visual life in this video from Movies on Demand 3. I like this. And, I like the MOD series a lot, so far. Consequence is highly underappreciated if you ask me. He's been dope since Beats, Rhymes, & Life.

It goes without saying that GZA is the king, if not the pioneer of these kinds of songs. Is there a video for "Animal Planet"? Any Wu fans wanna make one with a bunch of footage from animal documentaries? I'd do it myself, but...how bout you just do it?

Outkast - Jazzy Belle

2011-08-06T20:13:00.005-04:00

There's really no reason for this post. I was just singing it too myself this morning. The remix w/ Babyface too. A lot of people don't seem to know that one. Outkast is unarguably one of the greatest Hip Hop duos ever. Even if they're not your personal favorite, I think you'd have to give it to them as the greatest just for the influence, consistency, and originality they've displayed. They've had an amazing career full of great music and, like I say about De La, Zero Bad Albums.

I remember back when Cincinnati's local Hip Hop/R&B radio station gave equal time to good music and they used to play it. I had it taped off the radio for a while (the remix). Right after it went off on my radio tape, I remember Aaliyah's "One In A Million" came on. I wonder if I still have that tape somewhere.

Anyway, great song. Both versions. But, does anyone else think Babyface's singing during the verses are reminiscent of Chris Isaak's big song? The one with the black and white video with the model on the beach? Just me, huh?? ok

Tha Death Row N-Mates - Tragical

2011-08-04T18:36:00.003-04:00

Stuff like this makes me really miss Nate Dogg. Someone tell Rage she doesn't have to do the Afro Puffs thing anymore though.

More From Kweli Live in Cincinnati

2011-08-04T17:52:00.008-04:00

Below, are some shots I took from the side of the stage (-if you have some to share I'd love to see them). The Square was so packed it was hard to move through the crowd and up in front of the security gate where I belonged. Haha!

It was a great show though. Talib came out when he was scheduled to and ripped through a 1 hour set like the Pro he is. DJ Hi-Tek, Cincinnati native and Reflection Eternal member, showed up to play hype man and spit a few bars of his own ("The Blast"). Kweli did other greats like "Hot Thang", "Move Something", his verse off of Kanye's "Get em High" and, of course, "Get By". Mood member Dante also made a welcome appearance - Mood performed a few weeks before on Fountain Square, but I missed it.

If you haven't seen Talib Kweli live, I have to insist that you seek out his next show. If you're in Cincinnati, you have no excuse. The fucking show was FREE! But, you still get another chance when Black Star performs their album front-to-back next month. Yea, you heard me right. I will be there. You should be too.

Video of Talib Kweli Live in Cincinnati

2011-07-31T22:05:00.008-04:00

Just logged in to add that +1 button and thought I'd throw up these video clips from the Talib Kweli concert on Fountain Square last night in Cincinnati. There will be more pics and stuff posted soon. I was right next to the stage thanks to a friend.

Be prepared, the audio is bad. Most unofficial camera phone concert footage is. I plan to get my hands on some better quality video in the near future though. This here will do if you already know the verses well enough to appreciate.

The first clip has Kweli getting introduced by some chick that's on a reality show based in Cincinnati. Don't know her name or anything about her. I think the show is called Queen City. Ands, I'm pretty sure people were booing her.

Second clip has DJ Hi-Tek giving Cincinnatians what they want and helping Kweli out, as he did for most of the show.

Watch The Throne Documentary

2011-07-23T09:53:00.006-04:00

Kanye West & Jay-Z: Watch The Throne Documentary from introspective on Vimeo.

If you haven't seen it yet, the video above is a mini-documentary, featurette type thing for the Watch The Throne album dropping early August. It doesn't look completely finished to me, so I'm betting this is just a preview of a bonus DVD that goes with the album or something. There's some cool footage of the recording process and them hanging out in Sydney, Australia.

As for the music, I'm still expecting big things even after the two lukewarm singles I've heard. "Otis" just leaked last week. I like the sample a lot, and there are a couple good lines from both Jay and Kanye. But, overall I don't feel like I'm as impressed as I should be. Basically, in my opinion, anything less than groundbreaking is a disappointment, and the rhymes aren't on that 'other level' that they need to be on. We'll wait and see. Enjoy the video in the meantime.

New Cella Dwellas!!!: I Put It Down

2011-07-19T21:14:00.004-04:00

What? A new Cella Dwellas song?!? The 90's are back! Ha!

Cella Dwellas weren't a ground-breaking group, really. But, they were a solid duo known for their quality rhymes and New York gutter sound. Their album Realms 'n Reality got a lot of play by me and my older brother when he came across it and ordered it from Columbia House (anyone? anyone?).

Anyway, it's been like 10 years since they've released an album, so let's hope one is coming. This song here is produced by Nick Wiz, the man on the boards for their first album, and more recently known for lending 5 tracks to Rakim's last album, The 7th Seal. After a first listen, the song's not great, but I still want the album. We'll see what they bring to the table.

Any of you that remember these guys, feel free to add a comment, and let me know what you think about them past and present.

Black Milk x Jack White - New Music

2011-07-16T12:45:00.005-04:00

Two tracks here from some recent sessions Black Milk did over at White's Third Man Records.

Couldn't bring it over, so just click on the link and head over to Black Milk's website to stream the songs and get the whole back story of the collaboration.

http://blackmilk.biz/news/black-milk-jack-white/

Donwill - "Breathe" Video

2011-07-15T20:07:00.008-04:00

I was talking about Tanya Morgan on Twitter today. So, even though I started it to talk about Von Pea, here's a video from Donwill off his solo album, Don Cusack in High Fidelity (btw if you haven't seen the movie High Fidelity with John Cusack yet, put it on your Netflix list).

I'm not sure this is the best introduction for those not familiar with Tanya Morgan, But I like it. Hook vocals brought to you by Nicky Guiland.

Lil' Wayne Fans Hate Lil' B

2011-07-15T09:27:00.002-04:00

So, the self-proclaimed, and young people-that-don't-know-any-better believed best rapper alive Lil' Wayne put out a new mixtape the other day called Sorry 4 The Wait. No need to apologize to me, sir. Trust me. I've been fine. The tape features a track with the latest both loved and hated rapper, Lil' B.

Excuse my cynicism, but I find this hilarious. Really? Do they not get it? Is it over the heads of Wayne fans that his non-fans deplore him showing up on any of the projects they are excited to hear, and ruin them with his irritating voice, corny punchlines, and often not-so-witty wordplay?

In fact, to me this is the Hip Hop equivalent of Keanu Reeves finally being in a movie with an actor who's as bad or worse than he is, and Reeves fans getting pissed off that they had to watch this other horrible actor on screen.

I'll prove my point quickly with a guest verse Lil' Wayne recorded for a song called "Breakin' My Heart" by the now extinct extremely dope Hip Hop duo/trio Little Brother.

Word up, I say I don't have nothin If I don't have you
Like Sade, you got the Sweetest Taboo
And my game is skin deep like the first tattoo
I gets all in your head just like shampoo
I just wanna fuck with you like rude polices
I don't want a broken heart because I lose the pieces
Hey! Girl don't play with my gangsta
And have the boy blue like the Texas Ranger
And I know cheaters never get crowned
So I play fair like roller coasters and clowns
Yeah! You gotta hold your soldier down
Even when the war is lookin like, it is right around the corner
And you don't wanna leave me believe me
Cause I can turn you on like, a personal TV
It's Young Weezy, I know what you thought
But I'm just here to play my part so, don't go breakin my heart

I think my point is proven for me with this verse. Shut up Wayne fans. They both suck.
Now you get a taste of what the rest of us go through. And, that's nice.

Talib Kweli - How You Love Me

2011-07-13T21:51:00.006-04:00

MCs have to hear Talib Kweli and think to themselves that they need to step it up. Kweli is pushing forward on amazing levels, trying different things and taking chances with his music while still keeping the raw rhyme style and progressive lyrics he's known for in tact.

Kweli is an MC I'm proud to support. Which I do. But, he is performing at a FREE outdoor show in the heart of Downtown Cincinnati at the end of the month. Can. Not. Wait. I saw him once in Indianapolis years ago. Right after Quality dropped. It was a good show then, so I'm sure it's even better now. I heard he and Mos were performing Black Star start to finish at Rock The Bells this year. Lucky fucking West Coasters. What's up with a new Black Star album, by the way? Entirely produced by Hi-Tek and 88 Keys? Anyone?? How about it?

Here goes a good video for a song called "How You Love Me" off Talib's latest. Purchase Gutter Rainbows if you haven't yet.

Hip Hop To Dance To

2011-07-13T21:08:00.007-04:00

I know I'll get varying opinions on this stuff. But, here's some dance shit for you. The visuals are cool for each. Tell me what you think of the content.

Talib Kweli's Idle Warship gets Jean Grae on this DJ Khalil produced track that will probably appear on the Warship's album. The material I've heard from them so far I've mostly enjoyed. Most of the music is fast-paced, danceable stuff. Talib brings the good rhymes. So, it's Dance Hip Hop that isn't lyrically embarrassing.

Those of you that go to clubs and whatnot, let me know if this group ever gets any play.

Now, I'm pretty sure Theophilus London is going to get played in the clubs. His album/mixtape/whatever I Want You showed his unique style blending Hip Hop, House, Funk, etc. to make his own sound. It's way different, and isn't the pure Hip Hop you may be craving, but I thought it was interesting and gave it several spins over a period of months. The buzz around him has been pretty big, and his sound could be welcomed by the mainstream audience. So, I'm predicting big success for him. Can't say this one is my favorite of his, but the video is funny.

Hip Hop Videos Worth Watching

2011-07-13T07:49:00.007-04:00

Here are a few videos I found, or that found me on the Internet lately that I think are pretty cool and worth checking out.

Love the beat on this new Rasco track. Nice rhymes too, of course. Looking forward to another offering from Rasco - and hopefully another Cali Agents project at some point.

Mayday! is a Hip Hop Band from Miami, FL. I've heard some stuff from them in the past and they're really good. Here, they team up with Del Tha Funkee Homosapien for a good song with a pretty entertaining video.

Lastly, here is Atmosphere's latest video off their 2011 release, The Family Sign. Visuals are for "Last to Say", a song about domestic violence being passed down to the next generation. Great editing job on this video.

Get More: Atmosphere, Music, More Music Videos

In With The New: Dom Kennedy's Latest

2011-07-09T20:16:00.003-04:00

There's a lot of young new artists in hip hop lately. It feels like more than ever, probably because of the ease with which anyone that wants to record and post their music can. The ones that don't get lost in the pile are the ones that use new media as their most valuable tool to be successful, and use it to their advantage while working their ass off to promote their shit.

Music-wise, some are much more talented than others. And, it takes a lot of effort to sift through it all. Thankfully, blogs do a lot of the work for you (me), and make it easier to lock onto what you're looking for.

One newer/up-and-coming MC I've partially found appealing is Dom Kennedy. He kind of hit or miss for me from the material I've heard thus far. His new album, mixtape or whatever, II: From The Westside With Love is no exception. There are some weak points. At least half for me, it seemed. I don't think Dom is the best on the mic, but he has a good flow and brings a personality to his music, and really hits the mark sometimes. I think he's aware of his shortcomings though, evidenced by the line "I got the most game, never said I had the best flows", which somehow makes it more acceptable as a listener. Hopefully, acknowledgement of his flaws does not mean acceptance to him, and Dom continually strives to improve his skills.

He's being himself, and has some talent for making enjoyable songs, so I wouldn't mind seeing him generate a wider audience and represent west coast music in the mainstream. The songs that work on this album really work and are perfect for hanging out in this hot ass summer heat. See what I mean on songs like "Ice Cream Truck", "New Jeeps" and "2MPH". The 3 of these actually happen to appear consecutively on the project and feature other talent that definitely shine on their own like Asher Roth (I said it, and I stand by it on this verse) and Big K.R.I.T.

I'd say go ahead and pick this one up for some good summer time west coast hip hop. Now, I'm about to check out a peer of Dom's who just released some new material...Kendrick Lamar's Section 80.

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Apollo Brown - Tao Te Ching

2011-06-30T22:09:00.008-04:00

Nice little vid was delivered to my inbox the other day for Apollo Brown's track off his instumental album, Clouds. Probably the strongest beat on there too. Watch below, and then click below that for a free download of Odissee rocking over it to speak on the new nation, The Republic of South Sudan in a song entitled "The Times". Lyrics are included on the page as well.

http://mellomusicgroup.bandcamp.com/track/the-times-feat-oddisee

Some Older eLZhi

2011-06-29T07:28:00.003-04:00

I brought this post from 09' back to the top since eL's getting a lot of attention for his ode to Illmatic, ELmatic. Just want to remind everyone that he's been putting out quality music for a while. Make sure you get a hold of this album if you haven't already. And, if you're interested, do a search on this blog to find some words about his 'Leftovers "Unmixedtape"'

This is one of many albums that you should definitely pick up if you missed it last year (check an earlier post for my whole listing of worthwhile albums in '08). Detroit's Elzhi, once (and still??) a member of Slum Village (a strangely mediocre group IMO) is simply one of the best MC's alive and rhyming today. This "debut" album entitled The Preface features several other notable Detroit MCs, but it's Elzhi himself who shines throughout this entire project. He seems to never run out of ill lines, and his concepts are original and well thought out. For example, check out the opening to "Guessing Game" and tell me you aren't curious to 'play'...

"Here we go (go) let's play the game (game)/ try to guess the word that I'ma use I'll explain (lain)/ I'ma end at each and every line just the same (same)/ you fill in the blank before I say it, that's the aim (aim)/...I welcome ya'll to the introduction/ to learn how to play here's the instructions/ a couple rules to show you how to gain function/ yo I'ma take a double, take a double syllable and split it down the middle so it's no longer even/ the first half stay the last half leavin'/ so now the end of the line sound deceivin'/ so figure out the word to match before I change the meanin'..."

What follows is an ingenious song idea that is perfectly executed with help from Black Milk's top-notch production, concentrating on what I tend to prefer in hip hop tracks, the drums. Black Milk, in fact, produces all but two tracks on The Preface...yet another reason to give it a listen (BM's solo effort "Tronic" is also one of the best albums of '08). The fun doesn't stop there though, as Elzhi proceeds to offer track after track of superior wordplay by anyone's standards. Few out today can match his talent.

If I had to, I might liken his style to Pontiac, MI's One Be Lo. However, if you've ever heard of One Be Lo, then you have probably heard this album already. The best thing about Elzhi is that he takes the time to come up with original material for his music. He's not satisfied with using the same old topics and trying to survive on punchlines alone (think Fabolous). On this album is an intricate journey through his dreams ("Talking in my Sleep"), an exploratory ode using nouns with names of colors in them ("Colors"), and many many more. And the whole thing isn't even concept-based. Elzhi's got tracks where he just rhymes about how nice he is too - only these songs prove it (see "Brag Swag" - fucking unbelievable). The best thing about The Preface is that it is interesting to the listener throughout. It's original. It's clever. It makes you think. And, it's dope in every way, start to finish.

Listen to Elzhi's album The Preface closely. Trust me, you will be amazed.

Kweli On Colbert

2011-06-23T07:39:00.004-04:00

Talib Kweli had a good appearance on The Colbert Report last night where he did an interview and then performed "Cold Rain" with Res off Gutter Rainbows.

Below is the bonus performance from www.colbertnation.com - of course, it's "Get By".

The Colbert Report
Tags: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive

Toca Tuesdays With Skyzoo

2011-06-22T23:07:00.004-04:00

A real freestyle from a real MC right here on Tony Touch's radio show. Sky starts off by giving a little info on his writing/recording process and how he keeps his skills sharp. The Great Debater is out now for fucking FREE. So, if you haven't gotten it yet, you're a fucking idiot. HA!

Females Can't Spit?

2011-06-22T00:02:00.001-04:00

In a recent excerpt from what I'm assuming was a wack interview (judging by Vlad's inability to move a conversation in any direction at all) Sean Price said he doesn't fuck with ANY female rappers. He later acknowledged Rah Digga and the legendary MC Lyte.

It would've been nice to hear why, but, again Vlad is a shit interviewer. P basically just said none of them interest him. Fair enough. One man's opinion.

I, for one, feel females have something important to offer hip hop fans. And, not only female fans. The problem is that the females that make it into the mainstream are usually affiliated with, and overshadowed by, an all male crew. And, the ones that seem to make it into the conversation for some reason, are offering nothing more than predictable gimmicks and shallow punchlines. There's no replay value, and no staying power.

But, I'm seeing positive changes. Save for a few still sticking to the same tired script of weak rhymes filled with sex speak to try to cash in on minds as shallow as their's, there are quite a few women in hip hop today that can truly spit.

Not only do their rhymes bring a wittiness and overall depth that rivals some of their male counterparts (and dwarfs the majority that probably think of themselves as peers), they are making conceptually good songs that explore our world from another perspective. And, that is something that should be of value to both sexes. Today, I can list more females with serious skill putting out music at the same time then I think I ever could before. And, they are making it cool for women to be smart. I appreciate that.

Which female MC(s) do you think could have the gender dropped from their title and just be called an MC?

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Great Hip Hop Songs - Biggie's 'I Got A Story To Tell'

2011-06-18T00:06:00.006-04:00

To me, this is one of the greatest Hip Hop songs ever. It never gets old. Never. It's just that fucking perfect. Some of you may have read Complex Magazine's piece with Buckwild a little while ago where he ran down a bunch of his favorite tracks from his looong and storied production career.

He had some interesting things to say about this beat. Mainly that Foxy Brown turned it down (sorry for the rhyme). She said it was wack. Really? Really?!?!? I guess maybe she was having trouble with her hearing around that time because the track is fucking beautiful. Or, maybe she just didn't have the skill to do it justice.

Actually, to be honest, I think Foxy would've sounded pretty dope on this beat back then. She should've nabbed it when she had the chance. Mellow guitar over a boom bap drum pattern. What could be better? Big couldn't help but tell a story to this. The music starts telling a story itself. He didn't have a choice, but to really bring it to life in his own way. Foxy loved the final version by the way. Who wouldn't?

But, Biggie delivered his story here in such a unique way, it still amazes me. And yet, it's so simple. He tells an extremely vivid tale of fucking a basketball player's woman while he's out, who comes home while they're in the act. He thinks fast, pretends he's a burglar, and ends up getting "mad paper" from the ball player. But, the twist is that he calls his friends at the end and tells them to meet up with him because he's got "a story to tell". The last half of the song is him just talking with his friend's, telling the exact story that he just rapped to us.

This song obviously never had the opportunity to be made into a video as the album was released after Big died. But, it really doesn't need a video. The story comes to life in the listener's head like they're watching a movie.

The best part? He's telling his friends the story and says the chick's man came home because the game "must've gotten rained out"!!! Classic Hip Hop right here. Go listen to this song again right now and remember one of the best to ever do it. In fact, just click below.

Chace Infinite, Ryu, & Ras Kass - High Enough

2011-06-09T21:18:00.006-04:00

Hmmm...Well, now that I see my last post, I guess I got a theme going here. Unintentional from my end, of course. There just happen to be a lot of videos coming out for good weed songs lately. Now I'm waiting for visuals for Fashawn's "Weed Nap".

I spotted this over at 2DopeBoyz today, and the Twitter share from their page doesn't give you a link for some reason. So, here it is for you if you haven't seen yet. Nice combo of MCs for this here. And, it came out great - a fresh execution of a tried and true hip hop song topic.

Kid Cudi - Marijuana

2011-06-04T10:16:00.002-04:00

New Kid Cudi video Directed by Shia LaBeouf.

Supporting The Best

2011-05-29T17:10:00.003-04:00

As you can tell from the description of this blog and from most of the content, I believe it's important to support those artists whom you deem worthy of your hard-earned money. Whoever that may be. I try to make recommendations based on what I've heard, to encourage people to both explore the hip hop music scene more deeply, and to show some support to MCs that you want to continue making music.

I tweeted the other day about going down to one of Cincinnati's locally owned and operated record stores, Shake It Records, and purchasing some local music.

The albums above are what I purchased. Tanya Morgan's 2008 classic Brooklynati, which I listed as my favorite of that year, and J. Rawls' recently released The Hip Hop Affect.

Both of these albums are from musicians that I really respect and appreciate, and have contributed a lot of great music to my life so far. Both TM and Rawls are artists I would also try to support by going to a show. In fact, J. Rawls is scheduled to be down on Fountain Square in Cincinnati this summer. Should be a great show. This is a man that truly appreciates the history and culture of Hip Hop and wants to contribute to its further growth among people and generations. A worthy cause.

So, while I endorse these two records, just go out to a locally owned store and support someone that you like. When you do, tell me about it below.

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This Is A Warning

2011-05-28T23:36:00.009-04:00

Jay-Z's "Threat" is the song that really seemed to catapult 9th Wonder's career. I first heard of 9th when he remixed Nas' album calling it God's Stepson. Not long after I became a fan of Little Brother (starting with The Listening) and it seemed like a pretty major thing for him to have a song on Jay's album.

"Threat" isn't my favorite track on the Black Album. "Allure" probably is, but there really isn't a bad song on it at all. It's an undeniable classic (as are Reasonable Doubt and The Blueprint). He rips it start to finish, and its replay value is huge to me. I've probably heard it well over a hundred times now. Plus all of the remixes that were done after the A Capellas were released, which seemed infinite there for a while. 'Threat' stuck out to me though as especially clever.

It's great because it's making fun of rappers who make threats on wax all day by doing an impression of them, but with a real MC's skill to elevate it above their level. Jay-Z's lyrics, and the way he structures his bars make this song great. And, the added joke on rappers without any names needing to be named makes it classic. Jay has always excelled at doing that though - see the third verse on "Trouble" from Kingdom Come, or his verse over "Scenario Remix/Pump It Up" from S. Carter Collection for more proof. The comedy of this song though is what sets it apart.

It's over the top and funny with Cedric The Entertainer's vocals, and 9th Wonder really did a brilliant job with the sample. There is a reason why this song put him into the much sought after class of producer he is today. It's pretty damn perfect. I'm not sure how the whole song came about. If Jay had the idea for the sample, or he just picked it from 9th. Did they cover this song in the documentary? Haven't seen it in a while. Anyway, instrumental is below.

Tanya Morgan - Without Hands Ft. Che Grand, King Mez, Skyzoo

2011-05-26T07:40:00.004-04:00

Damn...just click below to watch. A must see. Not sure how TM keep pumping out good music on such a regular basis. Oh, yea...TALENT & DRIVE. Same goes for the features.

I like the video too. Shows them all being inspired by the track and by each other while writing their rhymes.

Stic - The Workout

2011-05-21T14:25:00.009-04:00

I waited a while to put this on. I kept skipping it on my iPod, waiting for when I was in the mood for some militant, speaking truth to power type shit. Well, that's not what this is. Not even close.

Stic's (Stic.man of Dead Prez) album is called The Workout. It's not a metaphor for anything. It's absolutely literal. This is a workout record. About working out. Better yet, it's about appreciating, respecting, and taking care of oneself. Each song (14 total, including intro/outro) continues this theme where Stic serves as an example to listeners of how to demand more of themselves. His message is to be in control of oneself and strengthen the body (and mind) through discipline, focus, and, for him, being sober and vegan. And, Stic speaks on this without sounding preachy or judgmental, which is a credit to him I'd say. It's not easy.

I've never heard an album like this before. And, I appreciate it. This entire record is the perfect workout music for anyone. I can see people in the gym - lifting, running, boxing - with this in their ears. The words really make you want to move. They make you want to push yourself physically. And, as a side note, I predict we will hear at least one track from Stic's collection on the next 24/7 season on HBO. That's almost a given, especially with their history of using Hip Hop songs as a soundtrack.

The Workout is not only inspiring. It's motivating. And that's even better. Now, excuse me while I do some push-ups.

Thoughts on Goblin

2011-05-14T11:11:00.015-04:00

I was just gonna ignore this album and the rest of the group (writing about it, at least) because everyone is talking about it, and that's just kinda how I am. Usually, I'd rather try to bring some light to those I don't feel get the attention they deserve. I finally decided to sit down and listen to this album though to see what all the hype was about with these guys. Odd Future and their leader, Tyler The Creator, have developed a pretty strong cult-following that seems to be growing into a mainstream presence quickly this past year or so.

Their gimmick seems to be to say fuck everything and everyone and spit lyrics purposely littered with shock value lines to get a rise out of some people, create buzz, and garner attention for themselves. Annoying. Of course, if anyone calls Tyler out on that he'll probably say 'fuck you faggot' because he's an angry kid that can't seem to drop that defense mechanism just yet. His approach is to hate everyone and to reject them before they reject him. This definitely comes through loud and clear on Goblin. Though he's clearly self-conscious and worried about what others think, as evidenced by the three or more times he disses 2DopeBoyz apparently for not liking his music.

Some people have dubbed their sound horrorcore, which, I guess is pretty accurate, though Tyler rejects the label, probably because he doesn't wanna be associated with a failed sub-genre (and trying to bring it back), and that's understandable. I think he's fairly talented lyrically, and his approach to rhyming is interesting to me - though the voice in his head, or therapist or whatever as a recurring theme on the album is not at all original. His flow doesn't rely on corny punchlines that take the word "like" out like it's something groundbreaking either though. And aside from his 'I hate everything' attitude throughout most of the album, there is some honesty in him that especially comes out when talking about his parents - a hard-working young mother and absentee father - which lends a layer of realness to his surface of self-proclaimed madness.

The beats Tyler makes are hardcore, slow, and really stripped down. It's a sound that stands out because it's so unpolished, which, to me, makes it kinda refreshing. It also allows him to rhyme in different ways because his vocals don't have to be a slave to the beat. Now, that's giving him a lot of credit. It could be that this isn't intentional, but rather the best he can do.

After listening to Goblin from beginning to end a few times I have mixed feelings. It's not bad, but it doesn't really have a lot of replay value. I can't see myself pulling out Goblin 5 years from now. To me he kinda comes off like an immature Brotha Lynch Hung (sorry Lynch, I know you're a hundred times better). He spits his crazy thoughts with some skill no doubt, but the self-absorbed teenager throwing a tantrum is always right there in my ear, and it's pretty off putting after a while - it actually reminds me of Stewie Griffin going to high school and trying to blend in with the cool kids ("No, it's lame. Everything's lame").

But, when I think back to myself 10 years ago at age 18, I can't say I gave a fuck about much myself. And, that's probably a big part of what so many of Odd Future's young fans relate to. Someone representing musically how they feel personally at the time. It seems like a weird thing to bond over. But, it's understandable. I probably would have felt it a lot more if Goblin came out when I was in high school. But, while I'm able to enjoy it in parts, this group, and Tyler, is not for me. And that's ok. At least they don't completely suck like a lot of the young acts today that get mainstream attention. They're in their own lane for the time being, and I can say I'm interested to see where Tyler's career goes from here after all of the hype that brought him to this point.

'The Great Debater' Album Trailer

2011-05-03T21:20:00.008-04:00

I've been busy moving my career along the last few weeks. So, please forgive the lack of updates if you follow.

Just saw this while having some time to browse the nets though, and had to throw it up here. Something to look forward to this year. 2011 is shaping up to be a good year for Hip Hop.

Skyzoo's The Great Debater drops June 7th. That's pretty fucking soon! Off the strength of his past work I think he deserves the purchase, so I'll be splurging...hopefully you will too.

Self Scientific EP

2011-04-26T15:04:00.002-04:00

http://www.okayplayer.com/news/self-scientific-trials-of-the-blackhearted-ep.html

Stuck at work now. But, I'll definitely be grabbing this when I make it home. I'm saying up front, don't sleep on this.

Update: Oh yea, this is staying in the iPod for a while...dope music.

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John Public

2011-04-23T01:28:00.004-04:00

No not the guys that sang "Live & Learn". That's Joe Public. Ha.

Anyway, from time to time I get turned on to some good new music via Twitter. Sifting through bullshit can get tedious, so when I hear something worthwhile it makes the time spent, well, worthwhile.

John Public may be named as such because he's an ordinary guy. A fact he doesn't try to hide on his aptly titled album Re-Gifted: Thrift Shop Experience. Like you may have deduced from the name, Public makes music for his peers who, like me, enjoy picking up gems unexpectedly.

There's no alter-ego here. No gangsta, playa, already-rich-off-drug-dealing-before-rap kinda thing going on. The songs on here are just plain good hip hop; lyrics covering the struggles of our human existence, but all the while balancing it out with acknowledgement of how we all make it through on a daily basis. And we do. Having that balance in life is ultimately how we carry on, and it's displayed well on this album.

Joe Public doesn't overly impress me lyrically...yet. By that I mean his flow is pretty straight forward. No surprises. Whatcha see is whatcha get. But, he is definitely a capable MC with rhymes that are focused and meaningful for the most part. He also knows how to make the music fun and his passion shows through on every track. He's talented. And MCs like him tend to get even better as time goes on, as does their penchant for song writing.

I've listened to this album several times and that's saying something for me during these days of musical abundance. The Thrift Shop Experience is definitely something to check out if you're looking for something new and refreshing.

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That's Why I Got Gang Related

2011-04-09T21:59:00.004-04:00

Things come to my mind randomly. That seems to be the only way I remember most things from my past. Maybe it's that way with most people. I'm not sure. I do know that my wife has a much better memory when it comes to her childhood than me. She remembers entire events. Me? I just recall a snippet here, a snippet there. I'm kinda jealous of that actually. I'd like to remember more.

Anyway, back to Hip Hop. Tonight I was thinking back to the first time I heard 2Pac's R U Still Down? discs for whatever reason. As I remember, without ruining the memory by bothering to check facts, it was released not too long after he died. Maybe a year or so. I was on a trip with my dad and siblings and we were coming back from a minor league baseball game. An evening game. I went to a lot of those when I was a kid. It was pitch black on the road, and I was in the back seat with my older brother. We were in our teens. I was tired of whatever CDs I had brought, so I asked to go through my brother's case. Remember when you had to travel with a portable CD case and a bunch of CDs? Shit, you remember doing that with tapes and a Walkman?

I flipped through and came to a favorite of both of our's since we both first heard/saw his solo record "Trapped" in '91. 2Pac. I hadn't heard it yet because he was hogging it! I put the disc in, and even though it was assembled by others with unreleased material in whatever order they thought fitting, I was taken through an experience. By the time my favorite track on the 2-disc set, "Nothing 2 Lose" came on, I was in a zone. I still remember hearing that opening for the first time; the Ice Cube sample on the hook. Pac started his verse the same time the beat dropped. "The only way to change me is maybe blow my brains out..." Wow. What a way to start a song! 2Pac really had that gift though. He knew how to grab listeners' attention and captivate them. You didn't wanna miss a single word. That was his talent. The ride home flew by for me. I didn't even realize where I was because I was hanging on every word.

That's why I get a little bothered when people today downplay his relevance. True, he was not the most gifted lyricist on the mic as far as wordplay and punchlines. His approach was more direct. It was about the poetry, the flow, and the meaning of what he was saying. He had a real purpose behind what he was saying. You could tell with a lot of his songs that he wanted to use them to reach people. And, he did. I can honestly say that he was truly the voice of a generation. A generation of many. My brother and I did not live a similar life at all to that of 2Pac. But, still he reached me. Still, I related to him. To what he was saying. His message. I can only imagine what those experiencing a similar life to his had felt. But, I think even that was his intention. I think he wanted outsiders to understand people in his position. I think he wanted to inspire those he was speaking to and educate those in a different position.

And, he influenced Hip Hop so much. You can still hear echoes of him in today's Hip Hop from any region. And, my guess is you always will. So, take this post as a reminder to you of just how important 2Pac is to the history of our culture. Pull out some of his stuff this weekend and reminisce.

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Mohammad Dangerfield

2011-04-04T21:21:00.009-04:00

I hate the term Emo Rap. Is that what you call hip hop with a soul that's not hardcore? Is that the label for an artist that blends genres and describes their feelings in life's numerous, highly relateable daily situations? I don't know. But, I like the kind of hip hop I just described. Call it what you want.

Personally though, I've been screaming on the inside for some of that hardcore lately. I've just been tired of everything else. I wanna get that mid-90s feeling back. Not necessarily gutter, gangsta, or backback. But, just something with that something that screwed my face up while driving in the car while at the same time chuckling to myself at the punchlines. I was thinking it was lost. Then I put on Mohammad Dangerfield. The album these two have put together is definitely flying under the radar, but deserves any and all praise it receives from people this year that look for good music.

The same qualities that made artists like Method Man, Redman, The Beatnuts, and Heltah Skeltah so loved in Hip Hop circles is exactly what Hasan Salaam and Rugged N Raw bring to the table as Mohammad Dangerfield. Equal parts humor and hardcore presented with all-around dope lyricism. Refreshing. But, "MoDanger" actually adds an element of depth to their approach; this being their willingness (and ability) to know when to be serious and tackle subjects more personal, historical, and socio-political.

Do yourself a favor and pick up their self-titled album that came out in February. If you have a few dollars to spend on good music then come outta pocket for it as I plan to. Mohammad Dangerfield is going on my 'best of' list for this year, and I'm guessing it'll stay there by year's end. If you've heard it already, share your thoughts. If you haven't heard it (or haven't even heard of them at all before) there's a link to their site below. I'm about to check out the site for the first time myself.

http://mohammaddangerfield.com/

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Monumental

2011-04-03T10:33:00.004-04:00

After the announcement of Pete Rock & Camp Lo's collaborative venture 80 Blocks From Tiffany's was announced and a promotional mixtape blending the two artists was released soon after, it got me wondering what happened to the Smif-n-Wessun album that Pete Rock was going to be the sole producer on? That was announced long before the Camp Lo project.

Well, I'm glad to say it has not been shelved. In fact, the album, titled Monumental, now has a set release date (June 28th) and will be released on the label I was just praising on here the other day - Duck Down Records. See the trailer below (damn, the internet has made trailers for albums popular, huh?), and a mention of featured artists below that.

Who's excited?!?!?!

Pete Rock & Smif N Wessun have joined forces to record an entire album together titled 'Monumental'. Album will be released June 28th on Duck Down Music. Monumental is entirely produced by Pete Rock with features from Raekwon, Bun B, Pharoahe Monch, Styles P, Memphis Bleek, Hurricane G, Sean Price & Buckshot. Album Teaser directed by Daydream Film Works for Sundree brand Management.

"Peaceful" Video

2011-03-30T21:53:00.008-04:00

This video is worth checking out. Self Scientific, Freddie Gibbs, & Krondon come together for this call-to-action for those mistreated by authority (and really all of us complacent citizens) to stand up against police brutality, but also to take control of our own actions, and our communities.

We are always in need of music like this...using Hip Hop as the powerful voice that it can be to hopefully bring about some positive change.

The video is directed by The ICU and explores the historic scene of the 1992 L.A. riot that rocked South Central and includes various footage from the incredibly unjust lynching of Oscar Grant by the Oakland BART police.

Skyzoo Interview

2011-03-30T15:52:00.002-04:00

Nice interview here w/ Skyzoo conducted by Mr. Peter Parker covering his appreciation of his fans, and artists that are maintaining relevance/making a comeback with a younger audience that's relatively new to hip hop. Skyzoo is a great person to ask this question to because Duck Down is such a good blend of new and seasoned artists right now it's amazing. The label as a whole has made one hell of a resurgence - and they've done it with the help of several older, legendary artists instead of forgetting their roots and starting fresh. They deserve a lot of respect for that - and for the fact that the majority of the music is so damn good.

BlackBerry "Freestyles"

2011-03-25T23:25:00.006-04:00

First, let me point out the obvious, that Tim Westwood is one goofy bastard.

This footage has gotten a lot of talk lately. First because Joell rips it, as he usually does, on Westwood's radio show. But, also because of the BlackBerry situation.

I've seen several clips of MCs "freestyling" w/ BlackBerry in hand on a radio show, though Drake is the one that got the most attention (and criticism) when he did it on this same show a while back.

I can understand the frustration from Hip Hop heads when they see this. It used to be, an MC would be on a Hip Hop radio show or, better yet, a cipher on the street corner, and would actually be rhymin' off the top of their head. It was a skill you had to develop to be considered a credible MC. If you spit a 'written', people could tell, and would rip you apart for it.

Over time it has somehow become accepted to come in the booth and spit a pre-written verse. And call it a freestyle, no less. I'm not sure why. Maybe fans want (or MCs think they want) to hear the artist at their best and most polished. Not me, I want to hear them at their rawest. I want to know - How skilled of a linguist are you? How well have you honed your craft? Can you do this shit any time? Anywhere? Can you do this in your sleep? Are you that good, that rhymes just come up and out of you like a bodily function? I want to see.

That's what used to be demanded. But, for the most part I think these MCs have become lazy rappers to an extent. And, on top of that, they've allowed a lot of wack rappers in on the game instead of squeezing them out. They've allowed them to exist for fear of being labeled a "hater".

And that's what wack rappers do. They spit something they prepared. It's all they can do. The skill isn't there to do anything else. It used to not be so obvious when they at least took the time to memorize it. No more. Now, MCs are right up in front of your face w/ their phone.

Now, I'm not saying Joell is one of these wack rappers. Quite the contrary. Ortiz is one of the dopest MCs out right now. By far. And I seek out anything he does, which is why I watched this video. I'm also not necessarily calling him lazy. It's pretty clear that he wrote the rhyme close to the time he was set to go on the show, if not that day. It was fresh. And, the way Joell releases material it's clear that he has a hell of a work ethic.

So, this was exclusive for the audience in the sense that we had never heard it before. But, it doesn't have the same exclusivity as a real freestyle; A rhyme that you couldn't hear a second time because it was made right then and there, in that moment, with that moment. And, a good portion of this verse from Joell will probably find it's way to a mixtape/album track in the near future making the radio appearance nothing remarkable at all. That's disappointing to me. We didn't hear it for the only time, just the first time.

Ultimately, it's not really that big of a deal to me if an MC throws out something on a radio show that they wrote already. It doesn't make or break them as a great MC in my mind. There's just nothing to gain as a fan by listening. It sucks that that particular skill doesn't see the light of day much anymore.

On The Roots on Late Night

2011-03-20T14:16:00.004-04:00

I caught an episode of Jimmy Fallon last night. Howard Stern was the guest. I don't find him (Fallon) as annoying as I once did. Maybe because he's a Hip Hop fan and had the foresight to get The Roots to be the show's band - I'm assuming it was his idea.

What's really cool to see is how The Roots band is so respected and so sought after, that most musical guests that go on the show have The Roots play the music. This isn't something you normally see from late night bands. But, everyone uses them and it makes the musical guest appearances much more interesting. For example, there is absolutely no way I would bother to watch Bell Biv Devoe perform "Poison" on the show had it not been for the fact that that drum beat was going to be played by the band. That was the performance's redeeming quality. And that Oboe? Dope.

On this recent episode, Howard Stern went over to the stage to play the one song he knows on the piano, "Louie, Louie", and Leon Russell was happy to have them back him up as well. I think they are aware of it, but in case others aren't, The Roots, and the show as a whole, are doing right by Hip Hip by bringing it to a wider audience, and showcasing their musical talent across genres. It's something to be proud of.

Thoughts On Lasers

2011-03-15T17:16:00.008-04:00

Well now this album has been getting a lot of opinions lately, hasn't it?

Ever since Lupe (one of my favorite MCs of the last few years) released a mixtape called Enemy of the State a while back where he spit over some of the most popular beats out at the time, I have been highly anticipating the release of Lasers.

Now here it is. And, I think my initial Tweet about it pretty much summed up my feelings.

seanjuan52 Sean Juan
Any producer's wanna try their hand at remixing #Lasers...& without all the goddamn singing?

Lyrically, Lupe does pretty well. He's the kind of MC with the skill to carry an entire album without a need for features. As a listener, your ears are glued to his voice, hanging on every word. He has that kind of power with his flow, wordplay, and subject matter most of the time. Lasers has a lot of powerful content lyrically. "Words I Never Said", "State Run Radio", and "All Black Everything" are the most shining examples.

Lupe has a little bit of trouble walking the line between socially informative lyrics where he expresses his opinions on the worlds and lighter subject matter where he raps about the opposite sex. In my opinion, if the songs are done well and the tracklist is well though out, these opposites can co-exist on a single album.

But, where Lasers falls short - way short - is on the musical selections, and the singing. Oh my god, the singing. Please stop the singing. No, it's not as bad as Eminem's Recovery album. Lupe's not doing much of the singing himself. But, there is literally a sing-songy hook on EVERY track. It's disgusting. And, there is not one boom-bap or any kind of hard hitting Hip Hop track on the whole fucking album. And, sometimes the lyrics are clearly begging for it. So, in short, I don't know what the hell Lupe was thinking while creating this album.

It's up for debate. But, after listening several times, the only thing I can think of is that he wanted to make an album with a sound that would appeal to the widest audience possible while still getting his message across. Because he wanted as many people to hear his message as possible. There's nothing wrong with wanting that. Especially if you're saying something that people should hear.

Unfortunately, music rarely works that way. You're better off just doing you, and whoever catches on, catches on. Artists sometimes make the mistake of trying to tailor their album to fit an audience rather than allowing an audience to come to them. That's the difference between art and commodity though. And, I would have thought Lupe would know that. And he would have fared much better if he used beats like the ones Rick Ross uses to cover up his lack of talent then the soft, electro shit he opted for. I know very few people that would like the sound of "I Don't Wanna Care Right Now" and "Break The Chain". It's fucking horrible.

Ultimately, I think this will go down as the dud of Lupe's career - provided he wakes the fuck up and makes some better songs next time. The saddest thing is, he didn't have to do this. He actually already has a pretty wide fan base. And, I don't think any of his fans pop-oriented or not were looking for this from him. Pop fans like good Hip Hop once in a while too. I mean, a lot of them found Lupe on the first two albums, right?

Oddisee & Toine - Different Now

2011-03-15T15:39:00.003-04:00

I'm a little behind on music stuff. Tryna get caught up.

Here's a video Oddisee sent through his newsletter. Very cool song about being grown up, and feeling and acting like it. If you're at least in your late 20's you'll probably feel this one.

If you were signed up for Oddisee's eNewsletter you'd also get a free download of an instrumental he's planning on using soon. So, there's a little incentive for ya.

Atmosphere - Just For Show

2011-03-15T14:53:00.004-04:00

When one of my favorite MCs/groups has an album coming out that I'm really anticipating, I usually try to avoid listening to any leaked songs ahead of the release. I wanna be able to go in completely fresh and hear the whole thing for the first time. It's better that way, in my opinion. I've been weak with this new Atmosphere album though. I think I've heard three songs now. Or, maybe two if "Minnesota Nice" doesn't show up on there, which I don't think it will. It's that much more difficult when they have a video to go with the song. And this video for "Just For Show" is pretty great.

I've pre-ordered my copy of The Family Sign. Have you?

Mursworld 2011 Winter/Spring Sampler

2011-03-15T10:06:00.006-04:00

Here is something emailed to me about a week ago. I'm just getting a chance to hear it this morning. This is a good mix of what Murs has been up to recently - bringing new fans up to speed, getting old ones anticipating some new music. Listen to the interludes for news on upcoming projects and check below for the video of "I used to Love H.E.R. (Again)" - a reinterpretation of Common's classic.

Whatuptho?! Thanks for signing up for my email list. Here is a link to some new music.
http://t.opsp.in/PaO4 Murs and DJ Foundation present the Mursworld 2011 Winter/Spring Sampler Some songs you might have heard already. And a couple of songs that you will be the very first to hear. I am currently on the Road To Paid Dues Tour. Hopefully I will be in a city near you soon check www.mursworld.com/shows for the list of cities. And if you have been to a show make sure you check www.mursworld.com/tour-blog to see if any pics of you or your friends made it up on the site.

transmitting live from Syracuse NY en route to Canada
Peace and Love
Murs

Pharoahe Monch, Styles P, & Phonte - Black Hand Side

2011-03-03T16:20:00.006-05:00

First, let me just say that having Phonte on a track with Pharoahe Monch and SP and just singing is...well, like having Pharoahe Monch featured on a Slaughterhouse track and just doing the hook. It's kinda shitty to leave fans hanging like that. You know what we want...bars.

That being said, this track is nice and I hope all of you are planning to support W.A.R. when it comes out on March 22nd.

Pharoahe Monch "Black Hand Side" feat. Styles P & Phonte' by duckdown

Featuring Nas - Which is Better??

2011-03-01T22:15:00.007-05:00

As Raekwon's new album Shaolin Vs. Wu-Tang is about to drop officially, I thought this was appropriate. This highly anticpated track featuring Nas of which a snippet was released a while back is available in full now. The song, called "Rich & Black" has Chef and God's Son trading bars over a track dominated by a haunting string section.

But, I knew I had heard Nas spit on that beat before. I thought back not too long ago, and remembered Sha Stimuli had a ridiculously dope track w/ Nas on his Overtime tape called "Horrorglyphics" which I played over and over. I went back and listened. Yep, same track. Also featuring Nas. And the approach was the same w/ the two MCs going back and forth.

Nas' lyrics weren't all the same, but he did use some of the same lines on each.

So here are both songs. Which one do you like better??

I heard Sha's first (and many many more times at this point), so I'm gonna go w/ Sha. Plus, his title is better. I'd have to recommend both though.

The Greatest Story Never Told

2011-02-27T01:28:00.005-05:00

Saigon's song "Preacher" came up on my iPod shuffle just now. So, I figured I might as well talk about the album. Not a review. Just a quick thought.

I am a Saigon fan. But, I'm not that impressed with the long-awaited album. I'm not sure if it was the build up - The years of anticipation, of release dates that came and went, the Entourage appearances that would have served as a solid springboard to commercial success if Atlantic Records was at all competent - or that the album just isn't that good.

It may be a mixture of all of these things. When your album has been in the works and then completed for years w/out ever coming out, you better make damn well sure that if it ever does see a release date, that it is the best possible work you could have put out. I don't think this record fits that bill. The album doesn't sound like it has a definite direction, just a lot of different song concepts and sides to Saigon's persona all at once that round out to be a vague description of each at the end of the day.

I kept this in my iPod for now. But, I'm not sure I will ever get back to it with all of the new music coming out this year. The album just didn't grab and hold my interest like I thought it would, and I've moved right on. Don't get me wrong, there is some good material offered up from both Saigon and Just Blaze on The Greatest Story Never Told. But, it just doesn't hold up to the greatness anticipated by audiences since the project was announced. Perhaps a better way to deliver it would be to have completely shelved (or say that you shelved) the album w/ this title and released something entirely new and different to the fans...even if it wasn't.

What did you think of the album?? Agree/disagree? Let me know.

Review: AZ - Doe Or Die 15th Anniversary

2011-02-26T23:55:00.005-05:00

I've listened to this collection a few times now, and as I was looking through http://www.fifthelementonline.com/ for the last post, I came to this review and thought I'd post it instead of taking the time to write my own. Why? Because I pretty much agree with what it says. AZ is such a presence on the mic that this album is not w/out new gems while the old ones still come through loud and clear.

If Doe Or Die is one of you're favorite Hip Hop albums, and you recognize AZ as having one of the illest flows in Hip Hop, you have no doubt heard this 15th Anniversary collection. What did you think? Do you agree w/ the review? Let me know. If you, for some reason, have not heard Doe Or Die, do not listen to this collection. Go and listen to the original immediately while pretending it's 1995. You're missing out on greatness.

http://www.fifthelementonline.com/blog/album-review-az-doe-or-die-15-year-anniversary-2011/

Pre-Order Atmosphere's The Family Sign

2011-02-26T23:31:00.006-05:00

Atmosphere's new album, The Family Sign is available for pre-order now through March 6th w/ a special 10% discount - have you ordered your copy yet? It comes autographed and contains a bonus mix.

I don't have a crazy amount of money right now, and my funds are spread pretty thin. But, Atmosphere is a group I try to support when they drop something new - especially since they are so good to their fans by offering up quality, free music every year. I actually bought their last album twice because I left my CD case on the roof of my car and drove off w/ that disc in it a week or so after it came out! I can't fucking wait to hear this new album.

If you're interested in the deal going on right now, head to www.fifthelementonline.com I'm not a spokesman, just a client. Support dope Hip Hop. That is all.

DJ Premier Discusses Classic Records

2011-02-22T15:08:00.004-05:00

I came across this over the weekend and spent over an hour reading through it and listening to some of the tracks and watching the videos. Premier offered Complex magazine a look behind some of his best work - some really well known, others a little more obscure. He gave background as to how the collaboration came about, the construction of the track, problems with labels and execs, and who may have passed on the beat first.

In my mind, Premier's signature sound is synonomous with Hip Hop. If someone asked me what Hip Hop sounds like, I think I'd go for a Premier record first. Before even thinking of an MC, I would probably think of Premier. And, I know I'm not alone on this. This is why so much buzz can surround an album if word gets out that Prem "might" have a track on it. Whenever a MC throws up a tracklist to their upcoming album, heads are looking and hoping for a Premier production.

He has countless classics in his catalog, and this interview gives a much needed look at a handful of them. Link to the article is below. Also make sure you listen to his latest compilation Get Used To Us.

http://www.complex.com/music/2011/02/dj-premier-tells-all-stories-behind-classic-records/

Halftime at The Super Bowl

2011-02-08T07:08:00.016-05:00

After this year's halftime show wrapped up I checked out twitter and Facebook to see if there were any comments about the performance. I've actually never seen so many.

There were definitely mixed opinions, though I would say far more on the negative end. I was definitely of that opinion. Of course, I already think the Black Eyed Peas kinda suck, so I wasn't going in with high hopes in the first place. Though by the same token those that really like the Peas appeared to realize how bad the performance was as well, and really just argued that we should all give them a break.

The shitty performance wasn't all their fault, of course. Mic problems made things shaky for most of the time, and if you don't hear the vocals you're expecting at the right moment as a viewer, and it cuts in and out, it's hard to overcome that and enjoy the music. There were lighting issues on one of the stage pieces too, which didn't help since lighting was clearly the biggest selling point of the whole show. But, overall the performance was bad. The show didn't work, and in the end the performers themselves are to blame. It's ultimately their responsibility to take control of everything and make it work. There mics should have been checked by they themselves over and over again because it is such an important performance. The Super Bowl had 111 million viewers this year!

One post in particular caught my eye on twitter though. It was from Murs, who said something like, "we'll have to agree to disagree [about the performance]. This shows me how far an underground west coast hip hop group can go."

Kinda, sorta true. But, really not. It's cool that Murs supports them and is proud of their accomplishments. But, calling them Hip Hop as if that is their genre is like calling Christina Aguilara Hip Hop because she nabbed a Preemo track. Now I'm not trying to take on the arrogant role of deciding who is part of the culture and who is not, who is considered Hip Hop and who is not. The spectrum is wider than ever these days with so many artists using Hip Hop as one of several influences in their music - take Outasight, or K-os, two current favorites of mine, for instance. And, that is a good thing. We all know (well most BEP fans today don't know, actually - part of my point) that Will.i.am was on the underground battle circuit for several years, that a pre-Fergie version of the group was originally signed to Eazy-E's Ruthless Records, and their album Behind the Front had a sound that was undoubtedly Hip Hop (I didn't like that one either, by the way). So, the group does have its roots in Hip Hop.

But, that album did not sell very well. What sold? When they added a female vocalist, and started making easily digestible pop/dance songs. The music they make today has very little to do with Hip Hop, and is not at all a driving force steering the direction of Hip Hop music the way someone like Kanye West's music is/does. In fact, if someone like West, or say Outkast were to perform at the Super Bowl, I would agree with Murs wholeheartedly. But, if you make it to that stage by switching your style to something that's Pop with some Hip Hop influence in there somewhere, why exactly should I be celebrating their achievement as a Hip Hop fan? If Linkin Park were there, would the same feeling apply for Murs? If Kid Rock was there would it be the same feeling since once-upon-a-time he was a rapper? I don't think so.

BEP just happens to have the same name they had when they started. But, it's a completely different group now with a completely different sound. I don't think the majority of their fans care to hear their Hip Hop records from years past, or would even consider them a Hip Hop group at all. So, how is their performance good for Hip Hop? Well, it's not really. And, plus it sucked, so it wouldn't speak highly of the genre anyway. So, let's be happy that they aren't a Hip Hop group and look forward to the possibility of something better next year.

Beats No More

2011-02-06T12:10:00.005-05:00

Happy Super Bowl Sunday everyone. Go Packers. Fuck the Steelers.

I'm sitting here at the PC with my daughter on my lap finally getting to listen to these 88 Keys beats he was going to toss out before remembering about this tool called the Internet. She's diggin' em. Not a fan of the two second wait for the next track to load though. Anyway, there are some good beats on here, some not so good. I definitely wasn't feeling what he did with the sample used for "Hypnotize", for example.

If you haven't checked them out yet, go to his soundcloud link below. Also, if you're on Twitter, try following him. He puts up some stuff he's working on once in a while.

http://soundcloud.com/88-keys/sets/no-more

DJ Eclipse Showing Off His Vinyl Collection

2011-02-05T19:32:00.002-05:00

DJ's watch this...and then go change your pants.

J. Dilla - Still Shining

2011-01-31T20:33:00.004-05:00

A Dilla documentary will be out on February 7th on thejdillaproject.com. This looks like it will be a really interesting look at one of the most celebrated hip hop producers because of the behind-the-scenes footage, and personal touch of family photos and interviews. Below is some info on the piece as well as the trailor.

Gifted Films Inc presents a Okayplayer OG Brian ‘B.Kyle’ Atkins project, J. Dilla: Still Shining. The comprehensive remembrance piece on the late great James ‘J. Dilla’ Yancey will be available February 7th @ TheJDillaProject.com.

The doc will feature unseen personal photos, and rare concert performance footage. Along with all of that, the project also will feature exclusive testimonials from friends and frequent collaborators like Erykah Badu, Dwele, Pete Rock, Bilal, ?uestlove, Busta Rhymes, Phat Kat, Common, Q-Tip, Houseshoes, and more. – Okayplayer.

Immortal Technique & Nas

2011-01-30T19:55:00.005-05:00

Today I was looking at the Facebook page of a DJ from overseas. A guy had posted a question asking him what he thought of Immortal Technique. OK. But, then he gave it a weird twist by asking him to compare the MC to Nas. That seemed kind of random, and even foolish, but got me to thinking anyway.

It seems obvious to me that even the biggest Immortal Technique fan wouldn't tout him as being above Nas. Not skill-wise, anyway. But, there are some aspects of the two's respective styles that could be compared. First, of course would be the political nature of the rhymes. Both speak on the immediate socio-political issues looking them in the face everyday in their neighborhoods. This content is identifiable to their peers, but at the same time it challenges those people, as well as others outside of that experience to think about the cause and effect of things like gentrification and drug laws on low-income communities. Immortal Technique seems to expand his view further though, speaking on international situations, especially those relating to America's dealings with, and treatment of other countries - which he exposes as often secret and hypocritical. However, Nas seems to have taken a broader approach most recently on his joint album (no pun intended) with Damian Marley.

I would say that Nas has a more approachable style as well because he doesn't have the same harsh, beat-you-over-the-head-with-what-I'm-saying style that Tech has. Nas usually has a message, but it's woven in with other thoughts and tales of a regular person with multiple daily experiences and even contradictions in his own life. Tech is more narrowly defined at this point as a hardcore, revolutionary, politically-motivated MC. That's his focus. And, if you read about his story, you can see why, or rather how this came to be. And, I'm not saying it's a bad thing. It's not wrong to want to make your music be about something. But, while I am interested to hear what he has to say, because he is so specific in his approach all the time I gotta be honest and say that sometimes I'm just not in the mood. There was a time, especially during Bush's second term in the white house that I could (and did) have an album like Revolutionary Vol.2 on repeat. But, usually I much rather prefer MCs that are educated and have a message, but allow it to fit into their rhymes of everyday life. That's just my style. But, in Technique's realm of rhymes there's really no one that can touch him, Dead Prez included.

When it comes to flow, I just find Nas' gift of putting words together to be better and more interesting when it comes to breaking down the lines. Tech is much more direct, and not as creative poetically - though his story-telling skills are potent as evidenced by "Dance With The Devil" and several others.

There's no doubt that Immortal Technique is a dope MC and a man using the culture he is a part of to further an important message and hopefully mobilize a nation full of complacent citizens into action in many forms. Nas, on the other hand is a street poet. A man with many sides (which he displays in songs) that also takes on the responsibility of reporting to a larger world the things going on in his.

In the end, we should thank hip hop for both MCs as they both bring a lot to the table and make this art form interesting with every rhyme. Both are MCs I can't wait to hear every time I see a new song/album out that they have done. I hope they both continue to make music for a long time.

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One Be Lo

2011-01-26T21:53:00.003-05:00

I was talking to a friend today about this MC from Pontiac, MI called One Be Lo. One of my favorites. Some of you may have heard of him. If not, here's your chance. The guy's phenomenal...and has gotten better since the the song I'm posting below, actually. It's called "Axis". Tell me what you think. One Man Army One Man Army One Man Army.

"I'm On One" - Talib Kweli

2011-01-18T22:36:00.005-05:00

New video let loose from Kweli off his Gutter Rainbows album, which is coming soon. Khrysis on the boards with the heat! I can't fucking wait for this album to drop. The full trackslist can be found elsewhere on this blog if you're curious.

Right 2 Know

2011-01-18T12:31:00.002-05:00

New video from Organized Konfusion's Prince Po with production from Large Professor.

Just watched this. I'm a fan of both artists, especially Large Pro, and I'm feeling the beat. The track overall though I'm not crazy about. It's been done before ("Questions"), so the lack of originality I think is what I'm having a problem with. I'd check out a new Prince Po album though.

Watch it and let me know what you think.

Best of 2010

2011-01-09T15:37:00.007-05:00

Ok, so I'm not too far behind with this post. The Best in Hip Hop of 2010. It's been a good year, though maybe not as good as the last two. I've seen a few lists so far from some other sites/people. We have a few in common, but mostly I don't know what the hell they were thinking. Everyone has their own taste though, I guess. Anyway, here are some of my favorites of the past year. Mostly in no particular order, though my top choice is listed at number one.

I chose Kanye West's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy as the best of 2010 for a few reasons. I actually liked it more than I wanted to. Kanye is among the top names in Hip Hop, and has achieved tremendous mainstream success. So, plenty of non Hip Hop sites will list this in their year-end lists as well, and it kinda makes me not want to include it. But, it actually deserves to be there. And, it deserves to be at the top of the list. Kanye's musical vision is amazing. He's constantly bringing in new sounds, and this album has him humbling himself by collaborating with a lot of other great producers. The rhymes and concepts/themes are strong throughout, and the replay value is higher than anything else I've heard this year. It is undoubtedly a classic.

Top Albums of 2010

Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
The Roots - How I Got Over
Reflection Eternal - Revolutions Per Minute
Fresh Breath Committee - CPR
Consequence - Movies on Demand
Little Brother - Leftback
Murs & 9th Wonder - Fornever
Donwill Presents Don Cusack in High Fidelity
Nas & Damian Markey - Distant Relatives
Homeboy Sandman - The Good Sun
PackFM - I F*cking Hate Rappers
Black Milk - Album of the Year
Dres - From the Black Pool of Genius
Skyzoo & Illmind - Live from the Tapedeck
Main Flow - Return of the Castle
Joe Budden - Mood Muzik 4
Von Pea - Pea's Gotta have It
Currensy - Pilot Talk 1 & 2
Celph Titled & Buckwild - Nineteen Naughty Now
Ghostface - Apollo Kids
7L & Esoteric - 1212
Atmosphere - To All My Friends, Blood Makes the Blade Holy
Big Boi - Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty

Some favorite songs of 2010

This is in no way an exhaustive list, but rather some of the songs that found their way into my headphones many times over. I'm going to try to put together a more complete list for this category in 2011. As a bonus though, I am including a link with these tracks all together below in case you wanna check them out for yourself.

"Taxi" - Ski Beatz, Mos Def, Whosane
"Let's Take a Second" - Marco Polo & Ruste Juxx feat. Black Moon
"New York is Killing Me" - Gil Scott-Heron and Nas
"Just Begun" - Reflection Eternal feat. Mos Def, Jay Electronica, J. Cole
"The BBQ" (Original & Rmx) - Eternia & Moss
"Almost Time" - Yu (Diamod District)
"Deadly Melody" - Black Milk, Royce, elhZhi
"2000 Beyond" - Slum Village
"Ballad of the Black Gold" - Reflection Eternal
"Role Reversal" - Joe Budden
"Battle Cry" - Joell Ortiz
"Faded" - Von Pea w/ The Lessondary
"Chain Heavy" - Kanye, Kweli, Cons, Q-tip
"I'm Gone" - Fat Joe
"The Fire" - The Roots
"Breakin' Dawn Boys" - Brother Ali, Fashawn, & BK One
"Styles Ain't Raw" - Celph Titled, Buckwild, Apathy, Chino XL
"The Way That I rhyme" - J-Live ft. Boog Brown
"Frisbees" - Skyzoo & Illmind
"So Appalled" - Kanye West Ft. Jay-Z, Swizz Beatz, Cyhi Prince, Pusha T, & RZA

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=BQHDDZXA

Biggest Disappointments of 2010

Inspektah Deck - Manifesto
Method Man, Ghostface, & Raekwon - Wu-Massacre
Ski Beatz - 24 Hour Karate School
Ice Cube - I Am The West

That's all I have for now. Let's see what 2011 brings. I am starting my list now...

Josh Groban Singing Kanye West's Tweets

2011-01-05T21:28:00.002-05:00

This is from Jimmy Kimmel Live the other night. Hilarious.

Kid Cudi - All Along

2010-12-31T13:27:00.004-05:00

For my friend Tim...and for anyone else who's a fan of Cudi/stop motion/gremlins. This isn't an official video.

Hip Hop Related Xmas Gifts

2010-12-28T12:07:00.007-05:00

HHIB Best of 2010 lists are coming soon...In the meantime, just thought I'd share with you the gifts I received this Christmas that are Hip Hop related:

This book from Russell Simmons is a few years old, I think. I've seen it in stores before. I didn't ask for it, but a relative thought I'd enjoy it, I guess. I'm sure I will. I always liked Russell (actually got to attend a speaking engagement he did at UC a few years back that was informative and inspiring), and the influence he's had on Hip Hop, on business, and on bringing the two together is unparallelled. I'm sure I'll learn a thing or two from this book that I can use in my future business endeavors.

This was on my Amazon Wish List. I keep stuff on there that I plan to buy throughout the year, and if i don't, I'm hoping someone else will. I wanted to support Joe Budden because he puts out some of the best and most thought out music in Hip Hop right now. He's not the kind of MC that's just about clever punchlines here and there, he really puts everything he is into his music. And that makes it worthwhile...and worth the purchase. Click here for my last post on MM4. Unfortunately, the store version isn't quite as good as the one I grabbed off the Internet. The song list is shorter, and a few of my favorite tracks are redone. It may take some getting used to. Still a great album though.

Lastly, Jay-Z's Decoded is something I was interested in reading since it was announced at least a year or so ago. So, I was glad to get it. I was surprised to find how well put together it actually was though. A lot of work was put into this book and it's obvious just flipping through.

The book is more than just some printed lyrics and the the story behind them, or an explanation of their meaning. It's a more in-depth autobiography that gives additional background and insight to the first autobiography - the music. I'm only a little ways into it. But, so far I'm enjoying reading about how certain relationships and situations influenced the verses, and I was surprised to find that there was even more to some of the lines that I didn't pick up on yet. Not so much the witty wordplay, but more so the use of certain words that help to reflect the overall mood of the character in the song. I'd definitely recommend this book to any fan of Jay-Z, and even more to those that don't yet appreciate his talent.

Gutter Rainbows

2010-12-19T01:08:00.005-05:00

Tracklist for the new Talib Kweli album, supposedly available in January. Whoa.

1. After The Rain (produced by 88-Keys)
2. Gutter Rainbows (produced by M-Phazes)
3. So Low (produced by Shuko)
4. Palookas feat. Sean Price (produced by Marco Polo)
5. Mr. International feat. Nigel Hall (produced by S1)
6. I’m On One (produced by KHRYSIS!)
7. Wait For You feat. Kendra Ross (produced by S1)
8. Ain’t Waiting feat. Outasight (produced by 6th sense)
9. Cold Rain (produced by Ski Beatz)
10. Friends & Family (produced by E. Jones)
11. Tater Tot (produced by Nick Speed)
12. How You Love Me feat. Blaq Toven (produced by Blaq Toven)
13. Uh Oh feat. Jean Grae (produced by Oh No)
14. Self Savior feat. Chace Infinite (produced by Maurice Brown)

"Get Used To Us" - Before I Listen

2010-12-10T10:59:00.005-05:00

"I'll let my record talk for me like a Preem hook" - Royce Da 5'9"

I'm about to check out this DJ Premier album. I'm a little disappointed in the track list though. He can literally get anyone he wants, but NYGz are on there like 5 times. Plus, "Sing Like Bilal" with Joell Ortiz has already shown up enough on Joell's mixtapes this year, and should have been left off of this album. I guess it's a producer's album to promote his label. But, still.

Actually, with someone like Premier, I have absolutely ZERO interest in him breaking new talent. I really only want to hear established MCs that I respect over his beats. I mean, think about it. When you talk about your favorite MCs, if they haven't worked with Premier yet, you say how great it would be if they did. If they have worked with Premier that work is pretty much always hailed as their best. So, is it too much to ask that he do albums for my handpicked artists?

Anyway, I'm sure this album turned out great, but hopefully not too short of what it could be. I am looking forward to the Teflon/Styles P. match up, and Premier cutting up records on the hooks. But, in terms of Premier v. Pete Rock, this has to hold up to Soul Survivor!

In all likelihood I'll probably end up making the purchase to support. If Premier doesn't earn your money, who does? As long as he leaves off all his drops. Maybe I'm crazy, but he has some of the most annoying drops of any DJ, and they haven't changed in like 15 years.

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Toca Tuesdays W/ Kweli & Freeway

2010-12-08T14:42:00.003-05:00

Talib dropped his Blacksmith Presents: The Community Mixtape the other day on the Internet. So, to promote I guess, he dropped by Tony Touch's radio show with Freeway to trade some bars. About to check out that mixtape myself. Any opinions?

Von Pea F/ The Lessondary - Faded

2010-12-04T12:25:00.004-05:00

Love this track. Not from Pea's Gotta Have It, the LP he released recently, but rather from "The Most Skulduggery Of Mixtapes", So Motivational, he dropped over the summer. The beat is gutter as fuck, and the way it fades out and comes back in is dope to me. The Lessondary is a pretty capable crew of MCs, and I'm looking forward to an album from them sometime soon. It's fitting to have this song/video recorded in a dirty basement - kind of reminds me of the house parties my friend's used to throw up in Clifton years ago. Enjoy.

Chali 2na - Step Your Game Up

2010-12-04T10:34:00.004-05:00

New video from Chali 2na off his most recent album Fish Market 2. I'ma have to pull this one out again. 2na was always the most loved out of Jurassic 5, mostly b/c of his distinctive voice. But, the group as a whole really was phenomenal. They complimented each other so well, and that old school rhyme style of actually rhyming together really stood out among pretty much all the rest of today where everyone has a separate verse on a track. I saw them at a free show on UC's campus a few years ago, after the Power in Numbers album had been played in my car for at least three months straight. It was definitely one of the best Hip Hop shows I've ever been to. Their style really comes to life in a new way at a live show, that cannot be replicated adequately on a recording.

We need another J5 album, like yesterday. What the hell are the other members doing anyway? I see some mixes from the DJs once in a while, but the MCs seem to have vanished. Maybe I'm just not looking hard enough. If anyone has any info on them, pass it my way. I'd like to hear it. But, again, these are MCs that need to feed off each other - Chali 2na included - for them to really shine.

A Worthwhile Jay-Z Interview

2010-11-27T16:57:00.004-05:00

Most interviews with Jay-Z seem to be basically the same; a brief overview of his career, a glimpse at his current business ventures, and a few softball questions for him to decide whether or not to answer. But, the recent one he did with Cipha Sounds and Rosenberg for the Juan Epstein show was different. He was there on his latest stop to promote his new book, Decoded. The interview was in-depth about Jay's life, past and present, and covered a lot in the way of Hip Hop, that fans will appreciate. The full thing is about an hour long, but well worth the listen.

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=VOLPNWO8

The Away Team

2010-11-27T14:55:00.004-05:00

The Away Team are the latest signees to Duck Down Records' ever-expanding roster since their comeback to the top of the underground got some real traction a few years ago thanks to a few veterans of the label. Sean Price emerged as the dopest MC out of the BCC and has proven his talent with project after project of quality material. Buckshot teamed up with 9th Wonder to help bring back the days where one MC and one producer could make an entire, cohesive album together.

Duck Down used the momentum wisely to scoop up a bunch of talented free agents to make the label back into the powerhouse it once was. In fact, they are probably even much stronger now than they were back in the mid-90s when they originally made a name for themselves. Their roster today is ridiculous. Coming out of the same NC camp as 9th Wonder, The Justus League, is The Away Team. I guess the JL don't have themselves a Dru Ha to make them into their own label. The group is made up of MC Sean Boog and producer Khrysis, a beatsmith many have said is more talented than the much better known 9th Wonder. The group's previous work has been solid, but with this new deal they say their best material is ahead. And, with a title like Scars & Stripes, it's hard to doubt them.

If Duck Down's recent track record is any indication, I'd say this is an album to look out for in early 2011. I'm not sure how JL and DD got together in the first place, but I'm glad they did. The merging of talent from different regions for this label has been good for music so far.

So, pick up the Independence Day Mixtape by The Away Team online if you haven't yet to see what they have to offer. And, I'm gonna go pull out some old O.G.C. and enjoy my weekend.

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Skyzoo Freestyle

2010-11-25T10:59:00.004-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Hope you all enjoy your day with family, food, and football. In the meantime, check out Skyzoo discussing his album with Illmind and freestyling on the Rap Is Outta Control radio show with Torae and DJ Eclipse. If you haven't heard the album yet, you need to.

Jay-Z And Kanye Album

2010-11-19T10:03:00.001-05:00

I'm sitting here in my cubicle this morning listening to "The Joy" the track that was released on one of the G.O.O.D. Friday releases, but if the advance I heard is correct, isn't making the final album. Pete Rock made the beat using a Curtis Mayfield sample prominently, and Jay-Z makes an appearance. I like the song a lot though after hearing what I think is the final album I see that it doesn't really fit with the rest of the songs.After the release of a few songs featuring Jay to the internets an announcement came out that the two were going to release an album, or at least an EP together. I'm excited, but I'm just hoping it's an offering of brand new material. If it's just gonna be a collection of the material Kanye already leaked it will be a huge disappointment. The way things are these days with artists putting out tracks as they complete them, by the time the album comes out all the material is old. If I've already been listening to more than half the songs for months it's kind of hard to justify getting the album. I really hope the two of them take the time to craft something monumental insteading of giving fans another Best of Both Worlds.

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A Turn 4 The Worst

2010-11-16T18:12:00.018-05:00

Admittedly, it's taken me a while to write up something about Joe Budden's latest. Aside from not really having the time to sit down and write, and being distracted by some other albums in between, I really hadn't fully made up my mind about the project as a whole. There is some good material and some more forgettable and not very well executed songs. Though there's definitely way more good - No, make that GREAT material on this album, than the former.

The main reason that Budden seems to draw in so many listeners is the honesty he has with himself, which he chooses to fully express in his rhymes. And, not only does the audience get a real picture of what the MC is actually like as a person, Joey's rhyme style and storytelling skills have a way of relating his own experiences to a broader vision of what life is like for the common man.

By far, the best track on MM4 is "Role Reversal". I haven't heard a concept-driven song this interesting in...I don't know when. The song finds Budden being a father to another man's son, while at the same time filling that man's role, to some extent, with his own boy. He hates the father of this child but, at the same time, relates to him, knowing that he's perhaps been placed in the same situation that he, himself, is in. Because of the lack of relationship with his own child, Joe makes up for it in his mind by offering this other guy's child the most of everything, and the advantage of having a real father. I get more and more out of this track the more I hear it. It actually may be my absolute favorite of the year by any artist.

The interludes on this mixtape are completely useless, annoying, and unnecessary. Nothing else to say there. Also, there are a few rhymes with wordplay that should have been left on the cutting room floor (i.e. "avoid calendars, cause all his days are numbered"). But, the the only real downfall to MM4 is the uneven and, at times, incomplete sounding production. I just wish there was more there to listen to as a backdrop to Budden's rhymes. It's hard to explain, but listening to some of these tracks, it sounds like Budden has to rescue it with his lyrics to make the track worth listening to, instead of everything meshing together. The beat doesn't do it's job often enough of keeping me engaged.

However, overall this is another gem in the classic mixtape/album series that is Mood Muzik. I don't think it's too much to say that this is the best mixtape series of its kind to ever come out. I don't want to get caught up in trying to add some quotables because I'll literally be here in front of my PC all night. And, instead of one hot line here and there, Budden's clever prose blends together seamlessly, making it necessary to quote an entire verse, instead of a bar or two, to really paint an accurate picture of his talent.

Mood Muzik 4 is an amazing album, with unlimited replay value for any listener. Budden has the voice, the delivery, the rhymes, and the honesty to make him one of the main MCs carrying the torch for Hip Hop these days, and truly pushing it forward. If you're not up on him you are really missing out on one of the perennial voices in the culture. Pay attention.

Magical Rappers

2010-11-14T01:30:00.004-05:00

This blog is funny as hell, so I had to throw it up here.

It's just a bunch of photos of rappers looking like magicians. I can't get enough of this.

http://magicalrappers.tumblr.com/

Purified Thoughts

2010-11-14T01:23:00.002-05:00

This video brings a lot to what my previous post covered. Here is Ghostface in the studio with producer Frank Dukes recording "Purified Thoughts".

Q On Producing

2010-11-13T23:46:00.012-05:00

I heard something today that kind of got me down about Hip Hop for a minute, to be honest. I was watching an episode of The Colbert Report that aired Thursday night. Quincy Jones was the guest, and he was there to promote his new album and book.

One of the first questions Stephen Colbert asked of Jones was "What does a music producer do?"

He answered, "Put it like this...if the cover is bad, if the tempo is too slow, or too fast, if the key is wrong, if you got the wrong engineer, you got the wrong studio, the wrong background singers, the wrong arrangements, and the song doesn't work then it's the producer's fault...if it's a hit, it's the artist".

That last part was kind of tongue-in-cheek, obviously. But, he made a good point about what it means to produce a piece of entertainment art. A film producer would be responsible for things in much the same way. But, not so much in Hip Hop. At least, not in a lot of cases, it would seem.

When constructing a Hip Hop song/album, the MC meets with (usually) several "producers" who more often than not have spent time by themselves in a room making instrumental tracks prior to the meeting, which they put into a collection to play for whoever is requesting their talents. Sometimes there is no meeting at all. Sometimes the MC will just have a bunch of tracks sent to them, and pick out what they like to rhyme over, never even sitting in the same room with their collaborator.

My point is that the way a guy like Quincy Jones' approaches music seems to be lost on most "beat makers" in Hip Hop today. This is probably because a lot of these guys aren't really producers at all. They layer sounds in a computer program, but have no ear for how to arrange vocals and instruments. Additionally, when there is no understanding of an artist's unique ideas or abilities (pardon the pun), no give and take of ideas, no unique application based on who you're working with, what you get is generic, cookie-cutter music that will sound the same no matter who is involved. And that's not always the producer's fault either. A lot of times it seems to be the MC who is too lazy or insecure to actually sit in a studio and create something. So, "beats" end up being made by the hundreds and delivered to the highest bidder with no real interest in what finished product comes out of them.

To hear such an accomplished musician like Jones talk about what he does made it depressing to think about what has passed for production and for music in Hip Hop a lot of the time in this last decade. Bottom line there are a bunch of people that really need to step it up if they want to consider themselves artists or musicians. I know that the way a Hip Hop track is built is often much different from how someone constructs one in another genre, but the creativity and real collaboration is clearly absent a lot of the time.

Thankfully, there are also more and more artists coming out with exciting music in our genre these days as well, and are pushing themselves to really create something while inspiring many more. The use of live instruments and outreach into other sounds is helping a lot, as are single-producer albums that have come back into popularity with Hip Hop artists recently - this especially forces the producer to take responsibility for the entire finished package that is delivered on a project. The passion for the music is really being expressed by some of my new favorite artists. And, some of the older ones have reignited theirs as well. So, for the most part I feel good about the direction being taken. But, for fucks sake if you're gonna collaborate with someone the first step is being in the same room with them.

"The Way That I Rhyme" - J-Live

2010-11-07T09:17:00.004-05:00

I'm unable to pull myself away from playing with my new Android for more than a few minutes. But, here is something I wanted to share. One of my favorite and one of the more consistent MCs, J-Live has a new EP out called Undivided Attention. Here is the single.

J-Live f/ Boog Brown "The Way That I Rhyme" VIDEO from J-LIVE on Vimeo.

Back To Hell

2010-10-31T20:02:00.014-04:00

Like a lot of Hip Hop fans, I've been a big fan of Run D.M.C. since I was a kid. Tougher Than Leather was actually the very first Hip Hop tape I ever bought. I think even now, if you go back and listen to the first 4 albums, you'll see how they became so popular with a lot of different demographic groups at the time and paved the way for Hip Hop artists to have real musical success. They brought Hip Hop to the masses, and broke through the talk of being the "fad" music of the day. Run D.M.C. definitely hold a lot of top positions when it comes to my favorite Hip Hop songs.

One album I never got a chance/never took the time to listen to from their discography is Back From Hell. Most people overlook this album, and after listening to it in its entirety this weekend, I now see why. It's actually inaccurate to say it's overlooked. Usually, that term is reserved for things that should be recognized. This album needs to be forgotten. It needs it so bad, that I probably shouldn't even be writing about it for 5 or so people to see here.

But, for a trio so synonymous with Hip Hop, who have so many classic records, and who had their own original sound for so many years, I was just shocked at how uneven, directionless, and full of mimicry this album is. So, I felt compelled to talk about it, I guess.

Their rhyme style switches too many times to count, and it feels like they are trying to keep up with the other acts getting more shine than them that year. The same with the production. The album bounces back and forth between faux-hardcore and painfully bad New Jack Swing tracks that made the whole album sound like they were reaching for success at the expense of their dignity. It's just not genuine at all, and the often mediocre lyrics don't help.

So, yes, I'm gonna put this album away and probably never pull it out again. And, I suggest everyone else do the same, and remember Run D.M.C. for their catalog of classic music because this album is a bad representation of both them and Hip Hop music. I'm fairly confident that they hope you do this too, as they are probably pretty embarrassed about this album today. Please forget you ever read this as well.

The Making Of Mood Muzik 4: A Turn For The Worst

2010-10-24T00:46:00.004-04:00

I was able to pull away from listening to MM4 long enough to post a nice little behind-the-scenes making-of video of the project. Take a look.

The Making of Joe Budden's Mood Muzik 4 from Dan M on Vimeo.

Devil In A Blue Dress

2010-10-17T22:23:00.005-04:00

Joell Ortiz is one of my favorite MCs doing it right now. And this shit right here is one example of why. I know I posted J. Cole's verse over this Kanye track a little while ago as being something dope that should be recognized, and I still stand by that. But, this shit right here is on another level.

I think J. Cole has talent, yes, but Joell has so much range with his flow, and even with everything he's put out so far, it still feels like he's only scratching the surface of his depth and creativity as an MC. He made a great move aligning himself with Budden, Crooked, and Royce. But, I have a feeling his strongest and most lasting material is gonna come from his solo work.

Using one of Kanye's many self-leaked tracks, Joell explores the personal downfall of a drug dealer that decides to get high on his own supply.

Listen, and tell me what you think.

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=KH32UT62

On GURU

2010-10-16T11:41:00.004-04:00

FINALLY!!! I've been feeling like Guru's passing has been largely overlooked by the music community, and even by Hip Hop. Not enough people are talking about his lasting influence on music and the work he did in merging the two genres of Hip Hop and Jazz. And, now BET has done it. I think a two-hour documentary would be necessary, but it's nice to see that BET (I'm really really surprised by the way, considering their level of credibility in Hip Hop music) put something together for their awards show that everyone watching, especially the younger generation would see. Well done BET, for once.

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