Here's a little taster from a new project by Othello, who you may or may not known from his work as part of the seriously underrated group Lightheaded.
O has hooked up with a DJ by the name of Vajra to release a 12" featuring current Stones Thrown big shot Mayer Hawthorne (performing under his alias, Haircut) and his old group Now On, which includez Jackson Perry and IX Lives.
The cut in question, entitled 'Active Balanced', has been given the remix treatment by Terry Cole, and is the first release from Othello and Vajra's upcoming album, The Required Taste. Cole employs some Vintage Dilla-like drums ('Let's Ride', anyone?) to drive the track, with the boom bap combining nicely with some jangling guitar chords and keys to give the track a nice, organic feel.
You can listen to 'Active Balanced' below, and/or download here:
On the flip-side of the 12, Theory Hazit makes an appearance with 'Same Team Suckas.' If you like what you hear here, you can buy more of O & V's music through iTunes. Thanks to Steph @ A-Side Worldwide for the hook.
Anyone who calls themselves “the New Jack of Brooklyn boom bap” is sure to grab my attention sooner or later, but for a number of reasons - mainly being too lazy and/or bored to make my way through the slew of low budget videos that flood music blogs every day - I have been sleeping on Brooklyn M.C. Fresh Daily.
After stumbling over Fresh Daily over at the always dependable Spine Magazine, I decided to rectify the situation and delve a little deeper.
As it transpires, Fresh is down with High Water Music, a label helmed by the veritable DJ Spinna and Sucio Smash. He's been holding down the Big Apple's underground for a decent spell too, having made a name for himself in local circles under the name Ill Tarzan.
I, for one, never crossed vines with FD during his Tarzan days, but he obviously caught a little shine, as the family of Tarzan creator Edgar Rice Burroughs apparently objected to his choice of moniker. Thus, Fresh Daily was born, with the new name apparently stemming from FD staying "fresh all day, every day, with the rhymes, with the style".
FD demonstrates this freshness on his recent-ish mixtape Tommorow Is Today, released earlier this year in conjunction with Flylyf (yes blog geeks, I know I'm months late, but this is a quality not quantity site...move on).
Tomorrow Is Today employs a forward-thinking outlook, with Fresh rapping over a mix of original and borrowed beats of different sizes, shapes and tempos.
For me, it's hard to go past 'Apollo 13', a fittingly named track which shows that good hip hop doesn't need to be complicated. Add a simple drum loop, some swirly synths and FD's verbal dexterity together, and you've got a damn good song. Check the video below:
There's a slew of other tracks that employ a spacey feel, both in name and sound, such as 'Lift Off' and 'Take 'Em Into Space'.
There's also a nod or two to some old school cosomonauts; check 'Nothing Lasts Forever' for example, which sees FD put his own spin on the Outkast classic 'Aquemini', riding the original beat (which still sounds - cue air scratching - fr-fr-fr-fresh) while adding his own lyrical twists and turns.
If you like what you hear, Fresh Daily has just released an album, Fresh Daily is the Gorgeous Killer in Crimes of Passion (punchy title) which features production by DJ Spinna, Exile, Illmind, Oh No and 88 Keys.
Or if you're unsure/skint/tight, or have forgotten that people do actually still buy music, you can download his first mixtape, Winterfresh to help you make your mind up.
The venerable producer extrodinaire has been hard at work perfecting a new product for Rock Star Games, makers of fine educational software such as Grand Theft Auto. The result of Timbo's endeavours is Beaterator, a mobile production tool for Sony's portable PSP units (or normal Playstations, for that matter) that enables established and budding producers alike to create music on the fly.
Beaterator features over 3,000 loops and sounds - including 1,200 crafted by Tim himself - which you can use to create your own aural masterpieces. In order to keep things flexible, users are able to edit the audio files, and even sample new sounds or record vocals on the move.
According to Timbo, Beaterator isn't a game, but rather a legitimate production tool. He told USA Today earlier this week: "Beaterator isn't about pushing buttons A, B, A, B. It teaches how music is made and lets you be the person making the music. Young songwriters and producers, or those who just want to experiment, have never had such a deep tool to make music while on the go."
Timbaland also told USA Today that a great deal of work was involved in getting Beaterator just right, saying that "when Rockstar approached me to work with them on Beaterator, they warned me it'll take a couple of years to do this right. They weren't kidding. I can't tell you how many times I went into the studio to record new sounds, so I hope my fans will appreciate all the work."
Once a song is completed, it can be emailed or exported to a computer, or uploaded to Beaterator.com where users can vote on submitted tracks. I can just picture it now... Dizzee Rascal wannabes from all over London will be telling fellow commuters to keep it down, 'cause their mate is trying to record the hook for their next 'smash' before the bus gets to Clapton Ponds, innit.
Beaterator for PSP system will be avaialble in the U.S. from 29 September, and in Europe a week later. A scaled-down version of Beaterator for the iPhone and iPod Touch will be arriving for download in the Northern hemisphere's Autumn.
To get a better idea of what to expect, check the videos below, which feature Timbaland talking about Beaterator, producers such as Pete Rock, Jay Electronica, Clinton Sparks, Ski and Marco Polo putting Beaterator through its paces, and M.C.s including Ice-T, Twista, and Buckshot waxing lyrical on the system's benefits:
Back in the olden days (actually, it was about a month ago...) I posted up a small taster of an interesting release by Canadian M.C. K'Naan and mix tape master J.Period. The project, entitled The Messengers, set out to pay homage to three musical legends - namely Bob Marley, Bob Dylan and Fela Kuti - with Period and K'Naan looking to add their own flavour to a selection of classic material.
After kicking things off with an introductory installment at the beginning of September (check it here), the duo released a new EP for each individual artist each week throughout the month. Now the whole thing has been wrapped up in a big bow, with all four parts of The Messengers being released as one complete package, with some additional bonus tracks and artwork thrown in for good measure.
If you've had any sort of exposure to Bob, Fela and Bob, a lot of the music and lyrics should sound familiar. J.Period does an admirable job of matching original and reinterpreted beats from the trio with a mix of new rhymes and existing acapellas from K'Naan. He also manages to add an unmistakable hip hop twist, adding some boom bap to the afro-beat, reggae and folk backbone, while K'Naan shows his adaptability as he takes the diverse musical backdrop in his stride.
On more than a few occasions, the results are magic; a hip hop cover of the Dylan classic 'Lay Lady Lay'? It shouldn't work on paper, but K and J give it the royal treatment that it deserves, pulling off a tasteful remix while showing the original a ton of respect and love. Elsewhere, cuts like the Bob Marley ode 'Belly Full' featuring Kardinal Offishall and Steele of Smif n' Wessun and K'Naan's take on 'I Shot The Sheriff' also deliver on what is a fresh and well-executed concept.
When it comes to highlights though, it's tough to beat the whole Fela Kuti section. K'Naan, who is of Somalian heritage, really shines here on the lyrical front here as he drops in and out of the mix on re-tweaked classics such as 'Ololufe Mi'. He also weaves the whole mix together with his interludes, relaying how each of the artists have influenced him, and also dropping in snippets of his own journey from Mogadishu to Toronto, and onto a burgeoning musical career.
Do yourself a favour and get The Messengers while you can. It's one of the better releases I've heard this year, and definitely one of best mix tapes of the year so far - and it's free. If that isn't value for money, I don't know what is.
Over the years, many hip hoppers have fulfilled their often misguided thespian fantasies by traipsing across the silver screen, but very few have taken their craft (and I use this term extremely loosely) back to its grass roots by tackling live theatre.
Imagine the possibilities if they did, though! Jay-Z could pull off a star turn as King Lear, with Memphis Bleek, Beanie Siegel and Freeway the logical choices to play his three (somewhat more hirsute) daughters, jockeying for their share of dad's kingdom. Or maybe The Game and his entourage could swap their Desert Eagles for flick knives and dance it out with Jigga/50/Fat Joe in the ultimate street version of West-Side Story. And couldn't you just picture Biz Markie as Othello? Hey, if it works for Lenny Henry...
One hip hop duo that I couldn't imagine donning tights and makeup in order to tread the boards is The Beatnuts. But as we all know, hip hop works in mysterious ways - so if you find yourself in New York and at a loose end at the start of October, why not make your way to the Ohio Theater in Soho to soak up Deez Nuts: A Musical Massacre, starring none other than Beatnuts one and two, Juju and Psycho Les.
Those who are familiar with The Beatnuts' music might be a little sceptical; Ju and Les are best known for getting money Off The Books and dancing with scantily clad women while Buying Out The Bar, after all:
But this isn't stopping The 'Nuts from hitting an entirely different stage to the ones they tear down during their concerts. The duo are set to turn out in what is a life story of sorts, and the headlining show in New York's 2009 Hip Hop Theatre Festival.
According to the blurb on the HHTF website, Deez Nuts explores "the rich, people-bred traditions that boomed in late 1980s Corona, Queens. Legendary rap group The Beatnuts came of age on these mean streets - a town smack dab in the middle of the most ethnically-diverse borough in the world. Deez Nuts is a re-telling of this emergence by The Beatnuts themselves, with support from their superior catalogue of music, dance and sound."
Deez Nuts has been written by hip hop journalist and fellow Corona, Queens local Sacha Jenkins, who recently told XXL magazine that the play follows a journalist interviewing Psych and Ju outside a Bodega in Corona. He also confirmed that Deez Nuts will include live musical performances from the duo.
Jenkins told XXL: “It’s one thing to be a fan of The Beatnuts, but it’s another to sort of be from the neighborhood and understand the people they’re name-checking, the references, the bodegas and all of the things they’re talking about in their music. I wanted a way to sort of bring that to life that goes beyond just listening to the music itself.”
I must admit, I would definitely reward my curiosity and check out Deez Nuts if I was Stateside; hip hop theatre might be the new frontier, after all... and if I can sit through Get Rich Or Die Trying and Notorious, I'm sure this would be a breeze. If you are in NYC, you can buy tickets for Deez Nuts or get more info through the Hip Hop Theatre Festival web site.
More goodness from The Nextmen today, with a punchy little twenty minute mix for your listening and downloading pleasure. The mix in question was put together for DJ Goldierocks' Selector Radio show.
The Selector is known to showcase the best in contemporary UK music across all styles, so this mix fits the bill perfectly. 'Nuff talk, though... just get your D/L on:
While you're at it, check out the five minute Join The Dots album mix that The Nextmen put together to promote their recently released LP of the same name (originally released as an exclusive download on GOMWB - that's how we get down, don't ya know). This should be all the convincing you need to pick up what is a stunner of an LP:
Good old diggedy-Das Efx. In the early 90’s, the duo of Skoob and Dre had all and siggidy-sundry talking all 'diggedy diggedy'-like at least a full decade before the Family Guy’s Quagmire bit their style.
Yep, Das were pioneers, alright. They blazed the trail for silly vocals, clearing the way for Snoop Dogg to revolutionise the way that faux gangsters and suburban kids would speak throughout the nineties and noughties by introducing the mighty ‘izzle’. For rizzle. Sorry… for riggidy real.
In case you don’t know, check the video below to get the iggidy-idea:
To celebrate Dre and Skoob’s revolutionary spirit and utter disregard for the English language, a DJ by the name of Books (which is ‘Skoob’ backwards... hmmmm) has created The Diggedy Dichotomy, a mix of classic Das, taking in 30-plus cuts of giggidy-goodness. The Diggedy Dichotomy takes in tracks from across the duo’s career, including classic cuts like ‘Mic Checka’, ‘Real Hip Hop’ and ‘No Diggedy’. Check below for the download:
One more thing – this will be the liggidy last (sorry) Monday Mix Tape. Going forward, I’ll be posting up mixes as and when they come through (which lately has been more than once a week anyways). For creatures of habit, you can still log in on a Monday and look back over the last week to get your fill. Cool? Cool... iggidy.
2009 has been a tough year for the music world, with a string of legends having already passed away before their time. Now, in what is another body blow for the music world - and the hip hop world in particular - this list has been added to following the news that Grand Master Roc Raida, the former DMC and ITF DJ champ and a leading light in the turntabilist movement, has died.
Raida's family have released a statement confirming his passing, as covered by HipHopDX. The statement reads: "Anthony Williams p/k to the world as The Legendary Grandmaster Roc Raida has passed away unexpectedly today September 19 2009. He is survived by his wife, three lovely daughters, mother and friends.
"Raida was recently in an mixed martial arts accident, something that he has been practicing for several years. Although he had under gone two surgeries with great success, was released to an inpatient physical therapy facility and was in great spirits the past few days. This morning he started to have complications and passed. The family asks for privacy at this time."
The impact that Raida has had on DJing and turntablism across the globe simply can't be measured. A master of body tricks, his incendiary battle routines were the stuff of legend. He pretty much did it all. Check the skills below from his winning run at the 1995 World DMC Champs:
The contribution that he made to the wider world of hip hop was also immense, whether it was through his own albums with the X-ecutioners or solo mixtapes, providing razor-sharp cuts on classic albums like O.C.'s Word...Life and singles such as Sadat X's 'The Lump Lump', or some solid production, including having a hand in creating this little gem:
If that isn't enough, Raida pretty much backed up a who's who of the hip hop world at many a live show (like Busta Rhymes, who you can see him spinnning for at a concert in Canada last month):
I remember seeing Raida perform what was a totally mind-blowing routine at New Zealand's first ever ITF battle in Auckland in 1997. I can still remember being mystified by the whole thing, from Raida wowing the crowd with an unbelievable demo set, through to thinking how cool it was that he stuck around to have a jam with the winners after the competition finished.
Raida undoutedly influenced so many of the DJs who were lucky enough to be present on that legendary evening. After the show, he even took the time to talk to his fans at length, signing tapes, records and anything else that they put in front of him. I took the chance to chat to him for a minute, and was amazed that - despite having a stage presence that seemed to be full of bravado - he seemed like a humble, friendly dude.
This is a real loss for the DJ and music world. R.I.P. Roc. You'll be truly missed.
So-Cal funksters Breakestra are busy crossing the Ts and dotting the Is on their second full album, Dusk 'Til Dawn, but they're not too busy for "Music Man" Miles Tackett - the driving force behind the group, alongside frontman Mixmaster Wolf - to get on the 1's and 2's and throw down a short and sweet mix of classic Breakestra breaks and beats.
Breakestra DJ Mix covers a slew of old material, including a megamix (shazam!) of cuts from the group's classic Live Mixtape Pt. 2 - an essential item in any funk or hip hop fan's collection - and a selection from their first album proper, 2006's Get On The Floor.
Of course, this mix serves as a reminder of the Breakestra's ability to throw down some hot, dancefloor-friendly funk - kind of timely with a new album coming out and all, innit? Sounds like Dusk 'Til Dawn is going to offer us a fresh, funky bunch of beauties too, if potential album cut 'Get It Right' (listen and/or download here) is anything to go by.
DTD also doubles as a tribute to DJ Dusk, a funk and hip hop stalwart and Miles' co-conspirator in the legendary Root Down parties, who sadly passed away a few years back. In what is a fitting show of love and respect, Miles dusts off an old Dusk verse for first single 'Posed To Be', which he pairs with a head-nod inducing beat which includes a little help from MM Wolf and Chali Tuna.
Dusk 'Til Dawn drops on 29 September on Strut Records. Click here or here to find out more.
Last week, news filtered through that mighty rockers The Black Keys had unveiled plans to release an album under the name Blakroc, featuring a high profile list of collaborators from the deep, dark depths of the world of hip hop. If that isn't a story in itself - well, it is actually... read it here - the Blakroc tale has developed a bit of a twist.
So, what are your bets on who is on board to release this album? Perhaps a forward-thinking independent rock imprint with a bit of cash? Or a major label with some clout (and cash)? How about a hip hop power house? Well, the answer here is no, no, and no... because the man behind this wee jaunt is none other than Jay-Z's former Roc-A-Fella running mate, Dame Dash.
As reported by XXL, Dame has started up a new label to release the project. He told XXL's Jesse Gissen: “My assistants, who are now actually A&Rs, were going to a Black Keys concert for their birthday and I wasn’t invited. Usually on their birthdays we all do it together and the reason why I wasn’t invited was because the concert was sold out. And I had never heard of The Black Keys and I was like y’all still gonna go without me. And they was like ‘Yo it’s The Black Keys'."
"So I was like, lemme hear this group. So I start listening to them and they actually became my favorite group. They were on heavy rotation so we just reached out and we kicked it with them and I was like, ‘I wonder what would happen if we got Jim Jones and the Keys in the studio’ and Jim came in and all of a sudden Mos came in and then [it] just built from there."
Dame continues: "After being in the game this long you don't wanna just be doing it for money. If I was to be a part of anything, it would have to be something like this." Nice to see that Dame isn't once bitten, twice shy after what was a messy parting of ways with Jigga (I think).
It's nice to see that working with a rock band is stretching the hip hoppers too; cue a puzzled looking Jim Jones in the studio exclaiming that he feels "like I just started rapping in this motherfucker... don't know what the fuck goin' on." (hate to break it to you Jim... oh forget it - too easy).
The number 11 is the order of the day for the Blakroc project, with the album being recorded in 11 days and featuring 11 artists (you can add Ludacris and M.O.P.'s Billy Danze to the cast now, too). Blakroc is due out on 27 November (eleventh month, don't ya know... if you've made it through primary school, you probably do).
You can also watch some great studio footage below, including Dame chilling with the Keys in Brooklyn, then calling Mos to come and get involved. The highlight of this video? Mos keeping it street by listening to Blakroc beats out of a car stereo outside a subway station instead of in a studio. Makes sense, I guess... this is a hip hop album after all.
Oakland, California group Crown City Rockers have been laying down a nice blend of grass roots hip hop for a few years now, releasing a bunch of solid material in the early to mid-noughties before taking a back seat on the release front over the last few years.
Now, the five piece band from the Golden State - led by MC Raashan Ahmad - are on the way back, inking a deal with Gold Dust Records to release their first album in five years, The Day After Forever.
The CCR crew began life recording under the name Mission, dropping a majorly slept but definitely dope album, One, in 2001 before changing their name to Crown City Rockers prior to releasing their last album, 2004's Earthtones.
Fans have had to make do with the odd single and remix since then, but this is all about to change with the release of The Day After Forever.
Weighing in at 13 tracks, TDAF manages to push things forward musically speaking, while tipping it's cap to good old block party-friendly hip hop at the same time.
New single, 'Astroshocks', gives you an idea of what to expect.
Frontman Ahmad indulges in a bit of verbal gymnastics, conjuring up comparisons with fellow Bay Area M.C. Gift Of The Gab (of Blackalicious fame) as he drops tongue-twisting rhymes by the dozen.
Ahmad's band mates come to the party too, providing him with solid backing in the form of a nice live-sounding track, underpinned by Max MacVeety's nimble drum work and some swirling 70s analog synth keyboard from Kat Ouano.
You can listen to and download 'Astroshocks' (guilt-free too, thanks to the good folk at Gold Dust) below:
If you like the sound of 'Astroshocks', visit the Crown City Rockers' website where you can download another tune from The Day After Forever (namely 'Soul', which you can also see the making of in the video below) by signing up to the CCR mailing list.
You can also listen to other tracks off The Day After Tomorrow, which is released in stores and online on September 29th.
The mix tapes just keep rolling in, with The Jewel School coming correct for the second time in a week by dropping another Nippon-flavoured mix (following last Monday’s Grooveman Spot extravaganza).
This time, GMS’s Jazzy Sport running mate DJ Mitsu The Beats is in the hot seat, as The Jewel School’s Dan Aikido lays down a fresh mix of Mitsu tracks, including a selection of his solo output, tracks he's done for his group Gagle, and quality remixes for Alex Attias, Crown City Rockers and Julien Dyne.
Visit The Jewel School website to access the track listing, and to stream and download the mix.
If you’re feeling the Gagle vibes, check out some more below. Okay, I don't have the slightest clue what they are rhyming about, and I do laugh when they start quacking like ducks in the last video, but I'm definitely a big fan. Oh, and Mitsu is on the beats for the majority... always a good thing.
When I was a youngster, my mother/father/teacher/authority figure of some sort told me not to judge a book by it's cover. This is good advice for all areas of life, of course, but it's particularly handy when it comes to music - because if I was guilty of regularly slipping into judgemental mode while looking for fresh tunes, chances are I wouldn't have found The Black Keys.
I'll admit that I'm a Black Keys late comer. In fact, I only discovered the delights of the Akron, Ohio-based duo of guitarist/vocalist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney last year after a friend handed me their last album, Attack & Release, on the strength of renowned hip hop producer Danger Mouse (of Gnarls Barkley and Gorillaz fame) being involved.
I expected Attack & Release to be decent at the very least, based on said friend's recommendation. But I certainly didn't expect it to become one of my favourite albums of 2008. Who would've thunk it? This grumpy old man with a beard shunning his beloved rappity rap to get on down with a lo-fi, blues-drenched slice of rawk?
Of course, bluesy rawk and beards go hand-in-hand - check out the Attack & Release album cover if you need some proof - but I was surprised by how much this album got under my skin; it started off with me pretending I was a real-life Guitar Hero while strumming along to the stellar 'Lies' on a tennis racket; then, I began murdering 'Psychotic Girl' (below) during impromptu bouts of bathroom karaoke - and if you heard me sing, you'll know that I don't mean 'murdering' in a hip hop/'bad meaning good' sort of way, either.
I was clearly sucked in by Attack & Release, helped I'm sure in no small part by Danger Mouse's involvement, which added a touch of hip hop sensibility. But chances are, I'm even more likely to be bowled over by the duo's latest project.
Earlier today, NME announced that Auerbach and Carney will be releasing a new album - recorded under the name Blakroc - that will feature appearances from a varied cast of hip hop all stars, ranging from Mos Def, Q-Tip and Pharoahe Monch to RZA, Raekwon, the late Ol' Dirty Bastard and Dipset capo Jim Jones.
Tentative song titles for the self-titled LP have a little hip hop flavour, too; how about 'Coochie'? Or 'Dollaz & Sense'? And don't forget 'Stay Off The F*%$#n' Flowers'. Gangsta. No audio is available as yet, but despite the somewhat cringe-worthy track names, this could be interesting.
There's no denying that Bill Withers is one of the true musical greats of our time - but he's also a bit of an enigma.
Despite penning a slew of classic material that pushed him into the spotlight, it's safe to say that Withers has been a bit of a closed book. Now, thanks to the perseverance of film makers Damani Baker and Alex Vlack, you can get to know the real Bill through the documentary Still Bill, which is featuring at next month's London Film Festival.
Still Bill chronicles Withers' life, from growing up in Slab Fork, Virginia - where his musical talent was nurtured by his grandmother, who was immortalised through Withers' classic song 'Grandma's Hands' (below) - to his time in the Navy, and working as a milkman and a mechanic installing toilets on aeroplanes.
It was during this time working odd jobs that Withers recorded 'Ain't No Sunshine', a song that pushed him to the top of the charts and turned him into a somewhat reluctant celebrity. Withers went on to carve out a career that saw him pen hits such as 'Lean On Me' and 'Just The Two Of Us' before retreating from the public eye and the world of music to raise his family.
Thanks to Vlack and Baker's vision, you can get the inside word on what has made one of the greatest soul men of our time tick, with Still Bill featuring in depth interviews with Withers (300 hours over two years, in fact), rare footage of his career (including him rubbing shoulders with Muhammad Ali and James Brown), and appearances by Dr Cornell West, Sting and a host of others.
Jay-Z has been causing a bit of a stir as of late. Unfortunately, it's not really for the right reasons. Jigga's Blueprint 3, easily one of the most anticipated albums on the 2009 music calendar, has received mixed reviews from critics and fans, with many consigning it to the scrap heap before it's even been officially released (if you believe the bloggers anyway... but who listens to the bloggers? What do they know? Oh... hang on...).
Jay's detractors are claiming that BP3 shows he's past his prime. I bet The Game must be loving all this; he's been leading the charge to send Jay to the retirement home for a few months now, after all (“No one on the corner with a swagger like you/Cos' nobody on the block is fuckin’ 42!”... ouch).
Now, NYC's DJ Ayres (of 'The Rub' fame) has added his two cents (kind of), paying Jay a back-handed compliment by dropping a new 'Best Of' styled mix tape which runs through Jigga's lengthy back-catalogue. The back-handed part? It's called D.O.J. - When Jay-Z Was Good. Double ouch.
Ayers writes on The Rub website: "Here are a bunch of my favorite Jay-Z songs, mostly album cuts with a few freestyles and secret joints thrown in for good measure.
"Since Jay 'retired' and came back, his music hasn’t sounded as urgent or hungry to me. He sounds like he’s coasting along, so I wanted to go back and pull out a bunch of his music that made you bob your head, marvel at his flow, puff out your chest, or even raise the little hairs on the back of your neck.
"The feelings you got from songs like 'Where I’m From', 'D’Evils', '1-900-Hustler' and 'You Don’t Know'. Not included: #1 singles you’ve heard a million times, lazy one-take flows, lyrics about inventing the button-down shirt, songs dissing rappers who would later be signed to Jay-Z’s label, and songs produced by Eminem."
Ayers goes in on the mix, dropping 30+ cuts of quality. You can download D.O.J. - When Jay-Z Was Good here, and get the track listing here. Shouts to Maz Def for the heads up on this one.
In closing, just in case you think I'm ducking out on giving an opinion on BP3, I have to admit it sounds weak from what I've heard; but having Rhianna guest on 'Run These Streets' wasn't really the sort of move that was going to have many people screaming for joy, was it?
I'll reserve my final decision (listen to me, all High Court judge-like) until I cop the CD - call me old school (or just old). But is Jay past his prime? I think it's too early to say... American Gangster was pretty damn good after all. Maybe that's a hint...time to take it back to the streets, Sean?
Japan's Grooveman Spot is in the spotlight this week with two mixes, including a quality selection of his production work strung together by the Jewel School crew from Wellington, New Zealand, and a nice mix from GSM himself (recorded live and direct from Lounge Neo in Shibuya) on offer for your listening pleasure.
The first mix, entitled Can't Get Enough Of This Grooveman Spot Stuff, sees the Jewel School's Dan Aikido throwing down a solid selection of Grooveman's production work. Can't Get Enough showcases the synth-heavy, low-slung hip hop and soul for which G-Spot is known, including tracks from his debut LP, 2007's Eternal Development, and selected production and remix work for other artists including De La Soul, Cro-Magnon and ENBULL.
To listen to or download Can't Get Enough Of This Grooveman Spot Stuff, visit the Jewel School website.
The second mix, Force Out, was laid down by GSM - who is signed to the always on point Jazzy Sport records - at Tokyo's Lounge Neo earlier this year, and covers everything from forward-thinking future funk, soul and disco to light-hearted hip hop and organic R&B. No tracklisting for this one, but you can check out Force Out (either streaming or downloading) on the Jewel School website.
All New Zealand crew will have a chance to see GSM in the flesh later this month when he jets into Auckland and Wellington for a couple of DJ gigs, with hip-hop, soul, disco and house all sure to pop up in the mix. He'll be joined by Kenji Sakajiri (the man behind Osaka's Wonderful Noise label, which has signed New Zealanders Julien Dyne and Electric Wire Hustle).
Local support comes from The Turnaround and Electric Wire Hustle (Auckland), and Cian (Conch Records) and the Jewel School and Friday Night Flava crews (Wellington). Follow the links for more info on the Wellington and Auckland shows.
Reggae/hip hop mash-ups are generally pretty pedestrian. You can put that down to the fact that most of the time, they're put together by some spotty kid on Pro Tools who's just out to make a bit of extra cash.
All power to them - I, for one, have shelled out hard earned pounds for many a blend 7" - but I'm just a little over hearing another Tenor Saw vocal over a Biggie beat, or vice versa.
With that in mind, I was a little sceptical when I came across a couple of tunes (via DJ Day's blog) from the wonderfully monikered Prince Fatty (I'd claim the name for myself if it wasn't already taken). But thankfully, my secpticism was mis-placed.
On closer inspection, Prince Fatty isn't a new spotty Pro Tools kid, but rather a live group put together by producer and engineer Mike Pelanconi, who has worked with Lilly Allen and Little Barrie (I know, but stick with me).
For their latest offering, the Fatties have re-rubbed two hip hop classics, Snoop Dogg's 'Gin and Juice', and Old Dirty Bastard's 'Shimmy Shimmy Ya'.
While the Snoop effort is solid, it's the nod to ODB that really takes the cake here. PF lay down a bass-heavy, summery track complete with the chopsticks-esque pianos of Dirt McGirt's original, while the vocalist pays homage to ODB rather then giving a carbon copy performance of his track.
You can check 'Shimmy Shimmy Ya' out below:
You can buy both cuts, which will feature on Prince Fatty's Super Size LP, from Boomkat. For more information on Prince Fatty, visit their website.
These days, it seems that no one wants to stay in their lane.
If you’re an actor, chances are you’re more interested in becoming a rapper. If you’re a rapper, you probably harbour dreams of being a professional athlete. Or you might be a basketball player that raps and acts.
Let’s be realistic, though; this ‘lane changing’ doesn’t often work out well, does it?
Shaquille O’Neal is a basketballing behemoth, but how many of his LPs do you own? Did you see Kazaam at the cinema? I thought so.
Of course, some people have been able to shine in more than one arena; Tupac was a convincing actor after all, and – while he’s not my cup of tea musically – Jamie Foxx really is a triple threat (you can’t front on his performance in Ray, and have you seen his stand up routines?).
But these are exceptions to the rule; for most people, crossing over into another artistic territory is a long and treacherous road that very few are able to navigate with any success.
And as much as it pains me to say this, a decent chunk of the cast of The Wire are perfect examples.
It pains me to say this, because I have only recently emerged from a heavy dose of Wire fever. I joined the legions of educated middle classers with misguided street fantasies who were swallowed up and spat out by the mean, drug-riddled streets of West Baltimore.
I’m talking five series in two months – seven episodes a day on a couple of occasions.
Occasionally, I became so engrossed in The Wire that by the time I finally dragged myself out of my marathon viewing sessions and into the 'real world', I struggled to adjust.
I’d find myself ducking for cover every time a car slowed down in case they’d pull the chrome on me (I didn’t notice the pedestrian crossing).
I thought I saw the show’s flawed hero Jimmy McNulty – played by Dominic West – buying a latte from my local deli (he does live in London, after all).
I often struggled to stop myself from yelling “Pandemic!” at old ladies making their way to church (and I don’t mean swine flu).
It takes great skill to evoke that sort of reaction from most people, especially me, an unashamed cynic when it comes to TV. No half-assed efforts will result in every man and their dog getting hooked on a product... only the best will do.
And that’s what the cast of The Wire were, as they showed they could win over millions of fans like me (even if it didn’t happen until the DVD box sets hit the shelves).
But then, the inevitable happens. Once talented individuals achieve greatness in one area of their life, they start looking at other playing fields - and that green, green grass looks mighty appealing. It’s often masking an uneven terrain though; for every successful cross over, there’s thousands of failures.
Unfortunately, it now seems that we might be able to add a decent chunk of the cast of The Wire to this list, too. First up to bat is Idris Elba, the Hackney lad who did such a stand-up job playing Russell ‘Stringer’ Bell (pictured, right) – one of the most intriguing bad guys you’ll ever see.
A month or so back, a friend asked me if I’d heard Elba’s music. A bit of rapid Googling revealed that Elba has indeed been making moves in the musical world for a minute.
These musical dalliances haven’t come totally out of left field; Elba – A.K.A. Driis, or Big Driss the Londoner as he’s now known in music circles – is an experienced DJ, has released an EP entitled Big Man, and co-produced and appeared on the intro on Jay Z’s American Gangster LP.
He’s stepping up his musical pursuits this year too, hooking up with the likes of 9th Wonder and Pete Rock (!) for his new album, which will see him singing not too badly, and potentially rapping pretty awfully. You can check the Pete Rock-produced ‘Best Of Me’ below:
In all honesty, this cut isn't terrible, but discovering that Stringer was making moves in different circles got me to thinking; what other Wire surprises might I find if I dig a little deeper? In my heart of hearts, I knew I should stop… but I just couldn’t help myself.
And this is where it all goes downhill; I found out the hard way that you apparently couldn’t get a part in The Wire unless you had some musical ambitions, regardless of how misguided they might be.
Take Julito McCullum for example, who plays Namond Brice, the son of a street legend named Wee-Bey who isn’t able to match his father’s reputation. On The Wire, Namond tries to act hard, but get’s slapped around by everyone – including his stage mum.
So what better way to project a hard, street-savvy demeanour then rapping under the name... Namond Brice? And he raps about The Wire. On a track called ‘The Wire’. Really pushing the boundaries there, Julito. No wonder everyone kept beating you up.
Shit, even little Randy Wagstaff (as played by Maestro Harrell) signed a contract with Jermaine Dupree’s So So Def label.
The true master of the pack, however, is Michael K. Williams, who plays the role of Omar Little, the gun-toting, ‘A Hunting We Will Go’-whistling homosexual gangster. Omar is the most Robin Hood-esque figure to grace the screen since… well, Robin Hood.
Ask anyone who’s seen The Wire; chances are, Omar is one of their favourites. Even Barack Obama has admitted he’s got a soft spot for the character he describes as the “toughest, baddest guy” on what is his favourite show.
Williams has been threatening to drop an album under the banner of Omar Little for some time now.
According to a recent interview with XXL, the concept behind this project – which borrows its title from a well-worn Wire phrase, 'Omar Coming' – has “grown over the years. It’s going to be more like what Jigga did with The Streets Is Watching [DVD], where scene meets music and together they push story.”
Of course, the music has to be good to push the story. So what can you expect?:
Let’s just take a second to mull over those lyrics:
Know who robbed you? Omar robbed you That’s who shot you Yeah he popped you When he stuck you, he said fuck you Yeah motherfucker What you gon’ do?
Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Omar was great because he onsly spoke when he needed to... until now. Please Omar... show us some mercy.
No one knows who’ll be next to parlay their new-found Wire fame into alternative stardom. Perhaps we’ll see Jimmy McNulty Sings The Pogues (spoiler alert for those who haven't made it to series 5).
Or hard lady Snoop (who I thought was a man for more than a minute) might fill the role of hype woman on Da Brat’s comeback tour.
But us fans can take comfort in one thing; regardless of which West Baltimore veteran is next to blow in the music world – and they probably will blow – at least we’ll have The Wire re-runs and DVDs to numb the pain.
Nine years is a long time between drinks. Just ask Q-Tip. After releasing his debut solo LP, 1999’s Amplified, it seemed like everyone’s favourite A Tribe Called Quester (sorry Ali and Phife – and if you're thinking about arguing Jarobi’s case, you’re just being silly) was never going to conjure up an album that record company big wigs would actually be willing, let along excited, to release.
Of course, the storm clouds lifted after Tip came correct on last year’s superb Renaissance (a critical hit, if not a commercial one). But what of the nine year break? It wasn’t like Tippy-Tip was sitting around lighting cigars with the stacks of Benjamin Franklins that he earned like his good friend Busta, of course (‘Vivrant Thing’ wasn’t that big a hit, after all). On the contrary, he was working hard (please shoot me if I ever substitute the phrase ‘working hard’ with that hip hop journalism staple ‘grinding’ again).
Unfortunately, there were a number of false starts during Tip’s stint in the record releasing wilderness. Two albums were scheduled (Kamaal/The Abstract and Open) and duly consigned to the scrap heap as a result of Tip’s more experimental (read: jazz noodling) leanings. Until now, that is. That’s right folks... Tip has dusted off Kamaal/The Abstract, the much vaunted and ridiculously delayed album that he recorded for Arista Records around the turn of the millennium, and is finally giving it the official release it deserves.
Kamaal was originally scheduled to see the light of day in 2001, but became an urban legend of sorts due to continual push backs. Tip himself was eventually given the ultimate push back by Arista’s L.A. Reid, who deemed that Kamaal was not commercially minded enough, and duly sent the Abstract Poetic on his way. Apparently L.A. didn’t get the whole Miles Davis vibe that his Arista predecessor Clive Davis bought into. Watch below as Tip recounts the saga with MTV:
Kamaal sees Q shunning some of the more club-heavy cuts that featured on Amplified and returning to the jazz leanings that punctuated so much of A Tribe Called Quest’s earlier work. In fact, he even takes it a step further, assembling a live band (pre-Renaissance, remember) and spending a decent amount of his time crooning as well as rapping. Tip even ropes in some of Miles’ old cronies to capture that Bitches Brew fusion feel (kind of), including saxophonist Kenny Garrett (not to be confused with Kenny G) on ‘Abstractionisms’, and flautist Gary Thomas who shows up on ‘Do U Dig U’.
Back in my record store days (when physical record stores were still a viable entity – R.I.P. Fat City), I happened to stumble across a copy of Kamaal/The Abstract, all done up in Arista promo fashion, but undoubtedly a dirty bootleg. And I loved it. The live band sound that Tip employed was a breath of fresh air, as witnessed on cuts like the up-tempo, horn-laced ‘Even If It Is So’, or the all-singing 'Blue Girl'. Would it have had an impact in 2001? Probably not... my guess is that it would have flown well Under The Radar (see what I did there? More cheese than France, me). But is it worth picking up now that it’s finally being released? Damn straight, it is.
Neil Levine of Battery Records, who are on board to release the project, gives the whole thing a bit of a gushy spin, saying: “Kamaal the Abstract/Q-Tip is a true visionary and ahead of his time. These songs sound more contemporary now than when they were first recorded.” Whoa... Easy there, Big Tex. All record company hyperbole aside though, Levine is right; Kamaal The Abstract still sounds mighty fresh, combining jazz, soul and hip hop (Battery calls it a ‘melange’... I think I just threw up in my mouth a little). And Tip has even thrown in some bonus tracks for good measure. You can listen to and download one of these bonus cuts, ‘Damn You’re Cool’, below: Q-Tip - Damn You're Cool by GOMWAB Kamaal/The Abstract is out on September 15. Get it while it's hot... again.
It's obviously hard to make a splash in the music business these days, with many up and coming acts basically giving away their product in an attempt to win some new fans.
Many of these acts aren't worth the time it takes to download their album; it makes you wonder if they're giving it away because they're secretly worried that no one will buy it. Then, very occassionally, you get someone like Brittany Bosco.
Atlanta-based Brit has been carving out a nice little corner for herself since the release of last year's Spectrum EP. Now, she's reworked the EP into Spectrum 2.0, which now includes some previously unheard tracks and new features.
The re-tooled Spectrum offers up 12 tracks of quality soul and R&B, with Brittany managing to marry together traditional and progressive sounds into a cohesive collection. And to top it all off, she's giving it away for free here.
There's a handfull of standouts on Spectrum 2.0. Brittany shines on the glitchy 'City of Nowhere', the haunting 'Blues For Blue', or 'Billie's Song', a clear-cut nod to Billie Holliday. It's all part of a bigger plan, of course; Brittany is releasing a new album, Black, in the coming months. But for now, Spectrum 2.0 will fill the gap nicely.
For more info on Brittany Bosco, visit her website, http://www.brittanybosco.com/, or check her Myspace: www.myspace.com/brittanybosco. If you like what you hear, you can also check out Brittany's video for her song 'Blues for Blue/Black & White':
North Carolina collective The Hall Of Justus (home to Little Brother and a bunch of other talented M.C.s and beatmakers) have just dropped a new mixtape by Reservoir Dogs, a four man squad made up of wordsmiths Joe Scudda, Chaundon, Jozeemo and Little Brother's underrated (but somewhat unfortunately named) Rapper Big Pooh.
The Reservoir Dogs come hard and heavy on this mix tape - which is mixed by DJ's Warrior and Skillz - borrowing their name and style from Quentin Tarantino's classic gangster-influenced film of the same name. They also borrow beats from a bunch of classic artists (including Wu-Tang, Souls of Mischief, Smif & Wessun and Dr. Dre amongst others) which they attack viciously using a rapid-fire, tag-team approach.
The quartet (who may or may not have followed the lead of a certain other underground super group) display a harder-edged approach than LB/HoJ fans might be used to, but it works well. Throw in some new solo tracks from each of the artists, and you've got another solid Hall of Justus effort.
Here's a little taster from a new project by Othello, who you may or may not known from his work as part of the seriously underrated group Lightheaded.
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