Hip hop doesn't have to be complicated to be effective. Take Pharoahe Monch's 'Simon Says' for example - an anthem if ever I heard one. You know the one... chorus goes a little something like: "Get The Fuck Up/Simon Says Get The Fuck Up". That's not too hard to remember, is it?
Of course, Pharoahe's verses on that song - and indeed, his body of work as a solo artist and as a member of Organized Konfusion - is punctuated by his intricate wordplay. Don't let the simplicity of 'Simon Says'' chorus fool you. But how does the mighty Monch do it?
This looks like the book of choice for all you closet word-smiths out there. As the blurb says, reading this book will unlock a world that will give you "Never-before-seen advice and guidance from over 100 of Hip-Hop's most acclaimed and successful MCs", including Monch, Big Daddy Kane, Mobb Deep, A Tribe Called Quest, Masta Ace and a whole bunch of others.
There's also some insights from the interviewed artists into the work of Eminem, Jay-Z, Outkast, Biggie, and a slew of other legendary artists. Oh, and there's a foreword from Kool G. Rap. Watch out now.
To get an idea of what to expect, you can listen to an excerpt from the Pharoahe interview, where he talks about the process for writing 'Simon Says'. And so we come full circle, back to where we started. My conceptual game is strong. Maybe I should start writing rhymes...
Being invited to appear on a record with hip hop royalty certainly isn't a bad way to kick-start a career.
Ask J.Cole, the newish kid on the block who broke through in a big way last year by going toe-to-toe with Jay-Z on 'A Star Is Born' from Blueprint 3.
Despite that cut being a little on the average side, it seems that the song title for Cole's big time debut could potenitally be a touch on the prophetic side.The North Carolina native has since earned praise and plaudits from all and sundry, based on the handful of leaked tracks that have appeared online in recent months.
Jigga's obviously a fan; he quickly signed the up-and-comer to his Roc Nation management company. But I must admit, I struggled to understand the excitement.
The tide turned a little last week though, following the release of 'Premeditated Murder', a rather cheerily-named cut which gives our man the space to show what he's made of. Listen below as Cole delivers a rather commanding vocal display, assisted by a laid back beat comprised of soulful strings and vibes:
Looks like one to keep an eye on, me thinks. If you like what you hear, check out a slightly poppier Jim Jonsin-produced song that has been tentatively named 'Problems' (although word on the street is that the title isn't going to stick).
Watch out for Cole's debut album, which is scheduled to be released later in 2010.
About a month ago, the press was awash with coverage of the first anniversary of Michael Jackson's death.
A bunch of artists got in to the spirit of things too by recording tributes. But to be honest, I didn't pay much attention. No disrespect to those who put in the effort, but for the most part, I think I'd just prefer to listen to the original.
That was my bad - because as a result, I missed out on modern day soul man Aloe Blacc's blinding rendition of MJ's 'Billie Jean'. Shame on me. Watch below as AB and his band of merry men strip back the original, slowing down the pace and adding their own flourish to proceedings.
You can also download an MP3 of 'Billie Jean' this courtesy of Stone's Throw.
Hearing this has got me back in the mood for Aloe's new album Good Things, due for release later this year (I think my 'I Need A Dollar' hangover has ended). Shout out to Jasper Skinnyarms for showing me the error of my ways with this one.
Before today, I knew nothing about Mac Miller. A quick fact check in the Encyclopedia of White Rappers (I'm not making this up) doesn't really shed too much light on young Mac, except for the fact that he's a teenager from Pittsburgh.
While info on Mac is thin on the ground, I think what's really important is that I've been playing his latest song, 'Kool Aid & Frozen Pizza', for the last 20 minutes. As far as I'm concerned, that's all I need to know.
Here's a quick summary. Mac handles his business on the microphone (although I have to admit that seeing some of the kids in this video makes me feel ooooooollllldddd). And despite his relative lack of years on this earth, Mac obviously has an ear for hip hop of yester-year, too. Look no further than his track selection.
The beat for 'Kool Aid' is something I would have done back flips over 15 years ago. In fact, it's probably some Lord Finesse or Buckwild joint that I can't quite place. Whatever it is, I guess a leopard can't change it's spots, because here I am in 2010... and I still love this shit.
You can watch the video for 'Kool Aid & Frozen Pizza' below:
If you like what you hear, look out for Mac's upcoming mix tape, K.I.D.S., which drops on 13 August.
Oh, and a special shout out to the 15 year old rocking the 'P.A. Kid' tattoo on his sleeve in this video. My man, that shit will age about as well as the dragon and Chinese calligraphy tattoo on my back... but enjoy it while you can. Wise-ish words from a Grumpy Old Man With A Beard.
Ski Beats' long-promised mix tape, 24 Hour Karate School, continues to remain just out of our reach, with the release date being pushed out once again (this time to 7 September).
But if the respected producer's handiwork lives up to the promise that the recently-leaked 'Cream Of The Planet' shows, we'll all be able to forgive and forget.
Good things take time after all - and this track definitely tops the pile of Karate School cuts which have surfaced over the last 6 months.
'Cream' sees Ski drafting in the mighty Mos Def to add his distinctive vocal tones to what is a super-slippery beat. It's a touch smoother than past leaks, with Ski setting the tone by combining a subdued guitar riff and echoing horns which ebb and flow throughout.
As has been par for the course with the whole Karate School project to date, Ski and his cohorts at Creative Control/DD172 have cooked up some rather artistic visuals to accompany 'Cream Of The Planet'.
Picture Mos fading in and out of focus, roaming the streets of NYC at night time while looking all thoughtful-like. Deep, in a chin-strokey kind of way. You can check it out below:
The third and final installment of Skream's Freeizm free download series dropped late last week, and in keeping with the first two volumes, it's a skreamer (boooo to bad puns - sorry, I just can't help myself).
While Freeizm parts 1 and 2 clocked in at four and five tracks long respectively, part 3 includes a whopping nine cuts in total, including six original productions by the man himself, as well as remixes for tracks by Geeneus, Geiom and Dr. Blue and The Time Travellers.
Of course, it all knocks from start to finish. But you knew that. If you like the free-ness (and don't we all?), remember to show some support by spending some of your hard-earneds when Skream's second LP, Out Of The Box, drops in August.
Anyone who has checked out Big Boi's stellar single in the making 'You Ain't No DJ' or has even a passing interest in the plethora of hip hop blogs that float around cyberspace will be familiar with up-and-coming Southern rap dude Yelawolf.
The verbally dexterous Alabama native has been impressing folks with his multi-syllabic, rapid-fire rhymes for a while now, but has slowed it down a touch for his recent collaboration with fellow dirty souther Big K.R.I.T (pictured).
Yela has pumped the breaks a touch to jump on a remix for K.R.I.T's 'Hometown Hero', showing his ability to switch it down a gear while matching his flow to the soulful, slow-rolling beat with aplomb.
K.R.I.T. does his thing too, of course (it's never a good look to get shown up on your own track, is it?), with the Mississippi native showing why he's also fast becoming a hip hop blog favourite.
You can listen to the 'Hometown Hero' remix, which appears on K.R.I.T.s' KRIT Wuz Here mix tape, below. If you like what you hear, head over to The Fader to get your download on. Shouts to the mighty Maz Def for the tip.
Nas and Damian Marley have been taking their Distant Relatives joint show on the road recently, but London has had to wait patiently following an earlier cancellation of an April date.
Okay, so I guess we can't really blame the pair for the no show. Instead, all scorn should be cast in the direction of that damn Icelandic volcano Ejkwhatistname, which decided to blow it's top and bring air traffic to a halt right before Nas and Dam were due to travel to the UK.
The pair made up for lost time on Tuesday night though, jetting their way into London and throwing down a mighty tight set at the Hammersmith Apollo which left even the cynics (case in point - me) happy.
After missing the early set from local lad Ty (my loss... I'm a big fan), I managed to catch a high-energy display from David 'Ram-Jam' Rodigan (this man has to be seen to be believed) before DJ Green Lantern hit the stage.
After working his way through a bunch of classics, Green called a special guest to the stage, with Jay Electronica (who has been mooching around LDN since a performance at Love Box on the weekend) dropping by to spit a few bars from 'Exhibit C'.
But the people were all there to see Nas and Damian do their thing. And do their thing, they did. Running through selections from Distant Relatives, including 'Strong Will Continue', 'Africa Must Wake Up', and the obvious encore, 'As We Enter'.
The boys also managed to give each other the occasional breather by throwing in a selection of their solo hits for good measure (including amongst others 'Nas Is Like' and 'Made You Look' for Nasir, and 'Welcome To Jamrock' for Damian), all of which helped make this show an action-packed affair from start to finish.
You can watch a short video of the show below (bad sound, sorry - I need a new camera). Extra special shout out to the super-entertaining backing singers and the onstage flag bearer (who you can see in the video). How he managed to keep that up for two hours straight is a mystery to me. Big respect.
Pseudo-throwback man Mayer Hawthorne keeps churning out videos from his well-received debut, last year's A Strange Arrangement, with feel-good ditty 'Your Easy Lovin' Ain't Pleasin' Nothin' being the latest tune to make the jump to celluloid (well, flip cam anyway).
It's a pretty simple concept, really. Picture Mayer lounging pool-side, looking rather suave thanks very much, while surrounded by vintage swimsuit-clad females who enjoy a bit of a synchronised dance-off from time to time. Nothing more, nothing less.
For the folks watching this at work, you might want to minimise or switch to a spreadsheet around the time that one of the afore-mentioned lovely ladies exits the pool after the underwater scene. Gratuitous buttock shots a-go-go. Thank me later.
I'll admit to not being blown away by this remix originally, but it's kind of growing on me. We shouldn't expect all the bells and whistles in the world, anyway... it's 16,000 followers, not one million. And hey, it's free! Good looking out, Mr Hawthorne.
The long players continue to roll off the presses thick and fast this summer, and I have to admit that I'm struggling to keep up.
A month or so back, in an effort to cover as many releases in as little time as possible, I ran an article highlighting the early arrivals in the avalanche of albums that tends to hit the shelves every Northern summer.
It worked for me (i.e. it's less time consuming than writing a bunch of full reviews, and suits me due to the fearsome hangover I'm rocking after a fine session of drinking in the sun yesterday), so here comes 'An avalance of album goodness (part two)'.
As was the case with part one, I have three albums on deck today. So without any further ado, here's my shortened thoughts on what's been dominating my iPod.
Big Boi: Sir Lucisous Left Foot: The Son Of Chico Dusty Well, well, well. What to say about this album? For my money, this is one of the stongest hip hop release of the last few years. Sure, we waited a long time for it. But after hearing tracks like the anthemic 'Shutterbugg' or the infectiously bouncy 'You Ain't No DJ', I'm ready to forgive and forget the delays.
Big Boi - 'You Ain't No DJ':
If I'm being honest, up until a few months ago I'd pretty much given up on Sir Lucious ever seeing the light of day. Maybe that lowered my expectations. Whatever the case, I'm not complaining, because it's resulted in BB creating an LP which stands shoulder to shoulder with his earlier records as one half of Outkast. Classic material.
The Roots: How I Got Over Regular readers will be aware that I've got a soft spot for The Roots. But the more observant of you might have also detected that as tracks from their most recent album, How I Got Over, began to leak, I started to question my faith.
Sure, none of the first tracks that dropped were bad, as such. But songs like 'The Fire' seemed to be a contradiction in terms, with very little (if any) fire being displayed.
Cut to How I Got Over being released. What's the verdict? Well, it's all very 'nice'... but 'nice' often translates into 'boring'. Am I being harsh? A little, perhaps. But when it comes to The Roots, I set high standards. But regardless of my doubts, there are a few cuts that peer above the pack, like this one:
The Roots - 'Right On':
For my money, songs like the above, as well as 'The Day' and 'Web 20/20' make How I Got Over a worthwhile, if not jaw-droppingly spectacular addition to The Root's catalogue. But at the end of the day, it's better than most albums out there.
Murs & 9th Wonder: Fornever While albums by Big Boi and The Roots are sure to draw plenty of mainstream attention, Murs and 9th Wonder's Fornever is in a slightly different class.
Sure, there's a die-hard cross-section of hip hop fans that are well aware of what this MC/producer team is capable of, but Murs and 9th pobably won't receive the plaudits bestowed on their more famous comrades. And that's a real shame, because Fornever deserves a lot of exposure for the simple reason that it's flat out dope.
The duo has a history of making good music together of course, kicking off with the classic Murs 3:16 in 2004 and following it up with the solid Murray's Revenge in 2006. And Fornever is another worthy addition to their repetoire.
As you'd expect, Murs is on point on the lyrical front, but it's 9th who has really stepped his game up, delivering some stunning beats (because let's be honest, he can be hit and miss... just saying). Check 'Cigarettes And Liquor' below to get a taste of what to expect, and then buy in the knowledge that you're shelling out your hard-earneds for 10 tracks of heat.
Murs & 9th Wonder - 'Cigarettes and Liquor':
Forgive me for using the music review equivalent of "then I woke up and it was all a dream", but Fornever really is highly recommended. If you like good hip hops, this is for you.
Black Spade is back in action after a few years in the shadows, teaming up with The Smoking Section and Los Angeles boutique Union LA to present his first ever mix tape, Build & Destroy.
Spade - respected for his work as an individual M.C./producer and as part of the obscenely funk Hawthorne Headhunters - has been making mighty fine music for a minute now, offering up slightly wonky yet always soulful hip hop from his base in St. Louis, Missouri.
Build & Destroy follows this same tried and true blueprint, with 18 tracks full of all sorts of beats and pieces to keep you entertained. Spade handles a lot of the production himself (under the guise of alter-ego Stoney Rock), and also borrows from Stevie Wonder, The Beatles, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson and Onra, amongst others.
Spade also calls in favours from regular collaborators such as Adad, Rockwell Knuckles, Corey Black and the insanely talented Coultrain (hunt out his solo stuff, if you can find it), while TSS' Trackstar The DJ pieces the whole thing together well.
To get an idea of what you're in for, check out the 'Ship Has Sailed' Remix featuring Wafeek, 'Planet Rock' featuring Coultrain, or watch the video for 'I Heart':
'Ship Has Sailed (Remix)':
'Planet Rock':
'I Heart':
As I said earlier, this is Spade's first mix tape. Well, I've just found out it's also apparently his last, too. Shortest mix tape career ever? So be it... nothing left to do but get in quick and get your download on herewhile it lasts.
When hip hop fans of the 30-plus age bracket (and many of their younger counterparts, for that matter) recount the greatest hip hop tunes of all time, it's pretty safe to say that Pete Rock & CL Smooth's 'They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)' is always somewhere near the top of the list.
The combination of an absolute monster of a beat from Pete and CL's poignant lyrics certainly struck a chord with many hip hop fans. But 'T.R.O.Y.' is more than just a classic song - it's one of the greatest tribute records ever recorded.
The story behind 'T.R.O.Y.' goes a little something like this. The record is dedicated to the memory of Troy 'Trouble T-Roy' Dixon, a dancer with Heavy D and the Boyz who died after falling from a stage in a freak accident while on tour with Hev, Public Enemy and Kid & Play.
But while the Heavster created a musical tribute to his departed band mate on his 1991 album, Peaceful Journey, it was Hev's cousin Pete Rock and partner in rhyme CL Smooth that really struck at the heartstrings after releasing 'T.R.O.Y' the following year.
Today marks the 20th anniversary of Troy's passing. In order to pay homage, XXL Magazine has pulled together a great feature on the man himself, speaking to former 'Boyz' Eddie F. and G-Whiz, as well as Troy’s daughter, Tantania Dixon, who was 9 months old when her father died, and CL Smooth.
Speaking to XXL, CL recounts his rocky first meeting with T-Roy ("T to the R-uh-O-Y, how did you and I meet?/In front of Big Lou’s, fighting in the street"), saying that despite the their rough start, "In the end we became brothers, we became friends and respected each other at the end of the day.
"I give respect where respect is due and I’m very grateful for everything I think because that move was made that way I’m still here to have a career, I’m still here to entertain the people with a piece like ['T.R.O.Y.']." Word.
You can visit the XXL website to read each tribute, and/or watch the video for 'They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)' below. Rest in peace, T-Roy. Gone, but obviously not forgotten.
You can also visit Nah Right to watch 9th Wonder talk about 'They Reminisce Over You'.
Los Angeles futuristic music-master Flying Lotus has done his bit for 'Best Of' charts the world over, by releasing what will undoubtedly by one of this year's most critically acclaimed albums - the excellent Cosmogramma.
Now he's followed it up with one of the more creative videos you're likely to see in 2010, letting his imagination run away with him to create a warped visual representation of one of Cosmogramma's stand out tracks, the sublime 'MmmHmm', featuring Thundercat.
It's all rather hallucinogenic, really. Think origami turtles and fish, computer game characters and an electric guitar-playing Indian with lightening coming out of his axe (FlyLo, is that you? Or is that Thundercat? The tatoo is making me think it's the latter).
A friendly piece of advice - maybe lay off the LSD for this one. Or not. Check it out below:
Here's a rather ill little beat tape from producer 6th Sense, who has dropped the second installment of It's A 6th Sense Beat Yo!! - a collection of musical concoctions which show the Bronx-based beatsmith's versatility.
Now, let me clear something up before I go on. When I say booming, I don't mean straight up the middle boom-bap from start to finish. Because as it turns out, 6th is able to mix up tempos and styles with ease.
For every hip hop beat of the more traditional variety (like his re-rub of De La Soul's 'Eye Know', or 'The Warship' - a skillful re-working of Edwin Starr's 'War'), there's a selection of experimental, electronic offerings (like, say, 'Sounds From The Front Row') or reggae-tinged goodies ('Airborne').
There's 34 beats on offer here, including instrumentals which 6th has crafted for artists such as B.o.B., Bun B, Kardinal Offishall, Talib Kweli, Chip Tha Ripper, Mick Boogie, The Kid Daytona, Mickey Factz, and more.
And regardless of what style he employs, 6th has done a good job of making sure It's A 6th Sense Beat Yo!! Volume 2 hits from start to finish. This is a pleasant surprise that's well worth your download time. You can get busy below:
Keyboard connoisseur Dam-Funk has earned a fair few fans over the last couple of years thanks to storming instrumental cuts like 'Hood Pass Intact' - arguably the stand out track off his 5-LP monster set, Toeachizown.
Now Dam has joined forces with the legendary MC Eiht to create a vocal version of 'Hood Pass', with the former Compton's Most Wanted main man - who added that seminal piece of slang, 'gyeah', to the hip hop vernacular, amongst many other achievements - dropping some left coast-flavoured lyrics into the mix.
Dam and Eiht have history, of course. DF cut his teeth in the music business by putting in work as a session musician on many classic West Coast hip hop records, including records for Eiht and CMW, but 'Hood Pass Intact' is the pair's first musical meeting in over a decade.
I'll admit that I'm not mad about the R&B-esque vocals that dominate the middle of the track. But it's always great to listen to Eiht, who is still sounding sharp (particularly when he punches back in to deliver his second verse). Always look on the bright side, kids.
You can listen to and/or download Dam-Funk's 'Hood Pass Intact' featuring MC Eiht:
The vocal version of 'Hood Pass Intact' will be released on 12" by Stone's Throw, and also features the vocals of SLAVE lead singer Steve Arrington on the track '4 My Homies', which is a precursor to an upcoming full-length collaboration between him and Dam.
Rounding out the four-track release are contributions from Devonwho on the instrumental re-edit of Toeachizown’s 'Come On Outside' and JT Donaldson and TK co-producing the non-album single 'How It Be Between U & Me?' Visit the Stone's Throw website to order a copy.
Rick Ross' Teflon Don LP is in stores next week, so naturally tracks are leaking like a sieve. One such song that's been floating around for a few weeks now is 'Super High', a slippery little smoker's anthem featuring schmoozy crooner Ne-Yo.
But while the original is all good, it's the 'Sativa Remix' that's got me lifted (excuse the bad weed pun - me and smoke aren't friends so I don't keep up with the latest dope slang).
In order to get the internet kids on side, Ricky reached out to Curren$y and Wiz Khalifia (a couple of youngsters who seem to get the blog/chat room masses excited) to bless what's known as the 'Super High (Sativa Remix)'.
As is the way these days, the Sativa mix isn't really a remix in the traditional sense (the beat is the same as the original after all), but the guest M.C.s add another dimension to this laid-back smoker's anthem.
As the song title suggests, 'Super High' is all about Ross, Wiz and Spitta singing the praises of... well, you can figure it out. It's clearly something they all enjoy, too, as the recently released video for this song shows. Look at Ricky in the picture above. Look at his wee face. Isn't he a happy chappy? Aw...Bless.
You can watch the video for Rick Ross' 'Super High (Sativa Remix)' featuring Curren$y and Wiz Khalifa below:
Have you ever wondered about Ice Cube's views on the role of the family? Or how about what he thinks about home schooling?
Of course you haven't. But if you've got a spare 20 minutes, why not listen to Cube drop some science on these subjects, and others which will undoubtedly be of far more interest (the birth and death of N.W.A., or how he was drafted into Boyz In Da Hood, for example).
Cube recently sat down at Sylvia's Restaurant in Harlem with Hot 97's Angie Martinez, ESPN's Stephen A. Smith and the self-styled 'Media Assassin' Harry Allen to break bread over his long and storied career.
The result is an interesting package of footage, with Cube offering his two cents worth on the afore-mentioned topics, as well as discussing why he's previouly stated that making comedies in Hollywood is "the path of least resistance for black people."
Pharoahe Monch compared signing with a major label to being a form of slavery on his last album, 2007's Desire. So what's he done to improve his situation? He's started his own independent label, that's what. Very proactive. I like the hustle.
Pharoahe's new venture, named W.A.R. Media, sees the veteran M.C. join forces with Duck Down Records (who know a thing or two about independent success).
Naturally, the first release from this new label will be an album by the man himself (which is also entitled W.A.R., or We Are Renegades). To kick off the project, Pharoahe has hooked up with fellow veteran Diamond (don't forget the D) and vocalist Mela Machinko to create a track called 'Sunshine', which you can listen to below:
If I'm being honest, I'm not really head-over-heels in love with 'Sunshine' at this point, but I'm gonna give it a minute to sink in before I make my mind up (because I bet Pharoahe can't wait for my verdict).
For the meantime, listen away to your heart's content. If you've got any burning thoughts on 'Sunshine', post them in the comments section. The best answer will win the praise and adulation of your peers (I can hear the witty comments being dreamt up already).
Here's a nice little blend/remix ting from Cookin' Soul, who have taken Qunicy Jones' summertime classic 'Summer In The City' and slapped it together with Jay-Z and Lil Wayne's 'Hello Brooklyn' to create 'Summer in Brooklyn'.
It's not rocket science really, but it's done well, with Quincy's midas touch adding a more laid back vibe to the booming bass that underpinned the Jigga/Weezy original.
But while the cut is undoubtedly nice, the accompanying video is the real cherry on top.
Director Greg Solenström has pieced together a quality edit, comprising still images of the BK (Brooklyn, not Burger King) and laying the lyrics over top. It sounds simple, and it is. But it's pretty damn striking. Check it out for yourself.
You can download 'Summer In Brooklyn (Cookin Soul Remix)' by following the links to the vocal and/or instrumental versions.
You could be forgiven for thinking that Talib Kweli is some sort of prophetic figure, following on from all the environmental fuckery that's been taking place in the Gulf of Mexico over the last few months.
Thanks to the posse at British Petroleum (well, that's what Barack Obama calls them - everyone else involved in this international bun fight calls them BP), the waters of the Gulf are being contaminated by a gajillion barrels of oil a second. Well, something like that anyway.
It wouldn't surprise most hip hop fans to learn that Kweli, being the globally aware sort of fellow that he is, has been moved to pen a song about the evils of oil. So here it is: 'The Ballad Of The Black Gold', one of the stand-out cuts on Kweli and production partner Hi-Tek's recently released Reflection Eternal album, Revolutions Per Minute)
But before you marvel at Kweli's Nostradamus-like prediction skills, let's just be clear; 'The Ballad Of The Black Gold' isn't strictly about the BP leak. It's actually about the politics and problems that have surrounded oil since, well, forever. Sorry to burst any bubbles.
Now, in what is a very timely act, a new video for 'Black Gold' has just been released. Talk about striking while the iron is hot. Kweli's PR people should be employed by BP to help them get out of their PR mess.
The video, which was directed by Sam Ellison, is a well-produced number, splicing together footage of oil leaks and conflicts over oil with oil-covered records and speakers, and people looking none to pleased to have oil dripping from their hands.
But regardless of how displeased they might be, I'll bet my stock portfolio (it doesn't include oil shares, in case you were wondering) that no one is as annoyed as BP CEO Tony Hayward, who makes a very brief, but rather unwelcome appearance in the video. Ouch.
You can watch the video and listen to the audio of 'The Ballad Of The Black Gold' by Reflection Eternal below:
Dubstep don Skream continues to give up the goodness via Twitter, releasing the second installment of his Freeizm series this afternoon (if you missed the first one, you can check it out here).
No indepth reviews on this one...all you need to know is that there's five tracks of the dubstep persuasion awaiting your click and drag. Oh, and they're all quality, too. Oh, and it's free (as it says on the tin). Go on...what have you got to lose?
Skream - Freeizm 2: 1. Dark Light 2. Arola 3. Disturbin Toyz 4. Sine-Us 5. Loefah - Indian Dub (Skreamix)
If Skream's hand-me-downs are this good, his new album Outside The Box will definitely be worth a listen. Skream's second full-length album, which features appearances from Los Angeles MC Murs and popstress La Roux, will be released on 9 August.
Everyone has their guilty pleasures. Some people enjoy deep-fried Mars bars. Others enjoying plane spotting (no names).
I have a few indulgences I keep on the down low myself, of course. But when it comes to music, it's hard for me to go past Rick 'The Bawse' Ross.
Ricky has chased the American dream of fame and fortune ever since he turned in his correctional officer's badge. And it's worked out pretty well, too.
The Bawse has sold a bunch of albums, and is rather rich by all accounts. But is he really happy? Really? Well, yeah, by the sound of his music, I think he probably is, actually.
But there's one thing that stands head and shoulders over anything else that Ross covets. And that, my friends, is fine automobiles. Not any old luxury car will do, mind you. For Ricky, it's all about the Maybachs, baby.
Ross has been extolling the virtues of Maybachs for years, and has even recorded a couple of songs ('Maybach Music' and 'Maybach Music II') singing their praises.
With a new RR album, Teflon Don, coming out later this month, fans will be happy to know that Ricky has recorded a third installment of the series (called... wait for it... 'Maybach Music III' - where does he get his originality from?).
Regular R.Ross producers J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League have come to the party for 'MMIII', creating a sweeping, cinematic track for Rick and his special guests T.I., Jadakiss, and the lovely Erykah Badu to do their thing over. It's over the top and ostentatious. And I like it. So there.
On a side note, I'm not really sure how 'Maybach Music' fits in with Erykah's outlook on life... who knows, perhaps Rick Ross is one of her guilty pleasures too. Watch out for a video which is apparently being directed by Badu soon.
You can listen to 'Maybach Music III' by Rick Ross, featuring T.I., Jadakiss and Erykah Badu, below:
Hip hop can be a rather serious pursuit at times, but I always enjoy it when an MC injects a little fun into their music. Case in point? Well, how about the new video from UK MC turned comedian Doc Brown?
Doc has been kicking about for a while now, but probably isn't what you'd call a household name. But instead of sulking about it, Mr Brown has decided to point out his redeeming features on a new song called 'Handz Up'.
Most artists look for some way to differentiate themselves from the pack. Doc is no exception, and might be on to a winner with his special skill - hand gestures.
As he says on the video for 'Handz Up' (which features a cameo from the BBC's Tim Westwood), "Jay-Z's got riches, Snoop's got bitches/But I got the best trademark in the business/I'm the man the fans will stand next ta/To see the hip hop king of hand gestures."
Okay, so some things are better witnessed than read about. Please, watch this video before I make it any less funny. Nice work, Doc:
The mighty Mystro is back, roaring out of West London with a new single, 'Around My Way', and an accompanying video which shows one of the UK's finest M.C.'s taking it to the streets, literally.
As the title suggests, 'Around My Way' sees the self-styled Natural Born Spitta offering up a blow-by-blow account of life in his neighbourhood. But don't expect any serious "my hood is tougher than yours" chat here.
If you're familiar with Mys Diggi's work, you'll know that he's usually got his tongue pretty firmly planted in his cheek, and is never afraid to have a little fun - and 'Around My Way' (which is produced by Kiss 100's DJ Swerve) is no exception. You can listen below:
Mystro - 'Around My Way':
As such, it makes sense that the video for 'Around My Way' is pretty light hearted too. Watch on as Mys takes to the streets (and the Tube trains) of London to dish out some free hip hop, rhyming for crowds out of the goodness of his heart rather than to make some £'s.
I'll take this over the free hugs dished out by random high-on-lifers any day:
'Around My Way' will appear on Mystro's upcoming EP, Digmund Freud, which is scheduled to be released in September, and includes production from Swerve, DJ Flip, and Jehst.
Gene and Terrence Thornton know how to put on a show.
The brothers Thornton (better known individually by their more street-savvy monikers of Malice and Pusha T, or collectively as the Clipse) have tackled their fair share of live shows during their careers, peddling their unique blend of coke-rap to the far corners of the globe.
Mal and Push's globe trotting ways saw them land on European soil not so long ago (I think?), with the pair hitting the stage at the legendary Elysee Monmartre in Paris to give French hip hop fans a taste of the real.
The Red Bull Music Academy Radio team was on hand to document the occasion, as the Clipse run through a selection of their hits past and present, from 'Grindin' and 'When The Last Time' through to 'I'm Good'.
Seeing as the RBMA are such a generous bunch, they're streaming the whole show (which was recorded through the sound desk) in all it's glory. Check it below, along with a few of the original tracks the boys run through to help get you in the mood for the uncut raw:
What do you get when you take two of the best mix tape DJs in the game and a whole bunch of summer anthems, and lock them in a room together? The soundtrack to BBQ season, that's what.
That's right folks...the gang over at UNDRCRWN (the same geezers who bought you DJ Jazzy Jeff's stellar Michael Jackson tribute mix He's The King, I'm The DJ last year) are back at it, linking up with JJ once again and drafting the mighty Mick Boogie to get in on the act too.
The result is Summertime: The Mix Tape, a sunny and soulful mix up of quality hip hop, funk and soul that knocks from start to finish.
Each of the 49 tracks on Summertime deal with any and everything that's summer-related. Whether it's odes to the sunshine (like, say, Kool & The Gang's 'Summer Madness' or Quincy Jones's 'Summer In The City') or songs that UNDRCRWN say "just feel like the sunshine season" (enter Nine's 'Watchuwant' or Skee-Lo's 'I Wish'), it's all hot.
Nine - 'Watchuwant':
Skee-Lo - 'I Wish':
As you'd expect, Summertime is cut and diced with pin point precision by JJ and Boogie. These guys know how mix tapes work, hands down - check the transition from LL Cool J's 'Loungin' into A Tribe Called Quest's 'Hot Sex' for proof. Hot damn.
1. Summertime Intro 2. Kool & The Gang: Summer Madness (Live Version) 3. Kool & The Gang: Summer Madness 4. Quincy Jones: Summer In The City 5. Ahmad: Back In The Day 6. Ice Cube: It Was A Good Day 7. Roy Ayers f/ Mary J Blige: Everybody Loves The Sunshine 8. Pharcyde: Passin’ Me By (Ffej Remix) 9. Jay-Z f/ Babyface: Sunshine 10. Ramsey Lewis: Sun Goddess 11. A Tribe Called Quest: Find A Way (Ffej String Edit) 12: Bush Babies f/ Mos Def: The Love Song 13. Jodeci: Get On Up 14. The Commodores: High On Sunshine 15. J Dilla f/ Dwele : Think Twice 16. Erick Sermon f/ Marvin Gaye: Music (Mick’s Marvapella Edit) 17. Bernard Wright: Who Do You Love 18. LL Cool J: Loungin’ 19. A Tribe Called Quest: Hot Sex 20. Main Source: Live At The BBQ 21. Nuyorican Soul: Nautilus 22. Pharcyde & Sublime: Summertime 23. Fresh Prince and Jazzy Jeff: Summertime Remix 24. Michael Jackson: I Can’t Help It 25. De La Soul: Breakdawn 26. Musiq: Just Friends 27. Carl Thomas: Summer Rain 28. Faze-O: Riding High 29. Dionne Warwick: Walk On By 30. Skee-Lo: I Wish 31. Black Moon: Who Got The Props 32. Frankie Beverly and Maze: Before I Let Go 33. Nu Shooz: I Can’t Wait 34. Montell Jordan: This Is How We Do It 35: The Roots f/ George Benson: Breezin’ 36: Fresh Prince and Jazzy Jeff: Time To Chill 37. Biggie: Can’t You See 38. James Brown: The Payback 39. En Vogue: My Lovin’ 40. Bobby McFerrin: Sunshine Of My Life 41. Fifth Dimension: Let The Sun Shine In 42. Mos Def: Sunshine 43. Nine: Whatcha Want 44. Otis Redding: Sittin’ On The Dock 45. 2Pac: I Get Around (Mick’s String Edit) 46. Zapp: Computer Love (Terry’s Mirage On The Water Mix) 47. Seals And Croft: Summer Breeze 48. Jay-Z: Dear Summer 49. Weldon Irvine: Morning Sunrise
Janelle Monae has been floating around for a few years now, but after guesting on tunes by Outkast and Big Boi and releasing a Grammy-nominated EP (2007's Metropolis), she seemingly faded into the background for a minute.
That's all changed now, though. Janelle seems to be enjoying quite the buzz following the recent release of The ArchAndroid, a diverse album combining elements of pop, jazz, R&B, soul and hip hop, and boasting a rather sci-fi tinged back story to boot.
The ArchAndroid focuses on the adventures of Cindi Mayweather, a character introduced in Monáe’s debut release Metropolis. Apparently, Mayweather has been sent to free the citizens of Metropolis from the Great Divide, a secret society using time travel to suppress freedom and love throughout the ages.
Alright, so unless you're a Trekkie or a comic book fan, that actually sounds pretty lame, doesn't it? Just trust me on this one, though - it works.
The ArchAndroid's first single, 'Tightrope' has been gaining steady play over the last few months. Now, Monae and co. have released a remix with hip hoppers in mind, with the daring diva drafts in ATL-ien B.o.B. and the usually annoying Lupe Fiasco to drop a few gems in place of Big Boi's verse on the original
On a side note for all you fact fans, Big actually helped unearth Monae, signing her to his Purple Ribbon label back in the post-Outkast days. He also executive produces The ArchAndroid. Riveting stuff. Now, back to our scheduled programme.
The Wondamix of 'Tightrope' sees the swinging tempo of the original cut replaced by a heavier hip hop beat and some rock guitar. B.o.B. (rocking a rather camp sailor suit) and Lupe (who sounds a little less whiney than normal) both put in strong performances, trading verses with Janelle, who shows that not only can she sing, but she can also throw down on the rhyme tip, too.
You can listen to the Wondamix of 'Tightrope' or watch the accompanying video below:
With so many mix tapes flying around, it's pretty hard for artists to get more than a minute in the spotlight. But Von Pea (of Tanya Morgan fame) has come up with a smart idea to combat this problem.
Rather than having one shot at reaching as many fans as possible by dropping a mix tape in it's entirety, Pea has been leaking tracks off his upcoming release, So Motivational: The Most Skullduggery Of Mix Tapes,one by one.
It might not quite be treating the fans mean, but it's definitely a good way to keep them keen.
As of today, Von has now liberated all of So Motivational's 14 tracks - and after a couple of listens, I'm feeling pretty much all of what is a very varied release. It's one which I would happily pay for, too... if Von can give this away, his upcoming new album must be fire.
There's sure to be something that will float your boat, here, from the boogie-esque nod to De La Soul's 'Roller Skating Jam Named Saturday' on 'And Rollerskates (2010)' through to the sublime strings of the slamming 'Something Better' (where Von claims that "I made a career out of making everyone's faces turning ugly" - which was exactly what I did the first time I heard this).
So Motivational sets the scene for Von Pea's album proper, Pea's Got To Have It, which is due for release 6 September (Labor Day, for the American readers).
New music today from the M.C. formerly known as Medaphoar, who stayed a step ahead in of this era of downsizing and cutbacks by shortening his nom de plume to MED years ago (understated, yet bold... I like it).
MED and his label Stone's Throw have just served up a free download for a cut by the name of 'Classic', an airy, guitar-laced jam featuring Talib Kweli (by the way Mr. Kweli, any chance you can pull some strings so we can get Revolutions Per Minutein the UK for less than a Ryan Air flight to Europe? Thanks.)
There's not much info on 'Classic' at present, with Stone's Throw only saying that it's "possibly from the forthcoming MED album. We'll be announcing more about this project in coming weeks."
I'm not even exactly sure who produced this bad boy. The e-mail from Stones Throw says Madlib, but the image and Soundcloud page say Karriem Riggins. Oh, the confusion! When will it end?
For those of you who are knowledgeable on the trademark sounds and programming patterns of 'Lib vs. Riggins, you can a). have your say on who you think produced 'Classic' in the comments section below, and then b). go outside and kick a ball around or something. You obviously have far too much time on your hands.
Hip hop doesn't have to be complicated to be effective. Take Pharoahe Monch's 'Simon Says' for example - an anthem if ever I heard one. You know the one... chorus goes a little something like: "Get The Fuck Up/Simon Says Get The Fuck Up". That's not too hard to remember, is it?
Being invited to appear on a record with hip hop royalty certainly isn't a bad way to kick-start a career.
