Competition: Mr Thing @ Auckland & Wellington - Ticket Giveaways

Everyone loves free stuff. And chances are, if you're visiting this site you love a bit of hip hop cut, sliced and diced to within an inch of its life.

So hats off to DJ Hudge/The Boom Bap and Maz Def Productions, who have been kind enough to bless us with double passes to give away to this weekend's Mr Thing shows in Auckland (Saturday) and Wellington (Friday).

For those that don't know, Thing is a turntable beast. The former Scratch Pervert has the skills to pay multiple large bills, and the selection to back it up (as anyone who has seen him live or heard his Champion Nerd mix tape can tell you).

New Music: Pace Won – 'Nancy'

Following on from Homeboy Sandman's effort from a few weeks back, New Jersey rhyme animal Pace Won rumbles in today with his offering for Ricky Shabazz and the Boom Bap Boys' upcoming Free Shabazz 2 project.

Pace brings a broducer by the name of Mr. Green along for the ride, with the beats man lining up a chunky Sister Nancy sample to create a little reggaefied sing-along number by the name of 'Nancy'

New Music: Errythang Gang – 'Schnaps on the Petro'

It's been a while since I've posted up anything from the pride of Seattle, Dyme Def (a good couple of years in fact). So let's right that wrong right now.

Ladies and gents, may I present to you, Errythang Gang, the latest side project from DD member Brain and a gentleman by the name of Young Gizzle (I'm hoping that's pronounced with a 'g' rather than a 'j' sound).

I know very little about Errythang Gang (aside of the wealth of information I've laid on you above), but a good song is a good song regardless of the details.

New Music: Nas - Accident Murderers (Feat. Rick Ross)

The leaks from Nas' impending LP Life As Good are coming thick and fast.

That can only mean one thing; we're under a month and counting until what is easily my most anticipated hip hop album of this year hits the shelves.

Actually, on second thoughts, it more likely means that it's under two weeks until some underling leaks Life Is Good in its entirety.

Either way, Nasir's latest opus is going to be a goodie, as the latest leaky-leak shows and proves.

New Music: Kid Koala - '5 Bit Blues'

Turntable terror Kid Koala's been a little M.I.A. from the old music releasing scene recently.

But the Kid is back and at it today, premiering a new single, '5 Bit Blues', off a soon-to-be-released LP on Ninja Tune, 12 Bit Blues.

New Music: yU - 'I Believe' (Oddisee Remix)

Diamond District pair yU and Oddisee have linked up to continue their Mello Music Group label's great run of giving away great music.

O has been kind enough to sprinkle his magical beat dust on buddy Y's 'I Believe', one of the better cuts from the latter's most recent album The Earn.

Alright, it's late in the day, and so is this post (this cut was emailed to me a few days back don't you know), so I'm going to let the label do the talking now.

Video: Slum Village - 'Reppin'

The kings of Conant Gardens, Slum Village, keep keeping on with their latest mix tape, The Dirty Slums, launching a new video today for the Mick Boogie-assisted release's closing cut, 'Reppin'.

Special shout outs to SV for pushing the milk and cereal buzz down at the corner store on this here video, by the way. No Cristal for these boys; no sir, just a quart of milk and a big box of Cap'n Crunch. Proper.

Video: Danny Brown - 'Grown Up'

Danny Brown has been mighty entertaining as of late, both on the microphone and on screen.

Today, he's keeping his run going on both fronts with a killer clip for a killer tune, 'Grown Up'.

'Grown Up' sees Brown telling tale over a top beat from Party Supplies, complete with a scratch chorus from DMC champion DJ Shiftee.

Mix Tape: The Nextmen vs Lovebox 2012 - A Decade Of Love

Love is in the air this weekend over in London Town thanks to the arrival of Lovebox, one of the red letter days on the British festival calendar.

This year's three day love-in marks a decade of good times in the Big Smog - a cause for celebration in itself.

So who better to get the party started and suitably mark 10 years of frivolity in the same breath than The Nextmen?

Album Stream: Smoke DZA - Rugby Thomson

Smoke DZA has followed his Jet Life running mate Curren$y's recent lead, posting his soon to be released new LP, Rugby Thompson, in it's entirety for a bit of stream before you buy.

Spin.com get the scoop on this one, offering the stream of an LP which features beats courtesy of Harry Fraud and guest shots from Action Bronson, Domo Genesis, Curren$y, Sean Price and Schoolboy Q.

New Music: !llmind - Throwblaps Volume One

Time for a little beat tape action courtesy of producer !illmind, who's dropped off a new compilation of instrumental beats for you to freestyle to. Or in my case, mow the lawns. With my suburban ass.

Throwblaps Volume One features ten tasty beats from the turn of the 2000's, with !llmind getting over his initial reluctance to unleash his old creations on the public at large.

"I had this idea a long time ago, but was always reluctant to put it out," he says. "I’ve got more than 3,000 beats I made over several years, on several hard drives. I knew most of them will probably never see the light of day, until now! 

New Music: Homeboy Sandman – 'Rated Ours'

You heard of Ricky Shabazz and the Boom Bap Boys? I hadn't until a few minutes ago, when I stumbled across a new Homeboy Sandman track with their name attached.

A bit of digital digging (Googling, in other words) helped me unearth the following from the crew's website.

Mr Shabazz and the triple Bs are a "gang of filmmakers, musicians, writers, graphic designers, corrupt politicians, lab monkey's, juggalos, jugglers, and cottage cheese."

According to their website, the whole movement was formed  by Mr. Richard Shabazz in 1988 as a get rich quick scheme.

New Music: The Alchemist – Flight Confirmation

The Alchemist launches a new cut off his upcoming compilation LP, Russian Roulette, drafting in relative new boys (well, relative to Al, anyways) Danny Brown and ScHoolboy Q to grace 'Flight Confirmation'.

The tune is quintessential Alchemist, with a slow tempo and some hypnotic, exotic samples (read: a woman speaking in a language I don't understand) setting the table for DB and Q.

Mix Tape: DJ Jazzy Jeff & Mick Boogie - Summertime 3

As the mercury plunges down here in the Southern Hemisphere, the sun is shining on the top half of the globe.

No point in us Southerners being all bitter on our limited Vitamin D intake though, because DJ Jazzy Jeff and Mick Boogie have been kind enough to send us a little mix tape of sunshine.

Summertime 3 is the third installment in the duo's annual salute to all that is good with the warm months.

Live: Questlove’s Bonnaroo Superjam (Feat. D’Angelo)

(c) Questlove

Hows about a nice little super jam to start off the day? Sound good? Well, thanks to Questlove and the Funk It blog, I've got the most super of jams for your early morning missions.

Quest held centre stage at the Bonnaroo Music Festival this weekend, assembling a crack cast of musicians to roll through tunes by the likes of Funkadelic, Curtis Mayfield, Jimi Hendrix and Led Zepplin.

Long time allies like James Poyser, Kirk Douglas and Frankie Knuckles were in on the act, adding their funky talents to the mix.

But the man that everyone was talking about was the one and only D'Angelo (pictured), with the reclusive R&B-ster (up until recently at least) hitting the stage for his first U.S. performance in 12 long years.

New Music: Oddisee - Way In Way Out

From what I've heard, Oddisee's People Hear What They See LP is set to be a banger, and the first official leak, 'Way In Way Out', certainly backs me up.

Backed by a killer beat that's swimming in brass and booming kicks, 'Way In Way Out' sees Oddisee eloquently sum up the gap between the haves and the have-nots in the US of A (a theme that applies to the whole world these days, me thinks).

Video: Action Bronson - 'Steve Wynn'

Every body's favourite American-Albanian rapper, Action Bronson, is back at it today, hitting the gym in aid of a new video from his recent Blue Chips mix tape.

Action's penchant for rolling out slightly obscure song titles is still alive and kicking, with Las Vegas magnate Steve Wynn the latest lucky recipient of a cut named in his honour.

Video: Children Of The Night – 'Kids From Queens'

Children Of The Night keep the home fires burning for their latest album, Queens...Revisited, dropping a new video for one of its better tracks'Kids From Queens'.

Normal hip hop fare, here: shots of a party, some BBQ lovin' and a bit of local architecture (including fellow Queens resident Action Bronson's video favourite, the Unisphere).

Simple it might be, but it's all done up in a tasteful way by director Matthew Caron (read: black and white footage - yep, I'm easily pleased).

New Music: Gensu Dean - 'In My Head' (Feat. Brand Nubian)

Mellow Music Group mackdaddy Gensu Dean returns to the boards for a new tune with throwback fellows Brand Nubian today (well, some of them anyway - where's Puba at?)

'In My Head' - which features on Gensu's album Lo​-​Fi Fingahz - is some straight up hip hop business, with Gensu creating a bumping cut with swirling synths and video game sound effects.

Mix Tape: DJ Vee - H*E*R*D Mix

I'm dusting off an oldie but an undeniable goodie today, thanks to international mystery man DJ Vee going digital with his most excellent mix tape, H*E*R*D.

This mix was the cause of much beard strokery in the GOMWAB's former North London digs three-odd years ago when it was released on IndiBritKiwi Vee's excellent The Elephant label.

H*E*R*D ticks what I'm guessing are all the boxes for readers of this site.

Album Stream: Curren$y - The Stoned Immaculate (+ Bonus Tracks)

Curren$y - a.k.a. Captain Greenthumb - has decided to let the cat out of the bag a little early today, posting his latest album, The Stoned Immaculate, in full on Soundcloud for your listening pleasure.

Like a bit of try before you buy? Here's your chance, then...sit back, relax and listen.

 For those of you after a physical/digital copy to call your very own, The Stoned Immaculate is released next week (5 June):