Tuesday 29 June 2010
Aloe Blacc - Billie Jean
I've been on Aloe since he was a rapper-slash-R&B cat.
Nice to see him blow with the [amazing] "I Need A Dollar" song... Now he gives us his version on Billie Jean, and in my opinion he can't do no wrong for the moment.
Soulful...
10 DEEP - Killin' Time
10.DEEP Killin' Time from 10.DEEP Skateboarding on Vimeo.
NY skating... dope.
Everyone looks crisp draped in 10Deep attire too.
Friday 25 June 2010
Flashback Friday
This video footage is from shades of hip hop during the making of the n.o.r.e. album.
50 cent, Consequence, Punchline, Noreaga and Kid Carpi holding up the wall in the background. 1997... It's almost like this video captures the moment before Hip-Hop sold it's soul.
Funny to see that Fiddy has gotten slimmer while the rest of em have packed on the keys.
Dope cypher, it's great to get a glimpse behind the scenes and to get a sense of the awesome atmosphere and genuine excitement that surround Hip-Hop music at that time.
Tuesday 22 June 2010
General Steele - Amerikkka's Skemin'
Steele [of Tek-n-Steele aka Cocoa Brovas aka Smif-Wesson] laces a gutter beat with some deep Illuminati tainted lyrics.
Needless to say I'm extremely excited at the prospect of seeing Steele and the rest of the Boot Camp Clik murk it in Germany, this Summer. They came hard last time I saw 'em in Brussels.
I'm diggin' it...
Tuesday 15 June 2010
Grog Metal Head
Following the success of the KRINK metal ball point pens, GROG has released their version.Boasting a 4mm point that can write on just about anything.
Monday 14 June 2010
Fashawn - Ode To Illmatic
Ok so here it is. Fashawn, the CA rhyme-smith has released a mixtape that is [as the title suggests] an Ode To Illmatic.I downloaded it a few days ago but decided to let it percolate before posting it to the blog. Here's the deal, I like Fashawn - he's good but I LOVE Illmatic. So "redoing" Illmatic in any way would instantly activate the cringe-factor, similar to when you hear some X-Factor contestant massacre a Marvin Gaye classic - no matter how well they might sing.
So for the first few listens I was uneasy. Fashawn lacks the buttery smoothness to his delivery that cemented Nas' debut a classic. However, that's not to say that it's bad by any means. In an age of mediocre Hip Hop mixtapes being released at a rate that by the time you've finished downloading one there's a new one out - which ultimately leaves a lot of them instantly forgettable - this one will probably stick around a while.
A particular favorite of mine is the reinterpretation of Life's Bitch, where Talib plays the role of AZ and absolutely murks it.
So on the whole, once you let it breath a little and give Fashawn a chance to be himself over the classic bangers and not expect to hear Nas the album really grew on me. The one gripe I do have is that [and I know I'm not alone with this one] along with Gangstarr's Moment Of Truth [RIP Guru] I can't help but mouth the lyrics to every track, cuts and all. So I did find my self attempting to complete the verses with Nas' original lyrics and feeling slightly put out when Fashawn dropped his knowledge instead.
Illmatic...
Download HERE.
Saturday 12 June 2010
Seeing double
Hanon Shop recently dropped some images of their collaboration with Clarks. I looked at 'em and though - "Yeah, they're pretty fresh." Then I looked down at my feet and was thought "hang about..."
This is what I was looking at. My pair of Gourmet L'Cinque that I copped last year. Biting or just a coincidence?
I'll let you decide...
AG - Infected
Following the overly dope SBX video I thought it was only right to bless you with a brand spanking new AG tune - Infected.Coming of the Bronx native's forthcoming LP Everything's Berri, out the 29th of June.
Listen/Download HERE.
SBX - Holding Down Tradition
"Spine Magazine brings to light Jun Ohki's 2005 short film
SBX!: Holding Down The Tradition, a cult classic set in the heart of hip-hop and featuring unearthed battle footage from the late eighties. Part long form music video and part documentary, SBX! stars a powerful line-up of hip-hop figures and underground celebrities, among them Show & AG, Lord Finesse, Percee P, Party Arty, D-Flow, Edan and Dave Tompkins."
Damn son, this shit got me hype. This is the type of thing that, in my eyes, epitomizes Hip Hop. NY projects, baggy garms, banging beats, slick lyrics - that grimy 90's flex... So ill.
Word is bond...
[Via: BNTL]
Wednesday 9 June 2010
Tuesday 8 June 2010
Sampling
Copyright Criminals from IndiePix on Vimeo.
Copyright Criminals examines the creative and commercial value of musical sampling, including the related debates over artistic expression, copyright law, and (of course) money.
This documentary traces the rise of hip-hop from the urban streets of New York to its current status as a multibillion-dollar industry. For more than thirty years, innovative hip-hop performers and producers have been re-using portions of previously recorded music in new, otherwise original compositions. When lawyers and record companies got involved, what was once referred to as a “borrowed melody” became a “copyright infringement.” The film showcases many of hip-hop music’s founding figures like Public Enemy, De La Soul, and Digital Underground—while also featuring emerging hip-hop artists from record labels Definitive Jux, Rhymesayers, Ninja Tune, and more.
It also provides an in-depth look at artists who have been sampled, such as Clyde Stubblefield (James Brown’s drummer and the world’s most sampled musician), as well as commentary by another highly sampled musician, funk legend George Clinton.As artists find ever more inventive ways to insert old influences into new material, this documentary asks a critical question, on behalf of an entire creative community: Can you own a sound?
Personally, I'm a huge fan of sampled music. Sampling itself has given rise to so many new and innovative genres of music - almost all forms of modern music for that matter.
I can understand artists getting pissed off about their music being used by someone else but then in a lot of cases the original would probably never have even been heard by a wider audience. Sampling keeps old [good] music alive.
Shit, it's even reached some postmodern madness whereby people are sampling the sample of a sample.
I could rant about this all day...
It's musical evolution. 'Nuff said...
[via Copyright Criminals]
Illustrate - Back On The Juice
Found this guy (thanks to Fresh Daily's blog) and it's pretty decent.
Not to be confused with the UK's Illustrate [aka Ollie Bates].
Anyway, both these cats share their similarities: [yeah, they're both white boys...] both have skills on the mic when it comes to weaving lyrical stories as well as being crafty with the production tools and cooking up a sick beat.
Interesting...
Big L Interview '95
Monday 7 June 2010
New Era Maintenance
If you're anything like me - you rock fitteds [or snapbacks for that matter].New Era, the monopolizers of the fitted game, have released this nifty cleaning kit.
As you can see it includes a cap brush - that looks suspiciously like a suede brush [allow it] and a little "antibacterial deodorant" spray, that supposedly cleans and protects.
Clean...
Vengeance Family - 1st Roll Of The Dice
Following a post I did on my man Prozak the Pro last month he was kind enough to hit me up with the link to his cliques' first album - 1st Roll Of The Dice. I think this initially dropped about about a year or two ago, but it still sounds fresh. Definitely worth checking, don't sleep on these guys!Coming straight out Manchester, Vengeance Fam bring some slick flows and imaginative lyrics over some well arranged samples contaminated with a healthy dose of grime.
Probably the only Mancunians to be allowed in 11 Downing Street never-mind performing grime MC's.
Download HERE. It's FREE!
Big up my Manny mandem!
Sunday 6 June 2010
Saturday 5 June 2010
Reef the Lost Cauze ft Kool G Rap & R.A. the Rugged Man – Three Greats
Despite using the same sample as the Reflection Eternal ft Bun B - Strangers (I posted a while back) this track is dope. The features are unreal - G Rap AND RA on the same track.Fire...
Listen/Download HERE.
Friday 4 June 2010
Phil Ade - The Letter
Phil Ade "The Letter" from Okayplayer on Vimeo.
I posted Phil Ade a while back, along with his last mixtape. Frankly, it was a bit hit and miss however, his videos are always on point. Which makes me think he can pick a good tune so he knows good music.
His new mixtape will be dropping July 6th, entitled The Letterman.
Fresh...
Thursday 3 June 2010
NaS - Deja Vu
Ouf...This one is incredible. Period. Before the advent of the internet, finding a quality copy of this rare gem was like attempting to find the Ark of the Covenant; it just wasn’t happening, and for good reason. Originally heard on a J Love mixtape (J Love, DJ Clue?, Tony Touch, Doo-Wop mixtapes, they don’t make em like this anymore), this lost NaS joint’s first verse was featured on Raekwon’s quintessential and timeless Verbal Intercourse. You can read the entire story behind this song with producer Chris Winston here. Hats off to Philaflava as well. Born Equality (‘96)!
[*] This acetate rip (dubplate) is more than likely the closest we’ll get to a “mastered” version, being that an acetate disc is almost in the same vein as a master copy. Unless Chris Winston dusts off that DAT. The thing with acetate (dubplates, speaking from experience) is that they tend to have a limited amount of plays before they become unplayable and the sound quality degrades.
Amazing...Listen/Download HERE.
[via 2DopeBoyz]
Wednesday 2 June 2010
DJ K.O. - Living Out A State Of Mind vol. VII
Part 7 of DJ K.O.'s mixtapes dropped the other week and it seems like the man is going from strength to strength.
Personally I've been rinsing track 3 on repeat. Sounds like Primo in the mid 90s from the way the sample it chopped to the way the hook is scratched. So much so you'd be hard pushed to believe that it was actually Analogic on the boards.
Listen and download, it's free after all.
Top notch...
REMINDER Homeboy Sandman - The Good Sun
I don't usually do this, but I think this guy deserves it. His album dropped today, so cop it.iTunes and all good record shops should be stocking it.
Support real artists...
Cee Lo Green - Georgia
D Double E - Street Fighter
Loving this... D Double dropping bars laced with Street Fighter metaphors over some deep dubstep [grimestep?!] beats.
(I enjoyed it so much I thought I'd put D Double E in the game.)
Murkage...
Tuesday 1 June 2010
Meany ft Tap D - Lord Knows
Manchester's grimiest MC... Meany.
The Henry Spine Mixtape should be out soon!
Nasty...
Kal Sereousz - Da Da Da
Never heard of Kal but you know what? This track is ill. Production skills of Kelakovski doesn't hurt either.
The East London rhyme spitta should be dropping his album: Terrorist City: Beta Version sometime soon!
Bless...
DJ Wait What? - The Notorious XX
juicy-r [the notorious b.i.g.'s juicy vs. the xx's vcr] - wait what (mashup) from wait what on Vimeo.
Not sure how I feel about this...
It's different...
Download free HERE.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
