I think the look of the cover art says it all, AWAR's approach to Hip Hop is that of a beast and a threat. AWAR's "Nature Of The Beast" mixtape presents his deep thoughts and display of raw skills as a lyricist with features from Manifest, Joe Budden, Mic King and Lawrence Arnell. AWAR has a good ear for beats and provides a variety of soundscapes for his words in the realm of the boom-bap. Listen to production from Vanderslice, Sid Roams, The Alchemist, M-Phazes, Ayatollah and Frank Dukes.
01. Nature Of The Beast Intro (Prod. by Vanderslice)
02. Beastmode (feat. Manifest) (Prod. by Sid Roams)
03. Orange Boxcutter (Prod. by Vanderslice)
04. Nuclear (Prod. by The Alchemist)
05. Stand Out (feat. Joe Budden) (Prod. by M-Phazes)
06. Nature vs. Nurture (feat. Mic King) (Prod. by Ayatollah)
07. Stay True (feat. Lawrence Arnell) (Prod. by M-Phazes)
08. Therapy (Prod. by M-Phazes)
09. I Don’t Care (Prod. by Frank Dukes)
10. Laws Of Nature Promo (Prod. by Vanderslice)
I have to admit, eLZHi's excellent lyrics, stage presence and the backing of his band for their live version of "The World Is Yours" sounds like magic, presenting a whole new vibe which feels more like the Jazz sound heard in the original source material by Ahmad Jamal. Check them out in this performance live in Toronto at The Mod Club.
Damu's combination of raw, breakbeat heavy production and a collaboration with an ill lyricist on "Same Beat" brings the essence of late 80's Hip Hop sound, if you are familiar with his music you'll know he's good at this style of songwriting. "Same Beat" is reminiscent of a time when the Hip Hop song was without a chorus or sung hook and the beat was based upon the sound of a dirty drum break for an MC to spit exceptional bars. Regardless of style, both artists show a notable amount of creativity in this song with ingredients to make you bop your head and maybe hit rewind to enjoy the lyrical performance.
Produced by Damu The Fudgemunk
Written & Performed by Damu The Fudgemunk
Scratches by Damu The Fudgemunk
Originally Released May 19, 2009
This nice blend of Jazz and Soul is quite uplifting, the type of musical vibe that could encourage anyone to fly. DJ Day, Miles Bonny and Nate McCoy combine for "Learning To Fly", sit back and enjoy this musical journey with three talented musicians. As a Hip Hop fan, it's especially cool to hear these guys get busy over Gangstarr's "Step In The Arena"/Fred Wesley's Fourplay drum sound.
Every now and then we are fortunate to come across real enlightening down-to-earth talk about Hip Hop and life by real people as shown in this interview with Ohio producer J Rawls and Methuzulah from Atlanta. The two talents sit down to express their feelings on the independent artistic struggle, highlighting areas of today's mainstream media who they feel are restrictive in giving the underground a fair chance in the spotlight. Gain inspiration as you witness these two independent people taking their beliefs and the power of their voice into their own hands to carve a desirable path of life.
J Rawls and Methuzulah go beyond just music in their ventures of life, they are both focused on uplifting the communities which they are from through education, organization and teaching the truth to the youth.
Be sure to check out J Rawls' "The Hip Hop Affect
" and Methuzulah's latest at bandcamp.Check out interviews with other ATL talents Boog Brown and Senor Kaos from The No AirPlay Show also, they are a good watch as well.
Killer guitar work and authentic Funk sound on this remake of Melvin's classic by The U.B.'s. Whether you're a fan of Hip Hop or obscure Funk, I think you'll appreciate this. The drum sound comes pretty close to replicating the sound of the original, although it's a little more heavy overall I think it sounds good with the rest of the song. Grab this 7" single by Undercover Brother's Presents at Amazon, Dusty Groove, Access Hip Hop or iTunes.
Sit back and enjoy this mix of all-around good music as you take a trip through the sound library of a producer who is emerging in the realm of providing hot beats made of obscure samples. On "I Have Better Samples Than You" Vanderslice plays the role of the DJ in mixing 70's Soul, 80's Rock and foreign Library records which are pulled from his own stash for making a variety of hard-hitting beats for artists such as Roc Marciano, Blaq Poet, AWAR and others. They don't call his production crew Brutal Music for nothing.
On July 9, 2011, Jose James gave an outstanding and heartfelt performance, paying tribute to the late Gil Scott-Heron. He was accompanied by The Miguel Atwood Ferguson Ensemble who lend their musical magic to this outdoor performance in Harlem. I hope this collaboration between Jose and Miguel Atwood Ferguson comes out as an official studio recording!
Nice homage to N.W.A. by Vakill, I love that classic era of Niggaz4Life. He kills it lyrically on this song, taking it back to the style of continuous flow with no break between for a chorus over a remake of Dr. Dre's "Appetite For Destruction" instrumental. I admire songs which not only pay homage, but take it a new direction with a display of skills and originality.
I've always belived that they key to longevity for legendary veteran artists is collaborating with other up and coming innovators of music. I am confident that the next-level production of The Snowgoons will play a great part in the next chapter of the M.O.P. saga as a reinvention of Billy and Fame's dangerous street sound.
Listen to an interview Billy Danze did with Conspiracy Worldwide Radio where he speaks on the details of an entire M.O.P. album with The Snowgoons.
A little something I put together in appreciation of the Netherlands Hip Hop production sound innovated by Statik Music, FS Green, Hayzee and SirOJ. I really like how prolific these guys are at cranking out dope music which draws my attention in their original and polished approach to beatmaking. It seems to me that this collective of producers have an identity of sound which is evident as soon as their beats hits my eardrum. Above you will find interviews from NL's production elite speaking on how Premo influenced their lives and a selection of my favorite beats from their catalog below. This showcase is a testament to the power and international influence of Hip Hop and classic work behind the boards of DJ Premier.
Japan's DJ Mitsu digs in the crates for a dedication to a truly awesome instrument, the Fender Rhodes. Very mellow and beautiful sounds to be heard in this homage to a piano which changed music. I'm glad someone took the time to this considering all the great Rhodes breaks and solo performances you can find throughout the work of 70's Jazz musicians. Thanks to Bama Loves Soul for the audio.
Click to purchase a vintage Fender Rhodes Mark 1 keyboard today at
Willie Evans Jr's self-produced album "Introducin’" is a concept album which tells the story of a kid (Willie) who’s can’t learn music the traditional way so he decides to use the MPC to express himself. Songs like “Introducin’” and “Dumbtron” showcase Willie’s lyrical ability while songs like “Take 2” and “A$amov” display his story tell- ing side. On “Nerd English” Willie tackles the need for MCs to front like they’re hard while he embraces his nerd side with lines like “I whoop a n*gga ass but sometimes I probably can’t/I pull a pistol fast but my aim is not really great”.
This project definitely stood out to me on the first listen as an artist who's focus is displaying originality and skill in the sense of a one-man Hip Hop band. Willie's direction in expressing Hip Hop in it's traditional sense is a refreshment for the 80's and 90's Hip Hop fan who is used to hearing less as more, each snippet is filled with his intricate wordplay against dusty breakbeat and sample-based productions, using the bare necessities to craft imaginative songs.
or
Listen to the skillful hands of DJ Bee as he cuts up a variety of classic breaks in this 2 hour set. It's great to hear the furious sound of scratching, turntable precision and the crackle of vinyl in a mix every once and awhile, especially in this era of mass mp3 sharing.
Most of these breaks may already be common to youif you're a digger, it's still a good listen though due to Bee's DJ skills. For the newbies to samples, this mix will be a great treat if you already know your classic Hip Hop records from the 80's & 90's of which have their samples revealed in this mix. I would've had my mid blown if I heard this mix back when I first started digging for samples. Listen to Bee's radio show online at http://Fresh.wwradio.net
Listen to DJ Bee - "God Made Beesus Funky"
African producer Soul Nana blesses the MPD pads with crisp drums and a thumping rhythm to add a new dose of energy to Jay-Z & Kanye's "Otis". What do you think? I feel the song sounds good either way, for me it depends on the mood I want to gain from hearing "Otis" with or without drums.
Check for more of Soul Nana's work at soulnana.tumblr.com
"The Art Of Blending" film is an in-depth look into the talent and musical range of The Roots band and the artists who have been fortunate to rock with them who show their appreciation. The artists featured in this documentary range from a variety of top-notch performers such as Erykah Badu, Mary J. Blige, Chaka Khan, Jay Electronica, E.V.E., Bobby Brown, Ronald Isley (The Isley Brothers), Mike Posner, Daniel Merriweather, D-Nice and more.
Watch the entire film on facebook.com/hennessy on it's premier date, June 30th 2011.
This is pretty relaxing to let the banging sounds of Shuko & F. of Audiotreats bless your eardrums while watching beautiful cinematography of outdoor scenery from a driving passenger's point of view. Definitely a new experience of Hip Hop through the combination of audio and visual images, yet a familiar one because I'm sure we've all had times of looking out the window of a long ride while bumping some good music.
"Brooklyn Night / Smile" is from Shuko & F. of Audiotreats instrumental project "Cookies & Cream" available now at iTunes and on limited-edition vinyl at hhv.de and fatbeats.com.
@shukoshuko
facebook.com/shukoshuko
shukobeats.com
Simplicity is an asset when it comes to the sound of Hip Hop production. Eric Lau is one who manages to strike a fine balance between innovation and traditional approaches in using the bare necessities in creating his magic. Eric gives a brief demonstration of his process in creating his instrumental "This Is For You" in using a sample from Jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal
, Apple Logic
, a MIDI controller
and drum sounds from two MPC
s.Eric is good at setting a mood with his music, plus helps to keep the art and integrity of sampling alive, listen to the finished instrumental below:
"Victory Laps" has the addictive ingredients of a Hip Hop song that will make you want to spin it for years to come while feeling proud to have your own copy of the limited-edition 12" vinyl on your shelf. The limited-edition picture disc vinyl features the original version of "Victory Laps" from DOOM and Ghostface, plus the remix produced by DOOM and Madlib and the instrumentals to both tracks.
This 12" is the debut single from the most highly-anticipated full-length DOOMSTARKS album, coming out on Nature Sounds Records. Pictured above is the full color graphics which appear on both sides of the vinyl, including a picture of Ghost and DOOM on the A-Side.
Get your copy of "Victory Laps" Limited edition vinyl today at Undergroundhiphop.com
Talk about an imaginative reworking of a Jazz sample! Tall Black Guy pays tribute to Roy Ayers with his own futuristic interpretation of the man's music, crafting an uptempo groove and wonderful effects to create a new vision of beauty of music we know from the Jazz legend. Be sure to head over to bandcamp and listen to his flip of "Everybody Loves The Sunshine" too, it's just as good.
Check out the latest trailer for the upcoming Roy Ayers documentary here at YouTube.
This documentary features (In Order of Appearance):
Rich Medina (DJ/Producer)
LA Jay (Producer)
John B. Williams (Bassist for Roy Ayers in Early 70's) (Overlay)
Questlove (Percussionist/DJ/Producer) (Overlaid)
DJ Premier (Producer/DJ)
Stalley & Curren$y (Right to Left) (Emcees) (Overlaid)
Ski Beatz (Producer)
DJ Center (DJ/Producer) (Overlaid)
Andre Torres (Founder of WaxPoetics)
Houseshoes (DJ/Producer)
John B. Williams
Ndugu Chancler (Percussionist/Professor)
When it comes to Savant's lyrical ability and approach to the microphone, you're definitely f*ckin' with a beast. Liquid Sound Productions and Passamore Powerplays present the forthcoming "The Beast & the Best" music video. An Aglofellaz reprise of Savant, January #CrashCourse record reunites the emcee with Tucson, Arizona staple, Viet.Kong.General stalwart and renown microphone bully, Big
Torae, one of the most promising MCs to make moves for the better of underground Hip Hop today speaks direct from the vocal booth while in a session for his song "Do The Math", produced by none other than Large Professor. I appreciate the balance Torae provides in his music between humble messages which relate to the everyday person and attacking the mic with a level of hunger rarely heard today.
This collaboration between Torae and The Mad Scientist should be one to look out for, in addition to other exciting forthcoming projects he mentions in this interview.
If you've heard anything about a De La show from a Hip Hop fan you'll know they're known for a great show of non-stop crowd participation and energy, on top of having a discography of quality songs unmatched by many other artists to perform. Here is high quality footage and audio from their show at Waterfront Park in Louisville, Kentucky recorded by RLBayers.
I'm feeling the creative vibe of this track, from the jazzy production sound to the unbiased messages of each talented MC who project their honest opinions about those looking for an excuse to cry over lack of funds. It's about time for people to uplift themselves in these difficult days and times and leave excuses for failure behind them, thanks to a dope Hip Hop song like this. "Crying Broke" is produced by The Produce Section.
From Consequence on soundcloud:
"Crying Broke" offers the nostalgic 90's feel Hip-Hop Fans having been craving for quite some time. With an All-Star line up of Alums from Tribe, Little Brother & Slum Village, these 3 SUPER MC's send out a direct warning to all upstarts, "Stop Ya Blood Clot CRYING!!!". Along with Rapper Big Pooh & Elzhi, Consequence brings us one step closer to the highly anticipated "Movies On Demand 3".
Introducing Tannie J.
The willingness of people around the world to help provide aid in the wake of Haiti's tragic earthquake has brought out the best in creative efforts from artists. The "Notes For Haiti" compiles songs from group of talented MCs and producers which not only stand out within underground releases in their quality, but display a reflection of life with the message of each song.
Some of these songs you may have heard on pre-existing projects by each artist, but on "Notes For Haiti" this selection of songs comes together for one strong listen to help you recognize the importance of what you have and assuming a greater position of responsibility in life through good music.
Tickets are available for what looks to be a night of classics at The Jackie Gleason Theatre of Miami Beach, Florida. 2011's Rock the Bells Festival will feature Raekwon the Chef joined by Ghostface to perform his seminal 1995 LP Only Built 4 Cuban Linx from beginning to end. Joining in this display of the finest in New York Hip Hop will be Mobb Deep performing their 1995 classic "The Infamous" in it's entirety. This sounds like a night you won't want to miss.
This performance of Ghostface, Raekwon & Mobb Deep takes place on Tuesday, September 13, 2011 at 8:00 PM. Get tickets for all other Rock The Bells 2011 performances here. The entire Rock The Bells festival takes place between August 12th and September 17th.
.
The reunion of Company Flow took place at NYC's Santos Party House on July 16th to the rejoice of many underground Hip Hop fans who have recognized their unique sound of Hip Hop since demo tapes were introduced to the masses on WKCR FM.
Check these performance clips from that night which feature some of Co-Flows greatest songs done live. As an added treat, they brought along some other artists to perform who made a mark during the same time when Co-Flow was active as a group. Special guests included Fondle 'Em faves/Indelible MCs co-conspirators The Juggaknots, Rob-O, Grap Luva and Marco Polo of InI and an introduction from Bobbito Garcia.
This song is short but at the same time says a lot in it's basic message of how to find escapism through art. AWAR is definitely an artist who I feel uses Hip Hop as a form of therapy, writing songs which convey strong emotion whether he's attacking the mic or reflecting upon life as he does in this song. "Therapy" produced by M-Phazes is the 5th and final leak from Awar’s "Nature Of The Beast EP. Features on the album include Manifest, Mic King, Joe Budden and Lawrence Arnell. AWAR's "Things Of That Nature EP
" is available on iTunes and Amazon now, with production from Frank Dukes, M-Phazes and Vanderslice.
If you're a fan of European Funk and Soul music, then you might already sense you're in for a treat when seeing the name of this talented group of musicians. Euro Cinema
presents a sampler for their album "Ten-4" on Hammondbeat Records. This band's raw jazz/funk sound is rooted in late 60s organ funk as well as the anonymous "library music" soundtracks to 70s movies. With a simple quartet, Euro Cinema provides the essence of fast-paced Hammond Funk with unmistakable detail and style. Grab your copy of Euro Cinema's "Ten-4" album now at Amazon | iTunes
Produced by Phil Martin.
Rob Schepens (organ)
Tim den Heijer (guitar)
Dennis Orsel (bass)
Niels Piay (drums)
The first release for K-Def's official Redefinition Records debut is definitely a redefinition. K continues to show his skills in replaying classic beats on "For Def's Sake", using VSTs to compose soulful instrumentals from scratch in a way that brings an original and sophisticated approach to Hip Hop production. If you're a Pete Rock fan I'm sure you can tell where the title of this project comes from.
Download/Stream - "For Def's Sake"Preview
Very nice album by Yutaka Yokokura, his 1981 debut on the Tokyo, Japan-based ALFA Records label entitled "Love Light
" brings an original sound of Jazz fusion in a collaboration of standout American and Japanese musicians associated with Dave Grusin and Larry Rosen. I picked this album up in a dollar bin from the nice cover art, then for the title track which features one of my favorite singers Patti Austin
who joins in a duet with Yutaka on vocals. The soothing strings sounds hit me upon the first listen, drawing me into the beautiful sounds of Jazz fusion this album has to offer.G-Type by Alchemist was originally released on his Rapper's Best Friend
instrumental compilation and used on Scarface's "The Product
" album.
Check out Bongos For Beatniks
by The Bongolian on Blow Up Records for deep Funk from the UK. The samples of this album showcase a traditional approach to Funk with a variety of rhythms, fusion of instruments and diverse musical influences which revive the feel of obscure albums of the 70's. The slow-grooving Funk of "Tortoise Walk" plays with a fine mix of Jazz organs, horns and keys, carrying the torch and taking inspiration from artists like Jimmy McGriff and Buddy Miles.Here's a review of Bongos For Beatniks from DustyGroove.com:
"Groovy funk with spacey and earthy touches from London's Bongolian! Bongolian is the longtime project of one man funk orchestra Nasser Bouzida –-also the frontman of fellow Blow Up funk combo Big Boss Man – pulling off a live band sound that's as rich and far-reaching as anyone in the UK funk scene over the past decade! He always deftly covers a lot of territory – organ & percussive funk, cosmic keys and wild rhythms of all kinds. On Bongos For Beatniks, Bongololian brings in some more globally flavored soundscapes – from Latin boogaloo and beyond, madly fused with a pulpy funk of all stripes. Bouzida plays all kinds of keys, bongos, drums, clavient, cowell, shakers, strings and occasionally sings – with help on trombone on a handful of numbers by Tom Brady and violin on one by Margaret Ellwood. 12 tracks on the LP. "
Listen to more songs from The Bongolian at soundcloud.
For artists of Jay & Kanye's popularity I know some people must wonder how their creative music-making process and setup has changed over the years. Here is a look at their studio environment.
1. No Church in The Wild (Feat. Frank Ocean)
2. Lift Off (Feat. Beyoncé)
3. Niggas in Paris
4. Otis (Feat. Otis Redding)
5. Gotta Have It
6. New Day
7. Prime Time
8. Who Gon Stop Me
9. Murder to Excellence
10. Welcome to The Jungle
11. Sweet Baby Jesus (Feat. Frank Ocean)
12. Why I Love You (Feat. Mr Hudson)
Bonus
13. Illest Motherfucker Alive
14. H*A*M
15. That’s My Bitch
16. The Joy (Feat. Curtis Mayfield)
Although DJ Spinna has been blessed with the opportunity to work with a wide range of music artists around the world, he has never forgotten his roots of underground Hip Hop. In this interview with Hiphopsite.com, Spinna reveals the reunion album in progress with his rhyme partner Kriminul as the duo Jigmastas. In addition to his return to the underground sound of the Jay-I-Geez, Spinna's got some other exciting collaborations up his sleeve to brighten your day.
Zone out to the mysterious sounds of European Library composers in Vintage Crates Episode #86: The Librarian Confessions Vol.6, courtesy of Astral Projects Records.
Download/Stream Vintage Crates Episode #86: The Librarian Confessions Vol.6
Playlist:
1. F. McDonald & C. Rae - The Jam
2. Rovi - Odeon
3. Simon Park - Border Line
4. Jerry Mengo
- Ride in Rotten Row5. Brian Dee
- Tina6. Panther - Skytrain
7. Anthony King - Funktion Junktion
8. Juan Pablo Torres - Echale Salsita
9. Orchester Helmuth Brandenburg- Pep Talk
10. The Fine Machine
- Wait For Me11. Remigo Drucos- Dedicato a un Prete Moderno
12. Dick Walter
- Fat Man13. W. Gogolewski- Amble Along
14. L. Cappelloto- Errie Night
15. Yvon Rioland & Jean-Marie Hauser- Apple Way
16. Otto Weiss
- Flying Through The Air17. The Rainbow Orchestra- Young People
18. Dave Sarkys- Canadian Colours Theme #2
19. John Fiddy- Pop Pogression
"On Say What?!!?!", Jelani encourages others to speak their mind as well as he does and gets right down to defining what he's here for in the braggadocio rhyme tradition of Golden Era MCing. Durkin provides sounds which are reminiscent of classic, late 80's Hip Hop production style of simple horn stabs and a banging drum break.
I'm loving the laid-back, Jazz vibe of this song. I always expect SFP to bring a sound of Hip Hop which brightens my day by reminding me about the simple things that are worthwhile in life. Joined by West Coast legend MC Eiht, Myth (of Strange Fruit Project) presents a single from his currently untitled solo project which will feature production from Theory Hazit and the project’s executive producer Symboylc One.
This bonus song from "Blaq Poet Society
" LP is produced by Stu Bangas, one of a few remixes that will be packaged to help promote the release for the instrumental version of the LP. Blaq Poet and Stu Bangas continue to bleed eardrums with dark, threatening sounds of the streets.
I like how these guys put a whole new, unexpected twist on what originally is a very, melodic and emotionally-driven song by Silent Knight in the remix of "Busy Is My Best Friend". Here are the details from Audible Doctor:
"The Audible Doctor’s “Stayin’ Busy” Remix is a bonus track off of his upcoming “You Should Buy Music Not Make It” EP. The bonus track will only be available on the CD version of the EP as well as the free download card containing the EP that comes with the “You Should Buy Music Not Make It” T-Shirt (both set to drop later this year).
The original track “Stayin’ Busy” (also produced by The Audible Doctor) was released in February, and is the first single from Silent Knight’s upcoming album “Busy Is My Best Friend”.
The single has reached #10 on the nationwide college hip hop charts, and received acclaim from fans, as well as many respectable names in the hip hop community.
SK’s Busy Is My Best Friend (BIMBF) was pushed back from it’s original release date but now, after a few new songs and notable guest appearances have been added, It’s ready to be released to the public very soon!"
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