Destruments are a band who display eclectic and varied musical range in producing original sounds in the tradition of Euro Funk to carrying Hip Hop production duties for the label Creative Juices. Destruments presents "Freedom", a musical offering of pure cinematic Funk with tinges of Psychedelia that brings on a mood similar to European library music. Fans of obscure Funk sounds from Europe will love the intense sounds of " Freedom" which showcase layered guitar arrangements and mysterious flute sounds mixed with traditional Funk grooves with an edge.

Recorded in San Francisco at The Soul Barracks by Kelly Finnigan and Ian McDonald and produced by Destruments with Horns arranged by Les Harris. This song is the B-Side to the Monophonics soul slapper "Like Yesterday" released on 7" vinyl from Colemine Records, now available at Amazon and iTunes.

This is pretty intense. In the art of storytelling and street cinema, Moke & Tone tell a tale where unfortunate circumstances loom upon the lives of unexpected individuals. From their LP "Shot Heard Round The World" which is now available for streaming here at soundcloud.

 The Rarest Rubiez has been a long time and coming and well-deserved from one of the hardest working Wu-Tang affiliates. Check out this compilation they put together for the most outspoken member of Sunz of Man who is also a regular collaborator Creative Juices Music.

Creative Juices music founded by MC/producer IDE is a label which aims to provide uncut, quality underground Hip Hop music from a collective of new artists and veterans like U.G. from Cella Dwellas, Jise of The Arsonists and Hell Razah from Sunz of Man.

Check out the discography of Creative Juices Music here at Undergroundhiphop.com and download the compilation below:







1. Three Kings {Kevlaar 7, Melanin 9 & Hell Razah}
2.God Complex {IDE & Hell Razah}
3.Hip Hop Fury {GZA, RZA, Timbo King, Dreddy Kruger & Hell Razah}
4.Shell Shock {U-God, Leathaface, Raekwon & Hell Razah}
5.Jail Saga {Shabazz The Disciple & Hell Razah}
6.Musical Chairs {Prodigal Sun & Hell Razah}
7.We Made It {Ghostface Killah, Superb & Hell Razah}
8.Two Ways Out {Zion as Baba Zumbi & Hell Razah}
9.Throwblack Freestyle {Timbo King Mix}
10.Showdown {Beretta 9, Lord Superb & Hell Razah}
11.See The Light {Blak Madeen & Hell Razah}
12.Play IV Keeps {Method Man & Hell Razah}
13.Gunz,Oil & Drugz {In God We Trust} - {Shabazz The Disciple & Hell Razah}
14.The Furnace {Gumz & Hell Razah}
15.Cold Summers {Khrome & Hell Razah}
16.Stir Of Echoes {Khrome Remix} - {Atari Blitzkrieg,Khrome,& Hell Razah}
17.The Renaissance 2.0
18.Masked Avengers {Shyheim, Superb & Hell Razah}
19.I Want More {Sav Killz,Big Lou & Hell Razah}
20.Pleasure Or Pain {U-God & Hell Razah}

Dope track, Ed O.G. keeps it bangin' with this choice of head-nod production for the remix of "Dummies"to shine the light of truth through MCing as always. For the visuals it looks like Ed is somewhere in the Chinatown district of Boston, an interesting choice for a Hip Hop video. With or without the video I think this remix is equally enjoyable, the song has a quality to it which I imagine DJs cutting up heavily on underground radio mixshows. The original song is from Ed O's "A Face In The Crowd" LP in stores now.

Through the good vibes of music The Primeridian and Tall Black Guy remind you of the small but meaningful moments in between regular work which we should all appreciate. "Whistle While You Work" is Hip Hop music to make your head move with messages to encourage your appreciation for life while on the grind. The full-length LP "Darling Lure" by The Primeridian and Tall Black Guy is due for a Sept. 13th release on All Natural Inc. The song has a video treatment, look out for the trailer soon! artwork by Laurent Varlet of Fine Print Chicago, www.lvarlet.com, www.allnaturalinc.com, www.theprimeridian.com, http://tallblackguyproductions.com

It's been quite an inspiring trip of Mr. Timothy Drayton aka Timbo King. The Wu-Tang affiliate takes you on a personal journey through the depths of a drug-ridden New York City where ghettos filled with Hip Hop, into the current heights of the record industry where he currently holds a large fan base as a successful independent recording artist. This track produced by Lil' Fame has that Wu Tang quality of mellow chopped-up Soul, a good match to set the mood for the storytelling of Timbo King.

"The Autobiography Of Timothy Drayton" is being offered as a free download from Timbo's bandcamp. The new album From Babylon To Timbuk2 by Timbo King is now in stores at Amazon, iTunes and Undergroundhiphop.com.

As the premier DJ for the most well-known Michael Jackson tribute parties held in Brooklyn, DJ Spinna is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to the legacy and power of Michael Jackson's music. DJ Spinna joins The Michael Jackson Preservation Project for an interview on Aug. 21, 2011 for a lengthly discussion about his favorite MJ songs of all time. Spinna reveals his top 5 Michael Jackson tunes as well as reflect upon memorable moments of life inspired by Michael's music. Hopefully this discussion brings about good memories for you too about MJ's music.

With sharp lyricism and a threatening mic presence JoJo Pellegrino follows in the tradition of gun-toting, street warfare on "NY Clippa". This is what New York has been known for since the late 80's and should serve your appetite for visual street representation which carries a level of imagination and skill above the average MC.

Dhani Harrison, the son of George Harrison from The Beatles and one-third of Fistful of Mercy joins RZA with his band thenewno2 for the futuristic Rock sounds of "Mr. President". Harrison’s ethereal vocals with the politically-tinged verses of Bobby Digital make for an interesting musical combination. As a RZA fan I had to give this a listen as insight to his continued musical expansion and insightful lyrics which speak upon social issues.

Traditional Wu fans might be caught off guard by RZA using this sound, but I think it's worth a listen. We haven't heard an MC break away from the norm and challenge the way we think about other forms of music like this in awhile.

Taking it back to the late 80's when the mic was a weapon and object of self-empowerment in the hands of a select few great minds. I remember having this gem on tape but lost it somehow, so many thanks to Dirty Waters for bringing this classic rhyme session back on his blog. BDK steals the show as he rips the mic with rhymes from his 2nd and 3rd albums to the instrumental of Ultramagnetic MC's "Give The Drummer Some".

Check out the snippets for the instrumental version of Apathy's "Honkey Kong" LP featuring a great production lineup of Vanderslice, Evidence, DJ Premier, Stu Bangas, DJ Muggs, Statik Selectah, Smoke The World, DJ Wanye Ski, Teddy Roxpin, MoSS and Apathy himself.

Get your copy of Apathy's Honkey Kong instrumentals and the full-length album at Amazon, iTunes or Undergroundhiphop.com (includes bonus Primate Mindstate EP).

Also, check out Apathy's interview on Conspiracy Worldwide Radio. He breaks down his history as a Hip Hop artist and fan, plus gives us insight to his humble, down to earth nature as a person.

As a straight-forward approach of beats, rhymes and scratches in Hip Hop, Shad's "Flawless" is my favorite from The Real Frequency's album "The New North". Shad has a youthful and intellectual tone of an MC which meshes in an interesting way with the dark and threatening production sound of Frank Dukes.

"The New North" is a celebration of Hip Hop from Toronto in a diverse display of sounds and collaborations from over up-and-coming Canadian emcees, producers, vocalists and DJs. Released by The Real Frequency crew, comprised of Muziklee Inzane, Arcee, P-Plus, and Keezy.

Emcees include Shad, JD Era, Kardinal Offishall, Tona, Rich Kidd, Shaun Boothe, King Reign, Richie Sosa, D-Sisive, Theology 3, Mathematik, Promise, IRS, Adam Bomb, Wio-K, Mayhem Morearty, Luu Breeze, Frankie Payne, Famous, Grimace Love, Progress, Via Linez, & Sep.

On the boards for production are Boi-1da, Tone Mason, Marco Polo, Frank Dukes, Rich Kidd, Lyve, MoSS, Soundsmith, T.R.A.C.K.S., Big Sproxx & C4. Vocal contributions come from Ayah, Lokz, Andreena Mill, T.R.A.C.K.S., & Kim Davis while DJ Dopey, DJ Grouch, & DJ Riccachet provide cuts throughout the album.

Listen to the rest of "The New North" here at the Real Frequency's bandcamp page.

Showbiz & A.G. return with their second single "God Is Force”, a song which carries the unique dark sound and street visions which the classic duo have been known for since their debut. This time A.G. gets deeper with his writing as he intertwines thoughts of religion with the harsh reality of everyday street life. This song comes from "Mugshot Music" the duo's third LP which will be executive produced by DJ Premier. It's cool to hear these three great minds of Hip Hop continue to together and produce good music, "God Is Force" was mixed by DJ Premier and recorded in his famous HeadQCourterz studio.

As a bonus to celebrate this single release and the album "Mugshot Music" here is a 1992 radio freestyle with A.G. and Lord Finesse rhyming over Tribe's "Scenario" instrumental. These guys are a powerful combination of punchlines and witty rhymes!

It's very inspiring to see another member of Hip Hop emerge independently and take matters into their own hands towards happiness after facing shady industry dealings. After two groups album on major labels with his partner El, Tame One of The Artifacts sits before us on his own path toward success in this interview with Wax Poetics and reflects upon an industry experience which turned out to be much less supportive than he expected. If you are someone who is currently looking to find you're own way in life, let this interview, Tame's story and the power of Hip Hop serve as inspiration for you to make it.

It was a pleasure to wake up and begin the day listening to this collection of instrumentals by maticulous. "Mello Instros" are laced with calm vibes of jazz-fusion paired with dirty drum sounds in the tradition of early-to-mid 90's Hip Hop beats, with cuts by DJ Brace the mix done by Audible Doctor. With so many producers nowadays going the route of synths for an edgy, electronic and triumphant sound it's refreshing to hear someone keep it simple and take it back to more "mello" sounds.

This looks pretty crazy! The Novation Twitch DJ controller combined with Serato ITCH DJ software provides an array of creative possibilities for the digital DJ, with loop functions, triggering, MIDI control, audio slicing, effects and more. Watch the video above for a live demonstration of these products in action, this technology is bound to open your mind up to a new world of possibilities for DJing and production.


Review from iStandard Producers:

Twitch has been developed in collaboration with Serato to be a DJ controller with a difference. It comes with Serato ITCH, DJ software that can automatically beat-match tracks to let you get creative with your DJ sets, and it has unique Touchstrip controls that enable you to do amazing things with ITCH’s new performance tools. It can also be MIDI-mapped to other DJ software such as Traktor or Ableton Live.

Twitch provides a completely new perspective on DJing. The Twitch control surface – with two banks of eight large Triggerpads, professional cross-fader and per-channel Fader FX – opens up awesome possibilities for digital DJs and the new breed of controllerists. The two LED-backlit Touchstrips let you manipulate your tracks using gestures as you would on a multi-touch trackpad or touchscreen. Now, you can grab, pinch, tap and nudge to navigate, perform and improvise with your tunes.
It has four performance modes (Hot Cues, Slicer, Auto Loop and Loop Roll) that interact seamlessly with ITCH, so you can mash up your tracks and mix them back together, totally on the fly. Hot Cues mode lets you instantly jump to markers in your tracks, and re-trigger up to eight hits, just like you can with a sampler. Slicer mode allows you to do something completely new, and re-arrange your tracks while they’re still playing using a step sequencer-style user interface. Twitch’s Auto Loop and Loop Roll modes allow you to further manipulate tracks and, in combination with the Touchstrips, change loop lengths in the mix to create glitch effects - all without falling out of time. Further expanding your creative potential, effects can be assigned to the channel faders at the touch of a button, so you can perform tricks with fader movements as well as with the knobs of the Master Effects section.

Twitch is rock solid: designed for life on the road and on stage. It’s robust and compact, ready to slot into tight spaces in the DJ booth, and can be carried away from the gig in a laptop bag. Twitch is also bus-powered – simply plug in the USB and audio cables and you’re ready to play. It includes a high-quality 2-in 4-out USB audio interface with balanced, high-level master and booth outputs, which can be connected directly into any PA system or home setup with excellent audio quality. Quarter-inch and mini-jack headphone outputs supply a loud and clear signal to any set of headphones. There’s also a Mic/Aux channel with mono jack and stereo RCA inputs so vocalists and MCs can be blended with an external audio source, such as an MP3 player, and routed through Twitch’s effects and master outputs.


“It has been exciting to work with Novation; their expertise with controller design combined with our leading DJ software has made for some really incredible possibilities,” says Sam Gribben, General Manager of Serato Audio Research. “Twitch is the result and we think it will be an instrument for the next generation of musicians and performers.”

KEY FEATURES
· Comes With Serato ITCH Professional, comprehensive DJ software.
· Versatile Touchstrips Tactile, multi-function control.
· Unique Slicer Mode Chop up beats and create new grooves on the fly.
· Compact & Portable Slots anywhere in the DJ Booth and is easily transportable.
· 1-to-1 Control In ITCH Dedicated controls for all ITCH performance functions.
· Robust Build Quality Solid case with Aluminium top plate.
· 2-in 4-out Audio Interface High-quality, loud headphones output. Balanced master connections.
· High-quality Cross-fader Hard-wearing, sensitive and replaceable.
· Software Effect Control Blend per-channel Fader FX with assignable master effects.
· Bus-powered USB connection provides all the power needed.
· Mic/Aux Input Route a mic and an external audio device through the effects and master outputs.
· Switchable Booth Outputs Choose between master and cue feeds.
· MIDI Compatible To control any DJ software, such as Traktor or Ableton Live.

You can always count on Beat Society producer Shuko to bring fresh sounds and ideas to your ear in the art of boom-bap. Fashawn, Avius & Evidence express the fundamental aspects of their life purpose in rhyme form on "Same Ol' Line", letting you know nothing's changed and they still have a determined path. Shuko comes with a haunting Folk sample and hard-hitting drums to set the tone. His choice of sounds is refreshing to hear as a producer who embraces the power of his imagination.

This track is from Shuko's forthcoming "Foundation vol.2" mixtape hosted by DJ Green lantern and mixed by DJ Illegal from the Snowgoons.

Canadian musicians BADBADNOTGOOD put a unique twist on Dilla's classic on this 2011 cover of "Fall In Love". The imagination of this cover definitely separates it from a number of great Dilla/Jazz covers which already exist. Using the dreamy sounds of the Rhodes paired with a head-nodding drum rhythm and bass groove, Matt, Alex and Chester create a nice fusion of Hip Hop and Jazz, a sound which could only be possible through J-Dilla's vast musical influence.

Self awareness and the embracement of life's challenges are a powerful weapon in the hands of a talented lyricist. Listen as J. Nolan lays his life experiences down on track with "Green Pastures", a taste of the writing he has to offer on his full length album "Chaos Theory" released August 16 on bandcamp. Listen to the rest of Chaos Theory here which features J handling the microphone duties throughout and production from Tuelv. Reese Jones, Yung B Da Producer, VERSE, Dela and others.

This unreleased version of "Take 'Em To War" features different verses from MF Grimm and B1 who both display top notch lyricism and keep it in the same form of dark street imagery as heard on the original 4,5,6 version. This is a radio rip of the songs from Future Flavaz radio, Hot 97 FM New York. Part of the reason why the Future Flavaz radio show was so good is because Pete Rock & Marley were able to get treats like this exclusively from their connections with some of Hip Hop's best.

As a Hip Hop fan it's interesting to learn the relevance of sampling from the days when it was virtually unknown by publishing companies up to the present day where laws are strict and record companies are making a large income from artists who sample their music. When it comes down to it new laws and technology have affected the music a great deal over the years, however many artists today are still finding a way to bring the nostalgic value of past recordings to their music by digging harder and producing new music from collages of sampled sounds. One of my favorite producers Hank Shocklee gives his take on the significance of sampling in this audio interview with On The Media.

Jamie York of "On The Media" magazine talks to Girl Talk, Hank Shocklee of the Bomb Squad and Duke Law professor James Boyle about two decades of sampling by examining both sides of the law. Twenty years ago a series of lawsuits criminalized the hip-hop sampling of artists like Hank Shocklee and Public Enemy, yet two decades later artists like Girl Talk have found success breaking those same sampling laws. Hear from both artists and learn their methodology of sampling in this audio interview.

The DJ/production crew of Cypress Hill known as Soul Assassins pay tribute to their legacy of hardcore Hip Hop in this August mix on their official radio show, Soul Assassins Radio. Mr. Choc starts the show off with a stream of current Hip Hop, then he caps off the night with a Tribute Mix to Cypress Hill for there 20th Anniversary.

Listen to one of the greatest groups to represent the West Coast, a group who turned traditional Hip Hop sound into their own dark, blunted soundscape and reinvented a view of the streets throughout their self-titled Ruffhouse Records debut.

1995 was a great time in New York underground college radio full of treats. Listen as iNi and Pete Rock visit WNYU radio for an interview and freestyle during the release of their debut single "Fakin' Jax". Like many other fans, I remember the wait to hear a full-length LP drop from these brothers after their debut single. I'm glad "Center Of Attention" finally saw the light of day on BBE Records.

Atlanta DJ and musician Applejac hits the instruments to present a nice selection of cover versions on "Playin' Favorites. This project draws inspiration from a variety of beautiful melodies from classic tunes within Jazz and R&B music. Applejac and his talented vocalist friends create deep musical vibes with a new twist on each of the original arrangements touching upon the sounds of Gap Mangione, Steve Arrington, Tom Scott and others.

Applejac plays almost all the instruments on the album, and is joined by vocalists the Baldhead Queen, Tonya Dyson, Reggie B, Ramona, Rogiers and Carmen Rodgers. Applejac says “It is my hope that with the release of ‘Playin’ Favorites,’ I can expose the masses to my super talented friends and also educate the younger fans by putting a new twist on these classic tunes”.

Feel the soulful sounds of Los Angeles musician Te’Amir as he evokes the essence of of Curtis Mayfield on the 2011 cover of "Give Me Your Love" through an excellent combination of vocals and arrangements. This song is available as a free download from the album "L.A. Soul", head over to bandcamp and check out the rest of the album after listening to "Give Me Your Love", Te'Amir has much more in store for you in the soothing sounds of Soul.

Check this alphabetical slaughter which pays tribute to the classic style of back-to-back posse cut rhyming. See how many of the MCs you can identify throughout the song as they pick one of the 26 letters to play off lyrically.

This is one of those rare 12"s I found recently while digging for Hip Hop I missed during the years before the time I started seriously buying vinyl. The late 80's Hip Hop vibe of songs "Bumrush The Sound" and "Bring In The Funk" by T.A.P. carry an addictive package of funky, uptempo beats personality and witty rhymes.

I think I picked this one out of the crates because of the 80's nostalgia of early Jordans, designer hair cuts and acid wash jeans displayed on the cover. Usually if there's something unique that stands out about the cover which reflects the period of the music, it's a sign that the record is worth listening to. It amazes me to discover Hip Hop singles like this which have a lasting quality decades later from groups some people have never heard of, the Golden Era of the late 80's were quite a time to witness.

"Label Love" is a selection fine contemporary musical talent chosen and compiled by a few great independent record labels who are on the cutting-edge of discovering new, innovative artists. The overall feel of this compilation is of a Funk, Soul, Jazz vibe with some artists specializing in one genre or another and presenting a unique sound. My favorites are "Hooligan" by Mark De Clive-Lowe and "Wings" by Union. It's hard to go wrong when obtaining music recommendations by Decon Records, Fat Beats, One-Handed Music, Stones Throw, Tru Thoughts, Wah Wah 45s or Wax Poetics who's goal is "expanding minds to new musical styles".
 

For those of you who might of seen the official rehearsal footage released by Duck Down for Black Moon's Enta Da Stage performance in New York on August 2011, this video taken by drummer Daru Jones captures a lot more insight behind the music-making process as the band and DJ Evil Dee recreate songs from the 1992 classic "Enta Da Stage". Fans of Black Moon's debut album ought to love this, as a magical element is brought forth by this talented group of musicians who take the lead from Evil Dee as he plays the original samples from "Niguz Talk Shit" and "Who Got Da Props".

Whether you're just discovering K's great accomplishments or you've dug up and own his music over the years like me you will want to check out this official compilation put out by Redefinition Records for K-Def, one of the most important producer and DJ figures in the art of sampling and crate digging. Visit which features an interview with K-Def who breaks down the significance of all the songs on the compilation:

Intro & Interview by Chris Moss
Photos by Dan Love (http://www.flickr.com/photos/danielmlove/)
Compilation produced by J.E.S.A. Of 2DopeBoyz, Chris Moss, claaa7 Of The Lost Tapes & Redefinition Records

Check out this snippet of the limited-edition single "Stay True" by Brooklyn M.C. T.R.A.C., the original version produced by Drumat!c of KicDrum Products and the remix (above) produced by ICEROCKS of DXA. This project reminds me of obscure Hip Hop releases of the early 90's I might find while digging through the crates, one which displays creative direction by artists who go against the grain of popular mainstream music. I favorite the remix from the sound ICEROCKS brings to the table, who uses soulful samples and gritty SP1200 boom-bap sound.

Great to see these guys meet up for a live event of Hip Hop which is not just the usual stage performance, but instead takes you right in the home studio environment where Da Beatminerz' dwell, the "Dewgarde Crib Of Hits". Evil Dee and Mr. Walt show their generosity in displaying where their songwriting/radio show magic takes place while simultaneously helping to reinvent the idea of a Hip Hop experience through the technology of live video.

These are a few short clips from the event which took place on August 1, 2011 courtesy of DJ Snatch, for those who may have missed the official airing of the mixtape event.

Tune into Da Beatminerz regular radio show when you can at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/BEATMINERZ-RADIO

I'm feeling the laid-back vibe of this track by Uptown XO, his first single from the album "Monumental II". It's interesting to hear a traces of a Southern style and accent in each members delivery, even though their from the Washington D.C. area. Although D.C. is the U.S. nation's capital, that neighborhood is known for it's underlying hood element which is notorious.

You definitely hear that vibe of ghetto life come through in the lyrics of "Tol U So" and an overall soulful feel of music thanks to the sample flip of "Casanova (You're Playing Days Are Over)" from vocalist Ruby Andrews. Expect more great music to come from the Diamond District and Oddisee camp, they have an approach to Hip Hop which is quite original and creative. 

Check out the song by Uptown XO above and it's original source music below.

The prolific UK label releases a mega compilation of tunes which pay tribute to their history to their standard of excellence in soulful music. I'm excited to have this as a collectors item since they bring their best to the table as an overview of their many great music releases.




BBE Records has been on the cutting-edge of music compilations for years. Their first compilation was the acclaimed 'Stop and Listen' series, released in late 1996. This series would serve as the foundation for future projects inspired by the BBE format such as ‘Late Night Tales’ and the legendary Masters At Work.

BBE definitely caters to the all-around music lover in a major way. The UK label provides a rich source of musical diversity and explores gems of music between different genres in their releases. Whether it's Funk, Soul, Disco, Latin as well as House, Hip Hop and beyond, the BBE standard is to provide 'real music for real people'.

Take a trip down memory lane through the musical highs of BBE with "BBE 15 - 15 years of Real Music for Real People" mixed by BBE artist Chris Read. Visit the Beat Generation series which featured Hip Hop legends Pete Rock, Jay Dee, Marley Marl and DJ Jazzy Jeff, in addition to the diverse musical presentations of DJ/producers Will I am, DJ Spinna, King Britt and Madlib. Hear gems pulled from the archives as MFSB string arranger Larry Gold brings unreleased gems from Jazz Funk pioneer Roy Ayers.

The exploration of music doesn't end at Jazz and Hip Hop. Get a taste of rare Disco with DJ Vadim and Al Kent, feel the beat of ‘Emergency on Planet Earth’ drummer Nick van Gelderto. For relaxation, groove to the smooth sounds of Canadian RnB musician Slakah the Beatchild and rising Antipodean stars Electric Wire Hustle and Space Invadas.

It's interesting to hear a group remake "Psycho Dwarf" after the unique character JuJu & Les gave the original version. I would say this version by BBAS comes off as more lyrical because of their skills, but they still manage to show a lot of personality and channel the wild party vibe felt on the original song. "Psycho Dwarf" was always one of my favorites from The Beatnuts' debut EP "Intoxicated Demons".

This limited-edition song has been released physical and digital format in 2011 as a precursor to Large's 3rd solo album. This uptempo creation by The Mad Scientist revives the classic sound of loops, horns and scratching, featuring 70's jazz sounds and rapid-fire rhyme delivery with Rob Swift cutting up on the 1s and 2s. The audio is ripped from Large Professor and Neek The Exotic's guest appearance on DJ Premier's Live From HeadQCourterz radio show.


Get your hands on this limited edition 12" while they last! I see the record is already sold out in places I expect to find it online. Check for the "Key to the City" single at Best Buy or here at Amazon.

As an addition to this funky song, I've included an interview and DJ set by Large from 2008. I noticed that this content was somewhat overlooked as I found it online in 2011 so I decided to share it again with you. The interview comes from 88.7 FM Chicago and was conducted shortly before his "Main Source" album dropped. The DJ set contains a mix of soulful sounds from deep within Large's crates spanning various musical genres.

Chino XL reunites with his long-time collaborator Nick Wiz who blesses the Puerto Rican rhyme slayer with a cinematic track for his 3rd studio album "Ricanstruction: The Black Rosary". Very powerful track overall with production to match Chino's mind-bending wordplay, the lyrics and beats are sharp as ever.

Listen to the soothing voice of Selma as she blesses a track by Chicago-based MC/producer Phraim who provides a backdrop of thumping drums and guitar groove. For a short 2 minutes of track time they show a nice combination of talent and emotion in this song. 

Great music essentials and feel-good summer vibes to be heard on this mixtape by DJ/production duo Cookin' Soul, presented by Rocksmith. This free mixtape has great 80's jams such as "Give Me The Night" by George Benson, "The Glow Of Love" by Change, "Love You More " by Rene & Angela, "Curious" by Midnight Star as well as a selection classic Jazz, Latin and Deep Soul tunes. Mixtapes by producers are especially good to hear from the deep and varied assortment of music they carry. Enjoy this.