New Joint – EMC

EMC – “Leak It Out” ( M3 Hip-Hop / 2008 )

Taken from what is probably the year’s best rap album so far “The Show” – yeah I said it!!

 

The St. Tropez Mix – DJ Soul / P Diddy

New York’s DJ Soul has dug into his vaults and pulled out this dope old-school party mix from 2005 put together at the request of Puffy who was looking for some quality holiday headphone material (to bump on his yacht no doubt).

Download the mix here and then check below for tracklisting and some words from Soul himself.

1. The Family “Screams Of Passion”
2. Loose Ends “Hangin’ On A String”
3. New Edition “A Little Bit Of Love”
4. Stephanie Mills “You Put A Rush On Me”
5. Guy “I Like”
6. Run DMC “Sucker MC’s”
7. Stetsasonic “Go Stetsa”
8. Doug E. Fresh “The Original Human Beat Box”
9. Treacherous Three “Feel The Heartbeat”
10. T-Ski Valley “Catch The Beat”
11. Bernard Wright “Who Do You Love”
12. Nu Shooz “I Can’t Wait”
13. Sweet G “Games People Play”
14. Steve Arrington “Weak In The Knees”
15. Orange Krush “Action”
16. Mt. Airy Groove “Pieces Of A Dream”
17. Grace Jones “Pull Up To My Bumper”
18. Blondie “Rapture”
19. Grandmaster Flash “Adventures Of Grandmaster Flash”
20. Queen “Another One Bites The Dust”
21. Indeep “Last Night A DJ Saved My Life”
22. Skyy “High”
23. Bob Scaggs “Lowdown”
24. Chaka Khan “I Know You, I Live You”
25. Stevie Wonder “Do I Do”

DJ Soul: “Back in 2005, while I was spinnin The CFDA Awards after-party at Bungalow 8, someone from Bad Boy approached me and told me that Diddy wanted a mixtape of what I was spinnin that night. I found it kind of weird because I had played his CFDA Awards after-party a year earlier at Marquee and got a bad review (I think it was because I was wearing a Ralph Lauren Polo T-Shirt). Anyhow, a few weeks later I got a call from Bad Boy requesting for the mix again cuz Diddy was in St Tropez and wanted something to listen to. Later that night I linked up with El Saeso at La Esquina and we ran over the Williamsburg Bridge into Brooklyn to the Manhattan Bridge and back into the city. This was my first case of catching a runner’s high and I couldn’t go to sleep. What I did instead was record this. Enjoy…”

  

I Got Next – Wale

Washington DC’s Wale kicks it with HipHopOfficial about signing to Interscope and appearing on the upcoming Rock The Bells 2008 tour.

 

Ain’t No Stoppin’ This – LL Cool J

DJ Envy speaks to Ladies Love about his new album “Exit 13”, working with 50 Cent and his differences with Jay-Z.

 

Thursday Throwback (Part 21) – K.M.D.

K.M.D. – “Peachfuzz” ( Elektra / 1990)

Before Zev Love X was causing lyrical havoc as the masked MF Doom he was dropping jazzy joints like this gem from K.M.D.’s debut album “Mr. Hood” – Rest In Peace DJ Subroc.

 

New Joint – The RZA

The RZA as Bobby Digital – “You Can’t Stop Me Now” ( Koch / 2008 )

Proof that even after his recent forays into Hollywood, Wu-Tang’s RZA is still a kung-fu-obsessed, comic-book-reading b-boy at heart.

Taken from the forthcoming Bobby Digital album “Digi Snacks”.

 

 

New Joint – Count Bass D

Count Bass D – “Can We Hang Out Tonight?” ( 1320 Records / 2008 )

New single lifted from the underground favourite’s forthcoming album “L7” due out this summer.

New Joint – Craig G / Marley Marl

Craig G & Marley Marl ft. Cormega – “War Going On” ( Good Hands / 2008 )

Lifted from the forthcoming “Operation Take Back Hip-Hop” album due out June 17th.

 

Last Man Standing – Joe Budden

Mr. Pump It Up talks to Hot 97’s DJ Enuff about his “Mood Muzik” mix-CD series, the forthcoming album “The Padded Room” and life after being a major label artist.

 

On The Wheels Of Steel – Grandmaster Flash

1986 Dutch television interview with legendary Hip-Hop deejay pioneer Grandmaster Flash.

 

World Premier – Busta Rhymes / Tim Westwood

Busta gets to push some buttons in Tim Westwood’s Radio 1 studio as he showcases the new “Don’t Touch Me” remix featuring Nas, Lil Wayne, The Game, Big Daddy Kane etc.

Bonus Clip: Busta Performing At London’s 1997 Notting Hill Carnival.

 

 

Young, Gifted & Black – Demon Boyz

Vintage 1988 footage of North London’s Demon Boyz performing cuts from their classic Music Of Life album “Recognition” on Tim Westwood’s “N-Sign Radio” video show.

“Northside”

“Rougher Than An Animal”

 

Feel Me Flow – KRS-One

Footage of the Blastmaster freestyling at his Baltimore show last night.

 

Wu-Gambinos – Raekwon / Ghostface

Footage of Rae and Ghost performing the entire “Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…” album as part of the Don’t Look Back tour series in London earlier this week.

“Knuckleheadz”

“Criminology”

“Incarcerated Scarfaces”

“Rainy Dayz”

Bonus Clip: Special Appearance From De La Soul

 

 

 

Thursday Throwback (Part 20) – Main Source

Main Source ft. Neek The Exotic – “Fakin’ The Funk” ( Wild Pitch / 1992 )

This joint always reminds me of the summer of 1992 when I got my first set of turntables – I spent hours trying to blend it with Gang Starr’s “Dwyck” for what was supposed to be my first big splash into the mixtape game lol.

 

1nce Again – A Tribe Called Quest

ATCQ talk to Hip-Hop Official about reuniting for Rock The Bells 2008 and the artists who’re currently being bumped on their iPods.

 

 

Who I Be – Katalyst

The Australian-based producer talks about his early forays into making music and the concept behind his new album “What’s Happening” (see review below).

 

T’Cha T’Cha – KRS-One

Great footage of KRS-One’s visit to Chicago’s Stagg Elementary School last month to promote Stop The Violence 2008.

 

New Joint – Jean Grae

Jean Grae – “Love Thirst” ( Blacksmith / 2008 )

Clever video from the NY femcee featuring some visual-sampling of Robert De Niro’s cult 70s flick “Taxi Driver”.

 

Triple Darkness / Katalyst / Kail Album Reviews (Originally Printed In Shook / Beat Generation Cover / Spring 2008)

Triple Darkness

Anathema

(Higher Heights)

 

Delivering one of the best hip hop albums of 2008 so far, London’s Triple Darkness definitely appear to be on a mission to prove that the art of true lyricism is alive and well amongst the next generation of MCs to rep for the UK rap scene.

A captivating combination of grimy street imagery, social commentary and intriguing historical references, the unapologetically hardcore Anathema finds Cyrus Malachi, Nasheron and Melanin9 filtering their experiences of inner-city British life through a shared intelligence and wisdom that reaches far beyond the trio’s relatively youthful years. The haunting ‘Machinations’ strikes a powerful balance between the harsh realities of urban strife and the crew’s quest for knowledge and spiritual salvation, whilst ‘Snakes & Ladders’ features an incredible performance from Cyrus, with the gruff microphone fiend touching on subjects as diverse as slavery, Egyptology and gun crime. Elsewhere, the pounding ‘Pyramid Wars’ and ‘Thousand Cut Torture’ each display the group’s superior battle rap abilities, taunting the competition with seemingly effortless examples of vivid and intricate wordplay.

Backed by the atmospheric production of Chemo and Beat Butcha (all heavy drums, sweeping strings and nimble piano loops), Triple Darkness have succeeded in creating a poignant soundtrack for today’s troubled times. The revolution starts here.

Ryan Proctor

 

Katalyst

What’s Happening

(BBE)

 

Hailing from the warm climes of Australia, producer Katalyst is sure to leave a mark on the global hip hop community with his first long-player for the ever-reliable BBE imprint. Already a respected name in his homeland, Katalyst presents a vibrant mixture of sounds and styles here, genre-hopping with ease whilst remaining rooted in the dusty-fingered tradition of boom-bap beats.

London-based vocalist Steve Spacek compliments the smouldering soul vibes of ‘How Bout Us’, whilst New York underground mainstay J-Live critiques the current state of hip hop culture on ‘Killing Ya Self’, his intelligent observations given extra weight thanks to a pounding guitar break. Elsewhere, Katalyst deftly turns his production talents to reggae (‘Over & Over’) and bluesy funk (‘Say What You Feel’). The Aussie music man also manages to address socio-political themes on instrumental cuts such as the claustrophobic ‘What Are We Talking About?’ thanks to some well-placed dialogue samples.

Although guests such as Brit rapper Yungun deliver impressive performances, it’s Katalyst who remains the star of What’s Happening, his work behind the boards providing this invigorating album with its dynamic sonic backbone.

Ryan Proctor

 

Kail

True Hollywood Squares

(Big Dada)

 

Over the years, the likes of Ice-T, The Pharcyde and Snoop have all given us their own personal vision of Los Angeles. However, while those artists may have defined the sun-splashed LA of the 80s and 90s, in 2008 South Central’s Kail is here to offer a new millennium perspective on the City Of Angels.

A satirical take on the cult American television show of its title, True Hollywood Squares mercilessly plays with Tinseltown’s extremes, from the star-studded glitz of Beverly Hills to the gritty streets of Compton. Kail demonstrates an impressive writing ability throughout, utilising a collection of colourful characters to tell a variety of stories ranging from the funny and the tragic to the downright strange. ‘The Realest Motherfuckin’ Tour Guide Ever’ finds the sharp lyricist introducing wide-eyed visitors to corrupt police, drive-by shootings and wannabe porn stars over creeping, drum-heavy production. ‘Peter Pennyworth’ highlights the plight of a former casting agent now homeless on the same streets he once cruised in flashy cars, while ‘Cola (The Rhapsody)’ offers tongue-in-cheek ghetto romance over an old-school soul groove.

Combining street swagger, observational humour and a leftfield worldview, Kail provides a unique way of looking at LA’s many vices and sins. True Hollywood Squares isn’t an album that will sit comfortably with everyone, but it is an entertaining break from the norm.

Ryan Proctor