New Joint – Crown Royale

Crown Royale ft. Eric Bobo of Cypress Hill) – “Say What” (ASideWorldwide.Com / 2011)

New video for this track taken from DJ Rhettmatic and Buff1’s self-titled 2010 album.

 

Weapon Of The Future Album Download – Astronote

Having worked with the likes of Talib Kweli, Tanya Morgan and Guilty Simpson, French producer  Astronote drops this free album for A-Side Worldwide featuring Dynas, Buff1 and Finale.

Classic Cadence Vol. 3 Mixtape Download – Nametag / Dub MD

Download this new mixtape from the Detroit emcee here – featuring production from Black Milk, Peace Of Mind and Teddy Roxpin plus appearances from Guilty Simpson and Buff1.

Tracklisting:

01.) The Hundreds (Produced By Nameless)
02.) Break Even (Produced By Peace Of Mind)
03.) Tunnel Vision (Produced By Black Bethoven)
04.) Raw-Dirty-Filth (feat. Guilty Simpson) (Produced By Nameless)
05.) Award Winner (feat. ONPoint & Gratiot Jones) (Produced By Flawless Tracks)
06.) S.I.N. (feat. Quest MCODY & Buff 1) (Produced By Black Milk)
07.) Hard Rock Cafe (feat. ONPoint) (Produced By Flawless Tracks)
08.) AutoPilot (Produced By Black Bethoven)
09.) A Toast (feat. Gratiot Jones & TGL) (Produced By Black Bethoven)
10.) Back With Heat (feat. Praverb) (Produced By Teddy Roxpin)
11.) Raw-Dirty-Filth (Remix) (Produced By Black Bethoven)
12.) Blaaaow! (Produced By Nameless

New Joint – Buff1 / David Dallas

Buff1 & David Dallas – “Eyes On Success” (ASideWorldwide / 2011)

Head-nodding P-Money-produced collabo between Crown Royale’s Buff1 and New Zealand’s David Dallas (who recently partnered with Duck Down Records for his upcoming project “The Rose Tint”).

Take The Crown – Crown Royale

HardKnockTV interview with Buff1 and DJ Rhettmatic promoting the recent release of their collaborative album “Crown Royale”.

New Jack Kings Album Download – New Jack Kings

“Two unsung heroes from two of Michigan’s most influential crews (T. Calmese of of the Subterraneous Crew  and Vaughan T. of Athletic Mic League) combine forces to author a coming of age story inspired by the infamous era of high top fades, eye brow parts, and house parties. The album revolves around life, love, women and fashion as a salute to artists such as Teddy Riley, Bobby Brown, Michael Jackson, New Edition and Kid n Play who made songs that everyone could relate to.”

Download here.

Ghosting Mixtape Download – Buff1

Download Buff1’s latest project here.

“Ghosting is a project that gives listeners insight on the types of artists and music that inspires Buff1.  Giving himself one week to write original material, Buff1 created this free project to be released into the blogosphere.  Choosing songs that coincidentally had space for Buff1 to spit, none of the original songs have been edited.

 

Buff felt there were obvious similarities between the music on this project and one of his favorite Ghostface songs “Holla”; on which Ghost raps over the entire Delfonic’s song “La-La Means I Love You”.  Ghosting also happens to be a game where one person follows behind another, mimicking their movements as closely as possible, without being detected.

 

The Ghostface homage, combined with Buff1 trying his best to follow in the footsteps of the artists who inspired him to write this project, made the title obvious.  Lastly, don’t sleep on the exclusive bonus track “Better” produced by Slot-A.”

 

Travel Jam (Part One) – Buff1

Michigan’s Buff1 drops the first of his video blogs documenting his trip to perform in Australia.

Speakerboxin’ – Buff1

Michigan’s Buff1 performing his single “Beat The Speakers Up” in Los Angeles at the release party for his new album “There’s Only One”.

Goodness Music – Buff1

Underground heavyweight Buff1 kicks it with HipHopOfficial and talks about his current single “Beat The Speakers Up” and the Michigan Hip-Hop scene.

Buff1 Interview (Originally Posted On StreetCred.Com Aug 13th 2008)

Having spent the late 90s perfecting his craft as a member of underground Michigan crew Athletic Mic League, Ann Arbor’s Buff1 is nowhere near being the newcomer some of today’s current Hip-Hop fans may view him as. Already proving himself to be a skilled lyricist on AML releases such as the well-received 2002 album “Sweats & Kicks”, Buff took center-stage last year with his debut solo project “Pure”, an apt title for an album if ever there was one.

Combining a deep-rooted love of Hip-Hop culture with a passion for cutting-edge sounds, “Pure” found Buff stepping beyond the strength-in-numbers comfort zone offered to him by Athletic Mic League. Using the album as a platform through which to introduce himself to a wider fan base, the forthright MC added his own worthwhile chapter to the Detroit area’s rich rap heritage, which, of course, includes such heavyweights as Eminem and the late J Dilla, with current local favorites like Guilty Simpson and Black Milk also playing their part in helping to shape the next generation of Motor City music.

Now returning with his recently released sophomore set “There’s Only One”, Buff is hoping to take his unique sound to the masses one listener at a time. Under no illusions about the realities of the rap industry, but prepared to grind hard to reach his goals, Buff offers a creative breath of fresh air in an increasingly predictable Hip-Hop scene. Meet a true leader of the new school.

Ryan Proctor: What lessons did you take away from your time as a member of Athletic Mic League?

Buff1: I definitely learnt the importance of having patience. Just being a young MC and being hungry, thinking you’re better than everybody else and wondering why you’re not always getting the shine you think you deserve, I definitely had to learn to be patient. Being in a group also taught me a lot about teamwork. You definitely have to compromise sometimes and you can’t always be on every song you want to be on. You might have an idea about a particular track, someone else in the group might have a different idea about the same track, and sometimes it’ll go your way, sometimes it’ll go the other way. So learning to be patient and the ability to work well with other people are definitely the two biggest lessons I took from being a member of Athletic Mic League. But that said, we all still get along and the crew are just as much a part of my new album as they were the last one.

RP: So what prompted you to go solo?

B: Actually, it was the group’s idea for me to go solo. They came to me and were like, ‘It’s tough focusing on this music thing now we’re getting older and have more responsibilities.’ Some of the guys have children now and other members had to do the regular nine-to-five thing to pay the bills. We weren’t a bunch of kids anymore just making music for the fun of it in the basement. So the group decided to fallback and focus on putting me out as a solo artist. I was reluctant at first, but I’m glad I did it and I’m proud that the group asked me to be the one to step out on their own. There’s a little bit of pressure for me to live up to what we did as a group in the past, but for the most part it’s just pressure that I put on myself because I want to make good quality Hip-Hop music. I’m always trying to grow as an artist and keep the music moving forward, so that’s the main pressure.

RP: How would you describe the Detroit Hip-Hop scene?

B: When the underground Detroit scene as we know it now was first blossoming, Athletic Mic League wasn’t really a part of that. For one, we lived about thirty minutes away in Ann Arbor, and secondly, we just weren’t old enough at that point in time to be able to go to Detroit to see what was happening. We just had to hear through the grapevine about stuff like The Hip-Hop Shop and The Shelter. So we had to create our own scene in Ann Arbor and that’s eventually what we ended up doing. But once we’d done that it was inevitable that we’d venture into the Detroit scene. So around 2001 / 2002 is when we first started doing shows in Detroit and getting recognition out there. It was tough at first because not a lot of people knew us, but once they saw we made good music it’s been all love ever since. It’s like there’s a big family in Detroit now when it comes to music because everyone’s supporting each other and working together. I think that the state of Michigan is producing the best Hip-Hop music out there right now.

RP: How would you say the new album “There’s Only One” differs from last year’s “Pure” project?

B: I would say it’s more aggressive than “Pure”. The Lab Techs brought a bigger sound to their production this time around. I wouldn’t say it’s a step away from what people heard on “Pure” because a few of the tracks on the new album were originally recorded for that project. So it’s not like we’ve tried to create a whole new sound or take my music in a completely different direction, but this album definitely feels bigger than “Pure”. I really think that when it comes to production and lyrics, the Detroit scene is leading the way right now, and it’s definitely an honor to be a part of that. Nowadays, so many people are talking about taking the music back to the old-school, but whilst I think it’s definitely important to pay homage to that era, I think we should be concentrating on moving the music and the culture forward, and that’s something I’ve tried to do with the new album.

RP: Speaking of paying homage, the album cut “Classic Rap” is a throwback track with a difference – instead of calling out artists’ stage names you refer to them only by their real names. Why did you decide to do that?

B: Everyone knows that artists paying homage on record to those who’ve come before them has been done many times. I also wanted to show respect to those artists I looked up to coming up, but I wanted to do it in a different way. I had the first couple of lines to the song in my head for a couple of weeks and I didn’t really know what I was gonna do with them, then I heard the beat and it inspired me to keep writing the song and I decided I was going to go all the way with the concept of using artist’s real names rather than the names they record under. If people hear the song and don’t recognize the names I’m mentioning then I hope they’ll jump on their computers and do some research because if you really love this music then studying the history behind it is something you should be prepared to do.

RP: The album’s lead single “Beat The Speakers Up” is a potentially radio-ready record that actually criticizes the same playlist system it could possibly find itself a part of. Isn’t that something of a risk on your part?

B: Yeah, definitely. It’s tough as far as the radio is concerned, especially here in Detroit, because there’s only a handful of people who support local music on Detroit radio. I don’t think that’s right and it just doesn’t make sense to me that you can listen to the radio for a short period and hear the same song three or four times. The purpose of “Beat The Speakers Up” was to highlight that issue. I like to go to the club and I enjoy club music, so I wanted the song to be catchy, but I also wanted to put a twist on it with the lyrics. I wanted the track to be able to be played in the club and on the radio, but at the same time, I wanted to challenge people and make them think about the music that they’re hearing.

RP: Another album track that really stands out from a lyrical point of view is “Rain Dance”. What was the inspiration behind that?

B: That came from being in the club and seeing everybody doing something like the Soulja Boy dance. I was watching all these people reacting the exact same way to certain records, whether it was by doing a dance or some call-and-response routine, and I started thinking, ‘What if everyone could be on the same page and reacting in unison to other things in life that matter a bit more than a dance or the fashions people follow?’ I mean, what if we were all working together to help raise the next generation of kids or cleaning up our communities? That’s where the idea for “Rain Dance” came from. Obviously, I wanted people to be able to groove to it, but I also wanted the song to capture the feel of a large group of people all moving and pushing in the same direction for something that matters, like the marches that used to happen back in the day with Martin Luther King.

RP: Do you still feel that Hip-Hop has the ability to instigate positive change amongst its listeners? Or do you think we’re at a point now where most people aren’t even looking towards Hip-Hop for any sort of lyrical substance, they just want the simple, redundant music that’s largely become the norm on a mainstream level today?

B: To answer the first part of your question, I definitely think the potential is still there in the music to make a change. But really, in the current musical climate we’re in right now, I think it will take someone unexpected to do something in that vein for it to really make a difference. I mean, I’m doing my part, but I’ve only got so many listeners right now. I’m not really on TV or on the radio, so I can only reach so many people. Obviously the internet helps a great deal, but even still, I’m not the coolest cat on these blogs right now (laughs). But if someone like a 50 Cent was to try something different and start addressing certain issues in his music, I know it would have a real impact on his listeners because so many people really follow what he does. But that’s the whole conundrum in Hip-Hop right now because I don’t really know what people want, but I still make music because I do feel that I can have a positive effect on people and I feel that there is room for me in today’s Hip-Hop landscape. I don’t know if the masses will ever get sick of only being offered a particular representation of mainstream Hip-Hop music, but I do feel that artists like myself could get to that same level of exposure if people within the industry and the media were willing to push the envelope in order to help us get there. It’s tough because it seems like nowadays we’re pitted against each other in Hip-Hop, like you have to choose a side. But I’m trying to do my part to balance it out.

Ryan Proctor

Buff1 – “Beat The Speakers Up” ( A-Side Worldwide / 2008 )

Hip-Hop Single Reviews (Originally Printed In IDJ / Dubfire Cover / August 2008)

Hip-Hop Single Reviews By Ryan Proctor

Hustle Simmons ft. Buff1 – “Over And Out” ( Break Bread Projects )

The humorously named Hustle Simmons is actually a duo comprised of New Jersey underground MC Dave Ghetto and Philadelphia-based producer Tha S Ence. Lifted from their self-titled album, this cut finds the pair seeking to bring back that real rap without falling into the trap of sounding stuck in the past. Assisted by Detroit’s Buff1 on mic duties, Ghetto delivers his usual high standard of well-crafted rhymes over S Ence’s persistent, snappy drums and chopped string samples. 4 / 5

Mick Luter – “How We Raised” ( Stay Humble Entertainment )

Having already achieved notoriety in his hometown of Chicago, Windy City lyricist Luter is now looking to catch the attention of rap fans outside of his Midwest stomping grounds. ML displays a nimble flow and thoughtful subject matter on the soulful ‘How We Raised’, weaving tales of inner-city angst with both depth and maturity. Definitely a name to lookout for. 4 / 5

Phashara – “Young World” ( Beatmonstas Entertainment )

With a nod to Slick Rick’s old-school classic ‘Hey Young World’, Chicago’s Phashara attempts to reach the minds of rap’s more impressionable listeners on this mellow, piano-laced head-nodder. Warning of the possible consequences of gangs, drugs and violence, Phashara draws on his own experiences to show his target audience they do have alternatives in life. Edutainment at its best. 4 / 5

Shabaam Sahdeeq ft. Torae & Supastition – “Keep Comin” ( Marvial Entertainment )

Having made his name in the underground rap renaissance of the mid-to-late 90s, New York’s Shabaam returns with this solid offering from his new album ‘Relentless’. Featuring guest spots from fellow NYC resident Torae and North Carolina’s Supastition, ‘Keep Comin’ is a witty sonic rebuttal to backstabbers everywhere, based around sliding synths and a unique female hook that you’ll be humming for days. 3 / 5

Pugs Atomz – “All Right” ( Gravel )

There must be something in the Chi-town water this month, as here’s yet another slice of attention-worthy music straight from the 312 area code. With producer Grant Parks supplying a smooth laidback funk track reminiscent of vintage DJ Quik, Atomz takes full advantage of the party vibes, getting his drink on, chasing the ladies and generally enjoying life. One for those hot and hazy summer evenings. 3 / 5

Saint ft. Verses – “Do You Remember?” ( Domination Recordings )

Whilst both Long Island’s Saint and guest MC Verses do a competent enough job here of proving their true-school credentials by lyrically attacking the current state of hip-hop, it’s the production on this cut which elevates it above the average mark. Swinging jazz samples collide with dense drums and slick scratches to create a lively, feel-good vibe. Check out Saint’s album ‘About Time’ for more of the same. 4 / 5

Baby J ft. Asher D & Nathan – “Lies” ( Abtract Urban )

Another genre-hopping banger from Baby J’s forthcoming ‘Baby Food’ album. Blending hip-hop, grime and R&B influences into three-minutes of smoothed-out listening pleasure, Baby J once again brings a unique sound to the table, complimented by Nathan’s classy crooning and former So Solid member Asher D’s woman-related woes. A great tune with serious crossover potential. 4 / 5

Young Chris – “Never Die” ( Roc-A-Fella)

Having floated around on the mix-CD circuit for awhile now, it appears this captivating cut from one-half of Philadelphia’s Young Gunz duo is now seeing an official release. Built around a beautifully melancholic soul sample, ‘Never Die’ finds Young Chris turning the tragedies of street life into compelling music, complete with moments of stirring self-reflection. Heart-wrenching stuff. 4 / 5

GTA ft. Jada Pearl – “The Way” ( Phoenix Down )

Oxford-based duo Chima and Ineffable are all about positive vibes on this upbeat, motivational cut from their forthcoming album of the same name. Forget keeping it real, this pair are “keeping it proper” as they attempt to civilise the uncivilised over rousing, horn-blasting production, accompanied by a passionate hook from female vocalist Jada Pearl. 3 / 5

Hip-Hop Single Reviews (Originally Printed In IDJ / Goldie Cover / July 2008)

Hip-Hop Single Reviews By Ryan Proctor

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

Stateside underground favourite Count Bass D premiers his forthcoming album ‘L7’ with this hypnotic head-nodder. The cut’s robust, synth-led production works well with the Count’s breezy, sing-a-long vocals, with the rapper also dropping some deliberately deadpan lyrics in an attempt to catch the object of his desire’s attention. Another sure-shot straight out of leftfield for the Bass man.  4 / 5

Sincere ft. Natty – “Once Upon A Time” ( Young Entrepreneurs )

A big tune with plenty of crossover potential, North London’s Sincere strikes a fine balance here between commercial viability and lyrical poignancy. Backed by Firstman’s jazz / reggae fusion of rolling drums, skanking basslines and chirpy horns, the young MC addresses the constant battle between good and evil, touching on the tragic consequences of petty street beef as well as the need for unity in the black community. With vocalist Natty contributing an infectious hook that’s sure to become lodged in your head, ‘Once Upon A Time’ is likely to become one of the summer’s most popular tracks.  4 / 5

Common ft. Pharrell – “Universal Mind Control” ( Geffen )

Sure to evoke memories amongst die-hard Common fans of 2002’s much-criticised ‘Electric Circus’ album, this initial offering from the Chicagoan’s eighth long-player once again finds the rapper straying from the soulful boom-bap music he’s made his trademark. Old-school hip-hop fans will revel in this cut’s retro-electro ‘Planet Rock’ feel, but those who hold Common up as the poster-boy of bohemian backpack rap will no doubt be disappointed by the simplified party lyrics heard here. Personally, I kinda like it.  3 / 5

Various – “Two Syllables EP Vol. 3” ( First Word )

Another choice selection of homegrown cuts from the ever-reliable First Word imprint. Kicking things off is a brilliant Kidkanevil reworking of the Dirty Diggers’ ‘Don’t Know About That’, an accordion-driven mish-mash of scattered drums, dry lyrical humour and fidgety percussion. Mike L plays musical join-the-dots on the jazz-infused instrumental ‘Schrodinger’s Scat’, whilst Homecut’s ‘Night At The Fayre’ offers a refreshingly unpredictable jam session feel along with some well-delivered rhymes. A diverse but dope release.  4 / 5

Poems – “Love” ( Hip-Hop Is Music)

To most hip-hop fans, Long Beach, California brings to mind the likes of Snoop Dogg and a handful of other West Coast gangsta rappers. Aiming to show a different side to his gang-related locale, Poems brings a positive approach to his craft, lacing his verses with universally relatable themes and a well-balanced worldview. ‘Love’ has an almost Slum Village-ish sound to it, with soothing, jazzy vibes and hazy keys providing the backdrop for Poem’s sensitive-but-realistic rhymes about affairs of the heart.  4 / 5

Radix – “Right State Of Mind EP” ( Abstrak Recordings )

Longstanding figures on hip-hop’s underground landscape, Massachusetts duo Radix return with a solid EP that finds the pair once again ignoring any mainstream trends in favour of delivering sincere, heartfelt music. The melodic ’Keep On’ offers moments of personal reflection, whilst the head-nodding ‘Perspective’ features a welcome appearance from 90s favourite Edo.G. The guitar-led ‘Breaking Point is another standout, with NYC’s Q-Unique (of Arsonists fame) helping the crew deal with the pressures of life. Sturdy stuff.  3/5

Eliphino – “Seasons EP” ( First Word )

A great collection of instrumental mood music from the twenty-something Leeds-based producer. Truly gifted behind the boards, Eliphino keeps the quality level extremely high here. From the spacey ‘I Like It Yo’ to the sublimely atmospheric ‘Media’, the Northern maestro has a real knack for crafting cuts which stimulate emotions, taking the listener on a musical journey in the process. Whilst traces of greats such as Pete Rock and Dilla can be found in his sonic recipe, Eliphino definitely possesses his own artistic identity and is surely on the verge of big things.  4 / 5

Buff1- “Beat The Speakers Up” ( A-Side Worldwide )

A native of Detroit, Buff1’s rambunctious mix of industrial-strength beats and swaggering rhymes will definitely appeal to fans of other Motor City acts such as Guilty Simpson and Black Milk. Already the owner of an impressive back-catalogue (do your research, people), Buff1 is sure to raise his profile with this kinetic banger, which finds the forthright MC attacking short-sighted commercial radio programmers whilst asserting his dominance over the competition. Uncut b-boy music.  4 / 5

New Joint – Hustle Simmons

Hustle Simmons ft. Buff1 – “Over And Out” ( Break Bread Projects / 2008 )

Lifted from the joint album project from New Jersey’s Dave Ghetto and Philadelphia producer Tha S Ence which dropped digitally this week.

New Joint – Buff1

Buff1- “Beat The Speakers Up” ( A-Side Worldwide / 2008 )

New single from the former Athletic Mic League member’s forthcoming album “There Is Only One”.