By: Konsept Questlove (of The Roots) has put up a forum on Okayplayer.com mentioning accounts with famous people. It's some interesting information, but I have to warn anyone who plans to check it out, Quest is not one for complete sentences. Regardless if it's hard to read, for any fan of hip hop, it's a must read.
By: Konsept Check out this new interview for Q-Tip on the Angie Martinez Show. I would check out the last few comments of the interview, there will be a special treat.
By: Konsept EPMD (Erick Sermon & Parrish Smith) will be releasing a new album sometime in December (some are saying December 9th) titled We Mean Business. Not only is this a breath of fresh air for EPMD fans, but featured emcees on the album will be KRS-One, Redman, Keith Murray, Havoc, Raekwon. On the boards will be Teddy Riley & 9th Wonder (I hope Erick produces for this album as well).
By: Konsept And so the fascination for the 80's lives on with the single off of Q-Tip's The Renaissance called "Move". I can say the video idea does make sense if you know where the sample of the song comes from.
By: Konsept For those who are fans of The Soul Assassins or just simply DJ Muggs, good news, they will be starting a digital music store soon. It will be featuring unreleased material from over the years and starts off with the DJ Muggs track "Call It How I See It", featuring Chace Infinite (of Self Scientific) and Krondon (of Strong Arm Steady). This track was recorded back in 2000 and will only be sold through the website. It will be going on sale according to the website at 12:01 am PST (Pacific Standard Time), Saturday October 18th. If you're from the Northeast or Midwest, the times are as follows: 3:01 am EST (Eastern Standard Time) /2:01 am EST (Eastern Standard Time). Here is the link to the Soul Assassins' site SoulAssassins.
By: Konsept Anyone who knows about The Roots knows that one of their best albums to date is Things Fall Apart. Okayplayer has hooked up any Roots fan up by putting out the Things Fall A Preview promo mixed by DJ Jazzy Jeff. This is the cassette mix put into digital form for your listening pleasure. The Roots (Mixed By: DJ Jazzy Jeff) - 'Things Fall A Preview'
By: Konsept Little Brother will be releasing the Drama free edition of Separate But Equal on November 4th. The Drama free edition means this 2006 mixtape will not be hosted by a DJ and will feature 3 unreleased tracks. So can we say this will be a new but old Little Brother album? Here's a taste for those who haven't had a chance to listen to a 9th Wonder-less Little Brother or just don't know of Little Brother: Little Brother - 'Passion Flower'
By: Konsept The Cool Kids (Mikey Rocks & Chuck English) have come out with a second video to follow up "Black Mags". The video is for their new single "Delivery Man", which may be featured on their upcoming album When Fish Ride Bicycles (fingers crossed), which hopefully should be out sometime 2008/early 2009. To anyone who aren't aware of them, Mikey Rocks (from Matteson, IL) and Chuck English (from Mount Clemens, MI) met online around 2005, recorded a song together, established a friendship and formed The Cool Kids. Being under the radar up until 2008 when their song "Black Mags" were featured in a Rhapsody commercial along with Sara Bareilles. I would say they are a compliment to the 80's era of Hip-Hop. Before I get too deep in blabbing about them, let me give you the video for "Delivery Man".
By: Konsept Anyone who was into 80's Hip-Hop or was around that time should know about the Fat Boys. Originally from Brooklyn, the Fat Boys consisted of Prince Markie Dee, Kool Rock-Ski, and Buff Love a.k.a. "The Human Beatbox". With 8 albums and 3 movie appearances on their belt, they were one of the many important Hip-Hop groups of the 80's. For anyone who's big into samples as much as I am, knows that their first LP Fat Boys was heavily sampled (I'd start with "Stick 'Em"). Unfortunatly while thinking of making a comeback, on December 10th 1995, Darren "Buff Love" Robinson died of a heart attack at 28. Now years later Markie Dee and Rock-Ski are planning to reunite for a new album, reunion tour and a reality TV show. For more information check out their new website OriginalFatBoys.com.
By: Konsept Jadakiss of The Lox fame will be dropping a new album and a new mixtape around mid November. Onsmash did a video interview with Jadakiss speaking on The Lox, D-Block, Sales, Hip-Hop and J-Hood. Check them out.
Free Mixtape: History of Hip-Hop Radio [NYC 1986-1991]
10/6/08
By: Lolly History of Hip-Hop Radio [NYC 1986-1991] is a retrospective mixtape that delves into the hip-hop radio of the 80's and early 90's. The compilation is dedicated to Teddy Tedd and Special K, aka the Awesome Two, who hosted a late night Saturday radio show on WNWK and helped push the new art form into the world of radio. You can download the mixtape here and check out the tracklisting below.
Tracklisting for History of Hip-Hop Radio: 1) The Awesome Two feat. Special K and Teddy Tedd on WNWK (0:56) 2) Chuck Chillout KISS FM (0:49) 3) "Lasagne" P-Fine "Rap This" on WNYU feat. B Boys, December 1986 (5:49) 4) "Who's Gonna Carry The Whole Wheat?" - Stretch Armstrong Show 1991 (6:45) 5) WKCR DJ Skinny Bones drops/IDs (1:54) 6) Harry Allen DJ Search Promo (0:54) 7) Microphone Prince & Count Busy D WNYE 91.5FM (1:54) 8) Chuck Chillout Gets Mean On The Turntables KISS 98.7FM (3:55) 9) "150 Girls Chasing Us Down The Parking Lot" P-Fine, Donald D, Brother B 1986 (2:40) 10) Hank Love & DNA 11) Mr Magic on Magic 106FM WHBI (2:01) 12) Jam Crew (1:59) 13) "The Biggest Hip-Hop Club In America" Union Square commercial 1986 (0:59) 14) WBLS Mr. Magic (1:55) 15) Microphone Prince & Count Busy D WNYE (1:25) 16) "Here to serve the public…Not for shout-outs" Half Pint (1:10) 17) "Oscar's Afro Shop" Half Pint (1:29) 18) Hank Love & DNA (8:39) 19) Stretch Armstrong Show (9:21) 20) "Do the right thing" WNWK 1989 (2:11) 21) "Ed's Records" Half Pint (0:51) 22) Bobbito shouts (2:47) 23) KISS FM (1:13) 24) 90.3FM WBAU (1:27) 25) 90.7FM WFUV The Phantom (2:03) 26) Cynthia from Bed Stuy shouts (1:50) 27) "….Macaroni Squad Shouts" WFUV (2:29)
Jedi Mind Tricks: A History of Violence
10/6/08
JMT
By: Lolly On November 11th, Vinnie Paz, Stoupe, and Jus Allah reunite to bring you A History of Violence, the first Jedi Mind full-length collaborative since 1998's Violent By Design. You can download "Monolith" off the album here by right clicking and hitting "Save As" or "Download File": Jedi Mind Tricks - 'Monolith'
You can also catch Jedi Mind on the road by attending one of their upcoming shows in promotion of their new album.
Jedi Mind A History of Violence Tour Dates: 10/24/08: Cambridge, MA @ Middle East 10/25/08: Portland, ME @ TBA 10/26/08: South Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground 10/28/08: Chicago, IL @ Subterranean 10/30/08: Englewood, CO @ Gothic Theatre 10/31/08: Boulder, CO @ Fox Theatre 11/03/08: Las Vegas, NV @ Jillian's 11/05/08: Santa Cruz, CA @ The Catalyst 11/06/08: San Francisco, CA @ Slim's 11/07/08: Los Angeles, CA @ Henry Fonda Theatre 11/08/08: San Diego, CA @ Canes Bar & Grill 11/09/08: Tempe, AZ @ Clubhouse Music Venue 11/11/08: Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theater 11/13/08: San Antonio, TX @ TBA 11/14/08: Austin, TX @ Emo's 11/15/08: New Orleans, LA @ The Parish at House of Blues 11/17/08: Orlando, FL @ The Social 11/20/08: Carrboro, NC @ Cat's Cradle 11/21/08: Wilmington, NC @ The Soapbox 11/23/08: Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club 11/24/08: Allentown, PA @ Crocodile Rock 11/25/08: New York, NY @ The Blender Theatre at Gramercy 11/26/08: Philadelphia, PA @ Trocadero Theater
By: Konsept Wu-Tang will be releasing a documentary entitled Wu: The Story of the Wu-Tang Clan. This movie will feature never before seen interviews and rare concert footage. It will be released November 18. For a trailer of the movie, it can be seen at Wu Movie. It's a must see for any Wu-Tang fan or anyone who's getting into Wu-Tang.
By: Konsept Sadat X, of Brand Nubian fame, is dropped a new album digitally September 30 and physical CD form on November 4th. The album is called Generation X. For those in the New York City area or those who are able to go, the Generation X release party happened at Sputnik in Brooklyn on October 3rd .
Here's a single to wet your appetite till the album is released: Sadat X - 'Never'
By: Dory Brutus Baez, also known as Bigg B, did a NPR interview enlightening listeners about the rise of a new genre of hip-hop: Native American hip-hop. According to Bigg B, "Native hip-hop is everywhere", citing places like Niagara Falls and Florida, but says that it's mostly in the Pacific Northwest area. About 12-15 rappers there represent the Native scene. These guys aren't necessarily trendsetters, and Bigg admits to jumping onto "what's going on right now mostly" with hip-hop as a whole and interjecting things that matter to the Native American community. The songs that are included on the NPR interview reflect life on the reservations, which is mostly depressing stuff: a line from a song by Rez Dogs says, repeatedly, "We live a lifestyle that nobody wants." He also said that sacred music has tried to be sampled in some of Native hip-hop. Powwow people supplying hooks? Bullskin drum beats don't necessary compliment synth beats, which Bigg also admitted to. Personally, I think the songs in general are pretty gritty and a little whack lyrically, especially because their lyrics are conscious in an uneasy way. But Native music should be appreciated for what it is: a nation of people trying to represent who they are.
By: Dory
Amalgam Digital's Joe Budden has one less feud to be concerned with as of three weeks ago, when he and the Game publicly ended their beef on-stage during Compton Slugger's concert at New York's Irving Plaza. The two MC's mutual hostility is rooted in mixtape stabs at one another, as well as Joey Jump-Off's collective beef with the entire G-Unit. Not many details are known about the bad blood, but according to the all-knowing being that is Wikipedia, 50 Cent criticized Joe Budden's album for "lacking street cred". In response, Joe Budden released various insults at the entire G-Unit. Joe then used the end of the freestyle that The Game previously did for DJ Clue without notifying The Game. In defense, The Game made several records against the rapper, most notoriously the track "Buddens". But now since all that is behind the two rappers, and that his highly anticipated Padded Room was pushed back to February, there are rumors that Joe Budden may put out a track collaborating with The Game to preface the album. At the end of the day, one more unnecessary grudge is put to rest within the hip-hop community. I'll drink to that.
