If all the best artists collaborated in one song… well, this would as close as it gets. Comprising of all the MC’s from the Quannum collective, including Lyrics Born, Gift of Gab, Lateef the Truth Speaker, etc plus they managed to get Jurassic 5 to feature, as well! It may be a little dated, just over 10 years old, but the damn thing still could be considered ahead of most hip-hop today. With a simple, yet funkalicious beat produced by DJ Shadow, Cut Chemist & whoever else, it’s another keeper for the collection. I’d point out my favorite parts of the track, but there are so damn many!… okay, i’ll point out one – go to 3:12 (love the voice, love the rhym). Give a shout out to your favorite part and as always tell me what ya think…
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
(Download Link in Full Article)
Started listening to Plastic Beach about a week ago. My first thoughts were similar to that of Demon Days, sounds good but nothing stands out. It seems like with Gorillaz, at least in my case, you need to give their albums a few listens to really feel their sound. Well, after a few listens I found some keepers, unfortunately not as many as in Demon Days.
Stylo was the first single from the album, released at the end of January of this year. Though it’s not my favorite, it’s among the better ones, some others being Superfast Jellyfish, On Melancholy Hill & Plastic Beach. But we aren’t here to discuss those, we’re here for the best (of the best), and those would be…
Empire Ants (for one). The song is split in two, the first half with vocals from 2-D (or Damon Albort in reality), with some pleasant, dreamlike instrumentals; and the second half with vocals featured from Little Dragon’s Yukimi Nagano, with a beat that’s straight 80’s XTC (or is that just me, I didn’t live through much of the 80’s). The song takes you to another reach, typical of Gorillaz. It’s my #1 pick, followed closely by Broken.
Broken is a little like the first part of Empire Ants, in that it has a pleasant & smooth sound (other than that, not so much). What I particularly like about this track is its soul-striken lyrics, instead of the usual drug induced ones (those can be fun too, though). They really capture the heart …or maybe that’s just my sensitive side… Anyways, it’s a well thought out track, and good for the those times of heartache … actually, that may not be the best idea (but listen to it nonetheless).
Finally, I just wanted to touch (a little) on some of the tracks that aren’t worth listening to: Sweepstakes (gets stuck in the head, and not in a good way), Some Kind of Nature (sorry Lou, ya just don’t do it for me here), and Welcome to the World of the Plastic Beach (Snoop I expect much more with a beat like this). The other tracks on the album are fairly good, but I haven’t warmed up to them quite yet. Tell me what you think, and let me know your most/least favorites are?
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
(Download Link in Full Article)
As promised (from the last post), here is Akin & Cise Star featured in another classic beat from Nujabes. This may not be my favorite of his (that would be Blessin’ it), but it’s one of many in which he combines classical, jazz instrumentals in an elegance all his own; and of course slaps on a few talented MC’s to go with it. Although I’m not one who critically analyzes lyrics too often, this one has some soul searching lyrics – follow along at MetroLyrics, but watch out for the pop-ups and ad trickery (shady ass lyric sites). I guess, this is just more proof of Akin & Cise Star’s vocal talents, not to mention the talents of Nujabes.
As always, post your thoughts, follow along on Twitter, and give back some love.
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
(Download Link in Full Article)
I first caught Cise Star & Akin (MC’s for CYNE) on a few tracks from Nujabes. I was pretty damn impressed by how well they incorporated their voices into Nujabes’s sound, mainly because of their substantially differing backgrounds. I’ll actually feature one of the songs in my next post, so look out for that.
As for Elephant Rome, I wouldn’t say the beat is on par with what Nujabes produces, but it’s still fresh & on key. Both Cise Star & Akin take their rhymes and layer it on the beat with precision, but Akin seems to do slightly better job than Cise. He just seems a little more natural with the tune, where Cise is out of sync at times during his chorus lines. Other than that, it’s a great track that’s kept with me for a while; though i’ll admit I don’t listen to it as much as I use to.
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
(Download Link in Full Article)
I don’t need to say much for this song, it speaks for itself, especially the video (in the full article). But i’ll say a few words (it’s what I do best)… First, I gotta say, look at Sabzi in the video bumpin’ to his own beat, what a balla! (haha) He’s got to be one of the best producers out today. Producing with two soulful MC’s, Geologic in Blue Scholars and RA Scion in Common Market, as well as a host of other side projects, the guy really spreads his talent far. If I could be taught under anyone, it would be him …or Rob the Viking of Swollen Members …or K-Murdock of Restoring Poetry in Music & Panacea (i’m not picky, any would do :p). Just listen to this damn thing, and experience why the Blue Scholars, among many other Northwest artists, make their place the hip-hop scene. Oh, and post a comment or I won’t know what ya’ll think of Blue Scholars. And then i’ll never post any of their material again! 
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
(Download Link in Full Article)
I’ve recently had a falling out with Swollen Members. Our relationship hasn’t been doing so well lately. Mainly because of their new album, but prior to that they’ve been one of my favorite groups. Swollen’s got a style all their own, blending Mad Child’s intense, high paced rhymes & Prevail’s cool-headed wit with Rob the Viking’s innovative, dark trip hop beats. The group is originally from Canada, which brings up another reason why I love ‘em… they’re of the few Canadian rappers I know that don’t have the, although humbling, annoying accent; I hear enough “aboots” here in Minnesota, and it makes me laugh if I hear it come out of an MC. Another cool lil’ factoid about ‘em is, among maybe a handful of others, Swollen has taken their music and independently created a successful business out of it, which I give them mad respect for.
The reason I chose Go to Sleep as my second feature from ‘em (the first found here), was because of Barbie Hatch’s stunning voice in the chorus, and a stellar beat by Rob, as per usual. In fact, check out a feature I did of Rob’s, Go for Mine, on his solo-album, Beats to Pillage and Conquer by, found… wait for it… here! (a classic beat, literally)
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
(Download Link in Full Article)
This was probably the most trouble I’ve had trying to pick out a song from a certain artist… ever! Atmosphere is one of the most prolific rap groups out there (good prolific, not bad). So, I decided to feature two songs off his album, You Can’t Imagine How Much Fun We’re Having… lucky for you! 
Atmosphere may not be my favorite hip-hop group, but they’re definitely one of the most respected. They’ve been consistently good, with every single album bringing something new & different. The group actually came out with a free album online, Strictly Leakage, which I featured a song from, called Crewed Up, about two months back. Not only that, the two started a record label, Rhymesayers Entertainment, back in ‘95 that sports some of the best underground acts i’ve seen in a while.
Sean Daley (MC for the group) is a true character, and is an all around genuine act (for good or bad). Every time I see him online he’s reppin’ Minnesota, praising how much he loves it. Though, I can’t really blame him, grew up there myself, and it’s a beautiful & unique place. But back to Atmo, Daley might be the driving force of the group, but Anthony Davis (DJ, Producer) is the backbone with beats that seemed destined for Daley’s rhymes. Check out The Arrival & Musical Chairs to get a glimpse of what these guys can do! I will definitely be featuring more of this talented group, so subscribe to my RSS feed, so you’re well informed… and so I feel more liked 
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
(Download Link in Full Article)
Boom Bap Project is a group based out of Seattle, Washington. The group signed with Rhymesayers Entertainment back sometime in ‘04, but I checked Rhymesayer’s website and they weren’t listed, so I’m not actually sure if they’re still with ‘em (their website & MySpace haven’t been updated in a while). My best guess is that they’re pursuing solo acts for the time being. But who really cares, let’s get to the good stuff…
Another one from the “Nogood” vault (i.e. i’ve had this one for a while), but it’s a goodie (I promise). Gotta say my favorite part is the chorus, done by… oh wait, they didn’t give her credit, so I have no idea, but she’s damn good nonetheless (edit: with a lot of digging around, I found out the featured artists, Chocolate & Snafu, though I’m not exactly sure who they are, and which one she is… I’m gonna go with Chocolate). Anyways, the other two performers are apart of Boom Bap, Karim & Destro, rappin’ back ‘n’ fourth with “straight Northwest” style (love it!). I’ve never been much of a fan of the Eastcoast style, other than a few exceptions (e.g. Jedi Mind Tricks). I just like the more relaxed, carefree style of the Northwest. Give it a listen, but unlike every other post, do not post a comment. Please! I beg of you!
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
(Download Link in Full Article)
I was researching The Procussions and came across why the group split up two years ago. Mr. J. Medeiros, MC for the group, wrote back in January of ‘08 on MySpace, “Can’t do it anymore y’all. The Procussions have officially been destroyed by the system, the industry, and those kids who just don’t understand you ‘can’t burn independent albums. You will kill their career’”. As much as I agree or disagree with Medeiros’s statement, the fact is that piracy is here to stay, and artists need to adopt a new business model to adapt to the Digital Age.
A few months back, I went on Del tha Funkee Homosapien’s site to check out his latest album. He offered up the digital version for free, but if you donated $30 or more you get “a set of limited edition Del ‘Funkman’ Skull candy headphones and a conference call with Del himself”. Although, I’m not sure how well it’s done, I applaud Del’s innovative marketing strategy. Damn would that be cool to talk to Del. Hats off to whoever thought of that one! Many other places, including Techdirt & TorrentFreak, point out many other solutions to this “problem of piracy” (to lazy to find the actual articles).
I also wanted to point out one more thing that’ll get fans to shell out their cash… produce quality material! A lot of musicians aren’t making it simply because they suck. This may sound harsh, but that’s what our society was built on. Get good or get the fuck out! The Procussions are actually a good example of this, but not in the way you might think. Even though I’m featuring one of their songs from their album 5 Sparrows for 2 Cents, the rest of the tracks are… well, as AllMusic put it, “while the album is spirited and competent, not much of it is memorable.” I’ve really taken a liking to the featured track, but the rest of it just doesn’t work for me. They’ve had their run, and they should be proud. Now they just need to move on to something else (which they have).
Alright, now that I shot down their album (oops), i’ll try and bring it back up (as much as I can). I may not like most of 5 Sparrows for 2 Cents, but I do really enjoy I’ll Fly. The song features Tara Ellis’s beautiful voice accompanied by the two talented MC’s of the group, Mr.J.Medeiros & ReZ. Not only do the two flow in this, but the lyrics are “spirited and competent”. It may lose some appeal after a few dozen listens (man, am I really sellin’ these guys ), but ya gotta expect that from most music (not all, though!).
One other thing, I actually have a question I need ya’ll to answer for me: I think Medeiros sounds a hell of a lot like Zack de la Rocha from Rage Against the Machine. Obviously with different styles, but their actual voice sounds similar… right? He’s the first MC on the mic, in case you’re wondering, so at least humor me with a response…
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
(Download Link in Full Article)
I ran into Language Arts Crew a couple years back, and wanted to give them credit for a few of their songs that’ve stuck with me over the years.
9 to 5, being one of them, first caught my attention when I heard it sample a few classic movies lines from Office Space and American Beauty (good Marketing technique!). It has some talented rhyming by the four MC’s of the group and one featured artist, X.I. I would try to type out the lyrics for you to follow along to (since there isn’t any online), but I’m too lazy and it’s too complicated (i’ve tried, it’s not easy). Anyways, give it a listen and tell me what ya think… then maybe i’ll feature some more of their finest!
By the way, the best part of the song is at 2:01 for both it’s rhyming and lyrical ability.
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
(Download Link in Full Article)
Loading ...