I talked about 2017’s Hiero Day with my manager at work, who use to be on Hieroglyphics’s label. We talked festival logistics, from pricing to setting up stages, and what makes a festival last. The one thing Hiero Day has above any other festival is its community.
Not many rap groups get a day commemorated to them by their city, and in turn make it a day of giving local musicians & artists a platform to show off their work. It’s a festival that’s grown from the area rather than copied and planted into the scene like many other festivals.
I’ll praise any masher that chooses an underground MC over any of the mainstream hip-hop that’s being overly mixed & mashed nowadays. Not only that, taking a beat from anyone other than the stereotypical EDMer is a big bonus.
In The Hood Internet’s “Shadow Cruising” mashup, it’s so good to hear Lyrics Born on a fresh beat. It makes me wonder what his new album with Lateef is going to sound like. Well, if it’s anything like this, it’ll be a welcomed change.
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While everyone else is remixing Lil’ Wayne or Ellie Goulding, Party Ben takes to the underground and reignites my love for this funkman from the Bay, Lyrics Born. Party Ben’s remix of “Coulda Woulda Shoulda” made me realize, above all else, how catchy this shit is. The original was a little too pop for me, and although this still has it’s fair share, Party Ben mixes in some heavy electro grooves that get those asses shakin’.
[audio:Coulda-Woulda-Shoulda-Party-Ben.mp3|titles=Coulda Shoulda Woulda (Party Ben Remix) (feat. Sam Sparro)]
Headnodic knows his West Coast MC’s and he’s gettin the best of ’em on his newly released album, Red Line Radio. Surprisingly though, this isn’t what made the album, Headnodic’s production and ability to build something around the vocalist sets this above any ordinary mix of some of my favorite MC’s. Not only that, my favorite track isn’t by the classic MC’s I grew up on, but Ms. Destani Wolf.
[audio:Surgeon-General.mp3|titles=Surgeon General]
Today I was reminiscing about past summers and favorite pool-side songs, when I remembered one of my favorite groups from college, Latyrx. What the hell ever happened to those guys They had two exceptional albums and then split ways. Originally, my favorite of the two was Lyrics Born over Lateef (the Truth Speaker), but as time progressed and careers developed the tables turned. Lyrics Born has shifted more to a pop sound, which is all in good, but not my thing; while Lateef has hooked up with the likes of Z-Trip, Chief Xcel and Blackalicious, which is much more my thing.
Wherever they are now, what they did then was truly and will always be in my sentiments. Cloud 9, along with Lady Don’t Tek No, The Bumpin’ Contraption, Balcony Beach and a whole shit load more, have truly altered my thoughts of music and what to consider as good hip hop. Take a look at Latyrx’s works and pay tribute to ’em by commenting below… yep, that’s how you it.
[audio:Cloud9.mp3|titles=Cloud 9](Download Link in Full Article)
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:Concentration.mp3|titles=Concentration](Download Link in Full Article)
A hip-hop classic from the Bay Area, Latyrx’s Lady Don’t Tek No brings us back to the talented, yet contrasted sounds of Lateef the Truth Speaker and Lyrics Born. With Lyrics Born’s soulful bass and Lateef’s higher-pitched cuts, the duo still pulls off a fluid sound. But above this addictive, funkified sound, the lyrics compare to none.
The song talks about that particular woman we’ve all come across at some point in time that’s “got the smile, style, and finesse”. You know, the girl with the “razor sharp wit, that just won’t quit”… alright, i’ll stop stealing their lines. In other words, she’s the sassy little bitch you can’t get enough of… just listen to ’em, they’ve got a way with words that I, apparently, don’t. :
[audio:LadyDontTekNo.mp3|titles=Lady Don’t Tek No](Download Link in Post)