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:TheArrival.mp3,MusicalChairs.mp3|titles=The Arrival,Musical Chairs](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:Reprogram.mp3|titles=Reprogram](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 y’all 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:IllFly.mp3|titles=I’ll Fly](Download Link in Full Article)
You may recognize this sound, but under a different group, namely Restoring Poetry in Music (RPM). Both Jason Moore (Raw Poetic) and Kyle Murdock (K-Murdock) started out in RPM, and created a side project, Panacea; but the two groups have some slight variations. RPM is a band consisting of five instrumentalists (or so), where as Panacea consists of K-Murdock on turntables, a sampler, and maybe a few other devices with the help of Damu the Fudgemunk. Both groups have Raw Poetic as the front Emcee, and gee golly gosh is he good… did I really just say that : The difference in sound between the two may seem slight at first, but once you immerse yourself in ’em, you notice the contrasts in style. Raw Poetic’s style is relatively similar throughout the groups, but K-Murdock switches it up, bringing a more progressive, experimental sound to Panacea.
I had quite a few songs I wanted to feature from Panacea’s four LP’s, but I decided to go with Ecosphere from Ink is My Drink. K-Murdock creates a stunningly poignant beat, and features Patrick Fritz (P-Fritz) from RPM, who has an amazing voice, and I mean amazing! Though, this song doesn’t do him justice, so go to one of RPM’s features (here or here) to really capture his stunning vocals. You won’t be disappointed!… I mean, the guy is so good I kinda have a man-crush on him. ;) Anyways, compare this song to RPM’s, and tell me what differences you find… if you’re up to the challenge!
Lastly, I know I’ve mentioned this too many times already, but you really need to check out RPM. They’re one of my favorite hip-hop groups, and I know you will enjoy ’em… maybe even more than Panacea!
[audio:Ecosphere.mp3|titles=Ecosphere](Download Link in Full Article)
It’s funny how songs can remind you of the most random places. In The Twilight reminds me of strolling around The British Museum, admiring all the fascinating artifacts. I actually went there twice while I was in London; once to actually appreciate the art, and another time to goof off and take funny pictures (I act like an adolescent at times all the time).
The reason I chose this song is because I like it (duh, haha)… ok, other than that I chose it for its unusual, yet appealing instrumentals. A lot of the time when I hear DJ’s experiment with new sounds the end result just sounds like a bunch meshed noise resembling a child pressing on a soundboard! However, in this case the sounds collaborate into a relaxing, downtempo beat with a natural flare. If you like this then definitely check out my first feature of TM Jukes, Knee Deep, which has some soulful vocals. And, if you’re reading this right now, you better scroll down and comment on this damn blog or else! ;) (or just be my Facebook fan :D)
Important, my favorite parts are at 2:06 (saxy) & 2:21 (the beat hits right) – check ’em out!
This song will put you on another level.
(Download Link in Full Article)
Alright, so you caught me, I posted this one a while back (you probably had no idea), but I have a good reason for posting it again (kinda). The original post was the entire album (Pyramids in Moscow), including Sleep Walkers. Since I’m not doing full album posts (for now), I wanted to split up the older album posts. They’ve got some of the best music on the site, so why wouldn’t I show ’em off again… right… i’ve also been studying all day, so I didn’t have as much time :D (so, that could be it too). Alright, to the music!
As I said in the original post, “This is not only my favorite track of the album [Pyramids in Moscow], but one of my favorite songs of all time!” I love Raw Poetic’s rap style against Marlon Vann’s (H2a) trip-hop styled beats. But what really shines is Patrick Fritz’s (P-Fritz) voice: it’s shockingly (!) smoooth. Just listen to it, and I guarantee you’ll enjoy it (at least!). This is some of my best stuff! (or RPM’s, I should say) As always, tell me what ya think. It’s the only reason I write :)
Also, this includes the entire song, which the original post did not!
[audio:SleepWalkers.mp3|titles=Sleep Walkers](Download Link in Full Article)
First off, I wanted to apologize, I was going to post this yesterday, but I decided to Jailbreak my iPhone instead. :D It’s incredible what I can do with it now! But, let’s get the music…
This is the fourth installment in the Know Good Classics series. All of the features in this series are either rock or R&B, even though this site is mainly based on hip-hop & electronica. The reason for this is when I was growing up I listened to these genres, mainly from my father’s influence. I eventually turned to hip-hop & electronica in high school and (more so) in college. And now to the feature!
If you listen to any classic rock stations then you’ve probably heard this one before. Long Cool Woman (in a Black Dress) was a big hit back in the day by The Hollies, and is now featured in such films as Remember the Titans (poor quality sample of it here), and a few other films. I actually rediscovered this from what I thought was Wonderland, but came to find it wasn’t. The actual film that I heard it from is still yet to be determined, so if you have any ideas please shout ’em out! Oh well, the song will be a nice refresher from the good ol’ days (as my pop says), so give it a listen and tell me what comes to mind when ya listen to it (if anything)…
[audio:LongCoolWoman.mp3|titles=Long Cool Woman (in a Black Dress)](Download Link in Full Article)
I’ve been following Gabriel Teodros on Facebook for a while now (yes, I’m an Internet stalker, selectively though :D). He made an interesting comment a little while back about a guy who wanted to fight him ’cause the guy thought he was a terrorist! It reminded me of my friend’s story about flying out from Tucson when a kid came up and asked if he was a terrorist. Now, I can understand why a kid would say this; kids speak their mind (that’s the beauty in ’em), and don’t usually mean anything by it, but in Teodros’s case, it’s inexcusable. As Lincoln said, “better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt”.
But this isn’t a politic blog (thank god!), so let’s get to the music. Teodros has created some damn fine music. With Khingz in their group, Abyssinian Creole, and his solo works, not to mention his side projects (well, I guess I just did), Teodros has created some inspiring lyrics on soulful beats. His style stems from deep African roots with a NorthWest flavor, covering topics on racism (hmm… wonder why), sexism, and basically anything but the usual bubblegum pop. His lyrics may not be relatable to everyone, but can be appreciated by anyone!
I decided to feature No Label (Esma Remix) first, so check it and tell me what you think… (I do like hearing your opinion, occasionally ;))
[audio:NoLabel.mp3|titles=No Label (Esma Remix)](Download Link in Full Article)
If you haven’t heard of Jurassic 5 (J5) then you’re in for a treat; although, if you’re at all into underground hip-hop you probably have. J5 is among the greatest hip-hop groups of this era. I might say this about a lot of groups, but along with Hieroglyphics, J5 truly is the best. The group features some great solo acts (again, like Hiero); Chali 2na, probably their most notable MC, has one of the most recognizable voices in the biz. In fact, when I was in London a few months back, the few hip-hop enthusiasts I came across all knew of 2na’s voice, or at least J5’s sound. Unfortunately, 2na isn’t featured on this track, but I did feature one of his solo projects a while back (found here).
The song I decided to feature, High Fidelity, includes Mark 7even & Zaakir with DJ Nu-Mark on the turntables. There were a grip of songs I could have chosen from Power in Numbers (J5’s second LP), but this is by far the most memorable to me. I usually get into why it’s so memorable (and blah blah blah), but it probably bores most of you, so I won’t. There’s not much I can say to give this song justice (I never seem to), but the rhymes are fluid with a finesse that J5 does best. Give it a listen, and if you haven’t heard of ’em before, tell me what you think… If you have, I already know ;).
[audio:HighFidelity.mp3|titles=High Fidelity](Download Link in Full Article)
Who would of thought that this could be considered Christian hip-hop As a Cashew myself :), I’m not really into “Christian music”, but after listening to Braille, I guess I’m a fan of Christian hip-hop (or probably just Braille… yea, I think that’s it). Braille doesn’t necessarily have the traditional Christian lyrics – praising Jesus and… well that’s about it – but you do notice the more subtle Christian influences (I guess). But don’t let that dissuade you, his work is legit; it’s not some fluffy religious junk that only Evangelists could appreciate. No, this can be appreciated by all – Christians, Muslims and even those crazy Jews. Braille is a respected hip-hop artist in the Portland area, and is a member of the Lightheaded Crew, which also features Ohmega Watts and Othello. I’ve only listened to his fourth album, The IV Edition, but I’m definitely going to look into some of his other material. Check it out, and let me know if you’d consider this “Christian music”…
[audio:ConstantlyGrowing.mp3|titles=Constantly Growing](Download Link in Full Article)