Filed under: Hip-hop, Music, Videos | Tags: Chicago, El Che, Konee Rok, Rhymefest
For doz that slept, Rhymefest released his second LP “El Che” on June 8th. Not only is the album full of hot jams and thoughtful lyricism but Fest has teamed with director Konee Rok and decided to release a new video for every track on the album. Rhymefest videos seem to be falling out of the sky, so R&S decided to put together an easy access list of the video’s from “El Che” for your viewing pleasure. We’ll keep the list updated as new clips drop.
Don’t miss “Say Wassup”, hip-hop’s first 3-D video.
01 Intro The Agent
02 Talk My Shit
03 Say Wassup feat. Phonte
04 How High feat. Little Brother and Darien Brockington
05 Chocolates
06 One Hand Push Up
07 Prosperity
08 Truth On You feat. Twone Gabz
09 Intermission Juan Carlos
10 Chicago
11 Agony feat. Glenn Lewis
12 Last Night
13 Give It To Me feat Saigon and Adad
14 Intermission No Help
15 City Is Falling feat. Slique
16 Celebration
Filed under: Canada, Hip-hop, Music, Takin' It Back | Tags: Canada Day, Gowan, Infinite, Take a Look
This is one of the illest hip-hop tracks the Great White North has ever produced (along with this, this and this). Back in ’99, Infinite just absolutely killed it on “Take A Look”.
Every Canada Day party should include some dynamite Canadian jams, so why not add this to your playlist? Or some Gowan?
Filed under: Hip-hop, Music, Videos | Tags: animation, Anthony F. Schepperd, Blockhead, Ninja Tune, The Music Scene
Alright kids, I’d like to put a disclaimer on the above video as it could very well make your head explode. Animated by Anthony F. Schepperd, this video for the excellent Blockhead track “The Music Scene” was completed in less than five months and was created using Flash.
Really, the creativity and animation in this video are off the richter scale. It’s beautiful to watch, fits perfectly with an already mesmerizing audio track and gets better after repeat viewings. Amazing work.
You can check out Anthony Schepperd’s first video, another animated spot for Ape School’s “Wail to God“. Also awesome.
Filed under: Hip-hop, Music | Tags: Dear God 2.0, Def Jam, How I Got Over, The Fire, The Roots
The Roots long-anticipated “How I Got Over” drops in a mere eight days… save up your pennies kids because this is going to be some can’t miss heat.
Don’t believe me? Go listen to a couple of the new jams over at Okayplayer:
Filed under: Hip-hop, Music | Tags: Big K.R.I.T., Bird Man, Cunninlynguists, Def Jam, Dirty South, K.R.I.T. Was Here, Outkast
The South gets a lot of grief for producing the likes of Lil’ Jon, Lil’ Wayne, Mystikal and C-Murder. And while some mainstream Southern rap has rubbed purists the wrong way, many amazing underground groups such as Cunninlynguists, Supreeme, K-Otix, Little Brother and Strange Fruit Project have built on the mainstream success of Outkast, Goodie Mob, Cash Money and No Limit (got to love Master P’s classic “Ice Cream Man”… brutal). Big K.R.I.T. is definitely one of those Dirty South artists who is leading the pack and making people take notice above the Mason-Dixon line. Writing and producing his own tracks, K.R.I.T. has been blowing up lately, so much so that he signed a deal with Def Jam last week.
I’ve never been the biggest fan of Southern rap in general but have always appreciated the individuality and distinctness of the style. That’s a big reason why I consider Outkast and Cunninlynguists amongst my two favourite groups of all-time. And when I hear Big K.R.I.T. I hear so much of what I like in Southern rap; a laid-back drawl, soulful samples, banging basslines and the drive to forge ahead with different styles and sounds. While it might not be the most lyrically sophisticated rap you ever heard, it’s really better than traditional Southern stereotypes would have you believe. Truly, the beats are excellent, some real funk to bump in your trunk. Just listen for the classic samples weaved throughout “K.R.I.T. Was Here”… Bobby Womack, Marvin Gaye… I think I even recognized some Billy Cobham (of ’93 til Infinity fame) on “No Wheaties“.
Today I was bumping “Hometown Hero” on some serious repeat on my walk home from work and couldn’t stop thinking how good it would sound in a ride with a booming system. Off the chains.
Really, all hip hop heads should give this a listen. It might not be for you but at the end of the day these are some free, brand new tracks from an up-and-coming artist who is doing things his way… and doing ‘em well. Don’t sleep.
Favourite tracks:
“Hometown Hero”, “See Me On Top”, “They Got US”, “Country Shit”
Download “K.R.I.T. Was Here”
Filed under: Comedy, Hip-hop, Music, NBA, Playoffs, Sports | Tags: basketball, K.O.B.E., Kazaam, KB24, Kobe Bryant, Kurtis Blow, NBA Finals, Shaq-Fu, Tyra Banks
The NBA Finals start tonight and naturally R&S is picking the Lakers to win in 6. Kobe has just been too much this postseason, and with Lebron’s epic playoff flame-out’s the past couple seasons KB24 is making a strong case that he is still the best basketball player in the universe. And while his skills on the hardwood can’t be questioned, his skills on the mic sure can. For those that don’t know (or programmed their brains to forget), Kobe once thought he could be a rapper like his big brother Shaq. So he decided to cut a track with Tyra Banks and the audio proof is found above. Good thing Kobe stuck with working on eviscerating opposing SG’s and not sharpening his cipher skills because his mic-manship actually makes Shaq sound more like Big Daddy Kane than Kazaam.
Now that your ears have been scarred by the Mamba, cleanse your sonic palette with the best rap song about basketball ever (and the first rap music video)… Kurtis Blow’s “Basketball”.
Filed under: Download, Hip-hop, Music | Tags: Bedstuy, Brooklyn, Free Download, Funk, instrumental, The Stuyvestants
Spotted this gem earlier today over at the excellent Baby Grandpa blog. The Stuyvestants is some really funky and sexy instrumental ish, incorporating the sounds and textures of ’70s Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn into a modern trip back in time. According to the group:
“The Stuyvesants” is a collaborative effort between music producer Allan Cole (Algorythm), and record collector Darien Victor Birks (Flwrpt). Both reside in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, NY. The two wanted to work together on a project where they could incorporate several of their talents, related to music and design. They wanted to do this under a moniker that would pay homage to the ’70s. The collaboration allowed them to do four major things, design, beat dig, produce amazing music, and simply have fun.
This is a free download so don’t sleep. These cats even did up some crisp looking tee’s, so if you are really feeling their free contribution to your musical collection support them and buy yourself some fresh “Stuyvestants” cotton.
Filed under: Hip-hop, Music, Takin' It Back | Tags: Funky For You, golden era, Greg Nice, Nice & Smooth, old school, Parliament, samples, Smooth B, Tracy Chapman
East-coast hip-hop pioneers Greg Nice and Smooth B recorded four albums from 1989-1997 and definitely left an indelible mark on the rap game. Their upbeat and often humorous style fit helped usher in the “Daisy Age” (along with De La Soul, Tribe Called Quest and The Jungle Brothers, amongst others) and brought them mainstream success with bangin’ singles like “Hip-Hop Junkies“, “Sometimes I Rhyme Slow” and “Old To New” (don’t sleep on my personal favourite “Sex, Sex, Sex“).
Every time I hear “Funky For You” and that amazing Parliament sample of “Do that Stuff” I can’t help but boogie down. Nice & Smooth really had the sample game locked down (just ask Tracy Chapman). While Nice & Smooth don’t garner the same level of respect as their more “underground” contemporaries, 20 years later their tracks still ignite dance floors and definitely warrant a re-discovery.
Filed under: Hip-hop, Music | Tags: Hip-hop, Pick A Dream, South Africa, Tumi & The Volume, World Cup
With the eyes of the world about to set their gaze upon South Africa, R&S would like to take this opportunity to hip everyone to a great group reppin’ straight from the host country. Tumi & The Volume are a South African hip-hop quartet from Johannesburg that have just released their third album, Pick A Dream (download free album sampler here). This is some really excellent stuff, conscious hip-hop delivered with a style and sound that yearns for the Golden Era yet is still uniquely African. Do not sleep.
For more from Tumi & The Volume check out this awesome live concert footage.
Filed under: Hip-hop, Music | Tags: cancer, coma, Gangstarr, Guru, Jazzmatazz, letter, R.I.P., Solar
via AllHipHop.com
Legendary Gangstarr artist Guru has succumbed to cancer after a lengthy bout with the disease.
The artist, born Keith Elam, died on Monday April 19. He was 43 years old.
Solar, Guru’s partner, expressed sadness over the loss.
“The world has lost one of the best MCs and Hip-Hop icons of all-time — my loyal best friend, partner, and brother, Guru,” Solar said in a statement. “Guru has been battling cancer for well over a year and has lost his battle! This is a matter that Guru wanted private until he could beat it, but tragically, this did not happen. The cancer took him. Now the world has lost a great man and a true genius.
Guru, a Boston native, rose to fame in the 80′s as one half of Gangstarr, the iconic rap group with DJ Premier.
The group released six highly regarded albums in their tenure until 2003 when they broke up. After his successful run with Premier, Guru founded 7 Grand Records with producer Solar.
Solar went on to tend to the rapper as he fell ill, seemingly controlling the flow of information and access to Guru. Many of his family members complained that they were denied their right to see him.
Solar also said that Guru wrote a letter to fans and sent it out through a press agency.
“For the fans that reached out with love and support, I can’t tell you how much that meant to Guru and myself. Guru prepared this letter (read below) while he was in the hospital for the fans,” the producer continued. “I hope now that Guru has moved on to a better place.”
In the letter, seen below, the rapper explains his illness, expresses gratitude to supporters and offers some parting words for DJ Premiere.
I, Guru, am writing this letter to my fans, friends and loved ones around the world. I have had a long battle with cancer and have succumbed to the disease. I have suffered with this illness for over a year. I have exhausted all medical options.
I have a non-profit organization called Each One Counts dedicated to carrying on my charitable work on behalf of abused and disadvantaged children from around the world and also to educate and research a cure for this terrible disease that took my life. I write this with tears in my eyes, not of sorrow but of joy for what a wonderful life I have enjoyed and how many great people I have had the pleasure of meeting.
My loyal best friend, partner and brother, Solar, has been at my side through it all and has been made my health proxy by myself on all matters relating to myself. He has been with me by my side on my many hospital stays, operations, doctors visits and stayed with me at my home and cared for me when I could not care for myself. Solar and his family is my family and I love them dearly and I expect my family, friends, and fans to respect that, regardless to anybody’s feelings on the matter. It is my wish that counts. This being said I am survived by the love of my life, my sun KC, who I trust will be looked after by Solar and his family as their own. Any awards or tributes should be accepted, organized approved by Solar on behalf myself and my son until he is of age to except on his own.
I do not wish my ex-DJ to have anything to do with my name likeness, events tributes etc. connected in anyway to my situation including any use of my name or circumstance for any reason and I have instructed my lawyers to enforce this. I had nothing to do with him in life for over 7 years and want nothing to do with him in death. Solar has my life story and is well informed on my family situation, as well as the real reason for separating from my ex-DJ. As the sole founder of GangStarr, I am very proud of what GangStarr has meant to the music world and fans. I equally am proud of my Jazzmatazz series and as the father of Hip-Hop/Jazz. I am most proud of my leadership and pioneering efforts on Jazzmatazz 4 for reinvigorating the Hip-Hop/Jazz genre in a time when music quality has reached an all time low. Solar and I have toured in places that I have never been before with GangStarr or Jazzmatatazz and we gained a reputation for being the best on the planet at Hip-Hop/Jazz, as well as the biggest and most influential Hip-Hop/Jazz record with Jazzmatazz 4 of the decade to now. The work I have done with Solar represents a legacy far beyond its time. And we as a team were not afraid to push the envelope. To me this is what true artists do! As men of honor we stood tall in the face of small mindedness, greed, and ignorance. As we fought for music and integrity at the cost of not earning millions and for this I will always be happy and proud, and would like to thank the million fans who have seen us perform over the years from all over the world. The work I have done with Solar represents a legacy far beyond its time and is my most creative and experimental to date. I hope that our music will receive the attention it deserves as it is some of the best work I have done and represents some of the best years of my life.
R&S would like to give a final shout out to one of hip-hop’s most legendary MC’s. With his smooth, clear flow and laid back steez Guru was instantly recognizable on the mic. His pioneering work with the Jazzmatazz series and his legendary coupling with DJ Premier definitely ranks Guru among the hip-hop hall of fame. R.I.P. and best wishes to all the friends and family of Keith Elam aka Guru.
Filed under: Canada, Hip-hop, Music, Olympics, Sports, Videos | Tags: Canada, Classified, Hip-Hop National Anthem, Oh Canada
As our great nation ramps up the Olympic nationalism to a fever pitch, I thought today would be a good day to share a hot interpretation of Canada’s national anthem. Props to Classified for this, the Heritage Moments are classic.
Now, if you’ll excuse me I’m gonna be spending the next two weeks trying to win the binge drinking gold medal.
Filed under: Clips, Hip-hop, Music, Nerds, Toys/Figures | Tags: 36 chambers, Da Mystery of Chessboxin, lego, Wu-Tang Clan
Ever wondered what the classic Wu-Tang Mystery of Chessboxin’ video would look like if it was given the lego treatment? Well thanks to some cat named Davo you needn’t wonder any longer. I thought the endless puzzles in lego Batman were time consuming enough but damn!
Filed under: Hip-hop, Movies, Music | Tags: Artistic expression, Copyright Criminals, Copyright law, DJ Q-Bert, Mixmaster Mike, PBS, sampling in hip-hop, The Funky Drummer
Every hip-hop head knows James Brown’s “The Funky Drummer”. You had heard the drum countless times, in various forms, before you ever even realized it was the Godfather of Soul. De La Soul’s “Oodles of O’s”, Eazy-E’s “We Want Eazy”, Ice T’s “Original Gangster” and even Kris Kross’ “Jump” all sampled from the classic track (amongst others), yet that would never be evident to the layman. Such is the beauty of sampling, and one of the biggest arguments for its validity as a form of authentic musical expression.
The movie Copyright Criminals, which will be televised tonight on PBS and available on DVD January 26th, takes an in-depth look at the magic of sampling, the musicianship behind manipulating and recreating a sample and the history of the sample in popular music. According the movie’s website:
Copyright Criminals examines the creative and commercial value of musical sampling, including the related debates over artistic expression, copyright law, and (of course) money.
With insight from hip-hop legends such as Chuck D, Mixmaster Mike, Q Bert, El-P, Shock G and Pete Rock, this movie is bound to shed light on one of hip-hop’s most powerful tools. Hopefully, it will also clear misconceptions for those of you who don’t see the validity or creativity in producing a beat using sampled snippets of other works.
I have always felt sampling was one of the most creative forms of musical expression and marvel at the musical genius of producers like Kno, DJ Premier, Ant, Dr. Dre and The RZA who are able to take a song or break and bring it to life again, only better, stronger and more developed. As if the sample is a caterpillar and the finished beat is a butterfly.
It’s not like groundbreaking artists such as The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and Elvis Presley didn’t effectively sample from the artists they were listening too. Yet they are considered three of the most influential artists of all-time. Just listen to Willie Dixon’s “You Need Love” and then listen to Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love”. “You Need Love” samples can be heard throughout Zep’s popular version. Did Led Zep steal Willie’s song or did they just want to infuse the spirit of it within their own track to create an even better song that paid homage to their vital influences?
So now you know where R&S stands on the sampling issue. We love it. What say you?
Filed under: Hip-hop, Music | Tags: 306, LeVar Burton, Martin Luther King Day, MLK, MLK Tribute, Random, Stevie Wonder
Good morning everyone. Enjoy the day, and don’t lose sight of the memory and sacrifice of one of the greatest people the world has ever seen. Dr. Martin Luther King was an inspirational activist, orator, preacher and father who gave so much to help so many. Give thanks for his good works and keep the spirit of MLK alive today as you go about your daily business.
By the way, this video is courtesy of R&S favourite Raheem “Random” Jarbo and his dynamite MLK tribute track “306″ (the room number at the Lorraine Hotel in Memphis where the Dr. was shot and killed). Great tribute from a great artist.
And check out this MLK vid featuring none other than Stevie Wonder and LeVar Burton!
Filed under: Comedy, Hip-hop, Music, Television | Tags: DJ Pauly D, Dorrough, Ice Cream Paint Job, Jersey Shore Guys Dancing, JWoww, Ronnie, The SItuation, Vinnie
I will be the first to admit that I love the Jersey Shore. Can’t miss television. Check this video of the Jersey Shore proto-guidos, Vinnie, DJ Pauly D, Ronnie and The Situation, getting their gangsta groove on while dancing and Jerzing out to some terrible rap music courtesy of some cat named Dorrough. Much like the show, it’s hard to look away. And don’t forget about JWoww.
Is it just me, but are Ronnie and Vinnie both genuinely funny guys?
Filed under: Hip-hop, Movies, Music, Videos | Tags: Lupe Fiasco, Rap-Rock, Solar Midnite, Twilight: New Moon soundtrack, Vampires, Werewolves
I try to avoid anything with the Twilight taint like the plague, but I stumbled upon this video over on the great blog for Profound Aesthetics and got sucked in. The video is for Lupe Fiasco’s newest track, “Solar Midnite”, which is from the Twilight: New Moon Soundtrack. While a new Lupe song is always cause for celebration, this particular track is different. Lupe gets his rock on. Don’t worry, you can forget any thoughts you just had of Limp Bizkit or Linkin Park. This is some Rap-Rock that is actually good.
Lupe had this to say about the track:
“Solar Midnite is my first commercial release that I actually produced as well as wrote. The New Moon team asked me if I could do a song specifically for the film. They invited me to an early screening of the unfinished film from which I pulled different elements that I thought would translate into a great song. I pulled in vocalist and bassist Graham Burris and acclaimed musician Matt Nelson to help fill it out my vision musically and “joila” Solar Midnite was born. The song basically deals with the chaotic love story that takes place between the characters. It’s more on the rock side of my musical catalog and comes straight from my die hard fanhood of Red Hot Chili Peppers and Anthony Keidis, one of my FAVORITE RAPPERS.”
I know this track has been out for awhile, and 16 year-old girls everywhere have undoubtedly already played this song out while fantasizing about forbidden vampire love, but I still felt it was worth a share, especially if you are like me and run the other way when anyone mentions the T word. And go check out Profound Aesthetics when you’ve got time. They run a great blog and produce some amazing t-shirts. Don’t sleep.
Filed under: Hip-hop, Music, Videos | Tags: Let There Be Horns, Minotaur music video, RJ's Electrical Connections, RJD2, The Colossus
Former Def Jux beat wizard RJD2 is coming out with a new album, The Colossus, on January 19th. In true RJ style there is an insane video, directed by Thom Glunt. “Let There Be Horns” gives us a glimpse into the life of a love-lorn Minotaur as he deals with modern society and its pressures. Hilarious. Ramble John himself makes an appearence at the end as the antique shopkeeper and instigator of Mino’s “bull in a china shop” rage. Such a good video, totally works in sync with the song and funny to boot.
Can’t wait for this album. The Third Hand wasn’t very good, although the instrumental version was alright, but from this video and the first leaked single, “Games You Can Win”, I am all aboard for The Colossus. Deadringer and The Horror, his stuff with Soul Position and Aceyalone and his various other side jobs are all excellent, and a return to form is a good sign for the coming decade in music.
Check out this serious quote from RJ, describing the mindset that is fueling his return to musical prominence:
“I have been SERIOUSLY busy in the last 2 years; and very little of it has to do with twittering. At the risk of sounding all corny, I feel the need to say something that’s important to me: I’ve realized recently that I do music, make records, LISTEN to records, tour, and generally hole myself up in the studio because I love it, not cause its my job. Its become as natural as breathing, and keeps me sane-most of the time. Im much more concerned with making a timeless record, than with how to sell a record nowadays. Also, if you don’t see me posting left and right on whatever the most current social networking site is, its not cause I don’t like being social, its cause I feel like our time on earth is very very short, and that the most I have to offer this planet in my little window of time here is through the vessel of music. I would rather leave behind something you can hopefully use a little more than an update on my belly button lint. Hopefully, a catalog that speaks more volumes than all the blogs I could possibly write in a hundred years.” from Plug One
Umm, well, I’m gonna go check my Twitter after I finish this blog post. Don’t think RJ would approve of my social media time wasting. But seriously, if I was as musically gifted as him I probably wouldn’t be blogging and tweeting as much anyways. Touché.
If you order the album from his website you can get all sorts of different versions, nothing quite as pimp as the Limited Edition package, of which only 100 were made. It runs $159.99, but you pretty much get RJ’s entire catalog, all slickly packaged and extremely limited, plus more. If I didn’t already have all his albums I’d be getting it for sure.
Big up to Okayplayer for the drop on this video. If you aren’t checking the site that Quest built for the latest hip-hop news, reviews, interviews and merch, you need to check yourself. 10 years in the web game and always coming strong.
Filed under: Comedy, Hip-hop, Music, Videos | Tags: awful video, Major Lazer, PeeWee's Playhouse, Ponce De Floor, terrible song
Holy shit. I was reading the always hilarious Hot Chicks With Douchebags blog when I stumbled upon this monstrosity. Here is the quote they used to entice readers to click the link:
PeeWee’s Playhouse just got weird once they adapted it for B.E.T.
The headline alone let me know it was something worth clicking, yet my eyes nor my ears were prepared for the blitzkrieg they were about to deal with. This song is awful and the video might even be worse. My brain is a jumbled mess after watching so I can’t even tell.
Please help.
Filed under: Hip-hop, Music, Videos | Tags: Carried Away, Double K, People Under The Stairs, Thes One, Trippin' At The Disco
Is this not the freshest hip-hop video you have seen in a minute? Unbelievably awesome. People Under The Stairs have always brought the heat, and their new album Carried Away doesn’t disappoint. Pick up the limited fanclub edition and you’ll also get all of this:
The 1st pressing of the physical release will be wrapped around a die cut O-card and a fold out “PUTS Party Safety Guide” poster. Each CD also comes with a special VIP (Very Important Partier) lanyard that will allow fans to acquire exclusive material at the upcoming People Under the Stairs World Tour kicking off in September (stay tuned for dates on www.omrecords. com). For those who are not able to attend a PUTS show, the VIP lanyard will also be good for exclusive online unreleased material. All these items craft a certified premium physical package that no true fan can deny!
If you pick up the vinyl you’ll even get the sick bonus track “All Good Things“, which features a great Radiohead sample. Do it, do it.
Now watch “Trippin’ At The Disco” one more time and get your buy on.
Filed under: Canada, Hip-hop, Music, Videos | Tags: Canadian Hip-Hop, Grand Analog, K'Naan, k-os, Ok Cobra, old school, Swollen Members
2009 has been a great year in the world of hip-hop. Banner releases from the likes of Raekwon, Brother Ali, Mos Def and Doom let the world know that hip-hop is far from dead. The success of US hip-hop was also paralleled up here in Canada, where artists such as Kardinal Offishall, Marco Polo, K’Naan and (unfortunately) Drake built on the past success of Michie Mee, Maestro Fresh Wes, Buck 65 and the Rascalz and began to steer some attention North of the border. Let’s take a look at some of the hot fire that has emanated from the frozen tundra so far this year.
k-os – I Wish I Knew Natalie Portman
Arguably Canada’s best MC, k-os dropped his album Yes! in April (drops Nov 17th in US) and then embarked on one of the year’s most innovative and successful tours. Borrowing from visionaries such as Radiohead and Nine Inch Nails, k-os decided to make his entire tour “pay what you feel”, with donations made after the show rewarded with a bonus disc of remixes from the Yes! album. Needless to say, k-os played packed venues from Victoria to Halifax, often coupling every nightclub show with an all-ages gig to reach all of his fans. The album peaked at #9 on the Canadian Albums Chart and was longlisted for the Polaris Music Prize, further cementing Kheavon Brereton as one of Canada’s elite mic rippers. “I Wish I Knew Natalie Portman” is the 3rd single from the album and, personally, my favourite track. On a side note, I also wish I knew Natalie Portman.
Grand Analog – Take It Slow (Spaces and Places)
Originally from Winnipeg and fronted by Odario Williams, formerly of Mood Ruff, Grand Analog made waves with a modern sound described as a “beautiful mess of rap’n'roll, dub and soul”. Their 2009 release Metropolis Is Burning is a gem, with my two favourite tracks being “Play My Kazoo” and “Magnifico”. They are known for a great live show, so make sure to check them out if they are in your area. And if you don’t know Mood Ruff, Wu-Tang ain’t the only ones with “No Hooks“.
K’Naan – Somalia
Born Keinan Abdi Warsame, K’Naan is a Somali-Canadian rapper/musician who has been on a tear over the past couple years. His debut Canadian LP, The Dusty Foot Philosopher, showed a promising talent and his abilities were soon winning Juno’s, featuring in FIFA 06 and getting run on BET. With his second LP, Troubadour, K’Naan called in the big guns. Guest appearances include Mos Def, Chubb Rock, Chali 2na, Damian Marley, Metallica’s Kirk Hammett and Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine. The album has sold over 50,000 copies so far in the US, landed at #32 on the Billboard Hot 200 and was shortlisted for the 2009 Polaris Music Prize. K’Naan built on the success of Troubador with a trilogy of mixtapes, with each one based on one of three musical icons: Bob Marley, Fela Kuti and Bob Dylan. Done in collaboration with J. Period, all three albums tore up the blogs in 2009 and are available for free download here. If you haven’t heard them yet, chug a red bull and get your download on, cause you don’t want to sleep on this.
OK Cobra – I Quit (I Give Up)
Childhood friends from London, Ontario, rapper Fritz the Cat and producer Recordface comprise one of Canada’s newest underground sensations, OK Cobra. Fritz the Cat built up a cult following as the former writer of a popular music ‘zine “In Search of Divine Styler” and a weekly column in hipster bible Vice magazine, and the duo are now reaching to greater heights. Their 2009 release, Delirium Tremens, was the follow-up to their acclaimed self-titled debut. I Quit (I Give Up) is a track off Delireum Tremens and features a nice sample of the Edie Brickell song Circles. And for those in the know, OK Cobra aren’t the first cats to sample Edie & The New Bohemians… Brand Nubian in the house.
Swollen Members – Bollywood Chick
Not everything Canadian is excellent, which has been proven before by Celine Dion, the CFL and Snow, so our review of Canadian hip-hop in 2009 also had to include some sort of abomination. Enter… Swollen Members. At one point in my life (1999), Swollen were West Coast underground darlings and had released one of the most promising debut LPs for a Canadian hip hop group with Balance. Trust me, the album was a gem (listen to their first big single, Lady Venom, here). But somewhere along the way, Mad Child and Prevail got caught up in the rap game and now only like to make songs about strippers, bikers and sleeveless shirts. Definitely a departure from the dark and haunting imagery they built their fan-base on. R&S has it on good authority that Mad Child might be one of the most insecure and immature dudes in hip-hop, never quite knowing what “it” sound Swollen should follow (as evidenced by the use of Auto-Tune on Armed to the Teeth) and constantly reaching for validation. Validate this Mad Child… your new album blows. Just like every other SM album since Bad Dreams. And get a look at their latest album cover. Skulls, bandannas and AK-47s? Looks like an Ed Hardy knock-off.
So, like the title says… 4 out of 5 ain’t bad.
Canadian Hip-Hop Old School Vault
For some of the best Canadian old school, check out the following links:
Dream Warriors – My Definition of a Boombastic Jazz Style
Ghetto Concept – EZ on tha Motion
Kardinal Offishall – On Wit Da Show
Maestro Fresh Wes – Let Your Backbone Slide
Canada’s representing, eh.
Filed under: Hip-hop, Music | Tags: beat box, circular breathing, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Rahzel
Rahsaan Roland Kirk is one of the great jazz masters of the 20th century and also one of the most entertaining musicians of all-time. How can you not dig a guy who plays three saxaphones at the same time… with occasional nose flute? Unreal breath control. He was able to harness circular breathing (a talent shared by other prominent jazz musicians such as Wynton Marsalis and former circular breathing world record holder Kenny G) in order to make a constant tone and could channel his breath through different mouthpieces, allowing him to play multiple instruments at the same time.
Circular breathing has long been a specialized skill of players of wind instruments but I think it has also moved into the realm of hip-hop, as evidenced by the Human Beatbox, Rahzel. I’m not certain that Rahzel uses circular breathing to perform beats as well as spoken or sung lyrics simultaneously, but it seems to be a logical conclusion. How else do you explain this? And if he doesn’t use circular breathing, how sick of a beatboxer could he be if he did?
For a circular breathing lesson from Kenny G, click here.
Filed under: Download, Hip-hop, Music | Tags: Black Thought, Download, free, Hip-hop, Jimmy Fallon, live, Questlove, The Roots
One of hip-hop’s most beloved live acts, The Roots, have been rocking shows around the world since the early ’90s. From huge music festivals to small clubs to grand concert halls to college campuses, The Roots have been stunning fans with one of the most robust live shows in music today. Anyone who has seen or heard them perform live can testify to this. They aren’t just a rap group from Philly or Jimmy Fallon’s house band. The Roots are one of the great bands of the last 20 years, and their reputation as amazing musicians and performers reinforces that claim.
While Rock music has been battling concert bootlegs for 40+ years, concert bootlegs haven’t been nearly as prevalent in the hip-hop community. A few bands have released live albums (like MF Doom’s “Live From Planet X“) and occasional soundboard recordings of live shows do float around the torrents and blogs, but not on nearly the same scale as Rock music. However, this apparent “rule” of hip-hop doesn’t apply to The Roots. They have TheRootsLive.com, the online source for free, high-quality concert bootlegs.
Go check out the site and get your download on. I would recommend any of the Montreux Jazz Festival recordings (their 2003 performance is available here). Or just search around and listen to a random concert. It is bound to be good.
TheRootsLive.com has over 40 full concerts for download, all good quality, all free. They also feature a great history of the band, which you can read here.
And as always, support artists that you love. Buy their albums, go to their shows, maybe even watch the awful Jimmy Fallon show sometimes, if only to watch hip-hop royalty rock the stage like no other.
Filed under: Download, Hip-hop, Music, NBA, Predictions, Sports | Tags: Blake Griffin, Kno, Kobe, Lakers, Lamar Odom, Lebron James, Los Angeles Lakers, NBA, QN5, Raymone, tip-off
With opening tip-off just hours away, let’s celebrate the upcoming season with a hot new jam from the QN5 crew.
“This Year” features a sick beat from Kno, while Session and PackFM rock it over an accompanying montage of highlights from last season. I love the entire QN5 crew, and can’t wait to see Cunninlynguists in Bellingham, WA next month (Listen to their new single and pre-order their new album, Strange Journey Vol 2 here). But until then, let’s focus on some round ball. If you like the track, you can download it here.
R&S Predictions
MVP: Lebron Raymone James
Defensive Player: Dwight Howard
6th Man: Lamar Odom
ROY: Blake Griffin (even with the broken kneecap)
Finals: Lakers over Magic in 6 (again)
video via 2dopeboyz
Filed under: Hip-hop, Music | Tags: 7th, new, Rakim, Rakim Allah, sample, Seventh Seal, the greatest MC
The big year in hip hop releases continues with a couple more epic drops in November. We’ve already talked about the latest FELT project dropping November 17th, but that same day will also see the unveiling of the latest album from one of hip hops greatest and most influential MC’s… none other than Rakim. “The Seventh Seal” features production from several producers, including Nottz, Ty Fyffe, Jake One, and Nick Wiz, as well as guest appearances by New York emcees such as The L.O.X., Maino,Busta Rhymes, and his own daughter Destiny Griffin.
Listen to a sample of the album below. I’m not loving the production, would have preferred the original concept of The R teaming up with Dr. Dre, but new Rakim is still new Rakim.
via Okayplayer
Filed under: Clips, Hip-hop, Music | Tags: aesop rock, Felt, Get Cake, Murs, Rhymesayers, Slug
The new FELT project is eagerly anticipated at R&S, and Rhymesayers have released this latest video featuring the whole FELT 3 gang: Slug, Murs and Aesop Rock. A little look behind the scenes in Aesop’s adopted home of San Fran.
“Ninja turtles are to pizza what FELT is to Thai food” – drunken Murs
Album drops on November 17th.
