Interview: Too Short Says There Was Industry-Wide Plot To Shut Down Conscious Hip Hop

I never been much for conspiracies, but when I heard this, I had to take a look and see what Short Dog was talkin about..

He makes some eyebrow raising allegations (some which I wholeheartedly know are valid from just being around the industry a bit) in this interview with HipHopDX, and some folks have already labelled this as deflection from his recent, how shall I put it, mis-steps that have come under fire..

You'll have to decide for yaself.

Too Short: And, I’m not gonna blame this on anybody, but I was actually being pushed into a direction where I would talk to people at Jive [Records], I would go talk to the President, Barry Weiss, and he was like – I always wanted to do these [side] projects like the E-40 duet album, which was one they never would let me do. Jive would never let me and E-40 do an album together. They kept making excuses and so it never got done. I also wanted to do an album that was filled with songs like “The Ghetto,” “Life Is…Too Short,” “Money In The Ghetto,” “I Want To Be Free.” I wanted to do a whole album of positive Too Short songs, just to keep that balance. I had made a verbal deal with Barry Weiss, where he was like, “Right now would be the perfect time, you should do like the raunchiest Too Short album ever – the album cover, the songs, just do a dirty fuckin’ Too Short album.” This is the executive running the company advising me to put out an entire album of just cursing and sex. 

Read the whole interview here

Single: Catch Lungs ft. Donny Goines & Danny Brown - Gotta Kill This

Catch Lungs is an enterprising young new rapper that has already made a good impression on me w/ his "Awake In A Dream" release... and now has garnered my attention with a new single that again combines his knack for picking great collaborators and solid production.

He's easy enough to like, especially since he hails from my home away from home, Denver, CO..

I won't lie, I'm still adjusting to his rhyme delivery, but I suspect that I'll keep giving it a chance if he continues to be savvy about his guest features and beat selection. Here he has Donny Goines and Danny Brown at his side assisting things, so that can't hurt one bit..

As we stand now, Catch is readying his  "Mermaids & Vampires" project, due out this Spring/Summer sometime..


Catch Lungs ft. Donny Goines & Danny Brown - Gotta Kill This

Video: Redman On The Drums

Ha! Let the drummer get some!!

Redman shows off a skill that to be honest I never knew he had... and he's pretty proficient on those man.. Quest Love watch out!

spotted over at Grandgood

Single: Joell Ortiz - Can't Stop The Prophet

Joell over a friggin' golden era remix gem from Pete Rock? Yeah, better click play...

Jeru set it years ago and Joell touches it up again in 12'... I like this.. and Joell stays bringin' strong 16's..

Hevehitta & DJ Unexpected - Ghostface Killah & DJ Premier - Duel Of The Iron Fists

Now this is what the fuck I'm talkin bout... you do a blend tape, do it like this...

Hevehitta and DJ Unexpected continue their Martial Arts Mixtapes series with this installment dedicated to pairing Ghostdeini's vocals with Premo's beats and sprinkling in some kung fu flick lifts and beat break goodies here and there.. All in all a highly entertaining tape...

Single: Action Bronson - Nothing To Worry About

Hot damn.. brand new Bronson and yet again the lyrical foodie from Flushing bodies 16 bars intensely.

The track utilized is Peter Bjorn and John's "Nothing To Worry About", from their 2009 album Living Thing Out...

Yo, not to take away from this track, but if you've never seen the video for that track, yo, do look at for a minute, wild ish'..

Single: Stik Figa - Never Heard Of Em'

It's joints like this that made me a fan of Stik Figa..

The emcee from a "small Kansas town in the county of Shawnee" displays a heaping dose of his wittiness on this new cut as well as his knack for sounding completely at home over any type of production, including this one, that takes a harder line than some of his usual selections..

Video: Fresh Daily - The Brooklyn Good Guy Promo

Ha! Dope lil' promo from Fresh Daily, a cat whose debut from 3 years or so back, "The Gorgeous Killer: In Crimes Of Passion" continues to be just criminally slept-on by too many heads...

Fresh ain't sweatin it though, he's readying the next project, which you should be pretty hype for after peeping the above promo..

Single: Blacastan ft. V-Zilla - Concrete

"The Saga continues, hustlin to achieve" 

This man Blacastan blasts off another new leak off his upcoming "Master Builder II" double CD project...

This insanely dope banger that has a somber mood to it, Blac and V-Zilla extols upon the dreaded and twisted turns a life can take out there on the concrete...

"Master Builder II" drops on March 13th..

Video: DJ Format ft. Edan - Spaceship Earth

Been a lil' bit since I've heard Edan straight rip down a joint... DJ Format went ahead and helped me out by bringin this man Edan back out for "Spaceship Earth", a bangin cut off Format's "Statement Of Intent" LP that dropped Today...

Directed by Tim Crawley..

Single: PremeRock & Willie Green ft. Has-Lo - Radio Dial (Blockhead Remix)

Yessir, this is a BANGIN' remix.. as served up by Blockhead, for dope new NYC duo, Premerock & Willie Green..

Guest spot from Has-Lo on this one as well, if you like this, then be sure to peep Preme & Willie's self titled debut LP...

Single: Mr. Brady & Elaquent - Its Yours

Mr Brady and Elaquent, two of the most talented underground producers you haven't done your homework on are prepping their upcoming collab EP "Sayin Somethin", and you're invited to bump the first leak.. drip!

Stuttery drums, tight, uniform hats and some lush key and synth work on this one.. press play damnit!

Video: Krate Krusaders ft. Dr. Syntax - On The Rise

One of my favorite UK emcees here... Dr. Syntax, shows you exactly why you've been spleeping on his considerable talent as he gets the visual treatment for the joint he did with the equally dope countrymen, the Krate Krusaders off their latest LP "When The Needle Drops"

"On The Rise" indeed man...

Single: Mr. J. Medeiros - Pale Blue Dot (prod. by Stro Elliot)

That's right, we've got a mini Procussions reunion as Mr. J. Medeiros links with production wiz kid, Stro...

I mean, what can I say about music like this? It's just all too great man... Medeiros has really started to get crafty in the ways he melds genre's together...

The Find Magazine is very excited to present its very first vinyl release. It's a limited edition 7” vinyl single for “Pale Blue Dot”, a brand new song from Mr. J. Medeiros produced by Stro Elliot (both formerly of The Procussions). The B-side is home to a “Pale Blue Dot” remix by none other than 20syl of Hocus Pocus with a guest verse from the brilliant Canadian emcee Shad. Limited to 200 copies, out March 5th. Pre-order here

Single: Gorillaz ft. Andre 3000 - DoYaThing

I guess Converse's foray into the music game continues.... saw this comin when they started supplying rappers w/ gear heavy a couple years ago when they re-released the Weapons...

Sorry, that was a bit of sneakerhead shit there at the end... In any case, I know everyone here won't be a Gorillaz fan, however I will say if you aren't, shame shame...

Trust their new joint with Andre 3000 is definitely somethin' that will get you movin' as the more eccentric half of Outkast displays his true and very mighty lyrical prowess, fresh off of saying we shouldn't hold our collectives breathes for a new Outkast LP anytime soon...


Gorillaz ft. Andre 3000 - DoYaThing

Milkcrate Athletics & The Butcher's Block Present...

Brand spankin new mix from The Mobb, sanctioned by Milkcrate Athletics and The Butcher's Block as a attention grabber for their upcoming, (and fairly ill) Tee Shirt capsule...

In celebration of their collaborative tee capsule with the Infamous Mobb Deep, Milkcrate Athletics & The Butcher’s Block presents the ‘Mobb Deep LaCrate mix’. The ‘LaCrate Mix’ revisits Queensbridge classics, slept on gems and features the Aaron LaCrate produced ‘Illson’. The Mobb Deep x Milkcrate Athletics tee capsule will be available soon

Blak Madeen - Divine Power Culture

Boston duo Blak Madeen has a brand new and completely free street release that you gotta put ya ears on...

Yusef and Al-J have teamed with legendary beantown purveyor of dynamite underground music Edu Leedz and his Leedz Edutainment imprint to bring you a new release that features a host of worthy guest spots and Blak Madeen's signature sound, embedded heavily with their poignant lyrics that draw on their Islamic faith.

Features include Cormega, Reef The Lost Cauze, Timbo King, Slaine, Krumbsnatcha and more...


Blak Madeen - Divine Power Culture

Video: Ugly Duckling - Elevation

What??! New Ugly Duckling vid?? You serious man?

All my 90's heads that loved when this trio of Hip-Hop purists burst on the Cali scene def. need to pay attention as they've resurfaced with a new video for "Elevation", a brand new cut off their album "Moving At Breakneck Speed" that snuck in on us last year.. I feel like a real asshole for sleeping on that one..

Video for the Ugly Duckling song “Elevation”. Animated by Justin Ridge and directed by Stoney Sharp, this is the first video from the group’s 2011 album “Moving At Breakneck Speed”. The video features comedians T.J. Miller and Zack Pearlman as well as Nathan Barnatt and several other members of the UD family. The goal of this video was to bring the Breakneck Speed album cover to live. See if you can also spot each of the previous Ugly Duckling album covers throughout the video.

Video: The Alchemist Rapper's Best Friend 2 'Got Raps?' Contest

If you click play you can get the details on how to enter into this contest put on by none other than our boy Al, if you're more of the readin' type, just take a gander below..

The Alchemist makes bangin beats. You Got Raps? The Alchemist is all ears. 

Make a video of yourself rapping over the Alchemist’s “Whole Lotta Thug” beat and post is as a reply to this video. 

One winner will get their own Alchemist produced single to be released on Decon. 

1. Download the Alchemist “Whole Lotta Thug” instrumental from
http://rappersbestfriend2.com  

2. Make a video of yourself rapping over the beat. 

3. Upload the video as a reply to Alchemist’s video above. 

4. Go to facebook.com/decon to submit your contact information and video link.

Prince Ali - SP1200 EP

Only a true student of the game can instantly tell when he hears that distinguished 12 bit crunch that only the SP-1200 can make.. It's a sampling drum machine that to me, defined a whole era, and continues to define what's best about this culture...

Fitting then that Prince Ali has gone ahead and re-released some of his best SP-produced cuts on a new EP that you can swoop for free...

New 10 track EP titled "SP1200" by Toronto's P.A. (Prince Ali). Featuring appearances from Oddisee, Kev Brown, Emilio Rojas and more. A little best of EP remastered and mixed with a crystal clear sound. The EP is stricly SP1200 heavy beats with some soulful exceptions.