Saturday, July 31, 2010

Interview: Maker For Elevator Hip-Hop



Rare weekend update for ya'll kiddies, lets take it to the lab....

Elevator Hip-Hop gets up with Chi City beatsmith Maker to talk records, the Now Again Records catalog, making music with Qwel and the evolution of beatmaking as a whole getting easier and more accessible...

This guy is nuts with the diggin' skills, don't think I've ever heard him come un-correct on the sample tip; that's rare these days for any producer. I been subtly following his work since him and Qwel dropped that sleeper of classic underground record "The Harvest" in 04'.

-BIG D O


Friday, July 30, 2010

Interview: T3 For KevinNottingham.com



For everyone that's been closely following the subtle in-fighting that's been taking place with Slum Village lately and the comments that surfaced just recently before the group released their purported "last" album, "Villa Manifesto" this past Tuesday, here is a new Q&A with T3 conducted by Arasia of KevinNottingham.com that diggs a bit deeper...

Call me a cynic, but I ain't buying all this "oh we still working together and doin' shows, but he doin' his solo thing and I'm doing my solo thing" double speak...if ya'll broke out, but then found a way to work it out for the time being, just say that.

-BIG D O



Arasia Cool, well let’s get right into it. Where does Slum Village stand right now?

T3 I knew you were going to go for that one—we’ve been getting this question a lot. We are still working together. We are still doing stuff. It’s just a lot of negative stuff that’s been coming out lately. But we are still working together. We are still together and doing what we have to do for the time being. You know Elzhi is focusing on his solo career and I support that. I’m doing solo stuff. We are still doing shows. It’s just a lot of negativity. It happens with groups. They like to pick groups apart—outsiders….that’s how I see that situation.

Arasia: So, is Slum Village you, Elzhi, and Illa J?

T3: No, it’s me and Elzhi and we are featuring Illa J on this album.

Arasia: Well, I’ve heard all types of crazy shit. The last one I heard was that there was going to be a new line up with featuring some notable names from the Hip Hop elite in Detroit so can you clear this up

T3: People are going wild with the rumors. These rumors are crazy. I don’t understand where this is coming from. We were just in Chicago, we just did a show together, and people know that we are working. It’s just all this outside stuff.


Read the full Interview here

Freddie Gibbs - Str8 Killa No Filla Mixtape



Time for the mixtape!

I'm hella late on this one but hey, I gotta sleep sometime (yeah right) and well, I know you kiddies got more that one source -_- ...In any case, yeah, here's that man Freddie Gibbs' new mixtape which your getting for free via XXL....

Keep in mind that this will be followed by his new EP of the same name on Tuesday...that you need to go out and pay for..

-BIG D O


Freddie Gibbs - Str8 Killa No Filla

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Video Trailer: Black Milk's Album Of The Year



Like I done said before, never been much for trailers for anything...just drop the damn thing man!

I am not immune, however, to being swayed by something that is well done and this trailer for Milk's pompusly optimistically titled "Album Of The Year" is exactly that...The imagery is about real shit--studio shit--and the music we hear builds into a pretty decent track that one could only assume is on the album.

-BIG D O

Rap Is Outta Control 7/25/2010



This past Sunday's Rap Is Outta Control show, as always, found Eclipse providing us with a righteous rundown of the latest top-notch underground bangers that ya gotta put an ear on...New joints from Black Sheep (Dres), CNN, Slum Village, Concept, Kooley High, Sauce Money and more...27 joints in all..

Dig in...

-BIG D O


Rap Is Outta Control 7/25/2010

Central Services (El-P & Camu Tao) - Forever Frozen In Television Time



Although the underground community lost Camu Tao back in 08' under some really sad circumstances, his friends have been doing a good job of keeping his name and music alive...Continuing in that path, El-P has reprised he and Camu's collab moniker "Central Services", for a free EP that he and Camu created together in late 2004, "Forever Frozen In Television Time".

Scoop this up and get ready for Camu's full length album "King of Hearts" in August.

-BIG D O


Central Services (El-P & Camu Tao) - Forever Frozen In Television Time

Cover Art: Rah Digga - Classic



Her sophomore effort couldn't have a better cover image IMO....

Digga Digga hits us with the visuals for an ambitiously titled album, that if anyone could pull off, it'd be her. Nottz is handling the production in full and you may purchase this on September 21st.

-BIG D O

Singles: Zo! ft. Phonte - Greater Than The Sun



This be that sweet, soul music man...birthed by a talented Motown head, who if ya don't know, ya betta get acquainted....

New single from Zo!, off his new "Sunstorm" LP, which is available now....

Strong verse from Tigallo, who more and more I'm leaning toward as being the new best guest feature man in the game on some Big Pun circa 1998 type ish'...

Check this out...link via Shake

-BIG D O


Zo! ft. Phonte - Greater Than The Sun

Video: Skyzoo & !llmind - Frisbee



Damn...if you ever had any doubt that Skyzoo could rap, this should pretty well erase em'...

Getting up with !llmind for a lil' somethin off S-K-Y-Z-O-O's sophomore album "Live From The Tape Deck" that's gonna get released this Oct. 5th on Duck Down Records.

We find Sky kicking around a seriously dexterious flow that even the staunchest purist would have to give the nod too. Dope rhymes, cool vid, I expect big things from Sky, his debut was a lot better than ppl gave him credit for.

Catch!

-BIG D O

Video Interview: DJ Muggs For Wednesdays With Dante Ross




Dante Ross reprises his Hip-Hop Wednesdays series for TheBerrics.com and gets the priveledge of sitting down with Cypress Hill's beat master DJ Muggs to talk about how he got in the game, what the scene in L.A. was like back in the day, playing skate rinks that were packed with bloods and all that good stuff...one dope moment was the story behind how the title "When The Ship Goes Down" came about due to a sample clearance issue..

"Rap is Ghetto Punk-Rock." - Dante Ross

2 parts, definitely check this out kids, Muggs is hands down a top 10 producer of all time, maybe higher... 3rd part comin soon...I think...

-BIG D O

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Video: 1982 (Termanology & Statik Selektah) Talk Album & Bonus EP



In between chillin on Bushwick's sidewalk's where a hydrant mysteriously has been broken, Stat and Term talk their new album and let fans know if they're willing to prove they purchased it, they let you get their EP 100% gratis....I can forsee the internet wrecking this typa promo, but eitha way...good idea..

"1982" hits stores on October 26th, 2010.

-BIG D O

Scottie Royal - Royal's Tavern



New album from sure talented North Carolina producer and instrumentalist Scottie Roayal...

The album has got a bit of a concept touch and is set to tale place as a night in a tavern when a show is going down (hence the long sets)....Royal recruited Justus Leaguer Chaundon as well as D.C. area rhyme artist Ardamus for this soulful jaunt, as well as newcomers Mallz, Oz, Lazurus, Citero and Society of Gentlemen.

-BIG D O


<a href="http://scottie-royal.bandcamp.com/album/royals-tavern">Showtime by Scottie Royal</a>

Breez Evahflowin & Buck 50 Kutter DJs - As He Goes In The Mixtape



Uber slept-on emcee Breez Evahflowin hits us with a new tape constructed by newly formed NYC DJ alliance the Buck 50 Kutter DJ's (D. Official, Dre' Mayes & Dope-Man) who upon being given roughly 45 or so tracks from Breez's unsung career mixed together for a righteously dope 52 minute mix that will sufficiently prep you for Breez's upcoming album of the same title.

-BIG D O


Breez Evahflowin & Buck 50 Kutter DJs - As He Goes In The Mixtape

Single: Heather B. - Flyin High (prod. by DJ Premier)



New one from the original most rugged female in rap; Heather B....

Over a gloriously bubbly horn blessed beat, crafted by none other than Premier himself, Heather kicks a ton of friggin wisdom that no other femcee that is currently getting radio spin could even imagine actualizing, let alone penning....

"the game ain't changed, the ego still kills the artist"

man...can we put Heather back on the Real World just so she can snap on them lames 24/7? Might could turn their lives around...lol...Heard this is off Heather's new album called "Open Bar", you ain't hear that from me doe...

link via BlackoutHip-Hop.com

-BIG D O


Heather B - Flyin High (prod. by DJ Premier)

Video Interview: DJ Rob Swift For Brooklyn Bodega



Brooklyn Bodega's Raven the Blazin Eurasian (lol, I'm beefin with that alias til' someone buys homegirl a better one) catches up with legendary X-Man DJ Rob Swift and builds about what the game is missing, why The Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival's salute the DJ is so important, a recent set he did that featured him paying respects to some legends in the game and giving thanks...

-BIG D O

Video: Freddie Gibbs - National Anthem (Fuck The World)



Gangsta Gibbs is one of the rare new talents that pulls off the hardcore rhyme lane so effortlessly and well...

Rob Gilbert directed this visual gem and did a smash bang job too...I like the parallels that he paints, and really I just like any artist that doesn't stray from controversial, reality based imagery in they vids...

You can grab the track here, and expect Gibbs' "Str8 Killa" EP on August 3rd via Decon Reords...

-BIG D O

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Single: Roc Marciano - Like Thisss (Unreleased)



"Marcburg" was hands down a hardcore breathe of fresh air this year and it's creator Roc Marciano def. deserves some applause for helping bring the grit back to Hip-Hop...

Here, all of the "Marcburg" enthusiasts get an unreleased treat off said album courtesy of the good folks over at Doxside.com.

-BIG D O


<a href="http://doxside.bandcamp.com/track/like-thisss">Like Thisss by Doxside Music Group</a>

Single: Gangrene (Oh No & Alchemist) - Chain Swinging




Been waiting on Alchemist and Oh No's upcoming collab album for awhile...today we get confirmation that it will be happening on Decon Records, will feature both of them on the boards, rhyming and will be called "Gutter Water"..

Here's the 1st leak off said album, "Chain Swinging" that shouldn't be mistaken for corny pop rap just b/c of it's title...in fact this joint is a banger that comes complete with nasty drums and a stirring sample...

-BIG D O


Gangrene (Oh No & Alchemist) - Chain Swinging

Video: Fresh Daily - Thanx



Anyone else think this man totally exudes the spirit of a young Biz Markie?

Fresh Daily follows up his track "Thanx" w/ a corresponding video and as he puts it, yes, it is "hilariously awkward" in many senses, but still one of the best videos I seen in a minute....

Director Nicolas Heller gots props for this, lol, tune in as Fresh meets his biological grandparents ya'll....love the way this one came together...

Enjoy and remember Fresh's "Mothership/Land" drops on August 3rd.

-BIG D O

DJ JS-1 & DJ Skizz - RE CYCLED: Strictly Remixes



DJ JS-1 and DJ Skizz return to add to their already sufficiently dope "Heavy Rotation" mix series...

This time out the flava is remixes and these two have pieced together absolutely one of the best tapes EVER, dedicated to the practice...Running thru 55 of some of the illest remixes, some of which I wasn't even aware of, this joint is a force and def. clocks in as one of PHH's best mixtapes of the year...

-BIG D O


DJ JS-1 & DJ Skizz - RE CYCLED: Strictly Remixes

Monday, July 26, 2010

Single: LMNO - Hard To Do (prod. by Astronote)



First single off LMNO's 7th full length album of 2010 (yes, I said 7th) titled "Tripping On This Journey" that will be entirely produced by French beatsmith Astronote, who has quietly been carving out a nice list of American clientele that includes Guilty SImpson, Buff1, Joell Ortiz, Tanya Morgan and Talib Kweli among others...

Ill ill cut with a familiar sample that Astronote puts a nice twist on...duke def. got a sound that I can build with and LMNO has been puttin in some major work this year that deserves recognition and applause...grab it, and grab "Tripping On This Journey" on the 10th of August when it'll be available...

You may preview the entire album here too if you'd like...

-BIG D O


LMNO - Hard To Do (prod. by Astronote)

Video: Rah Digga - This Ain't No Lil' Kid Rap



Recent vid from Digga Digga where the lovely femcee from New Jeru takes these youngins to school by lettin em' know exactly what time it is ova here...

Doubt the kids will wake up despite the clear message aimed squarely at them in this joint, but dope to see Rah back doin' her thing again on the circuit...be sure to be checkin for her upcoming and long awaited sophomore LP with producer Nottz "Classic"

-BIG D O


Cover Art: Ayatollah - Live From The MPC 60



Doing his best to give Madlib a run for the title busiest beatmaker out there, Queens beat man Ayatollah is readying another new release after just dropping the online only "Cocoon"...

Giving us a whopping 3 disc, 69 track box set, Tollah' is fixing to let loose "Live From The MPC 60"; a stack of beats he's been sitting on for years now...

I can't wait personally, Tollah' established a long time ago that he was one of the illest cats to ever mess w/ the 60 and I know his personal stash has gotta be somethin' to marvel at.

It drops August 10th ppl...

-BIG D O

Single: Joe Budden ft. Emanny - Short Summer



I've said it so many times; this guy can be so corny and off putting outside of the music making aspect of this game, but damn if he dont usually come through with a decent banger every time he drops a Mood Muzik tape...

Here's another one of Joey's 7 minute, towering lyrical barrages titled "Short Summer" that comes chalk full of witty lines...

Some guys just have "it"....*shrugs*

-BIG D O


Joe Budden - Short Summer

R.I.P. Melvin Bliss



The Chicago native who began his considerable entertainment/recording career at the tender age of 6 passed on today.

The man was widely known for recording "Synthetic Substitution" in 1973; a record that would go on to be sampled time and again in Hip-Hop...

-BIG D O

Cover Art: Q-Unique - Between Heaven & Hell



The final cover for Mr. Quiles' much anticipated (and even longer delayed) record "Between Heaven & Hell"...

The former Arsonist member has seen his cover get re-worked 4 different times, and he chose well this go round'; I really like the way this cover came out, the detail is amazing and, well, forgive the pun, but it's rather unique.

The tracklist for this one also leaked and if you wanna peep it, run over to TheCryptOnline.com to do so.

-BIG D O

Pic: Muggs Vs. Ill Bill Listening Party For "Kill Devil Hills"



Excellent lil' coverage piece and pictures from the "Kill Devil Hills" listening party that recently went down...

"Kill Devil Hills" probably will register as thee most highly anticipated underground release of this Summer and as the August 24rd release date fast approaches a select number of journalists, writers, and industry heads were invited to listen to the album at DJ Premier’s D&D Studios Headquarterz Studio in Midtown Manhattan, with DJ Eclipse on hand to host and run the session. In the following overview of the session, oneof my fav. NYC rogue journo's Khalid Strickland AKA Black Pacino was in the spot to jot down the goings on that took place...

-BIG D O



Ill Bill:

“I hope people dig it. I love the record and Muggs loves the record too… that’s the most important thing at this point. Records aren’t even selling anymore. When me and Muggs were recording this he was telling me he feels like he’s 21 again and this is like a reboot. Muggs is the last dude making records for money… he doesn’t give a fuck about money at all. I really wish we could give out copies of the record, I really don’t like doing this kinda shit. I don’t feel this is the way to really experience the record. If it was up to me, I’d chill with each of ya’all individually and smoke ya’all out and listen. This is a walkman album to me, I used to take the train every day for years and listen to albums. And this is a walkman album to me.”


Read the full story here

Video: Showbiz Previews "Godsville" Collab Record W/ KRS-One



Hmmmm....lemme first say this...no one is a bigger fan of Showbiz than this cat right here...Own all his albums, both on CD and Cassette and well, I far and away consider his work in the 90's equal to any of the cats who more frequently draw huge praise in your Premo's, Pete Rock's and so forth....

All that said, man, these previews of the new album he's doing with Kris didn't move me one bit...gone are all the traits that we loved his beats for and what have they been replaced with? A glossy, super clean sound that isn't really my cup of tea...Show! Please don't forget about the cats that been ridin w/ you since the jump! We're the ones that are gonna be coppin this record anyway, so it's in ya best interests to craft it with us in mind...

I will say KRS sounded better than ever, and that's not just b/c I just recently saw him live for the first time and he totally ripped shit down...the final verdict on this jawn is out man...

-BIG D O

Video Interview: Brother Ali For Good*Fella Radio



These Good*Fella Radio cats are beginning to quickly become some of my favorite interview cats in the game....

Here they catch up with our fav. albino emcee and discuss the regionality of his music and just the out and out Mid-West cultural experience as it relates to his wife's racial politics...

Also included, Brother Ali touches on perhaps working with Jake One in the future...and lawd, that would be dope. Hope it happens...

-BIG D O

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Single: 3 The Hard Way ft. Rhias - Carry It Home



It does me great joy to be able to feature any releases/artists that come out of the Colorado Hip-Hop scene...

"3 The Hardway"; that's the name I've read on damn near every big show flyer from Denver since at least 07'...The context? They've (A.V.I.U.S., Es Nine & Cysko Rokwel) opened up for a bevy of my fav. acts whenever they come to the rocky mountains and have forged their own lil' niche here almost completely on their own...

Their mans Emcee Ocelot (also another worthwhile CO artist) was good enough to slide me their latest single titled "Carry It On" that sports some righteous warbling from Air Dubai's Rhias; a cat I must simply label thee most outstanding vocalist from CO right now...

Great tune, it's plucked from A.V.I.U.S.'s upcoming solo project "For Better Or Worse", which features production by Es Nine, DJ Babu and features some Underground heavyweights in Evidence and Fashawn as well as Metty Dertmerchant of Sweatshop Union. Look for that later on this Summer, I'll keep you guys posted...

-BIG D O


3 The Hard Way ft. Rhias - Carry It On

Single: Public Enemy - Say It Like It Really Is



New P.E. ya'll!!

The good brother Chuck still got it, and I wasn't even bothered by the fact that Flav is all over this joint, despite being one of the nominees for most ig'nant brutha of the past decade...

Pure straight talk on this one as Chuck reminds all of us he still got it in a huge way...Revolution still goin baby! I guess this originates from a new compilation that P.E. is dropping that contains a few new gems.

link via NahRight

-BIG D O


Public Enemy - Say It Like It Really Is

Friday, July 23, 2010

Video Interview: Marco Polo & Ayatollah For Nature Sounds



The homies ova at Nature Sounds got up with one of their artists in Ayatollah and his production seed Marco Polo, somewhere in NYC on a hot ass day and asked Marco a lil' bit about how Tollah' helped bring him in the game...

Cool story indeed...Polo was given a great, albeit surprising opportunity after he exhausted all his other options...

"Cocoon" in stores now!

-BIG D O

Video: Ski Beatz ft. Mos Def - Cream Of The Planet



My fav. Mos Def jam in a loooooong minute and a really, really great video..this is Hip-hop children...

Of course respect must be paid to Ski Beatz who produced this aural pleasure...Man is still nasty after all these years...As far as "24 Hour Karate School", seems we've got yet another release date for it on September 7th....*crosses fingers*

-BIG D O

Single: Kaimbr & Kev Brown - Army Fatigue



Well, it's final...the Detroit and DMV Hip-Hop scenes are where real Hip-Hop thrives resides these days...If your not already up on the soulful heir apparent to Pete Rock known in Kev Brown, his frequent collaborator Kaimbr and their upcoming release "The Alexander Green Project", allow me to elaborate.

Kev and Kaimbr have linked with Peter Rosenberg to put together a project that I guess has something to do with Al Green? Check it out for yaself...here's the first leak titled "Army Fatigue", that is to say the least, knockin' like a muthafucka.

-BIG D O


Kaimbr & Kev Brown - Army Fatigue

Single: Big Shug - Spit Six (prod. by DJ Premier)



Doing his own lil' take on a Jigga's "44 Fours", Gangstarr foundation vet Big Shug goes in on the number six...

Utilizing perhaps the most proper DJ Premier beat of all of 2010, The beantown bruiser displays his abilities...

Pulled from Shug's upcoming "I Am Forever" project..

-BIG D O


Big Shug - Spit Six (prod. by DJ Premier)

Oddisee - West Coast Beats Hosted by Trek Life



Sometimes the best inspiration can simply be a new environment....

Transplanting himself momentarily out of his hometown DMV surroundings to beautiful (for the most part) California, Oddisee was able to craft this deftly on-point instrumental offering...

As you all should know this is a freebie that really is geared more toward prepping you for frequent Oddisee collaborator Trek Life's new album "Everything Changed Nothing", of which he produced...that drops on the 27th kiddies..til' then mess wit this gem...

-BIG D O


<a href="http://oddisee.bandcamp.com/album/oddisee-west-coast-beats-hosted-by-trek-life">Still Never Rains [Instr Snpt] by oddisee</a>

Thursday, July 22, 2010

The UnderGroundComeUp - Unmixed Selections 90's



Rap nerds will def. love this....

The homies over at TheUndergroundComeUp.com have pieced together a pretty ill mix of some of their favorite remixes, and in the case of the first track (Company Flow's "Info Kill") an "unremixed" joint that I think we'll just label for the sake of our aching brains the original version that didn't clear the sample po-lice...

This is a dope compilation...10 tracks with ill remixes of 90's artists like O.C., Chi Ali, Big Kwam, J-Live, Black Sheep, Ill Biskits and Red Hot Lover Tone among others, done by slept on beatsmiths like Paradise, DJ Spinna & DJ Celory...

-BIG D O


The UnderGroundComeUp - Unmixed Selections 90's

AboveGroundMagazine's Top 20 Albums Of 2010 (Thus Far)



Yoooo, you didn't think I'd stopped showing love to my home away from home AboveGroundMagazine.com did you? Hopefully not...and hopefully your still checking in there, seeing what our wonderfully bright staff is contributing everyday (we run contests all the time BTW!)...book mark it ppl...

Recently, the head man in charge over @ AGM asked me to come up with the top 20 albums that have dropped this year so far and I went to work on the list, which Tyler so eloquently blessed w/ his summaries...Do yaself a favor and check in to AGM to see the full list...til' then here's no. 10 thru 6.

-BIG D O


10.

The Hieroglyphics affiliates Unjust, Cold Showda and Charles Cooper unleashed their latest attempt early this year. With some of the would-expect Cali flavoring mixed with a feel of Midwest-rooted hospitality, the three-some brewed up a symphony that should top any conductor’s list.


9.

Utilizing stripped down boom-bap constructions that peer into 90’s hip hop glory, former UN-member Roc Marciano dishes out Marcberg; a technically stout and amply hardcore debut album that pulls no punches and wastes no time speaking to the long forgotten subterranean masses.


8.

The Roots’ 11th (you read that right) studio album has been the subject of some debate. It’s smooth melodies and Black Thought’s somber, sobering lyrical attacks displeased some, but the overall depth and dexterity of this album made it easily one of the best releases of the year. Without debating its ranking among the Root’s discography, it stays firmly planted in our top 10.


7.

Co-Canadians Eternia and MoSS burst onto the upper-echelons of the underground scene over the past year. Stunning cats (like Busta Rhymes) with her lyrical prowess, Eternia crafted a superb Fat Beats debut over a slew of beats crafted by one of the scene’s most under-appreciated producers, MoSS.


6.

This may certainly come as a surprising pairing. One of the UK’s most prolific and slept-on producers, Lewis Parker, laces an entire album of smooth melodies for John Robinson (Scienz of Life). The duo producers what’s undoubtedly one of the easiest-listening records in recent memories, full of style and charisma that could only be created by their collaboration.


Read the rest here

Video: Ayatollah - Reefer



Pump ya breaks pot fiends, this new banger from Ayatollah has no real imagery of your soon to be de-criminalized (crosses fingers) and favorite past time...No, in fact what it does highlight is pretty much the new addiction I traded blowing trees in for: diggin!

Here we get to see Tollah' (presumably...I'm no expert on the layout of NYC) roaming around his Queens stomping grounds, hoping on the train, raiding some sorted vinyl spots and then going to work on that beautiful MPC 60...do enjoy this, good Hip-Hop vids are becoming so rare these days...

"Reefer" is indeed put together beautifully from all aspects and if ya like what ya hearing do go and cop "Cocoon"; the new album from which it's plucked...it's available on iTunes and Amazon now!

-BIG D O

Single: Joell Ortiz - Money Makes The World Go Round



That title is more true now than ever before....

Over a dope beat construction Mr. Yaowa informs all of you of what you'll spend most of ya lifetime chasing, spending, investing (hopefully) and why all of it is such bullshit in a large sense...As always the PR rhymer touched on some pretty valid points. Just simply is one of the better emcees of the past 3 or 4 years and that's w/ only one solo album...

Joint is plucked from the recently released Beats & Rhymes "Stereobytes II" EP project, which is available now..

link via Onsmash

-BIG D O


Joell Ortiz - Money Makes The World Go Round

Interview: Nas On The Tim Westwood Show




Rolling across the pond to speak with Tim Westwood, Nas reminisces on when he was 20 and out in the U.K. for the first time, delves into what it was like doing an album with Damian Marley, Kanye soliciting his services to produce his next album in full (SMH), being inspired by Drake (even bigger SMH) and the divorce, which he really didn't wanna speak on too much at all really...

As an added bonus let down he also spits like 3 lines and then stops...

link via NahRight

-BIG D O


Listen To Full Interview Here

Exile - Radio Bonus



Exile is far and away one of the most Zzzz'd on producers out west and despite the fact that he's been holding down the L.A. underground scene nicely since the early 2K's with his head nodding brand of jittery, intricately chopped beats, heads still frequently leave his name out too often when they speak on the illest boardsmen out on the left coast or anywhere for that matter.

In case you sleep under boulders, Exile released an instrumental album last year titled "Radio" that was completely constructed with sounds that Exile sampled off the radio to reflect that yes, even though ppl like me bash it constantly, you can make something great out of sounds you find on the ole' radio dial.

For "Radio Bonus" a bunch of Heady Hip-hop names the likes of Marco Polo, DJ Rhettmatic, Torae, Ruste Juxx, Teebs, aDAD, Von Pea, Donwill and Dibia$e all remix and rhyme the album.

The reason we're getting this nice lil' freebie? Read on....

Exile’s Radio (Bonus Album) [is being released] in celebration of his upcoming August 31st "AM/FM" release via Plug Research. "AM/FM" will feature various producers remixing the original Radio tracks, while Blu, Fashawn, Shafiq Husayn, Samiyam, Free the Robots, DJ Day, Clutchy Hopkins, Evidence, Alchemist, Krondon, Muhsinah, Aloe Blacc, Grouch and Eligh go over the originals. The amount of submissions were so high, not everything could fit on the official "AM/FM" album, hence the free download.


Uhhh yeah, "AM/FM" sounds like it's gonna be a pure beast of a project...look at that lineup...wow...

-BIG D O


<a href="http://thedirtyscience.bandcamp.com/album/exile-radio-remixes">So We Can Move (Teebs Remix) by Dirty Science</a>

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

News: Both Khujo Of Goodie Mob And Tragedy Khadafi Return Home From Incarceration Stints



It's with great pleasure that I announce that two of Hip-Hop's more prolific emcee's that helped shape their respective region's sounds have been released from prison/jail recently.

First, Tragedy Khadafi; the 38 yr old, highly influential Queensbridge emcee who was once the youngest member of the Juice Crew was released early this past June 23rd for a prison bid he started serving back in 2007 for selling narcotics. This is especially good news considering his original release date wasn't projected to be until around 2011...Trag has already started work on a new book and appears on the new CNN album "War Report Pt.2".

Second we have Khujo, the longtime member of the ATL super collective The Dungeon Family, who's incarceration was much more hush hush and far less lengthy. Khujo was released yesterday from Henry County jail after originally being sentenced to serve two years out of a five year sentence. He'd gone in on June 9th after he was convicted for three counts of felony possession of a firearm and one count of possessing marijuana. The reason he got off the hook after only roughly 41 days in jail? Apparently a judge determined (after a slick ass lawyer presented valid evidence of it) that one of his indictments was legally void. Khujo is expected to be on tour with Big Boi immediately and to participate in the upcoming Goodie Mob reunion album.

-BIG D O

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Trek Life - Before Everything Changed Mixed By Tommy Blak



Giving us some much needed tunage on this Tuesday evening is none other than Cali's Trek Life and one of his longtime DJing cohorts Tommy Blak...The two have gotten up and arranged some of Trek's illest works thus far in preparaation for Trek's upcoming new collaborative LP with Oddisee titled “Everything Changed Nothing” (which you can preview in it's entirety here)...

Pretty good 101 course for all you Trek Life newbies, for the rest of us, just a nice refresher...

-BIG D O


Trek Life - Before Everything Changed Mixed By Tommy Blak

Interview: DJ Spinna For Brooklyn Bodega



One of the cats that I've been a huge fan of for years and have always admired due to his un-flinching commitment to real, underground stylings and culture throughout his illustrious career is none other than NYC's DJ Spinna...The man is an institution in the subterranean realms, and in my humble opinion, no name has done more for the sub-genre besides maybe Bobbito Garcia...

As always Brooklyn Bodega keeps their fingers on the pulse of what true heads wanna be reading about and tracked Spinna down to conduct an interview with him. The veteran Producer/DJ talks then (the late 90's) vs. now (the 2K's and 20 teens), turntablism and how he went from deejaying to beatmaking...

-BIG D O



BB: Definitely, it’s unbelievable to me that you did a remix for Mary J. Blige and Stevie Wonder. How did that go down?

Spinna: The thing with Stevie Wonder happened in the last four years. Basically, he called my home phone and left me a message requesting for a mix for one of his songs.

BB: Stevie Wonder himself?!

Spinna: Yep, Stevie wonder himself!

BB: So did you find out how he became aware of DJ Spinna?

Spinna: Well, basically we had been doing these tribute parties for him, so we had somewhat of a connection and a very, very distant relationship but still receiving that call was bananas. There was no other feeling in the world like that. So basically, I did the mix but it didn’t come out. It got bootlegged. It was actually a house joint, not Hip-Hop at all. People started finding out about it. I ended up doing another one last year but that hasn’t come out. I’m afraid to give it out, I’m afraid it’s going to get bootlegged. Anyway, definitely a pivotal moment in my career. Even if it doesn’t come out, just to have that thing happen to me was crazy.


Read the rest here

Single: Fat Joe - I'm Gone (prod. by DJ Premier)



It isn't often that Joey graces PHH anymore...I mean, most of you should be able to discern why; I try to spend my time covering worthwhile hardcore and underground Hip-Hop and let's face it, Crack hasn't been that since the late 90's. Still, every once in awhile the old D.I.T.C.'er shows a lil' love to his former recording self and gets up with someone like Premier to come up with something that heads like me; who own all three of his first few albums, can respect him for once more.

"I'm Gone" is a hell of a dope joint that Joe and Preme recorded the day that Guru passed away...

link via DJPremierBlog.com

-BIG D O


Fat Joe - I'm Gone (prod. by DJ Premier)

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