Video: Strong Arm Steady - Can't Let Go

S.A.S. is back with a really crisp and beautifully shot video, "Can't Let Go". Using the high-speed Phantom camera to shoot this, watching made me wanna get back out to L.A. baby! Lowriders, beautiful women and a wonderful, true west coast beat all add to the imagery of this joint. This is just the Youtube version, I highly recommend you go watch this on better media player, it's amazing. Personally I'm a huge fan and I can't wait for the Arm And Hammer album. These guys are one of teh last real L.A. based hip-hop groups man....

-BIG D O

Video: Lord Tariq - Pop Off

Aaaaiight!! New one from Lord Tariq right here and it's about time. Been wondering where duke had been at. The Bronx vet returns with a really dope, hardcore video. The imaging is really what I look for in a more edgy effort, and it's definitely one of Tariq's stronger vid's all-time. Song is pretty decent as well. The old addage "Less is more" definitely applies here.....this vid prolly cost a grand or so to make, maybe less, but to me is one of the better joint out now. Real creative shit man....shouts to tariq yo!!

-BIG D O

Video: Nas - Yall My Niggas

Powerful, thought provoking, artistic, and eye catching, Nas drops his new video for one of the more controversial records on his new album. Done in black and white the images captured in it are powerful and resonant. Directed by "Taj", "Yall My Niggas" is the perfect Hip-Hop video. It takes the focus off of all that does not matter and channels the energy of Nas's word's into the form of a young child rapping with his head phones on in an environment that is not only hectic, but moody and beautiful. This one definitely will be remembered.

-BIG D O

Indie Record To Peep: The SolIllaquists Of Sound - As If We Existed

This is the debut LP from the Orlando based group SolIllaquists Of Sound. To sort of sum up their style, I would say they're eclectic and that they utilize a "jack" format. All of you that are familiar with radio termanology know that "jack" refers to, well, nothing. Meaning that they don't have a format and they draw their influences from many different genres of music. From Soul to Jazz and Rock, the group comprised of members Swamburger, Tonya Combs, Alexandra and DiVinci have coined an acronym to describe their music in FAHEEM, which stands for "Free Astral Hip Hop Extraterrestrially Energized Message". LOL, now before you go nuts and decide that they're your average, hipster rap idiots, just chill out and listen to what I gotta say. I at first was a bit hesitant about these guys too, but after I heard DiVinci's production I eased up a bit. I also saw that there was two females in the group...not always a great sign...but after listening them two femcees straight proved their worth as artist's. Look, if you like good indie shit with thoughtful rhymes and unique production then grab this, if not just keep it movin'. It's a lil' artsy in spots, but like I said, solid production carry's this joint in it's more off pace moments. Be sure to bump "Choices", "Our 2 Cents" and the title track "As If We Existed".

-BIG D O



1. Pledge of Resonance
2. Property & Malt Liquor
3. As If We Existed
4. Mark It Place
5. Ask Me If I Care
6. Black Guy Peace
7. Choices
8. Berlin
9. Beautiful Catastrophe
10. Ur Turn
11. All Too Common
12. Our 2 Cents

http://rapidshare.com/files/121343447/So.Illaquists_-_As_If_We_Existed.rar

Loose Music Presents...Champion Hoods Featuring Von Pea, Spec Boogie & Elucid

Some of the underground's bright and creative new stars team up to freestyle over 90's hip-hop instrumentals. Not the first time this idea has been done and admittedly I'm pissed that we won't be hearing any new beats from Von Pea, but still worth the listen. Kind of a preparatory thing this mixtape...reminds you that winter is right around the corner, and for many of us that means short days and long nights couped up inside with nothing to do. There are some perks to winter however....you do get to dress in layers, lol.....and what is my favorite winter garment? That's right, the aforementioned "Champion" Hoodie. Not the cheap ass ones either...I'm talkin the 70 dollar super hood that has a pointy hood when it's brand new. Yeahhh.....nuthin beats those Champion hoodies....takes me back to better times. I think the whole "trying to bring out the nostalgia in people" shtick is wearing a lil' thin though...even if I fuck wit these guy's music pretty regularly, I ain't feelin the gimmicky approach this time around...I mean we get it...the first time I found some of these instrumentals online I fucked with em' too, but come on man....you gotta know your market...underground heads want your new stuff....new beats, new rhymes etc., etc.,. Leave the classics alone man.

-BIG D O




01 Champion Hood Intro
02 Shadowboxing
03 Superstar
04 Iced Down Medallions
05 Brooklyn Kids
06 Can't Stop the Chopping
07 Loosie-La
08 Diner's Club Era
10 Tried by 12 (feat. Lek)
11 Tonight's Da Night
12 Code of the Streets
13 Loosie or Leave it Alone
14 Breakadawn
15 Criminology
16 Last Dayz

http://rapidshare.com/files/146685921/Loosie_All-Stars_-_Champion_Hoods.rar

Killah Priest and Chief Kamachi - Beautiful Minds

When authentic heads get together and talk about their favorite hardcore and socially aware Hip-Hop artist's, the names Chief Kamachi and Killah Priest usually would be a couple of no brainer's to include. Kamachi is one of the most highly touted members of The Army Of Pharoah's and Priest has for a long time been a very notable Wu-Tang affiliate. Both have released plenty of albums that have garnered huge critical acclaim and done pretty well for independent releases. Fresh off releasing "Behind The Stained Glass" and Kamachi's "The ritual Of Battle", these two special emcee's are poised for more underground success. In order to attain this ever so coveted success, they've decided to join forces and release their highly anticipated "Beautiful Minds" project on Good Hands records.

Combining their powerful, poetry infused lyricism and a combined 30+ years in the game, Priest and Kamachi aren't newcomers to making worthy releases. Both men boast resume's that display a huge commitment to making Hip-Hop that wholly and fully represents the underground culture in all it's outside-the-box thinking, truth exsposing and unapologetic grander. To those that have never experienced either one of these guys rhyming, smarten up. There's only a handful of emcee's out there that still put it all together the way they do.

Putting their collective ears in the proverbial pot, Kamachi and Priest collaborate well on "Beautiful Minds", trading precise and searing verse for precise and searing verse. The lyrical showmanship is on full display for this outing and tracks like "Reflections", "Blessing" and "Don't Waste Your Lungs" prove that Priest and Kamachi are tailor made to rhyme side by side with one another and that this project was ingenious. Their chemistry is quite complimentary and the whole album is a true collaboration as it only contains one guest feature in Fresno, CA rhyme veteran Planet Asia. No complaining from me on his inclusion at all. "Beautiful Minds" is a grasping project that takes you into a lyrical tour de force and never lets up.

The production on here is very, very impressive as well. Priest and Kamachi combine their connections to enlist beatmekers like Tekneek (Kurupt, Tha Dogg Pound), E. Dan (Reef The Lost Cauze, Kamachi, Wiz Khalifa), C Sik (Dilated Peoples, Strong Arm Steady), Dev Rocka, and Diamond Legit amongest others. Many of the names, while worked, will most likely still be new to most, but that's a surprising twist that works out well for the duo. The production is outstanding and diverse. Rich in drums and provocative sampling, the beats create a unique sound scape that is exactly what you wanna hear in a underground release like this.

At the end of the day the only major misgiving that this album has is it's entirely too short and only contains 12 tracks. I much rather would have waited longer for this and gotten at least 16 to 18 joints, but hey, at least we're getting something. Something that is gonna be in your rotation pretty heavy if your a fan of dense lyricism.

-BIG D O




01 beautiful minds 02:56
02 all hail 03:54
03 closest 03:28
04 reflections 02:58
05 illest feat. planet asia and dj rhettmatic 04:26
06 most high 03:54
07 time out revisited 01:28
08 don’t waste your lungs 02:49
09 all been buried 04:07
10 blessing 03:00
11 see clearly 04:55
12 scrolls feat. dj rhettmatic 03:07

http://rapidshare.com/files/146635779/Killah_Priest_and_Chief_Kamachi-Beautiful_Minds-2008-2N_INT.rar

G4 Freestyle Video/New Artist Feature: Fashawn

LINK FOR VID: http://www.g4tv.com/thepile/videos/28557/Freestyle_101_New_Artist_Month_Fashawn.html

Dope lil' freestyle vid from newcomer Fashawn (pronounced fash-on), who reps Fresno, CA to the fullest. I've actually seen joints from this kid here and there on tapes and whatnot, ut I've never heard him til' now. He's talented. Real talented. Talented enough for me to kick myself in the leg for not checking his music out earlier. This is a very well put together video that also has me kicking myself for neglecting G4TV.com and what they're bringing to the table. I saw some really clear footage, a top of the line mic, good post-freestyle interview, heard a crisp, new beat and enjoyed the graphics and the layout design for the vid a lot. Top of the line shit, really, hats off to the cats at G4TV yo....

-BIG D O

DJ Fade Presents...New York Giants Vol.2: Big L & Big Pun

As everyone knows I ain't too big on mixtapes these days...most of em' ain't worth the CD-R's they're copied to, but as you can see, I've been having some luck finding a few today that I thought were aaiight....this one isn't super spectacular or anything, but in the way mixtapes go it's a hell of a lot better than the majority of the pack right now.

There's not much of a back story or plot that I need to outline for ya'll with this one. All DJ Fade has done is gather up some of the best tracks ever from two of the best emcee's New York has ever known and slap em' all on a mixtpae. You'll find the usual all-time great tracks on here that are routine when a "best of" type of mixtape for either of these guys is made, but DJ Fade does drop a few more lesser-known and unorthodox joints for this particuliar ode to Pun's and L's greatness. For example, the often overlooked Big Pun cut's (which in actuality aren't his cuts at all, but tracks he appeared on as a guest) "Cross Bronx Expressway" and "Heavyweights" make their way on here and that's a special delight for me. A lot of the time people forget that Pun was a guest feature machine and collaborated with tons of people outside of his Terror Squad camp. Fade does a decent job of highlighting a few of those feature spots he did, that while memorable, are consistently ignored on many a tribute tape to him. I attribute that small problem of using the same material over and again to most DJ's not really knowing Pun's music and just trying to buy themselves some cred with the hardcore crowd and his die hard fans by releasing a routine "best of" by him, with the same old recycled lineup of songs. Fade proves that this tape ain't really in that same model and provides a nice twist by including another great hardcore lyricist in Big L on the tape.

Even though Fade successfully breaks the status quo and standard modus operandi for "Best of Big Pun" type tapes, he unfortunately cannot reproduce the same magic for New York Giants's co-star Big L. I took it easy on him with the criticism on that though. Unlike Pun, L rarely collaborated outside of his D.I.T.C. circle, and when he did it was noted and those tracks have been played, played and played over and again. He wasn't the efficient RBI notching workman like Pun was but rather more of a home run or power hitter. L's greatest strength was his 3 pronged attack; delivery, flow and lyrics and most of the time he was such a devastating force, few emcees could actually get in the booth after him or get on the stage next to him and sound good...he was an animal on that mic and his ferocity and fearlessness to say anything, was un-matched. In that fact he and Pun are very much in the same vein as artist's. Two of the best ever and I personally have a lot of memories set to the music these guys made.

-BIG D O



1. (00:02:51) - Back in the hood - big l ft. party arty
2. (00:03:29) - Thug love - remy martin ft. big pun
3. (00:03:17) - Who you slidin' wit - big l ft. stan spit
4. (00:03:45) - Still not a player - big pun ft. joe
5. (00:03:13) - Hit it - big l
6. (00:03:21) - I'm not a player - big pun
7. (00:03:09) - Internationally known - d.i.t.c. ft. o.c., big l, fat joe & lord finesse
8. (00:04:05) - John blaze - fat joe ft. nas, big pun, raekwon & jadakiss
9. (00:04:04) - Get yours - d.i.t.c. ft. big l, o.c. & diamond d
10. (00:04:07) - Drop it heavy - d.i.t.c. ft. krs-one, big pun & a.g.
11. (00:03:17) - All love - d.i.t.c. ft. fat joe, lord finesse & big l
12. (00:05:12 - Cross bronx expressway - lord tariq & peter gunz ft. fat joe & big pun
13. (00:02:39) - Flamboyant - big l
14. (00:03:56) - Heavy weights - violator ft. fat joe, big pun & eightball
15. (00:02:34) - Ebonics - big l
16. (00:02:09) - Best behavior - big pun ft. fat joe
17. (00:03:14) - Platinum plus - big l ft. big daddy kane
18. (00:03:17) - Tres leches (triboro trilogy) - big pun ft. prodigy & inspectah deck
19. (00:05:06) - Da graveyard - big l ft. jay-z, lord finesse, grand daddy i.u., party arty & microphone nut
20. (00:03:22) - New york giants - big pun ft. m.o.p.
21. (00:02:52) - Size 'em up - big l
22. (00:03:48) - You ain't a killer - big pun
23. (00:00:57) - Psalm 23 - o.c. (big l tribute)

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=WHCR15X5

Mixtape Of The Month: K-Hill - The Return Of Monroe Hutchin

This month's most outstanding mixtape title undeniably goes to the distinguished and multi-talented artist K-Hill. Underground heads are familiar with K-Hill because of the extensive work he's done with Justus League and 9th Wonder. Make no mistake however, K-Hill has collaborated with the best in the hardcore rap business. From Nature, Big Daddy Kane and Jean Grae, he's built up a pretty solid resume for an upstart producer. The Durham, NC native with the inate faculty for both producing catchy, soul drenched beats and rhyming with the sharp wittyness of a true school veteran has opted to deliver to us fans a whole mixtape of his works completely free of charge. A meaningful gesture considering that he surely could sell his stuff...It unequivocally is the type of bona fide Hip-Hop material that underground junkies reavenously seek out and pay fifteen bucks for.

"The Return Of Monroe Hutchin" has all the right componants to be deemed memorable, if not classic. It's a consistent effort, which has purpose behind all of it's selections. Even the title has a meaning that is much more than your annoying and self-serving designation that you'll typically find on the front of most mixtapes these days. For all those that don't understand the significance of the name "Monroe Hutchin", it stems from the name of a fictional movie character that was played by Wesley snipes in the film he co-produced called "Undisputed", which was released sometime in 2002. Hutchin is an intelligent and low-key inmate in one of the highest security prisons in America. He' also is the undisputed heavyweight boxng champion of the prison ten years and running. Hutchin landed himself in jail by beating a man to death using his bare hands which as any fan of pugilism knows, are registered as lethal weapons. K-Hill takes on the role of the brillant, yet un-assuming Hutchin, as he also displays how his hands are lethal weapons when he writes rhymes and composes beats.

In the lyrical category we have K-Hill dispatching some of his best verses ever in his slight southern accent alongside a prime supporting cast, that includes the extremely complimentary services of emcee's like Torae, Shabaam Sahdeeq, Supastition, L.E.G.A.C.Y., Soulstice and the legendary Grand Daddy I.U.. In the production grouping we discover K-Hill has indeed not limited this tape's phonetic arrangement's to be provided by him alone. Assembling a cast of heavilly respected beatsmiths in Marco Polo, J Dilla and The Gyphted, he is sure to absorb any fan of good music with the array of head-nodding and grandly melodious sequences.

As far as the overall theme and tone of this tape goes, K-Hill delivers many an important message to his Hip-Hop peers while the dope composition's coincide. From learning how to let go of the past, dealing with the constant "indie" artist frustrations and understanding what really matters in this world of material things, this project is filled with silver-tongued moments and substansive attitudes. Not totally consumed by all the austere and reflective subjects that he's no doubt surrounded by, K-Hill is just as cagey with his production when it comes to the segments of the tape that take a less heavy approach. Supplying beats for tracks like "So High", "Ving Rhames" and "Back In The Day" K-Hill manifests a unique quality to model beats perfectly for the emcee's subject matter as well as shwing he can keep it light; a skill that has no doubt carried him to the buzz he's arrived at now and will continue to fuel his meteoric rise through the vast ranks of masterful underground producer's and emcee's.

-BIG D O




1) Preview (prod by K-Hill)
2) Legendary Intro (prod by The Gyphted)
3) The Verdict (prod by Marco Polo)
4) Welcome Home ft. Tiffany Paige (prod by The Gyphted)
5) Jim Snooka - The Boiling Point ft. K-Hill (prod by K-Hill)
6) The Formula Radio Drop (prod by Vanderslice)
7) Shabamm Sahdeeq - Keep Comin ft. Supastition, Torae, & Tiffany Paige (prod by K-Hill)
8) J. Bully - Ving Rhamez (prod by K-Hill)
9) L.E.G.A.C.Y. - No Regrets ft. Lunatic Messiah (prod by K-Hill)
10) Granddaddy I.U. - Back In The Day Rmx ft. Pudgee Da Phat Bastard & Kal Royale (Prod by K-Hill)
11) Omniscence - So High - (prod by K-Hill)
12) DJ Flash Freestyle (J Dilla Instrumental)
13) Ving Rhames - Gunns and Butter
14) Winner’s Circle ft. Soulstice and J.Bully (prod by K-Hill)

http://rapidshare.com/files/145940357/K-Hill-The_Return_Of_Monroe_Hutchen-2008.rar

Legend, DJ Nice & Statik Selektah - Back 2 The Basics (Leaders Of The New School)

Whenever Statik Selektah drops somethin' new I always make a point to check it out because 9 outta 10 times it's gonna be noteworthy. The Lawrence, Massachusetts DJ teams up with relative unknowns DJ Nice and Legend to release a tape that for the most part is pretty flawless in delivering that wonderful "old school" and authentic Hip-Hop feeling. No surprise there, When Selektah goes in he always reps for that great east coast sound that has been somewhat lost in translation in the latter part of the 2K.

Starting things off correct, Torae blesses us with some nice, nice wordplay that for me was kinda the highlight of the first part of the tape. I'm biased though, I've been tryin to tell people bout Torae for a hot minute. The first ten tracks are all highly entertaining, boasting some pretty ill lyricism from the likes of Kiss, SkyZoo, Termanology, Stimuli and Joell Ortiz. Then the bullshit strikes. I don't know which one of the three DJ's decided it would be a good idea to poison this tape with the likes of Lil' Wayne and Kanye West's new, shitty Auto Tune'd single, but needless to say it was a dreaded move. I don't understand how you can throw these two into the mix on a tape like this, maybe Kanye could sneak on here, but definitely not with "Love Lockdown", SMH....And even worse, they put a really good Emilio Rojas track smack dab in the middle of that bullshit! LOL, sort of forcing you to navigate around the utter the lameness of Wayne and Kanye to hear some good stuff. Emilo Rojas deserves better.

Things get back on track quickly though, as AC, Talib Kweli, and John Robinson come through and bless the lineup and Statik releases one of his trademark Showoff remixes for D-Dot, Redman and Black Rob. Unfortunately it isn't long before we hear more ventures into undesirable mainstream waters. The bottonm half of the tape contains far too many unwanted tracks from over the hill and new coming, hit-seekers. Ludacris, Max B. and Curren$y all sort of inject themselves in bad spots with shitty music and take away from gloriously good moments like Big L's unreleased gem "Principles Of The New School", Naledge's Statik Selektah produced "Happy Birthday" and west coast underground sensation Blu's "HoldOn". All in all this is a really listenable mix, but I'd be lying if I said that I hadn't expected more from Selektah. That's kind of un-fair though considering he does provide the majority of the tapes best moments with his ever-improving production and remixing skills. Good but definitely not great, most likely you'll end up doing as I did, by downloading this, bumping it and then quickly moving on after you delete the five or so garbage tracks.

-BIG D O




01. Torae - Back 2 The Basics (Intro)
02. Jadakiss - Who Run This (Feat. Jay-Z) (Produced By Baby Grand)
03. Joell Ortiz - Sympathy
04. Styles P - Villian (Produced by J.Cardim)
05. Stimuli - Walk On Water 2
06. Skyzoo - Bragging Rights (Remix) (Produced by Analogic)
07. Fashawn - Our Way (Feat. Evidence) (Produced by Exile)
08. Godchild - Another Day, Another Dollar (Produced by Mike The Martyr)
09. Reks - Money On The Ave (Remix) (Feat. Skyzoo & Termanology)
10. Cambatta - What It Do (Produced by Boonie Mayfield)
11. Statik Selektah - Mr. Popularity (Feat. Consequence)
12. Cory Gunz - Lay Me Down (Produced By Nottz)
13. Lil Wayne - Still Standing (Feat. Junior Reid) (Snippet)
14. Emilio Rojas & M-Phazes - 585
15. Kanye West - Love LockDown
16. AC - I Engineer (Feat. The Senate)
17. DJ KO - Someday (Talib Kweli, Torae, John Robinson & Tiffany Paige)
18. Statik Selektah - This Is It (Showoff Remix) (Feat. D-Dot, Redman & Black Rob)
19. Ced Hughes - Back 2 The Basics (Like This) (Produced By Ced Hughes)
20. Ludacris - Undisputed (Feat. Floyd Mayweather Jr.) (Produced By Don Cannon)
21. B.o.B - I'll Be In The Sky (Produced By B.o.B)
22. ESSO - Thinkin' Out Loud IV
23. Max B - Live Comfortable
24. Big L - Principal Of The New School (Unreleased)
25. Naledge - Happy Birthday (Produced By Statik Selektah)
26. Fashawn - Because I'm Black
27. Blu - HoldOn
28. Theo - 2055 (The Future)
29. Rain - Back 2 Life (Produced By Scram Jones)
30. Curren$y - Whoa (Outro) (Produced By Kid Eight)

http://www.badongo.com/file/11361528

Duck Down Records Presents...The Duck Down Hotline

This is a pretty original take on the everyday run of the mill Hip-Hop sampler. That should come as no surprise though, because for years Duck Down Records has been run by one of the most innovative cats out there in Dru Ha. Duke is much more than the president over there at Duck Down. He has a hand in everything that comes out of his label, from the clothes they sell in the online store to the bevy of dope and well drawn out BCC mixtapes that continually drop right when you need em' (loved that X-Files joint Dru!).

It's been a great year for Duck Down Records man. They signed an "outside the box" type of group in Kidz In The Hall and saw them rise to the top of the "hipster" rap scene, they signed DJ Revolution, an all-time legend in west coast DJing, they released "The Formula", 9th Wonder and Buckshot's second collaborative effort to recieve rave reviews, they released a couple new mixtapes from Tec and Steele, they recently signed L.A. based, latino rhyme legend B-Real and they are currently prepping for release what is sure to be a contender for album of the year with Heltah Skeltah's "D.I.R.T.". Man, it don't get no better than that when it comes to a small label trying to make it in the ever shrinking world of underground, hardcore rap.

Continuing their stellar street promotion Duck Down Records has decided to give the fans what they want in a new and exclusive label sampler, that includes a large helping of some of the imprint's bright new stars and seasoned veterans alike. Never to be the ones to do something mundane or everyday, The good folks at Duck Down have spiced this sampler up a bit. Including a couple exclusive remixes, joints from brand new albums (that you shouldn't have had until yesterday!) and more than a few really dope and insightful interviews from Buckshot, Kidz In The Hall, Heltah Skeltah and DJ Revolution.

-BIG D O




1) DJ Revolution INTRO & Buckshot Interview
2) 9th Wonder & Buckshot “Brand Nu Day”
3) Buckshot Interview
4) 9th Wonder & Buckshot featuring Mickey Factz “Concrete Jungle”
5) Buckshot Interview
6) Buckshot “WHO GOT THE PROPS 2008″
7) DJ Double O of Kidz In The Hall Interview
8) Kidz In The Hall featuring Estelle “Love Hangover” (Video debuted on MTV’s TRL)
9) Naledge of Kidz In the Hall Interview
10) Kidz In The Hall “Driving Down The Block Westcoast Remix”
11) Ruste Juxx Interview
12) Ruste Juxx “Vic Flair”
13) Ruste Juxx “Wipe Off Ya Smile” off INDESTRUCTIBLE in stores October 28th
14) Heltah Skeltah Interview
15) Heltah Skeltah “Everything Is Heltah Skeltah” off D.I.R.T.
16) Heltah Skeltah “FUCK THAT RAPPER”
17) DJ Revolution Interview conducted by DJ LOGIC
18) DJ Revolution featuring KRS-ONE “THE DJ” off KING OF THE DECKS
19) DJ Revolution Interview
20) DJ Revolution featuring Bishop Lamont, Crooked I & Styliztik Jones “Funky Piano” off KING OF THE DECKS IN STORES SEPTEMBER 16th
21) DJ Revolution Outro

http://rapidshare.com/files/145951381/VA-Duckdown_Records_Presents-DuckDown_HotLine_Mixtape_Hosted_By_DJ_Revolution-2008.rar

Video: DJ Revolution feat. Special Teamz (Slaine, Jaysaun & Edo G.) - Big Top

Surprised to see that Revolution couldn't scare up a bigger budget for this, lol...still, any effort is a good effort (message to all you new artists!). Damn shame that an ill song like this didn't get better film quality, or direction for that matter...Damn Rev, holla at Rik Cordero, he's out there in Cali right? At any rate, what I'm sure was un-intentional, yet hilarious creepiness, no doubt will segway well into the Halloween season. Be sure to check out Revolution's new album "King Of The Decks" in it's entirety...it's not gonna be posted up here cause' I got too much respect for Revolution and I ain't puttin my hand in his pocket.

-BIG D O

Milano - Sidewalk Stories

Often forgotten in the all-time illest Latino emcee conversation's is none other than Milano. The Uptown Manhattan raised, Puerto Rican bred lyricist has for quite some time been puttin' it down in the name of real street Hip-Hop. Primarilly known for his collabo's with the world famous D.I.T.C. crew and the late, very great Big Punisher, Milano has released several 12" singles over the years and has appeared on numerous mixtapes hosted by the NYC's best; ranging From Tony Touch, Kay Slay, Green Lantern and DJ Enuff. Shedding his somewhat "underground" tag, Milano has decided to release a new 10 track project to the Masses entitled "Sidewalk Stories". I had previously not known that Milano was planning to release anything new, but was pleasantly surprised to see this out there for all his true fans. Unfortunately I do have some major issues with "Sidewalk Stories". Surprisingly it is, as previously stated, only 10 tracks long, making it tough to really settle in with it. And in all actuality it's only 9 tracks because the tenth one is the previously released classic "Where You At?" that features Pun. Save that shit for the "Best of" tape Milano! Another qualm I had was that all 10 tracks aren't the ultra street and boom bapped out type of joints that Milano has become known for churning out over the years. For example, "Hot Pair Of Nikes" and "Take It Off" find Milano haphazardly trying to create more modern, radio friendly hits, but miss badly. Milano does temporarily rescue himself with stellar songs like "The Ladder" and "New York City", that provide both infectious production and thoughtful wordplay. With beats by Showbiz, Agallah, Will Tell, Chaze, Grim Team and Amed this lil' appetizer should please most, but will come up short for anyone who has been starving for a heaping helping of Milano since he first burst on the scene with D.I.T.C..

-BIG D O



01 - big future
02 - holy trinity 2
03 - new york city
04 - skit
05 - the ladder
06 - take it off
07 - stay low
08 - and now
09 - how u
10 - where you at feat. big pun

http://rapidshare.com/files/145467466/Milano-Sidewalk_Stories-2008.tar

DJ Chong Wizard - Hell's Kitchen: Raekwon The Chef Vs. Mobb Deep

I know the real heads gon' crucify me for puttin this gem up so late, but at least I'm gettin around to puttin' it up at all. Considering that my schedule is filled to the brim tryin' to listen to all these new albums that have been droppin' and rippin' this week, the fact that I had time to listen to a mixtape/blend tape at all is a fucking miracle. Truthfully though, after bumpin Chong Wizard's "Hell's Kitchen", I am 100% happy that I took the time to pop this in the deck and listen. First off lemme explain a few things. If I sound like a total shitbag elitist that acts like his time is too precious to listen to a mixtape, don't blame me, blame the fucking shitty ass state of the mixtape game. It's fucking real boring out there kid, real boring. Every mixtape DJ is jockin' some other wack ass mixtape DJ's style and everything sounds the same; shitty. If it ain't some bullshit Lil' Wayne than it's some shit that's un-interesting and don't actually "mix" well. And that's the whole point behind everything....to make an ill mix muthafucka....an ill mix!! What drew me into this tape was the fact that yes, I'm a huge fan of Raekwon and Mobb Deep (early, not recent) but moreso that it was a blend tape. Now for all you newbie 88'ers lemme school ya. A blend tape is something that was started a hot minute ago in Harlem, New York by a guy named Ron G. He was taking R&B vocals and putting them over Hip-Hop beats. The trend grew and grew and all types of blending ensued, but Ron G is the muthafucka that started that shit first as 18 year old or some shit. He was the originator. I believe you youngin's call them shits "mash ups" now, but that's incorrect and lame as fuck.

Okay, so now that you have had your lil' history lesson and you understand how fucking ill this quasi-sub genre of hip-hop DJing and production is, wrap your head around the magnanamous idea of putting Mobb Deep acapella's from Thier cult classic "Hell On Earth" over beats from Raekwon's undeniably classic first few albums and vice versa. Sounds fuckin' nuts right? Well, The same guy that dropped "American Ironman", (a Jay-Z vs. Ghostface blend tape that had the internet heads clamoring for more) a cat named Chong Wizard (lol, I don't know if he's asian or not either) returns with this ill ass take on a few giants from the mid 90's and the unforgettable hardcore, NYC music they created.

While I'm not sure if many of you will check this out, all I can say is that those who do won't be sorry. Shit I bumped this all weekend while watching college and NFL (go Broncos!!) football, and it was the perfect backdrop. So "perfect" of a backdrop that I was routinely pulled away from intense, early season, grudge match action to run back tracks like "Shark DJ's (Biters)", "Street Wisdom" and "Coke Vultures". Don't be a herb, grab this while you still can and bump it. Pull yourself away from the over-marketed and over-hyped bullshit that is the corny ass mixtape game of 2008 and recognize real skill. Shout out to that man Chong Wizard too....don't kno much about you kid, but your an official head with mad skill.

-BIG D O




01 . Mobb Deep - Striving For Perfection 02:08
02 . Mobb Deep - Infamous Knuckleheadz 02:40
03 . Mobb Deep Feat. Das Efx - Microphone Knowledge 04:36 04 . Mobb Deep Feat. Big Noyd - Only Built 4 Queensbridge Links 03:53
05 . Mobb Deep Feat. Big Noyd - Incarcerated Prodigy 04:15
06 . Mobb Deep - Rainy Nightz
07 . Mobb Deep - Poisonous P 01:08
08 . Mobb Deep Feat. Big Noyd - All So Simple Then 04:41
09 . Mobb Deep - Shark Djs (Biters) 01:44
10 . Mobb Deep - Over Dose Music 01:35
11 . Mobb Deep - Corny Rappers (Interlude) 06:25
12 . Mobb Deep - Street Wisdom 01:00
13 . Mobb Deep Feat. 50 Cent - Ice Cream Man Outta Control 04:06
14 . Mobb Deep - Hells Kitchen 03:40
15 . Raekwon The Chef Feat. Ghostface - Heaven & Hell (Original) 04:55
16 . Raekwon The Chef - Hustler Instinct 02:32
17 . Raekwon The Chef - Drop A Blend On Em 01:28
18 . Raekwon The Chef - Drug Sport 01:36
19 . Raekwon The Chef - Young Poor Hustler's Theme 03:42
20 . Raekwon The Chef - Coke Vultures 01:20
21 . Raekwon The Chef - Gold, Oil & Drugs Pt. III 02:35
22 . Raekwon The Chef Feat. Inspectah Deck - O.G. Cream Team 01:21
23 . Raekwon The Chef - Give It Up Kids 01:09
24 . Raekwon The Chef - Still Cookin 01:34
25 . Raekwon The Chef - Apostle's Clientele 01:00

http://rapidshare.com/files/143229109/VA-DJ_Chong_Wizard-Hells_Kitchen__Raekwon_The_Chef_VS._Mobb_Deep_-_Bootleg_-2008-HooD.rar

Madlib - Madlib Remixes 2: Saturday Morning Edition

I really have so much respect for Madlib yo. If your a frequent reader of this blog you already know that I've written all there is to write about this guy and my appreciation for his tireless work ethic. Always releasing new and dope projects, Madlib is one of Hip-Hop's sorely unappreciated production workmen. Including a laundry list of retail and "official" releases, Madlib also is a pretty usual contributor to more underground endeavors like his heavily coveted remix projects (see the "Mind Fusion" tapes). I am not going to spoil this one by giving away too many details, but just know this, "Remixes 2: Saturday Morning Edition" is comprised entirely of the illest and most rare Disco and funk samples out there. Madlib never disappoints when it comes to flipping shit like that correctly, please believe this tape will become insanely addictive for all you vintage heads out there. Be sure not to miss ya favorite Disco and Funk breaks re-worked by Oxnard, CA's finest, the one and only Madlib.

-BIG D O




01 Remixtroduction
02 Mood Swing
03 Ghetto Dwellaz
04 Devils
05 Rap Niggaz
06 My Favorite Ladies
07 Movement
08 Disco Break
09 Likwidation
10 Rockin
11 Put Yr Hands Up
12 Blunt Break
13 Flyby
14 Bear Wizz Beer (Commercial)
15 Throwback
16 Nothin Lesser
17 Doomilla
18 Nasty N.
19 Game
20 Memory Lane
21 Public Disservice Announcement
22 On the Grind
23 Gitmine
24 Net Weight
25 Quarterlude
26 Ridewitus
27 Gog Was Wrong (Commercial)

http://rapidshare.com/files/133723309/Madlib_-_Remixes_2_Saturday_Morning_Edition.zip

Video: Q-Tip - Gettin' Up

Another brillant J Dilla production fuels Q-Tip's creative video return. Set against a white background Tip incorporates crazy fits', dope lighting, beautiful women and innovative set ideas to convey the ultimate hip-hop command; Get Up. A can't miss video that should be dominating television signals worldwide, unfortunately will most likely get swept under the rug for what? A new T.I. or Shawty Lo vid? SMH....I'm bout done with hip-hop videos man...not enough good, fresh ones like this droppin anymore.

-BIG D O

Video: Big Pooh - Plastic Cups feat. Chaundon and Joe Scudda

Nice lil' vid that finds Pooh, Scudda and Chaundon taking a scenic little jaunt through the NYC streets. Produced by the late great J Dilla (the track can be found on Pooh's new tape "Rapper's Delight"... see my post below) who dug up a great horn loop from somewhere to power the track. LOL, Joe Scudda sporting some rediculous Cazell shades, Pooh kickin knowledge and Chaundon rhyming in front of the train. A really fun vid, that looks like it was fun to make also. Simple formula that yields a great product. Damn shame in a sense that a couple of North Carolina natives and a guy from the Bronx who runs wit em' can so easily show a whole city how they should be gettin' down.....damn NY wassup?!?! Step that game up!!

-BIG D O

Video: Termanology feat. Bun B - How We Rock

Nice lil' joint from Term, produced by DJ Premier who mans some pretty ill glow in the dark turntables in this joint. Set in a night club, nothing too out of the ordinary for the formula, just two emcee's wreckin a set onstage...a few cameos, most notably from Lil' Fame, at the end of the day nothing super spectacular, but still pretty appeasing.

-BIG D O

Rapper Big Pooh - Rapper's Delight

Taking me completely by surprise and flying totally under the radar is the new release from our favorite plump, J League emcee; Rapper Big Pooh. Pooh's last effort the Little Brother group project "Get Back" that was released close to a year ago and was insanely good, despite my huge disdain for Phonte and Pooh leaving 9th Wonder behind as the in-house and main producer in the group. "Get Back" proved that The duo was capable of making an album without 9th's genius yet overpowering soul back drops, but rather with the help of an array of talented producers. Pooh aims to do the same for his new solo project entitled "Rapper's Delight" that I am bringing you today. This is the free download version of "Rapper's Delight" that's available on hallofjustus.com, so don't tear my fucking head off for putting it up. Also if you want the official version look for it around the beginning of November I guess.

"Rapper's Delight" picks up right where "Get Back" and Pooh's "Sleepers" albums left off. Providing the listener with lots of rich samples reworked to perfection with Pooh's light hearted, yet introspective and creative lyrics layered over the top. Fans of the rougher stuff might be wise to steer clear however, most of "Rapper's Delight" falls under the category I so lovingly refer to as "life-hop". Pooh is genuine and that shines through. It's a big part of the reason why so many flock to his projects. The brutha keeps it real and doesen't pretend to be something he's not. He's a college drop-out from North Carolina that loves to eat and loves simple things like new clothes and good hip-hop music just like the rest of us. Songs like "Regular Nigga", "Dumb It Down", and "Crazy" really sieze Pooh's best qualities as an emcee; honesty, relatablity and flow, which all resonate through these tracks and give you a much needed break from the guest-feature-a-thon that this tape somewhat is. The enormous amount of guest spots isn't all bad...Talib Kweli, Quan and Roscoe Umali prove that Pooh can successfully go outside of his ever-present Justus League collabo's and work with other highly touted artist's.

The production on "Rapper's Delight" is sensational, largely in part due to Pooh grabbing tracks produced by the likes of Interscope in-houser's Illmind and Focus, VA's finest Nottz, 9th Wonder impressionist Khrysis and of course the D's all-time best....J Dilla. If good tunes are all you seek, this will definitely be a great find for you. Khrysis pulls the majority of the load with only 4 tracks, so it's all pretty evenly spread out. There are a few new names on here contrbuting...nothing really ear catching in that department.

All in all for a free download this is something that you should not hesitate whatsoever to grab. Pooh's material is still as engaging as ever and his ear for production while slightly shifting, for the most part is still fully intact as well. I for one can't wait for the official version to drop in November, which will feature additional guest spots, among which will include Pooh teaming back up once again with his old friend 9th Wonder.

-BIG D O




01 Rapper’s Delight f. Chaundon (prod. Nottz)
02 Reality Check f. Big Dho, D. Black & Mykestro (prod. Khrysis)
03 Respect It f. Illa J & Bishop Lamont (prod. J. Dilla)
04 Hands Up f. Chaundon & Roc C (prod. Khrysis)
05 Text Me (Tha Bizness Alllstar Remix) w/ Talib Kweli, Parker Brothaz & Naledge (prod. Tha Bizness)
06 Oh Yeah f. Roscoe Umali & Stylistic Jones (prod. Focus…)
07 Roll Call f. Jozeemo, Chaundon & Joe Scudda (prod. The Co-Op)
08 Dusty f. O-Dash (prod. Nick Speed)
09 Crazy (prod. Khrysis)
10 Geez Like Deez f. Quan (prod. Illmind)
11 Regular Nigga w/ Ab Soul
12 Plastic Cups f. Chaundon & Joe Scudda (prod. J. Dilla)
13 Money f. Frank (of Frank-N-Dank) & O-Dash (prod. Young RJ)
14 Dumb It Down
15 On The Real f. E. Ness & Jozeemo (prod. Khrysis)

http://rapidshare.com/files/144569753/Big_Pooh-Rappers_Delight-2008.rar

Ill Bill - The Hour Of Reprisal

In the midst of all our American hub bub about the presidential election, natural disasters and so called "controversial" content in Hip-Hop and the music business in general, emerges a hip-hop masterpiece that will truly illustrate to the faint of heart just what "offensive" really is and can be. This "masterpiece" album I speak of comes from Ill Bill; one of my longtime favorite emcees from Brooklyn and it's name is "The Hour Of Reprisal". Over the past 4 months tons of different versions of this album have leaked, but now we will finally have the true article.

Ill Bill proves his status as an elite emcee on this project and delivers consistently throughout in the form of thought provoking rhymes that are spiked with raw realizations and scathing depictions of his early life. I'll be the first to admit that he often gets going and might lapse in and out of his flow and that he sometimes has a tendency to let his strong delivery turn into flat out yelling, but lyrically, Bill has always brought it on his solo albums and this might be the best one he's ever made. Showcasing his strong production skills on here as well, Bill will force many a hip-hop head to re-examine their best album of 2008 list's and work "The Hour Of Reprisal" into the top five.

Bill opts to incorporate some of the underground and independent scene's most talented emcee's and utilize his own production a lot more for this record. "The Hour Of Reprisal" is top notch across the boards, really insightful, powerful and un-afraid. Everything that I hoped Nas's new LP would be, Ill Bill's is. You'll find names like Immortal Technique, Raekwon, Vinnie Paz and B-Real all gracing this solid piece of work. The standout track on here to me is "White Nigger". While at first glance at the title I expected the song to be a cheesy, over blown, Jewish homage to black stereotypes, I was pleasantly surprised when Bill took us into his life story and broke down how he got into hip-hop, what it was like growing up Jewish in the Glenwood Projects in Brooklyn, NY and how he fought the labels that were thrown on him. Shit is a damn good record and the production (provided by Bill himself) for it was insane as well. Bill gets the pass to say the word because he put it forth in a really thoughtful way and wasn't trying to negatively attack anyone else. He'll catch some flack for it, no doubt, but I understand what he was trying to do. Good for you Bill, don't listen to the haters. Another huge highlight of the album is when Ill Bill teams up with the legendary DJ Premier for the track "Society Is Brainwashed", which finds Bill trading in his usual delivery for his 95' flow which is more streaming, fluid and technically precise. It is an eye opening glimpse into how talented Bill really is when it comes to pulling out old weapons and updating them for modern times. This whole album is full of contemptuous rhetoric, but this joint has Bill reciting his anti-American truths in such vintage fashion it makes you wanna go find all his early work really. The finishing touch is most certainly the Premier production though. Primo hands Bill a perfectly crafted boom bap gem, that supposedly Jay-Z in all his pop music greatness turned away. SMH, big surprise there right? At any rate, one man's trash is another man's classic joint. Bill has to release "Society Is Brainwashed" as a 12" single, it gets my vote as the album's most re-playable record.

All in all if your a fan of any type of hip-hop that means something you need to check out this record. Ill Bill's commitment to that hardcore and in your face brand of rap/hip-hop has finally paid off in the form of a stellar album. I loved most of this effort and I rarely feel that way about any project, especially projects that are droppin in the 08'. I didn't think that anything would drop this year that could fuck with Immortal Technique's mixtape "The 3rd World", but I was wrong. This album lives up to it's hype and was well worth the wait. Aside from a few very small mis-steps in the song theme department, this shit is flawless.

-BIG D O




01. Babylon (Feat. Howard Jones) (Prod. By T-Ray) 05:14
02. Doomsday Was Written In An Alien Bible (Prod. By Ill Bill) 03:03
03. Trust Nobody (Prod. By Ill Bill) 02:48
04. A Bullet Never Lies (Feat. Vinnie Paz) (Prod. By DJ Lethal) 03:25
05. White Nigger (Prod. By Ill Bill) 04:01
06. My Uncle (Prod. By Ill Bill & Sicknature) 02:45
07. Riva (Feat. Hr & Darryl Jennifer) (Prod. By Ill Bill) 03:51
08. War Is My Destiny (Feat. Max Cavalera & Immortal Technique) 03:11
(Prod. By Ill Bill)
09. Society Is Brainwashed (Prod. By DJ Premier) 03:44
10. This Is Who I Am (Prod. By DJ Muggs) 03:20
11. Too Young (Feat. Hero & Slaine) (Prod. By Darp Malone) 04:32
12. Pain Gang (Feat. B-Real & Everlast) (Prod. By Cynic) 03:55
13. U.B.S. (Unauthorized Biography Of Slayer) (Prod. By Necro) 02:29
14. Coka Moschiach (Feat. Raekwon The Chef) (Prod. By Ill Bill) 02:31
15. The Most Dangerous Weapon Alive (Prod. By Necro) 02:21
16. Soap 00:49
17. I’m A Goon (Prod. By Ill Bill & Sicknature) 03:24
18. Only Time Will Tell (Feat. Tech N9ne & Everlast) 04:37
(Prod. By DJ Muggs

http://rapidshare.com/files/144507326/Ill_Bill-The_Hour_Of_Reprisal-2008-C4.rar