Video: RA The Rugged Man Returns To Earth?

After viewing this new promo vid with Suffolk County's finest, I simply gotta applaud Mr. Thorburn's sentiments...loudly too......It's so puzzling to me however, that someone like himself, who seems to "get it" concerning the rap game and the puppeteering job that huge corporations are playing in it, could be so lost during the last election season.

That's right Rugged Man, even though you've dropped some opinions I definitely can co-sign here, I haven't forgotten some of the ish' you was kickin last October, supporting John McCain and that righteous piece of trash Sarah Palin and labeling Obama as just some slick "used car salesmen". If ya'll need a refresher on what I'm speaking on check this out:

http://purehip-hop.blogspot.com/2008/10/ra-say-it-aint-sothe-rugged-man.html

So yeah, uhhh, even though he's hittin' us with some real talk now, anyone that peeped his stances out last year surely has to ponder what's gotten into him. I mean, he's actually making sense here! Sorry, I know I'm piling on but facts are facts; he fucked up big time, especially by his long-time fans who heralded him as a true people's champ when he started supporting those two space cadets. I can be fair though, there is no question that he's talented and everyone has a right to his or her own opinion, but when you fly out the window and start going against the grain that helped you become what you are, flags is gonna get thrown homie.

So, as we all examine the Rugged one dishing real and applaudable insight via youtube a month before he needs us to go out and support his new "best of" LP on Nature Sounds, we must take his words with a huge grain of salt. Unfortunately, because of his past views, even this level headed and frankly dead on testimonial only forebodes the impending dread that we'll all feel when in roughly 2 more years he'll inevitably be tempted to once again be the lone golden age Hip-hop voice bigging up the country's most un-impressive and un-qualified politician when she converges on her 2012 presidential campaign.

There's little chance you will, but keep on coming toward the light RA....

-BIG D O

Single: MED & J-Rocc - The What

Two of the best from out west combine to give ya'll the first auditory sampling of their new collab record with the single "The What"....

Oxnard based MC MED that you probably recognize from running with the famed underground/funk label Stonesthrow and who just released his long-awaited debut in 05', has returned to the scene. Among other projects he has coming (including a new mixtape with another Beat Junkie in DJ Rhettmatic) he has decided to also link with one of the nicest deejay's in L.A. and good friend J-Rocc for a new mix CD that I'm positive is gonna be killer.

Rocc, who also is a Stones Throw artist and one of the founders of the Beat Junkie crew provides MED with a dope instrumental to get busy over. Manic and funky all at the same time, "The What" utilizes a hilarious "whaaat!!" sound stab and a sloppy flute loop layered over a salacious drum break to capture you. It's a dope record from all perspectives and MED kicks some ill metaphors over this unique heat....be sure to check it!

-BIG D O











http://usershare.net/vlw829m3o49n

Video/Mixtape: Mick Boogie ft. Big Pooh, Chaundon & Phil Nash - Stay This Way & Mick Boogie & Peter Bjorn & John - Re-Living Thing Mixtape

"Stay This Way" features Big Pooh & Chaundon of Justus League fame as well as Phil Nash and his frequent collaborator, the legendary DJ Jazzy Jeff, handling the production duties for a different kinda look on this new video from Cleveland's finest deejay Mick Boogie.

The vid is pretty straight forward and really, not overly impressive. Not that I'm against retro video game graphics or anything, it just wasn't very imaginative and a song that dope deserves a lil' better. The song's righteousness shines over everything though and really that can be said for the majority of the stuff on the "Re-Living" mixtape. I'm finally getting around to putting it up for ya'll just now, and while I'm positive most of you scooped this a week ago on another blog or even Mick's site for free, here is yet another name you can trust co-signing it.

Now do go in with a lil' discretion, everything ain't 100% bumpable 100% of the time on it, but musically I love when people try out new things and experiment with sound. There's some really dope genre blending going on, but the main essence of dope Hip-Hop remains and that's the primary reason I'mma have to expose some of my readers to it. Hopefully this sparks all these new beat making children to start diversifying their sampling games...it ain't all about 60's and 70's Soul kiddies...remember that!

What Mick set out to do here was re-work a grip of his favorite records from the band Peter Bjorn & John's 2009 "Living Thing" album along with a bevy of his notable Hip-Hop brethren. He succeeded mightily. Also, I wanted to mention, just in case your not exactly up on your Euro band knowledge, Peter Bjorn & John is a Swedish Indie Rock group made up of Peter Morén, Björn Yttling and John Eriksson. Mick has an affinity for their work and properly put the Hip-Hop and turntablist touch to it alongside some ill new MC's like Naledge, Outasight and Fashawn as well as some dope vets in Evidence, The Gza, Buckshot, Talib Kweli and Bun B. Of course the real treat is some of the most respected producers out there AKA Marco Polo, 88- Keys, Cookin Soul and Jazzy Jeff putting their unique spins on some of PBJ's material...

-BIG D O








1. Naledge & Mickey Factz: Blue Period Picasso (remixed by nVMe)
2. Freebass 808 & Christian Rich: Living Thing
(remixed by Apple Juice Kid)
3. Bun B & The Kid Daytona: Losing My Mind (remixed by 6th Sense)
4. Big Pooh, Chaundon & Phil Nash: Stay This Way (remixed by Jazzy Jeff)
5. Trouble Andrew & GLC: Lay It Down (remixed by The Kickdrums)
6. Talib Kweli & 6th Sense: I Want You
(remixed by William Russell / Good Life Mike)
7. 88 Keys & Outasight: 4 Out Of 5 (remixed by 6th Sense)
8. U-N-I: Last Night (remixed by Remot)
9. GZA, Buckshot & Tabi Bonney: The Feeling (remixed by Marco Polo)
10. Big Sean, Black Milk & T3: Just The Past (remixed by nVMe)
11. Kardinal Offishall, Donnis & Henok Achido: It Just Don’t Move Me
(remixed by Jet Audio)
12. Wale, Young Chris & Rhymefest: Nothing To Worry About
(remixed by The Kickdrums)
13. Evidence, Jerreau & Fashawn: Amsterdam (remixed by Cookin’ Soul)

http://usershare.net/0qqruy4w72t9

Stash Magazine Presents Veterano - Latest & Greatest Mixtape Vol.1

Brand new Mixtape from new production face Veterano, which contains a good helping of exclusive music from some of your favorite hardcore MC's.

The one time Graff writer/artist and northern Cali native Veterano started DJing and producing around the age of 17 and has grown into a role as one of the premier beatsmiths on the left coast.

Versatile and highly rooted in classic hardcore stylings of his late 90's predecessors, through his arrangements Veterano boasts intense samples coupled with emotional keys and strings providing the perfect sound bed for some of the truly talented lyrical killers that appear.

Hosted by west coast legend Ras Kass, "Latest & Greatest" runs through Veterano's most recent and celebrated bangers and finds contemporary Hip-Hop pulp poets like Nino Bless, Grafh, Cassidy, Chace Infinite, Kam Moye and Rob G, to name a few, going in and ripping apart Vet's graphic beats. Highlights include the sinister Kool G Rap jumpoff "The Block Is Hot" and the Planet Asia and Chace Infinite homage to fast talking jacks of all trades everywhere in "Hustlers Anthem". Ras contributes some exclusive material on here that's noteworthy in his collab with Nino Bless "Sparta", but leaves you hangin' on the hosting tip, only adding annoying sponser drops....In that spirit I'mma take this moment to let all of you know that Stash Mag AKA the guys who helped Veterano put this tape out are on the forefront of covering legit west coast Hip-Hop artists and their mag is overall one of the stronger publications in the urban landscape of print media. Anyway, I've included a link to their site below as well so you can get your "bill me later" on or just look around....

http://www.stashonline.com/

-BIG D O











01. Ras Kass - Latest And Greatest Intro
02. Joe Budden feat. Joel Ortiz, Nino Bless, Royce Da 5′9″ and Crooked I - Slaughterhouse
03. Grafh feat. Cassidy - So Easy
04. Mr. Probz - Interlude
05. DJ K.O. feat. O.C., Torae and Kaze - 3 In The Chamber
06. Kool G Rap - Block Is Hot
07. Planet Asia feat. Chace Infinite - Hustler Anthems
08. Ras Kass & Nino Bless - Sparta (exclusive)
09. Grafh - Interlude
10. Roccett (of U.S.D.A) - Run These Streets
11. Ras Kass - Stash Magazine Interlude
12. Grafh feat. Sandman (of Re-Up Gang) - Get It How You Live (exclusive)
13. Rob G - What’s My Name?
14. Nino Bless feat. Styles P, Joel Ortiz and Kool G Rap - 4 In The Clip
15. Ras Kass - Home Grown Outfitters Interlude
16. Jay Z - Blue Magic (Throw Back Mix)
17. Planet Asia feat. Kemet & Shake Da Mayor - Family Tree
18. Kam Moye - Around The World
19. E.L.S (of Street Media) - New West Outro

Bonus:
Nino Bless feat. Akon - Changed Man
Ras Kass & Nino Bless - Sparta
Grafh feat. Sandman (of Re-Up Gang) - Get It How You Live

http://usershare.net/sond5zv43tuk

Single: A&E (Masta Ace & EDO G) ft. Marsha Ambrosious - A's & E's

The 2nd leak from A&E's new album has surfaced and while I can't say it's something that's gonna change the game, I will say it was a pleasant surprise. Recruiting former Floetry member Marsha Ambrosious to handle the hook work, Ace and G go in and provide a us with some serious alliteration....

This single was brought to you by the letters "A" and "E" and the album "Arts & Entertainment" from Masta Ace & EDO G is slated to drop on the 6th of next month....

-BIG D O










http://www.zshare.net/audio/65605293f3efb292/

Interest Piece: Mumia Abu-Jamal - Circles Of Sameness

At times when I see and hear droves of young people who are delving further and further into the utterly useless cycle and culture of gossip hoarding, ego-maniacal, celebrity obsessed and inattentive behavior, I have to go back to the words and lessons of people whom I often look to for guidance and wisdom...One such person is Mumia Abu-Jamal. For a long while now his informative and eye opening Prison Radio essays on the social injustices and covert political mechanisms that exist within America have been nothing short of stellar.

While most people wallow in the recent outbursts from Joe Wilson, Kanye West and Serena Williams we all seem to have overlooked the one that preceeded them all and was by far more important. What I speak of is the recent resignation of Special Advisor for Green Jobs with the Obama Administration, Anthony "Van" Jones. Earlier this month videotape of Jones calling Republicans "Assholes", among other fairly mild (and pretty accurate) insults surfaced and the wild accusations and fingerpointing from the right wing ensued. Jones was unfairly labeled a "Racist" and a "communist", eventually leading him to step down from his position and many, myself included, began to wonder what the future of his uber important work would be.

Sit back and Listen as Mumia breaks down precisely what happened and how it isn't the first time this tactic from the nonsensical Faux News pundits and the radical right stoked political pressure to remove someone like Jones who's primary interests were for Black and Hispanic folks making little money or that were unemployed...

-BIG D O










http://www.zshare.net/audio/656190032ef077e2/

Video: Jay ARE (John Robinson & J. Rawls) - Know You

Jay ARE (John Robinson x J Rawls) "Know You" from Okayplayer on Vimeo.

New vid off these bruthas new LP "The 1960’s Jazz Revolution Again", which actually drops today, *gazes over at that 20 dollar bill stuffed in my wallet with temptation*....

Nice performance from the Columbus, Ohio production wiz and the Bronx born and bred lyrical force....Directed by Rick Foy and featuring some of the illest Mighty Healthy Tee's I seen in awhile....

go pickup that "The 1960's Jazz Revolution Again" today ya'll....

-BIG D O

Koushik - Beep Tape

Resident Stones Throw beat man Koushik who's known for his Psychedelic sample flips and all and all just being one of the iller producers out there that most folks don't know about, is lettin' you kiddies get familiar with his work via a free beat tape.

Actually, the "Beep Tape" is a 30 track instrumental/experimental album, but hey, lets not get into semantics, the important thing is that you peep this joint out...This time around Koushik's Psych sound takes on a much heavier digital pop and avant-garde identity, but comes off just as fresh as his older moves.

Thwacking snares, manic dance themed hats and eminent sample work power this diverse sound scape. Koushik drops beats that sound like the background aurals to your favorite Atari game then seamlessly transforms his pieces giving you cuts that are far more affective. It's a welcomed type of up and down, off the beaten path type of project. really generous of Koushik to let people grab his latest brainchild for free.

The "Beep Tape" is quite a lil' experience and it's also available on CD and wax over at Stonesthrow.com in case anyone needs that. For now though just enjoy the free download, but act quickly it's only up for a week....

-BIG D O











http://stonesthrow.com/koushik-beeptape-stonesthrow.zip

J. Period & K’NAAN - The Messengers Episode 3: Bob Dylan

It's Tuesday so inevitably that means new J.Period! Today the multi-talented DJ/producer releases the third installment of his "The Messengers" mixtape series with Somali Hip-Hop poet sensation K'Naan. In episode 3 none other than the pride of Hibbing, Minnesota, Blind Boy Grunt himself, Bob Dylan is the man and musical life that the two Hip-Hop impresarios have chosen to highlight. The magnificently outspoken and political voice of American counter culture and a fixture in popular music for over 5 decades has his music remixed, re-done and re-visited by K'Naan and Period with the same spirit and fervor that would surely make the "Freewheelin'" one smile....

If you wanna peep out the first two offerings in this series I provided the links below....

http://purehip-hop.blogspot.com/2009/09/j-period-knaan-messengers-bob-marley.html

http://purehip-hop.blogspot.com/2009/09/j-period-and-knaan-messengers-episode-1.html

-BIG D O









01. Introduction To Bob Dylan
02. Rhythmic Poetry (Interlude)
03. Don’t Think Twice (Messengers Remix)
04. No Great Message (Interlude)
05. 4th Time Around (Messengers Remix)
06. Voice Of The Other Sie (Interlude)
07. Lay Lady Lay (Intro)
08. Relationships Lay (Messengers Remix)
09. This Is A True Story (Interlude)
10. Hard Rain (Messengers Remix)
11. It’s Alright Ma (J. Period Remix) Bonus

http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?oyzy4md2tdm

Review: Skyzoo - The Salvation

After capturing Hip-Hop heads with his extensive work on the mixtape circuit and a monster of an EP with 9th Wonder, Brooklyn's heir apparent to masterful storytellers like Masta Ace and illustrious hustlers like Jiggaman bursts onto Hip-Hop's consciousness with his full length debut "The Salvation". Armed with a robust assemblage of the game's brightest producers and a dense lexicon of penned compositions we're taken on a journey through the complex and observant world of Skyzoo as he joins the fight to restore good music to the culture.

Wasting little time warming up, Sky immediately pushes the pedal to the floor with his sharp wordplay, layering rhymes and chaining them together forming non-stop caravans of weighty adages over soulful, well-picked beat selections. The Bed-Stuy product fuses his words like a master welder binds metals, displaying those ever impressive flashes of intellectual acumen, but connecting with his audience via the on-going theme of struggle and "coming up". "Under Pressure" and the final (and perhaps best) track "Maintain" find him sort of presenting a mentality of a young, hungry kid that has the brawn and the brains to go all the way, but finds himself on the outs and a permanent underdog nevertheless. A captivating, affecting storyline indeed.

lifelike and natural themes on tracks like "The Opener", "Penmanship", "My Interpretation", "Dear Whoever" and "The Necessary Evils" add a fine polish to an already amazingly cultivated album, which by the way, only has a couple guest features on it. The fact that Sky didn't cave in and use what I'm sure are extensive connections within the Hip-Hop community to flood "The Salvation" with interloping excess is a sign that he truly does get it. His understanding that an album is supposed to be an artist's vision and not one long glorified posse cut demonstrates creative maturity and a commitment to long extinct, yet winning formulas that should appeal to older heads who came up in an era when MC's could easily hold down albums dolo. Sky emits the same command of ship as his forefathers and makes it abundantly apparent that this LP isn't some weak 12 track excursion flooded with a who's who of NYC mixtape personalities. Instead, he Hands us 16 full solo tracks that are all at least two minutes and fifty seconds long, making a strong statement about his abilities and work ethic.

The good bulk of the LP remains on course through a terrain of challenging subject matter, but Sky does take some time to show that he can appeal to the fairer sex (and bore the hell out of the other), crooning it up on the 9th Wonder laced "Easy to Fly". Featuring the sultry vocal backing of another Justus League affiliate, Carlitta Durand, Sky ditches the witty metaphors and indulges the ladies with tales of extravagance and high end getaways. Despite a winning beat from 9th I was left feeling a little indifferent toward the track. "Popularity", one of the singles released for the album and one of Nottz's two production contributions, sort of emanates that same stale aloofness unfortunately and I'm unsure why Sky felt that among the rest of the stellar work these two joints were suited to be included.

By the end of the record there should be little doubt left about who the future of the game should be. Skyzoo is as capable and versatile as any new face and a whole lot of the older ones too. "The Salvation" is a triumph and instantly registers as one of the best albums of 2009. Maybe it's not enough to completely save the game, but it definitely just gave it some much needed mouth-to-mouth and chest compressions.....

A Purehip-hop pick at 8 out of 10.

-BIG D O

News: Former Exec Andreas Hale Leaves His Position At BET, Then Promptly Airs Them Out

As far as his posturing that he only left his post at HipHopDx to go on a crusade to help turn around BET, all I can say is "Child Please". Other than that though, Mr. Hale does mildly strike me as a cat that is pretty down and presents an important view of what really goes on at BET. Here in this email he sent out after he made it known that he'd been relieved of his position with the ever controversial network, Hale illuminates what many of us already would've assumed and/or feared about our once beloved TV home away from home.

Known as one of BET's most staunch critics before he took a job with em', Hale initially seemed like someone you'd catch protesting in front of a Viacom owned building or BET office rather than working in it. Alas, we live in times when more kids know Flavor Flav as a reality TV star than they do as a member of one of the most important Hip-Hop groups ever and Ice-T's most successful role is one as the Po Po. A lot of stuff makes little sense anymore in Hip-Hop or Urban culture in general and the distortion only grows worse when you tune into most of BET's sloppy boilerplate programming. I applaud Hale for coming back around to his senses and shedding light on his experiences over at what sounds like the worst "good job" any Hip-Hop writer, blogger or web master with change in mind could have.

Here's his take on the madness that is BET in 2009....




Andreas Hale:

As someone who has been critical of BET for many years, it surprised many that I would leave my post at HipHopDX last year to take a position at BET. But it was an opportunity I absolutely had to take. I could no longer be critical of this company without accepting the opportunity to change it when given. …

Although I was hired to bring about change, I was systematically shut down. I wasn’t hired to make noise, I was hired to be silenced. The truth of the matter is that everything that you thought was wrong with BET is true.


Over the past year I’ve seen a lot to reinforce my position that BET is too far gone in the negative to turn into a positive. We have all always thought the worst, but to actually see it in action is another thing in its entirety. The unprofessionalism, the tom foolery, the favors, the misappropriation of resources, the bad ideas that reinforce negative stereotypes, the emasculation of men, the meetings that break down in full fledged cursing battles, the unpaid overtime, the tears from employees scared for their underpaid and overworked positions and ultimately the unwillingness to change are all harsh realities that I’ve witnessed firsthand.

full email:
http://www.ddotomen.com/2009/09/08/andreas-hale-parts-ways-with-bet-and-puts-them-on-blast/

Single: Kam Moye - Blue Skies (prod. by Apollo Brown)

The good brutha Kam Moye/Supastition checks in to drop his latest lyrical canvas in "Blue Skies", successfully completing my long day that's been filled with surprises (Denver's "Immaculate Deflection" win at Cincy) and disappointments (Kanye's foolishness at the VMA's and really just the way he chose to dress in public).....

Kam steps to the masses with a deep view on the glossy veneer of "perfect" relationships and digs into the actual anguish behind what many people have experienced by being stuck in a broken one. The real subject matter sounds great over Detroit newcomer Apollo Brown's heart wrenching and head-nodding production and I think that had I heard this on Friday when it dropped I most definitely woulda made it the official Purehip-hop single of the weekend....My blunder ya'll, for now just soak it in like a Breakfast combo from Mickey D's at 11:30......also remember, everything that glitters ain't always gold and that "Blue Skies" is much more than ya average break up record...

-BIG D O












http://limelinx.com/files/fa4e2146d03aceefd7771a0074ec2a0b

Video: Pacewon & Mr. Green - Four Quarters

Hopefully my Purehip-hop brethren are wrapping up a long opening day of NFL contests (not the clown ass VMA's) and are ready for some brand new ish' from a duo that produced one of the illest underground releases of 2008, "The Only Color That Matters is Green".

This being Pacewon and Mr. Green's sixth video for the album, I'm a lil' ashamed to say I didn't cover every single one of em', but I'm not gonna get caught slippin' today, not even with a myriad of distractions.

"Four Quarters" finds the two NJ repper's looking mainly like they just are taking you through a tour of their neighborhood in Jersey...This is just a really cool old school typa vid. No glamour, no glitz, just the music and the reality behind it....peep it and peep "The Only Color That Matters is Green" if you haven't already...

-BIG D O

News: Lil' Fame Goes jackin For Beats? Philly Producer Says "Yes"

After suffering from a host of 11th hour changes and even an incorrect tracklisting on the physical CD case, M.O.P.'s new album "Foundation" has yet another problem of sorts and it ain't pretty...

Philadelphia producer Rahaman Kilpatrick has come forward claiming that he did not receive production credit for the ninth track on the album, "Rude Bastard" and that Lil' Fame in effect, stole his music and stamped his name on it....Here's what Kilpatrick had to say earlier on DJ Premier blog (not affiliated with the real Premo btw) about how the situation unfolded:

Back in September 2008, MOP, Joe Buddens, Termanology and Big Shugg came down to Sonar in B'more and me and my peeps go to the show. I pass out beat cd's to Term, Joe and during MOP's show I give it to Laze E Laze's son who's the hype man. Now, fast forward to September 2009 and I'm listening to MOP's Foundation album on my way home from work and when track #9 "Rude Bastard" comes on....it's MY FUCKING BEAT! Not the same sample, the SAME BEAT! Drum programming, sample, chops...the whole damn beat! Then my man Mills does the knowledge for me to see who got credit for the track on the album and it says "produced by Fizzy Womack"! So...I don't get a check, I don't get credit...I don't even get co production credit! And I'm not looking for no "feel sorry for me" or none of that hoopla...I'm just asking for cats to let ANYONE who ya'll know who loves hip hop to know who did the track so I can @ least get credit from my peers (hip hop fans and other producer's grinding out there)for the beat. I've been grinding @ this beat thing for YEARS and for my first placement for a major artist to be a jack move...it just ain't right...but it is what it is...like I said do me this justice and @ least let the hip hop heads ya'll know that the bol Kil from Philly gave MOP THAT heat...not no fucking Fizzy Womack...

Fame was pretty quick with a response, that in my view only further incriminates him:

Shit happens bro. Tag your beat next time, i just happened to have that record, and did the shit up myself! Your version was way too LQ for us to even use it and trust me nigga, your drums are not rare. i got drums out the woodwork, but thank you for finding the right tuned snare for this sample. It's not your beat anymore nigga, i re-created (as you did as well) with the same record, so LiL FaMe is the one claim!!! Don't take it there either, we known to mash out. You know you love that song nigga.

Straight ruthless right? Kinda disappointing too considering that I am a big fan of a lot of Fame's production work...Def. cheapens my opinion of his ethics a whole lot...Sorry, as a producer myself I would be crushed if this happened...yet I do know that stuff like this goes on all the time. To be fair to Fame though, don't nobody own no samples or sounds....Just ask Pete Rock, who was jerked out of the "Juicy" beat by Puffy when Puff was over at Pete's crib and heard the sample playing...next thing you know someone outta the Hitmen was re-doing the shit and calling it his...At least Puff let PR get the remix.

To help you further understand Kilpatrick's situation included is what he claims was his original beat and the song that was included on M.O.P.'s album "Rude Bastard". You be the judge....


Kilpatrick's Version:
http://www.zshare.net/audio/65377958304f90dc

M.O.P.'s "Rude Bastard"
http://www.zshare.net/audio/6537786103b91adb/


-BIG D O

Video: A&E (Masta Ace & Ed O.G.) - The First 48 (Trailer)

Getting us ready for their upcoming "Arts & Entertainment" LP, Ace and Edo AKA A&E, drop a pretty hilarious trailer that makes a play on the real A&E channel's prized program "The First 48".

The two men take on roles as homicide detectives and try to piece together what happened to one wayward young soul that was walking around in the latest in androgynous hipster fashion. Hilarity ensues and once again my clear and present disdain for the current trend of dressing like your little sister is re-affirmed by two of the greatest of all-time, who themselves don suits and ties (lol, also kinda hilarious).

Edo and Ace hit you with their new collabo project on Oct.6th.

-BIG D O

Video: Big Pun ft. Black Thought - Super Lyrical

Big Pun - Super Lyrical f. Black Thought (Official) from 2dopeboyz.com on Vimeo.

Today, on a day that for me is damn near a national holiday (start of the NFL season) it's fitting that we get a new video from the upcoming Big Pun biopic DVD "The Legacy: The Best of Big Pun". The DVD is accompanied by a soundtrack that is filled with Pun's all-time greatest moments on the mic and "Super Lyrical", the intense exercise in wordplay from Pun's classic debut that featured The Roots front man Black Thought has been chosen to drop as the lead Video single.

Choosing one of Pun's greatest technical songs and a joint that guest feature Black Thought flat out killed is a testament to the fact that this DVD promises to focus more intensely on how great of an artist Pun was rather than how embattled his life got at times....

I'm thrilled for the DVD's release and this vid which utilizes a grip of archive footage of Pun only serves to remind us all of just how great and important he was and still is to Hip-Hop....

"Big Pun: The Legacy" DVD and soundtrack drops on the 15th....that means you guys got 5 days to get ya money straight and cop or pre-order on Amazon...

-BIG D O

Fashawn - The Antidote Compiled And Produced By The Alchemist

As forecasted today we are blessed with a new tape from Fresno, CA rhymer Fashawn and the one, the only Alchemist, who backs him up on the boards...

I decided to throw this up earlier rather than later, mainly because tonight I'mma be occupied with the kickoff of the NFL season (been waitin a minute, but now it's finally here) and so I'll likely either be too inebriated to check in on Purehip-hop or just flat out too into the game...

Anyway...

I really like this tape man...Comprised of all new musical compositions from both men, you definitely get an older feel from Al as far as the beats go...I see he's really getting more and more into adding lil' dissident samples from movies and interviews and whatnot these days, which has always been a technique of his, but never this frequently used. Also he's really diminishing the role that the drums play on a lot of the tracks. The percussion is damn near non-existent on many of them, a la recent Madlib and classic J Dilla. Fashawn sounds really at home over the mellow and breezy sound beds, providing ample words to sort of fill them up and this collaboration is a huge success...Al's music is so diverse and brave, he's not afraid to go anywhere, even re-flipping that classic Boot Camp sample for the last track "I Got It Sewn".

Al only makes one rhyming excursion on this project...unfortunately things still remain the same on that front, as he is basically the odd man out lyrically on the aural symphony that is "From The Creation". Roc C and OhNo pick up the slack however, and the two west coast underground luminaries sound great over yet another familiar sample.

Al really provides a great buncha beats for this tape and that's where he shoulda left it perhaps, but I don't blame him for jumping on that joint...Fash has that effect on people; his music makes you wanna join in and has a high degree of infectiousness. I think that with the right moves (this being one of them) that Fash could really start to establish himself as a prominent MC on the West Coast. Lord knows he has the talent. We'll have to see whether he puts it all together on his new LP "Boy Meets World" (which drops next month) and this upcoming full length colloboration with Alchemist...but I gotta say, I expect big things from him.

The "Antidote" is a dope look see at what these two are capable of doing together, but at only 22 minutes long it's definitely just a quick intravenous dose....nevertheless, it does get you amped for what's yet to come.

-BIG D O












01. Intro
02. Shall Come A New Name
03. Fash Plays It Cool
04. The Antidote
05. Gone In 60 Seconds
06. Rap Seduction
07. Whats Your World
08. From The Creation (feat. The Alchemist, Roc C & OHNO)]
09. FYT
10. Lost In New York
11. Got It Sewn



http://rapidshare.com/files/277962161/Fashawn-The_Antidote-OnSMASH-2009.zip

Review: KRS-One & Buckshot - Survival Skills

In a time when many a true Hip-Hopper is in dire need of a set of guidelines to live by, two of the genre's long burning stars combine to give the culture a respectable look, as well as drop a few gems for new generations to marinate on...

After a great intro track where Buckshot and KRS-One recruit west coast spinmaster DJ Revolution to devastate some chorus cuts, you run smack dab into a pair of really bland joints. The Havoc laced and aptly titled "Robot" and the Mary J. Blige assisted, Black Milk produced "The Way I Live" are both less than great efforts. I know I could've lived without them being included on this LP anyway. Sadly, those two joints were the two singles Buck and Kris chose to leak early to generate their pre-release buzz....A pity really, especially since this album has so many other notable appearances and tracks that far eclipse the double folly.

Small amounts of mis-spent time aside, "Survival Skills" does have a meaty bulk of dope records that start pretty much after the third track. It's at that point when the BDI Thug and The Teacha start trekking over familiar, yet updated territory and do so with a heavy amount of success. The two vets amaze and do a decent job of hangin' with their young guest contributors. Buck is heard in his usual steady form and Kris is still pretty engaging in his rhymes. They both hit you with a lil' bit of their trademark fodder and while maybe they're not as sharp as they once were, it's like seeing MJ come back on the court and shoot around a bit. Still entertaining as heck to many. Buck and Kris actually make a potent one-two punch with one man providing the mentality of a wise, former street tough and the other dropping knowledge, making every verse count. The chemistry is present and while KRS tends to overlap Buck at times just through sheer skill, it's not glaringly noticable.

Whether your an old Boot Camp fan or one of KRS's many longtime BDP pupils you'll definitely find something to be gratified by on this album. Searching for a powerful political tinged banger that reminds you of Kris's classic, un-abridged social commentary? Peep out "Runnin' Away", where the Criminal Minded one delves back into his Jamaican accented rhyme flow aside everyone's favorite revolutionary Immortal Technique. The latter of whom issues one of the rawest and most controversial 16's of 2009. Or if you desire something more braggadocio and violent-like most of the narratives from Buck's earliest and best work-then you'll be giddy for "Hear No Evil" or "Murder 1". Two stark constructions that highlight Mr. Blake's considerable and understandable paranoia for the system.

Even the more experimental jaunts into new themes seem to work out well. Case in point, "Think Of The Things", which features Somali rapper/poet K'Naan joining forces with the legendary pair over a somber DJ Mentplus beat, for a serious talk about absentee fathers and how that mess is running far too rampant nowadays. The song is a definite high point for the album that showcases a multifold of softer, more tender tones aimed at giving some helpful advice to Dads and even daughters and mothers.

The Production is amazing in spots and you shouldn't be surprised.....Illmind, Moss, Khrysis, Marco Polo, Coptic and 9th Wonder all contribute to an able-bodied lineup of beatsmiths who's musical backdrops commingled well. The only qualm I have, and I feel a tad bit overly critical even saying it but, no Beatminerz? Come on Buck!

In the end Buck and KRS manage to remain afloat and survive the treachery that is being a combined twenty two plus years deep in the game while trying to present a new album that is relevant. Drawing back on their fundamentals for the most part, is what led to their salvation. "Survival Skills" is appropriately titled because both of these artists have yet again figured out a way to endure and outlive many of their peers.

A Purehip-hop pick at 8 outta 10....

-BIG D O

Video: Marco Polo & Torae ft. DJ Revlution - Double Barrel

Title track video for the duo's new album, that you should be well acquainted with by now unless your a sucka....If in which case you are, don't even attempt to process the dope ass music that ensues when you press play on the video.

"Double Barrel" is a pretty standard performance piece with a few special effects here and there, not counting DJ Rev's insane turntablism....the music is the main selling point and I respect that. Either way, this is a solid product from director Todd Angkasuwan, Tor and Marco...

"Double Barrel" The album is in stores now! If your a real man go cop the vinyl that Marco is shown holding up in the vid....

-BIG D O

Single: Fashawn - Fash Plays It Cool (prod. by Alchemist)

Brand new banger from Fashawn off of he and the Alchemist's upcoming collab project "The Antidote", which ya'll should be able to grab around here sometime tomorrow night if 2dopeboys does in fact rip it then, lol...

"Fash Plays It Cool" finds our boy Al looping up some insanely ill and jazzy groove while Fashawn AKA the best artist to come up outta Fresno, CA since Planet Asia, spits over it beat for beat, showing off his wildly nice flow..

Also, just wanna remind ya'll that Fashawn still has his debut album "Boy Meets World" comin' in late October..til' that drops on us tho, keep bumpin' this and get ready for "The Antidote" mixtape tomorrow night courtesy of Alchemist and Fashawn both...

-BIG D O











http://usershare.net/d4l2l8juw6l4