Singles: Damu The Fudgemunk ft. Buff1 - When The Winter Comes B/W Truly Get Yours

Now this is Hip-Hop music.....

Finally, this man Damu The Fudgemunk is reaching out to more talent to rhyme over his beats, which, in case you ain't know are fucking insane...

For the first joint in this digi single doublepack we got "When The Winter Comes", a glorious beat work that Detroit emcee Buff1 blesses correct an that was actually recorded back in 2009...On the B-side we got yet another one of Damu's memorable instrumental pieces of art in "Truly Get Yours", which also features Buff doin the damn thing, but is a new recording...

By now you should be wondering about where these two great tracks stem from and the answer is a new 7" vinyl release that will be released via DWG very soon...be on the look out for that..

-BIG D O


Damu The Fudgemunk ft. Buff1 - When The Winter Comes b/w Truly Get Yours

Single: Keith Murray ft. Letia LaRok - Strange Encounters (prod. by WMS The Sultan)

Lil' bit of a new sound on this one for Keith Murray, but strangely it works...

Prepping for his upcoming release, "The Beauty Of It All", the Def Squader drops "Strange Encounters", which features a nice lil' chorus assist from Beantown songstress Letia Larok and a bouncy, futuristic production look from WMS The Sultan...I dig it and I will def. be checking for Keith's new album, due out later this year.

link via KevinNottingham

-BIG D O


Keith Murray ft. Letia LaRok - Strange Encounters (prod. by WMS The Sultan)

News: Blake Griffin Wins 2011 NBA Slam Dunk Contest

So there it went baby...Blake Griffin holds the crown in his town and somewhat lived up to his top billing, closing things out by hopping over the hood of a brand new Kia while a baptist choir and Kenny Smith backed him up...What a finish right? (Unless your Demar DeRozan, who had a legit beef for not gettin in that final round)

At the end of the day though, as a whole the 2011 NBA Slam Dunk contest was a success and came back in a big way. It was monumentally better than it had been in the past few years and proved that if the contestants are willing, they can push the envelope that much further...word to Daryl Dawkins' suit and Dr. J stealing a kiss from Mama Mcgee...

-BIG D O

Video: Jadakiss - I Love You Mixtape Trailer

J to the Muah is prepping a new mixtape titled "I Love You" and yes, there is a trailer.

Dedicated to the fans? I like this idea...and, well, it's been a minute since we heard some new Kiss...

If you wanna peep some of what's gonna be on the tape head over to SoRaspy.com ....

-BIG D O

Video Interview: Michael Rapaport On The Carson Daly Show Talks ATCQ Doc

Michael Rapaport swings by the Carson Daly show to talk a lil' bit about his new ATCQ documentary that a lot of people have been talkin about...

Daly, at one point suggests that while he was filming the Doc, that old frustrations within the group might've once again bubbled to the surface. Hmmmm...he also talks about how Q-Tip is now distancing himself from the film and the reaction the film got at Sundance.

I fully expect the hype surrounding this film to be out done by the final product. Say what you want about Rapaport, but I think he may have something real here.

-BIG D O

News: Tru-Life Takes Plea Deal For '09 Murder Case..Recieves 10 years

Former Roc-A-Fella recording artist Roberto Guzman "Tru-Life" Rosado was sentenced to 10 years in prison yesterday after accepting a plea deal for a 2009, second degree murder charge, that allegedly had Tru and several of his associates stabbing 30 yr. old Jason Black to death in a Manhattan area apartment complex.

Roosado's brother, Marcus was sentenced to do 12 years in prison for his involvement as well.

-BIG D O

Video Interviews: Muggs And Bambu Talk Paid Dues Festival 2011

Couple of brand new promo interviews's that Bambu and DJ Muggs did for Paid Dues 2011 that I found interesting....

I really wish these two would do a "Vs" album together...I realize that B-Real has next on that officially, but yo, the promise that we got from just one tape was enough to really hype me up man...

-BIG D O

Single: Strong Arm Steady ft. Jelly Roll - Hand Guns

In case ya ain't know, Steady Gang got a new album droppin this coming Tuesday (Feb. 22nd) called "Arms & Hammers" and if their last couple are any indication it should be pretty damn proper...

"Hand Guns" is a joint that DIDN'T make the album, and wow, that's surprising b/c this is nasty...features west coast beatmaking legend Jelly Roll rhyming and producing as well...dig in...

-BIG D O


Strong Arm Steady ft. Jelly Roll - Hand Guns

Fashawn - Higher Learning 2

Brand new mixtape from one of the brightest and best out west....

Fresno, CA's Fashawn hits us off with "Higher Learning 2" his latest and greatest tape that clearly flexes his supremacy amongst the underclassmen out west, and perhaps throughout the states. 21 tracks, and while I don't think he totally went all out on this go round I still value his potential as an artist mightily and as far as actual albums go, he's 1 for 1...

link via XXL.com

-BIG D O


Fashawn - Higher Learning 2

Death Anniversary: Big L

May 30, 1974 - February 15, 1999

The Devil's Son is surely chillin' in heaven son...Harlem's finest!

-BIG D O

Torae - Heart Failure

I promise this'll be the only Valentines Day themed up of the day....

Coney Island, BK repper Torae teams up with DJ Blazita for a new tape that will help you do a lil' extra relationship reflecting today....

From make ups to break ups, dating and even true love, it's all covered here by Tor, in an innately Hip-Hop way...

-BIG D O


Torae - Heart Failure

Drasar Monumental Vs. Mobb Deep - Remix Weaponry

All you fuck DJ's and producers that claim you really Hip-Hop and you really know how to mix and make ill beats and yada, yada, yada, ya break is over....my dude Drasar Monumental is back wit a new tape that's guaranteed to watery shit all over whatever dog crap Mobb mix you think you killin it with.

If you dig wonderfully constructed, break beat driven production, a ton of ill sample sources being flipped and  some of ya favorite Mobb Deep acapellas being set to all of that, check in for this 49 minute mix that explores all types of Hip-Hoppery, right in time to kill the bullshit mood that a certain fake ass holiday tomorrow will usher in....yeah, that's right, I'm sayin it, if your puttin out a fuckin' love mix tomorrow go swallow a katana sword, we don't need another one of those floating around....we need ish' like this.

This shit is insane and I ain't just sayin that b/c I know duke...I'm sayin that b/c this shit is done up proper...fuckin 50 minutes of completely sampled music...no drum pack kits, no pre-loaded synths, just this man, his MPC and a shitload of records that any respectable digger would likely cream in his drawls over and  the time honored, hardcore inspiration that is Havoc and Prodigy.

link via HipHopBattlefield

P.S. There's 3 different versions that are available for you to peep...First two are supposedly un-mastered (shits sound great) and the third is mastered (sounds dope as well)...

-BIG D O  




Drasar Monumental Vs. Mobb Deep - Remix Weaponry


Drasar Monumental Vs. Mobb Deep - Remix Weaponry (Mastered Version)

Soul Assassins Radio 2/7/11

The latest edition of Soul Assassins radio, complete with guest studio appearance from Bambu, who drops in to talk all about his collaboration work with DJ Muggs and what the two have planned for Paid Dues this year...

The second half of the show is dedicated to them Strong Arm Steady boys, and their unreleased album, which Muggs plays in it's entirety.

-BIG D O


Part 1



Part 2

Video: Raekwon - Shaolin Vs. Wu-Tang

Animation. Karate flick soundbite samples. The Chef. What else I need to say?

Raekwon goes in and delivers the video for his new album's title track....Scram Jones handles the beat work and well, the rest is just left up to us as we continue to anticipate just what this new record will sound like really. I know a lot of cats weren't feeling some of the the guest features on it, but I'm holding out hope...

"Shaolin Vs. Wu-Tang" drops on March 8th..

-BIG D O

Video: Boola Makes The Beat For Pusha T's Funk Flex Freestyle

Quick 1 minute shot of former Roc-A-Fella go-to-guy for insane instro's, Boola, constructing the beat for what would become this, more than correct freestyle from Pusha T for Funk Flex...

-BIG D O

Cover Art: Atmosphere - The Family Sign

Take a peek at the cover for Slug and Ant's next one...

Undoubtedly it'll be dope and then get slept on...

link via HipHopDX, where you can also peep the tracklisting. Keep in mind this joint drops on April 12th...

-BIG D O

Single: NYOil - I Wish I was Never An Emcee

The frustration of an extremely talented emcee vents fully in this joint....

NYOil breaks down the plight of a radically conscious MC who's gotten a lil' fed up...Nuthin but real talk running through this jawn, belee that...From the "Space Cadets" and all the other lames that hold the game back, NYOil lets em' have it as only he can...Righteously good shit here...beat is on some nastiness as well.

I hate when it comes to this, but yo...REAL TALK!

-BIG D O

News/Pic: Egypt Is Free?

Egyptians get my full respect for taking to the streets, starting a revolution and forcing that massively corrupt dictator to step down...Still a few questions remain...

After the fireworks clear and the jubilation subsides what then? Elections? The Muslim Brotherhood sinks their teeth in? The Military flubs up being a good government? What exactly will go down and when? Big time question with many complicated answers I'm sure...

For now, let the Egyptians enjoy their "W"......Freedom and History, you just witnessed it.

-BIG D O

Single: J-love ft. Cormega, Kool G Rap & Roc Marciaano - Tricks Of The Street

Seems like J-Love is currently one of the best DJ's in the game as far as consistent drops of hardcore wonderment...but in reality if your like me and you been following him since the late '90s than you realize that he's been nasty with it....

Brand new banger from J-Love where he pairs, wait, get ready for it, Kool G Rap, Cormega and Roc Marciano...Produced by Blunt & ENG, these three hardcore surgeons deliver the track that I'm guaranteed to be blasting outta the trunk all weekend.

As always I usually weigh in with these super collabs about who had the nicest verse, but this time out man, its a crazy hard decision..G Rap really, really brought out some intricate gangster shit about avoiding ya number gettin punched and Mega had some wild slick lines (the LeBron one was nasty)...I dunno...toss up I guess. I will say this, props to that man J-Love for not being intimidated to rhyme alongside these giants man...not a lot of cats would have the balls to lay they verse after Mega and before Roc...

This is off J's upcoming "Egotistical Maniac" record, droppin on March 1st.

-BIG D O

Video: Kidd Russell - Backyard Heroes

Who can't relate to this joint right here man? I know I can...used to be out at night shootin hoops wit my boys til' that street light came on son...

Chicago artist Kidd Russell brings the all too familiar, American coming of age tale to life in his new video "Backyard Heroes". Visually Russell takes you on that journey of many a Fall or Winter day, when you would wake up, lace up and head outside with your crew to burn the daylight away playing football with friends.

The chorus rings oh so bitterly true don't it? Those backyard and park battles teach you a whole hell of a lot about yourself as a man...and there's always a few moments that you'll never forget. Russell actually made it out of the backyard and played ball collegiately for awhile, and his boy, Aaron Moorehead actually played in the league for 6 years with the Colts...all of which is sort of referenced in the song.

I dig this..nice, classy joint....Be sure to keep those glims peeled for Russell's upcoming album of the same title...

-BIG D O