* 2 New Album Reviews! Matt Kelly reveals his thoughts on Bisc1's When Electric Night Falls and Ari Thomas drops his views on ScholarMan's Soul Purpose. What did they think?
In a recent interview with Paste Magazine Del the Funkee Homosapien announced various projects he was working on, including: A new Deltron3030 album, music with El-P, and a project with De La Soul, Lady Bug Mecca and Prince Paul! See below.
Paste: Do you have any new projects coming up in the near future? Del: I've been working with Lady Bug Mecca from Digable Planets, Dave from De La Soul and Prince Paul on a project called Modest Millionaire. It's basically Dave's idea, but the idea is living modestly with whatever you make. You dont have to be spending all your money on ridiculous stuff that isn't even going to be worth anything later on, you can just be cool. It's just an attitude basically. You'd probably have to ask him to explain it more thoroughly than that since it's really his concept, but that's one thing Im working on. I'm working on an LP with A+ from Souls of Mischief called Hypnotize. I'm working on a new Hiero album. El-P and I are supposed to work on something too.
Paste: I've heard rumors that there's a new Deltron project in the works. Can you tell me anything about that? Del: Yeah. Basically, it's pretty much finished music-wise. I just have to sit down and write it. I wrote a couple songs, but I have to be in the right state of mind to write it.
Once again back is the incredible rhyme animal known as the Foul Mouth Jerk. Foul Mouth Jerk is an independent Hip-Hop artist raised in northern New Jersey. Growing up in the late 80s & early 90s, he participated in what is often referred to as Hip-Hops Golden Age. FMJ began rapping in 1988 and he spent his high school years battling fellow emcees in parks, school cafeterias and street corner cyphers. Later he would cut his teeth on stage at open mics in Newark & Manhattan and perform at various parties around NJ & NYC.
Not long after graduating FMJ decided to see as much of the world as possible and began traveling the country, earning gas and food money as a street performer, freestyling over the hand drums of his traveling partner. This vagabond journey took FMJ to numerous cities around the US, from Burlington VT, to Miami, from Boulder, Colorado to New Orleans famous French Quarter.
It was along these travels that Foul Mouth met the people with whom he would later form the hip hop/funk collective GFE. In 1997 the group based itself out of the mountains of Asheville, North Carolina & began recording as an eight piece live band. The band began touring nationally shortly thereafter playing in nearly every state in the union, at clubs, colleges & festivals. They opened for such legends as Run DMC and P-Funk, as well as current stars such as Mos Def, Talib Kweli, and Atmosphere. The group has also recorded with such heavyweights as George Clinton, Eric Krasno of Soulive and Tame One.
Foul Mouth has maintained a steady work ethic throughout his ten-plus years as a professional musician, touring & recording with GFE and as a soloist. He currently has four full length albums with the band and after three-years is about to drop his forth solo outing, Streetlight Music, which will be released on 4-22-08.
Streetlight Music is an homage to the earliest days of Hip-Hop, when jams were thrown in the park and electricity was boosted to power the turntables, amps and equipment. The content of the LP is both a throwback to the days when originality was king and a push towards new styles and developments; which is reflected by the inclusion of rap legends Masta Ace, Murs of Living Legends, El Da Sensai of The Artifacts and one of Hip-Hops original godfathers Grandmaster Caz of the Cold Crush Brothers; its blue collar Hip-Hop for blue collar fans laced with intelligence and FMJs sharp cynical wit.
Born in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Truth immigrated to the U.S. in 1977 with his parents at the age of 4. Growing up in New Orleans, LA, Truth learned early lessons of respect, discipline and perseverance from his working-class Caribbean upbringing.
TU was exposed to large amounts of Calypso, Soca, Reggae, Jazz and R&B at a very early age and as the years passed, he and all of his friends became heavily involved in hip-hop. At age 9, his family moved to the New Orleans East 9th Ward, and Truth began to immerse himself in the multiple roles of B-Boy, DJ, Producer and Emcee. Over time, he would become an energetic showman, with a veteran stage presence and crowd control.
In early 2006 Truth approached Paris with his work-in-progress debut album project and impressed Paris so much he quickly became a member Paris Guerrilla Funk family (Truths sophomore LP, Decolonization, is slated to be released in October 2008 on Paris Guerilla Funk label). Fully embodying Truth Universal's social and political awareness, Self Determination, is a tour de force which showcases his DIY attitude and his West Indian and New Orleans backgrounds. Self Determination encourages dialogue on topics that trouble communities of color across the planet. Truth touches on self-hatred, the struggle New Orleans residents to attain the right to return to their homes post Katrina, culture theft, policies of the George Bush regime, the Prison systems inequities and big business mentality.
Even with such serious topic matters being addressed, Truth always keeps his eyes on the prize with Self Determination and delivers his insightful and informative verses in an entertaining (edutainment) fashion and that is verified by collaborations with Wise Intelligent (formerly of Poor Righteous Teachers), Digable Planets Doodlebug and Dead Prezs Stic.Man. Further, Truth enlists a top-notch assortment of producers as well; including Panik from The Molemen, S1 of Strange Fruit (S1 has previously worked with Little Brother and Erykah Badu), Nick Tha 1da (who works with Raheem Devaughn) and Bass Heavy who has worked with BG, Soulja Slim and is an in-house producer @ Mannie Fresh Fatboy Records.
Truth Universals debut, Self Determination, will be released on 4-8-08 by Dragons Breath Records.
Tracklisting and credits for Truth Universals Self-Determination:
1.) S-E-L-F Determination Intro (produced by Andino)
2.) Resistance Recital (produced by S1)
3.) Black Culture f/Wise Intelligent and Doodlebug (produced by Panik)
4.) Gotta Luv It (produced by Nick Tha 1da)
5.) Angola 3 (produced by Panik)
6.) Something Awful (Produced by Nick Tha 1da)
7.) Work (produced by Natural Born)
8.) Heat!!! (produced by Natural Born)
9.) Feminine Melanin f/Tondrae Kemp (produced by Gensu Dean)
10.) Beautiful Child Interlude (produced by Dan Freeman)
11.) The Best part (produced by S1)
12.) What Its Bout f/Stic Man of Dead Prez (produced by Bass Heavy)
13.) Freedom(e) Or Death f/Sula of Zion Trinity (produced by Dan Freeman)
14.) Serve & Protect (produced by Bricks) ****Bonus Track
* New Album Review(s): Mighty Joseph (Vast Aire and Karniege)- Empire State and Supa Koopa and Outkome- Almost Nameless!
* New Interview with North Carolina's own: Kooley High! See what they have to say about their music, the current state of the female MC, and much more.
* 24 New Audio Tracks from: Rza, The Roots, Ras Kass, Heltah Skeltah, Smiff N Wessun, 9th Wonder, The Grouch and much more!
* 6 New Videos from: Krs One and Buckshot, The Knux, Breez Evahflowin, La Coka Nostra, and John Hope!
* 2 new Features: A dope piece on Krs-One and B-Boy Records, as well as a recent interview with Ice Cube!
Cheers! Have a safe St. Patty's Day.
Make sure to check out our March-April Playlist that we update twice a week!
We sat down and spoke with Oakland legend and Hiero frontman Del tha Funky Homosapien. He just released a new album called The 11th Hour as the collective just celebrated its 10 year anniversary.
* New Album Review: Supa Koopa and Outkome- Almost Nameless! Check out this duo from Oxnard, CA!
* New Interview with North Carolina's own: Kooley High! See what they have to say about their music, the current state of the female MC, and much more.
"This drawing is entitled NEGRO RULE. and it pretty much sums up the feeling of the Confederate Union towards the newly freed slaves and the idea that if given power they would reek havoc and chaos on the country."
Rising Down Tracklist*:
1. The Pow Wow (Intro)
2. Rising Down (f/ Mos Def and Styles P)
3. Get Busy (f/ Dice Raw & Peddi Crack & Jazzy Jeff)
4. @ 15
5. 75 Bars (Reconstruction) (ft Tuba Gooding Jr.)
6. (Up Theme) Becoming Unwritten (instrumental)
7. Criminal (with Truck North & Saigon)
8. I Will Not Apologize (ft. Porn & Talib Kweli)
9. I Cant Help It (f/ Malik B & Porn)
10. Singing Man (f/ Porn, Black Thought, & Truck North)
11. (Up Theme) Unwritten (f/ Mercedes Martinez)
12. Lost Desire (f/ Malik B & Talib Kweli)
13. The Show (f/ Common)
14. Rising Up (f/ Wale & Chrissette Michelle)
15. Birthday Girl (f/ Patrick Stump)
- HIDDEN TRACK: Live at WPFW (Howard University), 1994
- HIDDEN TRACK: The Pow Wow 2
*Subject to change. Rising Down rises in stores everywhere on April 29.
* 20 New Audio Tracks! New tracks from Talib Kweli, Cool Calm Pete, Wale, Ras Kass, Bisc1, Blu, and much more!
* 1 FREE New Download! DJ Houseshoes and The Regiment present: Never Die! You definitely don't want to miss out in the duo from Detroit. Hot shit.
The site will be back to normal after the weekend. I've had a horrible flu for a week and haven't had the time to organize. I apologize/ Rhymehouse in full effect come Monday!!!
The publicists for the Minnesota hip-hop dynasty Rhymesayers Entertainment announced that in order to curb illegal downloading, they would not ship promo copies of the new Atmosphere disc. Instead, the label planned listening sessions in New York and Los Angeles. Either music reviewers made the trip, or they waited for the album to hit stores like everyone else.
The significance of this embargo does not end with the fate of future Rhymesayers releases; the label's approach represents the independent music scene's bittersweet affair with online piracy. Since the onset of digital thievery, a googolplex of articles and analyses have explored how peer-to-peer technologies such as LimeWire hobble the recording industry. But until I was forced into a four-hour train ride to review a single Atmosphere disc, I never considered how file sharing specifically affects independent artists.
Back in 2003, in an article titled "Upstart Labels See File Sharing As Ally, Not Foe," New York Times writer Chris Nelson interviewed chief executives at a variety of thriving independent labels, most of whom were reluctant but willing to concede that illicit downloads generate buzz and ultimately album sales. Rhymesayers co-owner Siddiq Ali, like his contemporaries at indie-rock imprints such as Wind-Up and Vagrant, noted that his modest production costs quickly turned a profit, despite the recording industry's notorious downturn in 2001, the first time in history that total album shipments dropped.
Since that Times article, Rhymesayers has grown into one of hip-hop's largest independent imprints, having sold more than one million combined Atmosphere units alone. The label's other artists have also fared well; last year Brother Ali's The Undisputed Truth debuted at number 69 on the Billboard 200 chart after selling more than 10,000 copies in its first week. So if these guys are rising while Eminem's stock is sinking, why did Atmosphere's Slug and Ant fly across the country to play their disc for a bunch of ungrateful hipster critics? Better yet, why did I have to trek down from Boston just to hear it?
The oak-tabled conference room that Rhymesayers' distributor, Warner Music, designated for this listening session is as impersonal as fluorescent-lit corporate bunkers get. Slug isn't fooling anyone; despite his media-friendly facade, he would clearly rather be drinking at his favorite Minnesota baror at any bar, for that matterthan romancing a dozen writers on the 48th floor of a Manhattan skyscraper. To compensate for the irony that comes with unveiling his new working-class manifesto on 6th Avenue, he arrives in a faded green sweatshirt and a grubby beaded-out winter hat. Ant, who is hungover from the night before, doesn't even bother showing up.
"It means a lot to me that you all came down," Slug tells the bunch. "I just heard that there were certain people whowhen they found out that we weren't giving out advanced copiestook offense and told us to take them off the label's mailing list. That's cool, but it's one thing to not want to waste your time with this, and it's another to boldly be like, 'Fuck you for doing it this way.' That's pretty self-absorbed."
While most of us seem amped to hear the album, it's clear that Rhymesayers' audacious publicity anti-stunt is the main attraction. After previewing Atmosphere's latest, When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold, I'm not the only skeptic who skips cordial questions about beats and rhymes. It's like that movie they made about the board game Clue; we're all enjoying ourselves, but none of us know why we're here.
"Do you actually feel like this is going to stop people from bootlegging?" one writer asks with a hint of disapproval. "Are you expecting it to help you sell more albums?"
"This is our way of gauging how much we would lose," Slug responds. "I don't know what's going to happen, but I feel like I'm in a position amongst my contemporaries to try something like this to see how it works. If it's not as successful as we want it to be, and we can say that it's definitely because of this, then we'll have learned a lesson and all of my friends can look at it and say, 'I'm not doing what those idiots did.'
"But if this does work," he adds, "then everybody can use the model. It's not the most creative approach, but it's a step toward coming up with something."
In the frenzy that's ensued since the 2000 Napster trials, major and independent record companies have taken innumerable measures to combat piracy. Since a lot of music leaks through the press, some labels watermark their advanced discs so that they can trace ripped files to the culprit. Some publicists send out cassette tapes, while others include "speed bumps"; the CDs I get from New York indie-rap imprint Def Jux pause in the middle of every track to remind me that "this promo copy belongs to Chris Faraone."
"The promo versions of the albums that we send out to the press have me speaking over the chorus of each song," says SageFrancis, an independent hip-hop icon and owner of the Rhode Island-based Strange Famous Records. "And we wrote a note in blood to each reporter saying something to the effect of: 'Hey ... this not is not written in people blood. It is written in puppy blood. The puppy is not dead. YET. If this album gets leaked then I guess we know where you stand on animal rights.'"
In 2000, about 14,000 songs were being downloaded every minute from Napster, the pioneer file-sharing program founded by Northeastern student Shawn Fanning. Eight years laterdespite the occasional Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) arrest rampage choking out a large percentage of the problemthe overall threat remains significant and less traceable. Last year a report by the Institute for Policy Innovation (IPI) estimated that "as a consequence of global and US-based piracy of sound recordings, the US economy loses $12.5 billion in total output annually."
But the demand for music seems to be increasing; a recently released report from SoundScanwhich surveys both major and independent labelsnoted that unit sales of downloads and discs increased by nearly 15 percent in 2007. The Business Software Alliance's annual Youth Downloading Study found that the number of kids, age eight to 18, who illegally downloaded music last year dropped to 36 percent (from 60 percent in 2004).
The findings of such studies are vehemently contested because there are no straight answers. The sheer breadth of our file-sharing universe makes it impossible to track illegal downloads. Furthermore, studies such as IPI's "The True Cost of Sound Recording Piracy to the US Economy" don't account for copies that are pirated before an album is released. And for independent artists, advanced leaks are the real problem.
"I'm not so worried about losing sales and downloads," Slug says. "If people are going to download the record, they'll just do it the day after it comes out. For me it's more about the anticipation. A lot of my friends put out records, and by the time the record actually drops and they go on tour, everybody is already sick of it."
Nature Sounds President Devin Horwitz, who counts MF Doom and Wu-Tang Clansman Masta Killa among his label's top artists, argues piracy leaks more than the music itself. "Word of mouth travels fast on the internet," he says. "If your album is weak the fans will find out before they even get a chance to buy it." On the other hand, Horwitz adds: "If the product is good, the word spreads fast too."
Research suggests that Horwitz and Slug's instincts are on point. A 2007 study commissioned by the journal Management Science concluded that "minor labels have adapted better to technological and market changes, and have in fact utilized file sharing networks and other nontraditional methods to popularize their albums," resulting in "a narrowing of the advantage held by major labels."
By subtracting early leaks from the equationa tactic the majors have unsuccessfully attempted for yearsRhymesayers is poised to narrow that advantage further. Majors are still hemorrhaging money and blaming illegal downloads. Just this week EMI announced that it was cutting 2,000 jobs in its "struggle to respond to the challenges posed by a digital environment."
"Let's face it, I'm going to be almost 40 by the time I put out another record," Slug says. "At that point, if I'm not rich, I'll show up at the next listening party with a bomb and take all of you motherfuckers out."
That sounds like a good last-ditch strategy, but I'll always miss the good old days when rappers just sent grenades in the mail.
One of the dopest emcees of all time connects with yet another top 5 producer of all time. HipHopDX.com is reporting that Slim Shady reached out to DJ Premier for his production genius. I am more than excited about a new Em album.
"ManEminem is back,"DJ Premier continues. "He attacked the track with a new style, just fucking ridiculous, kind of like how he came with 'The Way I Am' but even more lyrical like the old Eminem."
The track is reported to be called "Key to the City."
To celebrate the reunion of Tha Alkaholiks and Fortress DVD, Dubcnn has teamed up with the two to give our readers the chance of a lifetime - to see Tha Liks live while filming their first ever Live Concert DVD - and then meet the group!
The contest is open to anyone over 16 and is based around the show at the Key Club in Los Angeles on March 21st. To ensure that only true fans can win the chance of meeting Tha Liks in person we have created a different type of contest than usual.
To enter you will need to write in using the email address below to tell us how you became a fan of Tha Liks. We want to know what led you to first listen to the group, how their music made you a fan and all your thoughts amd feelings on Tha Liks and why you would want to meet them.
Readers can only enter once and multiple entries will be removed.
You must include your Name, Address, Email Address, sex and your Age with any entry.
Entrants must be aware that getting to the show, liaising with the contact we provide and anything show related - unless otherwise stated here - is the responsibility of the winner and their guest.
Good Luck!
Contest closes on Tuesday 18th March 2008. Winners will be notified on Wednesday 19th March 2008 - please ensure you are free on Friday March 21st 2008 and can travel to the venue
On this day 11 years ago one of the greatest ever to bless a microphone was taken away from us. Rhymehouse.com pays homage to Christopher George Latore Wallace, aka the Notorious B.I.G., with a throwback interview from 1994 with Interview magazine, a brief biggie history article going over his life, music, and tragic death, a new FREE mixtape download from DJ Doc Rok entitled The Biggie Hendrix Experience, mashing up Biggie classics with Hendrix masterpieces, and 17 videos paying tribute to the late and great Biggie Smalls (a few songs, remixes, freestyles with Pac, interviews, and of course that infamous video of Biggie freestyling at age 17).
Enjoy. Reminisce. Throw your hands up if you a true player.
Rhymehouse.com will be back tomorrow night with full
AUDIO/VIDEO/DOWNLOAD and Front Page updates! Stay tuned!!!
* 24 New Hip Hop AUDIO Tracks! Songs from Ice Cube, The Roots, Rock (Heltah Skeltah), Q-Tip, Dizzee Rascal, AZ, Living Legends, Dead Prez, and Much more!
* 10 New Throwback Videos! Rare Freestyles from 2pac and the Dogg Pound, Camp Lo, Redman, UGK, and more!
* Keep up with new Indie Hip Hop Singles through March and April via our Playlist! This playlist will be updated twice a week and can be streamed at anytime. Listen to the latest tracks as they come pouring in the from the studio!
And don't forget we have the January- February Playlist still avail. to listen to!
* 1 new Free Download!
In late 2007 Mux Mool took on the challenge of making a beat a day for a week. The Drum EP is the result of that experiment, and is lo-fi hip-hop at its finest.
More huge updates to come this weekend to celebrate one of the best to ever bless the mic, Biggie Smalls, be on the lookout!
Lupe Fiasco, Talib Kweli, and Public Enemy just recently went to the studio to contribute to a new album dedicated to the fallen and wounded veterans of the Iraq War. The double-CD album (inspired by Iraq War Veteran Tomas Young) is called "Body of War: Songs that Inspired an Iraq War Veteran". I've included the tracklist for your perusal and all. The great thing about this album is that all proceeds go to benefit the non-profit organization Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW). By the way, this album drops on March 18th. Every dollar you spend supports the troops that need it.
Official Track Listing
CD 1
Hero's Song - Brendan James
American Terrorist - Lupe Fiasco
Light Up Ya Lighter - Michael Franti & Spearhead
Guerilla Radio - Rage Against The Machine
Son Of A Bush - Public Enemy
Empty Walls - Serj Tankian
Let Them Eat War - Bad Religion
White People For Peace - Against Me!
Letter From Iraq - Bouncing Souls
War - Dilated Peoples
Overcome (The Recapitulation) - RX Bandits
Fields Of Agony - No Use For A Name
Bushonomics - Talib Kweli & Cornel West
The 4th Branch - Immortal Technique
B.Y.O.B. - System Of A Down
No More (Live) - Eddie Vedder & Ben Harper
CD 2
Devils & Dust - Bruce Springsteen
Masters Of War (Live) - Pearl Jam
When The President Talks To God - Bright Eyes
Gimme Some Truth - John Lennon
The Restless Consumer - Neil Young
Battle Hymns - The Nightwatchman
Anthrax - Kimya Dawson
WMD - Blow Up Hollywood
State Of The Union - David Ford
Yo George - Tori Amos
Love Vigilantes - Laura Cantrell
Black Rain - Ben Harper
To Kill The Child - Roger Waters
Day After Tomorrow - Tom Waits
Brooklyn rapper Gravy has been tapped to play late hip-hop icon Biggie Smalls, a.k.a. the Notorious B.I.G., in the upcoming biopic Notorious.
According to Hollywood Reporter, Fox Searchlight has hired Gravy (real name Jamal Woolard), to join the star-studded cast, including Derek Luke (Antwone Fisher) who will play Sean "Diddy" Combs, Angela Bassett (What's Love Got to Do With It) as B.I.G.'s mother Voletta Wallace and Anthony Mackie (She Hate Me) as Tupac Shakur.
Gravy made headlines in 2006 after being shot outside New York radio station Hot 97 before a scheduled interview.
An open casting call saw hundreds of Biggie wannabes trying out for the part of the legendary rapper who was killed in an unsolved L.A. drive by in '97, many of them professional actors.
Woolard won out over the pros in part because he can rap. Executives said they'd rather work with a rapper who can flow than teach an actor how to emcee.
Besides being a rapper like Biggie, Woolard was also a drug dealer before he became an artist. He released a few albums on indy labels in the 90s before inking a deal with Warner Bros.
Voletta Wallace was reminded of her son when she met Woolard, taken by "Jamal's charming personality, warm spirit, wonderful sense of humor and beautiful smile," she said. "He is a talented and charismatic actor, and I am excited that he will bring Christopher's character to life."
The George Tillman Jr. ("Soul Food") directed flick goes into production this month and is set for release in January of '09.
Producers J.J. Brown and Dan "The Deacon" Maier of 5G Productions bring you their follow up to last year's ground-breaking "Re-Release Therapy" (a remix project blending Ludacris' vocals with beats constructed solely of Jackson 5 elements) with "As Cruel As School Children, The Match-Up".
This meticulously constructed collection finds Brown and Maier mixing the a cappellas from Gym Class Heroes' chart topping album "As Cruel As School Children" with musical backdrops comprised entirely of samples from the works of legendary recording duo Daryl Hall and John Oates.
* 2 New Interviews: 8thw1 and Inside the Mind of Frequency Activism.
* 4 new Videos! Atmosphere, Muneshine, GTA, and Gnarls Barkley.
Note: Remember that new Audio is posted on Mondays and Fridays!
Spread the world, tell a friend and a fellow hip hop head!
The Queen of Reggae and widow of legendary Reggae musician Bob Marley, is sitting in the executive producer's seat for the premiere biopic portraying the reggae icon.
Rita Marley, mother, wife and heir to the Marley legacy, received inspiration to create this film from her 2004 autobiography book entitled "No Woman No Cry: My Life With Bob Marley".
Every inch of me is in there, she says, and I don't want a fairy tale or Cinderella story.
Of Bobs 13 children, three were with his wife Rita. Two of his children were adopted from Rita's previous relationships, and the remaining eight were with separate women.
Rita hopes that eight time Grammy winner Lauryn Hill, mother to five of her grandchildren with Marley's fourth son, Rohan, will play her role as Bob's wife.
Lauryn would be ideal [to play me] said Marley. She sees my life as her life.
Although there has been no word as to which two actors will play the role of the reggae legend in the portrayal of his adolescent and adult life, it seems as though she hopes to keep it in the family, adding that her grandson Stefan is "the spitting image" of his father and would be perfect for the role.
Production and distribution giant, The Weinstein Company, is teaming up with producer Rudy Langlais, (Sugar Hill, The Hurricane) to begin filming early next year, with a hopeful release date in the latter part of 2009.
The film, in which Langlais calls an "epic romance," will explore the victories, as well as the trials of the Marleys' life, including Bob's untimely defeat on May 11, 1981 to the spread of melanoma to his lungs and brain.
Writer Linda Elizabeth Borden (Lizzie Borden), who is most famous for writing and directing Working Girls (1986) and Born in Flames (1983), is currently in Jamaica, putting the finishing touches on the untitled project, where a portion of it will be filmed.
Hawthorne, CA, March 04, 2008 --(PR.com)-- Hip Hop as a culture is very influential to today's youth. From the style of dress, to the slang, to the overall attitude that is prevalent and acted out by some it's biggest stars, young people are following the trends very closely. One very positive aspect of Hip Hop that is known as "beat making".
Beat making is the process of making a song with the intent for a rapper or singer to vocalize over. Despite its name the process of beat making requires musical knowledge beyond the basic rhythmic elements.
With inexpensive and free software available, a personal computer can be used to make full fledged recordings and songs. These songs can be recorded to CDs or MP3s and shared worldwide.
WarBeats.com provides free tutorials in video format that take the viewer step by step through processes as basic as "notes and tones" to more advanced topics as "chord progressions".
Beyond making the beat, they also learn how to mix a song and use effects popular in today's hip hop culture.
Other popular topics at the website are tutorials on how to make beats similar to well known Hip Hop producers Dr. Dre and Timbaland.
"Because the viewer can see and hear the tutorials, it really sinks in" says WarBeats founder Nelson Fernandez (known online as NFX), "Many of these kids just need a slight push to see they can do it, and it gives them the confidence to keep going."
Founded in 2005, the website has been steadily growing to more than 50,000 users worldwide. The original intention for WarBeats was a place for beat makers to go head to head in "beat battles". However, after sharing some knowledge in a video, Fernandez noticed that there was a great demand and hunger for more information.
"It was like a fire," recalls Fernandez, "Ive had two different web hosts shut me down because I was using too much bandwidth to deliver the videos."
In addition to the tutorials, the site offers many project files of current popular songs remade in FL Studio format. This allows them to see how today's hit songs were made and learn even more techniques through self discovery. FL Studio is an inexpensive music production software popular among the site's users.
A user to user discussion forum is also made available so that users of the site can exchange tips, provide feedback and even participate in online beat battles to further enhance their skills as beat makers.
WarBeats member BlazeOne says "It's rare to find the amount of tutorials they provide at WarBeats without cost. Most of us are young and couldn't afford to pay so what NFX is doing is special. He has probably helped thousands of kids find a love for something they will do for the rest of their lives and keep them off the street."
Many WarBeats members are actively selling their beats to rappers and singers looking for new music. A few have even sold beats to some of today's biggest hip hop stars.
Nelson Fernandez is quick to note "Our forums are different from many hip hop forums, we lead by example and do not tolerate personal attacks or non-constructive criticisms. We promote 'keeping it real', as in being yourself, not acting in a way that you think is expected of you. Because of this, our users feel like WarBeats is a safe haven for their expression and growth."
About WarBeats.com:
WarBeats.com is a place for learning about music production and exchanging ideas. Their main goal is provide free instruction and guidance to all people interested in beat making.
Saturday, April 5th at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California the Street Sounds Festival will return featuring an all-star hip hop lineup consisting of:
Krs-One, Talib Kweli, M.O.P, Pyscho Realm, Evidence, Strong Arm Steady, and Planet Asia.
For Tickets + Info Call: 714-488-1139 or 213-480-3232
How was your weekend? Rhymehouse had a great one! We saw MURS from the Living Legends LIVE at the Velvet Jones and we will have pictures and a concert review for you tomorrow! Here are the updates:
* A new Interview with Toronto Producer/MC, MUNESHINE, of the Wax Reform. Ian Flores sits down with Muneshine and talks about the upcoming album, Wax Reform, and what record Muneshine would save from a burning building...you don't want to miss it.
* 24 new indie audio tracks! Gift of Gab w/ Mf Doom, Pete Rock, The Re-Up Gang, Blu, and much more!
* 7 new videos: Jay Electronica, NYOil, Joell Ortiz (w/ G Rap and Domingo), Gnarls Barkley, Blu, and The Roots!
* 2 FREE new downloads from: X.O. and Judah along with an EP from Ankh Amen Ra!
* 4 new album reviews! Find out what we thought about Nicolay and Kay, Pete Rock, 8thw1, and Ill Insanity (Turntablist album)!
* A new article on Teens and downloading music, a feature on the elusive and enigmatic, Madlib, as well as a piece from b4or explaining his views on the current state of hip hop.
With a Juice Crew movie that takes a look back at one of hip-hops most storied group of artists on the horizon, Crew member Craig G and founder/producer Marley Marl are still looking towards the future. The duo have teamed up to release Operation: Take Back Hip-Hop late this spring on Good Hands Records.
Operation: Take Back Hip-Hop is just what it is, said Craig G. Instead of me wasting years complaining along with journalists and everyone else, Marley and I are trying to make change through music. This is my passion, this is what raised me, and I refuse to stand by and watch my culture get destroyed any further with poor quality music.
After the success of his collaboration with KRS-One on 2007s Hip-Hop Lives, Marley Marl is confident the new album with Craig G is just what people are looking for.
True hip-hop fans stand up, Operation: Take Back Hip-Hop is what youve been waiting for, said Marley Marl.
The album features guest appearances by KRS-One, Talib Kweli, Rakaa (Iriscience) of Dilated Peoples, and Sadat X. Marley Marl handles most of the production, with help from Tue Track, Kid Nyce and a possible surprise addition or two.
In addition to his Juice Crew days, Craig G has also become known for penning most of the battle lyrics in the Eminem movie 8 Mile.
Not too long ago, underground rapper Pigeon John released his first album on Quannum Projects. His time with Quannum is not up and the Nebraska/Los Angeles emcee is readying his next projects on the label. Up first is a remix LP titled Pigeon John's Jacuzzi After Party. This is a remix album to his debut on Quannum, Pigeon John and the Summertime Pool Party.
This remix album is set to include tracks from Amp Live of Bay Area crew Zion I. It will also feature production from Anticon's Jel and friends like Cookbook and DJ Rif.
Recently, Pigeon released a statement about the remix EP.
"Quannum Projects is putting together a great little remix ep out this Spring 2008. We brought a fantastic group of producers to kill it on 6 songs. Amp Live of Zion I remixes 'Money Back Guarantee', CookBook and DJ Rif rehash 'As We Know It' and 'One For The...' Featuring Brother Ali, Anitcon's Jel kills 'Weight Of The World', NYC's very own Cassestes Won't Listen breathes new life into 'Brand New Day' and Lynn Ness makes a new bouncing version of 'Freaks! Freaks!,' he noted via statement.
This is also following a mixtape-type release (not off Quannum) that recently came out. Pigeon John Featuring Pigeon John 2 was released, which is a mixture of songs that have been previously released on other artists' albums. These songs, which feature Pigeon, were compiled to make the second installment of Featuring.
Currently, PJ is working on the follow up to his Quannum debut and hitting the road.
Just reaching out to let you know Mars ILL is alive and well. Dust and I are working on our next record due out later this year.
I've also launched a new website: www.manchildinsider.com
it's a revolutionary new way for me to release my music. Subscribe and you get 5 brand new joints every month for $5 / month. After only 1 month, I have 120 subscribers and it continues to grow.
Also, come add me as a friend at:
www.myspace.com/manchildinsider
I appreciate you all more than you know and thanks for your time.
The Hitfarmers (A German production team that has worked with: KRS-One, Freedie Foxxx, Planet Asia, Afu-Ra, and Army Of The Pharaohs) hit you off with a free mixtape featuring unreleased collabos and material with various indie artists. A versatile mix of hard hitting rhymes/beats. A can't miss.
ScholarMan presents: The Pull Forward EP is a tribute compilation to what many call the 'golden era' of hip-hop featuring remakes of various classic tracks made famous during the early 90's.
* 24new Audio tracks posted and ready for your ears! Music from: Common, Method Man and Redman, Joell Ortiz, Black Milk, Lushlife, Inverse, Reef the Lost Cauze, Rakim, Bisc1, and MUCH more!!!
* 10new Videos posted and ready for you to peep. Visuals from: Del the Funkee Homosapien, Pete Rock, Rock (Heltah Skeltah), Grim, Lupe Fiasco and 5 fall back friday vids to reminisce with! Ice Cube, Showbiz and AG, Slick Rick, Goodie Mob, and Organized Konfusion.
* 2 new beautifully written features: 1) A look into the Delicious Vinyl Label: From Pharcyde to Dilla, Masta Ace to Tone Loc-- find out the background story of this legendary West Coast outfit!
2) Poetry's Bad Wrap: The Last Poets, Gil Scott Heron, and poetry in the present.
What to LOOK OUT FOR next week?!:: New Interviews with Muneshine, Dessa, and more! Pete Rock, Nicolay + Kay, Koolie High, Inverse, and The White Shadow album reviews! And of course: Brand new audio, video, articles, features, and up to date news and concert announcements.
Below is a bulletin posted by Akrobatik on his Myspace page:
...We will have no one to blame but ourselves for the death of hip-hop as we know it.
My album has been out for a week now, and as it looks there is good news and bad news. The good news is that I am among the top independent artists in the nation in terms of album sales for the week. The bad news is that my sales, along with everyone else's, are pitiful.
I can only speak for myself here by saying simply that when there are no more good artists left putting albums out in hip-hop the fans have no one to blame but themselves. For every person that comes up to me or writes me to tell me that they think I did a great job on this record, I wonder how many of them actually bought it? Certainly not a high percentage. Most artists have it even worse.
It's too bad, really. To hear almost unanimously across the board that my album is "bangin", "solid", "classic", "amazing", and all the superlatives I hear thrown around, I would think that the people who most want to see me succeed would actually support the cause.
Think of buying a CD as casting a vote. Just to SAY you support a candidate does not do much for their cause; you have to actually cast the vote.
Simply put, if you want another Akrobatik album, BUY THIS ONE.
If you don't, it's all good. I have other ways to make money. It's just a shame that the very technology that makes it so much easier to support your favorite artists (you don't even have to leave your fucking couch to buy an album) is the same technology that is allowing hip-hop 'fans' to kill the very music that they claim to love by stealing the product of hard-working, talented artists. I for one will not put my blood, sweat, and tears into another expensive-ass project that brings me to the edge of sanity just to have it stolen and passed around as if I got a 3 million dollar advance or some shit.
Don't be surprised when there is nothing left but bullshit commercial music to choose from. And when that happens, the same people who stole an Akrobatik album, or a Little Brother album, etc, will be the ones complaining that "hip-hop" is dead. YOU ARE THE ONES KILLING IT!
Check out my Lipton Iced Green Tea commercial on the radio when you get a chance. Then ask yourself why I did it. Then pop in your CD-R with my name and album title written in Sharpie that your man gave you and bump that shit. You're missing out on some great artwork, but hey.. fuck it.. I have other things to do besides go on a one-man 'save hip-hop' crusade.
But I would love to hear back from you, the fans. Do you think you shouldn't have to pay for music? I KNOW for a fact that thousands upon thousands of people have "Absolute Value", and only a small percentage of those people bought it.
Good luck to every other artist dealing with this current fiasco (no pun intended).
KRS ONE is a significant figure in the Hip-Hop community and is often credited by critics and other Hip-Hop artists as epitomizing the "essence" of an emcee. It is no surprise then, that KRS-ONE decided it would make the most sense to combine forces with Buckshot, of Black Moon and record a new album on Duck Down Records. Buckshot shares similar philosophies as KRS-ONE, one of which is the notion of the "Stop the Violence Movement," which KRS-ONE is actively involved with...
KRS-ONE turned to Dru Ha and Buckshot (co-owners of Duck Down Records) to bring a certain sound and production to this upcoming project, a request that Duck Down Records Co-President Dru Ha was honored to fulfill To say we are honored and humbled would be an understatement. Buck and I have known KRS since our early days in the game, back when we were recording at D&D Studios and he directly influenced the name of the label with his song "Duck Down (sucka Mc's Duck). He was also instrumental in one of Buck's first and biggest records as Da Beatminerz flipped the "How Many MC's" vocal sample from KRS. But with the nostalgic feelings of KRS being one of my favorite MC's growing up to the side, it's KRS's continued relevance of today that's most exciting. KRS has a message in his lyrics, a gladiator performer who reps the culture and posses all the qualities that an MC should embody: Meaningful lyrics, mastery of the flow, intense creativity and a ferocious live show. I know how much respect Buck has for KRS, so I can only imagine how this will elevate his game. It's Old School to those that don't keep up with the current works and movements but to me, I would call it Now School.
Three tracks have already been recorded and the chemistry between the two artists is very natural. Buckshot described the work as"CONFLOSATION," even when KRS ONE is flowing he's having a conversation with his audience. This collaboration with KRS-ONE is going to be an album full of Hip-Hop conversation, ranging from New World Order, to socially conscious topics such as unemployment, poverty, and politics. At the same time, we will speak to the streets, as that is what I'm known to do. Its a dream to be able to work with KRS-ONE. Before I even began rapping that is who I checked for. I kept the Blue Print album on me at all times. That is all I listened to for an entire summer."
Check for the KRS-ONE & Buckshots album later this year on Duck Down Records.
In related news, 9th Wonder & Buckshot's "The Formula" album will be in stores April 15th on Duck Down Records.
DJ Revolution Preps "KING OF THE DECKS" Album
DJ Revolution has spent 15 years perfecting his craft on the 1200s. Revolution has done just about everything you can think of with records. Spun em, scratched em, juggled em, sampled em, collected em, produced em, sold em, distributed em, promoted em, and so on. Aside, from being the DJ, producer and editor for the world famous "Wake Up Show," based out of LA on Power 106 and Syndicated across the nation, DJ Revolution is a renowned producer with credits on albums by: KRS-ONE, Defari, Dilated Peoples, Planet Asia, Buckshot, Smif N Wessun, Heltah Skeltah, Crooked I, Slum Village, El Da Sensei and Akrobatik to name just a few. DJ Revolution is also a veteran stage show DJ who has toured with artists such as Rakim and Kanye West.
Now DJ Revolution is readying his new project "KING OF THE DECKS" to be released on Duck Down Records in 2008. The album currently features appearances from:
*KRS ONE
*Sean Price
*Tash
*Crooked I
*Bishop Lamont
*Dilated Peoples
*Alchemist
*Royce 5'9"
*Guilty Simpson
*Q-Bert
*Blaq Poet
*Spinbad
*Defari
*Kidz In The Hall
*Buckshot
*Bumpy Knuckles
*Planet Asia
DJ Revolution's attention to detail and his genuine respect for the craft of Hip-Hop music is what separates him from other DJ's, as quoted by saying: "despite todays DJ's being 'psuedo-lebrities' and as big and trendy as ever, they are almost completely disconnected from Hip-Hop in the eyes of the general public. Through this record I'll attempt to reconnect the DJ with Hip-Hop, re-introduce the DJ to those who forgot what we really do and re-define what is possible in recorded music for the DJ as an artist."
Expect to see DJ Revolution's "King of The Decks" album in stores fall 2008.
* New Artist Feature: Prince Paul's DINO 5- Chali 2na, Wordsworth, Ladybug Mecca, Scratch and Prince Paul?! Oh my.
* New Article and Indie Video Show: We embedded the ENTIRE first episode of MTVu's independent hip hop video show-- THE LAB-- hosted by Pete Rock. You do not want to sleep on this!!
* Don't forget to check out our Audio/Video section-- there is a section (in the Audio/Video tab) for Free Download that is uploaded daily with dope mixtapes, EPs, album, DJ Mixes, and much more!!!
Helluva hump day, yea? Add us on Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/rhymehousedotcom
Domers My Favorite EP is hip-hops first ever open source music project. Its all about blurring the line between listener and artist in the creative process and trying something thats never been done before.
Domer started with lyrics for five unwritten songs, which he recorded to a metronome with no music at all. 20 very different producers from all over the world each made their own versions of the music to go with the lyrics. And now you can choose your favorite version of each song and assemble your own favorite EP.
The grandfather of Hip Hop, DJ Grandmaster Flash, launches his new website in celebration of Black History Month. And June 10, will mark the release of Grandmaster Flash's Memoirs "The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash - My Life My Beats".
Grandmaster Flash is one of Hip Hops pioneers: he made it his lifes work to create and perfect the art of DJing. In his adolescent years in the Bronx, Grandmaster Flash was the first DJ to use the turntables as an instrument. He also created the very first beat box machine, which remains a staple of Hip Hop, despite newer technology.
In celebration of Black History Month, Grandmaster Flash has launched his new website. The site will offer innovative ways to listen, read, and hear about this legend. As someone always looking to take Hip Hop up a notch, Grandmaster Flash is proud to take his pioneering spirit to the Internet.
Grandmaster Flashs memoirs, The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash My Life My Beats are slated to hit bookstores on June 10. The book was penned by David Ritz, author of both Marvin Gayes and Ray Charles biographies. In this extraordinary book, Grandmaster Flash sets down Hip Hop history, for sharing for the first time his personal and difficult life storyalong with no small amount of wisdom and experience.
Today, Grandmaster Flash has a weekly show on Sirius Radio, The Flash Mash. The show is a kaleidoscopic mash-up of his tastes, spanning just about any genre from just about any corner of the world. It airs on Saturdays from 5-8pm. Previously, Chris Rock sought out Grandmaster Flash to serve as Musical Director for the groundbreaking HBO Series, The Chris Rock Show. He remained in that role for five years.
In addition to his induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fameas the very first Hip Hop artist so honoredGrandmaster Flash has been the recipient of many awards, including VH1 Hip Hop Honors; BETs Icon Award; The Lifetime Achievement Award from the RIAA; and Bill Gates Vanguard Award.
Grandmaster Flash takes his DJ innovations into the future by sponsoring what he calls the best DJ fun and friendly digital application in the market today - "Traktor Scratch" by Native Instruments. The program accents the techniques, flips, tricks, and switches that Flash introduced to the world 30+ years ago.
The Smithsonian Museum of American History in honor of Black History Moth has opened its exhibit RECOGNIZE! Hip Hop and Contemporary Portraiture in which Grandmaster Flash along with other hip hop artist such as LL Cool J, Erykah Badu and Common will be featured. The exhibition opened on February 8 and will be throughout October 8, 2008.
The Traveling Circuits Tour: New York City-based hip-hop artist Bisc1 has just announced the dates for The Traveling Circuits Tour. The tour will be in support of his upcoming album, When Electric Night Falls on Embedded Music. Joining him on the road are fellow artists Domer, Metermaids, Human?, DJ Halo, and Grimace.
The tour will begin in New York City and then snake across the country to California and back. One of the highlights of the tour is Bisc1s spot in the highly anticipated Definitive Jux showcase at SXSW, where he will share the stage with El-P and Del The Funky Homosapien. Afterwards, Bisc1 will head to Atlanta, where he will take part in the A3C Hip-Hop Festival alongside Little Brother, Guilty Simpson, and many more A-list artists.
Along the way, Bisc1 will be keeping a video blog that will be updated daily on social networking site Imeem.com, which will give fans a chance to see what life is like on the road for an up and coming artist.
Tour Dates:
02.25 - NYC - Knitting Factory
02.29 - Detroit - Misinformants Gallery
03.01 - Fort Wayne - Brass Rail
03.02 - Minneapolis - Red Sea
03.04 - Spokane - The Boulevard
03.05 - Seattle - The Sunset Tavern
03.06 - Arcadia - Humbolt Brewing Company
03.07 - San Francisco - Grant & Green
03.08 - Costa Mesa - Detroit Bar
03.09 - Long Beach - The Prospector
03.12 - 3.16 - Austin, TX - SXSW - DefJux showcase
03.20 - 03.22 - Atlanta, GA - A3C Festival
03.24 - Asheville, NC - The Rocket Club
03.25 - Chapel Hill, NC - Nightlight
03.26 - Richmond, VA - Artist Underground Cafe
On March 12th at this year's SXSW Music Conference, two of the most highly respected Independent Labels will join forces for a legendary showcase, sponsored by V Tech phones.
The Duck Down VS Stones Throw Sound Clash will feature: *Sean Price (Duck Down)
*Buckshot, of Black Moon (Duck Down)
*Kidz In The Hall (Duck Down)
*DJ Mister Nash (Duck Down)
*Guilty Simpson (Stones Throw)
*Percee P (Stones Throw)
*DJ Rhettmatic (Stones Throw)
The Sound Clash is taking place at the premier venue in Austin, TX, "The Habana Annex," formerly the Fader House.
Buckshot, co-owner of Duck Down Records, had this to say about the historic event: "We are excited to partner up with Stones Throw Records to present the Soundclash. Stones Throw and Duck Down are both highly respected brands in the Independent rap game and we understand that there is power in numbers. On March 12th we'll be providing a free show to the public and it's a way to give back to the rap community who continues to support our movements and our projects.
Both labels are currently prepping new albums from: 9th Wonder & Buckshot, "The Formula" in stores April 15th (Duck Down)
Kidz In the Hall "The In Crowd" in stores April 29th (Duck Down)
Guilty Simpson "Ode To The Ghetto" in stores March 25th (Stones Throw)
For more information on this event and others please log onto:
www.duckdown.com
www.stonesthrow.com
Atmosphere has officially announced its "release party" tour for the new album, "When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold." Performing in select cities in North America with Abstract Rude and DJ Rare Groove, Atmosphere will play only 19 shows beginning April 22, 2008 (earth day) in Chicago, IL at The Metro. So when do tickets go on sale?
Starting tomorrow, Saturday, February 23, 2008 at 12:00PM (local time), we have made a limited amount of tickets available exclusively to our fans for all tour dates through http://Atmosphere.ducatking.com. Check out the tour dates below, click on your city and get your tickets early!
* FULL Audio/Video Update: 24 new songs, 17 new videos. Listen. Watch. Drop your thoughts.
* 2 new FREE DOWNLOADS: A dope new DJ mix called "Amongst Plastic" from Awkward, a Producer/MC/Artist from the UK. As well as the debut release from Frequency Activism entitled "Hip Hop in Strange Places." Check them out and tell them your thoughts!
* New Article:"Rap Music Linked to Sexism"-- *Sigh* And it continues. What do you think?
* New Album Reviews: Sunspot Jonz "Never Surrender," Akrobatik "Absolute Value," and Chaundon's "Carnage."
* New Column: Blogging Bootleggers. Are they criminals or digital pioneers? R.M. London tells you his opinion on the whole situation (along with a VERY interesting study recently done by NYU).
In early 2008 The Official Hip Hop Trading Cards {TOHHTC} will launch & be introduced the world. These cards are not just to celebrate Hip Hop, but they also inform youth and adults about the transformations of this genre of music.
The Official Hip Hop Trading Cards are new for the millennium -- trading cards for the most culturally permeating music. The Official Hip Hop Trading Cards are the first of its kind -- a cultural marker that celebrates excellence in Hip Hop in all its glory -- while leaving positive impressions in its wake.
Unlike sports trading cards Hip-Hop has mass appeal and a world wide audience.
TOHHTC is saving the trading card industry single-handedly by marrying traditional paper-based trading cards with todays digital world, automating them and bringing them forward into renewed relevancy.
The new focus is on real-life heroes, who in many cases are David's who battled Goliath's and won. Heroes to the millions of people who wish to prevail over the same pitfalls and battlefields in their own lives are inspired by these orators of the soul and spirit.
This pop-culture driven, education friendly cards is bridging the gap between teacher and student alike, which will create dialogue concerning past and current social, geographical and political issues.
The Official Hip-Hop Trading Cards are pop-cultures camera that will ensure Hip-Hop's history is immortalized in perpetuity, while leaving an educational legacy, thus avoiding the jazz curse.
Those who forget history are condemned to repeat it... Well, not on the watch of TOHHTC's creators.
* New Article: Giving an inside look into the tracks on The Roots' upcoming album "Rising Down.".
* New Album Review: Akrobatik"Absolute Value" (In Stores Now via Fat Beats)
* New Interview: In case you missed it before we plastered Blame One's one-on-one on the front page. Don't sleep and look out for Blame One's new record coming later this year featuring tracks with some of hip hop's FINEST on the boards and mic.
Now, get back to your Saturday Morning cartoons...We'll see you Monday with a FULL site update! Check back and tell your Moms.
Outskirts Press, Inc. has published The Influenza of Hip-Hop: Is There A Cure For Its Counter-Culture? by Derrick L. Thompson ACC, which is the author's most recent book to date. The 5.5 x 8.5 Paperback in the Music - Rap & Hip Hop category is available worldwide on book retailer websites such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble for a suggested retail price of $17.95. The webpage at www.outskirtspress.com/theinfluenzaofhiphop was launched simultaneously with the book's publication.
About the Book (Excerpts & Info)
Derrick Thompson chronicles 30 years of hip-hop; exploring his 30 year relationship with hip-hop music and hip-hop culture. He candidly writes of the elements and trends that have contributed to his love and disdain of hip-hop. The Influenza of Hip-Hop identifies the good, the bad, and the ugly with hip-hop. It also recognizes that for 20 years the true vitality of hip-hop music and culture has been affected and infected by virulent forces, and must avert before succumbing to its scourge.
As a cultural critic, Derrick raises questions tantamount to the severity of problems that exist with hip-hop music and culture. And like a hip-hop shaman, Derrick proffers comprehensive remedies to reverse the curse and course of hip-hop for the next three decades.
As a concerned citizen (ACC), Derrick makes an earnest plea to all hip-hop artists, to the record companies and radio stations, and to the hip-hop nation, to re-examine our love and or displeasure with hip-hop, so that collectively, we can breathe new life back into hip-hop music and culture; serving as the homogenous and cooperative cure to redeem hip-hop to a new elevated consciousness in America and the world.
Deftly constructed at 216 pages, The Influenza of Hip-Hop: Is There A Cure For Its Counter-Culture? is being aggressively promoted to appropriate markets with a focus on the Music - Rap & Hip Hop category. With U.S. wholesale distribution through Ingram and Baker & Taylor, and pervasive online availability through Amazon, Barnes & Noble and elsewhere, The Influenza of Hip-Hop meets consumer demand through both retail and library markets with a suggested retail price of $17.95.
Additionally, The Influenza of Hip-Hop can be ordered by retailers or wholesalers for the maximum trade discount price set by the author in quantities of ten or more from the Outskirts Press wholesale online bookstore at www.outskirtspress.com/buybooks
* New Got Next column about the Wax Reform by Ian Flores.
* New Album Review: Clutchy Hopkins"Walking Backwards" (In Stores Now via Ubiquity Records)
* FULL UPDATE on the Audio/Video Section! 24 Brand new songs and 17 new Videos (Including the Brand New video "Artsy" from The Grouch from Living Legends) to feast your eyes and ears on. You will be introduced to your first 'Throwback Thursday' in the video collection where we have posted a few throwback joints so you can get your nostalgia on.
* New Free Download (in the Audio/Video tab): Damu the Fudgemunk's "Spare Time." A tad old but I decided that this HAD to be posted again for those that missed out on it the first time. From the Y Society (with MC Insight) this D.C. producer has mastered the MPC. Don't sleep.
* Forum/Rhymehouse Community: On the main page, bottom left hand side there is a link to our forums. If you want to talk hip hop, music, or just rant on about everyday life- sign up! We already have a close group of hip hop heads talking on the regular. Click Here to go to the Forums!
LadySpeak- an event celebrating the unity and Diversity of women in Hip Hop! With a goal of showcasing women in Underground hip hop and bringing them together to uplift and highlight the uniqueness and diversity of the female voice in hip-hop; be it Emcee, DJ, B-Girl or Street Art. We hope to see you here in Nashville on Friday March 7th as we throw the first of what will hopefully become many LadySpeaks as we strive to turn this into a semi-annual event here in Middle Tennessee! We are so very pleased and excited to feature this high caliber line up of artist, offering some of the South & Mid-West's finest women in underground hip-hop!
Dessa Oriana lee DJ Eticut- Lynnguistix
When: Friday March 07 Doors open at 8pm- Show starts at 9pm
How Much: $10 in advance at www.groovetickets.com or $15 at the door, night of the show
18+, 21+ to DrinkPlease respect the minimal dress code, No excessively baggy clothing, no "White Tees", Throwbacks/Athletic Jerseys. It's a 18+ up event let's dress the part! Dessa- www.myspace.com/dessadarling ; www.doomtree.net- Hailing from Minneapolis, MN- Dessa is 1 of the 10 incredible Emcees that make up the DoomTree crew. World renowned for its underground Hip Hop scene and DIY ethics thanks to acts such as P.O.S. and Atmosphere, Dessa is a prime example of Twin Cities Hip Hop at its finest. As she showcases on her "False Hopes" EP (available on the net at www.fifthelementonline.com ), Dessa comes with an impeccable flow matched with introspective verses that slice right into your core. With new tracks to preview online such as "Veteran" and "Cubano" up at www.myspace.com/dessadarling Dessa shows that she continues to turn Hip Hop on its ear much to the delight of Hip-Hop Heads everywhere.
DJ Eticut- www.myspace.com/djeticut- It's Pinkies Up, as DJ Eticut Serves the Manners all in yo' face! Originally from Winston-Salem, NC; DJ Eticut moved to Middle Tennessee in 2005 to major in RIM at MTSU and has been serving up her unique blend of Hip-Hop Turntablism and to the delight area heads since 2006. In addition to opening the evening, DJ Eticut will be manning the 1's and 2's all night long, co-hosting with Oriana lee and serving as DJ for Lynnguistix.
Oriana lee- www.myspace.com/orianalee- It is an honor for LadySpeak to have local favorite Oriana lee as our very special guest and host for the evening. One needs only listen to her soul reaching prose set to other worldly hip hop beats as seen on her latest release "Something To Cop: Abriged From The Book, Something To Cope"" (the musical companion to her book of verse "Something To Cope") in order to understand why she holds a legendary status among many in the Nashville hip hop community.
Lynnguistix- www.myspace.com/lynnguistix- One of Music Cities best kept secrets! Lynnguistix is a newbie to the Nashville Hip Hop community performing her first show in late 2007. With her crushing delivery and bouncing flow, Lynnguistix is quickly amassing a dedicated following. Currently in the studio working on her first EP, Lynnguistix is poised to help make 2008 "year of the woman".
Just keeping you updated...on our updates. How dope is that?
* New Substantial Interview. Check out what the QN5 Samurai had to say!
* New article: "Fans Lament Hip Hop's Coma"
* New feature piece: The Lady Lie: They're Right Here! Stop complaining that there are no Female MCs left-- they're right there...in the article. Don't sleep.
* Updated News: Atmosphere's new TV show, Mac Lethal tour, and The Grouch's new album announced!
* Updated Audio: 10 new tracks for quench your indie thirst.
* New Got Next: The Krux and Hero- Who? Find out.
* 1 NEW Free Downloads: Kidz in the Hall- Geniuses Need Love Too
This is why you need to stay tuned. And oh yea...tell a friend! Spread the hip hop love.
Mac Lethal will be heading out on a 20 date midwest and west coast tour. He'll be joined by his DJ Sku and his friend and fellow MC, Grieves. Cities and venues below. For complete show info check out: "The Rotten American Pie Tour"
04.18 - Columbia, MO @ Blue Note
04.19 - Iowa, City, IA @ Picador
04.20 - Chicago, IL @ Abbey Pub
04.21 - Milwaukee, WI @ Mad Planet
04.22 - Madison, WI @ Orpheum Theatre
04.23 - Omaha, NE @ Waiting Room
04.24 - Denver, CO @ Marquis Theatre
04.25 - Colorado Springs, CO @ Black Sheep
04.26 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court
04.27 - Las Vegas, NV @ Jillians
04.28 - Scottsdale, AZ @ Chasers Nightclub
04.29 - San Diego, CA @ Casbah
04.30 - Los Angeles, CA @ Knitting Factory
05.01 - San Francisco, CA @ Bottom Of The Hill
05.02 - Eugene, OR @ WOW Hall
05.03 - Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theatre
05.04 - Seattle, WA @ Chop Suey
05.07 - Fargo, ND @ Aquarium
05.08 - Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry
05.10 - Sioux Falls, SD @ Nutty's North
Ticket information will be available soon. Keep checkin' back for updates!
myspace.com/maclethal
"The Rotten American Pie Tour"
The Grouch is back with his first solo endeavor in close to five years!
Ready to make it apparent yet again why he is one of independent hip hop's most valuable players. On April 8th he will be "Showing You The World" with his new album. The album is 15 tracks deep with guest appearances from Raphael Saadiq (Tony! Toni! Tone!), MURS as well as Mike Marshall (Timex Social Club), Abstract Rude, Marty James (One Block Radius) and fellow Living Legends members Bicasso and Scarub!
When asked about the new album, The Grouch said this:
"I began working on this album in 2004. Shortly after some of the highs of
Living Legends successes and the lows of not yet knowing how to handle them.
It was time to come of age. Show You The World is an idea that sprang to
mind after the birth of my daughter in 2006. As soon as she arrived all I
could do is think about wanting to show Rio everything that I love and have
learned about this planet in the last 30 or so years. Naturally, I thought I
would be the one doing all the showing. Quickly, I was humbled and began to
learn tremendous amounts from her. I thought about how much we can all teach
each other on a larger scale. This album is not a "concept record". This
album is an expression of some of my experiences and knowledge. I'm not
saying I know everything but I do believe that I have something, whether
small or large, that I can show everyone through my music."
To promote their new album which is set to release April 22nd, Atmosphere-- Slug and Ant-- have hooked up with YouTube to do a special television show were fans can e-mail in questions (paintitgold@hotmail.com) and they will answer them on each episode.
It looks like Def Jux's partnership with Dizzee Rascal to release Maths + English in the U.S. was the beginning of a beautiful relationship. And the next result of that relationship is a juicy tour featuring Dizzee and label honcho El-P. After they play the Def Jux SXSW showcase in March (alongside Del the Funky Homosapien and Devin the Dude, among others), the two will take North America by storm in May.
El offered the following words on the Maths release and upcoming tour: "Me and my partner at Jux have been huge fans of Dizzee, and thought the new record was so good that it needed to be released in North America. His music is raw and honest and fits right in with the type of artists we want to support. As big as he is overseas, he's never really had as much of a chance to get out there in the U.S., so the idea of touring with him is really exciting for me. Between the two of us it should be a pretty insane experience."
Another El-P/Dizzee collaboration is the former's remix of "Where's Da G's [ft. UGK]", which will appear on the aforementioned U.S. release of Maths + English on April 29. According to El-P's MySpace blog, that remix isn't the only studio work he's done recently. He also remixed the Mars Volta's"Goliath"-- from new album The Bedlam in Goliath-- and he's preparing some sort of studio follow-up to I'll Sleep When You're Dead.
The latter release has led El-P to regrow his studio mustache in the process. On his MySpace blog, El writes that the release "will most likely be a little more than an EP, a bit less than an album, and a whole lot of fuckery." He also says that, amidst other material, it will feature Darryl Palumbo's remix of "The Overlydramatic Truth".
Tour Dates:
03-13 Austin, TX - The Scoot Inn (Definitive Jux SXSW showcase) *
05-08 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
05-09 Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church
05-10 New York, NY - Webster Hall
05-11 Boston, MA - Middle East
05-12 Ottawa, Ontario - New Capital Music Hall
05-14 Detroit, MI - Crofoot Ballroom
05-15 Chicago, IL - The Abbey
05-16 Minneapolis, MN - Triple Rock Club
05-19 Seattle, WA - Neumos
05-20 Portland, OR - Berbati's Pan
05-21 San Francisco, CA - 1015
05-22 Los Angeles, CA - El Rey
Yea, that's right! Rhymehouse.com finally opens up their doors to all the independent hip hop fans in the world.
Rhymehouse.com is a music media website that will focus on the independent hip hop scene. The site boasts exclusive audio, video, in-depth interviews, alluring columns, and well thought out album reviews. The Rhymehouse staff strives to be the #1 source for everything "indie" hip hop.
Mainstream rap music is well covered by hundreds of websites that touch on the same music, news, and artists. But we feel that we are the only website dedicating our time, energy, and love to the independent market.
Laced with an abundance of talent, we feel that the independent scene deserves to be thrusted into the spotlight and broadcasted for fans around the world to enjoy. From the already established indie labels to the infant brands, from the signed, unsigned, and undiscovered artists -- groundbreaking music is being made and more music lovers should be plugged in listening to it.
Thanks for stopping by and we hope you hit the bookmark button and make us one of the websites your browse daily. Tell a friend, tell an artist that wants to be heard, tell a hip hop fan, tell everyone.
Olympia Police said the hip hop group, Dead Prez, was playing at Evergreen State College when a fightbroke out within the crowd at about 1:30 a.m. As a campus police officer responded and tried to make an arrest in the brawl, she was surrounded by a crowd of concert-goers.
Authorities said as she struggled to remove the man from the crowd, M1 and Stic.man started playing "Fuck the Police," and the audience became increasingly supportive to the arrested man's cause. Washington State Patrol Trooper Brandy Kessler said the crowd surrounded the officers car, demanding for the arrested man to be released. The officer called for backup. Thurston County deputies responded and removed the campus officer from her car and released the arrested man.
When a deputys car failed to start, the crowd overturned it, breaking out windows and ripping the car apart. Officers were pelted with rocks during the melee. Officials said a deputy's laptop computer and a radar gun were stolen. No weapons were lost.
Atmosphere, the prolific duo of Slug and Ant return with their highly anticipated 6th official studio album 'When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold' dropping April 22nd. With When Life Gives You Lemons... you'll find Slug and Ant's storytelling, song-writing and musicality at it's finest.
Also available:
A Limited Deluxe Edition version of the new album 'When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold' a 40 page gold embossed hard cover book featuring an illustrated children's story written by Slug and a bonus DVD with over an hour of live footage and extras.
Hip-hop, by nature, is autobiographical. MCs tend to identify themselves strongly-- even existentially-- with a particular place and time, detailing their often humble beginnings and remaining the primary subjects of their own songs. In this way, hip-hop is a form of continuous self-portraiture, and as such it is the subject of Recognize! Hip Hop and Contemporary Portraiture, a special exhibition running from Feb. 8 through Oct. 26 at the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C.
"We're not trying to say that this is a comprehensive show about hip-hop and its history," says Brandon For
