House Shoes Mixes Legend Dennis Coffey’s History Of Funk
Leading up to the foundational Motor City guitarist’s new self-titled solo album, Detroit’s own House Shoes takes us on a journey through Dennis Coffey’s history of funk. Including the psychedelic b-boy soul of Coffey’s 70′s solo material, classic recordings on which he recorded as a sessions musician, hip-hop cuts which have sampled his material, and even a couple of sneak peaks at the new album’s music, Constellations is 45 minutes of straight heat, mixed by a master DJ intimately acquainted with Coffey’s legacy, and his future.
Check below for the track list, and details on Dennis Coffey’s SXSW 2011 appearances.
Constellations – The A to Z of Dennis Coffey: A Mix By House Shoes
RECORDED AT SOUNDMATIC BY RHETTMATIC
1. Scorpio Intro- (feat Dennis Coffey, Jazzy Jeff, Jake One, and Q-Tip)
2. LL Cool J- Jinglin’ Baby
3. Dennis Coffey- Main Theme (Black Belt Jones OST)
4. Dennis Coffey- 7th Galaxy*
5. Dennis Coffey- Ride Sally Ride
6. The Temptations- Cloud Nine
7. Rodriguez- Sugar Man
8. Marvin Gaye- I Want You
9. Dennis Coffey- Garden Of The Moon
10. The Spinners- It’s A Shame
11. Dennis Coffey- Never Can Say Goodbye
12. Dennis Coffey- Whole Lotta Love
13. Diamond D- No Wonduh
14. Isley Brothers / Dennis Coffey & Lyman Woodward- It’s Your Thing
15. The Floaters- Float On
16. The Dramatics- In The Rain
17. The Dramatics- Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get
18. Dennis Coffey feat. Mick Collins (Dirtbombs) & Rachel Nagy (Detroit Cobras)- I Bet You*
19. Edwin Starr- Easin’ In (Hell Up In Harlem) / Digable Planets (Nickle Bags)
20. The Temptations- I Can’t Get Next To You
21. The Undisputed Truth- Smiling Faces Sometimes
22. Dennis Coffey feat. Mayer Hawthorne- All Your Goodies Are Gone*
23. Outro
* denotes material from the upcoming Dennis Coffey album
———————
Dennis Coffey At SXSW 2011
Weds. 3/16: Dennis Coffey (Guest Appearance w/ Adrian Younge) – Wax Poetics Showcase @ Scoot Inn 1308 East 4th Street – 1:00 AM
w/ Chico Mann, Kendra Morris, Echocentrics
Sat. 3/19: Dennis Coffey @ Hotel San Jose 1316 South Congress Avenue – 6:30 PM
w/ Black Angels, Black Joe Lewis (Dennis guesting), The Relatives (Dennis guesting)
Sat. 3/19: Dennis Coffey @ Beauty Bar: Palm Door 401 Sabine St. 12:00 AM
w/ Brownout, T. Bird & The Breaks, Diplomats of Solid Sound
Links:
Download the House Shoes Mix:
http://www.mediafire.com/?p8x5dbx5owqj148
Official Website:
http://www.denniscoffeysite.com/
La Parada
If you’re in the Southwest United States or Northern Mexico come out to El Paso, TX tonight and celebrate life with us.
Dennis Coffey Announces Record Store Day 7″
Following the recent announcement of the superb new self-titled studio album by Detroit guitar legend, Dennis Coffey, Strut will be accompanying the release with an exclusive 45 issue for this year’s Record Store Day featuring one digital-only track from the album and a brand new remix by producer legend, Steinski.
The release reinforces the strong, long-standing link between Coffey’s music and the world of hip hop – Coffey originals like ’Scorpio’ and ’Taurus’ have become bona fide breakbeat staples sampled by many, from Blackalicious to LL Cool J. And Steinski is cemented in hip hop history as one of the most important cut-up DJ / producers of all time, unleashing the seminal ’Lessons’ cut-up series alongside Double Dee in 1983/4 – the break from Coffey’s ’Scorpio’ appeared in the last of these mixes, ’Lesson 3.’ Steinski would later touch the national charts with Kennedy assassination broadcast-sampling ’The Motorcade Sped On.’ More recently, he has recorded for Ninja Tune and has worked on various soundtrack projects for TV and ads.
For this new 45, Steinski tackles an instrumental track from the ’Dennis Coffey’ album sessions, ’Ubiquitous.’ The original version, also featured here, is a pulsing breakbeat chugger true to the style of Coffey’s ’70s instrumental work on Sussex Records. Steinski re-works the track subtly, re-arranging the guitar ad organ parts and allowing the riffs to simmer on a shuffling, funky backbeat. Copies are strictly limited.
Check out:
http://www.denniscoffeysite.com/
The International J Dilla Tribute Art Contest Announces Artist Joe Buck As The WINNER And Release Signed Print Series!
Ma Dukes and The J Dilla Foundation are proud to announce that the “So Far To Go” International J Dilla Tribute Art Contest has come to an end, but the movement continues. Artists and fans around the world were invited to come together and celebrate the life of legendary producer James Dewitt Yancey, also known as J Dilla, to raise awareness of The J Dilla Foundation through artistic expression. After three months, 141 artists entered original artwork inspired by J Dilla on www.art4dilla.com. Thousands of fans and supporters from 112 countries and territories participated, and the people have chosen a winner.
The top voted submission is entitled “J DILLA the SpeciaLIST” which was created by artist and designer Joseph “Joe Buck” Buckingham. Joe’s artwork, “J DILLA the SpeciaLIST” will be produced as a limited edition, Giclee print series, signed by Joe Buck and J Dilla’s mother, Maureen “Ma Dukes” Yancey. This signed, limited edition print, as well as special lithograph poster and t-shirt are exclusively available for sale at www.art4dilla.com. All proceeds will be donated to The J Dilla Foundation to help fund their ongoing programs.
Artist and designer, Joseph Buckingham was born in Germany, raised in Queens, New York, and is presently living in Long Island, New York. Joe describes his style of painting as “Pop Art, Fauvism, Primitivism and sometimes Abstract.” Over the past twenty years, his true passion has always been painting, even though he has worked on designing branding material and music packaging for a long list of clients such as Fubu, Baby Phat, Echo Red, George Clinton and De La Soul. Noted milestones include the artwork for De La Soul’s “Saturdays” and “De La Soul is Dead” albums. Joe was also part of the founding team that created Fader Magazine. He also Illustrated two of the first ever Hip Hop children’s books with Scholastic “Think Again” written by Doug E Fresh and “Hope” written by Shaggy
“Joe has always been more than an artist. joe Buck himself is “ART”. What we view as his amazing illustrations are his children!” “The poster feels like a blueprint into Jay Dee’s very soul. His watchful eye looking at me as i read and stand in awe over all of his work listed.The illustration Joe served goes beyond 2Dimensional” -Pos / De La Soul
“A remarkable illustration worth more than its one thousand woven words. You witness Dilla’s private conversation to Joe transcribed for educational public domain.” “Fine art from a fine artist. Joe is a master. This should be used as Dilla 101 for years to come”- Damu The Fudgemunk / Redefinition Records
The contest may have come to an end, but the movement continues. The J Dilla Foundation, along with La Famiglia, 323 East and 5e Gallery are proud to announce that they will be hosting a group exhibit, showcasing artwork from around the world inspired by J Dilla. The exhibition will be held at 5e Gallery in Detroit, MI (USA) and will open to the public in May of 2011.
There is an open call for submissions from artists around the world. All mediums of artwork are welcomed. Artists interested in presenting original artwork inspired by J Dilla for consideration for this special tribute art exhibition can submit images of artwork and general information via email. Artists should include detailed information about their artwork and interest. To submit your art work for consideration, send an email to ArtShow@art4dilla.com with: artist name, an image of the work you would like to submit, size, medium, and your location. More details regarding the exhibit will be released at a later date.
The “So Far To Go” International J Dilla Tribute Art Contest was organized by La Famiglia & 323East on the behalf of The J Dilla Foundation. Supporting sponsors include; Jakprints, 5e Gallery, Crewest Gallery, RX Fresh, Ironlak, Fatbeats, Bombing Science, Fusicology and Ohm Creative Group.
Official Contest Site: http://www.art4dilla.com
Order Prints, Posters and Shirts: http://www.art4dilla.com
For more information about The J Dilla Foundation go to: http://www.jdillafoundation.org
No Ideas Original – Boundless Music The Nas Remixes
Words by Aaron Hansen Cover Art by Jimmy Papers
“No ideas original, there’s nothin’ new under the sun. It’s never what you do, but how it’s done..” – NAS
DJ Teddy King has been diligently working on his next Boundless Music Release. A talented DJ with an arsenal of rare music, his vision for this next project was simple.
Dig through his insane collection of NAS vinyl, focus on finding acapellas from album cuts & rare tracks, then tap his talented friends to produce an original album of NAS Remixes entitled No Ideas Original.
One of Teddy’s skilled friends happens to be none other than The Large Professor. If you need a sample of how amazing this mixtape is stream the No Ideas Original Remix – Produced by Large Professor below…
Nas No Ideas Original – Produced By Large Professor by BoundlessNY
Free Download -
Boundless Music | No Ideas Original | The Nas Remixes Presented by DJ Teddy King
1. U Gotta Luv It – Produced by Mondee
2. God Loves Us – Produced by Commander Black
3. Surviving The Times – Produced by BT
4. Purple – Produced by Jony Fraze
5. Fast Life – Produced by Geng Grizzly
6. No Ideas Original – Produced by Large Professor
7. Hey Nas – Produced by Shinobi Ninja
8. Ur Da Man – Produced by 2 Hungry Bros
9. Ur Da Man – Produced by Face Valyou
10. Zone Out – Produced by Mondee
11. Mastermind – Produced by Steel
12. The General (Salute Me) – Produced by BT
13. Nas Is Like – Produced by Dr. Butcher & Rob Swift
14. Rewind – Produced by Face Valyou
15. Thiefs Theme – Produced by Tes Uno
16. Destroy & Rebuild – Produced by Rugged One
17. Affirmative Action – Produced by Kon
18. Bridging The Gap – Produced by Shiftee
Via: Boundless
Talib Kweli – Gutter Rainbows
On Reflection Eternal’s 2000 album “Train of Thought,” Talib Kweli challenged fans, and himself, to “do what comes naturally.” After years of recording on mainstream labels, he now has the chance to produce exactly what he wants—and feels he needs—to produce: an album straight from his mouth to the ears of his fans. Invoking the true meaning of MC, Master of Ceremonies, Kweli brings incredible power to his live shows and feeds off the spontaneous energy of his audiences. Being able to interact directly with his audience and the musicians he most respects, he has created an album and a sound that best reproduces that ceremony for his fans. Finally, after serious urgency in the studio, Kweli presents ‘Gutter Rainbows,’ an album that takes a trip back to childhood while marking the newest stage in his long and dynamic career. This newest release, recorded on his time and with his talent as the driving force, proves Kweli is a complete and formidable musician—it presents the depth and breadth of his experience and ability, and sets a new bar for the cutting edge of hip-hop music.
Through Kweli’s various collaborations, he has been able to grow as an artist and expand his fan base. For over 15 years, Kweli has been a king of New York hip-hop who has an expansive international audience. Kweli’s work with Mos Def on “Black Star” (1998) still stands as one of hip-hop’s premiere expressions of truth. On “Train of Thought,” Kweli teamed up with Hi Tek to form Reflection Eternal, a virtuoso hip-hop duo that continues to wow audiences and critics alike. In 2007, Kweli and DJ/Producer/MC Madlib gave their fans “Liberation”—originally released free on the internet—an album that was filled with their joint love of the music they make and the respect their fans give them. Performing all over the world with unique style and an unequaled dedication to his music, Kweli has worked with artists as diverse as Kanye West, Justin Timberlake, MF Doom, Mary J. Blige, Fabolous, Common, Nelly, The Roots, Quincy Jones, Gucci Mane, Norah Jones, KRS-One and many more. With a career filled with success and innovation, it comes as no surprise that both Jay-Z and 50 Cent, at the height of their stardom, both counted Kweli among their favorite rappers. On his “solo” albums, there is no question that his lyrical talent and unique musical drive rank up there with the best in the business. Recording with other world famous musicians or alone on the mic, Kweli gives both the long-time fan and the uninitiated an unforgettable experience.
“Gutter Rainbows” was recorded with the help of incredibly talented musicians from across the country. Eric Krasno, Jean Grae, Strong Arm Steady, Iron Solomon, Outasight, Kendra Ross, Sean Price, 88-Keys, Marco Polo, Ski
Beatz, M-Phazes, S-1, E. Jones, Oh No and others make appearances. With this record, Kweli is able to make the music he knows and loves, play with the best musicians around, and bring it straight to his fans.
As a boy growing up in Brooklyn, Kweli saw gutters that ran with dirt, oil and water, revealing a shimmering rainbow to his child’s eyes. Drawing its title from this memory, this album puts at the raw center what his music has been doing for years: finding and preserving the beautiful in the hideous; the rainbows in the gutter. Weaving the lyrical and the gritty, the autobiographical with an honest, no-holds- barred hip-hop spirit; Kweli sticks fiercely to what feels true to him in creating the sound of this album.
Without being tied to any particular label’s conception of what his sound should be or when his work should hit his fans, Kweli is free to build his most personal album yet in both content and motivation. Kweli’s true solo career has only just begun, and although the future holds more collaboration, “Gutter Rainbows” marks a new stage in the long and ever-evolving career of Talib Kweli.
Album Track Listing:
1. After The Rain (produced by 88-Keys)
2. Gutter Rainbows (produced by M-Phazes)
3. So Low (produced by Shuko)
4. Palookas feat. Sean Price (produced by Marco Polo)
5. Mr. International feat. Nigel Hall (produced by S1)
6. I’m On One (produced by KHRYSIS!)
7. Wait For You feat. Kendra Ross (produced by S1)
8. Ain’t Waiting feat. Outasight (produced by 6th sense)
9. Cold Rain (produced by Ski Beatz)
10. Friends & Family (produced by E. Jones)
11. Tater Tot (produced by Nick Speed)
12. How You Love Me feat. Blaq Toven (produced by Blaq Toven)
13. Uh Oh feat. Jean Grae (produced by Oh No)
14. Self Savior feat. Chace Infinite (produced by Maurice Brown)
Gutter Rainbows Album Out January 25th, 2011 on Javotti Media/3D
Digital-Only in North America / All Formats in the rest of the world
Richie Hawtin Recalls Detroit Warehouse Days
Okay, so we stole this info off spinner, but we had to. This really hits close to home. We wanted to share it.
Richie Hawtin has long been the face of a faceless genre, a Plastikman wandering a concrete world. Over the past two decades, the legendary DJ and producer has ascended to the top of techno’s writhing heap. He’s gone from crossing the Windsor border to throw parties in dystopian Detroit — elevating his Plastikman persona into minimal techno’s psychedelic standard-bearer — to his current status as one of Berlin’s premiere bohemians, dance music’s most ambitious mind and a big enough star to headline sprawling festivals and sweaty clubs around the globe.
Though Hawtin has always been a futurist, this year the 40-year-old decided to take a look backwards and fill his new fans in on what came before. First, he unearthed Plastikman as an unprecedented live multimedia spectacle, and now he’s digging up the ‘Arkives’ for a comprehensive and special-ordered Plastikman boxset.
Before his current North American DJ tour, the Canadian dance icon stopped by Toronto’s Bell Lightbox Theatre to speak to Spinner about dirty Detroit warehouses, hallucinogenic inspirations and bringing the ’90s underground experience to a new generation.
The 11-disc ‘Arkives’ will be made-to-order and purchases will be accepted via Hawtin’s label website, www.M-nus.com, only until Dec. 31.
Richie Hawtin North American Tour Dates:
Nov 17 – Windsor
Nov 18 – Toronto
Nov 19 – Montreal
Nov 20 – Brooklyn, New York
Nov 22 – Washington DC
Nov 24 – Detroit, MI
Nov 25 – Chicago, IL
Nov 26 – Milwaukee, WI
Nov 27 – Miami
Videography by Graham Runciman. Special thanks to the Bell Lightbox Theatre
via Spinner
Fat Beats Announces Closing Of New York And Los Angeles Retail Stores
After 16 years, Fat Beats has announced the closing of the legendary label’s two remaining retail locations in New York and Los Angeles. Fat Beats will celebrate the legacies of the stores, which are scheduled to close in early September (New York: September 4th, Los Angeles: September 18th) by throwing a series of blow-out sales and tribute parties open to the public during their last weeks. Fans can check www.FatBeats.com for updates.
Fat Beats’ longest running and most famed location is at 406 Avenue of the Americas in Manhattan. Since the 1994 opening of Fat Beats’ flagship retail location, hip-hop fans have traveled far and wide to visit the iconic store. With locations soon following in Los Angeles (7600 Melrose Ave.), Atlanta, Amsterdam, and Tokyo, the record stores were a place to experience hip-hop culture and its legacy, which became a global phenomenon. “The closing of Fat Beats is just like one of my friends passing away. They promoted vinyl at its highest degree for the culture of good music and that makes it more difficult to say goodbye,” says DJ Premier.
The announcement of the closings is a reflection of the woes that have been plaguing the industry for years. Global chain HMV closed their last US location in 2004. Tower Records shuttered in 2006. Last year saw the close of the last Virgin Megastore, and the story is no different in 2010. For Fat Beats, maintaining two stores well into 2010 is a testament to the stores’ importance to the music and to fans and consumers continuing to support independent hip-hop.
While news of the stores’ closing marks the end of an era, the future is not doom and gloom. Digital sales continue to increase industry-wide; for Fat Beats, currently operating a profitable and growing online retail store, this has provided a boon to business as fans continue to order mp3s, vinyl, and CDs from FatBeats.com. Although digital sales continue to grow, executives at Fat Beats understand the importance of independent retail stores and are planning to re-open a brick and mortar hip-hop lifestyle location sometime in the near future.
The future looks just as bright for Fat Beats Distribution and the label. Fat Beats Distribution, which has been renamed FB Distribution, continues to strike noteworthy distribution deals with independent and major labels worldwide and is now working with different genres of alternative music. Fat Beats Records will continue to release notable albums from their own impressive roster of artists including ILL BILL, TruMaster/KRS-One, Black Milk, Trinity, Sha Stimuli, Q-Unique, and more. Fat Beats owner and President Joe Abajian says, “This is the start of a new era for Fat Beats. We’re adapting to meet the needs of our demographic by revamping and improving our existing systems. While our website, which stocks everything available in our retail stores, continues to do very well, we’re still exploring our options for alternate retail locations in the future. We’re proud of our legacy and will continue to re-invent ourselves. For now, we’ll see you online at FatBeats.com”
Links:
FatBeats.com
Engine-EarZ Experiment – Kaliyuga (live – BBC )
This has gotta be one of the dopest live dubstep act we’ve seen. Someone put me up on this tonight.
The “Golden Age of Jazz” – William P Gottlieb
Here is a small taste of a series of over 200 images by photographer William P. Gottlieb documenting the jazz scene in New York City and Washington, D.C., from 1938 to 1948, a time recognized by many as the “Golden Age of Jazz”.
Gottlieb was both a notable jazz journalist and a self-taught photographer who captured the personalities of jazz musicians and told their stories with his camera and typewriter. His portraits depict such prominent musicians and personalities as Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, Thelonious Monk, Ella Fitzgerald, and many more.
Portrait of Dizzy Gillespie, John Lewis, Cecil Payne, Miles Davis, and Ray Brown, Downbeat, New York, N.Y., between 1946 and 1948
Portrait of Billie Holiday, Downbeat, New York, N.Y., ca. Feb. 1947
Portrait of Thelonious Monk, Minton's Playhouse, New York, N.Y., ca. Sept. 1947
Portrait of Dizzy Gillespie, Mary Lou Williams, Tadd Dameron, Hank Jones, Milt Orent, Dixie Bailey, and Jack Teagarden, Mary Lou Williams' apartment, New York, N.Y., ca. Aug. 1947
Portrait of Howard McGhee and Miles Davis, New York, N.Y., ca. Sept. 1947
Link:
Gottlieb Jazz Photos
Heavy Rotation Vol. 3 “Re-Cycled”
This is one for the real hip-hop heads, you’re going to want have this. DJ JS-1 (Rock Steady Crew) & DJ Skizz (The Halftime Radio Show) just dropped “Re-Cycled”: Heavy Rotation Vol. 3. This free mixtape is a full mix of remixes. Most of these remixes are rare, uncommon, or unplayed out. Lots of good music, classic tracks, some rare hip-hop.
Most of these tracks are from the 90′s era. This mix features remixes of over fifty tracks including artists such as Organized Konfusion, Gangstarr, Tribe Called Quest, Alkaholiks, Method Man, EPMD, Rakim, MC Breed, Das EFX, Mobb Deep, and lots more.
This is the third volume of Heavy Rotation. Make sure to download it. Check out www.djjs1.blogspot.com for more free downloads and updates.
Download Heavy Rotation Vol. 3 “Re-Cycled” Here For FREE!
Danny the Wildchild – Special 1995 Old-school Set
Legendary Chicago-based junglist Danny the Wildchild just posted this classic mix for the heads out there. This special 1995 old-school set was Recorded live at Smart Bar in Chicago on April 8th 2010 for Murda In America’s Big Bass Thursdays. If you’re not familiar, Danny the Wildchild is globally recognized for his hip-hop and DMC influenced technique and approach to Drum n Bass. Share it, bump it.
Danny the wildchild 1995 set recorded live in Chicago on 4-8-10 by Danny The Wildchild
Bob Marley feat. Guru ~ Johnny Was (Remix)
Bob Marley ft. Guru - Johnny Was (Remix)
7 Grand Records once again pays homage to one of the greatest emcees who ever graced the game, GURU. This time around, you have the chance to listen to an outstanding and very rare remix from GURU and Bob Marley .
In 1999, GURU was asked to record a remix to Marley’s hit song “Johnny Was”, which was originally released in 1976 on Marley’s album “Rastaman Vibration”. GURU’s version was featured on “Chant Down Babylon” (1999), a full remix album by various Hip-Hop and Rock artists covering songs by Bob Marley & The Wailers.
“GURU was asked by the younger Marleys to record the remix song for ‘Johnny Was’ from their legendary father, Bob Marley, in 1999. GURU had never done anything of that sort in his career but he had tremendous respect for Bob Marley as a historic Black man,” 7 Grand Records reminds.
“GURU felt honored to be involved in the project so GURU flew to Kingston, Jamaica and met the Marley family at their compound in the city. After greeting and engaging in traditional rituals, everyone was well inspired. GURU recorded his part for ‘Johnny Was’ and felt it was a high point of his career and one of his most favorite works.”
Almost 10 years later, in 2007, GURU linked up with Damien Marley, Bob Marley’s son, also an aspiring and extremely talented musician. Both collaborated on the song “Stand Up”, which was featured on GURU’s “Jazzmatazz Vol. 4″ (2007) project
“GURU came back to Jamaica in 2006 to record a collabo with Damien Marley titled ‘Stand Up’ for the ‘Jazzmatazz Vol. 4′ album. When we gave Damien the
track, we were not sure what his response would be but he killed it. GURU was blown away at the skills of Damien on the vocals he delivered and the rest is history. GURU has often said that it was a blessing to work with the Marley family.”
Links:
Prince Paul ~ Unreleased and Limited Release Material
Starting today legendary producer and DJ Prince Paul is launching a small campaign of free downloads of unreleased and limited release material.
“Why let it go to waste .The first release will be a Demo of Horror City 1995 . Its one of the few projects that I thought was really great but didnt get signed. So this Tues the 22nd I will post the link on here and twitter so please share. Peace to the guys in Horror city for all of their help and talents. P”
Here’s a link to download the first drop, Demo of Horror City 1995:
http://www.mediafire.com/?5dxiwwmznin
Tracklisting:
1. War Party Intro
2. Play It Close
3. Pain
4. You Got Flow?
5 Take It How You Want It
6. Big Sha
7. Tattles Tale
8 Horror City Terrorists (Freestyle)
9. MC Hustler (Original)
10. Headbounty
11. War Party Intro
A Letter from WUTANG
We received some more good news from the Wu camp: this letter from the guys which describes their upcoming album, Pollen: The Swarm Part Three, that’s due June 22nd from Wu Music Group. Here it is, in their words, unedited and raw, just the way they like it:
Read the Letter Below:
In the uncertainty of the new age industry and wake of new media one thing is for sure and that being there’s never a shortage of WUTANG WANNA BEEZ, imposters, opportunists, posers and fakes rushing in to imitate, cash in and lay claim to the “WUTANG” name. WARNING: don’t be fooled or duped! There is only one WUTANG CLAN AND BRAND. With the surge of official authentically branded Wutang products, projects and a wave of critically acclaimed album releases in the last year such as Raekwon’s Only Built for Cuban Links franchise and the follow up of “Wu Massacre ” featuring the Wutang Clan’s Method Man , Raekwon and Ghostface, The Wu Music Group in following and furthering WUTANG tradition in its truest and purest form will release the 3rd installment of the official swarm franchise dubbed POLLEN: THE SWARM PART 3 due this SUMMER JUNE 22, 2010. Why Pollen? Because it’s WUTANG authentic! Word to Shaolin!! This installment is complete with new songs from the RZA as Bobby Digital, MEF MAN himself Johnny Blazing a track with the GZA, GHOSTFACE “Smooth Sailing” on the remix featuring Trife and Solomon Childs, and unlocked from the Wutang vault, the late great ODB with a fresh splash from his son and new comer BOY JONES on “Dirt’s the Boogie”. The SWARM represents the Wutang Killer Beez on the move. The first album in the trilogy introduced fans to other emcees in the Wu empire from east to west coast and across the seas. In true killer bee fashion, this album wouldn’t be complete with out new music from the Killer Beez themselves 12 o’clock, Prodigal Sun, Killer Priest, Street Life, Remedy, JoJo Pelligrino, the Rev Burke, and others. This is history once again in the making with the Wutang massive disciples and its affiliates aligning to swarm, bringing the ruckus and creating a frenzy to massacre the masses across the globe. This album will effectively pollinate and enter your senses and is guaranteed to inspire and buzz the ears of any true Wu fan looking for that real WUTANG indulgence and experience without
leaving out the this generation’s expressions of hip hop and those still to come. At press time the RZA of the Clan says “Wutang is forever and we will continue to shine light and spread music to the world.” The Swarm executive producer Power adds”As for anyone and anything else you may need to refer back to the WUTANG’S first suggestion which is to certainly ‘PROTECT YA NECK “. Wutang Killers Bees and Yellow Jackets are on the Swarm part 3 and in full effect!!
-Authored by OG.
Listen to teaser of never before released track by the late O.D.B. & Y.D.B. Boy
Jones, “Dirts The Boogie”:
Tracklist:
01 ROLL WITH KILLER BEES – YELLOW JACKETS
02 HEADLINE – ARMEL, 12 OCLOCK, P SUNN, REV BURKS
03 ASSED OUT – WUTANG CLAN
04 DIRTS THE BOOGIE – O.D.B & Y.D.B. BOY JONES
05 YOU MUST BE DREAMING – BOBBY DIGITAL, KINETIC
06 M.E.F. – JOHNNY BLAZE
07 SMOOTH SAILING – GHOSTFACE, TRIFE, SOLOMON CHILDS
08 GET IT STARTED – KING JUST, NATE, Y.C.
09 FACED DOWN – STREETLIFE
10 THE TESTIMONY – REMEDY & KILLER PRIEST
11 ACTION – SOLOMON CHILDS
12 NO GAME AROUND HERE – KILLER BEES
13 INTO YOU – REV BURKE & RUGGED MONK
14 TRANSPORTING – REMEDY & JO JO PELLIGRINO
15 FLIGHT OF THE KILLER BEES – PRODIGAL SON & REV BURKS
For More Information:
http://wumusicgroup.com
DJ Spooky & Chuck D’s “By the Time I Get to Arizona”
“By The Time I Get To Arizona” DJ Spooky & Chuck D Remix”
Update from DJ Spooky:
In the wake of Republican Governor Jan Brewer’s appalling anti-immigrant law, me and Chuck D were rappin’ and we decided to put together an update of his classic track By The Time I get To Arizona. Anyone who knows about hip hop from the early 90′s remembers John McCain’s unwillingness to endorse creating a local version of Martin Luther King’s birthday. The update here is a 21st century look in the rear view mirror. The cliché that “those who don’t learn from the past are doomed to repeat it” still holds sway in our hyper amnesiac culture. I remixed D.W. Griffith’s infamous film Birth of a Nation with a bit of Public Enemy in mind, and later on, they named an e.p. with the same name as my project. Me and Chuck D have done several projects in the past around progressive, non knucklehead hip hop.
Please feel free to download this track and pass it around. We are the media. Feel free to pass it around!
By the way, this is a mashup, and it’s basically not really for sale. I just took a riff from Philly Sound (www.funkadelphiarecords.com), and flipped it. The result, is what you hear here. It’s free, and open. No $!!
in peace,
Paul aka DJ Spooky
DOWNLOAD:
Click Here To Download ~ DJ Spooky & Chuck D’s Remix “By The Time I Get To Arizona”
Links:
http://www.djspooky.com
?uestlove’s Record Collection
This was a classic personal moment with ?uestlove and his sister talking about his record collection. This may not be new but it’s still interesting to almost any music fan.
Just Blaze & Alchemist announce “Soundclash” Europe
New York based Clockwork Music and Paris based CO2 Activity have teamed up to bring an extraordinary event to Europe. Just Blaze and Alchemist, two multi-platinum producers, have announced the “Soundclash Tour.” these two legendary producers are putting it down on the decks as they play off each other in a display of skills and selection in true sound clash style. If you’re not familiar with the term, Sound Clash’s are musical competitions where members from reggae sound systems or crews compete for the crowd’s reaction in a battle of sound and skill.
Just Blaze is one of the most creative forces in the game. Having cut his teeth in the late 90’s creating underground bangers for the likes of Buckshot, his distinctive sound soon caught the ear of the major players in the game and he soon had beats featured on albums from the likes of Busta Rhymes, Snoop Dogg, Big Pun & Jadakiss. However, it was as an in-house producer for Jay-Z’s Roc-A-Fella Records imprint where he initially became a household name, producing instant classics for Kanye West, Cam’ron, Freeway, Memphis Bleek, Beanie Sigel; and of course the main man himself, Jay-Z, who has featured Just Blaze’s epic production on six of his last seven albums–all of which have gone platinum!
The Alchemist, as the name would suggest, has a knack of turning things into gold, in his case samples and loops. Having got his start in the production game under the tutelage of two of the biggest names in the game (DJ Premier and DJ Muggs), this California native has made a name for himself for his trademark rough Boom Bap style hits. Through his work on albums for underground favorites Dilated Peoples & Defari he came to the attention of Mobb Deep who chose to feature his beats on their classic Murda Muzik LP; and he has has not looked back since.
With a resume that now reads like a who’s who of Hip-Hop’s elite; including work with Nas, Ghostface, Lil-Wayne, Emimem (The Alchemist serves as his tour DJ), Big Pun, Fat Joe & Raekwon to just name a few. Just Blaze and Alchemist’s “Soundclash Tour” promises to be a legendary performance from two of the most respected names in Hip-Hop history; its also one that needs to be both seen and heard to be believed.
TOUR DATES
May 6 London, United Kingdom / East Village
May 7 Bordeaux, France / BT59
May 8 Nantes, France / Jongl’Hop
May 9 Amsterdam, Netherlands / Bitterzoet
May 11 London, United Kingdom / East Village
May 12 Zurich, Switzerland / Rote Fabrik
May 13 Milan, Italy / Tunnel
May 14 Paris, France w/ DJ Premier / Elysee Montmartre
May 15 Marseille, France / Cabaret Aleatoire
May 16 Helsinki, Finland / Virgin Oil Co.
Links:
R.I.P. GURU ~ You WIll be Missed
If you haven’t read the headlines we’ve lost Guru, co-founder of Gangstarr, another part of hip-hop’s rich cultural history to cancer. We recommend you to Google it and read the letter he supposedly wrote on his death bed. Below is a quoted announcement Solar made to the public and a few videos. R.I.P
“The world has lost one of the best MCs and Hip-Hop icons of all time — my loyal best friend, partner, and brother, Guru! Guru has been battling cancer for well over a year and has lost his battle! This is a matter that Guru wanted private until he could beat it but tragically this did not happen. The cancer took him. Now the world has lost a great man and a true genius. For the fans that reached out with love and support, I can’t tell you how much that meant to Guru and myself. Guru prepared this letter [read above] while he was in the hospital for the fans. I hope now that Guru has moved on to a better place! Guru is a great Black American Hero and should always be remembered as such and he is much more that just a Hip-Hop icon — he has changed the world for the better. I salute my fallen brother Guru! He will be missed tremendously!” Solar stated.
GURU PRESENTS “THE TIMEBOMB: BACK TO THE FUTURE” MIXTAPE
Legendary MC and GangStarr founder, Guru, presents his critically acclaimed Jazzmatazz project “The Timebomb: Back To The Future” to his worldwide fans for free download — limited time only.
The “The Timebomb: Back To The Future” mixtape exemplifies Guru’s ability to bring together Jazz legends such as Branford Marsalis, Donald Byrd, Ramsey Lewis, and Roy Ayers, with female vocalists like Dionne Farris, N’Dea Davenport, Carleen Anderson and Chaka Khan, to contribute outstanding work to his extraordinaire mash-up of Jazz and Hip-Hop. Producer Solar added his own twist to the unique sound and produced the entire project.
TRACKLISTING:
1. Don Gurizzy 1:46
2. Knowledge ft. Lord Tariq 1:37
3. 7 Grand Y’all ft. Solar 2:31
4. For Ya Mind ft. Zion I 2:16
5. Peace ft. K-Born, Highpower & Solar 3:26
6. State Of Clarity ft. Common 1:52
7. Who Got It On Lock 2:04
8. B-Boy Kamikaze ft. Tony Touch 2:03
9. Too Slick ft. Yungun 2:07
10. So What It Do Now ft. Aceyalone 3:40
11. We Got That 2:41
12. Jazzy Wayz 3:00
13. Stand Up ft. Damien Marley 3:03
14. Hot Like That ft. Medinah 1:57
15. No Need For Stress ft. Mr. Lif 2:39
16. Back To The Future ft. Caron Wheeler & C. Knowledge 2:55
17. Assasino ft. Young Pablo 1:31
18. The Game Needs Me ft. Blue Scholars & Common Market 4:03
19. Feed The Hungry 1:19
20. Can’t Stop Th Movement ft. Ms. Camille 2:31
WEBSITES
www.twitter.com/gurugangstarr
www.myspace.com/gangstarr
Brother Ali & Fashawn Interview ~ Part 1
We recently caught up with Fashawn and Brother Ali as they were kicking off their current tour with BK-ONE. Fashawn was getting ready to meet up with everybody for rehearsals and by the time we caught Brother Ali they had just hit the road. All three of which are touring in support of new albums. Minneapolis-based mc Brother Ali’s latest album is called, US. Fashawn’s is Boy Meets world. And BK-ONE’s is Radio do Canibal. We didn’t get a chance to talk to BK-ONE even though we would of loved to. Make sure to check out both interviews related to this piece. If you see them coming through your city, come out and enjoy the show.
La Famiglia – What’s different from this current tour from past tours that you’ve done in support of this album or other projects?
Brother Ali – We’ve already done something in the area of 70 shows supporting this new album. So, we’re rolling out again. These are all markets that we just haven’t played. Most of them are smaller towns. Most of them we haven’t played in a long time. Some of them we’ve never played before. This tour is about checking in with places we don’t come to enough and trying to find some new regular tour stops that we can add to our normal fall and spring tour.
La Famiglia – What from these dates in support of this album that has maybe surprised you or touched you in new ways?
Brother Ali – There’s not much that really don’t expect. But I really enjoy the connection I have with the people that listen to our music. The music I write is really personal. It’s my life. To perform the songs and have the people that have been living with this music too, it’s really good. It’s a powerful thing.
La Famiglia – What do you want people to walk away from your live show?
Brother Ali – I think most people say that I really embrace and celebrate who I am. I think that people come awayfrom the show feeling the same thing. Feeling good about who they are.
La Famiglia – What were some of your early influences in live performances that have helped mold your stage presence?
Brother Ali – In terms of live performance, it was KRS-1. I really patterned myself off of him. Over the years I have developed my own style of performing. But initially I would just bite what he was doing up in till I started touring. Up to then I was just trying to be KRS-1 on stage. I think he’s the greatest live MC that there’s ever been.
La Famiglia – Are there any issues lately socially or with society you feel are really important for people to take to heart?
Brother Ali – The new album, is really about being a human being and just registering the human element of the different experiences we all have coming from different parts of society. To talk about different experiences and different people, and walks of life. People that because society is so fragmented don’t know each other, and don’t have a whole lot of personal interaction with each other. To talk about these different scenarios and really focus on what it feels like for a human being to feel like to be in that situation. Because those feelings of pain and fear, joy and sorry, hate and love and everything else. Those are really universal.
BROTHER ALI INTERVIEW ~ CLICK HERE
Links:
Fashawn’s official Wesbsite
Brother Ali’s Official Website
BK-ONE’s Official Myspace
Fashawn & Brother Ali Interview – Part 2
We recently caught up with Fashawn and Brother Ali as they were kicking off their current tour with BK-ONE. Fashawn was getting ready to meet up with everybody for rehearsals and by the time we caught Brother Ali they had just hit the road. All three of which are touring in support of new albums. Minneapolis-based mc Brother Ali’s latest album is called, US. Fashawn’s is Boy Meets world. And BK-ONE’s is Radio do Canibal. We didn’t get a chance to talk to BK-ONE even though we would of loved to. Make sure to check out both interviews related to this piece. If you see them coming through your city, come out and enjoy the show.
La Famiglia – What has been one of the most influential memories or inspiring moments over the past six months in your life?
Fashawn – My daughter just turned six months, so that’s crazy. First of all my daughter. Second of all the release of my album. It actually being on shelves, being number five on itunes, and selling out stores and shit. Especially coming from the mixtape game where I gave out things for free. Things never hit shelves. Getting an XXL rating. Making the cover of XXL. I’ve never been on the cover of anything.
La Famiglia – You’re currently on tour?
Fashawn – I’m about to be. I’m about to leave for Minneapolis. I’ve never actually met Ali personally so this should be interesting since I’m going to his hometown. I actually get a day or two of rehearsal in.
La Famiglia – This could be a stupid question, but are you a fan?
Fashawn – Yeah, my man Grouch from Living Legends put me on to him. I was on tour with him and he played Brother Ali’s music on the tour bus. I was like, ‘What the fuck, this is incredible.’ He was like, “Yeah, you should go on tour with him one day.” What do ya know?
La Famiglia – How has he touched you through his music?
Fashawn – The selection of beats are incredible. The concepts that he’s had is the kind of shit I would write. I love it. The “Us” album, that was dope.
La Famiglia – What do you want people to walk away with from your live show?
Fashawn – That they got their money’s worth first of all. If they don’t know me when they walk in the door, I want them to feel like they know me by the time my 30 minutes or 60 minutes are up. I want you to laugh. I want you to cry. I want you to dance.
La Famiglia – From an artist’s and a fan’s perspective, is there anything that you’ve noticed over the years that you feel is changed or missing in the music industry?
Fashawn – The death of vinyl. I always loved vinyl records. Seeing the art going from cassettes, to cd, to mp3’s. It just disappeared, ya know? Other than that, as far as creative, its dope. I think everybody’s perspective is being heard.
La Famiglia – Any advice for up and coming artists?
Fashawn – Don’t let anybody rush you. Success is going to come naturally. It’s going to come when it comes. Always keep smart people around you, well-educated people. You’re the artist. You shouldn’t try to play every ball. Link with people that wanna make money with you, instead of money off you. The sky’s the limit. Work hard.
BROTHER ALI INTERVIEW ~ CLICK HERE
Links:
Fashawn’s official Wesbsite
Brother Ali’s Official Website
BK-ONE’s Official Myspace
Amp Live “Gary is a Robot”
DJ/Producer Amp Live, of the Bay Area hip-hop crew Zion I, is getting ready to release his solo album, Murder At The Discotech. Murder At The Discotech has a blend of dubstep and electronic music with a little bit less of the hip-hop styles that you are used to. This is Amp with out a question. The new album will be released on May 11th, 2010 via Om Records.
Amp Live collaborated with a number of hip-hop heroes and for many, inclusion on this album marks their maiden voyage into electronic music mayhem. “Hot Right Now” featuring The Grouch and Eligh of Living Legends, Chris Young and Amp’s Zion-I partner, Zumbi feels like it was hand delivered from the future. “Turn It Up” featuring Mickey Factz does just that, pushing the wow factor of the album up a few notches. Other hip-hop notables including the legendary Myka Nyne (“Get Served”) and Yak Ballz join the party each making great use of Amp’s lush production.
Here’s the first video from the album, “Gary is a Robot.”
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