if you're gonna steal, steal from the best

freddie has excellent taste

(even tho the second one was already posted on here. two of the best beats of all time)

undaground anthem

Mr. Ruckuz - Underground Anthem

funky piano indeed

 

e.bros - funky piano

sorry we've been out of it, this shit is coming back full force.

strange fruit project - making my way

Shiiiiit (Clay Davis Voice)

I sincerely apologize for lagging on this blogging bizness.  School, work, and this internship have been weighing me down, but I'm gonna try to stay on top of my shit for all three of you that read this ( love you mom!).

Good news for those of you that like hip hop and punchlines.  A new Big L album, The Devil's Son, is slated to be released on November 23, 2010 with 21 previously unreleased tracks.  Big L's brother, Donald Phinazee, had this to say about the project:

"This album will show where he should have been and where he was about to go.  It's going on 12-years since he has been gone.  He would have been that one; this project will show where he would've been at."

The album has production from Showbiz and Lord Finesse among others.  On an unrelated note here's a great video from Sean P, so take heed

  

3 More The Hard Way

Listen to This

What's Beef

Contrary to popular belief, rap beef is not when you need two gats to go to sleep or you need your enemy to start your jeep. Typically, it's a clever ploy to sell records or get your name relevant again. Occasionally it starts when a member of one rapper's entourage bumps into or scuffs the shoes of another rapper's posse. All in all it's some petty juvenile schoolyard shit.

Rap beefs come a dime a dozen and so do the diss songs. But today I chose two songs that stand out from the rest. Rap songs are usually 3:30-4:00 minutes, but these two songs are 8 and 9 minutes. To make a nine minute diss song it is obvious you have a big bone to pick. The first is Mac Dre and Coolio (not the one who did the "All That" theme song for Snick at Nite) going at Lil Bruce who happens to be E-40's cousin. Like all good Mac Dre songs his lyrics make you laugh out loud when Dre claims Bruce's mother cooks cats and dogs (Bruce is half Korean). Second, is MF Grimm calling out his old friend MF Doom. It's off Grimm's three disc album "American Hunger", which i found to be a lot of filler, but this joint is on point and offers a lot of insight on the falling out between the two former friends, from Grimm's perspective of course. Some of you are probably thinking, "But Game made 15 minute diss songs." Yea, well they sucked and he is the most chemically imbalanced rapper I can think of.
.

some jazzy shit

funky dl - 2 long


freddie joachim - shoulder kiss

All Heads Wreckonize

 "When you eat the same food and drink the same drink, your doodoo is gonna smell the same, you know what I'm sayin." 

Oh I know what you're saying, when I get the machaca with eggs at my favorite loncheria in Ensenada and douse it in tons of chalula and my friend does the same, in all likelihood we'll both have some explosive diarrhea. Really, what Rock of Heltah Skeltah was describing were the similarities in sounds between Black Moon's Enta Da Stage and Smif-N-Wessun's Da Shinin'.   It's weird what sounds profound when you're passing three blunts around.  This interview was given way back in '94 right before Smif-N-Wessun's second single came out.  When asked what they thought about the drama between the East and West Coast the only definitive thing they said was that the weed from the west coast wasn't that good.  They didn't mention Biggie or 2pac, which is rather refreshing.  If you haven't heard Da Shinin' in a while, put that shit on right now. 

Common

Last night as I was driving into Boston I was listening to a CD I made 8 months ago for the hundredth time. I skipped through the entire CD and then realized that the time was 10:00 PM and 88.9@Night was just starting. This was the first song they played and it really picked me up out of my musical depression during that ride.

The DJs can be hit or miss but most nights they play great music. You can listen online at http://wers.org

shinsight trio

Shinsight trio is made up of shin-ski, producer extraordinaire hailing from Japan, insight is an "MC/DJ/producer/check casher" from the city of Lynn, MA, and DJ Ryow, another Japanese DJ who a little hit or miss in my opinion, but has some good songs. The trio kills it as a team and as individuals, so have a listen and pardon the lack of posts.

shinsight trio - early dayz amazement


insight - evolve


shin-ski - rigel


and last but not least

smooth current (AKA Dj Ryow) - That's It

Str8 Killa No Filla

Download Str8 Killa No Filla

Thanks to The Smoking Section

Not Your Typical Rap Video

For those of you who are sick of the conventional rap video filled with professional dry humpers and rented jewelry, The Roots new video, "The Fire", should cleanse your palate. Replace the girls in bikinis with an oppressive and genocidal army in a post apocalyptic world and you have "The Fire." Director Ric Cordero's video brings a new perspective to rap videos; a genre that was getting a little predictable and stale. On the other hand, you could be begging them to bring back the Bentleys and Crystal after watching the most depressing rap video of all time.

It's Not a Game

American Cream Team (feat RZA and Raekwon) - It's Not a Game

Mookie Music by Duck Down

Duck Down Records has been one of the most consistent hip hop labels out there pushing quality product. It has been that way for 15 years for the simple fact that their line up is bananas. With artists like Black Moon, Smif N Wessun, and Sean Price, the label has ensured their name rings out in the streets. Here's a sampler of the label's work. The tape could have been made better if Rosie Perez hosted it, but the music is spot on.


http://www.duckdown.com/downloadtherightthing/ 

Tribute to Coltrane Mix

Yesterday marked the anniversary of John Coltrane's passing. The Rolling Stones and Beatles get mentioned when talking about rock and roll, Biggie and 2pac when talking about hip hop, but Coltrane and Davis are probably the two most prominent musicians when talking about jazz. Coltrane's music touched numerous peoples lives and influenced a number of hip hop pioneers. Even if you're not a commentating on Ken Burns's History of Jazz check out this mix. You might find something you like.

Download

Ya Nine Spray, My Mind Spray

Jeru the Damaja Classic Series interview @ 330 Ritch SF from OpenLineMedia on Vimeo.

One of my top five favorite lyricists of all time, Jeru the Damaja, sits down and gives a candid and interesting interview. The topics range from his classic debut album, his conscious style, and his come up with Gang Starr. If you don't have a steady dose of Jeru pumping thru your speakers, dig a little deeper.

Inntimate Sound

Inntimate Sound is a med student that somehow finds the time to consistently put up great blends via his YouTube account. His takes beats from some of the best lesser known producers coming out of Asia, and mixes them with the biggest names in hip-hop.



Check out his youtube page for a bunch of very well done blends...



...I always wanted to hear someone rap over this beat

attack like a wolfpack

Big Twan - My Mic


The only reason I even know this song exists is because of...

Happy Birthday America

Here's a present for you America, a great mixtape by Mick Boogie & DJ Jazzy Jeff. 49 classic summer cuts for your listening enjoyment ranging anywhere from Roy Ayers to Ice Cube.  Grab yourself a cold glass of lemonade and some headphones.

Download This Shit

RZA's Kung Fu Spectacular

Above is the trailer for RZA's new movie, Wu-Tang Vs. The Golden Pheonix. This movie was apparently ten years in the making and RZA has assembled a who's who of kung fu legends. I know jack shit about kung fu so the list loses some value, but I like the way the film was shot. The preview doesn't tell you much about the plot, but that's kind of refreshing now a days.

Tom Scott

Everyone and their mother has heard Pete Rock and CL Smooth's They Reminisce Over You but surprisingly, few people have heard the original sample used... Tom Scott's Today.

Anyway, that's for the fiends that are looking for pure music, but lately I've been watching a lot of Boondocks so I decided to use this little montage from one of my favorite episodes to put the original on blast for any readers of TMI, so, watch, listen, and enjoy. You don't even need to know the context of the montage, simply take it in for what it is.

You Passed on Whaaaat!?!?!?

Skillz presents: Hip-Hop Confessions ep. 6 from Visually Inklined on Vimeo.

Here's a nice little interview with Q-tip and PB Wolf that was hosted by Skills. Wolf explains reaching out to the Beastie Boys as an eager 14 year old kid and Q-tip elaborates on a Biz Markie hip hop classic. The most interesting part of the interview was Skills telling us what Jay Dee beats he passed on. It made for an entertaining 8 minutes. I still don't get the wide variety of hats.

YES!

More Predators Videos

That was my immediate reaction after seeing the trailer to the newest Predator movie. By all accounts this looks like the best movie of the summer by far. Just look at the cast. I didn't think they could top the second Predator movie, let alone the first. The second had Danny Glover (Lethal Weapon, Angels in the Outfield), Bill Paxton (Aliens, Mighty Joe Young), and Gary Busey who has acted in nearly 150 of the most obscure and unrenowned movies and television shows since the 1960's. The original Predator produced two state governors (amazing!), Carl Weathers (Rocky, Balto 3), and the bad indian from 48 Hours. The cast, story, and orgy of one liners made these some of the most beloved movies.

Then two horrible Alien V. Predator movies later, it looked like the proud Predator franchise was on it's last legs. The name had been dragged through the mud by C rate actors who had no place acting in soft core porn on Cinemax let alone represent one of the proudest movie franchises. It took Jesus three days to be resurrected, but director Nimrod Antal is not God, and it took him three years to resurrect Predator.

When I first read his name, having a director named Nimrod did not inspire much confidence until I saw the all star cast he assembled. Adrien Brody, Laurence Fishburne, Danny Trejo, Shane from The Shield, and the whimpy kid from That 70's Show. The story is as plausible as any of the others. The most elite warriors on earth are some how transported to the planet of the Predators to be used as wild game. This looks promising, but if two characters don't arm wrestle standing up while calling eachother son of a bitch when they greet eachother, this could be another dismal failure.

Unreleased Prince Paul from '95

Some grimy shit from '95. Definitely more Gravediggaz than Handsome Boy Modeling school. One question though, Prince Paul, why the hell was this never released?

This was a project that I wanted to put together with Amityville MC legend Superstar . as I thought about it more I wanted to recruit more Mcs we knew to make it diverse . Superstar already had the name “Horror City” so wen recorded under that name . This project was recorded right after the first Gravedigga album ” 6ft deep”in 1995 . I shopped the demo but unfortunately it got looked over and never got signed . I sat on this project for a while but it always had a dear place in my heart because I thought it was really good and the talent was there . I stripped some of the music from the demo and put it on ” a prince among thieves” and actually had a few of the guys perform on the ” Thieves ” album as well but to be honest I always liked these originals better . So now I have decided share these songs with all of you because holding on to them made no sense .. why not share great music . Hopefully you the listener will enjoy this project as much as I do . please share it , thats why I made this for free download . For more group info please log on to http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000981527022 for a proper bio of “Horror City “

Download

Instrumentals from Across the Pond

Here's another instrumental album and this time it comes from European producer Crookram. Here's what his good friend has to say about the record...

"...an album that has been 5 years in the making in which musical genres like soul, funk, hiphop and library music have been combined with modern downtempo beats and movie samples. his ambition is to focus on atmosphere and moody vibes, something that's become quite uncommon in modern day music. you can expect scratchy records, mysterious movie samples and a great talent for production, elements which have been praised already by many people involved in the downtempo scene."

Sounds great, but I would expect my good friend to rave about a my CD. After listening to a little of the album it sounds a lot to me like RJD2. I did like how he sampled Die Hard. If it sounds like your thing download it.

If Pixar Made The Wire Buzz Lightyear would be Stringer Bell

I was so disgusted with the Laker's first half play I decided to surf the internet to calm down. That relative calm lasted until the third quarter. The Lakers are still playing like shit, but at least I can smile at this clip. Here at TMI, just like every other hip hop blog we have come across, we absolutely love The Wire. Toy Story is cool too, but Woody is no Omar, but in this version apparently McNulty is. Toy Story 3 is coming out this summer with Mr. Potato Head playing Bunk?

Apple Juice Break...Charizma & Peanut Butter Wolf

“I’m 18 years old and I’m into rap music, and I just love it.”

Charles Hicks AKA Charizma said those words nearly 20 years ago. The sincerity in his voice was undeniable and his words resonated with many young hip hop heads including myself. The young MC out of San Jose, California who had an affinity for sweets (ladies) and apple juice released one album with Chris Manak AKA Peanut Butter Wolf, Big Shots, for Hollywood Basics in 1993. Big Shots is a 16 track morsel of pure hip hop and sounds like nothing else coming out of the West Coast in that time period.
There have been many great MC/producer combinations throughout hip hop: Eric B. & Rakim, KRS-One & Scott La Rock, and DJ Premier & Guru. It is hard to put Charizma & Peanut Butter Wolf in the same sentence not because of the quality of music, but the brevity of it. Charizma was shot and killed sitting at a stoplight in a robbery attempt in December of 1993 in East Palo Alto. If tragedy had not struck, there is no telling what feats Charizma and Peanut Butter Wolf could have accomplished. Three years after Charizma’s passing Peanut Butter Wolf started Stones Throw Records. Charizma’s “My World Premier” was the first 12-inch Stones Throw ever released and today the label is considered one of the gold standards for new and innovative hip hop. Just like all the great MC/producer duos that came before them, Charizma and Peanut Butter Wolf had undeniable chemistry. The fun loving Charizma was a little quirky and brought out the wilder side of the mild mannered Peanut Butter Wolf. Bottom line, they were two teenage friends trying to make it big in the recently popularized genre of hip hop, a genre that did not pay much attention to the Bay Area at that time.

Their album, Big Shots, is just raw unadulterated hip hop. The subject matter switches between ladies, apple juice, and hip hop and then back to apple juice. The man rapped about apple juice like Too $hort rapped about pimping, with an absolute love and knowledge of it. Devin the Dude loves weed, Mac Dre loved thizzles, and Charizma loved his Martinelli’s apple juice in a round bottle.
It is rare to come across a hip hop album with such youthful energy and exuberance. They recorded their album in a $25 an hour studio with engineer, Peter Stanley, who looked more likely to work with Guns ‘N’ Roses than two aspiring hip hop artists. This especially comes across when Stanley, who did not like the idea of sampling drums of other artists, recorded himself playing the drums that Wolf would later use on the album. Other Stones Throw artists, including Madlib, have used those same drums.
If one song was chosen to convey the entire album it would have to be “Talk About a Girl.” Charizma raps over a masterfully crafted beat with striking pianos on a subject every high school kid could relate to, girls. Coming in at only 1 minute 20 seconds it reflects his career, so brief, yet so good.

Illmatic with Some West Coast Flavor

I've been looking forward to this for a long time. Ever since I heard Fashawn rhyming over Memory Lane and heard he was coming out with a full length album of him spitting over Illmatic beats. Well here it is, Fashawn's Ode to Illmatic. Fashawn's not Nas and Fresno's not Queens Bridge, but in 2010 this is pretty damn good. Talib Kweli even plays the role of AZ (Big Ups to Blacksmith). Hope you enjoy it as much I do.

Download: Ode to Illmatic

More of that Brooklyn Bullshit

Here's a 25 track instrumental album I stumbled across by the Stuyvesants. I would describe it for you, but they already went through the trouble...

"The Stuyvesants is a collaborative effort between music producer Allan Cole (Algorythm), and record collector Darien Victor Birks (Flwrpt). Both reside in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, NY. The two wanted to work together on a project where they could incorporate several of their talents, related to music and design. They wanted to do this under a moniker that would pay homage to the ’70s. The collaboration allowed them to do four major things, design, beat dig, produce amazing music, and simply have fun."

These are some laid back beats that are great for the summer. The best part is that they're free.

Fat Boys & Beach Boys? Yea, it happened

Hip Hop has always collaborated with Rock & Roll. Run-DMC expanded their fan base when they released "Walk this Way" with Aerosmith and introduced themselves to a bunch of suburban kids who didn't even know what hip hop was. In '91 Public Enemy and Anthrax put out "Bring the Noise." But somewhere in between these two iconic collabos the Fat Boys got together with the Beach boys and put out "Wipe Out" in 1987. It doesn't get the attention as the other two songs, and probably didn't win over a lot of Beach Boy fans, but for me it's the most enjoyable.

Pilgrimage to Brooklyn

I just got back from six days in Brooklyn and in my opinion, with maybe the exception of Queens, the Mecca of Hip Hop. KRS would have my head for that statement, but hey that's my opinion. On my Hajj to Brooklyn I didn't drink from the natural spring of Zamzam or circle the Ka'aba seven times, instead I stuck to New York tap water and circled Myrtle and Broadway seven times. I decided to compile a Brooklyn playlist and I tried to keep it to the lesser known tracks.


New York does everything their own way. Even the way they pronounce Mario is different.


I've always thought Jemini was one of the most slept on MC's out there. This is off his EP, Scars and Pain, but check out his 2003 collaboration with Danger Mouse, Ghetto Pop Life.


As good as the original? Probably not, but Lord Digga made a fine remix. Everyone's heard the original and this gives a fresh perspective on this classic track.


I'm sure most of you have heard this one, but I absolutely love this song. The original is great, but this one gets the edge. The movie's not half bad either.

A lot of tracks got left off the list, but this was what I was listening to during my Hajj to BK.

zone out

Blue Sky Black Death - Days are Years


this song hypnotizes me

it's another one of those marvelous shits

I don't listen to a lot of Busta but the songs I do listen to I love. Both these tracks are killin it and both are dilla masterpiece beats. Everyone listens to music differently, but these sound real good when played LOUD, just sayin...

Busta Rhymes - Show me what you got


Busta Rhymes - Turn me up Some

listen you fuckers... you screwheads

Juggaknots - Clear Blue Skies


Juggaknots - Loosifa


album download

Michael Jordan Attempting to Grow Hitler Stache?

Have you checked out the most recent Hanes commercial? More importantly, have you checked out Michael Jordan's face lately? It looks like Jordan is trying to grow some facial hair reminiscent of the Fuhrer.


O and here's a rap song...

Black Sheep make it to the big time... a CAR COMMERCIAL!

spotted on reddit

first off, good song. second, hilarious commercial. i never had an inkling of respect for kia until now, or at least the guy in marketing that came up with this idea.

in other news, new madvillian single released at stonesthrow as part of some 8 singles in 8 weeks deal, i dunno

Jeru the Damaja - Me or the Papes


Original Flavor - Keep On (Searchin)

Lyrics in Court

Rap and the judicial system go together like peanut butter and jelly, or like oil and water depending on your perspective. It seems like every week you hear about a rapper being arrested or making a court appearance. But every so often there is a rare instance where an artist’s lyrics are brought to the court’s attention and are sometimes the difference between freedom or incarceration.
Lyrics and the courthouse have intertwined once again in Los Angeles at the trial of Aubrey Berry, who is on trial for the murder of up and coming rapper, Dolla, whose real name is Roderick Burton. What started as a dispute between the two men in an Atlanta nightclub resumed over two thousand miles away at the Beverly Center parking lot in Los Angeles. Berry testified Dolla and some friends confronted him at the valet counter and said, “You in my hood, you wanna die, huh?” Berry, who suffered a beating from Dolla and his friends just 11 day previously in Atlanta and was well aware of Dolla’s affiliation with the Mansfield Gangster Crips, claimed he feared for his life. Berry said Dolla reached for his back, and at that moment Berry pulled his own 9-millimeter pistol and fired a total of eight rounds. Dolla was hit four times and died. A weapon was never found on Dolla. Cold blooded murder or self defense? That is not for me to decide, nor what this article is about.

What is interesting is that Dolla’s lyrics helped his killer go free. Berry’s attorney played the jury one of Dolla’s songs, “Is You Holdin”, where Dolla claims to have a pistol on him at all times. According to his attorney those lines played in Berry’s head and justified him pulling his gun. The jury agreed and Aubrey Berry was acquitted of all crimes.
I am a firm believer rap lyrics should not be admissible in court for the simple fact that rap is entertainment and a rapper’s lyrics in court are about as valid as hearsay. It is a staple of hip hop culture just like graffiti or break dancing, to embellish and grossly exaggerate one’s accomplishments and skill whether it be with a microphone, women, or with a gun. Are we to believe that Brotha Lynch Hung actually eats baby brains and intestines?

Listen to any Geto Boy album start to finish and if you took the words at face value, there could be a decent argument on who killed more people and slept with the most women, Geto Boys or Ghengis Khan.

Imagine if CEO/entrepreneur/rapper, Jay-Z, went on trial for manslaughter. Would the prosecution play songs from Reasonable Doubt and say the defendant has a rich history of drug trafficking, kidnapping, and murder?

It is a slippery and downright dangerous path when a rapper’s lyrics are admissible in court for the simple fact that so much of it is untrue. Some of the horrific stories heard in rap songs are true. The rapper has seen, heard, or even taken part it in it. But to allow whole songs or albums in the courtroom full of jurors, most of whom would not consider themselves fans of the genre, is irresponsible and could be easily misinterpreted. Simply put, you have to be one asinine individual to rap about actual crimes you committed. As Jeru the Damaja said, “I never knew hustlas confessed on stereo.”

same sample sundays

i'd make this a weekly thing but that's some awful alliteration

Daikatamy - Ganymede memoir

download this amazing instrumental album here

MF Doom - Kon Karne

Some instrumentals...

Mil - Be the Bop

The muffled trumpet in that kills me

Damu's got a new album out, so here's some songs off his promo LP

Damu the Fudgemunk - How it Should Sound


Damu - Wonka Beat #1

ABCs of being a G

nuff said

Phy Life Cypher - ABCs


Papoose - Alphabetical Slaughter


Blackalicious - Alphabet Aerobics

The Music Business is Shady

Especially when it is conducted inside the California Penal System. Notorious 24th Garden Blocc Crip and rapper X-Raided was stabbed seven times by several latino inmates. One was armed with a toothbrush with eight razor blades attached to it. The stabbing was in retaliation for X-Raided refusing to produce the inmates rap record. X-Raided has his own music label, Bloc Star, that he started in 2005. X-Raided is serving a 31 year sentence for first degree murder. I'm not a big fan of his music by any means, but here's a taste.

Someone is smooth like that

Just read up on some shady shit involving Guru and his "faithful" DJ Solar. Apparently there is all types of weird things going on involving Solar, including that letter than Guru sent to his fans, which I guess he wrote while he was in a coma? Great. If this is true, Solar should be taken out back of his house and shot in the head.

This was all figured out when Solar's e-mail was hacked, which led to his myspace, twitter, etc. all getting hacked. The best part is, the hacker is someone trying to expose what Solar has done, this isn't some geek looking for kicks.

Check Solar's twitter for some messages left by the hacker and read this interview with the alleged hacker for more details.

I don't know how much merit any of this has, but it looks pretty legit. Solar may turn out to be a thief and scumbag, time will tell...

Dock 'throw no-no's on LSD' Ellis

Dock Ellis has never made a rap song. So why is he featured on one of the finest hip hop blogs? Simple, because here at The Main Ingredient we like celebrating great accomplishments in sports, especially when the feat is accomplished when on LSD. On June 12, 1970 Ellis threw a no hitter while on LSD. So when Dallas Braden throws a perfect game I don't go all ape shit over it (especially when the grown man's name is Dallas). No doubt it is impressive, but he did not face Richard Nixon or Jimi Hendrix in the batter's box, Ellis did both. Thanks to James Blagden and No Mas for the animation.

Where Boredom Happens

It is one of my favorite times of the year. You know school is about to be over and a new champion is about to be crowned. That's right the NBA Playoffs are upon us, but thus far it has been amazingly uninteresting. Thankfully one of the greatest athletes and people not named Arnold is still involved, no matter how small that role may be. I am talking of course about the Big Aristotle AKA Shaquille O'Neal. With O'Neal's best playing days behind him, we now have a chance to reflect on his marvelous rap career.

He is leaps and bounds better than any other athlete/rapper with maybe only Cedric Ceballos coming in at a distant second. For all of you who are saying, "Hey didn't Kobe Bryant and Tony Parker make rap songs too?" Unfortunately they did, but both those songs would be better suited to be on repeat at every cell in Guantanamo Bay. Either song would be a far better torture method than simulated drowning. Put it this way, if you played the songs back to back, you just drowned the person in audio phecies for 8:43.

People forget that Shaq's first record, Shaq Diesel, went platinum. While record sales have lost some significance in today's hip hop landscape, Shaq did work with some heavy weights in the game. Here are three of my favorite cuts from the Big Cactus
3.
While I like the opening clip more than the actual song, it does feature one of the most slept on west coast lyircists, W.C. And if Nate Dogg is singing the hook, it must be a hit.
2.
Shaq did this one all by himself. You can't help but love the video. The opening has shades of some of the shittier Batman movies with Val Kilmer. If that's not enough it also has Apache Helicopters, fighter jets, and fucking ninjas. Take that Hype Williams.
1.
This was an easy choice. Shaq + RZA + Method Man = fucking genius.

Just a closing thought

Gangsta Gibbs

Looking at the blog sometimes is like stepping back into a time machine or just a lesson in modern day hip hop obscurity. We're not apologizing for it, it's called the golden era for a reason and now a days a lot of the best stuff out there you have to dig for. But every so often a new up and comer gets some love from MTV and true hip hop heads. This new up and comer goes by the name Freddie Gibbs and he is coming out of Gary, Indiana. The only thing worthwhile that I know of to come out of Gary was Michael Jackson and if I am not mistaken, the Goosebumps TV show by R.L. Stein. Well now you can add Freddie Gibbs to that list. He released a solid mixtape, Midwestgangstaboxframecaddilacmuzik, and now he has released his first video, The Ghetto, which is a very stellar video (sorry no video vixens).



After watching the video if you are like me you are thanking your parents you did not grow up in Gary Indiana. Below is part of a live performance and interview with Mr. Gibbs.

You High? Well I'm a Mile High

Sorry about the lack of posts. I am finally done doing my best Carmen San Diego impersonation so the posts will be coming much more frequently. So all five people that occasional glance at the blog get ready.

Hip Hop like most other forms of media are quick to forget that there are more market places than just New York and Los Angeles. But don't fool yourself, classic hip hop comes from all over. That's why I was geeked to find a couple golden era tracks from the Mile High City. All three of these gems are from '94-'97. For those who are unfamiliar with Denver Rap it's a lot like Ganstga Rap from California except with a lot more Avalanche jerseys. The ragtops, glocks, and 40 oz's remain the same. My favorite out of the three tracks would have to be "12 Guage Tragedy" by DK All Day, mainly because of the not so subtle diss of DJ Quik. The verse was a reference to DJ Quik's "Jus Lyke Compton" and a verse that describes a dispute that went down in a roller rink in Denver. Schenectadyfan, another blogger has compiled a 19 track gold mine of 90's hip hop from Dener, Las Vegas, and even Albuquerque (big ups to bennet). Hope you enjoy.

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=P15RNGER



black hole posse


nyke loc

shiki no uta

finals are kickin my ass, more soon

Nujabes (RIP) beat, i think he might have sampled it from some anime show. super chill beat, dope asian chorus (i'm assuming japanese), and some honest lyrics.

try and keep this updated a little more

Shiki No Uta (Song of All Seasons)

been out of the loop

taking tests, traveling the world, studying physics and calculus, this is what we at TMI have been busy with. but, we are back...

Damu the Fudgemunk - Colorful Storms


and...



n

Moment of Silence

This world lost one of it's most positive and real people yesterday. Guru, or Keith Elam to his friends, passed away yesterday after losing his battle with cancer, he was only 43. Need to keep this short and to the point, Guru's music will never die, he leaves behind a son and a mass of fans that will never forget him or his music.

Shortly before his death, Keith wrote:
"The work I have done with Solar represents a legacy far beyond its time and is my most creative and experimental to date. I hope that our music will receive the attention it deserves as it is some of the best work I have done and represents some of the best years of my life."

I don't believe that many celebrities are worth the hype that builds up after their passing, but Guru's effect on the world for the past 20 years will undoubtedly last for the next 20 years as well.

As some people celebrate the "holiday" today, remember to toast one off to Guru and his family while listening to what seems to me, to be the most appropriate song...

Dime Bag of Songs

Here are some of our favorite tunes to get lifted to. So go grab a Swisher/Dutch Master and some headphones and prepare for some higher meditation.

BONUS:

everyone on the east coast can relate

10.

9.

8.

7.

6.

5.

4.

3.

2.

1.

Wiz Khalifa's Kush & Cheese Eggs

I recently finished listening to Wz Khalifa’s new mixtape, Kush & Orange Juice, for the second time and to be completely honest with you, for how much attention and anticipation this mixtape has garnered, I am not that impressed. I first heard of Khalifa a couple years ago in the Source’s Unsigned Hype Section and all I really knew was that he was from Pittsburgh, was tatted up like a Maori Warrior, and said Taylor Gang… a lot.

I guess you could call Kush & Orange Juice a themed mixtape, relying heavily on the kush and barely mentioning the orange juice. It was definitely an above average mixtape and played like an actual album. It had no obnoxious sirens, gunshots, or DJ’s interrupting the music to say juvenile things like, “Wiz fucking Khalifa nigga!” I was quite pleased about that. The music for the most part was good and far superior to most of the hip hop that record companies pay the radio stations to play. The beats range any where from real poppy to soulful and funky to something you would think the French group Air would produce. The diversity of the beats keeps your attention through the 20-song hour-long mixtape.

Still, Khalifa seems limited in subject matter. He has definitely found his niche, the weed lover who likes nice clothes and other people’s girlfriends. Sure, most 18 to 30 year olds fall into that group, but there are only so many minutes in my day that I can devote to listening to how bad ass Wiz Khalifa’s life is. The rhymes never really stray away from smoking weed with your girlfriend in some hotel room and being dipped in the nicest gear. Another thing that detracts from the tape is Khalifa’s signature stoner giggle. It wears thin, and if you were to ride in a car with someone who constantly kept giggling like a ninny you would surely ask, “Why the hell do you keep doing that?” There is only one track, “We’re Done”, that is atrocious. It is an overly poppy track with some female singer singing the hook. It sounds like something you would find on a Cheryl Crowe album or a 14-year-old girl’s ipod. If I were to think of the antithesis of smoking music, “Were Done” would probably be near the top of the list.

Kush & Orange Juice definitely has some standout tracks. “Visions” and “Good Dank” would have to be two highlights of the mixtape. “Visions” has a sample that Madlib used for Madvillainy and Khalifa flows nicely over the beat. “Good Dank” is reminiscent of some classic southernplayalistic Outkast with the electric guitars. “The Kid Frankie” is also pleasant with an old 80’s funk sound.
Khalifa raps about more than just your girlfriend rolling his weed up and his $675 Louis Vuitton shades. Khalifa raps about one of the more underutilized subjects in rap and music in general… cheese eggs. Khalifa mentions his enjoyment of cheese eggs twice in Kush & Orange Juice and as far as I am concerned he could of devoted a whole track to the oft forgotten breakfast delicacy.

Kush & Orange Juice is definitely a fine mixtape, but it is far from perfect. The beats are quite good for the most part and Khalifa is pretty talented at saying how cool his current standard of living is. Khalifa would probably be the first to tell you he is no Poor Righteous Teachers or Common, but he is adept at rapping about what he knows: weed, your girlfriend, and clothing. I did get tired of hearing how Khalifa was running up in my girlfriend and giggling at the same time, but the beats soothed my anger for the most part. If I had to pin a vague, non descript number to rate this album I would go with a 3.5 out of 5.

Download Kush & Oj at http://www.mediafire.com/?5dmwmejymtj

The Grouch and Eligh - Comin' Up


Kid Cudi - The Prayer


I love these beats, primarily because of this...


So the original Band of Horses song got a lot of play after Fully Flared came out, and to hear it mixed so well gets me hyped.

Band of Horses - Funeral

Animalistic

Props due to Milo for this shit.

I googled this group and album and all I could find on it was that "Fauna or faunæ is all of the animal life of any particular region or time" according to wikipedia. That's a pretty apt title, they clearly have found inspiration in a number of sources, as they discuss heavily in "Back to Basics," giving props to Pete Rock, Organized Konfusion, and even the relatively recently released but classic Ill Biskits.

If you decide to download the album, check "Animal Behavior." It would be up on here except I couldn't find it on youtube and I'm too lazy to upload it now. It reuses some samples you might recognize from Madlib's "Montara" as well as a reused sample from MF Grimm - Do it for the Kids

So check some damn good music from 2010, and support these cats in any way you can.

Animalistic - Frame of Mind


Eye of the Needle


download the album here and enjoy.

Kev Brown Makin' Me Say UGHHHH

Anyone around 20 years old should remember Master P's "Make Em Say Uhhh" music video. If it doesn't ring a bell, it was kind of like Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" video, but Master P replaced all the creepy cheerleaders and headbangers with an ape that can dunk a basketball and a GOLDEN TANK. After seeing that video you were left with this exuberant feeling. I remember thinking to myself,"UGHHHHH that is so fucking bad ass. I want be like Master P on top of the GOLDEN TANK." That feeling is very hard to capture, but every so often an artist comes around that makes you say UGHHHH. The type of artist that hits you like a Mack Truck the first time you hear them. It happened with J Dilla, Madlib, and Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth. Now the rapper from Maryland, Kev Brown, is making me say UGHHH. Listen for yourself.

more SV...

the look of love


i don't know


download slum village - fantastic volume 1

download slum village - fantastic vol. 2

fuck this rap shit i listen to classical

Gap Mangione - Diana in the Autumn Wind


Slum Village - Fall in Love


Jaylib - The Official


Flying Lotus - Fall in Love Tribute


I had some bullshit written about these songs and what they mean to me, but I deleted it and I'm just gonna let the tunes do the talking.

The Mash Potato

Over the past ten years mash ups have made their dent in Hip Hop. A producer intertwines two or more artists into one seamless track. Some music purists think this mating of tracks produce some mongoloid bastard race of music that is similar to the offspring of two cousins. But to the average listener it sounds good enough.

No artist comes to mind that has been "mashed" more than Jay-Z. Danger Mouse, RJD2, and 9th Wonder have all given their take on the Black Album. Now you can add Max Tannone to the list of producers who have put their twist on Jay's songs. Tannone paired Jay-Z and Radiohead into some sort of Frankenstein that is Jaydiohead. It is no Grey album, but it gives a fresh feel to some of Jay's songs. For those of you who are not into the melancholy/gangster/CEO vibe of Jaydiohead I suggest you check out Mos Dub, Tannone's new project where he lays Mos Def over some layed back reggae tunes (pretty much The Harder They Come soundtrack). I could not find any Mos Dub videos, but you can download both mixes by clicking on the links below.

http://www.jaydiohead.com/

http://mosdub.com/