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
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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.
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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

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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/

Slept On... Questionmark Asylum

Before Wale was the voice of Washington DC, there was Questionmark Asylum. If you don’t know who I’m referring to don’t feel too bad, there’s not even a Wikipedia page on the group. The little known group consisting of four members: Mistafiss, Rosta Swan, Digge Dom, and Ding-Ding (love that last name) released one album on RCA before fading into Hip Hop oblivion. This was not due to the music, but timing and location. Their only album appropriately titled, The Album, was released in 1995 and was simply overshadowed by other albums now considered legendary. Other albums released that year include: Raekwon’s Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, Mobb Deep’s The Infamous, 2pac’s Me Against the World, and GZA’s Liquid Swords just to name a few. Being from Washington D.C. did not do them any favors. The rap world was consumed with East Coast vs. West Coast and if you weren’t taking shots at Biggie or 2pac, airplay and media hype was scarce.

The funny thing is if you listen to any of the tracks off the album you’re thinking these guys are coming straight from the golden state. They have that same distinct mid 90’s California sound you might expect from Pharcyde, Souls of Mischief, or The Coup. It’s the type of music you picture rolling down Crenshaw Blvd. or Venice on a warm summer’s day with palm trees surrounding your ride. Then again I’m sure it sounds just as good cruising down the mall in D.C. with Cherry Blossoms flanking your car. While you wouldn’t classify the sound as G-Funk, there’s undoubtedly some George Clinton/P-Funk influence in the beats. This sound is especially prevalent in songs like “Hey Lookaway”, “Freakazoid”, and “Get with You.”

Another factor that made Questionmark Asylum the red headed stepchild of the Hip-Hop community was their subject matter. Hip Hop was getting increasingly darker. It was before the Bling Bling movement of Cash Money in the late 90’s and right around the time Suge Knight was making members of Puffy’s entourage drink cups of hot piss (literally). Every rapper had a shotty by the shower and was painting their Acura black with crack sale intentions. While other rappers were tallying their verbal homicides; Question Mark Asylum were slaying honey dips like Fillmore Slim. Nearly all 14 tracks on their album had to do with buttering biscuits and being cherries on top of ladies ice cream. This was not some sort of new phenomenon in Hip Hop i.e. 2 Live Crew and Too $hort, but it did kind of break away from the mold of their contemporaries.

So where are they now? Good question. They do have a myspace page and apparently Ding Ding passed away (RIP Ding Ding). They have one new video entitled “Sho’em What 2 Do Wit It” and if I were Ding Ding I would be less than impressed with the groups direction. It just sounds like some generic bullshit. This is not to take away from The Album, where all the tracks are pretty stellar. My favorite track would probably have to be “Get With You.” Other stand out tracks would have to be “We’re Thanking You”, “You Don’t Understand”, and “Hey Lookaway.” I would give “Got Dem Joints” an honorable mention. At first glance you might think that’s their weed smoking anthem on the album, but rather a cautionary tale of people who knowingly have H.I.V. giving it to other people.

So if you find yourself on a warm sunny day missing some classic fun loving Hip-Hop, go pick up a copy of The Album. They just don’t make MC’s like Ding Ding no more.

A taste of INI - Center of Attention

Rotary Connection - Memory Band


INI - Life I Live


The first time I heard this song I almost lost my mind. The extremely mellow muffled beat makes the endorphins flow and the feel-good Biggie sample in the chorus, "damn right I like the life I live," make this song a top 100 songs ever for me.

David Axelrod - Holy Thursday


INI - Think Twice


ya don't know what ya doin... think about that

This song is a great driving song, definitely tends to calm me down and helps the time pass.

To be honest, the whole CD sounds pretty similar, but there are some serious jewels on there. Listen to the rest of the album via YouTube or download it on RapidShare

Hip-hop is alive and well on the east coast...

Lushlife - in soft focus

Hailing from Philly, Lushlife front-man Raj Haldar wrote that his goal with this album was... “to take hip-hop to different places. The major conceptual basis was classic hip-hop – I wanted that sentiment – but I also wanted a record imbued with the spirit of indie experimentation, as well as pop accessibility.” And that's exactly what he did here.

Check them out at and support some real modern hip-hop.