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.