Kev Brown "The Kev Brown Holiday Special" (Beat Tape)

On his new joint, The Kev Brown Holiday Special, Kev brings the basslines back. When you think of holiday music, you don't think first of basslines. But this is a Kev Brown album, so we get all the usual holiday feels, but we also get those basslines. But I'm getting ahead of myself. A holiday album at its core has to give you that holiday feel. You gotta feel that vibe. It has to be festive. This isn't lost on Kev. Songs like "Let's Go Play and Stuff", "Fun", and "Pajamas and Hot Chocolate" really bring that holiday vibe. Like, you can run this album in the background while you open presents, or have it playing when the grandparents arrive. You can put in a shuffle with the classic Temptations and O'Jays holiday records and not lose the vibe. And yet, these songs still work as a hip hop record. Which brings me back to those basslines. As a Hip hop head, you can still appreciate these records, just for being some dope ass beats. Kev doesn't sacrifice the funk. You can close your eyes and while listening to "Fun" and see Christmas, and yet you can still hear a hot 16 too. And he really gets in his bag on Futuristic Angel, pushing the envelope with synthy bass that lives up to its Future namesake. If you like Christmas and like hip hop, you need this. You want to play some Christmas music for the fam but still want beats, you need this. Got a heartbeat and like music? You get the idea... - Kamau "Slacks" Malone. Listen to this fine beat tape from Kev Brown below... Happy Holidays!

J Scienide & Kev Brown "Stray From The Pack" (Album Stream)

Stray From The Pack is a homage to all the great duos like EPMD, Das EFX, Hall & Oates, Mobb Deep, Steely Dan etc, says J Scienide & Kev Brown. They add, "This album was fun to create because we both have so many styles and different music genres that we like. We kept it raw. Strictly hardcore beats, no guest appearances and no gimmicks - just dope beats and rhymes!" Props to the homie, J Scienide, as well as DJ Jon Doe, who is on all the cuts. Hit up the archives for lots more from J Scienide and Kev Brown, but before that, enjoy their new LP, Stray From The Pack, below...

Kev Brown & J Scienide "Drum Machine Tape Cassette" (Stream)

Low Budget Crew veteran Kev Brown has teamed up with J Scienide for a collaborative album titled Drum Machine Tape Cassette. The new LP is comprised of 13 tracks, with guests including my brother Supastition, Kenn Starr, Hassaan Mackey, yU and Finale, and more. This will be a contender for album of the year out of the underground, don't wait for anyone else to cosign it, just dig in!

Kev Brown "Homework" (Album Stream)

After a 13 year hiatus, producer/MC Kev Brown has finally released the sophomore sequel to 2005's influential cult classic, "I Do What I Do.” Entitled, "Homework", "Homework" was composed organically and at his own pace, in the comforts of his own home; hence the title. Kev's trademark sound has been emulated over the last decade by so many artists and his sonic impact is very evident even among his contemporaries. It all started on the Akai MPC2000xl and the rest is history. Kev Brown's debut album was groundbreaking in so many areas. It would be no surprise that Hip Hop would ask for the next installment and he's nowhere near done leaving his mark. "Homework" is a seamless nonstop exhibition of KB's range. Kev raps confidently and wisely throughout the album's 27 tracks. Lyrically, it's personal, introspective, comedic, observatory and witty, delivered in Kev's smooth baritone style. Vocals are equally complimented by instrumentals all produced by the man himself and fluidly morph into instrumental compositions too good to be considered interludes. The album was composed using several different samplers and recording technologies, but the vibe is never compromised. Returning to his roots, this a very "Hip Hop" album. The drums are hard, the recordings are unpolished, samples are obscure, manipulated and unrefined. "Homework" is the perfect game plan for today's climate. And for those who haven't, do your homework on this man!

Kev Brown & Hassan Mackey "That Grit" (Album Stream)

"Both the Maryland based producer-on-the-mic and the Rochester, NY emcee have previously worked together various times, but this mini-album marks the first time the two embark on a full project. Most boom-bap enthusiasts should already be well acquainted with both Kev Brown and Hassaan Mackey: double threat Kev Brown already showcased his skills on microphones as well as production boards on countless releases and has been dubbed "king of basslines" by fans worldwide. In addition to his solo recordings Kev's credits include beats for heavyweights like Busta Rhymes, Biz Markie, De La Soul, Jazzy Jeff, and Marley Marl just to name a few, as well as handling entire album production for LMNO, Kaimbr, and Raw Poetic. Hassaan Mackey released a string of albums, including a full-length LP with Apollo Brown, and appearances on releases by Oddissee, Kaimbr, The Left and L'Orange.  Recorded during a series of impromptu bus and train trips Hassaan took from Rochester to visit Kev in Maryland, "That Grit" was created with a spontaneous approach, reflecting both Mackey's freestyle background and Brown's proven "random joints" formula. Entirely produced by Kev Brown and featuring his signature bassline-driven and raw but soulful sound, "That Grit" consists of an intro, eight full-length tracks and six instrumentals." Stream the album below...