If you've been following the different blogs I've had over the years, you're familiar with that fact that I post about Da King & I fairly often. Specifically their single "Tears" off "Contemporary Jeep Music" in 1993. I'd purchased the album on cassette, had a couple of the cassingles, but it was the homie Petey Cologne (who later worked at The Halftime Show with DJ Eclipse) who had the 12" and hipped me to the incredibly smooth "Darp Vibe" Remix. I remember vividly popping in the 60 minute TDK cassette, recording a copy and listening back on it for days. Naturally, I eventually purchased a copy, but for a while that dub was all I had. YouTube (in the U.S.) has taken down most copies of Da King & I's videos, you just don't see them - especially not in good quality - but they exist. A few years back, a video clip of Izzy Ice & DJ Majesty was unearthed with behind the scenes footage from the making of the "Tears" video: discussing the record's concept, as well as the meaning of Da King & I, and briefly featuring Jamal of the group Illegal (also on Dallas Austin's Rowdy Records at the time). Lastly, they mention the track "Kingpin" with Pudgee The Phat Bastard, which is snuck on the B-side to "Tears" but is not featured on the "Contemporary Jeep Music" LP. Watch below.
Pharoahe Monch's "Lost In Translation" is a collection of previously released songs from his solo albums as well as features from 2000 to 2015. Love being the consistent theme birthed the decision for a Valentine's Day 2015 release. Featured on this set are appearances from Justin Timberlake, Jill Scott, Eric Roberson, dEnAuN, Brandon Williams, Sergio Mendes, Will.I.Am, Robert Glasper, Sa Ra, and Mela Machinko. The set also features one new track “Home (HGH)” featuring Phonte’ and Tamisha. Stream below, also available for Free Download, do check it out.
Celebrating the 15th Anniversary of Tape Kingz (in 2004), DJ Envy, Green Lantern, DJ Kayslay, Doo Wop, Dirty Harry, DJ Whoo Kid, and DJ Pudgee P collaborated on this Shady Records exclusive mixtape. Along with the mixtape was the message: "Special thanks to all the DJs who gave their time for Tape Kingz 15th Anniversary CD. Thanks to all the DJs that we have featured over the last 15 years. Most of all, extra special thanks to the supporters of the mixtape scene... From the record company execs leaking stuff to the DJs, to the artists who contribute to and support mixtapes and to the fans who cop the CDs." Iain McNee, the owner of Brooklyn-based Tape Kingz, once said: "It's totally illegal, but in rap industry music law, it's totally legal and a vital part of rap music." An incredibly storied tradition of releasing some of the most influential mixtapes, I wanted to post up this anniversary mix for those may have missed it back in '04. The mix features tracks from Big Pun, Fat Joe, 2Pac, Ason, David Banner, 50 Cent, Jay-Z, The Game, Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, Nas, Papoose, Buckshot, Mobb Deep, The Notorious B.I.G., M.O.P., Joe Budden, and a lot more. Updated audio link.
The Soul Council's own, Khrysis has released his latest compilation of instrumentals entitled Khrysis On The Board. A decade or so ago, there were two mixed-compilations of instrumentals called Khrysis On The Boards With The Heat, so to be clear, this is a separate release. I believe anyway, lol. Keeping that soulful sound and hard drums, Khrysis has represented North Carolina lovely over the years. His work with 9th Wonder and the Justus League was one of the best sounds to emerge from the mid-2000s. This 21-track project is sure to keep him on the mind of MCs and fans alike...
"When you hear that Prodigy and Havoc have returned, this time it's not the West Coast kids from the S.O.C., it's them n!ggaz from Mobb Deep, New York, who pulled cards with butter skills and dragged insiders to "Cop Hell" a couple years ago. While most fans never heard the song, the few who did were hooked. Their music was tight as a prom date; they told the truth: "Hell yeah, n!gga, we wanna kill cops!" No surprise tho', the song was conspicuously absent from their first album on Island Records. Now, to prepare you for their second album, on a new record label, "Shook Ones, Part II" is being released. After Prodigy drops: "I'm only nineteen but my mind is older / and when shit gets for real, my warm heart turns colder," Hav takes his back: "For every rhyme I write, it's 25 ta life / yo, it's a must, the gats we trust, are safeguardin' my life." With hardcore lyrics over gritty, blunt-lighting beats, "Shook Ones..." will compel heads to bob as they release the complete package."
"An eerie guitar fills the track's background and sets the mood as its repetitive, trance-inducing rhythm remains continuous as hard-hitting snares never stop hittin'. It's the perfect background for this young duo that loves to talk noise. Out of all the younguns trying to pop that tough guy shit, none of them really have the lyrical roughness of this team. Featherweight n!ggaz take flight! Mobb Deep, the "official Queensbridge murderahs," are coming..." - The Source. Full review below...
"Slum Village are on the verge of releasing their debut album, "Fantastic Vol.2" into the world. The album is a supreme effort nearly three years in the making, one that christens the Detroit trio as the next generation of soulful, vintage hip-hop. The members of Slum Village have known each other since they were in their teens, having grown up in the same Conant Gardens neighborhood of Detroit. Even though they haven't put out anything beyond a handful of singles, already their peers are singing their praises. In addition to the torch passing by A Tribe Called Quest, everyone from The Roots to Common to D'Angelo have singled out Slum Village for rejuvenating passion in hip-hop music. "Simply stated, if it weren't for Slum Village, I'd quit the business and go back to college," says Questlove of The Roots. Why are there so many guardian angels looking out for a relatively anonymous trio from Motown? "That's a good ass questions," T3 admits. "I guess it's because we're musicians and...we try to make music that other musicians can respect... I think that those other artists feel what we're doing." There's also the fact that Slum Village isn't entirely anonymous; in fact, chances are you've been hearing a variation of their music - and loving it - for years. Producer Jay Dee is also a part of the production team The Ummah, and has helped concoct beats for Q-Tip (Amplified), D'Angelo (Voodoo), Common (Like Water For Chocolate), A Tribe Called Quest's last two albums, classic joints like The Pharcyde's "Runnin," "Stakes Is High" from De La Soul, and numerous remixes for artists like Brand New Heavies and Janet Jackson." Peep "Raise It Up," + cont'd below...
"Slum Village's Fantastic Vol.2 is colored by that same old-school, soul-drenched sound that makes a Jay Dee production instantly recognizable - lush keyboard swells underneath sparse drum taps and funkdafied rhythm stabs - except this time, he's got Baatin, T3 and himself on the mic to compliment the steady-nod feeling. On Fantastic Vol.2, Slum Village reveal a vibrant palette of musical styles: there's the hypnotizing, soul minimalism of "Players" and "Get Dis Money," the post-disco bounce of "What's It All About" (with Busta Rhymes), and the irreverence and acumen of "I Don't Know," where the groups rhymes are integrated with artfully chopped up James Brown phrases. Other guests on the album include Kurupt ("Forth and Back"), Jazzy Jeff, and venerable producer Pete Rock ("Once Upon A Time"), confirmation that Slum Village are a part of that movement in hip-hop intent on being culturally grounded and true to the lineage of great black music." - Press Kit. Revisit the full LP...
"Sometimes our reality seems to be even better than our dreams." - Baatin
As promised, let's take a deeper look into Rubberoom's "Gothic Architecture" project from 1995. The 10-track cassette was released in 1995 on Elastic Recordings. The Chicago crew of both eMCees & producers were celebrated (below) in the second issue of "Caught In The Middle" magazine. Caught In The Middle Magazine was the brainchild of Kevin Beacham (Creator/Co-Owner) and J-Bird (Owner/Co-Creator) and was produced out of Chicago in conjunction with graphic designers, Boom Design. J. Bird managed Rubberoom & if you check out the "Street Theme" post, you can read how J. Bird and Kevin Beacham connected Rubberoom & Atmosphere, as well as how they landed positions at RSE. The review says, "If making dope records is no guarantee of successful stage shows, the same is true the other way around. Fortunately, Rubberoom successfully translate their live skills to vinyl with their single (promo only) "Synapse Gap" and EP - Gothic Architecture in stores now. The music lives up to the "Gothic" title, creating an eerie, foreboding atmosphere that other groups have aimed for but didn't reach." It further adds, "Weaving in and out of the beats are dissonant washes of sound from jazz and bugged out modern classical and film noir soundtrack type music. The samples are not the usual breakbeat fare. If I heard them in their original forms, I'd never guess it, but the samples are put to create a straight up Hip-Hop sound." Cont'd below...
Praising Rubberoom's live show, the overall review of the album is equally positive and is summed up by, "It's lovely, chaos, anarchy, music..." "Gotchic Architecture" is now available on Rubberoom's Bandcamp page, where the digital version is now 13 tracks, including bonus instrumentals. If you didn't grow up in the Chicago Hip-Hop scene, you may have missed this release, so I recommend you give it a listen below. As always, hit the archives for more and please do follow their breadcrumbs.
"Mini-markets or bodegas, lowriders or cabs, sunshine or snow. Welcome to the West wit an East Coast perspective. Longtime fans who have followed the evolution of rap's demilegends Brand Nubian may be a little taken aback by the broad musical strength displayed on Lord Jamar and Sadat X's second effort as a duo. Everything Is Everything is not In God We Trust, and it most certainly is not One For All. The album, produced entirely by Lord Jamar (who admittedly is a fan of MC Eiht, Cube, Snoop...and others), wreaks of inspiration and influence from the group's Westside counterparts - culminating in a laid-back, easy-flowing, West Coast "G"-feeling project. The first single "Word Is Bond," hits with an exhibition of hardcore stylistics over a fat jazz track, as does "Step Into Da Cipher," a posse cut spotlighting New York's Serge, Maestro Manny and Snaggapuss. Although concepts get a little cloudy ... Nubian also pull through heavy topical discussions pertaining to the plight of the Black man, proving that their original flavor is not completely left in the dust."
"... Filled with West Coast expressions, sweet female and male backing vocals, live musicians, and, of course, the smart rhyming skills of both Sadat X and Lord J, Brand Nubian return with brand nu vibes and an altogether brand nu sound. But the burning question remains: Is this a genuine bridging of the East Coast / West Coast gap, or is it just another ploy to ... what? Sell records? Fourth-generation Hip-Hoppers may not care, but fans - we want to know." - Rap Pages, 2/95 (Updated).
