Natural Elements "Built To Last Mix"

The 'Built To Last' Radio Show is hosted by Corrado & I Joe, each Thursday from 8-9pm on Radio campus FM in Toulouse, France. This is another artist tribute mix, this time the legendary underground hip-hop crew, Natural Elements: L Swift, A Butta & Mr. Voodoo, along with Charlemagne on most of the production. Any fans that grew up in the same era of hip-hop as me - with access, of course - were glued to radio to try and catch the Natural Elements crew, late at night, dropping off live freestyles and going bar for bar with one another. Or, up at Fat Beats. Their LP on Tommy Boy Black had it's obvious setbacks, finally getting an independent CD release some years back, plus multiple vinyl releases to celebrate old demos, instrumentals and slept-on cuts. Dig all that up as you can, but for now get familiar with this tightly constructed "Built To Last" mix. 

Venomous2000 & Trilian "Sounds Of The Great Ones 2"

Sounds Of The Great Ones 2 is the follow-up collaboration album between New Jersey emcee Venomous2000 and Serbia's very own, Trilian. The project features appearances from Phonetic, R.A.P., Shinobi (One Blood Universal), Sticman (Dead Prez), Ned Schimmelfinney, Masai Bey, Fes Taylor, ID4Windz, King RA, Supreme Sol, Skrewtape, Recognize Ali, Godilla, Napoleon Da Legend and cuts by DJ TMB. Their first album got a lot of burn, so it's dope they did a follow-up. Dig into it below...

Elaquent "Baker's Dozen" (Instrumental Album)

Fat Beats Records is proud to present Baker’s Dozen, an exclusive series that shines a light on the best minds of instrumental hip-hop, ambient, and electronic music. Each installment gives one artist carte blanche to capture their signature sound. Every volume’s limited vinyl pressing features one artist and twelve tracks, and comes equipped with a 5x7” postcard insert that features a photo of the artist’s workspace along with the equipment used in their music-making process. Visually cohesive and packaged with the utmost attention to detail, Baker’s Dozen is a series that speaks up for artists whose craft renders voices superfluous, whose instrumentals alone suffice to make a statement. Volume nine highlights the Guelph, Ontario producer Elaquent, who breaks down his creative process below: “Since the beginning, my philosophy has always been that perfection is boring, so despite all the changes that have occurred with my equipment and system, that main philosophy remains the same. In the beginning it was all about flipping samples with FL Studio and just my computer keyboard, and over the years, I added the MPD and Masterkey in order to be able to jam out drums live and play keys, which speeds up the workflow. I like the effects on the 404, and there’s a lot of dope ways to integrate my iPad into it, but at the end of the day, it starts with a melody or sample, and I kinda just let the vibe take over.” - Elaquent. Catch the vibe below...

Westside Gunn "Supreme Blientele" (Album Stream)

“They wondered could I make an album better/equivalent to FLYGOD and I answered simply ‘this album is a masterpiece,’” Gunn said on Instagram. “Every beat, rhyme, feature is stellar. As a true fan of hip hop and my love for art, I can honestly say this will prove that I’m a legend. I’ve never claimed to be the best lyricist but I make some of the best music and influence the best in the game. This what the culture needed.” Locked in at 17 tracks, the album with three titles (yes, three) is absolutely stacked with features from Conway, Jadakiss, eLZhi, Anderson .Paak, Busta Rhymes, Roc Marciano, Benny, and CRIMEapple, over seriously banging production from Alchemist, Daringer, Statik Selektah, Pete Rock, Harry Fraud, 9th Wonder, and more. - via 2DBZ. Dig into it below...

Ill Conscious "The Underachiever" (Mixtape Stream)

Dropping on Ill Catz Records (a Belgian label), Ill Conscious' debut mixtape from back in '09-10, "The Underachiever." I'm told this release is limited to about 100 physical cassettes and it's the 9th release from the Ill Catz label. As they also work on pressing "The Prerequisite" to cassette next, we get to dig back into this throwback mix. The 18-track offering features original cuts produced by Mizfitz Sound, Da Cypher, Tom Delay, Josh Grooves, T-Mos, Skratch Zilla, Sinitus Tempo and a nice blend of freestyles over industry beats - Exhibit C & Devil In A Blue Dress to name a few - spread throughout. It's dope that young artists are aware that their back catalogs hold value & can be leverage for new $ too! I've only been to Belgium once (2010, European Tour with Eternia), it's a shame I never crossed paths with the good folks at Ill Catz Records, I wish them much success. Stream "The Underachiever Mixtape" below and order a copy of the limited edition cassettes HERE.

Apollo Brown & Locksmith "No Question" (Album Stream)

"West Coast Berkeley grad, battle rapper and musician Locksmith has hammered out a reputation as one of Hiphop's most enlightened no punch pulling emcees. From his early appearances on MTV's Freestyle Championship to his frequent Shade 45 appearances, Locksmith always brings cutting lyricism that not only questions the status quo but offers deep truths for reflection. Meanwhile Detroit's Apollo Brown has built his illustrious career on emotive production that draws the best out of already legendary mic kings. From his work with Ras Kass and OC, Skyzoo to Ghostface Killah, Apollo repeatedly creates eyes shut, head nodding, soul stirring perfection for our greatest storytellers to lay their truth bare. So when Richmond & Detroit came together in the studio the answer was "No Question" - a new project that finds Locksmith ruminating on everything from advice to his younger self to his continued drive to rise w/o following in anyones footsteps." - MMG

Gang Starr "The Ownerz" (Vibe Magazine, June 2003)

"For the generation of hip-hoppers who preserved through puberty with the help of conscious kings like KRS-One and Chuck D, but came of age stuck on the street nihilism of Kool G Rap and, later, Mobb Deep, Gang Starr represents a stripped-down and indispensable aesthetic. Few groups embody good old-fashioned hip hop like Keith "Guru" Elam, 36, and Chris Martin, aka DJ Premier, 34, who still encompass the breadth of hip hop before it splintered into subgenres - each too good to recognize the others. The duo has maintained a blemish-free catalog for 14 years, including classics like Step In The Arena and Daily Operation. Should they falter, let alone fall off, as most of their contemporaries have, it would truly indicate the end of an era. But Gang Starr's formula is both straightforward and timeless. And as evidenced by The Ownerz, their first studio album in five years, the two have no intention of switching it up this late in the game." Cont'd below...

"You know their steez: Songs like "Riot Akt" fit right into the canon of Gang Starr greats. Melancholy horns accent a diesel bass line, while Guru laments that "real criminals got immunity." In his simple but pleasant cadence, the 5'8 MC again puts substance before slickness - and the results are refreshing... Each of The Ownerz' songs, however, stands on its own as a respectable Gang Starr effort... While The Ownerz does not spark any new rap trends, it brings back the power of the basics in an ever-evolving rap music landscape. For the first time in five years, a generation of Gang Starr disciples can take ownership of their music, and claim it as a moment of truth." - Vibe, 6/03

Theory Hazit "Thr3e" (June 23, 2013)

Thr3e is the third album in the Lord Fire series by Scribbling Idiot member Theory Hazit. Entirely produced by Dert, this album is full of storytelling, reflection, faith and dope beats. "Theory Hazit was born and raised in Winchester, Kentucky with the support of his grandma, an aunt and two uncles. He always had a vivid imagination, enjoying cartoons more than music videos." A man of faith and a very cerebral MC, I've long been a steady fan of his music and along with "Extra Credit," and "Lord Fire," this "Thr3e" release is among my favorites in his catalog. Tracks like "What Lies Beneath" and especially "For Lack of Better Words," represent the quality of Theory Hazit's work that draws me in as a fan. I actually wanted my artist, Eternia, to jump on "For Lack of Better Words;" however different the style mighta been for her (production-wise), I still think it woulda been an incredible collaboration. I'll say it now - on the record - a separate collab will come eventually. In the meantime, dig into Theory's "Thr3e" album, and really sit with the lyrics today, on it's 5th anniversary.