NISSIM - "World Heroes"

Nassim is a Seattle based emcee, previously known as D.Black, who make quality hip-hop for the working man. Having just rleased his somber "World Heroes" single where Nissim comes through with a somber instrumental, courtesy of Jake One. Now, with his first album on the cloze horizon hs's aiming to raise more awareness and social commentary with the upcoming album. In fact, check out the first single from the official "World Heroes" heroes album.

[Mix] K-DEF - "Looking For The Perfect Break" SideB

If you more than a casual reader of The Lost Tapes, you certainly know that I always  keep my eyes, ears, and wallet open for anything bearing the name K-DEF.Although I've been a dedicated fan since I first heard his work on Tragedy's 1993 sophomore LP "Saga Of A Hoodlum" which was the first project where his sample-heavy style really DJ Eclipse, anc  Since he hooked up with Marley Marl and Redifinnition Records in 1992, 'Def's career really took off; producing classics for LL Cool J, Shai/Jay-Z, Craig Mack, Artifacts, Mic Gernuímo, Mikyll Miers, and more. As part of Marley Marl publishig 'Def's appeares on standout records in the -mid'90s, really enhanced the deep basslines and hard drum programming that defnied an entiry era. There were a few albums produced by Marl and K-Def that unfortunately got shelved, mainly Sah-B's 1995 debut and World Renown's self-titled album.

'

But DEF is not only a class A producer but also a tremendous wheels-of-steel architect, having filled in for certain quality mixes like a promo CD for Gasface Magazine, and so on. Redefinition's "Looking For The Perfect Break" LP/CD is a brilliant 40+ minutes set of Hansford mixing a wide array of funk, soul, breakbeats, and hip-hop in a high-fidelity seamless mix with no annoying DJ drops or shout outs. The record sleeve is crated by the always trustworthy Joe Buck, who does a great job as always. I also added the comple B-side which was posted a while back, so you can hear how it wil sound on your turntable!

[Video] YESH - "No Guarantees" [Diamond Remix]

Kid Tsunami is a new act that recentyt emerged on the ever growing hip-hop scene to take his rightful place as a talented '90s steez producer. Kicking things off´with the 12" single "Bang Excousive" (which features cameos from Sean Price, and Da Beatminerz to name a few), that caught a lot of buzz leading up to the soon to be released LP. Keep checking back for an official release date for the project while you bang this one LOUD. While the majoritu of the project is  instrumental, the product also sees lot of interesting guest versesto be found here. However, it's of course YESH who will be at the forefront, and she of course does an exceollen a good job on the dark production.Every single beat on "Saga" represents vintage hg, butthere's no doubt that the Inntelligent Hoodlum Definitelly check this one out ASAP.. July 15 is the retail release"!

KID TSUNAMI / YESH 12" @

DAMU THE FUDGEMUNK drops "Spur Moment Trailer" 2x12"

Damu The Fudgemonk is undobtedy one of the most interesting producer/emcees to have hit the scene in past few years. He's been around longer than that though. His style is known for dropping quality material, taking inspiration and sample sources from everythinng from classic jazz, soulful funk, reagge and of course hip-hop.

Often creating terrific hip-hop beats heavily influenced by the jazz scene of the late '50s to early '80s, realaying on instruments like vibraphoes, acoustic pianos and the overall mood of bop, Damu is one of those MPC instrumentalists who, unlike some beatmakers, packs the quality to both appeal to jazz and undergrund hip-hop heads. Damu's latest endeavor on Redefinition Records is a vinyl EP from Damu called "Spur Moment Trailer" which features "Fade's 'Em Gone (Organ Grinder)" which you'll find at the bottom of this post via Redef's Sooundcloud . Other choice cuts include "Redef Mission Statement", "Assembly Line", "Meadows", to name a few.

The EP is available now from Redefinition Records, and I strongly suggest you pick this one up as ReDef constantly knows how to get rid of filler meterial whether it a long or short porject.  Order the CD or LP here.

[Alt. Version of] INSPECTAH DECK's - "Uncontrolled Substance" LP (1999)

Following a couple of mentions of an updated version of Inspectah Deck's debut album that I compiled for my own personal listening, I've gotten a few requests to upload it here. I'm very much an album guy so when an LP drops that's on a 50/50 level I don't come around for the good parts of it as much as I actually would want. In this digital age, however, through addition and subtraction of certain tracks, switching up the original sequencing and so forth shich really enhanced a lot of albums in my collection which otherwise mostly been collecting dust. One of those albums is Inspectah Deck's "Uncontrolled Substance" which I originally picked it up when it dropped in late April, 1999. INS always been one of my favorite emcees and lyricists so it's unfortunate that he, to me, still hasn't managed to drop a true front-to-back masterpiece on par with the Wu's first round of albums. "Uncontrolled Substance" is without a doubt the best entry in Deck's solo catalouge, but at the same time it was one of the weaker links in the Wu saga up to that point. With that being said, it is actually a good, but not great, debut as there's really no wack records here (though a few benefit from the skip button) and a handful of its tracks fail to stand out or leave any lasting impressions. However, without exceptions it is the production and beats that are lacking as INS performance throughout is that of a lyrical  monster who paints vivid pictures with his verses. So why not rearrange and update The Substance into the close to perfect album that INS was close to delivering in the late '90s?

Of the 17 tracks heard on this version 10 is directly lifted from the original retail source. The completed album only had two tracks produced by The RZA ("Movas & Shakers"; "Friction") which was one of the complaints voiced about the Wu solos of the '98-'99 era. With that in mind I have added a gang of dope RZA / INS collaborations recorded before or around the same time as "Uncontrolled Substance" was recorded; "Execute Them" from the first Killa Beez compilation, "Semi-Automatic: Full Rap Metal Jacket" from the "High School High" soundtrack, "Tres Leches" from Big Pun's "Capital Punishment" and "Let Me At Them" from the "Tales From the Hood" soundtrack (the latter credited to Deck as a producer, but the credits reveal that  R. Diggs is one of the writers of the song, most likely as a un uncredited co-producer as I can't imagine Deck needing Rakeem as a ghost writer). The latter was Deck's first released solo track with Deck spitting bars of fury, over an agressively dark beat. Although it was recorded in 1995 it flows well with the other material heard here; not to mention it's one of the most powerful album intros you could ever ask for.  Another cut that sounds great within this set comes with Pete Rock's "True Master" which to me sounds like a very smooth transition from Pete's other beautiful contribution, "Trouble Man". "Nightshift" was, very unfortunately, originally cut from the album along with a track called "Settlement". I decided not to include the latter since I didn't feel it lived up to the better tracks from U.S.
As you notice this is hardly filled with rare tracks and alternative versions as its purpose is to present a plausible and even iller re:imagining of the amazing late-'90s Deck album. And that is, without straying too far away from the original formula. I strongly suggest you put on some good headphones, turn the volume up loud and let this one play out from the first to last track! Who knows, maybe you end up like me, never listening to the retail album but remotely often throwing this one on! For me this version is a very solid 4 mics rating, while the retail album is very strong 3, or 3.5 if I'm being nice....SUUUU!

01. "Let Me at Them" [prod. The Rebel INS & RZA]

02. "Movas & Shakers" [prod. The RZA]

03. "Uncontrolled Substance" [prod. Allah Mathematics] (Ft. Shadii)

04. "Nightshift" [prod. True Master]

05. "Semi-Automatic: Full Rap Metal Jacket" (Ft. UGOD, and Street) [prod. RZA]
06. "9rh Chamber"  (Ft. Wu-Tang Killa Beez) [prod. 4th Disciple]
07. "Longevity" (Ft. Golden Arms) [prod. True Master]
08. "Word On The Street" [prod. INS The Rebel]
09. "Lovin' You" (Ft. La The Darkman) [prod. True Master]
11. "Trouble Man" [prod. Pete Rock].
12. "True Master" (w. Pete Rock, Kurupt) [prod. Pete Rock]
13. "R.E.C. Room" [prod. True Master & RZA]
14. "Friction" (Ft. Masta Killa) [prod. RZA]
15.  "Execute Them" (Ft. Masta Killah, Raekwon & Street) [prod. RZA]
16. "Tres Leches" (w. Big Pun & Prodigy) [prod. RZA]
17. "Show N Prove: The Final Words" (Ft. Force MD's) [prod. Blaquesmiths]

INS - "UNCONTROLLED SUBSTANCE"

[Tracklist] GUILTY SIMPSON / SMALL PROFESSOR LP

Detroit's hardest spitkicker Guilty Simpson have released several albums over the last few years, and shows no signs of slowing down at all. Since his debut with Jaylib on the masterpiece that was "Strapped", the ruff voiced emcee have constantly dropped album after album. Often utilizing one producer for each project, save for his debut every single LP since has utilized the one MC/one DJ full-length formula, with sick collaborations with Apollo Brown, Madlib, Black Milk (with Random Age) and Oh No's remix album. His new Project is slated to be titled "Highway Robbery" and is a collaboration with Philly beat head Small Professor.

Guilty has yet to dissapoint, so I'm looking very much forward to this LP which drops on Coalmine Records on September 24. Only ten tracks strong, but the first single promises good things and with guest spots coming from legends like AG, Statik Selektah, and DJ Revolution. Check out the tracklist below and mark September 24 in your calenders... Oh and if you haven't Heard it Before press play on the Soundcloud player at the bottom of this post. This is the "Breaking Bad" inspired track that was the initiation of the full-length collaboration; the original version of the albums final track "The Easiest Way".

01. Take Your Power (Intro)
02. Get That Pay (Scooby Mix)
03. I'm The City (feat. Boldy James & Statik Selektah)
04. Blap (Interlude)
05. It's Nuthin (feat. AG)
06. On the Run (feat. DJ Revolution)
07. Go (feat. Castle & Elucid)
08. Come Get Me (Outro)
09. Get That Pay (OG Mix)
10. The Easiest Way (Remix)

John M.A. - "Downtown" [prod. LG The Producer]

I have some memory of John M.A.'s previous work and though I don't have super clear image of what he was doing, I remember that I did like him as an artist. Naturally I was intrigued to see his name pop up in my inbox just now, and it turns out that he's working on a new project called "Master in the Arts". "Downtown", the first single features Wale and John kicking reflective lyrics over a somber production with progressive drum programming; produced by LG The Producer.

 

[EP Sampler / Comp] DE' 1 - "Day One"

 I'm not gonna front and claim to you that I know a lot about rapper De' 1 more than from the two 12" singles, which today is quite rare, that he released between 1993 and '94. Both tracks featured exceptional pounding, bass heavy boom bap production mainly supplied by the likes of K-DEF and Marley Marl who was an incredible tag team at this time. Although they together produced outstanding albums for Intellgent Hoodlum, Lords Of The Underground, Real Live, and a few others there were just as many that got shelved at last minute and has never seen the life of day as far as retail projects goes. With the emergence of Dre's and Death Row's sophisticated G-Funk, Wu-Tang's mystical but HARD new approach, Redman's hilarious image that never took away from his lyrical extravaganza, there's no question that the deep basslines, muddy beats, and braggadocious slightly off-kiler lyrics, the acts that Def and Marl were working on under this time, sometimes using the production name M & K had not moved with the new and were eventually, and not suprisingly shelved by the suits-and-ties at Warner Bros Entertainment's subsidiary Reprise Records. 

Some of these albums have appeared in various formats, but never complete with credits as is evident by the long, long sought after Sah-B debut from 1995 titled "Some Ol' Saah B Shit" that not even dedicated fans had ever heard until the great Keavin Beachman of The5thElementOnline stumbled across a promo cassette of it in a used store. Talk about lucky record shpping! Beachman also deserves a huge amount of thanks from us all, for uploading the entire album to the net for free. In an interview with K-Def with FromDaBricks a while back he concluded that he was not entirely sure that Sah's album was ever completed, but the advance rip definitely supports the fact that it was indeed completed and simply waiting for the label to give it the go ahead. In fact, the LP was even given a catalouge numer on the K-Def/Marley produced single "Summa Days" BW "Some Ol' Sah-B- Shit" in early 1995.

From what I figure there were three artists and their projects on the Reprise label that were connected to K-Def and Marley Marl; the aforementioned Sah-B album, the self-titled World Renown album (whcih you can lsiten to HERE), and last and probably the most obscure rhymer out the bunch - De' 1. Between '93 and '94, De' 1 released two singles on the label - "16 With A Bullet", and "True Homies" featuring production work by Marley Marl, K-Def and Scarface of The Geto Boys (with a little help from Southern production/instrumentalist guru Mike Dean). Before fading into obscurity following the shelving of his album "Day One", which 'Def in an interview stated he pretty much was sure had been completed. With a De' 1 guest apperance on LOTUG's "Flow On" together with Sah-B. The Lords also appeared on the released Marley Marl laced B-side "Da Underground Sound", once again together with Sah-B and even Marley himself. And the little material is all DOPE, and I would love to hear the full project as originally intended; maybe one day. I have collected all of the available songs from the original records, together with the Lords track as a bonus, which makes for a pretty cool insight into what this album could, and probably should, have sounded like. Let me know what you think of this!

 

01. "16 With A Bullet" [LP Version]

02. "True Homies" [LP Version]

03. "Uneke (A Tribute to the DJ)" [LP Verison]

04. "Da Undaground Sound" [LP Version] (Ft. L.O.T.U.G., Sah-B, & Marley Marl)

05. "Flow On (New Symphony) (w. L.O.T.U.G. & Sah B) [*]
06. "True Homies" [Mr. Scarface Radio Mix] [*]
07. "Da Underground Sound" [Marley Marl Impala Mix] [*]

DE' 1 - "DAY ONE (Sampler)"

AG Da Coroner - "Not Gonna Cry"

AG Da Coroner is definitely not an emcee to sleep on; the young Brooklyn spitter is best known for his heavy involvement in brilliant projects by fellow NY beasts like Meyhem Lauren, J-Love and Action Bronson. With each verse I've heard from this guy I have become more and more impressed by his material, so the word that just came in that he's working on his first official solo project came as a real pleasant surprise. The forthcoming EP is called "Crushed Grapes" and should undoubtedly be worth your money! Just peep the first official single, handled by ATG,(another young hip-hop artist that has blown me away on more than just a few occasions by now), with additional production touches added by The Letter "C", which is called "Not Gonna Cry", and there's a lot to love about this joint so I for one can't fucking wait for this EP. The project is slated to be release on the often trustworthy Man Bites Dog Records.

RAH DIGGA - "New Hoes ("New Slaves" Freestyle)

New material from the former first lady of The Flipmode Squad is pretty much always worth checking for, from her Beatminerz, Preemo, Pete Rock, Nottz and Rockwilder blessed rugged '98 debut "Dirty Harriet" to her more recent "Classic" collaboration with producer Nottz, Rah has made a name of rhyming at least as ruff and agressive as her male counterparts. For her just releasedd "New Hoes" single she spits vintage Rah sent out to the lost young women of the world; set to KanYe West's recent single "New Slaves"; supplying a lyrically performance way  above 'Ye's head.

[12" Throwback] WIZDOM LIFE & MATT FINGAZ - "Fruits of Labor in the Sunshine"

It's been a while since I did a 12" Throwback post, so here goes one for a single I stumbled across in a used vinyl store about a year ago. I picked up on the strength of the DJ Spinna production who is easily one of my favorites to ever do it. For this single New York emcee Wizdom Life teamed up with Matt Fingaz (a.k.a. FingaTip), better known as a manager and the founder of '90s indie powerhouse Guesswhyld than a rapper, to drop this pretty fat 12" single on Wreck Records back in early 1998. This was their only release together, and Wizdom Life faded into obscurity after dropping a album produced by Shawn J Period, released only a year after this single while Fingaz decided to focus his talents in other aspects of the music biz. 

Both tracks found here features the production talents of DJ Spinna, who makes an exceptional job as always. The A-side, "Fruits of Labor in the Sunshine" marks an early collaboration with Talib Kweli who delivers a thought provoking verse much in the same vein to what was heard on classic Black Starr LP with Mos; the apperances that once and for all put him on the map. There's no question that Kweli outshines the other two emcees here, but the two main artists does a pretty good job as well. The production is a perfect compliment to the lyrics of the song, with a kind of laid back beat that still got a lot of drive, and beautifully chopped up soulful vocal and instrumental loops that even got a slight reagge vibe.

The B-Side "Mad About You" is one of those booming posse cuts that we're so popular in the '90s, and it's great to hear some of those real underground emcees that totally faded into obscurity only a  couple of years later all ripping it on a track like this (although they all had a lot of material out in the '90s; mainly banging 12" singles). Over a somewhat harder Spinna beat than the previous, with pounding drums, hard kick and snares coupled with a shaking bassline guiding the talents of Craig G, Lace Da Booms, Mike Zoot and  the two main artists of the record. Five emcees showing their passion for rhyming over carefully chopped horns, and some vintage Spinna cuts is definitely one fan of '90s golden era hip-hop NEED to hear... This is just another one of those hundreds of cool underground singles that dropped in the mid-'90s but it's also a definite keeper that you should not sleep on, so grab the complete single below in a nice 320 kbps rip, and whatever you do.... TURN IT UP!

 
A1. "Fruits Of Labor in the Sunshine" (Ft. Talib Kweli)
A2. "Fruits Of Labor in the Sunshine" [Instrumental]
B1. "Mad About You" (Ft. Craig G, Lace Da Booms & Mike Zoot)
B2. "Mad About You" [Instrumental]

WIZDOM LIFE & MATT FINGAZ - "FRUITS OF LABOR IN THE SUNSHINE" VLS

NAMETAG / NAMELESS - "BLAOW!! Remix"

Detroit MC/producer duo Nametatag + Nameless have been making some seriously dope noise this year with their first, and self-titled, full-length together. While the album has gained quite positive reviews from hip-hop journalists and fans alike, the guys makes sure to continue the success with an upcoming project called "Redo". The 20-track set is a full remix album of their recent project, that will drop as a digital release, also put out by Brick Records. For an early taste of what to expect to come, the guys have unleashed the first single which comes in the form of the "C.R.E.A.M." homage remix to "BLAOW!!" - I can dig it!

[Video] PRESERVATION - "Shyne"

For me it's just super ill that very underrated Preservation is finally taking a large step up in his career this year. With his mid-2000s productions on albums by Mos Def, The Wu-Tang Fam, and Lord Jamar I quickly became a fan and has cherished anything new he puts out since. 2013 has so far seen him release a absolutely terrific free digital album consisting of his full take on Mos Def's "The Ecstatic", the solo compilation "Old Numbers" which is a superb listen that mixes previously unreleased material with a few rare tracks from his catalouge. The latter featured the song "SHYNE", featuring upcoming emcee Yahzeed (which you see the video for above), and with that Preservation just announced that he's closest upcoming project is a full-EP collaboration with Yahzeed called "Of Monolithic Proportions", so definitely keep your eyes and ears the fuck open! And if you haven't already, head over to Mon Die Music Store to cop the "Old Numbers" LP or CD directly from the label.

Roc Marciano - "Shit Hard"

Celebrating the launching of clothing line BAU, the team behind it is releasing the mixtape "All is Fair". Following the first leak with Krondon, "Another Line", Roc Marciano delivers hard on the appropriately titled "Shit's Hard". Both tracks pack a punch with its dark production from Frank The Butcher and Paul Mighty, so be sure that you will see the mixtape posted here as soon as it is made available.
 

[Album] KLAUS LAYER - "Adventures of Captain Crook"

Klaus Layer, sometimes known as Captain Crook, is a producer hailing from Germany who as such is the first international signee to acclaimed underground hip-hop base Redefinition Records. "The Adventures of Captain Crook", which is now available, takes the listener on a journey through lush sonic landscapes filled with moody melodies, ghostly voices and jazzy grooves; at times reminiscent of early Shadow. Klaus cites artists as diverse as Gunther Fischer, Pete Rock, Can, Michael Himel, Damu and Lord Finesse as inspiring sources, and while all of these influences can be heard here, there's no doubt that the overarching vision and sound is uniquely that of Klaus Layer. You can stream and purchase the digital album via Bandcamp, while the LP/CD is available @ Redefinition.

Malik B. & Mr. Green - "Definition"

Malik B. and Mr. Green lets loose of another single from their upcoming collaborative LP "Unpredictable", this one's called "Definition". Between this, the previous single "Devil", and what we know about these guys from previous releases, this project is shaping up to be one of the most memorable releases of 2013. Shouts to Okayplayer for the premier!

Breeze Brewin - "Brew in Control"

It's been quite some time since we heard anything from the always ill Juggaknots front man Breezly Brewin, so anything new is more than welcome. Here Brew ferociously attacks the "Control" beat that Kendrick Lamar spat his 'King of New York' verse on last week (who gets name checked here). This is fucking RAW man, I can only hope that this is the prequel to new Breez material to come.

Meyhem Lauren Ft. AG Da Coroner & Action Bronson - "Drug Lords"

Three of the flyest emcees to emerge on the scene during the last few years come together for the video shoot of "Drug Lords". You should recognize the song from Meyhem Lauren's "Respect The Fly Shit" that dropped as a free download a while back. Harry Fraud on the beat, sure sounds complete...

Yancey Boys Ft. Common - "Quicksand"

The Yancey Boys now consists of Illa J and Frank Nitt (of Frank-N-Dank), brother and frequent collaborator of J Dilla, respectively. Their forthcoming album, "Sunset Boulevard" is created around previously unreleased tracks from the great producer's deep vaults. Joining Frank Nitt and Illa J on the project is other Dilla associates such as Common, T3, Guilty Simpson, Posdnous and SlimKid3 as well as The Beat Junkies and Eric Robertson. “We’ve created an album that would make Dilla proud,” says Frank Nitt about the album. “But this isn’t a nostalgia trip: Dilla’s beats were so future-forward that they’re right on time in 2013, and we’ve assembled the best artists possible to represent that.” And it is truly amazing how fresh and knocking these old beats still sounds today as is clearly evident by the single "Quicksand", featuring Common and singer Dezi Page. Beautiful!

Support the cause and cop the single (strapped with the Beat Junkies assisted B-side "Fisherman") from iTunes. Stream supplied by Delicious Vinyl. 

Rome Clientel - "Bang Bang (The Elmira Anthem)"

Rome Clientel released two terrific EP sets last year and is now gearing up to release the final entry in the Empire trilogy - "The Empire 3: The Coronation". In anticipation of the official release date, Rome lets loose of the lead single from the project and not too suprisingly it's a sure shot banger. "Bang Bang (The Elmira Anthem)" is produced by the great beat master The Militia who supplies his usual soulful chops and crisp drum programming, underlining a blazing performance by Rome. Stay tuned for more info on the upcoming EP!

[Album] 14KT - "Nickel & Dimed"

Michigan producer 14KT has kept on his grind, flipping samples into smooth, well-conducted beats, and today drops his new album "Nickel & Dimed" on MMG. The project is created around 15 instrumentals and 6 vocal cuts. The rhymes on the latter are supplied by AB, Black Milk, Blu, MED, Buff1, and JMSN. You can stream the entire project below, and head over to iTunes to cop.

[EP] DEF DEE - "The Throwback Remixes"

Following Def Dee's cooking introduction to the world with last month's "33 And A Third", the Seattle producer keeps rocking with a brand new EP. 7 tracks deep, Dee shows off his remixing skills by touching up classics by Jay-Z, AZ, Da Bush Babees, Kane, InI, Brand Nubian and Nas. Free download via MMG, check it out!

Hus Kingpin / Roc Marciano / SmooVth - "Strive Remix"

EgoTrip has got the world premier of this excellent Foka Remix of Hus Kingpin's "Strive", featuring Roc Marciano and SmooVth. You'll find this banger on Hus' upcoming album "The Cognac Tape" which will be delivered on both wax and digital on September 17 via Mello Music Group.

ALLAH MATHEMATICS - "The Answer" Out Now!

Wu-Tang Clan's official DJ Allah Mathematics releases his fourth album as a solo artist today. Titled "The Answer", as it follows Math's last vocal album which was called "The Problem", the project is entirely produced by Math with vocals handled by Wu-Tang Clan, Redman, George Clinton, Ready Roc, Termanology, 12 O'Clock, Streetlife, and Popa Wu, as well as Math's dedicated team including Eyes Low, Bad Luck, and Allah Real. I'm not sure if the album is available in physical format, but you can download it @ Amazon.com where you can also listen to snippets of all the tracks. I also took the liberty of uploading one song from the album to give you a taste of what it's about. This particular cut features strong performances from Ghost, Deck, Rae and Method Man and is called "Four Horsemen"... SUUUUUUUUUU!!!!

MATHEMATICS / WU-TANG CLAN - "FOUR HORSEMEN"

Almighty Ft. Kool G Rap - "F.A.M."

The Almighty crew, led by Canibus, releases their album "The 2nd Coming" today in digital format and on CD. At the same time they lets loose of another single, featuring two names that is always sure to grab my attention - guest rhymer Kool G Rap and producer Domingo. The track is called "F.A.M." and is a pretty dope cut. Grab the album @ iTunes (Mp3) or Amazon (CD).

[Mixtape] FAT JOE - "The DARKSIDE 3"

It's only a few years back that I pretty much had given up entirely on new, dope music from Fat Joe but the truth is that when he wants to he can still honor his roots and drop that hard headnod shit. "Darkside III" got a lot of things going for it with Joe, who's in fine form here, spitting unfiltered coke lines over bangers supplied by the likes of DJ Premier, 9th Wonder, Diamond D, Cool & Dre and StreetRunner. Grab it for free below, thanks to DatPiff.

Download Mixtape | Free Mixtapes Powered by DatPiff.com

The Other Guys Ft. yU & Substantial - "Memories Fade"

DC production team The Other Guys join forces with MMG spitters yU & Substantial on "Memories Fade", the first single from the upcoming EP "The Opposite of Sex". September 10 is the date, so make sure to check back then as this is sure to be another cooking record from The Guys!

[Video] TOKYO CIGAR - "Here Now"

The homie Tokyo Cigar brings out the big guns on "Here Now", a self produced joint that is sure to have a lot of heads moving. Check the video above, grab the download below and get prepared to hear a lot more from Tokyo very soon.

[EP] JERED SANDERS - "While You Were Waiting"

As promised, emcee Jered Sanders teams up with DJBooth in delivering his free EP "While You Were Waiting". Including previously heard bangers "Black" and "Closed Caption" the EP consists of five joints that works as a great introduction to Sanders (and producer Talen Ted) in anticipation of the official LP debut later this year. Don't sleep!

[Video] RUSTE JUXX - "Ready to Juxx"

Hard-edged spitter Ruste Juxx got a real knack for finding largely undiscovered production talents. For his latest project, Ruste's tapping beats from VS The Beast and judging by the sounds of "Ready to Juxx" heard above we're getting another sure shut LP from the Boot Camp affiliate. "Ready to Juxx", the album that is, drops via Soulspazm Records on September 24.

Maurice "Mobetta" Brown Ft. Prodigy - "Daydreams"

A few weeks back I introduced you to Maurice "Mobetta" Brown with his collaboration with Jean Grae, "Day at the Ranch", the first single from the multi-tasking artist's upcoming self-titled debut. The second drop from the LP is called "Daydreams" and features a guest verse from Prodigy. While I don't give much for Mobetta's rhymes, I dig the jazz vibes created from the acoustic piano and trumpet heard here. "Maurice vs. Mobetta" will be released on October 8.

Neek The Exotic Ft. OC, Sadat X - "Hello Everybody"

Neek The Exotic has been delivering hardcore hip-hop gems in the background for years, but 2013 is definitely his time to really shine. Having already delivered a dope EP featuring the blazing Bumpy Knuckles assisted "Get The City Warm", Neek is ready to follow up with the LP "Hustle Don't Stop". 20 tracks deep, the album is mainly produced by Confidence and Audible Doctor with additional input by Alterbeats, Tommy Tee, The Arcitype, and a few others. Joining Neek on the mic is, amongst others, Large Professor, OC, Sadat X, Meyhem Lauren, Mikey D, and Bumpy Knuckles. Mark your calenders for September 3, get your pre-orders and turn the volume up loud while blasting the brand new single called "Hello Everybody", produced by Confidence and featuring no lesser emcees than OC and The X-Man with Satchel Page delivering the hook.

[Sampler] KASIM KETO - "Long Car Rides"

Born and raised in Brooklyn, with his roots in Jamaica through his immigrant parents, producer Kasim Keto's music shows influences from a wide range of different music. Having just signed a deal with Babygrande Records this talented beatsmith is currently preparing his official full-length introduction to the world, "Long Car Rides". Though the album drops on November 19, you can already now check out a four track EP sampler through Babygrande's Soundcloud page. Nice, laid back vibe on this and banging drum production - I'm definitely checking for this guy!

Fredro Starr / Audible Doctor - "Ain't No Other King"

Man, Audible Doctor and Fredro Starr has really proven to be an extremely powerful duo with an undeniable chemistry. "Ain't No Other Kings" is another good reason why you should be as hyped as me for their collective album which should droop sooner rather than later!

Blu - "The Clean Hand" [prod. Pete Rock]

You might remember hearing this track some time ago when an unmastered version leaked on the net, but now Redefinition Records is officially releasing Blu and Pete Rock's collaboration "The Clean Hand" on wax. The single also includes the Exile produced B-side "Lemonade" as well as instrumentals of both songs. Order the 12" here.

K-DEF Ft. Blu - "The Meeting"

Having already released two heavy instrumental projects in 2013 with "One Man Band" and "The Exhibit", New Jersey legend K-Def keeps the quality and quantity coming with another EP on Redefinition Records. Consisting of six instrumentals and two vocal cuts featuring verses from Blu, Has-Lo, Insight and Kaimbr, "The Meeting" is another worthy addition to any serious collection. Check out the title track featuring Blu below, and head over to Redefinition to cop the wax which officially drops today.

Endemic Ft. Tragedy, Afu-Ra & Ruste Juxx - "High Society"

UK's Endemic gathers a pretty insane insane line-up for "High Society", the lead single of the producer's forthcoming "Terminal Illness 2" LP.  Besides Tragedy Khadafi, Afu-Ra and Ruste Juxx, other guests set to appear on the project include Masta Killa, Cappadonna, Roc Marciano, Planet Asia, Skyzoo, Bronze Nazareth, Shabazz The Disciple, Killah Priest, Hell Razah, Darkim Be Allah, Prodgial Sunn, William Cooper, P.R. Terrorist, and many more. In other words you should definitely anticipate the October 29 release.

Jered Sanders - "Black"

Jered Sanders is another dope Elementality artist, who is about to release his extended play "While You Were Waiting". From that EP comes the single "Black", produced by Talen Ted which you can check out below. Check for the record on Thursday!

[Video] MIDAZ THE BEAST - "Champion of the Block"

As you should know MidaZ The Beast's debut album "AU: Another Universe" lands in stores today. Check out the video for the blazing album opener "Champion of the Block" and cop the album @ UGHH.

Ugly Heroes - "Me"

Mello Music Group just dropped another bonus track from Ugly Heroes, not found on the self-titled album released earlier this year. The Apollo Brown produced cut is called "Me" and sees Red Pill and Verbal Kent delivering soul searching verses on the topic of holding back oneself. The 2xLP set of "Ugly Heroes" is out now - order here.

Bumpy Knuckles x DJ Wayne Ski - "New York, Where You At?!?"

The OG Bumpy Knuckles has never been one to sit back and keep his mouth shut, and when it seems half of New York is releasing responses to Kendrick Lamar's recent "Control" verse (which was indeed sick) you can count on Foxxx to respond with some hardcore shit like this. Like the superb "Phuck U" and "Peep the Resume" singles we heard relatively recently, "New York, Where You At?!" is produced by DJ Wayne Ski who here makes creative use of a classic sample that fans of Diamond D will no doubt be familiar with. What's even iller is that Wayne Ski has revealed that this will appear on an album called "Black Card", a full-length collaboration between the two. Following up an album entirely produced by DJ Premier is tough shit to handle, but the three singles we've got so far definitely feels reassuring that this will be another monumental LP from Freddie Foxxx.

[Album] MidaZ The BEAST - "AU: Another Universe"

Having sharpened his skill and style with the release of several praised independent projects, MidaZ The Beast arrives at the point of his debut album already a full fledged artist. "AU: Another Universe" serves up an intensive hour that highlights everything that fans have come to expect from the man while also working as a very solid introduction for newcomers. While there's no shortage of trailblazing beats here, the number one thing that stands out throughout is the lyricism presented on these 15 tracks. With only a few songs set aside for sparring with guest features, Midaz succesfully takes the reigns and guides the listeners through his world. Many of the tracks are filled with passionate rhymes about the hip-hop culture and his place in the top echelon of it, with fierce punchlines that almost always connects, constantly set over slamming tracks from long-time collaborators IMAKEMADBEATS and TzariZM. The album also sees welcome collaborations with boom bap renaissance master Marco Polo and Oh No who both bring their unique flavor to the project.

The best tracks, however, comes when Midaz looks within the darker places of himself for inspiration, something we have heard before but maybe not to this extent. "Worthless" might be the most honest rap song released all year, where Midaz chooses to rhyme about his fails and self-made losses over haunting piano keys and a stretched vocal loop beautifully concocted by TzariZM. In a similair vein the album closes out with two of the strongest tracks of the entire set, "Coma" and "Walking Away". The former is a dark concept track expanding on the theme of being at the brink of suicide and looking back at everything that drove you to this point - brilliantly executed over an IMAKEMADBEATS production that leaves out the drums to have Midaz rhyme over soft melodies created from harps and a lot of ambient sounds (including the chilling beeps from a respirator). If there's one thing that left me slightly disappointed on my first listens it is that we didn't get to hear a few more of these introspective, self searching tracks, which is mainly a reflection on how superbly Midaz crafts these joints.

Save for a couple of tracks that never fully connect ("Jane Doe", "Bad Things"), and a few skits that overstays their welcome, there's a whole lot to love on "AU: Another Universe". From the introspective tracks mentioned above to sure shot bangers like "Champion of the Block", "Fire" and "Goldberg", and the politically charged "Seeing is Believing" with Blueprint and Sabac Red, there's not a single cut placed on here simply to sell units or draw radio attention. It's safe to say that Midaz and his production team has managed to create one of the strongest debuts in quite some time with "AU". Stream the entire album via DJBooth below and hear for yourself, or head over to UGHH and order the CD.

Goodie Mob - "Pinstripes"

2013 mark the official reunion of Goodie Mob, who is preparing their first album as a quartet in almost fifteen years (damn, where does the time go?). "Pinstripes" is a rowdy up tempo banger that works well. Beside verses from Khujo, Cee-Lo, T-Mo and Gipp, T.I. is also invited to kick some bars.

Captain Murphy x Earl Sweatshirt x DOOM x Thundercat

I really enjoyed Flying Lotus' left-field, psychadelic and experimental "Duality" album under the rapping alter-ego Captain Murphy last year and if you too dug that, the latest installment in the Adult Swim singles 2013 will satisfy you in much the same way. Especially since it features MF DOOM in his Viktor Vaughn persona, the single talented cat from the Odd Future collective, plus frequent Lotus collaborator Thundercat who adds some real nice bass lines to the haunting piano keys and overall dark mood of the track. Titled "Between Villains", the single is a sequel/remix to the Captain's previous collaboration with Earl Sweatshirt called "Between Friends". For some reason I can't seem to embed the Soundcloud link, or even find it once I click on it, so I'll link you over to Okayplayer below til' I'm able to fix that! Link borrowed from EarMilk, much thanks guys!

CAPTAIN MURPHY x EARL SWEATSHIRT x VIKTOR VAUGHN x THUNDERCAT- "BETWEEN VILLAINS"

Rapsody x DJ Premier - "Kingship"

Since signing with 9th Wonder's Jamla imprint, Rapsody has quickly become one of the leading ladies of the hip-hop scene with mixtapes like "Rapsody Replay" and "For Everything" to name a few. Now the North Carolina emcee is hooking up with DJ Drama for "She Got Game", her own installment in the Gangsta Grillz mixtape series which hits the net on Tuesday. She usually shines over bangers by 9th Wonder and Khrysis, but this time she's also rocking one from the impeccable DJ Premier. "Kingship" has been released as an official single from the project, so check that out below and check back on August 20 for the full dish.

Fredro Starr x Audible Doctor - "Made in the Streets"

The Audible Doctor and Fredro Starr are soon to release their first project together, "Made in the Project". Originally conceived as an EP, originally scheduled for release today, but instead they're going the whole way by fleshing it out to a Long Player... And with the singles that have dropped so far ("Holdin' it Down" and "That New York"), I'm sure as hell is not complaining! The latest leak is an AD remix of the title track, and it's another hard punch to the guts with fiery beats and rhymes that connect like a blow from Tyson in his prime. Click here if you don't see the embeded player below.

[Video] PRINCE PO - "The Message"

Organized Konfusion fans should rejoice as Pharoahe Monch is working on a new album as we speak, and recent news informs us that Prince Po is working on a new project as well. The full-length LP is scheduled for a November release, and will be a collaboration with the great Oh No, so that will without question be very interesting to say the least. Features on the album will include Rapper Big Pooh, Roc C, Emotions and Magic Mouth. While not an album cut, the first taste of new Po that we've heard in a while comes in the form of a tribute to Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five and their immortal "The Message". The video was directed by Rodolfo Duran ... Stay tuned for more info on the Po/OHNO project as we move closer to its release date.

DJ Skizz Ft. AG, OC, Roc Marciano & Godfather pt.3

Over the last couple of years the immensely talented DJ Skizz has blessed us with some hard hitting mixtapes, handled all cuts on Masta Ace's most recent project, as well as produced album cuts for peeps like Lil' Dap, Big Noyd, Maffew Ragazino, and Brown Bag AllStars. If you're a regular reader of The Lost Tapes, you are well aware of "BQE: The Brooklyn-Queens Experience", Skizz' official debut album which drops via Soulspazm Records on September 17. For his latest single in the promotion of the LP, "Light Years" Skizz rounds up four really sick veteran lyricists representing DITC, The UN, and Infamous Mobb respectively, for a trailblazing posse cut produced by the man himself. You'll find the track below, and right under that I posted the tracklist again - this'll be one hell of an album, that's for sure... You can pre-order digital version @ iTunes, but please let there be physical copies too!

1. "Metal Bars" (Ft. Masta Ace & Nature)

2. "Heavy Metal is Bakk" (Ft. Jakk Frost & Malik B. of the Roots)

3. "Outta Control" (Ft. Willie Stubz)

4. "Let em Know" (Ft. Shabaam Sahdeeq, Rah Digga, & Tragedy Khadafi)
5. "Vio-Lence" (Ft. Lil' Fame & ILL BILL)

6. "Triboro Thoro" (Ft. Hannibal Stax, Big Noyd, & Panchi of NYG'z)

7. "Roast Ya" (Ft. Problemz & Al' Tariq aka Kool Fashion)

8. "Poison" (Ft. Big Twins)

9. "Light Years" (Ft. Roc Marciano, AG, OC, & G.O.D.-Father Pt. III)    

10. "Init2Win" (Ft. Justo)

11. "Rap Opera" (Ft. Illa Ghee)

12. "That Type" (Ft. Steele of Smif-n-Wessun, F.T., & Torae)

13. "Day in the Life" (Ft. Reks, Maffew Ragazino, & Rasheed Chappell)

14. "QB All-Stars" (Ft. Cormega, Big Twins, Craig G, & Nature)

MadKem - "The Send Off" [MadWreck Remix]

Yesterday saw the official release of MadKem's "La Vie en bleu", an album that I was highly impressed by and strongly recommend. In support of the new release, MadKem and the Elementality team lets loose of a bonus track not found on the LP,  in the form of Madwreck's remix of "The Send Off". In my opinion much of 'Kem's best work comes from his collaborations with aforementioned producer, and this is another great example of their chemistry together. Click here if the Soundcloud player does not show up below.

[EP] 14KT - "Lincoln Lux"

While we devoted hip-hop heads are getting ready for 14KT's upcoming September LP "Nickel & Dime", the Michigan producer hits us with this four songs deep EP called "Lincoln Lux (Test Drive EP)" which includes three of the forthcoming album's 14 instrumentals (it will also feature seven vocal cuts) as well as an exclusive jam called "No Sleep (The Sound of Stress)". Another goodie from Mello Music Group!

Gensu Dean & Planet Asia - "Reflections" [Remix]

Gensu Dean and Planet Asia dropped their fat collaboration LP "Abrasions" a while back, and recently the album was unveiled on a limited deluxe vinyl edition. This drop includes an exclusive 7" flexi-disc featuring a dope remix of "Reflections" created by Gensu and titled the Translucent Mix. Check out the remix below...

[Album] APOLLO BROWN - "Skilled Trade"

"Skilled Trade" is an early instrumental project from Detroit beatsmith Apollo Brown, featuring beats created from around the 2003-2006 era. This beat album features some definite bangers that's satisfying to any Apollo Brown fan at the same time as you can connect it with his later work and hear the progress. This been floating around since 2007 but Mello Music Group has decided to give it an official release, in the form of a digital Bandcamp drop for the price of $7.49. In usual procedure, you can also stream all tracks for free so enjoy...