[Video] Endemic Ft. Tragedy & Ruste Juxx & Afu-Ra

"High Society" was the first single to drop from talented producer Endemic's star-studded production compilation "Terminal Illness Pt. 2" a while back. Now this banging track with its crazy line-up (who are all getting their grime on here over an addictive Endemic chop), gets the video treatmeant are we are getting closer to the full-length album. November 26 is the date, so stay tuned for more info and get ready to support if you're feeling this - and press play, lean back and ENJOY!

BOOGIE DOWN PRODUCTIONS - "Duck Down" [Alt. Mix]

Being that KRS-One's last album under the Boogie Down Production's name in 1992, "Sex & Violence", still stands as my favorite Kris album of all time. Crazy agressive boom bap beats that need to be played loud enough to make the walls shake; with KRS-One embracing the full range of his immaculate rhyming skills. From some of the best diss tracks of all time in "Build & Destroy" (going at X-Clan), some of the most well-written attacks on organized religion (" "), straight up HARDCORE hip-hop ("Duck Down", "Ruff Ruff", "We in There",), crazy story telling ("13 & Good"). Including some of Kris' finest lyrics and performances of his entire career set over neckbreaking beats by the likes of Pal Joey, Kenny Parker, D-Square and the underrated Pal Joey, I know that old school hip-hop heads will think it's blasphemous of me to say that "Sex & Violence" is the illest KRS-One involved LP of all time, even surpassing my other many favorites like "Criminal Minded"and "Return Of The Boom Bap".

With that being said, and the established fact that I'm a huge sucker for alternative/demo versions of my favorite songs I just had to repost this terrific 12" rip from a limited UK pressing originally posted by SouthernHospitality's Rob Pursey, though I spotted it over @ UNKUT so props to both of them. This is a crazy treat for me, and one of the reason I got into this Lost Tapes thing first and foremost. This rare version, that I didn't even know existed, features an alternative mix of Pal Joey's album track as well as an additional verse featuring rhymes that would later appear on the fellow "Sex..." LP, "Build & Destroy". Be sure to not sleep on this if you're an old scchool KRS fan, one of the truly greatest emcees the hip-hop world has ever witnessed - up top you find the original album version (the video), while the Soundcloud link below is for the very rare "demo" (or alternative version). TURN IT UP!!

[Album] ROME CLIENTEL - "The Empire 3"

Since I first heard him a couple of years back, Elmira, NY emcee Rome Clientel has never failed to dissapoint me; and his three first official free albums serves as a loosely formed trilogy of dope music. Now the final installment in his "The Empire" series is completed, and just as expected it's fucking off the hook. With some of the most talented up-and-coming producers giving him a hand on the superb "Bang Bang!" [prod. by The Militia], "L.E.G.A.C.Y." [prod. by ATG], and several others as well as more established producers like the always interesting Quincey Tones this 9 track set is a must listen if you're a fan of his previous works. The sound is broader, and it's Rome's finest lyrical output to date; overall it's probably his finest entry in the series even; and solid cameos from Skyzoo, Blue Legacy, Realm Reality and The Antiheroe's Sha Prince doesn't exactly hurt either. So be sure to press play and TURN THIS FUCKER UP!!

[Album] QUELLE CHRIS - "Ghost @ The Finish Line"

Quelle Chris has impressed me a lot with much of the material he has put in the last two years, and though I haven't had a time to listen to his first official album since he signed with MMG I bet this is gonna be absolutely bonkers. The entire album is up for stream, so be sure to check it out below. Especially with guest features and production backing up Chris' immaculate street style is legends like Alchemist, Oh No, Black Milk, Chris Keys, Denmark Vesssey, Guilty Simpson, and Quelle himself (who has proven to be a very capable producer in his own right). Check out the full "Ghost @ The Finish Line" for streaming below and support the man by purchasing the LP from MMG (vinyl, CD, mp3). With the peeps involved, this could very well be his finest albums to date; if I find the time I will definitely write a review for this one once I've heard it in full!

ONYX - "We Get Live" [prod. Statik Selektah]

Onyx has been on fire lately, which is amazing considering that they had been dropping a lot of shit like "BackDaFuccUp Pt. 2", and such. But with Fredro Starr's upcoming album with Audible Doctor who's singles been absolutely nuts, and a few Sticky Fingaz joints that's been on fire as well. Here the main emcees of Onyx joins back together under the name over a banging Statik Selektah beat to bring some hard gangsta shit that'll definitely have your head and over body moving.

KOOL G RAP & NECRO - "Trigga 4 Hire"

As we're coming closer to the highly anticipated collaboration between Kool G Rap and Necro, the duo releases the third official single from "Once Upon A Crime" due out next month. This one's called "Trigga 4 Hire", and is produced by Necro and follows the same hardcore ish style of the two previous joints - so be sure to gear up for a real HARDcore album.

STEP BROTHERS - "Ron Carter"

Last week I posted the full tracklist for Alchemist and Evidence's anticipated full-length collaboration as Step Brothers album "Lord Steppington" (with all tracks produced by ALC). The album is out through Rhymesayers Ent. early Jaunary 2014, but already now we are treated to the first official single from the project - and it's definitely a banger! The track is called "Ron Carter" in an homage to one of the greatest jazz musicians/bassists of all time. Check it out below and stay tuned for more info on the project as we comes closer to its release date.

Tragedy Khadafi - "Stay In Ya Lane"

New heat from Tragedy Khadafi is always mad appreciated, and "Stay In Ya Lane" shows the legendary emcee shining bright. The single also features an apperance by Zagnif Nori of Noble Society who Trag hooked up with through Hell Razah. Word from 25 to Life is that we'll be seeing more new shit from Khadafi very soon so be on the look out!

[Album] YANCEY BOYS - "Sunset Blvd"

A lot of dope releases coming out today, and one of the most exciting to me is the new Yancey Boys project "Sunset Blvd.". Entirely composed of Frank Nitty and Illa J rhyming over previously unreleased Jay Dee beats, this is definitely a nice addition to this years selection of dope music from the 'D'. Now DJBooth has put up the entire project for free streaming so all you have to do is press play and get your head nodding. I just started listening, but I've been digging the previous singles so this should be an ill listen - especially with guest features from the likes of Common, Posdnous, Guilty Simpson, Talib Kweli, Dank, T3 and SlimKid3. "Sunset Blvd." is now available from iTunes, while Delicious Vinyl will start shipping the CD and LP editions this November 5. TURN IT UP!!

01. "Dilltro" (Ft. Dank)

02. "Fisherman" (Ft. Vibe, J Rocc & Detroit Serious)

03. "Lovin' U" (Ft. Eric Roberson)

04. "Go And Ask The DJ" (Ft. Guilty Simpson & J Rocc)

05. "Jeep Volume" (Ft. T3 & C-Minus)

06. "Flowers" (Ft. Talib Kweli, Niko Gray & DJ Rhettmatic)

07. "Honk Ya Horn" (Ft. J Pinder)

08. "Slippin'" (Ft. Early Mac)

09. "Without Wings"

10. "Beautiful" (Ft. Posdnous & Bonita Applebum)

11. "Quicksand" (Ft. Common & Dezi Page)

12. "Rock My World" (Ft. SlimKid3 & Niko Gray)

13. "The Throwaway"

14. "This Evening"

YANCEY BOYS - "SUNSET BLVD"

[Album] CURTESSY & THE MILITIA - "EXPECTATIONS"

South Central representative Curtessy and Johanessburg's The Militia joins back up for "Expectations", their second release as a unit. A 10 tracks deep journey into the mind of Curtessy who flexes lyrical muscles that can take him far in the industry. All set over beautifully chopped and arranged samples from the soul section of The Militia's record collection that'll have true hip-hop heads in awe. Whether on some straight spitting shit ("Emcee") or weaving intricate street stories ("What It Seems"), the emceeing is constantly of high caliber and I ain't even have to tell you how I feel about these beats! Head over to DJBooth below, press play, and prepare to get your head banging for the next 30 minutes.

[Comp] BOOT CAMP CLIK - "Timbs, Hoods & B-Sides"

As we know this month marks 20 years since Black Moon unleashed their uncompromised, dirty and agressive debut album "Enta Da Stage" to an unsuspected market. The flag bearers for East Coast hip-hop at the time, while all fantastic in their own rights, were either the positively minded Native Tongues movement with cats like De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, Black Sheep, and Queen Latifah in the forefront, or the revolutionaries like Brand Nubian, X-Clan or Public Enemy. Black Moon and their Boot Camp Clik crew, together with Wu-Tang Clan who debuted at the same time, didn't fit either camp neither lyrically nor sonically; showing agressive youths formed by their poor surroundings hungry to make it into the big game through rugged but honest rhymes about their lifes. Black Moon consisted of main emcee Buckshot (sometimes backed up by the 5 Ft. Assassin) whose violence infused lyrics and unmistakable voice was as exciting as Da Beatminerz's, the producers of The Boot Camp Clik and "Enta Da Stage", lo-fi sounding juxtapositions of booming basslines, pounding drum programming, and the way they chopped jazz and samples into complete unrecognizability. The album sounds as fresh today as it did the first time you heard it and stands as one of the definite hip-hop classics, and still it was only the very beginning of a movement that would continue throughout the entire decade and beyond.

A few posts down I posted a short documentary of the group's early history and the impact their breakout had. As this is The Lost Tapes and I have put myself in the position where I advertise this site as having "the best compilations on the net", you know I ain't gonna stop at that. "Enta Da Stage" is one of my favorite albums, but so is the entirety of that first round of solo albums from the Boot Camp Clik (Black Moon's Buckshot, Smif-N-Wessun, Heltah Skeltah, and Originoo Gun Clappaz). "Enta Da Stage" was released in late 1993, followed by S-N-W's "Da Shining" in '95, and Heltah Skeltah's "Nocturnal" and "Da Storm" in '96. The main producers of these four LP:s were Da Beatminerz, mainly consisting of brothers DJ Evil Dee and Mr. Walt but around the mid-'90s also added Baby Paul and Rich Blak to the ranks, and although every single emcee behind this album are truly exceptional talents, it was the sound of Da 'Minerz that gave them a coherrent sound as a series of LP:s. The team produced the entirety of "Enta..." and "Shinin'", while they settled for half of the music on both the latter two albums.
The idea for this compilation, aside for doing something for the 20:th anniversary, came a couple of weeks back when me and my man were watching some classic videos, and we put on some of the tracks from "Dah Shinin'". Linkan made me aware of the videos for "Wrekonize" and "Sound Bwoy Burreil" making use of the 12" remixes rather than the actual LP versions; the same goes for Black Moon's "I Gotcha Opin" and Heltah Skeltah's "Therapy". Following this I started looking through all the 12" and single releases from those four albums and came across a whole lot of remixes and B-sides that in itself would make for a terrific Boot Camp Clik album; one a lot closer to what the original BCC fans had hoped "For My People" would have sounded like, and probably would have been the case had they not ditched Da Beatminerz; which to me Always was a very strange move. For me, that's like if Wu-Tang Clan would have decided to release "Wu-Tang Forever" without any RZA involvement whatsoever, as far as the beats go that is. But I'm getting off the topic here...

One small obstacle in doing this compilation was that some of the Black Moon material had already been collected on a semi-unofficial Nervous Records album called "Diggin' in Dah Vaults" back in '96. However, I am not using any of the songs found on there that had not previously appeared on any 12" or EP; I also ditched "Son Get Wreck" remix since it's a 5 Ft. solo and he was never an official part of the BCC. The single "Headz Ain't Redee" was my definite choice for album/comp opener, but instead of using the same version heard on the aforementioned compilation (which was produced by Buckshot), I am using the Beatminerz version from the 12" single. I also ditched "Fuck 'Em", the B-side to "Who Got The Props"; mainly due to time restraints but also to cut down on songs found on "Dah Vaults". Other than that it's pretty much all here - you got all the aforementioned video versions and other 12" remixes in HQ rips, you got B-sides like The Fab 5's "Blah", their sequel to "Leflaur Leflah Eshkoshka", Black Moon's "Murder MC's (The B-Side)" and "Reality (Killing Everything...)". Probably most excitedingly to some are the inclusions of two songs recorded and until last minutes intended for "Dah Shining" and "Da Storm" - "All About The Cash" and "Likkle Youth Man Dem" featuring Smif-N-Wessun, respectively. The latter is not the cheap remix on "For My People" but the actual Baby Paul produced original that most versions of "Da Storm" still list as track #16 on the back cover, despite there only being 15 actual tracks.  

I don't really think I need to sell this any further - if you're into Boot Camp Clik or Da Beatminerz, and especially the early works of both then this compilation is definitely a Heavy hitter. Speaking for myself, it's what's been banging in my headphones the last couple of Days which has allowed the sequence and final tracklist shape up to perfection. In other words a lot of time, thought and headnodding has been invested into this one to assure my readers the strongest and most coherrent listen possible. So spark one up, step into your Timberlands, throw on a nice hoodie, spark one up and let the volume BANG!

 

01. Boot Camp Clik - "Headz Ain't Redee" [Beatminerz Mix]

02. Black Moon - "Act Like U Want It" [F.A.P. Mix]

03. Black Moon - "I Gotcha Opin" [Da Beatminerz Remix]

04. Smif-N-Wessun - "Wrekonize" [Remix]

05. Smif-N-Wessun - "Sound Bwoy Burriel" [Remix] 

06. The Fab 5- "Blah" [Originoo Muddy]

07. O.G.C. / Smif-N-Wessun - "Likkle Youth Man Dem" [Original Mix]

08. Black Moon - "Buck 'Em Down" [Da Beatminerz Remix]

09. Black Moon / Smif-N-Wessun - "U Da Man" [Remix] (Ft. Havoc & Dru Ha)

10. Smif-N-Wessun - "All About The Cash"

11. Heltah Skeltah - "Therapy" [Remix] (Ft. Vinia Mojica)

12. Black Moon - "Reality (Killing Everything...)" [prod. by William Rosario]

13. Black Moon - "How Many Emcees?" [Remix]

14. Heltah Skeltah / O.G.C. - "Leflaur Leflah Eshkoshka Part II"

15. Black Moon - "Murder MC's" [B-Side Vocals]

 

BOOT CAMP CLIK - "TIMBS, HOODS & B-SIDES"  

[Video] BIG TWINZ - "That's Paper"

The grimiest voice in hip-hop continues his mission on dropping straight up QB heat on "That's Paper", produced by Reezo. You'll find the track on Twinz iTunes drop "On The Grill" which dropped this summer.

Lil' Fame - "Get Busy Freestyle"

There's no question that Lil' Fame still got it, just check this latest freestyle off J-Ronin's latest tape, where Slap gets busy over the "Get Busy" beat. This'll appear on J-Ronin and All Element's upcoming "Freestyle Files Vol. 2" which also includes tough frees by Skyzoo, Ras Kass, Sav Killz, Tragedy Khadafi, Sadat X, Krumbsnatcha and many more.

Common / Sean Touré - "6th Sense Remix"

Baltimore producer Sean-Touré are back with another one of his trademark reimagination of some of hip-hop's most classic records. Here he takes on Common's "6th Sense" featuring Bilal and does a great job as always. Adding an imaginative piano loop and pounding drums, the real excellence comes once Toure adds the dramatic strings underneath the classic Com' Sense verses. This track continues producer Sean Touré's collaboration with Oakland film editor Todd "Big La" Kelly.

 

This is another installment in the ongoing "The Sean-Touré Remix Video Project" which has given us a brand new remix video from the two on a regular basis. From what I understand all of these remixes (and maybe a few more) will be released on October 29. These remixes are really something, but after these two remix albums I hope Touré goes back to making original music as that was the way that first made me take notice of him. Check out the previous remixes @ Kelley's Vimeo and stay tuned for the full release which you'll see hear for sure!

R0BERT GLASPER x 2 (Norah Jones, Snoop Dogg, Lupe Fiasco, Luke James)

Yeah I know this is more or less strictly a hip-hop blog, but it's also my blog and as I'm a big fan of jazz, soul, some rock, and even some classical beside true school hip-hop you can count on any new material from Rober Glasper and his Experiment band getting pushed on The Lost Tapes. "Black Radio" from early 2012 was a very dope album that had its roots in jazz, soul and hip-hop, and the remix album "Black Radio: Recovered" were even iller. If you've paid attention you know that The Robert Glasper Experiment is soon to release the sequel to the aforementioned album, and with four singles released so far this is shaping up to be just as good, if not better, than the original installment.

 

Signed to Blue Note Records, the "Black Radio" series is moving away from Glasper's three debuting albums as he had ditched the majority of the accoustic instruments and replaced the piano trio with a bigger band that all embraces electronic instruments. Following "Calls" (w. Jill Scott), "Somebody Else" (w. Emelie Sande) and "I Stand Alone" (w. Common), the fourth and fifth singles sees Glasper and The Experiment team up with beautiful singer Norah Jones ("Let it Ride"), and Snoop Dogg, Lupe Fiasco & Luke James ("Perserve"), respectively. My favorite soul-jazz album of last year was without a doubt the "Black Radio: Recovered" mini album, and "Black Radio 2" might very well hold down that same position in 2013. The album drops October 29!

[Video] ODDISEE - "Own Appeal"

If you scroll down just a Little you'll find my Review for Oddisee's excellent instrumental project "The Beauty in All". A proud and productive owner of not only one, but two super sick Projects from the man in charge. While "The Beauty..." focused on Oddisee's instrumental usic while those in the know are aware that MMG and Odd decided to release a bonus mixtape called "Tangerine Dreams" for those who purchased the main album from Itunes or other digital retailers, you should be the n 100% instrumental tracks, "Tangerine Dreams" is still produced by the man himself, but also features vocals; supplied by Odd himself, Diamond District (!) and a few others. "Own Appeal" is the first/video single from the mixtape so be sure to press play and let the dreamy Mmsic of Oddisee take you on a journey.

[Video] TANYA MORGAN - "Eulogy"

The trio turned duo that is Tanya Mogan's just released their ill full-length "Rubber Soul" that's been quite a few spins over at my place since it first appeared ín full as a Soundcloud sneak-peak. Though the album is not incredible from front-to-back there's plenty of real heat on this disc, and one of the strongest cuts being the laid-back and deep "Eulogy" which is now given the video treament, directed by Joey Angerone, and like the rest of the album the song is produced by The 6th Sense. 

[Video] eXquire - "Cherry Raindrops"

Brooklyn emcee eXcuire, formerly known as Mr. Muthafuckin' eXcuire, has dropped a lot of impressive Music since he first burst out on the scene as well as getting props from many legendary emcees, "Cherry Raindrops" is a rather smooth/laid-back track from the spitter's recent "Kismet" mixtape. The track is produced by Constrobuz, and you can download the entire mixtape here.

NATURAL ELEMENTS - "Competition is None"

Wow, this kind of made my day - one of the most mythical hip-hop groups of all time returns to the fold after a 15 year hiatus. The crew consisted of emcees A-Butta, L-Swift and Mr. Voodoo and their main producers Charlemagne (and at a time rugged spitter KA, who's been making a strong combeack the last 2-3 years). I first heard them on some of their impressive 12":s around the late '90s, while they were working on their LP. That one was unfortunately shelved by Tommy Boy, but a few years back the guys got their masters back and was able to release their album - "1999: Ten Year Anniversary". Maybe this has led to the group reuniting, as they have just released a brand new banger called "Competition is None" which you can stream below... Let's hope we're looking at a comeback in the making!

[Review] ODDISEE - "THE BEAUTY IN ALL"

A completely instrumental hip-hop album can come out about as exciting as watching paint dry, which is usually what happens when a producer who's primarily a beatmaker makes an instrumental LP using rap beats that don't translate well to stand alone material. To make the non-vocal hip-hop LP work for the listener it is neccessary to hold the listeners attention all the way through, which is a grand challenge considering the producer bear all of the weight himself. The music must always grab the listener and make sure that it doesn't drag on, something a great producer can do by two different means. Masters like Jay Dee and Madlib often fills their albums with 30-40 beats, letting each tracks play for just about a minute before heading off into a new soundscape. Other equally great producers like Pete Rock and K-Def often let each track stretch out for several minutes and pushing the music forward by adding and taking away layers, introducing or reprising new sections. Oddisee's recently released "The Beauty in All" falls in the latter category, and its done with such finesse that it doesn't gets stale for a minute. In fact this might be the best instrumental album to have been released all year.

 

"In My Day" features a rumbling, loud drum break and a short one-note keyboard loop that becomes the foundation of the track. Standing on its own this would soon become much repetitive, but on top of this Oddisee places an addictive trombone hook, a small vocal chop, and other elements which he then fades in and out of the track. This is a superb composition on every level and a great example of what this LP represents. This is followed by the equally brilliant "Fashionably Late" which again builds on a very strong rhythm track with a huge bass line underneath a sample that fans of Jay-Z's debut album will definitely recognize. The amounts of layers that are added to this are just ridiciolous, and the fact that our man knows exactly when and when not to let each section play out is what makes him one of today's best producers.

I could go on breaking down each track by track, but words don't do any music justice - and especially not something as good as this. The vibe is constantly slightly ambiguous and dreamlike with clear influences from jazz, funk and soul and there's a whole lot of brilliantly arranged horn sections, strong piano and keyboard loops and more untraditional elements like the vibes and various percussive instruments. However, by the drums Oddisee chooses to sample and chop to his liking, we as listeners are always reminded that this is a straight up hip-hop record we're listening to. 

Overall, I really got nothing bad to say about "The Beauty in All", which is a very fitting title. The music is constantly hypnotic, the replay value is high and each track creates a world of its own. This is an album you listen to from beginning to end, there's no weak tracks here and together they form a whole that together forms a musical journey that is best experienced in a comfortable chair, with headphones and your eyes closed... Not only is it the best instrumental album of 2013, but to my liking the best project Oddisee has yet released. And as such, it comes much, much recommended! You can order your copy @ UGHH or directly from MelloMusicGroup . If you have not yet heard the album, you can stream the entire thing below thanks to the always trustworthy Mello Music Group!

[Tracklist] PRINCE PO x OH NO - "Animal Serum"

If you've been following this blog for at least a few months, you know I got a thing for the solo endeavours of Prince Po (click the "Prince Po" tag at the bottom of this post to find some rare tracks and alternative versions that was left off his first solo album). Larry Baskerville is an immensely talented emcee so as long as he got the right beats, h can really cook up some marvellous shit! With that in mind it's to me fantastic news that Po's next solo album is entirely produced by the psychadelic, drug-infused beat maestro known as Oh No. Though it's far from the Organized Konfusion sound, I thought he sounded amazing working with Danger Mouse, Madlib, J-Zone and Jel on his 2004 debut and this should take it a step even further. Should be an instant buy, don't you think?

 

"Animal Serum" wont however be released until early February 2014, but those who wait for something good, might be sitting on nails, but once it finally comes around it's even more of a treat. The album is being released by Green Streets Entertainment and right now you can pre-order the CD but since there's quite some time until we get there I Think a vinyl set is not out of the question just yet. We'll have just wait to see... Looking at the tracklist below, the most interesting thing to notice is that it features the second Organized Konfusion reunion in 2013 (follow Marco Polo's excellent "3 O'Clock"); and as if that wasn't enough OC also makes an apperance on that same joint - really taking it back to basics and the Groups first single; "Fud Pudge". Check the tracklist and pray that we will be able to hear the first single very soon

 01. "Lamina Mures Intro"
02. "Machine Rages"
03. "U Already" (Ft. Rock / Heltah Skeltah & Saafir)
04. "Keep Reachin'"
05. "First Word To What Was Last Said"
06. "Where U Eat?"
07. "Smash" (Organized Konfusion] (Ft. OC)
08. "Visionz"
09. "Wavy" (Ft. Sadat X)
10. "Toxic"
12. "Bears"
13. "Starflyer Milez" (ft. Oh No)
14. "Givitup"

[Tracklist/Artwork] ALC x EVIDENCE as STEP BROTHERS

The sheer body of work Alchemist has produced over the last two-three years, and most of that consisting of front-to-back projects, puts him as the most productive producer our culture has alongside Madlib. Both also would make a top 10 list of my favorites, though the difference with their work ethic if you ask me is that Alchemist pretty much exclusively delivers material that's super dope, whereas some of Madlib's work (I'm thinking for example of certain sections of the "Medicine Show" series, though that had a lot of heat as well) I get the feeling that he at times just release record upon record without giving the material the refinement and self-critical thought the fans deserves. Enough about that but I'm just listening to Alchemist & Boldy James recent LP "My 1st Chemistry" set and stumbled across some refreshing news about an album that's been in the making almost since the start of both invovled artists careers.

 

I am talking about Alchemist and Evidence's "Lord Steppington" album as The Stepbrothers. This is something I've been looking forward to with a passion; considering I'm a huge fan of Dilated Peoples early 12"s and first two album where Alchemist always were heavily involved; in fact contributing some of his earliest released productions. Since then I couldn't imagine a release by Dilated, Evidence or The Chemist that wouldn't feature at least a couple of tracks featuring these two hip-hop gentlemen getting busy. This album however will see both of them rhyming together, though most likely exclusively over ALC beats, with guests such as Roc Marciano, Oh No, Fashawn, Action Bronson, Rakaa, Blu, Styles P, Domo Genesis and even The Whooliganz (!!!!). How dope does all this sound huh? And YES, the full-length will be made available on a double vinyl set so prepare yourself to get burned by some serious HEAT. Stay tuned for more info, and peep the teaser single that was uploaded a couple of weeks ago here - "Nothing To See / Hear"!

 

01. "More Wins"
02. "Dr. Kimble"
03. "Byron G" (Ft. Domo Genesis & The Whooliganz)
04. "Legendary Mesh"
05. "No Hesitation" (Ft. Styles P)
06. "Swimteam Rastas"
07. "Mums In The Garage" (Ft. Action Bronson)
08. "See The Rich Man Play" (Ft. Roc Marciano)
09. "Banging Sound" (Ft. Fashawn)
10. "Step Masters"
11. "Tomorrow" (Ft. Rakaa & Blu)
12. "Draw Something" (Ft. Gangrene)
13. "Buzzing Away"
14. "Just Step"

KOOL G RAP & NECRO - "Omerta"

Kool G Rap and Necro's Godfather project "Once Upon A Crime" took some time to finally materialize, but with the collaborations we've heard from these two it seems that it will definitely be worth the wait. Following "Heart Attack", the second single is called "Omerta" and sees the duo embracing the code of the streets over an ill usage of one of the major Godfathers theme. Check out the full tracklist below and get ready for November 19 y'all!

1.) Teflon Dons
2.) The City
3.) High Tension
4.) Punched Dead In The Face (Skit)
5.) Black Medicine
6.) Omerta
7.) The Pain
8.) Hustler
9.) We’ll Kill You
10.) Crook Catastrophe & The Gunblast Kid
11.) Unsub
12.) I Hate You (Skit)
13.) Gangsta
14.) Trigga 4 Hire
15.) American Sickos
16.) Wolf Eyes
17.) Heart Attack
18.) Once Upon A Crime

Rome Clientel - "L.E.G.A.C.Y."

Rome Clientel's "The Empire" series has without a doubt been among the absolute most well crafted and lyrically interesting drops from the new generation of artists that has blown up this decade. "L.E.G.A.C.Y." sees the emcee teaming back up with ATG, which creates a hardknock joint as expected, and is the second single (following The Militia produced "Bang, Bang") as well as the opening of the forthcoming "The Empire 3: The Coronation". Other producers and guests featured on the EP includes Skyzoo, Quincey Tones, and Realm Reality. Be sure that you'll be able to grab this from here as soon as it drops!

[EP] BLU x NOTTZ - "Gods in the Spirit"

Both Blu and Nottz are artists that I feel is super talented and has dropped plenty of super hot material warranting them places as some of the most interesting artists out there right now, though I also think that they both have dropped uninspired projects as well. Luckily with their brand new EP, "Gods in the Spirit", they are both at the top of their game. Featuring five original songs and a remix that all bangs along hard with soulful chops and well written lyrics that'll suck you in right from the moment you press play. The artwork by renowed graffiti legend (and emcee) Skam2 adds a lot to the overall quality of the project as a whole too and this would be dope for a vinyl release. As it stands now it's digital only, available through iTunes, though you can stream the entire thing below via Soundcloud so be sure to do just that, and for chrissake TURN IT UP!

Marco Polo Ft. OC, Large Pro, Inspectah Deck & Tragedy - "Astonishing"

The countdown to my most anticipated LP right now has soon came to its end, with Marco Polo's "PA2: The Director's Cut" finally hitting the streets on November 12 via Soulspazm. The tracklist is just filled with exceptional talents, and Marco Polo is just as reliable as DJ Premier when it comes to delivering that good ol' boom bap heat, so you know this gonna be a special project. If you're not yet convinced, check the posse cut and third official single "Astonishing" below, featuring four of the most talented hip-hop artists of all time over a vintage Marco beat. Also features the reliable DJ Revolution on the crossfader.

Alchemist - "Diagnosis"

Coinciding with the new Coca Cola inspired clothing line by Dr. Romanelli, ALC has concocted this amazing 8 track psychadelic "commercial". Running for 8 minutes, The Chemist runs through several beats, including some straight up fantastic ones; even including a short section featuring Action Bronson doing what he does best. Much of the music found here are reimagined versions of classic Coca Cola ads, and as we know Alchemist is often best when he flips real obscure shit (see "Russian Roulette" for a great, recent example).

MadKem - "#KLV4deFree"

Only this summer lyrical beast MadKem released his much praised "La Vie en Bleu" album, and already now he's preparing to drop his next full-length project - "Kola La Vie" which drops as a free download on November 5. The first single features the South Jamaica, Queens emcee going in on some straight spittin' shit and is called "#KLVdeFree" and can be heard below.

[Mixtape] J-LIVE - "HOTvsDOPE: Fall 2013"

J-Live, one of the most potent triple threats the culture have focuses on his DJ skills when bringing back his "HOTvsDOPE" mixtape series for another installment. Featuring new music by RJD2, Tanya Morgan, Oddisee, Eminem, Lord Jamar, J-Live himself, Black Milk, Pusha T, and many more, the tape is a good overlook at a lot of the dopest recent material, skillfully mixed by J to the Live.

Yancey Boys - "Jeep Volume" (Ft. T3)

As we're getting closer to the first album from the new incarnation of Yancey Boys, which features Frank Nitty and Illa J rhyming over vintage Jay Dee productions courtesy of Delicious Vinyl, we are treated to the fourth single from the project. So far everything has been sounding great, and the new "Jeep Volume" is no exception, even featuring a guest verse from T3 as well as C-Minus.

[EP Sampler] SILENT SOMEONE - "I Have Company"

Underground phenomenon Silent Someone really impressed me with his 2012 7" single release on GoodFellons, "Change" / "Retrogression" where he teamed up with Craig G and Oxygen, respectively. Now he's very soon to be back with his debut album, and judging by the bunch of singles that's been released so far this is one to look out for. Titled "I Have Company", the LP sees the skilled producer team up with underground legends and young talents such as El Da Sensei, Tame One, John Robinson, Akbar, Shaz IllYork, Dave Dar, King Magnetic, and many more. The album will be out in stores at the end of this month on Peasant Podium Music, but till then you can check out four songs from the project via Soundcloud - three of them you find embeded below, and the remix to "Lab 82" you find here!

Roc Marciano - "The Specialist"

DJ Premier let loose of this slamming jam by Roc Marciano on his LiveFromHQ show - I'm not sure if it's brand new or a previously unreleased joint but I do know that when Roc hooks up with Pete Rock, marvellous shit happens every time. Much props to Unkut for this one!

In additional Marciano news, word about an upcoming mixtape called "The Pimpire Strikes Back" hit the net today. The project is supposed to be released in November, and features collaborations with Madlib, Alchemist and Mic Raw among others. Stay tuned for more info.

01. "Intro"
02. "The Sacrifice" [prod. Madlib]
03. "Doesn't Last" [prod. Roc Marciano]
04. "Slingers" (Ft. Knowledge The Pirate) [prod. Mic Raw]
05. "I.D.K." [prod. Roc Marciano]
06. "Take Me Over" [prod. Evidence]
07. "Higher Learning" [prod. Roc Marciano]
08. "Sincerely Antique" (Ft. Willie The Kid & Action Bronson) [prod. Alchemist]
09. "Ice Cream Man" [prod. Roc Marciano]
10. "10 Toes Down" (Ft. Knowledge The Pirate) [prod. Alchemist]
11. "Velvet Cape" (Ft. Action Bronson & Meyhem Lauren) [prod. Roc Marciano]
12. "Shower Posse" (Ft. Knowledge The Pirate) [prod. Arch Druids]

Reap The Naturaw - "The Wild Wild"

Reap The Naturaw brings out the big guns on "The Wild West", featuring DJ Grazzhoppa on the cut and a vintage Large Professor beat. Damn!

Curtessy & The Militia - "The Lifestyle" (Ft. MidaZ)

Curtessy and The Militia is releasing their debut album as a team with "Expectations" on October 29. Earlier we heard the Khrysis assisted "One", and now the duo follows up with another crazy fat single in "The Lifestyle" - featuring the always ill MidaZ The BEAST. Check the song and tracklist below, and be sure to grab the full project as soon as it hits the net!

01. A New Day (Intro)

02. What It Seems

03. One (ft.Khrysis)

04. Emcee

05. Expectations (ft. Wally Left & Rome Clientel)

06. The Lifestyle (ft. MidaZ The BEAST)

07. All My Life

08. South Central (ft. Pro Logik)

09. Ain't No Love

10. End Of The Day (Outro)

Madlib - "Black Widow"

Madlib's Beat Konducta series is some of the illest instrumental hip-hop ever put to wax, and with each volume 'Lib's been pushing the genre further forward. I absolutely loved the super chopped up soulfulness of "Vol. 5-6: A Tribute to..." and the spiritual beat journey through Africa that was "Beat Konducta in Africa". For the next installment in the series Jackson will be digging through his rock crates for inspiration and the result should be pretty damn hard. "Rock Konducta Vol. 1" hit stores this December so get prepared!

 

[Video] SADAT X - "We in New York"

Remember about a year ago, we learned that Sadat X were gearing up to release a New York themed album. He dropped the single "We in New York" and then dropped the project to work on "Love, Hell or Right" and "20 In" (w. AG & DJ Jab).... Or at least so it seemed. Now the legendary Brand Nubian member picks up where he left off, starting with a new music video for the aforementioned single. The album, which is a collaboration with producer JFR of The Accoustic Chefs, is called "New York: Never Left" and should be out soon. Support X @ Itunes.

Scholars Ent. Ft. Sadat X & The Other Guys - "H.E.R."

Scholars Entertainment has their roots in Canada and is a new crew on the map. They are planning to drop their first release "Maintenance Vol. 1" later this year, and their introductionary single definitely points towards some interesting ish for the winter. "H.E.R." is a well crafted love letter to Hip Hop, and most excitingly marries a fresh Sadat X verse to production by The Other Guys who keeps impressing. Also featuring Taurean MC of The Caravan and D-Sisive.

[Video] KILLAH PRIEST - "The P.W.O.W.R."

Killah Priest, The Iron Shiek from The Middle East, returned to the inner realms of the hip-hop landscape this April with his impeccable 2xCD album "The Psychic World Of Walter Reed". Despite limited distribution, the 41 track set is easily one of the best of the year; an album from a truly gifted lyricist and an extremely talented writer - with a great ear for beats nontheless. We already got videos for several tracks (including two of my favorties; "Ein Sof" and "The Document"), and now Priest unleashes a music video for the long CD2 intro (which is also the title track - "P.W.O.W.R.: The Tower"). Here Priest creates an hypnotic feeling by letting his thoughts loose in an almost stream-of-consciousness style over various ambient, often oriental, sounds, leaving any traditonal rhythm behind. Interestingly enough the song is a co-production between True Master and GZA/Genius so with these three maestros at work you can count on a quality product.

Unfortunately, "Psychic World of Walter Reed" is not yet available on vinyl (how dope would a 4xLP set of this masterwork be?) and the CD is only available through very limited distribiton. Still, it's a worthy addition to your collection by all means, and can be ordered from PWOWR.com. Used copies can be found at Amazon and if you just want to show your suppport, iTunes got it as well!

Yamin Semali - "Another Way" (Ft. J-Live, Boog Brown & Joe D.)

Those of you who check The Lost Tapes on a regular basis should be well aquainted with the name Yamin Semali by now. A protogé of J-Live, he's a talented emcee who often lets his skill manifest over laid back, introspective grooves as heard on his self-titled debut album last year. Now he's back with another project - the upcoming LP "Senior Dues" drops on December 7. Guest features include Kurupt, Big Vision, Count Bass D, Small Eyez, and more. The more part includes J-Live, Boog Brown, and Joe D. who joins Semali on the lead single from "Senior Dues", an Illustrate produced winner called "Another Way" that I can see get a lot of play. You can stream below or download here.

ROBERT GLASPER Ft. Emelie Sandé - "Somebody Else"

Over the last few years the young (born '78) Texas jazz pianist Robert Glasper has gone from musical wonderchild to one of the most forward thinking artists of our day. Stretching the boundaries of all black music while maintaining his well earned jazz stripes. Signed to the legendary Blue Note records, Glasper's first three albums (released between 2005 and 2009) established him as an up-and-coming household name on the traditional accoustic jazz scene. On the '09 LP, "Double Booked" the producer/pianist started incorporating more eclectic ideas, making use of electronic instruments and making use for a wider range of influences. This was the birth of the Robert Glasper Experiment, featuring Glasper on Rhodes, Derrick Hodges on Bass, Chris Dave on Drums and Sax player Casey Benjamin. This lead to the brilliant experiment called "Black Radio" and the equally hot "Black Radio: Recovered" which saw Robert Glasper and his band team up with some of the hottest artists of today.

This year The Robert Glasper Experiment is gearing up for another smooth journey into the realms of good music with "Black Radio 2". So far a few singles have been released and there's a good possibility we're looking for one of the most interesting LP:s of the year. Just check "Somebody Else" with Emeli Sandé up top, and then move on to "Calls" featuring the beautiful Jill Scott below.

ALTERPROD Ft. DIVINE & TRAGEDY x Ft. GUILTY SIMPSON x THE ROCKNESS MONSTAH - "7th Division" / "Fruit Punch"

Alterbeats from the French production crew Alterprod released his banging debut album "The French Revolution" last year. Well, get prepared for more heavy caliber beats because the man is returning this year with his sophomore LP, titled "Class Struggle". The production compilation hit stores and internet retailers on October 29 so stay tuned for more info.

Below you find the two first singles, which are both fine examples of what good hardcore hip hop should sound today. Just released is "7th Division" which features a stand out verse from Tragedy Khadafi as well as Divine. "Fruit Boats" has been out a few weeks but is another real banger that features two current favorites with equally distinct voices - Guilty Simpson and Rock of Heltah Skeltah.

JEAN GRAE - "Fuckery Level 3000"

Ever since I first became acquainted with Jean Gae through her exceptional mini album "Attack Of The Attacking Things" I've pretty much always been blown away by her flow, her beat selection, and her way of telling a story. Sure, there's been some not so inspired moments a long the way but with her latest single "Fuckery Level 3000" which is definitely promising. Jean Grae's next album is called "Leviathan" and should be out very soon!

[EP] DE LA SOUL - "Days Off" [2005]

De La Soul has really grown into one of my favorite groups over the years, and today the albums which I originally had a hard time coming into have become cherished treasures of my collection. I Think their entire catalouge is exceptional, and I'm glad to have been able to catch them live on stage. As much as I've listened to every long player they have dropped it's a great feeling to find something new from the power trio - and such is the case with their 2004 EP "Days Off" which I'd like to present y'all with today. Sent out by HipHopSite.com as a free bonus item to customers who bought their, as of today, latest album "The Grind Date", the EP has also been pressed up on 12" EP.

 

The 5 track set plays as the perfect companion piece to "The Grind Date", even including two very different remixes of the albums title song. The remix by singer/producer Wale Oyejide lows the original out the water in my humble opinion and is straight up marvellous. Placing Pos and Dave's lyrics about making their way in the world over a deep, moody bass track filled with jazzy horns, reminiscent of Fela Kuti's world. "Do The Damn Thing" has a similiar vibe, built around a beautiful acoustic bass riff that explode when Pos sets it off and a jazzy piano is added to the mix to great effect. Next up is the old, but pretty much unreleased classic "Stay Away", which marks the only time De La Soul has crossed paths with Mr. Pete Rock - and the fact that it actually lives up the expectations is something of a marvel in itself. Probably recorded somewhere around 1996 as Rob-O kicks the same verse as on "Center of Attention", it's a shame it never got a wider release. Track #4, "Hold Tight" is another definite winner, carrying a real nice, simple but thumping sound that's stripped down to the bare essentials, placing the emcees at the forefront. Rounding things off is another remix of "The Grind Date", this one by a production team called Inhumanz that have released some pretty interesting mash-up tapes. It's interesting to hear the same vocals placed over such a different backdrop only 15 minutes later; Inhumanz switches the jazz with screeching guitars, sampled vocals and a forward moving rock track that someone more in tune with that genre than me probably would recognize in a heartbeat.

 

"Days Off" is a truly fascinating journey into the career of one of hip-hop's most influential Groups and it's definitely a must hear if you're a fan! Tracks #1 to #4 is where the real heat lives, but there's no problem giving this a front to back spin. By the sound of it I would guess that the Three original songs on here are older tracks recorded around the time of "Stakes is High" but there's really no info so who knows. Although Discogs has it listed as a 12" EP there's no telling how official that release really is, but I can tell you that I would pay good cash had they made a serious press of this. For further listening I would like to take this time and recommend De La's retail "mixtape" "Impossible: Misson Vol. 1" which is a bit similair and is chock full of heat - I took the Liberty of adding my favorite joint "Relax" as a lil' bonus treat here. Download the full EP below as it's out of print) and TURN THAT FUCKER UP!!!!

01. "The Grind Date" [Wale Oiyejid Remix]
02. "Do The Damn Thing"
03. "Stay Away" (Ft. Rob-O) [prod. Pete Rock]
04. "Hold Tight" [prod. Chachi Bacala]
05. "The Grind Date" [Inhumanz Mash-Up]
[*]. "Relax" [Slum Village cover]

DE LA SOUL - "DAYS OFF EP"

[Documentary] "MEMORIES OF PAUL "C" McKASTY

People who follow this blog and know me know I'm a hugely fascinated with the work of Paul C McKasty; the pioneering producer/engineer in the early to late '80s that was behind some fantastic Music like "Give the Drummer Some", Main Source stuff, much of Eric B. & Rakim's arguably best album "Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em" and Organized Konfusion's 1989 demo (although his spiritual fingerprints where all over their classic 1991 self-titled debut, two years after his untimely passing). On top of that he was Large Professor's nr #1 mentor and Large Pro is like the spiritual predecessor to Paul C as he started really building his career when the Young but super innovative producer/engineer was tragically murdered (Large Pro still to this day is calling his production copany Paul Sea productions in an homage to his old master). This one hour documentary features interviews with many of his closest collaborators; including Rakim Pharoahe Monch, Ced Gee & TR Love of Ultramagnetic MC's, Mikey D, Rahzel, Super Love C and Cassanova Rud to name a few. A must Watch for anyone fascinated with hip-hop and legends that lef the physical way too early, but his Music still has an extreme impact on any true old-school fan, so ENJOY and TURN IT UP!!! Spotted @ EgoTripLand.com and by extension this WordPress.

 

PART 1 @ VIMEO

PART 2 @ VIMEO

[Mini-Doc] BLACK MOON - "The Beginnings"

Black Moon's 1993 album "Enta Da Stage" is without a doubt one of the five best albums to have been released in that year, along with "36 Chambers", "Midnight Mauraders", and a few others. Check out this mini documentary about Black Moon and their beginnings with "Enta Da Stage", which of course celebrate its twenty year anniversary this month. A must watch for fans of the group and all the early BCC/Da Beatminerz produced albums. Spotted @ EgoTripLand. Enjoy!

Rapsody x 9th Wonder - "Mass Hysteria"

I just posted Dynasty's album which undoubtedly sound very dope, and another of the illest up and coming femcees is definitely the Jamla supported Rapsody who's been dropping plenty of impressive mixtapes, most recently .... . Now she's dropping another single with one of her few main producers, the always trustworthy 9th Wonder who's chemistry together with Rapsody has been shown over and over again; especially on the recent "She Got Game" mixtape. Check out a stream of "Mass Hysteria" below!

Madwreck - "Time Lapse"

Madwreck is a producer you need to have on your watchlist as this brother is coming on strong with the heat. I first became aquainted with his work through the stuff he did for fellow Elementality artist MadKem, and on top of that he's one half of the experimental but super sick beat duo Dirty Art Club. Nw the talented producer is gearing up for his first instrumental release, titled "Elementality Instrumentals". With the goal to show the World his broad influences and original hip-hop roots, 'Wreck is offering up a mix of brand new tracks and reworked classics from his days as an in-house producer for Elementality. The first single is a hypnotic, chillingly creeping piece called "Time Lapse". The album is out November 19!