KENN STARR - "Say Goodbye" + "Square One" LP Stream

Kenn Starr is an integral part of the Low Budget crew (which also includes Kev Brown, Oddisee, Sean Born, etc.) and his latest album "Square One" is ample proof of his talents as a writer and emcee. The single "Say Goodbye" is a good example of what you'll find on the album as Starr reflects on his career and the industry over a signature Black Milk banger. "Square One" is available from retailers such as UGHH now, and you can also stream the entire album for free via the official Bandcamp page (where you of course also can purchase a HQ download). Production by Kev Brown, Black Milk, Kaimbr and 14KT - don't sleep!

[Album] HASSAAN MACKEY & KEV BROWN - "True Grit"

Damn, I swear there's almost too much sick music coming out right now, it's hard to find time to really dig into it all but this is one of those joints you just don't want to miss. I learned of the existence of a joint album between Kev Brown and Hasaan Mackey only a few days ago, and now we get the whole album stream. I've felt Kev Brown to be one of the more underrated producers around for some time now, and I banged Mackey's album with Apollo Brown "Daily Bread" a lot back in 2011. The record is out now on Ill Adrenaline Records, and as you can hear below it sounds official as hell. The instrumentals are being released on wax as well, nice work as always Ill Adrenaline! Support @ UGHH, HHV, iTunes or your retailer of choice.

[Album] KEV BROWN & RAW POETIC - "Concentrated Maneuvers"

There's so many dope Music being released right now that it's almost impossible to constantly stay up to date. I'm a big fan of Kev Brown and what Little I've Heard from emcee Raw Poetic through his work with K-Def and his Group Pancaea, I was real excited that these two would hook up for an EP / mini-album this summer. I posted a few singles a while back but apparantly the 13 track Project was released about a month ago. Clocking in at around 25 minutes, the Project is filled with Brown's lo-fi jazzy piano licks, sampled funk- soul- and jazz samples with clever life rhymes and catchy hooks delivered like only Raw Poetic could. I think many of my readers will find very inspiring. The extended EP is entitled "Concentrated Manuevers" and features in total thirteen tracks, coonsisting of relatively short songs and featuring one guest apperances from Kaimbr. The Project is Another fine release from Redefinition Records and can be bought and streamed in its entirety @ Brown's Bandcamp.

 

 

RAW POETIC & KEV BROWN - "District 9"

As you should now from the previous singles, Raw Poetic and Kev Brown have joined forces as an emcee/producer duo in recording their first project together for Redefinition Records. Although an EP rather than an LP as I have stated before, "Concentrated Maneuvers" is shaping up real nice as you can hear by the latest single "District 9" which you can check out up top. The mini album will be available on Redefinition / Low Budget Records sometime this July so be on the look out. Pre-order the wax @ UGHH or the digital @ iTunes (where you can also peep the tracklist).

REDEFINITION Back @ It

GOD DAMN, I just wrote a long ass article on the new releases of one of the most exciting upcoming releases and for some reason the vast majority of it just dissapeared. Oh well, I'm not giving up, but the article will hardly be as informative as the original, but it has all the vital information. Order these records directly from RedefinitionRecords.com when available. In addition to these isted releases, the imprint has also announced a host of interesting projects, ncluding  

DAMU THE FUDGEMUNK - "Top 10 Sample Flips"

This is a pretty funky DJ mix, originally released only as a free download and now as a cassette tape. The background for this short project gestated when Damu was asked to do a piece for EgoTripLand's recurring article series where a producer breaks dow his favorite samples and chops (you can read the article @ EgoTripLand.com). The article definitely sparked an idea in the young producer to mix those favorite records and put them out on a limited cassette tape on Redefinition. The result is what you hear above! You can buy the cassette for $10.00 USD @ REDEF.

KLAUS LAYER - "Play Me An Old Enemy"

German producer extraordinare Klaus Layer, the latest addition to the label roster, released his immaculate 90%  instrumental full-lengther "The Adventures of Klaus Layer" has just been reissued with an all new artwork and ´pressed on green wax (you can stream the entire LP and order it @ The Redef Shop. As if that wasn't enough, Layer is allso dropping a brand new 45 featuring the two non-album cuts ("Play Me An Old Melodu and the instrumental and electronica-tinged instumental version of "Come Back")                                                                                                                                                                                                         
K-DEF - "Tape One"

K-Def is by far one of my favorite beat maestros of all time, dating as far back as his many apperance son early albums by Lords Of The Underground, Inteligent Hoodlum,  LL Cool J ("Funkadelic Relic"; "Year Of The Hip-Hop") and many more. The next upcoming REDEF release is entitled "Tape One"  and though no release date or tracklist has been revealed yet, we got a few things to go on. Looking a the picture above it is suggested that it's actually not a cassette but a vinyl pressing of what I suppose is one of 'Def's mid-'90a beat tape being presemted on remastered vinyl. Definitely worthy addition´to ány respectabe collection,

In additional Redef news regarding Mr. K-DEF is the fantastic news bit that the New Jersey's finest is hooking up with one of my personal favorites of the past for an entire EP worth of new music - I'm talking about 45 King. Not much more info available but be sure to stay tuned for more info!

EL DA SENSEI - "Try Again¨

One half of the legendary Arsonists crew, El Da Sensei has been featured on a couple of Redef records already but the 12" single "Try Again" is the first actual release under his name.No tracklist or number of included songs have yet to be announced but what we do now is that the project will be released on June 25 so a tracklist should appear any minute now. Producers announced for "Try Again" are House Shoes, the underrated DJ Joc Max and¨D. Smooth, with The Fudgemunk providing the turntable wizardry. Would love to hear another K-Def collabo, followingtheir amazing "Back to Basics" but this sould still be one worth waiting for. In further news, it actually doesn't seem that an El Da Sensei / K-Def album is too far on the horizon according to Refdef's laest news letter, so let's pray for that one! 

One more thing that Redef Records got on te horizon followinng this El Da Sensei single is a planned release of an actual The Artifacts 12"  single on the label. If this goes down this is the first proper Artifacts single since the late '90s and The Artifacts slept-on sophomore LP "The Ultimate".

RAW POETIC & KEV BROWN - "Concentrated"
Raw Poetic, one half of the duo Panancea, has already been in an important figure since the early days of REDEF; starring as sole emcee on K-Def's "Night Owls" ("Night Shift", 2011). The following year Poeric was cast as a guest emcee on two distinct Redef records; Damu The Fudgemunk's "Killawatt 1.5" and K-DEF's "´Easy Way Out " EP. As you can see Redefinition Records has got a whole lot of ill shit lined up for 2014.

KEV BROWN & RAW POETIC - "Think Much"

Kev Brown, one of the illest producers around, is definitely active at the moment, as he's not only just released the mini album "Pillars" with MindsOne a few days ago but is also working hard on a joint album with emcee Raw Poetic. The album is titled "Concentrated Maneuevers" and will be released on Redefinition Records on wax this spring, Back in February we heard the single "Super", now you can check out "Think Much" above.

KEV BROWN & MINDSONE Ft. Homeboy Sandman - "Pop"

Ill Adrenaline Records is continuing their victory run with a brand new release from emcee MindsOne all set over the always brilliant production by Kev Brown. The single "Pop" earns extra point through an inspired verse from Homeboy Sandman and is lifted from the EP which just dropped the other day and is called "Pillars". Groove heavy shit! Be sure to support by copping the limtied release on wax, CD or even cassette straight from the source.

RAW POETIC & KEV BROWN - "Super"

I've written it before here, but I'm a huge fan of Kev Brown's work as a producer; he is innovative and very often bring something new to table while still having a signature sound. As for Raw Poetic I haven't heard as much (I have the 3-track EP with K-DEF, and his two other apperances on different 'Def's LP:s), but the little I've heard tells me he's a slick emcee as long as he's got a dope producer backing him. So the news that Brown and Poetic is preparing a full-length release on Redef/Low Budget came as a very pleassant suprise, and is definitely something I will spend money on. The album is called "Concrete Maneuvers" and is scheduled for a release sometime this year. Today they dropped the first single, and although it's only about 1:30 in length (yes it's the full song), you can hear the chemistry there and I already rewinded it about 3-4 times. I could imagine this being the intro to the project but who knows... Stay tuned for future updates!

[EP] KEV BROWN Presents EARLY REED & J SCIENIDE - "The Dose"

Kev Brown is not only a super talented producer, but he got a real knack for finding and supporting fresh talent. In 2012 Brown's Low Budget Records released the terrific debut LP from Quartermaine, and now comes an equally stunning project from the label in the form of Early Reed's "The Dose (The MFN Files)". A 7 tracks deep journey into the art of well crafted beats, on point rhymes, turntable magic, headnodding and a whole lot of soul that is not to be missed. Entirely produced by Washington/DC veteran Early Reed whose jazzy blend of soul and boom bap is a real treat for the ears with captivating vocals expertly handled by J Scienide this little Extended Play is simply superb on all levels. Guest apperances comes from Kev Brown, Hasaan Mackey, Supastition and DJ Jon Doe. Initially released back in December it is only available as a digital download (for $5) so be sure to support these guys and lets hope for an eventual vinyl release!

[Album] GRAP LUVA - "Neva Done EP"

There's no question that JNOTA and Damu Tha Fudgemunk's Redefinition imprint in a relatively short time has grown into one of the absolute strongest and most original underground hip-hop labels of our time. The label features both legendary producers and emcees that since their move to Redef has gotten the chance to release more music than probably ever before (K-Def, Damu, Grap Luva, Kev Brown, etc) as well as giving a chance to up-and-coming artost that based on their output have a very bright future (think Quartermaine, Klaus Layer, and Raw Poetic). Few labels in the last few years have been so hard on my wallet but I'm sure as hell ain't complaining cosidering the qualitythese guys bring to the table. 

In 2011, former InI member Grap Luva released his first real solo endeavour - the solid "Neva Done EP", featuring nine songs (plus instrumental versions of the two main tracks). The mini album clocked in at about 30 minutes and is a very interesting listen from Soul Brother #2. His influences range from his brother Pete Rock, but his work with other great producers like DJ Spinna, Oddisse, Kev Brown, Joc Max and Damu  (the two latter who also features with beats on the project) has definitely helped in molding Grap's own unique sound which makes "Neva Done" a superb listen. If you missed it the first time it dropped some three and a half years ago, Redef has now, like with several other releases from the label recently, put up a one track rip of the entire cassette of the album which you can both download and stream for free. If you like what you hear, make sure to grab the cassette ASAP @ RedefinitionRecords.com. TURN IT UP!!

[Album] KEV BROWN - "Brazil Dedication"

Kev Brown is a name who's contribution I'm always eager to hear when I see listed on an album sleeve. After hooking up with Redefinition Records and forming his Low Budget Records he has headed quality albums by Kaimbr, Quartermaine, and his own "Random Joints" and "South Africa Dedication". Now he's back with a new all-instrumental project that sounds interesting a hell, in fact a sort of sequel to the latter project. Inspired by a trip to Brazil, Brown has searched extensively for dope samples of Brazilian records to create the 10" LP "Brazil Dedication" that is out now. Grab it @ Redefinition!

[Video] Sean Born - "Grandeur"

Director Roddy Rodd adds some visual to Sean Brown's single "Grandeur". The track is the opening track to the dope Kev Brown produced debut album "Behind The Scale" which is out now on Mello Music Group.

KEV BROWN - "The Random Joints"

I've long been a fan of Kev Brown's music as he's constantly been dropping reasons to name him as one of the hottest underground producers around. Now it seems that we'll be getting a heavier dose of Kev Brown ish to look forward to in the near future as he jump starts his own Low Budget Records this year. Kicking things off, with "Random Joints", Brown brings a collection of tracks guaranteed to get some heads nodding.

"Low Budget Records is Producer/MC Kev Brown’s latest business venture, a partnership between Kev, Redefinition Records and Fat Beats Distribution. We’ll be hearing a lot more of the Maryland based producer’s brand of quality hip-hop as he now has the creative control and distribution channel to do things whenever and however he sees fit. With upcoming solo and collaborative projects in the works that feature artists such as Grap Luva, Hassaan Mackey, Toine (from DTMD), Sean Born, Kenn Starr, Quartermaine and others, Kev is set to satisfy his long-time fans and new listeners alike as he releases a barrage of quality records."

"Random Joints" is available on CD and wax but you can also check out the free promo version EP which includes five of the songs featured on the full-length proejct. You'll find the Stream/Download via the link below.

KEV BROWN - "RANDOM JOINTS" [EP]

Grap Luva - "Rocking Wit' Elegance" / "Heavy D Salute"

Grap Luva is without a doubt one of the most underrated artists out there right now, either we're talking production or rhymes. He's been doing his thing on wax since we first heard him on the classic posse cut "The Basement" on Pete Rock & CL's debut album in '92 and he of course also held it down on the ill-fated, but classic, InI album "Center Of Attention" some years later. But despite 20 years in the business fans have been left without a real Grap solo, until now that is... "Neva Done" is a mini album that features both instrumentals and songs and is a guaranteed banger that is available on CD and extremely limited vinyl today! If you're not yet sold check out the two heaters below; "Rocking Wit' Elegance" is a self-produced choice cut from the CD while the salute to Heavy D is a freestyle dedicated to his fallen friend, Kev Brown on the beat. Order your copy of the album @ Fat Beats or UGHH. Shouts to Redefinition Records for keeping it official!

GRAP LUVA - "HEAVY D SALUTE" (FREESTYLE)

GRAP LUVA - "ROCKIN' WIT' ELEGANCE"

VIDEO: Sean Touré Ft. Kev Brown & AB Rock

The video above just dropped in my inbox and I'm feeling this joint; nice performances and real smooth production by Baltimore son Sean Touré. The song, which is called "A Day in the Life", is lifted from his forthcoming solo debut "Soundchanneler, The Invisible Man" which will see release in October this year. I believe this is my first time hearing this guy, and if it wasn't for Kev Brown's involvement I might very well have overlooked it, but I just put him on my checklist.