KILLAH PRIEST Ft. AGALLAH - "The Elders Gave Us Aura"

As much as a fan of Killah Priest that I am I sometimes feel that he drops a little too much material, instead of saving up his best shit and drop one or two projects a year and discard the rest. For me I'm pretty good with "Heavy Mental" (and the early Sunz Of Man stuff and KP singles leading up to it), "The Offering" and the amazing 2013 double disc "Psychic World Of Walter Reed". Speaking of the latter one of my favorite joints on there was the soulful monster of a jam titled "The Elders Gave Us Aura", produced by Agallah. It was a case of short but sweet, but sometimes you wonder why artist choose to have one of the best songs on the album clock in at like 1:30. Well my homie Antoine turned me on to the truth in this case, "The Elders..." was actually a full collaboration between Priest and Agallah The Don, featuring an entire verse that was omitted from the album version for some reason. So here I present the full version of Killah Priest's "The Elders Gave Us Aura" featuring Agallah. Up top you can see/hear the shortened album version... Crazy why Priest cut this song - perhaps he wanted as few guests as possible but to be perfectly honest a 41 track album wouldn't hurt from some more guest apperances despite the fact that lyrically Priest probably dropped the strongest double disc as a solo artist of all time.  Anyway, enjoy and once again a big thank you to Antoine!

DON BISHOP AGALLAH / BIG DADDY KANE - "Get Your Shit Together"

Oh hell yeah, every time a new Big Daddy Kane verse pops up you know that shit gonna be hot. I definitely need to make a compilation of post-2003 Kane verses ASAP. Anyway this banger called "Get Your Shit Together" is the new single by the dope man known as Don Bishop Agallah. "Agalito's Way: The Life Of Don Francis" is coming sooner than you think.

[Album] AGALLAH DON BISHOP - "Don Status"

Ever since I first heard Agallah as a producer back in the very late '90s on Group Home's and Cappadonna's second albums as 8-Off Tha Assassin I always kept an eye out for him. And while he's ocassionally been quite hit-or-miss, when he's good he's real fucking good. His latest endeavor is the free project "Don Status" that's filled with hardcore hip-hop featuring some of today's finest young hip-hop artists such as Hus Kingpin, Rozewood, DirtyDiggs, Killer Been, SmooVth, Spit Gemz, and guest producer Opi Tayler. Definitely worth a listen so be sure to press play below.

[Video] KILLAH PRIEST - "The Elders Gave Us Aura"

Since his 1998 debut "Heavy Mental" I has Always held him in the highest regard as one of the best lyricists to ever do it. Last year he released the incredible double CD "The Psychic World of Walter Reed", which I unfortunately forgot in my best-of-2013 countdown despite it being one of the absolute top LP:s of that year (and KP's best since "The Offering") Priest just released a Concrete Films directed video to the Agallah produced "The Elders Gave Us Aura"; a short but deadly track that stands amongst my favorites on the LP. Order the digital album @ Itunes or grab the physical at Amazon.

[Mixtape] V/A - "Counterstrike 2: A Decade of UNKUT"

Robbie Etterson's brilliant hip-hop site UNKUT was definitely one of the reasons I wanted to get into this blog game, and it still remains one of my favorite sites. A few years ago Robbie got together a gang of dope underground rappers and producers and released the Unkut mixtape "Counterstrike". But now, on the 10 year anniversary of the sites incarnation, Robbie definitely steps it up with "Counterstrike 2: A Decade Of UNKUT", featuring 20 tracks with exclusive material from a lot of my favorite artists and producers. Some of the most interesting is the first Real Live material in years (K-Def and Larry-O for those not in the know), an Amed produced Milano banger, Grand Daddy I.U., Omniscience, Beneficence, $amhill, Craig G/Agallah and several others. This is a definite must hear if you love underground hip-hop, in the true school end of things, and is available for free download and CD and possible tape editions will pop up as well. 

Executive produced by Robbie Ettelson, mixed by Crate Cartel's Discourse, artwork and design by BURN Crew and (C) by unkut.com 2014. Click here to read more, check out the tracklist, etc.. Download or stream below and MEGA props to Robbie for this one; you're da fucking man!!

DOWNLOAD @ ZIPPYSHARE

[Mixtape] ALCHEMIST & AGALLAH - "Past & Present"

Alchemist has by far been the most productive, yet constantly interesting producer of 2013, and I doubt this year will be much different. No other producer can churn out full albums at his speed while maintining complete quality control; the only other one that comes to mind is Madlib but as much as i love 'Lib's craziness I have to admit that some of the stuff he has put out through the years have been terribly self-indulgent. Alchemist on the other hand is both versatile and almost always spot-on as a producer, and 8-Off a/k/a Agallah The Don Bishop is another interesting producer that's been at it for at least 15 years. Both of them are of course also rappers, and together they have came together for a free 24 track mixtape. ALC only rhyme on a couple of tracks though so this is in fact an Agallah show, presented over 12 of his own beats and 12 of Alan's, with the latter throwing in a rhyme or two for good measure. The vibe is definitely good, and when you add guests like Roc Marciano, Thistin Howl The Third, Guilty Simpson, Masta Ace, AG Da Coroner, Buc Fifty, Channel Live, Craig G, Sean Price, and many more, you know you got an underground hit on your hands. I'm five tracks in so far and this is pure unadulteratued hip-hop, strongly recommended although I notice that track #5 (one of ALC's beats) is actually a reuse of the classic beat he gave to Mobb Deep and G Rap for "The Realest". Oh well, there's plenty of original material on here as well and don't underestimate the talents of Agallaha behind the baord (an edit - having listened through it, I believe that is the only reused beat on his side)... So what are you waiting for?

AGALLAH Ft. Roc Marciano - "Blaze Of Glory"

Roc Marciano has just released the back-to-back album punch of "The Pimpire Strikes Back" and "Marci Beaucoup", so I wouldn't be suprised if we wouldn't hear any more additional Roc verses for at least a month or two. But being the hardest working man in hip-hop, already now we get to hear an inspired verse on the equally inspired new Agallah single "Blaze of Glory", produced by Agallah. Watch out for the full 8-Off /ALC EP "Past & Present" dropping January 1

 

AGALLAH x THE ALCHEMIST - "Identity Theft"

Both Agallah, p/k/a 8-Off and Alchemist are both known as prodcers and emcees. For Agallah's latest single from his "Red V" mixtape that's out now on iTunes, he's leaving all production duties to Alan while the latter leaves the entirety of the vocal parts to The Don Bishop himself. The record is another stunning New York themed banger that definitely got a shot at getting the streets moving, so make sure to peep the video above.

NEW Killah Priest / Shabazz / Agallah / Dr. Zodiak

A good posse cut has been one of the epitome's of hip-hop music since Marley Marl and The Juice Crew shocked the world with the immortal masterpiece, "The Symphony". Throughout the years we've been getting plenty of amazing joints of that nature, and one of the latest features two of my favorite rhymers - Killah Priest and Shabazz The Disciple - who is here joined by Agallah The Don Bishop and Dr. Zoiak. The track title is "After the Rapture" and is filled with inspiring verses and terrific production filled with soul samples. Please drop a comment on who you felt have the strongest verse on this headbanger. Thx to FeLo from Wu-Corp for the heads up!