MILANO CONSTANTINE - "Loyalty"

More D.I.T.C. heat for us heads never sits wrong; Milano might have missed out on the recent D.I.T.C. Studios album but he has kept busy dropping heat rocks like the DJ Skizz produced digital single "Closer" / "Gotta Do It" that proved that the BX underground vet hasn't lost a step. Here he again hooks up with DJ Skizz a long with guest ecee J Bux for "Loyalty", utilizing samples and themes from the classic "Donnie Brasco" flick with Al Pacino and Johnny Deep. Milano we need a new album ASAP! Oh and in case you, like me missed it, check out Milano and Skizz take on one of the bangers from Adrian Younge's "Something About April II" called "38 Snub Nose Freesttyle". Word on the street is that Milano is about to put out an EP enitrely produced by DJ Skizz and Marco Polo so let's keep our fingers crossed!

DJ Skizz Ft. Your Old Droog - "Listen to Jazz"

Following up on my review of Robert Glasper's dopeness that is "Everything's Beautiful" here's some more beautiful Jazz/Hip Hop fusion for your ears. DJ Skizz is one of the illest doing it on an underground level at the moment if you ask me, and here he hooks up with Your Old Droog over a jazzy beat to remind listeners of the greatness of the one and only music that's at least equally dope as the Hip Hop we all love. I must admit I used to have a bit of a problem with Your Old Droog considering the constant Nas comparisions, something that was very easy to make, but the more I hear from him the more convinced I am that he's actually a dope emcee that's partly very influenced by early Nas and partly born with a very similiar voice and vocal inflictions. Eith way with a track like this beautiful "Listen to Jazz" I definitly have no hard feelings!

MILANO CONSTANTINE - "Closer" b/w "Gotta Do It"

Milano Constantine, who first made his name known to underground fantatics the world over through his affiliation with the D.I.T.C. camp and his massively succesful 12" single "Rep For The Slums". Since then he has dropped some heat here and there, a few solid mixtapes, a few not so solid ones, and so on, but with the D.I.T.C. renaissance of today The Bronx Bomber is back with some heat for us - and dope it is. A digitial single dedicated to his late father titled "P.O.P.S. (Paragraphs Of A Poet's Soul)" featuring two bangers called "Closer" b/w "Gotta Do It" that sounds like that ol' Milano boom bap type of shit we first fell in love with. Both joints are produced by Milano himself and serves as preparation for on an upcoming EP/mini album called "The Road" that will exclusively be produced by DJ Skizz and Marco Polo so be sure to count on that heat. Also in case you missed it last month, check out this powerful Milan' freestyle over some Adrian Younge heat posted by Skizz as "38 Snub Nose".

CORMEGA Ft. ROC MARCIANO - "No Filter"

 Two of my favorite emcees gets busy on this boom banger prodived by Marco Polo (production) and DJ Skizz (wheels of steel) to great effect. You know that when 'Mega and Roc collaborate, you're in for a treat and now there's beginning to be so many of them that a Lost Tapes compilation of the two might be ready in the near future. Not sure where this is gonna land but it is labeled as a Cormega single and it's RAW as fuck, so let's hope he's readying a new LP this year!

CORMEGA Ft. ROC MARCIANO - "NO FILTER"

[ALBUM] DIAMOND DISTRICT - "March On Washington: Redux"

2014 was finally the year that Diamond District, the Washington trio consisting of XO, yU and producer/emcee Oddisee, Their album "March On Washington" was right on time giving the current status of what the hell is going on with the US (and here in Europe as well).  Welll-received by fans and critics alike, it was great to hear the trio going in again and much needed. And it was only yesterday that they released their remix album titled "Redux" to iTunes. The remix project features big names like Large Professor, Diamond D, Nottz, OhNO, Black Milk, DJ Skizz and more. Sounds very interesting, stream it or purchase it below. TURN IT UP!

[Video] DJ SKIZZ / ROC MARCI / AG / OC / G.O.D-Father III

"Light Years", by far the illest posse cut on DJ Skizz' amazing 2013 producer album "The B.Q.E: Brooklyns-to-Queens Experience". There's tons of döpe music on that disc, while no room for weak moments, but this OC, Roc Marciano, AG, OC and Godfather Part 3 really sets the bar high. Check out the visuals above,  If you don't have "B.Q.E." yet it's definitely time to stop sleeping and order a copy from (where?). Hope this turn out to be a digital only project.

[Album] ILLA GHEE - "Social Graffiti"

Due to the lack of updates this past week (sorry about that) I haven't yet posted Illa Ghee's newly released "Social Graffiti", one of the many interesting LP:s dropping this month. Illa's latest packs 17 hard jams with the talented MC going head-to-head with an amazing all-star cast of producers and guest vocalists; including OC, Sean Price, Large Professor, Crummie Beats, JuJu, Steele, Ayatollah, DJ Skizz, Fame, Rell and more. The whole project is up for free stream/digital purchase via DJBooth while the CD will be available next Tuesday - pre-order @ UGHH.

01. "Social Graffiti (Intro)"

02. "Salute The General" (Ft. Fame)

03. "Speak To 'Em" (Ft. Sean Price)

04. "Murda Boyz"

05. "Rum Raisin"

06. "Get Money"

07. "Razor Blade Vomit"

08. "Blurred Pupil" (Ft. Rell)

09. "James Worthy"

10. "Bruised Ego" (Ft. JuJu)

11. "No Mercy" (Ft. Guilty Simpson & Switch)

12. "B.O.D.Y." 

13. "Hold Up" (Ft. Royal Flush)

14. "Talking in a 3rd Person" 

15. "90" (Ft. Large Professor)

16. "On The Brooklyn Side" (Ft. Steele & OC)

17. "Open The Door" 

ILLA GHEE - "SOCIAL GRAFFITI" @ DJBOOTH

[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

[EP] YOUR OLD DROOG - "Y.O.D. EP"

  I saw this EP posted some time ago but didn't play it or give it much thought, the name sounded kinda cheesy and there's so much music dropping these days so there's not a chance you gonna be checking it all unless you somehow get it recommended or find it through collaborations with artists you dig. However I noticed that there's a big ass thing on the internet whether Your Old Droog and his self-titled EP is actually a publicy stunt from Nas, recording an EP under a different name and with his voice slightly pitched throughout. I'm a big fan of Nasir Jones so I thought it shouldn't be too hard laying that rumor to rest if that wasn't the case so I gave the 30 minutes EP a front-to-back listen in headphones this morning and GOD DAMN this cat sounds a whole lot like Nas - and not just the voice either, but the flow, the delivery, the lyrical topics, and so on. "Your Old Droog" is produced, cut, recored and mixed by El RTNC, Droog and DJ Skizz; neither who has worked with Nas before though that of course need to mean anything. 

Since then a few major sites have come forward saying that they have met the dude, and that he's a cat of irish descent repping Brooklyn. Conspiracy theorists of course will say that this is total BS, but in my mind this publicity stunt doens't seem to be in Nas' character at this point in his career. On top of that, about 7-8 months ago DJ Skizz released the single "Rhyme Strange" which starred Imaginary Droog - a white cat from Coney Island, Brooklyn that appears on the single artwork and is definitely the same (check the embeded YouTube clib above). I don't think that it's Nas, but the similarities are indeed uncanny, but most of all "Your Old Droog" is a damn fine EP that you should definitely check out at least once. Stream it below and feel free to drop a comment on your thoughts. If it is indeed a unique person I think he needs to find his own voice and he can really become somehing, especially backed up by stellar production like this. Press play!

[Album] FIRST DIVISION - "The Critical Path Pt. 2"

Earlier this year Marco Polo co-signed Ontario duo First Division dropped the first part of their two volume album "The Critical Path", a real gem for the true hip-hop heads. Now Shylow and Expertise is back with the second installment on some rugged boom bap shit with a lot of slick rhymes, turntable wizardry and heavy beats by Marco Polo, DJ Skizz, Beatwyze and Killing Skills. If you want the full experience I recommend listening to both volumes back to back.

DJ SKIZZ Ft. REACH - "Fix"

It's been roughly a year since the impeccable producer DJ Skizz released his solo debut "B.Q.E. - Brooklyn to Queens Experience" which without a doubt helped to again put the producer as main artist on the map again. Now Skizz is preparing a new EP called "Perfect Strangers" which drops sometime this year. The first single is the smashing joint "Fix" featuring Kansas City emcee Reach. And while we're on the subject of DJ Skizz, word is that he's also working on an as-of-yet untitled project with none other than Marco Polo. The ill ish!

DJ SKIZZ Ft. Jaysaun & Ripshop - "Revenge"

After lending his DJ and/or production skills to artists like Big Noyd, Masta Ace, Maffew Ragazino, Ill Bill and Lil' Dap, DJ Skizz really came into his own last year with the heavy rotation monster "B.Q.E. (Brooklyn to Queens Experience)". Now the New York DJ returns with the brand new single "Revenge", featuring on-point storytelling by the always underrated Jaysaun, Ripshop and DJ Lazyboy on the one and two's. Coupled with Skizz smacking drum programming, beautiful string sample and deep bassline this equals the hottest joints on "B.Q.E." so watch out for this cat's next LP.

[Video] DJ SKIZZ Ft. BIG TWINZ - "Poison"

DJ Skizz delivered one of the hottest albums of 2013 with his heavy guest heavy "B.Q.E. (Brooklyn to Queens Experience)". If you haven't checked that one out yet, you are definitely sleeping, but whatever the case I'm sure you'll enjoy the official video for "Poison", the hardcore single featuring ruff voiced QB veteran Big Twinz.

[Video] ILLA GHEE x LIL' FAME - "Salute The General"

Another of my personal favorite emcees is of course Lil' Fame a.k.a. Slap, a.k.a. Fizzy Womack. For this new video Illa Ghee enlists Fame for a nice performance on "Salute The General", produced by DJ Skizz who delivered one of he hottest proudcer driven albums of last year with "B.Q.E. (Brooklyn to Queens Experience)". TURN IT UP!!

[Video] DJ SKIZZ x REKS x RASHEED CHAPPEL x MAFFEW RAGAZINO - "Day in the Life"

While looking through the related videos when making my last post, I came across the collaboration between Reks, Rasheed Chappel, and Maffew Ragazino from DJ Skizz's magnificent hip-hop opus "B.Q.E. (Brooklyn to Queens Experience)". While the video/single was released roughly a month ago, I missed out on posting it the first time around and I definitely want to take any chance I get to hype up and promote DJ Skizz album; clearly one of the most slept-on of the year. To hear both Reks, Rasheed Chappel and Maffew Ragazino clash on a powerful Golden Age-esque beat with punching drums, superb scratches and a nicely chopped sample. All in all, this is some powerful stuff and if you're still sleeping on "B.Q.E.", you better WAKE THE FUCK UP!!

 

Also check the videos for "Metal Bars" (w. Masta Ace & Nature), "Vio-Lence" (w. Ill Bill & Lil' Fame),  "Triboro Thoro" (w. Panchi, Big Noyd & H.Stax) and pick up the CD @ FatBeats) ASAP.

[Video] DJ SKIZZ x MASTA ACE x NATURE - "Metal Bars"

With a super fresh boom bap sound and a guest list of some of the biggest and best names on the New York hip-hop scene, DJ/producer DJ Skizz has created one of the best albums of the year with "B.Q.E. (Brooklyn to Queens Experience)". If you haven't checked it out yet, I strongly recommend you to support this project. The opening track of "B.Q.E." is called "Metal Bars" and features stellar verses by Masta Ace and Nature over a hardboiled headbanger, signature of the sound found on the LP. Check it out above and head over to FatBeats to grab the CD, or iTunes for the digital download. I just noticed that the latter carries two bonus cuts not featured on the compact disc; one with Wais P, and one featuring Psycho Les and Milano.

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)

DJ Skizz Ft. H. Stax, Big Noyd & Panchi - "Triboro Thoro"

DJ Skizz, who's a member of the World Famous "Halftime Radio Show", is releasing his debut album as a producer on June 23. Titled "B.Q.E. (Brooklyn-Queens Experience)" the LP will serve up dope platters with some of New York's finest, including legends like OC, AG, Roc Marciano, Cormega, Masta Ace, Craig G, Havoc, Psycho Les, Ill Bill, Lil' Fame, Tragedy, General Steele, Rah Digga, and FT to name a few. For the second single of the project, Skizz arranges a crazy fat trio track with underground emcees of the highest caliber; Gang Starr affiliates Hannibal Stax and Panchi (NYGz), as well as Big Noyd.

DJ Skizz Ft. Ill Bill & Lil' Fame - "Violence"

Brooklyn's DJ Skizz is about to blow some heads with his self-produced debut album "B.Q.E" which is slated for an early 2013 release. Filled with hardbodie beats, the LP is loaded with some of the best street emcees around; get ready for cameos by Roc Marciano, AG, Cormega, Sean Price, Havoc, Tragedy, Masta Ace, Craig G, Rah Digga, Steele, Torae, Nature and more. To get you ready for what's to come, check out the lead single "VIO-LENCE" featuring no less rhyme slingers than Lil' Fame and Ill Bill. Don't sleep!

 

[Mixtape] Nutso + DJ Skizz - "Mr. Collabo"

Queen's emcee Nutso (formerly Nut-Rageous) are responsible for several dope records; mainly his record with Freestyle Professor's Branesparker, and his rare 2xLP solo album "Rawnuts (The Best Of Nut-Rageous)". He was also recently featured with a monster verse on the memorable posse cut,. "Galaxy Of Queens", with CNN, Royal Flush and Tragedy Khadafi.

DJ Skizz is a Queens based DJ/producer/Haftime Radio Show co-host, who I first encountered on his excellent mixtape "Kings From Queens" some three months ago. Not these two artists have cooked up a free fourteen tracks mixtape/albm that, although I haven't had the time to listen to yet, clearly sounds GREAT on paper. Guests on "Mr. Collabo" include Blaq Poet, Ruste Juxx, Red Eye, Shabaam Sahdeeq, Dom Pachino, Sadat X, Punchline, Kool G Rap & Necro and many more. Do yourself a favor and make sure you check this out!1

 NUTSO / DJ SKIZZ - "MR. COLLABO"