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"

PRHYME - "Courtesy" [Marco Polo Remix]

PRhyme (DJ Premier x Royce Da 5'9") made one of the strongest albums of last year if you ask me with their self-titled debut. Word is that we are going to be treated to a Deluxe Edition on a limited 45 box set that will include exclusive bonus tracks including collabos with MF DOOM and many more. Here one of the heir to Preemo's boom bap throne, Marco Polo, gives the excellent first single "Courtesy" a facelift and it's as slamming as expected. Marco, Preemo, Royce and Adrian Younge.... God damn, you know you want to TURN IT UP!!

PRHYME - "Courtesy" [Marco Polo Remix]

DJ Premier and Royce Da 5'9''s collaborative 2014 album "PRhyme" was by far one of the best albums of last year if you ask me, and I just love how Premier challenged himself and his signature sound by only including samples from the catalouge of another one of my recent favorite producers - Adrian Younge. Here Marco Polo takes on the single "Courtesy", bringing that vintage boom bap sound with a modern twist that is his trademark sound. Not sure where this will end up, but if I recall correctly a deluxe edition of "PRhyme" is on the way including some new remixes and a few new cuts so this seem like a likely inclusion. Dope jam either way!

SKYZOO & TORAE - "Double The Monsters"

This is another slamming 2DBZ premier for the day that at least I haven't heard before. This Marco Polo produed is where hardcore meets beautiful while Sky and Torae GOES IN.. Overall "The Barrell Brothers" was quite an underrated LP and should definitely have gotten more recognition, I always had a huge deal of respect for this guy and with songs like this they prove once again their incredible ear for beats and chemistry between each other. What bugs me is that too many artists save album highlights for bonus tracks which is a shame in my book. Anyway, take a listen to "Double the Monsters" below (again thanks to the site mentioned above) and be sure to bang your head to this short but sweet joint! It's on the vinyl though so that's good news rather than like most artist putting the bonus track as a digital only downlaod. Enjoy!

[Album] SAGA x MARCO POLO - "From Out The Shadows"

The homie Matt Diamond put me on to up and coming Brooklyn emcee Saga who first caught my attention with his Roc Marciano assisted single "City Streets", a truely nostalgic boom bap monster produced by Marco Polo. From there Saga has let loose of a couple of more singles that all have packked that incredible sound we all know and love, so when the full project is now available you can bet your last dollar that this is one of the illest debut albums of the year. Ten tracks deep, "From Out The Shadows", is filled with hard hitting beats, melodic basslines, fat turntable work and excellent writing and delivery by Saga. Marco Polo and Saga definitely have an amazing chemistry together and let's hope for a lot more projects from those two in the future. Press play and raise your glass!

SAGA Ft. ROC MARCIANO - "City Streets"

I forgot to post this the other day, but this is a real fucking banger so please don't sleep on this. Saga is an up-and-coming New York emcee who calls himself Saga. Saga is about to release his free EP, entirely produced by the one and only Marco Polo, and listening to the first single (which also features a stellar Roc Marciano) verse this one will be fucking crazy. Premiered by TheSource.com and shouts to Matt Diamond for putting me on to this one. Stay tuned for when the EP drops, you'll definitely find it on The Lost Tapes, this is the type of hip-hop I love; no question!

[Album] GRAND DADDY I.U. - "PIMP (Paper is My Priority)"

It's a true fucking shame the way Grand Daddy I.U.'s career has been handled. In 1990 the Stroong Island spitter and producer released his debbut albbum on Cold Chillin, ""Smooth Assassin", that to this day is viewed as one of the lost Cold Chillin' Classics of the late '80s/early 90s. After another album on C.C. in 1994 and an intense guest verse on Big L's "Da Graveyard" he kind of faded into obscurity until 2006s when he came back with "Stick 2 The Script", a stellar LP featuring real ass lyrics over beats by Grand Daddy IU himself (who's a very skilled producer in his own right), Large Pro, DJ Dooom, Marco Polo, Chucky Madness and Lotto. More recently he gave a lassting impression on Diamond D's recent "The Diaam Pieece" LP on the single/video "The Game".

Now I.U. has completed another album that he just released on our asses called "P.I.M.P. (Paper is My Priority)". I'm in the midst of listening to it right now, but this is fucking serious, for a quick eexample take a listen to the single/video "Suasquatch Feet" above, produced by GWop Sullivan.. This track is really, really dope - I.U. really got some thing on his mind and it he does it straight from the heart. The booming beats, turntable work, beauituful trumpet and the piano keys samples makes this a real winner. And as far as I'm hearing at this moment (I've bumped about half by now, ni skips) the entire album is in the same vein, Grand Daddy I.U. is the true definition of a  low-key legend, been doing great music for more than 25 years, inspired countless commercially more succesfull artists (including Nas and Jay-Z) yet only real music conniseours even know the name, But what the hell, at least he got a loyal fan bse, just wish it was bigger.

So far the album is available for digital HQ purchase and free streaming (which you'll find below), but will also be released on CD and limited golden cassette via RedLineMusicDistribution on March 17. The vast majority of the 20 track set is produced by the artist himself, with very few exceptiions, the aforementioned single "My Neck Of The Woods" is done by BLUNT; the intro is a Marco Polo banger; and finally ´"Sasquatch Feet" were produced by GWop Sullivan. This album is a real banger so don't sleep when it actually does drop - e.g. from UGHH. Also head over to GrandDaddyIU.com for more albums, mixtapes, music and info. Salute!

PHAROAHE MONCH - "In The Zone"

Pharoahe Monch and Marco Polo has done some amazing music in the past, especially on Monch's incredible virtuos showcase "P.T.S.D.". Now the duo lets loose of this previously unreleased collaboration via Soundcloud. "In The Zone" was originally recorded exclusively for the video game "Saints Row: The Third" but has never been made available in full before. Enjoy!

[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

[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.

[EP] FIRST DIVISION - "The Critical Path Pt. 1"

This slamming eight track EP went straight over my head when it was first released as a free download a few days ago, but I'm real glad I found it because this is exactly one of the many different types of hip-hop that I absolutely love with no holding back. First Division is an Ontario, Canada duo consisting of Shylow and Expertise, and besides Shylow's many DJ apperances on Marco Polo's album the duo also appeared on the stand-out cut "The Long & Winding Road" with Large Professor on Marco's immaculate "Newport Authority 2" (if you read my review you'll know that I hold that premix even higher than the more official "PA2: Director's Cut". On the "The Ciritcal Path Pt. 1" the duo gives an amazing performance both beat wise, lyrically and on the turntables - pretty much hip hop at it's finest. This is the pre-cursor to their upcoming official album "The Critical Path 2" which drops later this year. Scroll up a bit to find the two first singles from this album and a big shout out to this duo for making this incredible music available for free - if they are just pressing up this on vinyl, I'm sold!

[Mixtape] BIG TWINZ - "TG1" (Ft. Raekwon, Cormega, Killah Priest, FT, Nature, Marco Polo, Alchemist....)

The hoarse voiced QB legend Big Twinz drops his new mixtape "TG1" hosed by DJ Woool (one of Killah Priest's main producers of recent years) and the tracklisting is looking super ill for the most part. I don't have time to listen to the entire thing right now but I'm checking some of the early tracks and most on-paper standouts - "Can't Get Enough" (Ft. FT, Nature; prod. by Marco Polo), "Complex" [prod. by DJ Woool], "New Infamous Mobb" (Ft. Godfather Pt. III; prod. by Sid Roams), "Big Dreams" [prod. by DJ Wool], "Bigger U Are The Harder U Fall" (Ft. Alchemist & Planet Asia), "Poison" [prod. by DJ Skizz], and "QB Allstars" (Ft. Cormega, Craig G & Nature) . Great to see the homie DJ Duke getting some shine too on "Hypnotize", also DJ Woool who has never been one of my favorites when it comes to lacing Priest sounds a lot more organic/fresh on the beats I heard here. My first conclusion is that this might very well be the best mixtape of the year so far, though of course I need to listen to it in full several tmes before making such a statement concrete. "TG1" are presented as a free download and brought to you by DatPiff. Don't sleep on this... QUEENSBRIDGE IN THE HOUSE!

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PHAROAHE MONCH x BLACK THOUGHT - "Rapid Eye Movement"

Two of the illest lyricists alive team up for the first time since the 2002 Kweli classic "Guerilla Monsoon Rap" and the results is as crazy as expected. The Marco Polo produced "Rapid Eye Movement" is the latest single from Monch's upcoming "PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)" which finally hit stores April 15. Who you think killed this one? Tough choice!!

MARCO POLO + MASTA ACE - "I Refuse"

Marco Polo held 2013 in a real tight grip with his excellent production, kicking the year off with a hot LP with Gang Starr Foundation veteran H. Stax, which was followed up by a free mixtape that had better guest and stronger production than the vast majority of projects released the whole year (I actually copped the wax of it as soon as it dropped) and rounded of the year with the equally excellent "Port Authority 2". Slice-Of-Spice was behind the latter and as usual with their releases they offered customers various special packages - one which included an exclusive 12" single featuring two cuts that did not make the album. The Artifacts' "Back to Work", as slamming as it is, was actually featured on "Newport Authority 2" but the boom banging "I Refuse" with one of the all time greats was exclusive to this release. I previously posted the snippet of the Masta Ace joint here, but now the label has made both tracks available for free download, so hurry up and download because these things are usually time restricted. Of course if you want the actual physical copy there's still a few left which you can get along with "PA2" on triple wax and a poster for about $70 @ Slice-Of-Spice. Listening for the second time, I gotta say DAMN that Ace cut is delicious!

MARCO POLO Ft. Masta Ace & Wordsworth - "I Refuse"

I included Marco Polo's excellent double feature release of 2013 in my best of the year countdown, making a case for how fantastic both "Newport Authority 2" / "PA2: Director's Cut" really are. In fact, on many days I feel that "Newport Authority 2" is most focused and best between the two, by a small margin. So of course any material that didn't make the album is something I really want to hear, so it came as a pleasant, although for me late discovery, that he together with Fat Beats and Soulspazm Records released a 12" single featuring the Artifacts' banger "Back to Work" from "Newport #2.", but what's really interesting is the flip side which is song created for the album(s) but ultimately didn't make the cut; which is unfortunate considering how absolutely dope it is. 

The track called "I Refuse" sees Ace and Wordsworth (eMC in the house) going in HARD over an equally raw Polo boom banger. The vinyl side features the dirty main version, the accapella and the instrumental version. Although it was released last month, it totally went over my head and I just listened to it only a week ago, but considering that Ace is one of my top 10 emcees out there any audio of this is very welcome since I don't have any cash to buy the 12" at the moment (I just ordered and received "New Port Authority" on 2xLP and pre-ordered the 3xLP set of "PA2" along with some other records). Being that Marco is also an excellent DJ (whcih he certainly proved when I saw him as eMC's back up tour DJ a year or two ago in Copenhagen), the way he includes the first verse and two hooks from the dirty main version, this is followed by the second part sees him making a smooth transition to the accapella  with the acapella for a verse which works real well. Then you get the beat back and the last hook before the track fades out for the last minute with the beat riding out (the instrumental).All in all sounds fantastic, and is strongly recommended if you haven't it heard yet. You can buy it together with a "PA2" bundle for $69.00 including the 12", the 3xLP set, and a nice poster. All high quality stuff - but hurry up because there's only a few left (order @ Slice-of-Spice).

FIRST DIVISION Ft. DJ Linx - "Life & Death" [prod. Marco Polo]

Being that Marco Polo not only recorded one, but two of the absolute illest album of last year, you can bet I was hyped when I saw his name attached to the latest single from Ontario duo First Division (consisting of Shylow and Expertise). And while it might not've been a stand-out on any of the aforementioned Marco "solo" projects, it's clearly a listen of refreshing dope and pure hip-ho. The cuts by DJ Linx adds a nice touch as always too. Lifted from First Division's free DJBooth sponosred "Critical Path Part One EP", out on January 21 (and yeah, you'll find it here on The Lost Tapes as soon as it drops).

[Best of 2013] #3: MARCO POLO - "Newport Authority 2" / "PA2: Director's Cut"

Throughout the years Marco Polo, the Canadian producer, has certainly paid his dues to become one of the most cellebrated beat gurus at the forefront of hip-hop. From his early work in 2005, producing the entirety of Pumpkinhead's "Orange Moon Over The Brooklyn", to outstanding loosies like his work on Masta Ace and Big Noyd's "Do It Man", tracks by Supernatural, Boot Camp Clik, Shylow, Sadat X, and more. Since then the Canada prodigy has developed a sound that might not always be very versatile, but will always get heads nodding and  is clearly in tune what real hip-hop heads expect from a true banger. In this way, his boom bap sound reminds me of the Candian version of DJ Premier in these days, his sound is easily recognizable, but that is his niche and the sound is always excellent. In 2007 he released his "Port Authority" album, a project that really made the world took notice, packed with superb beats and guest rhymes and a few cuts that could not end up any other way than as classics (Large Pro's "The Radar", OC's "Marquee", "Nostalgia" by Masta Ace, and so on...). Since then Marco has sharpened his teeth on producing full albms for up-and-coming artists, or rather artists that's been around for a good while but never got their true shot; making sure these artists got to deliver their finest projects to date (Ruste Juxx's "The Execution", Hannibal Stax "Seizze The Day", and especially Torae's "Double Barrell").

In the meantime he's been hard at work on "PA2: Director's Cut", the true follow up to his debut album (not counting compilations like "The Stupendous Adventures of Marco Polo" and a few mixtapes). In fact he recorded so much material with legendary artists that he was able to create the slamming street album "Newport Authority 2". It has turned out to be the perfect companion piece to "PA2" and in a way it is even more focused, since it's almost twice as short, features previously unreleased incredible joints featuring several of my favorite artists Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, Das EFX, Lil' Fame, Adrian Younge, Tragedy Khadafi, Artifacts, MidaZ The Beast, Large Professor, and a few more. When the singles and tracklist for "PA2" first leaked I said that I would be very suprised if it didn't make the top #3 of my best of the year countdown. While this post is proof that it actually did, I don't think it would be quite so high if I didn't buik it together with "Newport Authority 2", by far the more focused project although the retail album is full of straight up slamming boom bap-esque bangers with some of the finest artists in the game. The only problem is that it's 79 minutes long, and producer driven albums is a special sort of LP; it features incredible production tailored for the artists appearing, but there's no concept at all to talk about from the artist's viewpoint as they are just trying to get in their illest verses over the beats presented to them (there are a few exceptions to the rule, mainly Prince Paul's groundbreaking projects like "A Prince Among Thieves" and "So...How's Your Girl?"). There's also several intermissions and breaks with comedian Michael Rappaport which really becomes annoying and drag on the runnning time even more. I believe that the best album from these sessions would be if Marco Polo had made a 65 minutes album or so, combining the best material from the two projects. However, there's no denying that even on their own, despite some minor flaws on the longer project, there's no doubt that both albums are exceptional 2013 album; both on their own and as a double set including both albums as I have reviewed them.

I wanna touch on a few cuts from "Newport Authority 2" and "PA2: Director's Cut", only to show a small excerpt of the brilliance this 30+ track double feature present. As Rakim is one of my top three heroes in the hip-hop game of all time, I was absolutely flabbergasted about Marco Polo's collaboration with him on "What's Wrong?". Unbelivably, this was actually made during "The Seventh Seal" sessions, and it's totally beyond me why Rakim choose to cut this joint which would without a doubt have been one of the top 3 tracks on the album. But since the release of 1999:s "The Master", the GOD emcee hasn't exactlly been known to always make very logical choice when it comes to create his solo albums. Over one of Marco Polo's most soulful tracks on either of the two projects, backing up the Ra with rock hard drums and a plethora of ill cuts, the legendary emcee spits three inspired verses, full of quotables, and a hook talking about the root of all evil - the green (people always say what the hell does that mean?). An equally impressive cut from "PA2" is the opening cut which to most true hip-hop head's absolute jaw dropping amazement, sees Polo manage to gather Prince Po and Pharoahe Monch for the first time in close to fifteen years. And the chemistry of the beloved Organized Konfusion is still intact which is so terrific, which also made have something to do with the exquisite beat Marco cooks up for "3 O'Clock". It features a beautiful slightly filtered vocal sample, a majestic horn sample, and a plethora of percussive instruments, and cuts, and although it's one of the slower jams on the LP it's also one of the most powerful.

"Astonishing" is one of the hottest posse cut of the year, or how about Marco Polo gathering Large Pro, OC, Inspectah Deck and Tragedy Khadafi (all amongst my absolute favorites) who all perform verses filled with quotables. Shylow's cuts adds a lot to the final product, and the repetitive but steady flute samlple that underlines the powerful beats and additional sound effects. This is followed by "6 Trill", featuring a, this day, rare solo apperance by Last Emperor who proves is still just as dope as he was at the peak of his power. Shylow sets it off with a lil' turntable cut, leading straight to the beat and Last Emperor's vocal performances. An addictive keyboard line sets the stage for the legendary emcee, with low-key strings, and a strong rhythm section, and Shylow's returning scratch hook. The joint is full of quotables as expected - "I'm so rugged, a certified breadth to the public/ personalize death and destruction/ emcees get fried, electrofied trying to touch it/ without a 6 trillion dollar budget...". It's so good to hear Last Emp back at what he does best, over one of Marco's finest beats on either of his 2013 projects. A track will stand the test of time, no question about it.

Following this are "West Coast Love", which breaks up the New York Golden Era type sound that define much of "PA2". Here Marco Polo proves that he's very capable of switching up his sound, creating a real West Coast banger with more chilled-out drums, percussion, synthesizers (to not the classic G-Funk moog synth), etc. while two of the West's illest gets down to business - MC Eiht and King Tee. Another West Coast sounding joint, but more in the psychadelic vein, is Marco's collaboration with Gangrenem "Strange Brew"; Alchemist and Oh No's heavily drug-infused collaboration. Al and Oh No does their thing, much in the vein of what they have been doing on albums like "Vodka & Ayahuasca" but wiith Marco adding his own personal touch of the chaotic murky bass heavy sound of the duo's usual material.

Getting back to "Newport Authority 2", I want to mention two tracks more, although it's an excellent front-to-back listen. With albums like 1995:s "Holdin' it Down" and "Straight Up Sewaside", Das EFX proved to be one of the most original and interesting hardcore acts of the early to mid-'90s NY hip-hop scene. Since then, they have released a couple of rather weak albums and uninspired guest spots before more or less dissapearing from the scene for a couple of years. "BK 2 NJ" proves that Drayz and Skoob still is, almost, as dope as they always was given that they have a proper beat to fully inspire him. This is what Marco Polo serves them up with here, a hard but funky joint filled with scratches (courtesy of the superb DJ Revolution), and a minimalist approach where the bass and drums take center stage. The final track I want to mention, but once again every song on here is extremely ill, is Marco Polo's remix of Adrian Younge & The Delphonic's "Stand Up" (foriginally rom their self-titled album that probably was the best soul album of 2013). Marco Polo shows off his genius by incorporating the main instrumentation and a sample of the main Delphonics parts, adding a agressive boom bap banger and excellent performances by Lil' Fame, and Tragedy Khadafi. Total brilliance!

Together with these two terrific Marco Polo sets, I'm only gonna mention one more song in depth and that is the album closer to "PA2", entitled "Glory (Finish Hard)" which follows another beautiful track dedicated to the late great emcee that was Keith Elam a/k/a GURU featuring DJ Premier and Talib Kweli; making the final 10 minutes of the album absolulely glorious. "Glory" features at least three of my favorite emcees (notice how many times I've said this during this review - the guest apperances Polo managed to get for these LP:s are absolutely unbelivable) - Masta Ace, Posdnous AG. The track is truly glorious and a perfect closer to the 79 minutes journey we've just been taken through. Marco Polo makes a beat that glows of glory and hope, with a beautiful horn section, while Ace, Pos and AG delivers truly memorable verses that you definitely need to hear for yourself rather than me quoting them here. 

After having listened through almost eighty minutes of dope beats with non-narrative lyrical apperances by dope emcees can became quite tiresome, despite how dope pretty much each song on "PA2" really is on their own. I would advice you to split up your listening sessions of the album into two different ocassion, listening to half the album one day and the other half the next, or at least take a hour break between each half. I promise you this will enhance the experience. And for "Newport Authority 2", I believe that should be heard as a predecessor, so if you want the full experience, maybe bang that in the morning; in the afernoon you bang the first 10 tracks of "PA2" and when it's becoming night you let the remaining tracks bang out. Of course this is down to personal opinion, maybe you don't have as much problems as me listening to the album in full, and if so more power to you. However you look at it, Marco Polo had 2013 in a real lock and it's clear that both of these projects were a long time in the making (two clear examples of this is the Masta Ace skit before the final track and the info revealed about the Rakim cut). While there have been many dope producer driven compilation albums in 2013 (DJ Skizz's "B.Q.E." and Endemic's "Terminal Illness #2" comes to mind), but no one did it better or more professional than Marco Polo. A producer that has quickly risen amongst my favorites over the last couple of years - he's not the boom bap king, because Preemo is holding down that position, but he's certainly up there. Don't sleep on any of these albums! 

[Video] MARCO POLO / The DOPPELGANGAZ - "R U Gonna Eat That"?

Last month Canada's beat smith #1, Marco Polo, released his official second solo album (though releases like "Newport Authority 2" just barely falls in the mixtape category). "PA2: Director's Cut" is filled to the limits with pure hip-hop bangers, pounding rhythm tracks, impressive turntable work, and a host of incredible emcees and guest vocalists.The third music video comes in the form of The Doppelgangaz who, together with Marco, prepares some delicious dishes for a Thanksgiving dinner. Digital copies are available now from iTunes, while the 3xLP set follows on December 10.

[Album Stream] MARCO POLO - "PA2: Director's Cut"

Ooooooh shit, the time is finally hear! If you've been following this blog for at least two months you know that I've been superhyped about the release of Marco Polo's official follow up to his 2007 album "Port Authority"; even going as far as stating that this will without a doubt be among the very best albums of 2013. "PA2: Director's Cut" officially hits stores and retailers via Soulspazm Records this Tuesday but the label and artist have decided to let loose of a full stream of the LP a little early, and luckily I happened to sit at the computer just as they did so so I'm breaking my neck and shaking my head in disbelief to this boom bap monster full of ludicrous hard beats, a guest lists that probably haven't been matched since Pete's first "Soul Survivor" and a whole lot of cuts from turntable wizards such as Shylow, DJ Revolution, and DJ Romes. I'm only a few tracks in but I'm just as blowed away as I predicted I would be... Marco Polo is a name you can count on and has been for years, if he's in the credits you can Count on his placement being one of the best tracks on the LP (one of the most telling examples is the track he laced Torae with for the latter's "For The Record"; an album that also featured contributions by DJ Premier, Pete Rock, Diamond D, 9th Wonder, Large Professor, and Nottz).

Things kick off with "3 O'Clock" and from there it just keeps booming and banging in that hardcore hip-hop direction that only true heads can enjoy - your girlfriend might very well ask you to turn off that damn RACKET!! Litteraly, there's standout after standout, both beatwise and lyrical wise - which isn't really suprising considering it features a majority of my favorite spitters of all time. There's a lot of posse cuts here which are so welcome - hearing Tragedy Khadafi, OC, Inspectah Deck, and Large Professor is sort of a dream come true. The preceding joint featuring Nature, F.T., and Big Twinz is a real Winner too, matching the aggressive Queens style of the emcees with a somewhat more soulful beat... Don't get fooled though, nothing on hhere isn't straight balls to the walls hard as far as drum programming and overall style go. I also like how there's a lot of little crazy beat interludes coming in here and there, sometimes with talk over, sometimes not. On first listen I feel that this is by far Marco's strongest album yet; "Port Authority" was a terrific record with instant classics like OC's "Marquee", Large Pro's "The Radar", Roc Marcy's "Lay It Down", G Rap's "Hood Tales" and so forth. While pretty much all the individual tracks were brilliant, I thought as an album it didn't come all the way through as it sometimes felt more like a compilation than an album, due to a lack in coherrence betweeen the songs. That problem is nowehere to be found here; the skits, the typpe of beats, the sequencing, the guests (which include everybody from Last Emperor, La Coka Nostra, MC Eiht, Breezly Brewin, Malcolm Martin, the original Year Round family with Blaq Po, H. Stax & NYGz Panchi,, etc.), and the emphasis on the DJ makes this a truly exceptional journey into beats and rhymes as they should be done. Hip-hop at it's finest in other Word. And this is just on my first listen.... Can't fucking wait to get this on vinyl and make my neighbors hate me a little more! Stream the full album via OnSmash below, and order the CD from UGHH or iTunes if you're truly diitized. I'ma wait til' December 10 when the 3xLP vinyl drops (this set is like 80 minutes and I'm sure as hell ain't complaining).

 

01. "3 O'Clock" (Ft. Organized Konfusion + DJ Lynx)

02. "Savages" (Ft. ILLBILL, Slaine & Celph Titled + DJ Revolution)

03. "Earrings Off" (Ft. Rah Digga + Shylow)

04. "Can't Get Enough" (Ft. Big Twinz, Nature & F.T.)

05. "Astonishing" (Ft. OC, Inspectah Decck, Tragedy & Large Professor)

06. "6 Trill" (Ft. The Last Emperor + Shylow)

07. "West Coast Love" (Ft. MC Eiht & King Tee + DJ Revolution)

08. "Wrong Girl" (Ft. Reggie B & Reach)

09. "Drunken Sleuth" (Ft. Invincible)

10. "Intermission" (w. Michael Rappaport)

11. "Emergency Man" (Ft. Malcolm & Martin + DJ Revolution)

12. "Strange Brew" (Ft. Gangrene + DJ Romes)

13. "What They Say" (Ft. Lil' Fame, Kardinal Offishal, Styles P + Shylow)

14. "Parental Discretion" (Ft. Breeze Brewin)

15. "Underdogs" (Ft. Supastitition + Shylow)

16. "R U Gonna Eat?" (Ft. The Doppelgangaz)

17. "Sucka Free" (Ft. Blaq Poet, Hannibal Stax & Panchi of NYGz)

18. "G.U.R.U." (Ft. Talib Kweli & DJ Premier)

19. "Glory (Finish Hard)" (Ft. Masta Ace, AG, Posdnous & Dion Jenkins)

MARCO POLO - "PA2: Director's Cut" ... Stream @ OnSmash