ERYKAH BADU x MADLIB - "Real Thang" / "The Healer"

Erykah Badu is without a doubt the undisputed modern Queen of Soul music. There's plenty of more talented young signers like Angie Stone, Jill Scott and Mela Machinko, but Badu is on another level as she is always pushing boundaries and has changed up with each new relase, and to gret effect to. To me she is up almost like a modern day Billie Holiday or Aretha Franklin. She's got a lot of love for hip-hop, often collaborating with producers and session musicians like Jay Dee, Madlib, ?uestlove & James Poyser, Karieem Riggins, Sa-Ra, Ta'raach, Rashad Smith, Bilal, Lil' Wayne and Common to name a few. On top of that she's got an incredible discography, with albums I strongly recommend any of y'all to pick up. It's hard to pick a favorite (though "Worldwide Underground" is easily her least fully realized project), but together with The Soulquarian's backed "Mama's Gun" I'd have to say my favorite proejct(s) of her is the two part album "New Amerykah Part One" and "Part 2". Between the two albums these saw Badu collaborate with Madlib on no less than four tracks, each bonafide classics ("The Healer", "My People", "Incense", "Umm Hmm"). 

Recently I came across a 2007 promo single for "New Amerykah Pt. 1" that I had previously missed out on, The two songs on the 12" single were both produced by Madlib. What's intersting is that the A-side "Real Thang" never made it to the album (save for a UK version where it appeared as a bonus track between "Telephone" and "Honey"). It's another slamming Madlib/Badu joint that would have fitted it perfectly on the LP so it's really a shame it didn't make the project, which either way happens to be one of the best releases of 2008. The single also include a nice remix by long-time Badu collaborator Rashad Smith who has plenty of hits under his belt dating back to the early days of Bad Boy. I will most likely hook up a Badu compilation sooner or later, she's just too good and has enough dope material that never appeared on an album so I think it should be appreciated. But for now, I uploaded the Madlib and Rashad Smith mixes of "Real Thang" as well as "The Healer" remix featuring Pharoahe Monch, although only the original version appeared on the "Real Thang" CD-single. Still, "The Healer" is probably my favorite 'Lib/Badu collaboration so far along with the dreamy "Incense"and with a slamming verse by P. Monch you know this is a must hear!

01. "Real Thang" [Extended Play]
02. "Real Thang" [Remix by Rashad Smith]
03. "Real Thang" [Remix by DJ Green Lantern]
04. "The Healer" [Remix] (Ft. Pharoahe Monch)

ERYKAH BADU - "REAL THANG" / "THE HEALER"

[Review] SLUM VILLAGE - "Yes!"

By 2015 there's been a lot of posthumous releases celebrating the music of the late great J Dilla. The early projects like "The Shining", "Dillagence" and "Jay Stay Paid" were done with a lot of respect for the artist and stood on their own pretty much as well as any other official Jay Dee releases, However projects like "Return Of The Detroit", "The Lost Scrolls" EP and Yancey Boys' "Sunset Blvd." felt thrown together and really uninspired, using throwaway beats that I doubt Dilla would never have approved of being released, and I was beginning to feel that I really didn't want any more posthumous Dilla releases beside the still unreleased albums like the MCA 2002 vocal LP. Therefore I was extremely positively suprised by Slum Village's latest album "YES!". The bulk of the album features original production by Jay Dee dating back to the mid-'90s, which has then been built on and mixed by Young RJ to make them sound a little more current. Young RJ studied under Jay Dee since the early Slum days, and they have a few tracks they produced together, so as he said in an interview he felt he knew exactly what Dilla wanted with the beats they had. Being that many of the beats come from old cassettes the album has a real grimey feel, though with RJ's touch up it never sounds weird or like they had to make a compromise in any way - just like they set out to do a real grimey, throwback joint.

Production is absolutely excellent throughout, creating a real nostalgic album as SV hasn't released an album as close to in sound to the "Fan-Tas-Tic" volumes (which still stands as SV's illest projects). It also has loads of verses by Baatin which is very welcome as him and T3 always had a cool chemistry together. Now, don't get me wrong "YES!" is far from only being some nostalgic thrown together mixtape type of album. It's an album for the fans that according to interviews with T3 and Young RJ might be the final album in the Slum catalouge and as such it's a marvelous way to come full circle and close the chapter. There's not a single weak song here, there's no beats that I'm at all familiar with since before and the Jay Dee beats used are actually tracks he created with SV in mind - a song like "Yes Yes" was something they all worked together on for "Fantastic Vol. 2" but they couldn't come up with a hook at the time so they scrapped it. Baatin and T3 does a great job riding the thumping, heavily filtered soul bangers here and the guests like Jon Connor, Dwele, Illa J, De La Soul, Phife Dawg and the verses from Young RJ are all in the family which is definitely a great thing. 

There's a minimum of songs on here that doesn't stand among straight up incredible headnodders, if any. "Windows" "Push it Along" with Phife, "Right Back" with De La Soul, "Tear It Down", "Love is.../Fantastic", and the bonus track "Just Like A Test" are all stand outs though this is definitely an album that should be played from front-to-back, and it's clocking in at only 40 minutes at that. Jay Dee's trademark sound is all over this, the somewhat unsyncopated drum programming, the beautiful bass melodies, heavy filters, and melodic Rhodes and acoustic piano melodies, and so on. The only thing that feels like it's missing and would have improved the LP is if the group could have patched things up with eLzhi to at least get a couple of verse from him at least. For me, with every SV release from "Trinity" to "Villa Manifesto" his verses has always been what I've looked forward to the most hearing the most. Still with an LP that is so well put together I have to say that it works really well either way and like I put in earlier it really puts any previous posthumous J Dilla release post-2009 to shame. 

The only track not produced by Jay Dee and Young RJ are "We On" laced by Black Milk which still bangs very hard and works well in the context given the amount of material Black Milk has produced for the group throughout the years. The song was actually originally solo song by Baatin that was never finished before 'Tin's untimely passing, which has been completed with added verses by Slum Village for the LP. It's an interesting idea that is well executed, as what T3 and Young RJ has set out to do is bring together the sound of the Slum Village from then til' now. This is an interesting way to make a posthumous release which only would work in this context - a group that all worked together many times in life and making a last album together for a group that has gone through so many changes really takes things full circle. The LP is full of moments like this, songs sounding like they were actually created in the studio together by all involved rather than two deceased artists and two livign ones piezing together a full-length for 2015. An interesting tidbit is that the cover used was originally the decided cover to use for "Fantastic Vol. 2" until they decided to change it a the last minute. Compared to dissapointments like "Evolution" this album is pure classic Slum Village sound and if they decide to close it out on this joint, they are definitely closing out at the top of their game. To be honest, I'd definitely rank this amongst the quartet's finest releases ever. Be sure to don't sleep on this gem! Matter of fact be sure to head over to UGHH and order the album in your choice of LP or CD.

MidaZ - "Murky Socks"

MidaZ The BEAST is known for murking whatever joint he jumps on, and with projects like the superb "LOOPS" mixtape and his official debut "A.U." under his belt you damns sure better be up on this Florida emcee by now. Just now he dropped an incredible, previously unreleased track, called "Murky Socks", A good little bone to wait us while we're waiting for his upcoming "LOOPS #2" project so bang this one loud! 

[EP Stream] SEAN PRICE - "Songs In the Key of Price"

I've been super busy with the blog interfering with my real life, and I know I promised a Sean Price compilation for y'all. Don't worry it's commin, and I will try to it ASAP. But Sean P has been a lot in my thoughts, what an incredible entertainer, emcee and overall dope person judging by what all his huge posse has to say him. At the time of his passing word is that he had several projects already in the can that he and Duck Down was planning to release over the next few months, including a Fizzy Womack complete album, a EP/mixtape called "Songs in the Key Of Price" that is supposed to be an appetizer for his real album. I haven't followed the hip-hop blogs or my e-mail very closely lately, but I was suprised to see that Duck Down released the full "Songs..:" about a week ago which at first flew right over my head.(the release that is, not the actual music once I heard it). The digital album is an EP featuring eight songs, while the mixtape/street album features an almost completely revamped album from what the physical which features eight songs rather than 30. Either way, whatever version this is some great shit and one of the last Sean Price projects we will ever hear were he had complete creative control.... so TURN IT UP!!!

APOLLO BROWN - "Not That Guy" / "Detonate"

Apollo Brown is sometimes a little hit or miss to me, but his track record has proved time and time again that he can be an INCREDIBLY dope producer when he gets everything right and with amazing albums and EP:s under his belt I will always keep checking for him. His latest project is a "solo" project in the vein of "In Control" and "Soul Survivor" where Apollo provides banging backdrops for a handful of talented emcees from all over. The guests include MOP, Oddisee, Skyzoo & Torae, Evidence, Rasheed Chappell, Chino XL, Finale, Ras Kass, Vinnie Paz, Masta Ace, Wordsworth, Freddie Gibbs,OC, Sean Price, Reks, and more. The project drops on Mello Music Group the 25:th of September but already know you can check out the two promising singles released so far. Below you'll find the streaming singles "Not That Guy" featuring Your Old Droog and even more intriguing his collaboration with MOP called "Detonate". Bang this LOUD!!

[Video] DIAMOND D - "Jose Feliciano"

Diamond D is as I'm sure you know by now one of my absolute favorite producers, and his first two albums is either a hip-hop classic or very close to at least a personal classic. Since then his outside productions have continued to bang hard for the most part, but his solo albums and mixtapes have left a lot to be desired. 2014s "The Diam Piece" was a very pleasant suprise as Diamond left most of the rhyming to his A-list guests which gave him to cook up marvelous shit in the ktichen to get our mouths watering. His marketing campaign has been terrific too, with his new single "Jose Feliciano" being like the seventh video from the project. Check it out above, and if you haven't supported the LP yet be sure to do so ASAP. You know where to find it!

Q-BALL & CURT CAZAL - "At The Same Time" / "Demo" (Ft. MOP)

I first caught eyes and ears on the talented boom-bap esque D&D in house producer Curt Cazal on excellent records by the likes of MOP, Guru, Afu-Ra, Krumbsnatcha, Big Jaz, Craig G, Boot Camp Clik and more, pretty much always bringing the heat to whatever project he was involved in. Originally a part of the legendary late '80s posse JVC Force he would in the mid 2000s decade hook up with emcee Q-Ball & Curt Cazal (Q-n-C) and released the underrated full-length "Duo Dynamic". Since it's been quited from the duo both as a group and as solo artists/producers but now they are finally back with a brand new 45, called "At The Same Time". A powerful joint but the B-side bangs even harder, as they have grabbed Brownsville's finest for the B-side (called "Demo") of the single. Stream "At The Same Time" in full below, and to supporth the entire project be sure to cop the single at iTunes. Another sure shot from Ill Adrenaline Records, with the 7" vinyl being available now as well!

[Demo] SLUM VILLAGE - "The EPHCY Sessions"

 Browsing some SV stuff on YouTube the other day I came across a complete four minutes version of "Hoc N Pucky", one of the many short but powerful bangers on "Fan-Tas-Tic Vol. 1". The uploader claimed it was taken from something called "The EPHCY Sessions". Jay Dee fans will recognize EPHCY as the name of his early publishing management often listed in credits. Naturally I had to found out what this was about and to my suprise there's pretty much no info at all on where this project came from. My first thought was that it was one of those limited edition vinyl EP:s of old demos that often circulates these days but I can't find no one selling this which is why I'm posting it up for all of you to check it out for yourself.

However this is definitely the real deal, Slum Village demos from 1993 or 1994 featuring Jay Dee, Baatin and T3. The sound quality is poor but it is listenable and should without a doubt be heard at least once by any fan of this legendary group. A lot of the songs are actually dope though they only really stand on Jay Dee's beats as none of the members have really come into their own as emcees yet on here. There's a lot of clowning around and experimenting which makes me think that some of these songs were just three young guys having fun, getting used to being in the studio and trying out some ideas. Stuff like these early demos with its off-key singing in the middle of verses obviously helped the group develop the percussive vocal style they had fine tuned on "Fan-Tas-Tic Vol. 1". The real highlight of the set is easily "Hoc N Pucky" which is also the track that's most fully realized as a complete song. Be sure to check this one out and big shouts to Respecta.net who I borrowed the link from!

Also I want to take this moment to really strongly recommend Slum Village's latest album called "YES!", easily one of the best albums of the year. It's a very different way to create an album too as they have used old demos and previously unreleased instrumentals produced by Jay Dee with the group in mind back in the '90s which have then been completed and added on to by Young RJ. Add to that loads of previously unreleased verses by Baatin, with new stuff by T3, Young RJ, and guests Illa J, De La Soul, Phife, Black Milk, etc. Perhaps it shouldn't work but it really does and I think it would be a perfect way to close the Slum Village chapter on - with a celebration of the past and the present. The cover is even the original artwork for "Fantastic Vol. 2" which was changed at the very last minute! Pick up a copy if you haven't already, it's available from UGHH now.

01. "And I Got..."

02. "Roxanne"

03. "Dance With Me"

04. "Dance With Me" (Instrumental)

05. "Hoc N Pucky" (Original)

06. "Mountaintop"
07. "Tell Me What You Want"

08. "And I Got"

09. "Roxanne 2"

10. "Roxanne 3"

11. "The One For Me" (incomplete)

SLUM VILLAGE - "EPHCY SESSIONS" 

via Respecta

J DILLA Interview on Giles Peterson Worldwide Radio 2001

I've been heavy on my Dilla and SV shit the last couple of weeks, digging up all sorts of goodies so I thought I'd share some of them with y'all. First out is one of Jay Dee's rare interviews, as we all know the guy wasn't big on giving interviews so the few he did give always provide for an interesting look into the creation of some of his many classic records. On February 15th 2001 J Dilla appeared for a 30 minute show on Giles Peterson's Worldwide Radio on BBC Radio 1 promoting his then upcoming "Welcome 2 Detroit" LP. Listen as Jay Dee tells stories about the making of records with Erykah Badu, Slum Village, Pharcyde, D'Angelo, Q-Tip and more... Good stuff!

An interesting little side note for us real Dilla nerds is that all songs played on the show are Jay Dee productions, yet the first song they use for the intro happens to be A Tribe Called Quest's "The Love". A personal favorite from "The Love Movement" the song are not usually credited to Jay Dee as he has no writing credit on the song but perhaps he had more input on those other songs than the writing credits lets on.

[Video] BIG TWINS - "It's A Stick Up"

One of the grimiest voices in hip hop goes all out with his new triple threat of a video, "It's A Stick Up" / "I Don't Give A Shit" / "Ben Franklin", all hard, solid tracks. Produced by Knxwledge, Animoss, and Chuck Strangers, respectively. All songs can be found on Twins latest project, the digital 21-tracks album "Thrive 2", available from iTunes now.