Friday, September 21st 2007 playlist

01/The Upbeats "Take Away Soul" [such a dope combo of sadistic bass and chilled vibes.]
02/Shyne "More Or Less" [because we never forget.]
03/50 Cent "Curtis 187" [I can't get over this one. Too dope of a track!]
04/Havoc "Get Off My Dick" [been waiting for this one for a while...]
05/Fierce & Break "Hold It Now" [gotta love grimey, simple DNB ruggedness!]

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leaks, leaks and more leaks!

• NYOIL "Free The Jena 6"
• Jay-Z "Blue Magic" [allister's radio rip / best non-DJ rip out there (shouts to Eskay; Miss Info has more, um, info on the American Gangster album)]
• 50 Cent ft. Diddy & Jay-Z "I Get Money (Forbes 123 Remix)" [clean / dirty / ugly jpeg] (Pete Rosenburg chopped it up with 50, and dropped some dope questions!)
• Donny Goines "Encore Freestyle"
• The Alchemist ft. Prodigy & Nina Sky "Key To The City" [I love when these artists get together]
• Pugs Atomz ft. Hall of Fame "Black Boy" (prod. by Hi-Tek)
• Freeway "Flashing Lights Freestyle"
• Twista "Well It's Time" (prod. by Kanye West)
• Kanye West ft. Trick Daddy "I Can't Say No"
• Will.I.Am ft. Busta Rhymes "I Got It From My Mama (Remix)"
• Baby ft. DJ Khaled, Dre, Rick Ross, Lil' Wayne & Young Jeezy "Hundred Million Dollars"
• Raekwon "Cocaine World"
• Dream ft. Trey Songz "Shawty Is A Ten (Remix)"
• A few new Hell Rell bangers: "Show It Off" & "Razah's Ladder"
• Project Pat "Rubberband Me"
• Flo Rida ft. T-Pain "Low"
• Chris Brown ft. T-Pain & Papoose "Kiss Kiss (Remix)"
• Kokane ft. Devin The Dude "Black Eyed Peas"
• Gucci Mane "Pillz (Proper Villains Remix)"
• Bow Wow & Omarion "Designated Driver" (prod. by Jim Jonsin)
• Kafani ft. Fabolous & Keak Da Sneak "Fast (Like A Nascar) (Remix)"
• Wale "Nike Boots" (prod. by Osinachi)
• Styles P ft. Swizz Beatz "Blow My Mind"
• JoJo Pellegrino "5 Corners"
• Grab that new Playaz Circle mixtape, The Duffle Bag Boy Mixtape, featuring MCs like Lil' Wayne, Raekwon, 8Ball & MJG, Rick Ross and others!
• Keyshia Cole ft. Raheem DeVaughn "Let It Go (Remix)"
• Stretch Armstrong uploaded a few choice demos: Souls of Mischief "Step To My Girl ", O.C. "Step Into The O-Zone" and Poetical Prophets (AKA mad young Mobb Deep) "Flavor For The Non-Believes"
• DK AKA Donkey Kong "Yuah"
• Crooked I "Hip Hop Weekly #25 (Imagine freestyle)"
• Ransom "Duffle Bag Boy"
• Illa Ghee ft. Prodigy "Walk With A Shotgun"

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If you read Hip-Hop blogs (and who doesn't, these days?), you know about Noz - he has his own blog, and does work for XXL (online and in print). The link him and I have is that we both grew up in Trenton, NJ... I don't think he lives around there anymore, but I still live in the area - my mom is in North Trenton to this day! In any case, he ripped this CD he made (The World Takes: The Best of Trenton Rap, ‘86-’91), highlighting the old school Trenton Rap scene (we were more than just PRT!), with cuts from YZ, B-Nyce & DJ Cash Kev, Blvd. Mosse, Shakespeare and more! Get the full tracklisting and more info HERE.
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Oh Word's Sach O has thrown up some DJ Premier productions for cats out West, and "out the Box". Dude was from Texas and made MAD coasts rock! The Oh Word review team also brings you this week's reviews of next week's albums - very insightful!

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Shouts out to DJ Trackstar, who hit me with this link to a bunch of his "Boogie Bang" mixtapes... volumes 1 through 9, for free! Loads of quality tracks from artists you've heard of, as well as mad cuts from newer, more underground heads. Don't sleep - official rock the dub stamp!
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Papoose already got dropped? Hear Kay Slay explain it... they seem happy, as if the "A&R hell"

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This week's "For Your Listening Pleasure" features a host of sick DNB mixes from the likes of Chris.SU, Trei, Sistem, Kubik, Submerged, Kiat, DJ Phokus AND a classic recording from 2004 of DJ Flight's "Next Chapter" show with special guest Dillinja!


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Dr. Dre said we ain't getting Detox until at least next year... why am I not surprised? And keeping it on producers for a moment, check out Timbaland and 'Ye working on the drums to "Stronger". I love seeing Timbaland work.

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I'm sorry, but I'm a sucker for turntablists. I got the super late pass on this one, but peep DJ Sara (and DJ Ryusei) on the decks - 8 years old and 5 years old, respectively! Sara's crab scratches are ridiculous!



This video HERE gets me - just peep how happy they look before the beat drops! Check out more at the sarascratch YouTube page!

My final thought? Will my son be that ill on the decks at age 5!?

Enjoy your weekend, all.

The Jena 6 Roundup

So loads of marches went down yesterday, in Jena, and other cities in the United States. Here's the rundown of some of the events/proceeding news stories, Jena 6-related of course:

• Two guys were arreseted near Jena, LA, for hanging nooses from their car; the driver was 18 and got hit with a DUI charge, among others, and the 16-year-old passenger stated that his fam was the KKK. SMH...
• Where was Obama during all of this? Jesse Jackson wasted no time in slandering Barack for his M.I.A. status.
• AverageBro threw up a pretty telling editorial on the Jena 6 rallies: I do feel, as he does, that we need to scream "Free the Jena 6" after 9/20/07, but you know how things go these days... flavor of the month, et. al.
• Earl Ofari Hutchinson wrote a deep piece about how our civil rights leaders let Mychael Bell down...

Sign the petition. Donate to the cause. Do something - and keep doing it.

The Observation Deck (21st Sept. 2007)

Who is this buckwild nigga rollin' with Vanessa?

• Vanessa Hudgens is embracing her nude-pic scandal; she's planning on doing a spread for some lucky men's mag. That's all well and good, but babygirl, you're not THAT fly. And how is Disney going to feel about this come High School Musical 3 time? They HAVE been noticeably mum on this... but then again, wasn't Lindsay Lohan in the last Herbie movie?
• 50 Cent: Jax, the owner of SugarDVD.com has concocted a way to get his name out there, riding your coattails: he says he will cop 250K discs of Curtis, on one condition: you wear a SugarDVD.com t-shirt for 1 year. At all times. Nice one, Jax! You got your name out in the media!
• You ever tried to download an album, only to find fucked up copies of the MP3s, all glitchy and what-not? That's the man forcing "decoys" out there. Idolator has the scoop.
• What's really good with this Oscar de la Hoya fishnet photo fiasco? Oscar says it ain't him, but a Photoshopped thing... I dunno. I hope its not him, I hope he didn't go out like that.

Craziness out there.

Bun B reps the Jena 6

As seen on Nah Right.

Mos Def & Bun B need to collabo on a pro-Jena 6 track.

Black Out Status

My bust, E, but that pic is so damn poignant.

Today, September 20th, 2007, there are rallies going down in Jena, La., and hopefully other spots in the US. It is asked that supports of the Jena 6 wear black on this day. I took it a step further, and threw the blog on Black Out Status. It might make my words pop (I see you, wifey!), but this is my online support. I suggest other bloggers do the same.

Speaking of E, he has a few posts in support of the Jena 6 and this day: one's a poem entitled "African American Anthem" (by King Kobra), and the 2nd is his Black Out post of today, with some great links to Jena 6-related heads.

I'm just about done with Invisible Man; this novel seems like what we need to be reading right about now.

hit the links:

Sign the petition.
Check out Mixtape 88's Jena 6 podcast from yesterday.
Go cop one of the "Free The Jena 6" T-Shirts.

Jay-Z American Gangster LP news

I read about YN having an exclusive piece of info to drop around 8PM last night, but didn't make it to the PC until later, and forgot to peep it. Boy, was it a doozy!

Looks like Jigga Jay-Z is working on an album inspired by his viewing of the forthcoming Harlem drug flick American Gangster, a flick which bit the creative bug in Jay, making him think of days passed and putting himself back in that zone, and making this his first "concept" album to date, which is a funny idea. While he is basing his flows on the scenes in the movie, he's lived that life, but I digress...

I do wish that the film's producers had gotten behind the idea of having Hov drop this as an official "music inspired by..." album, just because with the way Jay's status is now, it would be such a big look for Hip-Hop... having one of the premiere MCs crafting tracks based on a film that's subject matter mirrors his life? You can't write better headlines than that. Would have made this a big event.

Sometime today, a Pharrell-produced track entitled "Blue Magic" is to premiere... somewhere. I'll give you guys audio when I get it, as per usual. Until then, just deal with this "Allure"/"Flashing Lights" blend that DJ Green Lantern cooked up (shouts out to Eskay, again).

Diplo "Essential Mix" (16th September 2007)

Diplo gets bust for BBC Radio 1, continuing their "Essential Mix" series.

Tracklist:

Rich Boy - Throw Some D's // Interscope
Nirvana - Drain You // Geffen
Baby Huey - Pop, Lock & Drop It // White label
Marc Houle - Bay of Figs (Ward 21 Mix) // M_Nus
DJ Tamiel - Bump Like This
Queen Feat. David Bowie - Under Pressure // WEA
Hollertronix - Betty // Money Studies Records
Eddie Money - Take Me Home Tonight (Be My Baby) // CBS
Soulja Boy - Crank Dat Superman // Interscope
Bat for Lashes - What's a Girl to Do // Break
DJ Shadow - Organ Donor (Sandrinho Remix)
Diplo & Switch Feat. Beenie Man - Solta Frango
Mr. Vegas - Hot Fuk (Diplo Mix)
Enur Feat. Natasja - Calabria (2007 Mix) // Scorpio/Data
Spoon - Paper Tiger // Merge Records
Circle Children - Zulu // Strictly Rhythm
M.I.A. Feat. Akon - Boyz Remix (Hi Powered Boyz Get Down)
Boy 8 Bit - Suspense Is Killing Me // Trouble & Bass
KW Griff - Tony's Back // Money Studies
A Tribe Called Quest - Scenario (White Label Mix) // White label
Nucleus - Jam On It (Gold Rocc Mix)
Nigga Say Wut - Hey Hey Hey
BooMan - Pick ‘em Up
King Tut - Y'all Niggaz Ain’t Shit // Heavy Rock Music
KW Griff - Ain’t None Of Y’all Safe // White label
Technics - Uh
KW Griff - Respect // Quiet Records
DJ Eli - In The Jungle
2 Bad Mice - Bombscare // Moving Shadow
Armand Van Heldan - You Don’t Know Me (White Label Mix) // White label
Big City - Spanish Lesson // Spectra Records
Diplo - Work Is Never Over // Mad Decent
M.I.A - Bamboo Banger // XL Recordings
Sizzla - Bamboo Banger // Dubplate
DJ Blaqstarr - Supastarr // Mad Decent
Shai - If I Ever Fall in Love Again // Dubplate
Orbital - Halcyon // Rhino/WEA
LA Priest - Engine (Erol Alkan Remix) // Phantasy
Joakim - Drum Trax // Versatile
Chemical Brothers - Saturate // Virgin
M.A.N.D.Y. - Unknown (Tiefschwarz Mix)
TOK - Solid As A Rock // VP Records
Petter - Some Polyphony // Border Community
Rihanna - Umbrella (Vandalism Mix)
Justice - Phantom Part II (Soulwax Mix) // Ed Banger
The White Stripes - Little Cream Soda // XL Recordings
ZZT - Lower State Of Consciousness // Turbo
Kia Shine - Crispy // Chest Nut Records
Bart Simpson - Bartman (So Kripsy Mix)
Jay Dilla Feat. Guilty Simpson - Detroit To LA
Deuce Papi - Do It Again
Kanye West Feat. Young Jeezy - Can’t Tell Me Nothin’ // Def Jam
Mr. Vegas - Lean Wit It (In The Streetz)
M.I.A. Feat. Bun B & Rich Boy - Paper Planes // XL Recordings
Schoolly-D - Gucci Time // Schoolly-D Records
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Rockers to Swallow // Interscope
Jellybean - Sidewalk Talk // EMI
Belle Stars - Iko Iko // Capitol Records
Scala & Kolacny Brothers - Heartbeats // PIAS
Simian Mobile Disco - I Still Believe // Wichita Recordings
The Pack - At The Club // Zomba
South Rakkas - Hotter Then Them (Mad Decent Mix)
Hurricane Chris - A Bay Bay // J US
Mad Cobra - AA (Kenny Meez Edit) // Black Shadow
Buju Banton - Crazy Talk // Black Shadow
Beenie Man - The Crime // System Records
Lil’ Wayne Feat. Mack Maine - I Know The Future // Universal
Bugle - What The Gonna Do // Daseca

The Observation Deck (19th Sept. 2007)

• Not even the above pic with Britney Spears could stop Kanye West from murking 50 Cent in first-week album sales. He was number one with damn near 960,000 records sold! The funny shit is Kenny Chesney, AKA dude who was the shoe-in to take the #1 spot for last week, did about a third of what 'Ye did. I guess all the Country fans REALLY loved "Stronger"! [Bonus Beat: Jay-Z sat down with EW.]
• Speaking of Britney Spears, it sounds like her whole world is crashing down upon her.
• Zach de la Rocha's solo album is finally done, and I don't want to hear it. How he went from both El-P and DJ Shadow being attached to dude from Mars Volta doing most of the production baffles me. One record I DO want to hear is the album Michael Jackson is rumored to be finishing up.
• RIP Scratch Magazine. I enjoyed the issues I did bought.
• Smnoking Sessions: 9th Wonder and Havoc. Damn they're smooth.

*SIGH* Time to get some work done! Keep it crispy, folks.

SMH @ Jae Hood

I can see why Remy Ma got on stage with 50 Cent... she got a murder rap. And I know Jae Hood has his problems with D Block, but how you gonna go up on stage with 50? No fucking loyalty at all. The sad part about all of this? Hood prolly thinks he can now be down with the G-Unit. Nigga, you're officially a pawn to the game: 50 used you to dig at Jada, Styles and Sheek, and all you got to show for it is a video on YouTube.

Good job, bitch. You weren't worth the money spent to make that chain, dog.

D-BLOCK!

Pete Rosenberg interviews DJ Premier, Pete Rock & 9th Wonder

Sometimes I think I could be Rosenberg if I was Jewish and older...

Kurious Jorge A Constipated Monkey re-release

Many of you might remember Kurious Jorge as being dude featured on "?" from MF Doom's Operation: Doomsday album. Well, it looks like his slept-on '94 LP, A Constipated Monkey, has been re-released TODAY, and his label, Amaglam, is offering the album with a special Bonus EP for FREE to the first 100 fans who buy the digital version of A Constipated Monkey.

Check out the tracklisting:

01.) Spell It Wit A J (Yes, Yes Jorge)
02.) Top Notch
03.) I’m Kurious
04.) Uptown Shit feat. The Omen & Kadi
05.) Leave Ya’ With This
06.) Fresh Out The Box
07.) Walk Like A Duck
08.) Tear Shit Up
09.) Baby Bust It feat. MF Grimm
10.) Nikole
11.) What’s The Real feat. Casual
12.) Jorge Of The Projects
13.) I’m Kurious (Pete Nice Remix) **[Re-release Bonus]**
14.) Mansion And a Yacht ft. Sadat X & Mike G **[Re-release Bonus]**

"I'm Kurious" is the joint, one of my favs from back in the day.

Now check out the Bonus EP, The Demo Out Takes (1989-1993), which helped Kurious get his deal from the rip:

15.) Jorge Of The Projects (Original Demo Version) (Produced by The SD50’s)
16.) Trueness To The Blueness (Produced by The SD50’s)
17.) Rice And Beans (Freestyle) feat. Prince Paul (Produced by Prince Paul)
18.) Fill’ Er Up (produced by Prime Minister Pete Nice of 3rd Bass)
19.) One 4 The Head feat. Kolli Weed (Produced by The SD50’s)
20.) Catch My Drift feat. Kadi (Produced by Sam Sever)

Again, the 6-track EP is only available from Amaglam's website to the first 100 heads who cop the full length download.

So WTF you waiting for? Go grab this, early!

hit the links:
Kurious on MySpace

AmaglamDigital

AmaglamDigital on MySpace

Boot Camp Clik / Wordsmith @ Sonar (Baltimore, MD) Sept. 20th!

Looks like my nigga Wordsmith is opening for the might Boot Camp Clik this Thursday. All you Baltimore heads lookin' for the REAL Hip-Hop should check it out.

Going down @ Sonar. If you're looking for the $15 advance tickets, send Words an e-mail.

Check out Wordsmith's MySpace page for more info.

I Tried trailer

Bone Thugs in a movie? Yup.



I Tried is in stores Sept. 25th. Pre-order HERE.

Vote 756

www.vote756.com

Looks like Marc Ecko bought Barry Bonds' 756 home-run ball, and wants YOU, the public, to decide what to do with it.

I won't be surprised if mad people vote for "B" (putting an asterisk on it, then sending it to Cooperstown), but really, just put it in Cooperstown untouched. If the MLB was dumb enough to think he cheated then let him break the home-run record, they should have to live with their shame.

Barry, we got your back, nigga.

Traffic's Up

So the traffic coming into rock the dub has doubled in the last week. Was it due to my reviews of the new Kanye West and 50 Cent albums? Somewhat...

The bulk of the traffic comes from this post, and is likely from pervs who are trying to peep that Vanessa Hudgens in the buff.

Should I be happy that more pre-verts are driving up my site stats? Hopefully they like Hip-Hop, and continue to stick around. But rock the dub is NOT a blog that's devoted to bringing you skin pix and celeb scandals 24/7. If something interests me, so be it, but I am not a blog that will continue to peddle smut-tacular pics to you pedos.

Thanks for stopping by, though! I love reading my daily stats and seeing a 50% increase in visits!