, ,

PAx Noble Thinks A Lot of You Artists Are "Fake AF"

pax-noble-fake-af-cover

Now I love stuff like this. There's a lot to be said for the way music is going today; a lot of cats want their music to sound crispy as fuck and have a catchy-as-shit hook, and most of the time they take that route because their hooks > their bars, but they can pay for the ill studio engineers, so they don't work on their craft. Props to heads like PAx Noble, who see what they're doing and raise them a little back-to-basics kick in the ass.

When talking about this cut, PAx says that with "Fake AF," he "wanted to go back to the basics and keep it raw without a lot of bells & whistles. Want people to give more attention to the verses and what I’m saying rather than hide behind a complex mix and hook." It shows, fam, and I'd just say keep doing what you're doing. Too many frauds out there for the real to be buried underneath.

"Fake AF" recently hit iTunes, so if you want to support, go in; you can also stream and download the track below. And use your creativity, people.

Share:
Read More
, ,

Frank Knight - "Vain (Rediculus Remix)"

frank-knight-vain-rediculus-remix-cover

You have to love when two hip-hop titans get together to give dope material a new coat of paint. That's what the mighty Rediculus did for Frank Knight's 2015 album Free Lunch. Their new project, Munchies, is a full-on Rediculus remix of Free Lunch, and if this rework of "Vain" is just the tip of the iceberg, heads who rock Timbs and skullies year-round are going to be VERY excited. This knocks, HARD, and contains bars as hard as the beats. Say ya pray-ers!

Share:
Read More
, ,

New Track City - "Get it, Got it, Good."

new-track-city-get-it-got-it-good

You'll never understand how much new artists will excite me. There's something about getting material from someone you'd NEVER heard before, having the music hit you, and letting that familiar rush of excellence wash over you. That's how I felt when "Get it Got it Good," the new one from the trio known as New Track City.

This squad (which hails from Federal Way, Washington) reminds me of the underground hip-hop I'd record over night off of college radio. The actual production is much airier than what you'd expect from the lyrics, which are raw and playful, with some witty bars mixed in with loads of real talk.

One hopes that crews like this, who have obvious talent and seem to be having fun doing them, could get put on. At the very least, let ya boy blog premiere a mixtape or something! Speaking of tapes, their Damn Gina Tape is reportedly on the way; for now, stream and download "Get it Got it Good."

Share:
Read More
,

Ray Dawn - "Shit To Do"

ray-dawn

As per usual, Ray Dawn is on his grind and has no time for ain't-shit people in his life. If your hustle is about more than tweeting "#nosleepgang," you can make Ray's latest your mantra.

Share:
Read More
,

Taso Readies His 'New Start'

taso-new-start-cover

The TEKLIFE crew has really done the damn thing when it comes to their record label. Not only did they put out DJ Rashad's posthumous Afterlife album, but they recently released DJ Earl's Open Your Eyes; both are prime examples of why the TEKLIFE producers own the footwork scene. If you love the 'LIFE and have been keeping up with Taso's Bandcamp page, you'll know that he's been dropping dope compilations each month. That work has been in preparation for New Start, his forthcoming TEKLIFE album, which is due out on December 16.

Taso's been riding for the 'LIFE for a minute, and as Resident Advisor reports, he respects: "Thank you and much respect for supporting Teklife music. Without you there is no us. This record is dedicated to DJ Rashad and his family." New Start features two collaborations with DJ Rashad and DJ Spinn, as well as the likes of Earl, DJ Manny, Gant-Man, DJ Tre, and DJ Taye. One of the Spinn and Rashad collabs, "AM Track," has been remixed by Salva—that rework is available down below.

The vinly version of New Start is limited to 1,000 copies, so pre-order ASAP. Full tracklist down below.


Share:
Read More
, , , , , ,

Coldcut and Adrian Sherwood Inna Dub Meltdown

coldcut

I don't know if I've said it before, but I'll damn sure say it again: if it wasn't for the work Coldcut has put in over the years, I'm not sure if I'd be as well-versed in the sounds of the world as I have been. These two DJs have been doing it for decades, finding a way to go from being the cut-up masters to exposing the world to numerous sounds; everything from hip-hop to jazz to jungle to reggae has fallen under their razors, being sliced, diced, and ultimately dissected by lovers of sound like myself.

To celebrate the release of their new EP Only Heaven (which features the likes of Roses Gabor, Roots Manuva, and the mighty Switch), these two decided to hit the weekly Solid Steel radio show with a reggae-fied, dub-wise hour of a mix, featuring cuts from Lee "Scratch" Perry, King Tubby, The Upsetters, and many more. Not to leave anyone else out, they aligned with the legend Adrian Sherwood, who runs On-U Sound and has worked with Coldcut, Pinch, and others, helping put his stamp on the UK dub/reggae scene. Adrian took over Hour 2 with "a selection of unreleased ,forthcoming and relatively unknown and difficult to find On-U Sound productions / co-productions and a taster of the Coldcut/Onu collaboration , plus a Dub Plate from Ireland's finest, RiRa."

You can stream and download both mixes after the jump
Share:
Read More
, , , , ,

Young M.A. and De La Soul Get Remixed by Nappy DJ Needles and Benja Styles

young-ma
I love when DJs have similar DJs, but instead of hitting you with the same flex, they take different paths. Let me explain. We all know that Young M.A.'s "OOOUUU" is one of the biggest records of the year. Homegirl merked her "Chiraq" freestyle, but this record took over radio and had the streets BUZZING! Something about the simpler flow and that infectious "OOOUUU" in the track turned this one into a winner.

In going over my inbox (Ed Note: send new music to rockthedub@gmail.com), I noticed that I had new remixes of this record from Nappy DJ Needles and Benja Styles, who both had the same idea. Why not reconstruct Young M.A.'s 2016 smash with De La Soul's circa-2000 classic "Oooh?" The results? Amazing.
Share:
Read More
, , , , , , , , , ,

Every Thanksgiving / Black Friday 2016 Mixtape You Need to Hear


Last year, I was so amazed at the sheer volume of Thanksgiving and Black Friday mixtapes that I had to make a post about them. Similar to the IRL Black Friday shopping day, the deals and sales actually start earlier; this year, Gucci Mane and Boosie Badazz already had projects out on Wednesday night. Them's the breaks.

Either way, if you're done getting lit with your family, here's a look at the mixtapes and releases that dropped during our country's fattest holiday. Turn up.
Share:
Read More
, , , ,

Stones Throw Kicks Off Their Subscription Series With Unreleased Jaylib

jaylib

Now this is great news! Today, Stones Throw announced that for the lovely price of $250, you get one year of Stones Throw vinyl releases. "This includes single albums, double albums, 12-inch singles, 45s, box sets, and special edition reissues," they said. The first release? Madlib and J Dilla's Jaylib remixes, which is getting it's first vinyl release ever. To sweeten that release, the previously-unreleased cut "Da Rawkus" will be featured; word is this banger was recorded in Los Angeles and Detroit in 2002.

For more information on the Stones Throw Subscription service, hit this link; the offer is only good until December 25, 2016, so get your money up. A full stream of "Da Rawkus" is available down below.

Share:
Read More
, ,

DLR: Escape Into 'Dreamland'

dlr-press-shot

With so much going on in the world of drum & bass, it's easy to become enamored with an artist than totally lose track of everything they've done. I feel like that's what's happened with me following DLR, who I originally knew from his work with Octane before going solo in 2013. Their Method In The Madness was seen as one of the top LPs of 2012, but DLR's moved on from strength-to-strength since.

In 2015, he dropped Seeing Sounds via the always forward-thinking Dispatch Recordings imprint. There's something about the way Ant TC1 and the crew approach the genre, and DLR exemplifies their ethos in quality controlled, forward-thinking drum & bass. Surprisingly, he's back with another full album, Dreamland, which is available today on vinyl and digital download.

Dreamland is much more of a concept project, highlighting the importance of having your personal haven in this massive (and massively fucked up) world while paying homage to drum & bass being done right; we're talking a keen ear for the late '90s vibe, and some top-notch sound design. With a number of captivating interludes guiding the way, it's easy to see the thought DLR put behind this project.

In our convo, DLR and myself look at the reasons behind going back-to-back with album releases, his own private dreamland, and the importance of dnb returning to its punk attitude.
Share:
Read More
, , , , ,

RTDMIX005: Che Grand

rtdmix005-che-grand

I know we just hit you with a smashing drum & bass RTDMIX from Jaxtella last week, but I felt like we had to do something special for Black Friday, and nothing's bigger than Lessondary crew member Che Grand stepped up for a special ZFTP set for the RTDMIX.

Che's been one of those artists I've loved to see grow; hell, I first interviewed him for this very site ten years ago, and he's just moved from strength to strength. He's known primarily as a rapper (and a very good rapper at that), but lately you might have heard him on the boards, producing Tanya Morgan's entire last project. For years he's been dropping his ZFTP mixes, which have consisted of everything from all-out rap projects to amazingly curated mixes. His contribution to the RTDMIX is more of the latter.

Now, it's customary that all ZFTP mixes don't come with a tracklist, so while I know errthing on this, you won't. Sorry. I can say that there's some dope UK grime on here, some material from Che's studio, and music from the #1 album in the country. Outside of that, press play on this RTDMIX and zone out all the way to Zamunda.

If you want more of Che, he tells me that his next project, I Think I'll Keep It Like It Is, should drop before the end of 2016. No release date yet, but keep it locked to his Bandcamp (or rockthedub.com) for more info.

You can stream this mix below, and if you're so inclined, subscribe to the podcast

Share:
Read More
,

EQ Why Returns With More Footwork Jungle On 'Whythoven Vol. 3: Got My Mind Formatted'


Last month, I shared a banger by the name of "Trash Man" from EQ Why's Whytoven, Vol. 1, which found EQ running through his jungle and dnb influences. There's been some chatter back and forth about the "footwork jungle" scene, which has been a thing for at least four years but is starting to gain more traction via more UK jungle heads diving into the footwork pool, and it looks like EQ has decided to dedicate a number of his more current releases to showcasing his take on the sound.

I say all of that to say I think he nailed it with Whythoven, Vol. 3, which dropped earlier this week. Being a jungle music lover for damn near 20 years, you can tell when someone is just going through the motions and when they're actually a fan and are finding ways to integrate the 160BPM sound into their respective ciphers, and EQ is in the pocket here. He's locked into a delicate blend of everything that makes the footwork and jungle styles so unique; plus, the rhythms he's coming up with via these edited breakbeats are much more of my style. It was also a nice touch to see him put his spin on The Roots' "You Got Me," which itself was a fly hip-hop track that delved into some late-'90s crispy jungle bliss.

You can stream the full project below, and cop the entire release via Bandcamp.

Share:
Read More
, , , ,

rockthedub radio 035: Blanksgiving


You seen that burnt tf up turkey? That's how a good chunk of America felt post-election 2016. I had to go to bed before the results were in, but I already knew what was going down. Most of you? Devastated. We're still here, though, and instead of pouting or crying or trying to figure out the shoulda/coulda/woulda, let's spring into action. This new edition of rockthedub radio? That's me springing into action, fresh for Thanksgiving.

This mix has a bit of a slant; it's definitely political, featuring motivating material from A Tribe Called Quest, Common, and Run The Jewels, but I also had to throw in a grip of new-ish material. New cuts from Rapsody, Boogie, Dumbfoundead, and Silent Knight play the middle, mirroring thoughts without being too heavy handed, and I had to include some fresh material as well, so expect some straight-up lit material from Leaf and that new Gucci Mane x Lil Uzi Vert mixtape.

Hopefully, you're able to cope with a family member at your Thanksgiving table talking stupid shit regarding the election. If not, here's ~66 minutes of music to help you tune them out. Have at it.

Stream below, download via iTunes, and check the tracklist down bottom.


Share:
Read More
, , , , , , , ,

Every Record You Need to Buy: Record Store Black Friday 2016 Edition

I don't know about you, but I rarely ever go out and do the Black Friday shopping thing. Black Friday is usually reserved for lounging, drinking, then getting the house situated for Christmas. If I was going out, though? I'd be hitting up Princeton Record Exchange to see if I could cop some of these Record Store Day releases for Black Friday 2016. There aren't a lot, but what's there is choice.

Don't believe me? Just watch!
Share:
Read More
, , ,

You Won't Be Able to Stand Still While Riddim Commission's "Black Beatles" Remix Is Playing


I case you've been living under a rock, you know that any viral sensation that has a song under it will make that song chart high on Billboard. The #MannequinChallenge, which finds people freezing in intriguing situations, usually has Rae Sremmurd's infections "Black Beatles" playing; the meme swept the nation, and now "Black Beatles" is atop the Hot 100 for a second week in a row.

You know what that means? A plethora of remixes, although this is the first (and quite possibly the best) remix of the track I've heard.

Riddim Commission is a name I only heard of recently; the duo (which is made up of Marco Del Horno and Swerve) recently collaborated with D Double E, and are dropping their Shells EP on November 28. What better way to drum up some chatter by taking "Black Beatles" into the heart of the club with this garage-tinged take on this massive, certified hit?

You can stream their remix below, as well as download it; your Thanksgiving holiday might be a bit less wholesome without it.

Share:
Read More
, , , ,

Watch DJ Taye and DJ Manny Footwork to "Burnin Ya Boa"

You have to appreciate clips like this; for all of the talk of what footwork is and which crews are doing it, many forget that the essence of footwork is actual dancing. The first time I even knew who DJ Manny was was via a clip of him dancing online, so it's dope to see him alongside DJ Taye (and their homey Jalen) getting their steps in to their track "Burnin Ya Boa," which is taken from Taye's forthcoming EP Move Out, which is out on November 25 via Hyperdub.

You can pre-order Move Out today on vinyl and digital download; the EP also features DJ Earl. Keep that TEKLIFE sound alive.

Share:
Read More
, , , , ,

PremRock and Fresh Kils Lock Horns on 'Leave In Tact'


Over the last few months, I've been trying to dive deeper into the underground hip-hop I've sorely missed. Doing that means running into cats like PremRock and Fresh Kils, who represent New York and Canada (respectively) and are making the kind of hip-hop that champions a higher elevated pen game along with experimental production.

On their recently-released album Leave In Tact, Prem and Fresh have both in spades. I'd say their tag team trickery is properly experienced on "No Pleas Copped," with its subtle organ drone, guitar squeals, and gut-punching drums giving Prem a brutal sound bed to go for broke on. Elsewhere on the project, reputed spitters like Homeboy Sandman, El Da Sensei, and C-Rayz Walz lend their lyrical acumen to the project.

You can (and should) cop Leave In Tact today; stream the full project below, and grab a physical or digital copy via URBNET.

Share:
Read More
, ,

Lando Chill Gets Live on His 'Madera Canyon' EP


Sometimes, all you need is dope live instruments to turn a song into something bigger. It looks like Lando Chill learned that, and in the months since the release of his debut LP For Mark, Your Son, he's been honing a special group of live performers in Madera Canyon, Arizona to not only recreate tracks from the album, but to record some bonus material from their live shows. The result? This Madera Canyon EP.

For heads who love The Roots and live musicians in general, I'd say hit play, grab something to get your day going, and zone out. You can stream the full EP below, and download it via Bandcamp. Shouts to the Mello Music Group.

Share:
Read More
, ,

Gensu Dean ft. Roc Marciano - "Ball Of Yarn"


The last time we caught up with Gensu Dean, he was getting that Whole Food with Denmark Vessey. The Texan's going for dolo with his next project, RAW, but he's brought the phenomenal Roc Marciano for his latest single, "Ball Of Yarn." It's one of those tracks that you already know is going to be dope, but when you press play, it turns into some other, more fire shit.

Roc's got a way with weaving his words, and the spine-tingling track Denmark gave him allows Roc to make sure each bar hits. There's so many quotables on this one, you'll need to run it back a few times before ytou catch many of them.

RAW is set to drop on November 25, and will also feature J-Live, Diamond D, Homeboy Sandman, Georgia Anne Muldrow, and many more. You can download "Ball Of Yarn" today for free, and pre-order the full project right now.

Share:
Read More
, ,

Scott Melker Returns For the Fourth Volume of His "Soul House" Mix Series


Every Thursday, Scott Melker keeps his Soul House party live at the 1 Hotel South Beach Rooftop in Miami. The institution started in New York, and it's dope to see that he blends the vibes of both cities perfectly; there's a load of classic '90s hip-hop alongside all kinds of beautiful music. This fourth edition of his Soul House mix series features everyone from Rick Astley and the Pet Shop Boys to OutKast and Nine.

This is one of those mixes where you can put it on and get your house cleaned, go run errands, or just kick back with a tasty beverage and some warm company to. You can stream it below, and download the full mix via Brooklyn Radio.


Share:
Read More
, , , ,

Mighty Atom Recreates DJ Shadow's 'Endtroucing' With His Tribute Mix


One of the most important albums in my personal musical journey was DJ Shadow's Endtroducing, which was release 20 years ago. I remember getting it that year for Christmas and being enamored by the way he weaved his sample-based sound in this way. I'd not felt that way since Public Enemy's It Takes a Nation..., and have held this album in high regard ever since.

To celebrate its release, Mighty Atom does the same thing he did for De La Soul, Beck, and The Beastie Boys and recreated Endtroducing track by track, sample by sample, on some real destroy and rebuild shit. It's an intriguing way to revisit this album, especially when you realize that sometimes it's just a quick line or sound from a song that I'd never heard before. Mighty Atom should be applauded for this, but truthfully, it's amazing to see how deep Shadow went in making this album.

You can stream and download the mix below, and for a dope throwback, here's an episode of Solid Steel circa 2000 where Coldcut interviewed Shadow and the Quannum crew.


Share:
Read More
, ,

Blitz the Ambassador ft. Tumi - "Heaven"


For as long as I've followed his career, Blitz the Ambassador has put on for Africa. For the latest cut from his forthcoming album Diasporadical, he takes his unique blend of the rhythms and sounds of Africa and the American-born hip-hop flavor and turns it into a bright, blazing number entitled "Heaven."

The horns and live aspects on this? They feel like some new school Fela Kuti, but they are riding over some rougher breakbeats. Blitz and Tumi (from Tumi And The Volume) breathe life into the song, which is produced by Blitz (with some live guitar and trumpet thrown in).

Diasporadical is set to drop on December 12, but you can pre-order it via Jakarta right now. Stream "Heaven" below, and if you want more from the album, check out the previously-released single "Juju Girl."

Share:
Read More
, , , , ,

Rapsody Wants to Make Sure You're Wearing Your 'Crown'


If you're not up on Rapsody, welcome to her future. Most people might be up on her based on her work with 9th Wonder and his Jamla crew, but in 2015 she had a scene-stealing feature on Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp a Butterfly, and over the summer she signed with Jay Z's RocNation. Crown, her new mixtape, is her first release since that signing, and it's highlights just why it's vital that Rapsody's pen is being presented at this time in life.



Featured acts on Crown include Anderson .Paak (returning Rapsody's feature on Malibu's "Without You"), Ab-Soul, and Raphael Saadiq. Crown can be streamed down below, and is available for free via a follow (or for a fee via iTunes). You should also check out Rapsody on the Rap Radar podcast, talking everything from Donald Trump to Lauryn Hill.

Share:
Read More
,

RIP Sharon Jones


Sharon Jones, who's powerful voice lead Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, has passed away at 60. Their website reports that she had been battling pancreatic cancer.

I can't front like I was a huge Sharon Jones head. While she'd been making music for the past twenty years, I'd only started hearing about her in the last ten, including featuring her powerful, socially-charged tracks like "What If We All Stopped Paying Taxes?" in some of my own socially-charged mixtapes. With the Dap-Kings behind her, the soul and funk that lived within her was allowed to be cast out. You can see it in the above picture; she just had a huge, booming voice.
Share:
Read More
, ,

DJ Bailey: The Drum & Bass Preservationist


I sat at my desk for a bit trying to figure out the best way to talk about DJ Bailey. Of course I could say that he's been down with Goldie and the Metalheadz crew for two decades, or how he was the best representation of drum & bass that the BBC had before they replaced him. I could say that he's currently doing great work over on Mi-Soul representing drum & bass alongside Jumping Jack Frost, or that he's responsible for one of my favorite mix CDs of all time, 2001's Heavyload. I could even puff out my chest and rejoice over him being the only drum & bass DJ ANYWHERE to publicly acknowledge my defunct drum & bass blog dubplatedigest, but that's not necessary. DJ Bailey means more to me than that.

For drum & bass heads like myself, we love the full spectrum of dnb. Liquid, dark, older, new school; it's all important, and while he's been doing this thing since the mid-'90s, he didn't get a proper chance to showcase this until 2002, when he got picked up for BBC 1Xtra. During one of his Intabeats shows, Bailey could lull you into a dream-like state with a serving of chilled liquid tracks, then dive right into the dancefloor. He may present you with the murkiest cuts to ever leave a studio, then bounce back with some of the finest of the heavily-edited breakbeat sound (which he affectionately called "choppage"). He would even dip into the back of his record bin, giving you style-defining "best of" mixes of everything from the massive amount of Virus Recordings dubplates he has in his bin to mixes full of reggae and dancehall sample sources (with the tunes these classics ended up being used in). A true drum & bass souljah, Bailey puts on for the scene every time he touches the decks, which is why his name being attached to any kind of mixed CD compilation is newsworthy.

On November 11, a label by the name of Vivid Sound out of Japan released Resurrection, DJ Bailey's first mixed CD release in 14 years. The 20-track mix, which features tunes from Jonny L, Rufige Kru, Nucleus & Paradox, Danny Breaks, and Dillinja roughly spans the last 20 years of drum & bass, but instead of anthem-bashing, Bailey dug deep, throwing in some well-known bangers alongside the deep cuts. It's more about the mood, which is as dark as it is deep, with bombastic subs being battered by all kinds of massive drum patterns. It's one for the ages, and a true "journey through yesteryear" as Bailey calls it.

After sinking my teeth into the mix, I had to reach out to Bailey to not only talk about how a project like this gets created, but our conversation also delves into a number of topics: the continued importance of radio, what he calls the "fast food world" of drum & bass, and his current plans, which include the continued success of his Soul In Motion bi-weekly. Let's get Intanatty with Bailey.
Share:
Read More
, , , ,

RTDMIX004: Jaxtella


We know, we know; we just gave you some drum & bass back in September, but instead of a more calm liquid selection, we're hitting you hard and heavy courtesy of the one like Jaxtella. Call this drum & bass for having to deal with Trump's America.

Now, I can't tell you much about Jaxtella. I mean, I could, but I'd rather let that information marinate while you soak in this devastating set. At 50 minutes, this RTDMIX is a solid look at the darker, heavier side of the dnb scene from the last few months. There are a few cuts from Dom & Roland's stellar Last Refuge of a Scoundrel LP, the Redman-sampling gem "Who Got Da Funk" from the 10 Years of Symmetry compilation, a few new cuts from Metrik, SpectraSoul, and even Bad Company's first remix after signing with Ram Records. If you need music to help keep you warm as the temperatures dip, Jaxtella's got you covered. Keep it locked for more from this talented DJ/producer.

You can stream this mix below, and if you're so inclined, subscribe to the podcast.


Share:
Read More
, , , ,

This Two-Year-Old Beastie Boys / Daft Punk Mashup Album Has Finally Gone Viral


Yesterday, the world of Reddit gave us The Life of Paul. Today, we catch wind of Daft Science, a mashup album of expertly-edited Daft Punk tracks featuring Beastie Boys vocals by a Canadian producer by the name of Coins. The shit works much better than you'd expect, and surprisingly, the release dropped on July 1, 2014.

How is it that a project that the producer admits "totally fizzled" when it dropped? Thank the androids over at /r/DaftPunk/ for making this quiet rework a thing. Surprisingly, this doesn't sound like it shouldn't work, but it truly does. It's as madcap as Beastie projects are, but the use of Daft Punk samples just makes the music just as bright and vibrant as the old school Beastie rhymes.



You can stream Daft Science below, and grab this for free via Bandcamp.



(FACT)
Share:
Read More
, ,

You Haven't Heard 'The Life of Pablo' Until You've Heard 'The Life of Paul'


Sites like HipHopIsRead have spent years of curating sample sources for some of your favorite albums, and while I've also heard DJs do mixes throwing in the original samples in, I've not heard a project quite like The Life of Paul. Apparently sorted out by a Reddit user, this is probably the most deluxe edition of Kanye West's The Life of Pablo you've ever heard. Not only did they make sure to include tracks not on the project, like "Only One" and "All Day," but there are simple things like a "Pt. 3" version of "Father Stretch My Hands" utilizing the DJ Dodger Stadium remix.

If you know how we do, we rocks with original sources and samples, as well as educating the youth. You can stream and download The Life of Paul down below, which also includes a comprehensive list of the changes and edits made to The Life of Pablo for this project. Here's the complete story, along with multiple download links to The Life of Paul.


Share:
Read More
, , ,

R.O.E. "The Race"

"America is looking like bombs over Baghdad..."

Facts, R.O.E., facts. The homey dropped a video for "The Race," which is taken from his latest EP, which is produced entirely by J. Slikk. The GIF up there? It's pretty much that, but truth be told, that's a similar position we have all been in when finding another video of police brutally murdering a person with black skin. Shit's fucked up out there, and "The Race" finds a way to channel that pain into a message. Fists up, eyes open. Don't stay silent.


Share:
Read More
, ,

Silent Knight Vows to 'See You In Hell'


Last week's election has a lot of people fucked up. Some have Henny, some have trees; when you're a spitter, you have your music, and Silent Knight let the people decide if he should drop his new project, See You In Hell. America didn't go with the popular vote, but S.K. did.

"I know a lot us are grieving and some of us are already plotting and planning," says Silent Knight. "I'm with it. I see yall. And I'm here with yall. If this project helps some people feel less alone, or at the least is a distraction or some type of help, I'm thankful. I'm honored to be a vessel for any and all of that."

The release is low on features (although GSL and Kon Boogie lace "MUD"), and two Brown Bag AllStarsThe Audible Doctor and J57—lend their producerial support. I say that to say that the majority of this is from the mental of Silent Knight. You can stream and download See You In Hell below, which also includes the album credits from Silent. Get your game face on.


Share:
Read More
, , ,

DJ Cable Presents the Best of Old School Grime

Image via Alex South

A while ago, I asked DJ Cable if he could sort out some classic UK grime tunes for me. I'd been getting into the grime scene, but had no history. He laced me with a grip of tracks, really proving that he's an authority on this thing. While he rocks with his Triangulum imprint, showcasing the future of the grime scene, he's also a historian, so him dropping this "Best of Old School Grime" mix is perfect.

Throughout this 36-track trek, Cable manages to squeeze in tracks from DJ Marsta, Jammer, SLK, Kano, and many, many more; "some obvious, some not so obvious" as Cable puts it. He also mentioned that he has a boatload more that could've fit in this mix, so be on the lookout for a possible Volume 2...or Volume 3!

You can stream "The Best of Old School Grime" below; if you want to download, we've got you covered.

Share:
Read More
, , , , , , , ,

Dumfoundead Keeps It 100 With His New Mixtape 'We Might Die'


It's been a minute since we've posted new material from Dumbfoundead, but with the way the world is going, his new project, We Might Die, is very necessary.

As he told Complex, "We Might Die was a tape reflecting the mood I was in looking at the world through my phone. The youth and older generation both feeling immortal while the world is crumbling down around us. I wanted to talk about living wild, death, and legacy on these tracks as I approach the end of my 20s. Sorry to be a downer but enjoy!"

Dumb is a supreme spitter; if you've seen him on the battle circuit, you know that. Him applying his heavy mental to this collection of 10 tracks is a blessing for heads who love lyrics. Featured artists include Too $hort, Nocando, and Jay Park, with the likes of Getter, Two Fresh, and BrandUn DeShay providing the beats.

We Might Die is available for stream and download below (or via Bandcamp); you can also check out the videos for "Harambe" and "SAFE" as well. For heads who want to see Dumbfoundead live, keep it locked to his website, as he'll be hitting the road for the We Might Die tour in January 2017.


Share:
Read More
, ,

Dave 1 Backs Up His Brother A-Trak With His Own "Music Heals" Mix


A few days ago, A-Trak helped soothe the feels of many across the country with a special soul-infused mix, "Music Heals." While there's no real comment on why his big brother Dave 1 (of Chromeo fame) decided to work out his own "Music Heals" mix, we're glad he did it.



Thrown in this set are classic sample material from Sylvia Striplin, Minnie Ripperton, Parliament, and more, as well as cuts from Marvin Gaye, Talib Kweli, and others. You can stream and Dave's "Music Heals" mix below. We prefer it with a nice glass of congac, or some white wine.


Share:
Read More
,

Bad Company UK Premieres First Official Return Single, "Nomad"


Back in February, Fresh, dBridge, Maldini and Vegas reunited as Bad Company UK, a foursome that took the drum & bass world by storm with their bangers like "The Nine," "4 Days," "Planet Dust," and many more. They announced that reunion with "Equilibrium," a freebie that took heads back to the source. It was announced in late September that the newly realigned BCUK had signed to Ram Records, and with that came a remix of The Prodigy that left a bad taste (no pun intended) in the mouths of long time BCUK fans.

Then, MistaJam announced that he'd be premiering their first full solo track since signing to Ram, "Nomad," on his show last night. The verdict? It's cool. It's definitely very "Ram," in the sense that it's got that punch and bounce that Andy C loves for his sets. It has a guitar riff that I'm personally not vibing with, and one of those earworm melodies that gets my goat. The breakdown in the middle? That's where it's at for me.

Ultimately, "Nomad" will get the rinse. It's got an epic feel to it, and I can imagine dnb DJs now through NYE will be playing this at the beginning of their sets (or somewhere in the middle, for the feels), and will probably do well. It seems like heads on forums like DOA are split; I'm wondering if there's a VIP that emphasizes less on the guitar and more on the gnarled bass that will do me in.

Stream "Nomad" down below, and if you're digging, it's out on November 18 via Ram, so save up.

Share:
Read More
, ,

A-Trak Helps Us "Process These Emotions" With New "Music Heals" Mix


A-Trak, being the supreme DJ that he is, knows that music is the healing of the nation. With that knowledge, he sorted out a magical 30-minute mix the day after the election. This isn't an EDM anthem-bang or a throwback hip-hop fest; he selected classics like Faze-O's "Riding High," Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On," and "Love Is The Message" by MFSB.

He also left a dope note: "Nov 9, 2016. Day after the election. Music helps me process these emotions. Hope it does the same for you."

Stream and download A-Trak's mix below, and if you need track IDs, the tracklist is also down there.


Share:
Read More
, , , ,

Run The Jewels ft. BOOTS - "2100"


The perfect soundtrack for the frustration we're hearing. Like I said earlier today, I don't need my favorite artists to be political leaders, but I damn sure need them to provide the soundtrack for the revolution.

From Run The Jewels: "for our friends. for our family. for everyone who is hurting or scared right now. here is a song we wrote months ago. we werent planning on releasing it yet but… well it feels right, now. its about fear and its about love and its about wanting more for all of us. its called 2100. we hope it finds you well."

Run The Jewels 3 is sounding amazingly next level. Stream "2100" below.

Share:
Read More
, , ,

Mr. Carmack Gave Away His Remix of Jay Z and Kanye West's "Otis"


While I'm not sure WHY Mr. Carmack decided to rework Otis Redding's "Try A Little Tenderness" and Jay Z and Kanye West's "Otis," I'm here for it. It's a bit more of a flip of Redding's classic, with Jay's "guess I got my swagger" back line over some live-sounding drums. Swagger certified.

Stream and download this below, and if you dig it, check out more Carmack reworks via his Yellow EP, which he dropped over the summer.

Share:
Read More
, , ,

JuJu Rogers & Bluestaeb ft. Regis Molina - "Get Lost"


I'm nowhere near as eloquent as Elucid, nor are my thoughts as collected as Jack Erwin's, so I'll just copy/paste this note from Jakarta and let this track ease my mind for four minutes and 58 seconds.

"today is a morning that leaves you lost in the light of last nights election which essentially is a continuation of a global trend of racist, sexist and homophobic populism from the usa to the philippines. the whole problem is very complex but all of these populist idiots benefit from a huge part of the people not caring and they rather "get lost". juju rogers drops some jewels -fuck diamonds- over a bluestaeb beat for those who think their voice doesn't matter. their album LIT drops in december."

Stream "Get Lost" below, and pre-order the track via Bandcamp right now.

Share:
Read More
, , ,

Elucid Releases His Impressive Cover of Zoe Leonard's "I Want A President"


Without giving me much info, Lessondary member Elucid sent me an MP3 of his cover of Zoe Leonard's poem "I Want A President." I actually played this immediately after placing my vote this morning, and wanted to make sure this impressive cover was released today; low and behold, he threw it up on Bandcamp for the world to partake in.

If you're not familiar with the original, this is the perfect sentiment to drop in a world where we could be electing the first female president, although "I Want A President" takes things a step further. In releasing the cover, Elucid dropped the following statement: "Dizzied by the chaos and confusion of both the US and South African presidential elections during the summer of 2016, I discovered the poem “I Want A President” by Zoe Leonard. The spirit It contained," he continues, "inspired me to record this cover version."

Stream and download this gem down below.

Share:
Read More
, ,

Four Tet Gave Away a Recent Four-Hour(!) Mix


We're on the eve of one of the most historic—and horrific—elections, like, ever. One would imagine that we should be taking some time to ourselves...just in case. OK, it might not be that serious, but Donald Trump being our is a thing that could actually happen. Might as well live life a bit more calmly before that possibility eats at your anxiety. Enter Four Tet.

Four Tet, the producer/DJ who practically wrote the book and crafting captivating material each and every, has given away a four-and-a-half hour mix of his from a recent show in Los Angeles. "I was the only DJ that night," he says, "and I played from doors till close." Sadly, the last 90 minutes were cut from the set, but this is more than enough for those of us who want to party like the world is almost about to end.

Stream and download the full mix down below; if you spot something, contribute to the tracklist that's being created.

Share:
Read More
, , , , ,

OG Maco Dedicates New Project to Kid Cudi, Who Triumphantly Returned at ComplexCon

Image via Complex/Rambo
If you were anywhere near social media on Saturday, you had to have seen the #complexcon hashtag; it was trending on Twitter, and giving an entire section of the internets major FOMO. One of the reasons was Kid Cudi, who made a huge return to the stage during the art, culture and music conference on Saturday, November 5. For those unaware, Cudi's appearance was in doubt after he'd checked himself into rehab for depression in early October.

I've personally never been the biggest fan, but I've always appreciated how much Cudi's meant to so many people. Saturday Night Live cast member Pete Davidson recently told The Breakfast Club that he would've killed himself if it wasn't for Kid Cudi, and Atlanta's OG Maco dropped a new EP, For Scott, which he says is "For the man on the moon who taught us all not to give a fuck." Calling Cudi "our big brother," Maco's six-track release is already being called "legendary," and one has to imagine that many Cudi fans are feeling the same feels while rocking to this EP.


You can stream the entire project down below, and download For Scott for free via DatPiff right now.

Share:
Read More
, , ,

French Montana Gave Away 'MC4,' Which Everyone Already Had


Not too long ago, Joe Budden told me that it was Drake that stopped the release of French Montana's long-awaited MC4, not sample clearances. French didn't want it to leak, but due to some MVPs over at Target, the project actually got released to the internets back in August. He's apparently been working on a new project after not wanting to have the uncleared songs replayed, he went ahead and gave away MC4 for the free, which he played on OVO Sound Radio earlier tonight.

I'm not the biggest French fan, but I did like how "Said & Done" flipped the same sample that "Tearz" did. I'm simple like that. Featured rappers include Kanye West, Nas, A$AP Rocky, Jeezy, and more, with beats from Harry Fraud, DJ Khalil, and Swift, among others. Stream and download for your Saturday night turn up.

Share:
Read More
,

'Stranger Things' Star Millie Bobby Brown Stars In Sigma's "Find Me" Video


This is an interesting one. With Millie Bobby Brown officially set to reprise her role as Eleven in season two of Netflix's Stranger Things, the UK-born star takes front and center in the new video for Sigma's Birdy-featured "Find Me." How? Word is Birdy was a fan of Stranger Things and wanted Millie in the video; Millie's reportedly been a fan of Birdy's for years, so it looks like this was easier than you'd expect.

What's funny is I wonder if Sigma got tired of the flack people have given them for their tunes and decided to appease fans of the program by putting its most recognizable star being front and center in their video. I'm personally not the biggest fan of this type of track; every drum & bass outfit that achieves mainstream fame in the UK seems to turn the BPM down on an "anthemic" tune like this, but Millie's appearance in the clip really makes the song.

Watch the full video down below.
Share:
Read More
,

denitia and sene - "favorite."

Photo Credit: Aaron Vazquez

It's crazy to see how the denitia and sene project has grown; I remember posting cuts from Sene four-plus years ago. Back then, he was on his hip-hop ish, but in the time since I'd been working a tougher day job schedule, his producer cap has been on tight, working magic for vocalist Denitia Odigie. Their sophomore album, love and noir, is due out November 18. This track "favorite." is my kind of lowkey sultry turn up. The playful way they warp Denitia's vocals, around those mid-tempo trap drums and booming bass? Perfection.

Share:
Read More
, , , , , ,

Boxed and Local Action Release Massive 16-Track Compilation For Free

While folks seemed to love Skepta's Konnichiwa, it definitely wasn't the "grime's a thing in America" smash that many assumed it'd be. Hell, some fakers are talking like they aren't even fucking with the genre anymore. Me? I'm kind of glad they are moving away from it. There's no real room for fairweather grime heads.

In any case, while I won't be at the massive Boxed x Local Action show this Friday (because going to the UK on a whim doesn't really work for me), I'm loving this free 16-track compilation that heads from the Boxed and Local Action crews put together. Loads of dope producers are on here, including Slackk, Finn, Trends, JD. Reid, Fallow, Loom, and plenty more. The real winner on here, in my opinion, is "Thunderussy" by Trends, which turns the source material from Kanye West's "No More Parties In L.A." into a rowdy anthem.

The beauty of this free release isn't that it's free, or that it has a number of top quality producers on it. It's the fact that it showcases all sides of the grime spectrum; the more ambient tones are represented right alongside the heavier, trap-esque rhythms. There are even a few vocal bits mixed in for good measure.

Stream the full release below, and grab it for the price of an email address. You're welcome.

Share:
Read More