Guilty Simpson & Small Professor - Highway Robbery
Showing posts with label Small Pro. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Small Pro. Show all posts
Small Professor ft. Guilty Simpson & Reef The Lost Cauze "Spare Razor"
I see Prefix got the honors of premiering this one. I've been trying to tell yall, Philly's Small Pro ain't nothing to sleep on. On this cut, taken from his Gigantic, Vol. 1 album (which drops on the 24th of January), he gets Reef and Guilty to sharpen their blades and leave this Wu-centric beat diced to pieces. Doesn't even make sense to try and sleep - if you've been in dire need of some new shit for your Jansport, tune in and turn it up. Gigantic.Small Professor - Gigantic, Vol. 0
Prior to the release of Gigantic, Vol. 1, Small Professor cooks up this special (re)mixtape for your rooty poot asses. Truly showcasing how well his beats work with talented MCs, S.P. flipped shit from the Wrecking Crew (Zilla Rocca x Has-Lo x Curly Castro), Deal - The Villain (happy bday, troop), Elzhi, Che Grand, Elucid and plenty more. Dude truly crafts remixes that sound like originals for these niggas. Gigantic Vol. 1 is on the way, deal with this for right now.DOWNLOAD Small Professor - Gigantic, Vol. 0 [mirror]
Small Professor Beats & Rhymes Jawns
I'm glad that Small Professor is finally ready to start this crazy promo run. Dude's got a few serious projects (as well as a tough remix I have been waiting on for a minute). Dude's part of that new breed of Hip-Hop producers, both from Philly and just hitting my ears over the last few years, that I've genuinely been excited about. And while dude's new, he still maintains some of those old school vibes about him. He does have a bit of that quirk in him as well, which you catch on this short EP of, well, beats and shit. You've heard a few of these if you mess with his SoundCloud, but to get them all in high quality is essential. Keep your ear to his Bandcamp for the next Small Pro release(s), seriously.DOWNLOAD Small Professor Beats & Rhymes Jawns
Elucid "My Blank Verse"
Elucid "My Blank Verse" (prod. by Small Pro): On the low, Elucid and Small Pro have a lot of material on the horizon, together and separately. This track just got passed over to me Sunday night for my rockthedub five year anniversary compilation, FiF, which drops on Thursday, March the 31st. It brings the best bits of both MCs - crisp beats and poignant rhymes. I was speaking to Small Pro earlier this evening, and he's got an album and a mixtape on the way - both should be out before the Fall. Elucid has this track and 2 others (3 if you count a refix Nappy did) on FiF, as well as two EPs (produced by Von Pea and Aeon, respectively), his Save Yourself album and other projects on the way, including the Concrete Sound System noodlings. I'm glad to have been featuring these cats during RTD's first five, and hope to continue seeing their creativity flow. For now, check out some blank verses.Zilla Rocca Bad Weather Classic
Over the last year or so, I’ve been getting closer to Philly’s own Zilla Rocca. Not closer like we talk about life’s ills, but a sort of trust has formed, and that trust has afforded me the ability to hear a lot of his shit prior to even an idea of where it’s coming out on. And hearing him nurture this idea of “noir-hop”, which obviously borrows from a film genre I don’t fuck with nearly as much as I need to, and a proper appreciation for quality Hip-Hop, both classic boom bap and the sounds you’ll be hearing in the future. Fuck. Dude’s just got some exciting material brewing, which World Around noticed and put out as Bad Weather Classic, which might be the soundtrack to a demented mind left snowed in by the punishing snowstorm over the last few months. Oddly, it gets released just as the temperatures are rising and the snow’s just about gone. For now. Everything’s cyclical, right? Aside from his own production, Zilla also has beats from Face-One and RTD fam Small Professor, with features from the mighty Curly Castro and the one like MaLLy. This is some shit for train rides or table sitdowns, with half a bottle of whisky and deep thoughts/conversation. Intoxicating. Big up World Around.DOWNLOAD Zilla Rocca Bad Weather Classic
And if you're smart, and in Phoenix, you'll catch Zilla, Curly and Nocando tomorrow night at The Hidden House.
5 O’Clock Shadowboxers Broken Clocks EP
After dropping the Spoiler Mix last week, the long-awaited Broken Clocks EP is available NOW from 5 O'Clock Shadowboxers. Tracks like "No Resolution 2" and other assorted tricks and treats (featuring remixes from Zilla Rocca and Small Professor) can be found on this follow-up to The Slow Twilight, which you can cop for $5 via Bandcamp. Hit the jump for a stream link, a limited download-link and the tracklist. All art by the homey Objektiv One.MAGr ft. Blu "Laminated Looseleafs (Small Pro Remix)"
MAGr ft. Blu "Laminated Looseleafs (Small Professor Remix)": I didn't meet Small Pro until last October, but I've slowly been getting some serious material from him over the months. This remix of a very popular cut from MAGr's No News Is Good News album is the truth. I know there were/are more remixes of No News Is Good News coming, and Small Pro has a mess of material coming with cats like Al Mighty, Has-Lo and Deal - The Villain (fingers crossed!), so keep it locked for more info on the good homey.Beat Garden, Curly Castro, Elucid, Hip-Hop, Lessondary, Nico The Beast, Philly, recap, Reef The Lost Cauze, Small Pro, Zilla Rocca
The Khyber (10/16/2009) [recap]
I love going out and realizing what I've been missing. I'm a homebody for a number of reasons, but when I heard that my boy Elucid was going to be performing in Philly, which isn't even 45 minutes from my spot (Darnell and I must've made the drive in about 30, 35 minutes it seems), I had no excuse to not be there, especially with heads like 5 O'Clock Shadowboxers, Has-Lo, Dumhi, Al Mighty, Curly Castro and more on the bill. But, oh yes, we'll get into all of that in this recap. Walk with me...Like I said earlier, I don't go out that often. When I do, it has to either BE an event or FEEL like an event. For this one, it was a bit of both, but it turned into more of an event as the night went on. I knew a few things: I'd get to link up w/ Dom P, Zilla Rocca, Elucid and maybe meet the Dumhi fam. I've linked up with Public Axis previously (No News Is Good News, anyone?), so this link up was waaaaay past its due date, but whatever. We roll to the spot, mull around for a bit, and Dom P walks up. We kick our introductions, and he is like "did you meet Elucid?", who is posted up at the bar with Ali Boombaye (the genius who cooked up the "Automatic Writing" video). We kick it over a few drinks, I got introduced to the homey Zilla, and the venue was getting a nice lil' crowd going. And then, it happened.
I'd never been to a show like this in Philly, and had no idea what Big O was finna do as host. I had seen him throughout the night, usually double-fisting some malted beverages, and I knew he was hosting, but the comedy this dude just brings is too much to try and put into words. Being one of the heads of Beat Garden, O has a dope charm, a real love for Hip-Hop and all of that... but dude will snap on you in a fucking heartbeat. The soundman got it, Has-Lo got it for his tight braids and small frame... I don't think I got it, but I probably will next go 'round.
But anyways, onto the show...
Curly Castro, who got some of his first press on this here blog, rocked first, and I was truly impressed. I may not have known all of the tracks he was running through, but you could feel the shit he was spittin'. Dope performances, including the first (of many) appearances from Nico The Beast on "Armor". Great opening act.
My nigga also did some track called "The Commentary", which was truly awesome. Broke down a lot of society's ills in what seemed like one long verse. It was inspiring.
Up next was Al Mighty, one half of MAGr, and it was good to see dude performing. He attacked the stage and just went OFF! DistantStarr got on stage and they performed "Tokyo Raul", among a bunch of other gems past and present. I also loved how, even if he forgot a portion of the rhyme, instead of cuttin' the show, he just kept it going, freestyling until he either picked the verse back up or the track was done. Dude also kicked off a really heartfelt track about losing those close to you, which definitely allowed me to see his skill in a different light. Also showed me how close cats like Al and Nico really are. This is deeper than rap.
Up next was Dumhi, who were accompanied by Shamelessplug, FLUD and had a guest appearance from Reef The Lost Cauze. Yes, you read that correctly. I loved Dumhi's set - those cats came correct, and Shameless really impressed me the most. Again, I'm not as knowledgable about their material as I should be, but with Haj hitting me off w/ the Indian Summer EP, and realizing how often I've seen their name around, I'm doing my research, trust. Good crew of people, and a great, organic set.
Towards the end of Dumhi's set, I had to get some air, so I rapped with Al at the bar for a taste (hopefully the fruits of our convo will be shared soon), and when I got back, Zilla Rocca was in full 5 O'Clock Shadowboxers mode, with Curly Castro by his side:
As you should know, 5 O'Clock Shadowboxers = Zilla Rocca and Doug Martin, and their Slow Twilight album caused quite a stir this summer. I've gone back to it numerous times since I grabbed it, and it just has a dope combination of those somber vibes and classic Hip-Hop breaks and beats. Zilla ran through a grip of the tunes, including "High Noon", which I believe will be getting the video treatment sometime soon.
At one point in the set, Zilla called up Has, Elucid and Nico for a sick posse cut that will be featured on the forthcoming 5 O'Clock EP, Broken Clocks, entitled "No Resolution 2". Here are some flicks from this blinding track:
That shit was tough. After the 5 O'Clock set, the Rap Pack reunited and stormed through their classic material, as well as a few new joints (I believe). It was good to see the 5 MCs on stage, going for theirs, to a crowd who definitely knew what time it was. As the night came to a close, we got to see a load of freestyles, a sack full of laughs and a great night for Hip-Hop, from Philly or otherwise. Shouts to Dom P, Big O, the Rap Pack, Elucid, Has-Lo, Small Pro, Curly Castro and anyone I might have forgotten who helped put this night together. It started a fire within me (and others), and should only mean good things for the Beat Garden, Public Axis and RTD crews. Thank you, Philly.
All photo credits go to Liz Padova; check out her "Hip-Hop Shows In Philly" album on Facebook. There are also some pics and a review over on Phrequency, which I believe are from @livefromphilly.
Rhymageddon
