Despre ei...

[sunrah]

Bobbito??€�s Blindfold Test - Large Professor

( <- Click! )

Truth be told, Vibe magazine pretty much sucked from Issue 0 (yes, they actually put that out). It wasn??€�t just the numerous pictures of half-naked dudes that made me think that something wasn??€�t quite right about this Quincy Jones project, most of the reviews and articles were horrible as well. There were some exceptions though, and thanks to regular columns from Bonz Malone, Bobbito and the Rap Bandit (guess The Source didn??€�t need him anymore once Star and Buck jumped on board), the mag was at least worth a five minute read at the newsagents.

The Blindfold Test was a nice, straight-forward concept: Bob would hang out with a musician he respected and try to stump them with his selection of tunes on his box, which often produced some candid and funny remarks. Here we find him sitting with the artist once known as Paul Juice, and Bobbito slyly drops the new Main Source single, featuring his replacement Mikey D. It??€�s been so long since I picked up a copy of Vibe that I have no idea if this column still exists??€¦.hopefully it does. I??€�m also unsure of what caused that stain on the paper ??€� chances are it was either a curry or some Guinness stout.

[sunrah]

Rae And Ghost United - Sunday February 26th 2006



Last Friday, a new Fishscale bootleg/advance hit the ??€?streets??€? of the internets, but at fourteen tracks deep, I??€�m 99% sure that it??€�s nowhere near the offical version (for starters, ??€?Charlie Brown??€? and ??€?Big Girl??€? from the sampler aren??€�t on it). Nevertheless, at least some of these songs will turn up on the real album, so I thought I??€�d throw you a couple of the stronger cuts.

??€?RAGU??€? was actually going to be the title of an album (Rae And Ghost United) but I guess they deaded that idea. It also uses the same drums from Biggie??€�s ??€?Gimme The Loot??€?, which is not a bad thing by any means, and is a superior Rae and Starks combo. ??€?Whipped With A Strap??€? is classic Ironman material, as he takes it back to the days of getting his ass beat by mom dukes like only he can, this time using a soulful beat from the late Jay Dee.



The two Raekwon pieces are from J-Love??€�s superior Only Built For The Street 2 mixtape (thanks to eskay from Nah Right for hooking that up). ??€?Heavyweights??€? is another hardcore J-Love produced winner, while ??€?Starks & Chef??€? is some ??€?Bring The Noise??€? shit with a killer distorted guitar. If at least half of Linx 2 is up to this standard, then count me in.

Ghostface featuring Raekwon - R.A.G.U.
Raekwon featuring Ghostface - Starks & Chef
Ghostface - Whipped With A Strap
Raekwon - Heavyweights

[ ^ save target as ^ ]

Extra: Following up on my earlier Ghost/Doom comments, there are three tracks on here using Doom beats, but all three of them are old Special Herbs joints! This must be some sort of record. Let??€�s take one example of how many times one beat has been released:

1. Fenugreek ??€� MF Doom, Special Herbs Volume 1
2. 1,2 1,2 ??€� Monsta Island Czars, Escape From Monsta Island
2. Ante Up [MF Doom Remix] ??€� M.O.P., Special Blends Volume 1
4. Come Get Me [MF Doom Blend] ??€� Nas, Nastadoomus Volume 1
5. 9 Milli Brothers ??€� Ghostface, Fishscale

I guess if you hadn??€�t heard the other four albums this wouldn??€�t be a big deal, but for those of us who have??€¦.you get the picture. That said, Starks does sound pretty awesome over them.

---------------------------------------------

Fishscale advance (not the sampler) !!!

01. Shakey Dog
02. Kilos ft/ Raekwon
03. Be Easy (Produced by Pete Rock)
04. 9 Milli Brothers ft/ Raekwon, Ol Dirty Bastard, Cappadonna, Inspectah Deck, Masta Killa & U God (Produced by MF Doom)
05. Hi (Produced by J Dilla)
06. Dawn ft/ Cappadonna & Trife
07. Crackspot
08. Clips of Doom ft/ Raekwon
09. Whip Me With A Strap (Produced by J Dilla)
10. Back Like That ft/ Ne-Yo
11. Champion (Produced by Just Blaze)
12. (Untitled Track) ft/ Trife(Produced by MF Doom)
13. (Untitles Track)
14. Barbershop

[sunrah]

Hearing Every Dope Beat With Dope Voices

Wednesday March 01st 2006

Despite the fact that his classic debut single served as the inspiration for the name of his crew, Latee remains as one of the more enigmatic members of the New Jersey collective. Anyone who used to catch Kool DJ Red Alert??€�s show on KISS-FM would instantly recognise the block-rocking Fatback riff and earth-shattering kick drum combo of ??€?This Cut??€�s Got Flavor??€?, as it was a fixture of Red??€�s ??€?45 King Specials??€? for a year before it even made it onto vinyl. The first time I heard the song on tape, it was tragically cut short ??€� after the intro??€�s wailing sax ??€� only one bar into La??€�s verse:

Now for those who like sniffing, riffin??€� and beefing ??€� I??€�ll add the flavor, so you can sink your teeth in / Weak beats are bitter, that??€�s why I got ridda some crews, but that??€�s old news, now I??€�m with a??€¦

I lost track of how many time I rewinded that tape. 45 King??€�s jaw-dropping beat has to take much of the credit, but Latee??€�s voice was ill. Although this particular tape featured now-classic new songs from Public Enemy, Boogie Down Productions and Just-Ice, it was this elusive snippet that had me fiendin??€�. It would be another couple of years before I actually got my hands on this record, and while the copy I found was pretty beat-up (complete with marker scribbled all over the label), it remains as one of the most prized pieces in my collection.

??€?No Tricks??€? was Latee??€�s second and final Wild Pitch release, driven by a JB??€�s guitar loop and another strong vocal performance. (Gangstarr fans will notice that the hook from ??€?Positivity??€? was sourced from the accapella), while the slower ??€?Wake Up??€? might sound a little dated musically, but La still delivers in the booth, covering everything from describing his dancers??€� moves to how he and the crew ??€?get [in]do??€�ed up, becuase the cess to me??€�s a relief, because we smoke the cess out the fronta leaf??€?, which was an unusual pro-weed stance during a time when anti-drug records were rampant (although most of them were about crack).

It would be five long years before Latee would release another song to the masses (??€?92??€�s ??€?Brainstorm??€? was promo-only), this time without the help of the King, on the Roll Wit The Flava album. But stuck with an unispiring S.I.D. track and typical ??€?93 chant chorus, ??€?Let Yourself Go??€? didn??€�t make much of an impression during Naughty By Nature??€�s heyday.

Fast-forward another five years or so, and we??€�re blessed with another 45 King/Latee winner in the form of the xylophone-driven ??€?Lati Rocks The Bells??€?. Originally recorded for the bootleg only Put The Funk Out There album (which mysteriously features fake Rocafella and Def Jam logos on the label), the song was later issued in a stripped-down alternative mix on 12??€? by Blazin??€� around 2002. To confuse matter further, La mentions ??€???€�94??€? before he rocks the second verse, so this was most likely recorded back then. Either way, it??€�s a quality cut.

Other than his music, there??€�s no much else I can tell you about this guy, other than the fact that he??€�s ??€?about 5??€� 10??€?, slim, never somethin??€� I??€�m not??€? and he liked to sport ??€?big blue sweatsuits??€?. Not much help really, but I??€�m keeping my fingers crossed that he??€�s still making music somewhere.

Latee - This Cut??€�s Got Flavor | Puttin??€� On The Hits [Wild Pitch, 1987]

Latee - No Tricks | Wake Up [Wild Pitch, 1988]

Latee - Let Yourself Go [Roll Wit The Flava, Epic, 1993]

45 King featuring Lati - Lati Rocks The Bells (LP Version) [Put The Funk Out There, white label, 1998]

P.S.: As usual -> save link target as.. lectura si auditie placuta!

[sunrah]

Blunted Soul - RZA RapPages Producer Profile
Friday March 10th 2006

( <- Click! )

All of you production equipment nerds are gonna have a field day on this one, as the RZA drops science about analog vs. digital, samplers he??€�s messed with, mixing techniques and the whole nine. It??€�s incredible how influential his sound has been to today??€�s producers ??€� don??€�t forget that only a couple of people were speeding-up soul vocals back then.

Wu-Related Extra Reading: While record reviews are a dime-a-dozen these days, live show reviews are usually good value. Joey from Straight Bangin' has been on a winning streak with his show recaps, and these two maintain his high standard:

Wu Tang: Getting The Band Back Together

What The Fuck Is A Papoose?

Bol also delivered when he recounted a rare St. Louis appearence from Tony Starks.
And for those of you who can??€�t get enough Ghostface news, eskay threw up the official Fishscale tracklisting.
Also, you can catch the new J-Love??€�s Ghostface: Hidden Darts Pt. 3, which features more of J??€�s dope remixes and exclusives, over at The Smoking Section.

[Blanquito]

Born in a military hospital in South America, Immortal Technique was brought to the United States in the early 80's while a civil war was breaking out in his native Peru. The US supported puppet democracy and Guerilla factions were locked in a bitter struggle which ended like most do in Latin America, with the military and economic aid of the State Dept. through channels like the CIA. Although he had escaped the belligerent poverty and social turmoil of life in the 3rd world, he was now residing in Harlem which had its own share of drama. Growing up on the streets of New York, the young man became enamored with Hip Hop culture, writing graffiti and starting to rhyme at an early age. Although he frequently cut school and ended up being arrested time and time again for his wild behavior, the kid still managed to finish high school and got accepted to a state university. Unfortunately the survivalist and aggressive attitude that was the norm in New York City caused him to be involved in more violent altercations at school, whether it was with other brothers, false flaggers or the relentlessly racist population of an uncultured Middle America.

Compiling multiple assault charges in New York State and in other states eventually caught up to the uncompromisingly hardheaded actions of one Immortal Technique. He faced several charges for Aggravated Assault in the tri-state area. Realizing his inevitable incarceration, Technique began to prolifically write down his ideas about what he had lived and seen in the struggle back at home in relation to his visits back to his native land. He came to embrace his African roots that stemmed from his grandfather and understood the nature of racism and ignorance in its role in Latino culture, separating oppressed peoples and keeping them divided. He also began to study in depth about the Revolutionary ideas that had caused a history of uprising in the indigenous community of his Native South America. Although pressured to turn states evidence before and during his bid, he refused the DA and lawyers. He was facing a 5-10 stretch, but the hiring of a pittbull attorney helped him compile the cases without turning snitch like his co-defendants. The result was a 1-2 year sentence in the mountains, 6 hours away from the city. There Technique studied, worked out vigorously, began to document his lyrics, and create songs. Besides the creation there was destruction, and the fights were nothing compared to the verbal battles that he engaged in occasionally. This proved to be a foreshadowing of what was to come...

Paroled in 1999, Immortal Technique returned to NYC and began a campaign to claim victory to what he had discovered he had a talent for; battling. One of the rites of passage in establishing oneself in the Hip Hop community is following in the steps of those who made their name in lyrical warfare before you. Immortal Technique quickly became known throughout the underground. His brutally disrespectful style was trademark, and it was not long until he had won countless battles not just on stage and in clubs, but on the streets whenever a random cipher would pop up. From Rocksteady Anniversary, to Braggin Rites, SLAM DVD's and hookt.com's infamous battles, he established himself as someone who could captivate a crowd and who people looked forward to seeing. But it was then that Technique realized what every battle champion had come to terms with before him, battles was just that, battling, and not synonymous with success at making music. Turning his eye to production and touching up some of the songs he had written in prison he now focused on trying to get an album together, but major labels wanted a more pop friendly image and were uncomfortable with his hardcore street style that was complemented by his political views. In response to their lack of vision, Immortal Technique left the battle circuit and released his critically acclaimed Revolutionary Vol.1, which at first moved 3000 copies, but to date has moved more than 12,000. This earned him Unsigned Hype in the Source (11/02) and numerous articles in Elemental & Mass Appeal.

Established in the underground circuit Tech began another round of dealing with record labels unwilling to see the direction of his brutally honest and cultured rhymes. He decided to continue with what had been so successful, his hand to hand out the trunk hustle. In the post 9.11 climate, as the music industry crumbled, Immortal Technique built on the truth with a hardcore brand of street politics. Being featured in XXL, The Washington Post, and having been titled with the Hip Hop quotable in The Source (10/03) for his sophomore independent release Revolutionary Vol.2 was just the beginning.. On Viper Records, where he is the Executive VP, he sold 29,000 copies of Revolutionary Vol.2 to date and has appeared on soundtracks for new movies including the new Mario Van Peebles film "BAADASSSSS". Immortal Technique has also worked with Mumia Abu Jamal and AWOL magazine. His single "Industrial Revolution" released in conjunction with Uncle Howie Records hit #1 on CMJ and #50 on the Billboard charts. Recently back from a successful West Coast tour, Immortal Technique is now booking a European tour in the Fall of 2004 and recording his highly anticipated third album...


Lyricshttp://www.lyrics007.com/Immortal%20Tec ... yrics.html

[sunrah]

Fucking D.I.T.C.

de Trent Fitzgerald | E destul de citit, dar niste artisti precum acestia merita toata atentia din lume!



One of the most beloved hip-hop crews in rap music, D.I.T.C. (an acronym for "Diggin' in the Crates") consists of veteran rappers, DJs, and producers dedicated to the true essence of rap music: original lyrics and strong beat-savvy productions. With their dedication to hip-hop purity, members Showbiz & A.G. (Andre the Giant), Diamond D, Lord Finesse, Fat Joe, O.C., Buckwild, and the late Big L have at least one classic album under their belts. Although they never reached the success of their multi-platinum peers, individually they became successful by maintaining their integrity and earning major respect within the rap community.

Lord Finesse (born Robert Hall) is a legendary MC-turned-producer who has produced tracks for Notorious B.I.G. (1997's Ready to Die) and Dr. Dre (1999's Chronic). As a young cocky MC, he would travel to any borough in New York to battle their best rapper and win. He shopped his demo to various record labels and eventually dropped the first of several records, his 1990 classic Funky Technician. The record had a few tracks produced by his good friend Diamond (formerly Diamond D), a former member of the rap group Ultimate Force. One of the oldest members in the D.I.T.C. crew, Diamond got his first whiff of hip-hop DJing for Jazzy Jay of the Zulu Nation in 1979. In the mid-'80s, he was turntable scratching at late-night park parties, often competing with area top DJs (Showbiz was once his nemesis.) In 1992, this DJ, then a producer, showcased New York City's underground talent and his rap skills on his classic debut Stunts, Blunts & Hip-Hop.

Bronx native Fat Joe became the first Latino rapper in New York to secure a solo deal with a major label with his 1993 debut Representin'. In 1998, his Don Cartagena release went gold (500,000 copies sold). Showbiz & A.G. were the first to adopt the do-it-yourself attitude by releasing their 1992 debut EP, Can I Get a Soul Clap, practically out of the trunk of their cars. Showbiz, a name he stolen from an old Richard Pryor record, pioneered taking an instrumental and looping voices over it. His partner A.G. was known as the Bronx's "punchline" rapper. Through the mid-'90s, he was a prolific producer, producing tracks for primarily underground rap acts. In 1999, A.G. restarted his rap career with his solo CD Dirty Version.

Meanwhile, another Bronx native named Buckwild, who once started out as Lord Finesse's apprentice in his production company, started producing tracks around 1994. He later delivered melodic beats for rap heavyweights like Fat Joe, Notorious B.I.G., Big L, Mic Geronimo, and Big Pun. But it was his first at-bat, producing tracks for O.C.'s Word Life in 1994, that established him as a vital producer in the underground rap scene. O.C., one of hip-hop's most energetic lyricists, was an up-and-coming MC before Word Life. After the album's release, he made numerous guest appearances on other D.I.T.C. members' records while maintaining a low profile.

The final member of D.I.T.C. was Big L, a lyrically ferocious MC with raps deadlier than a snakebite and mannerisms cooler than the uptown pimp he claimed to be on records. Calling himself the flamboyant (meaning "rich") MC, he dropped his classic 1994 record Lifestylez ov da Poor and Dangerous on Columbia. He was gearing up for a comeback, with a second CD due for release on Rawkus, when he was slain on February 15, 1999. The crew came together later that year for a memorial concert at Trammps in New York (anthologized by a series of CD releases), and recorded a self-titled group record in 2000.

[sunrah]

THE TREACHEROUS THREE



This group was founded in the late 70's and has recorded on and off since that time. Kool Moe Dee, Special K, and DJ Easy Lee all went to the same high school (Norman Thomas). LA Sunshine went to Brandise HS in Manhattan. The group of high school friends developed a reputation for hip hop around New York. Spoonie Gee introduced them to producer Bobby Robinson, who in turned signed to Enjoy Records. They also had two other DJs named Dano B and Reggie Reg. Their first single was released in 1980 and was called The New Rap Language. This single showcased a much faster style of rhyming that they would perfect and continue to use throughout their career. On Body Rock they became the first hip hop group to use guitars in a song. They did two other singles on Enjoy before moving to Sugar Hill Records in 1981 where they continued to record for the next few years. They became a force in the hip hop world and participated in several battles for MC supremacy. Kool Moe Dee and Special K appeared as co-hosts on the short lived television show "Graffiti Rock" in 1984. They battled Run DMC and also performed the segue into commercials. The group had an excellent cameo in Beat Street with their song Xmas Rap which featured a young Doug E. Fresh. They did break up in he mid 80's and Kool Moe feeling he still had what it took struck out on his own. Special K put out a 12" on Republic Records in 1987 which was called Special K Is Good which sounded really close to something his brother TLA Rock was putting out at the time. The group resurfaced in 1993 to do a reunion album on Easy Lee's label. Easy Lee has also gone on to produce other current groups.

Pentru curiosi.. check THIS!

[sunrah]

Blaq Poet - Rewind << Deja Screw Album Review

For those of us who can??€�t wait for the official Blaq Poet/DJ Premier album, The Grand P.O. has dropped a little something to hold us over. I was lucky enough to speak with this QB veteran recently, and here??€�s what had to say about this new shit:

So I see that you??€�ve got a new record called ??€?Deja Screw??€? coming out. Is that a collection of all your mixtape stuff?

That??€�s just a lot of lyrics, like my verses from Y2K, my verses from Loyalty - verses from both those albums that I felt people didn??€�t really hear. So I was like ??€?Yo, I??€�mma do those shits over again??€?, over some hot beats and let niggas hear it again, ??€?cause I felt people didn??€�t hear that shit the way I wanted them to hear it.

Is the Year Round project with Premo still on track?

Yeah, the Year Round project is poppin??€�. I??€�m just waitin??€� for Premier, whenever he??€�s finished doin??€� what he??€�s doin??€� ??€� a lotta things right now. As soon as he??€�s finished we??€�re gonna start to wrap-up my album. Blaq Poet ??€� The Best That Never Did It.

You can catch the rest of my interview with Poet (and my debut appearence in print) in the latest issue of Modern Fix, which should be hitting the shelves sometime this week.

Eighteen tracks deep, Rewind < < Deja Screw features a nice selection of Poet??€�s recent material, with production duties split evenly between heavy hitters like Preme, Alchemist and E Z Moe B and French producer 45 Scientific, with a few self-produced joints thrown in as well. While the established New Yorkers kill it as usual, Blaq Poet & Sincere deliver one of the albums??€� highlights with the addictive ??€?Rhyme Crime Boss??€?.

45 Scientific handles most of the songs that use older verses, with a string-heavy, cinematic production style that hits the pocket about half of the time, while Poet brings his signature ??€?I don??€�t give a fuck??€? style to the table in fine form, letting us know to ??€?make way for the bruiser, I ain??€�t tryin??€� to be number two, ??€?cause that??€�s the first loser!??€?. The only let-down is the unecassary ??€?Still Flippin??€�??€? (the three mixes that came out in ??€?91 were all better) and a couple of beats that don??€�t quite hit the mark, but with gutter shit like ??€?Bloody Mess??€?, ??€?You Fucked Up??€? and ??€?Bang This??€?, this is essential listening for all Screwball fans and anyone who enjoys a bit of anti-social Queensbridge gun talk (and if you don??€�t, you might as well kill yourself right now, or at least stop listening to rap). Hu-Haa!

Blaq Poet - You Fucked Up [Rewind < < Deja Screw, Screwball, 2006]

Review copy supplied courtesy of Shogun Distribution.

[begongo]

Jeru The Damaja
Jeru the Damaja (born Jeru Davis) aka D. Original Dirty Rotten Scoundrel hails from Brooklyn, NY where he was born and raised. Jeru spent his early years in East New York, Brooklyn being introduced to hip hop music in the local parks "before it was popular" as he says. After completion of high school Jeru knew exactly what he wanted to do, be an MC. Influenced at the time by soon to be legends like Big Daddy Kane, Rakim, KRS One and Kool G Rap Jeru set out on his quest while he worked part time jobs in Manhattan. Jeru created and took on the persona of "the Damaja" (because he damages the mic) that is part conscious truth teller and part true to the streets Brooklyn hard rock. Jeru the Damaja then hooked up with DJ Premiere and Guru, collectively known as Gangstarr, shortly after they moved to New York in the late 1980's.

Jeru first introduced his unique hardcore Brooklyn style to Hip Hop audiences on "I'm the Man" a track on Gangstarr's 1992 Daily Operations album. The East New York native then cemented his place in the Hip Hop world by releasing the 1993 classic single "Come Clean" from his legendary album, The Sun Rises in the East. After a two year hiatus, Jeru then released his album The Wrath of the Math that included the hit singles "Ya Playin Yaself" and "Me or the Papes" and was proclaimed the savior of hip hop due to his honest and straightforward lyrics.

In 2000 Jeru released his album Heroz 4 Hire completely autonomously, from the production of the album to the albums release on his own independent label KnowSavage Records. With this release he established himself as a multitalented, multifaceted, artist and business person and even ventured behind the camera by directing the videos for his single "99.9 %" and "El Presidente" a single with DJ Honda. Since the release of his last album Heroz 4 Hire, Jeru has been touring extensively throughout the United States, Europe, South America, and Africa. In between tours Jeru has done joint project with the gold selling UK group Groove Armada, DJ Cut Killa, Doudou Masta in France, DJ Honda from Japan now based in New York and recorded with DJ Hazu from Japan. A song Jeru did, "Verses of Doom" with the production of Chad Muska, a professional skateboarder, can be heard on the Tony Hawks Pro Skater 4 released the end of 2002 and is on Chad's compilation album Muska Beatz. Jeru is presently working on his fourth album that will be released on his new label Ashenafi Records. It will feature production by Jeru, and new producers Ed Dantes and Sabor. The first single will be released in the summer of 2003.

His latest release is highly anticipated by the entire hip hop community and will be the culmination of ten celebrated years in the music business. Jeru believes that this will be his best work put together with fresh new production and will be reminiscent of the early days of hip hop.

Album
2003 Divine Design
1999 Heroz4hire
1996 Wrath of the Math [Clean]
1996 Wrath of the Math
1994 The Sun Rises in the East
Single/EP
2004 Rap Wars
2003 War
1999 Heroz4hire [12" Single]
1999 Ya Playin' Yaself [Cassette Single]
1997 Me or the Papes [CD]
1997 Me or the Papes [12"]
1997 Me or the Papes [Cassette]
1996 Ya Playin' Yaself [Vinyl Single]
1994 D. Original
1994 You Can't Stop the Prophet
1993 Come Clean
Also Appears On
2005 Game Over Sessions
2004 Anuario Trapos Sucios 2003
2004 Bling Free, Vol. 3: It's Official!
2004 Claimstake
2004 Hands On
2004 Hip Hop Forever, Vol. 2
2004 Hip Hop Forever, Vol. 2 [Bonus Disc]
2004 Wake Up Show: Mix Archives, Vol. 3-4
2003 AnotherLateNight
[/img]

[begongo]

Afu-Ra



“In high school, I was the cat who always had the walkman on and was reciting everybody else’s lyrics,” reminisces Afu. “Then one day, Jeru was saying that since I knew other MC’s lyrics so well, I could write my own rhymes. From there, I started writing and the next thing I knew things began to blow up for Jeru.”

Scoring an album deal, Jeru decided to unleash his prot?Šg?Š on his 1994 release "The Sun Rises In The East", on a cut that Afu conceptualized called"Mental Stamina". This successful collaboration gave Afu the confidence that he could view rapping as a long-term career goal.

Afu is proud of his long-awaited musical output. "With this album, I hope to continue to get my name out there and just make the dopest music I can", he reasons. "To just be able to support myself as an artist makes me feel like I’ve done my job. Of course, I’d like to go gold or platinum the first time out, but I’d much rather be able to make records for 25 years."

It’s Afu’s spiritual vibe and personal enlightenment that’s evidenced on his debut, "Body of the Life Force". You’ll find no tales about cars, money, and fashion wears on this CD, as Afu appears to be aiming for a higher plane. "I’m a well-rounded artist. I can do party jams or battle raps, but the key is that whatever style of music I bring - I’m always gonna drop jewels. No matter what I must deliver some informative knowledge in my lyrics."

This is evidenced by the disc’s first single, "Mic Stance." This DJ Premier production features Afu’s fiery vocals and is one of the five songs that were created by the project’s executive producer. "Primo is the illest cause he’s a tailor when it comes to beats. He gives you a beat to do exactly what he expects you to do. That track made me bring my lyrics more down to earth for the streets."

His own debut 12" single, "Whirlwind Through Cities", is a mellow yet more original DJ Roach/Primo produced track, with Afu-Ra beautifying the song with great lyrics. "Trilogy of Terror" has a more slowdown track, but Guru and Hannibal perform well with Afu-Ra to make this a good complimentary song.

Album
2005 State of the Arts
2004 Perverted Monks
2002 Life Force Radio
2000 Body of the Life Force [Clean]
2000 Body of the Life Force
Single/EP
2006 God Of Rap
2005 Poisonous Taoist/Sucka Free
2005 Why Cry
2004 Backtadacrib
2001 Big Acts, Little Acts
1999 Defeat/Mortal Kombat
1998 Whirlwind Thru Cities
Also Appears On
2005 Underground Crown Holders
2003 Bliss Presents Platinumberg: The Movement
2003 Duck Down Collect Dis Edition
2003 This Is Now
2002 Cornerstone Mixtape, No. 38
2002 D&D Project II
2002 Detonator Records, Vol. 1
2002 Hip Hop, Vol. 2
2002 In Tha Paint
2002 Last of the Pro-Ricans
2002 Soulshine
2002 THC: The Hip Hop Collection, Vol. 1
2002 The D&D Project, Vol. 2

[begongo]

Masta Killa

Masta Killa (born Elgin Turner, born August 18, 1969 in Brooklyn, New York) is an American rapper and member of the Wu-Tang Clan. Though one of the lesser-known members of the group and largely absent from their debut album, he has been prolific on Clan group albums and solo projects since the mid-1990s, and released his debut album No Said Date in 2004 to positive reviews.

Biography

Masta Killa was the last member to join the Wu-Tang Clan (excluding semi-member Cappadonna); consequently he did not appear on the group's debut single "Protect Ya Neck" and was the only member not included in the group roll call at the start of that single's B-side, "M.E.T.H.O.D. Man". He was also the only member not to be already an experienced rapper at the time of the group's formation; he was extensively mentored by the GZA during his early days with the group. He derived his rap name from the 1978 kung fu film Shaolin Master Killer, (Shao Lin san shi liu fang). Masta only appeared on one track on the Wu-Tang Clan's first album, though his only verse on the album, the closing verse to "Da Mystery Of Chessboxin", is considered by many fans to be one of its most memorable. Masta only narrowly made the track, and was almost left off in favour of Killah Priest.

During the first round of solo projects, he made several appearances on tracks now considered Wu-Tang classics, such as "Winter Warz", "Duel Of The Iron Mic", and "Glaciers Of Ice". His flow at the time attracted attention for being very slow and laidback, in contrast to the more manic, forceful styles of members like Inspectah Deck or Ghostface Killah. Masta Killa is also the Clansman fondest of Chinese martial arts imagery. In 1997 (1997 in music), the Wu-Tang Clan's second album Wu-Tang Forever saw Masta become a mainstay in the group's line-up with regular appearances throughout the double album.

Masta Killa was the last member to release a solo project, after it was delayed for several years and finally released in June 2004 (2004 in music) with the title No Said Date. It was critically acclaimed and heralded by fans as a return to form for the Clan, with an ethos and sound reminiscent of the early and mid 1990s Wu-Tang and affiliate albums. His second album, to be titled Made in Brooklyn, is scheduled to be released in April 2006, and has been rumored to include production from Pete Rock and DJ Premier as well as the RZA. "Ringing Bells", the Bronze Nazareth-produced lead single from the album, will be released in March 2006. Also in 2006, Masta Killa became the latest in a succession of hip hop artists to endorse PETA, also participating in an advertisement for the organization.

Aliases

* Jamel Irief (pron. Juh-mel I-reef)
* High Chief
* Noodles (from the film Once Upon A Time In America)

Albums

* 2004 No Said Date
* 2006 Made in Brooklyn

Singles and EPs

* 2003 "No Said Date"
* 2004 "Old Man"

Appears on

* 1993 Enter the Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers (album by the Wu-Tang Clan)
* 1995 "Snakes" (from the Ol' Dirty Bastard album Return To The 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version)
* 1995 "Wu-Gambinos" & "Glaciers Of Ice" (from the Raekwon album Only Built 4 Cuban Linx)
* 1995 "Duel Of The Iron Mic" (from the GZA album Liquid Swords)
* 1995 "Assassination Day" & "Winter Warz" (from the Ghostface Killah album Ironman)
* 1997 Wu-Tang Forever (album by the Wu-Tang Clan)
* 1997 "Execute Them" (from the Wu-Tang Killa Bees: The Swarm compilation)
* 1997 "5 Stars" (from the Killarmy album Silent Weapons For Silent Wars)
* 1997 "Illusions" (from the Sunz Of Man album The Last Shall Be First)
* 1998 "Spazzola" (from the Method Man album Tical 2000: Judgement Day)
* 1998 "Element Of Surprise" (from the La the Darkman album Heist Of The Century)
* 1998 "Resurrection" (from the Public Enemy soundtrack to He Got Game)
* 1999 "Mantis" (from the RZA album Bobby Digital In Stereo)
* 1999 "Friction" (from the Inspectah Deck album Uncontrolled Substance)
* 1999 "The Table" (from the Raekwon album Immobilarity)
* 1999 "High Price Small Reward" & "1112" (from the GZA album Beneath The Surface)
* 1999 "Fast Shadow" (by Wu-Tang Clan) & "The Man" (from the Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai soundtrack)
* 2000 "Wu Banga 101" (from the Ghostface Killah album Supreme Clientele)
* 2000 The W (album by the Wu-Tang Clan)
* 2001 "Mortal Kombat" (from the Afu-Ra album Body Of The Life Force)
* 2001 "Brooklyn Babies" (from the RZA album Digital Bullet)
* 2001 Iron Flag (album by the Wu-Tang Clan)
* 2002 "Fam (Members Only)" (from the GZA album Legend of the Liquid Sword)
* 2003 "Grits", "The Whistle" & "Koto Chotan" (from the RZA album Birth Of A Prince)
* 2003 "Always NY" (from the Mathematics album Love, Hell & Right)
* 2003 "Muskateers Of Pigs" (from the Raekwon album The Lex Diamonds Story)
* 2004 "Chains" (from the R.A. The Rugged Man album Die, Rugged Man, Die)
* 2004 Disciples of the 36 Chambers: Chapter 1 (album by the Wu-Tang Clan)
* 2005 "Just The Thought" (from the Prefuse 73 album Surrounded By Silence)
* 2005 "USA" & "Break That" (from the Mathematics album The Problem)
* 2005 "Living Like Dat" (from the Afu-Ra album State Of The Arts)

[begongo]

Gravediggaz

Gravediggaz was a hardcore hip hop group from New York City, well-known for their dark sense of humor and abrasive, menacing soundscapes. The group was formed in 1994 and was effectively a "supergroup", bringing together Prince Paul (formerly producer with De La Soul and Stetsasonic), Frukwan from Stetsasonic, Too Poetic from the Brothers Grimm, and RZA from the Wu-Tang Clan (who at the time of Gravediggaz' formation had only just released their first album). The group are widely credited as being one of the most influential and pioneering groups in the small hip hop subgenre of horrorcore.

The group's first album was originally titled Niggamortis; however, the potentially risqu?Š title was changed to 6 Feet Deep for the American market (European versions of the album retained the original title, and also included the bonus track "Pass The Shovel"). Released on August 9 1994, 6 Feet Deep was a mix of over-the-top ghoulish black humor, cartoonish violence reminiscent of the Geto Boys, esoteric references to the Five Percent Nation of Gods and Earths, and gritty, foreboding beats reminiscent of RZA's work with the Wu-Tang Clan. The four members adopted Gravedigga alter-egoes for their work with the group: RZA became RZArecta, Poetic became the Grym Reaper, Prince Paul became the Undertaker, and Frukwan became the Gatekeeper. The three rapping members (without Prince Paul) released a collaborative EP titled "The Hell EP" with UK trip hop artist Tricky in 1995.

The second full-length Gravediggaz album, The Pick, the Sickle and the Shovel (released in 1997) was considerably more mature and socially conscious than 6 Feet Deep, and used calmer and more intricate production. Prince Paul played a considerably smaller role in the making of this album, with many of the production duties now taken care of by RZA's Wu-Tang associates (including True Master and 4th Disciple).

The Gravediggaz' third album, Nightmare in A-Minor, was completed in 2001 and only featured two of the original members, Poetic and Frukwan. This album was their darkest work yet, including many references to Poetic's struggle with colon cancer as well as focusing on the more apocalyptic themes within the teachings of the Five Percent Nation. Although RZA did not take part in the making of the album, some Wu-Tang Clan affiliates such as 4th Disciple, True Master and Beretta 9 were involved. The album was mostly produced by Poetic and Frukwan themselves.

Poetic finally succumbed to cancer in July 2001, two months before Nightmare in A Minor was to be released. Frukwan stated in an interview not long after Poetic's death that a new album using leftover Poetic material would be released, however nothing has so far materialized.


Discography

* 1994 6 Feet Deep
* 1997 The Pick, the Sickle and the Shovel
* 2002 Nightmare in A-Minor
* 2004 6 Feet Under



Singles

* 1994 "Diary Of A Madman"
* 1994 "Nowhere To Run, Nowhere To Hide"
* 1994 "1-800 Suicide"
* 1997 "Unexplained"
* 1997 "The Night The Earth Cried"
* 1997 "Dangerous Mindz"

[sunrah]

Blaq Poet - Rewind << Deja Screw Album Review

For those of us who can??€�t wait for the official Blaq Poet/DJ Premier album, The Grand P.O. has dropped a little something to hold us over. I was lucky enough to speak with this QB veteran recently, and here??€�s what had to say about this new shit:

So I see that you??€�ve got a new record called ??€?Deja Screw??€? coming out. Is that a collection of all your mixtape stuff?

That??€�s just a lot of lyrics, like my verses from Y2K, my verses from Loyalty - verses from both those albums that I felt people didn??€�t really hear. So I was like ??€?Yo, I??€�mma do those shits over again??€?, over some hot beats and let niggas hear it again, ??€?cause I felt people didn??€�t hear that shit the way I wanted them to hear it.

Is the Year Round project with Premo still on track?

Yeah, the Year Round project is poppin??€�. I??€�m just waitin??€� for Premier, whenever he??€�s finished doin??€� what he??€�s doin??€� ??€� a lotta things right now. As soon as he??€�s finished we??€�re gonna start to wrap-up my album. Blaq Poet ??€� The Best That Never Did It.

You can catch the rest of my interview with Poet (and my debut appearence in print) in the latest issue of Modern Fix, which should be hitting the shelves sometime this week.

Eighteen tracks deep, Rewind < < Deja Screw features a nice selection of Poet??€�s recent material, with production duties split evenly between heavy hitters like Preme, Alchemist and E Z Moe B and French producer 45 Scientific, with a few self-produced joints thrown in as well. While the established New Yorkers kill it as usual, Blaq Poet & Sincere deliver one of the albums??€� highlights with the addictive ??€?Rhyme Crime Boss??€?.

45 Scientific handles most of the songs that use older verses, with a string-heavy, cinematic production style that hits the pocket about half of the time, while Poet brings his signature ??€?I don??€�t give a fuck??€? style to the table in fine form, letting us know to ??€?make way for the bruiser, I ain??€�t tryin??€� to be number two, ??€?cause that??€�s the first loser!??€?. The only let-down is the unecassary ??€?Still Flippin??€�??€? (the three mixes that came out in ??€?91 were all better) and a couple of beats that don??€�t quite hit the mark, but with gutter shit like ??€?Bloody Mess??€?, ??€?You Fucked Up??€? and ??€?Bang This??€?, this is essential listening for all Screwball fans and anyone who enjoys a bit of anti-social Queensbridge gun talk (and if you don??€�t, you might as well kill yourself right now, or at least stop listening to rap). Hu-Haa!

Blaq Poet - You Fucked Up [Rewind < < Deja Screw, Screwball, 2006]

Review copy supplied courtesy of Shogun Distribution.

!!!-> Blaq Poet - Rewind <-!!!

[sunrah]

Lakim Shabazz - The Voice of Power
Wednesday April 05th 2006



Without a doubt, Lakim Shabazz was the busiest member of the Flavor Unit during their peak period, with two solo long-players to his credit and guest shots on every 45 King album that featured vocals. This little guy with the voice of a giant was also staunch representative of the 5% Nation of Islam, which he repped in every aspect ??€� from his traditional Muslim clothes to entire songs featuring Supreme Mathematic lessons. He even flew to Egypt to shoot the cover to his second album! These days, of course, such a strong Islamic image would ensure that your album would never even get pressed in the US, given the current political climate, but in 1988 a large section of the hip-hop community were spreading the word of Allah, warning us about the devil??€�s tricknology and insisting that we take the pork off our fork. Can you imagine a popular underground group (like Brand Nubian were at the time) releasing a song called Allah U Akbar in 2006?

Thanks to some of The 45 King??€�s finest boardwork, even the most anti-Muslim rap fan couldn??€�t help but rock to the hardcore swing of Lakim Shabazz??€�s tracks. Originally performing under the title of MC La Kim, his early work with DJ Mark focused on declaring the supremacy of the Flavor Unit and the King??€�s beats as much as it did setting off the crowd, as he lent his verses to staples like The 900 Number (which later returned on his debut as The Posse Is Large remix), Master of the Game and We Got The Funk.

For his solo albums, however, the focus shifted towards a more righteous tone, as titles like First In Existance, Black Is Back and No Justice No Peace give a clear indication as to where he was coming from. The thing was, even the rhetoric-heavy material still stands up as certified dope hip-hop thanks to the strength of the production and Lakim??€�s commanding vocal presence.

Whether it??€�s the hypnotic deep funk vocal riff running through Sample The Dope Noise, the hardcore noise and tense pace of When You See A Devil Smash Him or the relentless horn blasts of The Red The Black The Green, you??€�re hearing The 45 King in his prime. Collectively, they deliver what is perhaps the definitive Lakim/45 King creation for the mighty Your Arm??€�s Too Short To Box With God. This lost b-side captures everything that made the original Unit so great ??€� a dusty, rolling drum break, tense keys and strategically-placed piano rolls, topped off with DJ Mark??€�s signature horns, while Shabazz unleashs a verbal whirlwind that leaves no question that he??€�s running shit in this piece. Basement flavor hip-hop finally achieved perfection for almost four-and-a-half minutes.

Of the handful of cuts he recorded without the King, the self-produced Hands of Fate delivers an effective Apache assisted homage to his DJ, Cee Just, while the Flavor U??€�s other secret weapon ??€� Louie Louie ??€� puts his own spin on the King??€�s horn-heavy style for the noteworthy Style Is Free, allowing Lakim to flex on backstabbers and dope beat grabbers.

Following his days on Tuff City, Lakim co-produced Fuck What You Heard (ie gave D the bassline) on Diamond D??€�s Stunts, Blunts & Hip-Hop, and recorded a song with the best kept secret called I Can??€�t Take No More for 1993??€�s Class A Felony album??€¦but that??€�s another post. Recently, he appeared on 45 King??€�s The Cat Jams LP (look for my review in the next couple of days) and dropped a 12" with him on BBP a few months back.



45 King & Lakim Shabazz - We Got The Funk [45 Kingdom, Tuff City, 1988]

Lakim Shabazz - Sample The Dope Noise [Pure Righteousness, Tuff City, 1988]

45 King & Lakim Shabazz - The Red The Black The Green [12??€? single, Tuff City, 1989]

Lakim Shabazz - You??€�re Arm??€�s Too Short To Box With God [Black Is Back 12??€?, Tuff City, 1989]

Louie Louie & Lakim Shabazz - Style Is Free [Rhythmical Madness, Tuff City, 1989]

45 King & Lakim Shabazz - Master of the Game [Master of the Game, Tuff City, 1990]

Lakim Shabazz - When You See A Devil Smash Him [The Lost Tribe of Shabazz, Tuff City, 1990]

Lakim Shabazz - Hands of Fate [The 45 King Presents: The Flavor Unit, Tuff City, 1990]

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Lakim Shabazz Discography

[sadclown]

waxolutionists - theory and practice


the viennese producer and dj trio - buzz, the bionic kid & zuzee - has expanded the borders of hiphop on the map and dared trips to new musical territories without loosing the matter of course and spontanity in its style of production. this style, combined with live elements, sample related hiphop production and turntablism - gives the project its own very special flavour. 3 very different characters , tastes and methods, that lead to the required and sometimes unpredictable result, best describable by the term TURNTABLE JAZZ - best to be experienced with their live show - featuring the twintowas on drums & bass, special guests like rapper manuva, andi schreiber [ jazzviolin ] and others - a wicked fusion of hiphop, turntablism, jazz, rock & electronics - abstract, thrilling & definitly unpredictable.

after their first 2 albums [THE SMART BLIP EXPERIENCE in 2000 | plastic people in 2002 ], numerous remixes & compilationjoints, heavy airplay on austrias #1 independent radio fm4, appearances on the solid steel show, radio magnetic, various german channels like the BTTB show and an austrian music award - they dropped their 3rd album in june 2003 - RE:WAX, a remixalbum featuring remixers like stereotyp, mark b, iwolf [sofa surfers], urbs&cutex, walkner.hintenaus, soulrunnaz and many more.

2003 end up with remixes for andre heller [GOLD!!], hans platzgummer and the vienna scientists 04 compilation.


the first 12inch A STRANGER?‚´S WORLD [also featured on the compilation VIENNA SCIENTISTS 04 WITH GUESTS LIKE TOSCA; DARCOSAN; STEREOTYP; RODNEY HUNTER + MORE:::] including remixes of d&b stars ILLSKILLZ & DJ DSL will be released on the 01.04.2004. after a short break, the second 12inch ROLL WITH THE PUNCHES featuring the big dada?‚´s brillant TY will be dropped on the 29th of april, including mixes of sofa surfer?‚´s I-WOLF & viennas electronic wizzard STEREOTYP.

on the 17.05.2004, their fourth fulllength album COUNTER FIGHT will be released - with guests like uk?‚´s rap legend BLADE, DJ VADIM, LYRICL, shootingstar TY, jazz musicians form austria and many more - weird soundscapes, wicked beats & deep songs for sure. stay tuned !!

waxolutionists - theorie und praxis


hiphop kann auch abseits gaengiger inhalte, trends oder hypes eine eigendynamik entwickeln.
das wiener produzenten und dj trio - buzz, the bionic kid & zuzee - hat bisher mit jeder ver?œffentlichung die grenzen des hiphop - gebiets auf der musikalischen landkarte weiter ausgedehnt und aufl??ge in andere musikalische gefielde gewagt, ohne dabei die selbstverstaendlichkeit und spontanit?¤t in der produktionsweise und den arrangements zu verlieren. dies verleiht dem sound - in verbindung mit live elementen, samplergest??tzer hiphop produktion und turntablism elementen - den so eigenen geschmack. nicht zu letzt tragen die 3 sehr unterschiedlichen charaktere, musikalischen ansichten und herangehensweisen zu dem gew??nschten und oft unvorhersagbaren ergebnis bei.

diese eigenschaften kommen dem neuen live set zugute, einer abstrakten, spannenden und aufreibenden mischung aus turntablsim, jazz, rock und elektronik - gemeinsam mit den twintowas an schlagzeug und bass, special guests wie manuva von total chaos, jazzgeiger andi schreiber oder gittarist johannes specht, spricht dieses setup f??r deepness und eine geh?Âśrige portion abwechslung!!

nach ihren ersten 2 alben [THE SMART BLIP EXPERIENCE in 2000 | plastic people in 2002 ], zahlreichen remixes und compilation joints, heavy airplay auf fm4, appearances bei der solid steel show, radio magnetic, diversen deutschen sendern wie z.b. die BTTB show, plus der amadeus award 2001 - droppte ihr drittes album im juni 2003 - das remixalbum RE:WAX mit g?¤sten wie stereotyp, mark b, iwolf [sofa surfers], urbs&cutex, walkner.hintenaus, soulrunnaz und vielen andern !

die kette an veroeffentlichungen reisst nicht ab, nach remixen f??r andr?Š heller [f??r das album wurde den waxos bereits gold verliehen] und hans platzgummer im herbst 2003, folgt im april 2004 die international renommierte compilation VIENNA SCIENTISTS 04, und die erste maxiauskopplung A STRANGER?‚´S WORLD am 04.03.2004. bevor das vierte baby die stereoanlagen beansprucht, gibt es noch eine zweite auskoppelung, ROLL WITH THE PUNCHES gemeinsam mit dem brillianten TY [ninja tune | big dada] plus remixes beigesteuert von IWOLF & STEREOTYP.

der fahrplan f??r den vierten longplayer COUNTER FIGHT: ab dem 24.05.2004 steht das gute st??ck in den recordstores - mit den bekannten weirden soundscapes, deepen instrumental joints, und einer menge an internationalen g?¤sten wie z.b. uk?‚´s rap legende BLADE, DJ VADIM, shootingstar TY, rueckgrat aus linz und vielen anderen.

more to come soon - stay tuned !!

http://www.waxos.com/ sa ascultati si niste bucati de la ei.as fi pus dar nu am gasit nici eu foarte multe piese.enjoy chiar sunt tari.