A gift from the fellas over at Year of The Blacksmith!
The long awaited mixtape from Kweli and DJ Chaps is finally here, as a special preview for YOTB members. Another piece of music to tide you over until Reflection Eternal's sophomore opus Revolutions Per Minute drops in May. Click this link to download.
Digging this. I hope ya do too. Good music. Real chill video.
The final single from Skyzoo's critically acclaimed album THE SALVATION. Produced by Best Kept Secret. Directed by Artemus Jenkins. Starring Skyzoo, Skarr Akbar, & introducing Shaunetta Squalls. THE SALVATION is in stores now via Jamla/Duck Down Music. Click here to purchase: http://bit.ly/bzyHPx
I caught this joint in the email. I've definitely been checking out more joints that have come in recently and while I've been disappointed with a few projects, I was not disappointed by this joint from Theo Martins. The dude doesn't bombard you with 15 tracks, he just gives you six tracks plus a bonus on "You Can't Do That on Television", which leaves you anticipating his next project. I dig it!
Theo Martins, the Rhode Island native who released his Channel Surfin’ mixtape just last month, has hooked up with DJBooth.net to present his latest street release, You Can’t Do That On Television. Inspired by the Canadian sketch comedy show (and, later, Nickelodeon staple) of the same name, the seven-track set sees Theo and producer $port blending elements of early-‘90s hip-hop with more futuristic musical influences. Included on the project are previously-featured, Booth-approved cuts “Kirby’s Airwalk” and (as a bonus track) “Goodwill Hunting (RZA ‘94 Dreams).”
Check out "Kirby's Airwalk" off the project and if you're so inclined, go ahead and download the full joint if you like.
I usually give a serious side eye to cover projects at this level. But I decided to listen. I dig it. Check out Rocki Evans.
Rising R&B star Rocki Evans has joined forces with DJBooth.net to bring listeners his latest mixtape, More Songs About Girls. Inspired by will.i.am‘s 2007 solo album, Songs About Girls, the project features six fresh new tracks from the Big Apple-based singer (“Lipstick Regrets,” a last minute omission, was intentionally included in the album artwork).
Check out this pretty dope joint from Tef Poe off his "Money Never Sleeps" mixtape. If you dig the track, check out his full project. It's filled with that St. Louis sound.
Found this searching for CT artists on my journey. This track I'm especially digging. Check it out...
D.W.I stands for "DARTS WIT INTELLECT" aka DEEDUBB aka DUBBZ, been into the realest Hip-Hop since this culture started. Born in Waterbury, Connecticut then moved and was raised in New Haven, Connecticut. In the late 80's, early 90's, he was in a crew called Ferse Priority named after Milk Dee & The Original First Priority Crew. They were on some cool out Hip-Hop music, dance, and basketball. In the middle 90's, D.W.I was affiliated with a group called Respected Mic Holders, who later changed their group name to Bare Essentials which also goes back to the members of Ferse Priority Fam. Together, they would write rhymes over instrumentals and always listen closely to the rapper's lyrics over the banging beat. Since the mid 90's, they've been putting it down in CT.
Shad is one of those artists that have been posted on the blog countless times. I posted the teaser to this video and track a few weeks back. The cat is out of the bag and earlier today I got the link to the official vid for "Yaa I Get It" off Shad's upcoming album "TSOL". The video was directed by HotDogGarbage. Shad goes in on this track. Enjoy!
Turn this way up! This joint is filled with quotability. Check out Celph Titled & Buckwild featuring Chino XL and Apathy. The track doesn't disappoint.
Celph Titled and Buckwild’s upcoming collaborative "Nineteen Ninety Now", will feature Celph ripping over vintage unreleased Buckwild beats from the mid 90’s. Guest spots will include Treach (of Naughty By Nature), Vinnie Paz (of Jedi Mind Tricks), Ryu (of SOBs), A.G., Diamond D, Sadat X, Grand Puba, R.A. the Rugged Man, O.C., Lord Digga, Majik Most and more.
I'd rather be wrong than believe that Guru wrote this death bed letter. Seriously. And I'm not alone.
As soon as I saw it this morning, I called bullshit. I couldn't understand why blogs were running with it as fact. Nah homie. If you post that letter, you better throw in some sort of a "this is probably bullshit" disclaimer but it is probably bullshit. In order for me to believe that letter, it would need to be notarized by Jesus (yes, God's son), while being filmed by F. Gary Gray, with three Supreme Court Justices, the Pope and my mother present. Even then I'd still be skeptical if Solar was in the room.
As if the intro isn't odd enough with the "I, Guru", the letter reads as a love letter to Solar. I just find it hard to believe that no matter how much drama he had with DJ Premier that these would have been his last words. I can't believe that.
Are we really suppose to believe this statement, "The work I have done with Solar represents a legacy far beyond its time and is my most creative and experimental to date." Really? So, we're suppose to accept Solar now? Man, fuck that dude.
None of us really know what went down with him and DJ Premier but I can't believe Guru penned these words and tossed him under the bus like that.
If this letter was written by Guru (this is probably bullshit) and I was Solar (who is definitely bullshit), I would have tucked it away and NEVER shared it because based on the last few months (full of bullshit), anything coming from his camp is shady (and smells like bullshit).
After re-reading the letter, I decided to replace DJ Premier with Solar and vice versa. It reads a little better.
I do not wish my ex-DJ Solar to have anything to do with my name likeness, events tributes etc. connected in anyway to my situation including any use of my name or circumstance for any reason and I have instructed my lawyers to enforce this ... The work I have done with Solar DJ Premier represents a legacy far beyond its time. And we as a team were not afraid to push the envelope. To me this is what true artists do!
It just bothers me that someone would muddy another person's name in death and it's most likely for money (hellooooooooo rights to masters and such).
Anyway, to end on a positive note, rest in peace GURU!
This joint kind of fell in my lap. I had gone back and forth with Essince regarding how to submit music to the blog. I'm happy he asked because some people just send a bunch of nonsense. Anyway, that's another story in itself. He hit me up, I hit him back and then I decided to check out the two joints he sent. One from his last project and this joint "Believers" from his next project, "the Mind of a Hip Hop Journalist". Dude is pretty dope with an incredible story. Enjoy "Believers", the track of the week!
Connecticut is homebase for me. I'm originally from NJ and lived in DC for a minute and now I'm upstate NY but I still refer to CT as home. I'm happy that following the success of our Milwaukee installment of The Journey to Hip-Hop, we're throwing out some good Hip-Hop from Connecticut.
Anyway ...
I caught this joint from Criss Lyric in the email. He just completed his new mixtape "The Fame" after dropping his EP in March, "The Birthday EP". Connecticut has some dope Hip-Hop. Check out the video for "Below The Surface". www.facebook.com/hesocriss www.twitter.com/hesocriss www.crisslyric.com (under construction)
Follow The Journey To Hip-Hop in Connecticut ... Here
