Jesse Abraham is a cool guy. The first time we met in person was at a show in Bridgeport, CT. He was on the bill with Sketch Tha Cataclysm and Top $ Raz. Before our meeting on that cold Saturday night, I had posted a few of his tracks and videos.
I walked up to him and said, "what up Jesse?" We shook hands and he gave me the head nod and both of us went about enjoying the show.
It wasn't until two hours later that he realized who I was. He was sitting at a table with me, OC Supreme, Jessica Estevez of iHeartDilla.com and Top $ and was like, "wait, ya'll The Mad Bloggers? You're ThroatChopU?" I laughed and said yeah.
"I saw your business cards all over the place but didn't make the connection until right now," he said.
When you're covering folks on your blog and only talk via gchat, twitter and email, it's cool to finally meet in person. It was great to meet Jesse.
Jesse is one of those hardworking emcees that appreciates feedback and being heard. When I saw him a week or so ago at the Independent's Day Showcase, the first thing I did was thank him for coming out. We then proceeded to talk about much I enjoyed his latest video, "Spiderman On Vitamins." We talked a little about the cameos in the video and the kids and how personal the video felt. Since it was a cool video and I wanted to pass that on.
As I needed to turn my attention to some logistical details of the show, Jesse ended the convo with, "man, I really appreciate the feedback." And in typical form, I replied "no doubt."
I dig what Jesse Abraham does. Anyway, check out his Best Buy in store performance of "Spiderman On Vitamins" and "Yoga." Plus check out the bonus video for his upcoming The One Day EP. Enjoy. Chea!
YC The Cynic, Soul Khan, Von Pea and Sene destroy on this track. It's impossible to pick a favorite verse. With the lead off by YC it's tough to follow until Soul Khan hits. At which point you think you've heard the best. Nah, Von Pea and Sene on the backend of the track bring it home. I liken the verses on this track to four quarters of basketball and each quarter these four emcees increase the lead by 20, with J57 coaching on the production.
Having heard the advance of Fall FWD, "More and More" is just the tip of the iceberg of dope tracks. With a few posse cuts and a strong offering of solo joints, what YC does with his latest offering, due out March 1st, is take a bold and serious step forward. Don't believe me now but be prepared for the I-told-you-so-face I hit you with when Fall FWD drops.
Quake and Kayo have both been featured on the blog in the past. Both are dope emcees. Together, they're putting out a 10 track EP, The Search, due out March 1st. This "Heavy" track produced by Cam Smith is fresh. Hit play and enjoy. Chea!
I probably can't say this enough places that Big K.R.I.T. is one of my favorite heads on the XXL Freshman cover and Yelawolf is the other. So, with that said check out the Travis Barker remix to K.R.I.T.'s "Something" and the live set with Yelawolf on his "Pop The Trunk" track. Both dope and Travis definitely brings more energy to two already fresh jawns. Enjoy. Chea!
Big K.R.I.T. "Something" (Travis Barker Remix)
Yelawolf ft. Travis Barker - Pop The Trunk at XS Nightclub
It took me a minute to get around to posting this joint that Theo Martins released a few days ago. First let me say that Theo is dope and since discovering his sound a year ago, I've been a fan. The dude always impresses me every time he drops something new. He's definitely one of my favorite people making music right now. Theo's sound is unique and he makes music that not only he enjoys but that you can also enjoy too. This Starf*cker featured track is fresh. This cut is off the upcoming Sincerely Yours, The Dance Floor. Hit play and enjoy. Chea!
"We are fighting for not only our rights here in Wisconsin, but for the rest of the country's as well!"
TMB has been a long time supporter of the Milwaukee Hip-Hop scene, which includes our good friend Melissa Czarnik. Yesterday she sent us this track she recently wrote about the situation in Wisconsin. If you're unaware, the situation going on in Wisconsin is serious and you should be paying attention.
There's a lot going on but at the center of the protests, "the Wisconsin budget proposed by Republican Governor Scott Walker includes cuts in benefits for state workers and takes away many of their collective bargaining rights."
This could be happening right in your backyard. You should definitely be up on things, whether you're in Wisconsin or not. I dig the message within Melissa's song. Wisconsin, stand strong.
He leaned over and said, "you're Q, The Mad Bloggers?" I hit him with a head nod acknowledging it was me. He reached into his book bag and handed me his cd.
"I'm just a regular guy who makes music," he said. "If you like it, cool. If you don't, I'd like to know."
I could barely hear everything OTiS CLaPP said in the Down South space at Southpaw in Brooklyn that plays host to our monthly Independent's Day Showcase with iHeartDilla.com. But it was something about the humility in what I could hear that impressed me.
Often times folks boast about how they're the best and talk up every feature and producer on their project without prompt. They'll talk to you until your ear practically falls off. Then you get home, reach in your pocket and pull out the cd and not really feel compelled to listen to the music because you believe there is no way that it could be as good as the artist hyped it up to be. A lot of folks don't realize that there is a thin line between confidence and arrogance.
So, when I pulled OTiS' cd out when I got home, I wanted to hear it because of how he presented it. In OTiS' case, he spoke very little about the project and it was clear he wanted to let his music speak for him.
Indeed it did.
I had heard the name OTiS CLaPP a few times prior to our meeting on that Wednesday night in Brooklyn. I saw his name featured on various projects from folks I was supporting musically. To be honest, I hadn't paid much attention to his music specifically until we booked him for the February showcase. I knew he was talented but I didn't know how much until I hit play on his latest project, Welcome II Nowhere.
Welcome II Nowhere is a clear example of quality over quantity. With just fifteen tracks (the perfect number to me), the project is a solid offering with features from Dremur, Top $ Raz, Erica Sosa and others. Then on the production side you have Miles, K.O. Beatz and others, and even some self-production from OTiS.
Welcome II Nowhere is dope. The production and storytelling on “The Whole Story” makes it my favorite cut on the project. Among other favorites, “Gifted”, “From My Hometown”, “Potency”, “I Smell Murder”, “Hometown Heroes” and “Rap Life.”
The Queens emcee is definitely talented. Gifted, if you will. Give Welcome II Nowhere a listen. If you dig it, support independent music and buy it.
We knew this time would come. This is the last preview from e.d.g.e.'s upcoming All Flow Everything. I mean, it's not like he can preview the whole thing. Right? Right. He's still committed to three tracks per week but one won't be coming from the project due to drop when it drops. Anyway, enjoy the Mootbooxle produced "Goldpieces." Fresh joint. Enjoy. Chea!
I feel like I was just saying yesterday how The Brownbag Allstars and the homie J57 continues to send great music my way in very clean and to the point emails (and we all know how much I like well presented emails, ha). Anyway, check out the El Gant track featuring J57 and Tek. The joint is dope. Press play and enjoy! Chea!
You can go ahead and call this operation cross promotion. Ha! On day 11 Ritchcraft goes a slightly different route, as his beat is playing in the background of the promo video for Kayo and Quake's upcoming project The Search. Get the back story on Ritchcraft's 30 in 30 here and peep day 11. Enjoy. Chea!
Check out Rarebreed's Savant with his latest joint. Hit us up with your thoughts.
Check point 3 of 2011... location: Chicago. Savant heads home and tabs the rising southside tandem R.J. & Technique for his most recent #CrashCourse leak, the "Cypher Pas De Trois". Forging a homage of sorts to one of hip hop's cornerstones, the cypher, the 3 emcees seamlessly trade bars over a beat box based, eargasm of an instrumental laced by Vancouver's rising sun, Ebrahim aka EebSoFresh.
Song Title: Cypher Pas De Trois
Producer: EebSoFresh
Vocals: Savant, R.J. and Technique