Backpack Jax "Da Goodsh!t" x "Feeling Good"

When I first heard "Da Goodsh!t" I wasn't quite sure. I'll be honest it didn't hit me right away. Then the track played out a little more and I found myself nodding my head to the beat and rhyme. Backpack Jax's (Mauikai & Boogie Monsta) sound is fresh. It kind of has this old school feel to it. I dig that. Check out "Da Goodsh!t" up top and a live performance below. Hit up the comment section with your thoughts. Chea!



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Check It: @MaraHruby Has Soul

Mara Hruby has soul. Her music is absolutely stunning. I discovered her sound based on one simple retweet from @JCrillz last night.

I respect his taste in music so I gave it a click. This is one of those examples of how twitter comes in handy musically. Honestly, I think at least once per day you should click a link to some music you're unfamiliar with to discover new things. I don't mean those annoying @ replies folks send you to check out their "hot new banger" or whatever. I'm talking about folks you follow. Many are amazing music resources. In a time where marketing budgets don't really exist, word of mouth is ultimately how you'll discover raw talent and great new music.


Street Etiquette-Sartorial Sounds from LightUp Film on Vimeo.

So, when I saw Mara Hruby name retweeted from a familiar source I decided to give it a listen. That led me to the video above on her tumblr page. The video is a behind the scenes look at Street Etiquette-Sartorial Sounds. The amazing track includes spoken word, tap, rap and singing. It's an amazing production featuring Jesse Boykins III, Mara Hruby, Joekenneth Museau, Joshua Bennett, Theo Martins, Melo – X and Rinaldy Alvarez.

The video led me to track down the actual track. Amazing.



Sartorial Sounds Editorial
“Sartorial Sounds integrates both music and style, two elements embedded in every culture past and present. We think it’s important to remember that everyone is an artist in their own right. And it’s the life experiences we encounter that provoke what we splash on our own blank canvas. We assembled seven individuals to partake in this editorial. The finished product incorporates their individual talents such as spoken word, rapping, singing and tap.”

This ultimately had me circle back to her project, From Her Eyes. Mara has an amazingly beautiful voice with so much soul for a person only in her early 20's. Her sound is melodic. I'm sure I'm not the only person discovering the Oakland songstress at this point in the game, so don't be shy and hit play on From Her Eyes. Mara Hruby has soul.



twitter.com/MaraHruby
www.MaraHruby.com

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What I'm Listening To: @TQDofBNC "The Tunnel" (Produced by @EcidFITB)

Here's a new song by T.Q.D which has Ecid of Fill In The Breaks doing work behind the boards.

T.Q.D is currently at work on a new album and EP which should be out this year.

Download: T.Q.D "The Tunnel" (Produced by Ecid) (Right click, save as)

Adebisi "F-ck The Dollar" (off the Blaxploitation Mixtape)

Adebisi returns with another track off of his upcoming Blaxploitation Mixtape presented by TMB and BLAX. This is one of my favorite cuts on the mixtape. Blaxploitation features some borrowed beats and a few original cuts. Look out for the project coming soon. In the meantime, enjoy "F-ck The Dollar." Chea!



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A History Lesson For Chris Brown (via @jsmooth995)

"You need to drop these enablers and get some people in your circle that are going to help you work on yourself ..."

And there it is folks. J. Smooth lays down some stern words for Chris Brown and I co-sign EVERY BIT OF THIS VIDEO.

twitter.com/jsmooth995

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Theo Martins “Turn It Up” feat. Plan-B

Sometimes intros are too much. And sometimes they are just right. Theo Martins lets Plan-B ride out on “Turn It Up” until the 1:55 mark and then he just tears into his verse. Dope. This track is off Theo's recent Sincerely Yours, The Dance Floor project.

Theo writes on his tumblr about the video:

Because it’s the first song on Sincerely Yours, The Dance Floor, the ‘Turn It Up’ video is basically about me being at a crossroads. We used imagery of me sitting in the middle of railroad tracks, and again in the middle of a street, to represent that. It’s like I can either run from being at the crossroads aimlessly without a plan, or I can just sit there, brace the impact of what’s to come and deal with it. In the end, with dignity, I opt to stay the course. I can say this much, I’m so far pleased with the results of that decision.

The video is directed by my go-to team of auteurs Albert Huerta and CPA. They also manned the lens for “Final Fantasy” and “Power”.

Enjoy & thank you.

The track is dope. Theo Martins is dope. Plus he's down with #TeamTopsiders. Ha! Enjoy the vid!

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TheSeKondElement & Bettis in 6th St Can Hear It

TheSeKondElement & Bettis in: 6th St Can Hear It from TheSeKondElement TheACE on Vimeo.

TheSeKondElement has been featured on the site a few times. I dig her sound. She has this old school vibe with new school bars. Her rhymes are deep and always well thought out. It's like spoken word meets a dope beat. She's talented. Anyway, she was down at SXSW (like the rest of the music universe) last week. I caught this video from her camp as her and drummer Bettis take over 6th Street in Austin with a live performance. You gotta love this type of energy. Dope. Enjoy the vid.

TeamT2E.com

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John Legend "Rolling In The Deep" (Adele Cover)

Personally, I haven't taken kindly to folks doing covers of Adele's "Rolling In The Deep." In my opinion what she did musically on the track was perfect. PERFECT.

I've heard a lot of covers, from amatuers to professionals and have been straight on all of them. All of them until this stripped down acappella version from John Legend. Is it better? Hell no, because Adele put her foot into "Rolling In The Deep". But what John does is dope. It would have been really fresh if John kept in Adele's background vocals or maybe added a choir to the background. Nonetheless, I dig it.

What are your thoughts?



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What I'm Watching (3/24/11): Big K.R.I.T., Stanza, Top $ Raz and Relic

Over the last few days a gang of fresh videos from the likes of Big K.R.I.T., Stanza, Top $ Raz and Relic have hit my inbox and the Internets! Four videos for four dope tracks from four fresh emcees. Shiiiiiiit. Enjoy them all after the jump. Chea!

Interview: Pharoahe Monch x TheComeUpShow.com x Mac Miller

The homie Chedo chops it up with Pharoahe Monch and Mac Miller in recent interviews for The Come Up Show. Chedo stays on his interview grind. Salute! Enjoy the interviews.

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Check It ... Cesar Luciano - "“Someday (I Made It)", "All Gone ft Big Rich & Girls Aloud" and Interview

Check out these cuts by Cesar Luciano that came in the inbox. It sounds pretty good so I am posting it to get your point of view. Also, be on the lookout for his mixtape next month.

Cesar Luciano is a new artist who was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut and spent his childhood in the Bronx, NY (Boogie Down) and now resides in Providence, Rhode Island.

Cesar will release his debut mixtape, The Great Depression, in April and the first leak from the project was “Someday” (I Made It).

Cesar Luciano’s “Someday” (I Made It)


Cesar Luciano f/Big Rich & Girls Aloud "All Gone"

Cesar Luciano “The Great Depression” Interview:

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2K Sports Partners with Duck Down Music For the Second Installment of the NBA® 2K12 Soundtrack Contest

Get your beats and bars together producers and emcees. Check out details below. Chea!

2K Sports and Duck Down Music announced today that the NBA® 2K12 producer and MC contests have officially begun. Aspiring producers and MCs will be able to enter the contest and submit their music for the upcoming NBA 2K12 soundtrack by uploading a sample-free beat or clean track.

"We're thrilled to partner with Duck Down Music again to find the best aspiring producers and MCs to create an original track for NBA 2K12," said Jason Argent, vice president of marketing, 2K Sports. "With over two thousand producers and MCs having entered last year, we expect to have an even greater number of participants as we continue to set the standard for game soundtracks matched with in-game innovations."

Last year, fans had the ability to cast their vote for the overall winner of both phases. After a combined 250,000 votes were cast, Bayroot productions and MC Young Automatik were chosen as the Grand Prize winners. Their song, "Go Hard or Go Home," made the soundtrack for NBA 2K11 and was used in the title's TV commercial, which ran during last year's NBA Finals. The Grand Prize winners also received an all-expense paid trip to New York City to perform their track live and on stage during Duck Down Music's CMJ showcase.

Phase 1: NBA 2K12 Producer Contest

Starting at 12:00 p.m. EDT on March 23, 2011, producers will have two weeks to create one sample-free instrumental. All submissions must be uploaded to a SoundCloud drop box located at www.duckdown.com/nba2K12, as well as NBA 2K and Duck Down Music's Facebook pages by 12:00 p.m. EDT on April 5, 2011. Producers are also encouraged to record video of their beat-making process, which can be included with their final submission.

Duck Down Music A&R and representatives from 2K Sports will select the top-10 instrumentals on April 6, 2011. On April 7, 2011 at 12:00 p.m. EDT, the top-10 selected instrumentals will be streamed online via a custom SoundCloud music player on NBA 2K and Duck Down Music's Facebook pages providing fans with the chance to vote for their favorite track by "liking" the one they feel is the best beat. Voting ends at 12:00 p.m. EDT on April 13, 2011.

The winner of the producer phase will be announced at 12:00 p.m. EDT on April 14, 2011.

Phase 2: NBA 2K12 MC Contest

Starting at 12:00 p.m. EDT on April 14, 2011, MCs will have two weeks to submit one clean (no cursing or references to drugs, sex, violence, gangs, money, etc.) track with their lyrics/chorus over the winning producer's instrumental. MCs are urged to record music that does not include obvious references to basketball and to be creative with their delivery and overall theme. All submissions must be uploaded to the SoundCloud drop box at www.duckdown.com/nba2K12 12:00 p.m. EDT on April 27, 2011.

At 12:00 p.m. EDT on April 29, 2011, after the top-10 songs are determined by Duck Down Music and 2K Sports, they will again be streamed online via a custom SoundCloud music player at NBA 2K and Duck Down Music's Facebook pages. Fans will then have the chance to cast their final vote for their favorite track by "liking" the one they feel is strongest candidate for NBA 2K12. Voting ends at 12:00 p.m. EDT on May 6, 2011.

The winner of the MC phase will be announced at 4:00 p.m. EDT on May 6, 2011.

The Grand Prize winners of the contest, which will consist of one producer and one MC, will have their song placed in the music soundtrack for NBA 2K12. In addition, each winner will receive an all-expense paid trip to New York City, where they will have the special opportunity to perform the song live at Duck Down's CMJ Showcase in October 2011. The top-10 MCs and top-10 producers selected from each phase will also receive premium accounts at SoundCloud, valued at $700.

For full details on rules and regulations, please visit:  
WWW.DUCKDOWN.COM/NBA2K12

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