COLLECTIBLES: America's Best In Rubber-Obama, Clinton & McCain Vinyl Figures

John Kricfalusi aka John K., illustrator/cartoonist/creator of Ren & Stimpy, has designed these incredibly funny caricatures of the current and losing candidates for the American presidency- Barack Obama, John McCain and Hillary Clinton. Created with a firm tongue in cheek, these collectible vinyl figures capture their subjects with great humor and poke fun at their personalities. During this historic election year, political merchandise is at an all time high. Grab these before they sell out! They are on pre-order exclusively through amazon.com and go on sale 9/25/08. Each figure retails for $24.99 with all three being sold for the discounted price of $59.99.

DJ I-DEE Releases Debut Full Length Album- SOLITUDE

Isaac DeLima, aka DJ I-DEE, has carved out a name for himself in the world of scratch music, having already conquered the battle scene by winning three of its most prestigious titles--the Disco Mix Club (DMC) USA Supremacy, Scribble Jam and Gong World Supremacy--all within six months of each other and by the age of 19. Past winners include internationally recognized names including DJ Q-bert, Mixmaster Mike and DJ Craze. At age 20, he decided to leave his battle career behind and focus on creating new music by using the skills he developed as a deejay. And now, a seasoned DJ and performer at the age of 21, DJ I-DEE will release his debut full length album of original material SOLITUDE via Adiar Cor Records on August 26.

DJ I-DEE is constantly searching for new and innovative ways to blur the lines between genres. His winning performance at the DMC USA Supremacy saw him mix hip hop, hard rock, 80’s pop and Darth Vader all while entertaining the crowd with his incredible stage presence. SOLITUDE connects with listeners on a musical level that’s not strictly catering to hip-hop or turntablism fans but lovers of all genres. He honors the past with his style of producing, while still maintaining a new sound.

SOLITUDE features guest appearances by Royce Da 5’9”, C-Rayz Walz, Ill Insanity, Tamu and Rites of Ash. One collaboration that isn’t on the album is his stellar track with indie hip-hop’s leading female rapper Jean Grae and South Florida-based rapper Wrekonize, “The Right.” The samples on the track were not cleared for the album but the song can be downloaded at www.myspace.com/djidee. A take-off of the video game sample found throughout the song, the innovative video follows Wrekonize and Jean Grae trapped in a video game world. Check the video below-

Fatlip - "What's Up Fatlip? (Breakbot RMX)" from Delicious Vinyl's RMXXOLOGY

Fatlip of The Pharcyde took self-deprecation to new heights with the autobiographical "What's Up Fatlip" when it was first released in 2000. Now for Delicious Vinyl's RMXXOLOGY, Breakbot's RMX turns this record into a breezy summer jam. Breakbot, one of France's underground darlings, is known for his breakbeat-infused remixes and the good times they inspire. Fatlip & Breakbot's combination of talents makes this a favorite worth revisiting.



MP3 here-
What's Up Fatlip? (Breakbot RMX)

Slum Village's eLZhi Teams Up with Black Milk For First Solo Album

eLZhi, esteemed member of Slum Village, released his solo debut, The Preface, on August 12, 2008 through Fat Beats Records. The 16-track album, produced almost entirely by rising star Black Milk, features guest appearances by a who's who of the Detroit hip-hop scene. Royce Da 5'9", T3 (Slum Village), Guilty Simpson, Phat Kat, and more add to what many have predicted will be one of the most noteworthy hip-hop releases of 2008.

In the late-nineties, eLZhi made a name for himself by moving his way up through the ranks of Detroit's underground scene and teaming up with Slum Village for his first big taste of success. He has since been making the rounds, working with local Detroit luminaries such as J Dilla, Waajeed of Platinum Pied Pipers, and Dwele, in addition to a well-received solo tour of Europe during his early years in the game. Hip-hop enthusiasts across the globe consider eLZhi to be one of the most skilled emcees in the entire scene, and bloggers and critics have been trumpeting this sentiment since the release of the last Slum Village album in 2005. With the release of The Preface, eLZhi looks to cement his name amongst the greatest emcees in the game.

The first single dropped and it features Royce Da 5'9-

Motown 25- eLZhi feat. Royce Da 5'9"

One Night Only! DJ QBERT & ILL INSANITY feat ROC RAIDA, DASHAH & REDLINE

If you're in NYC tomorrow night don't miss legendary a showcase by DJs QBert, Ill Insanity and Roc Raida (formerly of the X-Ecutioners). Our peeps Dashah will be performing also. The Knitting Factory is holding it down for hip hop!

My God, Issac Hayes Too??

Absolutely heartbreaking weekend for us all. You know how the saying goes-"Death comes in threes". I did not really want to think about that old saying but it often rings so true. I did quietly say to myself, "who's next?", after hearing of Bernie Mac's passing. Issac Hayes was one of our greatest musical treasures as well as a cultural icon for his work in film and television. I can't believe we lost two of the great baritone soul singers (Barry White being the first) in these past couple of years. Issac Hayes was one of the most sampled musicians in hip hop and he was one of the few who embraced the art of sampling. Our condolences go out to his family...

From The Associated Press:

Isaac Hayes, most known for his theme song for the 1971 movie Shaft and the voice of Chef on Comedy Central's "South Park," passed away on Sunday, August 10th at the age of 65.

The "Theme from Shaft," which would earn both Grammys and an Oscar, was just a snippet of the groundbreaking music for which Hayes was responsible.

He penned soul classics like "Hold On I'm Comin'" for Sam & Dave, helped usher in the era of disco and was a goldmine for countless hip-hop and R&B artists who used his illustrious arrangements as the focal point for their songs decades later.

Hayes also acted in movies including Tough Guys, I'm Gonna Git You Sucka and Hustle & Flow. He had recently completed the movie Soul Men, in which he played himself; the film also stars Samuel L. Jackson and Bernie Mac, who died on Saturday after a bout with pneumonia. And a new generation of fans discovered the man behind Shaft when, in 1997, he became the voice of Chef on the Comedy Central show "South Park."

Hayes, a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, was pronounced dead at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis in Memphis, Tenn., after collapsing Sunday afternoon near a treadmill in his home nearby.

Steve Shular, a spokesman for the sheriff's office, said authorities received a 911 call after Hayes' wife and young son and his wife's cousin returned home from the grocery store and found him collapsed in a downstairs bedroom. A sheriff's deputy administered CPR until paramedics arrived.

***UPDATE***
It has been reported that Issac Hayes died as a result of a stroke.