Super producer BATSAUCE, from The Smile Rays, releases a new 24 track instrumental project "SPY vs. SPY". Batsauce is no joke with the beats and if you looking for some of the most gritty and creative, sample heavy boom-bap-download this now!
1. Cathedral 2. Priveledged Information 3. Danger Zones 4. Assassin 5. Surveillance 6. Code Breaker 7. Antagony 8. Hot Pursuit 9. Over-Ground 10. I Spy 11. Some Secret 12. Go Beyond 13. Far Away 14. Undercover Blues 15. Medically Unfit 16. The Picture 17. Lab Rats 18. Los Alamos 19. In The Cold 20. Code of Conduct 21. Surprise Attack 22. Rio 23. Interception 24. Spy Triptych
First broadcast on PBS' P.O.V. series, "New Muslim Cool", produced and directed by Jennifer Maytorena Taylor, follows Puerto Rican American rapper Hamza Perez's ride through the streets, projects and jail cells of urban America. This film gives audiences an insider’s view of a little-known cultural fusion between Muslims and street beats that has been developing since the very beginnings of hip-hop culture. The result is a surprising challenge to stereotypes of both Muslims and urban youth in America that encourages viewers to look critically at the “clash of civilizations” between Islam and the West.
"New Muslim Cool" can be viewed online in its entirety HERE through July 24th 2009.
Word was broken early this afternoon by the Web site dailyfinance.com and spread to other music and media news sites. The spokeswoman, Tracy Nguyen, said the Vibe staff would be formally notified in a meeting at 2 p.m. She said she did not know how many people would be laid off as a result of the closure. The closure of Vibe leaves just two large-circulation music magazines, XXL and The Source, focusing on hip-hop and R&B. The Source has had its own troubles, going through a bankruptcy and emerging under new ownership last year. A rock-focused magazine, Blender, folded last year. Read more HERE
VIBE will be missed that is for certain. Known for many classic issues filled with fashion, music, lifestyle and at times, investigative journalism, VIBE followed the same lane as Rolling Stone but was geared toward an African-American and multicultural audience. Some of the greatest articles on many of hip hop and R&B's biggest stars graced the magazine. Their interviews with the Notorious B.I.G., Tupac, Mary J. Blige, and R. Kelly to name a few, were among the most revealing and insightful portrayals in print. The first music industry function that I attended was sponsored by VIBE magazine. The VIBE Music Seminar, introduced in summer of 1996, was my inaugural venture into networking with the industry's movers and shakers. It was held at Jacob Javitz Convention Center in New York City over 4 days. I nervously made my way, solo, through seminars, showcases and panels with a home burned CD of my beats. Mostly ignored due to my unknown status and shy approach, it did not discourage me from moving forward. That is my special connection to VIBE. Thank you to all of the writers, editors, photographers who shaped VIBE and executed Quincy's vision. I anxiously await the next phase of hip hop journalism...
Catastrophe aka TASH from the Likwit crew returns after a decade with a new solo album, "Control Freek" on Amalgam Digital. Tash dropped his first solo LP, "Rap Life" 10 years ago and returns to bring his brand of lyricism to the party. "Control Freek" dropped today and I spoke with Tash about this new project. Tash sounds excited about the new venture with Amalgam Digital and speaks on bringing the fun back to hip hop-
Edaye- We are about to begin the next phase in the "Rap Life" of Tash aka Catastrophe, founding member of The Alkaholiks. What's good?
Tash- Everything is great, just chillin' homie
Edaye- We are approaching the release of your second solo album, "Control Freek" on Amalgam Digital. Your first solo album, "Rap Life" was very tight and laced with some ill lyrics. I felt the album was under-appreciated and slept on and possibly did not receive the push that it needed at the time.
Tash- Homie I am chillin'! The fans like,"why you ain't getting this and that Tash, they not giving you props..", but everywhere I go I have a ball with life and everything. I wouldn't change one thing about Tash homeboy . We having fun with it, you know what I'm saying?
Edaye- Nah man, I definitely understand that. I mean its slept on in the sense that the true heads sometimes get misdirected by what's on the radio too much. They don't seek out things the way they should. A lot of times we get our hip hop through a filter in the past and even more now. The real heads, they gotta seek it out. Even now, with your new relationship with Amalgam Digital, that's a big deal. I really respect the label. I respect what they're doing. I saw the roster of who they're bringing through and when I saw that they were working with you, I said "OK, this is what I'm talking about". They are about the real genuine artists. Everything ain't all that pop flavor. We need a return to some lyricism.
Tash- That's why I'm over there. I'm a player on the team and everything. I don't know if I'm the running back or wide receiver but I'm on the team. So I'm a go hard.
Edaye- I love that. What kind of guests you have on the album?
Tash- Basically what I did with this album, I tried to keep it straight up and down friends and family. I did songs with everybody out there and I wanted to do songs with people that I never did songs with before. It's really not too much, I wanted to take it to the next. I got songs with B-Real from Cypress Hill. I recorded a lot of songs with B-Real. People loving the "How High Can You Get" song. I got Khujo from the G.O.O.D.I.E. M.O.B., that's my homeboy. When we went to Atlanta, and we was in the studio, I was sleeping on the couch and everything. Why would I put on somebody that ain't my homeboy? I got Del The Funky Homosapien from the Heiroglyphics click, Knocturnal, my homies J-Ro from Tha Alkaholiks and King Tee. I even got Obama on it!
READ MORE.. Edaye- You got Obama? Wait a minute...(laughter)?
Tash- Obama trying to get some weed and everything...
Edaye- Its like a part two to that Bill Clinton, huh? That's my joint right there. (laughing) I love that Bill Clinton joint. I was like dude got Bill Clinton on the album for real! (laughing)..
Tash- Yessir! (laughing)
Edaye- E-Swift executive producing?
Tash- Yeah, me Jenifer Burbank and E-Swift are executive producing. E-Swift, that's my cousin and everything..Everybody on my album is a homie of mine. They stay in the guest room, kids running around, shoot hoops together...
Edaye- That's how it used to be anyway when people were doing albums. But nowadays dudes are not in the same room no more, they in different studios, you getting features just to get some extra play. Or you getting the hottest dude on just to get some sales. I can always tell when dudes are phoning in their lyrics, or you pass a session file to somebody else. But when you are in the same environment together, everybody steps their level up. The vibe is right, know what I'm sayin'?
Tash- That's how it is right there! My homie J-Ro moved to Sweden and we was doing that shit. Emailing beats and he would send some raps back. We weren't on the same vibe. I'm not downing myself but it ain't my greatest work (note: Tash's first solo LP, "Rap Life") because I didn't know what page everybody was on. This one right here we was just having fun. I freestyle half the album. Sometimes I'm in a rush and I want them to just play the beat and let me come up with something. Every time I bust a punch line, I start laughing in the booth. I don't know what I just said! (laughing). Ol Dirty taught me that style.
Edaye- That's the number one thing that is missing sometimes is that spontaneity. You're having that natural vibe..that natural feeling. That's what you are known for. The punch lines, the party tracks.
Tash- I don't do nothing unless I want to do it. If I was at Burger King, working at McDonald's or something like that, I would still be rapping. Its my passion of mine I love it. Its not really a job to me. The best jobs in the world are the ones that you would do anyway if you didn't have to do it. I been rapping since I was a kid. Before the Amalgam deal I would make songs at different studios just to see if I still got it. I wanted to bring a different vibe to this project on Amalgam Digital. Its all fun. You don't hear no shoot em up-bang bang. Or how much dope I sold.
Edaye- Exactly. We hear enough of that. And no beef. I don't even mess around with the beef thing on my site. I always tell the artists, I don't want to hear about no beef, rumors. I want to talk about the music. later for all that exterior stuff.
Tash- Right.
Edaye- Gotta check out that "Control Freek" on Amalgam Digital.
Tash- The single, "New Bikini", I dropped that single first because its a summertime song. Summertime we throwing everybody into the pool. I want everybody to cop that from Amalgam Digital. Its only 89 cents for the single. I hope the recession ain't that bad that you don't have 89 cents.
Edaye- Man, they charging a buck and a quarter for a dutch in N.Y. so you can spend 89 cents and cop that "New Bikini" joint!
Tash- (Laughing) A buck and a quarter for one blunt? Man they tripping' out there (laughing) Support Tash and support this show I'm on right now and let's get it in!!
Edaye- Word cop that "Control Freek" on Amalgam Digital out today!
A few weeks ago, I was invited by Audible Treats & Fat Beats to a listening session at the former D&D studios. Renamed HeadQcourterz and owned by the legendary DJ Premier, the air of historic hip hop recordings floated through the studio as I prepared to be assaulted by the "boom-bap". Before we were given a dose of that uncut, Premo explained his purpose for starting his own label, YearRound Records. Premo was incredibly passionate about restoring the craft to hip hop music. He told us that he sold his house to start the venture and one of his priorities was to sign Queensbridge rapper, BLAQ POET. Poet, also a member of Screwball ("F.A.Y.B.A.N." & "I Shot Rudy") and an early mic opponent to KRS One, was the kind of emcee that Premier wanted to lead the charge. Blaq Poet's gruff voice, attack on the mic and street knowledge allowed Premo to bring the vision to fruition.
"THA BLAQPRINT" is a return to the classic format of the sole producer driven album. Although two tracks are produced by Easy Mo Bee, the remaining 13 tracks are all Premo. Laced with limited guest appearances (N.O.R.E., NYG'z, Lil Fame and Poet's cousin KL), "Tha Blaqprint" delivers on its promise. The lead-off single, "Aint Nuttin' Changed", set the tone for the album. Standout tracks on the album include, "You Fucked Up", "Addiction", "Stretch Marks and Cigarette Burns", "Situations" and "Voices". The combination of Blaq Poet and DJ Premier is a winner as it leads the way for a return to balance in hip hop.
Set in the mythical, gang ridden streets of Empire City, BLOKHEADZ is the animated story of teenage rapper, Blak. With the help of his crew, "G-Pak", Blk fights off the temptations of the streets and dreams of making it big in the rap game. When he gets caught in the middle of a crime lord/media mogul with an intent on controlling the city, Blak discovers his rhymes have supernatural abilities...
BLOKHEADZ began as an independent comic/graphic novel series created by the Madtwiinz, Mark and Mike Davis. The animated version of BLOKHEADZ features Hip-Hop stars Talib Kweli and RZA, Hip-Hop ambassador Bobbito Garcia, comedian Affion Crockett (Mad TV, MTV’s Wild N’ Out), actress Lauren London and Def Poetry Jam’s Mayda Del Valle, with super-producer DJ Khalil providing the sonic backdrop. The look of the series is similar to "The Boondocks" but with more graffiti inspired/anime character designs. The first two episodes are available on missiong.com. You can peep the first episode below-
