I found this on PROGHIPHOP.COM. AMERICAN GAMER is an unofficial remix album of Jay-Z's recent release "American Gangster". This project blew me away because of the focus on the production concept. Many have used video game music and soundtracks to rock over but this collection of beats brings a great dimension to Hov's wordplay. The tracks have crazy atmosphere and get your head noddin' unexpectedly. The project features production by Random Beats, K-Murdock, Ravage, pac-O-naut & Macross. Download this heater for your collection..
"New York hasn't had an album like this in such a long time.."-Pete Rock
Forgive me for neglecting to mention this earlier. GO COP THAT PETE ROCK "NY's FINEST"! Don't just take my word for it. Check the video below for the co-signs from some of the best that ever did it...
This week's Spotlight artist is an incredible lyricist reppin' Youngstown, Ohio- AAROPHAT. Aarophat is all about "death to mediocrity" in Hip Hop. I'm witchu bro! He was chosen as one of 2007's Rawkus 50 and rightfully so. Aarophat's commanding voice and slick wordplay allows him to keep company with the future greats in Hip Hop. He patterns himself after no one, but with a healthy respect for Hip-Hop greatness and quality emceeing reminiscent of legendary wordsmiths such as Big Daddy Kane and Rakim, Aaro’ has set out to blaze new trails and leave his mark on the game. With humble beginnings in the inner city of Youngstown, his story isn’t one of hard luck. He’s not a killer, a drug dealer or portraying the role of a street thug. He grew up in the neighborhood like everyone else, but was able to maintain his focus on the craft he grew to love at an early age. His current release, AARODYNAMIX, is a bomb mixture of hard hittin', diverse beats, focus and quality lyricism. There are no "fast forward" joints and it begs to stay on repeat. Crazy atmosphere throughout. AARODYNAMIX features guests No Joke, Dolo, Columbo Black, Akir, Ben Levels, Tay'uana and D-Flawless. Production is handled by just 2(!) producers- Illastrate and C Dubb. The standout tracks are "Caramel" (which we dropped here a few weeks ago), "It's Hard", "Demolition!", "U C. US" and "Sun Move On". Cop this joint and holla at Aarophat to let him know what you think..
When New edition hit the scene back in 1983, they paved the way for many other young male groups and I'm about to reintroduce you to a group that I remember well. In 1987, "I Want You For My Girlfriend" was the first song and video that was released by a group called "4 By Four". I'm sure that not too many of you may know of that song due to the fact it wasn't what one would call a smash hit. The video featured four young men wearing close fitting jump suits, long sleeved shirts with wide collars, and ascots tied around their necks. Nothing that was trend setting, BUT.... their next single was one that turned out not only to be a smash hit but also a Quiet Storm, After Hours, Kissing After Dark regular. I'm speaking of course about a song that was written and produced by Melvin Riley ("Ready For The World" and no relation to Teddy Riley.... at least I don't think so) called, "Come Over". Maybe the name doesn't ring a bell but true R&B Junkies will know about this song. The music had the "Let Me Love You Down" feel to it and the lead singer had the pre-teen high pitched voice. When they released the video for "Come Over", you saw the same four young men but this time they had slick moves, dressed all in white (no jump suits... thank goodness for that), and some sex appeal. With that song, they had a lot of teenage girls leaving their homes to pay them a visit. Only problem was, "4 By Four" left no address to where they lived.
They could be found in Black Beat & Right On magazines and appeared on "Soul Train" at the height of their success, but as fast as they came out, they faded away. I was fortunate enough to come across Damen (a member of the group) and he filled me in about what happened. Sadly 4 By Four had the same fate dealt to them as many other artists and groups of the 80's. They were young in the business and was taken advantage of by some they put all trust in. The money they worked for was stolen from them by their manager and they ended up in a lot of legal battles which discouraged them to continue as a group. Luckily though, their story doesn't have a sad ending. Instead of turning to Brothah Al (alcohol) and or drugs, these young men have done well for themselves. Lance is currently residing in New York City, Steve moved to South Carolina and has given his life to God and is saved, Jay (hey boo) and Damen also lives in New York City. Damen also gave his life to God and is a saved man. He is a youth Sunday school teacher in his church. Jay is happily married with children. Interesting enough, Jay and Damen has teamed up once again but this time as producers and writers for an up and coming female group called Taj. They have toured with Bow Wow, Jahiem, and Ne-Yo just to name a few.
On a personal note, it's great for me to see that this group who went through something horrible managed to come out on top and not allowed their experience to beat them. They learned from it, better educated themselves, and held on to their faith. I will like to thank Damen for taking time out of his busy schedule to give me the information I needed for this post. I have to thank Jay as well for answering me when I contacted him. Of course, I have to thank "4 By Four" for the song "Come Over". To this day when I listen to it, I close my eyes, one hand in the air, shake my head from side to side, ask anyone whose around me for a dance, and enjoy the sounds. Still need the address though...
If you would like to get in contact with them, you can reach them via myspace. Also, be sure to check out their female group, Taj. These girls have some serious pipes.
If you are in the West Palm Beach, Florida area please check out this great exhibit featuring the works of Anthony Burks Sr., Mark Manning & Ernani Silva..Shout out to DIZ-E IMAGE!
Collaboration: An Evening of Art Celebrating Men in Art
collaboration: (n) the act of working jointly.
This is a showcase of artists', presented in homes & businesses allowing artwork to be viewed by clients in a more realistic environment than a gallery or museum. It allows the artists to intermingle with buyers one on one and develop a personal relationship without a third party facilitator.
This fourth time event is being held at the Home Studio of Anthony & Trina Burks at 703 39th West Palm Beach, Florida on March 28 and 29. (In Redeveloped Northwood; west of Old Northwood.)
The concept of visual artists of diverse spirits working together to spread art appreciation in the community was the brain child of husband and wife artist team Anthony Burks Sr. and Trina Slade-Burks along with jewelry artist and educator Lea Jefferson and fiber artist and consultant Barbara Cheives. It is an opportunity for art collectors and professionals to experience great art in an inhabitable space and feel at home doing so.
Saturday, March 29, 2008 12pm-6pm
Featured artists:
Anthony Burks Sr. Mark Manning Ernani Silva
Founding artist Lea Jefferson
And several guest artists.
Musician Percussionist & Spoken Word artist Joshua Sa’ra
"Don't let the skirt fool you..I still do kill it.."- Eternia
THE ZRO HOUR continues our commitment towards bringing you the best of the unknown, little known, underrated, and slept on artists in Hip Hop. Today we set it off with a new feature titled SECRET WEAPON. The artists we feature under the title of Secret Weapon are, in our opinion, potential giants in the field. To inaugurate this new feature, I present to you ETERNIA, one of Toronto, Canada's best kept secrets.
The first time that I witnessed the stage bashing Eternia was during last year's "Golden" tribute event for Pharoahe Monch. When I stepped in the spot, I saw this chick onstage running thru some head noddin' boom bap (I later found out this song was called THE MEGA) and I was like "who the F**K!?". When I contacted Eternia on the email, she said that this was a common reaction to her show. Eternia rocked the stage in heels and maintained her balance like the shoes had Nike air technology. She was thoroughly committed to the beat with a dominant, almost husky flow. I was too stunned to take video of the moment and just wanted to hear the lyrics. She was off stage after one more track and it left me saying that I had to remember the name and connect on myspace later. Needless to say, I forgot to follow up and months later I found her again while networking on myspace. Hearing her music brought back the same feeling that I must reach out and get more info on this underrated artist.
Eternia is a 2006 Juno Award (think Grammys but in Canada) nominee. She has been performing and recording for over 10 years. Eternia has toured extensively in Canada, Australia, Europe and the U.S. She has six videos in rotation internationally and her discography is filled with several singles thru the early 2000s. In 2005, Eternia released two full length projects, "WHERE I'VE BEEN- THE COLLECTION" and "ITS CALLED LIFE" on URBNET RECORDS. ITS CALLED LIFE featured appearances including Wordsworth, Kenn Starr, DJ Dopey, Helixx C. (Anomalies), Freestyle (The Arsonists), Cesar Comanche (Justus League) and Jessica Kaya. Production duties were handled by Tone Mason, Rude, Collizhun, Mercilless, Bounce and Simahlak.
Flash forward to 2007 and her current release "WHERE I'M AT- THE SETUP" sees Eternia bonding creatively with 9th Wonder, M-Phazes, Frequency, Torae, Ms. Davis, The Polyrhythmaddicts (Shabaam Sahdeeq, Mr. Complex, Tiye Phoenix), Wordsworth and many more. Last month, Eternia joined Rochester aka Juice & former Much Music VJ Hannah Sung on the road to Educate Youth about HIV & AIDS. The 411 Initiative For Change (411), is launching their new HIV/AIDS education programming for Canadian high schools in the format of a mock live-to-air TV Talk Show. This highly effective and candid program toured throughout Feb '08, reaching high school students in Regina, Saskatoon, Toronto & Montreal with an additional tour phase slated for later this spring. For more info, email connect@whatsthe411.ca or log on to www.Whatsthe411.ca. This Saturday, March 8th, Eternia is proud to appear alongside the legendary KRS-One at the Opera House in Toronto, Canada. Scheduled to share the stage with Mindbender, 9th Uno, & Alex Dimes, Eternia is excited to return to her hometown of Toronto for an exclusive on-stage appearance for Canadian Music Week.
European Tour Footage November 2007
If you hear Eternia is in your area, don't miss an opportunity to check her live show. Hit her up on myspace to let her know what's good and stay tuned to THE ZRO HOUR as we are working on getting Eternia on the podcast show.
This week's spotlight artist is a dynamic duo in the tradition of the classic hip hop combo of (1) DJ and (1) Emcee- PACE WON & MR. GREEN. In the essence of ‘Eric B. and Rakim’ and ‘Gangstarr.’ they define their style as classical hardcore Hip Hop. Mr. Green’s heart pounding beats blend perfectly with Pace’s gravelly yet smooth flow creating a flawless result. Within days of dropping their first single, they were already in the radio rotation of many profound DJ’s such as DJ Premier, DJ Eclipse and DJ Tony Touch. Their song ’Children Sing’ is considered to be an underground classic. With a dynamic live show that involves includes both improvisation as well as crowd participation they are true performers. The debut album THE ONLY COLOR THAT MATTERS IS GREEN will drop this Spring. Pace Won should not be unfamiliar to fans of Hip Hop. Pace Won is a member of one of New Jersey's illest crews THE OUTSIDAZ and made his debut on The Fugees classic, THE SCORE. He followed his debut with appearances on Rah Digga's DIRTY HARRIET and Redman's MALPRACTICE albums along with a couple of independent releases WON and TELEPATHY. Mr. Green is a self-taught, hip hop composer who has a straight forward approach to his production. Originally a DJ, Mr. Green's first official production credit came at the end of 2006 on C Rayz Walz album "The Dropping". The song "Childhood" featured Matisyahu, the platinum Jewish Reggae sensation and Kosha Dillz. Mr. Green has also produced for our first SPOTLIGHT featured artist CYMARSHALL LAW. Check 'em out and let them know what you think!
TRUTH AND SOUL RECORDS' El Michels affair served as the backing band for Raekwon and Wu-Tang at a performance at NYC's Canal Room earlier this month. The band tore through WU classics such as "C.R.E.A.M.", "Criminology" and "Bring Da Ruckus". Check out the vids below-
DJ's Eclipse and Skizz, hosts of one of the longest running and most respected hip-hop radio shows, The Halftime Show, will celebrate the show's 10 year anniversary at the WNYU studios on Wednesday, March 5th. Joining them in the studio for live performances will be dozens of A-list celebrities and guests. The show will air during its regularly scheduled time slot, which is every Wednesday from 10:30pm -1am on 89.1 FM and on the web at www.WNYU.org.
The Halftime Show's anniversary shows have become highly memorable events that evoke nostalgia for hip-hop radio from days of past, and anticipation of the high profile guests that will join in the celebration. Every year Eclipse and Skizz invite the best producers to create live beats over which an A-list roster of emcees rhyme. This year, world-renowned producers Premier, Pete Rock, and Alchemist will be the guest producers. The list of guest emcees includes A.G., Boot Camp Clik, Big Noyd, Masta Ace, Reef The Lost Cauze plus 25+ more surprise guests. This anniversary show is not to be missed - it will be history in the making.
The Halftime Show has long been heralded as a favorite of music lovers everywhere for its incredible guests, in-depth interviews, outstanding playlists, and classic freestyle sessions. Acts such as Eminem, Kanye West and 50 Cent all count their guest appearances on The Halftime Show as a major stepping stone on the road to their worldwide success. In an era where commercial radio turns many listeners off, college radio remains one of the last remaining salvations for good music and WNYU is no exception. The Halftime Show, which started in March of 1998, brings a much-needed balance to hip-hop radio by playing the best of independent, up-and-coming, major, and vintage hip-hop music.
Hip Hop fans everywhere can tune into the 10th anniversary show on Wednesday, March 5th from 10:30pm-1am on 89.1 FM or at www.wnyu.org or through itunes>radio>eclectic>WNYU. Fans can contact the hosts directly via AOL IM (screename: wnyuradio), phone (212.998.1818) or via email: halftime@wnyu.org. DJ's Eclipse and Skizz will be giving away prizes throughout the show.
One of our favorite guests on THE ZRO HOUR, GODHEAD THE GENERAL, is embarking on his 2008 Presidential tour to promote 2 releases- INTRODUCING...THE MIXTAPE and BEHOLD THE TYRANT. Godhead sets it off in Washington, D.C. tonight and continues on to several dates in March in the NYC area. More dates to follow. Hit him at the above link for more info..
On March 12th at this year's SXSW Music Conference, two of the most highly respected Independent Labels will join forces for a legendary showcase, sponsored by V Tech phones.
The Duck Down VS Stones Throw Sound Clash will feature: *Sean Price (Duck Down) *Buckshot, of Black Moon (Duck Down) *Kidz In The Hall (Duck Down) *DJ Mister Nash (Duck Down) *Guilty Simpson (Stones Throw) *Percee P (Stones Throw) *DJ Rhettmatic (Stones Throw)
The Sound Clash is taking place at the premier venue in Austin, TX, "The Habana Annex," formerly the Fader House.
Buckshot, co-owner of Duck Down Records, had this to say about the historic event: "We are excited to partner up with Stones Throw Records to present the Soundclash. Stones Throw and Duck Down are both highly respected brands in the Independent rap game and we understand that there is power in numbers. On March 12th we'll be providing a free show to the public and it's a way to give back to the rap community who continues to support our movements and our projects.
Both labels are currently prepping new albums from: 9th Wonder & Buckshot, "The Formula" in stores April 15th (Duck Down) Kidz In the Hall "The In Crowd" in stores April 29th (Duck Down) Guilty Simpson "Ode To The Ghetto" in stores March 25th (Stones Throw)
Drea is on a roll! Read on as she continues her topic on the absence of real romance in R&B music..
I want to take this time to personally thank everyone who has sent me messages and posted comments about the articles I've written here. Just to clear the air up a bit, I am not nor do I claim to be a music expert. I am just a consumer who has a passion for great music of just about all types. Now with that being said, I've been asked to speak about one artist who I purposely left out of my crooners article. So ladies, here you go..
Usher Raymond was introduced to me (not personally of course) in 1994. "Can You Get With It" was the video and I remember that Devante (Jodeci) was driving a car with Usher riding on the hood wearing a Lakers Jersey. He proved himself to be one who demanded your attention and would not stop until he did. He managed to venture out into different avenues. He has done acting (television, movies, and Broadway) and has his own fragrance which shows that he is not limiting himself to just one particular thing. He's not afraid to challenge himself, and with the success of "Confessions" that showed me he knows how to market himself well. Now with that said, I don't consider him a crooner. Yes he has proven himself to be an excellent singer but in my opinion, Usher is more of an entertainer. He is more known for is his dancing than anything else. If you were to go to see Brian McKnight in concert, you expect to see him play his musical instruments and hear him sing. Nothing else. Usher on the other hand, you expect to hear him sing but you anticipate him to show off his dancing skills and with any luck, he will take off his shirt so you watch his chest glisten. With a true crooner, the only thing that sells you is your voice. Most of Usher's music is made for you to jam to. Yes he has his ballads to show his more sensitive side but for the most part, you are getting your workout on listening to him.
This weeks' spotlight artist is a group that is not quite new to THE ZRO HOUR. HEAVENLY NOISE is actually a group within a group. Singer da*sey and producer BATSAUCE are the founding members of THE SMILE RAYS. The Smile Rays, hailing from Jacksonville, Florida are one of 2007's Rawkus 50. Together with MC THERAPY, Batsauce and da*sey collide over neck snapping breakbeats, high energy and classic soul. Heavenly Noise features da*sey as the featured vocalist on Batsauce's crisp, underrated production. The vibe reminds me of a blend of Erykah Badu and Portishead. Hit em up and let them know what you think!
pictured from l. to r. PRECISION, DASHAH, ECLIPSE & ROB SWIFT
Check out some footage from DASHAH performing at The Cop Shop in Long Island, New York for the ILL INSANITY showcase promoting their release GROUND XERO-
