Straight up

T3 & Young RJ pick out beats that were submitted to Slum Village for the Villa Manifesto Digital EP, available online this December. Young RJ came along way and is the man behind that crazy “Dope Man” record.

If y’allz don’t check out SHOOK magazine then… well you probably should. It rose out of the ashes of Straight No Chaser, made by a bunch of the same people and still with a lot of the artwork done by the legendary Swifty. The main difference from Chaser is that there’s a bit less jazz and a bit more hip-hop. Also comics.

Anways they’ve got a cool little interview with beatmaker and hallucinogen-enthusiast Flying Lotus up at the minute, where he runs down his top five tunes like EVER.

“I think that beat is a perfect beat. The mix is just so perfect, it’s a great reference point for any EQ-ing. A lot of people use Dr. Dre as a reference when they’re mastering but I think that’s as close as it gets to classic Dre mixing. It’s just a dope song. The snare drum on that is from this disco tune. It’s just incredible. Dilla at his finest I’d say. The EQ-ing, the samples, all the melodic stuff that’s happening, it’s so musical. And it’s so pretty. That’s the beat that’s hard to deny. It’s also one of those beats that can blend well with anything, so I play that song in almost all my DJ sets. I think it’s perfect.”

So I dug out Fantastic Volume II and it turns out he’s not wrong: Players is awesome. If you don’t know, get to know.

Slum Village – Players

Do yourself a favour and don’t put it on the laptop speakers.

TURN IT UP.

Bringing you nothing but that good music, heres one of my favorite songs from Elzhi. As he IS a member of Slum Village, im sure all my hip-hop heads will be more then satisfied with the WHOLE album (which, of course, has that pure hip hop feel im sure yall been dying for..). I recommend you pick up a copy of that if you havent already, my friends.

Here you go, enjoyy!

Elzhi – Talking In My Sleep
Off of his latest album, “The Preface”.

If this aint in your Itunes, your taking major L’s kidd..

HHHTaipei Bound,

I’m on my way back to the land of Stinky Tofu and Beetlenut!

Yes, the past 8 months here in Toronto have been phenomenal both personally and professionally (‘09 has been the SHEEEEEIIIIT!)  but, it’s starting to get cold and I’ve quickly realized that I’m not built like that anymore.  Plus, I miss the shit outta my Taiwanese counterparts.  So, I’m gettin my hibernation on and goin to the island to throw parties with the best of the best and enjoy life.

However, as those of you who’ve flown overseas before know, I’m gonna be on a plane for like 2 months rendering this blog inactive for a little bit.  So today’s post is gonna be completely loaded with goodies to tide you over until I get back to some land.

So without further ado…

THE PROFESSIONAL

If there was ever someone you called a ‘professional emcee’, Black Thought should be the first person you think of.  At very least second.

Well, this unreleased goodie aptly titled ‘The Professional’ has just surfaced and it proves my point 300 times over.

BLACK THOUGHT – THE PROFESSIONAL

DOPE MAN

If you read this blog regularly, then you know I love Slum Village.

I don’t know what it is, but there are few, if any, albums that ever beat out Fan-Tas-Tic Vol. 2 on my playlist.  I still listen to that ish like it dropped last Tuesday, and I don’t foresee any slowing up.  Sure my favorite reincarnation of them is still the original trio, but Elzhi’s contribution to the group should never be downplayed.  He’s an absolute monster.    Anyway, since today’s blog is LONG, I’ma keep this short (as possible). With one of Baatin’s last recordings before he passed, off the upcoming Villa Manifesto, I give you…

SLUM VILLAGE – DOPE MAN

**BONUS**

MICHAEL JACKSON – BUTTERFLIES (Dilla’s Players Remix)

R.I.P. Dilla & Baatin.

TIL IT DROPS

New Clipse!

I’m starting to get amped up…

CENTER EDGE TERRITORY

So I’m not sure if you’ve heard or not but HHHT faves Mos Def, Jay Electronica and current Hip-Hop blog darling, Curren$y (pictured below) have formed a new group called Center Edge Territory and have apparently already finished 6 songs?

Yeah.  Didn’t see that one coming, especially since Curren$y used to roll with Lil Weezy and that match up just seems odd to me.  However, homie can rap, so as long as there’s that, I’m cool.  Anyway, although nothing has leaked yet, here goes a little something from each member of this new underground powerhouse.

Jay Electronica, along with Ta’raach jump on this intergalactic dopeness from another HHHT favorite Sa-Ra Creative Partners.

SA-RA CREATIVE PARTNERS – LOVE CZARS II ft. JAY ELECTRONICA & TA’RAACH

And Curren$y does his thing over a Mos Def original.

CURREN$Y – BREAKFAST IN & OUT (Produced by Mos Def)

A LIVING LEGEND

Scarub, Luckyiam, Sunspot Jonz, Eligh, Bicasso, Aesop, Murs & The Grouch, or better known as West Coast’s current underground torchbearers, The Living Legends are the definition of paid dues.  Having completely built themselves up independently from scratch, there are few hip-hop artists who can rival what they’ve done in the underground and truthfully, there are few hip-hop artists, underground or mainstream that can generate the revenue they do because of the work they’ve put in and the independent route they’ve taken.  Now, at approximately a gazillion total releases, one of the Legends standouts, the Grouch returns with his latest effort ‘Eyes off the time’ and so far it sounds extra ill. Check the promo vid and DL below:

THE GROUCH – WHATEVER I SAY

MORE BLAKROC

And finally, I give you all the newest updates from the BlakRoc project.  Out in 6 DAYS!

BLAKROC EPISODE #9 – Feat. PHAROAHE MONCH

**BONUS** BLAKROC – DOLLAZ & SENSE ft. PHAROAHE MONCH & RZA

BLAKROC EPISODE #10 – Feat. NIKKI WRAY

BLAKROC – AIN’T NOTHIN LIKE YOU (HOOCHIE COO) Feat. MOS DEF & JIM JONES

That’s it for now folk.

Enjoy life…I’ll see you in a few.

Triple.
www.ppfhouse.com

Here is Slum Village with a cut off their upcoming EP Villa Manifesto which will be released on December 8 (My birthday) via digital distribution. The track is fresh!!!

DOWNLOAD: Slum Village – Dope Man

We made it! Gravity Jones presents InfeRed’s brand new mixtape No Turn On Red. Pick your favorite file site to download from below the artwork…

InfeRed – No Turn On Red links: megaupload | rapidshare | sendspace | zshare | mediafire | limelinx | filefactory

Gravity Jones presents InfeRed’s 2009 mixtape “No Turn On Red.” MLKjr said, “If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets, even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven played music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry.” Tony ‘InfeRed’ Graves feels his path is leading him to record and perform honest music. If it’s true that your soul should speak truest and loudest through your actions, midwest rapper InfeRed’s soul preaches through every line. In the vein of some of Hip-Hop’s most candid and ground breaking artists, Red works with a passion and dedication to his lyrics and each message they encompass. He is often likened to Jay-Z, Common, Royce Da 5′9, Elzhi, and, more recently, Wale. Download the mixtape, analyze the lyrics, scrutinize the songs, love it and hate it. Peace and much love.

Also, check it out, rate it, comment on it at datpiff.

Please spread it like wildfire!! Feel free to copy any of the links, artwork, music, burn it onto cds, whatever…just get it out there!! Electric grass roots style…
Also, please let us know what you think…
and while you’re at it check the official video for the single
The Higher:

Peace, and much love!!!

Buff1 of the Athletic Mic League
DJ Rhettmatic of the Beat Junkies and
have joined forces to create a hip-hop monster
for all of our enjoyment and appreciation.
That benevolent monster is called Crown Royale.
This Q&A features the vocal half of the duo,
Buff1.

“We Gotcha” • Download

∆: Your crew originally formed in Ann Arbor, Michigan and is also based out of Los Angeles. What inspired you guys to move some of your operations to LA?

“It was a couple things.. boredom. Opportunity. Weather.
I think that kinda sums it up.”

∆: Being from the Midwest myself, I’m curious to how you first became aware of the Beat Junkies?

“Umm, I was just listening as a fan of hip hop music and the name kept popping up, doing cuts for different artists here and there, doing mixes/compilations and such. They worked with a lot of my favorite cats so that introduced me to what they do and their turntablism skills.”

∆: So according to Rhettmatic, your crew was handed a cd of his production, which sparked your working relationship.. what was it about the production that stuck out to you?

“Nothing in particular, it was just really good, haha. I have a dope crew of producers called the Lab Techs and it takes a lot for me to be impressed by beats, but his stuff was dope.”

∆: Was the process noticeably different from working with the Lab Techs?

“A little bit. A good portion of the beats Rhett made were crafted for me. Most of the Lab Techs’ beats I just pick from a batch like everybody else. But the process is the same. I get the beats, write, lay it down.”

∆: Your live show is very critically acclaimed. “Get It Up” sounds to me like an instant crown favorite. Was there a particular attention being paid to the live aspect while creating it?

“That’s just me, it’s just in me. I know where I may lack in content or skills, I make up for it at my shows. When I heard the beat it just sounded like a hype joint for shows. Then a couple shows in, I added the “Get It Up Dance” to the set. You gotta check us out live to see what it is, haha.”

∆: Yeah! That was my next question. In my opinion, that reminds me of the Midwest soul showmanship tradition, very Motown.

“Yeah, man, exactly.”

∆: In what ways to you think growing up in the Midwest influenced your creativity differently from other popular hip-hop regions?

“I think the Midwest influenced me musically. Of course, Motown, but also the brand of hip-hop. Dilla/SV (Slum Village) was a huge influence, still is. There’s also the work ethic that comes from the midwest, the grind, the hustle. And then, once Motown left we all started to make our own history ’cause there’s really no industry here like it in LA, NY or ATL.”

∆: What do you think are the pros and cons of that lack of industry presense?

“Pros: work ethic, it builds a sense of family cuz we all have to help each other, and it leads to the want/need to reach out and not just be known where you’re from. But all that is kinda a catch 22 cuz they can lead to the cons: it makes it a lil’ more difficult to make it out, since opportunities are slightly limited it can lead to a cut throat mentality, and some people feel like they have to go away to make it. I think because of the cause and effect the pros and cons can somewhat be looked at as one and the same.”

∆: Right. I think the pros you just mentioned address this somewhat, but what is it about Michigan that has you guys hitting the hip-hop market with so much dope music? Where does the creativity come from?

“There’s so much dope music and competition it forces you to be dope and hold up your part also. For those that are from Detroit, some may see the D as desolate, not much there. That can lend to some of the creativity that comes from there. I know being from Ann Arbor, there’s really no traditions here. Nothing to fall back on, so we had to kinda make up our own foundation. AML and couple of our comrades were really the only ones making music back in the day so we had no one to look up to making music.”
 

∆: Duos are iconic in hip-hop. what is one of your favorite duos in hip-hop and why?

“I know u prooooobably mean producer/emcee duo but… OUT…. KAST. My all-time favorite musicians ever. Why? Every album they ever put out has been in-house produced, they made “underground” classics, they made “hits”, sold tons of records, change it up everytime from album to album, and Big Boi is extremely slept on as an emcee and (Andre) 3000 is the greatest of all time. Period.
Ok, I’ll give it a rest now, haha.”

∆: I’d like to go through your discography and ask what were circumstances, stories, etc surrounding their creation. Pure.

“I look at that album as if no one never heard me before or may never hear me again, that’s what I want to represent me. AML asked me to do solo stuff and I was a lil’ hestitant at first, but after 2 mixtapes I got in a groove. That album is just very human, good, bad, highs, lows, all that. I said before it came out if it wasn’t well received I may call it quits. Here I am, 2.5 years later still at it, haha.”

∆: Why do you think they asked you to do solo material?

“I’m still tryin to figure that out, haha. If I had to guess, it’s ’cause I kinda encompass all aspects of AML. The humor, the showmanship, the content, the delivery. And at the time I was the only one who had the time/drive to go 110% since other cats had kids, wanted to go back to school full-time, had girls, was working, wanted to focus on production, whatever the case may have been.”

∆: “Pretty Baby” is very vivid in it’s storytelling. What for you goes into telling a good story in song form?

“It has to sound like a real conversation that either you’ve had or you’re having when you’re telling the story. I try to communicate like I’m talking to you when I rhyme anyway so I try to do the same when I tell a story. And it has to sound real and believable even if it’s somethin spaced out and sci-fi or just fiction, or a real event.”

∆: The One & Only Mixtape and Small City Big Name.

“Both were kinda me warming up on the solo thing, starting with The One and Only Mixtape. Both were about having fun and just letting people see what my voice is as a solo artist.”

∆: Why did you go the route of original material vs. covers of other songs?

“Well, I did a lil’ bit of the popular instrumentals, but I also wanted people to know me and I don’t think you can properly do that over someone else’s beats. I wanted to mix it up and make sure you got some of my original material.”

∆: Athletic Mic League Thrill Of Victory, Agony Of Defeat.

“Wow, we goin waaaay back, haha. That was AML’s introduction, really our introduction to Ann Arbor, just to let everybody around the crib know that we rapped, haha. That was just on CD-R burned cds. Then we got good feedback from that so we remixed a couple song and added a couple new ones and made that into The Thrill Is Gone, got it pressed up for real and started to reach out to Detroit and other cities around the Midwest and started getting love on the internet.”

∆: There’s Only One

“My last album was kinda me throwing my hat into the realm of the greats, wanting to be mentioned as one of the best doing it right now. I wanted to stop looking up to the posters on my wall and become the poster on somebody’s wall. It was a lil’ more hubris on this one, but that’s just hip hop, haha. I also continued along the path I already started of speaking on things that other people don’t really speak, trying to again show the many sides of me and humans in general.”

∆: What’s on the horizon for and from Buff1?

“I got another mix comin out next month titled It’s a 1derful Life. Free download mix of a few of my guest appearances from this year and a few exclusives. Then Crown Royale early next year, then a new AML album. And shows/tours all up through and around those.”

Massive Thanks To Buff1 For Participating In The Q&A!
Big Up!

∆

Big Shan- No Comp

Big Shan- No Comp

Big Shan- No Comp

Trick Trick ft Guilty Simpson & Marvwon- My City (clean)

Trick Trick ft Guilty Simpson & Marvwon- My City (clean)

Trick Trick ft Guilty Simpson & Marvwon- My City (clean)

Slum Village- Dope Man

Slum Village- Dope Man

Slum Village- Dope Man

Ro Spit ft Big Sean, Bun B & Curtains- #1

Ro Spit ft Big Sean, Bun B & Curtains- #1

Ro Spit ft Big Sean, Bun B & Curtains- #1

barack 레코드에서 앨범 발매소식과 함께 dope man싱글이 이메일로 왔는데, 좋네요.. 그래도 나오는군요. 12월 첫주 발매. rest in power.

I love, love, love Slum Village. Dope music and beats all around. Their new album Villa Manifesto will be released in early 2010. Click here to download their new single. R.I.P. Baatin.

*Using my late pass*

“Dope Man”

This song will be released off their “Villa Manifesto Digital EP” on Dec. 8, 2009. This EP will have some tracks for SV fans to take in their new material leading into their official “Villa Manifesto” album release in 2010. Both releases will have tracks recorded with Baatin in their reunion before his death, and the full album for 2010 is reported to have tracks with the fully united Slum Village, with J. Dilla.

Click to listen/download.

This track is something serious.  I figured this would have happened eventually but damn… 50 is something else.  Hit the jump for the link as well as a few other recent gems.

Download::: 50 Cent & Beanie Sigel – I Go Off

Download::: 50 Cent- Man’s World

Download::: Drake – Scriptures

Download::: Obie Trice – Got Hungry [produced by MoSS]

Download::: Acapa Feat Mugz  Rookie – If You Wasn’t So Fine

Download::: iBlast – Excellence Of Execution

Download::: Gucci Mane – My Own Worst Enemy

Download::: Gucci Mane Feat Lil Wayne – Bitches Wanna

Download::: Kardinal Offishall  Feat Elephant Man – CLEAR [Remix]

Download::: Robin Thicke Feat Jay Z – Meiple

Download::: Slum Village – Dope Man

Download::: Snoop Dogg Feat. Nipsey Hussle, Problem – Upside Down

Download::: Usher – She Don’t Know [produced by Bangaladesh]

Download::: Wale – Center of Attention

It’s like I said, I don’t know what’s going on today but a lot of cool shit is happening.  No shot to Elzhi at all for using this picture, I just like it.  Everyone knows, Elzhi is my hero.  Anyway, I just came across a “new” Slum Village song I have never heard before called Dope Man and it is DEFINITELY Dope Man.  I typically don’t post this much shit in one day but if there is this much cool shit dropping, I might turn into a straight up blog.   Slum’s new album Village Manifesto will be out soon.  HOPEFULLY.  Listen and download, Slum Village Dope Man

Slum Village-Dope Man

RIP J Dilla and Baatin.  Love you both

Dope Man is the first single from Slum Village‘ The Villa Manifesto that drops December 8th, which leads up to the full-length Villa Manifesto LP next year, which will feature tracks as the fully united Slum Village.

Dope man

slum vil’s back. after the untimely death of baatin, the detroit collective is gearing up to release the villa manifesto digital ep in a few weeks on december 8. just a handful of joints on that one, which will ultimately lead up to the villa manifesto LP, which will drop in 2010. and yes, the album will feature cuts with baatin AND j dilla. get happy.

download:

slum village – dope man

-grizzly

A new Slum Village song is floating around the webs today. This one reminds me of the old SV so I’m definitely co-signing on this one. And if it is to be believed, the new digital only EP and later physical release LP both have all members including J. Dilla on it. I am hoping they were able to get some of Dilla’s beats on it as well….. well see about that.

Slum Village – Dope Man

Touch Me Hear

yanked from