Hip Hop Flavas Blog

Spin Magazine: Heavy D, RIP: Hear His Legacy in 15 Tracks

2011-11-11T18:59:00.002-05:00

(Via Spin)

Rap pioneer Heavy D passed away on November 8, and SPIN likes to remember him more that just hip-hop's ever-suave nice-guy and the ladies man behind megahits like "Nuttin' But Love." The 44-year-old rapper had a wide-reaching impact on hip-hop, and his presence cut a smooth line from Marley Marl's raw sample science through Puff Daddy's pop reign — and, in between, stopped everywhere from Jamaica to Neverland Ranch. Take a look back at 15 hits, detours, and other songs that owe him gratitude to grasp the full impact of Waterbed Hev.

THE FIVE MOST IMPORTANT TRACKS

1. Heavy D & The Boyz - "The Overweight Lover's in the House" (1987)
Over a vintage Marley Marl smacker, the second single off Heavy D's debut established Hev as one of the most formidable rhymers of hip-hop's golden era: A silky-soft playboy whispering in a girl's ear by the fireplace… but not so soft that he won't totally stomp her boyfriend. Alongside Big Daddy Kane, Heavy helped establish the smooth badass: Drake should thank him sooner than later.

2. Heavy D & The Boyz - "We Got Our Own Thang" (1989)
Simultaneously Teddy Riley's suavest, most utterly-impossible-not-to-Cabbage Patch-along-to beat (built on a surgically supercharged sample of James Brown's "Funky President") and Heavy D's suavest, most utterly-impossible-not-to-flow-along-to jabberwocky ("Bum-deedlee-deedlee-deedlee-deedlee-deedlee-dee!").

3. Heavy D & The Boyz - "Now That We Found Love" ft. Aaron Hall (1991)
Hip-house had played itself out years earlier and new jack swing was wearing itself thin. But Heavy and Teddy Riley still found the missing link between Yo! MTV Raps and Club MTV, due in no short part to Hev's manic fast-raps on this locomotive of a track. Ultimately it garnered Heavy D his highest charting song, landing at No. 11 on Billboard.

4. Michael Jackson - "Jam" (1992)
"Jam" was Michael Jackson's very first acknowledgment that rap was changing the pop universe that he had dominated for a decade. Jacko naturally requested Heavy, one of hip-hop's greatest pop ambassadors, for a tight four bars. Jackson played Heavy a song and, as Hev told Shade 45, "One of the hardest things I ever had to do was tell Michael Jackson 'that’s kinda wack.' Heavy recommended maybe hooking up Teddy Riley instead… and HIStory was made.

5. Heavy D & The Boyz- "Nuttin' But Love" (1994)
The story goes that Russell Simmons wouldn't sign Heavy D to Def Jam way back when due to his plus-size frame, lazy eye, and smoothed-out club jams. Of course, the Hevster not only had the last laugh by never turning into a babbling capitalist shill or self-help yogi goofball, he actually became a crossover sex symbol with a cheeky hit video (produced by Russell Simmons protégé Brett Ratner!) full of supermodels that he never had to marry or indulge with a train wreck reality show. Produced by boisterous New York City DJ Kid Capri, "Nuttin' " was an undulating, pop-funk marvel, and the video remains a historic hoot — starring Chris Tucker (sporting an orange touring cap, Hawaiian shirt, and pearls!), plus the aforementioned bevy of "yeah, whateva" catwalkers, including Cynthia Bailey from Real Housewives of Atlanta and Rebecca Gayheart, a.k.a., the "Noxema Girl," a.k.a. Dylan's wife on Beverly Hills 90210, a.k.a., squeeze of director Ratner. Later, Ratner was brought on to direct Tucker's Money Talks, due to their meeting on the "Nuttin' But Love" set. Hey, don't blame, Hev.

Read More

What is Keepers of the Art

2011-11-11T18:53:00.003-05:00

What is Keepers of the Art from Blue Green on Vimeo.

Check out what Keepers of the Art does for the Akron, Ohio community. The Keeper's consistently bring high quality shows at an affordable price.

Directed and Produced by Blue Green of screemingreens.comShooters:Fred Barrett, Kevin Lockett, Jason Edwards, Tony Lee, Kel Genovese, Stephen Furlow-Munn, Blue Green

Pharoahe Monch On the Organized Konfusion – Stress Video

2011-07-09T20:55:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Music is My Soul

Tribe Called Quest: Beats, Rhymes & Life Documentary (Clips #2 & 3)

2011-07-07T16:19:00.001-04:00

Clip # 2

Clip # 3

See clips # 1 and #4 on Music is My Soul

Complex Magazine: Pete Rock Tells All About His Classic Songs

2011-06-10T15:16:00.005-04:00

(Excerpt from Complex Magazine)

Public Enemy f/ Pete Rock “Shut ‘em Down (Remix)” (1991)
Album: "Shut ‘em Down" Single
Label: Def Jam

Pete Rock: “I had a relationship with Def Jam and at the time I was with a company called Untouchables with Eddie F. They would go out and get us work. I got a shot with Public Enemy, and then after that I had a huge relationship with Chuck D.

I made that beat in like fifteen minutes, that’s what’s ill about it. Immediately when I got the opportunity to do it, I got so excited that I just started working on the beat.

I was a fan and I used to always see them work because we used the same studio as Keith and Hank Shocklee. I used to be in there watching them. I saw Ice Cube’s album being produced, I saw a couple of Public Enemy joints being made. From then, I think they wanted to give me a shot because they were hearing about me on the come-up.

“I made that beat in like fifteen minutes, that’s what’s ill about it. Immediately when I got the opportunity to do it, I got so excited that I just started working on the beat. I got everything I needed, did it real quick fast [at home before the session] and got the sounds down, then I got in the studio and tweaked it. I chopped it, lined it up better, and perfected it in the big house.

“I [rapped on it] on my own. I just did one version with [my verse] and one without it. They picked the one with it. They loved it.”

Read more from Pete Rock Tells All: The Stories Behind His Classic Records

Métissages Mix 23.04.2011 - Spécial Pete Rock by DJ Green Giant

Complex Mag: DJ Premier breaks down all of his classic records!

2011-02-18T18:11:00.001-05:00

(Via Miss Info)

This was must have been an experience all its own, to say the least. My man Jaeki/Complex put hours in with DJ Premier to bring you a complete breakdown of all his classic records, straight from the hoarse’s mouth.

Gang Starr f/ Nice & Smooth “DWYCK” (1992)

DJ Premier: “It was just a fun record. It was a B-side joint. We did ‘Down the Line’ on the Nice & Smooth album, so we were like, ‘Ya’ll do one with us.’ So we just made a B-side and it was ‘DWYCK.’ WC was here when we cut that record. He was up in New York hanging with me. Don Barron from Masters of Ceremony was also here. Everybody cut their vocals, and Smooth came the second day. He laid his, and we put it out there, and all of a sudden it was a summertime smash. After that we were doing shows everywhere thanks to ‘DWYCK.’ It was a very high point in my life.

“It was supposed to be on Daily Operation, but the label wasn’t rolling with it. They just wanted to leave it the way it was. The buzz, however, was so big, we re-mastered it and tacked it onto the album, but then [the label] just didn’t do the re-pressings. I think we would’ve gone, maybe even platinum. ‘DYWCK’ was that big. We were upset, so we said, ‘Let’s at least put it somewhere down the line because even if they don’t want anything on the album, if they want ‘DWYCK’ on it, they’ll cop’em.’ So that’s why we put that on Hard to Earn.”

Nas “N.Y. State of Mind” (1994) after the jump…

Nas “N.Y. State of Mind” (1994)

DJ Premier: “That was just amazing because it happened in this room. Actually, anything from ‘92 and on, we did it here. It was just amazing watching him work because I was already a fan of him when he did ‘Back to the Grill,’ ‘Halftime,’ ‘It Ain’t Hard to Tell,’ and ‘Live at the Barbeque.’ So when I heard him on those records I was like, ‘Yo, I got to do something that’s on the same level.’ So I came in here, and flipped the ill, gutter, Joe Chambers sample (‘Mind Rain’). I can tell you because it’s cleared. [Laughs.] Nas watched me build the beat from scratch. And he wrote the verse in the studio. If you listen to ‘N.Y. State of Mind’ you’ll hear him going, ‘I don’t know how to start this shit,’ because he literally just wrote it. Before he started the verse, I was signaling him going, ‘One, two, three,’ and he just goes in like, ‘Rappers I monkey flip’em, in the funky rhythm.” He did that in one take. After he did that first verse, he goes, ‘How was that? Did that sound all right?’ And we were just like, ‘Oh, my God! The streets are going to go crazy when they hear this!’

“It was one take, but he would format it before. He’ll sit at the front, cover his mouth when the beat’s playing, and would mumble it. So we can’t hear what he’s saying. He was real quiet, but he would bring his whole army. Rest in peace to Drawz, by the way. He just died not too long ago. I remember [Nas] bringing Slate, Wallet Head, basically, all the people he was shouting out. They would be like, ‘Can we go in [the booth] too?’ They just wanted to feel it, you know? It was just funny to watch them all in the booth doing ‘Represent,’ and yelling in the background.”

read the full story at COMPLEX

J. Dilla Documentary 'Still Shining'

2011-02-07T20:13:00.000-05:00

"J.Dilla: Still Shining" from B.Kyle on Vimeo.

(AllHipHop News) A full documentary on J. Dilla dropped today (February 7th), on what would have been the critically acclaimed producer's 37th birthday.

Gifted Films Inc. teamed with OkayPlayer.com and Brian "B. Kyle" Atkins to produce J. Dilla: Still Shining, an 39-minute documentary project on the Detroit-born producer.

J. Dilla is a revered producer who utilized technology as well as live instrumentation throughout his career, to craft a previously-unheard style of production.

Artists like Slum Village, The Pharcyde, Busta Rhymes, A Tribe Called Quest, The Roots, Janet Jackson, Common, Guru, Vivian Greene, Talib Kweli, Mos Def and others benefited from Dilla's sound.

Tragically, J. Dilla died on February 10th, 2006, just days after his 32nd birthday.

The producer suffered from Lupus, an incurable blood disease that effects over 5 million people across the world, annually.

Still Shining tells the story of J. Dilla, born James Yancey, through photographs, rare concert footage and exclusive testimonials from artists like Common, Q-Tip, Erkyah Badu, Busta Rhymes, ?uest Love DJ House Shoes and others.

Production on Still Shining began on the day of Dilla's funeral, according to producers of the documentary.

"I'm very happy to have this opportunity to thank his fans," said J. Dilla's mother Maureen "Ma Dukes" Yancey. "I am happy as can be for the support he has been given, [it] lets me know that he work was not in vain and all of the work he has will live forever.

"He has so much more that's going to be given to the world and this was his wish during his illness, that he be able to give his gift to the world," Ms. Yancey continued. "He was able to live long enough to give that gift back and it will last a lifetime. I'm so proud. I'm not mourning because I am rejoicing. I have been so blessed to have been the mother of a genius."

Still Shining is an interesting, personal look into the life of Dilla, with comment from the man himself, who revealed his inspirations for production.

"I get the inspiration from talking to people like Pete Rock and Diamond D," Dilla revealed. "Every time I call Pete, he's in the basement. Every time I call him he's working. Every time I call Diamond, he's in the lab. So it's like it's nothing for me to do but do the same thing."

"It was a great experience being around him," legendary producer Pete Rock commented. "We gave each other a lot of inspiration, I would call him on the phone what time it was. If I had a beat going that was crazy, I was letting him hear it. And he would do the same thing."

2010 Keepers of the Art Hip Hop Showcase w/ Whodini and Rakim

2010-12-31T17:47:00.000-05:00

Directed by Kevin Lockett

BBC Documentray: Jay Z- Jay-Z: He Came. He Saw. He Conquered [Full 51 Min. Episode]

2010-12-31T16:45:00.001-05:00

Kurtis Blow Collection

2010-12-24T17:46:00.000-05:00

Kurtis Blow - Kurtis Blow (1980)
01 Rappin' Blow (Part 2)02 The Breaks03 Way Out West04 Throughout Your Years05 Hard Times06 All I Want In The World (Is To Find That Girl)07 Taking Care Of BusinessDownload HerePassword: def-momentum.blogspot.com

Kurtis Blow - Deuce (1981)
01 The Deuce02 It's Gettin' Hot03 Getaway04 Starlife05 Take It To The Bridge06 Do The Do07 Rockin'Download HerePassword: def-momentum.blogspot.com

Kurtis Blow - The Best Rapper On The Scene (1983)
01 Party Time02 Big Time Hood03 Got To Dance04 One-Two-Five (Main Street, Harlem, USA)05 Tough06 Juice07 Boogie Blues08 Baby, You've Got To GoDownload HerePassword: def-momentum.blogspot.com

Kurtis Blow - Party Time (1983)
01 Party Time02 Big Time Hood03 Nervous04 Got To Dance05 One-Two-Five (Main Street, Harlem, USA)Download HerePassword: def-momentum.blogspot.com

Kurtis Blow - Ego Trip (1984)
01 8 Million Stories - Featuring - Run-DMC02 AJ Scratch03 Basketball04 Under Fire05 I Can't Take It No More06 Ego Trip07 Fallin' Back In Love AgainDownload HerePassword: def-momentum.blogspot.com

Kurtis Blow - America (1985)
01 America02 America Dub Mix03 Super Sperm04 AJ Meets Davy DMX05 Hello Baby06 If I Ruled The World07 Respect To The King08 AJ Is Cool09 Summertime Groove10 MC Lullaby11 Don't Cha Feel Like Making LoveDownload HerePassword: def-momentum.blogspot.com

Kurtis Blow - Kingdom Blow (1986)
01 Street Rock02 The Bronx03 Unity Party Jam04 Sunshine05 Magilla Gorilla06 I'm Chillin'07 Kingdom Blow08 Reasons For Wanting YouDownload HerePassword: def-momentum.blogspot.com

Kurtis Blow - Back By Popular Demand (1988)
01 Back By Popular Demand02 Only The Strong Survive03 I'm True To This04 Get On Up05 Suckers In The Place06 Love Don't Love Nobody07 Still On The Scene08 Express Yourself09 Blue Iguana10 I'm Feeling GoodDownload Here

ICE CUBE FEAT DAS EFX - CHECK YA SELF

2010-12-20T20:27:00.000-05:00

Flasback Flava: Common Sense - Take it Easy

2010-12-20T07:45:00.000-05:00

Wu Tang Clan - Protect Ya Neck (1993)

2010-12-14T20:23:00.000-05:00

Flashback Flava: Ice Cube-True To The Game

2010-12-07T19:43:00.000-05:00

The Heavy D & The Boyz

2010-12-05T17:41:00.000-05:00

Heavy D & The Boyz - Living Large (1987)
01 Overweight Lovers In The House, The 02 Nike 03 Chunky But Funky - (remix) 04 Dedicated 05 Here We Go 06 On The Dance Floor 07 Moneyearnin' Mount Vernon 08 I'm Gonna Make You Love Me 09 Overweighter 10 I'm Getting Paid 11 Rock The Bass 12 Mr. Big Stuff - (remix) 13 Don't You KnowListen

Heavy D. & The Boyz - Big Tyme (1989)
01. We Got Our Own Thang 02. You Ain't Heard Nuttin' Yet 03. Somebody For Me 04. Mood For Love 05. EZ Duz It, Do It EZ 06. Better Land, A 07. Gyrlz, They Love Me 08. More Bounce 09. Big Tyme 10. Flexin' 11. Here We Go Again, Y'All 12. Let It Flow Listen

Heavy D. & The Boyz - Peaceful Journey (1991)
01. Now That We Found Love 02. Let It Rain 03. I Can Make You Go Oooh 04. Sister Sister 05. Don't Curse 06. Peaceful Journey 07. Lover's Got What U Need 08. Cuz He'z Alwayz Around 09. Is It Good To You 10. Letter To The Future 11. Swinging With Da Hevster 12. Body And Mind 13. Do Me, Do Me 14. Somebody For Me 15. Let The People Sing Listen

Heavy D. & The Boyz - Blue Funk (1992)
01. Truthful 02. Who's the Man 03. Talk Is Cheap 04. Girl 05. It's a New Day 06. Who's in the House 07. Love Sexy 08. Slow Down 09. Silky 10. Here Comes the Heavster11. Blue Funk 12. Yes Y'All 13. A Buncha Niggas Listen

Heavy D. & The Boyz - Nuttin' But Love (1994)
01. Friends & Respect 02. Sex Wit You 03. Got Me Waiting 04. Nuttin' But Love 05. Something Goin' On06. This Is Your Night07. Got Me Waiting [Remix] 08. Take Your Time 09. Spend a Little Time on Top 10. Keep It Goin' 11. Black Coffee 12. Move On 13. Lord's PrayerListen 1) Listen 2

Flashback Flava: nice n smooth - hip hop junkies

2010-12-01T02:03:00.000-05:00

Rare Gems: Heavy D & The Boyz - Gyrlz they love me

2010-11-22T18:38:00.000-05:00

Classic Flava: KRS One "Sound of Da Police"

2010-11-13T19:30:00.000-05:00

Read The Okayplayer.com Interview with KRS-One @ www.iknowtheledge.com/hip-hop/krs-one-okayplayer-interview/

Rare Flava: DEF JEF - Give It Here

2010-11-08T05:06:00.000-05:00

Ladies First: Sweet Tee- on the smooth tip

2010-11-01T01:37:00.000-04:00

Rare Gems: D.I.T.C. - RARE AND UNRELEASED

2010-10-30T13:53:00.000-04:00

D.I.T.C. - RARE AND UNRELEASED

01. D.I.T.C. Live 02. Day One 03. You Know Now (Buckwild Remix) 04. Time To Get This Money 05. Dignified Soldiers (Remix) 06. Bad Rep 07. Best Behaviour 08. D-Flow Dirt 09. Deal With A Feeling 10. Do Your Thing 11. Drama12. Hold It Down13. I Flip Styles 14. Spit 15. That's That Shit

http://www.zshare.net/download/57188605ce5cbc/

Flashback Flava: Talib Kweli and Hi tek - Move Something

2010-10-25T02:00:00.000-04:00

Guilty Pleasure: Missy Elliot - Sock It 2 Me

2010-10-20T18:44:00.000-04:00

Respect The DJ: Diamond D- OC's Time's Up

2010-10-15T21:28:00.001-04:00

Unsung Flava: MC Hammer - Turn This Mutha Out

2010-10-08T19:20:00.000-04:00

If you come across someone who said that they didn't like a pre-"You Can't Touch This" MC Hammer, they're lying.

If you are true fan of hip-hop, you either had pair of pants or least tried to dance like him, even if it was only a brief second; and to be brutually Hammer is probably tougher than whole lot of these "I'm keepin' it hood" rappers we go today.

Unsung Flava: 2 Live Crew - Banned in the USA

2010-10-05T02:58:00.000-04:00

Flashback Flava: Lighter Shade Of Brown - Hey DJ (Directed By Brett Ratner)

2010-10-01T15:51:00.000-04:00

Rare Flava: Dr. Dre-Been There Done That

2010-09-29T01:43:00.000-04:00

Jay Electronica on The Last Call with Carson Daly

2010-09-26T20:57:00.001-04:00

Old School Flyer Of The Month

2010-09-22T12:57:00.000-04:00

Gangstarr (feat. Nice & Smooth) - DWYCK

2010-09-18T17:39:00.000-04:00

2010 AKRON HIP HOP SHOWCASE w/ RAKIM & WHODINI

2010-09-17T17:14:00.002-04:00

Directed by Kevin Lockett (www.lockettmedia.com)

Flashback Flava: Brand Nubian-All For One

2010-09-15T07:32:00.000-04:00

Flashback Video: Whodini-Funky Beat

2010-09-08T05:58:00.000-04:00

ICE CUBE - DEAD HOMIEZ

2010-09-05T20:26:00.000-04:00

Mobb Deep - Hell On Earth (1996)

2010-09-01T08:20:00.000-04:00

THE RUB - HISTORY OF HIP-HOP VOL. 14:

2010-08-29T05:36:00.000-04:00

THE RUB - HISTORY OF HIP-HOP VOL. 14: 199201. Gang Starr – 24/7/365 Interlude02. Redman – Time for Some Action03. Brand Nubian – Punks Jump Up04. Brand Nubian – Punks Jump Up (Remix)05. Das EFX – Mic Checka (Remix)06. Gang Starr – DWYCK07. A Tribe Called Quest – Scenario (Remix)08. Pete Rock & CL Smooth – Straighten It Out09. Showbiz & A.G. – Hold Ya Head10. Gang Starr – 92 Interlude11. Gang Starr – Conspiracy12. Nas – Halftime13. Chi Ali – Age Ain’t Nothin But A Number14. Pete Rock & CL Smooth feat. Grand Puba – Skinz15. Brand Nubian – Steal Ya ‘Ho16. Gang Starr – Take It Personal17. Showbiz & A.G. – Hard to Kill18. NWA – Nigga'z 4 Life19. Diamond & The Psychotic Neurotics – I’m Outta Here20. Gang Starr – I’m The Man21. Redman – Blow Your Mind (Remix)22. EPMD – Crossover23. Diamond & The Psychotic Neurotics – I Went For Mine24. N2Deep – Back to the Hotel25. Ray Luv – Get Ya Money On26. House Of Pain – Jump Around (Pete Rock Remix)27. Ultramagnetic MCs – Poppa Large28. Public Enemy – Nighttrain (Pete Rock mix)29. Big Daddy Kane – Nuff Respect Due30. Eric B. & Rakim – Juice (Know The Ledge)31. Eric B. & Rakim – Don’t Sweat The Technique32. Double XX Posse – Not Gonna Be Able To Do It33. Grand Puba – 360° (What Goes Around) (SD50 Remix)34. Naughty By Nature – Uptown Anthem35. Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth – T.R.O.Y. (They Reminisce Over You)36. MC Serch – Back To The Grill37. Das EFX – Jussumen (Pete Rock Remix)38. Das EFX – They Want EFX39. Apache – Gangster Bitch40. Arrested Development – People Everyday41. Fu Schnickens – Ring the Alarm42. Dr. Dre – Lil Ghetto Boy43. Dr. Dre – Nuthin’ But A “G” Thang44. DJ Pooh – Sex, Money & Murder45. Too $hort – I Want To Be Free (That’s The Truth)46. Too $hort – In The Trunk47. Son of Bazerk – What Could Be Better Bitch48. The Beastie Boys – So What’cha Want49. Pharcyde – Passin Me By50. Grand Puba – Soul Controller51. Kool G Rap – Ill Street Blues52. Dr. Dre – Stranded On Death Row

Download The Rub

Rare Flava: Skinny Boys - Skinny (They Can't Get Enough

2010-08-22T14:35:00.000-04:00

Mick Boogie & Talib Kweli - The MCEO Mixtape (2008)

2010-08-15T02:12:00.000-04:00

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=KXZC4NBN

Rare Flava: Dr. Dre Been There Done That

2010-08-08T13:43:00.000-04:00

A Tribe Called Quest Feat Leaders Of The New School - Scenario (1991)

2010-08-01T08:12:00.000-04:00

Rare Flava: The Jaz & Jay-Z - The originator

2010-07-25T02:37:00.000-04:00

Edutainment - KRS-One / Boogie-Down Productions

2010-07-18T11:35:00.000-04:00

1990 “Yo! MTV Raps” segment featuring KRS-One and the BDP crew at a “Rappers For Voter’s Registration” rally in Harlem.

Guilty Pleasure Video: Skee Lo-I Wish

2010-07-14T08:10:00.000-04:00

Okay, Skee Lo isn't Common, Talib or Mos Def, but "I Wish" was a really good West Coast/non-gangsta song during the Death Row era of the 90's.

Common Freestyle

2010-07-11T03:10:00.000-04:00

Common Freestyle from Starrene on Vimeo.

Rare Flava: D-Nice - Glory

2010-07-05T14:42:00.000-04:00

Rare Gems: Goodie mob - Cell therapy

2010-07-04T07:43:00.000-04:00

New Clasics: Freeway (Ft. Jay-Z & Beanie Sigel) - What We Do

2010-06-29T05:52:00.000-04:00

Flashback Video: Sir Mix-A-Lot - Posse On Broadway

2010-06-24T18:28:00.000-04:00

Eric B & Rakim - Let The Rythm Hit Em

2010-06-22T08:03:00.000-04:00

Mase ft. Black Rob, DMX, The Lox, & Puff - 24 Hours To Live

2010-06-17T08:19:00.000-04:00

Rare Flava: D-Nice - Crumbs On The Table

2010-06-15T14:42:00.000-04:00

Eric B & Rakim-Follow The Leader

2010-06-08T07:47:00.000-04:00

Unsung Flava: BEASTIE BOYS - Sure Shot

2010-06-05T01:52:00.000-04:00

Sure Shot

So What'cha Want

DWELE: W.ANTS & W.OMEN. [ALBUM PROMO COMMERCIALS

2010-06-01T13:53:00.000-04:00

Part 1

Part 2

Reflection Eternal - So Good (Video)

2010-05-29T11:27:00.000-04:00

A NahRight x Restless Films "One Shot" presentation featuring Reflection Eternal's "So Good" from their Revolutions Per Minute album in stores now!

New Kanye West - Power Featuring Dwele

2010-05-29T11:09:00.004-04:00

CLICK HERE

Classic Flava: 2pac-Trapped

2010-05-26T01:41:00.000-04:00

Pac Div Live @ Michigan State University

2010-05-19T22:32:00.000-04:00

Pac Div - Michigan State University (Live) from Pure Optics on Vimeo.

Old School Flyer Of The Month

2010-05-15T13:08:00.000-04:00

the.LIFE Files Sits Down With Nas!!

2010-05-13T22:21:00.000-04:00

the.LIFE Files Sits Down With Nas!! from the.LIFE Files on Vimeo.

Dres (of Black Sheep) – Doin’ It Wrong (rmx) (Video)

2010-05-12T22:19:00.000-04:00

Rah Digga: The Best MCs Don’t Rush Their Rhymes (Audio)

2010-05-11T22:18:00.000-04:00

?uestlove (of The Roots) – Billboard Q&A (Video)

2010-05-10T22:16:00.000-04:00

Reflection Eternal – Midnight Hour f. Estelle (Video)

2010-05-09T22:15:00.000-04:00

LIttle Brother – LA Stereo Interview (Video)

2010-05-08T22:12:00.000-04:00

2dopeboyz: "After one of the first performances together in just about a year, Phonte and Big Pooh chop it up with LA Stereo about their respective futures, collaborations, the future of hip hop and more. If you haven’t already, cop that LeftBack now."

Classic Ol' Dirty Bastard Interview On MTV News With John Norris

2010-05-05T17:41:00.000-04:00

New Classics: Slum Village w/ Dwele-Tainted

2010-04-30T05:20:00.000-04:00

DR DRE & ICE CUBE - NATURAL BORN KILLAZ

2010-04-26T20:25:00.000-04:00

Gang Starr's DJ Premier Comments On Guru's Death

2010-04-22T17:13:00.002-04:00

(Via MTV.com)

...."It was a sad day for me to get confirmation on the death of a man who I will continue to call my brother, Keith Elam, better known as Guru of the legendary Gang Starr," the statement reads. "From 1988-2004, we experienced so much success together that we were able to expand our businesses independently and give each other what Guru called 'creative space,' before planning to reunite for our seventh LP when the time was right. Tragically, we will never reach that day.

"I've been asked to comment on a letter speaking ill of me which was supposedly written by Guru in his dying days. All I will say about it is that our time together was beautiful, we built a hip-hop legacy together, and no one can re-write history or take away my love for him. One thing I would never do is play around with the truth about his life.

Read More

Guru's Farewell Letter Scrutinized

2010-04-22T17:09:00.003-04:00

Right after Guru's death, a letter appeared that has caused a firestorm of controversy because many feel that Guru did not write the letter.

Here's the letter in its entirety, tell us what you think:

I, Guru, am writing this letter to my fans, friends and loved ones around the world. I have had a long battle with cancer and have succumbed to the disease. I have suffered with this illness for over a year. I have exhausted all medical options.

I have a non-profit organization called Each One Counts dedicated to carrying on my charitable work on behalf of abused and disadvantaged children from around the world and also to educate and research a cure for this terrible disease that took my life. I write this with tears in my eyes, not of sorrow but of joy for what a wonderful life I have enjoyed and how many great people I have had the pleasure of meeting.

My loyal best friend, partner and brother, Solar, has been at my side through it all and has been made my health proxy by myself on all matters relating to myself. He has been with me by my side on my many hospital stays, operations, doctors visits and stayed with me at my home and cared for me when I could not care for myself. Solar and his family is my family and I love them dearly and I expect my family, friends, and fans to respect that, regardless to anybody’s feelings on the matter. It is my wish that counts. This being said I am survived by the love of my life, my sun KC, who I trust will be looked after by Solar and his family as their own. Any awards or tributes should be accepted, organized approved by Solar on behalf myself and my son until he is of age to except on his own.

I do not wish my ex-DJ to have anything to do with my name likeness, events tributes etc. connected in anyway to my situation including any use of my name or circumstance for any reason and I have instructed my lawyers to enforce this. I had nothing to do with him in life for over 7 years and want nothing to do with him in death. Solar has my life story and is well informed on my family situation, as well as the real reason for separating from my ex-DJ. As the sole founder of GangStarr, I am very proud of what GangStarr has meant to the music world and fans. I equally am proud of my Jazzmatazz series and as the father of Hip-Hop/Jazz. I am most proud of my leadership and pioneering efforts on Jazzmatazz 4 for reinvigorating the Hip-Hop/Jazz genre in a time when music quality has reached an all time low. Solar and I have toured in places that I have never been before with GangStarr or Jazzmatatazz and we gained a reputation for being the best on the planet at Hip-Hop/Jazz, as well as the biggest and most influential Hip-Hop/Jazz record with Jazzmatazz 4 of the decade to now. The work I have done with Solar represents a legacy far beyond its time. And we as a team were not afraid to push the envelope. To me this is what true artists do!

As men of honor we stood tall in the face of small mindedness, greed, and ignorance. As we fought for music and integrity at the cost of not earning millions and for this I will always be happy and proud, and would like to thank the million fans who have seen us perform over the years from all over the world. The work I have done with Solar represents a legacy far beyond its time and is my most creative and experimental to date. I hope that our music will receive the attention it deserves as it is some of the best work I have done and represents some of the best years of my life.

Gangstarr's Guru Dead @ 43 Years Old

2010-04-20T14:49:00.003-04:00

(Via Yahoo)

Hip-Hop Luminary Guru Succumbs To Cancer

Hip-hop icon Keith "Guru" Elam died Monday as a result of cancer-related causes, MTV reports. He was 43 years old.

Guru was hospitalized in March, and while some outlets reported that he suffered a heart attack, it was never confirmed.

Guru's friend and partner Solar released a statement following his passing. "The world has lost one of the best MCs and hip-hop icons of all-time-my loyal best friend, partner, and brother, Guru," Solar wrote, according to MTV. "Guru has been battling cancer for well over a year and has lost his battle! This is a matter that Guru wanted private until he could beat it, but tragically, this did not happen. The cancer took him. Now the world has lost a great man a true genius."

Read More

What is your favorite Guru song or moment?

E.W.COM's favorite songs by Guru

7 things about rapper Keith “Guru” Elam of Gang Starr

2010-04-20T14:04:00.000-04:00

(Via News Provider)

1. He was a member of Gang Starr, together with DJ Premier. In the 90s they helped shape the sound of hip hop’s sound.

2. He was born in the Boston neighborhood of Roxbury.

3. In his later years he partnered with Solar and wanted nothing to do with DJ Premier.

4. With Gang Starr, he released some albums considered classic in hip hop, like Step In The Arena (1991) and Daily Operation.

5. His solo records were acclaimed too. The first one, and possibly the best known, was called Jazzmatazz, Vol. 1 and was released in 1993.

6. His last album was called Guru 8.0: Lost And Found and was released in 2008.

7. He was 43 years old when he died after losing his battle with cancer. He had previously suffered a cardiac arrest following which he went into a coma. He woke up from the coma, but unfortunately died two months later.

Notorious B I G Performs One More Chance on Shwotime at The Apollo

2010-04-20T11:52:00.000-04:00

Ol Dirty Bastard (ODB) Freestyle On Muchmusic Rapcity

2010-04-17T11:47:00.000-04:00

Classic Flava: gable Planets - Rebirth Of Slick (Cool Like Dat)

2010-04-15T04:59:00.000-04:00

3rd Annual Hip Hop Showcase: Rakim Allah Comes To Lock 3 Park in Akron, Ohio September 4th

2010-04-12T14:41:00.003-04:00

(Akron Beacon Journal)

....If you call yourself a true hip-hop fan and you don't know who Rakim is, you suck.

Sorry to be so blunt, but it's true.

Way back in the stone age known as the 1980s, Rakim and DJ/producer partner Eric B upped the lyrical ante for all emcees with their watershed debut album Paid in Full. It featured classic tunes I Ain't No Joke, My Melody, the title cut, Move the Crowd and of course their biggest hit Chinese Arithmetic (that's a joke).

While many rappers were still using the simple, old-school, Run DMC style, Rakim brought imagery, different flows and a pre-gangsta seriousness to his lyrics that shifted ''the game'' from the basic, last line of the verse is the rhyming word to more complex schemes that featured rhymes within rhymes.

Eric B & Rakim followed up that classic banger with another, Follow the Leader, featuring Microphone Fiend, the Funkadelic-sampling Lyrics of Fury and the kinetic title track.

Eric B & Rakim broke up after Don't Sweat the Technique, which featured the uptempo Know the Ledge, a first person narrative of a street hustler who realizes he's destroying his community and is living on borrowed time.

Rakim has a new album, The Seventh Seal, that was released last fall after nearly a decade of recording, rerecording and generally taking his time. The album is just OK, but worth checking out. Hopefully, Ra will give us a nice mix of old and new.

Go to http://www.keepersoftheart.com/ for more information

Das EFX-Real Hip Hop

2010-04-11T10:35:00.000-04:00

Das EFX-Real Hip Hop

A Tribe Called Quest - Jazz(We've Got)/Buggin' Out (1991)

2010-04-04T08:11:00.000-04:00

Flashback Video: NWA-Express Yourself

2010-03-23T20:03:00.000-04:00

Jay-Z - Reasonable Gangster (2008)

2010-03-20T09:08:00.000-04:00

Jay-Z - Reasonable Gangster (2008)TrackList:01. No Hookz02. Dreaming Again03. Roc Boyz Return 04. Brooklyn 3.0 (Ft. The Notorious B.I.G & Lil Wayne)
05. Too Ignorant (Ft. Beenie Seigel)06. Falling 0907. New Magic08. More Success (Ft. Nas)09. Party Feeling10. So Sweet Jay-Z - Reasonable Gangster Listen
HTML Code:

http://music-gate.info/forum/everything.else/6142-jay.z.reasonable.gangster.2008.album.rapidshare.megaupload.sharebee.html

Unreleased J DILLA - SAFETY DANCE 2010

2010-03-19T22:22:00.000-04:00

"
Dilla for the digital DJ
Though we know very little about the man's culinary tastes, it makes a certain kind of sense (the stoner-y kind) that the donut has become a symbol of late, great hip-hop producer J Dilla.

Tasty loops were a widely known specialty of the beatsmith, who lived out his final days in Los Angeles, a city whose landscape is dotted with palm trees, pot dispensaries and pastry purveyors.

Moreover, Dilla's acclaimed final album, released three days before his death, was titled Donuts, and Stones Throw has just announced a unique follow-up to that in the form of Donut Shop, a collectible DJ-friendly vinyl set produced in collaboration with the J Dilla Estate.

Free MP3 and photo of the greatest slipmats ever conceived (really) after the jump.

Donut Shop is due out May 10 and available now for preorder at a whopping $34.99. Thankfully, the sum of the whole is more than just the six songs contained therein: three heretofore unheard gems, three unreleased instrumental versions.

The gatefold release will include two slabs of wax -- one for use on the old turntable, one rigged for the Serato DJ tools software -- and, more importantly, two donut-shaped slipmats. Close inspection seems to suggest that the flavors are "pink sans sprinkles" and "chocolate with pink plus sprinkles."

Listen to and download the newly leaked Dilla track "Safety Dance" below -- which cops more than its title from the 1982 Men Without Hats single -- then feast (your eyes) on the physical details of the release." LA Weekly

Deep: The Music Industry Exposed 'Destroying DMX' [11 Minute Webisode]

2010-03-19T22:20:00.001-04:00

Nas - Made You Look

2010-03-13T08:28:00.000-05:00

Old School Mega Mix

2010-03-09T09:45:00.000-05:00

Video: Jay Electronica On His Style vs. Juvenile’s

2010-03-04T13:59:00.000-05:00

Jay Elec speaks to the LA Leakers about his style versus that of someone like Juvenile who came up in the same neighborhood as him.

Fifth Grader Brings Marijuana Laced Cereal To School

2010-03-04T05:57:00.000-05:00

(Hip Hop Wired)

A fifth grader was detained by Pittsburgh police after they say she brought Fruity Pebbles “treats” laced with marijuana to school.

The fifth grade girl shared the snacks with her fellow classmates but police say none of the children got sick or high.

Parents of the children who ingested the food were called and the children were sent home.
The girl says she got the marijuana laced snacks from her sister who used her medical marijuana card to buy the treats.

The fifth grader was fully aware that her snack of choice was laced with the drug.
No arrests have been made.

White Professor Fired For Calling Himself The N-Word

2010-03-03T17:38:00.000-05:00

(Hip Hop Wired)

A white professor at Towson University lost his job after sparking controversy by referring to himself as a ni**er.

Allen Zaruba was an adjunct professor at the University until late February when while discussing a chapter about identity in his class he referred to himself as a,

“N**er on the corporate plantation.”

Zaruba says he is stunned by the backlash he's received from the statement especially considering the fact that he grew up with a Black stepfather and serves in the prison ministry.

“I am not a racist. I never have been. I've been raised overseas and in other cultures. It just absolutely kills me.”

Since losing his adjunct position Zaruba has reached out to administration to plead his case.

"Ni**er on a “corporate plantation?"

Is that that a slavery reference I detect? SMH...good riddance.

New: Reflection Enternal-In This Word (Talib Kweli &b Hi Tek)

2010-03-03T13:54:00.000-05:00

New single off RE’s long-awaited sophomore, Revolutions Per Minute (due April 6th.)

Video: Stussy’s J Dilla Documentary (Part 3) scheduled

2010-03-03T12:55:00.000-05:00

Stussy - J Dilla Documentary Prt3 (of 3) from Stussy on Vimeo.

DJ Premier Confirms Guru's Heart Attack & Coma!

2010-03-02T17:35:00.001-05:00

(Hip Hop Wired)

According to many different sources, Hip-Hop Wired has acquired information that rapper Guru has fallen into a coma after suffering cardiac arrest.

Details right now remain very slim, but sources have stated that the news was broken by Guru's sister.

Guru, who is a former member of the rap duo Gang Starr, is considered to be one of the pioneers of Hip-Hop/jazz crossovers. As more details are released, Hip-Hop Wired will continue to bring you all the information regarding the situation.

Our prayers go to Keith "Guru" Elam and his family.

*UPDATE*
DJ Premier, the other half of Gang Starr called up Satelite XM radio station "Hip Hop Nation" and confirmed Guru's heart attack.

"Guru IS in a coma and will go under surgery tomorrow afternoon."

Thanks to Hip Hop Wired

Video: Kidz In The Hall Interview w/ VIBE

2010-03-02T13:51:00.001-05:00

Naledge and Double-0 speak to VIBE about bloggers/social-networking, A Tribe Called Quest, and their single Jukebox.

Video: Stussy’s J Dilla Documentary (Part 2)

2010-03-02T12:54:00.000-05:00

Video: Stussy’s J Dilla Documentary (Part 1)

2010-03-01T12:53:00.000-05:00

Jay Electronica Interview w/ Distortion 2 Static

2010-02-27T20:47:00.000-05:00

Video: Raekwon Talks ODB & Ghostface w/ FUSE

2010-02-25T17:51:00.001-05:00

Meth Ghost Rae - Avenging Eagles (Mixtape)

2010-02-23T20:44:00.000-05:00

Click here for the Method Man Ghostface Raekown mixtape. Look out for their Wu-Massacre album on March 30th.

Def Jam's L.A. Reid flies to Belize to finalize Shyne’s Contract

2010-02-23T14:39:00.003-05:00

(Via Miss Info)

7news Belize reports that Def Jam Chairman L.A. Reid flew down via private jet to Belize to deliver Shyne’s record contract, confirming last week’s MissInfo scoop. After landing, Reid, the consummate showman, laid it on thick for the media….

LA Reid: “I have come here to stand by Shyne and to officially kick off our partnership with Island Def Jam Music Group and Gangland Records and so it is really an honour to be here, really very special place.”
[Reporter: Why did you find it necessary to come here yourself?]
LA Reid: “I am here because great people are worthy of travelling many many miles for it and I come here to say that your country is great and I hope you guys know that this is a great man from your country who deserves this kind of respect and who deserves this kind of support. So that is why we are here.”
“We don’t talk about things like but only that there is one and that we are intend to do great things and we are very committed to Shyne’s career.”
[Reporter: Should we expect a big comeback from Shyne?]
LA Reid: “I don’t expect it, I can promise it.”

(PS: The report’s claim that his contract is worth between $5-$10 million seems exaggerated, but the rest seems accurate.) (thanks to reader Nello R. for the tip : )

UPDATE: Eskay/Nahright addresses this report and basically makes too much sense. I wish I could say everything I hear. But time will tell it for me. That said, I don’t blame Shyne for getting everything he can.

Shyne’s response after the jump…

After LA’s high praise, Shyne returned the favor in kind:
Shyne: “It is an honour and a pleasure, not just for me but for Belize. Chairman Reid is on the level of Berry Gordy, Clive Davis, the biggest music men in the history of music, and so to have a partnership with Gangland Records and Island/Def Jam is incredible for me.”

Video: Jon John TV @ Lord Finesse’s Birthday Party (feat. Rakim, Mr. Cheeks, Grand Puba, AG & Doitall)

2010-02-22T20:30:00.001-05:00

Jay Electronica At Jazz Cafe (London)

2010-02-20T21:30:00.000-05:00