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Audio: Selah Sue x J. Cole “Raggamuffin” (Supa Dups Remix)

by Eddie "STATS" on May 16, 2012 NEWS

Belgian singer Selah Sue just stepped through the Okayplayer office and mesmerised us with a private concert right at our desks (who says Google is the best place to work?)–and then promptly left to debut her new single with J. Cole on Hot97. Check out the remix of “Ragamuffin” put down by our good personal ... Read more

Audio: House Shoes “Last Breath” feat. Nottz, Oh No & MED

by shamz on May 16, 2012 NEWS

After giving us a sample of some of the bangers in his back catalog [II], House Shoes brings things back to the present with some new heat today. As we’ve mentioned, House Shoes is preparing to release his first album, Let It Go, on June 19th via Tres Records. The LP is entirely produced by ... Read more

Audio: Casual X Mr. Town “Sushi”

by anto on May 16, 2012 NEWS

Here’s another joint off Casual‘s He Still Think He Raw LP (out next Tuesday). It’s called “Sushi”– as in acquired taste. And raw, of course. A bit of a different look for the Hiero MC this time around but that serenading singsong-sh*t works just as well as the usual lyrical Kung Fu. Grab the free ... Read more

Audio: Portland Cello Project “H.A.M.”

by anto on May 16, 2012 NEWS

Y’all heard about the jazz/punk hip hop cover thing, right? Well here’s something similar but different. The Portland Cello Project (yes, they do use the questionable acronym PCP) plays classical versions of tunes like “N***as In Paris,” “All of the Lights” and “H.A.M.” There might be a little Throne bias there but we’ll still take ... Read more

Suzi Analogue – (R)ose (A)lways (W)ins [Instrumental EP]

by shamz on May 16, 2012 NEWS

As we wait for Suzi Analogue and TOKiMONSTA‘s collabo mixtape to drop, Suzi drops this RAW new EP to hold y’all down. With (R)ose (A)lways (W)ins, Suzi puts the mic duties on hold and hits us with 6 new beats. As is often the case with Suzi’s music, this EP is not easily assigned a ... Read more

MaLLy & The Sundance Kid – The Last Great… [Free LP]

by shamz on May 16, 2012 NEWS

I’m a day late with this, but as promised, Minneapolis emcee MaLLy dropped his free LP yesterday (via Complex), The Last Great… The project was entirely produced by The Sundance Kid and is comprised of 12 original tracks with features from Brother Ali, Truth be Told, K.Raydio, and Claire De Lune. I only got put ... Read more

Audio: Ryan Leslie x Fabolous “Beautiful Lie” (Remix)

by Eddie "STATS" on May 15, 2012 NEWS

After teasing us with in-studios, making-ofs, and behind-the-scenes (above) one-man bandman Ryan Leslie and dapper dan-man Fabolous dropped the audio for their collaborative joint “Beautiful Lie” (Remix) yesterday. I’ma be honest, I found Fab’s verses a bit underwhelming but his style is still such a good balance to Les More’s that I still see supergroup ... Read more

Quelle Chris – Jock Sin Six [Beat Tape]

by Eddie "STATS" on May 15, 2012 NEWS

As promised, the new beat tape from 10th wonder Quelle Chris, streaming on bandcamp in all its beathead glory. If you could smoke these beats, your eyes would bleed purple. Seriously–good, sonic envelope-pushing sh*t and as with much innovative music, sometimes the tags speak for themselves: United States, electronic, minimal, hip-hop, synthwave, rap. Listen below and throw 8 ... Read more

Audio: J Dilla X J Rocc “F*ck The Police” [Edit/Snippet]

by Eddie "STATS" on May 15, 2012 NEWS

Black Star DJ and all around master of records J Rocc treats us to a minute and 1/3 of an edit he is working on for Jay Dee‘s “F*ck The Police”–one of my all-time personal Dilla joints, no Serpico. Transforming the hard-scrabble drum-and-horn attack of the original into a mellower but still menacing groove, J Rocc ... Read more

Oddisee – Odd Renditions [EP]

by shamz on May 15, 2012 NEWS

Though it caught us a little off guard, DMV emcee/producer Oddisee pleasantly surprised us with his re-imagining of Marvin Gaye‘s “Ain’t That Peculiar,” last week. Little did we know, that clip was part of a full EP, Odd Renditions, which dropped today for free download. Along with the Marvin remix, the EP has three other ... Read more

Audio: The Endangered “Calling On You”

by anto on May 14, 2012 NEWS

Los Angeles four-piece The Endangered has been doing their thing for a minute now, but now the soul-troupe has taken the next step by getting Grammy Award-winner Steven Miller to produce for them. Their single “Calling On You” (listen below) sounds world-class but never overly slick, and is available on iTunes now. Their self-titled EP ... Read more

Okayafrica Audio: Antibalas ‘Sare Kon Kon’ (Redux)

by killakam on May 14, 2012 NEWS

Brooklyn’s go-to afrobeat outfit Antibalas is prepping the release of their first album in five years. “Sare Kon Kon (Redux),” the closing track off that upcoming self-titled Antibalas LP, follows in the vein of the 12-piece group’s horn-flanked concoctions. The tune features vocals about restlessness that, as saxophonist Stuart Bogie states, “encapsulate the rushing anarchy that keeps the ... Read more

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Video: Torae “That Raw (prod. Pete Rock)”

by shamz on May 16, 2012 NEWS

The headline says it all, Torae & Pete Rock, that’s pretty much all you need (you should already have pressed play by now). If you’re curious what kind of music The Young Veteran and Soul Brother #1 make, refer to the song title. Video directed by Brian Robinson of Hyerground. Torae’s LP, For The Record, ... Read more

Video: DJ Mista Sinista Reminisces On Roc Raida

by anto on May 16, 2012 NEWS

Tomorrow would have marked the 40th birthday of cutmaster Roc Raida. Fellow X-Ecutioner Rob Swift put together a project dedicated to the legendary DJ in honor of his untimely passing. Check out what Swift has to say about the Roc for Raida mixtape below and watch the video recorded at the listening party, which prominently ... Read more

Video: Eric Benet Speaks On New Album

by anto on May 16, 2012 NEWS

Last month we showed you a tune from Eric Benet‘s upcoming album The One. Now here’s some words from the artist himself. Watch and you will learn about the singer’s inspiration, the recording process and how as a 8-year old, little Eric had calcium on the brain. Not actually on his brain. You know. On ... Read more

Video: Percee P X Madlib “Mastered Craftsman”

by anto on May 16, 2012 NEWS

Whoever edited the closing credits for Percee P‘s “Mastered Craftsman” video seems to have found it improbable that the Bronx-native has really been rapping since 1979, crediting the lethal lyricist for only 23 of his 33 years on the mic. Even so, “Mastered Craftsman” might even be an understatement for a man with a third ... Read more

Video: Jill Scott “Blessed/Sneak” Live On Vh-1 Storytellers

by Eddie "STATS" on May 16, 2012 NEWS

Remember when we mentioned that the new season of Vh-1 Storytellers was kicking off with a spotlight on our very own Jilly from Philly? Its happening. The show airs next monday, May 21st and to get the world psyched Vh-1 leaked this clip today featuring Ms. Scott’s live performance of her current single “Blessed” (plus ... Read more

Video: ScienZe & King I Divine “Hero”

by shamz on May 16, 2012 NEWS

To commemorate their last video, “Enjoy Tonight,” hitting 20k views on youtube, ScienZe and King I Divine dropped the vid for their second single, “Hero.” Video directed by JeromeD. Divine ScienZe is out now. I’m feelin’ this one, can we get that “Happiness Is” vid next?? Read more

Video: DJ Dez X Dilla Breakdown of Slum Village f/ Busta Rhymes – “The Hustle”

by anto on May 16, 2012 NEWS

Here’s a story straight from Dillatroit, USA. DJ Dez once gave a record to the man Jay Dee and–voilà!–dude came up with the beat for “The Hustle.” Apparently Waajeed of Bling47 has the knowl-edge over Dez when it comes to super bootlegs though. props to Bling47 Read more

Video: Curren$y X Shaheem Reid Interview

by anto on May 16, 2012 NEWS

Curren$y took some time out of his buzzing, headache-inducing schedule (56 shows in 60 days!) to give the dude Shaheem Reid a chance to catch up with the Young Spitta. Besides discussing his upcoming, very first studio album, The Stoned Immaculate (out on June 5), Curren$y talks about his fans showing love and sharing snacks, ... Read more

OKP News: Rock The Bells 2012 Line-Up Announced

by Eddie "STATS" on May 16, 2012 NEWS

As readers of OKP probably already know, the Rock The Bells launch party happened last night, and as residents of NaSiristan probably already know, Nas blasted out an image of the show’s flyer to the world immediately afterward. Besides Nas himself, the bill includes Missy Elliot + Timbaland, J Cole, Kid Cudi, Method Man & Redman, Kendrick ... Read more

Video: Reks “Sins (prod. Statik Selektah)” feat. Alias

by shamz on May 16, 2012 NEWS

Reks‘ latest album, Straight, No Chaser, deserved every bit of its’ 88 grade in the OKP review section IMO. Dude’s been slept on for a minute now, but hopefully people took note of this latest LP. I’d advise giving the full album some burn, but for now watch Reks and Alias pay the ultimate price ... Read more

Video: El-P Live On David Letterman

by anto on May 16, 2012 NEWS

Imagining El-P perfom on The Late Show With David Letterman in his Company Flow days is not the easiest of tasks. But El has certainly come a along way from his somewhat eremitic backpack-hero days, regularly sharing his twitter wisdom, raking up accolades from across the music press board for his work on Killer Mike‘s ... Read more

Pass The Popcorn: Michael K. Williams Speaks on Portraying O.D.B.

by Eddie "STATS" on May 16, 2012 NEWS

We ran into Michael K. Williams (or as he will forever be known in the hood: “Omar from the HBO program The Wire“) on the streets of Brooklyn yesterday, which is how we know he has wrapped shooting on his black cowboy epic with Idris Elba, Erykah Badu and Jeymes Samuel (at least for the ... Read more