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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

Audio: Tabi Bonney X Yasiin Bey X Ski Beatz “Chop Chop”

by anto on May 14, 2012 NEWS

We know you’re always starved for some fresh food for thought from the man Yasiin Bey. All the better if it’s served up on a nice, Caribbean-flavored coconut bun, courtesy of tried and tested rapper/producer-combo Tabi Bonney and Ski Beatz. On “Chop Chop”, Yasiin goes in, never missing a step with that “thick skin, rich ... Read more

Audio: Action Bronson x Roc Marciano x The Purist

by Eddie "STATS" on May 14, 2012 NEWS

UK producer The Purist brings a sound I like to think of as “ye olde pimp shit”–loops of pure blaxploitation swag–for Roc Marciano and Action Bronson to rock over, showing off their bad sides like you was holding out 5 dollars on them. It’s all part of his Double Feature EP which is coppable here. Speaking of ... Read more

Audio Premiere: Sene “Four Finger Ringers (prod. J57)”

by shamz on May 14, 2012 NEWS

The duo who brought us this gem returns today with some more heat. As we mentioned, BBAS J57 plans on dropping not one, but two EPs, 2057 & The Ports EP, respectively, on May 22nd via his website. Today, J passes OKP the premiere of his Sene assisted track “Four Finger Ringers,” which will appear ... Read more

Audio: World’s Fair “Sick Rapping Bro”

by shamz on May 14, 2012 NEWS

World’s Fair, the Queens hip-hop collective consisting of Children of The Night and three other solo artists, unite for a new jawn from the crew, “SRB.” Banks, Samo, Donna, Jones, Bware, and Nigel all get lyrical on the aptly titled “Sick Rapping Bro” (JonnyGO Figure on the beat). Look for World’s Fair at this year’s Queens Day ... Read more

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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

Video: Murs x DJ Quik Interview Backstage At Paid Dues

by Eddie "STATS" on May 15, 2012 NEWS

Hip-hop artist/mogul Murs takes the opportunity to sit backstage with rap legend DJ Quik backstage at the Paid Dues festival and chop it up about L.A. living, drugs and haircare tips, among deeper subjects. Never one to suppress his own devilish streak Murs cuts straight to the chase with “ever did acid?” in the first ... Read more

Video: Jay-Z Speaks On New Jay Electronica LP

by Eddie "STATS" on May 15, 2012 NEWS

After putting his stamp on same-sex marriage and the 1%, Jay-Z went ahead and waded into the other great intractable controversy of the last few years–the status of the semi-mythical Jay Electronica album tentatively titled Act II: Patents of Nobility. Confirming what ?uesto, Young Guruand others have hinted, Jay states that he does indeed have the ... Read more

Video: Flying Lotus Debuts Tracks From New LP Live In Saõ Paulo, Brazil

by Eddie "STATS" on May 15, 2012 NEWS

Flying Lotus was in Brazil over the weekend, performing at Saõ Paulo’s Sonar electronic music festival and just to make sure he gave the fans their money’s worth, opened up his set with previews of at least two new tracks (at about :30 and 5:00) from his forthcoming LP Until The Quiet Comes (between the Southern hemisphere ... Read more

Philly: The Roots Unveil Roots Mural Project At Wall Ball 2012 [5/31]

by Eddie "STATS" on May 15, 2012 NEWS

On Thursday May 31st–roughly two weeks from today–The Legendary Roots Crew will be honored by Philadelphia’s Mural Arts Program at a little thing called Wall Ball 2012. In addition to raising funds for the city’s educational programs the evening will introduce the Roots Mural Project: “a new endeavor which includes an art education curriculum (Roots 101) ... Read more

Video: Jay-Z Speaks On Gay Marriage + More on CNN

by Eddie "STATS" on May 15, 2012 NEWS

For years, rap music chat boards have been home to boundless speculation about who would change the culture of hip-hop by coming out as the first gay rapper. There’s been tons of accusation and recently even a few questionable confessions (Lil B, Nicki Minaj). But Jay-Z may have just changed the game on a far ... Read more

Video: Nesby Phips “Whole Nutha”

by shamz on May 15, 2012 NEWS

Nesby Phips‘ 1st and 15th campaign rolls on today with the N.O. emcee/producer comin’ through with somethin’ new over The East Flatbush Project‘s classic instrumental. Live from the local Chinese food spot, Phips comes through with “Whole Nutha.” The song originally appeared on Nesby’s February release, Ode To Old School & Classics EP. Video directed ... Read more

Video: The Wurxs “Clockin In”

by anto on May 14, 2012 NEWS

Just last month, Philly-based rhymemachines The Wurxs baffled us with the high-quality weirdness of their 2nd Win EP. For their track “Clockin In,” which is also featured on these “thirteen minutes of thump,” the duo gives us a visual glimpse of what they’re about: smoking weed, rapping, having fun with it. “Trying to make a ... Read more

Video: Mayer Hawthorne “Henny & Gingerale”

by Eddie "STATS" on May 14, 2012 NEWS

Michigan-bred soulcat (and closet boogie expert–you should hear his DJ sets) Mayer Hawthorne does the well-known makers of fine ‘gnacs (not to mention Canada Dry!) a super-solid look with this boogie-ish tribute to his favorite cocktail. Sounds a lot like the mood and groove from Marvin Gaye‘s “Got To Give It Up“–if that party in the ... Read more

The Foreign Exchange Tour Dates

by anto on May 14, 2012 NEWS

Phonte and Nicolay will be once again blessing the stages of the North-East this June, as The Foreign Exchange embarks on yet another stint of live shows. The rapper-turned-singer (no T-Pain) and his producer will be supported by Zo!, the amazing Sy Smith (if you want to know why, watch for an interview with her ... Read more

Video: Danny Brown x Pitchfork TV “Detroit State Of Mind”

by Eddie "STATS" on May 14, 2012 NEWS

Danny Brown takes producer/director Eavvon O’Neal on a tour though the streets (or rather the “house, field, field, abandoned house, field”s) of his youth in this 20 minute mini-doc from PFTV, trekking from the West Side of Detroit, where his family still lives to his new(er) crib in suburban Royal Oak. Among other highlights (musings ... Read more