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Penetration Funk Ally Al Mixtape Cover
Penetration Funk Ally Al Mixtape Cover

Mixtape Monday: New Valentine's Day Special Mixes From Ally Al + DJ C. Devone, Prince Paul, Afropunk + More!

Lenny Kravitz, Grace Jones, Lauryn Hill, Lion Babe, Thundercat, SZA & More Rock The Afropunk Festival 2015 in Brooklyn, NY.

(artwork by Andy Forshaw)

Why there isn't a Grammys category for Best New Mixtape is something we'll always be left wondering. The conspiracy continues. All the same, Mixtape Monday is back for your listening pleasure, and we've made a point to do something extra special for the lovers all around the world. We're bringing you two special Valentine's Day mixes from both Ally Al and OKP newcomer DJ C. DeVone, both filled with love songs, tender beats and sultry vibes. What's more, we're packing sets from Prince Paul, Okayafrica, Peanut Butter Wolf, Afropunk and more. It's an all-killer set from front to back, so let's begin and get to listening. You can rewatch that Yeezy stage rush some other time.

Lenny Kravitz, Grace Jones, Lauryn Hill, Lion Babe, Thundercat, SZA & More Rock The Afropunk Festival 2015 in Brooklyn, NY.

(artwork by Andy Forshaw)

An all-Parliament Funkadelic Valentine's Day Mix is the kind of "so perfect it had to have already happened" ideas. But no, it's never been tried, until now. Our good friend DJ Ally Al has sewn together an amazing mixtape, loaded with some of the funkiest damn love songs to ever be put down on wax. From the OG P-Funk ensembles to offshoots like The Brides of Funkenstein and Bootsy's rubber band, the lovely beat goes on and on. Ally told us that "Now this being the Funk Mob, probably best not to expect straight up romance. But here are 17 bass heavy, guitar solo, funky synth laden freaky tracks." We can feel it getting a little warmer in here...

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Tracklist:

The Brides of Funkenstein - "Amorous"

Funkadelic - "Soul Mate"

Funkadelic - "Baby I Owe You Something Good"

Bootsy's Rubber Band - "I'd Rather Be With You -

Parliament - "I've Been Watching You ( Move Your Sexy Body )"

The Brides of Funkenstein - "Just Like You"

Funkadelic - "You Scared The Lovin' Outta Me"

Bootsy's Rubber Band - "Physical Love"

Bernie Worrell - "Hold On"

The Brides of Funkenstein - "Didn't Mean To Fall In Love"

Bootsy's Rubber Band - "Can't Stay Away"

Funkadelic - "I'll Stay"

Parliament - "( You're A Fish An I'm A ) Water Sign"

Parlet - "Wonderful One"

The Brides of Funkenstein - "When You're Gone"

Parlet - "Don't Ever Stop ( Lovin' Me, Needin' Me )"

Bootsy's Rubber Band - "Mumchies For Your Love"

Lenny Kravitz, Grace Jones, Lauryn Hill, Lion Babe, Thundercat, SZA & More Rock The Afropunk Festival 2015 in Brooklyn, NY.

A first-timer in Mixtape Monday, we bring you the Electric Love V-Day set from NYC's DJ. C DeVone. Miss DeVone has put together a set that fits perfect with that special time of the night, when the end of the club/bar scene leads to somewhere a bit more intimate. When public turns to private. Her choice cuts from Drake, The Weeknd, Erykah Badu and (of course) Ginuwine make it an excellent soundtrack to whatever it is you've got planned for you and your lover.

Tracklist:

Sofia Karlberg - "Crazy in Love" (Fifty Shades of Grey Version)

The Weekend - "Coming Down"

Drake - "How Bout Now"

Any Time, "Any Place" (starRo mix)

Jodeci - "Freekin' U" (Hedspin & Four Color Zack Remix)

Ginuwine - "Pony" (eSenTRIK Remix)

Notorious B.I.G. - "Nasty Girl" (Navy Shade Edit)

Rihanna - "Jonas Cockiniess Mix"

Art Of Noise - "Moments In Love"

INOJ - "Love You Down" (eSenTRIK Remix)

Ellie Goulding - "High For This"

Erykah Badu - "Love"

Marvin Gaye - "I Want You" (Danny K edit)

Lenny Kravitz, Grace Jones, Lauryn Hill, Lion Babe, Thundercat, SZA & More Rock The Afropunk Festival 2015 in Brooklyn, NY.

DJ top-don Prince Paul is forever strong in his mixtape game. Last week he dropped "It's Not The Size Of Your Mix, It's How You Use It," a statement with which we have to agree. Paul's 43 minute set is full of obscure-ish cuts straight out of his home collection. In his own words, "It’s Not The Size of Your Mix It’s How You Use It is a collection of songs that I never get to hear outside of my iPod. I based this mix on songs I like to listen to not artist or popularity. This will probably be the start of a few mixes I will make this year. I’m not a mixtape making type of guy, but this was pretty fun to make. I hope you enjoy and PLEASE SHARE! Blessings and support you local rapper." Hear joints from Young MC, KRS-One and many more!

Lenny Kravitz, Grace Jones, Lauryn Hill, Lion Babe, Thundercat, SZA & More Rock The Afropunk Festival 2015 in Brooklyn, NY.

We'd be remiss to not give proper respect to Afropunk's new mixtape series, which just hit its third installment. Curated by some of the brightest minds in black culture, their new set comes with the events in Selma, Ferguson, New York City and Washington D.C. in mind. New cuts from Saul Williams, The Pluto Moons, Toro y Moi and Adia Victoria make it a righteous listen, but this isn't some party-centric lovefest; this is a social movement. Listen through for empowering interludes from the likes of Gil Scott Heron and get fired up to continue the work that's only just begun.

Tracklist:

The Pluto Moons - "#Badgoodbye"

Gil Scott Heron - "Interlude"

Adia Victoria - "Stuck In The South"

Interlude - Sanford Biggers (Triptych: 2012)

Toro Y Moi - "Empty Nesters"

All Cows Eat Grass - "We All Win"

Oshun - "buildestroy"

Interlude - Loretta Lynch Confirmation Hearing (January 2015)

Black Luck - "Cover It Up"

The Cultured - "Twelve"

The Connectors - "Half Measures"

Interlude - Malcolm X (1962)

Project Black Pantera - "Boto Pra Fuder"

Interlude - Saul Williams (August 2013)

Saul Williams - "All Coltrane Solos At Once"

16. Oceano - "Dead Planets"

Interlude - Saul Williams (August 2013)

Raury - "Fly"

Lenny Kravitz, Grace Jones, Lauryn Hill, Lion Babe, Thundercat, SZA & More Rock The Afropunk Festival 2015 in Brooklyn, NY.

Get ready to go colossal. Peanut Butter Wolf dropped by to jam with the BBC's Benji B last week and the duo wound up spinning three hours' worth of mostly vintage hip-hop. Plenty of J Dilla and Dam Funk got tossed around, which is fitting when you think the timing of it all. On top of that, joints from Ghostface Killah, that one guy Quasimoto and Mayer Hawthorne get thrown in. Put this on and feel the Valentine's Day love--music will never cheat you up and it always picks up the check.

Tracklist:

Peanut Butter Wolf – Method [Stones Throw]

Rasco – The Unassisted [Stones Throw]

Peanut Butter Wolf – In Your Area [Stones Throw]

Quasimoto – Basic Instinct

Quasimoto – The Unseen (BED)

Lootpack – The Anthem

Quasimoto – Basic Instinct [Stones Throw]

Quasimoto – Bad Character [Stones Throw]

Quasimoto – Come On Feet

Quasimoto – MHB

What About You

Co Real Artists – What About You

Yesterdays New Quintet – Papa

Yesterdays New Quintet – Uno Esta

MED – Push [Stones Throw]

Jaylib – Da Ruckus

J Dilla – Cadillac

Jaylib – React

J Dilla – Waves [Stones Throw]

Ghostface Killah – Whip Me With A Strap

J Dilla – One for Ghost

J Dilla – Gobstopper [Stones Throw]

Gary Wilson – Dreams

Madvillain – Great Day Today (Accapella)

Madvillain – Great Day Today (FourTet Remix)

Madvillain – Meat Grinder

Madvillain – Figaro

DâM-FunK – Burn Rubber

DâM-FunK – Hood Pass Intact [Stones Throw]

James Pants – We’re Through [Stones Throw]

Crash Course in Science – Flying Turns [J Rocc]

Das Ding – HSTA

Hard Corps – Dirty [J Rocc]

J-Rocc – Thru the Tulips

Aloe Blacc – I Need a Dollar (Demo)

Georgia Anne Muldrow – Wrong Way

Georgia Anne Muldrow – Melanin

Mayer Hawthorne – I Wish It Would Rain

Mayer Hawthorne – Just Ain’t Gonna Work Out

DâM-FunK – Fadin’ Away [Stones Throw]

Jesse Hackett – The Dump Run

Homeboy Sandman – Holiday

Jonti – Nightshift in Blue

Silk Rhodes – Silk System

Quasimoto – Jazz Cats

Synergy – Orbit 5 [Synergy Electronic Music]

Quasimoto – Astro Black

Gil Scott-Heron – Willing [Arista]

Ralph Lundsten And The Andromeda All Stars – Time Storm [Harvest]

Patrick Cowley – Mockingbird Dream [Dark Entries]

YMO – Stairs [Alfa]

BEAK> – Backwell [Beak]

The Unit Band – You Fool [High Quality Records]

Otis G Johnson – This Is The Day [Holy Spirit]

Vanity 6 – Wet Dream Cousin [Unknown]

Koushik – Track 29 [Stones Throw]

Mile High Club – You & Me [Stones Throw]

Eberhard Schoener – Frame Of Mind [M.i.G Music]

Ohio Players – Angel [Mercury]

Goldie – Messin’ Around [Unknown]

O.D.B. – I Want P [Elektra]

Koreatown Oddity – Now You Feel Me [Unknown]

Matchez – Out To Lunch [Zedikiah Records]

Silk Rhodes – The Lights [Stones Throw]

Mndsgn – Camelblues [Stones Throw]

The Moments – If I Didn’t Care [Unknown]

Anderson .Paak – Wings [Unknown]

Zest the Smoker – Old Nasty Habit [Cryogenic]

Donovan – Get Thy Bearings [Epic]

Vex Ruffin – Conveyor [Stones Throw]

Pharoah Sanders – Japan [UMC]

Kraftwerk – Uranium [(Parlophone)]

Womack & Womack – Drive [Unknown]

Laibach – Geburt Einer Nation

Diva – Doors To Yialmel [Unknown]

Larry Dixon – Love In Your Heart [LAD]

Love In Your Heart [LAD]

DâM-FunK – Scatin’ [Stones Throw]

J.J. Johnson – Oh Baby

The Moments – If I Didn’t Care [Stag]

Lenny Kravitz, Grace Jones, Lauryn Hill, Lion Babe, Thundercat, SZA & More Rock The Afropunk Festival 2015 in Brooklyn, NY.

West coast selector DJ Nu-Mark has come up with one of those mixtapes that just makes so much sense it's appalling to think it hasn't already happened. His Jurassic 5 vs. Pharcyde "Craft Services" set is full of gems from both acts, and delicately weaves the sounds of each into a single congruent groove. In Nu-Mark's own words, " I dug deep in the vaults and uncovered some never before heard multi tracks, unreleased songs and acapellas from old tapes that needed to see the light of day. This is how I’d like to see all 8 MCs from both groups trade the mic. Enjoy!" The mix is a bombshell, so turn it up and rock to this.

Lenny Kravitz, Grace Jones, Lauryn Hill, Lion Babe, Thundercat, SZA & More Rock The Afropunk Festival 2015 in Brooklyn, NY.

Over at Okayafrica a fire has been raging--their new Cape Town In Your Earbuds series features some of the best South African producers and DJs, and for weeks now it's been burning up the digital soundscape. We could very easily roll out a special Mixtape Monday dedicated solely to the series, but for now enjoy the cream of the Cape crop with John Wizard's sprawling mix of sounds new and old. You'll hear traditional South African chants, raging big-ensemble jazz, contemplative piano and a few beats in between. If that's not enough check out the rest of the CTIYE sets, and go do yourself a favor and set OKA as your new homepage. (For the truly intrigued, read a lot more about Wizard's mix here.)

>>Listen to Jumping Back Slash.

>>Listen to Ill Skillz.

>>Listen to Thor Rixon.

Tracklist:

1) Johnny Dyani & Okay Temiz- Traditional South African songs (0:00-2:40) South Africa

2) Xhosa Ngqika- Ikostina (The concertina) (2:40-3:10) South Africa

3) Kevin Volans- White Man Sleeps (III) (3:10-4:50) South Africa

4) Hugh Masekela- Minawa (4:50-7:50) South Africa

5) Dudu Pukwana- The King of Weasle is called Easle ) (7:50-9:40) South Africa

6) VA- The Michaelangelo and Woolmark National Jazz Festival- Nolani (9:40-11:10) South Africa

7) The Flaming Souls- Tell It (11:10-13:30) South Africa

8) Johnny Dyani- Granmother’s Teaching (11:10-15:55) South Africa

9) Louis Moholo- You Ain’t Gonna Know Me (15:55-18:30) South Africa

10) Phiri (Musical)- Who’s Earth Is This? (18:30- 21:20) South Africa

Lenny Kravitz, Grace Jones, Lauryn Hill, Lion Babe, Thundercat, SZA & More Rock The Afropunk Festival 2015 in Brooklyn, NY.

New York City is ridiculously fortunate when it comes to local DJ nights. One of the top-tier happenings is Mobile Mondays, which regularly trucks its sonic tastiness to different venues all over the 5 boroughs. Last week a recording of one of their more legendary nights hit the airwaves--a blast from the past circa 2002. Relive the aughts goodness as DJ Spinna and Bobbito catch wreck dropping top-shelf disco, house and hip-hop vinyl. It's a step back to a simpler time and shouldn't be missed by anyone with ear drums.

Lenny Kravitz, Grace Jones, Lauryn Hill, Lion Babe, Thundercat, SZA & More Rock The Afropunk Festival 2015 in Brooklyn, NY.

A well-made hip-hop mix needs no justification--a proper set of choice beats is a reasoning unto itself. Working in tandem with London's Dephect clothing, DJ Pings has done up a delicious little mix of left-of-center hip-hop that suits our ears just fine. Pings said of the mix: “Originally I was just going to do these mini mixes for myself for some iPod action, but then I thought it might be nice to post them up via Dephect [Clothing]. The idea is that each mix will fit into the next, so it’s like an ongoing project. All very simple, not really about skills, just dope music, hip-hop and breaks.” Put it on and simple enjoy.

Tracklist:

K-Def – "Scene DJ"

Step Brothers – "Dr. Kimble"

Cappo – "Thousand Word Exodus"

Breaks Dig

Mark B & Blade – "Bad Day (Instrumental)"

M9 – "Amulets"

Damu – "Fades Em’ Gone (Organ Grinder)"

Damu – "Bizzard"

Damu – "Parishabell"

Lenny Kravitz, Grace Jones, Lauryn Hill, Lion Babe, Thundercat, SZA & More Rock The Afropunk Festival 2015 in Brooklyn, NY.

Loaded down with heavy throwback soul, Waxpoetics's new "East Coast Playa" mix, put together by the Jack Moves, is a regal affair. JM is a duo made up of singer Zee Desmondes and drummer Teddy Powell, and for this mix the two went through their personal 45 collection and laid down an all-vinyl demonstration of where their interests lie. Keep an ear out for the gorgeous strings on "Blue Magic" and that perfect sway on Leroy Hutson's "I'm in Love with You Girl." Waxpo, y'all sure know how to pick em.

Tracklist:

Top Shelf “Give It Up”

The Moments “Lucky Me”

Blue Magic “Talking to Myself”

Family Connection “Newspaper Song”

Leroy Hutson “I’m in Love with You Girl”

Bloodstone “Who Has the Last Laugh Now”

Mad Lads “Destination”

Image “Betcha Didnt Know”

The Delfonics “My New Love”

The Stylistics “Peek A Boo”

The Pretenders “For the Rest of My Days”

David Ruffin “I Let Love Slip Away”

Linda Jones “What Have I Done”

Johnny & the Expressions “Now That Your Mine”

The Escorts “Look Over Your Shoulder”

The Dramatics “Now You Got Me Loving You”

The Ponderosa Twins “I Remember You”

The Five Stairsteps “Danger! She’s a Stranger”

Zoom “Love Season”

Windy City “If By Chance”

The Moments “I Do”

Chocolate Syrup “Stop Your Crying”

The Green Berets “Lord Send Me Somebody”

The Five Stairsteps “Come Back”

The Intruders “Friends No More”

The Originals “I’ll Never Let Go”

The Continental Four “I Don’t Have You”

Bloodstone “Natural High”

The Miracles “Secretly in Love”

Joe Bataan “My Cloud”

The Soft Tones “I’m Gonna Prove It”

Curtis Mayfield & the Impressions “I’m So Proud”

Timothy Wilson “Queen of Hearts”

Skip Mahoney “Where Ever You Go”

The Originals “The Bells”

The Isley Brothers “Don’t Say Goodnight”