Having the madness of Roots Picnic captured by the lens of Terrence Jennings is something of an Okayplayer tradition at this point, and one we are proud to carry on this year, especially since much of the magic of Roots Picnic happens behind the scenes, amidst the friends and Roots-family vibe of the backstage area where some of your favorite artists congregate to play ball, eat curry chicken, plot collaborations, play with kittens or flip each other off–just the kind of scene Terrence’s urban eye has a knack for rendering in pixel form. Click through to experience the heat and the love–and get the official recap with more photos from Seher Sikandar here.

The post Roots Picnic 2013 Photo Recap Part 2! appeared first on Okayplayer.

Freeway rounds up the posse like it’s the early 2000s again for this new banger “Roc Reloaded.” Listen to Free, Neef Buck, Young Chris, Memphis Bleek, and Peedi Crakk eat up Jake One‘ s production for this reunion of the Roc (and of course Pain In Da Ass to narrate). The track will appear on Freeway’s upcoming EP, Black Santa, set to drop on December 24th. NYC: Check the official Roc-A-Fella Reunion show tomorrow night at Gramercy Theatre featuring Memphis Bleek, Freeway, and the Young Gunz (tickets here).

>>>Download

The post Audio: Freeway “Roc Reloaded (prod. Jake One)” f/ Neef Buck, Young Chris, Memphis Bleek & Peedi Crakk appeared first on Okayplayer.

Philly’s finest beard-grower and battle-your-favorite-rapper’s-favorite-rapper-MC Freeway is planning to spin his super-abundant facial follicles into gold with his newest creation: Freeway’s Manbeard Lotion. It has taken Freeway many years to master the art of facial hair (<--his words, not mine) and he could not possibly teach you all he knows. Luckily for you babyface b**ch-ass motherf**kers (<--his words, not mine) he has harnessed all his knowledge into this little bottle of kiwi-powered activator lotion. But wait, there's more: you will receive a a free mixtape with every purchase of Freeway's Manbeard Lotion. Watch this 6-minute infomercial (you're going to want to watch all 6 minutes, believe me) for more details.

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Freeway talks to The Breakfast Club–or more accurately, survives The Breakfast Club barrage of button-pushing questions, including: Where have you been? How’s your relationship with Jay-Z? Have you been to Barclay’s yet? How’s your relationship with Beanie Siegel? Have you spoke to Loon? Didn’t Cassidy rinse you a little something when you battled? Who would win in a battle between Cassidy and Meek Mill? How does your beard feel about not bein’ the #1 beard in hip-hop no more now that Rick Ross is on the set? Hit play to get the answer to these and other pressing questions of the day but spoiler alert: Free comes through unfazed, no lifeline, and then has the last laugh when it’s time to spit a hot 16, give or take 7 bars. Watch below to see what I mean.

spotted at NR

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Freeway‘s long awaited LP, Diamond In The Ruff, officially drops tomorrow via Babygrande. But, if you can’t wait any longer, head over to DJ Booth for a stream of the full LP. Along with the album stream, today we get the latest video off the LP, “Sweet Temptations” featuring OKP fam Nikki Jean (Mike Jerz on the beat). Video directed by GRVTY.

The post Video: Freeway “Sweet Temptations” feat. Nikki Jean + Diamond In The Ruff LP Stream appeared first on Okayplayer.

Now that the tryptophan has fully worn off and all of your Thanksgiving leftovers are (mostly) gone, it’s time to return to real life.  The transition out of a holiday weekend can be a bit of a rough one, and that’s where we come in. Take a deep breath, listen to these mixes, and start counting down the days until Christmas!

DJ Neil Armstrong – “From Marcy To Barclays”

Of the five boroughs that make up New York City, Brooklyn might be the most proud. Nowhere is that more clearer than on DJ Neil Armstrong’sFrom Marcy To Barclays, essentially a mixtape about how dope Brooklyn is.  And if you don’t agree with that sentiment, you probably will by the end of this mix.

TRACKLIST

01. “From Marcy to Barclays Introduction…”
02. “No Sleep ‘Til Brooklyn” Beastie Boys x JAY Z
03. “We Fly High (Brooklyn Remix)” – JAY Z
04. “Crooklyn Dodgers” – The Crooklyn Dodgers (Special Ed, Masta Ace, Buckshot)
05. “Return of the Crooklyn Dodgers” – Chubb Rock, O.C., JeruThe Damaja
06. “Brooklyn In My Mind (Crooklyn Dodgers 3)” – Mos Def, Jean Grae, Memphis Bleek
07. “Coming Of Age” – JAY Z, Memphis Bleek
08. “Now You’re Mine” – Gangstarr
09. “Super Brooklyn” – Cocoa Brovas (aka Smif-n-Wessun)
10. “Super Brooklyn Routine” by DJ Daddy Dog of The 5th Platoon DJs
11. “Brooklyn Kids” – Jemini The Gifted One
12. “Brooklyn Took It” – Jeru The Damaja
13. “Just Rhymin with the BIZ” – Biz Markie, Big Daddy Kane
14. “Get By (Remix)” – Mos Def, JAY Z, Kanye West, Talib Kweli
15. “Gotta Have It” – JAY Z, Kanye West
16. “Shove It” – Santigold
17. “Put On (Remix)” – Young Jeezy, JAY Z)
18. “Jigga What, Jigga Who (Originator 99)” – JAY Z
19. “Brooklyn State of Mind” – JAY Z
20. “Change the Game” – JAY Z
21. “You, Me, Him, and Her” – JAY Z
22. “Brooklyn’s Finest (2012 Remix)” – JAY Z, The Notorious B.I.G.
23. “Spread love it’s the Brooklyn way…”
24. “Juicy” – The Notorious B.I.G.

>>>DOWNLOAD

Statik Selektah – “The History Of Freeway”

“Roc The Mic” was probably the first time I first really paid attention to Freeway, and since then I’ve kept a close eye on the man and his career.  Though he may not be as popular in 2012 as he was back in the glory days of Roc-A-Fella Records, he’s still a solid MC.  Statik Selektah collects some of Philadelphia Freezer’s best for this mix.

TRACKLIST

1900 Hustler
Think Its a Game
Roc The Mic
Flipside
What We Do
Don’t Cross The Line
Alright
Line Em Up
Free
You Got Me
All My Life
One For Peedi Crakk
8 Miles & Runnin
Just Blaze, Bleek & Free
Still In Effect
Two Words
Can’t Go On This Way
Can’t Tell Me Nothing RMX
Rocafella Billionaires
Take It To The Top
Baby Don’t Do It
This Can’t Be Real
Get It Started
Cannon (RMX)
Ready For War
Night People
The Truth
Know What I Mean
One Thing
She Makes Me Feel Alright
P.A.
Listen
Numbers ft. Neef Buck
Early

>>>DOWNLOAD

DJ Eko – “Tropic Of Capricorn Vol. 1″

DJ Eko readily admits that Tropic Of Capricorn isn’t your ordinary reggae and dancehall mix.  In fact, she considers it “magical.” Tracks from Kevin Lyttle, Tanya Stephens, and Grace Jones sit next to island influenced remixes of tunes by Usher, Mos Def and Wiz Khalifa.

TRACKLIST

Marvin Gaye “Third World Girl (Original Reggae Version)
Usher “Climax” (Jr Blender Remix)
Gotye “Somebody That I Used To Know” (Jr Blender Promiseland Remix)
Katy B “Katy On A Mission (Captain Planet Remix)
Kevin Lyttle “Bumpa Roll”
Major Lazer “Pon De Floor” (Blenda Sound Remix)
Collie Buddz “Good Enuff” (Cash Flow Dub)
Ini Kamoze “Hotstepper” (Original Flavor Version)
Rahim Selectah “No, No, No (Me Amas En La Rueda Del Cumbion)”
Good Bad & Ugly “Billie Jean”
Althea & Donna “Uptown Top Ranking”
Tanya Stephens “It’s A Pity” (Vinyl Shotz Remix)
Desi Young “Don’t Know Why (I Love You)”
Estelle “Come Over”
Wiz Khalifa “Black And Yellow (Freqnik/WDRE)
Major Lazer “Get Free” (What So Not DJ Eko Edit)
Grace Jones “My Jamaican Guy”
Mos Def “Ms Fat Booty” (Danny Massure Remix)
Serani “No Games”

>>>DOWNLOAD

The post Mixtape Mondays: Neil Armstrong, Statik Selektah x Freeway, DJ Eko appeared first on Okayplayer.

The concrete jungle that is. Freeway takes it to the streets of Philly for his latest video off Diamond In The Ruff. Video directed by Jimmy Giambrone. Diamond In The Ruff drops November 27th via Babygrande and has features from Wale, Marsha Ambrosius, Vivian Green, and more with production from Jake One, Just Blaze, Bink!, Needlz, and more. After the jump, check Free’s visit to Kay Slay‘s Streetsweeper Radio.

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Talib Kweli and Freeway drop bars at Show Off Radio for some Shade 45 studio performances. Freeway goes hard on his verse from Statik Selektah‘s “PA” with extra servings of gritty voice, bobbing head, and some P.A. (not-just-Philly) love. Following Free, Talib takes to the mic with some bars from the top. He’s rudely interrupted when the DJ takes the beat back, but Talib remains unfazed. He transitions into a verse from “Outstanding,” a single featuring Ryan Leslie off the upcoming album Prisoner of Conscious. If you’ve heard the studio recordings of both tracks featured in this video, you’ll appreciate the in-studio performances. If not, maybe you’ll be entertained by the end of the video, where Kweli jokingly admits that he’s a little tipsy: “This is the ‘At-Night Drunk Series!’”

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Man, “What We Do” is really one of those songs. All these years later and no matter where you are, you gotta nod your head somethin serious [II] anytime it comes on. After Freeway drops one of his hardest verses to date on Sway In The Morning, there’s a brief interview, then we get into the premiere of his new Just Blaze collabo, “Early.” The first collabo between the two since the magic they made on Free’s debut, Philadelphia Freeway, in ’03. After the jump, check an in-studio performance of Free’s latest single, “Numbers” with Neef Buck. Diamond In The Ruff hits stores November 27th (pre-order).

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It looks like the wheels are all moving in the right direction for these new Freeway projects. As promised, Philly Freezer drops his Don Cannon hosted (Karmaloop & Rocksmith Tokyo presented) mixtape today, Freedom of Speech. The 16-track tape has features from Jakk Frost, Malik B, Young Chris, and more with Thelonious Martin, Jake One, Cardiak, and more handling production. Get the tape below, and look for his LP, Diamond In The Ruff to hit shelves November 27th.

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