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Drixxxe Sextape Mixtape Cover Art
Drixxxe Sextape Mixtape Cover Art

Mixtape Monday: Potatohead People Exclusive Premiere, Matthew Law, Int'l Women's Day Mixtape + More!

Potatohead People Large Press Photo

As the Italians say it: buon lunedì. It's once again time for Mixtape Monday, and if you can find time in your busy schedule to put down the new Kendrick Lamar and put on a new set of gorgeously-sewn up tunes, our roundup has you covered and then some. But that shouldn't be too difficult, as we've got a brilliant line up of wide-ranging sounds, anchored by a brand new world premiere set from instrumental hip-hop/electro duo Potatohead People. From there we're also proudly repping the latest set from DJ Matthew Law and a mixtape dedicated entirely to women in hip-hop (a salute that can never go out often enough).

Furthermore a set of vintage Filipino soul & blues, not one but two commemorative Notorious B.I.G. mixes, Lord Finesse, D'Angelo and even some vintage erotica (tasteful, of course). So let the Butterfly have a rest for just a moment and get ready to get mixing--your work week's listening starts here and now.

Potatohead People Large Press Photo

Riding high off the early March release of their brilliant new LP Big Luxury, Vancouver/Montreal producer duo Potatohead People show no signs of coming down. And now, Okayplayer is very proud to premiere the group's latest mixtape, a sprawling grab bag of songs that have influenced the group, which they've dubbed, simply, "Influencers."

Opening with the sunswept tones of Astrud Gilberto and proceeding through gritty hip-hop (Slum Village), groovy electronica (Wagon Christ) and into futuristic beat work courtesy of Kaytranada, the mix is both a perfect history lesson on what drives band members Nick Wisdom and AstroLogical, as well as a vibrant sampler of what creative, sample-driven music has become today. At all times rich, inventive and smooth, the mix is nothing but pleasure from beginning to end--an excellent means by which to wade into your day or unwind your night. Buy Big Luxury off Bastard Jazz records here.

"Influencers" Tracklist:

Astrud Gilberto - "Agua de Beber"

Moka Only - "Beautiful"

Lucy Pearl - "Without You (Jay Dee Remix)"

Gramatik - "Obviously Instrumental (ft. Exmag)"

Slum Village - "Do You (ft. MC Breed)"

Kevin Moore - "Speak Your Mind"

Vanilla - "Girl"

Slum Village - "Get Dis Money (Instrumental)"

Zyma - "Sundays"

Wagon Christ - "Kwikwidetrax"

Sa-Ra Creative Partners - "Sweet Sour You (ft. Bilal)"

Potatohead People - "Snapbax"

The Nope - "You Think, Your Wrong"

Afta-1 - "Brooklyn Sunset"

Samon Kawamura - "Black Star"

Kaytranada - "Sober Thoughts (ft. Goldlink)"

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

DJ Matthew Law, a certified Okayplayer in his own right, is in the midst of a major rise. The Philly-based selector has made his regular night, Friends and Fam has been an essential hang for years now, and on March 20th Law will bring the show to NYC as Baby's All Right gets taken over for a Brooklyn edition of Friends and Fam. Law, whose sets walk a perfect line between carefree and dense, and last week he brought that talents through the studio of Dubspot Radio and laid down a set full of ample house bass, throwback vintage R&B, breakbeat hip-hop and soulful vocals (peep the brilliant Erykah Badu/Common transition at 19:00). See you in Brooklyn on March 20th!

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

It's about damn time. The good people over at Dope Folks International have composed an all-women hip-hop mixtape, in honor of March and International Women's History Month. Loaded up with classic tracks from Cinque, Nu Black Nation, MC Lovely, Roxanne Shante and of course, MC Lyte, the 78 minute session if a reminder of just how many phenomenal rappers and producers in the game do it all with no need for a Y chromosome. Primarily a golden era late 80s-mid 90s affair, the mix ideal listening for parties, the commute, your next long drive or just about anywhere else. Ladies, we would be nowhere without you. Never stop bringing it.

Tracklist:

Cinque — "Operation Desert Storm"

Julee Vee — "Power 2 Tha Womanhood"

Shazzy — "Giggahoe"

Sweet Tee — "As the Beat Goes On"

Ms. Nikki D. — "Work that Sucker"

Ms. Melodie — "To Sing All Night"

MC Lovely — "Gash Your Whole Head Up"

Antoinette — "Who’s the Boss"

Pure & Natural — "Startin’ Funky"

Nu Black Nation — "Soul Vibration"

Princess Tee — (Edit)

Sonyalive — "I’m Coming into Consciousness"

Sundance — "A Better Day"

Roxanne Shante — "Straight Razor"

Isis — "In the Mind of One"

Kyna Antee aka The Mistress — "Let it Go"

The Queen of Ghetto Madness — "It’s time For me To Run"

MC L & Tone Tee – "Where Did You Get That MC L Jam?"

Cookie Crew — "Secrets of Success (Cooks Mix)"

T-Love — "I’m Coming"

MC Lyte — "Poor Georgie"

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

Last week British DJ Boca 45 did us all a favor and dropped a top-notch mix of hip-hop and soul, all of it coming straight from the vinyl crates. Boca (aka Scott Hendy) used only 7" singles to make this 60 minute set, entitled "Dig Eat Beats Repeat." The set travels through his own catalog, the great Eric Lau, J Dilla and James Brown, and dabbles in almost every groovy style under the sun. You'll find funk, latin soul, hip-hop and even a little psychedelia in this one--it's a perfect listening session of both educational and entertaining sounds.

Read more about Boca 45's "Dig Eat Beats Repeat" mix, and purchase your own copy, here.

Tracklist:

Boca 45 - "The Countdown"

Boca 45 - "Dig Eat Beats Repeat" (Digga Please)

Pierre Henry - "Psyche Rock" (Phillips)

Bob Frech's Storyville Jazz Band - "Y'er Comes The Funky Man" (Broadmoor)

Carol Jones - "Don't Destroy Me" (Mutt Records)

Jungle Jim - "Maisai (Do The Masai Children)" (Renne)

Edan - "Making Planets" (Lewis)

J Dilla - "Workinonit" (Stones Throw)

Wayne Fontana - "The Game of Love" (Fontana)

Jacques Dutronc - "J'ai Tout Lu, Tout Vu, Tout Bu" (Disques Vogue)

Eric Lau - "Chop For Mr Thing" (First Word)

Ozel Turkbas - "Ozels Dance Routine (Mr Thing Re-edit)" (BBE)

20th Century Steel Band - "Heaven and Hell is On Earth" (United Artists)

DJ Format - "Stealin' James Part 2 Edit" (T.D. Records)

Wildstyle "Down By Law (Kenny Dope Edit)" (Kay Dee)

Naughty NMX - "Jungle Mambo" (Dusty Donuts)

Soundsci - "The Ultimate Breaks & Beats Mix" (Cold Rock Stuff)

The Fabreeze Brothers - "Audobahn" (AE Productions)

West Street Mob - "Break Dance (Electric Boogie) Part One" (Sugar Hill)

James Brown - "Funky President" (Polydor)

Good Good People - "Message From The Hardcore" (Opportunities Industrialization Center)

Fantastic Soul Invention - "Breakdown" (Dog)

Chubb Rock - "Treat Em Right" (Champion)

Boca 45 - "Lafayette Partytime" (Freesoul 45)

John Kongos - "He's Gonna Step On You Again" (Ariola)

Jimmy Preacher Ellis - "I'm Gonna Do It By Myself" (Jewel)

Nick Waterhouse - "It No3" (Il Records)

Jun Mayuzumi - "Black Room" (Stoned Circus)

Hollie Cook - "Body Heat" (Mr Bongo)

Bob Andy - "Unchained" (Studio1)

Derrick Harriot - "The Loser" (Island)

Pablo - "Cissy Strut" (Red Hook)

The Kelly Bros. - "Crystal Blue Persuasion" (Excello)

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

Brought to us by The Vinyl Factory, DJ Oliver Wang's latest mix is a journey through both time and space back to the gritty blues and soul efforts of the Filipino DJs who were prodigiously active in the California Bay Area throughout the 1970s. Having immigrated to the west coast with some of their home record collections stashed in their suitcases, the selectors of Wang's sonic study held some of the rarest and funkiest material in the country. Now, after what must have been hours of hard ethnographic work, Wang has brought the following mix to bear--a 10 track set that opens up an almost-lost world of music. You can read much more about the set over at The Vinyl Factory, but listen below and check the full tracklist.

Tracklist:

Dakila - ‘Language Lesson’

Third Wave - ‘Waves Lament’

Joe Cruz and the Cruzettes - ‘Love Song’

Bits N’ Pieces - ‘Tanga Boo Gonk’

John Cadman Trio - ‘Humpin'

Please - 'Grand Dad’s Goin’ Funky'

Flip Nunez - ‘Mr. Cool’

Third Wave - ‘Love Train’

Dyna Souls - ‘If I Fell’

Dakila - ‘Makibaka’

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

And now for something a bit more...intimate. French producer Drixxxe has put together two mixtapes loaded with funk and soul lifted from the soundtracks of vintage porn and erotica--much of it French. Loaded with lush strings, titillating vocal harmonies and gorgeous keyboard passages, these mixes go far, far beyond the typical "porno funk" wah-wah guitar you might be expecting. Turn down the lights, call up that special someone, and let Drixxxe do the rest for you. And as some foreplay, read a bit more on the sets over at WaxPoetics.

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

In a fitting tribute to King Sun, Los Angeles DJ Dee-Ville has put together an extended mixtape that does due justice to the King's extensive catalog, homing in on the true-school period of 1987-1996. Full of that soulful drum rattle and deep, hypnotic live bass, Dee-Ville's mix is some top-shelf throwback scratch from a legend of hip-hop that's gone neglected for far too long.

Tracklist:

1. All Hail The King (Intro)

2. King Sun With The Sword

3. Sun Born 1 (Skit)

4. Snakes

5. Cold New Yorkin'

6. Soft Shoe Booty

7. Fat Tape

8. Sun Born 2 (Skit)

9. Be Black

10. Mythological Rapper

11. Pure Energy

12. Stunts

13. Sun Born 3 (Universal)

14. Universal Flag

15. Lethal Weapon

16. Big Shots (12" Remix)

17. Sippin' Brandy

18. Get Down Wit Da Get Down

19. New York Love

20. Sun Born 4 (Outro)

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

And now it's time for the funk. New York City's DJ Tahleim has dropped "Black, Brown, And Voodoo," a live-made mix of all D'Angelo material dedicated to the newly rejuvenated R&B messiah. From the gritty knock of "The Root" through the early strut of "Lady" and the airy drift of "Back To The Future (Part 1)," Tahleim's mix is a perfect example of just how great the work of D'Angelo sounds when seamlessly integrated within itself. Put this on and go enjoy the fresh spring air.

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

Bronx legend Lord Finesse pulled through Dubspot to grant a brand new interview and exclusive mix. The D.I.T.C. founder's journey into sound encompassed ample amounts of rare soul, old school hip-hop, and (of course) funk. Here's what Dubspot had to say about the set:

For the latest Dubspot Radio Podcast, we present an exclusive mix from acclaimed hip hop artist and multi-platinum record producer Lord Finesse. This mix is a glimpse into Finesse's world as a DJ and listener who has an omnivorous, ever-growing appetite for new sounds and musical possibilities. It flows at a mesmerizing pace with many unexpected and exciting turns. The mix combines recognizable benchmark sounds with obscure gems that speaks to his deep diggin' sensibilities.

In our extended interview, Lord Finesse speaks on a broad range of topics including his creative evolution from respected lyricist to influential DJ and producer, his production process and studio workflow, and incorporating Ableton Live into his setup. He even offers some tips and tricks for chopping and looping samples, extracting grooves and programming drums.

Lord Finesse just released The SP1200 Project: A Re-Awakening, an all-fire return to form album that you can cop on iTuneshere.

>>Listen to Lord Finesse's interview and exclusive mix here.

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

And finally, we end this week's roundup with some legendary material. In honor the March's anniversary of Notorious B.I.G.'s tragic passing, multiple DJs have come out of the woodwork to re-fashion his material. (We even did so ourselves.) But amidst all the tributes, two sets rose to the top and we've made an executive decision to present both in tandem here.

First up, Royale's Fresh Cheeses set, a mixtape of all-Biggie breaks that sheds light on the amazing material that wound up sampled, chopped and simmering on the MC's own releases. Beyond that, Thee Mike B dished out a Biggie mini-mix that just gets down to the business of blasting his best material. Listen to one, then the other, and recall just how brilliant of an artist we lost 18 year ago this month. For now, Mixtape Monday is signing off. Keep moving to it.