(on a related note: Broccoli City's having U-N-I rock out tonight at Element in Hollywood)
BCTV: YEAR OF 9TH (9TH WONDER, PAC DIV AND E. JONES) from Broccolicity TV on Vimeo.
Monthly Archive: February 2009
9th Wonder and PacDiv on BCTV
Since I know you hip-hop lovers worldwide can't get enough of that real rap 'ish that percolates in L.A. these days, here's a clip of Dem Pac Boys in the lab with 9th Wonder, all coming your way courtesy of BCTV. Shouts to Brandon @ Broccoli City for pointing my way to this little number over at his site.
BCTV: YEAR OF 9TH (9TH WONDER, PAC DIV AND E. JONES) from Broccolicity TV on Vimeo.
BCTV: YEAR OF 9TH (9TH WONDER, PAC DIV AND E. JONES) from Broccolicity TV on Vimeo.
L.A.'s M.E.R.C.U.R.Y. Takes Hip-Hop's Temp
So it's without hesitation that I introduce you to M.E.R.C.U.R.Y. (nee Yohance Serrant), an emce that I've got to know pretty well over the last couple of weeks after we were introduced by a mutual friend (who has since disassociated from me, go figure; more on that melodrama at SlavGossip.com ... j/k).
Back to Merc though. His raps are reminiscent of Jurassic 5, meaning he has control of his cadence and delivery but sounds old school. His topics, at least from the material I've listened to, are pretty kosher. After all, Merc's back story - which you can read in full at his MySpace - is he's 26, was born and bred in East Oakland by a musician father from Trinidad and a mother who is a nurse from Richmond.
An L.A. resident since age 9, Merc was in a rap group that opened up for the likes of The Roots, Raekwon, Black Moon and Tha Alkaholiks. Parallel to his rap pursuits, he got a bachelor's degree and went on to graduate school for urban planning at UCLA.
To make the story short, I feel Merc has some potential as an artist. My personal favorite joint of his is called "Hip-Hop Alumni." It features a guest emcee named Sunny Boy. Peep it below.
Update: Merc just sent over these clips of his performance at the Afrispora Compilation CD release party at KAOS Network in Leimert Park.
Track: Pacific Division - Pac Div
Sup yall,
I saw Like tweeting about how Pacific Division recorded a classic record yesterday. I don't know if this track, called Pac Div, is the one he was referring to, but it is super dope! This comes from the group's upcoming mixtape called Church League Champions, which is one of the freshest titles for a tape that I've heard in a minute. Download it here or stream it below... Again, props to those Dopeboyz...
Peace,
-Breeze
Track: Asher Roth - Song Cry Freestyle
Sup yall,
Asher Roth just jumped on this classic track and lent a freestyle to Song Cry, and actually does hold the track up. I think I prefer the insightful, story-telling Asher... But, even on a track like this, he is still pretty funny... On an unrelated note, I just peeped my homey that works for SRC Records in homey's video for I Love College - I bet that was a fun ass video shoot! Download the track here or stream it below. Props to 2DB...
Peace,
-Breeze
A New Compton MC Gives LA H.O.P.E.
Sup yall,
This entry has been a long time coming - I've just been super busy, so I haven't had a chance to properly introduce H.O.P.E. The first time I ever saw dude in person was when he jumped on stage to join the major cypher that broke out at the LAx Paperboy$ Holiday Party.
This product of the notorious neighborhood of Compton, California definitely provides us all with something to hope for... His wordplay is of a very high caliber, and dude definitely pays homage to Hip Hop history. While I love a number of the tracks off of his Fresh Hell mixtape, my favorite piece from this artist is the song and video he did in tribute to J Dilla, called Love Lotus. Not only is the track incredibly unique and soulful, but the video is one of the coolest I've seen...
A self-proclaimed "nightlife-liver," it's only right that homey put out a song dealing with his escapades. It's called Nightlife, and it is super dope!
And, speaking of Fresh Hell, I totally dig dude's super tricky, backward spelling wordplay on the track Epoh... Listen closely kids...
Dude went in over Kanye's Say You Will and leaked it out as a track called Mirror Killer, which is a much more interesting title to say the least...
The bluesy chords that lead into the track H-O-P-E give some idea of what is to come - an insightful, heartfelt track where the emcee recalls past experiences while prophesying about his rise to the top of the Hip Hop game... The track is off his upcoming record, entitled Follow the Leader...
Needless to say, I'm excited to hear more from this kid, H.O.P.E., and am looking forward to his performance next week at the March edition of The SPLIFF at Rehab Projects. Be there...
Peace,
-Breeze
Video: Shwayze & Cisco Adler Cruisin' & Hoopin'
Sup yall,
I came across this video of Shwayze and Cisco Adler cruising in Shwayze's whip and hoopin' at Cisco's crib on MySpace. You can hear a bit of a new track playing in the ride, and it sounds pretty cool. I really dig Cisco's production style...
Peace,
-Breeze
Video: Asher Roth for Hip Hop Official
Sup yall,
Asher Roth swung through the Hip Hop Official studio to discuss his love of Hip Hop and how he was first introduced to the genre. I really appreciate dudes honesty and candor... Props to 2DB...
Peace,
-Breeze
Video: Adam Tensta Live with Dead Prez
Sup yall,
Here is some dope performance footage of Adam Tensta rocking a crowd with Dead Prez courtesy of RMH TV. Props to the homey Drew for the heads up...
Peace,
-Breeze
Track: Mickey Factz - Sensibility
Sup yall,
Here is a new track from Mickey Factz that is from his project with Honda. Link and info courtesy of 2DB... Download this here or stream below...
Peace,
-Breeze
Video: 1500 or Nothin' EPK
Sup yall,
I posted some show footage of 1500 or Nothin' a couple of weeks back as a bit of an intro to the group and their sound. Then, today, I came across their EPK, which provides a little more insight into who these cats are. One thing that they definitely are is DOPE! Props to Mr. Lee...
Peace,
-Breeze
Video: TiRon - 3 Drink Minimum ft. Ayomari
Sup yall,
After taking Ketchup for a spin a couple of time through, I can say even more emphatically that TiRon is one of, if not THE, most underrated emcees out right now! Below is a video he just released for the song 3 Drink Minimum that features Ayomari. These dudes are putting in work and it looks to be paying off...
Peace,
-Breeze
Video: Pacific Division in the Staples' Skybox
Sup yall,
So, last week, the fellas at dubFrequency linked up with Pacific Division to hit the Staples Center for the match-up between the Lakers vs. the Hornets. They all got hooked up with a Skybox and were wilin' accordingly. Peep the video below...
Peace,
-Breeze
Mixtape: VIMBY - The New Classics (Produced by Cook Classics)
Sup yall,
It's like the good people at VIMBY knew that today is my birthday - maybe it's a sign?... But, for real, this tape has been building buzz for a while and just dropped today. The full downloadable version will be available sometime around February 25, but you can stream it now to get the idea... Shouts to the homegirl De$i for the link... Enjoy the dopeness that is The New Classics entirely produced by Cook Classics and featuring a plethora of new, fire Hip Hop talent...
UPDATE: Just snagged the download link to the tape, so you can grab it here...
Peace yall,
-Breeze
Mixtape: TiRon - Ketchup
Sup yall,
TiRon finally released his long-awaited mixtape, appropriately titled Ketchup, earlier today. I haven't had the chance to listen yet, but have heard some dope snippets! Download the tape, mixed by DJ Low Key, here...
Peace,
-Breeze
Video: Cook Classics on Hip Hop Official
Sup yall,
Cook Classics is Hip Hop Official's Artist of the Week this week so they shot this little interview with the man behind VIMBY's The New Classics mixtape.
Peace,
-Breeze
Video: Dom Kennedy - The Freestyle Session
Sup yall,
This is killer! I came across this via VIMBY's twitter - the video features a surprise freestyle session sprung on Dom Kennedy by The Hundreds. Dom really impressed me with his bars off the top...
Peace,
-Breeze
Video: Charles Hamilton Live at The Viper Room
Sup yall,
I remember hearing about this show, but I couldn't make it for some reason. Charles Hamilton graced the stage at LA hotspot The Viper Room and performed his smash Brooklyn Girls and contributed a freestyle. Thanks for the heads up Heather, and props to Mario on the vids...
Brooklyn Girls Live
Freestyle
Peace,
-Breeze
Scramblin' in Atlanta
Needing to get away from the drama in L.A. I decided to drop in The A to visit a friend and see if I could drum up some business opportunities - and otherwise check out the scenery.
It was my first time in Atlanta, and quite frankly, I still can't quite put my finger on it. And that's not a bad thing.
My second night in town, I rolled with the homie Carl and his boy to a Clipse show. Besides the Brothers Thornton, also on the bill were Yelawolf, Proton and Hollyweerd, all acts that apparently have a loyal following in the city whose musical terrain has been marked by the likes of Young Jeezy, Ludacris and Jermaine Dupri.
Let me just say: Yelawolf belongs in a category all of his own. He's from Alabama (no Rich Boy) and he's weird (even my dude Jeff over at Passion of the Weiss would agree, I'm sure). If you need more evidence, check out this little Q/A with him that Creative Loafing did. From my observations, dude is the rock-hip-hop hybrid on a level of Eminem in a sense that he can cross over to Black audiences with ease. Yet he's kind of Kid Rock mixed in, what with his long black hair and wiry frame.
Hollyweerd and Proton are hard to categorize as well. While both groups are definitely at the vanguard of a new, alternative hip-hop sound, it's going to take some time for their music to grow on me. Here's what they look like, so at least you can visualize what they look like while I find the words to describe 'em in a future post.
And as far as the Clipse: the deejay played some of their music but the homies and I bounced instead of waiting around for them to show up.
-Slav Kandyba
Mixtape: RAtheMC - ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?
Sup yall,
The beautiful ladies from Weekend Warriors Clothing just sent over the new mixtape from RAtheMC that they are helping to release, called ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED? I just got hip to RA when she graced the stage at February's SPLIFF event, and am liking what I'm hearing thus far! Download the tape here, and be sure to check out the dope artwork courtesy of Desi...
Peace,
-Breeze
Show Video: RA the MC, H.O.P.E., & Lite at The Spliff
Sup yall,
The February edition of The SPLIFF was insane, and I don't envision that the March event will be anything less. But, just in case you aren't hip to what Val the Vandle has cooked up over at Rehab Projects every month, here are a few more performance vids to get you up to speed...
In keeping with my Southern upbringing, the first video is from the only lady to rock the stage last month at Rehab. RAtheMC was in town for all of the Grammy festivities, and jumped on stage for a song called Hater Call during Diz Gibran's set (cool move by Dizzy!). I'm not super hip to RA as an emcee yet, but what I have heard is pretty fire. In this game that is dominated by the fellas, I have love for any female emcee that can hold her own, and RA does much better than just that. Also, head over to the Weekend Girls' spot tomorrow to download RA's new mixtape, entitled Are You Not Entertained?...
Next, here is H.O.P.E. performing the track Love Lotus ft. Kent Jamz, for which he also has released a super dope music video that you can also watch here. Homey will have his own set for the March edition of The SPLIFF, so get out and support LA Hip Hop...
And, finally, here is another emcee who is on The SPLIFF's bill for March: Lite hopped on stage to perform his tribute to J Dilla called 2forDilla. For what it's worth, I really like what I have heard from this kid so far and am trying to find time to do some homework...
So, peep the flyer below if you haven't already and get your ass to Rehab Projects in LA on March 6th by 9 pm for some killer LA Hip Hop!
Peace,
-Breeze
Video: Drake Interview with Eighty81.com
Sup yall,
I came across this very cool interview that Eighty81.com conducted with Drake over at 2DB. Dude discusses everything from how he got into music, how he met Weezy, and where he's going... Dope lil clip...
Peace yall,
-Breeze
Track: Wax - Mary (Prod. Nobody Famous)
Sup yall,
So, while I was in Vegas, the homey Nobody Famous pushed me this track that he produced for Wax called Mary and I couldn't wait to get back and post about it. Famous' skillset in the studio is no joke at all and Wax is one of the best narrative emcee's that no one knows yet... Stream the track below or download it here... Big thangs for both of these cats are not far off... Keep your ear tuned!
Peace,
-Breeze
Videos: KiD CuDi - Day N' Nite & Freestyle
Sup yall,
I really dig how KiD CuDi is finally making his way into the mainstream music scene, with considerable help from Kanye, and had a hunch that this song would crossover - nice to see that the masses are finally getting to hear it... Here is the official video for Day N' Nite from the album, Man on the Moon: The Guardians, which is coming soon...
And, here is a clip of Cudi and Kanye stopping by BET's 106 & Park and dropping a few bars off along with the video... Very cool!!!
Peace,
-Breeze
Track & Video: Pacific Division - Mayor
Sup yall,
I just got back from Vegas, where I spent a few days and a bunch of loot to celebrate my birthday - I had one of the best Vegas weekends of my life, but am paying for it dearly and am pretty backed up in the work dept... It was well worth it tho! Anyways, the fellas from Pacific Division have been performing this joint at crackin' shows for a few months now, and they finally allowed for the mp3 to be released. So, here is the link to download the track or you can stream it below.
And, also check out the boys performing the track live at The Key Club a few weeks back. Video courtesy of GregTheDude...
Peace,
-Breeze
Video: Mike Posner Working on Halo
Sup yall,
So, I first saw/heard Mike Posner when he was out in LA for dubFrequency's Basement Blockstars Party, and was very impressed from the get... Here's a video of the dude producing a track called Halo for his upcoming mixtape (I think), called A Matter of Time, which will be released soon... Dude has a knack for making dope beats that are super catchy and commercially viable - It also helps that he knows how to write a dope hook! Enjoy this one...
Peace,
-Breeze
Video: U-N-I - A Love Supreme Sessions Part 5
Sup yall,
The homey JJ pushed this one my way today - Many thanks brother! This is the 5th installment of U-N-I's A Love Supreme Sessions, which are serving as very smart promotion for the album of the same name that is coming soon. Check the video for some familiar faces (or voices at least) and cameos...
Peace,
-Breeze
Track: Ayomari - Denim Luggage
Sup yall,
I didn't realize that dude was posting a song via Twitter, maybe cuz I'm slow, until I saw the 2DB post. Check out Denim Luggage from Ayomari. This is the rough mix, but it sounds pretty nice to me. Dude always has an interesting perspective... Stream below or just download here...
Peace,
-Breeze
Show Video: Shawn Chrystopher, 1500 or Nothin', & Miguel Live
Sup yall,
So, if you follow Twitter (or are the homey), you know that I was all over the City of Angels yesterday. The day after Valentine's Day was full of lovely live shows, and your boy was on his grind to bring footage to all of those who couldn't make it out...
The first show I hit was Shawn Chrystopher's performance at UCLA's Fashion Resurgence Show in Westwood. The event was well-organized and Shawn put on a killer show for all of the kids that came through... I actually got to the show right as U-N-I finished their performance because of some misinformation concerning the event time, but I heard from a few people in the crowd that they were dope as well!!! Here is Shawn Chrys runnin' through Not Really Here - I've said it before, but I love this track and how dude flipped this Sam Sparro sample!
Here is Shawn performing a track that was new to me, but super dope, called Untitled. And, I don't hate unless it is absolutely deserved, but some of the dudes that were "models" were very deserving of big, fat L's...
After the fashion show, I headed over to Santa Monica to Zanzibar to catch 1500 or Nothin' perform at the Soul Expression Party put on by the homeys LR and Paul - pleasure to meet you fellas... Now, I have to admit, I wasn't super hip to 1500, but they made me a fan instantly. The group was nominated and won some Grammy's this year for production work they have done on some major albums, and was touring with Lupe Fiasco as his band. Here, they perform the track Angel, which is a great song...
And, here is a track that I don't have a name for, but please watch as front-man Uncle Chucc plays a killer solo - dude plays the electric guitar with his teeth... Yea, his fucking teeth!!!
The last stop of the night was a super live show at the Dakota Lounge just down Willshire that featured the sensational Miguel Jontel performing to a packed house of screaming ladies... I absolutely dig this cat's vibe, and think he is going to become a very big deal in popular music!!! It may be a cliche comparison, but dude reminds me of a mashup of another MJ and a dude called Prince, but with an updated swagger appropriate for 2009. He performed a couple new songs, including this one called Girls Like You...
Finally, peep Miguel's performance of Super(natural) and get an idea of how dope this show was. The ladies got to extend V-Day for another 24 hours, which is something I doubt any of the fellas in attendance had a problem with...
Anyways, I am feeling increasingly confident in saying that LA is home to the most vibrant Hip Hop scene in the US right now - I'm just glad that I'm here and get to see this shit in person...
Peace yall,
-Breeze
Mixtape: Charles Hamilton - My Brain is Alive
Sup yall, 
So, in honor of his 1,000th blog post, Charles Hamilton releases the My Brain is Alive mixtape right on the heels of dropping Well, Isn't This Awkward. A lot of people have opinions about Charles as an emcee, public figure, whatever, but you can't really knock the dude's hustle... Download the tape here...
Peace,
-Breeze
Track: B.o.B. - Don't Break My Heart
Sup yall,
B.o.B. is so smart - his pop sensibility is such that it does nothing but add to his appeal as an artist... Here is a leaked track called Don't Break My Heart that is going to be included on dude's debut album called The Great Adventures of B.o.B. I came across this one at OnSmash... Download it here or stream it below...
Peace yall,
-Breeze
Tracks: Chris Focus - Focus'd Friday
Sup yall,
The homey Eazee just pushed me an email with these new tracks from some FCC regulars. As a part of his Focus'd Fridays series, Chris Focus just dropped off these two gems. The first is a Convinced song called I Get It that features Focus and Shawn Chrystopher. Stream it below or just download it here.
The other track from Focus features E. Love and is called Can't Knock It... Homey was in Phoenix for the NBA All-Star festivities, and still got us free music (even tho it was a lil late)... Stream it below or just snag it here. Props to Eazee and Chris!!!
Later,
-Breeze
Video: U-N-I Exclusives
Sup yall,
Here are a few videos that feature U-N-I's YO and Thurzday from the last week or so. This first video is The Keys 2 the City: K.R.E.A.M. Edition installment that features the fellas... Thanks to JJ for the email...
And, here is an exclusive interview that the good people from Broccoli City snagged at the listening party for And Then There Was Love last week... Props to E-Dub...
Peace yall,
-Breeze
COOL Valentine's Day Party
Sup yall,
If you are, like me, not a big believer in Hallmark Holidays, and are looking for something fun to do on this Valentine's evening, head over to The Standard Hotel in West Hollywood. The LAx Paperboy$ are co-producing an event with Dr. Strangelove called COOL LOVE... Looks like this event should be pretty dope!!!
Peace,
-Breeze
Show Video: Shy B Rocks at Dakota
Sup yall,
Last night, I ran over to the Dakota Lounge in Santa Monica to catch a live set from Shy B with a full band. The show was live and the set was great! Shy's band was dope as hell and his producer, Chuck Heat, accompanied him to provide some smooth vocals on the hooks... I'm going to start with the finale because this performance of Digital Affair, the title track for Shy's debut album, was bananas... Equally as dope were both the jam session and natural transition to a reggae riddim...
This track was also fly, and was new to me. These cats, Chuck and Shy, definitely have developed a chemistry that also translates into the studio - they produce dope tracks with commercial appeal...
Here's Shy performing a track called Fuck the Truth, which is also on the Digital Affair album. I love the crowd participation - the middle finger is a great way to get them involved...
And, finally, here is Head in the Clouds performed live by the band... I dig the vibe of this track a lot...
All in all, the show was super fly and I look forward to keeping up with Shy B in the future - there's sure to be some great stuff to come and MyCypher will keep you hip...
Peace,
-Breeze
Track: Skotch Davis - Summers in New York
Sup yall,
I was just having a brief Twitter conversation with Bri_Baby about just how dope Skotch Davis is and why he is keeping his music from the people... Well, right on cue, Mr. Lee provided a link to download the smash, Summers in New York, which you can grab here or stream below.
I've seen Skotch rock a crowd a few times and this song is always great. Peep dude at the LAx Paperboy$ Inauguration of Cool Party...
Later on,
-Breeze
Video: Theophilus London - I Will Always Love You
Sup yall,
I snagged this over at 2DB... The first video features Theophilus London and excerpts from his upcoming This Charming Documentary project - This video is for the track Always Love You from This Charming Mixtape. This sample is flipped so well and I absolutely dig this track - If TL could ever get the sample cleared, this would kill in the clubs and could be major!
And, below is Theophilus' interview with Emilio Sparks...
Peace yall,
-Breeze
Mixtape: Charles Hamilton - Well, Isn't This Awkward
Sup yall,
Charles Hamilton dropped his latest Well, Isn't This Awkward mixtape a day early - It was due to drop today but CH actually hit us with it last night (I'm just a lil late in posting). Download it here. Props to Meka...
And, here's a video of Skee and CH discussing the project...
Peace,
-Breeze
Mixtape: Drake - So Far Gone
Sup yall,
So, a ton of people have been waiting for this for a minute and Drake finally dropped his So Far Gone mixtape today. I haven't heard it yet, but have been watching opinions come in on the web, and the reviews have been pretty positive... Download the tape here, and I'll get a streaming playlist up if I have time today... Props to 40...
Peace,
-Breeze
Meet S-Mak ... He Works with producer THX (Snoop, David Banner)
I don't even know where to start this one, so I'll make it brief.
S-Mak, pictured above, hails from south Los Angeles. He's been working with producer THX, whose beats you probably have heard on David Banner and Snoop Dogg's album.
THX was at the Spliff the other night and said a mixtape is on the way.
- Slav Kandyba
Video: Black Milk - Losing Out ft. Royce Da 5'9"
Sup yall,
Below is the video for the second single off of Black Milk's latest album, called Tronic. The track is called Losing Out and features Detroit's own Royce Da 5'9". Props to 2DB...
Peace,
-Breeze
The New Retro Rapper: Meet Shy B
Sup yall,
A new homey of mine just passed on Shy B's record, entitled Digital Affair, and I have to say that dude is really dope... First of all, I am always super pleased when an emcee has his digital game on point, and dude's website is very clean and thorough.
Shy B is originally from the Bay area, specifically Oakland, CA, and is the son of parents who were very active in the civil rights movement. This definitely has influenced homey's art as his lyrics are often poignant and relevant - dude speaks on the experiences that have shaped his view of the world. In addition, Shy exhibits a very versatile flow and his tone is pretty cool. All in all, his authentic lyrics and varied delivery should make the underground heads nod. At the same time, dude's sound and his production, handled exclusively by Chuck Heat (production credits include Snoop Dogg, Ray J, and Andre 3000 among others), is commercial enough to cross over to the masses... I think my favorite might be the title track, Digital Affair, and think it is a great example of how effective vocal effects (i.e. auto-tune) can be when used the right way...
I am also feeling the track Head in the Clouds, especially the piano on the production... Shy describes the trials and tribulations that face any independent artists trying to break through all of the cluttered shit that is being put out. His flow is pretty serious and changes up even within verses, which forces the listener to pay attention. Dude definitely knows what he is doing...
And, peep this track, called Dirty Love, where homey is speaking on a topic that all of the fellas can relate to - Why is it that we are always attracted to the "dirty" girls? And, I know I've been bangin' yall over the head with this theory that electro is the next big movement in Hip Hop, but dude's music is dripping with electro and house influences - the synth on this track is a perfect example of how these genres are beginning to blend...
And, finally, here is another of my favorites from Digital Affair called New Retro. This track is especially relevant as all of the 80's retro shit is coming back into fashion.
Thanks to T for passing this along - Your ear is on point if you ask me homey! Shy is performing at the Dakota Lounge in Santa Monica tonight, and I am going to try to swing through with the Flip to grab some footage, so stay tuned and stay hip yall!!!
Peace,
-Breeze
Donny Goines: Lift Ya Off Ya Feet While Just Talkin
On the second verse off "New York State of Mind, Pt. II," Nas rhymed "lift you off your feet when they were just talkin with you." From the first time I heard that line, it stuck with me, most likely because my homies who dabbled in street shit understood it to mean homicide.
Not I. I interpreted the line to mean something more literal and wise. When I touched down in New York last month and made my way to Manhattan's Chinatown, I had no idea I was going to end up in Harlem, on 125th and Lexington, to chop it with one of New York's best up-and-coming emcees.
His name is Donny Goines and a year or two ago I interviewed him for a hip-hop website. The Q/A-style piece was never transcribed or the site didn't publish it. Either way, although Donny seemed to have his head on straight and was co-signed by writer/publicist/British homie Melanie Cornish, I never got around to telling his story.
Until that frigid Saturday morning last month. After a Twitter session, Donny agreed to meet at 1 p.m. at the corner of Lex and 125th, down the street from the Apollo. I followed him into a studio down the block called Stadiumred (which had platinum plaques hanging off the wall for T.I. and others, meaning some engineer or producer who owned this lab was involved in that project).
We sat down in the kitchen area and just started choppin it up. The convo lasted hours and covered music, politics, education - in other words, just about everything under the sun. Since I wasn't on any formal interview, I just started peepin' Donny's mannerisms and studying the dude to get a grasp of who he was and why cats like DJ Statik Selektah and former DMX producer Dame Grease was working with him. Then he played me this video, for a song off his first album Minute After Midnight called "Ricky's Story," produced by Statik Selektah:
This video sold me on Donny's movement, because, very simply, his message is pure. Although I have yet to listen to a mixtape he forwarded to my Gmail while we were sitting in the studio - this much I know.
That afternoon, as we bounced out of Stadiumred and walked down the street to the train station, passing the Apollo, conversation turned to Jim Jones. While I'd rather not get into the substance of that convo, let me just wrap it by saying that by the time we finished walking what seemed like a mile, I understood what Nasir meant by that "lift you off your feel while just talkin with you" line very well.
Video: Chris Young & Vision in the Studio with Shwayze and Cisco Adler
Sup yall,
I just came across this video on Cisco's MySpace that shows a brief clip of Chris Young and Vision in the studio with Shwayze. I know that these fellas have been working together for a minute, and that there is some stuff brewing that I can't really speak on yet. But, stay tuned for the latest... That track in the background is Chris on the vocals and sounds preeeeeetty dope...
Peace,
-Breeze
Tracks: Def Sound - Spaz & Game On
Sup yall,
One of the first posts I ever wrote was a brief one about Def Sound way back when. This cat is super creative and pretty out there, but his music is very interesting, to say the least. Below are a few tracks that Def shot over to me. I like the phrenetic sound and spacey feel of Spaz - with where music is moving towards a true niche market, this cat is well-positioned to carve out a nice niche for himself... And, Game On is a cool, smooth track as well. Enjoy...
Spaz (aka. Sophisticated Ignorance) ft. Novena Carmel
Game On ft. Lite
Peace yall,
-Breeze
Mixtape: DJ Spintalect - The Terminator Mixtape
Sup yall,
Just caught this mixtape release from DJ Spintelect over at Weekend Warriors. I'm in a hurry, so here is a description from Bri:
dj spintelect put together a mixtape that couldn't have made it any better of a listen for LA Hip Hop.
WW is down for this movement and we got some shit coming for ya.
till then let spintelect make you listen to what goes down out here! holla!
WW is down for this movement and we got some shit coming for ya.
till then let spintelect make you listen to what goes down out here! holla!
It features every dope California emcee that you could hope for. Download it here.
Peace,
-Breeze
Video: Asher Roth on Skee TV
Sup yall,
I just caught this interview with Asher Roth that DJ Skee conducted on his Skee TV show... Asher is a funny cat, and is enjoying the perks that come along with being a star... Shouts to Heather.
Peace yall,
-Breeze
Track: Diz Gibran - Once Again
Sup yall,
Here is a track that Diz Gibran leaked off of his upcoming mixtape "that should've been an album," which he's putting together with Crooks & Castles. The track is called Once Again - stream it below or snag it here. Props to Meka...
Peace yall,
-Breeze
Here is a track that Diz Gibran leaked off of his upcoming mixtape "that should've been an album," which he's putting together with Crooks & Castles. The track is called Once Again - stream it below or snag it here. Props to Meka...
Peace yall,
-Breeze
Video: Shawn Chrystopher - I'm Not Your N.I.G.G.E.R.
Sup yall,
This video is for Shawn Chrystopher's track entitled I'm Not Your N.I.G.G.E.R. and below the video are the artist's words about it:
"I really hope people enjoy this video. It seems Black History Month really doesn't mean that much to us anymore, and though I won't be able to change it single-handedly, I would however like to draw some attention to show everyone, especially my fellow artists, where exactly we came from.
I watch Spike Lee's "Bamboozled" religiously and realize that a lot of the Black musicians today take their notoriety and success as something that is owed to them. I really hope after watching this video, that mindset changes; for the better."
Props to illRoots...
Peace yall,
-Breeze
Track: Charles Hamilton - Scorpion
Sup yall,
This track from Charles Hamilton is called Scorpion off of his upcoming Well, Isn't This Awkward mixtape that is set to drop just in time for Valentine's Day... Download the song here or stream below... Props to Eskay...
Peace,
-Breeze
Video: Asher Roth - I Love College
Sup yall,
Here is the long-awaited video for Asher Roth's smash single I Love College - cool video that takes me back... aaand it features a cameo from The Cool Kids.
I was asking a few young bucks a while back if they knew the song - They said they didn't, and I said "Just wait, you will. It's the college anthem..." Now, let's see if this video will help to keep me from being full of shit... The album, Asleep in the Bread Aisle, drops on April 21st. Props to illRoots.
Peace,
-Breeze
Show Video: U-N-I, Diz Gibran, & Co. Rock The Spliff
Sup yall,
I've been talking to Val The Vandle about how MyCypher and The Spliff can work together to hip more people to this dope event - The first step in this process is getting footage of the events, so MyCypher was out at Rehab Projects on Friday night with the Flip Cam's in tow... We got tons of great footage, but for now, here are a few videos to provide a lil' glimpse of how dope LA Hip Hop is right now!!!
U-N-I performed Friday night and YO & Thurzday didn't disappoint on Grammy weekend. Here they run through Vitamin B from Before There Was Love with surprise guest CurT@!n$, who was in town from New York for the big weekend...
Diz Gibran came through with his whole crew including Pac Div, TiRon, Dom Kennedy, Ayomari, and many more to rock the stage. He performed a few of his classics as well as some new material - here, he performs on of the former, Run Around...
And finally, check out this clip of YO and Thurz dropping freestyles over insane beatbox tracks from Faahz... I'll let the vid speak for itself - real, authentic Hip Hop...
Stay tuned to MyCypher and The Spliff for more footage from this killer night in Los Angeles Hip Hop!
Peace yall,
-Breeze
Weezy on Letterman
Sup yall,
I've been crazy, in a good way, for the last few days so I haven't been able to post... Here is something I heard about and just saw. Lil Wayne is a beast - and I know a lot of people hate on Weezy for whatever number of reasons, but this dude is smart. If you argue that, I'm not sure what to tell you! I mean, my mom was talking to me about his Katie Couric interview!!! Nuff' said...
Later,
-Breeze
You Gotta Respect His Hustle: Meet Adam Tensta
Sup yall,
MyCypher's mission is, succinctly, to connect Hip Hop communities worldwide that are currently somewhat disparate, and this artist is a perfect example of why that is our mission. Adam Tensta is a killer emcee from the Swedish project of Tensta... Yea, that's what I said, Sweden.
Homey has released one album via the Indie imprint Respect My Hustle Entertainment (RMH), called It's a Tensta Thing, that was met with an incredible response overseas and even caught the attention of Perez Hilton... Homey spits in English and with very little trace of an accent, and his lyrics are raw, gritty, and relevant, which undoubtedly is a byproduct of his past. His story is insane - he was born to a Swedish-Finnish mother and a herioin-addicted, absent father from Gambia. The Tensta Projects are one of the most violent, drug infested areas of Sweden, and it is this that influenced Adam to remain completely drug and alcohol free for his entire life - dude is a representative of what he calls "A Non Smoking Generation." His lyrics serve as poignant social commentary as he explores real-life issues and recounts his own experiences. For example, peep this video for the smash Dopeboy that features another product of Sweden named Eboi. The track speaks on all of the standard bullshit that a lot of Hip Hop kids and club goers have to stomach...
I absolutely dig this cat's sound, which he describes as "electro and house influenced." Dude is yet another example that reinforces some theories that I have been peddling for a while: that electronica is the next major movement in Hip Hop (we're already seeing that), and that popular music is converging on itself to produce a massive, almost all-encompassing genre... Peep this video for the track They Wanna Know and listen to the heavy syth and super big bass that are a staple of electronic and house music....
Apparently, dude is being courted by Interscope records and was recently out in LA to meet with their reps... He is also planning to re-release his debut album with some reworked elements and possibly some new tracks. You can grab a mixtape that Tensta and Eboi put out a while back called Stockholm Syndrome for free to get a better idea of his vibe. Also, check out these dope videos for the singles My Cool and Before U Know It, which features Swedish singer Sophia Somajo.
My Cool
Before U Know It - This track is a hit!
And, lastly, peep out Bangin' on the System, which deals with a few major social issues that plague not only Sweden, but the entire world. The world is getting smaller, and that means more great new music!!! Yall know I got you...
Peace yall,
-Breeze
Video: Mickey Factz Interview with Sole Blvd.
Sup yall,
Here is a video interview with Mickey Factz produced by Sole Blvd. He discusses how people were hating on his gold Supra's the first time people saw them - now everyone is rockin' em... Keep doin' your thing Mickey! Shoplifted this from Heather...
Peace yall,
-Breeze
Video: Tunji NEW CLASSICS Freestyles
Sup yall,
I just picked this up on Tunji's twitter... Here are a few freestyles that this half of Inverse spat while working with Cook Classics on the upcoming THE NEW CLASSICS Mixtape from VIMBY. The bars are insane!!!
Peace yall,
-Breeze
Track: TiRon - No Change
Sup yall,
So, Meka dropped off some vintage TiRon in anticipation of his upcoming mixtape, entitled Ketchup, which is set to drop next week... In line with the tape's title, I think too many people aren't giving homey his due - he's a killer emcee that is versatile as hell while maintaining a staggering level of authenticity... Not hip? Grab his first mixtape, Handshakes & Pounds here... Stream the track below or snag it here...
Peace yall,
-Breeze
Video: Blu & Exile - UpAllNight Live
Sup yall,
.
Here is some video of Blu & Exile performing the track UpAllNight live in San Francisco this weekend... I could see this show (Blu, Wale, and U-N-I) turning into a dope lil tour.... Props to Always Hustle...
.
Peace yall,
-Breeze
Video: U-N-I - Run Son Live
Sup yall,
I am so pissed that I had to miss this show last week (I had a class at William Morris that I couldn't miss), especially since I heard how dope it all was... Here is some video of U-N-I performing Run Son off of the Before There Was Love Mixtape last Thursday at The Key Club in LA... The track features El Prez, Three 1 Zero, C-San, and Casey Veggies. These dudes put on a hell of a live show - how live does this look?!?!?! Props to Meka...
Peace yall,
-Breeze
On the Set: B-Real f/ Damian Marley - "Fire"
As I mentioned in a previous post, I go back a few years with Cypress Hill frontman B-Real.
Naturally, when Duck Down Records publicist sent an invitation to the video shoot in Hollywood for B's video shoot for "Fire," which features Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley, I made sure to get up there.
I wasn't disappointed. Although the entire video was filmed in front in a lighting stage about the size of a two townhouses, between the dozen gorgeous video models, Xzibit goofing around with said girls, his Flip HD video camera focused on either the girls or homie/producer Jelly Roll, there was a lot of clownin' going on. And that was before the son of a legend, Damian Marley, arrived from the studio with his manager and assistant.
As for the song itself, it has a simple, dancehall-drenched beat (listen to it in the YouTube clip below) that finds B-Real and Damian Marley going back to back spittin' about ... well ... I'm not sure what. Between Damian's Jamaican patois and B's rhyme style, even my trained ear is having problems figuring it out.
As a bit of a teaser, let the second video below, "Road to Zion," a track off Damian Marley's "Welcome to Jamrock" that features Nas, wet your appetite for a a collabo that we will be seeing more from in the near future (Damian's manager told me that, adding that he doesn't care if the rumor spreads on blogs, LOL).
Naturally, when Duck Down Records publicist sent an invitation to the video shoot in Hollywood for B's video shoot for "Fire," which features Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley, I made sure to get up there.
I wasn't disappointed. Although the entire video was filmed in front in a lighting stage about the size of a two townhouses, between the dozen gorgeous video models, Xzibit goofing around with said girls, his Flip HD video camera focused on either the girls or homie/producer Jelly Roll, there was a lot of clownin' going on. And that was before the son of a legend, Damian Marley, arrived from the studio with his manager and assistant.
As for the song itself, it has a simple, dancehall-drenched beat (listen to it in the YouTube clip below) that finds B-Real and Damian Marley going back to back spittin' about ... well ... I'm not sure what. Between Damian's Jamaican patois and B's rhyme style, even my trained ear is having problems figuring it out.
As a bit of a teaser, let the second video below, "Road to Zion," a track off Damian Marley's "Welcome to Jamrock" that features Nas, wet your appetite for a a collabo that we will be seeing more from in the near future (Damian's manager told me that, adding that he doesn't care if the rumor spreads on blogs, LOL).
Track: Convinced - Terminator Freestyle
Sup yall,
So, after killing the FCC Lift Off on Saturday, Convinced and DJ Spintelect grace us with this joint. It's called Terminator and is off of Spintelect's upcoming mixtape of the same name that is set to drop tomorrow... Get hip below or grab it here...
And, there will be more footage from Saturday's show coming very soon, so stay tuned...
Peace yall,
-Breeze
Video: ESSO Interview and Freestyle at DigiWaxx
Sup yall,
I was pushed this earlier from ESSO - the videos feature ESSO linking up with DJ Santa for an interview and a freestyle at DigiWaxx Media... Enjoy...
Interview Pt. 1
Interview Pt. 2
Freestyle - I love this Neptunes track!
Peace yall,
-Breeze
Show Video: LA's Finest Shut Down the FCC Lift Off Party
Sup yall,
As got home from The Palmer Room and the FCC Lift off Show last night, I was thinking that I am as convinced as ever that Los Angeles is about to flip this Hip Hop shit on its head. All of the insane talent from all over the city came out to show love tonight and many jumped on stage for a snippet. Hip Hop Official covered the event, so be on the lookout for some video of the event there...
Chris Focus brought out this track, called Bop Like This, which I think is a monster. Crazy sample and Focus is super entertaining as always - dude is a showman... "We got the same vision, my screen is just crisper..."
Here is Mass Appeal 2009, the remix, from Convinced, El Prez, and Tunji of Inverse. I heard the video shoot that the fellas had for the track yesterday was bananas...
And, here is El Prez's performance of Uaintuponthis! featuring U-N-I and Dale Danja - Y-O's energy level and stage presence are rarely to be fucked with...
The show went straight thru until 2 - these are just a few videos from the night to convey the vibe, and I'll post more this week so stay tuned... Shouts to all the dope LA headz that made this show a monster... And hit your boy on twitter - I'm picking this up heavy I think - D_Breezy...
Peace yall,
-Breeze