Below is a dope joint from Mateo called Complicated playing over the film, Walking Life. This is really cool and a very dope track! Props to 2DB...
Peace,
-Breeze
Monthly Archive: March 2009
Video: Mateo - Complicated
Sup yall,
Mixtape: U-N-I - A Love Supreme
Sup yall,
So, the servers have been jammed and I am running today, so I haven't even had the chance to download the tape yet, but U-N-I finally released their long-awaited sophomore album, called A Love Supreme today. Head on over to YOThurz.com to snag it and lemme know how it is. I expect nothing less than a classic from the fellas, and judging by what I've heard of the tape thus far, they won't let me down...
And, also peep this piece from HHO that features U-N-I as their artists of the week... Very cool...
Peace,
-Breeze
Track: Asher Roth - Family Man
Sup yall,
This new track from Asher Roth just leaked today called Family Man, which is presumably off of the upcoming debut album from the Philly kid called, Asleep in the Bread Aisle. The album is coming on 4/20 appropriately... Download this joint here or stream below...
Peace,
-Breeze
Video: U-N-I - A Love Supreme Sessions: The Final Episode
Sup yall,
As anyone not living under a rock knows, U-N-I is releasing their long-awaited and highly-anticipated album called A Love Supreme tonight at midnight via YOThurz.com. I know there will be droves of cats waiting at their laptops for that link to come thru, and the servers WILL crash so be on your game...
The homey JJ hit me with the final installment of the A Love Supreme Sessions, which features various industry figures speaking on their anticipation for this project and opinion(s) of YO and Thurz. There will be a release party at The Viper Room on Sunset in WeHo on Wednesday night so peep the flyer below and make sure you aren't sleeping people...
Shouts to YO, Thurz, Chris, and the whole team, and congrats on finishing up what will soon be known as an epic project!
Peace,
-Breeze
MyCypher Video: Skeme, Lite, & H.O.P.E. Live at The SPLIFF
Sup yall,
So, as many of you know, The SPLIFF will be holding the April event this Friday at Rehab Projects. Peep the flyer for details, but make sure you come check out the homey Wax because dude is going to absolutely blow the roof off of the place!
To help make my case for why you should come out on Friday, check this video of the kid Skeme performing his song FIU last month - the event was super live and will be even better this month!
Also, here is another of LA's generation next, Lite, performing the song The Party's Never Over. This track is dope, and I dig a lot of the stuff I have heard from this youngster thus far. I'm planning to really delve into his catalog for a larger review but have been super slammed. But, how perfect is this song to end a set?!?
And, finally, here is Nightlife from another young gunner, H.O.P.E., live at The SPLIFF. I can't wait for this video to drop and am hearing great things about Follow the Leader, H.O.P.E.'s upcoming mixtape, which will be dropping very soon!
We'll also have a trailer coming in the next day or so for Friday's event, and some insanely dope footage from the Paid Dues Independent Hip Hop Festival featuring Val the Vandle, VerBs, Tech N9ne, B Real, Xzibit, Brother Ali, and more... Stay tuned to MyCypher.com to stay hip...
Peace,
-Breeze
Show Video: Chris Young Live at Club Sushi Hollywood's Grand Opening
Sup yall,
On Thursday, the homey Mattmatics from MyCypher headed down the street to the new Hollywood location of Club Sushi to catch a performance at their Grand Opening Celebration by the homey Chris Young. Chris was exceptional as always, despite some technical difficulties, and put on a dope show despite a disconnected Hollywood crowd. Peep this recap that includes two freestyles that Chris went in on during his set. The first is over Eminem's Crack a Bottle and the second over Lil Wayne's A Milli... One thing you can't really argue - dude is talented...
And, I'll include a couple of the songs that dude included in his set. The first is a track I posted a while back that was produced by Cisco Adler of Shwayze, and is called Get Romantic.
And, finally, here is the smash American Booty, produced by the kid Vision... The more I hear this one, the more it grows on me...
All in all, the night was a success and I could see some cool parties popping off at the new Club Sushi Hollywood location in the future. Many thanks to Chris, Vision, and the crew for a dope time! And, shouts to the promoters at 6trees...
Peace,
-Breeze
Video: dubFrequency's Creme De La Creme Recap from SXSW..
Sup yall,
The homey JLee over at dF just hit me with this video recap of the Creme De La Creme showcase that they put on out at SXSW. The video features all your favorite new artists, including 88-Keys, Proton, Bobby Ray, Mickey Factz, U-N-I, Blu, Mike Posner, Kidz in the Hall, Pacific Division, and The Cool Kids... In addition, there were some dope cameos from Bun B and Raekwon and the party was jumping! More footage is on the way from dF as well...
Peace,
-Breeze
Video: KiD CuDi Interview with thelifefiles.com
Sup yall,
thelifefiles.com recently closed down the New York Alife shop to conduct a twenty-minute interview with KiD CuDi. In this in-depth piece, Cudi discusses all things G.O.O.D., SXSW, how his debut project is coming along, and much more... Props to Heather...
Peace,
-Breeze
Video: Midnight Club: Los Angeles (South Central Edition) Trailer featuring Kidz in the Hall
Sup yall,
I just thought this was cool... The video below is a 30-second spot for the new Midnight Club: Los Angeles video game. This iteration is the South Central Edition and the trailer features the jam Drivin' Down the Block from the Kidz in the Hall... Very dope! Props to DSolo on these crazy placements!
Peace,
-Breeze
Video: U-N-I - A Love Supreme Sessions Part 6: SXSW
Sup yall,
The homey JJ hit me with this video earlier this morning that features U-N-I at SXSW in Austin, TX. The video is a medley of the fellas' performances at the Karma Lounge, the Okayplayer.com Showcase, and the dubFrequency showcase, which featured CurT@!n$ as well... There is also a lil preview of a track called Windows, which will be a part of A Love Supreme, dropping March 31st...
Peace,
-Breeze
Show Video: Chris Young Shreds The Roxy
Sup yall,
Tonight, I headed down Sunset to The Roxy to catch the homey Chris Young's set and am further convinced that Chris is only going up from here on out - dude is a star... Now, the venue/promoter put dude on crazy early at 9pm (and he actually went on on time) - In true LA fashion, the house was well under capacity. No worries... Chris came out with insane energy and pumped some life into the spotty crowd. The fact that dude poured out is heart to a half empty room only further solidifies my opinion of dude - He loves what he does and his energy and music are infectious. Even in a town like the City of Angels, where everyone is Walter Cronkite (read: too-cool-for-school), homey had the room really feeling him!!!
Here is a video of Chris opening the show with California Soul, produced by Vision. This track is a hit... I'm glad people are finally starting to pay this cat some serious attention...
Midway through his set, Chris ran through a more emotive, introspective track that deals with the difficulties of biracial dating... Dude is super deep and the sincerity of his story-telling is incredible.
Finally, dude closed the set with his smash American Booty, which was also produced by Vision. The crowd, especially the ladies standing next to me, were getting pretty loose to this joint...
Shouts to Chris, Vision, and the crew for a dope time...
Peace,
-Breeze
Video: Big Sean Freestyle at SXSW
Sup yall,
This video was taken in Kanye's trailer at SXSW and features Big Sean spitting unscripted for an audience of Hip Hop heavy-hitters. Dude is dope!
"Since I signed to Kan, I'm Louis Vuitton Sean
Up in Benihanhan eatin' all the won ton"
Peace,
-Breeze
Video: Donnis, Mickey Factz, Hollywood Holt, & Dice at the FLJ Magazine Photo Shoot
Sup yall,
Donnis, Mickey Factz, Hollywood Holt, and Dice all linked up at a photo shoot recently for FLJ Magazine and 24K Clothing. Catch this lil video recap of the shoot that I saw over at Heather's spot...
Peace,
-Breeze
Track: Pacific Division - Shut Up
Sup yall,
Pacific Division dropped their self-titled EP on Universal Motown yesterday via iTunes and it features a new track called Shut Up. The song is pretty dope and was produced by Swiff D. Download it here or stream below. Props to 2DB for the link...
Also, here is a dope video interview with Mibbs, Like, and Be Young that also features the fellas running through the track Let's Go. They discuss their live shows and how the group was formed among other things...
Peace,
-Breeze
Video: KiD CuDi - Day 'N Nite ft. Little Boots Live at SWSW
Sup yall,
I posted the Little Boots version of KiD CuDi's smash Day 'N Nite a lil while back, and just came across this video of the two reprising the tune at Perez Hilton's SWSW Showcase. Very cool...
Peace,
-Breeze
Video: Busta Rhymes f/ T-Pain: "Hustler's Anthem"
And here comes the Hype Williams-directed Busta Rhymes video for the first single from "Back on My B.S," scheduled for release on May 19th.
L.A.U.S.D. - Curly Tops & Nautica Jackets
Sup yall,
L.A.U.S.D. dropped their much anticipated street album called Curly Tops & Nautica Jackets today... I posted a trailer and a recap of the listening session for the album last week, so you can freshen up on the details if you're a little hazy. Download it here - the album in bananas!
Peace,
-Breeze
MyCypher Video: Wax & Nobody Famous - Rowdy: Making the Record
Sup yall,
On Sunday, I hit the homey Nobody Famous' spot to get up with him and Wax and catch them recording a new track for Famous' upcoming mixtape, called Order Up! Volume 3 (Chicken & Waffles). The song Mary from this duo that I posted a while back is going to be on the tape, but only after a production over haul from Famous - It sounds incredible and little like the "rough draft"... The record that the two are working on below is a dope one called Rowdy and Wax's verse is potent and down-right hilarious at times... I'm starting to figure out how to edit, but the vid is still pretty amateur. But, these fellas are super cool and funny as hell - Shouts to Famous, Wax, and Reem for a dope time!
Peace,
-Breeze
Audio: GOOD Music Showcase at the Fader Fort - SXSW
Sup yall,
So, sitting here in LA all weekend, I heard a lot about the Fader Fort and the shows going down there, especially the G.O.O.D. Music Showcase... Well, here is the entire show that features performances by some favorites including KiD CuDi, Big Sean, 88-Keys, Common, and of course Kanye West among others... Download the audio for the whole set here...
Props to Andrew...
Peace,
-Breeze
Track: Chris Young - Bottles of Fiji Water and a Beautiful Girl (Prod. by Vision)
Sup yall,
The aftermath of SXSW feels a little like returning back to school after a debaucherous spring break in Cancun... and, I wasn't even there. But, a lot of dope emcees were out and started generating some heavy buzz by killing showcases in Austin. One of those emcees is the homey Chris Young, who has been opening shows for Shwayze of late and who Clinton Sparks tweeted about this weekend...
This track isn't super new, but I have yet to post it... It's called Bottles of Fiji Water and a Beautiful Girl and was produced by the homey Vision. Chris is in the middle of some big things right now and I think that this track, along with numerous others floating around out there, are going to be released on an upcoming mixtape to promote a larger, possibly label, release... Download it here or stream below...
Peace,
-Breeze
Video: LAUSD - Curly Tops & Nautica Jackets First Listen
Sup yall,
LAUSD just dropped their trailer for Curly Tops & Nautica Jackets yesterday, and had a group of cool people over to get an exclusive first listen of the album last night. As I posted earlier, I made the trek over the hill and snagged some footage of L4 and Polyester discussing the project with us. Now, remember, this is the second thing I have ever edited, so please forgive my novice skills (or lack-thereof)...
Peace,
-Breeze
Mixtape: We Put the "A" in Austin
Sup yall,
Just in time for this week's festivities at SXSW, Mick Boogie and Terry Urban dropped a new tape appropriately titled We Put the "A" in Austin. The tape features music from a ton of A-Town heavy hitters including some of my favorites Donnis, Izza Kizza, and Proton. Download the tape here and get to rockin' out...
Peace,
-Breeze
Video: LAUSD - Curly Tops & Nautica Jackets Trailer
Sup yall,
Last night I headed over the hill to North Hollywood for a listening session for LAUSD's upcoming project hilariously entitled, Curly Tops and Nautica Jackets. First of all, thanks go out to E-Dub for the invite and to Polyester the Saint and L IV of LAUSD for the experience... Below is the trailer for the project - the story behind all this gear is hilarious and this jam from U-N-I is dope as hell!
The album is full of really great tracks, the first being iFeel featuring Blu and J Davey that is tallying an absurd number of downloads since being released last week... Grab that here or stream it below...
I truly dug the vibe of the album and think that the concept is brilliantly relatable. The group in the insane home studio last night got into a very interesting discussion about music, hip hop, trends, the definition of "urban", and a ton of other stuff... I got a bit of video, including snippets of the music, that I'm going to try to edit an post soon. Stay tuned!
Peace,
-Breeze
Video: Asher Roth Interview with Vlad TV
Sup yall,
Asher Roth sat down with VLAD TV to talk about sports, beer pong, and his bourgeoning rap career. This dude has been doing so much press and so many interviews that there isn't too much left to learn about him. But, that is great PR!!!
Peace,
-Breeze
Track: Peter, Bjork, & John - Nothing to Worry About (Troublemaker Remix) ft. U-N-I, Adam Tensta, & The 87 Stick Up Kids
Sup yall,
This one sounds really interesting. The song is the Troublemaker Remix of the track Nothing to Worry About, by Peter, Bjork, & John. What is really intriguing about it is the features, U-N-I, Adam Tensta, and The 87 Stick Up Kids. Truly World Music!!!! Download it here or stream below... Props to 2DB
Peace,
-Breeze
Track: Pacific Division - OPP
Sup yall,
The dude Flakez over at dubFrequency hit me with this exclusive joint today from Pacific Division. Like, Be Young, and Mibbs go in over the classic from Naughty, OPP... Download it here or stream below...
Peace,
-Breeze
Video: KiD CuDi on Last Call with Carson Daly
Sup yall,
Carson Daly has been on his grind and doing his part to shine some light on some of the dope up-and-coming hip hop acts, including Asher Roth, Charles Hamilton, and now KiD CuDi. Scott stopped by Last Call last night to perform his smash Day 'N Nite. Props to Heather...
He also performed Sky Might Fall...
And, lastly, Dat New New
Peace,
-Breeze
Video: Asher Roth - Lark On My Go-Kart Video
Sup yall,
So, I saw that the intro for Asher Roth's upcoming debut album, Asleep in the Bread Aisle, leaked a few days ago, but it had made it's way all over the web, so I figured that the masses had it already. Today, I just came across this dope cartoon visual for Lark On My Go-Kart on illRoots... Dude's wordplay is very dope! And, so is everything else I have heard from the 4/20 release...
Peace,
-Breeze
Video: Charles Hamilton - Loser
Sup yall,
Here is the official video from XXL for Charles Hamilton's track Loser. I posted some BTS footage of the shoot a few days ago, but didn't get this up yesterday when it came out... So, here it is...
Peace,
-Breeze
Video: KiD CuDi & Will.I.Am Live at Cinespace
Sup yall,
Not too sure when this footage is from This is probably from last night after he did Carson Daly's show, and I'm pissed I missed this if it was recent, but apparently KiD CuDi just performed at Cinespace and was joined by Will.I.Am. Tons of dope videos to go through. Below, CuDi goes in on Dead Prez's Hip Hop and much more... Props to illRoots...
Here's Will goin' in over Swagger Like Us...
Here, CuDi performs Sky High...
And, a bit of Mowie Wowie...
And, finally, Is There Any Love?...
Peace,
Breeze
Video: Dom Kennedy & Rick Ross Freestyling on Diamond TV
Sup yall,
I actually ran into Ross at the Diamond Supply Store a while back and he was pretty cool. This video features Ricky and LA's own Dom Kennedy kicking a few bars... Just a cool snippet...
Peace,
-Breeze
Tracks: Shy B - New Retro & Dirty Love
Sup yall,
Shy B just released two tracks off of his latest digital release, entitled Digital Affair, for free download. The first track is the quirky fresh track called New Retro, which pays homage to the good ol' days... Download it here or stream it below...
And, the second track from Shy is called Dirty Love, and is one of my favorites from Digital Affair. Stream it below or snag it here.
This kid is super talented and makes great music! He is performing at the Dakota Lounge on April 16, so go catch the killer live show (with a full band!) and get hip...
Peace,
-Breeze
Mixtape: Skotch Davis - What Took So Long?
Sup yall,
Skotch Davis first caught my attention at the LAx Paperboy$ Just Be Cool Holiday Party a while back. I really dig his song Summers in New York and am excited to see what else he has in store on his new mixtape, entitled What Took So Long? Download the tape here and see how dope this displaced New-Yorker's music is...
Peace,
-Breeze
Video & Track: Bobby Ray - Mr. Bobby
Sup yall,
So, apparently, the artist formally known as B.o.B. has changed his moniker to Bobby Ray. The name change coincides with a move, that's been being made gradually, to a different sound, including the more employment of live instrumentation and more rock sounds. Peep this video below to hear Bobby Ray's reasoning behind the change in direction as told on MTV...
Download the new track from Bobby Ray, called Mr. Bobby, here or stream it below...
Peace,
-Breeze
Track: Proton & Donnis - All Star
Sup yall,
So, Terry Urban and Mick Boogie are getting set to drop a new tape called We Put the A in Austin, and the included track just leaked. The song comes from Proton and Donnis, and the production is courtesy of the homey Nobody Famous and was featured on his tape, Order Up Volume 2: Biscuits & Gravy. All of these dudes are from the ATL, which I'm assuming is the same for most of the features on the tape... Hence the title... Download it here or stream below, as always... Props to Shake...
Peace,
-Breeze
Video: The Kidz in the Hall - I Got It Made (Reebok Classics '09) Live
Sup yall,
UPDATE: Below is the official music video for the I Got it Made '09 updated version from Naledge and Double-O... Props to Meka...
The homey Dan at Major League Entertainment was telling me that The Kidz in the Hall were going to be doing some in-store performances a while back. Well, the video finally hit the web - Watch the Kidz perform a few tracks, including Love Hangover, I Got it Made '09, and Drivin' Down the Block live in Footlocker. Very, very cool!!!
Peace,
-Breeze
Video & Track: U-N-I - A Love Supreme Sessions Part 6 & My Life
Sup yall,
U-N-I just released the sixth chapter in their A Love Supreme Sessions series. This installment features Y-O & Thurz's engineers, Glenn the Engineer and Scott Cosner, speaking on the specifics of the recording process. Peep this dope BTS look at U-N-I's upcoming album project, A Love Supreme.
And, the fellas also leaked the track My Life along with this video. Grab it here or stream below...
Shouts to JJ - Thanks for the goods!
Peace,
-Breeze
Funky Electro Hop Out of the UK: Meet Master Shortie
Sup yall,
There has been a lot said about how elements from different musical genres are all being experimentally combined in a search to find the next big sound. As a matter of fact, I have written quite a bit about this convergence of popular music. The two records that I first remember having some impact on me, Beck's Loser and Snoop's Gin and Juice, were from opposite ends of the musical spectrum. However, I still remember them both as the first two songs that really got me...
That said, I have been following this cat for a minute and am finally getting around to letting the world in on my little secret. Master Shortie, aka Theo Kerlin, is a 19-year-old emcee out of South London who has been writing and recording music since he was 12. As opposed to many of today's artists who are in search of a major label deal (and all of the b.s. that goes along with it), Shortie proudly proclaims himself a DIY-Rapper - he handles all of his own promotion, record releases, marketing, and styling. Below is the video for his smash hit, Dance Like a White Boy.
The story goes, homey's pops ran an East London jazz club, so he grew up listening to a vast array of musical styles. This incredibly varied early musical exposure has resulted in a truly unique sound that Shortie calls, "vibrant, nail-you-to-the-groove, 80's tinged electro hop." Among his influences, he cites The Rapture, Outkast, DMX, Usher, Klaxons, Prince, Axel F, and drum 'n bass, which to say the least, is an eclectic group. Homey has a pretty nice-sized following that is steadily growing, and has already released two EP's on iTunes under his own Odd One Out Music imprint. Listen to Ur Way below to see how all of these influences blend to produce a really tasty track!
Dude is constantly gigging all over London and the UK, and his unique style of "iris-scorching baseball caps, cuddly crunk accouterments, and the jeans of a Kings Of Leon," coupled with his insane energy and charm, are helping him to carve out a nice niche in the popular music landscape abroad. Peep the new official video for the super dope track Dead End, which is my early favorite and employs some dope rock guitar riffs and a pretty fly sample (which I can't place right now and it's driving me nuts!).
Master Shortie is readying to release a full-length album that he is calling A.D.H.D. very soon. The story behind the title is a play on Shortie's frenetic style - from the man himself:
"The albums called ADHD, standing for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. It's like when someone's different, people just don't know what to do or how to take it, and as a child, if your different, they classify you as having ADHD. Same as my music, it's very different, and the fact that it appeals to everyone, and it hasn't been done before."
The video below features dude performing the "MAC" version of his jam, Rope Chain, live with a full band.
Here's another one of my favorites - the synth-soaked track Swagga Chick is an ode to all of the sexy ladies out there with some swag of their own.
And, lastly, peep this very commercial joint with Bluey Robinson called Space to Breathe. I'm diggin that bridge...
Do yourself a favor, and get familiar with Master Shortie now because I'd bet that his talent and drive will help his music make the jump across the pond and into the American mainstream. So, why not be ready?
Peace,
-Breeze
Chris Young Finally Gets Some Online Love
Sup yall,
So, Chris Young has been making some noise for some time now... And, finally, some online media outlets are starting to give this star some shine. His music is super insightful and homey definitely has something to say. I have been telling everyone who will listen how crazy talented Chris is for some time, so it is somewhat validating for me to see some people taking notice... Peep the Ozone Magazine feature and show the homey Chris some love!!!
And, I can't speak on it yet, but dude has some major things in the works. He just opened for Shwayze at the House of Blues up on Sunset and in Arizona - FYI... Stay tuned folks. This kid has an ace up his sleeve...
Peace,
-Breeze
Video: Charles Hamilton - Loser (Behind the Scenes)
Sup yall,
Charles Hamilton linked up with XXL to shoot a video for his track Loser off of The Pink Lavalamp mixtape. This is an interesting move for a Hip Hop magazine - I wonder if financing this video will pay dividends for XXL. Either way, this speaks to the changes we are in the midst of in the industry... Peep the clips below to get the lowdown. The video is set to drop on Wednesday exclusively through the XXL website - at the least, they should see a bump in traffic, which equals some advertising $...
Peace,
-Breeze
Video: Joyengine.com Interview with Theophilus London
Sup yall,
Theophilus London took some time while on tour in Denver to chop it up with Anthony from joyengine.com. In the interview, he speaks on the tour thus far, how his fanbase is growing, the records he samples, his This Charming Mixtape project, and much more. Glad to see that this cat's creativity is being well-received across the country... Look at for dude at SXSW!!! Props to Heather...
Peace,
-Breeze
Video: 88-Keys - Stay Up! (Viagra) feat. Kanye West
Sup yall,
This track from 88-Keys is the first one that I heard from The Death of Adam and is still one of my favorites from the album. Stay Up! (Viagra) features Kanye West and the video is absolutely hilarious. I know that BTS footage has been floating around the net for a minute, but the final product is way funnier than even I anticipated... Enjoy...
Peace,
-Breeze
Video: Mike Posner & The Brain Trust Flip Kanye's Heartless
Sup yall,
Below is a dope video I caught by way of dubFrequency that features Mike Posner and The Brain Trust in the studio. This take on Kanye's smash Heartless is super unique and showcases the talent that has Posner buzzing right now...
Peace,
-Breeze
Show Video: Mateo & Shawn Chrystopher at The Viper Room
Sup yall,
On Wednesday, I cruised down Sunset to The Viper Room to catch a show featuring Mateo and Shawn Chrystopher, and the show was really dope. The crowd was actually pretty live for a Wednesday night and neither of these cats let them down. Shawn went on first and opened up with this new number, which is called My House I don't have a title for just yet...
And, below is a video of Shawn performing the song Not Really Here, his slant on the Sam Sparro joint, Black and Gold. I have said it before, but I really dig what SC did with this sample!
Mateo's relatable lyrics make the song below, Get to Know Me, one of my favorites from him. I first heard a demo version of this track back on his Makin' MySpace mixtape, and love where they have taken this track.
Then, homey jumped into a ten-minute medley featuring a gang of super popular hits from today, including Usher's Love in This Club, Timberlake's My Love, and even Colbie Caillat's Bubbly. This was one of the coolest performance pieces I have seen in a long time - I know it's long, but do yourself a favor and watch!
And, finally, Shawn Chrys came back on stage to join Mateo on his recent joint Underneath the Sky. I've only included a snippet of Shawn's verse as Mateo's A&R at MySpace, Quddus, is planning to release a cool recap video of the show very soon...
All in all, the show was dope as hell - Shouts to Shawn and Quddus for hooking it up! And, stay tuned for more footage from the show coming soon...
Peace,
-Breeze
Track: Chris Focus on Curiosity with El Prez & Dale Danja
Sup yall,
I know I'm late, but as a part of his Focus'd Fridays promotion, Chris Focus pushed out a track from the Perfect Strangers mixtape from El Prez and Dale Danja. This track is dope and features a more introspective Focus than you are used to hearing - Prez's verse is dope too! Download it here or stream below...
Peace,
-Breeze
Show Video: H.O.P.E., Doc & Ryan, and Lite at The SPLIFF
Sup yall,
Last week's event at The SPLIFF was absolutely off the hook and MyCypher was there to get it all on film in case you missed it... The show was crackin', even early on, and the crowd was super dope! It was really great to see so much energy, excitement, and support for LA's Hip Hop scene, which I would still put up against any other city's in terms of sheer talent - LA is a Hip Hop hotbed right now!!!
The video below features Doc & Ryan performing a track called Know What I'm Sayin' (I think... I didn't get the fellas' set list). Doc had the crowd rockin' and even got them involved in a little call and response. At one point channeling Derek Zoolander, homey said, "For all of yall who think you are too cool for school.... You aren't," which got a laugh and enticed the audience to actually get into the performance. These cats take such an interesting and unique perspective on Hip Hop and I absolutely love their sound - listen to the dirty distortion on Doc's bass... Killer shit!
And, here is a video of Lite performing over Colin Munroe's track I Want Those Flashing Lights. I have only recently started to really dig into this cat's music, but I have been thoroughly impressed. I have much more to say about this youngster from Thurman Ave., but will refrain as there is a longer post about him in my queue. So, peep this clip below and stay tuned for much more from Lite on MyCypher.com in the very near future...
And, finally, H.O.P.E. brought out the teenage phenom, Casey Veggies, to run through a new track called Dreams & Egos. H.O.P.E. catches a lot of flak for the size of his ego, which I assure you is substantial, and wrote this song to address those critics. I, on the other hand, am of the opinion that if an artist doesn't think he is the best, then why would anyone else?
If you missed this month's jumpoff at Rehab Projects, you truly missed an incredible show and a great time! But, there is always next month and I guarantee that the homey Val the Vandle will have another insane lineup in place for April... And, don't think that this is all that went down... Much more video from the March 6th SPLIFF is on the way courtesy of MyCypher.com, so STAY TUNED!!!!
Peace,
-Breeze
Video: (2)Dope Questions with U-N-I
Sup yall,
At the shoot for H.O.P.E.'s video for Nightlife, Meka was telling me about his new slant on the (2) Dope Questions series that he and Shake have been doing for some time. He just posted this video of the min-interview (get it? mini interview... combined. LOL) with U-N-I, so here it is.
And, here is a video of the duo preparing for SXSW courtesy of MySpace, who provided the fellas with FlipCam's so they could document the journey. Good luck fellas!!!
Peace,
-Breeze
Track: KiD CuDi - Switchin' Lanes
Sup yall,
The next edition of the Midnight Club: Los Angeles video game franchise is set in South Central and appears to include a dope soundtrack. KiD CuDi is featured on the soundtrack, and Shake just leaked his song, called Switchin' Lanes. You can download it here or give a listen below...
And, peep this insane rendition of Day 'N Nite that I came across on Cudi's blog. The cover comes from a young lady named Little Boots and is a really, really cool interpretation of an already great song...
Peace,
-Breeze
Video: Mickey Factz' Live at The MIddle East
Sup yall,
Apparently, there is another whiteboy who likes Hip Hop out there! LOL. Well, dude hit The Middle East in Beantown for Mickey Factz's show there last night and got some footage so we could all feel like we were there... Below, Mickey runs through the track Automatic and drops a few bars off top...
Automatic
Freestyle over Swagger Like Us
And, finally, here is a little interview with Mickey and Melo X courtesy of Heather. Dude speaks on his recent Honda ad, among various other topics...
Peace,
-Breeze
Track: Mike Posner - Who Knows (Remix) feat. Big Sean & Shawn Chrystopher
Sup yall,
Mike Posner, whose A Matter of Time mixtape is killing on iTunes (peep the screenshot above, courtesy of Flakez, below), just dropped a remix of the super fly track Who Knows. The remix features Big Sean and Shawn Chrystopher whose vibe fits perfectly with the mellow feel of this dope beat by Posner. These cats are all making some major moves. Stream it or download it here...
On a related note, I hit the Viper Room last night in Hollywood to catch performances by Shawn Chrystopher and Mateo. Footage of both killer performances will be on the way shortly!!!
Peace,
-Breeze
Track: Mikey Rocks - This Shit is Easy feat. Hollywood Holt & Dude Royal
Sup yall,
The homey Flakez from dubFrequency sent this track over this morning from Mikey Rocks, one half of The Cool Kids. The song is called This Shit is Easy, features Hollywood Holt and Dude Royal, and was produced by the Ski Team, dF's dope production team. I really dig the vibe of the Ski Team's production style and am a fan of almost everything I have heard from The Cool Kids and Hollywood - this is no different, but they absolutely are... And, different is a good thing! Download the track here or stream it below...
Peace,
-Breeze
Video: KiD CuDi - Super Boo (Unofficial)
Sup yall,
This is a must see!!! KiD CuDi just released an unofficial video for the track Super Boo, which is from his Stoner Charm mixtape. The video features a gang of women that I would love to call my "super boo" known at The Beautiful Warriors. Dope stuff!!!
And here is another video of Cudi speaking about the video for Day 'N Nite. Dude speaks on the video for the Crookers' Remix of the track. Apparently, dude had some changes to suggest, but they fell on deaf ears. Not smart to piss off a cat who is about to blow up!
And here is one more where he speaks on his alter ego, Juan Pablo - hilarious!
Peace,
-Breeze
Track: Charles Hamilton - MTV Cribs
Sup yall,
Charles Hamilton just released another track, this one called MTV Cribs, recently that got me thinking. I just finished a term paper all about the role and function of a record label A&R, and in the process of doing my research, came across the video interview below with Jimmy Iovine from Interscope... If you don't know who this dude is, follow the link above and then write him a nice thank you note for discovering and signing some of your favorite acts!
During the interview, Iovine touches on what he looks for in a new act. The main thing he says is that he wants "something different." Well, like him or not, Charles is certainly different, and that is why he's now signed to Interscope. This track is a perfect example of how different dude is - it's dark, full of rock guitar riffs and vocal effects, and pretty unlike anything you've likely heard before. I'm not saying this is Hamilton's best work, but THIS IS why he has a deal and you don't! As always, stream it below or grab it here...
Peace,
-Breeze
New Music from Saigon and Statik Selektah
Some new Saigon is always great to hear. He's one of those rappers who is highly regarded but due to label machinations or personal issues, just isn't able to put out product.
With "All In A Day's Work" that's poised to change. The story behind this album is pretty interesting, too. According to a press release, the album was produced entirely by DJ Statik Selektah and "created, recorded and produced in 24 hours."
"All in a Day's Work" will be released through Amalgam Digital on March 17 and will be followed by Saigon's second release the label, to be called "Warning Shots 2.
Here's a couple of joints from "All In a Day's Work" to listen/download:
Tracks: Convinced - Temple of Soul & The Dough
Sup yall,
Convinced brought his 2 for 1 Tuesdays promotion back to life after a brief hiatus today. He dropped two new tracks, both of which were produced by J Trax.
The first is called Temple of Soul, which you can stream below or download here.
And, the second is The Dough... Give a listen below and grab it here if you feel so led...
Peace,
-Breeze
Track: Cory Gunz - One
Sup yall,
I have been slacking on my pimpin' postin' of late due to a lack of time. But I will be back in full effect at the end of tomorrow, and have some cool stuff planned for the not-so-distant future.
As part of their website launch, RapRadar.com is putting on a weekly series called Tuesdays with Cory, which will feature a new track each week from the Bronx youngster, Cory Gunz. Today, homey leaked a track called One. Stream it below or grab it here... Props to Shake for the link...
Later,
-Breeze
Obligatory B.I.G. Post: RIP to One of the Best Ever
Sup yall,
So, as any self-respecting Hip Hop head knows, today is the anniversary of the death of perhaps the greatest emcee in history, The Notorious B.I.G. aka Biggie Smalls. While I don't really want to get into a discussion about all of the conspiracy theories or even get my e-whine on, I do think that this man deserves to be honored in some way. Dude was 24 years old when he was murdered at the intersection of Fairfax and Willshire in LA, which is two years younger than I am currently - Kinda makes you think, what the fuck am I doing with my life, huh? Below is a track called Unbelievable, which is one of my favorite B.I.G. songs ever, and I feel like this one sort of flew below the radar. But, maybe that's just me... What's your favorite Biggie song of all time???
Anyways, I just wanted to say RIP to B.I.G. Below is the video for Juicy, which is a song that is largely responsible for helping Hip Hop make the jump to the mainstream and is undoubtedly one of the best songs (not just hip hop songs, but SONGS) EVER!!! I don't know anyone that doesn't know the lyrics to the first few bars...
Peace,
-Breeze
Video: H.O.P.E. - Nightlife Video Shoot
Sup yall,
Today, I made the three mile trek over to the Ecco Lounge in Hollywood for the music video shoot for H.O.P.E.'s nocturnal ode, Nightlife. There were a ton of heads in attendance, and it was great to speak to cats that get it... The video looked incredible and was shot on a 4K camera, which is the top of the line apparently. Below is a little recap video that I cut together tonight in iMovie. I would just like to include a simple disclaimer that I never have edited anything prior to this - please excuse my sub-par editing skills... But, it should give a pretty good idea of the vibe of the shoot - peep the "behind the scenes humor" at the end of the vid for a laugh...
Shouts to everyone who came out and many thanks to directore, Sendeu Flippin, and the homey Val the Vandle for the invite...
Peace,
-Breeze
Video: Pacific Division - Mayor Live
Sup yall,
This footage comes courtesy of Hard Knock TV and features Pacific Division performing their smash Mayor, which has been getting some spins on radio as of late... The dance is killer!
Peace,
-Breeze
Track: Chris Focus - Check Ya Self Freestyle
Sup yall,
The homey Eazee just shot this over - the track comes from Chris Focus as another installment of his Focus'd Fridays promotion. It is a freestyle over Ice Cube's track Check Yo Self. Download it here or stream below - yall know the deal...
Peace,
-Breeze
Show Video: U-N-I, 310, El Prez, C-San, & Casey Veggies at The SPLIFF
Sup yall,
So, as a bit of a final teaser for tonight's SPLIFF event at Rehab Projects, here are a few more videos from last month's show. The first is of U-N-I performing their track Cali Soul with one of tonight's performers, H.O.P.E.
Below is more footage of Y-O and Thurzday of U-N-I performing the smash Run Son, with special guests El Prez, 310, C-San, and Casey Veggies...
And, last but certainly not least, here is a video of 310 performing a dope track called Drivin' Down Labrea. Dude was just spittin' bullets to close out the event last month. As far as I know, homey has yet to even record this track, but that is the kind of early look yall get at The SPLIFF.
And in case you live under a rock, the event tonight will begin at 9pm at Rehab Projects. Rehab is located at 2324 Cotner Ave in LA, 90064. See everyone out at this crackin' show. Peep the flyer here...
Peace,
-Breeze
Video: U-N-I at Soles 4 Souls Charity Event at Element Nightclub
Sup yall,
So last Friday night, February 27th, Elevated LA, Broccoli City, Puma, and U-N-I joined forces like Captain Planet's planeteers for an event called Soles 4 Souls at Element Nightclub in Hollywood. This charity's mission is to provide shoes for those who can't afford their own, so it is only right that they brought Y-O and Thurzday into the fold. Below is the recap from Broccoli City, which the homey Brandon shot over a few days ago...
And here is a few short clips of Y-O and Thurz talking about the event, discussing their upcoming endeavors, and actually donating some shoes to the cause. My FlipCam doesn't do well in poor light, so we had to improvise, hence the candle that the fellas are holding up like they are telling a ghost story - Thanks to Y-O and Thurz for being so cool and willing to think on their feet!
Talking about upcoming projects, including SXSW
Donating some kicks
And, finally, to keep in line with the theme of the event, here is some footage from a while back of U-N-I performing K.R.E.A.M. at The Knitting Factory in Hollywood... Element couldn't figure out how to get their mics to work, so the fellas never ended up hitting the stage, but I figured that this was relevant. However, the event was definitely a success as a ton of kicks were collected!
Thanks to Chris for hooking everything up and let's all put our positive vibes behind the fellas as they head out to wreck SXSW...
Peace,
-Breeze
Video: Pacific Division Interview
Sup yall,
Pacific Division recently sat down with BET to discuss a variety of things... These cats are up to some things, but you should watch, so I'm not going to tell you what... Props to Meka...
Peace,
-Breeze
Video: KiD CuDi on His Unofficial Transformers Trailer
Sup yall,
I recently posted a new track from KiD CuDi called Sky Might Fall, which was produced by Kanye West, and have since learned that CuDi has also created a custom trailer for the next Transformers movie. Apparantly, this is an attempt to entice director Michael Bay into licensing the song for the film. To keep it 100, the song fits incredibly well with the vibe of the trailer and film in general, but I'm no music supervisor (well, officially at least)... Below is a video of CuDi explaining how the song and trailer came about...
And, here is the mock trailer...
Peace,
-Breeze
Mixtape: Mateo - Underneath the Sky
Sup yall,
I really dig Mateo's vibe, music, and the fact that he doesn't shy away from releasing free music like a lot of other R&B artists. I think more of these cats need to get their work ethic up to par and start pumping out mixtapes - I understand that not every artist can, but if you can, you should (in my opinion)...
Dude just dropped a mixtape via his MySpace, called Underneath the Sky, Chapter 1, that is presented by Mick Boogie and features guest appearances from Fashawn and Shawn Chrystopher. You can download the tape here or stream it below. Also, peep this video trailer for the tape...
Peace,
-Breeze
Tracks: Charles Hamilton - NewGirlfriendMusic & Way Cool
Sup yall,
Charles Hamilton released two new tracks yesterday, but I was super busy and am just now getting around to posting them. I am a fan of the mellow vibe, cool sample, and dope subject matter of NewGirlfriendMusic, and think it's great to see emcees taking chances on records that honor, as opposed to degrade, the women that we love so much - Charles is at the head of that class. It is set to be included in the upcoming project entitled Excellence of Execution. Download the track here or stream it below.
Way Cool is a bouncier track that employs a pretty recognizable sample, and is from This Perfect Life. Charles does his thing on the track, and I his perspective on making music is doing a great deal to endear him to me, and presumably making fans of others as well... Snag it here or stream below... Props to Shake for the links...
Peace,
-Breeze
Video: Charles Hamilton on Last Call with Carson Daly
Sup yall,
I caught this late last night, and just saw the embed video at Mr. Lee's spot... Carson Daly, who recently had Asher Roth on as well, interviewed Charles Hamilton last night. Say what you will about this cat, but his story is incredible! Just watch and listen...
Peace,
-Breeze
Track: Mickey Factz - Pick Up the Bass
Sup yall,
Mickey Factz just leaked this track called Pick Up the Bass. The record is pretty cool and feels like it should be played at very high volumes at a bumpin' house party! Download it here or stream it below...
Peace,
-Breeze
Video: Mike Posner's Release Party for A Matter of Time at Duke
Sup yall,
I must say, since I downloaded it the other day, Mike Posner's mixtape, entitled A Matter of Time, has been getting some heavy burn in my whip - While I'm not still totally sold on this cat as a stand alone artist, his production chops and pop sensibility could definitely make him a force to be reckoned with in the music biz (and make him some nice loot as well)...
Below is a video recap of dude's release party for the mixtape at Duke University. I have spent some time at Duke, and let me say this, there are way more smart, pretty girls on that campus than makes sense! I'm sure the party was dope, and by the looks of it, there are a gang of blonde chicks walking around that campus who think they are much "Cooler than me..."
Peace,
-Breeze
Video: U-N-I Interview on Sound Session
Sup yall,
Y-O and Thurz, of U-N-I, made the trek up north to chop it up on DJ Hyphen's Sunday Night Sound Session Radio Show. They discuss a number of things, most importantly their upcoming record entitled A Love Supreme... Props to Shake...
Peace,
-Breeze
MyCypher Presents The SPLIFF February Recap
Sup yall,
MyCypher has recently partnered with The SPLIFF to help to blow up the monthly events that have been going on for some time at Rehab Projects. In case you weren't at the February event, below is a trailer that will give you some idea of what you missed, and the details so you don't sleep through March's.
The March event will take place on March 6, 2009. Things will kick off at 9pm and cover is $5 all night long. Performers will include Those Chosen, Ty & Kory, Doc & Ryan, H.O.P.E., Lite, and Skeme. See you there!!!
Peace,
-Breeze
Track: Blu (Johnson & Jonson) - Stadium ft. Miguel
Sup yall,
So, in case you didn't hear, Blu recently inked a record deal with a subsidiary label of Warner Music Group called Sire Records... This is great news as it signals that the powers that be in the music industry are starting to recognize what is brewing and are acting accordingly (they are just late on shit, as usual). Congrats to Blu!
I just snagged this track from the homey Eazee. The song is called Stadium and comes from Blu under the moniker of Johnson & Jonson (with producer Mainframe) and features the incredible soulful sounds of Miguel... Download it here or stream below when Imeem gets it together...
Peace,
-Breeze
Ali Vegas - The Top Gets Lonely f/ Marcus John
Find it on Ali's "Generation Gap 2: The Prequel," an iTunes-only release.
(Good lookin' on sending this, On the Brink Music. Next time I'm in the A, we need to get up)
Video: U-N-I Live at Lion's Den
Sup yall,
Last week, on Sunday night, Blu, El Prez, and Diz Gibran had a show at Lion's Den in Long Beach, CA that I couldn't make because of some previous engagements. Well, thanks to E-Dub, at least we have some footage of a cameo performance from U-N-I at the show. I heard the crowd was sort of suspect, but these cats could create crazy energy at the local retirement home show! Props to Spintelect for the footy...
Peace,
-Breeze
Tracks: Donnis - Otha Shit & Naledge - The Oprah Song
Sup yall,
I just came across these tracks from two of Major League Entertainment's heavy hitters, Donnis and Naledge Born of Kidz in the Hall. Both tracks feature Chip tha Ripper and are from DJ Benzi's upcoming The Jetsetters Mixtape.
Donnis' track is called Otha Shit, and you can snag it here. Naledge's joint is dubbed The Oprah Song, and can be scooped up here... Or, you can preview both below... Props to Heather... Shouts to DSolo - keep the bangers coming...
Donnis - Otha Shit ft Chip Tha Ripper
Naledge - The Oprah Song ft. Chip Tha Ripper
Peace,
-Breeze
Video: Mickey Factz' Honda Commercial
Sup yall,
This is dope to see! Honda is one of the first major global brands to recognize, and embrace, the marketing potential that the new class of Hip Hop artists possess. Mickey Factz is one of these emcees, and Honda scooped up and is using as the centerpiece of their new campaign for the '09 Accord... Very cool indeed!
Peace,
-Breeze
Track: H.O.P.E. - Nightlife
Sup yall,
So, as The SPLIFF's March event draws nearer (it's on Friday if you didn't know), one of the artists who will be featured, H.O.P.E., leaked a new track to whet our appetites. The song is called Nightlife, and you can snag it here or stream below, as always... Thanks to Meka for the link...
And, stay tuned as your boy will be releasing a dope trailer for The SPLIFF that features footage from the February event and details about Friday's jump off!
Peace,
-Breeze
Video (& Track): KiD CuDi - Sky Might Fall Live
Sup yall,
In this clip, KiD CuDi performs an unfinished track, produced by Kanye West, called Sky Might Fall. It sounds like it will be dope - this kid has such a knack for finding a melody that most artists wouldn't find on a track... Watch out for Scott in '09... Again, thanks to Meka for hipping me...
Live...
Peace,
-Breeze
Video: LAx Paperboy$ Just Be Cool
Sup yall,
I just came across this VIMBY video that features footage from the Just Be Cool Party that the homies the LAx Paperboy$ threw at Little Temple a while back. It features footage of a ton of LA emcee's including Shawn Chrystopher, El Prez, Pac Div and Skotch Davis.
Peace,
-Breeze
Mixtape: Mike Posner - A Matter of Time
Sup yall,
Another artist that I have just recently started to dig into is Detroit's own Mike Posner, who I first heard at dubFrequency's Basement Blockstars Event... He just dropped this mixtape project called A Matter of Time that features another of The D's up-and-comers, Big Sean, on a few tracks. The project was mixed by DJ Benzi, hosted by Don Cannon, presented by dF, and is dope as hell! Stream it below or download the tape here.
And peep this video of Mike working on completing the project courtesy of dF...
Peace yall,
-Breeze