Rogue Radio

Rogue Squadron @ Xfresh BoomBox

2009-04-09T04:30:00.000-07:00

Xfresh FM will be playing non-stop Rogue Squadron shit this 11th April 10pm on their hip hop show BoomBox.

Tune in aight.

Don't forget to cop MicWrecka's The Wrecktifier and Jin Hackman's Jinius at Work.

Pizzzout.

The Bomb Shelter IV @ Cloth&Clef, 10PM Onwards, FREE

2009-03-31T16:59:00.000-07:00

We back with the 4th installment baby. Come or you're not a cool kid.

IMAGINE A PROM NIGHT WITHOUT THE PROM AND THE NIGHT BUT WITH THE BOMB AND THE SHELTAH!

THE LINEUP:
Zain Azrai - TYGS-core

Triniti - Perlis Indie Post-Grave Pre-Screamo

Pendeta - KL Post-Bertapa Metalcore

Familyboy - Jalan Ipoh GrindChop Psychological Metal

Figure of Speech & Apocalypse Dawn - Japanese Shah Alam Hybridcore Experimental Kiamat Rock

C Loco - Post Ammo hXc

DJ Jocular, DJ Layzr and the rest of the Headshell Heroes - WHEELS OF STEELZA... all-nightcore

Be sure to grab yow copay of MicWrecka's The Wrecktifier and Jin Hackman's Jinius At Work. Both will be on sale at the venue. Don't be an arsehole and buy laaah. Support bro. ZOLTAN!

The Bomb Shelter is brought to you by Malaysia's largest independent hip hop collective, the Rogue Squadron; KL's go-to live music spot Cloth & Clef (grab a drink by the bar and check out the boutique upstairs!) and JUICE Magazine.

TBS 3 (updated wif promo vid eh!)

2009-03-03T15:43:00.000-08:00

CHOPPING ACTION

2009-02-23T18:52:00.000-08:00

Jinius at Work & The Wrecktifier

2009-02-16T05:20:00.000-08:00

Two rogue releases are about to hit the MY masses early 2009.

First off it's Jin Hackman's Jinius at Work

Renowned for his witty staple your face with colourful punchlines style, I assure yo ass his shit is gonna be off the heezy. His shit is mostly laced with that trademark diverse rogue beat conduction from producers Skware-1, Phrozt, MicWrecka and hqa, also two from outsidaz Funktionz and Decipher. Guest emcees include a buncha rogue boys I'm too lazy to name, plus - Ndeesaster from JKT, and Kryptik from Holland/Indo.

I guess yall iz already familiar his battle emcee side, this album will introduce you to a more well rounded Jin. Expect some honest and close to heart concept tracks to be included, backed by some really catchy beats.

Stay checking his blog for updates, and for sho' watch out this jibruary.

Now onto some micwreckage.

MicWrecka's The Wrecktifier will hit yalls soon after the jinius.

Just this month he launched his website micwreckahiphop which included a stockload of songs from the album (which can also be accessed on his myspace). What other mic wrecker you know is this generous.

Now I'm not gon' reveal too much about this album and you'd probably get some idea by checking out some of his songs anyway. What I will say is other than being a gut smacking emcee he's also sick as a beat conducta with his own distinctive style. So most of the album is produced by mr. MicWrecka himself with a sprinkle of help from others here and there. On the mic tip, he wrecks them, what else can you expect other than you know those combos on those arcade games like x-men vs. capcom or whatever and shit? yeah, that.

Stay flash, with dash underscore dash

2008-10-21T00:30:00.000-07:00

Link: Noh of Hujan is 100% -_-

For moar DASH UNDERSCORE DASH sightings, become our fren on myspace or click HERE frenz.

JUICE September 2008: Last Word. Guilty as charged, Your Honor.

2008-09-08T14:20:00.000-07:00

this month's issue of JUICE Magazine is its Hip Hop Issue. some of you already know this because some of you had to get photographed for the feature article. i approached the editorial team and asked if i could put in a few words, and they let me write a piece for their occasional Last Word opinion column. here's the text; you can go grab a copy of JUICE this month (please do; it's free) and read the rest, and enjoy the piccuhz, they iz velly nice.

props to Muna Noor, Managing Editor; writers Kevin Yeoh and Ili Farhana, graphic designer Euseng and the rest of the guys at Catcha. forward all hatemail to yours truly. bak bak bakdatang.

Last Word

… And That’s The Way It Is

Text WordsManifest

I refuse to give props to a Malaysian hip hop community that has not done enough to perpetuate its raison d’etre. As practitioners of the art form, be it by emceeing, or deejaying, or through breaking, graffiti, running record labels, gig organizing, merchandising, webmastering or what have you, hip hop culture in Malaysia is stagnant and in decline, straight up and down. We might say that we’re still here, that we’re still holding on, but survival alone does not warrant a JUICE issue dedicated to us and what we’re trying to do.

First off, hip hop in Malaysia is not new. The culture has been around since kids were breakdancing on checkered mats in Central Market in the 80s. Stop saying it is in interviews as a way of justifying why hip hop isn’t as prevalent as rock music. The rock scene has a definite sense of history; we don’t. As long as we maintain that hip hop is in perpetual infancy we’ll always be treating the community, such as it is, and the culture like a three-year old who doesn’t know any better. There’s been a lot of water under the bridge, and it’s up to the Malaysian hip hop community to accept it as part of its heritage, learn from it, and build on its foundations. You don’t know where you’re going until you know where you’re coming from. Get online and read something about hip hop, here and worldwide, if you really love it. Then act accordingly.

I’ve complained in private and publicly before that hip hop, here and abroad, suffered from being commoditized too soon after its jump-off point. I take it back. Punk, which originated at around the same time hip hop did, got launched into the world’s consciousness because Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood wanted to sell clothes and told the Sex Pistols to go on stage looking all pissed wearing their gear. Punk dealt with mainstream exposure, and although we’ll never run out of Good Charlottes, there will always be a strong undercurrent of substantial underground punk music and culture to balance things out. There will always be a fair amount of exploitation involved in the development of any popular subculture, and in light of hip hop’s materialistic, everyday-hustle self-image it especially applies to us, but here in Malaysia we’re in danger of believing our own hype. We don’t get driven around in Bentleys, we’re not cocaine-smuggling Nino Browns, we don’t own swank clubs, and we certainly don’t fill out arenas. Taking your rapper persona too seriously alienates people who could potentially be your biggest fans on the merits of your music and craft and just makes them think: he’s frontin’. There’s a fine line between letting yourself be exploited for monetary gain, and exploiting yourself for nothing. No one wants to see a minstrel show.

It sounds hilarious now, but hip hop really is an egalitarian culture: it lives and breathes as a mouthpiece for regular people. Hip hop is a fun, vibrantly cocky celebration of a life spent playing a good game with the chips we’ve been dealt with. We poke fun at life’s hardships and lay down commentary on it; we take a serious look at the stupid distractions everyone gets caught up in and we break it down. From Nas’ dissection of the n-word to Banksy’s scathing report on the British surveillance state to Too Phat’s stark look at imperfect repentance in ‘Alhamdulillah’, hip hop takes everyone’s everyday struggle and waxes lyrical about it. I’m glad that Malaysian hip hop culture now has access to so many commercial avenues, from merchandise to digital downloads to Billboard-charting acts touring in KL to Streething parties. When I started listening to rap music 20 years ago, none of that seemed possible in Malaysia. But hip hop is in danger of losing its link to the kid in the street looking for some way to convey his dissatisfaction with his surroundings and his joy for having what little he has. We’re too caught up in fake posturing and internal hate and country club clique mentalities to step back and see ourselves for what we were meant to be: storytellers who tell it like it is, not a group of people desperately clinging on to a set of fabricated lifestyle myths that sensationalise in the short term but disillusion an increasingly wised-up audience in the long run. In our desire to always be painfully fresh, we’ve become perishable goods. And once that kid in the street finds an art form that better reflects his current state in the world – and I’m guessing he already has – we’re off the shelf.

I love hip hop to the point people look at me like I’m a diehard Trekkie when I talk about it. Maybe because of that, I can’t allow myself to sugarcoat my opinions on where we’re headed with this adopted culture of ours. All the things I’ve said apply to me and my crew too, and I’m not trying to pretend like I have a solution to what’s ailing our community. I’m hoping to be proven wrong on all counts. But right now, from where I’m standing, it’s just like that. And that’s the way it is.

ROGUE SQUADRON @ JUICE

2008-09-08T02:18:00.000-07:00

This month Juice ran an article about hip hop and crews in MY. And naturally, we were featured on it. Here it rrr (click for bigger view):

Other crews featured: Diplomats International, Flow Familia, JBC, Kartel, Stylustiks, and Voyeur.

So get to the nearest Club or Starbucks or whatever to get that JUICE and start diggin' some info on the who's who of Malaysian hip hop crews nowadays.

DJ Layzr and DJ Intake @ DMC Malaysia

2008-08-29T14:53:00.000-07:00

I just got this news. DJ Layzr and DJ Intake were #2 and #3 respectively at the recent DMC Malaysia. DJ Ceza snatched the top spot. However DJ Layzr will be representing Malaysia in World DMC England as Ceza is not a native.

Nonetheless, congratulations to them!

Here are some pics from Cliq:

Jin Hackman hacking men

2008-08-23T22:32:00.000-07:00

Here are some Jin Hackman freestyle videos just upped on youtube.

First is the cypher at Xfresh's X-Gig III (in which The Rebel Scum + SSK + Jin Hackman performed at) where he killt it:

Next I think a few days later is this freestyle battle organized by Vandal at Cloth & Clef. The turnout was only two emcees so Jin had to face this dude named Shawn J if not mistaken. Judge for yourselves homes:

Pwnge? hehe.

p/s: Sorry for the updateless streak. Me personally haven't been listening to any new hip hop at all. However just today I managed to get GZA's and Ice Cube's latest shit so I'll be checking those out first after having ignored new hip hop releases for a long fucking time.

Malaysian Hip Hop

2008-08-23T22:30:00.000-07:00

Everybody must join this one!

Set up by Emceedavid who resides and alerts us of nearly everything that's up in MY hip hop @ the Malaysian Emcee blog.

I hope this will be the return of a community we used to have. I mean nowadays we only get to properly communicate during gigs and those don't come too often, we still need this shit to keep us united and as a platform to learn new things and help other dudes learn new things too nahmeen.

So click - MALAYSIAN HIP HOP - and join aight.

-_- MIXTAPZ DOWNLOAD LINK

2008-08-23T22:27:00.000-07:00

After distributing it by hand for quite a long time and hoping someone would pirate it out to the internet not realizing WGAF about Rogue Squadron haha. I guess we have to net share it out ourselves.

Here it it:

Rogue Squadron -_- Mixtapz

Bakdatang Video!

2008-06-25T01:52:00.000-07:00

Oh yes it is!

It's the long-awaited video for The Rebel Scum's "bakdatang", featuring Rogue bwoyz Saph and Nbe from SSK, and Spit from the most legendariest ever crew Naughtius Maximus and Ruffneck Clique.

If you haven't already watch it and I hope you enjoy it, if you do do comment, if you don't comment as well lah.

Rogue Squadron wins Favourite Overseas Act @ Hope Awards

2008-06-25T01:46:00.000-07:00

Sorry late update ahh. erm, yeah! we won favourite overseas act at the Hope awards organized by dem dewds that bought us to singapore early this year 65 & hope.

This is our acceptance speech kinda:

We're basically grateful to everyone especially Fazli and 65 & Hope, our managuz Lady D and Ili FM, everyone everyone everyone, everyone who voted, everyone who supported us, you, you, and you. How nice to receive an award from dem lovable singaporeanz. We hope to see you dewds & dewdettes again soon cause yallz is the shiet fuhreel.

Buff Nuff!

2008-06-06T13:04:00.000-07:00

I Haven't been writing for a long time, I just came across this video a few days ago, and I totally have to share it with you guys.
These days its not just the 'Ice' that you wear around ur neck, Its the whole fucking ICE CREAM TRUCK!
YOU BUFF NUFF!!!

ma ma ma MANUVAAA!!!

Rogue Squadron in Singapore on the 17th May @ Chamber, Arts House

2008-05-14T03:39:00.000-07:00

Details're all there right. Rogue Squadron is gonna come down to Singapore, or SG, as we like to call 'em to perform for Family Affairs II.

If you're in SG at that day, forget everything else and come chill with us. We're gonna be performing some songs form the mixtapz, some songs we usually perform, and some singles, even those that we haven't performed anywhere else too.

Hopefully we might be selling some tees, and we're definitely gonna be giving away as much -_- mixtapz as possible.

So you know whatitiz. CUM CUM CUM!!

the legends, the legendary, and the magnificient

2008-05-08T00:04:00.000-07:00

Living Legends - The Gathering EP (2008) [rar password: sprite]

THE GATHERING
SHE WANTS ME
PANTS ON FIRE
WAR & PEACE
LUVA CHANGER
SAMBA
AFTER HOURS (EXTENDED EURO MIX)

I haven't really put in enough listening hours for this one, plus Living Legends shiznites burn slow most of the times. But check it out anyway, it's been getting good reviews. And isn't that cover art just delightful? I'm just a sucka fahr sketch art.

If you're not familiar with them they're an independent collective comprised of emcees and djs from all over, westside u.s.a., europe, even Japan. And they pretty much have a big reputation in the underground scene.

The Roots - Rising Down (2008)
The Roots fever hit KL earlier this year after Sunburst and I'm pretty sure everyone has been checking for this one. Honestly and personally I'm not feeling most of the beats except maybe 'rising up' feat. Chrisette Michelle and Wale (real good shit). But emcee-wise, Black Thought is at his best, and the guest lineup is a fucking dream for hip hop and The Legendary Roots Crew lovers. Here's a tracklist, figure it out yourself:

The Pow Wow
Rising Down Ft. Mos Def & Styles P
Get Busy Ft. Dice Raw & Peedi Peedi
@ 15
75 Bars (Black's Reconstruction)
Becoming Unwritten
Criminal Ft. Truck North & Saigon
I Will Not Apologize Ft. Porn & Dice Raw
I Can't Help It Ft. Malik B., Porn, Mercedes Martinez & Dice Raw
Singing Man Ft. Porn, Truck North & Dice Raw
Unwritten Ft. Mercedes Martinez
Lost Desire Ft. Malik B. & Talib Kweli
The Show Ft. Common & Dice Raw
Rising Up Ft. Wale & Chrisette Michele

Jazzy Jeff - The Return of the Magnificient (part 1 | part 2) [rar password: Lismine]

Hip Hop (ft. Twone Gabz)
Let Me Hear U Clap (ft. Pos)
Run That Back (ft. Eshon Burgundy & Black Ice)
The Definition (ft. Kel Spencer)
Touch Me Wit Ur Handz (ft. Chinah Blac)
Jeff N Fess (ft. Rhymefest)
Practice (ft. J Live)
Supa Jean (ft. Jean Grae)
The Garden (ft. Big Daddy Kane)
She Was So Flyy (ft. Kardinal Offishall)
Hold It Down (ft. Method Man)
All I Know (ft. CL Smooth)
Go See The Doctor 2K7 (ft. Twone Gabz)
My Soul Aint For Sale (ft. Raheem DeVaughn)
Come On (ft. Dave Ghetto)
Brand New Funk 2K7 (ft. Peedi Peedi)

Actually released last year. I kinda overlooked it, but I'm making amends right now. Cause this shit is sick. Truthfully, as I'm writing this I'm only 3/4 through the album but loving it so far. As has been the case with most compilation releases by legendary producers (or just hip hop producers period), the emcee lineup department is a crack cocaina warehouse. Method Man? Big Daddy Kane? Jean Grae? J Live? My Panties Wet? Fahr Sho'.

The production is predictably jazzy. Not something to get hyped up to, or throw chairs to. More towards midnight drive material. Really groovy. I'm telling you jazz is groovy by nature, but not just any producer can make it work for hip hop the way a legendary beat conductah like this 'former member of a grammy award winning duo who did not take the high profile path like his partner' could and did. The same goes for samples generally, really.

Plus in this very album there are more than one or two instances of classic hip hop samples reinterpretations/revisit, done justice by the Jazzy (phissshhhhhhhhhhh). Nuff said, I'm feeling this shit, if it kinda went over your head when it came out as it did with me you gotta load this ish down.

That's it for now from pimp papa hooligan. I'm outtie outtie outtie like Almunia from Arsenal.

The Rebel Scum. Manusia. Sunday.

2008-05-02T03:27:00.000-07:00

Produced by Tripdisz. His House is in the building.

You heard the foetus. You can't defeat us. Listen and vote. Thanks in advance.

Pete Rock vs Premo @ Crash Mansion, LA

2008-04-22T04:35:00.000-07:00

got this off of Nah Right. Props, eskay.

EFIL4ZAGGIN!

2008-04-21T12:40:00.000-07:00

Goddamn, Nas.

I'm not too crazy about the beat (and homie Enemyze doesn't like the hook) but on the lyrical tip, as always Nasty ain't playin. First song off N*GGER just got leaked, and Son shouts out not only to the regular type n*ggers, but k*ke n*ggers, sp*c n*ggers, g*tty n*ggers, and ch*nk n*ggers too.

Don't you wanna be a n*gger too? Sheesh

Nas - Be A N*gger Too

the great (soul) train robbery

2008-04-20T05:10:00.000-07:00

save us DC. save us from ourselves.

I'm not a fan of all these awards shows, but damn, doggie. Nona Ili Roguy upped me last night on the 22nd Annual Soul Train Awards getting its revered ass cancelled. Apparently last year's ceremony was so poorly attended that the people running shit wanted to avoid embarrassing themselves again and just threw the whole show under the bus. Goddamn. Don Cornelius, where you at man? Up these fools on the real.

And what's this I hear about a major record label (I mean big time TI-ridden #4080 major) getting shut down all across Asia next month? A sign of chickens finally coming home to roost, or a major setback for local and regional artists, hip hop or not?

Interesting times, brethren. Interesting times.

#4080!!!

the flip: disposable arts

2008-04-19T05:40:00.000-07:00

"Now I don't usually do this, but ..." - R Kelly. Irony is good for your bones, son.

It's been a minute. So anyway: I was going through my own little shortlist of hip hop blogs, and came across a lengthy, well-thought out treatise on how the modern aspiring rapper can up hisself on the game by Achmed Rauff. First off, it's not a game. My bad for coming out swinging, but I need to. Well-thought out as it was, I would have to say that the article was at the very least naive and at worst, disingenuous. I'm not trying to front on dude, but I need to say what I need to say. Okay no more apologies until the very end of this post.

Being savvy on issues pertaining to product placement as a prerequisite to being a successful rapper? That would depend on your definition of success (word to Dubya). It's all good to be aware and update yourself on things that will capture the attention of potential sponsors and investors, but to say that a rapper anywhere, including here in Malaysia, needs that to be where he needs to be is a little over the top. You say in the same article that the popular perception of hip hop culture has been hijacked by MTV and then subscribe to that same symptom by also saying the main motivation of any hip hop artist is to end up sitting on fat stacks of green (I mean cash, not the yesca, holmes). It's not a dream that motivates many in our local hip hop culture. If it was, you wouldn't see a lot of the heads you know these days on their grind. They'd have given that shit up a long time ago.

I would love to get into a lengthy discussion on how to make full use of the local hip hop market to maximize profits and get those aforementioned fat stacks (of notes, not weed) but there are other far more urgent matters to deal with first. For instance, what market? I don't say this as a member of a hip hop crew and collective whose heads are so far up their underground asses that no one knows who they are, but as a genuine lover of rap music and hip hop culture who has seen the local community hide behind the excuse that it's "still in its infancy". I've been hearing that since 1998. I started listening to rap music in 1988. Hip hop's been here for a very long time, and we're still saying that we're new as an excuse for our lack of market penetration. If you want to talk business, how about this: it's not market penetration we should be worried about, it's market creation, maintenance and expansion.

I may differ philosophically from the people I'm about to mention, but Poetic Ammo, Too Phat, the Teh Tarik Crew, Phlowtron, etc have all made contributions to broadening awareness on hip hop culture in Malaysia. But it's a fragile thing to not build on their efforts, and to not let creativity and diversity dictate a scene's growth instead of what it'll take to snag that Hotlink deal. Kids - aspiring rappers or no - need to be involved in an organic community, not subscribe to brand names rappers on the radio name-drop. Kids are not stupid; they never have been and they never will be. They'd rather listen to Hujan or Onani and give those bands their support because first and foremost, these guys are in it for the music, and make it a point to appear that way. If you put yourself up on too high a pedestal, your target audience will lose their bond with you.

To artists, new and old: make music. Make some noise. Do a lot of good, entertaining shows. Be in as many places as you can be online and in person. It's great that you see Joe Flizzow and Pop Shuvit doing well and want to be like them one day, but pay your dues first. As an aspiring emcee (and that's the first time I'm using that word here) write from what you know, and also try to write about things other people know as well. Reading up on trends is cool, but not having an opinion about them would make that information useless. Don't just be informed, be knowledgeable. Be a businessman if that's what strikes your fancy, but never lose sight of your responsibilities to the art you're presenting to the world. People can spot a fake ass knucklehead from a mile away, and they'll drop you over a cliff in a heartbeat. And going out like that is no way to aspire to anything.

Oh. And just as an afterthought: XXL Magazine and The Source were headed by Eliot Wilson and Dave Mays respectively. They both thought the same way: hip hop is all about the cash. In the last 12 months, both of them were thrown the fuck out by fans, readers, listeners and hip hop artists who were fed up of their egotistical materialistic posturing. Even in the States, people are calling for this pimped-out lifestyle overkill to stop. How long will it take for us to catch up to the true school renaissance?

My bad if you're upset. Get at me. I love to talk shop.

listen: Masta Ace - No Regrets

Moar -_- Mixtapz Updatz: Reviewz

2008-04-09T00:42:00.000-07:00

We've gotten a few reviewz already now. Two to be specific.

One from Achmed Rauff. And another from Vicjamm who runs the Malaysian Hip Hop blog.

Thanks for listening guys, and taking the time to review it too. We appreciate it very much. And we appreciate anyone who wants to review this shit, don't matter if it's positive or negative or posinegative, we'll accept it all with open hearts (open ak-47s and c4s if you diss me tho lolwootup). Give us a buzz if you've reviewed it or anything. Aight.

Young Buck out of G-Unit?

2008-04-08T05:09:00.001-07:00

Apparently he is out of the crew, but not the recording company. Read here.

What does this have to do with me, a Dipset fanboy?

I just think Young Buck is a dope rapper. Now that both him and The Game (years earlier) are out, G-Unit is almost a total non-issue to me, or hip hop, even.

Anyway here is a Young Buck song that's been getting some hype - hip hop can't save my life. I think he did it on the Lupe instrumental. It's pretty dope, as I've said, I dig his rapping. His swag, voice and accent (I hate the dirty south accents but some rappers sound good with it) is mad dope. Can I has Young Buck join Dipset? Huhu.

-_- Mixtapz Updatz

2008-04-07T10:50:00.000-07:00

We managed to pass around 20 or so mixtapz during KL Undercover 2 (read mah short review of the gig here). If I'm not mistaken the next gig we're looking forward to would be DJ Fuzz's Mixology 2 Launch (24th April). So see you there if you haven't got this good shiet yet aight. Inform us if there's any other hip hop gig though.

DASH UNDERSCORE DASH

2008-03-27T13:01:00.000-07:00

Hahu. This is the Rogue Squadron -_- Mixtapz! We're giving it away for FREE at the Unity Concert @ Hokkien Hall Klang tomorrow (well today really) evening. And maybe at other hip hop gigs to come like KL Undercover 2 for instance. We might net-lease it sometime soon too.

It features some remixes, some singles from upcoming releases, some unreleased singles, and some just fuck around in a mixtape songs. It's dope, I've listened to it thousands of times d lolwut. WATCH OUW! WATCH OUW!

Pacewon is back?!

2008-03-24T00:23:00.000-07:00

Pacewon, one of my fav emcees many years ago after I heard his 'i declare war' song on a pirated rap compilation audio cd (bless you lanuns). His big breakout however was actually on the Fugees song 'cowboys' along with Tha Outsidaz (Jersey crew) homie and homiezette Young Zee and Rah Digga. He's dope, you know, his swagger is untouchable, his voice and flow too.

I read around that he's back and has formed an Eric B Rakim Gangstarr influenced duo with DJ - Mr. Green.

Check out a video of their song 'hip hop' on youtube. Pacewon is still fucking sick as fuck.

Pacewon and Mr. Green - hip hop

And let's backtrack on two of his dopest hits from yesteryears:

Pacewon - i declare war

Outsidaz - the rah rah

Bonus brand nooh track: Outkast feat. Raekwon - royal flush (this is fiyyahh)

Nicolay & Kay - Time:Line

2008-03-09T01:16:00.000-08:00

Is one of the latest highly rated independent releases. Nicolay is widely known as the dutch producer behind The Foreign Exchange (with Phonte of Little Brother as the collaborating emcee). No idea who Kay is but apparently he has been Nicolay's friend and musical comrade for quite some time.

This album is pretty dope. Production sounds fresh despite a lotta classic hip hop influences. Kay is not bad at all, too. There is some kind of concept runnin' which might sound a bit pretentious and complex but it's not really, this shit is simply good beats and good rhymes. Forget about it. Get it.

And if you're too lazy to check out a whole album. Here's my favourite track from this album.

Rogue Radio Sessions 2.5 Da Takeova

2008-03-05T17:50:00.000-08:00

ROGUE RADIO SESSIONS 2.5. It's DA TAKEOVA! It's a glitch in the rogue radio system. hqa and roguestahz Jin hackman, Familyboy, NBE held WordsManifest hostage, finished his Pringles, plain water supply, and chilled in the Archetype Lab while occasionally talking to the mic, playing songs and breaking a world record - for the newest installation in this heavenly series of podcasts.

Tracks played this time around include new shits from Pete Rock, Jim Jones, Kool G Rap, Johnson&Jonson, Jazz Liberatorz and more, a buncha regional tracks by dope groups from MY (Triniti, Familyboy, SSK, and a rare track from a local scene legend), SG (Xscapists), and INDO (Madrotter, Morgue Vanguard, D'army, Kryptik, Fish), and some old school throwbacks including hip hop before hip hop was even born. Wuzzat? download that shit then innit.

Some new shit, homie - Rakim, Del, Atmosphere, Blu, Pete Rock, and Nujabes

2008-03-01T22:26:00.000-08:00

Rakim - it's nothing (leak)
Off the upcoming album The Archive: Live, Lost & Found. God emcee is still god emcee. But honestly this beat is a little annoying. Check it out anyhow just cause it's fucken Rakim.

Updated: Got a link on this shit forgot it's already out. Here it is.

Del - bubble pop
Off his upcoming shit with Def Jux - Eleventh Hour. It's pretty dissapointing though. Del sounds unenthused, where's his excitement and rhythm? I've heard the same comments about some other songs which leaked. I would love to grunt 'Def Jux please don't fuck it up', but it seems more like 'Del you still on that crizzack?', the beat wasn't too bad. I don't know doggs. Let's just hold the judgement off until shit drops, hoping the album as a whole won't be as dull as two or three tracks. We all miss fucking Deltron.

Atmosphere - Strictly Leakage
Album for the fans before the propah album When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold. Can't front I was an Atmosphere fan. Was. This one's for tha still-fans, aight.

C.R.A.C, Knuckles (Blu and Taraach) - love don't (leak)
I just posted up Blu's presumably latest project Johnson&Jonson a while ago and he's already got newer shit coming. Dude is on a roll. He's deffo capitalizing on all the underground hype he's gettin'. For this project he partners up with Taraach. I don't know much bout the other dude, but I know he rhymed in the 'juice n' dranks' song on Blu's shit with Exile. That's prolly the first taste of C.R.A.C. Knuckles we got. Listening to this 'love don't' track, it ain't too bad, we'll see how it goes. Shit drops april.

Pete Rock - NY's Finest
You might notice producer-based albums featuring various emcees being the hip hop trend right now seeing as it's hard for individual emcees/groups to get some play with all the pop shit ruling the charts. But Pete Rock's been doing it for a while now. Here's his latest offering. It's still Soul Brotha like no otha banging. The Jim Jones track is ballin! Jim Jones should do more songs on hip hop beats.

Nujabes - Hydeout Productions 2nd Collection
Now this ain't too brand new. But just for those who haven't checked it out yet. Nujabes, beat conductah who was involved in most of the instrumentals for anime series Samurai Champloo which is how I got to know of him. I was watching that shit and dem intros and outros and background music were sweet as fuck. Especially the shits he did with dancehall Jap singer Minmi, one was the junglish ending credits music, another shit was from the ost album, real dope. This shit is his latest proj released around november last year. I'm still listening to it, I've already checked out the song with CL Smooth when it came out. It's dope and all, got the right vibe runnin' for The Mecca Don, but it seems Nujabes still has the same problem he had with most of his albums, beat too loud overpowering the vocals. Wouldn't be much of a nuisance if it was MF Doom rhymin' on everything. Well whatever.

For an idea of his shit, here's the Samurai Champloo ending credits. And after that Minmi's live performance of it, pretty prettty nice.

Nujabes feat. Minmi - shiki no uta (song of seasons)

Minmi - shiki no uta (song of seasons) (live)

Voices From Beneath II

2008-02-28T22:18:00.000-08:00

Our brevrens from SG are back with the second installment of the Voices From Beneath Mixtape.

As you see there's a buncha Rogue bwois up in this - Schizzow, SSK, and Familyboy.

I was supposed to be in this myself but apologies to Ijal I couldn't come up with something. It's aight tho I've already gotten into the first one.

If you're not familiar with this mixtape, it's a Singapore-based project initiated by Ijal and his friends mainly from Resurgence Zine/TMA. It features their local acts and ours as well. Mostly from the deep underground.

So if you're up for it download it here aight.

hqa's 5 FAVOURITE 2007 RELEASES

2008-02-18T19:52:00.001-08:00

These are 5 of my favourite 2007 releases:

Blu & Exile - Below The Heavens
Exciting new artist for sho. In an era where it's extremely difficult for me to accept new blood these dudes seem to impress me, a lot. Exile is a dope producer. Really. There's been a lot of producers trying the nu-soul or soul-hop or whatever-you-call-it sound but not many have impressed me. But Exile managed to capture the early and Slum Village-era J Dilla spirit. Applying infectious basslines and clever cutting of samples. And with Blu rhymin' on his shit, it's hard to go wrong. While this duo is from the west coast, Blu might have more east coast emcees on his influences list flow-wise, even accent-wise at times. In this album most of his lyrics are very personal but won't alienate the listener, instead we might find ourselves relating our own experiences to most of his endeavours.

Public Enemy - How You Sell Soul To A Soulless People Who Sold Their Soul
Yeh. Trust the old hip hop warriors to show us how to do things. This album is super banging. Chuck D is still as powerful as ever with his delivery, and Flava Flav hasn't aged. Their production team might've disintegrated at one point and are not the same old Bomb Squad, but there's still a lot of boom in them. While the old school hip hop fans will definitely appreciate this, I'm pretty sure it will get them new fans as well. After all, I haven't been the most fanatic Public Enemy fan, but somehow this record has sealed my faith. Only bummer is it is highly underrated especially since PE is independent and the last few recent releases weren't as enticing as this one.

Ghostface Killah - Big Doe Rehab
This is Primo's pick for best album of 2007. Not so hard to understand why, Tony Starks continued his trademark of rapidfire spittage on banging beats. It might be more compact compared to the intricate Fishscale but it's still good. There were mixed reviews though, some compared it to Pretty Toney, assuming most people didn't like it, but I did like that one. Honestly there might be a few throwaway tracks but most of the tracks were just a simple combination of good beats and good emcees. I'm impressed by the fact that while a lot of golden age emcees lost their dynamic styles (cough*Raekwon*cough), Ghostface seems to add more passion and fire to his.

DJ Deckstream - Soundtracks
Trust the Japs to keep good and forgotten American pop cultures alive. The nu-jazz & nu-soul sound in hip hop has been quite a trend over there. Deckstream makes it evident that it won't be just a fad. One word to describe his samples - sweet, one word to describe his method of sampling - very sweet. While his beats might be really catchy he retains the booming sound of the hip hop beat so as to make it very hard hitting and lively. No need to question his choice of guest emcees - Lupe Fiasco, Talib Kweli, Camp Lo, Pep Love, Zion I.. need I continue?

Cam'ron - Public Enemy #1 (mixtape)
Okay. This is highly personal. Hehe. While there's a lot of rubbish tracks mostly because of the plastic beats, there are a few gems. And these gems prove that while Cam'ron has been guilty of falling into the pop-rap stigma, he is still essentially a golden age emcee having originated from a 90's crew led by Big L. Because on old-school sounding beats, his voice and flow shine, and he still has that Harlem swagger. His decision to focus on featuring only the newer Dipset members in this mixtape is welcoming to me, since they sound more serious and have the potential to have some form of depth which when added to the swagger might create sick emcees. Whatever it is, Cam might not be as big as loathsome Fiddy, but he is still more cult, has way more character, and is way more interesting.. to me, at least. Hehe.

..

Now..

I could just link the albums but I decided against that since we all don't have that much attention span. Especially the non hip hoppers. So to make it more attractive, I decided to make a mixtape consisting of songs I really really liked from those releases. With the tracks ordered the way I wanna. You can burn this mixtape to make an audio cd too.

Aight?

hqa's 5 FAVOURITE 2007 RELEASES MIXTAPE

public enemy - black is back
public enemy - harder than you think
public enemy - col-leepin
cam'ron - no delaying
ghostface killah - toney sigel a.k.a. the barrel brothers feat. beanie sigel
dj deckstream - can you let me know feat. lupe fiasco, verbal and sarah green
dj deckstream - keep in the pocket feat. talib kweli
dj deckstream - 3.2.1. contact feat. surreal
dj deckstream - touch of mink feat. camp lo
cam'ron - i'm a hustler barry
dj deckstream - play on feat. pep love
public enemy - escapism
ghostface killah - yolandas house feat. raekwon and method man
ghostface killah - i'll die for you
blu & exile - good life (show me) feat. joseph and aloe blacc
blu & exile - blu colla workers
blu & exile - party of two
ghostface killah - killa lipstick feat. method man and masta killa
ghostface killah - slow down feat. chrisette michele
cam'ron - bad day feat. tom gist
blu & exile - soul amazin (steel blazin)
dj deckstream - five alarm feat. nikki jean

Johnson&Jonson - Powders&Oils (new shit)

2008-02-18T19:34:00.000-08:00

Blu from last year's Blu & Exile fame is involved in this one with another producer instead, Mainframe. It took me quite some time to get used to this album but once I did it's pretty dope. It has a different feel compared to Blu's last one.

This might be merely a coincidence or just me but I thought while Exile had a slight early-J Dilla influence, Mainframe seems to have a slight Madlib influence. From the way he samples to the various samples he uses, to the live-sounding drums. The songs don't sound too similar with each other which could be why it took me quite a while to really dig it. The Exile joint was easier to digest as it was more hip hop and bass-heavy.

Blu is still Blu, he adapted to Mainframe really well, manouvering his flows combined with his lyricism which has transformed into a more not-so-personal rockin-the-beat one compared to the last release. For some reason sometimes he sounds like a marginally faster Common. Could be just me. Anyway, this is a really good record, give it a few listens and I'm pretty sure you'll like it.

Yes.

Also check out this video of one of the tracks 'bout it bout it' which actually has been out around late last year (first shit I heard of them). Playful video for a very catchy song.

The Resistance has moved

2008-02-18T19:13:00.000-08:00

The Resistance, former TRS forum, has now moved to http://theresistanceforum.com. It is now a more general forum, meaning not so TRS-y. So get on it fuhreel.

Headshell Heroes

2008-02-06T00:04:00.000-08:00

A DJ crew made out of four Malaysian DJs namely - Syed Effects, DJ Doughboy, Lazyarse, and DJ Take Out. They dug out to the surface from the center of the earth using only cut-half vinyls. Learnt human interaction slowly through the tutelage of Master Splinter and Wolverine. After realizing it was all bullshit they instead decided to form a DJ crew to manipulate sounds which will relay secret messages untraceable by evil CIA to other superheroes. If you are a superhero watch these now!

I made that all up but you still have to watch all these videos, or you suck ass dude.

Headshell Heroes Jam session 1 - part 1

Headshell Heroes Jam session 1 - part 2

Headshell Heroes Jam session 1 - part 3

Headshell Heroes Jam session 1 - part 4

Dope right. I like 2 and 4. And itu baru jamming jack. They'll come back with more shit latah stay tooned.

Sum nooh vids

2008-02-05T18:54:00.000-08:00

Blu - just another day

Ghostface Killah - we celebrate

Missy Elliot - ching-a-ling & shake your pom pom 3d video

Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, and white boys

2008-02-03T14:05:00.000-08:00

I haven't been listening to much hip hop lately except maybe YAHH TRICK YAHH. So right here just to post why not me post hip hop-influenced songs from unlikely groups. Like one is a punk band, the other is a new wave kinda band. One used to share the stage with Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five when they toured New York (Joe defended 'Flash when the 'tarded punk crowd was booing hip hop) and you can see a lotta 'Flash influence on their song. The other directly covered a 'Flash song.

The Clash - magnificient seven

Duran Duran - white lines

The real thing too of course.......

..broken glass everywhere. Chewah.

rebel to amerykah

2008-01-28T19:43:00.000-08:00

Erykah Badu - Honey
Uploaded by sesame23

Erykah B for President, bitchessssssss! And lol @ her not so subtle jab at the "Hey Ya" video. At lest she still thinkin bout you, Dre. Leave a comment with as many album titles she appropriated for the video and I'll call you a smart ass by name on the next Rogue Radio Session.

New Amerykah is coming soon. Start wrapping yo damn heads.

Def Jux delivers the goods

2008-01-12T01:58:00.000-08:00

Aes Riddock started it, if you ask me. None Shall Pass marked Definitive Jux's ascent to making accessibly intelligent rap music last year, and Jaime Meline and dem got the formula on lock, for the moment at least. Hangar 18 (yes, Hangar 18) has a new video out (probably from Sweep The Leg, but I'm on my way to lunch, so you run that on Wiki) and guess what? The song's not garbage:

Also from Camp Jukie, Del Tha Funkee Homosapien's leaked single off the impending The Eleventh Hour album: Bubble Pop! (It's gewd.)

i ain't been out a second ...

2008-01-11T13:11:00.000-08:00

I have officially gotten too old for this shit.

Chubb Rock drops dem gems

2008-01-05T09:01:00.000-08:00

Props to The Great Hip Hop Debate.

And as a reward for watching all that:

The.XS Collective and random video for t'day - XCALIBOUR!

2008-01-03T01:58:00.000-08:00

This first half of this post is for mah brevrens from the south, the mad south south, the after longkang besar south, not JBC, fuck JBC, JBT fah lyfe fahk ya lyfe. Anyway, I'm talking about the mighty The.XS Collective. They were once known as As One, one of the longest mainstays of Lion City hip hop rejuvenated.

Recently they released a compilation album and me and WordsManifest were featured in it too. If you want some of that action you can get it at the lab, we still got a lotta copies there. We also shared the stage with them at the dope as dope Family Affair gig last year.

Now, recently one of the main groups in the crew, Xscapists, released on the net this song turn me down. It features two other emcees - Irfan and Young. So fricking head on to their fricking MYSPACE to listen to it. And yes I said MYSPACE, cause we can stream MYSPACE music now.. yo. For some reason.

Also check out their new year's performance video on YOUTUBE. It's pretty pretttty good with all the different angles and non stop track-by-track spitting, pity the organizers rushed them off the stage before finishing their anthem.

Now on the next shit.

This shit is raw as a mufuckah. Muh man Kryptik had told me about them some time ago. Xcalibour, they be a hip hop crew from Surabaya, Indonesia. Now they old video is somehow on youtube and good fucking heavens it's fucking ghetto as fuck, surreal. It's like back then you had Wu, and you had Onyx, this is both. Haha. Check it out aight. Fuck ya life guntha.

Xcalibour - dobrak (2002)

Rogue Radio Sessions #2

2008-01-01T15:03:00.000-08:00

Oh you thought it was just a one-off? You wrong, son.

Rogue Radio Sessions #2 features more of that real hip hop loot we pride ourselves on, with burners by Public Enemy, Sarah Jones and the Dap Kings, Spank Rock, Jin Hackman, KLG Sqwad, Naughtius Maximus, and more. Plus, Skillz's annual Rap Up!

DOWNLOAD ROGUE RADIO SESSIONS #2

Happy Noo Gyeah, snitches!

... and because I'm so fucking nice: Skillz - 2007 Rap Up Video

This just in, and thanks to Nona Ili Roguy for the heads up. Just a little over 24 hours after Rogue Radio Sessions #2 got uploaded, it's clocked in over 210 downloads. That's a shitload. Thanks everybody who linked that shit on their blogs and messageboards (here, here, here, here, and godDAMN, here too), and major daps to all you heads who downloaded RRS#2 onto your harddrives!

G'year mate?

2007-12-21T21:55:00.000-08:00

Yawll iz prolly familiar with Skillz trademark rap-up every year end. Here's a down undah twist, one from an Ozzie.

Prime - rap up 2007

Pretty dope.

World Rap Championship 2007 FINALS

2007-12-21T21:04:00.000-08:00

First off, the finals tapes were stolen, so they managed to salvage whatever other footage they have and put it up. Not too bad, but we missed a lotta important rounds especially from the quarterfinals. Go straight up HERE to view all dem final battles aight.

Here are my comments tho.

But before that. Let's all drool at

Dayyyyyyyyyyyyyymmm. Okay it's fucked up that we lost footage in camera1 but camera2 has bucketspermloads of her face on it so fap away I am. PROPS to jumpoff for the banging finals hostesses. Also it was dope to see hip hop figures like Pumpkinhead, Craig G and J Smooth on the judging tables, however yeah it was mostly NY heads and it's fucked up that one of the teams are from NY. But whatever LGIO.

QF - Illmac/Saurus vs Poorich
I thought Kid Twist killed everyone. However the 3rd battle was missing a few rounds so I don't know. Still, the team from Toronto should've won 1st round. do more laps in your hamster wheel illmac. Last year's champions seems to have carried their lazy regular season performance over to the finals.

QF - MaddIllz/Parable vs Quest/Marv
Fuhreal Quest and Marv fucking killed it. One of their best series of battles. They didn't even need a 3rd one. The only round we get to see from the 2nd battle was one of the best I've seen of them.

Tito Santana bla bla bring me a burito manyana. Fuck up your mariachi practice kick open your trombone bass, well sumtin' like that.

Quest was killing the 1st one tho with the jokes and flips. I mean okay i'm marvin gaye, your momma was gladys knight/glad-it's-night. I got a gap, you shop at it. feel like i woke up in a taco bell with something something and a mop that yells. Haha hilarious.

QF - Wappin/Juce vs Anecdote/60
Of course I'm gonna be bias since I hate the wappin juce style, but IMHO they stepped it a little and switched up their style to make it not as annoying as the regular season. Plus they started to put on hoodies, that's a positive.

I wished Anecdote and 60 would've gone far but 3rd battle was not full footage so I don't know what happened, they weren't as brutal as they could've been, probably jet lagged but summa the shit 60 said to wappin'n'juce were mad cold and hit the right spot.

Shit like overpronounciation? that's an understatement, or that shit where he was like if you won i wish you don't have to make an acceptance speech it would take weeks bla bla sumin' like that. Man, dope. Also he had the best openers, you're pretty old you FUCKHEAD. A lotta nose and hairline jokes as well from he and Anecdote but those became played out after a while. Couldn't remember much shit from wappin'n'juce.

Whatever it is I still wished Prime/Purpose were here blazin' it up instead.

QF - Zeale/Phran vs Ark/Eurgh
Daym. Phranchyze is dope! I didn't see much of them in the regular season but from what I've seen he totally brought out the focken BFGs for the finals. He has a fast rapping style and nerdy Nocando-like lyricisim. Fuck swagger, he just jumps around and looks down on the opponent. OOh nigga speak to me in punjabi wahukgeuahukgea. Didn't favour the Possessed-wannabe but over shouting with no swagga style of UK team but Eurgh is starting to grow on me. He came dope. Wished the Houston division winners won instead but I dunnoe.

..

SF - Quest/Marv vs Illmac/Saurus
Well it is what it is (that's what they all say haha). I dunno I wished Quest/Marv took it but they didn't. 3rd round was mad debatable. They could've came harder tho. The champs were pretty boring, keep doing the same fat jokes over and over again but the crowd was cheering for some reason, maybe reputation. Still Quest/Marv youze to blame, I know youze could've came harder no homo.

Still I enjoyed the ride so far. This is probably the first time I'm looking at battles like a football fan, actually supporting a particular team, wishing they would win, closing eyes everytime the opponents has their turn. Okay maybe last year I did have support for Possessed but I was realistic I know Illmac/Saurus was too strong for his team so I just watched it for what it is.

SF - Ark/Eugh vs italians
Fuh real this is where the drama is. I can see where the UK team is coming from tho, to me they obviously took it. I'm not biased, I hate both styles, but they just clearly took it. But thing is it isn't on a neutral ground, the italians were yonkers, most of the judges were yonkers, the yonker crowd only cheered for wappin and juce which wasn't the case with the otha typa crowds. But the bitching was a bit too arrogant tho, still, they must've been really hungry for that crown ark and eurgh. Eurgh got really pissed off afta losing.

Eurgh was really really impressive though. He had the dopest flips and punchlines. He just brought it to 'em with his game face every time. Ark was sloppy. Wappin and juce yet again, forgettable.

Illmac/Saurus Quest/Marv battle should've been the final battle.

And so..

FINAL - last year's champs vs dodgy yonkers
I have my own says about this but whatever, just watch it cause it's still running. So far only rounds 1 and 2 are up, final deciding round tonight aight.

Rogue Radio Sessions #1

2007-12-06T13:07:00.000-08:00

What the fuck is a Rogue Radio Session?

Back when the Rogue Radio concept was first being kicked around, a blog wasn't what we had in mind. Nah, we were thinking more along the lines of a pirate radio station, one in which propaganda could be relayed directly to the proletariat, musical direction would be in the hands of those who know what the fuck is up, and where I would have the opportunity to make a complete ass out of myself on the mic.

A podcast series isn't going to make Hitz.fm worry anytime soon, but shit. I got a lot of time on my hands these days, so why not. Rogue Radio Sessions #1 clocks in at roughly 50 minutes and features some fine, fine msic by the likes of Little Brother, 50 Cent (surprised? you should be, bitches), the Beastie Boys and FEATURED ARTIST OF THE WEEK *listen for yourself la, it's a secret*. And yes, I am a complete ass on the mic. If enough of you listen to this shit, and want to listen to some more of this shit, then we'll start building from there. You know, start playing local and regional shit, have a shout out section, go on a road tour and shit lol. One thing at a time, though:

DOWNLOAD ROGUE RADIO SESSIONS #1

Ghostface's new shit.. and the best posse cut evva (unrelated)

2007-11-28T01:00:00.000-08:00

Any'a'y'all can stream Ghostface's new release Big Doe Rehab at his def jam page.

I'm streaming it right now and that shit is BANGING bruv. Fuck this shit is total bangabongbong. This is crack, and all that. If you thought he couldn't get harder than he did recently with Fishscale or More Fish. Like daym, be prepared to declare you stand corrected. This'll kill 8 Diagrams prolly, wakuhhukgea.

Yeah I've listened to 8 Diagrams. Still don't know what to think of it. Mixed feelings yo. Forget about it.

Now, all that Tony Starks needs is proper promos and some super commercial success, he deserves it for his consistency and hard work. And ironically he's the one Def Jam emcee not complaining too much about the label's impropah treatment of they artists, instead he keeps his head up and carries on his hustle. Scrilla fahr realla (random hip hopping).

..

Now, onto a totally different note, I mean dimension.

What is the best posse cut in the world?

This is.

It's Kid Twist of WRC2007 fame and his crew SPC. That's the dopest posse cut I've heard in my life, and yours too. Whukgukea.

Canadians need more love. They invented the hockey puck you know.

No they didn't.

But maybe they did.

JUST CHECK THIS POSSE CUT OUT IT'S THE BEST IN THE UNIVERSEZ AIGT?!

Catch a beat down. POAICE!

New Nas pushed back

2007-11-27T02:33:00.000-08:00

Goddamnit. I knew there was going to be a price for Def Jam defending Nasty's choice to name his next album Nigger (yes, I typed it. At least I didn't say in the same vein as Don Imus saying "nappy headed hoes"). The latest news is that Nigger (I said it again; sue me) has been pushed back to next February from the previously-scheduled December release date. At least the new Wu album is coming out as planned (as well, it should, because ... well, wait for the next post) and Ghostface too. At least, I hope those joints are coming out.

Rogue Squadron - Rogue Boys

2007-11-26T15:19:00.001-08:00

Definitely gotta plug this aight:
WordsManifest, Jin Hackman, Familyboy, NBE and Illevate representing the Rogue Squadron, over the sick sick beat for Jay-Z's 'Roc Boys', off the American Gangster album.

DOWNLOAD 'ROGUE BOYS'

Tell all your friends. Or we'll kill you.

Go to THE RESISTANCE to feedback propah. Aight.

JumpOff regular season review, yeah the regular season is done and dusted, on to the playoffs

2007-11-26T13:28:00.000-08:00

For those following the WRC2007 yawll'll know the regular season is finished. My favourite battlers from each division, and am'a point out key battles and all and all that shit. And wassup with the playoffs, aight.

Houston - None, I don't know, maybe Phranchyze/Zeale32.
I didn't really watch much from this division, I don't know. That's all there is to it. Phranchyze's team went through, they're pretty dope, I wanna see what they can come up with during the playoffs.

Melbourne - Prime/Purpose.
First off I gotta say the Aussie division has been quite a surprise for me, and mosta the WRC viewers. Personally, I didn't like it when Justice won Scribble 2005, I didn't like his voice, his accent, his style (his lines are good though). But this division has proven to me that it's most def just a unique case.

My favourite is most def P&P with Anecdote/360 following closely. Decoy/Chase are pretty okay, and K21/Ilyak got mad potential. But P&P and Anec/360, these two pairs went blazing from start to finish, the only time they got any kind of fight was when they went against themselves.

I'm personally biased towards P&P. I guess I liked their styles better. Purpose has the dopest swagger I've seen on a white bwoy. Prime comes up with some of the most ridiculously funniest punchlines and most of them are off the top, on the spot, which makes them even funnier.

Meanwhile, Anecdote is one of those multi-syllabic emcees which is a style that can get annoying. But he's good at it, and he doesn't sound mad queer. Prolly cause he's quite an experienced cat in the OZ battle scene. Some people might say 360 is the weaker half but I think he brings a different dimension to the team with his fucked up sense of humour.

The best way to describe these two pairs for me is that they are Australia's very own Freestyle Masons (Stig/Respek BA and Whas'his'face/Possessed) (UK).

I'd say a good way to enjoy the Melbourne division is to watch all battles involving them two teams. But the best way is of course, to just watch both of their battles. FYI shit got so mad close between the two pairs they had to decide through one thing which was P&P had to go to punchlines round to defeat Anec/360 while Anec/350 defeated them in the first overtime, so Anec's team gets the pass to playoffs. Dissapointment for me being a fan of P&P but still, a dope pair went through, no real complaints.

They 1st battle.

They 2nd battle.

Atlanta - Uhh, dunno, Drect/Hemisphere maybe.
Like Houston, this didn't get the fair share of my attention. I preferred Mad Illz/Parable from last season's. They got mad annoying for some reason this time around. Drect/Hemisphere had dope swaggers and hilarious wtf-don't-give-a-fuck-am'a-just-say-it-however-i-wanna-fuck-it whatever typa lines. But predictably, the former pair went through.

London - G-Dash/King Jordz
Probably the most energetic and intense division. Wasn't expecting much from this division but the weaker teams from last season stepped it up in the absence of the infamous Freestyle Masons. Ark/Eurgh got through, not my favourite pair especially Ark with his screaming Possessed-wannabe style. But he got some nice lines though, him and Eurgh probably had the most flips, that's commendable.

Dash and Jordz though, daym. They really stepped it up. Dash and his cuntish persona is entertainment. Jordz is the King though, he's cult. He's got mad swag, and he's the most composed dude in the whole division, seems nuthing could deter him. And the funniest was whenever he made a pop culture reference. HADOUUUKEN!

Shoutout to Kulez and his partner. He stepped it up as well.

The most intense battle would have to be the first battle reuniting Ark and Kulez who were former partners last season. Shit got really personal and shit. The most important battle is the last one involving Ark's team and Dash/Jordz, as it determined who would go through. Shit went to the wire. I personally preferred Dash/Jordz to go through but Ark's team deserved it seeing as how consistent they came throughout the whole thing.

Ark and Kulez intense head-to-head reunion.

The grand finale battle, on some street fighter shit.

New York - Tie between Critical/Madness and Piff James/Hommy Hom
Definitely. I didn't like the division's winners one bit. I don't know. They can come up with some good lines but they whole style bar the wiseguy accent is pretty unbearable.

Critical/Madness came with their gay jokes galore and the funniest deliveries. Piff James/Hommy Hom only picked shit up by the second half of battles. Hom especially was blazing mostly near the end, kinda got his mojo back.

Well honestly although both pairs were my favs, they weren't too consistent. Still, I would've preferred either team to go through to the playoffs.

Detroit - OBVIOUSLY Quest Mcody/Marvwon
No doubt. I've said enough about them. A totally different style from most of the other battlaz. Detroit honestly was the most laidback division. Seems like everyone knew each otha and was just having fun making fun of each otha (even Elfamail and Moodswangz who came from Chicago seemed like part of the family). Shoutouts to Mr Cliff Note/Hostyle for the funny delivery and lines. And Moodswangz's team, they weren't too bad. You can see Swann in the background and sometimes hear his distinctive fucked up laugh too. Why the fuck didn't he enter though.

Best way to go through this division is to watch all Quest/Marv battles. Even towards the end when they were all tired and not even trying, they were hella funny as hell. Dildo flute, tidididututulgtyyududu.

Their funniest battle, the 1st one against Quest's cousin and some otha dude.

Their closest battle, their only battle that went to overtime, the 1st one against Elfamail/Moodswangz.

Los Angeles - Dumbfoundead/Sahtyre
Prolly the hardest division to pick out a favourite. Nearly everyone came with dopeness. Shoutouts to NoCanDo/Rheteric, Thesaurus/Illmac, Lush One/Flo. But honestly Dumb and Saht had the dopest chemistry and funniest style with the spontaneous freestyling/dissing.

Saht has this funny thing he does when after everytime he disses his opponent he would look at them up and down like he's sizing them up. Dumb I figured usually comes up with his lines while his partner is spitting, delivers it, blaow! funny shit, and then tops it off with the funniest freestyle filler in the world - "Gottdtayym". They both have the funniest postures and hand movements when battling, especially Saht with his slightly bending down stance. Whugkeakuga.

Can't front on this division. You gotta check out most of the battles. This is the division that had the most skills. That's why I would agree to anyone saying there should be a separate Bay and LA divisions. It's fucked up having to choose between Bay and Project Blowed cats and only send one pair from either group of emcees.

The other emcees not mentioned yet, good battlers too but more geared towards freestyle than punchlines. Lyraflip/Verbs, and Franco/Element. But there's one funny part in the after-battle interviews where Franco had a bitchfight with Element. Whaukuekga. Fucked up.

And NoCanDo is one of the best freestylers in this world ever, no doubt.

My favourite battle involving Dumbfoundead/Sahtyre

Toronto - Poorich/Kid Twist
No doubt. One of the most bogus divisions in terms of judging. But this pair finally made it and deserved it no doubt. Odd couple, Poorich with a wigga swag and Kid Twist with his nerdy swag. But it worked.

Kid Twist especially, comes up with the funniest lines. And despite his unapologetic nerd swag, he's pretty much gangsta. Just look at it this way, who has the most composure in the battles, he does. Nothing seems to sway him, he's cool as fuck. Best part was when he goes "he likes my girl so much he went with the chubby version" to Organik. After that Organik got really hyped up being mean and all that referencing Twist's girl but dude is mad chill, like whateva, I threw sand in your pussay already, no matter how much you scream back, you lost. Haha.

Props to Organik and his partner Knamelis though, they were not bad. Knamelis especially was involved in one of the best battles in the tourney. Having to battle Bishop/Stretch Diesel (whose dicks have been rode by the judges throughout) alone as Organik had too many fouls. He dissed the judges, dissed the host (they seem to have beef), and still won.

For this division, all the battles involving Poorich/Kid Twist are dope. Oh and I hate Aspire/Prolific. Hahakhga.

Best Lookback Shows
The lookback shows are a good feature. Everyone seems to be bitching about the host Nemiss. I don't see anything wrong with her. For a female, she's pretty good. Fucking nerds complaining about everything, as if they get Bollywood chicks climbing up they dicks every night, faggits.

The earlier lookback shows were pretty allright. Then it got to the high profile asshole guests namely Joe Budden, Serious Jones and Immortal Technique.

Then it got to the surprise guests. Like I didn't expect someone old school like Craig G to be on it (along with Mazzi, one of the best hosts). It was one of the best shows.

The one with Rhymefest and Termanology was dope as well. Just skip Rhymefest's weird rant about white boys being better than black boys. He's a well respected battle emcee (and also didn't do too bad on the commercial scene) and it's dope to see him commending the battles. At one point he dissed Smack DVD battles, saying that ain't the future of battling, this is. Which is true, from a neutral point of view, I'd rather watch random nerds and some streeter cats come up with dope punchlines than supposedly street cats read their verse about guns and coke aloud. I have my Ghostface and Clipse for that so fuck yawll. Yawll'll probably get served by Iron Solomon any day, anyway. He's got the best writtens hands down. Too much ranting there haha.

Rhymefest was funny in an odd awkward way though. Wahukgeaukga. Seriously.

Erm gotta say the lookback shows got better in the second half of the season for sho'. The one with the D.O.E. and that white dude was not bad too. They both had some good things to say. They both seemed like real fans of the battles.

And not forgetting the last show for the regular season I suppose. Which was done nicely. They drew the playoff match-ups live here too. I gotta embed this cause it's pretty important:

I hope they have a full season lookback, that'd be pretty dope. Props to JumpOff for getting quality guests regardless of whether they were cuntish or not.

Shoutouts to Okwerdz for being the most hated hater too. He's dope.

Best Host and Hostesses
The host that had the most control had to be the original, Scarrs of UK. The loudest gotta be Detroit. The most cuntish is that Toronto one that got dissed by Knamelis. LA host was dope also, he was the most responsive to funny lines, heard he's a blowed emcee so makes sense. Anotha JumpOff old boy Mazzi was Mazzi as usual. I don't know, maybe the Houston host was the best. I mean despite that division being the worst, he was pretty upbeat, and interacted with the battlers and everything else pretty well.

Hostesses, I have a soft spot for Miss Erica of Detroit. Despite her sagging tits. Well I'm not sure she's all that though, cause I can't see her face clearly from the camera.

Muh previews for the playoff
So now I understand the format, it's typical World Cup format. Here are the matchups which will be done in December 1st:

Illmac/Thesaurus vs Poorich/Kid Twist - it's gonna be interesting to watch. Although honestly, I agree with Critical in the lookback shows, Illmac's got something up his sleeve. Him and in some instances, Saurus as well, didn't seem to wanna reveal too much of their beastiness in the regular season. They might end up being too strong for the Canadian team, but I dunno, we'll see. Nemiss say this battle'll be footaged in December 5th.

Quest Mcody/Marvwon vs Madd Illz/Parable - the most interesting to look forward too. Two totally different battle styles. I wanna see Detroit go through but I dunno, their style might be too foreign for the general battle crowd.

Anecdote/360 vs Frankie Wapps/Jaze Juce - I do wanna see Anec serve both these yonkers since he does their style better, but I dunno, hard to predict as well.

Ark/Eurgh vs Pharnchyze/Zeale32 - least look forwarded to battle but I still wanna see how Phranchyze and his partner will cope with real competition.

Enjoy them battlez, folks.

Cam'ron is still alive dogg, public enemy number 1, whoody-whoo

2007-11-14T16:39:00.000-08:00

There's been rumours of chaos in the DIP SET DIP SET DIP SET DIP SET camp, mostly heartbreaking. But fuck it right, Cam'ron started all this shit, he showcased dem boys on catchy beats in the first place. He's the essence of Dipset. Well, prolly mixed with a little bit of Freeky Zeeky's fucked up sense of humour.

He's my favourite pop rapper, sure he rhymes about all the usual modern hip hop hoohaa but the way he does it is almost satire (definitely cult though) - over the top multisyllabized rhyme schemes, made up words or sounds, serious swagger even when delivering something ridiculously retarded, and misogny the size of Snoop Doggy Dogg's balls in his Doggystyle days. It's like he's just fucking around and making the most of the opportunity to talk nonsense since it's pop hip hop

Him and Dipset shined most in his Come Home With Me album, it's my personal favourite at least. It's all about having the right beats. I guess back then he had the luxury of Roc producers. The Just Blaze banging catchy hype typa shit mixed with a little smoothness here and there works just well for Killa and his dope voice to swag on. Man fuck it, Just Blaze and Kanye West should give Cam special discounts, forget the rest, Kanye should stop rapping and concentrate on showing some instrumental love for the Dip leader while Just Blaze should put the ron before the gon (Saigon haha). I'm fucking sick and tired of listening to Cam'ron rhymin' on over-generic beats with over-enthusiastic hi-hats.

Recently he released this double disc mixtape entitled Public Enemy Number 1 which had an abundance of those typa shit, low budget beats and all that. Fuck that, there are a few gems though, three songs in particular that am'a be pluggin' which I really like cause he's rapping on some smooth shit and good shit.

First off is this song BAD DAY (feat. Tom Gist, who? Prolly new Dipset blood), where he flipped Ice Cube's it was a good day's concept using that particular track's instrumental as well. Although Cube's original is that real piff, the beat is one of the best ever in the history of hip hop.

The other one is I'M A HUSTLER BARRY, in which he rhymed on Barry White's love's theme. It's sweet as fuck.

The other other one is this track NO DELAYING. I'm not sure who's beat this originally is but listening to Cam spit on an old school drumbeat is pretty refreshing. We all love that old school loop. Fuck clap snares and annoying hi-hats.

As a bonus, the shitty skit from the mixtape.

Okay, now we forget all that, let's go back, not so way back though, this was back when Ja Rule was what 50 Cent is now. If you've never checked out Cam'ron before, start with this one aight. This was before he started using annoying beats and way before Dipset blew up proper (cause this is where he started plugging his Dipset homies on a large scale hence sharing the limelight with them). Some of my favourite tracks from this album are oh boy, daydreaming, hey ma, on fire (whaukhukgea funny ass track, best topical evva), stop calling, and tomorrow.

Come Home With Me (2002)

Intro
Losing Weight Part 2 feat. Juelz Santana
Oh Boy
Live My Life (Leave Me Alone) feat, Daz
Daydreaming feat. Tiffany
Come Home With Me feat. Juelz Santana & Jim Jones
Welcome To New York City feat. Jay-Z & Juelz Santana
Hey Ma feat. Juelz Santana, Freekey Zekey & Kay Slay
On Fire Tonight feat. Freekey Zekey
Stop Calling feat. Mcgruff & Freekey Zekey
I just Wanna feat. Juelz Santana
The ROC (Just Fire) feat. Jim Jones
Dead Or Alive feat. Jim Jones
Boy Boy feat. Memphis Bleek & Beanie Sigel
Tomorrow

Shit I'm feeling quite bonussy today. On some FLASHBACK tip, here's a bootleg I found of Children of the Corn. I'm still tryna download a proper album from them though, watch out for updates.

Children of the Corn - Harlem's Finest bootleg (1993).

Intro
American Dream
Harlem USA (freestyle)
Studio Freestyle
Freestyle
Uptown Connection

Who're Children of Corn though? You might ask. They're A supergroup (considering the reputation of some of the emcees now) founded by Big L involving Murda Mase (Mase), Killa Cam (Cam'ron), McGruff and Bloodshed. Dope as fuck. Imagine if they're still around, daym, Big L and Killa especially, they were killin' it, fuck it even Mase was pretty good back then. Sadly Bloodshed and Big L passed away. More info here.

That's that for now. I don't know what's the situation with Jim Judas Jones and Juelz Santana. I just watched Juelz going on an interview talking about loyalty, what? I'm not sure what he was mumblin', I don't know, I don't know the real situation, Cam hasn't been replyin' his gmail, am'a try the fax later. Fuck that shit. By the way, still on the Dip note, I checked Hell Rell's album. I thought it sucked ass, so whatever, no plug for you. Oh yeah before I go, yeah, fuck you fiddy cent. You suck ass, Kanye won over yo' ass, stop whining. You got beat by a tight panted metro homo. Wgheukahga.

Random backtrack video, Souls of Mischief - '93 till infinity

2007-11-13T02:20:00.000-08:00

This is a long MEGA COMBO post - Marley Marl, Craig G, WRC, and some battle rapper music

2007-11-07T08:52:00.001-08:00

Marley Marl. I hardly knew who he was back then although he influenced dam nearly every beat conductah walking the earth identified as my own influences. But never too late, some time ago, an interview with The Rza, a name was dropped, and I was schooled. He founded the legendary Juice Crew, and trust my flabby gut their spirit is still alive what with recent releases from himself (that hip hop lives shit with KRS), Masta Ace, and that upcoming Kool G Rap shit. And I just have to mention just now, me in my small ass cavey room watching what new jacks watch - WRC, and dropping my jaw when Craig fucking G was a guest in the Lookback Show, faacken 'ell (we'll get back to this later in this entry).

To noobs like yours truly only: what I have for you is this release which is the first compilation of his produced hits - In Control Vol. 1. Why? cause I know just like me most of yawll're prolly highly unfamiliar with his shit most especially the old ones. This is OG shit doggy, he pioneered that hard hitting sample flipping shit that we all love so frickking much, and with the arsenal of emcees he was working with - seriously? Kane? Biz Markie? Craig G? Tragedy Khadafi? Kool G Rap? Masta Ace? Heavy D? who else do you want, need, bitch?

But I know words won't convince much, especially with my feeble linguistic skills, so get on these two videos off the compilation. If you figadeel it, link is down there, proper.

Juice Crew - the symphony

Roxanne Shante - wack it

Marley Marl - In Control Vol. 1, geddit from Zshare or MegaUpload

Marley Marl - Droppin' Science - Craig G. (5:00)
Marley Marl - We Write The Songs (Feat. Heavy D.) - Biz Markie
Marley Marl - The Rebel - Tragedy Khadafi
Marley Marl - Keep Your Eye On The Prize - Masta Ace
Marley Marl - The Symphony (Feat. Master Ace, Craig G., Kool G. Rap and Biz Markie
Marley Marl - Live Motivator - Tragedy Khadafi
Marley Marl - Duck Alert - Craig G.
Marley Marl - Simon Says - Masta Ace
Marley Marl - Freedom - MC Shan
Marley Marl - Wack It - Roxanne Shante

Now, on to fucking CRAIG G being in WRC 2007's Lookback Show Week 7, when he was announced I was like "whaa? the real Craig G? dayum". And no I'm not an old schooler I'm a noob I got into hip hop very late but I constantly do muh homework (my teachers back in school wished they were teaching hip hop) and I know who he is, he's a fucking legend.

Before we get a little more into that a bitta background about some shit that has pissed me off about WRC's lookback shows - delusional arrogant cunt guest emcees. Yes, guilty parties included - Joe Buddens, Serious Jones, and Immortal Technique. Tech pissed me off the most as I had mad respect for him and his music, but he's delusional, he's no OG, he acted like he above erything. Piss off, mate. He keeps dismissing the battles he's supposed to review (which is very disrespectful since he was dismissing some dope emcees) and going "back in those days" "back in my days" bla bla acting like he the baddest when we all know he was not bad but awfully painful when it comes to riding beats in battles - AND he lost to fucking Postaboy in freestyle friday acting like he didn't just overtake the beat and smoked that bitch a dozen lamp-posts. Cunt.

This is where we get back to Craig G. The irony is, when Craig the OG the fucking legend the fucking dude who beat Supernatural was talking, he was totally respectful of the battles and battlers, modest with his opinions, and just simply on point. Despite this being a new battle scene and him having way more rep & experience than anyone including the cunt guests combined, he was very very cool. The only time he ever went on a flashback was when the host asked him a question about the difference between now and then, even so he was pretty cool about it, only noted that there's too much screaming nowadays (which I hate myself sometimes) when he's more into wit and humour, but acknowledged there's a lot of very good dudes. Unlike Tech who kept making me phuke last night's dinner which I didn't digest properly with his ooh-i'm-so-og-i'm-so-hard-and-shit back-in-those-days-we-battled-better stfu, you look like a member of Nu Heaven with your shaved 'stache. Ok calm down hqa, fuck I'll still respect these cats for their music, but in terms of character, fuck y'all.

I was also pretty shocked when Craig G was totally feeling Kid Twist, declaring dude as his favourite emcee of the day. If you don't know who Kid Twist is, he's who Weird AL was inspired by when "white and nerdy" was conjured + combined with the ability to deliver funny punchlines. Yeah he's nerdy, so fucking what, Tech woulda totally dismissed but who gives a fuck now when Craig gave props based on proper battling basics - wit and punchlines. Anotha detail was while Joe Buddens enthusiastically like a bimbo told Hom and Piff to quit when he was on, Craig instead was totally spotting Hom's dope delivery analyzing how it made the punches more effective thus confirming us Hommy Hom fans' belief all this while that his swagger is unfuckwittable. Okay Maybe Hom and Piff did have a bad day on Buddens' week he coulda at least been more respectable.

Well I guess this is a lesson that all us hip hoppaz old or new must take to heart, don't be a cunt. Oh yeah this is that lookback show with Craig G, the best so far IMHO:

Lastly, on to more noobily shit. Some battle rapper music that I been digging and wanting to plug recently.

First on the list is a flashback from last year, Mr. Swagga Hommy Hom himself who I name dropped earlier if you read that stupid emotional rant whaukhukgea, I don't know what beat he rhymed this on but the beat is banging and his flow & rhythm is just chun. The song is HALLWAY. I'm lucky I saved some of his songs from Myspace before our local connection got fucked up and we ova hear can't listen to Myspace music anymore.

Second is Nocando, Project Blowed rep a.k.a. Blowdian, no stranger to various battle circuits, Recent Scribble Jam winner and WRC 2007 participant, overall dope freestyler. Listening to him freestyle, fuck he would come up with lines incorporating complex rhyme schemes and concepts you couldn't come up with in writtens. And listening to him freestyle flow on a beat, you know unlike many other freestylers that he could come most deffily sick on wax.

So I have checked out a lot of his stuff, hits and misses depending on how dope the beat is. Two of muh favourites:

Nocando - deep sea divers
Beat is hypnotic. Nocando's spitting is sick, and very catchy hook.

Customer Service (his crew) feat. Okwerdz & Dirtbag Dan - no fly zone
Hype double time beat, dope double time flows, Okwerdz, another infamous battler who onced tag-teamed with Nocando for a comp came nice as well. Overall hype track.

Third and last for now on is an OZ duo named Forthwrite. One half of them is 360 who's competing in WRC 2007. The duo is funny as fuck on this track we are the best with the minimalistic stripped-down funky beat complementing them very well, and the chorus is infectious, contagious, groovitatious WE ARE THE BEST TWO FUCKHEADS YOU KNOW WE ARE THE BEST TWO FUCKHEADS, we're the best, we're the best. Also featuring Okweezy who I thought was quite annoying in this one.

Ya bwoy hqa signin' off for now, for sheezy ma meezy, indeezy, and chigeezies. Paice.

mahzel tov, it's a celebration bitches

2007-11-06T19:04:00.000-08:00

The thing that makes me say I'm not a titty-popping Jay-Z fan is that for every album he comes out with, there's rarely more than two tracks I'm feeling. The Black Album was the last one to do this to me; "99 Problems", "Lucifer" and "Threat" were hot, but nothing else. Kingdom Come had nada, which i suppose balanced things out. This fact also makes it undeniable that I regard Jay as one of the GOATs, as much as I hate his swagger and highly unNas-like ability to make this hip hop shit look easy. To hit even the most hardened nay-sayer (and I can't even lay claim to that title, although I come pretty damn close) with a favourite track almost every album is something Lil' Wayne needs to start doing. Hell, Fabolous jacked Hov's style years before Weezy did, and he still can't come close to coming out with an album that has at least one song for every possible facet of hip hop listenerdom.

Enter "Roc Boys (And The Winner Is)". Just look at me: I detest the man for his cockiness and I love the song that glorifies it. I don't know if American Gangster: The Album is a true concept album or not, but I'm trying to enjoy a standalone song, so fuck it. Exaggerated though it might be, Jay's account of his crack dealing heyday is, pardon the pun, intoxicating: an unapologetic tale of forbidden success in an environment where so many good things are forbidden, 'illegal' was easily misinterpreted as 'for whitey only'. And to think The Hitmen produced this. Damn you, Diddy. Are the horns cheesy? Sure, but they beat cheesy synths any day. And Jay rhymes better than he has in a while - he's on point, he's funny, he flows flawlessly, and he engages your attention span throughout the song. It is, indeed, a celebration, bitches.

Here's the video:

p.s.: I just realized i stopped linking albums up in here, which might cause you some dismay. I'm going to start back on that ... as soon as I find some albums worth my upload time.

Fiascogate: The Motion Picture

2007-11-05T22:43:00.000-08:00

Not really. Lupe's been getting a lot of flak lately for a broad spectrum of WTF-worthy reasons, from fucking classic Tribe lyrics the fuck up and turning all of Okayplayer (and Phonte) against his ass, to allegedly succumbing to the time-honoured hip hop traditional rite of the Smackahoe. But lest we all forget, we wouldn't be paying him and his tomfoolery all that much attention if he wasn't an emcee to be reckoned with, and The Cool, set to be available for free download (hurhur) from December 18th onwards, should be the litmus test for Robotboy. Can he last? Or will he run back to West Side Chitown? Phonte don't care.

"Superstar" features Matthew Santos (signed to Atlantic, but ... who? Anyone? Please?) and is aaaaaite, but not so much. The content seems like a continuation of the much better "Daydreamin'", and Lupe continues to showcase his thematic skills. If there's one thing this guy can do (albeit boringly sometimes) it's weave concept tracks. I like how Hype Williams changed up his style somewhat. The flashing bulbs are still there, but at least they're not lined up in in rows of 75 behind the emcee. And no split horizontal bars either.

American Gangster. Fuck what ya heard.

2007-11-05T03:16:00.000-08:00

Yo man, I done told you.

American Gangster: The Motion Picture opened to a first weekend gross of 46.3 million bucks. (That's roughly the same amount Frank Lucas used to make over a weekend selling smack.) Biggest ever opening take for a crime movie, ever. Denzel Washington is the fucking man. Russell Crowe put in work too. The RZA was completely in character. Common? TI? eeeeeh not so much. Armand Assante. Cuba Gooding Jr. That Chinese guy who tried to kill Indiana Jones in Shanghai. And Ridley Scott, whose directing for this one now puts him at "12 more classic movies to go before the world forgives you for Legend".

Say what? American Gangster: The Album? Oh word? Really?

Never heard of it.

Check out Pete Rosenberg reporting on the AG premier in Noo Jawk. (Special peep ma gurl Angela at 3:06. Thank you for existing, baby.) And Hebrew gibberish!

the times, they are a-changin'

2007-11-04T01:52:00.000-07:00

Just goes to show that even when he's not on the label anymore, Sony knows not to fuck with Nas. This is a great retrospective video, with stock footage from Illmatic videos til his departure.

Also, a less than stellar point in Esco's life, but still noteworthy: The Firm live.

Respek BA, Rain Check, Pagen Elypsis

2007-11-01T02:32:00.000-07:00

First off, if you watch footie and enjoy listening to the token Scottish pundit-half of the commentators, and you wish he rapped .. and all that, well here's mister Respek BA, he's no commentator but he raps and all that. one'a muh favourite emcees that I got to know through Jumpoff.TV street battles and was also a dope ass competitor in WRC2006. Battle emcees hardly make good music but I'm diggin' BA. This track I'm linkin' is from Illmaculate's Rain Check mixtape, entitled "blazin'". The beat is annoying as fuck but his raps is dope, the flow, the lyrics and shit, the swag, he's got lines, and the fucking Sco''ish accent, don't fuck with that. He's got more tracks up on his myspace but since we live in this country we can't hear it but last year I managed to listen to a few and they're very sick since he's rhymin' on mostly jazzy beats that are dope as shit and shit. Whatever. About the Illmaculate mixtape, most links are deaded prolly cause it's on sale, but it's dope, so find it yourself. For now >>BLAZE THIZ BA SHIT<< doggy.

Also here's Respek BA and his mate Loki spittin' in blatant Scottish dialect:

On to the ozzies now. Pagen Elypsis is an Australian crew prime and purpose (dope battle emcees, partners in WRC2007, Purpose was in Scribble Jam 2006) are a part of. They linked their mixtape on Megaupload*, >>DOWNLOAD Pagen Elypsis MIXTAPE<< It's pretty dope actually, hardcore spittage from the whole crew, mostly on known instrumentals. If you're curious as to how dope Australians can get check this out cause honestly I've checked out some other more marketed Ozzie hip hop before this (even went to a live show when onna them visited KL) and wasn't too hooked. This shit is pretty fire though. And I'm out.

*Yeah I know downloading from Megaupload is a bitch and I've tried several bypassing ways but this one seems to work perfectly for now - use fireforx, download and install this addon. Now on your tools there will be a Megaupload SX 4.3 - enable it whenever u wanna download from Megaupload.

You lose, cause i gots tha ill street blues

2007-10-31T07:55:00.000-07:00

Kool G Rap, grittiest muthafucka on the mic and that o.g responsible for pioneering & developing the rap technique of a million emcees, who have technique. Dude was also in the same crew with legends such as Marley Marl and Big Daddy Kane, Juice crew.

Is .. about tah, release a new album. Entitled "Half a Klip", I don't know when exactly this shit is gawn drop but uh fuck it it ain't gawn reach MY anyway so if a link surfaces us Rogue'll be the first to hook that shit up, nayadanamean? just hollatik.

This shit'll be infested with productions from DJ Premier, Domingo, Marley Marl and many more. Any east coast ghetto gangsta rap purist'll get wetted by the thought of this shit. I'll link yawll to the first single produced by Domingo:

Kool G Rap - risin' up

Check out this song G Rap was featured on by Saigon:

And here's a few of ma favourite classic G Rap joints for backtrackin' purposes:

Kool G Rap & DJ Polo - on the run

Kool G Rap & DJ Polo - ill street blues

Kool G Rap & DJ Polo - streets of new york

Ya dig? If ya dig, right on, if ya dunn dig, here go wank to that ponce Fiddy dancing to that otha ponce Kanye West's stronger (funny shit tho wahkgahukgehga):

Wu-Tang Clan - Take It Back

2007-10-28T23:40:00.000-07:00

It's a good day. First I take the day off (my shit is sore, you don't know the half about what what I got up to over the weekend), then I find out the incomparable Dante Ross has a blog, then I discover the latest leak from the the Wu-Tang Clan's new 8 Diagrams album. Shit is hot to death. Produced by the RZA and Easy Mo Bee. Holy shit. I don't know if this is going to be the album that brings hip hop back to where I would like to see it be at, but fuck it. Yall can go on and crank dat til your fake grills rust up, I know what's going to be on constant rotation on my shit.

Dj Deckstream, dope shit

2007-10-24T01:27:00.000-07:00

Who the fuck? I have no idea, his name sounds like an audio software but fuck it I checked out 3 songs from his album released recently entitled Soundtracks and they're dope as shit. He's a Japanese producah (what is it with Japan and dope beat conductaz) and his album features heavily American emcees and shit.

Here's the guestlist: DJ Premier, Pep Love (Hiero yawll), Lupe Fiasco, Verbal, Sarah Green, Aloe Blacc (Stones Throw), Nikki Jean, Juju Bee, Talib Kweli, Camp Lo, Zion I, Moka Only, Surreal (Sound Providers), Dred Scott, Adriana Evans, Bahamadia, Talib Kweli.

Not bad. The production style is groovy, jazzy, catchy, infectious, bla tra la la. Them three tracks I dugged, Camp Lo's shit is totally Camp Lo to the sugah?! Billie hollidein the foxy browns shit, it's like an updated version of Uptown Saturday Night shit. Dude managed to really bevel out the essence of Lo-ah. Talib Kweli shit was dope too and it's unapologeticaly jazz with the running bass, scatting, rolling pianos, beat yo ass cheeks puffed to the max air instrumanz whateva whateva and all pumped-up with speed like a mufucka equipped with random machine gun drum hits but Kuali rode it preety nicely. Lupe Fiasco shit is aight, I liked the sung hook, nice sweet shit. You know what it is. I don't know where I could cop this fuck it I wanna bang that shit in the speakaz nuamshffshayin. And chiggas can hip hop too yaadadanamean?

More Wu Crack

2007-10-24T00:41:00.000-07:00

*Here's howitis, my link is deaded, so anyone curious about this latest single - "take it back" - check out WordsManifest's newer post about it, you can play that shit there.

Although I wasn't too pussywette'd by the last two singles watch yo mouth and gently weeps this new one is preeetty preeettyyyyy preeettttyyy crack. I'm really chillin' to the beat that's for sure, that faint dark sample in the background, that blax dirty stabbing bass, those live drums and shit, the dj cutting shuffling shit here and there and my favourite emcees just spitting on that shit. Only nit I'm gonna pick is that maybe the chorus wasn't rowdy enough for me but fuck it fuck that this song is fockeng hypnotic. Gedde-geddit.

Despite only 1/3 singles wettin' me (they prolly wet some other dudes more I dunno), basically it seems this new album is gonna be on some different shit, clearly different than they usual shit and most clearly different than the majority of hip hop comin' out. Sumin' like that. Wuteva.

what the hell is an apex

2007-10-18T06:17:00.000-07:00

big ups to RealTalkNY

By now some of you might already know that I hold the beat for Fiddy's 'I Get Money' in rather high regard (even though Curtis is still in my Eternal Non-Entity list, and the video can quite honestly suck spinach out my anus). Apex is the dude who got that beat done, and he seems like a really down-to-earth (read: until recently, broke) kinda guy. And he has a messy studio. GodDAMN shit is a warzone. I'd like to see how long his awkwardness in front of a camera will last if he keeps on making bangers. Anyway.

i get videos (with apologies to curtis)

2007-10-14T02:03:00.000-07:00

Oh hell yeah, I am that dude today. Lil Royce is the most shot up man in hip hop, and extends his services to ... yeah well just watch.

school yo delf

2007-10-14T00:02:00.001-07:00

Oh, you thought just on account I work with pens and pads and mics, I don't got no love for the beatmakahz? You trip hard, son. Vid it: Tim "I got so many white friends I ain't gotta make beats for nobody in hip hop but Hova" Baland schoolin young buck Kanyeezee on how to rework the drums on 'Stronger'. The beat was already aight in the first place, but you know you need extra help if you're going against Fiddy. That shit alone got mixed down 10, 11 times. On 10, 11 mixers. Goddamn. And word to Tim: "I own every drum machine ever made." I believe him, too.

Stronger Revisited from Kanye West on Vimeo.

a better tomorrow = a better video

2007-10-13T20:12:00.000-07:00

alright, alright, my bad for posting that Jay-Z video. It went against all I hold dear and sacred to my heart. So as an act of penance, this is NYGz - Ya Dayz R #'d, produced by Preeeeeeeeeeeemoooooooooooooooooooo:

Vinnie Paz-sized props to my man Illevate for uppin me up on this track a couple of months ago. Straight heat.

Oh. Sa'idun Eid, people. Maaf zahir batin. Eat well, bless.

speaking of Blue Magic ...

2007-10-11T22:15:00.000-07:00

Yeah okay. El Presidente has the funds to come out with a new video (with stock Reagan footage. Mayne) Buy better beats next time. Nas video please.

Black Militant and Republican be back = Nas - surviving the times and Jay-Z - blue magic (new shits)

2007-10-10T07:00:00.000-07:00

Yeah you know what it is. What ch'all think? To me it's prolonging the nostalgic theme of his last album, this time getting way more personal. If you don't know much bout Nas you'll catch some history drifts from the lyrics, respect his mustache numsayinh. Meanwhile, beatwise it's smooth - rainy days guitars, pianos, faint female vocals and some sax. If this song was in HHID it would be one of the better instrumentals and although that's not saying much, it's a decent beat regardless. I gotta be gettin' more listens so nilla washow goddaymn neck.

What's this now? (don't trust this link too much, I've seen way too many of his links being deleted or summin') We on to Jay-Z now. Hmm, aside from the hateful fact that he's annoying (Jay adlibs? none for me please) and that he's using the name of my favourite smooth soul group Blue Magic thus fucking up chances of me gettin' good search results of they albums on google, this song is just straight up hateable. Not unlike Nas, Jay-Z didn't move away much from his last release. This song feels as empty and irrelevant. And what about that Pharrell beat, that's weak. I'm pretty sure Pharrell doesn't reserve the good ones only for Clipse, Snoop and JT cause he's done some catchy shit for Ho as well but this beat is just straight up too whatever for something with a Neptune touch.

FIASCOGATE WTF?

2007-10-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

Here's the deal - Lupe Fiasco once claimed he's never listened to A Tribe Called Quest, never held them in high regard. Later on he fucked up an electric relaxation performance in VH1's ATCQ tribute section by about what? half a bar? here it is (dope ATCQ tribute though, like dayum):

Suddenly it's a big deal on the internet everywhere. Thing is, I'm a big ass ATCQ fanbwoi and like Lupe to them I don't dig Lupe that much. But this shit going on right now (dubbed FIASCOGATE - whateverthefuck), is ridiculous. What kind of nerd snobbish bullshit is Phonte writing in the okayplayer forum "You fuckin up, my nig. Straight up and down". But then again this is the same dude who moaned about crunk crowds being stupid for not reacting to his music or something like that. Back to Lupe, I mean for a dude who didn't know shit and only fucked up about half a bar, that's pretty impressive, aren't tribute shows already a bait for fucking up lyrics?

Fuck it that's that I hope this is just some publicity stunt ala 50 cent albeit more complex (and non failure-proof) but if it ain't I just hope Lupe survives this massive "dungeons & dragons hip hop" nerdery. On another note, if any of you dudes have never checked out Midnight Marauders at all, I'm gonna beat 'cho ass with a parking meter, literally.

WRC 2007 Highlights (so far...)

2007-09-24T16:30:00.000-07:00

The regular season of JumpOff.TV's World Rap Championships 2007 has started and around three rounds of battles have popped off propa. It's dope so far with maybe only one division sucking ass. I would say although there's a lot of swagger jacking of last year's champions' style there's also a lot of battlers kickin' sick unique styles, kinda balances it out and shit. I'll go through each division though. Note: please if you don't care about battles just check out the Detroit division for Marvwon and Quest Mcody, they are really entertaining on a level beyond rap battlin'.

Houston
Didn't watch a shit from this division, people say it sucks but I'm not gonna say anything cause I viewed fuck all.

Melbourne
Prime/Purpose as expected did good along with another pair Anecdote/360. I would say Anecdote/360 do use that now-annoying multi-syllabic style but they pull it off really well/naturally and Anecdote especially is a dope freestyler who comes up with some ridiculous rhymes off the top. Honourable mentions include young dude Illyak for his potential and Dragonfly for being annoying/getting told to back the fuck up by Anecdote. Anecdote/360 vs Prime/Purpose is the major highlight of this division so far with all four emcees dropping sick bars non stop

Atlanta
Didn't watch too many battles from this side except the ones involving Madd Illz/Parable and I would say Whisper/Ishues who battled them just recently came quite nice. That battle was pretty banging'.

London
I was hatin' on London because of the mad amount of whack dudes in qualifiers but the 2006 alumni who didn't do too good last year thanks to the freestyle masons impressed me. All of them have improved their shit and held their own for the UK with the absence of the masons. G-Dash and King Jordz were one of my favourites last year but didn't have the best deliveries, that's changed, they're cult. Kulez has improved the most though, he's just dope with it now timing everything better and less screaming. His partner Spitz Semis who I remembered got served in last year's qualifier by that vicious dude Possessed is holding his own this time around. Arkaic has improved and his new partner Eugh has better chemistry but I'm gonna hate on Arkaic for no reason, prolly cause of the big nose and that he's a Possessed wannabe. Check out for the Kulez team vs Arkaic team that's gotta be one of the most heated and personal battles in the whole season.

New York
Some people have claimed New York to be the best division, I'll have to disagree. Frankie keep on wappin/Jaze something are the most loathsome Thesaurus/Illmac swagga jackaz evva. Hom and Piff James came nice as expected but if you thought they could never get more blunted than last year, you're horribly wrong. Syanide is dissapointing, he has no excuse now no more Majesty cause Dizaster (who flew all the way from LA after not qualifying) his partner is dope. Another team that's pretty dope is Tahoe/Killenm (I'm biggin' 'em up prolly causea tha Dipset-like swagger). Oh and not to forget Critical/Madness with the best gay jokes you'll ever get to hear. But overall I thought NY despite being the birthplace of hip hop, was pretty dissapointing.

Detroit
Haha this is the division I couldn't wait to write about. MARVWON AND QUEST MCODY MUTHAFUCKAH, BEAT YO ASS, DIRTY ASS NILLA GO WASH YOW GODDAMN NECK, YOU A BUM. But before we get into that I'll go into the others first. Mr Cliffnote/Hostyle are my second favourites in this division, they're jokes, they both have amazingly calm but effective and funny deliveries. Subverse is that other dude I check out sometimes, dope white lumberjack dude but his partner is a benign cyst.

Back to that ultra good shit. Marvwon and Quest Mcody, my favourite. Their first battle was just okay for their standard, prolly cause they were facing quite good opposition Mr Cliffnote/Hostyle of course, it's a funny battle, if you hate battles just go and see it only for the part where Marvwon goes "dirty ass nilla go wash yow goddamn neck" or "you two twat nerds, your whole life is a long scene from you got served". Seriously, twat nerds? wakhgkaeuhkguekaga. The second battle is back to qualifiers form (maybe even betta), dope as fuckawhatfuck, Quest was goin' against his own cousin too. I don't wanna be quotin' nuttin' or even sayin' nuttin' no more just fucking SEE IT. No seriously, WATCH IT. No fuck you, CLICK ON THIS, BEATCH. And make fucking sure yow ass VIEW IT till the end cause the last line's a fucking major clownin'. YOU TWAT NERDS.

Los Angeles
Illmaculate/TheSaurus are predictably burning with murder trails but still this division could prolly be the most challenging if not just simply the best. We have cats like Lush One/Flo just cooly freestyling their asses off showcasing their experience droppin' some hot lines like Lush's infamous "when it comes to clans he chooses Ku Klux over the Wu Tang" line to Franco (who is overrated to me but it's just me, on some no-reason hatin'). There's also the Project Blowed (LA) cats like new jacks Dumbfoundead/Sahtyre who are pretty funny on some clownin' shit, and Nocando/Rheteric with Nocando doing pretty good despite unfortunately having to carry his partner throughout most of the battles. Can't mess with these cats yaw they're really skillful. No particular battle to highlight cause anything involving these cats I've mentioned are usually fire and as I'm typing this I noticed a Lush One/Flo vs Illmaculate/TheSaurus battle link already up, should be sick, am'a be checking that one out after this for sho'.

Toronto
At first I thought Toronto would suck but there's one pair that really impressed me, Poorich/Kid Twist. Poorich is this wigga with a really cool swag and a bit of Iron Solomon resemblance. Kid Twist is totally 100% white complete with the nasal voice, the dull way he dresses, the way he walks in a straight and robotic manner, the way he holds out his hands with no rhythm whatsoever, his fucking comedic posture, etc but he's dope as a muthafuckah. He's always coming out with the funniest shit, so his nonchalant whiteness basically adds but only a little magical touch to the funniness. Check out this battle cause those other dudes got clowned especially Leonidas dude, beard jokes galore. This battle is dope cause I hate Aspire/Prolific, them vs Wappin/Jaze JumpOff make it happen! I assure you Aspire/Prolific got knocked the fuck down, everytime they came with some supposedly clever antics (like the mocking and the predicting) Poorich/Kid Twist flipped that shit up back to they faces. Don't ever try to diss Twist's nasal vocal projection again beatch.

..

Aight that's all the division covered. Here's a few thing I'd like to point out so far before I sign-out:

Best after-battle interviews: Marvwon/Quest Mcody, Poorich/Kid Twist, Anecdote/360, Critical/Madness.

Best swaggers: Marvwon, Quest Mcody, Purpose, Hom.

Most loathsome swagga jackaz: Wapper/Jaze, Aspire/Prolific, some other random dudes from other divisions.

Most improved: Kulez.

Hottest JumpOff chicks: UK chick on Scarr's left-side, I dunno it's just cute the way she reacts in battles, NY chicks not bad at all but looking a bit high maintenance, shoutout to asian looking chick in Melbourne and Miss Erica of Detroit.

Gay-bashing kings: Critical/Madness.

Most blunted: Hom, no contest.

Funniest after-battle interview moment: Kid Twist munching a power bar, selamba (there's no other way to describe this I'm sorry non malaysian-slang knowing peoples) face, saying shit like "all my verses are quotables".

Times some dude got clowned for rhymin' before it was his turn: From the battles I've seen, 2, one was Aspire gettin' clowned by Poorich, the other was some dude gettin' it from MaddIllz.

When I laughed the hardest: Marvwon's last line in his team's second battle

Peace out.

Grim and graphic tale

2007-09-23T01:15:00.000-07:00

DC Comics' imprint Vertigo has just released MF Grimm's graphic memoir, Sentences: The Life of MF Grimm early this month. The book chronicles the eponymous rapper's life from his days as an extra in Sesame Streets to the shooting that rendered him immobile for the rest of his life, often in non-linear fashion. Illustrated by Ronald Wimberly, whose only other work I've seen was in Lucifer, the black and white art expresses what Percy Carey's narrating prose can't. If you're tired of autobiographical graphic novels by white people who led pretty tame lives (the indie scene is full of these), this should be an interesting alternative even if Hip-Hop isn't your thing.

Hip-Hop has always had an affinity for trash culture (I'm speaking from a contextual perspective here) even before it was made hip. From referencing Shaw Brothers' kung-fu flicks to rappers naming themselves after comic book characters. So this really didn't come off as a surprise to me, I've been waiting for Hip-Hop and comics to coalesce into something for years. Rumour has it MF Grimm's relationship with DC is pretty tight, expect him to do something for them that is within the DC universe next time.

Download the preview here; http://www.dccomics.com/media/excerpts/7707_x.pdf

Some MY Updates

2007-09-19T14:56:00.000-07:00

It's not where you from it's where you at, so am'a ignore muh Staten Island background and throw muh MY (that's Malaysia) fist up. So here are a few updates on what's happening locally, if I missed anything at all holla. And read until the end or me BEAT YOW ASS.

Altimet
The King of MY himself recently released a mixtape as a prelude to his upcoming album "First Among Equals". It's quite nice, especially for longtime fans (me included) of his group Teh Tarik Crew as there's a live cut of one of their classics in it. And if you wanna hear some of his latest tracks or Altimet just spitting on your favourite instrumentals traditional hip hop mixtape style better get that shit innit. To download go to his myspace here.

Dose Two
These dudes have been busy recording songs for their upcoming album "Ordinary Heroes" and putting up some audios up in their AMP. In a span of around 5-6 months (I think) they've dropped 3 songs on the internet - aeroplane, paradise feat. SonaOne, and on a lighter note feat. SonaOne. Them songs are pretty dope, my personal favourite is aeroplane which includes other than the trademark fancy flows, a very nice hook. Also check out the songs featuring SonaOne as he's not just nice on the boards, on the mic as well. So go to their AMP and get a coupla listens and shit.

Phlowtron
They recently released their latest album "Warisan Senikata Malaya", We (TRS) couldn't make it to the launch as we had a show in Singapore but some Rogue Squadron fucks were there and so was our boss Lady D. They've got a few songs up on their AMP including their hit first single adikku pandai menari so check 'em out.

KLG Sqwad
Well on their way to releasing one of MY's most anticipated album "Labor of Love", these Klang dudes recently released a song entitled freedom. I haven't heard them perform it live yet as I've missed a coupla shows but don't worry bout it they've got it up on their AMP. So peep that good shit.

Yin Yang
Gotta pay respect to the OG of internet audio releases, don't front he's one of the local pioneers. In the midst of putting out a follow up to his First Verse EP Yin Yang has released a song entitled camwhore 101, that's an amusing title but I sense some angst in the track too. It's a nice song nonetheless, an odd topic to rhyme about on a clubby beat which is why it's good. Head on here to check it out.

Samir
Mr. Ruffneck's single undisputed is getting a lotta airplay from local radio stations. I've seen him perform it a few times and it is going to be included in his next album which I think is going to be way better than his debut solo LP judging by the songs he's revealed so far. Go to his AMP to check 'em all out.

..and last but not least Rogue Squadron Representahh:

SSK
These rogue mufukuz have been busy recording songs as well in their trademark street malay lingo rap style. 1/2 of SSK - NBE, a second ago released on the internet a rough mix of his mc struggle song featuring yours truly on the hook - it's an emotional song but NBE avoids being corny by not taking it too seriously through incorporating some humorous but sharp as an arrow with a sharp tip that's sharp as a muthafucka lines.

Later on, he joins up with Saph to form SSK and posesi mc is born. This track, set on a pretty dope beat is almost like a follow up to their double trouble verse on The Rebel Scum's bakdatang cause they prolly knew we wanted more. Along with those pure malay battle rap wordplay and punchlines, there's something else on display here which is what I loved most about this song - chemistry. Check that shit out beatch.

..That's all for now folks. Folk that shit.

whatchooknobouddat: Organized Konfusion

2007-09-18T10:11:00.000-07:00

maaaaaaaaan.

Organized Konfusion feat. OC - Fudge Pudge

Passing Grades

2007-09-18T05:47:00.000-07:00

Aesop Rock
None Shall Pass
Definitive Jux

There was always a problem with my giving Aesop Rock a personal five-mic rating. I know he's one of the best emcees in the game right now, but if anyone were to ask me how I know it, I wouldn't be able to answer them properly. Of course he's got that sick flow that's halfway between a drunk southern auctioneer and a demonically-possessed weed junkie whose last visit from an exorcist is way overdue. But what the hell is he saying? Granted, his content comes so thick and dense you might need a few dozen listens to get about half of what he's trying to say. And his previous beat choices were always hit and miss for me: for every 'Daylight' there was a 'Mars Attacks', even though Blockhead is definitely an excellent lab partner.

But with his latest album None Shall Pass, all reservations melt away. Aes Riddock. comes. with. IT. I got an inkling of how funk-drenched an Aesop Rock track can be when I first heard 'Fast Cars Danger Fire and Knives', but NSP is like the destination. Mad, mad beats. I even like the electro-flavoured title track. Blockhead is back on the boards, plus one track produced by El-P ('Gun For The Whole Family') with Mr. Meline sounding fresh again, post-I'll Sleep When You're Dead, and no less than five beats by Aes himself. 'Citronella' hits you hard over the head, demonstrating Aes's understanding that his convoluted flow needs to be tempered by instrumentation that doesn't get in his way. But my personal favourite is surprisingly the song featuring Cage and Breeze Brewin, 'Getaway Car'. I usually avoid Cage like the plague, but he's nice on this one, and the hook? Damn. I need to stop. None Shall Pass just pulled Def Jux out of art house snobbery status, and I'm glad a label with so much potential - even after almost 10 years of existence - has produced an album that retains its grassroots relevance. Git it.

Aesop Rock - None Shall Pass

Kanye West
Graduation
GOOD Music/Roc-A-Fella/Island Def Jam

Okay, I don't think I'm going to write as long for this one as I did for the album above, because most of yall biatches know about this album alerady, unless you've been living on Uranus and/or are totally and completely on Fiddy's dick. Graduation is beyond a doubt Kanye West's tour de force as a musician, the culmination of what he has been trying to make the world understand since The College Dropout - "I'm kind of a big deal". And he is, loathe as I am to admit it. There will never be a day when I'll agree with Common when he proclaimed Kanye "the new Primo", but I don't see myself calling some new cat "the new Kanye" anytime soon either. In an age when rap artists on Billboard are in full-blown denial about the pop nature of their music, Kanye embraces it and crafts urban pop that transcends put-on macho posturing. He's not out for blood, he's just out for awards, and he deserves them.

Graduation is not a perfect album, and I think some of the reviews it's received are a little over the top. 'Champion', for example, is straight up annoying. And did Eminem write the hook for 'Drunk and Hot Girls', featuring Mos Def? But cuts like 'Can't Tell Me Nothing', 'Stronger' (word to Daft Punk) and 'Good Life' featuring a non-irritating T-Pain deserve their props. Even 'Barry Bonds', a nonsensical bragging-rights track featuring Lil' Wayne, sounds good for what it's worth. Yeezy holds back the real emotional content he's notorious for until the last two songs, and he lets loose about two things he really feels strongly about: Chitown on 'Homecoming' (with Coldplay's Chris Martin) and 'Big Brother', an ode to Jay-Z - a rather large blip on mainstream hip hop's gaydar, but fuck you it's a good song, even though it's a little like listening to a very private conversation. But that's how Kanye is, I guess. At least he does it well.

Kanye West - Graduation

Same Brain

2007-09-11T09:45:00.000-07:00

From Left to right Slinga, Crucifix, V.E.X and Redmaster

This is some good hip hop for your soul people, they've been around for quite sometime. They are as hardcore as they get around here. I only heard of them when I met Crucifix at my work place, I passed him a TRS EP and he gave me links to his crew and pass me few tracks of his own via MSN. I was mad amazed, I would put these guys next to Phi Life cuz they are really really good.

Crucifix
He's a lyrical phenomenon. He's not only a lyricist but also a English Degree Holder. He schools cats about words for god's sake. He's currently working on his album and it will be the bomb when it drops, best belive that. Also look out for a track I produced for him Entitled Dominance. Frequently check Here for updates

Redmaster
Redmaster is another lyrical genius, he's not only a lyricist but has mad production skills. He produced all the tracks on the Same Brain mixtape. His album entitled --I'm Right You're Wrong-- Produced by Beat butcher is Ace. If you like the album sampler and you got the extra cash.
Cop that shit!

V.E.X
How many of you cats would actually write 1000 bars that makes sense and record it?
V.E.X did it and the track was given out for free. Thats how much love these cats have for hip hop. Writing 1000 bars and recording it aint easy and you know that!
Click here to download
He has also released a number of mixtapes online for free!
Get them here

Slinga
Shotslinga has "a couple of single's been floating about, but not realeased." Another sick rapper who spits vividly in this Same Brain family. I like his flows and his voice. Check some of his tracks out here

Blu & Exile (updated), Wu Heaven & Hell Razah

2007-09-10T22:12:00.000-07:00

Let's pick up on a few things ova heah:

Blu & Exile - Below The Heavens
New release, a duo from the west coast - emcee & beat conductah. You could say soundwise they're carrying on the legacy of groups like The Pharcyde, Slum Village, or Little Brother. I've been listening to them on and off, I won't have the songs playing all over in my mind while I'm taking a shit but it's still quite nice. Blu keeps it very personal with his rhymes yet manages to sport an angle we can all relate to, and his flows are very well executed. Exile's productions are soulful, jazzy, and sweet. His sample cutting is pretty neat, often playing around with vocals to match what blu is babbling about - they've got chemistry, one does not override the other.

I found an ALBUM DOWNLOAD LINK lying around on the internet.But if you wanna just check out tracks I gots the hookup, here are two songs available on youtube that I kinda like:-

Blu & Exile - my world is (driving beat with a running bassline, well-timed vocal samples, nice).

Blu & Exile - dancing in the rain (this songs reminds me of old Atmosphere for some reason).

Update: some random dude nicknamed iconoclast ova hear linked me up with a Blu & Exile video from youtube. It's pretty nice, real smooth serene goes really well with the song. It's for the song soul amazin', here it is:

Also check out this vid of him and his crew Johnson & Jonson, it's pretty smooth as well:

Wu Tang single available for download
Wu Tang's single "Watch Your Mouth" leaked on the internet. Listening to it, the DJ Scratch beat didn't enthuse me that much but emcee-wise Method Man, Ghostface Killah, and Inspectah Deck were notably blazing it. It's nice to hear Deck spitting like he used to, was worried with the recent change to his voice (intensity gone) visible in live shows and in that Wu song from Ghost's Fishscale. If this album does not suck we could be well looking at a good year-end what with PE returning back to form and all.

Raekwon & Ghostface - heaven & hell
A blast from the past if you will. "Heaven & hell" was and is still my favourite joint off Raekwon's classic album OB4CL. Thing is I didn't realize there was a VIDEO for it. Oh yes it's a sweet video. That grimy shaolin soul, that Wu chillin chillin, those timbaland boots, that infamous Rae-Ghost one-two-one-two, projects-fancy restaurants-projects cut cut cut, ny chicks, puerto ricans, that Wu walk, and most of all that 90's grain. Goosebumped my ass up and shit. Sigh.

And then on Youtube's related section, I noticed a remake featuring Raekwon himself by a broad named Joy Denalane. Yeah, a REMAKE which was totally overlooked by most, released in 2006 by a chick who's supposedly half german half black or suttin' (the mix is the shit). It's not bad at all, plus she's quite cute, in an independent single mom sorta way.

Hell Razah - Renaissance Child
Raising hell with a flavah. Hell Razah, who was a member of Wu affiliated Sunz of Man released an album entitled "Renaissance Child" earlier this year. I'm still in listening mode cause I just got it yesterday, seems pretty sweet so far. To those who haven't checked this shit out, here are a few tracks I've uploaded:

Hell Razah - project jazz feat. Talib Kweli and MF Doom (very very dope, MF Doom-styled beat, dope voices and flows).

Hell Razah - renaissance feat. Tragedy Khadafi, Timbo King and R.A. the Rugged Man (woah slow down, dude prolly has some of the dopest features, R.A. the Rugged Man was especially killing this shit, trademark gritty Wu fam instrumental).

My Favourite Pairs from WRC 2007 Qualifiers

2007-09-09T23:23:00.000-07:00

Quest McCody / Marvwon
"I heard she sucks a good dick and can hook a steak up" wakugkaehkuhgeaga. BEAT YO ASS. Enough said. I have never laughed this hard viewing battles. These Detroit dudes are the funniest and they style is fresh.

Nocando / Rheteric
Representing LA and Project Blowed, Nocando is one of the most unique battlers. His trademarks include random whatever comes to mind freestyling and original angles when shooting insults. Dude is just crazy and he also just won the recent Scribble Jam 2007. His partner seems vato-ish, well if only just to balance it all up, can't fuck with a nerd+vato combo.

Lush One / Flo
Pimp and old school hustla. Lush One is from the infamous school of Fresh Coast. Flo has a more old school brotha style, but he's quite funny with the insults, that's his simple old school formula -> flow + diss the fuck outta your opponent.

Prime / Purpose
Ozzies! Haha, with the UK sucking real bad I guess their convict cousins are taking over. I mean Justice (allthough I wasn't a fan) won Scribble Jam 2005. These two dudes however appeal to me as they have a really lubricint flow quite similar to WRC 2006's Scottish hobo Respek BA (one of my favourites) coupled with deliveries that scream "i'm not even trying". They've got lines for days too.

Can't wait for the main battles. This year is hopefully going to be much better.

*Jumpoff.TV World Rap Championship 2007 MAIN PAGE

We Gona Rock, Pete!

2007-08-20T17:31:00.000-07:00

So you like Jazzy sounds blended with breakbeats and some thumping basslines? You really have to know Pete . Im telling you guys, pete is the shit yo. Yeah call me old school, some bitches say im living in the past. But you have to agree with me that you cant fucks with a man whos fly till he dies?

He will take you to a warzone anytime and smash you with kicks and snares, He dont need kings, he got Pharoahe's asking him to just do it. He has rza sharp slicing skills and blessed with a gggzarrrrr mind which will make your head rush.

And its always a love thing with that Cl Smooth.

Now get those tracks!

Flava Flav Roast

2007-08-16T06:25:00.000-07:00

I'm gonna straight ignore Flava Flav's reality tv career (only cause I've never seen any of them) and just blindly announce that this roast was solely because of his long and illustrious career and the release of PE's latest shit. Some of the funny ones:

Flava Flav Roast: Greg Giraldo
Flava Flav Roast: Jeff Ross
Flava Flav Roast: Jimmy Kimmel

White people are funny. I'm not being racist it's true look at the way they wear their hair. For the others, you know what to do boiii. And I'm not being sexist I don't think Flava Flav popularized any catchphrase for the female specimen. Get back at me if I'm wrong, my number is 1-800-goodlooking.

Public Enemy - How You Sell Soul? (updated with album link!)

2007-08-15T08:26:00.000-07:00

That new Public Enemy album is banging like a mufucka. Seriously, it's FRESH. PE has been consistently dropping shit and this is their 10th release and 20th year in the game. Entitled How You Sell Soul To A Soulless People Who Sold Their Soul (no kidding), they're back on form sounding the drill alarm to wake up all complacent and ignorant souls yours truly especially included (our forefathers are still fucking pissed homie, what have we been doin' all this while?). Bomb Squad behind most of the beats are as fresh as ever while still incorporating some of their groundbreaking signature sounds. Chuck D and Flava Flav are still what they were two decades ago and more, the right combination to make you go beyond just listening.

Enough said, check out the single, >>> "harder than you think" <<< . I love this song, I was cruisin' on my easy rider the other day when the ductaped boombox blasted it as loud as that girl back in high school. I was possessed by the trademark PE call to arms amidst the orchestra of combative soul horns ("get up and show no fear! get up if you really care!" ringing in my ears), so I grabbed my sword and slayed 50 Cent's ludicrously corny ass (the bullets don't work). So watch yo' step boiiiiiiiiiiii ........... boiiiiiiii.

Update - For you lazy bitches who keep bugging me to upload the album, yes, all two of you father and son - here's the link to the album --> ..|.. <--

Camp Lo - Black Hollywood

2007-08-15T08:24:00.000-07:00

Classic first albums are a bitch, I don't even need to explain. Heavily-blaxploited cult hip hop group Camp Lo recently released their third installment Black Hollywood. It's aight though, still immensely overshadowed by the first, not as awful as the second. Some songs are pretty dope but none quite matching the memorability of Uptown Saturday Night gems (luchini, black nostaljack, sparkle, black connection and coolie high are my personal favourites). I'm kind of missin' the "relax yourself and let the sugar lo flow" feel they used to have on most of the songs emcee-wise and beat-wise (although Skibeatz is still responsible for the soundscapes).

But don't worry, technically their flow is still the shit and as usual you don't even need to try and understand the lingo. Most of the beats could still capture that classic "billie holidayin' the foxy browns" feeling too. So forget about it, I'll just let you in on two of the songs I'm digging from this latest album - >"soul fever"< . and >"sweet claudine"< . The former treading familiar grounds with a good ol' soul brotha party track catchy chorus included, SOUL FEEVA! MOW DIVAS! The latter something we don't usually get from the Lo-ah lyrically (which is pretty sweet to me once in a while as it will remind me that these guys are infact actual human beings), putting down the slang barrier and their diamond crook with guns visage then getting quite heartfelt with it. BTW, Pardon me just randomly inserting terms from their lyric sheets in or out of context. End.

Nocando wins Scribble Jam

2007-08-15T08:20:00.000-07:00

Scribble Jam rap battle is over and Nocando won! Nice one Nocando. Thanks to SiFu from Emceebattles board, a lot of footages from round 2 onwards are in youtube (find it yourself). While if you click the 28th letter after this, you'll get to the ultimate finale - > Franco Vs Nocando <

Whatchooknobouddat: Chubb Rock

2007-08-12T18:52:00.000-07:00

Don't look at me. I was as in the dark about dude as you are. This is what happens when your early hip hop consumption was all about buying what you could get in Salem Power Station, allowance allowing. Better late than never. This is Chubb Rock:

Treat Em Right (1991)

Return of the Crooklyn Dodgers
with OC and Jeru The Damaja (1995)

Live at the 3rd Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival (2007)

And you wonder why I think hip hop sucks in 2007.

Whatchooknobouddat?

Gaining (Number) One's Definition

2007-08-09T15:31:00.000-07:00

Got this from Azwan Mahzan (who the fuck?) of the JUICE Blog:

"Please, please, please chalk this up as one of my extremely rare I Told You So moments: Common’s latest album, Finding Forever, has debuted at #1 on the Billboard charts, selling 157,000 copies in its first week of sales. Billboard Magazine was touting 2007 as the year of conscious rap, and although Com’s sales triumph might be a rather late harbinger, you know I’m not complaining. Make dollars, but more importantly, make sense."

If you ask me, the album was aaaaaaaaaaaaaaite, but not spectacular. Still, it warms my heart to see Com land on top. The Smoking Section called him Chicago's Nas, and that made me smile. And you know it takes a lot to make me smile, bitches.

Congratulations!

Bringing it back to the roots!

2007-08-08T15:47:00.000-07:00

Chuck all those international shit you've been hearing. Put those 40 ringgit cd's away, delete all those itunes you been getting, fade that underground shit you downloaded and claim is the shizznit. How underground you claim those tracks to be, if you dont have these tracks you Malaysian flea bags can go jump from the top of the so called Malaysian eye (bitten from the name London Eye I suppose, We lack originality mayne!) and see what happens after that.

These tracks are what I call Malaysian underground classics. These tracks are my inspiration and they never seem to get old. Well I know there were definately mixtapes and compilations out there being distributed which i've never heard of, but then again these are the only retro once that i've been listening, and the content and the vibe that it gives out is just mad excellent.

The Sicksiderz - Rap Tak Ingat

When I first heard this joint, I was like "Damn! these guys really got lots to say". It was not only that, when I attended a gig some of them cats were spitting the lyrics of this song on some next instrumental. This tracks really have inspired me and even better, I got to know one member from these sicklings and he turned out to be one of the most down to earth person you could ever meet (real underground shit yo!).

Illustrait ft Scoobee & Shockwon- Mind Matters
This track is truly inspirational, the production and content of this one is ace. The vibe that it projects from the vocals fused with the beat is just out of this world. I dont care how much of airplay they got or how much money they made out of this one but this track is excellent. You guys are entitled to your own opinion, this is what I think about this true malaysian classic, yes classic because everytime I write rhymes, its mind over matter for me.

Saigon Kick

2007-08-06T04:09:00.000-07:00

I heard Saigon's debut LP is gonna be fully produced by Just Blaze. Whatever, duu deserves to blow up and shit.

Here's the Saigon single from upcoming release "The Greatest Story Never Told" for you to download.

Saigon - don't you baby (production by Just Blaze)

JumpOff Qualifiers (updated)

2007-08-03T04:14:00.000-07:00

For those who followed JumpOff.tv's World Rap Championship last year, they're coming back and the qualifiers are currently ongoing. For those who didn't it's basically a 2on2 acapella freestyle battle competition organized by a UK-based crew in both the UK and U.S.A. (Canada and Australia newly-added this year).

I've checked some of it and turns out most were not so promising. The LA (west coast) division holds a little hope though. I mean last year's champs Thesaurus and Illmaculate represented the fresh coast themselves. Here's a few clips from LA set in Venice Beach (it's too gangsta with helicopters flying around). Watch out for infamous battlers Franco, Lush One and one'a my favourites evvear Nocando. Nocando was AWOL last year, hope he doesn't on this one, it'll be really fun with him. Plus JumpOff be putting up a much larger sum for the prize.

Calligraphy & BJ Vs Nocando & Rhettoric

Lush One & F.L.O Vs Dizaster & Charisma

Random LA shit (Just watch out for Nocando's antics, especially the last one)

You can find more from this and other divisions at youtube. And also the 2006 battles if you wanna trackback (better quality on the JumpOff site though).

I heard the champs are coming back, so the new contestants better step up and represent cause Saurus and Illmac blazed everyone last year. Although with their buddies from the west said/saad joining it this year I'm pretty sure it'll be fire, hope the other divisions bring some heat too. Unfortunately for the UK though, as far as I know the Freestyle Masons aren't involved anymore (Possessed, Respek BA, Stig, and Whashisface). For NY, no sign of Iron Solomon joining despite him being active in a lotta mainstream battles (which is very good for publicity cause now they'll know what's up, Jin has already felt the wrath at Fight Klub). Legendary Hommy Hom reppin' NJ will be back though! (not too sure about Piff James).

UPDATES - Detroit be bringing the shit too.

Quest McCody & Marvwon Vs Encyclopedia Brown & Doomsday

OH YEAH ANOTHER UPDATE BITCHES - wakuhgeahguaehukaekuhga. Quest McCody & Marvwon be making me laugh like a mufuckah. Haven't seen something this funny for a minute. For the battle vs. Encyclopedia and Doomsday, check out verse two where they carry on a rhyme scheme and it's funny as hell. Now go to them vs. Arsonist, check out verse three where they do that "beat yo' ass" thing after Quest set it up in verse two. Wuhkaguekakghekga, funny as fuck. Marvwon was sitting down lazying his ass down and shit till the beat yo' ass part started, wauhkgkaeukga, classic. These dudes do bring a fresh style as everyone else has been jocking the fresh coast shit. Honestly I'm not too familiar with them, I've only seen Quest in a few Spin The Mic clips (especially in the brawl fiasco, don't diss the late Proof in their presence yo) and that's it. They prolly them dudes back in high school who made kids cry just by sittin' they fat asses down and crackin' jokes, waukgukeakuhga. A few quotes:

"..you could be in detention, at math..
i'd do the arithmetic, and beat yo' ass
..
you could be landscaping, cuttin' the grass..
am'a wait till you fill the truck up, then beat yo' ass
..
haha fuck you the whole verse is a quotable go fucking see it.."

I haven't checked out the medley JumpOff did for them. Am about to. JumpOff loads a bit slow though. Can't wait to see them in battle. Honestly there's been a lotta crap but if all the good teams get through the main battle is gon' be the ultimate shit, prolly much better than last year's.

BTW - fuck it yeah, go here for all official footages:-
>> JumpOff.TV World Rap Championship 2007 <<

Other shit. Scribble Jam qualifiers has also began, but they're usually very reserved with the footages, plus I'm too lazy to look for it anyway so fuck it. I haven't even seen the Thesaurus final battle last year.

10 OK

2007-08-01T22:51:00.000-07:00

In conjunction with Pharoahe Monch's latest album released around a month or two ago (could've done it then but this blog was still in sperm-ovum stage at that time), am'a trackback and upload my 10 favourite Organized Konfusion (OK) songs. I did a compilation for my sad lonely self some time last year but will trim it down to 10 tracks for the double R.

For those not in the know, OK is probably the best 90's underground hip hop duo. Comprising Pharoahe Monch himself, and partner Prince Poetry, this commercially ignored group was known for mixing groundbreaking cerebral lyricism with the effects of their ghetto surroundings.

With Pharoahe being one of my favourite emcees ever, OK is definitely a very important movement in the vibration of my eardrums. To me some of the man's craziest verses are in OK songs, and Prince Po' complements him very well. I've read some reviews of his new solo album saying Pharoahe Monch is adopting a new style of more singing, but he's been singing a lot ever since OK, mostly on the hooks, and even in some verses. And this is not just me saying, I've actually read him in an interview addressing this.

Personally, although I discovered solo Pharoahe before OK, I like him the most in his OK days. He was the Ronaldinho of rap (Still is though). He invented all types of flows and raps with every verse, line even. Beatwise, their shit is usually very minimalist and jazzy which is fine with me as it leaves massive room for the emcees to maneuver, and maneu fucking ver they will. So whatever.

>>>> My 10 Favourite Organized Konfusion Songs <<<<

Tracklist:
1. Stress
Menacing bassline, menacing instrumental, CRUSH! KILL! DESTROY! STRESS!. You can just picture Pharoahe and Po' on black thrones in the sky waving their hands like a mage conjuring spells as they explain to you what stress is to them.

2. Bring it On
Bring it on muthafucka bring it on!. Another bassline not to be fucked with before the drum begins. In this song you shall witness Pharoahe fucking the flow like it was a Jessica Alba. Give me the PH! give me the AR! give me the OA! give me the HE!

3. The Rough Side of Town
The sample tinkles higher and higher then swings lower again. Just like it, the emcees recite observational up and down street tales in the way street tales should be told.

4. Let's Organize
We're entering the party stage now, with Q-Tip adlibbing then taking over the hooks and good friend OC dropping a verse. You could skip this track but you wouldn't wanna miss an emcee spitting "tiger tiger uppercut" on a funky bassline would you?

5. 3-2-1
Anutha funky one. Can't keep the party out of hip hop cause that's what it's all about, and can't keep the off kilter funk outta Organized Konfusion cause that's what they started their careers with. Check it out! help me out! to ma peoples in pj clap yo' hands! to ma peoples in ampang clap yo' hands! to ma peoples in cheras clap yo' hands! 3 strikes! 2 tokes! 1 time for yo' mind!

6. Fudge Pudge
This is a fun track. Beat might seem a bit mellow but watch out for the playful verses. OC is in this too. YEAH YEAH YEAH!

7. Black Sunday
One of the best sung hook evva (by now you should realize they hooks are the shit). Lorrddd help me out nowww we gottaa get tu gevvvaaa we gotta orrrrganaaazzzz, nooo mattaaaa the weavaaaaa, it's a black sun dayyyyyyy. Each emcee with stories of life and living. About being who they are, and how it is while at the same time, tryna get the music out. Shit is hard, you know? You gotta be feelin' this dawg. I'm feelin' it. You know what it is, it is what is known.

8. Maintain
We gotta mainntainnnn! Anotha song about they lives, but more personal. And with H.E.R. all up in everybody doing her, most of it will definitely revolve around the music. We gotta mainntainnnn! keep ya head up! Watch out for how Pharoahe starts his verse, that's some nice sing-a-singy before he kicks into the rawer part, HAH! I love the "why are they watching me buy my juice? why must they clock me buy my juice, just give me my change and please put my change in my hand man would you listen to me if I didn't have a tan?" part, a simple outcry delivered in a very outstanding way, I sound so gay, anyway (which emcee/rapper wouldn't be gay for Pharoahe?), it goes into a brief expression of anger before he steps back into a nostalgic melody. Dayum.

9. Why
You just can't go wrong with jazzy basslines and horns (oh and watch out for the cool bassline transitions). Why you tryna play me though? out like a sucka!. "used to do my chores now you're acting like a whore". You know what this songs's all about. "gossiping with the next about the next, loved to cover her neck, for stress gave her a cat as a pet". You have to know by now. I love how Pharoahe and Po would always inject very personal references into the rhymes yet still maintain their chemistry and the mood of the song. Fuck it I just love how they flow about their lives and shit. You can ignore the lyrics cause the flows are just lovely but if you start paying attention you'll just .. argh love it.

10. Invetro
This is the only song in this compilation taken from the last album they did together. It's a conceptual song about you guess what. In the same vein as their "stray bullet" song (which I somehow didn't include but get it if you don't already have it suckas) but with a different scenario and subject matter altogether. They did these typa concepts before your favourite emcees, yo. And even though complex conceptual songs are usually very nerdy and boring and like whuteva bla bla bla (to me, at least), never the case with OK. Pariyapdaariyaaaaa, dududu yeah yeahhhhhh.

..

..

Is it too much to ask for a reunion?

Anotha Wu Plug

2007-08-01T22:49:00.000-07:00

Wu-Tang Clan interview on Bodog Music.

Wu members talk in their trademark grammar harrassing speech impediments about workin' together, they fans, they european tour, the late Old Dirty Bastard's passing, and 8 diagrams.

It's like 20 minutes. If you're too lazy to watch here are the quoted highlights:

"8 emcees? that's like a gangbang, yo, we give gang-bangs" - The soundtrack crafting RZA, hinting at porn movie producers.

"yeah it's always hard to work together, fuck yeah, fuck these niggaz, *laughs*" - Method Man, I can smell the weed from here.

"emceein' to me is easier than breathin', and makin' beats is easier than peein'" - The RZA advertising his well lubricated peehole.

"something something bla bla bla hardcore bla something bla hardcore bla hardcore bla bla bla hardcore something something" - U-God trying very hard to forget his last try at crunk.

"the whole music industry is twisted on it's fucking ead (I'm not so sure what word he used here actually), and britney spears shave they head, that's how i know the apocalypse is comin'" - Method Man being prophetic.

"we got a following.. that's big.. it's bigger than us" - Inspectah Deck, in a fine display of an emcee's way of complimenting.

"we got 16 year olds comin' at us" - U-God, in a moment the oldest and pedoest member of my crew would snicker at (I mean come on, 16? that's way too old).

"insert Method Man impersonating europeans badly" - Method Man should be in stand-up comedy.

"you can see they titties in the afternoon.." - Method Man praising europe for the right reason.

"2pac, biggie ... if you think those bruthaz was rare? ODB was super rare" - The RZA treating the late ODB like a vinyl.

"erybody bringin' they piece to tha o' tha puzzle to tha to tha to tha to tha to tha to tha table, they form voltron" - U-God trying his best to not use the phrase "glide like a condor" but still failing to avoid deja-vuing.

"insert The RZA talking some energy sun abbot books calculation elements shit about 8 diagrams and ending it with something that sounded like bong bong" - The RZA, and me totally losing my spaceship of attention.

"insert The GZA saying something real serious and wise, and looking really wise" - The GZA, you know that won't work after "konichiwa, bitches" and "diversify your bonds, nigga". Blame Chapelle.

Chamillionaire = Public Enemy

2007-07-31T18:08:00.000-07:00

Who would've thunk it? The schlep who gave us the annoyingly catchy diatribe against haterism "Ridin'" last year off his major label debut The Sound of Revenge is back, and I have to admit, I'm mad surprised at dude's new direction. Maybe I never gave him much of a chance, especially after Weird Al Yankovic blasted his ass out of the water with "White and Nerdy".

Well, no more. Credit where credit is due, Cham came correct with his two new singles, off of Ultimate Victory, which drops September 18th. Both "Evening News" and "Hip Hop Police" (featuring no less than SLICK RICK THE RULAAAAAAAAA) are dope, heartlfelt songs addressing what ails the modern Black man, the hip hop industry Stateside, and the contemporary b-boy worldwide. Not exactly the kind of shit you'd expect to hear from a guy named Chamillionaire, but hey, shows what I know, right?

Anyway, check this shit out. People might be waking up after all.

Finding Forever.

2007-07-30T13:06:00.000-07:00

Sure, the cover art is a little frou frou (about as frou frou as the one for Electric Circus, ergh) but there's nobody alive today with enough creative acumen to be shitting on The Artist Formerly Known As Sense. Yes, Cube, I mean you too, so shut the uff up, Hollywood.

I remember reading on now-defunct hip hop site Hip Hop Infinity (word to Jay Seagraves) a comment about Com, how as one of the most gifted lyricists in hip hop he doesn't grow upwards - maybe because there's not much higher an emcee can get than Resurrection. But Common does have the ability to surprise heads by expanding horizontally, widening his range of subject matter, themes and emotions to the point where I dismissed him at one point as being a touchy-feely pussywhipped Erykah-yes-dearing emorapper. He isn't, really. He's just out there having fun, doing whatever he can with whatever and whoever he has at hand. And you can't knock that type of hustle.

Finding Forever is Common getting a little older (note the slightly manic KRS-One stare on the cover graphic); his rhymes come a little slower, and you might have heard a simile or two before. His beat choices are pretty good, especially if you're looking for a soft revolutionary: slightly preachy, a little retrospective, and very feelgood. Kanye knows his homeboy, and you get a sense will.i.am went nuts with the hip hop is love vibe on this one. Raise your glasses (of your non-alcoholic beverage of choice, the man is a practicing Sunni, ya heard) to Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr. He might not have found it yet, but we're looking forward for him to be doing it forever.

Common - Finding Forever (you gots to geddit geddit)

(And yo. Mad thanks to Kevin The Pug Pug Hitchoo With A Slug for the album. You fucking pirate.)

Common - The Game ft. DJ Premier

Young Ariff's got the goods

2007-07-29T15:22:00.000-07:00

Ding!

Just read this on the Myspace bulletins, and you know how long those stay up in your start page. So yeah. Young Ariff's pimping off his mp3 collection for anyone with twenny bucks to throw his way. Here's his post:

i got some rare albums in mp3 anyone wants them i would gladly burn it for you for about 20 ringgit.

heres the list.
(Silkk The Shocker first album - The Shocker)
(Lil Wayne mixtapes)
(Pimp C - Tha Come Up-Screwed))
(Dj Screw Mixtapes)
(Project Pat - Layin The Smackdown)
(Eightball- Lost)
(Notorious Big Mixtape)
(State Property - Where Ya Hood At)
(Devin The Dude)
(5 Deadly Venoms Mixtape)
(Big Apple Rappin - Ego Trip Mixtape)
(Big L - Livestlyez Of The Poor & Dangerous)
(Black Sheep - Wolf In Sheeps Clothing)
(Copywrite - High Exaulted)
(Homeliss Derelix - Fraudulent Ep)
(Freddie Foxx - Industry Shakedown)
(Crown City Rockers - EarthTones)
(Edan - Funky Drummer)
(Dj Spinna - Compositions)
(Blahzay Blahzay - Blah Blah Blah)
(Blood Of Abraham - Stabbed By The Steeple)
(Infectious Organisms)
(Masta Ace - Sitting On Chrome)
(Masta Ace - Slaughta House)
(Mack 10- Mack 10)
(Scientifik - Criminal)
(Phil Da Agony - Hulk Steady)
(Lootpack - The Antidote)
(Smiff n Wessun - Da Shinin)
(Ultimate Force - Im Not Playin-Diamond D's first album)
(Wake Up Show Freestyles)
(Geto Boys - Till Death Do Us Part)
(Kunga219- Tharpa Transcripts)
(J Zone - Sick Of Being Rich)
(Analog Brothers - Pimp To Eat)
(All Natural - Vintage)
(2pac - Thug Life Vol One)
(Beatnuts - Street Level)
I Have lots of Rare Funk,Soul And Reggae albums as well

get at me if you need anything on the list we can meet up and i'll pass them to you.

get at me - Ariff- 012 2119244

I suggest you get at dude ASAP. ask for some Stax albums too, he will not disappoint. Peace

Life Changes

2007-07-23T23:08:00.000-07:00

Before I was forced to join The Rebel Scum and later on Rogue Squadron, I was a member of the Wu Tang Clan. It was a very nervy affair when I had to make that long distance call to The RZA informing him of my new affiliations, but gladly he was cool about it. He assured me that no matter what, I will always be a part of the WU. And now that I belong to a family more geographically close, he advised me to always bring the ruckus, protect my neck, never be fucked with, and hope for a better tomorrow. He encouraged me to bring the WU with me wherever I go or am, for the WU is fo'e'va, muthfcka.

And so I have to plug this shit right here. New upcoming WU album, "8 Diagrams". Be on the lookout. There's no beef machine to hype this shit up, this ain't 50 cent. So I'll just have to let the dudum dudum RZA bassline do the talking. Nuhhmeayncn?

Direct link

Now that is a short snippet of "Life Changes" during Wu Tang's performance at Montreux Jazz Festival (18th July 2007). It's a track in honour of the late Old Dirty Bastard off their upcoming release. Up next is the snippet of first single "Watch Your Mouth":-

Direct link

I know we've been waiting for Wu Tang's full potential to come back since forever (not literally), but fuck it I still anticipate every WU release as a crew with unparalleled pedophilist fanboyiness. And judging from the very short youtube snippets, it's banging like the Feds and C.I.As on my door after I elevated the pentagon. So cop this shit when it's out. I've been in touch with U-God a lot lately seeing as he's always confided in me when bullied by the other members for being too light-skinned. So he'll definitely inform the whole clan, and they'll be really happy when they read my sms saying Malaysia got they backs and all.

For more info:

8 Diagrams on Wikipedia

WuTang-Corp.com

Google

So whatever, I've done my internet part for the WU for now. I'm off to hire a contract killer for Yayo's parasite ass. No wait, make that a contract throwyoudownthestair-er for full nostalgic effect on your boss' part. How darrr u traa ta diss Ghost you ponce. Anyway, diversify your bonds, peace.

Ebony Aliens

2007-07-23T09:30:00.000-07:00

Outkast - Millenium

Everybody loves Outkast; Pitchfork-reading white boys, keystyling white thugs, that jailbait JoJo, caucasian fans of Chris Brown, bands with the word "The" as their names (coincidentally, comprising white people), other species of whiteys and also, black people. You name the common denominator - from the lowest to the highest - and chances are they're fans of the duo. As a caucasian journalist might put it, Outkast is that rare act that transcends genre convention while still adhering to pop sensibilities. 'sall good Hip-Hop to me though.

It's a shame that the general public are mostly only familiar with their post-Stankonia work, their previous albums either exceeded that or are about on the same level depending on who you're asking. "Millenium" is off their second album ATLiens, the LP that started their secession from conventions. Produced by Outkast regular Organized Noise, the track is a meditation on.... something, I don't really know. Like most Hip-Hop lyrics, it's written from the MCs' stream of consciousness. But combine that with a haunting beat and a non-sequitur chorus that mentions planets, hoes and cars in the same breath and you'll get some profound Hip-Hop shit.

http://www.zshare.net/audio/2818768c7ed780/

Oh, also vote for this Incognito guy, yellow power muhfucka -

Six Degrees of Separated Tracks

2007-07-23T05:09:00.000-07:00

You know what? I'm cheating by doing this. Hip hop music has got to be the most convoluted form of artistic incest known to man, what with collaborations up and down and across label rosters, remixes, concept albums, remakes, street singles vs. radio singles, beef, feuds, truces, crews, collectives, alliances. And yes, bitch, you know I had to get 'incest' up in the first post.

I, as always, digress. Linking up songs for hip hop is dead easy, because everyone's up in everyone else's business, and lines get crossed more often than Arabs get their phones tapped. Allow me to illustrate:

Marco Polo feat. Masta Ace - Nostalgia
First time I heard about Marco Polo was when he produced Pumpkinhead's 2005 LP, Orange Moon Over Brooklyn. (See how easy that was?) His own album Port Authority dropped earlier this year, and even though I'm not insane about all the tracks, dude still gets love for blessing Masta Ace with one of the dopest beats I've heard in a long time for 'Nostalgia'. I couldn't really digest the fact that Ace has certified OG status now, but it shouldn't have been all that much of a surprise. He is a member of the Juice Crew, after all, and he and Tragedy Khadafi edged out Nas from being inducted. That takes skills. Besides, Ace in his later years has been on that educational, reminiscing tip on the regular - for instance, he was already getting his rap legend on while working with:

Cunninlynguists feat. Masta Ace - Seasons
Deacon The Villain and Kno are more Outkast and Goodie Mob than Three 6 Mafia and Lil Flip on the southern scale, but on a whole other level. From their 2001 debut Will Rap For Food on down, they've been solidly churning southern fried soul with a twist. Masta Ace and guest producer RJD2 seem to be in full agreement with their raison d'etre. This is a dope song. The beat is straight ill, and the rhymes come thick with allusions and layered metaphors. Mad props to RJ, but that said I can't really see the Lynguists outsourcing all that often: they both produce sick beats. speaking of which:

Jay-Z - Dirt Off Your Shoulder (Kno's The White Album Remix)
It's true: a remix is saying you made a mistake. In a ideal universe, Hov would have heard Kno's beat CD and got him to make this for The Black Album. Maybe it's because I'm not such a big Jay-Z fan, but I honestly can't remember what the original sounds like after listening to this version. And President Carter sounds really good here, too. He's on a beat with as much ostentatious swagger as he does. Now, when I say that I'm not really feeling Jay's work, it doesn't mean I'm hating on dude. He's held it down as one of the best that ever did it, and he's proved it in posse cuts in the past, if not so much these days (Rihanna needs him). Here's Jay (have I gone through all of his nicknames?) taking care of business by consensus:

Jay-Z feat. Scoob, Shyheim, Big Daddy Kane, Sauce Money and Old Dirty Bastard - Show and Prove
Oh you love me right now don't you. Shit is rare, so hold on to it and cherish it always. Just look at that list. I'm not as familiar with Scoob and Sauce Money as I am with the others, but damn. Each and every one of them will tear your ear a new asshole. Each emcee at or near his pinnacle, Jay included. ODB gets special RIP props, sure, but the true OG up in this is Kane, who back in the day made it a one-man mission to outshine damn near everyone on a cut, every time. There was, of course, that one time he only managed to get on par with the other dude on the mic:

Tupac Shakur feat. Big Daddy Kane - Wherever You Are
Unreleased means nothing on the innernuts. But this shit is hard to come by, so once again, genuflect upon my effortless dopeness. Kane is definitely one of the few who changed the game, along with Rakim, Kool G Rap, Chuck D and Ice Cube, but like Nas on the East Coast, Tupac took what was on the ground floor and just kept running with it. You can hear massive traces of Kane's rhyme structure in Tupac's verse, mingling with that raw anger only a short guy with no hair can bring. Psych, he might not be my GOAT but Tupac will never get the WM gasface. Besides, he kicked Kane's ass. Now, I did compare Pac to Nas, and Russell Simmons once brushed aside Mr. Jones as being a "Kane clone with a squeaky voice". (What was he on?) I mentioned Nas in the first song commentary, and his arch nemesis is on two songs up in here, so he might as well end this chain. And how:

Nas - What Goes Around
By the time this came out in 1999, Nas was nose-deep in bad beat choices, but this one shows how God's Son can come with it when you lace him with a solid loop. Salaam Remi is behind this one, as he had been for two albums before Nasir got chummy with Will I. Am and Salaam started hanging out with Mark Ronson and Amy Winehouse. Damned if I know who sang the bridge though. Dude's got a great voice. But Nas. Damn, son. Believe the prophecy.

There you go.

Now go listen to that shit. (That means click here, bitches.)

Military Minds

2007-07-21T20:29:00.000-07:00

Straight up. I got this song off a popular hip hop message board, it's brand new and if I'm not mistaken will be on Immortal Technique's long-awaited upcoming album "The Middle Passage". Most def, Mr Immo Tech featuring one of the best crews in hip hop like ever? Pant moist material. For me at least.

Anyway. I've been listening to this shit on repeat since I downloaded it a while ago. Banging beat, phrasin' on the hook, unfuckwittable Boot Camp Clik ghetto concrete pavement timb boot flashing swagger & drawl all over it, and Immortal Technique getting more and more grimy gangsta delivery-wise with every track he drops. Looking forward to the new album. Fuck it, just check this out y'all:

Immortal Technique feat. Boot Camp Clik - military minds

On another note but still ill connected. Here's a video taken from Akir's new album "Legacy". A song named "Treason" feat. Immortal Technique. Personally I felt some of the video's digital FXs are a bit PS2 skate game-ish but footages were cool, rowdy and shit, I dig the song too. Akir is one of the few progenies of the NY style we've all come to know and love, not the one we're alarmingly becoming fed up with. You know what it is. So play that shit yo.

Akir feat. Immortal Technique "Treason" (Video link)

Aight then, hope you enjoyed yo ass with this post, stay ghetto like the hobos, bitches. Ok byez.

Colour

2007-07-20T12:26:00.001-07:00

Here's some British Hip Hop for your souls. Phi-Life Cypher one of the untouchables I would say. It was back in 2003 when I first heard these guys. I randomly downloaded thier whole album on soulseek because of the word cypher in their crew's name, and guess what? Im glad I did because the album I downloaded turned out to be one of the most superb rap albums i've ever listened on MP3 no doubt. Lyricism at its best with cuts and stomps from Nappa, Vadim and others i suppose, the whole album sounded sweet.

There were a few tracks that really caught my attention like 'ABC', it was a track where they rhymed thier verses from A to Z. Yeah recently some fucks have done it too but to me these guys were first because I heard their version first in 2003 before any other version so fuck the rest of em. It wasnt just the complex rhymes and such that amazed me. It was the message in some of the songs, like this track im going to link yall called 'Racist'. The content of thier lyrics and the choice of beats they spit on really deserves a place in your ears , so LISTEN!

Phi-Life Cypher - Racist
Phi -Life Cypher - ABC