the legends, the legendary, and the magnificient

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

1. THE GATHERING
   
2. SHE WANTS ME
   
3. PANTS ON FIRE
   
4. WAR & PEACE
   
5. LUVA CHANGER
   
6. SAMBA
   
7. 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:

1. The Pow Wow
   
2. Rising Down Ft. Mos Def & Styles P
   
3. Get Busy Ft. Dice Raw & Peedi Peedi
   
4. @ 15
   
5. 75 Bars (Black's Reconstruction)
   
6. Becoming Unwritten
   
7. Criminal Ft. Truck North & Saigon
   
8. I Will Not Apologize Ft. Porn & Dice Raw
   
9. I Can't Help It Ft. Malik B., Porn, Mercedes Martinez & Dice Raw
   
10. Singing Man Ft. Porn, Truck North & Dice Raw
    
11. Unwritten Ft. Mercedes Martinez
    
12. Lost Desire Ft. Malik B. & Talib Kweli
    
13. The Show Ft. Common & Dice Raw
    
14. Rising Up Ft. Wale & Chrisette Michele

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

1. Hip Hop (ft. Twone Gabz)
   
2. Let Me Hear U Clap (ft. Pos)
   
3. Run That Back (ft. Eshon Burgundy & Black Ice)
   
4. The Definition (ft. Kel Spencer)
   
5. Touch Me Wit Ur Handz (ft. Chinah Blac)
   
6. Jeff N Fess (ft. Rhymefest)
   
7. Practice (ft. J Live)
   
8. Supa Jean (ft. Jean Grae)
   
9. The Garden (ft. Big Daddy Kane)
   
10. She Was So Flyy (ft. Kardinal Offishall)
    
11. Hold It Down (ft. Method Man)
    
12. All I Know (ft. CL Smooth)
    
13. Go See The Doctor 2K7 (ft. Twone Gabz)
    
14. My Soul Aint For Sale (ft. Raheem DeVaughn)
    
15. Come On (ft. Dave Ghetto)
    
16. 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.