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Happy Birthday J Dilla!

Posted in Culture with tags Detroit Hip-Hop, Dilla Day, Donuts, G.O.A.T., Hip-Hop, J Dilla, The Shining on Saturday, February 7, 2009 by Tim Althaus

dilla Today would have been Dilla’s 35th birthday. Needless to say if this man was still here with us, we wouldn’t be debating about who the best producer is right now. When Dilla passed he left us with two of the most beautiful masterpieces I have ever heard. Donuts changed the face of instrumental Hip-Hop forever and The Shining (not fully completed, but ended up getting finished) showed us that amazing things come in small packages (ringing in at just over 28 minutes long).

Dilla showed me something with these two albums (I hadn’t heard anything solo before this); he taught me that he is one of the most talented individuals to have ever touched the boards. Jay put out two albums that were just beyond words as to how beautiful they were. This was all while he was near death in Cedars Sinai Hosptial in Los Angeles. Dilla was a very resilient individual who did what was important to him no matter what the cause or case. Dilla literally stared death in the face and said “fuck you” because all he wanted to do was finish Donuts. If there’s anything that I hope in my life it is that I can be as dedicated and resilient as Dilla.

Happy Birthday to the King of Beats, May You Rest in Beats Jay

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Video: Evidence, “For Whom Bell Tolls” Behind the Scenes Part 2

Posted in Video with tags Evidence, Hip-Hop, Hip-Hop Official, Will.I.Am on Friday, February 6, 2009 by Tim Althaus

Here is the second part of the “For Whom The Bell Tolls” video, I posted the 1st part on Wednesday. This part of the video is very insightful as to how each of these people feels about this song and each other. Will.I.Am talks about Evidence and how he has known him since the 10th grade (Will.I.Am recorded his first track ever with EV). This is a great video check it out.

Spotted at: Hip-Hop Official

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Video: Brother Ali, “Good Lord” Promo #1

Posted in Video with tags Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Brother Ali, Hip-Hop, Rhymesayers Entertainment, Rick Cordero, The Truth is Here on Friday, February 6, 2009 by Tim Althaus

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As most of you know, Brother Ali will be dropping a new EP/DVD entitled The Truth is Here next month. This is a promo video for his first single off the EP, “Good Lord”. The video will be directed by Rick Cordero, and Ali says that this is the first song that really focuses on the fact that he is muslim. Check the Ali Shaheed Muhammad (whom you all should know is part of the legendary Tribe Called Quest) cameo and listen to how Ali feels about the things that Tribe did, as well as what Shaheed though was their key to success. This is a great promo vid check it out, also go get The Truth is Here on March 10th on Rhymesayers Entertainment.

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Video: P.O.S. Interview with Mr. Peter Parker

Posted in Video with tags Hip-Hop, MPLS, Never Better, P.O.S., Peter Parker on Thursday, February 5, 2009 by Tim Althaus

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P.O.S. dropped his latest album Never Better (which was released on Rhymesayers Entertainment) this last Tuesday and this is an interview with Mr. Peter Parker. Stef talks about what his live show is going to be comprised of on this tour as well as what made him start rhyming. Stef is going to be a name that you are probably going to see a lot of this year. Check out this nice 8 minute interview. Make sure you go out and get Never Better, you are sure to love it.

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Video: Evidence, “For Whom The Bell Tolls” Behind the Scenes Part 1

Posted in Video with tags Evidence, Hip-Hop, Hip-Hop Official, The LAyover EP on Wednesday, February 4, 2009 by Tim Althaus

Man I honestly can’t wait for this video to premier. This behind the scenes look was spotted at 2DopeBoyz, and was done by Hip-Hop Official. This behind the scenes look is much more detailed than the last one, and boy does this video look pretty damn crazy. Make sure you check this out because you know I will have the video up when it comes out. Make sure you watch for Cats & Dogs dropping sometime this year as well. IF you haven’t make sure you go out and get The LAyover EP, that shit’s official.

Spotted at: Hip-Hop Official

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Video: Exile – Funky Worm Chop

Posted in Video with tags Exile, Hip-Hop, MPC, Okayplayer on Wednesday, February 4, 2009 by Tim Althaus

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Here again is DJ Exile on the MPC, this time he is chopping up the song “Funky Worm” by The Ohio Players. This video is just one more (in a long line) of testaments to how sick Exile really is on the MPC.

Spotted at OKP

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Brother Ali to Release New EP & DVD Next Month

Posted in Music News with tags Ant, Brother Ali, Hip-Hop, Rhymesayers Enterntainment, Slug, The Truth is Here on Tuesday, February 3, 2009 by Tim Althaus

brother-ali-31 Well it appears as though your favorite albino emcee, Brother Ali, will be coming out with a new nine track EP next month (with a guest appearance from Slug) as well as a DVD that accompanies it. The EP will be nine tracks of straight fire material as you can expect and it is titled The Truth is Here. This is the preface for his fourth studio album due out this fall. I can assure you that this EP will be nothing short of amazing. Brother Ali & Ant have been doing some amazing things for years, I’m sure they are sticking to the same formula.

The DVD will feature the homecoming show off his Undisputed Truth Tour at the legendary venue First Avenue. I was actually at this show, and I can tell you that it was truly an amazing show, every single aspect of it. This EP is worth it for the DVD alone, the music is just going to make this purchase have a ton of added value. It will also feature interviews with Brother Ali as well a commentary by the man himself. You also will get the videos for “Uncle Sam Goddamn” and “Take Me Home” (which was probably my favorite track on the album).

I can assure you on March 10th when this comes out, I will be at the store making a purchase of this album. I’ve heard from a few sources that Ali’s new material is ridiculous and I can’t wait to hear it. Again folks, here is another example of Rhymsayers dropping megaton bombs.

Spotted at HipHopDX

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Video: Exile (w/ introduction from Evidence) live @ the Lions Den

Posted in Video with tags Evidence, Exile, Hip-Hop, MPC on Tuesday, February 3, 2009 by Tim Althaus

This is another one of those unreal videos of MPC work from Exile. Evidence gives him a great intro and then Exile does his thing live infront of hundreds of people. Make sure you go out and get Exile’s album Radio which dropped January 20th.

Spotted at OKP

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Audio: Raekwon, “Back From the Slums” (Featuring Ghotface & Method Man)

Posted in Audio with tags Ghostface, Hip-Hop, Method Man, Only Built For Cuban Linx 2, Raekwon, Wu-Tang Clan on Tuesday, February 3, 2009 by Tim Althaus

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I am starting to fiend for this album like crack. This is only the second track that I’ve heard and I’m completely blown away. Two tracks off of this album and I’m already feeling like this is a classic in the works. I posted about this album and the list of producers on this album is nothing short of amazing. Considering that Ghost has already been on two of the tracks, we can probably expect big things from the guest appearances on Only Built For Cuban Linx 2.

Listen: “Back From the Slums” (Featuring Ghostface & Method Man)

Spotted at OKP

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Review: P.O.S., Never Better

Posted in Music Reviews with tags Audition, Doomtree, Hip-Hop, I'll Sleep When You're Dead, Lazer Beak, Never Better, P.O.S., Paper Tiger, Rhymesayers Entertainment on Monday, February 2, 2009 by Tim Althaus

pos-never-better-cd-cover-album-art I really don’t want to sell this album short because, this album is one more nail in the coffin as a testament to Rhymesayers Entertainment‘s complete solidity in independent Hip-Hop. I first heard about P.O.S. when Audition dropped in 2006, and I listened to the album and immediately fell in love with it. It was the perfect blend of Hip-Hop and punk attitude. I knew that this album was going to be special but I had no idea what to think.

I read an interview over at Culture Bully and the guy said that this album almost had the same fitting comparison as El-P’s masterpiece, I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead. I honestly had the exact same thought in my mind because this album has different soundscapes all over the album but it shows major cohesiveness even while being so diverse with sound.

The opening track is called “Let It Rattle” and it starts off with Stef saying “Sorry I took so long”. I didn’t know the whole story about his album getting stolen at a show until I watched the interview with Kiwibox. P.O.S. rolls right in with an acapella first verse with no real beat in the background and political jabs and uppercuts. When the beat kicks in it’s a barrage of hard hitting drums and anger. This might be one of the most politically driven albums you will hear the whole year, and it is pouring with Stef’s heart and soul. “Savion Glover” is one of those tracks that I could easily see playing at a party with a bunch of kids dancing infectiously to. It has some great cuts that had me smiling within the first five seconds of hearing the track. The track “Goodbye” could very well be the highlight of the album next to “Low Light Low Life”. “Goodbye” (produced by Lazer Beak) has an incredible beat with a great vocal sample, loud ear assaulting horns and Stef’s usual blood, sweat and tears pouring out onto the track like his life depended on it. Like I said before “Low Light Low Life” in opinion is probably the highlight of Never Better which features Sims & Dessa (of the Doomtree crew) on a great beat by Paper Tiger.

This is a fantastic album that is a great benchmark in the quality of music that P.O.S. and Rhymesayers are putting out. I hate to say things so early in the year, but this album will probably be one of my favorites this year. It’s great to see such great quality music coming out early in the year. It makes me proud to be from Minnesnota. It also lets me know that we can look forward to great things from P.O.S. and RSE this year.

9/10

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