Here’s some new Phil Ade. Do you think he will be 1 of XXL’s 2011 Freshmen 10?
This one is called After Party. Click here to download.... Read more
News
You can always count on Kanye West to push boundaries. Check out the video for All of the Lights.
It features Rihanna and KiD CuDi and is directed by Hype Williams. It looks like it has a Japanese anime/TRON influence. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAfFfqiYLp0&feature=player_embedded... Read more
REWIND! Gotta take it back to DJ Premier. Complex did a dope article where he breaks down 38 of his classic cuts.
This article is incredible. Period. You can listen to each song while reading what Premier has to say about each. Check below for what he had to say about Nas' NY State of Mind. BIG PROPS to Complex for this one. Click here for the full article. DJ Premier: “That... Read more
Cool Kids, Freddie Gibbs and Chip Tha Rapper = Pulled Over By the Cops. Not literally…that’s the group.
Check out their new song Authority ft Nate Santos. It's a return to the boom bap--rhymes, a drum beat and not too much else. Good stuff. Click here to download.... Read more
Here’s the latest installment of PREEM-EAR (kinda) where we explore lesser known but still dope DJ Premier tracks. Phil Ade Piece of the Pie is up this week.
Phil Ade Piece of the Pie is up this week. I won't cheat you by making this a Preem-Ear, but this cat Phil Ade goes in over the DJ Premier produced, D'Angelo beat for "Devil's Pie." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8E9F9OC6vw Even better, if you ain't up on this kid, get into his music.... Read more
The 2nd playlist of the week is some true old school. You will find nothing post-1988 here.
If names like Whodini, The Fat Boys, Eric B. and Rakim, LL Cool J, Ice-T, 2 Live Crew, Schooly D, Boogie Down Productions, Big Daddy Kane and Run-DMC mean something to you, rock with me on this one. Press play, sit back and nod your head.... Read more
Here’s a double dose of playlists this week. First up are some of the hotter new leaks of the last few weeks.
If you like cinematic tracks and that West Coast G-Funk/R&B-influenced sound, this one is for you. You'll find new joints from Terrace Martin, Wiz Khalifa, Snoop Dogg, DJ Quik, Chuwee, Kendrick Lamar and a few curve balls that fit like Consequence and Pusha T. Press play, sit back and enjoy.... Read more
It’s official. Toca Tuesdays Freestyles is the best “freestyle” series in hip-hop. The latest is from Black Thought’s Money Making Jam Boys.
And...this is true freestyling off the dome. The rhymes aren't as complex as they would be if written but hearing the genius associated with spontaneous rhymes makes them much doper. At almost 9 minutes of pure cypher, this is an instant classic. Check it out: Click here to download. Click... Read more
Yeah! Uhh huh, you know what it is…a brand new mixtape from Wiz Khalifa. Check out Cabin Fever.
Here's the tracklist: Click here to download.... Read more
Coolroy’s Dreaming ft Tunji is some soulful, meditative ish.
With a laid back track and flows that meld to it perfectly, this is great food for your mental. Click here to download.... Read more
If you’re a fan of The Roots you will really dig this short documentary about them.
It's beautifully shot, showcases some of their great music and captures (a bit of) their one-of-a-kind energy on stage. It's called The Legendary: A Film About The Roots. Check it out. http://vimeo.com/20022107 Here's a description from the filmmakers (props to OkayPlayer): During the latter part of 2010 Jeff Baraka and... Read more
I wasn’t checking for this new Big Sean single at first but it has grown on me–New Edition sample and all.
I wasn't expecting something so...R&B. Different expectations yield different results though (and it's hard to hate on a No I.D. track after this). Check out My Last ft Chris Brown. Click here to download. If you need more R&B in your life, here's the original from New Edition: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7flrKMGfwjw... Read more
Yelawolf and Bun B hold it down for the South in the video for Good to Go.
This is more proof that ill lyricism has no physical boundaries.... Read more
Good God. I was not ready for the remake of Eric B. and Rakim’s classic In the Ghetto by The Roots, John Legend and Rakim Allah, himself.
Black Thought's verse alone would have been enough. This is from J. Period's mixtape remix of The Roots and John Legend's Wake Up! album. You can download the full mixtape for free here. Click here to download In The Ghetto. Here's the original--easily one of the best rap records ever:... Read more
Curren$y, Kendrick Lamar and Mickey Factz on the same track = #stoleyourshine
The track actually belongs to J-Lie...it's called Double XL. Check it out. Click here to download.... Read more
Where there’s Smoke…there’s fire! Check out Smoke DZA’s video for Ralph Lifshitz.
Boi-1da is on the track which starts with a Roy Ayers classic that will never get old. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-_Y-0tnmuM&feature=player_embedded Here are a couple of other songs that have sampled the Roy Ayers track used in the beginning plus the original: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoSPNjjLNeE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBApMFw9b_0 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQtmkoakjOc... Read more
Here’s something for the underground. Kaimbr, Kev Brown, Asher Roth and The Kid Daytona cook up some hot Gritz on this remix.
The song is from Kaimbr and Kev Brown's album The Alexander Green Project, which pay homage to Al Green. It's soul food. Click here to download.... Read more
There’s a bird in this Cee-Lo Green video for Bodies…but it’s not him.
Whatever you thought of his Grammy performance, dude is undeniably an ARTIST. Can't knock that hustle. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6j-15wN68w&feature=player_embedded... Read more
J. Cole and Drake. You know what it is. Here’s the video for In the Morning.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsdLE_bgM3I&feature=player_embedded#at=22... Read more
It’s official. I’m a Chuwee FAN. Check out his new song Slow Down.
Listen to Slow Down below and click here for more heat from Chuwee. Click here to download.... Read more
Terrace Martin continues his run of smoothed out hot joints. We Ain’t Gotta Go sounds like vintage D’Angelo and Dwele and features Big Snoop Dogg.
It's another #DeviTerraceTuesday winner. Check it out. Click here to download. Here's some D'Angelo and Dwele if you want to keep it smoothed out for a while. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3y2aP0B4Ic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxGkLOY0lwI... Read more
Thought you’d never hear Saigon and Joe Budden on a track together? Think again.
Bring Me Down pt. 3 is what happens when 2 super-talented MCs put their energy toward BUILDING. Dopeness. You can get that Saigon Greatest Story Never Told album now...Support good music. Click here to download.... Read more
Tyga was overshadowed by Chris Brown on their mixtape and it’s easy to forget he’s part of Young Money, but dude is actually pretty dope.
Here's his video for his verse on Regular Girl from his Fan of a Fan mixtape with Chris Brown.... Read more
This joint called Somebody by The Niceguys is SOULFUL.
If you're not up on these guys, here's a cool article that also includes a link to download the album. Click here to download.... Read more
This new 9th Wonder track bumps. It’s called Lemme Think and Rapsody is on the vocals.
It's good to hear how 9th chopped up one of Toni Braxton's best songs from back in the day. It's also good to hear a woman MC not named Nicki for a change (and that is NO disrespect to Ms. Minaj). We need more ladies in the game to balance... Read more
Ever see the movie Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme? It explores the art of truly coming off the top of the dome with clever lyrics.
Nowadays, anytime someone spits a verse that's not on wax or in concert it's considered a "freestyle." It wasn't always like that though. It used to be that a true freestyle was a complete impromptu rap that was often inspired in the heat of battle with another MC. If you... Read more
Pusha T’s voice is sinister. It just oozes murder music.
Check out how he kills this flow on My God. Complete with marching band drums, this is up there with some of those Clipse classics. Click here to download. Speaking of murder music and Clipse classics, here's a reminder: Clipse - Virginia Uploaded by sMUgmOnst3r. - Explore more music videos.... Read more
TiRon & Ayomari dropped their hot joint Good Food last month. Here’s the video.
Between them, Terrace Martin, Kendrick Lamar and Dom Kennedy, the West Coast is on a major come up. http://vimeo.com/19852767... Read more
New Saigon ft Black Thought. The song is called Too Long.
We've had to wait Too Long for The Greatest Story Never told to drop, but it finally comes on 2/15. Get ready. Click here to download.... Read more
Here’s a new installment of New World (Au)der in honor of Grammy-nominated best rap albums Recovery and The Blueprint 3.
NEW GRAMMY AUDER If you've missed past New World (Au)ders, here's how they work: I flip your favorite joints in the order they should've been when you copped them. These NEW WORLD AUDERS are in honor of this year's Grammy nominees for Best Rap Album. Check how I flipped the... Read more
This week’s playlist was inspired by those lost Little Brother gems that dropped earlier in the week. It draws heavily on that deep, melodic 9th Wonder sound.
It draws heavily on that deep, melodic 9th Wonder sound, as well as his muse Pete Rock and others. You'll find some J-Live, Jay-Z (courtesy of 9th), Nicolay & Kay, The Foreign Exchange and lots of Little Brother (esp. from the Chittlin Circuit era). This one is for the love.... Read more
This dude Chuuwee is FOR REAL. Sounds like he did this track JJ Evans as an open audition for DJ Premier and he MURDERED it.
This one is going in heavy rotation. Dude killed this track too. I'm a fan. Click here to download.... Read more
Freddie Gibbs dropped a behind the scenes video for Something New several months ago. Here’s the official video.
He still keeps it gangsta. You'll probably recognize the Isaac Hayes sample from Dr. Dre's XXXplosive. http://vimeo.com/19406494... Read more
Here’s the latest Creative Control collabo with Curren$y.
The video is typically cinematic and the track is reminiscent of something off a soundtrack from a 70's blaxploitation film. It's appropriately called Soundbombing. Check it out. http://vimeo.com/19774088... Read more
Need more Phonte in your life? How about the first track he ever did with 9th Wonder? The song is called Paper Lines. Good golly.
Phonte just might be the most underrated rapper ever. Click here to download.... Read more
Let this XV F.I.F.A. track ride for 45 seconds and it will get you WIDE open. Wow.
Props to the mighty NahRight for the video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDK6GJQka-o&feature=player_embedded#at=131 If you missed that XV mixtape, listen and dowload it below: Download Mixtape... Read more
New Saigon ft Q-Tip and Fatman Scoop and produced by Just Blaze. It’s called the Invitation. Can you dig it?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhuAQ7QPh_E... Read more
Just when I thought I was done…they pulled me right back in! Here’s an unrelased song from Phonte. It’s aptly called Blessings. Enjoy.
This one is from back in the day so you know it bumps. Click here to download.... Read more
Are you a lyrics person? If so this track by Donwill of Tanya Morgan is for you.
Donwill blesses Kendrick Lamar's Heaven or Hell and gives Kendrick props (Donwill's track is called Buy Kendrick Lamar's Album) but kinda makes it his own...Check out what Donwill had to say about it below. Click here if you indeed want to buy Kendrick Lamar's album. Click here to download. Here... Read more
Need more Terrace Martin in your life? Check out him and Murs in the video for Fresh Kicks. The beat is TOUGH!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdgrHwV7qWI&feature=player_embedded... Read more
Ever heard of Buff1? His song Get Money, Have Fun is pretty hot. Nice track, dope lyrics. Check it out.
This one is for the underground. Click here to download.... Read more
Terrace Martin wraps up his #DeviTerraceTuesdays with another soulful HOT joint. It’s called Go Get It and ft Wiz Khalifa, Ty$ and Neka B.
Terrace's The Sex EP drops next week. Click here to download. Dig this? Here's more from Terrace Martin.... Read more
Saigon’s The Greatest Story Never Told drops on 2/15. So far the music has spoken for itself. Now hear Saigon speak on it.
This album is going to be an instant classic. If you missed them, here are some of the gems that have already dropped. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8B2Y3YbbdYU&feature=player_embedded... Read more
It’s a great day for mixtapes. Consequence’s Movies on Demand 2 just dropped as well.
Consequence dropped snippets of heat all last week in preparation for this. Full versions of some of those songs and more are included on the mixtape. Listen to the whole mixtape and download below. Download Mixtape Here's the tracklist:... Read more
Stalley’s Lincoln Way Nights album just dropped. He is definitely one to watch in 2011 and beyond.
Key cuts include Slapp, Hercules and Monkey Ish but the whole album is solid. Listen to the whole album and download below. Download Mixtape... Read more
More Dilla…Here’s an incredible live jazz version of his Donuts album.
If you're a Dilla fan, you have GOT to hear this. The performance was by a NYU jazz band called Stray Phrases. It's yet another reminder of the inextricable ties between jazz and hip-hop. J Dilla’s Donuts Performed By Stray Phrases by TheSmokingSection... Read more
T-Weaponz call their song Put Soul In It throwback…and they’re right. It’s got a early 90’s soulful jazz feel to it.
Check out the video which also features Tony Touch. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jt058prsOY&feature=player_embedded#... Read more
Fresh off his new label signing, Wale just dropped 2 hot new videos. Check out The Break Up Song and The MC.
As you probably know, Wale recently signed to Rick Ross' Maybach Music. It's unclear how this may affect his sound in the future, but The Break Up Song and The MC, both from Wale's 2010 More About Nothing mixtape, are vintage Wale. The Break Up Song rocks a cool Stevie... Read more