July 2008 Archives

Los Angeles’ ArtDontSleep in conjunction with KCRW and The Echoplex present a soulful night of music spanning from Detroit to DC with performances from the Platinum Pied Pipers Cast No. 2 and Muhsinah. The PPP duo of Waajeed and Saadiq are back with a new album Abundance, due out this October, with a new cast of players including St. Louis’ Coultrain, Texas’ Karma, NYC’s Jamilia, and Detroit’s Neco Redd. The night will also include DJ sets from Kutmah and one of my new favorite DJ/producers The Gas Lamp Killer. The Echoplex is located on 1154 Glendale Blvd in Los Angeles, CA. Admittance to the show is 21+ and tickets are all $15. Presales are available at TicketWeb.

LINKS: PPP MYSPACE | MUHSINAH MYSPACE | PURCHASE @ TICKETWEB

On Saturday, August 2nd, Quest M.C.O.D.Y. presents The Light Show, the album release event for his new album The Light Project. Quest will perform live with the Gorilla Funk Mob backing him. Please note that the venue has been changed to The Shelter at Saint Andrews Hall (431 E. Congress) in Detroit. The show will also include guest performances from Guilty Simpson, Buff1, Marvwon, Miz Korona, and Finale & Invincible.

LINKS: QUEST MCODY MYSPACE | QUEST MCODY ARTICLE ON METROMIX (7/28)

The Burn Rubber Mixtape Release Party is Friday July 25 at the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor. Octane & Illite, Big Sean, Marv Won, Quest MCODY, Monica Blaire & Ill Street will all be performing. Speaking of the store, they have the illest t-shirt on sale there that totally encompasses my thoughts on coke use these days. Here's a picture and item description taken from their site.

"Now, on to the In4Mation tees. These tees raise a lot of eyebrows, but that’s what streetwear does, if done properly. It get’s people talking and thinking. The average person may look at these tees and say they are reckless, some may say they are borderline genius. We have both shirts in Men & women. I’ll explain the first one. The first one just shows a picture of a bloody nose with powder, and a mouth. Some people may look at this and say that it promotes drug use, but on the sleeve it says, “Blow Blows”. Sick!!!"

Now I don't editorialize too much on this site, but this item gives me fodder to express my hated of blow. Now I know its always been around, you do not need to tell me that. My problem is that for as long I have been in the music/club scene in Detroit, his shit has never messed up my good time until now. The lacksidaisycal attitude about it all these days just makes me uncomfortable. What ever happen to just blunts and brews? Oh well. Blow blows! Never have! Never will! (and I already know someone reading this will think I'm sounding holier-than-thou, so what! If others can say whatever they want all the time, give me that luxury once.)

LINK: OFFICIAL BURN RUBBER DETROIT SITE

The 80s cover project from Zo! and Little Brother's Phonte is now available with a limited pressing of only 2500 worldwide. As an added bonus for purchase at the Halls Of Justus online store, 300 copies of Love The 80s will be autographed by Zo! and Phonte. And to make it better, Zo! will autograph 300 copies of his Freelance CD as well, and you can get both for only $15.

PURCHASE: Zo! and Tigallo Love the 80's (Special autographed package)

LINKS: OFFICIAL ZO! SITE | ZO! MYSPACE

Stones Throw Records just relaunched their web site with the addition of an online store. One of the new items of the store is the digital release Dilla Ghost Doom "Sniperlite". Here is a description of the release:

"In late 2005 Ghostface Killa and MF DOOM were both recording over tracks from J Dilla's instrumental opus, Donuts, which saw release the following February. Some of these were released on Ghostface's Fishscale in 2006, while others, including a Dilla-Doom project, were postponed indefinitely after J Dilla's passing. Two of these tracks, “Sniper Elite” and “Murder Goons,” are presented here for the first time. The two are taken from two sequential songs off Donuts, meant to mix together. We are presenting the two songs unmixed, plus the two mixed together as a bonus track."

LINKS: OFFICIAL STONES THROW SITE | PURCHASE "SNIPERLITE"

From Fat City Recordings Producer No. 1 compilation is a remix 12" single for the Eric Lau track "For The D" featuring Guilty Simpson reworked by Mark Pritchard under his Harmonic 313 alias. It's hot. Enjoy!

Tracklisting:
1. Guilty Simpson- For The D (Harmonic 313 Street Vesion) [Listen Now]
2. Guilty Simpson- For The D (Harmonic 313 Instrumental)
3. Black Pocket- U're A Sta (Martyn Remix) [Listen Now]
4. Guilty Simpson- For The D (Harmonic 313 Clean Vesion)

PURCHASE: Producer No. 1 Remix EP (feat Harmonic 313/ Martyn)

Presenting CRAC radio, one hour of Raach Box and Bee El You playing some of their favorite joints
from all genres including music from Curtis Mayfield, Peter, Bjorn & John, Public Enemy, CashUsKing, LL Cool J, The White Stripes and of course Blu and Raach as well. The show also includes guest spots from DMX and Nas of all people, plus see if you can catch the remake of a Common interlude towards the end.

DOWNLOAD: CRAC radio (divShare)

LINK: CRAC MYSPACE

(Source: Official Press Release) - John "Illa J" Yancey, younger brother of late great genius producer James Yancey (AKA Jay Dee AKA J Dilla), is currently completing his debut album for Delicious Vinyl. With the multi-talented Illa J rhyming and singing over a treasure trove of previously untouched Jay Dee gems, the project represents both a full-circle collaboration and a whole new beginning in the story of the musically exceptional Yancey brothers.

When Jay Dee passed away from complications relating to lupus in February 2006, he left behind an extraordinary legacy of production work, including hits for Common, Janet Jackson, and Busta Rhymes. One mother lode of previously untouched beats dates from his time working on the Pharcyde's sophomore LP, Labcabincalifornia (Delicious Vinyl, 1995). As Delicious Vinyl owner and founder Michael "Mike Floss" Ross explains: "From '95 through '98 Jay Dee was my go-to guy for hot beats and remixes. He was always making beats, always. So there was a select amount of tracks that he composed for me during that time, only they never got used. When I finally met Illa J last year, I gave him a CD containing those unreleased beats."

It was a case of pure serendipity, since 21 year old Illa J had just relocated to Los Angeles and constructed a studio built around Jay Dee's own recording equipment, dubbing it Yancey Boys Studios in tribute to their fraternal bond. "Dilla was twelve years older than me," Illa J says. "So back in the day in Detroit I was just a little kid, sitting on the stairs in our house, watching him make those first beats for Slum Village. So I always felt my brother's tracks and had an instinct for what I wanted to do over them.

When Illa J set to work in early '08 on recording the album, the project flowed quickly as he entered the proverbial can't-miss zone. As Illa J says: "One of the things I learned from my brother is that you don't get that much time, so make the most of it. That's why I've decided to dedicate my life to doing what I love: music. To work with Mike Floss and Delicious Vinyl, the label that released those hits my brother made with The Pharcyde ["Runnin'" and "Drop"] is really special."

As Michael Ross says: "Illa J can write, sing, play and rap. Not just a little bit of each - he's really the complete package! And anyone who loves Jay Dee's music is going to flip out when they hear what his younger brother's been laying down. For over a decade these beats have been waiting in the vault for this moment. It's like Jay Dee made these tracks with an extrasensory purpose, so that Illa J could make this album. There is no question that this is exactly what they were meant for. These beats belong to Illa J, they're his birthright, and I really believe Jay Dee would be proud of what his brother is doing."

LINKS: ILLA J MYSPACE | OFFICIAL DELICIOUS VINYL SITE

Los Angeles-based emcee Shawn Jackson just released his new project First Of All... on Tres Records featuring a gang of Detroiters. The album's first 12" single for "Feelin' Jack" includes the b-side "Strategies" featuring Guilty Simpson and produced by Detroiter/now L.A.-based Snowman. The album also features additional guest spots from Ta'Raach and Big Tone.

PURCHASE:
- Shawn Jackson First Of All... - iTunes | UGHH | Fat Beats
- Shawn Jackson "Feelin Jack" b/w "Strategies" (feat. Guilty Simpson) 12" - iTunes | UGHH | Fat Beats

Also, check out these additional Shawn Jackson tracks remixed by Snowman for free download.

DOWNLOADS:
- "Strategies (Remix featuring Guilty Simpson)"
- "Feelin' Jack II"
- "Beautiful Day 7.8.08"

LINKS: SHAWN JACKSON MYSPACE | SNOWMAN MYSPACE

(from FatBeats.com) It’s been a long time coming, but Elzhi is finally set to release his proper solo debut The Preface on August 12. Produced almost entirely by Black Milk, The Preface shows one of the finest lyricists of his era raising the bar for emcees in 2008. Elzhi has been relentlessly recording of late, and while this release took longer than many of his fans had wished to see the light of day, look for the follow up The Feed to hit shelves in 2009.

In the meantime, look for the following tracklisting to give you more than enough food for thought until then:

1. Intro (The Preface)
2. The Leak (Feat. Ayah)
3. Guessing Game
4. Motown 25 (feat. Royce Da 5′9″)
5. Brag Swag.
6. Colors
7. Fire (Remix) (feat. Black Milk, Guilty Simpson, Fatt Father, Danny Brown, & Fat Ray)
8. D.E.M.O.N.S.
9. Save Ya (feat. T3 of Slum Village)*
10. Yeah (feat. Phat Kat)
11. Transitional Joint
12. Talking in My Sleep
13. The Science (feat. Fes Roc)**
14. Hands Up
15. What I Write
16. Growing Up (feat. A.B.)

Produced by Black Milk
*Produced by T3
**Produced by DJ Dez

LINK: OFFICIAL ELZHI MYSPACE

For the release of the new PPP single "On A Cloud" from their forthcoming album Abundance, Ubiquity Records is running a remix contest for "On A Cloud". The acapella for the track is available on the 12" single and for digital download too. Hit the link below for all the rules and legal stuff, along with a link to download the acapella.

LINKS: PPP "ON A CLOUD" REMIX CONTEST | OFFICIAL PPP MYSPACE

For more on PPP & Karma's "On A Cloud," check out Bling47 TV's exclusive behind-the-scenes look:

On Saturday July 26th is the opening of the Elements Gallery, a Detroit music based art gallery/cybercafe started by Detroit's DJ Sicari and it will serve as a place for musicians, artists, photographers, bands, djs etc... to showcase their talents. The party starts at 3pm for the all-day event and live performances are at 11pm. The Elements Gallery is located at 2125 Michigan Ave (at 14th across from Slow's Bar-b-que) in Detroit. This is something of OURS so please support and respect it.

LINK: DJ SICARI MYSPACE

On Saturday, July 19th, Kicksounds and Burn Rubber present the official Creme De La Creme album release party from Michigan emcee Illite. The flyer says it all. Below is a track to download. See you there.

DOWNLOAD: Illite - "Champion"

LINK: OFFICIAL ILLITE MYSPACE