August 2008 Archives

(source: Press Release) - Delicious Vinyl releases debut single by Illa J "We Here" b/w "R U Listenin" (featuring Guilty Simpson), with both tracks produced by Jay Dee (J. Dilla) from the forthcoming album Yancey Boys

"We Here" is all sizzle and gleam as Illa J ad-libs his mission statement: "Yancey Boys from Detroit, Michigan...comin' for that number one spot...'bout to rock the world!" Over the previously unheard Dilla track (from a cache of Jay Dee beats held in safety for a decade by Delicious Vinyl founder Michael Ross) Illa J's soulful tenor delivers the hook: "We poppin' bottles like it's first day of the year." Illa J confirms the feeling: "Somebody could be in a hoopty but the Jay Dee beat sound so good it make them feel like they riding in a Phantom."

Illa J: "'We Here' is a celebration of waking up every day. Why not live out your dreams, why not try?" Of the lyric "Let's go crazy/ You saw Purple Rain" Illa J explains: "It's like Prince asking 'Are we gonna let the elevator break us down?' Naw, let's go all out! 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."

"R U Listenin" is a thumpadelic tribute to Detroit featuring Stones Throw recording artist Guilty Simpson, Illa and Guilty trading hot verses "sending love to the 313." Of the collaboration, Guilty Simpson exclaims: "Illa J is a young talent in his own right with many dimensions — a real force who's obviously the product of great stock!"

Delicious Vinyl's Michael Ross: "Anyone who loves Jay Dee is going to flip out when they hear how young Illa J represents for the Yancey family. 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 rap and sing over them when the time was right. Well, it's that time. It's the Yancey Boys baby!"

PURCHASE: ITUNES

LINK: ILLA J MYSPACE

Black Milk announced the track listing for his upcoming solo album Tronic, due out October 28th through Fat Beats. We states he'll have a sneak preview next week of the album.

Tronic Tracklisting:
1. Long Story Short ft. Dwele
2. Bounce
3. Give the Drummer Sum
4. Without U ft. Colin Munroe
5. Hold it Down
6. Losen Out ft. Royce 5'9
7. Overdose
8. Repin for U ft. AB
9. Hell Yeah
10. The Matrix ft. Pharoahe Monch, Sean Price, Dj Premiere
11. Try
12. Tronic Summer
13. Bond 4 Life (Music) ft. Melanie Rutherford
14. Elec (Outro)

LINK: BLACK MILK MYSPACE

(Source: Press Release) - Seattle super producer and self proclaimed “great beat writer” Jake One steps from behind the boards to present his own debut full-length album, White Van Music. Polishing his production chops over the last decade, Jake One has crafted the musical soundscapes for everyone from De La Soul (“Rock Co.Kane Flow” feat. MF DOOM) to 50 Cent (“All Of Me” feat. Mary J. Blige). With an impressive and diverse discography Jake One has managed to bring his sound from the underground to the Billboard Top 10 charts.

The album contains a cast of legendary guest rappers ranging from some of Hip Hop’s most respected mainstream acts Freeway, Young Buck & Busta Rhymes to underground legends MF DOOM, Brother Ali & Little Brother. Jake One’s White Van Music will blur the so called lines between underground and mainstream Hip Hop...just as his stellar production career has.

Not only does White Van Music include previously unreleased tracks from some of mainstream and indie's finest wordsmiths, it also includes a limited FREE bonus CD with Instrumentals! (Initial Pressing Only)

Track List
01. I’m Coming feat. Black Milk & Nottz
02. Gangsta Boy feat. M.O.P.
03. The Truth feat. Freeway & Brother Ali
04. Turn It Down
05. God Like feat. D. Black
06. Bless The Child feat. Little Brother
07. Oh Really feat. Posdnuos & Slug
08. Hi
09. Trap Door feat. MF DOOM
10. Dead Wrong feat. Young Buck
11. Kissin' The Curb feat. Bishop Lamont & Busta Rhymes
12. How We Ride feat. Freeway
13. White Van feat. Alchemist, Evidence & Prodigy
14. Big Homie Style feat. J. Pinder, GMK & Spaceman
15. Scared feat. Blueprint
16. Great Sound
17. Get 'Er Done feat. MF DOOM
18. Feelin' My Shit feat. Casual
19. Soil Raps feat. Keak Da Sneak
20. Glow feat. eLZhi & Royce Da 5'9"
21. R.I.P.
22. Home feat. Vitamin D, C Note, Maine & Ish

LINKS: MYSPACE | IMEEN | FACEBOOK | Jake's Official Blog | RHYMESAYERS

On Tuesday, August 12th, me and DJ Dez played the album listening party for eLZhi's the Preface, but there ended up being performances from eLZhi featuring Phat Kat and Royce Da 5'9", along with an opening set from Danny Brown. It was a dope party and essentially the kick off to Soul In The Hole Tuesdays at The Shelter with yours truly K-Fresh and DJ Dez. Nic Notion put together some video footage from the event (above) along with a Detroit demo reel (below) that features some footage of me getting down at eLZhi's party.

Over at Angela's Eye, video footage from last week's Brooklyn's Finest party with Talib Kweli, Idol Warship, and DJ Graffiti at Plan B has been posted. It was a slammin' event.

LINK: Angela's Eye - Video: Talib Kweli & Idle Warship At Plan B In Detroit

NameTag's project Ahead Of The Basics with production from Black Milk, Magnif, and Black Bethoven is now available digitally through iTunes and SNOCAP (links available on NameTag's MySpace page below).

Also, NameTag has made available a new track "Stylin' On 'Em" produced by Black Milk from his next project Courtesy Of Ambition THE EP for purchase on his MySpace page.

PURCHASE: NameTag - "Stylin' On 'Em" (SNOCAP)

LINK: OFFICIAL NAMETAG MYSPACE

LINKS: EMERGENCE MUSIC

CONTEST CLOSED! Winner was notified. See you there!!!

Here's a lil 18 minute mix I did for CJAM 91.5 FM radio station out of Windsor, Ontario/Detroit, MI. Its very much on an experimental instrumental hip hop vibe. Enjoy.

DOWNLOAD: K-Fresh CJAM 91.5 Mix August 2008

Tracklisting:
Eric Lau (featuring Guilty Simpson) - For The D (Harmonic 313 Remix)
Harmonic 313 - Call To Arms
AD Bouke - JJ Adams
Bullion - Rude Effort
Finale & Spier1200 - Trouble Makers
Flying Lotus - Fantastic Whore
The Gaslamp Killer - Show Stopper
Take - After Words

(Source: Press Release) - eLZhi, esteemed member of Slum Village, will be releasing his solo debut, The Preface, on August 12, 2008 through Fat Beats Records. The 16-track album, produced almost entirely by rising star Black Milk, features guest appearances by a who's who of the Detroit hip-hop scene. Royce Da 5'9", T3 (Slum Village), Guilty Simpson, Phat Kat, and more add to what many have predicted will be one of the most noteworthy hip-hop releases of 2008.

With The Preface, eLZhi displays the unpredictable flows and rhyme schemes he is known for and also touches on an impressive variety of concepts and subject matter. He demands perfection in his tracks and the attention to detail shows in the expert production of Black Milk. Having worked with countless hip-hop talents like Phat Kat, Frank-N-Dank, Lloyd Banks, Canibus, Pharoahe Monch, T3, and J Dilla, Black Milk tidies up the tracks with his signature air-tight beats and samples.

In the late-nineties, eLZhi made a name for himself by moving his way up through the ranks of Detroit's underground scene and teaming up with Slum Village for his first big taste of success. He has since been making the rounds, working with local Detroit luminaries such as J Dilla, Waajeed of Platinum Pied Pipers, and Dwele, in addition to a well-received solo tour of Europe during his early years in the game. Hip-hop enthusiasts across the globe consider eLZhi to be one of the most skilled emcees in the entire scene, and bloggers and critics have been trumpeting this sentiment since the release of the last Slum Village album in 2005. With the release of The Preface, eLZhi looks to cement his name amongst the greatest emcees in the game.

DOWNLOAD: eLZhi - "Motown 25 (feat. Royce Da 5'9")" (mp3)

PURCHASE: Fat Beats (CD, MP3, and combo deal w/ Buff1's "There's Only One")

Also, there will be a pair of local eLZhi listening parties coming up. The first at Burn Rubber Sneaker Boutique in Royal Oak on Saturday, August 9th. The second is down at The Shelter at Saint Andrews Hall on Tuesday, August 12th with DJ Dez and yours truly K-Fresh.