October 2008 Archives

In an attempt to expand Rensoul's coverage of Detroit music, I give you DJ 3000's Galactic Caravan bought to you by Underground Gallery and Motech Records. The album is slated for a Spring 2009, but I was given the go to let my people have it early. Its a great project coming from the electronic/experimental side of Detroit's soundscape. Below is the link, tracklisting, and project description. Enjoy and hit me at kfresh[at]rensoul.com with your feedback. For more information on DJ 3000, visit MoTechRecords.com.

DOWNLOAD: Underground Gallery & Motech Present - DJ 3000 - Galactic Caravan (direct link)

Tracklisting:
1. Flamuri i Popullit
2. Meridian
3. Heritage *featuring Esteban Adame
4. Coat Of Arms
5. Darjeeling Sun
6. Yrwehear
7. Emotional Sequence
8. Meloudic Landscapes
9. Seven Tribes of Hoti
10. Penny for your thoughts
11. Midnight Express *featuring Esteban Adame
12. Her Smile
13. Memory Almost Full
14. Day Dreaming (Live in Hamtramck)
A group of travelers journeying together.

Each traveler is inherently different. As a group each individual part (take out part)comes together as a unique whole, moving towards one destination. On this journey, times may not always be good. There may be times when it is difficult to eat, difficult to form a cohesive thought, and times where it may even be difficult to think that you will make it to see the light of the morning sunrise. But, it is the support of those traveling with you that gives you hope. The promise of arriving in one place, together, provides you with the necessary inspiration to keep going.

In today's world, the members of a caravan can exist spatially. One member can be situated at their computer, eating breakfast in a European stronghold, while the next may be laying their head down after a hard day's battle on the west coast of the United States. They walk the same path, headed towards the same destination, yet they are separated by thousands of miles. They may not even recognize each other if they pass each other on a crowded city street. Their anonymity protected by thousands of passing people and the intense flutter of the urban heart beat. However, in their head lives the same beat. They may not occupy the same economic bracket, social class, cultural or racial background, or even speak the same language. But, when the thought of that sacred destination enters their respective minds, their thoughts align. Go forth and someday arrive in this place that is summoning you.

Like any journey, there will be times of tranquility and instances of chaos. Days where you will fight against other tribes, and nights where you will fight amongst your own. Through each of these battles comes a stronger group. The result is a band that will be more prepared for battle the next time it emerges and one that will test any force that stands in the caravan's path. From the smoke of each past battle, the group gathers up its goods and continues it's pace to its ultimate destination.

The destination may be Detroit, Paris, Amsterdam or Rome. Its actual position is irrelevant. The adventure lies more within the journey than in the arrival of your final destination. Once you are there, the place where you have travelled far to reach, more often than not, you won't appreciate where you are. Rather, you think about the events that occurred on the recently completed trip. It is the allure of a journey that keeps us going from day to day. A great poet once said that "I am always happy in the place that I am not." This wanderlust has fueled generations of people to pursue their dreams, both attainable and wild. It is in this pull that artists find their inspiration. Whether it's behind the wheel of a car, in the coach of a cross-continental rail car, on the deck in the middle of the ocean, or by foot on a darkened path in the middle of nowhere.

We will walk many paths over the course of our lives. Some of them good, some of them bad, and others will be paths of great indifference. It is the promise that something good lies at the end of each path that keeps us moving forward, That same promise makes standing still or moving backwards our enemy. We must never stop. We must walk constantly in the direction of something greater, no matter if its real or imagined.

No matter which art form you find yourself immersed in tonight, take a brief moment to pause and determine for yourself if you are still moving forward. If you have grown stagnant or have lost the motivation to progress, then look to those who came before you and excavate a new source of progression. It won't come easy, because nothing ever does. However, if there is one thing that music has taught us during this journey, it is that you have to pull yourself up by your bootstraps and never lose the hustle. As they say, hustle isn't made, it isn't raised, it isn't ever given, it is born.

Pack your belongings, gather your inspiration, call out to your ancestors who have walked this path before you. Our galactic caravan leaves tonight. We will not pause, and our speed will not waver, because on this journey, music is our language and we all understand and speak in the same tongue.

Our forward progress continues, care to join us?

Includes all exclusive previously unreleased tracks, and some mixes that will ONLY be found on this compilation.

We’re releasing these sneaky peeks to highlight upcoming releases and it’s also in conjunction with the forthcoming launch of our new limited edition/high end clothing line called Ubiquity White Label. Just as the Ubiquity White Label clothing line features high-end limited edition clothing and accessories, the White Label compilation will include unreleased and exclusive tracks and mixes. The term White Label refers back to the days when VIP DJs were given “white label” 12”s prior to the official release of a record, to test-out, spread the word, and hype-up new music.

Heavyweight soulsters SA-RA Creative Partners and PPP drop brand new exclusives from their highly-anticipated upcoming albums penciled in for release in early 2009. Nino Moschella presents a brand new lo-fi funky song from his awesome upcoming album, while the unstoppable Shawn Lee collaborates with both European soul star Nicole Willis (from his forthcoming “Soul In The Hole” soul-tribute album) and Desert-dwelling mad-genius Clutchy Hopkins (from their collaboration album called Clutch of The Tiger). LA-based soul-boy Damon Aaron is set to release his debut Ubiquity album this Fall, and his call for peace, “Better”, is remixed exclusively for this comp by our own Eric Lau.

Our last release of 2009 will be a “best of” Greyboy called 15 Years of West Coast Cool. Featured in the comp are 3 previously unreleased tracks, including a collaboration with Detroit soulcrooner Jeremy Ellis which is included here. Lastly The Lions drop a nasty dubbed out version of “Cumbia Del Leon” from their Jungle Struttin’ album.

Tracklist - Click for snippits:
01. Blank Blue - Sonic What?! (Alt. Take)
02. Nino Moshcella - Lookin' At Your Face
03. PPP - Pigeon Hole
04. SA-RA - Spacefruit
05. Shawn Lee and Clutchy Hopkins - Indian Burn
06. Ohmega Watts - Eyes And Ears (Clutchy Hopkins Remix)
07. Damon Aaron - Better (Eric Lau Remix)
08. Shawn Lee Feat. Nicole Willis - Jigsaw
09. Greyboy Feat. Jeremy Ellis - Color In Between The Lines
10. The Lions - Cumbia Del Leon (Freeformer Toddy T's Psycho Dub)

PURCHASE: INFO | iTUNES | EMUSIC | AMAZON

The highly anticipated album TRONIC from Black Milk is in stores now. Crazy release shows already happened in Detroit and New York, along with shows at the Grand Star Jazz Club in LA on November 1st and at Revival in Toronto on November 6th (I'll be in attendance) with House Shoes & Elzhi). Stay tuned as the recently shot "Give The Drummer Sum" video will be dropping on the net soon.

LISTEN: Black Millk - "Give the Drummer Sum"
LISTEN: Black Milk - The Matrix (featuring DJ Premier, Sean Price, Pharoahe Monch

PURCHASE: TRONIC at FatBeats.com

LINKS: BLACK MILK MYSPACE | OFFICIAL FAT BEATS SITE

Ubiquity Records have announced a January 20th release date for the second album from PPP (Platiunum Pied Pipers) titled Abundance. Below is the tracklisting with audio snippets along with the EPK and album description. Also, via FreshSelects.net, is a remix of PPP's "Shotgun" from their Triple P album featuring not only a new Waajeed beat, but an unreleased verse from J. Dilla.

DOWNLOAD: PPP feat. Dilla “Shotgun (Waajeed’s Plinky Remix)”

Tracklisting (with audio samples):
01. Angel
02. Smoking Mirrors
03. On A Cloud
04. Luv Affair
05. Go, Go, Go
06. Sanctuary
07. Aint No Ifs or Maybes
08. Pigeon Hole
09. Lovers And Haters
10. The Ghost Of Aveiro
11. Countless Excuses
12. American Pimp
13. Dirty Secrets
14. Rocket Science
15. Goodbye Feat. Dabrye
16. Abundance (Digital Version)

"Abundance sums up everything; our growth since Triple P, the love and encouragement to make this record that we’ve gotten from our fans, it means a lot of things," explains band-leader and producer Waajeed. "It picks up where the first left- off. Triple P was a great start, but this sophomore album is on another level. It's more involved and focused…it's Electro Soul!"

The first single from the album features new vocalist Karma Stewart on an infectious horn-driven joint called "On a Cloud." The super-soulful gospel-tinged mix is an energetic starting point that exemplifies the new PPP.

While Triple P had a helping hand from an eclectic selection of edgy-peers like Dilla (R.I.P.), Steve Spacek, SA-RA Creative Partners, and Invincible, it also launched the solo careers of previously-unknown vocalists Georgia Anne Muldrow and Tiombe Lockhart. Abundance has a much more focused guest list and shines the spotlight on amazing new talents Coultrain, Karma, and Jamila Raegan. Rather than repeat the successful formula of Triple P, PPP would prefer to progress and develop with new conspirators to keep proceedings fresh. "Coultrain brings the substance and ‘the cool’; it's rare to find a talented male vocalist who actually has something to say. Karma brings the power and fire; it's amazing she's not been discovered before. Jamila brings style with her unique tone. Together it’s a winning combo. It’s like Marvin, Aretha, and Diana!" jokes Waajeed.

Since the release of Triple P, Waajeed and production partner Saadiq moved from Detroit to Brooklyn. And while Brooklyn-life may have changed their sound, it's also made them appreciate their Motor City roots which are audible throughout the album, the majority of which was mixed in Detroit by Grammy award winning engineer Todd Fairall. From the Motown vibe of “On a Cloud,” to the techno-influenced “Rocket Science," Detroit is evident throughout.

Another big change for the group is the shortening of their name from Platinum Pied Pipers to PPP. This was a result of legal pressure from a singing-group established in the 1930s called the Pied Pipers. “We took the lawsuit almost as a compliment because it represents our growth from underground status to notoriety,” remarks Waajeed.

Prior to release of Abundance PPP performed new tracks, with their new faces, to packed crowds in Europe on a 25-date Fall tour in a warm-up for what’s to come in 2009. During their first album campaign, PPP sold-out tours worldwide, playing high profile performances at the likes of Coachella and Central Park Summer Stage sharing billing with acts like Roy Ayers, Brazilian Girls, and Mark Ronson. Vibe Magazine said the Triple P album "Wears it's Detroit badge proudly on a funk-stewed debut that echoes 70s era Steve Wonder," Time Out added that Triple P boasted “Delicious flows and fudge thick beats”, while Entertainment Weekly called the album a “cult soul classic.” PPP’s cover of “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover” was voted one of the songs of the year by listeners to the BBC Radio 1 show Worldwide, hosted by influential tastemaker DJ Gilles Peterson.

Waajeed is no stranger to those who know their hip-hop. Teaming up with his friend, production guru Jay Dee, in the early 1990s, he helped form Slum Village contributing tracks to their Dirty District compilation on Sequence/Kinetic as well as their critically acclaimed Trinity (Past, Present, and Future) album released on Capitol. He also worked with Jay Dee co-producing on the instant classic, Welcome 2 Detroit (BBE) as well as co-producing songs with Grammy award-wining singer and producer Dwele. Waajeed’s Bling47 label provided the launching pad for The Official Jay Dee Instrumental Series and the first installment of his own BPM instrumental series. Waajeed has remixed artists such as Radiohead, Roy Ayers, and Tony Allen-to name a few. More recently, he’s been working with Cee-Lo, Mark Ronson protégé Daniel Merriweather, Pharoahe Monch, and John Legend protégé Estelle. Partner Saadiq is a master keyboard, guitar, and bass player, taught by world-renowned songwriter Barrett Strong (who worked with Marvin Gaye).

The first single from the album featured a remix by San Francisco Bay Area producer Trackademicks, a member of the Honor Roll production crew who have been moving heads and dance floors with mixes and music for the likes of J*Davey, Phonte, and Josie Stingray. More singles will follow, including a remix of “On A Cloud” taken from the PPP remix competition

PURCHASE: PPP - "On A Cloud" 12" INFO | ITUNES | AMAZON | EMUSIC

LINKS: OFFICIAL UBIQUITY RECORDS SITE | PPP MYSPACE

Here's a new track "King Fu Theater (Game Of Death) from V-Stylez featuring Kid Vishis and Royce Da 5'9" and produced by Big Gov, from his upcoming album Masterpiece Theater.

DOWNLOAD: V-Stylez ft Kid Vishis and Royce 5' 9" - "Kung Fu Theater (Game of Death)" (zShare)

LINK: V-STYLEZ MYSPACE

The solo project from 14KT titled The Golden Hour Sdtrk. is now available via A-Side Worldwide. Links to listen and purchase the album are as followed:

PURCHASE: 14KT The Golden Hour Sdtrk CD
LISTEN: The Golden Hour Sdtrk. on IMEEM

LINKS: 14KT MYSPACE | A-SIDE WORLDWIDE

In wait of the October 25th release of TRONIC, Fat Beats has put together a free mixtape showcasing 25 of Black Milk's dopest tracks titled ELEC, which can be download via HipHopDX.com.

DOWNLOAD: Black Milk - ELEC mixtape

Tracklisting:
1. Fat Ray & Black Milk - Take Control
2. Black Milk - Give the Drummer Sum
3. Caltroit - Go Hard (feat. Ras Kass & Royce Da 5'9")
4. Elzhi - Motown 25 (feat. Royce Da 5'9")
5. Elzhi - D.E.M.O.N.S.
6. Caltroit - Goatit (feat. Elzhi & Bishop Lamont)
7. Black Milk - Dub Rock
8. Fat Ray & Black Milk - Nothing to Hide
9. Jake One - I'm Comin (feat. Black Milk & Nottz)
10. Dabrye - Special (Black Milk Remix, feat. Guilty Simpson)
11. T3 - Yawl (feat. Elzhi)
12. Caltroit - Mouth Music (feat. Guilty Simpson)
13. Slum Village- Call Me (feat. Dwele)
14. Pharoahe Monch - Bar Tap
15. Young RJ - Welcome to the District (feat. Black Milk)
16. Black Milk - The Matrix (feat. DJ Premier, Pharoahe Monch, & Sean Price)
17. Slum Village - Bootleggin
18. Genius / GZA - 7 Pounds
19. Caltroit - Bang that Shit Out (feat. Bishop Lamont & DJ Rhetttmatic)
20. Guilty Simpson - My Moment
21. Marv Won - Talk About
22. Caltroit - Everything (feat. Kardinal Offishall)
23. Fat Ray & Black Milk - Get Focus (feat. Phat Kat)
24. Fat Ray & Black Milk - When it Goes Down
25. Caltroit - Inconvenient Truth

Also, Black Milk is now on the Caltroit European tour with Bishop Lamont and Guilty Simpson, along TRONIC release parties in New York, Detroit, and Toronto. The dates are as followed:

Thurs-Oct-9 Aarhus, DENMARK Train
Fri-Oct-10 Zurich, SWITZERLAND Aktionshalle
Sat-Oct-11 Paris, FRANCE Gibus
Mon-Oct-13 Leipzig, GERMANY Connie Island
Tue-Oct-14 Amsterdam, HOLLAND Paradiso
Wed-Oct-15 Rotterdam, HOLLAND Watt
Thu-Oct-16 Cologne, GERMANY TBA
Fri-Oct-17 Basel, SWITZERLAND Das Schiff
Sat-Oct-18 Oslo, NORWAY Bla
Fri-Oct-24 New York, NY Southpaw- "TRONIC" ALBUM RELEASE PARTY
Tue-Oct-28 Detroit, MI The Shelter@ St. Andrews Hall- "TRONIC" ALBUM RELEASE PARTY
Thurs-Nov-6 Toronto, CANADA Revival- "TRONIC" ALBUM RELEASE PARTY w/eLZHI
Sat-Nov-15 Los Angeles, CA Key Club w/Sean Price

LINKS: BLACK MILK MYSPACE | FAT BEATS

Brand new remixed tune and video from Opio, with a little help from friends Del the Funky Homosapien, Guilty Simpson, producer The Architect, and the cast of the 1972 blaxploitation film Superfly. Enjoy!

LISTEN: Opio - "Some Superfly Sh!t" Remix Feat. Del the Funky Homosapien and Guilty Simpson
PURCHASE: Opio - Vulture's Wisdom, Volume 1 (iTunes)

LINKS: OPIO MYSPACE | HIEROGLYPHICS

The sixth leak for 14KT's The Golden Hour is a track called "The Night". Below is the download link and 14KT's inspiration behind it.

DOWNLOAD: 14KT - "Can We??(Chill Again)" feat. Aloe Blacc

This version of the song will not be on the project, due out October 14th via A-Side Worldwide.

14KT's Inspiration on "Can We?? (Chill Again) feat. Aloe Blacc":
First of all, I LOVE trying to flip records like this for fun :) Hope you enjoy it.

God is ALWAYS Good. Even when you don't feel like it sometimes..

LINK: 14KT MYSPACE | A-SIDE WORLDWIDE

A found a few new treats in my inbox yesterday. Three new joints from Royce Da 5'9". Enjoy.

DOWNLOAD: Royce Da 5'9" - "Shot Down"
DOWNLOAD: Royce Da 5'9" - "Y'all Must Have Forgot"
DOWNLOAD: Royce Da 5'9" - "Live Your Life"

And remember to download the free Royce Da 5'9" mixtape Bar Exam 2 at HipHopDX.com.

So back on June 6th, I spun at The Blackbyrd Revue show at Alvin's with Allan Barnes and The Gorilla Funk Mob. This was the first time I spun a jazz/fusion oriented set and I had so much fun doing it. Below is audio of my DJ sets from the night. Enjoy.

DOWNLOAD: K-Fresh - Live From The Blackbyrd Revue: 06.07.2008 @ Alvin's | PART 1 | PART 2

And you can check my MySpace page at www.myspace.com/kfresh.

(Source: Press Release) - With another joint from the forthcoming album Tronic, Black Milk is joined on the verses by Pharoahe Monch and Sean Price, with the legendary DJ Premier offering his trademark cuts on the hook. "The Matrix" features one of the heaviest line-ups in recent memory and makes it a contender for being the instant classic of 2008.

LISTEN: Black Milk - "The Matrix"

TRONIC will be released on CD, vinyl, and digitally via Fat Beats Records on October 28, 2008.

LINKS: BLACK MILK MYSPACE | FAT BEATS

(Source: Press Release) - Hey fellas, when your girl's away do you "Miss her like the summertime’s gone?" Does she have that certain " glow" about her? Ladies, do you "Make a playa wanna throw away his pimp cup?" If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you’ve got somethin' good goin' on, at least according to eLZhi, who, in "Transitional Joint," gives some pointers on how to tell the difference between what's golden and what's just got some glitter on it (as far as the ladies go). Be sure to stay tuned all the way to the end to catch the meaning of the song's title and some sick production from Black Milk.

LISTEN: eLZhi - "Transitional Joint"

PURCHASE: iTunes

LINKS: ELZHI MYSPACE | FAT BEATS

DJ House Shoes just posted three new podcasts online. The first is DJ Dez recorded live at the Do-Over from July 26th spinning all those jams to make you sweat.

DOWNLOAD: DJ Dez - Live @ The Do-Over - July 28, 2008

Then the next two podcasts are from the Shoes House Producers Showcase recorded live at Alvin's in Detroit on June 28th. The first half features beats from 14KT, Apollo Brown, Black Milk, and DJ Dez, while the second half features Big Tone, House Shoes, and Nick Speed with Danny Brown.

DOWNLOAD: Shoes House Producers Showcase Live - June 28, 2008 (Part 1)
DOWNLOAD: Shoes House Producers Showcase Live - June 28, 2008 (Part 2)

LINK: HOUSE SHOES MYSPACE

Exclusive new prelude mixtape from Detroit emcee Nametag and Dub MD entitled "Classic Cadence Vol. 1" for exclusive free download. The new mixtape features some brand new exclusive tracks, new freestyles, some classics and joints off his upcoming new project "Courtesy Of Ambition EP" including the lead single called "Stylin On 'Em" produced by Black Milk.

Lookout for his new official EP "Courtesy Of Ambition" dropping November 2008. The new EP features collaborations with the likes of Marv Won, Quest M.C.C.O.D.Y., Buff1 and songstress Journey. Along with production from cousin Black Milk holding down the boards on around 5 tracks and the rest of the beats will be provided by Black Bethoven, check for it at all good online retailers such as itunes via Voume Up Entertainment. For more information hit up www.myspace.com/nametag1.

DOWNLOAD: Dub MD Presents Nametag "Classic Cadence"

01. Intro Speech
02. The Campaign (Produced By Magnif)
03. Champagne Bottle Flow (Produced By Ski Beatz)
04. Stylin On 'Em (Produced By Black Milk)
05. Grammy Family (Freestyle) (Produced By Kanye West)
06. Back To It (Produced By Magnif)
07. Pipe Down (Produced By Black Milk)
08. Forfeit (feat. Marv Won & Quest M.C.O.D.Y) (Produced By Black Milk)
09. American (Freestyle) (Produced By Will-i-am)
10. Bang Dis Shit (feat. Black Milk) (Produced By Black Milk)
11. Neva Heard Neva Seen (feat. ONPoint) (Produced By ONPoint)
12. The Beaten (Produced By Black Bethoven)
13. The Lookout (feat. Black Milk & Fat Ray) (Produced By Black Milk)
14. Rambo Rap (feat. B.Stormz) (Produced By B.Stromz)
15. Say Somethin' (feat. Black Milk & Slim S.D.H) (Produced By Black Milk)
16. Red Alert (Produced By Black Milk)
17. Hollywood Divorce (Freestyle) (Produced By Andre 3000)
18. Outro Speech

LINK: NAMETAG MYSPACE

The new album Tomorrow Already from Now On is now available via A-Side Worldwide. It can be purchased online at the link below.

PURCHASE: Now On Tomorrow Already

Below is the sexy trailer for the "Unwind" video. The complete video is coming soon.

Zo! recently provided us with another leak from his forthcoming ...just visiting too album for "Nights Over Egypt" by The Jones Girls. Enjoy.

DOWNLOAD: Zo! - "Nights Over Egypt"

Zo! also mentions that his work with Asylum 7 forthcoming album Overdue Process is about 95% and ready for a December 2008.

LINK: ZO! OFFICIAL SITE

The fifth leak for 14KT's The Golden Hour is a track called "The Night". Below is the download link and 14KT's inspiration behind it.

DOWNLOAD: 14KT - "The Night"

14KT's Inspiration on "The Night"
First of all, I LOVE trying to flip records like this for fun :) Hope you enjoy it.

God is ALWAYS Good. Even when you don't feel like it sometimes..

LINKS: 14KT MYSPACE | A-SIDE WORLDWIDE SITE