EA SPORTS™ NBA LIVE 10 is partnering up with renowned DJ/Producer Mick Boogie to host the NBA LIVE 10 Mix tape. The mix tape brings together the hottest tracks from the NBA LIVE 10 soundtrack to consumers on October 6, 2009, and can be downloaded at www.NBALiveMixtape.com.
The mix tape features a collection of songs from the soundtrack, including never before heard tracks from Mick Boogie f/ Kidz In The Hall, Donnis and Daytona as well as 88 Keys, Afrika Bambaataa, B.o.B, David Banner, De La Soul, Dead Prez, Matt & Kim, Murs, Pete Rock, Snoop Dogg, Xzibit, Zion I and more.
You can download the Mick Boogie and Double-0 produced single, “Class Of Our Own,” featuring Kidz In The Hall, Donnis and Daytona NOW atwww.NBALiveMixtape.com.
Been a little hectic lately, but here's the last two weeks "RIOC" shows as well as the 9/17 "Live From HQ" show that I did for Premier. Big shout out to the homie Skyzoo who came up this past Sunday (9/27) and had the ill Fat Beats in-store yesterday along with 9th Wonder. His album "The Salvation" is in stores now. Also shout out to my man Apathy who came up on 9/20 and is dropping his album "Wanna Snuggle" on Oct. 6. FYI DJ Premier will be filling in for me this Sunday Oct. 4th on Sirius.
Don't Forget! Roc Raida benefit planned for Oct. 22nd at BB Kings. Official line up to be announced shortly (what BB King's leaked yesterday is NOT going to be the line up).
DJ PREMIER---LIVE FROM HEADQCOURTERZ RADIO SHOW PLAYLIST SEPTEMBER 25, 2009--ON SIRIUS/XM SATELLITE RADIO (SIRIUS 40/ XM 67)--(ON HIP HOP NATION).......EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT FROM 10PM -MIDNIGHT(EST)................
A SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO GRANDMASTER ROC RAIDA(ANTHONY WILLIAMS)--R.I.P.
SHOUTS TO HIS ENTIRE FAMILY AND LOVED ONES...... TO THE WHOLE ORIGINAL TEAM.....ROB SWIFT, DIAMOND J,DOC THE BUTCHER,MR. SINISTER, JOHNNY CASH,TOTAL ECLIPSE, STEVE D, PRECISION(ILL INSANITY).....FAT MAN SCOOP, and of course SEAN C.......
ULTRA SHOUTS TO: BUSTA RHYMES, PHAT GARY, DJ ECLIPSE AND THE STAFF @ APT.
TO HIS WIFE: TY, HIS KIDS & THE ENTIRE FAMILY, WE @ LIVE FROM HEADQCOURTERZ(BIGGEST GORD, KING OF CHILL, PANCHI, KEEBLR, MILLY D, BIG SHUG and DJ PREMIER).......WISH YOU STRENGTH AND LOVE THROUGH LIVING YOUR LIVES TO THE FULLEST UNTIL YOU MEET AGAIN..........One Love......
AND A SPECIAL R.I.P. TO AJILLE TURNER..............
1. Jay-Z(f. Kid Cudi)--Already Home 2. Roc Raida--"I Study DJ's" 3. THE X-Ecutioiners(f. DJ Premier)--Premier's X-Ecution 4. THe X-Ecutioners--Radia's Theme 5. Fat Joe & Aasim--The Truth(Rmx)--(prod. by: Roc Raida) 6. The X-Ecutioners--X-Ecutioners Scratch 7. E. Bros.--Funky Piano--(prod. by: Roc Raida) 8. The X-Ecutioners(f. Large Professor)--XL 9. The X-Ecutioners(f. M.O.P.)--Let It Bang 10. The X-Ecutioners(f. Kool G. Rap, Big Pun)--Dramacyde 11. Sadat X(f. Brand Nubian)--The Lump Lump--(prod. by; Roc Raida) 12. Saigon & Graph--I Aint No joke--(prod. by: Roc Raida) 13. X-Ecutioners(f. Pharoahe Monch, Xzibit,Inspectah Deck,Skillz)--X 14. X-Ecutioners(f. Mike Shinoda, Mr. Hahn of Linkin Park)--It's Goin' Down
-- DJ Eclipse (La Coka Nostra • Uncle Howie • Fat Beats • Rock Steady Crew)
"The Halftime Show" • 89.1 FM WNYU • Wednesday Nights • 10:30 PM - 1:00 AM
"Rap Is Outta Control" • Sirius XM Radio • Hip Hop Nation Channel • Sunday Nights • 10:00 PM - 12:00 AM
What's happening in the world of hip hop? No really, what is happening in the world of hip hop? I guess I've gotten to where all I really care about anymore is the music and not much of anything else. I'm not following all the "going ons" as much as I used to and I really don't even care as much anymore I guess. Which leads me to my own personal experiences that have gone down lately. A couple weeks ago, I was able to check out De La Soul live. Although it was my second time seeing them in concert, the first time was early in '96, before they dropped the landmark album, Stakes Is High. Five albums later, it was almost like a new group. The first time I saw them, I wasn't the biggest De La fan. I didn't like 3 Feet High and Rising (I know, that's almost sacrilegious) and while there some songs I liked off of De La Soul Is Dead and Buhloone Mindstate, I never bought either one. It was something about that night, seeing them live, that turned me into the huge De La fan that I am today. Obviously I thought they put on a GREAT show some thirteen plus years ago, but what I saw a couple weeks ago was nothing short of incredible.
Thirteen years ago is a long time, more like a lifetime for all the shit I've gone through since then, but as far as live performers, they seemed to be light years ahead of what they were back then. They were per in sync, nailing down the songs as they went but they were still having fun. You could tell they genuinely enjoyed being with each other, they were laughing, joking and having a good time on stage. It was good to see and it also showed in their interaction with the crowd. They played most of the great hits, everything from stuff found on Grind Date to material from 3ft High (nothing from the somewhat disappointing Nike album). The price of admission would be in the form of "Rock Co. Kane Flow" performance. It was an incredible adrenaline starter as Pos would kick his verse, with strobe lights flashing and the already natural energy packed song just beat furiously. Then they would all freeze. No movement, nothing, but the lights would come on. Everyone was screaming and yelling, then it would happen all over again. This happened three times, and by that third time through, I could have ran through a brick wall and not felt a thing. This video doesn't do it justice, I was truly worked up in such a frenzy by the third time around...
Always great to see a good show. In my old age, going to shows don't always appeal to me. I guess I don't like the crowds, or don't want to be out past my bed time on a work night or some shit, none the less, if you get a chance to see De La, jump on it. Five Must Hear Tracks...
Some of the more open minded hip hop listeners will probably recognize the name OK Cobra. If you were into underground indie hip hop mags in the late 90's, you will remember "In Search of Divine Styler," a quirky hip hop magazine that was from north of the border. You might remember Ryan Somers aka Fritz the Cat who was responsible for it's conception. It's Fritz The Cat and Recordface that make up the duo of OK Cobra. They dropped a self titled LP back in '06 that was along the vein of some of the other more creative and genre bending hip hop being made out there. This particular track, "I Quit (I Give Up)", I've had the pleasure of hearing it from very on in it's exsistence for a project that may or may not see the light of day sometime this year. It hasn't changed much from it's original form, but I'm glad I can actually share this song now. It's from the group's new album, Delirium Tremens. Not too often will you here Edie Brickel sampled on a hip hop song, but it works well for a somber track that in some ways helps the healing process of a fucked up day. You will be seeing more of this duo in the very near future on WYDU.
When one thinks of Boise, Idaho, they probably think of potatoes and funky blue football fields. I doubt anyone thinks "hip hop". A small percentage of hip hop heads might have heard of the group Mad Ro, who were about the only ones to make much noise outside of the local area and that could arguably be contributed to the fact that one of the members was former Alkaholik member J-Ro's cousin was part of the group. During my trip to the De La show, a local opening act grabbed my attention. Going by the name of Eleven, I was digging his stage presence and the music I was hearing. After the show I made it a point to look up his myspace page and found a free album "Star Of The Story". It's a very solid effort and worth checking out. One of the songs I heard in his set was "Oh My God," a very energetic, old school sounding track. It also showcases Eleven's strong lyrical performance, as the dude just rides the bouncy beat kick for kick. http://www.myspace.com/akaeleven 3. Buckshot & KRS-One - Murder 1
Coming from what could be the potential "surprise" album of the year, Buckshot and KRS both show that they still have it with their Survival Skills album. I wasn't expecting a lot from this and while it's not something I'll be playing on a daily basis and will probably forget about in a couple months, it's a good listen for the moment. The one track that really stuck out for me was the Bounty Killer assisted, "Murder 1". I guess one thing I look for in albums such as this is music that sounds like it would have if it was made when each artist was at their prime. For me, "Murder 1" is the song that most resembles that. Hard and gritty and all those other cliches throwin' in, I had this on mad repeat the first time through it. 4. ST/MIC feat Arsun FIST - We Kings
I've seen the name floating around the net a few times, but for some reason I couldn't tell you what he had done besides doing some work on my man Eric of WTR's mixtape late last year. ST/MIC hit me up with a review copy of his very good "Honest Music" LP that should be dropping fairly soon. While there were several tracks that caught my attention (such as "Too Much") it was "We Kings" that stuck. It's mellow melody over slow but banging drums set it up for both MCs to do their thing. 5. Brother Ali - Crown Jewel
I've never been the biggest Brother Ali fan, mainly because of his voice. It was just irritating to me. He's starting to change that though. The EP he released early this year got my attention, then his newest project, "Us," has really got me bumping it. Of course some of that has to do with the flawless production from Ant, and "Crown Jewel" is a perfect example of that as Ant hooks up a great horn loop. Not to be outdone, Ali hooks up a perfect chorus for the ill horn lick and spits even tighter raps than he has in the past.
It's a little after 10pm Sunday night and to be honest, this is the first time all weekend I've had a chance to sit down and write out a post. Basically it's not going to be much of a post at all, rather me just tossing up some random albums with the "various artists" tag. Compilations of sorts. I'm not always the biggest fan of the "various artists" projects, but there have been some good, or at least interesting ones, that have seen the light of day. Here are a handful of decent ones....
1 Tall Dark & Handsome - The Bronx Is Back (4:44) 2 Cold Crush Brothers - Feel The Horns (2:40) 3 Cold City Crew - Nothing Like Hip Hop Music (3:32) 4 Money Earning Crew - Stars Are Shining (4:04) 5 Frozen Explosion - Cold Kickin' (5:08) 6 Michael G - Bassman (4:26) 7 J.V.C. F.O.R.C.E. - The Force Is The Boss (4:50) 8 Busy Boy - Classical (3:57) 9 Levi 167 - Something Fresh To Swing To (4:02) 10 5 Star Moet - In Full Effect (3:50)
1 Raw Corp. Real Def Producer - Spyder-D 2 Brick House Boys, The Brick House Producer - Brick House Boys, The 3 R.P. Cola Dirty Dance Producer - R.P. Cola 4 Sparky D Sparky's Back Producer - Sparky D 5 Malibu & Storm Immu-Lator Producer - Malibu & Storm 6 Cold Crush Brothers The Bronx Producer - TK (2) 7 Pazazzz Hold It Producer - Bill Smith (2) 8 R.P. Cola Telling You Something Good Producer - R.P. Cola 9 Royal Destruction Cold Blooded Rappers Producer - Royal Destruction 10 Shame (3) Bronx Bounce Producer - Michael "Miracle Mike" Carriel
A1 Davy DMX Davy's Midnight Ride Producer - Davy DMX A2 Charlie Chase We're Gonna Need A Little Scratch Producer - Aaron Fuchs A3 AJ Scratch Get Get Get It Now Producer - Aaron Fuchs A4 Spoonie Gee Street Beats Mixed By - Marley Marl B1 Master O.C. & Krazy Eddie Masters Of The Scratch Producer - Dave Ogrin , O.C. Rodriguez B2 Marley Marl The Man Marley Marl Producer - Aaron Fuchs B3 Beatboxmaster Quick Scratch Attack Producer - Aaron Fuchs B4 Phantom Rock Be Bop Beats Mixed By - Marley Marl
On Sunday night I threw together a short Roc Raida tribute set at the beginning of my Sirius show. On Monday night Premier and I held our monthly "Like They Used To Say" party at APT which we dedicated to Roc Raida and were able to raise over $4,000 for his family. On Wednesday night I wanted to do a proper tribute show so I contemplated on what to do. As I compiled every song I could that Raida was featured on (production or scratches) I thought it would be better to reach out to his friends and get their take on what the man meant to them. What started out as a dozen or so people that I intended to talk to snowballed into phone call after phone call of friends wanting to share stories. Please forgive me if I left out someone's name (or misspelled) in this email, but following is a list of who called or showed up at station (no particular order).
Boogie Blind, Daddy Dog, Roli Rho, Kuttin Kandi, Riz, JS-1, Jab, Sugar Cuts, Neil Armstrong, Fat Fingaz, Q-Bert, Mixmaster Mike, A-Trak, J-Rocc, Babu, Rhettmatic, Scratch, Revolution, Rahzel, Bobbito, A.G., Lord Finesse, Dr. Butcher, Vin Roc, DJ Grouch, Freestyle, Spictakular, Shortkut, Supreme and Tame One.
We ended up going an hour longer then we should have. In between calls I found some old cassette tapes of radio show appearances by the X-Men. I hope you enjoy listening to the show as much as I did. Thanks to the whole Halftime crew for making this run smooth; Skizz, Petey Cologne and Marz One. To everyone that showed up or called in....I love you all. R.I.P. Grand Master Roc Raida. We're going to miss you.
Looking through the vinyl tonight, looking for something to talk about, I ran across this freebie record I got in a batch of records I bought off of ebay earlier this summer when I was on a big ebay kick (ignore all my ebay bashing earlier in this blogs life). The copy is kind of beat to hell, which is why the guy threw it in there for free, but there are no devastating scratches that I can tell. It actually turns out to be a fairly rare piece of vinyl and is an original release of the Hot Day and Super Kids 1987 single, "Hot Day Master Mix" b/w "The Super Kids Live At Hip Hop USA" and "Go Queensbridge." Hip-Hop purists will know that this was the first appearance of a young Percy Chapman, when he hooked up with Hot Day as Super Kids. Who is Percy Chapman you ask? You might know him as Jadeski (his name in the Super Kids duo), Intelligent Hoodlum, Tragedy, Tragedy Khadafi, Trag, or some other various aliases. Hot Day himself hailed from Queensbridge and was a rather important DJ back in those late 80's for the hip hop movement in the Queens area. Of course you can see that he is responsible for putting Tragedy out there. The record came out on Hot Day Records, which is an early attempt at being independent as there is out there. Hot Day would go on to form PHD with Blaq Poet, which if you haven't heard their album, it's a must find.
The A-Side is kind of one of those "WTF?" moments at first, but when put in perspective, this was some ground breaking stuff for 1986. It's basically just Hot Day mixing some classic R&B and breaks together, ala someone like Ron G, who didn't do it until a good three to four years later. The first of the hip hop/R&B blend tapes? Quite possibly. It makes for an interesting A-Side, although not always something you're going to listen to all the time.
The B-Side is where the goodness lays. It's where we hear Tragedy drop his science. Warning though, this isn't the Trag you are used to hearing, dude is probably in his early teens for these tracks. The first is "The Super Kids Live at Hip Hop USA", which reportedly was recorded live at a skating rink. Tragedy gets loose, big upping Queensbridge and you can tell the young Trag has some skill on the mic, which is probably why Marley would work with him based on this single. It also features some tight scratching by Hot Day. He rips the tables at the end to make this a great track.
The second track is "Go Queensbridge", which is contains a simple beat. A simple 808 drum track with some "boom", but sounds eerily familiar to a lot of the T La Rock, Rick Rubin type of production of the time, still a quality joint though.
On the horizon of the release of their first official LP, "Bringing Out The Dead", Critical Madness has dug deep into their endless well of sickness to put together a free compilation of unreleased and rare songs for the fans. "Organ Donors" is 23 straight tracks of raw, riot-inducing insanity that stays true to the CM formula which will be released on Domination Recordings. "Organ Donors" features production from the usual suspects TEMPERMENTAL, Little Vic and TzariZM as well as others. The guest appearances range from long-time Ozone collaborators Mygane McNastee and Caveman Theory to Jise (formerly of The Arsonists), the Creative Juices fam and UG (formerly of The Dwellas). This compilation is sure to provide the fix for all those who have been eagerly awaiting the release of "Bringing Out Dead", which will follow shortly after.
Tracklisting: 1. Organ Donors (prod. by TzarizM) 2. Empirical (TzarizM ReMIX) 3. Life is Horror (prod. by Al Tarba) 4. Boom (Nowhere to Hide) feat. cRITICAL, IDE, Jise, Alucard, UG, TzarizM (prod. by TzarizM) 5. Go Harder feat. Little Vic (prod. by Little Vic) 6. FL. to T-Dot feat. Doc Demeyez (prod. by TzarizM) 7. Remember (Monowax Remix) 8. Versatility feat. J.Bada (prod. by INTLX) 9. CM Anthem (prod. by Tempermental) 10. Sorry Sugar (prod. by Tempermental) 11. Issues (prod. by Tempermental) 12. Halftime Show promo (prod. by TzarizM) 13. Madness Freestyle (prod. by DJ Dolo) 14. Pasta Eaters feat. Little Vic (prod. by The Hitfarmers) 15. Chug a 5th (prod. by Optiks) 16. Blessed with Sin feat. Little Vic & cRITICAL (prod. by Muneshine) 17. Red Handed (prod. by TzarizM) 18. Hail to the Fetus (prod. by The Hitfarmers) 19. Gambling (prod. by Tempermental) 20. Nothing's Changed feat. Mygrane McNastee (prod. by Jah Freedom) 21. Massacre Mics [Original version] (prod. by Tempermental) 22. Big Fish feat. Caveman Theory (prod. by Godamus Rhyme) 23. Every Night (prod. by Tempermental)
After the inspiring response to Da Interview EP (June '09), Seven (Domination Recordings) is back at it with a double-cd mixtape of new and unreleased material!! Picking up where he left off, Da Pantha Chronicles Vol. 1 & 2 feature Seven in his element, politickin' on the events of today, crafting skillful stories and of course, cementing his position as one of the illest emcees of the modern era. Over production by DJ Forge, The Tranzformer, Devaron and others, Seven brings the art back to its essence while keepin' it fresh for 2009. Guests include Rough (Abandoned Nation), Mr. Choke, K. Mac, Rashad Yarnell and The Nobodies. If you're looking for something new that gives you the feeling you used to get when your favorite song came on, Da Pantha Chronicles is just what you need in your life!!! Who ready to ride?
________________________________________________________ Order UpInstrumentals....
On July 28th, Nobody Famous released the third installment of the Order Up! series "Chicken and Waffles" on HipNott Records. This project has yielded a music video (view) for "Don't Act Like I Never Told You" as well as two follow up singles "Electric" (download here) which was also featured on last week's season premier of the new CW show "The Beautiful Life" (watch here) as well "Mary" ft. Wax (download here).
Errelevent & Equivalent Exchange release the rapper/producer duo album of the year!
They say the best things in life are free, and this definitely holds true when it comes to the latest release from Errelevent and his producer Equivalent Exchange. Spitz Unlimited Vol. 1: Destroy & Rebuild is the brand new collaboration between the two artists, and is now available for free download at www.spitzunlimited.com. It is comprised of 16 tracks entirely produced by Equivalent Exchange, with Errelevent supplying the lead vocals. Versatility is the word of the day with this release, as the two craft everything from intense lyrical tracks with booming bass lines to smooth, radio-friendly tracks for the ladies. Errelevent proves why he is the most slept-on MC in the Bay with his commanding mic presence and 50 Cent-esque hook writing ability, while Equivalent firmly establishes himself as the most versatile producer in the area with a full album of polished tracks that sounds like it was composed by 5 or 6 veteran producers, not one.
The album's explosive lead single, "Pull Up To The Front" features Oakland star J. Stalin (http:// errelevent.bandcamp.com/album/pull-up-to-the-front-maxi-single) and has already been well-received on various blogs and hip-hop message boards. The rest of the album is equally as impressive, and will set the stage for future Spitz Unlimited volumes in the coming months. When asked about the meaning of the album's title, Errelevent replied, "Rap is stale, everything is the same right now - the concepts, the beats, the songs on the radio. Its time to tear everything down and build it again from scratch. This album is our first step in doing that." Equivalent Exchange, who assembles a complete album that features a distinct, yet signature sound on every track, says: "I thought of the all-time great albums that were produced by one person - the Chronics, the Moment of Truths, and tried to emulate that formula". Only time will tell if Destroy & Rebuild will be regarded in the same light as the aforementioned albums, but one thing is for sure - it will definitely be regarded as one of the greats of 2009.
1. Take You Higher 2. Awake 3. Pull Up To The Front Feat. J. Stalin 4. Back At It 5. Goin' Out For Mine 6. What You Drinkin' On Feat. Manny Mo, Big Mase & 2-Tone (Savenue Records) 7. Show Me What You Got 8. Up In Here Feat. Stik Gilatine 9. When It's On Feat. Jose Santana AKA 10sion 10. All Right Feat. BarNone 11. What It's Come To 12. On Me 13. Polished Feat. M. Brando, Pablo Fetti 14. Where I'm Supposed To Be 15. I Don't Mind 16. Different Days
For more information visit: www.twitter.com/Errelevent www.myspace.com/ReleventMusic Email: info@spitzunlimited.com
______________________________________________________ cARTer Legal Trappin' cARTer releases his sophmore release, "Legal Trappin'" today for your listening enjoyment. Make sure to check out the "$1000 FIT" music video below as well and add it to your website/blog. Thanks for your time! http://usershare.net/g017szfvxnhr
With a name like "Carter" one can only think of the success and talent associated with the likes of Jay-Z and Lil' Wayne, both sharing the surname. Curtis William Carter III, the youngest member of the Carter lineage, is definitely paving the way to earn his title. Born in Houston, Texas and more recently residing in Los Angeles, California, Carter knew his destiny was bright the very first day he came to L.A. and received a call from Lupe Fiasco, who invited him to his video shoot, and ended up getting himself an interview on MTV. His interest in music sparked as a young man growing up in Houston. "In Houston, rap is a culture... it was a custom to freestyle over other rappers' beats. You could go anywhere and say "bust a flow" and people would huddle up and just freestyle. It was recreational, boys girls--everybody would get into it. That planted the seeds..."
Carter is much more than just an artist, he is a visionary, taste maker, and trendsetter who has come from a diverse background. He has immersed himself in the ever-evolving worlds of fashion and the music business, giving him all the angles he needs to perfect his content. Having seen the music industry from both the artist's side as well as the business aspect, Carter wants to put the artists in charge: "Get the people who need to be in charge in charge, Stop people who don't know enough about something being in control of it - stop the suits!" Listening to his music, it is clear that his influences are vast. He grew up listening to Outkast, UGK, Jay-Z, 3-6 Mafia, Nelly, 2pac. Watching Houston rappers like Chamillionaire and Slim Thug before they were famous, he saw them grow from start to now. It helped him understand different aspects of lyrics and poetry in a way he could understand which made for good reference with his own raps. He is a man who wears many hats and surrounds himself with like-minded, ambitious individuals who have already made a name for themselves. He is involved in all aspects of his music, as he understands what it takes to establish his musical ethos. "My vision is to promote substance and authenticity through my music to be the voice for the people who relate and believe in me and what I do." "The power is in the people, and if you don't believe in anything else you can believe in me"
VIDEOS
Possibly one of the dopest things I've ever seen.....dayum
SCRATCH PERVERTS. FOREIGN BEGGARS. STIG. DR. SYNTAX. WILL CLARKE. WILL COHEN.
True 2 Life Music proudly presents the music video for "Who The Fuck Is This?!" a record off our Biggie inspired mixtape “Larger Than Life” (available here for free download: http://www.mediafire.com/?jjnbzmtmtkk). The song flips Biggie's "Warning" and is a vivid depiction of different experiences we all have had.
The video was produced by True 2 Life Music & Needlegarden Productions. The video was directed by Jenn Needleman (Producer of “Notorious” BTS footage) and sponsored by PEPSI. It was shot in HD and filmed in Brooklyn, NY.
***
Have you ever come across someone that made you ask (in a bad way...) "WHO THE F**K IS THIS?!"
This video is an adventure that takes place at a party and a couple other venues, where Concise, K.Words & Slangston Hughes encounter a series of different characters. These encounters result in conflict of different degrees of severity. See what happens, check it out!
Tracks
With the summer coming to a close, there are only two things on most people's minds. The 0 degree weather that will soon rear its head from around the corner and who is going to close out the year with a memorable release. Following his previous release alongside Hot97's own, DJ Envy and fresh off numerous mixtape appearances from the likes of DJ Green Lantern, DJ Hitz and many more--- White Plains , NY native Big Wayde has decided to venture out on his own with the new project When The Rain Stopped.
Armed with radio ready singles as well as the bar for bar rap NYC is known for, Wayde's 11 track EP does not dissapoint. With reviews from some of the most respected writers online and print alike being nothing short of stellar, this may be the bridge Big Wayde needed to crossover. Included is the lead-single, "What Have They Done" from Wayde's forthcoming EP, When The Rain Stopped.
We lost one of the best DJ's the world has ever known last weekend. I was a Roc Raida fan when I first heard of the X-Men and this kid I knew in Salt Lake would show me bootleg VHS tapes of him.
RIP Roc Raida
-Trav
Grand Master Roc Raida: 1972 - 2009
Anthony "Grand Master Roc Raida" Williams was born in Harlem, New York on May 17th, 1972.
He passed away on Saturday, September 19th, 2009 from a cardiac arrest resulting from injuries he suffered in an accident while training in Krav Maga, a type self defense system that he had been studying weekly for the last two years. He was proud that his 15-year-old daughter, Asia, shared his passion for Krav Maga and was the only girl in their class.
Anthony Williams was both African-American and Puerto Rican. He lived most of his life in Harlem but after marrying his soul mate, Tyeasha on June 26, 1997, they moved to the Bronx. Several years ago, they realized their dream of owning a home and relocated their family to Maryland. He encouraged and shared in his wife's dream of one day opening up her own beauty salon.
He began DJing at the age of 12, spinning at local parties around Harlem. In 1991, he won the AS 1 DJ Battle. By 1995, Roc Raida represented the United States at the DMC World DJ Championships and won! He was the first DJ from NYC to hold this title and was automatically inducted into the DMC/Technics DJ Hall of Fame. Throughout his life, he lived his passion - being a professional Hip Hop DJ. He was blessed to tour the world as his day job. Williams was honored to have worked with artists including Showbiz & AG, Lord Finesse, Kool G Rap and most recently, he toured exclusively with Busta Rhymes.
Although his family called him "Ant" (short for Anthony), he became known worldwide as legendary DJ Roc Raida. In 1999, Grand Master status was bestowed upon him by a group of pioneering Hip Hop DJs, during a conference at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame & Museum.
Before he passed, he asked his 10 yr. old daughter, Nyra, who was the most interested, of his children, in DJing to take over for him as a DJ. She agreed - so look out for Nyra!
With a very aggressive swagger on the turntables, those who knew Roc Raida were floored by his humbleness. His wife, Tyeasha said, "His notoriety amazed him every day!" He never took that for granted. Williams was also known to be very quiet, private and easy going. His self-control was admirable but if pushed to his limit - he would roar. In fact, Lord Finesse called his friend "the quiet lion" for this very reason. Those closest to him also have the pleasure of remembering him as a hilarious comedian who loved to joke and laugh.
Through battles, performances, recordings, documentaries, videos, dvds and even a Pepsi commercial, Roc Raida influenced thousands of DJs, both to partyrock as well as to battle. He took several aspiring DJs under his wing to mentor them personally. As a member of legendary turntablist crews, The X-Men and later, The X-ecutioners, he along with his brothers-in-vinyl took the world by storm, innovating, influencing and inspiring at every turn. In 2006, to progress and contribute to the Hip Hop DJ battle scene, he founded Roc Raida's Gong DJ Battle, a national DJ battle that occurs annually, combining head to head turntablist dexterity with comedy and drama. Not only was he a World Champion DJ, he was a dedicated father and husband as well as a loyal friend. Rest in Peace Roc Raida we are really going to miss you!
Funeral Arrangements and Viewing will take place on Thursday, September 24, 2009 The viewing for Anthony Williams will be held from 10am to 12 noon, immediately followed by the funeral beginning at 12noon at:
Mount Neboh Baptist Church 1883 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd. (W.114th St. & 7th Ave) New York NY, 10026 Phone: 212.866.7880 http://mountneboh.org
For those intending to send flowers, please kindly have them delivered to the church on September 24th, 2009 only between 9am - 10am. The family requests that no filming or photography take place within the church at all. Directions: 2 or 3 train to W. 116th St. Walk West on 116th St towards Lenox Ave. or take the M11 bus to W 116th St and Adam C Powell Blvd. Try www.hopstop.com for more directions. All accurate information, official tributes and fundraisers (approved by the family) will be posted at: http://www.myspace.com/rocraida http://www.myspace.com/thegongdjbattle Because many have asked how to send support, a paypal.com account has been set up. The email address associated with the account is: ladietye@yahoo.com Press, please contact toolsofwar@gmail.com for hi res or lo res photos of Roc Raida, more information, etc.
"As one of the Godfathers of Hip Hop, it is a tremendous loss to the Dj community. It's sometimes rare to meet an individual who was a supertalent, but was so mild mannered and so calm. His skill level was admired worldwide. It was pleasure to see him in action. It was a pleasure to know him. I give my condolences to his family." - Grandmaster Flash "My heart is in pain over the passing of a good friend. He's like a brother to me because he holds the same values I hold when it comes to my family, friends, music and life. He will be missed but not forgotten. I will keep his wife and children in my prayers. Rest in Peace Grand Master Roc Raida!" - GrandWizzard Theodore "Roc Raida was an innovator on the turntables at a time when we thought the best of the best had been seen. His artistic wizardry seemed so effortless it reminded me of a young GrandWizzard Theodore. His easy going attitude was a pleasure to see in a time where most artists of his caliber were big headed. Salute young general and RIP to our latest Grand Master!" - GrandMaster Caz "The Lord is forming his band right now. He called home Michael Jackson. But he was missing a DJ that could match the skill level as Michael. So he called upon Grandmaster Roc Raida." - DJ Scratch "Since the day I met Raida, he was the most humble, strong willed, genuine, ultimate competitor. The greatest DJ in my book." - Lord Finesse "Grand Master Roc Raida was one of the greatest DJs to ever touch a turntable. To guys like myself and Craze who came up right after the monumental generation of X-Men, ISP and Beat Junkies, Raida was the ultimate inspiration as a battle DJ. For those who knew him personally, Raida was also the kindest, more generous and funniest friend we had. He was like a mentor to me, I can't even count the amount of times he helped me out over the years. I feel like I just lost a big brother. He will be sorely missed." - DJ A-Trak
They tell you to never judge a book by it's cover and that may be entirely true. Sometimes though, it's the cover that will grab your interest. Same goes with records, cds, tapes and other forms of musical media. That was exactly the case when I first saw the cover for LoveJones & Phys Ed's Sunday Drive album, that was released for free earlier this year. It's not the gangster overtones, or the incredible artwork that grabbed my attention. To be honest, not sure what it was. Maybe that it was so "not hip-hop" that caused me to do a double take as I scrolled through the Hip Hop Bootleggers. Of course it also helped that someone co-signed for the album in the c-box comments.
What I heard after I played it through my iPod at work a day or two later was what would soon become one of my favorite albums of the '09 season. I'm a beat person first and foremost and the beats found on Sunday Drive are some straight up chillin', kick back while smoking a J type of shit. It's mood music and it lives up to it's name. It's music that you would play with the top down on the convertible while rolling around town, or just chill on the patio while songs like "Sittin' On The Moon", "Down Time", or "Had A Dream" roll through the smooth and mellow vibes. Of course, LoveJones aka Mike Schpitz aka Mike Jones proves on tracks like "They Gon Hate" and "The Get Up" that he can get up and bring the energy as well.
I've been meaning to catch up with Mike for most of this summer, but my crazy personal schedule this summer hindered me until just recently. We caught up with LoveJones and discussed the free album, his crew, and of course hip hop in general.....
For the first of two Sunday Drive Remixes, I enlisted two emcees from The League of Ordinary Gentlemen, Add-2 and Adullessence to rework The Get Up. The League of Ordinary Gentlemen is a crew I pulled with some of my favorite emcees that I have had the chance to work with. The League consists of Adullessence from Topeka, Kansas, Dre Day from Texas, Add-2 from Chicago and Tona from Toronto, Canada. The Get Up Remix is the first taste of The League of OG's, who represents one of hip hop's newest and most dynamic crews. - LoveJones
Official Track list 1. Sunday Morning(Still Thinking About Saturday Night) 2. Sunday Drive 3. New World 4. Downtime 5. Phys Edison's Brunch 6. Sit on the Moon 7. The One(My SV Shit) 8. Sunday Drive Midnight Mix 9. Had a Dream 10. B.I.G. Dreams Bonus Tracks 11. The Get Up 12. They Gon Hate 13. Sucka MCs 14. Roll Call(Top City)
W: What's good man? Let's get the generic BS out of the way and do a little introduction and any other personal info you want the good people to know?
LJ: I'm Mike Schpitz aka LoveJones. My real name is Mike Jones. I'm from Topeka, Kansas but living in Chicago. I'm a Jayhawk for life and were taking it all this year.
W: Coming from the not so hotbed for hip hop of Topeka Kansas, how does a kid from KS get into hip hop.
LJ: I guess the same way everyone does. I just heard this music and saw this culture that I loved and the longer that I have listened and immersed myself the more I have fallen in love(and hate). As far as creating music goes, it was pretty random. My brother started making beats right around when Fruityloops started getting popular and we started writing songs. I always wrote poetry and creative writing so the change was pretty seem less. Not saying that I was ALWAYS dope but it was probably like Phonte says "Our first joints were wack but (people) could hear potential in em." Since I moved to Chicago, I have met a lot of talented cats and the progression has just been natural for me.
W: Reading up on your career, you were first in the group Full House. I know Lawrence, KS (KU) actually has a good scene, how were those years in KU as far doing the group thing?
LJ: Man starting out in Lawrence was amazing for us because between 4 of us, we knew A LOT of people so people would come out to the shows on some friend shit. We literally did one open mike on a Monday night at the bottleneck and packed it out and started headlining pretty much any date and venue we wanted. We just had that many friends and people that would come out to the shows. A lot of cats on "the scene" didn't like that because they had been out "grinding" for a long time and we just kinda came in and took shit over. It was dope though because we didn't really have to go through anyone.
W: What made you move to Chicago after graduating? How is the local scene in the windy city as far as getting yourself known and getting to know other artists?
LJ: I really didn't have a good reason to move to Chicago other than my buddy just being like "YO when we graduate, let's move." So I was like fuck it. Let's go.
The scene here is interesting. There are some really incredible artists on all levels. From Kanye to Mikkey Halsted to Add-2. Like a lot of the most talented cats aren't on but make music that is just as good, in my opinion as the big names. However, it seems like it is difficult to really be embraced by the city and build a good buzz without kind of blowing up first or getting a cosign from someone who already has a solid fanbase. I have seen a lot of the people that you would think would pack shows perform for less than a hundred people. In a city of 3 million people, I would think that cats could pull bigger crowds. Hip hop is weird that way though. It's like people don't like you because your dope, they like you because other people tell them it's okay to like you. Kanye could come out and tell you that bologna was the best meat in the world and people would start bringing bologna sandwiches to the club. Chicago has been good to me though as far as people that I have had the opportunity to work with. I work with some incredible people.
W: You dropped one of, if not the best free album of the year in "Sunday Drive", describe some of the concepts behind the album and how it came to be...
LJ: First off, I'm glad you enjoy the album. People seem to really enjoy it. I know both me and Phys Ed love it. Honestly it really wasn't a concept album. I know it kinda flows like that and seems like that is how it is but we really just made songs, put the ones together that sounded the best in an order they sounded dope and it fit well. I did short of structure as a day in the life feel though especially with the intro, Phys Eds brunch and B.I.G. Dreams. That was just a way to tighten all the music and make it flow. It's kinda crazy how well it turned out.
W: Phys Ed produced the whole album, which is kinda rare these days. Is that something you were shooting for, or was it a collab album from the get go? What does Phys Ed bring to the table besides the incredible dope production found on the album?
LJ: It is definitely rare and a shame in my opinion. Now you got people making album with so many different producers that they don't even necessarily know on a personal level. I think it's hard to make a solid project when someone doesn't know you and your style. I linked with Phys Ed and originally we were just gonna make a few joints for whatever but he gave me so many beats, I just kept writing and then the album just came together. Once we had the title, it was easy to put together.
Phys Ed is just a good ass dude like. He makes music because he loves too. I think that gave us the freedom to do whatever we felt like doing. There was never a discussion of "we need to make this type of record or attempt to stay current." We just made records we liked and I said what I wanted to say. Phys Ed is passionate about the music and respects me as an emcee so the confidence he has in me is super important. I know some producers who make a beat and want a rapper to rap like this, or write about this or use this hook which is cool but I think it is important to believe in the people that you work with. W: Why did you choose to go the free route with it?
LJ: The main reason we chose to release Sunday Drive free is because no one knows who we are, for the most part. I just wanted to get the music to as many people as possible before I charge people for something they know nothing about. It would be like buying a car from a company with no reputation without being able to test drive it. I would rather people listen to the music for free rather than be discouraged by a price tag. I know how I am with new artists so I just did what I would want some one else to do. I am putting Sunday Drive on Itunes with 2 remixes because I have had a lot of people that said they wanted to support and buy the album, so that will be their chance. Time to for people to put their money where their mouth is.
W: Obviously, things have changed with the advance of the internet and blogs? What is your take on downloading and the internet in general? Do you think it has helped or hindered your career?
LJ: That is the million dollar question. I personally think there is only one way any can feel about it. Downloading has been going on for a long time and before that burning and bootlegging albums but it has become easier and easier. I think that there is nothing to say because nothing will change it. Offering linear notes and lyric sheets with digital albums will NOT change things because people will be able to download all that stuff for free too. I think record labels are suffering because they failed to deal with the problem when it first arose. When Napster, Audiogalaxy and Kazaa first came out, record labels should have dropped the prices of albums to like 5 bucks an album to curb downloading before it got to this point.
Can you imagine how many albums Blueprint 3 would have sold back in the day with all this hype especially if it was 5 bucks in the store? BOY!!!!!!!!!!!! Instead labels are scrambling. I was reading up on some older hip hop albums and it seems like a good amount of people were going platinum. Now NO ONE goes platinum. It is what it is. People fail to act in a timely manner then wonder why things are the way they are. I could talk about this all day, so I'll stop there. hahaha. The interest has definitely helped me get my music to people I would NEVER be able to reach. However, I think nowadays because of the ease of being able to make and promote music, the value of music is nothing. It's unfortunate for cats like me because I get grouped as an internet rapper or a blog rapper or whatever just because that is the one of the only ways to reach people with the music. Shit I think my grandma just dropped an album a couple weeks ago and she had more downloads than me. WTF.
W: You are quite active on the social networking sites and aren't afraid to let your feelings be known on social events, celebrities and hip hop itself. Is that just a natural thing for you? Is it something that has ever given you the "proverbial bite in the ass" since it seems like everybody and anybody can read anything anybody has ever written....
LJ: Number one is I like to talk shit and have discussion for the sake of having discussion. I could give you several reasons why Blueprint 3 is amazing and give you several why it is sub-par. I like to just say stuff so people can talk about it. I like Jay-Z. I listen to his music. He is one of the greatest of all time period but I think I don't like certain things about his music or whatever so I just say it to see what other people think. It probably comes off to most people as a "holier than thou" opinion or like my opinion is hip hop law but I think we all know that isn't true orSunday Drive would have went platinum. I am sure someone will read some shit that I say and come check me about it but I'm just saying how I feel as a fan of hip hop.
Common said the most honest shit a while back "if I don't like it, I don't like it that don't mean that I'm hatin." Man everyone is so sensitive about their music and whatever but can't have a real conversation or discussion about it. It turns into "your a hater" or "muthafucker I get paid." I just feel like if people make subpar shit they should know it and they should do better next time. Jay is untouchable as far as his influence and status in hip hop, HOWEVER he makes some subpar shit for Jay-Z's standards. Lebron doesn't cry if he scores 8 points and loses a game and people criticize a game. I look at albums or projects seasons. If someone had a subpar season, they need to know about it. Just because they sold out the arena doesn't mean that they played their best ball that season. I'm waiting to get a call from Jay or Kanye or someone being like "you're wack, you're a hater and you will never make it in the music business CLICK."
W: Explain the League of Ordinary Gentleman and who they are and whats the goal in the future?
LJ: The League is just a crew of cats that I not only respect as emcees and producers but cats that I personally know and work with. I can hit these cats up and just chat if I want to. I think it's rare that you actually see a group of cats who all hold their own on the solo thing but respect each other and can make music. Wu Tang is an unbelievable group because they had 9 talented ass cats. Can you imagine trying to coordinate 9 people together and make dope music together? It's hard enough to find ONE person to do that. I just want people to know that these are the people that I fuck with and it's more than just music.
W: What does Mike Jones have going on the future? More music with Phys Ed, solo or collabs with others?
LJ: I know sometimes it seems like I'm not working or doing any music or shows because I'm not in people's face all the time with a freestyle over a beat that just came out but I stay busy. I'm in the studio damn near every week. I have a mixtape that I'm gonna drop in November called Love Potion Number 9th. All the beats are borrowed from 9th Wonder. That is all done and has been for a while, I am just taking my time planning everything as far as videos, singles, etc. I want the music to reach it's maximum potential with the resources that I have at this time. Sunday Drive was done in December of 08 but I didn't drop it until May. If I wouldn't have taken my time, it wouldn't have had over 82,000 downloads.
I'm almost done with my second full length album called Have You Seen My Stapler? That project is produced by SLOT-A and The Gift. I am taking my time with that as well because that music is just amazing. All original, no samples(aside from some vocal sampled hooks). I want to get the right sponsors and looks for the album. We are talking to some people about a situation for it so we will see what happens. I'm also halfway done with an EP that will come out before ...Stapler which is produced by Rob Bates and me and Phys Ed actually have 16-18 records written for our next album, Paid Time Off. I feel worthless if I'm not making new music so I try to stay busy.
W: Any last words for the masses?
LJ: Sunday Drive will be on Itunes October 7th with 2 remixes. I am also releasing the video for Sucka MCs that day as well. If you don't trust me enough to buy my music without hearing it first, check me out on myspace and various blogs and sites or hit me up and I'll send you the album free WITH the 2 remixes featuring The League of Ordinary Gentlemen. Check out my website daily for a dose of honest hate. www.mikeschpitz.com and please don't be shy to share your thoughts or comments on my site, facebook, twitter, myspace, match.com, eharmony, etc. Shout out to my grandma. Go cop her album Panty Hose and Shower Caps.
