April 2009 | Underground Hip Hop Nation

Jay $tay Paid Track List Announced.

Rolling Stone caught a preview of Jay Stay Paid, the fifth solo album from celebrated hip-hop producer J Dilla and possibly the best posthumous rap record since the final releases of 2Pac and Biggie. The Detroit beatmaker, who passed away in 2006, had his hard-drives and beat tapes raided by producer Pete Rock and his mother, Maureen Yancey. According to a representative of his record label, Nature Sounds, the material spans the eight-year period between the sessions for A Tribe Called Quest’s final album in 1998 to material written in hospital stays during the last months of his life.

The beats picked by Mr. Rock and Mrs. Yancey swing towards the heavier, more neckbreaking side of Dilla — distorted organs, morse code pianos, sucker-punching bass thwacks and impossibly snappy snares. Smoother than 2006’s Donuts, but far less melancholy than its follow-up, The Shining, the new Jay Stay Paid rattles along with gnarly grooves made up of metallic clacking, Moroder-style synths and busy chimes. On first listen, one track appeared to be constructed from pieces of David Essex’s 1974 hit “Rock On.”

Pete Rock, one of Dilla’s heros, extended some of ideas found on his computers and tapes, turning one-minute germs into fleshed-out songs. Other songs remain dirty, complete with the sirens and vocal drops of his internet-traded beat compilations. Far from a Biggie Duets-style cash-in, the only rappers adding their voices are rappers that Dilla either loved and/or collaborated with: Lil Fame of M.O.P., Havoc of Mobb Deep, Raekwon, DOOM, Dilla’s younger brother Illa J and Black Thought of the Roots whose “Reality Check” builds a spirited anti-TV rant around a cluster of reality show titles.

Jay Stay Paid track list:

01. KJay FM Dedication
02. King
03. I Told Yall
04. Lazer Gunne Funke
05. In the Night (Owl N Out) - While You Slept (I Crept)
06. Smoke feat. Blu
07. Blood Sport feat. Lil Fame of M.O.P.
08. caDILLAc
09. Expensive Whip
10. Kaklow (Jump On It)
11. Digi Dirt” feat. Phat Kat
12. Dilla Bot Vs. the Hybrid feat. Danny Brown and Constantine
13. Milk Money
14. Spacecowboy Vs. Bobble Head
15. Reality Check feat. Black Thought
16. On Stilts
17. Fire Wood Drumstix feat. DOOM
18. Glamour Sho75 (09)
19. 10,000 Watts
20. 9th Caller
21. Make It Fast (Unadulterated Mix) feat. Diz Gibran
22. 24K Rap feat. Havoc of Mobb Deep and Raekwon
23. Big City
24. Pay Day feat. Frank Nitty of Frank N’ Dank
25. See That Boy Fly feat. Illa J and Cue D
26. Coming Back
27. Mythsysizer
28. KJay and We Out

Raekwon feat. Method Man & Ghostface - New Wu (Music Video)

Regardless of being "underground" or not, this is a fucking sick track, so I suggest you watch the video. Oh, and make sure you cop Only Built For Cuban Linx II on August 11th, as it is sure to be a classic.

Phat Kat: New LP, New Single.

One year after releasing his futuristic gun convention soundtrack, Carte Blanche, Phat Kat stayed hungry, and is now due to release a new LP entitled Katakombz. The new LP, which will be released on Look Records and showcases a variety of the best producers in the game, including Black Milk, Nick Speed, Astronote, FS Green and possibly Madlib.

Phat Kat - "F.A.N.S." (produced by Black Milk)

SoulStice Set To Drop New LP.

After releasing North By Northwest in 2005 and Dead Letter Perfect in 2007 (which have earned SoulStice features in XXL Magazine, The Source, The Tavis Smiley Show, Urb and many key urban publications and websites), SoulStice returns with Beyond Borders, which he dubs an “international concept album.”

As SoulStice explains, “The project is a collaboration between myself and Belgian beatmaker, SBe, who provides all of the instrumental music for the album. As far as the vocals, the songs are collaborations between myself and many of my favorite artists from around the world. We've got artists from the US, UK, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Belgium, Africa, and Canada. The first time I ever traveled abroad was a trip I took Russia in 2000. The fact that the globalization of hip hop had reached all the way there really made an impression on me. Since then I've grown as an artist and have toured around the world, seeing firsthand how hip hop, as a US cultural export, has grown and become something new and different in these various places. Yet, the underlying theme is the same everywhere: hip hop continues to be the mouthpiece for people who exist outside of the mainstream to make their voices heard throughout society and around the world.

These songs and the ideas they contain were the result of studio sessions in Maryland, Belgium, Chicago, Paris, New York and many other places, late nights at SBe's house in Ghent, photo sessions, international phone calls and text messages, and long flights overseas to perform in Europe, Japan and Mexico.”

Beyond Borders will be released in June 2009 and will feature appearances from G.L.C., Oddisee, Kev Brown, Supastition, Wordsmith and Zap Mama and is entirely produced by SBe.

Here is the first official single/leak from Beyond Borders.

SoulStice feat. Oddisee - "Unfold" (produced by SBe)

BrokN.Englsh featuring Skyzoo - Clarity

BrokN.Englsh featuring Skyzoo - "Clarity"

Tek (of Smif-N-Wessun) - New Luv

"New Luv" is the first leak off 24Kt Smoke, the upcoming solo album from Tek of Smif-N-Wessun. The track is produced by Drawzilla, who is also on the hook. Tek delivers raw rhymes speaking on the state of hip hop, pays homage to some of the greats, and the digitization of the music industry.

Tek is currently putting the finishing touches on the album and should be released very soon, so be on the lookout for that.

Tek (of Smif-N-Wessun) - "New Luv" (produced by Drawzilla)

Slum Village Is Back!

I cannot wait for this new album to drop, or at least a song or two to leak. Stay tuned.

Slum Village feat. Marsha Ambrosius - "Cloud 9"

Stones Throw Podcast 45: Bang Ya Head II

10 new tracks and assorted guest shots from MED. Expect a new 12-inch from MED in May. Thanks to DJ Rhettmatic on this one.

01. Intro
02. The Futuristic (RMX) - Guilty Simpson feat. MED. (Produced by OhNo)
03. Break It On Down - MED. (Produced by Just Blaze)
04. Dogg - MED feat. Polk Dogg. (Produced by Madlib)*
05. Not A Warning - MED feat. Polk Dogg. (Produced by Madlib)*
06. Shotgun RMX - PPP feat. J Dilla & MED. (Produced by Waajeed)
07. West Iz Back (Demo) - MED. (Produced by Dj Khalil)*
08. It's A New Day - DJ Babu feat MED. (Produced by Dj Babu)
09. Zoom - MGD (MED + Georgia Anne + Declaime). (Produced by Georgia Anne Muldrow)*
10. Do It - Rhettmatic feat. MED. (Produced by DJ Rhettmatic)*
11. Get Money - MED. (Produced by Madlib)*
12. Endure - MED feat. Rapper Big Pooh. (Produced by Georgia Anne Muldrow)*
13. Anytime - Dert feat. MED. (Produced by Dert)
14. Classic - MED feat. Talib Kweli. (Produced by Madlib)*
15. The Ride (RMX) - Oh No feat. MED. (Produced by Dj Rhettmatic)*
16. $100 Bill - MED. (Produced by Madlib)*
17. Outro

*MED Exclusives

Download: Stones Throw Podcast 45

Exile: Making Beats Off The Radio.

This man is a genius.

Sandpeople Set To Release Long Story, Short...

Sandpeople, a ten member collective from the Pacific Northwest, is proud to announce the release of their new studio EP, Long Story, Short... available May 26, 2009 via Sandpeople Music.

The Juice Crew; Wu-Tang Clan; Native Tongues; these names conjure memories of a time when hip-hop collectives reigned dominant. Comprising 10 members in total, each with unique styles and abilities, Sandpeople is working tirelessly to solidify the importance of the hip-hop crew once more. Ethic, a rapper and one tenth of the group says, "The collective is not something you see too much of anymore; it's a unique group structure. Being from the Pacific Northwest puts us at a disadvantage, but being a crew adds a dynamic and cohesive element to what we're doing that helps us stand out amongst the crowd." With the release of Long Story, Short..., the group's cohesive sound at once harkens back to the crew aesthetic of the past while carrying the torch for the potential of the future.

For Long Story, Short..., operating entirely in-house, including recording and mixing, allowed the EP's creation process an organic feel, while remaining streamlined and efficient. That process begins with Sandpeople producer, rapper, and multi-instrumentalist, Sapient, whose diverse production is on display throughout the EP. The rappers in the crew, each with a unique style, choose the beats they want to work with, brainstorm concepts, and self-select to decide who will fit the song style and concept for each song. The result of this tried-and-true process for Sandpeople is a stellar nine track EP, including the album's lead single, "Hate Aside," which the collective will be shooting a video for in the near future.

Since the 2005 release of Sandpeople's debut album, Points of View, the group has seen a growth not only in their own numbers, but also in their rate of musical output. The Sandpeople collective comprises several sub-groups, each recording and releasing their own respective works in conjunction with the group projects, expanding the Sandpeople catalog and stretching the reach of their music from Japan to Australia and throughout the United States. Among the ten artists who comprise the Sandpeople is ILLmaculate, a Portland native who has accumulated numerous accolades for his rapping abilities, including being crowned champion of the 2004 Scribble Jam rap battle at the age of 17. TheSaurus, another member of the crew, also won the 2006 and 2007 World Rap Championships hosted by JumpOff.TV. Along with the group's producer Sapient, who has garnered recognition from his work with artists such as Tech N9ne, Inspectah Deck, and Aesop Rock, Sandpeople have the firepower to put on a great show and to make great music.

Atmosphere - Lucy Ford: The Atmosphere EP's

01. Between The Lines
02. Like Today
03. Tears For The Sheep
04. Guns and Cigarettes
05. Don't Ever Fucking Question That
06. It Goes
07. If I Was Santa Claus
08. Aspiring Sociopath
09. Free Or Dead
10. Party For The Fight To Write
11. Mama Had A Baby And His Head Popped Off
12. They're All Gonna Laugh @ You
13. Lost And Found
14. The Woman With The Tattooed Hands
15. Nothing But Sunshine

Preview:

Artist Spotlight: One.Be.Lo

One Be Lo is a hip hop artist from Pontiac, Michigan. He is well respected for being one half of the former rap duo Binary Star, and has released a number of well received solo albums. He is also a member of the World Champion B-boy crew, Massive Monkees.

Having grown up listening to the likes of KRS-One and Ice Cube, One Be Lo gained an interest in hip hop from an early age. As a result, he, along with Senim Silla, created Binary Star, although after releasing two albums (Water World and Masters of the Universe), they split up. One Be Lo cited "creative differences" as the main reason for their split.

Having become disillusioned with both the group and the record label (they were never paid by the distributor, despite selling over 20,000 albums), he started focusing more on his solo work. Around this time he converted to Islam, and as a result changed his name to Nahshid Sulaiman. He also changed his stage name to One Be Lo, having been known as OneManArmy for his work with Binary Star. The name change was due to changes within himself and a potential legal dispute between a punk group with the same name.

In January 2000, he established his own independent label called Subterraneous Records. This enabled him to release his own albums more easily, while also promoting a number of Michigan’s most promising producers and emcees. A year later, Subterraneous Records released WaterWorld Too, a compilation featuring a number of artists from the label's roster. In the meantime, he continued to work on his solo material with producer Decompoze. In late 2002, One Be Lo decided to press limited copies of Project F.E.T.U.S. (For Everybody That Under Stands), a collection of songs that were not initially intended for release. This release was aimed to be a segue into One Be Lo’s official solo material, and has since proven to be a successful debut, appearing on the About.com top 10 rap albums of February 2007.

His first official solo album was released on Fat Beats in 2005. This was entitled S.O.N.O.G.R.A.M. (Sounds Of Nahshid Originate Good Rhymes And Music) and featured a number of fellow Michigan rappers such as Abdus Salaam and singer Ka Di. This was generally received well by critics, and many praised One Be Lo for his conscious and intelligent lyrics. This was followed by S.T.I.L.L.B.O.R.N. (Something To Interest Lo Listeners Beyond Original Recorded Networkings and Subterraneous/Trackezoids Invest Lost Lyrics Bringing Old Rhymes New), a mix CD of previously unreleased songs and remixes. His most recent project is R.E.B.I.R.T.H., receiving critical acclaim by many hip hop publications.

All of his solo albums have been leading up to his magnum opus, entitled L.I.F.E. (Lo Is For Everybody). His current project that he's working on, entitled 'B.A.B.Y.' (Being A Black Youth) is scheduled to be released in 2009 featuring Freeway, Devin The Dude, Phonte, Royce Da 5'9", Zion I, Guilty Simpson, Jean Grae and more. One Be Lo has appeared on the Warped Tour as well as toured with artists such as KRS-One and Zion I. He also did a candid interview with The Breakdown TV on Onloq.com where he discussed his life as an independent MC.

One Be Lo has crafted himself into what he describes as "the MC's MC". He is often praised for his clear delivery, precise rapping style and conscious lyrics, especially from fans of alternative hip hop. This was noted by Allmusic in their review of S.O.N.O.G.R.A.M., saying:

"One Be Lo is a deep thinker; the details and complex wordplay within his rhymes often take several plays to fully comprehend and appreciate. Similar in effect to X-Clan's Brother J, his words can be righteous, but they're always delivered with casual assurance, like he's talking to an acquaintance at a bus stop. He observes with the wisdom of a father who's been through prison, raises a lot of issues, has almost as many solutions, and never sounds overbearing or preachy."

Producer Spotlight: Illmind

Illmind (born Ramon Ibanga, Jr.) is a Filipino American hip hop producer from Bloomfield, New Jersey. He participated in Beat Society, competing against well-known acts like Kanye West and Just Blaze. Illmind has created music for underground artists such as Little Brother, Boot Camp Clik, Akrobatik, Supastition, and El Da Sensei. At Sha Money XL's Money Management production company he has produced tracks for 50 Cent, Eminem, Redman, Scarface, LL Cool J, Talib Kweli and others.

In 2005 Illmind collaborated with producer Symbolyc One, releasing an album entitled The Art of OneMind on the BBE imprint. The album features Wu-Tang Clan member Ghostface Killah, Little Brother and several other notable artists. The single from the album was "The Broke Song", featuring Strange Fruit Project.

In 2006 Illmind produced tracks from Boot Camp Clik's album The Last Stand and Kenn Starr's Starr Status. He was responsible for "Cardiac" from Sean Price's 2007 album Jesus Price Superstar and produced four tracks on the 2007 Little Brother album, Getback. In 2008 he produced on the Absolute Value album by Akrobatik.

Illmind released a mixtape project featuring some of the artists he produced for throughout 2008 entitled Blaps, Rhymes & Life. It was followed by a second volume in early 2009.

He has been featured in multiple publications, such as Scratch ("Top 20 Best Producers"), Mass Appeal, The Source, XXL, HipHopGame and HipHopDX.

And below are just a handful of my favorite Illmind productions.

Murs - The Science (Music Video)

Dope new video from Murs for the track "The Science" off his newest release Murs For President.

Double Barrel Tuesday Pt. 6

Marco Polo & Torae discuss their track "Hold Up" featuring Masta Ace & Sean Price off the Double Barrel album in stores June 2nd. Go cop that shit.

http://www.myspace.com/doublebarrel08

SoulCultureTV: 9th Wonder's London Debut

Producer 9th Wonder on his trip to London in April 2009. He talks to SoulCulture.co.uk about the art of sampling, why producers that sample are misunderstood by older generations, current work with Wale and David Banner - and why putting his face out there is so important now in an age where, often, music is seen before it's heard.

Quite Nyce & Radar Ellis - Trophy Room (Music Video)

"Trophy Room" is taken from Quite Nyce & Raydar Ellis' "Champs Vs. The League" album.

Phocus [Muneshine & Emilio Rojas] - A Vision And A Plan

01. Ain't That Some
02. Home-Coming (Bring It Back)
03. Body Language
04. Weigh In
05. It's Alright feat. Lexicon & Dminor
06. Heroshima
07. 45 Seconds Of Fame
08. Moodswings feat. Supastition
09. Curtains Close
10. Go Ahead feat. Hassaan
11. Crazy Buckwild feat Muneshine & Ash
12. Memories
13. Outro
14. Body Language (Illmind Remix)
15. Ain't That Some (Dminor Remix)

Preview:

Stax: The Soul Of Hip-Hop

A year after a similar compilation was released by Blue Note Records, Memphis-born Stax Records is honoring the producers, breakdancers and Hip Hop audience with The Soul of Hip-Hop.

The onetime home to Sam & Dave, Booker T. & The M.G.'s and Isaac Hayes is releasing a 14 track collection, sporting the original, some out-of-print samples, used to craft such Hip Hop hits as Notorious B.I.G.'s "Who Shot Ya?", Wu-Tang Clan's "C.R.E.A.M." and The Geto Boys' "My Mind's Playin' Tricks On Me"

The release is due April 28th, in CD and digital [iTunes,etc.] formats.

How lucky is Jake One for being allowed full access to the Stax catalog for sampling purposes?

Anyways, below are a couple of previews. Enjoy & pay homage to the greats by buying this album!

Original: Charmels - "As Long As I've Got You"

Sampled on: Wu-Tang Clan - "C.R.E.A.M. (Cash Rules Everything Around Me)"

Original: The Emotions - "Blind Alley"

Sampled on: Blueprint - "No Half-Steppin'"

Roc C & Georgia Anne Muldrow: New Albums.

Oxnard, California emcee Roc 'C' released his 2006 debut All Questions Answered on Stones Throw Records. The Rap album, released on the famed independent Los Angeles label, sported surprising appearances from Glasses Malone, Bizzy Bone and Chino XL.

Almost three years later, Roc returns with The Transcontinental, a complete collaborative project with IMAKEMADBEATS, a production outfit also known to Rah Digga, Steele and Mic Geronimo fans as Nemo. The work, releasing May 19th, is Roc's debut with E1 Records, formerly known as Koch. Despite the move, Stones Throw affiliates Oh No, Lootpack's DJ Romes and Wildchild lend hands. Rapper Big Pooh, Mic Geronimo and Chino XL also appear.

"IMAKEMADBEATS' stellar production and Roc 'C's fierce lyrics combine to start a journey through life, excellence and fun," said one-time Murder Inc producer Jimmy Kendrix.

In related news, another Stones Throw artist also situated a deal with E1. Georgia Anne Muldrow, who released her Olesi EP, along with a string of singles and appearances on Peanutbutter Wolf's imprint, has announced her Someothaship/Epistrophik label, distributed through E1. The label is a joint venture between her and boyfriend Dudley Perkins.

Georgia Anne, daughter of Jazz guitarist Ron Muldrow, is most known for her appearance on Erykah Badu's acclaimed 2008 album, New Amerykah Part One, a Universal Motown release.

Her May 19th release, a compilation of rapping, production and singing titled George Anne Muldrow Presents: Ms. One, features Rapper Big Pooh, Stacy Epps, Black Milk and Dudley Perkins.

- HipHopDX.

DOOM - Microwave Mayonnaise (Music Video)

KRS-One & Buckshot: Survival Skills Video

Clinton Sparks & Talib Kweli Present: Strong Arm Steady - Gang Mentality

01. Gang Mentality Intro feat. Talib Kweli (Prod. by Clinton Sparks)
02. Sixteen feat. Paul Wall
03. Sunny C.A. feat. Mistah FAB, Planet Asia & Bishop Lamont (Prod. by E. Jones)
04. Can’t Let It Go feat. Blaq Toven (Prod. by DJ Khalil)
05. Honey Pack 4
06. Gang Mentality Debate 1
07. Running Back To You feat. Sean Deez
08. Black History feat. Chace Infinite, Planet Asia & Affion Crockett
09. Dr. Cube
10. Don’t You Remember feat. Damu (Prod. by Clinton Sparks)
11. Gang Mentality Debate 2
12. Give It Up feat. Guilty Simpson & Talib Kweli
13. Night After Night feat. Kobe (Prod. by DJ Khalil)
14. Butt Naked (Prod. by Kyhill)
15. Slaps
16. Gang Mentality Debate 3
17. Gang Mentality Outro (Prod. by Clinton Sparks)
18. Clinton Out

Download

Soulution - Shine Through

MySpace

01. Intro feat. Brotha Soul
02. Soul Shine feat. Mr. J Medeiros, Kam Moye, Bahamadia & Nicole Amina
03. The Hill feat. Sivion
04. Yao Ming feat. Project Move
05. I Been feat. Rhema Soul
06. Drive feat. Median, Braille & Sivion
07. Hey Now feat. Project Move
08. Fragment feat. Juanlove
09. Shine Through feat. Supastition
10. The Whole World feat. Anonymous
11. Moodswing feat. Talib Kweli & Asheru
12. Open Your Window feat. Stacy Epps and Rita J
13. Anthem feat. Project Move
14. Who Am I feat. Freddie Bruno, Sivion, Playdough & Brotha Soul
15. Love Life feat. El Gambina
16. The Whole World Remix feat. Anonymous

Preview:

The 49ers - The Ultrasound

01. In Love With Two Women
02. The Sun
03. Universal Language feat. 2 Mokey Of Stilla-Mode
04. Half Drunk
05. Endless Rhymes feat. Nieve
06. Karma
07. Lets Party feat. Thurro
08. Now & Then
09. Friends 4 Enemies
10. Sophisticated Freaks
11. Ive Been Thinking feat. Spyda Keys
12. King Of The Town
13. My Melody feat. Thurro
14. Its My Thing feat. Thurro
15. Fresh Style
16. Problems feat. Thurro
17. Them Girls feat. Jai Sun
18. Promise Me feat. Thurro

Preview:

Reef The Lost Cauze & King Magnetic - King & The Cauze (Mixtape)

01. Dre Boogs Intro
02. Crack A Bottle
03. Bangin'
04. Tearin' Me Apart
05. Nothin' feat. Block Mccloud
06. The Truth
07. Cold As Ice
08. Westside Story
09. Bangers
10. Hit'em Up!
11. Kiss The Curb
12. I Wonder
13. Big Deal Remix feat. Brother Ali
14. Shut Ur Bloodclot Mouth
15. Crumbs
16. King & The Cauze
17. Monster feat. Tug Mcgraw
18. Thug Fantasy
19. Who Made The Rules feat. Edo G & Godilla
20. Gone feat. Termanology
21. Snowgoons feat. Adlib, Ali Armz & Godilla
22. The Torch

Preview:

Oddisee - Mental Liberation

01. Hip Hop's Cool Again
02. Let The Music feat. LMNO
03. The Jungle feat. Hassaan Mackey & Bilal Salaam
04. Get Up feat. Declaime, Prince Po, Yu & DJ Clear
05. Q & A feat. Kenn Starr
06. Rhymes Get Written feat. Silent Knight & XO
07. What's Crazy feat. J-Live & Stik Figa
08. Cold For That feat. Trek Life
09. Endure Remix feat. Georgia Anne Muldrow, MED & Rapper Pooh
10. Don't Sleep Remix feat. Invincible & Finale
11. Drugs Outside Remix feat. Black Milk, Rapper Pooh & DJ Romes
12. When Everything Changed

Preview:

Illa J - Sounds Like Love (Music Video)

New video for "Sounds Like Love" off Yancey Boys.

Evidence / Sick Jacken - Classical

Brand new dopeness from Evidence & Sick Jacken (Psycho Realm) off the new album "Intermission", which is set for release on June 23rd. Peep the rest of the track list below.

Evidence feat. Sick Jacken - "Classical"

Intermission Tracklist:

01. Gangsta Shit - Bun B + M1
02. Classical - Sick Jacken & Evidence
03. Gunshots - Chace Infinite & Alchemist
04. Do It - La Coka Nostra
05. Rep Yo Shit - P.C.P (Sick Jacken &Necro)
06. Good Evening LA- Self Scientific
07. Meet Your Maker - Reef The Lost Cause & Outer Space
08. Intermission - RZA, Rev.William Burk, Planet Asia, B-Real
09. Champions ( Remix) - Prodigy & Big Twins
10. Let Go (My Life) - Fashawn
11. Like That Y’All - Planet Asia
12. World We’Re In - Cynic
13. Call It Like I See It - Chace Infinite & Krondon
14. Matchbox - Dust
15 Figure It Out - Young De feat. Xzibit & Mykestro (Bonus Track)

Tanya Morgan Tour: Brooklynati Invades Canada!

Tanya Morgan - "So Damn Down" (DJ Mix)

In preparation for the release of their latest project "Brooklynati", available May 12th, hip-hop trio Tanya Morgan is crossing into Canadian soil for a short 10-venue tour in cities all across the country.

Kicking off April 20th in the western-most province of British Columbia, the group will play in Vancouver, than head east to Edmonton and Calgary, hit the great lakes area for stops in Toronto and Ottawa, and finish up on the east coast in Montreal and Nova Scotia on May 3rd.

Donwill had this to say of the dates in Canada: "Canada always shows love so we are really happy to be doing a string of dates up here. You know, it's kind of cool to see that your message is spreading. We always enjoy doing Canadian spot dates but this is the first time we have done an actual tour in Canada, so we feel like it's a special occasion." Joining Tanya Morgan on the tour is Singapore-born and Toronto-bred rapper Masia One, who recently saw the release of her double LP "Pulau: Montreal In The Fall/The Islands in September", 2008.

Brooklynati is more than just an album, it is a fully realized experience complete with a Chamber of Commerce website in which visitors can explore the many attractions within the virtual city, including viewing the dining hotspots, recreational facilities, and even registering for an official Brooklynati driver's license. The Canadian tour is the official beginning of this ambitious project, as the official release of the album is now just a few week away. With these tour dates Tanya Morgan will take Canadian fans on an unexpected vacation to Brooklynati.

Tour Dates:
April 23. Calgary, AB TBA
April 24. Edmonton, AB The Brixx (Starlite Room)
April 25. Saskatoon, SK TBA
April 28. Toronto, ON Revival Bar
April 29. Kingston, ON Joy Supper Club
April 30. Ottawa, ON Lotus Lounge
May 1. Montreal, QC Le Belmont
May 2. Halifax, NS Marquee Club
May 3. Moncton, NB The Paramount Lounge

Strange Fruit Project - From Divine

01. Intro
02. Feel
03. Good Vibes
04. Place
05. Ooh Wee
06. Unusual Wayz
07. Clap Yo Hands
08. Aquatic Groove
09. Keep It Moving
10. In the Garden
11. Tropical Rum
12. Maintain
13. Hypnotix
14. Hasta Luego
15. Outro/Hidden Track

Preview:

DJ Spinna feat. Fresh Daily & Daniel Joseph - Summer Madness

First it was the two-part Summer Madness videos, now we have a full track to preview off the upcoming "Sonic Smash" album from DJ Spinna. I am geared and ready for this June 30th release which will feature two of my favorites, Elzhi (Slum Village) & Phonte (Little Brother), among others.

Preview:

Download: DJ Spinna feat. Fresh Daily & Daniel Joseph - "Summer Madness"

KRS-One & Buckshot - Robot [Prod. by Havoc]

Introducing the first single off the upcoming KRS-One & Buckshot collaboration album, "Conflosion". This song touches on the subject of the auto-tune bullshit that is decaying hip hop/rap music.

Preview:

Download: KRS-One & Buckshot - "Robot" [produced by Havoc]

Sandpeople: Long Story, Short... Tour

Portland's Sandpeople are preparing for a three-week, ten-stop tour throughout various west-coast and mountain states to promote their upcoming EP release "Long Story, Short..." due out May 26th on self-managed record label Sandpeople Music.

The tour will begin in Bellingham, Washington on April 23rd, move across the north into Montana and down through Colorado and Arizona, and then heads west for three stops in California, wrapping up in Sacramento on May, 15th. Sandpeople will only be touring with five of their ten members due to a pending fatherhood among other issues, but all notable group members will be coming out for the tour, but half a roster will most certainly not result in half a show.

Group member Ethic says of the upcoming tour, "The Long Story, Short... tour is a welcomed road trip after taking some time off to record. We expect to see plenty of familiar faces that we met on the Child Support Tour with Luckyiam, and likely lose a liver or two in the process. This EP is one of the best projects to come out of our camp, and we're stoked to see it finally ready for release."

Sandpeople formed in 2005 in the Pacific Northwest region of the U.S., and have since established their base in Portland, Oregon. Since the release of their debut album "Points of View" that same year, Sandpeople have seen a growth not only in their own numbers, but in their ability to make music.

Among the ten artists who comprise the Sandpeople group, one of the most notable members is ILLmaculate, a Portland-grown emcee who has accumulated numerous accolades for his rapping abilities. At the age of 17, he was crowned champion of the 2004 Scribble Jam rap battle competition in Cincinnati, Ohio, and along with partner TheSaurus also won the 2006 and 2007 World Rap Championships hosted by JumpOff.tv. Along with the group's producer Sapient, who has garnered recognition from his work with artists such as Tech N9ne, Inspectah Deck and Aesop Rock, Sandpeople have the firepower to put on a great show and to make great music.

Tour Dates:

April 30. Bozeman, MT - The Zebra Cocktail Lounge
May 1. Boulder, CO - The Root Underground
May 2. Denver, CO - Marquis Theater w/ Mr. Lif
May 5. Phoenix, AZ - The Low Leaf
May 6. Yuma, AZ - Open Aired
May 7. San Diego/Carlsbad, CA - Boar Cross'n
May 8. Los Angeles, CA - The Alterknit Lounge (Knitting Factory)
May 10. Bakersfield, CA - Fishlips
May 12. San Francisco, CA - Etiquette Lounge

http://www.myspace.com/sandpeople
http://www.sandpeoplemusic.com/

Basic Vocab - The Better Way (Sampler)

Three years after their release of "The General Dynamic", Basic Vocab is back on the scene gearing up for their second release, "The Better Way", due out July 4th.

Here is a very dope 7-track sampler to hopefully tide you over til the album drops:

Preview:

Sadat X feat. CL Smooth - Nuthin'

Brand new joint from Sadat X featuring CL Smooth off the upcoming album, "Brand New Bein", which hits stores May 5th.

Preview:

Download: Sadat X feat. CL Smooth - Nuthin'

Murs - Me And This Jawn (Music Video)

As the first video in a three part series staring adult film star Roxy Reynolds, Murs has released "Me and This Jawn".

Double Barrel Tuesday Pt. 5

Marco Polo takes you into his Brooklyn, NY studio where a majority of Marco Polo & Torae's "Double Barrel" album was created. He also explains why there is nothing wrong with $1 vinyl! "Double Barrel" in stores June 2nd, cop it!

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