Little Brother - LeftBack (Album Info x Tracklisting)

Little Brother is back for the very last time with a new album to satisfy the yearning masses. The North Carolina duo recently announced the upcoming release of their fourth and final album, LeftBack, available April 20th via Hall of Justus. With production from the likes of Khyrsis, Denaun Porter, Zo!, Symbolyc One, J. Bizness and King Karnov, LeftBack is poised to take listeners on an epic auditory adventure. Phonte and Rapper Big Pooh will also be extending invites for the farewell party to fellow emcees Torae, Truck North, Jozeemo, Chaundon and Median, while crooner Darien Brockington and chanteuse Yahzarah are on hand to add a touch of the melodious to the album.

As the momentum behind LeftBack continues to swell, Little Brother is proud to unveil the official artwork and the track listing for the album. Fans will be excited to learn that LeftBack features 13 tracks of unadulterated hip-hop, while the album artwork finds Phonte and Rapper Big Pooh standing tall amidst the ghosts of albums past, press coverage and other memories accumulated throughout Little Brother's celebrated career. "We wanted the fans to have that moment of nostalgia when looking at this artwork" says Rapper Big Pooh. "You are able to take a quick journey from the beginning of our careers to the end as Little Brother by glancing at the artwork." [Audible Treats]

01. Curtain Call (Prod. by Khrysis)
02. Table For Two Feat. Jozeemo & Yahzarah (Prod. by Khrysis)
03. Tigallo For Dolo (Prod. by Khrysis)
04. Revenge feat. Truck North & Median (Prod. by Khrysis)
05. So Cold feat. Chaundon (Prod. by King Karnov)
06. Second Chances feat. Bilal & Darien Brockington (Prod. by Denaun Porter)
07. Go Off Go On (Prod. by Khrysis)
08. What We Are feat. Quiana (Prod. by Young R.J.)
09. After The Party feat. Carlitta Durand (S1 and Caleb’s Who Shot JR Ewing Remix) (Prod. by S1 and Caleb)
10. Two Step Blues feat. Darien Brockington (Zo’s Purple Suit With The Matching Gators Remix) (Prod. by Zo!)
11. Get Enough Pt. 2 feat. Khrysis (Prod. by Khrysis)
12. Before The Night Is Over (Prod. by J.Bizness)
13. 24 feat. Torae (Prod. by Khrysis)

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Little Brother - LeftBack (Release Date x Album Info)

Here's some exciting news for what's next to come from one of the best hip-hop groups of all time:

Favorites of fans and critics alike, Little Brother, the North Carolina duo of Phonte and Rapper Big Pooh, is proud to finally confirm the release of an album people have been waiting on for years. LeftBack, which will be the fourth album of Little Brother’s illustrious career, will be available April 20th via Hall Of Justus.

The duo worked through several versions of the album before locking in the final version of LeftBack. Close followers of Little Brother may already be familiar with the LeftBack title, however, any previously held notions of this album being an EP should be dismissed. Little Brother opted to scrap the EP concept and instead, crafted an album's worth of material for those who have been waiting patiently for new content. "I didn't want our last record to be a bunch of second-rate material," says Phonte. "I wanted to walk away from Little Brother knowing that I gave our fans all that I had to give, and said everything I wanted to say. With LeftBack, I've done that."

Continuing the tradition they set with the critically acclaimed GetBack, Big Pooh and Phonte have enlisted multiple producers for LeftBack, both from within and outside of the Justus League camp. Producers for this album include frequent collaborator Khrysis and GetBack producers Denaun Porter and Zo!, as well as efforts from Symbolyc One and first time Little Brother contributors, J. Bizness, and King Karnov.

In addition to production, Khyrsis will also be contributing guest vocals on the album. Joining the North Carolina producer/MC are Torae, Truck North, Jozeemo and fellow Justus League MC's Chaundon and Median. Resident crooner Darien Brockington and songstress Yahzarah also supply vocals on the album.

Despite Little Brother's dominating presence in the hip-hop world since the 2003 release of The Listening, LeftBack will mark the duo's first album with a true multi-media experience. Accompanying LeftBack will be four official music videos, all shot and directed by Matt Koza, known for his previous work with Foreign Exchange, Rapper Big Pooh, Kam Moye, RJD2, and more. While not customary for a Little Brother release – the group has had only one previous official video, for The Minstrel Show's "Lovin' It" – with LeftBack, Little Brother is excited to offer loyal supporters a long-desired visual take on the group's music. Says Big Pooh, "Three albums, three mixtapes, one video. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense in this day and age. We have always lacked in the visual department, and I think it will be refreshing to finally offer the people those visuals."

Building on the album's multi-media offerings, the initial pressing of LeftBack will also feature a limited edition DVD full of exclusive bonus material. Compiled in a documentary format, the bonus DVD will include recent tour footage, as well as exclusive Little Brother footage shot and archived throughout their career. For fans that miss the initial run, a subsequent DVD-only release will also include all official music videos from LeftBack.

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Strong Arm Steady feat. Phonte - Best Of Times (Prod. by Madlib)

As the anticipation continues for the upcoming Strong Arm Steady & Madlib album In Search of Stoney Jackson, the folks at Stones Throw decided to let out yet another leak. On the album's intro "Best Of Times", the SAS crew flows over a smooth, laid back head-nodder from Madlib and features Little Brother's Phonte singing on the hook. In Search of Stoney Jackson drops next Tuesday, January 26th, and is produced entirely by Madlib, who is a longtime friend of Phil Da Agony and extended Strong Arm Steady family. The album’s conception owes a great deal to World Famous Beat Junkie, J.Rocc, who provided the trio with close to 200 of the Madlib the Beat Konducta’s tracks to choose from.

Download: Strong Arm Steady feat. Phonte - "Best Of Times" (Prod. by Madlib)

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Strong Arm Steady feat. Phonte - Best Of Times (Prod. by Madlib)

In Search of Stoney Jackson is produced entirely by Madlib, longtime friend of Phil Da Agony and extended Strong Arm Steady family. The album’s conception owes a great deal to World Famous Beat Junkie, J.Rocc, who provided the trio with close to 200 of the Madlib the Beat Konducta’s tracks to choose from. Strong Arm Steady had previously rapped over Madlib productions on the Madlib and Talib Kweli Liberation album, but this full-length marks a long-desired collaboration between the four. It’s a hip-hop jam session, with the group acting as the rhythm section for an all-star cast of guest vocalists such as Planet Asia, Guilty Simpson, Evidence, Chace Infinite, and Phonte of Little Brother. [via Stones Throw]

Download: Strong Arm Steady feat. Phonte - "Best Of Times" (Prod. by Madlib)

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DJ K.O. - Ladder Of Success Remix Contest Winner Announced

DJ K.O. & Beat Society recently got together for the "Ladder of Success" Remix Contest. The contest aimmed to give producers a chance to come up in the game and climb the "Ladder of Success" by remixing a track from DJ K.O.'s album Picture This... that featured verses from Phonte, Wordsworth, K-Hill & Masta Ace. Check out the winning submission below from SeeMore, a UK producer, that will be featured on the upcoming Picture These Remixes via Soulspazm Records on January 19, 2010.

Download: DJ K.O. feat. Phonte, Wordsworth, K-Hill & Masta Ace - "Ladder Of Success" (SeeMore Remix)

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BK-One & Benzilla feat. Phonte, Brother Ali, & The Grouch - Here I Am

BK-One has a new album dropping October 6th via Rhymesayers Ent. Read the quote below for info about the release and proceed to download the first leak off the album below. You won't be dissapointed, can't go wrong with Phonte, Ali & The Grouch on the same track...

Better known as Brother Ali's DJ, BK-One takes his years of experience as a DJ and puts on his producer hat joining forces with up and coming Twin Cities beatsmith Benzilla to craft a Brazilian musical bed for some of Hip Hop's most engaging MC's. Rádio Do Canibal features appearances by Scarface, Slug (Atmosphere), Black Thought (The Roots), Brother Ali, Raekwon (Wu-Tang Clan), Murs (Living Legends), Phonte (Little Brother), Haiku D' Etat (Aceyalone, Myka 9 & Abstract Rude), Blueprint, P.O.S. (Doomtree), The Grouch (Living Legends), I Self Devine, Toki Wright, Aby Wolf and The Hypnotic Brass Ensemble.

Download: BK-One & Benzilla feat. Phonte, Brother Ali, & The Grouch - "Here I Am"

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Apathy feat. Phonte - True Love

Connecticut's world famous rhyme wrecker returns with a warm hug and a deadly snakebite on his sophomore full length album, "Wanna Snuggle?" Apathy, known as lead MC of the indie fan favorite Demigodz clique as well as a member of Jedi Mind Tricks' Army of the Pharaohs crew, follows up 2006's well-received Babygrande Records "Eastern Philosophy" debut with a brand new masterpiece of 21 songs.

Painstaking lyricism, strangleholding mic presence, high caliber rap flows and upper echelon neck-snapping production round out his new release in true Demigodzilla fashion. Some of the highlights include the uptempo "Shoot First", which is a Mike Shinoda produced track featuring the legendary B-Real (of Cypress Hill) and Celph Titled, as well as a collaboration with J-Live called "This Is The Formula". Little Brother's own Phonte makes a cameo on "True Love", and some soulful hooks are laced across the album courtesy of Chip-Fu (of Fu-Schnickens) and Wu-Tang vocalist Blue Raspberry. Also contributing a major factor to the album is singer Holly Brook, best known for Fort Minor's chart topping "Where'd You Go" single and video. Fort Minor, Get Busy Committee, Demigodz and AOTP family are definitely in full effect throughout the project, including Ryu (of Styles of Beyond), Motive, Emilio Lopez, King Magnetic, Veze Skante and more. The bulk of production is handled by Apathy himself, who has been building up a production resume producing for Tiye Phoenix, Styles of Beyond, 7L & Esoteric, Eternia, and upcoming albums from Cypress Hill and Edo G.

Download: Apathy feat. Phonte - "True Love"

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