FILI Review:
This album is a certified classic in my book! Released in '08 as iLLiTe's debut album after the '06 album release with Octane called "The Forgotten...Chosen", this album was slept on haaaaard, I mean you'd be hard pressed to find a lot of info regarding this release if you google it but anyways, when I first heard this from beginning to end I couldn't understand how this stayed under the radar. iLLiTe has a real nice flow and really grabs your attention when he's spittin, and the beats are just bananas. You need this in your collection, whether download or hard copy, either way, just take a listen and see what I'm talkin' bout, ya heard!
01. Intro
02. Mirrors & Smoke
03. You Ain't Gotta Love Me feat. Magestik Legend
04. Intuition
05. Callin' Me
06. Searching feat. Zo!
07. The Feeling feat. Fes Roc
08. Get Busy
09. Move
10. Can't Give Up feat. Kashia Bleu
11. Life Lessons
12. Do You Remember?
13. Dreams feat. Magestik Legend
14. Creme De La Creme
15. The Champion
16. Lean (If We Fall)
Production by: Magestik Legend, Nick Speed, Zhao-Ski,Astronote, Explicit 1, Vitamin D, Leef Mayfield & Eddie Logix.
New Street Album from indie/underground producer BIG D O and Syracuse NY's finest M-Hott AKA Double T. A partnership forged through the love of dope underground hip-hop, the duo finally has put forward their debut street album "War Of The Words" that is being released for free digital download on Foresight Records. Recorded mostly in M-Hott's apartment basement and a studio apartment in south Denver the frequent collaborators take pride in the raw and dusty sound that comprises their music and the process that was recording it. Now as they release what is sure to be one of the many LP's they drop together over time, the two are proud to give the many fans and seekers of "genocide free music" a project that is un-scathed by the corporate world's massive reach and unapologetic in it's brutal honesty about the current state of Hip-Hop music, urban entertainment as a whole and dedicated to the true esthetic of great Hip-Hop music.
01. Introduction 02. Circles 03. Boom Bap Is Back 04. Forsee The Way 05. House On The Hill 06. The Roaring 50's 07. Am I Ill 08. Keep Hatin' 09. They Want Love 10. Nomination time 11. Such Devotion 12. Rainy Night (Sad Story)
I thought I'd do a re-up on this as I'm listening to it again right now after about a year or so. This still sounds dope with smooth lyrics from M-Hott & Big D O supplying the soulful backdrop to this album, which was free by the way... anyways, here's a couple bangers that might get your attention if ya missed this first time round!
01. Class Begins 02. Know Worth 03. Time Wastin' 04. Play Yo Position 05. Renditions ft. Sirah 06. Check The Method 07. Write Some More ? 08. True Essence 09. Rhyme & Reason 10. Back Pack Rap 11. Smoke Break 12. Untitled (Love Song) 13. Slight Change 14. Groundwork 15. Cause & Effect 16. Class Adjourned
This album is dope as hell, the first unskippable album I've heard in ages!!! This right here is real hip hop in it's purest form, from the beats which take you right back to the 90's to the ultra nice flow from Destruct. A definite sleeper album, don't sleep, check it out and make sure you lock down a copy of his new album "Warheads" which drops July 10th!! You can peep samples direct from his myspace.
Pop in that eight track and break out those platform 'cause it's about to go down! Inebriated Rhythm in association with Grit Records proudly present their debut release, The Saturday Nite Agenda by cinematic producer Soul Supreme. This unique concept record captures the essence of 70's soul cinema and combines it with today's raw lyricism from the dopest emcee's of the old and new school alike. Envision the soundtrack of your favorite jive-talking action hero fused with today's hip-hop creativity. The outcome is nothing short of Dyn-o-mite. The album features notable hip-hop legends such as KRS-One, Big Daddy Kane, Pete Rock, AG (D.I.T.C), OC, Planet Asia, Rasco & DJ Revolution along with prominent emerging stars of tomorrow.
This is album stayed under the radar for most of 2003 until emerging beatsmith Soul Supreme started receiving praises for an album mostly containing material he did when he was only 17. No longer a secret, but still an enigma Soul Supreme lays down soulful grooves long before sped up samples became the norm. So what's on your agenda for Saturday Nite? All you jive hustlers and stone cold foxes know what I mean when I say something BIG is about to go down! Inebriated Rhythm is taking you back to the old school on this Saturday Nite. Stickin' it to the man worldwide since 2003.
01. Future Flavas - A.G. feat. Party Arty & Dezmontero 02. The Message -KRS-One feat. Shuman 03. Respect Life feat. The Electric Co. 04. All In Together feat. L Da Headtoucha 05. Hardcore Shit - Planet Asia & Rasco feat. An Ion: The Transition 06. Still Searchin' feat. Reks & Noel 07. Queen (Hip Hop) feat. Pete Rock, A.G. & T-Max 08. Come Get It - Big Daddy Kane feat. Checkmark & DJ Revolution 09. The Need (I Need You) feat. L Da Headtoucha 10. Worst Nighmare - O.C. feat. Kai 11. Security feat. Shuman 12. TSNA (The Saturday Nite Agenda) feat. A.G. 13. Regardless feat. Wordsworth, Moe from Mission & Illin' P (Bonus)
FILI- Yo, this compilation right here is a straight fiyah!!! I can't believe I slept on this dude. If you've been enjoying the sounds of another up-coming producer Sentense, then make sure you check out this ill producer, also from Sweden. The beats are nothing short of amazing, especially considering this came out in '03. He makes the kind of soulful boom bap beats that people would be used to hearing more recently. This dude might have even laid down the blueprint for that particular sound, no word of a lie! Make sure you pop this in ya trunk and bump it hard. Banging beats ahead of it's time (remember this is '03) and guest spots from some legendary MC's including KRS-One, O.C, Wordsworth, A.G., Big Daddy Kane, Planet Asia & more, you'd be crazy to sleep on this classic gem!
Blue Sky Black Death, the renowned production duo of Kingston & Young God, present their sophomore album exclusively featuring Wu-Tang Clan affiliate/ Sunz of Man member Hell Razah. Revisiting the successful model that bore 2006's highly debut The Holocaust, Hell Razah suitably expands upon Blue Sky Black Death's penchant for pairing tasteful instrumental hip hop with renowned underground emcees. To date, Blue Sky Black Death have collaborated with and/or produced the likes of Guru, Sabac Red, Jus Allah, Wise Intelligent, Rob Sonic, Virtuoso, Chief Kamachi, Holocaust, A-Plus, Pep Love, Mikah 9, and Awol, amongst many others. Hell Razah is experiencing an elevated profile from his recent '07 release Renaissance Child.
01. Elevation 02. Razah's Ladder 03. The Cube 04. Halos feat. Crooked I 05. Most Merciful 06. Audiobiography feat. Shabazz The Disciple 07. Pray Together 08. Poor Righteous Dreams 09. Better Than Jewelry 10. Project Prophecy feat. Ill Bill & Sabac Red 11. Painted Jezebels 12. Written In Blood feat. Prodigal Sunn 13. Stairway To Heaven 14. Sun Of Man
FILI One of my favorite albums from 2007, beats are sublime by BSBD and Razah again drops lyrical gems!
Babygrande Records and Mic Club Music are proud to present Canibus’ fifth album, Rip The Jacker. Conceived as a concept album, Rip the Jacker combines Canibus’ unparalled lyricism with Stoupe The Enemy of Mankind’s eccentric beats.
Seeking to challenge convention without concern for commercialism, Canibus and Stoupe chose an unorthodox production approach. Just prior to enlisting in the US Army, Canibus laid the vocals for the entire album. Stoupe would then spend the entire winter of 2002 creating a sonic landscape that would mesh seamlessly with Canibus’ intricate rhyme style. We are proud to say that the result is an album where Canibus’ music is finally as interesting as his incredible lyrics.
01. Intro 02. Genabis 03. Levitibus 04. M-Sea-Creasy 05. No Return 06. Spartibus 07. Indivisable 08. Showtime At The Gallow 09. Psych Evaluation 10. Cemantics 11. Poet Laureate II
Preview:
FILI As far as i know, this is the only full album Stoupe has produced aside from the JMT albums, even though Stoupe was sent the lyrics prior to laying the backdrop for the album. Still, this is a masterpiece as far as lyrics and beats are concerned and by far Canibus' best album to date!
01. The RGeez 02. Nati Niggaz feat. Ilwil (Ilyas & Donwill) 03. Ready, Set, Go feat. Theory Hazit 04. Perfect Match fear. Bekah & Skee Tha Sergon 05. Turn It Up feat. Von Pea 06. Ah Yeah, Alright 07. Never Seen A Thing feat. The Lessondary (Spec Boogie, Tanya Morgan & Che Grand) 08. Stay Away (Remix) feat. Che Grand
FILI- Latest project from The Red Giants, Jermiside (emcee) and Brickbeats (producer). Their last album was a classic and you might be familiar with some of Brickbeats' work with Tanya Morgan. Click the link to cop a free download from their site, it's well worth it and you heard it here first!!!
DJ Revolution has spent 15 years perfecting his craft on turntables or as he would refer to them his 1200s. Revolution has done just about everything you can think of with records… spun them, scratched them, remixed them, collected them, even juggled them! Since 1997 Revolution has operated the world famous Wake Up Show on Power 106 based out of Los Angeles, CA, alongside with King Tech and Sway (also from MTV). Aside from being an on-air personality, he also tours worldwide as a DJ for acts such as Rakim and Kanye West. Revolution is now readying 'King Of The Decks' on Duck Down Records, which showcases some of the brightest artists in hip hop.
01. Intro feat. Jazzy Jeff 02. King Of The Decks feat. Sean Price & Tash 03. The DJ feat. KRS-One 04. Do Your Thing feat. Guilty Simpson & Royce Da 5′9″ 05. LA D.J. feat. Tony G 06. Funky Piano feat. Bishop Lamont, Crooked I & Styliztik Jones 07. The Big Top feat. Special Teamz 08. Start The Revolution feat. Boot Camp Clik 09. Scratch Nerds 10. Invaders From The Planet Sqratch feat. DJ QBert 11. EY feat. Joell Ortiz & Termanology 12. Casualties Of Tour feat. Rakaa Iriscience 13. Damage feat. Blaq Poet & Bumpy Knuckles 14. Willie Lynch feat. Styliztik Jones & KBimean 15. The Biggest Up feat. DJ Premier 16. Blow Da Spot feat. Strong Arm Steady 17. School feat. Planet Asia 18. Spit Ridiculous feat. Defari 19. Pro's & Con's feat. Evidence 20. Calling HAUL 21. Man Or Machine feat. KBimean 22. The Set Up feat. Sway & King Tech 23. The Re-Match feat. DJ Spinbad 24. Raided R feat. DJ Raid
FILI- This is Real Hip Hop right here, repped to the fullest by the legendary DJ Rev, backed by the legendary Duck Down Records and featuring legendary MC's like KRS-One, BCC and more, including established artists and rising stars of the future, this is as real as it gets, don't sleep!
01. Intro (Prod. by Doug Infinite) 02. Rep That (Prod. by X-treme) 03. Evolution (Prod. by Soul Supreme) 04. Wortown (Prod. by Soul Supreme) 05. Sunshine feat. Raw Dukes & K-Slaughta (Prod. by Soul Supreme) 06. So Alone feat. Co-D (Prod. by Doug Infinite) 07. Destined For Greatness 08. Food For Thought (Interlude) (Prod. by Soul Supreme) 09. My Life (Skit) 10. My Life 11. Makin' It Harder (Prod. by Ski) 12. It Hurts (Prod. by Ski) 13. P.Y.T. (Prod. by First Class) 14. Lord (Vintage Version) feat. Lucky Dice (Prod. by Dcon) 15. B.M.G. (Prod. by DJ Shame) 16. Men Of Valour feat. Wolves & Krumbsnatcha (Prod. by Tarus) 17. Music Appreciation feat. Mass Appeal (Prod. by Diamond T) 18. U B Hatin' (Prod. by Scram Jones) 19. Too Complex (Prod. by Vinyl Reanimators) 20. It's Your Life (Prod. by Vinyl Reanimators)
Preview:
FILI- This album right here is a certified banger, slept on like a muthafucka! I think from 2003 onwards, underground hip hop has come on leaps and bounds and continues to crush the mainstream/commercial opposition to this very day! Trust me, you'll be bumpin' this album for days. The beats really stand out on this album, so much so that I had to put producer credits on the track listing, you'll definitely be wondering who produced the various beats on this album. L covers a lot of topics, mainly the trial and tribulations of day to day life, which most of us can relate to. At 20 tracks deep, there's bound to be a couple of mis-steps, i think there's also a couple of older singles thrown i there as the sound quality on a couple of tracks really dip but for 80% of the album, you get nothing but that raw shit, enjoy!
The Undisputed Truth is the third full-length album by hip hop artist Brother Ali, his second major release. It was released on April 10, 2007 on Rhymesayers Entertainment. The album is produced entirely by ANT of Atmosphere. The first single, "Truth Is", was released on January 9, 2007 and is available for download at Rhymesayers Entertainment's official site. The second single is "Uncle Sam Goddamn". Additionally, the song "Whatcha Got" is featured in the EA Sports game Madden 08.
In the period of promotion before the release of the album, several videos were released of various hip hop icons talking about Brother Ali and this upcoming album. In one video, Slug from Atmosphere is shown getting a tattoo while praising Ali and the new album; at the end of the video, the camera reveals that he has just had the title of the album tattooed in large letters across the side of his neck.
The album debuted at number 69 on the U.S. Billboard 200, selling about 11,000 copies in its first week.
01. Whatcha' Got 02. Lookin' At Me Sideways 03. Truth Is 04. The Puzzle 05. Pedigree 06. Daylight 07. Freedom Ain't Free 08. Letter From The Government 09. Here 10. Listen Up 11. Take Me Home 12. Uncle Sam Goddamn 13. Walking Away 14. Faheem 15. Ear To Ear
X-Rae- In comparison to Brother Ali's previous releases, The Undisputed Truth sees him on a very much more personal journey. He parted with the mother of his son, went through a bitter custody battle and had to essentially rebuild his life from the ground up - series of events which caused him to be be homeless with his son twice. He appears to use this album as a cathartic process through which he releases all the emotions associated with the events he has experienced. He tackles issues such as the debate over his race, breaking up with his wife, raising his son, his religion, being asked to fight for his country and much, much more.
As a huge Brother Ali fan, I loved hearing the very subtle references to past joints; On Looking At You Sideways he says 'I ain't learned jack shit from Dorian (Shadows On The Sun) at all; Let me hear you abusing the culture I adore; I'll come across the hall and get involved like this here'; On Daylight he refers to the 'Whatever comes up, comes out' lyrics featured on Rain Water (Champion EP); And on Letter From The Government he makes references to the 'I grind til the sparks fly off the concrete' line referred to on Fire In The Eye (Off The Record). It's almost like he anticipated that people would view Undisputed as a complete contrast and somehow still managed to tie it in with his past works. Whether it's intentional, who knows, but it's effective.
Ali comes across on this album as a strong man, defying all the odds that are thrown against him and through perseverance and strength of character delivers a big 'Fuck You!' to all challenges. I have yet to come across an emcee who puts so much heart into his music that you can hear it in his voice. You can tell when he's mad, when he's hurt, when he's contemplative, when he's hyped - not only through his lyrics but by the way he delivers them. On Here, Ali talks about having the courage to change your life if you are unhappy with it:
"I don't like my life I gut it, rebuild it Keep nothing but God and my children I kill the devil wherever he resides Even if he hide under me he got to die I killed little Jason he was only fifteen Sewd his good traits together, made Ali Filled his lungs with the Qu'ran until he breathe Let him walk but kept him on a short leash Here he stand now seventeen year old man child Ain't ask nobody for a mother fucking hand out He trying to carry heaven on his back Jumped the broom with a stranger, he ain't never look back What he know about how the world spin? Bless his heart he a virgin never even had a girlfriend Want to be a man so bad that he can taste it His family fell apart and he's tryin' to replace it You'll find in him a heart that is second to none But I know old soul that his lessons ain't done so I stand willing to kill him again If to grow he got to shed his skin then let it be done"
Puzzle is one of my favourite joints on the album. Here he talks about how the struggles in life go towards making us stronger people. It's one of the most empowering tracks I've ever heard, and it's not some corny, self-help type shit, it's just fucking real. He throws in our faces the fact that we are all dealt shit blows in life, but:
"see to it that your head is up; Just never let your chest and your chin touch in public... Every stone that's ever been cast or blow that's ever landed; Helped to build the man that's standing before your bitchass; I'm back to reak havoc; I never retired, retreated or recanted, I; Don't expect you to have stood where I'm standing, Why; Respect is the only thing I'm demanding, Try; You can't honestly shake til you know where my hands been, brother."
Walking Away has seemingly simple production but it's such a clever choice of beat when you consider the context of the subject matter. Here, Ali addresses his son's mother and the reasons that they seperated over a quiet blues type beat. A whistle sample runs through the track and as he's rhyming you can just picture him 'walking away' from her, whistling that melody. So although it's not your typical bitter diss track about the ex.. the beat alone, and the way Ali phrases his thoughts, he asserts himself as the 'winner' in that situation. Straight after, Ali goes into a track addressing his son, Faheem over what might be Ant's most powerful beat on the album. It is just incredible. Appropriately, Ali refrains from complex rhyme schemes and bravado and just recites a letter from the heart, from father to son. The album ends on a perfect note: Ear to Ear. This is the happy ending, where he says he might not have much, but he has whats important: 'my life, my God, my songs... I'm feeling fly as hell right about now; I done pushed a whole lotta hell outta my house'. He has his son, his music, his religion and has rid himself of all his demons.
Okay, I could actually write a novel on this so I'll kinda cut it short. Needless to say, I think this album is unbelievable. Just take the time to listen to it from start to finish, in order and keep in mind that it was 3 years between this and his last release, and in that time, he experienced a lot of shit, all of which all goes into this project. He's not solely concerned with making his rhymes the most clever out there or spitting a whole lot of attention grabbing lyrics - Nah, he's just not as pretentious as many emcees out there are. What he does do is put himself, Brother Ali, the man himself, on wax..and it just so happens that he is excels as a lyricist. As he says on Truth Is; "Not nearly a single solitary soul; Still put the kind of passion to the mic that I hold; One day it'll have to be pryed from my cold dead hand; Until then the big man is gold." Alot of people might not be feeling the introspective approach but it's just Ali doing him and expressing himself through his music and that's the best thing about it.
Music is an art, the emcee is the artist - and Ali lays it down on Undisputed like a world class painter does on canvas. With all the mushy stuff, lets not take away from his incredibly intelligent lyrics, concepts and wordplay and Ant's dope ass production throughout. This is one of my favourite releases of 2007. The man is a genius.
Just weeks after their EP on vinyl, DJ Sinn of San Diego's very own House of Rep and Markmywords (Natural Selection) pair up for classic-sounding boombap, effectively highlighting each other as the perfect emcee/DJ duo equipped with conscious lyrics, battle rhymes and equally impressive battle-like scratching from Sinn! Featuring guest appearances by Qwel and Pip Skid as well as production from Julian Ramirez, Daneja, Y-Test and more!
01. Flood Gates 02. Ready For War 03. All Time Greats feat. Qwel 04. Gun Powder (Game Recognize Game) 05. Air Tight 06. Bench To The Bus Stop 07. Homeland Security 08. Fate Fight Destiny 09. High Def Audio 10. Shark Infested Waters feat. The Blindsiders 11. When Its Good 12. River Blood 13. We Aint Tryna Lose feat. Pip Skid 14. Big Ups Outro
FILI- This is one supa dope album that you'd be crazy to sleep on. If you like it, please show ya support and buy the album...
01. Dedication Intro (Prod. by Rashid Hadee) 02. You Can't Hide feat. Augustine (Prod. by Rashid Hadee) 03. The Rememberance (Prod. by Rashid Hadee) 04. Let Go (Prod. by Rashid Hadee) 05. Surrender feat. Manov War (Prod. by Rashid Hadee) 06. Pushers feat. Sincere, Augustine, Skinny Kenny & Young Valentine (Prod. by Rashid Hadee) 07. Six to Seven (Prod. by Rashid Hadee) 08. Get You Outta My Head feat. Young Valentine (Prod. by Young Valentine) 09. All I Need You To Do feat. Augustine & Khallee (Prod. by Rashid Hadee) 10. Addiction (Prod. by Rashid Hadee) 11. Missing Pieces (Prod. by Rashid Hadee) 12. The Xpressway (Prod. Melatone) 13. Plannin' For Tomorrow (Prod. by Rashid Hadee) 14. Mercury Retrograde (Prod. by Rashid Hadee) (Bonus)
Preview:
X-Rae- He has been compared to 9th Wonder in terms of production, but while on that soulful tip, Hadee definitely has his own distinct sound particularly the way he chops his samples. If tight production ain't enough, he flows incredibly well over his beats with honest rhymes that we can all relate to. This is a dope album, featuring fellow Chapter 13 members, which showcases Hadee's talents and puts him up there as Man of the Moment. Look out for this dude, he's everywhere!
Since its initial commercial release in 2004, and following its unprecedented critical success, unsurpassable achievements on urban radio, and phenomenal reception by fans, press, DJs and taste-makers alike, Wordsworth's Mirror Music is back and better than ever! Due to popular demand, Halftooth Records is reissuing the classic debut album from Wordsworth with a fresh and exciting twist. Halftooth Records presents Mirror Music: The Deluxe Edition, the definitive version of the certified-classic Hip-Hop album from Brooklyn-bred microphone fiend Wordsworth. Now packaged as a limited edition 2-disc set, Mirror Music: The Deluxe Edition includes the entire 20-track original Mirror Music album from Wordsworth, PLUS a special bonus CD entitled Oddisee Presents The Mirror Music Remixes, featuring exclusive Mirror Music remixes by producer extraordinaire Oddisee. Wordsworth's Halftooth Records label-mate Oddisee re-crafted certain songs with his own unique and mesmerizing style, emerging from the lab with his own distinctive version of Mirror Music with an entirely new vibe and a refreshing musical and emotional landscape far different from the original. Oddisee carefully constructed entirely new beats to enhance and compliment Wordsworth's lyrics, even adding his own lyrics to certain songs, ultimately creating genuine new musical compositions. Wordsworth's unparalleled rhyming abilities and word-play matched with Oddisee's sensational production style is a triumphant combination that will be listened to and appreciated for many years to come. With a combined total of 30 tracks, Mirror Music: The Deluxe Edition is a truly special collection of music that is sure to please both those fans who already have the original album version and those who do not.
Disc 1: Mirror Music
01. Right Now (Prod. by Ayatollah) 02. What We Gon' Do (Prod. by DJ Static) 03. 12 Months (Prod. by Da Beatminerz) 04. Trust (Prod. by Dox 1) 05. Be A Man (Prod. by DJ A.Vee & DJ 3D) 06. Not Fair feat. Punchline (Prod. by Curt Gowdy) 07. One Day (Prod. by Frequency) 08. Gotta Pay (Prod. by Oddisee) 09. Shoulder (Prod. by Frequency) 10. Head High feat. Kenn Starr & Oddisee (Prod. by Oddisee) 11. Guardian Angel (Prod. by Curt Gowdy) 12. Point Blank (Prod. by Sebb) 13. Fast Lane (Prod. by Belief) 14. Don't Go (Prod. by Frequency) 15. Evol feat. Justin Time & Masta Ace (Prod. by Ayatollah) 16. Run (Prod. by Dave Dar) 17. Unity feat. Meleni Smith (Prod. by R. Thentic) 18. Gonna Be (Prod. by Oddisee) 19. On Your Feet (Prod. by Da Beatminerz) 20. That Way (Prod. by Curt Gowdy)
Disc 2: Oddisee Presents the Mirror Music Remixes
01. Right Now (Oddisee Remix) feat. Oddisee 02. Trust (Oddisee Remix) feat. Oddisee 03. Not Fair (Oddisee Remix) feat. Punchline 04. Point Blank (Oddisee Remix) 05. What We Gon' Do (Oddisee Remix) 06. Run (Oddisee Remix) 07. Don't Go (Oddisee Remix) feat. Oddisee 08. Gotta Pay (Oddisee Remix) 09. Evol (Oddisee Remix) feat. Justin Time & Masta Ace 10. Gonna Be (Oddisee Remix)
Preview:
FILI- I'll keep this short, this is a damn classic from a lyrical genius. If you don't have this album, then make sure you add it to ya collection and rejoice in having one of the best hip hop albums to grace the stage. Throw in a bonus disc with 10 exclusive remixes from Oddisee and it gives you even more reason to cop it!!!
Binary Star was an alternative hip hop group formed in 1998 that comprised of One.Be.Lo and Senim Silla. While in prison, Lo met Senim Silla, and the two formed Binary Star during their time in Hiawatha Correctional Facility. One.Be.Lo took the time to gather extensive amounts of knowledge pertaining to the music industry, such as copyrights, publishing, and how to successfully start a record company. In his own words, he "learned how to hustle legally".
Their debut effort, Waterworld was produced on a $500 budget and released in 1999, under the label Terrorist Records. An extensive tour of Michigan followed, as both members of the duo were on parole and were not permitted to leave the state. Binary Star then switched to Subterraneous Records and released Masters of the Universe, named for a track on the album. This album was essentially just a remixed version of Waterworld, but garnered far more attention, as the album sold 20,000 copies. However, the pair were not getting along particularly well, and, citing creative differences, Binary Star was discontinued. They reunited briefly in 2002, doing a concert together at Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont, but they did not record any new material. Although there has inevitably been speculation about a reformation of Binary Star, One.Be.Lo has stated that this is unlikely. "I seriously doubt it", he said, proceeding to claim, "Artists are real, real picky and real, real closed minded. They can be real, real strongly opinionated. If there ain’t no real chemistry, it ain’t going to work."
Binary Star's legacy, while minor, is still apparent, as Masters of the Universe and its earlier counterpart Waterworld are still highly regarded by many fans of underground hip hop.
01. Reality Check 02. Conquistadors 03. Solar Powered (Intro) 04. Solar Powered 05. Slang Blade (Intro) 06. Slang Blade 07. Binary Shuffle (Intro) 08. Binary Shuffle 09. Fellowship feat. Athletic Mic League & Decompoze 10. New Hip Hop 11. Masters of the Universe 12. Indy 500 feat. Decompoze 13. Evolution of Man feat. Brenda J 14. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (Part 1) 15. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (Part 2) 16. Honest Expression 17. Honest Expression (Outro) 18. Glen Close 19. Wolfman Jack (Intro) 20. Wolfman Jack 21. OneManArmy 22. The KGB (Intro) 23. The KGB feat. Malaki, Texture, Elzhi, O-Type, Lacks & J.U.I.C.E. 24. Album Outro
Preview:
FILI- Without doubt one of the illest hip hop albums, ever!!! This is one of my early experiences of really gettin into underground hip hop properly. As soon as I heard the first track, I was hooked. This album is really an underrated and overlooked gem. They way OneManArmy (One.Be.Lo) & Senim Silla flow back and forth between each other is sometimes mesmerizing. Seriously, if you ain't got this or even haven't heard it yet (where you been??!!) then now's your chance to get your hands on a hip hop masterpiece!
The group 3rd Brillyance was formed in Germany in 2006 by members Alex Chadwick and Madd Astronoma. The producer/MC duo met through a mutual friend. After low expectations of each others’ music they were blown away on the first listen and instantly knew they needed to work together. This chemistry is part of what makes their music so significant.
In February 2007 Rawkus announced the “Rawkus 50” competition where 50 independent rap artists would be chosen to release an album on Rawkus and given the opportunity to take their career from rapping on the corner to being supported by one of Hip Hops most trusted brands. 3rd Brillyance was one of the selected as their debut album “Grass Roots” was released around September 2007 on Rawkus Records. On their future releases the duo will keep representing honest Hip Hop. Not striving for a commercialized sound, they will continue to give true music from their hearts, wanting for people to respect them and recognize that they really do it for the love of the music.
01. Music is Real 02. Don't Be Ashamed 03. Feel This 04. For Sale feat. Bryna Sigurdardottir 05. Not A Product 06. Then Ya Gone 07. Gave U My Love 08. It's Hip Hop feat. DJ K-Krunk Da Drunk Azzazzin 09. Just 4 You 10. One Time 11. Not Suppose to Be Here 12. The N Word 13. Speak on it 14. Credit Due
FILI- One of my personal favorites from the Rawkus 50 collection... soulful, jazzy and a real throwback to the boom bap era. Definitely worth a look.
The Lone Catalysts have been long heralded by critics as one of the finest groups to emerge from the underground hip hop scene. "Good Music", which features guest appearances from Masta Ace, El Da Sensai, Grap Luva, Jonell, Mix Master Ice (UTFO) and many other artists will undoubtedly become one of the most important and talked about independent releases of the year. "Good Music" is a fusion of rap, soul, funk, jazz, latin and blues music. "Good Music" is the perfect follow up to Lone Catalysts’ classic debut "Hip Hop".
"This album is for everyone that is not just looking for a hot single", explains J. Sands. "Today it seems that the record industry does not care about how a whole album is developed. I am very proud of what we created."
01. Intro 02. Brothers Keeper 03. Ones We Miss 04. En La Ciudad 05. Once Before feat. Jonell 06. 100 Bar Dash feat. Mr. Complex, El Da Sensei, Wordsworth, Lil Sci, Thes One & PA Flex 07. La La La La feat. Dante of Mood & Piakhan 08. Afta Da Jawn feat. Lavan Davis 09. Survival feat. Chauncey 10. The Hustle feat. Venus Malone 11. Taboo feat. Masta Ace 12. L.I.F.E. feat. Grap Luva & Asheru 13. The Right feat. Rashad 14. By My Damn Self Pt. II feat. Angie Allie 15. The Ultimate Good Music (The Bullsh*t) 16. Bad Music feat. Mix Master Ice 17. Destiny (Bonus Track)
King Syze is a core member of the Jedi Mind Tricks’ affiliated supergroup Army of the Pharaohs. Many have likened his witty, aggressive flow and his imposing presence on the mic to that of a young Big Pun.
Featuring a wealth of indie hip-hop’s most prominent players including fellow Pharaohs Vinnie Paz (Jedi Mind Tricks), Ill Bill (Non-Phixion & La Coka Nostra), Apathy, Outerspace & more, King Syze is poised to take the aggro indie hip-hop market by storm with his highly anticipated sophomore offering, The Labor Union.
01. The Labor Union 02. The Best 03. Play Ya Part (P.Y.P) feat. Doap Nixon & Ill Bill 04. Creep Show feat. Lawrence Amell & King Magnetic 05. Love vs. Hate 06. Cement Work (Prod. by Snowgoons) 07. Haters Beware feat. Planetary 08. Mayhem feat. Planetary, Demoz, Des Devious, Chief Kamachi, Celph Titled, Doap Nixon & Esoteric 09. That's How You Rap 10. And Now feat. Vinnie Paz & Apathy 11. Pain 12. Sibling Rivalry Pt. 2 feat. Outerspace 13. Reality Check
FILI- This album is a massive step up for King Syze from his last album in '06, "Syzemology". Lyrically and production wise Syze brings the truth on this release. I gave it a couple listens and was surprised at how much it grew on me. Most, if not all the tracks come correct, especially the ones that feature fellow A.O.T.P. members. My personal fave has to be the track called "And Now" which has Vinnie Paz, King Syze & Apathy spittin deep verses about how the download industry is killing their artistry, seriously, if this tune don't make you reach into your pockets and support real hip hop like this then you just a leach... show luv people, this album is dope!!
01. Humble Beginnings 02. Sound Of Philadelphia 03. Commander In Chief 04. How You Lose Your Mind 05. Crown Of Thorns 06. Give It Up 07. Fair Ones feat. Sean Price 08. I'm Rich feat. Charon Don 09. Main Event 10. Coltrane feat. State Store 11. Already Dead feat. Chief Kamachi 12. Look At The Sun 13. Two Guns Up 14. Crumbs feat. King Magnetic 15. Eyes Of My Father 16. Live As It Gets 17. Nat Turner (Bonus) 18. You Don't Own Me (Bonus)
FILI- This version of A.O.T.P. affiliate Reef's classic album comes with 2 bonus tracks. If you slept on this album, shame on you! Reef is def one of my top 5 MC's in the game right now... probably 2nd favorite after Brother Ali. Make sure you cop the latest album "A Vicious Cycle", one of the best albums from '08!!!
"The Red Giants are the newest dynamic duo in Underground hip-hop, consisting of producer Brickbeats (Cincinnati) and emcee/producer Jermiside (Atlanta by way of Cincinnati). The two hip-hop aficionado's first crossed paths in late 2003 as Jermiside was making his rounds promoting his self released debut "The Biology Of Kingship" as Brickbeats was providing his golden era influenced backdrops for numerous rap acts in the Tri-State Area. A year later, after recording a hand full of well received songs, they decided to combine forces for a full-length release called The Red Giants. Recently Brickbeats' production talent has appeared on Neblina Records' Definition:Hip-Hop Compilation and has also served as the soundscape for half of Tanya Morgan's release "Moonlighting" meanwhile Jermiside has been making appearances on countless mixtapes and collaborating with various artists such as Ill Poetic, Von Pea, Ilwil, Shameless, Blayze McKee, Mikee & Whizzla, Beat Tribe Productions, Skee Tha Sergon and others.
01. The Red Giants (Intro) 02. Soundgazing 03. Magnificent 04. Do Ya Thang 05. FP 06. Illustrious Brothers feat. Von Pea 07. They Say 08. DDF 09. Good Morning America 10. Satisfied 11. Pair-A-Dice Island 12. Oneder Years 13. Jealousy 14. Beautiful Day 15. Coweards Course 16. The Red Giants (Outro)
FILI- This album is a straight up classic!! Beats, rhymes, everything... you owe it to yourself to check this album out. If you dig it, make sure you buy it!!! I bought mine already, the best bargain you'll ever get for a dope ass cd like this one!!!
Wildelux has been working on this album for 3 years now, and even though that seems like a long time, the quality of "Hustlemania" suggests that he's been working on it for much longer. I mean, the album is just THAT incredible. I think it's great that some artists out there are still keeping it real, and caring about the music that they put on the shelf. Wildelux is definitely worthy of extreme publicity and praise, but for that to happen, people need to open their eyes and realize what hip hop really is. If you are looking for real hip hop, then look no further. "Hustlemania" is the album you need. It is consistently amazing all the way through, boasting classics such as "Public Secret," "This 1 4 U," "Hungastrike," "Won't Die," "High Voltage," "Hustlemania," and pretty much every single other track on the album for that matter. Don't sleep on this album! Support real hip hop, and I promise you will not be disappointed. It is a real treat to listen to, and a definite gem in the rap game.
1. The Commencement (prod.by Dj Lord Ron) 2. Public Secret (prod.by Clav Split) 3. Limited Edition (prod.by Mega Lawge) 4. This 1 4 U feat. Derek Strong (prod.by Sentense) 5. Hungastrike (prod.by Djimon) 6. Aim High (prod.by Dj Lord Ron) 7. The Feel Good (prod.by Sentense) 8. Won't Die (prod.by Suff Daddy) 9. Optimal Performance feat. Rico Won & Derek Strong (prod.by Sentese) 10. Journey J.B. (prod.by Djimon) 11. Here I Go Again (prod.by Mac) 12. High Voltage (prod.by Freshmaker) 13. 2nd Hand Smoked (prod.by Sentense) 14. Hustlas N Hardcore (prod.by Djimon) 15. Broken Dreams (prod.by Sentense) 16. Today's Special feat. Freespeech (prod.by Sentense) 17. Geto Vets feat. Mr.Bakka (prod.by Mac) 18. Hustlemania (prod.by Sentense) 19. Unkut Akshun (prod.by Djimon) 20. Hustlemania Remix feat. Locksmith (prod.by Mega Lawge) 21. Forgotten Soulz feat. Locksmith (prod.by Sentense)
