Pharoahe Monch's "Body Baby" has to be the best hip hop and maybe just single so far this year. First check out the throwback (like 50's throwback) video here. Check out Optimo Espacio mix over at Fader Blog here. The single's remixes go in all different directions from rave to drum and bass. Check out another remix on the drum and bass kick...
New Common off the Kanye's Good Music Mixtape Can't Tell Me Nothing. The mixtape features Common, CRS (made up of Lupe, Kanye and Pharrell), GLC, Kid Sister, Talib Kweli and more.
This Common track is produced by the ever talented DJ Premier Kanye with cuts by DJ Premier. Check it out.
Mp3: Common - "The Game"
Link it: Nah Right has more on the mixtape here.
Update: Here is the music video for the track which will appear on Common's new record Finding Forever due out July 27th. The track takes samples from "Tezeta" by Seyfou Yohannes, "Half Good, Half Sinner" by O.C. and a vocal sample from "The Corner" by Common.
Rapture's indie disco hit gets the bmore treatment by Bmore DJ Legend Scottie B. Check out the track.
One of the better records I have purchased this year. Just got this one from my dudes over at Turntable Lab. Inna Dubplate Style pits Philly's Solomonic Sound versus NY's Federation in an all exclusive, all dubplate, all specials mix. They take things pretty much head to head, trading off dubplates from all the biggest artists, with special versions of some absolutely monster tunes.
Disc is not only an education but is a fantastic listen. One of my favorites of this year (even though it dropped in 2006). Check out a couple tracks.
Mp3: Doctor's Darling Riddim [Stay Away]
Mp3: Doctor's Darling Riddim [Water Pumpee]
Buy: Get this at TTL here. Organized by riddim it tops out at an insane 70 tracks.
Here somebody (not sure who) takes a Lupe Fiasco verse (again not sure if its new or off something old) and drops it on top of Thom Yorke's "Eraser." The results are a pretty good track if I do say so myself. Check it out when you get the chance.
New record from AG favorite U-Tern. The DJ with the crazy electro/funk/hip hop etc. ear is dropping his first of what I am sure many great records on Beatstreet's own in house label.
New video snippet from Mr. Ego himself. Beat is dope...not sure about the vocals, the delivery is only so so, to me it lacks passion. The message as always shows that Kanye knows how to soul search, yet sooner or later hes going to have to branch out. Lamborghini rallying in the desert? Just plain corny.
Edit: Video is directed by Hype Williams. Track is going to be the first single off Kanye's record.
New record from Junior Boys label mate Ulrich Schnauss. Schnauss is a German musician, producer and remixer. His music is probably best described as a type of minimalist electonic where Schnauss builds on some very lovely sounding ambient soundscapes. Before I begin sounding too Pitchforky here check out a track off the upcoming record.
Mp3: Ulrich Schnauss - "Never Be the Same"
Buy: The new record is Goodbye and is due out July 17th. Pre-order it here.
Nice remix of "Fancy Footwork" off their latest upcoming record of the same name. This remix is done by robot rockers Guns N Bombs. Pretty great stuff but then again I am enjoying pretty much everything Chromeo right now.
Mp3: Chromeo - "Fancy Footwork" (Guns N Bombs Remix)
Buy: Get Chromeo stuff here.
As we all know DJ Premier is 1/2 of possibly the greatest hip hop duo ever assembled. He has a new production track out featuring Big Shug. Track is from Shug's forthcoming Streetchamp LP which will be released on July 17th 2007 on Babygrande Records. Check out the track:
Mp3: Big Shug - "It Don't Stop"
AG talked about Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings awhile back. I still can't get enough of their funk soul sound. So refreshing in this day of canned studio garbage and whiny indie singers. Check out this rare funky instrumental.
Mp3: The Dap Kings - "I'm Not Gonna Try" (Instrumental)
Visit: Check out the Dap Kings at their myspace area.
No its not some type of karate finishing move or has anything to do with Pai Mei's White Lotus Clan. This is the latest from Warp records' whiz kid, a dude that is hailed by Madlib, loved by Modeselektor, friend of the late J-Dilla and a nephew of Alice Coltrane?! Not bad credincials to say the least.
Here is a brief sample of Flying Lotus' latest remixes:
Final product of the Blogger's Best 25 Hip Hop Albums. Check it out here. Well done by Straight Bangin' and his partner in crime Passion of the Weiss.
Download: Blogger's 25 Best Hip Hop Albums Spreadsheet.
Thanks to my dude Andres in Spain for giving me the heads up about Mala Rodriguez. Rodriguez is a Spanish hip hop singer hailing from Madrid. Mala's third album is due out on Machete Music and is entitled Malamarismo. Check out a track.
Mp3: Mala Rodriguez - "Nanai"
Check out the video here. Nothing really says hip hop like watering plants in rain boots.
Buy: Get the latest record here.
Their last couple hip hop releases have been great. They have a new electronic/pop focused album out called Warm and Scratchy. Its pretty hard to be picky when people are giving away free stuff let alone a disc that features The Rapture, TV on the Radio, Broken Social Scene, SOUND Team and more. Check out a track:
Mp3: The Rapture - "Crimson Red"
Download: Get the entire album for free here.
Great article by the NY Times this morning about the possibility that gentrification will destroy the housing complex at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue where Clive Campbell aka DJ Kool Herc presided over his turntables and is widely credited as the founder of hip hop if not the creator of the break-beat DJing.
Read more: Will Gentrification Spoil the Birthplace of Hip-Hop? by NY Times.
Diggin' this. Alot. "Off the Grind" is a new track off the new Beastie Boys album The Mix-Up dropping June 26th. I just eat up this down tempo funk. Technically they are calling it a "post-punk instrumental" album. Whatever the classification this video has my interest peaked.
Culmination of all the Madlib Remixes from 1997 to 2007...thats 10 years for those that didn't make it through third grade. Remixed by the talented J.Rocc. Stones Throw's podcasts never dissappoint.
Pitchfork notes that Aesop Rock has a new album due out August 28th on Def Jux. None Shall Pass will be Aesop's 5th full length release and features the usual suspects of El-P, Cage and production by Blockhead. Aesop also collaborates with John Darnielle of the Mountain Goats on a track. Check out a new track off the album:
Mp3: Aesop Rock - "None Shall Pass"
Read: Check out the entire article here.
A nice welcome home present. Nothing better to break the new digs in with than some Northwest Hip Hop. My dudes the Blue Scholars (Geologic & Sabzi) have a record dropping, Bayani which comes out June 21st. Don't miss this and if you haven't be sure to pick up their 2004 self titled release. Its an amazing hip hop record.
Analog Giant should be back up and running tonight. Have a bunch of new stuff, some new remixes and getting a fast internet connection hooked up this afternoon. Thanks for all the kind words and this thing will be up and running again soonish.
So the day is finally here. Shutting down my internet and will be moving off to Chicago. Don't forget about me. I should be back this weekend or early next week with some posts. Goodbye Vermont...Hello Chicago.
New Common track thanks to Spine Magazine. Its from Common's upcoming album Finding Forever which drops July 10th. The track features Dwele and was produced by Kanye West.
Mp3: Common feat. Dwele - "The People"
Here is a bit about the track from The Fader Magazine:
Set to be Finding Forever's first single, "The People" begins with a chopped interplay between the sampled "Louder!" and "Yeah!" from Mountain's ultimate breakbeat jam "Long Red." Not long ago "Long Red" was sampled by J Dilla for De La Soul's "Verbal Clap" on The Grind Date. West said that during a meeting with Steven Spielberg, the director told him that he made the film AI in the way he imagined Stanley Kubrick would have told the story. West revealed that this inspired him to produce all his tracks on Finding Forever in the same way the recently departed Dilla would have, in tribute to him.Get the whole rundown of the album track by track from Fader HERE.
A Plus is 1/4 of the fearsome foursome that is Souls of Mischief. A Plus has been a long time emcee and producer but has never gotten the chance to try his stuff on the solo level. He gets his chance on My Last Good Deed. Much of the production is by A Plus and AAGEE who make up the Compound7 production team.
While it won't be hip hop album of the year A Plus shows that he is just as adept at making beats and rhyming in a group as he is going alone. Its a solid record especially for all those that love Hiero and the bay area scene like I do.
Check out a stand out from the record (mind you this is both the advanced and clean version):
Mp3: A Plus feat. Major Terror - "The One"
Buy: Pick up My Last Good Deed here, also comes with a free intramental disc.
photo kanamedia.
Champion Sound is the best album put out by Stones Throw in my opinion. Not an easy thing to do given the depth and quality of the label. Its almost a forgone conclusion though when a group consists of J-Dilla (RIP) and Madlib. It was pretty much a classic before the first beat or rhyme where even laid down.
Stones Throw is set to re-issue the Jaylib record along with a 2nd disc full of instrumentals and some remixes on June 12th. Hopefully we will have some of the exclusive remixes to share with you in the coming weeks, but for now here is a track not featured on either of the records. Its a white label 12" EP release from summer 2004. Check it out:
Mp3: Jaylib - "The Message"
Buy: Get the original here and pre-order the new deluxe version here.
photo by lonelyinjapan.
Well you know I'm a big fan of M.I.A. (hence her inclusion on my greatest hip hop albums list) and here is a new track thanks to Fader Magazine. Check it out:
Dave 1 and Pee Thug (Chromeo) are back with their latest release Fancy Footwork. AG leaked a bit of it early when we got the single back a couple weeks ago, but the full release is certainly a must for the upcoming summer season. This track shows just what I'm talking about:
As you know I was/am a huge fan of the Catchdubs/Ronson team up Radio Radio Radio mixtape. On top of this I was also exposed to Ronson's prowess for covering tracks on Exit Music the Radiohead covers record.
I've been listening to everything Chicago related in anticipation for my move next week (!). Here is a ruckus dance track by CZR (aka Cesar Hernandez) who I am not about to pretend I knew anything about till I got the heads up from my Hollerboard brethren.
