Archive for April, 2011

Video: Vado – Toca Tuesdays Freestyle

Tuesday, April 26th, 2011

Vado, with Cam in tow, spits a freestyle for Tony Touch.

Props: Al Lindstrom

Previously: Cam & Vado Interview w/ Angie Martinez (Audio)

Self Scientific – Trials Of The Blackhearted EP

Tuesday, April 26th, 2011

DJ Khalil and Chace Infinite’s new EP, including features from Talib Kweli, The Game, Krondon, Freddie Gibbs & Big K.R.I.T.

Trials Of The Blackhearted captures the societal angst and confusion of the current times, against a backdrop of menacing, and melodic soundscapes.

In Ancient Kemet they believed the heart was the organ that controlled thought, logic and knowledge. The weighing of the heart, against a feather, was used to determine if people were righteous or wicked during their time on earth. If their heart was heavier than the feather, the Heart was devoured. With the world rapidly changing, and evolving beyond recognition, people are becoming even more desensitized to the conditions we exist in. The most heinous acts are applauded as “interesting” and “entertaining” while genuine acts of love, and justice are shunned. We can sensationalize but we are scared of true emotion, we have more information now than ever before but no one wants to read. The truth is scary, it is easier to escape through our favorite vice, than to deal with the harsh reality of the present. Our hearts are heavy, our hearts are dark, these are the Trials Of The Blackhearted

Track list and download link after the jump.

Previously: Self Scientific – God’s Language (Trailer)

Continue reading this post…

Curren$y – #Jetsgo

Tuesday, April 26th, 2011

As he had mentioned in this interview, Curren$y let loose a new single on iTunes that didn’t figure on last week’s 4/20 Covert Coup release.

Stream below and download it on iTunes if you like it/wanna support.

Previously: Curren$y x Alchemist – Covert Coup EP

Video: Nyche ft. Jadakiss – Red Light Green Light

Monday, April 25th, 2011

Previously: Nyche ft. Jadakiss – Red Light, Green Light

Video: N.O.R.E. – N.O.R.E. Shot Somebody (Prod. by Scram Jones)

Monday, April 25th, 2011

Magnificent belligerent. Produced by Scram Jones.

Previously: N.O.R.E. – N.O.R.Easter (Mixtape)

Video: Behind the Curtain w/ !llmind (Pt. 2)

Monday, April 25th, 2011

Episode 2 of !llmind’s Behind the Curtain series leading up to his new instrumental project of the same name. In this clip the producer speaks on the concept, artwork and creative process behind the project.

Previously: Behind the Curtain w/ !llmind (Pt. 1)

Video: Tony Yayo ft. Mobb Deep – Body Bag

Monday, April 25th, 2011

Murder music off Yayo’s El Chapo mixtape.

Previously: Mobb Deep x Creative Control (Video)

Video: dead prez – The Beauty Within

Monday, April 25th, 2011

This first popped up nearly a year ago, shortly before Mother’s Day, as an early leak off dead prez’s Revolutionary But Gangsta Grillz with DJ Drama.

Previously: dead prez ft. Divine – Malcolm, Garvey, Huey

Havoc Talks About The “Shook Ones Pt. II” Sample

Monday, April 25th, 2011

Complex just put up their epic Q&A on the making of Mobb Deep’s  seminal 1995 LP, The Infamous. There are a ton of rap nerd tidbits in here to pick through (what do you mean there might be an unheard alternate Nas verse recorded for “Eye For An Eye”?), but Havoc’s acknowledgement of the long elusive, recently unearthed “Shook Ones Pt. II” sample, and his story about where he found it is probably the most significant:

“[The LA Times only recently figured out the sample] because I used such a small part of a record. And I chopped it up and shifted the tempo a lot, so I put them on the keyboard. I made it faster, then made it slower. People were like, ‘What the fuck is that? What record does that come from?’ because so many producers, they blatantly use a sample. I can’t say there’s no creativity to it, but it’s nothing to figure out.

“Given that ‘Shooks Ones Pt. II” is a classic record, it just brought the curiosity out like,’What fucking sample is that?’ [Laughs.] And I’m not telling anybody what sample it was because I forgot what samples I used. [Laughs.] But that is definitely the sample because I remembered when they brought it out. [Laughs.] But that’s a secret between you and me. It’s good and it’s bad because I was reveling in the mystery of the sample, but if people wanted to know so bad then that just shows how much love people have for the track.

Read the full story, along with commentary on the classic track from Prodigy and former Loud A&R’s Matty C and Schott Free here.

Read the full article, which covers all 17 tracks on The Infamous here.

Video: Pusha T – Can I Live

Monday, April 25th, 2011

Previously: Pusha T – My God (Video) | Pusha T – Fear Of God