Man Bites Dog Records present the “Mass Temple” video from the MHz Legacy newest album. The song features Middle Distance Runner Stephen Kilroy who was also featured on Copywrite’s song “Forever and a Day” and is produced by Jason Rose. Video is Directed by Dan Gotti.
After releasing a million EPs over the space of one year, A.C has released his full-length 22 track long LP ‘Keep It Together’. There’s a few tracks you might have heard from his previous EPs, and a lot that you haven’t, including ‘True Story’ which he shot a video for last year. It’s a big old LP full of originals, so instead of being the cheeky tinkers we all are on the internet, the album’s £5 (if you buy the physical copy you get the CD with artwork drawn by AC, although if you buy the online version you get 2 extra tracks. Oooh decisions eh?). Yo, you suckers spend that on an expensive from Starbucks, and those fuckers haven’t even paid their tax. £9 also gets you the album, and an Ace’s High t-shirt. I strongly suggest you buy this record and/or the CD/shirt bundle; but if you need some more convincing you can stream it from his bandcamp. ‘Keep It Together’ also features Genesis Elijah, Alex Dutty and David Bishop.
For fans of Genesis Elijah, Ruthless, Big Dutty Deeze, Lowkey.
“When soon-to-be-renowned Boston hip-hop duo 7L & Esoteric collaborated with the Wu-Tang Clan’s Inspectah Deck on the title track to 7LES’s debut EP Speaking Real Words in 1999, the timing was perfect. The upstart duo was building a serious buzz on the East Coast and beyond, while Deck was still winning praise for his gold-selling solo disc Uncontrolled Substance. As flashy pop-oriented rap was pumped on commercial radio stations, their natural chemistry and sympatico skills shone as a beacon to real hip-hop fans, a base of listeners who were soon asking about their next musical summit.
14 years later, the hunger for sharp lyrics and head-snapping beats hasn’t dissipated. In the face of the ever-worsening status quo of watered-down and vapid radio rap songs, the call for something real has only gotten stronger, and once again the time is right for a call to action – for someone or something to come in and send wack rappers running for the hills in fear. Enter CZARFACE, the upcoming full-length album from Inspectah Deck and 7L & Esoteric, to be released on indie stalwart Brick Records on February 19, 2013.
With both lyricists in prizefighting form, CZARFACE is a showcase for lyrical finesse, superior rhyme skills and teacher-approved sharing skills. To wit: a track like the single “Cement 3’s,” where Deck and Eso trade incisive, rewind-worthy verses over a hypnotic head-thump beat from 7L, while Roc Marciano delivers the final verbal body blows. Unsurprisingly, respect for real hip-hop runs deep, and CZARFACEbrings an army with it—consider the star-studded guest list which includes Action Bronson, Vinnie Paz, Oh No, Mr. MFN eXquire and Deck’s fellow Wu-Tang Clansmen Ghostface Killah and Cappadonna.
Aside from one track blessed by the almighty DJ Premier, production on CZARFACE belongs exclusively to DJ 7L, who provides the musical backbone which holds the album together. His ability to craft a hip-hop sound that’s current and exciting with a classic feel left Deck impressed: “This is one of the first albums I’ve heard in a while that gives you so many different feels. You hear the ‘80s hip-hop style, ‘80s R&B and rock combined with what’s going on now. That’s creating something new, in my opinion.”
As Deck states, summing it all up: “When you see our face, you see the face of hip-hop, you see the face of music in this form. People do what they do—there’s techno rap and all kinds of rap out there. But this is that speaking-real-words rap. Go ahead and dissect everything we’re saying, you’ll get plenty out of it.”
I feel like a bit of an idiot for not knowing about ESH earlier. I mean yeah, yeah, sure, sure I can’t be Queen Hip-Hop all the time but come on. We all have our roles within HHLAT. Stix’s role is to never sleep, know every rapper ever in the UK that’s made an 8 bar in the last 15 years, and my role to get excited about breathing, and to know every rapper ever that makes weird and/or angry bars. Matt’s is to talk shit on our podcast and beatbox. See, roles?
Well I clearly fell asleep on my duties. ESH is an urgent and angry rapper; in the sense that you can get the feeling he really has no time for bullshit, and extra frills. ‘Merica’ is a track ESH recorded alongside DJ Keal & Hibe for their new album Borderless. The track really shows off their varied set of skills when it comes to instrumentation and production; a healthy mix of early 2000 to present. Not something that’s always done well, but they pulled it off really, really well.
On first listen you might mistake dude for just another snotty nosed rapper. Well yeah, he is a snotty rapper (and I love it) but he’s also got a lot of unique skill, pretty macabre lyrical content without being offensive just for the sake of it, and here’s the kicker, he’s actually saying things. You have to keep up with ESH because whilst you can easily sit there and bop your head (not a bad thing), he’s just said ten different things, and you missed it. You know, things that aren’t just ‘cat, sat, mat, bitches, bling lala’. Hoohoo well obviously we wouldn’t post it if he wasn’t.
Words: Aimee
On the 26th of this month, ESH will be releasing a brand new free EP entitled ‘Nightworks’ with producer The Arcitype (AR Classic / Duck Down Records). Featuring Ceschi, Romen Rok, and Fran-P.
For fans of the 17th, Fokis, BLESTeNATION, Mike Mictlan.
US emcee Harn SOLO performing the song, “Name & Fame” in London. Traveling the United Kingdom during 2012 Olympic Games, Harn SOLO finds himself at the London Bridge delivering fan favourite vocals, “Solo-lo-lo”.
Name & Fame closes off a great year of music and visuals from Harn SOLO. Look forward to his new album “Journey To The Sky” coming January — 2013.
Harn SOLO – “Shooting Star” album produced by Pro Prospek
East London rapper and spoken-word artist The Ruby Kid (hands up who likes me saying exactly where the artists are from?) has recently released his second EP ‘Strange Lively & Commonplace’, teaming up once again with producer and DJ Dan Angell. The EP is only 4 tracks long, and serves as a bridge between his first EP ‘Maps’, and his much lengthier record ‘Maps II’ which will be out next year (12 months eh? Well that sure narrows it down).
As I mentioned previously, this is only 4 tracks long, which immediately felt too short for me. Not only did it not outstay its welcome, I was actually annoyed it wasn’t longer. Not a big feat considering its length you might stay? Well trust me, I’ve heard 4 minute songs that outstayed their welcome after the first 90 seconds-so yes a feat, a considerable one.
From the very outset of the title track the change in pace, style and even flow of this record in relation to The Ruby Kid’s earlier material is obvious. I don’t want to say it’s more ‘poppy’ or ‘melodic’, because that doesn’t really mean anything, and would do a disservice to Dan Angell’s production skills. Which by the way; really shines through on this release. However it does sound like The Ruby Kid has cut away with some unnecessary elements within his songwriting, and style. What those elements are, I can’t quite explain to you; but hey man it’s art yeah. You try to describe what a circle looks like to someone who’s never seen shapes…Yeah deep. You’ll just have to listen to it won’t you? Back to the change of pace, style and flow. It’s not to say the dude isn’t still extremely abstract, and surreal because he is, and quite frankly he wouldn’t be the same rapper if he wasn’t. There’s just a significant change in style that will only notice when played next to his previous releases.
It sadly took me two listens to realise that the characters ‘Amanda’ and ‘Benny’ in ‘Benny & The Crow’ were about actually drugs (An East London spoken-word artist talking about drugs, who’d have thought it?) Unless, they are people and not drugs? Maybe they are people and aren’t, all at the same time! ZOMGZ MY BRAIN! NOTHING IS REAL ANYMORE! But I doubt it. Aside from having my mind blown, the lyrical imagery is fantastic in this song and perfectly pinpoints the feeling of being high on naughty things you shouldn’t be. Although this isn’t a one time occurrence (the imagery I mean, not the drugs. A boom, boom schh). Each track on the EP is its own little vignette in its own right, and fits perfectly next to the other. Ruby Kid’s storytelling, and his use of descriptive language have really upped a level on this EP, and I hope he can mix in this new progression with his previous work, for ‘Maps II’.
I was also really excited to see that Sensei C from H.L.I makes a guest appearance on the EP, and the two rappers, along with Angell’s production make ‘August’ one of the best songs on the EP. Such a good pairing. I’ve only known of H.L.I for a few months, and I was really happy to hear more verses from him. We’ll be interviewing the H.L.I boys in the next few weeks as it happens, so look out for that one.
Now, now it’s 1:30am (well when I post this it’ll be probably be in the afternoon) and I am on a rolllllllll tonight, but as I have kept reminding you this is only a 4 song EP so to over-critique and analyse it any more might run the risk of, dare I say it? Boring you. I will then end this review here saying: this is a really well thought out, interesting and extremely memorable release. This is an obvious continuation to ‘Maps’, but a stand alone piece in its own right as well. There’s nothing worse, and sadder than when one of your favourite rappers disappoints you. Well he didn’t, he gave me more reason to listen; so now it’s your turn.
(Seriously though, how could I not realise the whole song is about doing drugs? There are skits about buying drugs at the end and the beginning of the song ffs.)
Motor City brothers Apollo Brown and Guilty Simpson have wasted no time pounding the pavement for Dice Game. In the past few weeks Apollo has toured Australia and New Zealand while Guilty did a lean and mean west coast run that spanned LosAngeles to Seattle before hitting the NBC/Universal lot to be on Carson Daly‘s show.
Today, while our road dogs get a breather, they release the all new, non-album, bonus track “Parkour” to announce the release of their new limited edition wax (ivory vinyl w/ bonus 45 featuring two non-album cuts). This first bonus, named after the military training parkour where practitioners need to burst through an obstacle course using the terrain to gain advantage. In similar fashion, Guilty takes the terrain laid out by Apollo Brown and powers through it like a linebacker with a vengeance. The sound has a bit of an electronic tinge, something not so present on the official LP but very much welcome here.
Itch FM caught up with Melanin9 aka M9, a North London based British rapper that has a style more of the ’90’s era of hip hop.
Drawing his influence from Nas, Wu-Tang and others from that era, Melanin9’s style could be described as being social conscious with a jazzy feel. Melanin 9 has just dropped the sick debut album ‘Magna Carta’ check out the snippets below and click on ‘BUY’!!!!…..
Philadelphia emcee Aquil gives away another freeby off his album “Land Of Synth”. Find the track “Integrity” below for free download
“Land of Synth” plays on several themes of synthetic sounds, to the synthetic roles played by artist in the “music industry to every day life. Influences run the gamut Sun Ra, Wutang to Nas, Tupac, The Roots, Mos Def, Common, A Tribe Called Quest, Pharaoh Monch, and Outkast to name a few. “Land of Synth” reveals heavy themes of political corruption, illegal wars, to lighter topics of appreciating life and the use of imagination. From the very first verse Aquil takes you on a journey of the mind and heart of major over arching themes of life, imagination and perception. The ability to take the esoteric, and imaginative elements then making them blend to melodies is Aquil’s strongest talent. The diversity of topics, flows, and overall refreshing production ranging from electronic influence to acid jazz and 90s hip hop will be sure to keep your ears interested. It is a journey inside ones self via introversion to those places few dare to look and even more refuse to contemplate. Land of Synth tackles heavy issues with a tenacity yet overall light heartiness and positive outlook on the other side.
Featuring production from several producers, Knxwledge, Astronote, Arcka, O Da Beatgoon, The Jazzment, Abjo and others the diversity in sound does not take away form the cohesiveness of the album. This 46 minute album flows easily between songs, and skits of social commentary, or comedic outburst. Land of Synth is the debut Release of Philadelphia, PA 2012 Coldest MC Aquil. While this album harps on the lack of imagination used by several artist, it clearly displays that creativity the commentary craves and imagination said to be lacking from song titles, to concepts and content. Land of Synth is certainly an album where imagination does exist!
