Diamond D - Rap Life feat. Pharoahe Monch (Video)

The legend that is Diamond D of D.I.T.C. releases the video to his track "Rap Life" with the awesome Pharoahe Monch. The cut is taken from D's upcoming album "The Diam Piece" due later this year.

Cook & Kuartz - The Tormented Revenge Of Slick Jnr (Album)

A new project out of Manchester from Cook & Kuartz. A Western themed Hip-Hop soundtrack over 12 tracks. Something fresh and an alternative spin on the classic Western movie genre.

Check the stream and download below. Also check the Bandcamp page for a list of the contibutors to the project.

  

In Conversation: Nas and Michael Eric Dyson (Video)

Last night at Georgetown University, sociology scholar and professor Michael Eric Dyson joined Hip-Hop legend Nas in conversation. The discussion included how Nas' "Illmatic" has impacted the genre over the last 20 years and a look at how Hip-Hop is today.

Check the in-depth video below.

 

Black Milk on Rhythm Roulette (Video)

Black Milk is the latest to step up for Mass Appeal's "Rhythm Roulette".

Talib Kweli - State Of Grace feat. Abby Dobson (Video)

From his current album "Gravitas", Talib Kweli releases an animated video for the track "State Of Grace" featuring vocals from Abby Dobson.

"Gravitas" is available directly from Kweli Club.

De La Soul x J. Dilla - Smell The Da.I.S.Y. (Mixtape)

De La Soul drop their anticipated mixtape over all Dilla beats. Head over to their site to get the free mixtape. Alternatively, you can make a donation for the tape too. Below listen to the short message they sent out today explaining the set.

The Doppelgangaz - Live Rugged (Video)

The Doppelgangaz release the third video from their album "Peace Kehd". This time we have visuals for the track "Live Rugged" over one of the most laid back instrumentals from the album.

Apollo Brown - The Answer (Audio)

After the success of his album as part of Ugly Heroes, Apollo Brown is back on his own for his upcoming instrumental album "Thirty Eight". Set to drop on May the 6th, Brown releases the first single from it, "The Answer".

Check Mello Music Group or their Soundcloud for pre order details and listen to "The Answer" below.

Above The Rim 20 Year Anniversary

20 years ago, this past Sunday (23rd), one of my favourite movies was released. If you were heavily in to basketball and listened to Hip-Hop in 1994, I daresay you watched "Above The Rim" too.

It also had a brilliant soundtrack that was very West Coast inspired despite the film being set in New York. Executive produced by Dr. Dre, the album had a slew of breakout hits including the obvious "Regulate" by Warren G. & Nate Dogg. The Lady Of Rage (album version is better), O.F.T.B., 2nd II None, SWV and Tupac's crew Thuglife and more all had accompanying videos for their singles and I've included them below.

The movie and soundtrack always bring back great memories and, in fact, I think I'll watch it again today.

State Property - Reputation (Single)

Some of the original Roc Boys get together for this new State Property track called "Reputation" over a Mike Jerz production. With Beanie Sigel unfortunately only supplying a hook, there a verses from Young Chris, Peedi Crakk and Freeway. Philly in the house.

Stream and free download below.

Sean C & LV - Loud Dreams Vol. 1 (Album)

Production duo Sean C & LV finally drop their new album "Loud Dreams Vol. 1" in association with Play Cloths and DJ Booth. Catch a brief behind the scenes that I posted previously.

Guests include Styles P, Dom Kennedy, Raekwon, Prodigy, Jadakiss, Devin The Dude and many more. Stream or download below.

The LOX - New York City (Video)

The LOX finally release the video to their current single "New York City".

Don't forget, The LOX are in Manchester this Saturday courtesy of This Is Hip Hop! Details here.

L'Orange - The End feat. Billy Woods (Video)

Mello Music Group's L'Orange drops the new video for his track "The End" featuring Billy Woods. The track is taken from his new album "Orchid Days".

Dubbul O - Misty River (Video)

Dubbul O unleashes the video for "Misty River" from his recently released album. Get the entirely Pro P produced album "Omega" here.

Domino (Hieroglyphics) on Crate Diggers (Video)

In the second "Crate Diggers" post of the day, producer Domino of the Hieroglyphics collective shares a few memories and records from over the years. He also speaks on the legacy he thinks he'll leave behind, largely due to the standout record he was a part of with Souls Of Mischief's "'93 'Til Infinity".

DJ Q-Bert on Crate Diggers (Video)

One of the illest turntablists on the planet, DJ Q-Bert, talks to Fuse TV about his record collection on this edition of "Crate Diggers".

Sonnyjim - Royal Flush (Video)

Here we see the return of Eat Good Records' Sonnyjim with "Royal Flush". Produced by Leafdog, this is the first track taken from the duo's upcoming EP "How To Tame Lions" coming on the 21st of April both digitally and on a limited run of physical copies.

"Royal Flush" is available now through Bandcamp and other digital retailers. Check the video below.

Nipsey Hussle on The Neighborhood (Video)

Nipsey Hussle takes us on a tour of his old stomping ground in Crenshaw on Complex TV's latest episode of "The Neighborhood". Visiting his flagship store Slauson Ave and the liquor store where Boyz N The hood was filmed are a couple of the spots he hits up.

Nipsey Hussle's current project "Crenshaw" is out now.

Dubbul O & Pro P - Omega

Finally, after a sneak peek with "Slang To Ya Brain" last week, we get the new full album from Manchester's Dubbul O. As a constant collaborator with The Mouse Outfit and part of his own group Voodoo Black, this time we hear Dubbul O solo (almost) with "Omega".

The whole project is produced by Manchester transplant Pro P who supplies some hefty production on this offering. Along with his previous work with The Bluntskins and the Room 2 collective this is further proof that his music should not be slept on. Other projects from Pro P can be found on the "Omega" album page.

Expect guest appearances from Voodoo Black, Bowski, Bill Sykes and Spider Jaroo among others.

This album is offered on a "name your price" basis but is definitely worth supporting. Cop that!

EPMD & DJ Scratch in Manchester

Unless you've been hibernating under a hefty rock for the past week or so, you'll have heard that the legendary EPMD are to perform in Manchester. Alongside them will be the incredible DJ Scratch.

More Bounce have managed to make another excellent booking for the heads in Manchester so I suggest you get your tickets quick as it's in only a few weeks time on Saturday the 5th of April at Gorilla. Details of ticket sellers can be found on the flyer below and physical tickets can be purchased at various shops in the city centre. Check the Facebook event page for more info.

A few classic videos can be found after the flyer.

Talib Kweli Live for Boombox's Off The Record (Video)

BKMC Talib Kweli performs a few songs for Boombox's "Off The Record" live series. His most well known track "Get By" is one of the songs, along with "Turnt Up" and a surprising cover of Iggy Pop and The Stooges' "Search & Destroy". Surprising only because I've never heard Kweli sing before!

Check the videos below and make sure you pick up his new album "Gravitas" available directly from the man himself at Kweli Club.

Schoolboy Q Live at SXSW (Video)

This past week Austin, Texas saw a huge increase in high profile artists performing at the annual South By South-West Festival. Typically a hub for new talent and unheard artists, it seems those days are long gone especially when you have acts like Coldplay, Jay Z and Kanye West doing shows for giant companies like Samsung.

Man of the moment Schoolboy Q has been garnering a great amount of attention this past year and with the eventual release of his album "Oxymoron". He's maybe not at the lofty heights of those mentioned above or his fellow TDE brother Kendrick Lamar (who was also at SXSW) but I think he's an act a lot of people came out to see.

Below you can check out his rowdy full performance at the iTunes Festival during the SXSW week. Props to Yardie for the video.

Unfortunately the full show has been taken down but here's a video from Vibe where he performed The Alchemist laced "Break The Bank".

There'll also be a chance for you to catch him live in Manchester with support from Isaiah Rashad when they perform on the 1st of June. A show I'm looking forward to.

Isaiah Rashad - Heavenly Father feat. SZA (Video)

Continuing the push on his current project "Cilvia Demo", Isaiah Rashad releases the video for "Heavenly Father". Joined on the track by fellow TDE artist SZA, the Mississippi native helps the team stay winning.

"Cilvia Demo" is available now.

B.I.G. x Jay Z x !llmind - Picasso Biggie (Audio)

Producer !llmind drops a flip on Jay Z's hit featuring a couple of Big verses on "Picasso Biggie".

B.I.G.

17 years have passed since losing The Notorious B.I.G. His name still rings to this day so it's apparent that he will never be forgotten.

Check his last freestyle session on The Sway & Tech Show below along with a collection of videos and tributes.

Oddisee - Back Of My Mind feat. Paolo Escobar (Video)

Fact Mag just premiered the new video from Maryland producer/emcee Oddisee with "Back Of My Mind". The track is taken from Oddisee's album "Tangible Dream" which will finally see a physical release this Monday. Also available digitally.

SZA - Babylon (Video)

TDE know what they're doing. After big years for Kendrick Lamar and Schoolboy Q and the bubbling success of Isaiah Rashad, next to release a full length project is SZA. The songstress drops her new album "Z" in the first week of April and here is "Babylon", the lead video from it.

Verbal Kent - Sound Of The Weapon (9th Wonder Remix) (Video)

Chicago emcee Verbal Kent drops the visual to the title track from his new album "Sound Of The Weapon". The album is entirely produced by Khrysis but 9th Wonder supplies a remix as an added bonus.

You can catch Verbal Kent tonight at Band On The Wall in Manchester as part of Ugly Heroes with Apollo Brown and Red Pill as they complete their European tour.

"Sound Of The Weapon" is available now.

Dom Kennedy in Manchester

West Coast artist Dom Kennedy is the latest artist to be booked by Manchester's More Bounce as he is set to appear at Sound Control on March 30th. Full details on the Facebook page and flyer. Support will come from Krondon of Strong Arm Steady. Don't miss this opportunity to see them live!

Flyer below and a selection of videos.

Pharrell Plays New Album G I R L (Video)

For those of you with an hour and a half to spare, you can watch and listen to Pharrell as he plays his entire new album "G  I  R  L" for Red Bull Studios. He also talks about the album and tells a few stories.

Run The Jewels - Run The Jewels (Video)

Killer Mike and El-P or Run The Jewels continue to hit us with visuals from their joint project. The title track "Run The Jewels" is given the part animation treatment.

Homeboy Sandman - Bad Meaning Good (Video)

Homeboy Sandman returns with "Bad Meaning Good", the first video from his completely Paul White produced project "White Sands". The Boy Sand is currently at the start of his European tour. Dates are here.

"White Sands" is available now on Stones Throw.

Ransom & Statik Selektah - Jade (Video)

Ransom and Statik Selektah release the visual for the Rik Cordero directed video "Jade". Taken from their joint project "The Proposal", of course the track samples the classic cut "I Wanna Love You" from 90's RnB starlets Jade.

Check the video below. "The Proposal" is available now.

DJ J-Ronin - Freestyle Files Vol. 2: Everybody Who's Anybody (Mixtape)

DJ J-Ronin very kindly liberates his mixtape "Freestyle Files Vol. 2: Everybody Who's Anybody" for free. If you don't recognise anyone on the cover, the set includes freestyles from the likes of Skyzoo, Rah Digga, Ras Kass, Sadat X, Lil Fame of M.O.P., Vast Aire, Rapper Big Pooh and many more.

Get the free download here and check a few videos from the collection.

Supastition - Honest Living EP

North Carolina emcee Supastition drops off a 'name your price' project with the "Honest Living EP" produced entirely by Croup. Supastition has been putting in work for years and actually made one of my favourite songs in a long time with "The Williams" which had Nicolay on production.

Supastition -

"This is a collection of songs dedicated to the working class and loosely inspired by NC’s failing economy. Supastition was inspired to write the EP after NC became the first state to eliminate federal unemployment benefits in 2013. A lot of people, including Supa, felt the effects of it. While he was searching for a job himself, Supastition documented those struggles first hand with the Honest Living EP. Croup is no stranger to Supastition music. They recorded their first official song (Adrenaline) on Supastition's The Deadline. Since then, they've been working together and crafting songs. Croup is one of the few producers who didn't change his sound just to get major placements. As a unit, Supa and Croup both refuse to compromise their sound and only care to appeal to those who dig that vintage sounding hip hop.

Thank you to all of the supporters worldwide who gave this EP an honest listen. If you’re loving the music then please spread the word to those who you think will enjoy it as much as you do."

Jonwayne - Black Magic (Live Video)

During his first European tour in January, Jonwayne appeared at Gilles Peterson's Worldwide Awards and walked away with "Album Of The Year". While on his trip to London he recorded a live version of album cut "Black Magic" in Brownswood Basement.

He's currently back on tour in The States but returns to Europe in April. The last date on the tour happens to be in Manchester at the fantastic Soup Kitchen on April the 30th. He's at Liverpool's The Shipping Forecast the night before. Other dates can be found on Stones Throw.

Allen Iverson's Number Retirement Ceremony (Video)

Last night "The Answer" Allen Iverson finally had his jersey number retired and raised to the rafters by the Philadelphia 76ers. He's in good company with the likes of Julius Erving, Charles Barkley, Maurice Cheeks and Moses Malone with their numbers beside him.

Watch a short video from last night's ceremony in Philly.

Otis Clapp - So That, So This (Video)

Otis Clapp drops another video from his "#ATB" project with "So That, So This". The full album can be downloaded for free here. Make sure you get that.

The LOX in Manchester

If you weren't already aware, Hip-Hop stalwarts The LOX (Styles P, Sheek Louch and Jadakiss) will be appearing in Manchester on the 29th of March as part of "The Trinity Tour". Brought to you by This Is Hip Hop, obviously this is one not to be missed as it's a very rare appearance by any member of the group never mind all three of them.

Grab your tickets here (or check the flyer below) and remind yourself of a few of the classics.

DOOM & Bishop Nehru - Behind The Mask

XXL spent some time with Bishop Nehru and DOOM while the two were in London and gave a glimpse in to their world and they talk about each other's work ethic ahead of their joint project "Nehruvian Doom". This is definitely a collaboration to keep an eye out for.

SMTH - Last Straw feat. Capital STEEZ (Video)

Over a lovely beat provided by DJ Spinna, here we have Brooklyn's SMTH with his video for "Last Straw". The track features the last recorded vocals from the late Capital STEEZ of Pro Era. Hearing how he rides this instrumental and displays his hunger, it makes for a more poignant listen.

The song is available on iTunes with proceeds going to STEEZ's family.

CJ Fly - Eyetalian Frenchip (Video)

If Joey Bada$$ is the only member of Pro Era that you're familiar with, dig deeper. Another member of the crew, CJ Fly, released a solid free album last year called "Thee Way Eye See It". Here he releases another visual from it with "Eyetalian Frenchip".

Check the video below and get the album here.