Politicians Making Awkward Rap References

I do not read the Huffington Post if at all but this video is cool.

Amai

H20$$$SPORTS$$$ - Vol. 2

that TrappyShit

The Doppelgangaz from New York

The Doppelgangaz is an American Hip-Hop group from Orange County, New York consisting of rapper/producer Matter Ov Fact and rapper/producer EP. They have released four full-length albums (2 of which are primarily instrumental) and one EP.
The group was included on Raw Roots' "Top Underground Artists Of 2011" list.^[1] They were featured in Europe's biggest Hip-Hop magazine Juice in support of their 2011 album Lone Sharks.^[2] In 2012, the group was covered in the major American Hip-Hop magazine XXL in its "The Break" section, which highlights up and coming Hip-Hop acts.^[3] Underground Hip-Hop authority Kevin Nottingham has reported on and interviewed the group multiple times on the award winning^[4] Hip-Hop website KevinNottingham.com.^[5]

The duo of Matter Ov Fact and EP have been friends since childhood. In a 2012 interview with HipHopDX,^[6] Matter Ov Fact stated:

“EP and I have been buds for years. We grew up together, but it wasn’t always about music. Back in 1998 was when we decided that we wanted to do music. As things progressed, we got official equipment and decided to keep moving forward. But yeah, we’ve been cool since probably first grade, but the birth of The Doppelgangaz took place around 2008, and between 2009 and 2011 is when we got to go balls deep and that’s what we plan to do from here on out.”

Before branching off to form The Doppelgangaz, the two were collectively involved in another project. It was during this period where the idea to separate into their own group formed. EP recalled:

“We were in a bigger group, which was active from the early to mid-2000s, but you know, life happens. We were the younger ones of the group so it just eventually became all Doppgang, you know? We don’t have kids and we don’t have any responsibility. We’re just reckless nomads, so we just had the time to do it.”

Matter Ov Fact added:

“Plus we just think on the same wavelength and it just made sense to do our own thing and continue on. That’s where the name comes from. The word doppelganger means a ghastly duplicate, and we see ourselves as when it comes to this here music.” -- all of this information is from Wikipedia.

 The Doppelgangaz - - Suppository

The Doppelgangaz - Doppel Gospel (Official Music Video)

The Range - The Big Dip (2011)

"The guy behind The Range is James Hinton, who's a 23-year-old producer from Providence, RI with a facility for melding frenzied footwork percussion and melodic R’n'B vocal cut-ups to generate rich, emotional bass music for the bedroom and the club"  (LastFm) The Big Dip was released on the Astro Nautico Label

You  name your price for the download (making it virtually free) So check it out!

Shag - Flyrule: A Terrible Fate

His disclaimer from Bandcamp: "I'm a 20 year old university student who likes to make beats!

Like me on facebook!
www.facebook.com/shagbeats

Contact me at: garsidetogo@gmail.com for leasing/buying/collab requests!"

1. Song of Healing 03:09
2. Astral Observatory 03:01
3. Kamaro’s Dance/Swordsman’s School 02:28
4. Sharp’s Curse 01:57
5. New Wave Bossa Nova 02:35
6. Fairy Fountain 02:42
7. Stone Tower Temple 03:16
8. Ghost Attack 02:25
9. Giants’ Theme/Oath to Order 03:19
10. Zora Hall 03:02

Amazingly, Shag uses samples from Zelda's Majora's Mask.


Name your price and enjoy!

Exile - Radio (2009)

Genre:  Instrumental Hip Hop, Experimental Hip Hop

Plunderphonics

Label: Plug Research
Release Date: January 19, 2009
Youtube 1 / 2 / 3

1

Frequency Modulation

2:48

2

Population Control

3:11

3

We're All in Power

4:00

4

Watch Out! False Prophet

4:01

5

The Machine

2:22

6

It's Coming Down

3:53

7

So We Can Move

3:15

8

The Sound Is God

4:26

9

Your Summer Song

3:28

10

Mega Mix

5:36

11

In Tune Static

5:34

12

San Pedro Cactus

3:28

13

Love Line

4:11

14

Stay Tuned (Here)

4:46

15

In Love

4:34

Buy It!

dl


An amazing work, honestly. Check it out, no rapping except for a comedy skit on one of the tracks...but seriously check this out if you have not already. Producer famous for his productions with Blu

Gorilla R.E.D. Forte - FINSTABIYAUN (2012)

One can download the album for free or choose to purchase the album in order to support the artist.

Gorilla R.E.D. Forte a.k.a. Forte the Kid is straight out of Southern California in the Los Angeles area. The man has been working on his musical craft for a number of years and this has been his first release to the public since he began rapping at an early age. He is quite poetic with new-age beats that he even made personally. This album is 100% Gorilla R.E.D. Forte minus the features on the album including JONxDOE, Lozo, and Squintied. 

 

E.E. Baker video ft. Lozo

 

A1 Pimpin' Video:

Slum Village – Fantastic Vol.1 and 2 (J Dilla Production)

• Released: 2005
• Label: Counterflow
• Format: CD, digital download

 01. Fantastic
02. Keep It On (This Beat)
03. I Don’t Know
04. How We Bullshit
05. Fat Cat Song (Ft. Phat Kat)
06. The Look Of Love
07. Estimate
08. Hoc N Pucky
09. Beej N Dem
10. Pregnant (T3)
11. Forth & Back (Rock Music)
12. Fantastic 2
13. Fantastic 3
14. This Beat (Keep It On) (Remix)
15. 5 Ela (Remix) (Ft. 5 Elementz)
16. Give This Nigga
17. Players
18. Look Of Love (Remix)
19. Pregnant (Baatin)
20. Things U Do (Remix) / Uh-Ah-Wu-Ah
21. Fat Cat (Remix)
22. Fantastic 4

Buy

			Released: June 13, 2000 Label: GoodVibe 1 Intro 1:24 2 Conant Gardens 3:03 3 I Don't Know 2:25 4 Jealousy 4:05 5 Climax (Girl Sh**) 3:32 6 Hold Tight (feat. Q-Tip) 3:11 7 Tell Me (feat. D'Angelo) 4:38 8 What It's All About (feat. Busta Rhymes) 3:36 9 Forth and Back (feat. Kurupt) 4:26 10 Untitled / Fantastic 3:54 11 Fall in Love 3:47 12 Get Dis Money 3:31 13 Raise It Up 4:27 14 Once Upon a Time (feat. Pete Rock) 5:53 15 Players 2:26 16 Eyes Up 4:22 17 2U4U 3:08 18 CB4 3:46 19 Go Ladies 4:41 BUY
			DL

AshTreJinkins - ColdShoulder (2012)

Genre: expiremental hip-hop/rap hyphy lofi-fantasy Los Angeles
Label: 
Release Date: May 6, 2012
Youtube Preview 1 / 2/ 3

1. Internal (Intro)
2. iDoMusic
3. EyeCantHelpIt
4. TheFecalMatter (feat. Carl Miller)
5. itHasToBeAboutGirls (feat. amai)
6. hillz
7. DreamAlteredEndless (Feat. JadaEverest)
8. JussReallyHappi
9. WheresThatBlunt
10. Stick&Move
11. WeGetHi
12. Skipping
13. Fijitt
14. OutroOrIsit

BUY

dl (AshTreJinkin's actual upload)

AshTreJinkins is a beat musician from Los Angeles, CA.

J Dilla - The Old Donuts

Genre: Instrumental Hip-Hop
Label: Unknown
Release Date: Unknown
Youtube Preview 1 / 2 / 3


01. get at me
02. the_80s
03. dee_zee
04. play_it_loud
05. daylight
06. tipster.
07. in_the_park
08. one_two
09. this_is_it
10. dont_say_a_word
11. bounce.
12. here_we_come
13. lalala.
14. in_the_spot
15. mc_squared
16. u_niggaz_aint
17. village
18. say_it_big
19. movin
20. U_and_ur_smile
21. 2_morrow
22. prince
23. twentyfour

BUY IT NOW  (I Think this is the same release but I am not 100% certain)

Donate to the JDilla Foundation

DL

     I randomly got a hold of this work when I downloaded a J Dilla Discography a year ago. Supposedly this is the first donuts (aka "Old Donuts") however, there was no mention of it on Stones Throw's Discography page or on  the Official J Dilla Discography.  This leads me to believe that it is simply an unreleased album and spare me the words just listen to it. Check the youtube previews to see what it sounds like; indeed, this is work is really cool. I am not even sure this is the actual album cover, I found that album cover on lastfm.

J DIlla - Ruff Draft Beats (2007)

Genre: Instrumental Hip-Hop
Label: Mummy Records; Stones Throw Records
Release Date: March 20, 2007 (The original album was released in 2003)
YouTube Preview 1 / 2 /3

A1	Let's Take It Back
A2	Reckless Driving
A3	Nothin Like This
A4	The $
A5	Make'em NV
B1	Crushin'
B2	Intro (Alt.)
B3	Wild
B4	Take Notice
B5	Shouts (Alt.)

BUY IT NOW


DL

"Ruff Draft is an album by the late former Slum Village member Jay Dee (also known as J Dilla). It was originally released in February 2003 as an EP, by his then-newly founded label, Mummy Records, and distributed by Groove Attack, a German record label. In 2007, Ruff Draft was remastered and re-released as the third official solo album by Stones Throw Records. The re-release sold 8,049 copies in its first week, J Dilla's largest first-week sales as a solo artist.
The original vinyl release of Ruff Draft is now out-of-print. Although the album is one of Jay Dee's lesser known works, it includes some of his most abstract and experimental work, all self-produced, and recorded in under a week. As stated in the introduction of the album, it's a noncommercial sounding lo-fi hip hop album, which sees the producer playfully toying with different styles, such as on "Nothing Like This," where his vocals are distorted and skewered over an equally eccentric production featuring a sample played backwards. The result mirrors the more off-center moments on Common's Electric Circus, which Dilla also worked on. Stones Throw Records re-issued the album on CD and vinyl on March 20, 2007. The re-release is remastered from the original master tapes, with sound engineers taking steps to maintain the original release's integrity, along with additional songs, as well as an instrumental CD."

Cyne - Cyne (Collection 1999-2003)

Genre: Underground Hip-Hop/ Conscious Hip-Hop/ Southern Rap
Label: P-Vine Records; Botanica Del Jibaro
Release Date: February 10, 2003
Youtube Previews: 1 / 2 / 3

1. Inform Invade (an introduction)
2. African Elephants
3. Steady
4. Tragic
5. A Moment With Enoch
6. 400 Years
7. 400 Years (Seth P. Brundel remix)
8. E-motion
9. Paradise
10. A Moment With Speck
11. Octagon
12. Midas (Cuts by DJ Infamous)
13. Midas (Plex Remix)
14. Out Of Time
15. Outro

BUY IT   

DL

Cyne is really a tremendous rap group from the South. Cise Star and Akim are phenomenal lyricists that have good story telling ability. They come off professionally as well as insightful. They spills their hearts on tracks as well as the deepest aspects of mind. The production is also on point! So overall you gotta check out this compilation of some great cuts from Cyne.

http://cyne.net/

Pete Philly and Perquisite - Mystery Repeats (2007)

Genre: Jazz Rap, Hip-Hop
Label: Unexpected Records / ANTI Records
Release Date: September 7th, 2007
Youtube Previews: 1 / 2 / 3

1	Clap Kick Flow		1:42
2	Womb to Tomb		3:17
3	Fish to Fry		4:16
4	Hectic		1:12
5	Q&A		3:43
6	Believer		4:57
7	Awake		4:43
8	Traveller (feat. Erminia Córdoba)		6:06
9	Last Love Song		3:56
10	Freestyle		1:49
11	Third Degree		4:04
12	Balance (feat. GMB)		4:07
13	Empire		5:10
14	High Tide		2:58
15	Mystery Repeats		2:47
16	Time Flies		4:20

Last Fm Bio:

Vocalist Pete Philly and producer/instrumentalist Perquisite met up for the first time in 2002 in Amsterdam, where both were living. Perquisite, who also ran the Dutch indie now jazz/hip-hop label Unexpected Records, liked what he heard in the Aruba-born singer and rapper, and by the next year the duo had issued its first EP, MindState. In 2005 it was followed by a full-length European release, including a guest appearance from Talib Kweli. In 2006, MindState came out in North America and Australia.

In January 2007 they released ‘Remindstate’, a remix version of Mindstate. Artists like Laidback Luke, Seiji and C-mon & Kypski remixed tracks. In 2007 they also released their 2nd official album called ‘Mystery Repeats’, which reached the 2nd place in the Dutch album charts, the best chart position ever achieved by a Dutch hip-hop act.

Pete Philly & Perquisite created hip-hop music with references to jazz, broken beats, soul and even classical music. This Dutch hip-hop act performed at North Sea Jazz and Lowlands (Dutch music Festival) and won the ‘Zilveren Harp’ in 2006.

BUY IT

DL

Nieve - Playback (2010)

Genre:  Classic Jazz-Inspired Hip-Hop, Los Angeles Underground Hip-Hop
Label: Kitchen Dip Recordings
Release Date: December 16, 2010
Youtube Preview 1 / 2/ 3

01. Playback (feat. Ine)
02. California (feat. Tunji)
03. Just Go
04. Still You Gotta Rise
05. Troubles of the Past
06. There For Me
07. Straight To Yo Mama (feat. Kamyar)
08. First Day
09. Revolutionary Action
10. Life’s So Hard (feat. Noah King & A-Dub)
11. You Never Know
12. Doin That Today
13. Blue Magic (feat. Ine)
14. Ride For Me (feat. Lora Vladova)

BUY IT

DL

Nieve is a very introspective rapper and always from off very smooth and easy-listening. Based out of Los Angeles, Nieve gained a following after releasing  "Away With Words" with  producer Cook. They took it to Japan and connected with many soul-minded individuals and recorded many hits with groups such as Cradle and Incise. The sounds are very jazzy, progressive, and poetic. Check it out

Incise - Daily Methods (2010)

Genre: Underground Hip-Hop / Soul / Progressive and Positive
Label: Media Factory Japan / Zoom
Release Date: June 22, 2010
Youtube Preview 1 / 2 / 3

01. Sunrise
02. Hope feat. Need Not Worry
03. Running Out Of Time feat. The 49Ers
04. Got To Go feat. Nieve
05. Bring It Back Hydropnikz & Anika
06. Paving The Way feat. Okay City, Shad K & David Morin
07. Go Back feat. Noah King
08. Mid-Day
09. A New Day feat. Ajaxx
10. Music Forever feat. The Stereotypes
11. Written feat. Don Cerino
12. Rising (Redux) feat. Tunji
13. Inequity feat. Stain
14. Stay Driven feat. Dan Johns
15. Sunset
16. Paving The Way – Remix Re:plus Remix
17. Got To Go – Remix feat. Nieve

BUY IT

DL

Incise is a Toronto based musician whose career started back in 2002 when he first started DJing and scratching records. In 2004, he spun at the regional DMC Canada scratch competition as a young 17 year old shaggy haired contestant. It was around this same time that Incise began learning to make beats and started chopping sounds to create new melodies/harmonies. Although Incise’s roots were originally in Hip Hop and Jazz, he has since crossed over and has been experimenting with electronica & ambient sounds. Life being his primary inspiration, Incise intends to keep creating music that will evoke emotions of people across the world."

for more info and buy: www.incise.ca

Supastition - 7 Years of Bad Luck (2002)

Genre: Underground Hip-Hop / Southern Hip-Hop
Label: FreshChest
Release Date: October 15, 2002
Youtube Preview 1 / 2 / 3

1.Intro
2.Live Like Dat
3.Celebration Of Life
4.Da Waiting Period
5.Body Language
6.Best Of Life
7.That'z Muzik
8.Crown Me!!!
9.Mixed Emotionz
10.The Trademark
11.Fallen Star
12.Hip Hop vs. Life
13.2nd Name
14.Dreamland

BUY IT

DL

This album was a huge influence back in freshman year of high school for me and illustrated what underground hip-hop can be to a young kid. The production is merely above average but the flow and delivery is pretty good for some underground raps. This North Carolina Gem is truly a work of art created by Supastition (Kam Moye) and it was his DEBUT release back in 2002. Hard for me to believe that was 10 years ago already. Anyhow, he mostly talks about his struggles in the rap industry and his relationship struggles and how he had a daughter at age 15. It is a very introspective and raptastic album I recommend. B+

Cormega - Legal Hustle (2004)

Genre: East-Coast Hip-Hop / Hardcore Hip-Hop/ OG
Label: Legal Hustle Records
Release Date: May 25, 2004 
Youtube Preview 1 /.2 / 3

1	Intro (feat. Doña & Miz)		2:50
2	Beautiful Mind		2:40
3	Let It Go (feat. M.O.P)		5:37
4	The Bond (feat. Doña)		3:13
5	Bring It Back		2:46
6	Hoody (feat. Doña)		2:12
7	Dangerous (feat. Vybz Kartel & Unda P)		3:44
8	Tony/montana (feat. Ghostface)		3:35
9	Personified (feat. Doña)		3:26
10	Stay Up (feat. Kira)		4:20
11	Deep Blue Sea (feat. Kurupt & Jayo Felony)		4:22
12	More Crime (feat. The Jacka)		4:23
13	Monster's Ball (feat. Banger, Lake & Maino)		3:31
14	Redemption (feat. AZ)		3:36
15	Respect Me (feat. Doña)		3:37
16	Sugar Ray and Hearns (feat. Large Professor)		1:54
17	The Machine (feat. Doña & Miz)		3:13

 

BUY IT

DL

     Corey McKay is Cormega, and when is first became a rapper in the streets of Queensbridge, Queens, New York they called him MC Cor. Cormega was born in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. He is a successful rapper and has had the pleasure working with a young Nas (also a Queensbridge artist), Mobb Deep (also Queensbridge), Hi-Tek (from Reflection Eternal), Benzino, Molemen, Main Flow, Statik Selektah, Marley Marl, Large Professor, Public Enemy, Little Brother, Inspectah Deck, and other members of the Wutang Clan. Cormega has an unbelievable resume and I believe he has had such epic connections in music, partly, because the boy can rap. He does not have the lyrical wit of Big L, but compare Cormega to other gangsta rappers out there and you are sure to enjoy Cormega more than those artists. This album has some good production and I find that the better the production is, the better the song he records on is indeed. My favorite tracks are Deep Blue Sea, More Crime, and Beautiful Mind. Some other key producers on this album include J-Love and Ayotollah...who are absolutely spectacular producers. I give this album a C+.It is a bit watered-down but it has some good tracks.

Big L - Lifestylez Ov Da Poor and Dangerous (1995)

Genre: East-Coast Hip-Hop / Boom Bap/ Horrorcore/ 1990's Hip-Hop
Label: Columbia Records
Release Date: March 28, 1995
Youtube Preview 1/ 2/ 3

1. Put It On
2. M.V.P.
3. No Endz, No Skinz
4. 8 Iz Enuff
5. All Black
6. Danger Zone
7. Street Struck
8. Da Graveyard
9. Lifestylez Ov Da Poor & Dangerous
10. I Don't Understand It
11. Fed Up Wit The Bullshit
12. Let 'Em Have It 'L

BUY IT

dl

     Firstly, I must give Big L some props for being one of the most fierce and amazing rap lyricists to come into the rap game. Coming out of Harlem, the East-Coast rap legend created noise all throughout the industry and would end up signing with Columbia Records. He even got the likes of a young Jay-Z on a track. He was able to be in a rap group called: "Diggin In The Crates Crew" which consisted of rap legends such as Lord Finesse (rap pioneer), Buckwild, and Showbiz. "Lifestylez Ov Da Poor & Dangerous" is simply his greatest work, and was of course his only major label release while he was still alive, RIP. His wordplay, lyrical talent, and clever punchlines really impressed a lot of people. While he is a bit negative talking about murdering people and raping women, he still does it with a consistent level of lyrical wordplay that is just over the top. He is indeed a true rap legend and this album is indeed a 1990's hip-hop classic. I give it an A.

Astonish - From Now Until Forever EP (2008)

Genre: Underground Hip-Hop/ Rap
Label: Molemen Records
Release Date: February 26, 2008
Youtube Preview 1 / 2 / 3

1. Can U Hear Me
2. The Interview
3. Problems (feat. Scheme / Decay)
4. Broken Dreams
5. Panik Attak
6. Microphone Check
7. Life Ain't Sweet (feat. Termanology)
8. No Patience
9. Light'em Up
10. Impossible

BUY IT 

DL


Astonish sheds light on Chicago’s ability to breed a street-smart lyricist with enough intelligent swagger to hold his own in the midst of both the thugs and the backpackers. I would give this album a B- simply because of the fact that the tracks are all real hip-hop and true; however, there are some tracks that are not as good as others. My favorite tracks are "Light Em' Up" and "Can U Hear Me"

Breez Evahflowin – Breez Deez Treez (2009)

 

Label: Domination Recordings

Genre: Underground Hip-Hop/Rap

Release Date: August 4, 2009

Youtube Preview 1/ 2/ 3

1. Background Music
2. I Know
3. Luck vs Skill feat. Swave Sevah and Ike P.
4. Dot Dot Dot
5. Let 'em Know feat. Dojah and Symphonic
6. When You Fall
7. Within Me
8. Moms
9. Rope
10. I Failed
11. Hold It
12. Over feat. Swave Sevah

BUY IT

DL

MC Breez Evahflowin straight out of New York. He first started publicly freestyling and recording in the middle to late 1990's. Breez Evahflowin would recieve recognition for his battle raps when he was named the national grand champion of the famed Blaze Battle competition in 1999. Around this time he involved himself more with the independent rap movement and released a number of works. While he was a freestyle battle rapper and so forth, here on this 2009 release titled, "Breez Deez Treez" he comes across as a very good writer and reflective poet. This work is introspective and very honest. I post this because  I recommend it to any underground hip-hop fans. :)

Flying Lotus - Los Angeles (2008)

  


     Flying Lotus is likely one of the top 10 instrumental/electronic/hip-hop producers EVER. I put him on the same list as J Dilla, 9th Wonder, DJ Premier etc. I feel he is one of the world's amazing musicians. FlyLo, real name Steven Ellison, produces electronic hip-hop beats that are very abstract and sometimes jazz-influenced. Flying Lotus originated the Brainfeeder collective which sponsers musicians such as Teebs, Daedelus, Ras G, and Samiyam. He fuses IDM and electronica with trip-hop/hip-hop instrumentals. He released Los Angeles (his 2nd album) in 2008 through Warp Records and got very optimistic reviews for it. His other records include the album titled "1983" which was his first album and was released through Plug Research Records in 2006. After Los Angeles was released in 08'. Flying Lotus released "Cosmogramma" in 2010 through Warp Records and most recently he released "Until The Quiet Comes" this past October 2012. Los Angeles will always be my favorite Flying Lotus album release. He has other bootleg releases and EPs that I will review in the future.

Los Angeles (2008)

Genre: Trip-Hop/ Electronica / Instrumental Hip-Hop / Glitch Hop

Label: Warp Records 

Release Date: June 9, 2008
Youtube Preview 1/ 2/ 3

1	Brainfeeder		1:32
2	Breathe.Something / Stellar Star		3:21
3	Beginners Falafel		2:28
4	Camel		2:23
5	Melt!		1:45
6	Comet Course		3:02
7	Orbit 405		0:44
8	Golden Diva		4:02
9	Riot		4:02
10	GNG BNG		3:39
11	Parisian Goldfish		3:01
12	Sleepy Dinosaur		1:56
13	RobertaFlack (feat. Dolly)		3:08
14	SexSlaveShip		2:14
15	Auntie’s Harp		0:56
16	Testament (feat. Gonja Sufi)		2:29
17	Auntie’s Lock / Infinitum (feat. Laura Darlington)

BUY IT

SoundCloud

DL

"If I had to describe Flying Lotus’ work in one word, indescribable would be my choice. Sounds like a joke but it’s not, FlyLo (as his fans usually call him) has reached what most modern artists will never be able to: A unique sound and his 2008 album Los Angeles is proof of this signature in his songs, bringing influences from hip-hop and dubstep to create a flawless and addicting album.

The great nephew of Alice Coltrane, Flying Lotus was another in the legendary family destined to dedicate his life to music, not that he decided to follow his aunts footsteps. FlyLo chose a different way to his music, experimenting with the most diverse electronic sounds, remembering the creativity and the search for complexity that marked the late career of a famous saxophonist with the surname Coltrane.

“Los Angeles” picks up all these experiments and puts them together with some bass flavored hip-hop, a dark style and a sound, perfect to listen to using headphones. Starting with the space atmosphere of “Brainfeeder”, the album fits perfectly to the night climate, with songs like “Golden Diva” and “SexSlave Ship” showing a science-fiction vibe and a Stanley Kubrick’s 2001 soundtrack inspiration while songs like “Camel” and “Melt” bring African/middle-eastern inspired percussions showing one of the multiple faces of FlyLo’s production skills. Added to this variety of influences we have party-oriented songs like “GNG BNG” and “Parisian Goldfish” that gives the album a good break. But all of these different rhythms and music styles together don’t make Los Angeles sound loose. On the contrary, the album flows so perfectly that you will not realize that it’s ended.

This review wouldn’t be complete without citing what is to me one of the most beautiful songs created last decade. Giving this song the name of a soul diva is not too pretentious, it’s a well-deserved choice! The vocals of Dolly (whose real name is Ahu Keleslogu) are superb, adding a soulful melody that only makes Flying Lotus’ heavy-bass, but chill beat richer. More than a song, “RobertaFlack” is a masterpiece and “Los Angeles” is the definition of an indescribable album."  review by Arthur at rateyourmusic

J DIlla and Illa J - Yancey Boys Instrumentals (2008)

Genre: Underground Hip-Hop / Neo-Soul / Progressive
Label: Stones Throw Records / Delicious Vinyl
Release Date: November 4, 2008
Youtube Preview 1 / 2 / 3

01. Timeless 03:11
02. We Here 04:10
03. R U Listenin'?  04:20
04. Alien Family  02:18
05. Strugglin' 03:23
06. Showtime 03:45
07. Swagger 03:33
08. Mr. Shakes (a.k.a. Affion Crockett) (Skit) 00:44
09. DFTF  04:24
10. All Good 03:05
11. Souds Like Love (feat. Debi Nova) 03:25
12. Everytime 04:32
13. Illasoul 03:48

 BUY IT

DL

I decided to post the instrumental compilation from Illa J's Yancey Boys album. The beats were created by non other than the famous J Dilla himself when he was working with Delicious Vinyl. They were released in 2008 by Illa J who is J Dilla's brother. This was of course released after Dilla passed away but the instrumentals Dilla created are very relaxing and come through the speakers into your ear-drum with love. The non-instrumental version simply has Illa J rapping and singing over Dilla's beats. I prefer the instrumental version but both came out alright. Peep it everybody. It's a classic.

Zion I - Shadow Boxing (2012)

Genre: Real Hip-Hop/ Progressive Hip-Hop/ Electronic / West Coast
Label: Live Up Records
Release Date: October 2, 2012
Youtube Preview 1/ 2 / 3

1. Shadowboxing (02:39)
2. Human Being (03:48)
3. Sex Wax Ft. Collie Buddz (02:57)
4. Joe Frazzzier (06:23)
5. Life’s Work Ft. Goapele (03:42)
6. Anymore (03:12)
7. Buck Em (03:35)
8. Whydaze (02:10)
9. Rock On (03:43)
10. Trapped Out Ft. D.U.S.T. (03:49)
11. Re-Load (04:37)
12. We Don’t Ft. The Grouch & Eligh (03:49)
13. Human Being (Bassnectar Edit) (02:25)


BUY IT


DL

This Zion I album is absolutely progressive, funky, and full of passion. One can listen to Baba Zumbi's poetics over Amp Live's base lines. I enjoyed listening to Zumbi even more on this Shadow Boxing album than on Atomic Clock. This time around Zumbi and Amp Live both sound more progressive than before, and I feel that every hip-hop fan can enjoy this tune.