“For Doz Dat Slept”-Buff 1 breaks it down: “Pure” a year later…

After writing about this “rising star” for three (!) inclusions on my “Top 100 Tracks Of ‘07″ list, you’d think that I’d be running out of words to describe the presence that Buff 1 left on Hip Hop last year with his solo debut “Pure” (Aside Worldwide). Hardly, matter of fact, it’s albums like this….the one’s that appear virtually outta’ nowhere that make “blogging” so damn enjoyable. It almost makes you feel as if “you” had something to do with his or her notoriety or rise to stardom. There was no better feeling I had last year than after my wife’s birth to our second Daughter (we actually did a “home birth”). Ecstatic, overjoyed, yet extremely tired (although not nearly as much as my Wife), near 2:30 A.M. that morning, headphones in tow, I sprawled out on my couch to “unwind” with some new music and that’s when Buff’s empowering lyrics to “Pure” blasted through my “Sony’s”. If you wanna’ get specific, “Pure” may have only qualified as the “intro” to “Pure”, being that it’s only 2 Minutes and 29 seconds, but this track has made my spine tingle each and every time I hear it. Yet, it takes me back to “that” feeling that I had when my Daughter was introduced to the World. Immediately, with no warning or delay Buff hit you with his rapid fire, yet poignant delivery, and when the opening drums burst to the surface at around the 1:30 mark of “Pure” it’s a wrap! Bam! That was it, from that point on I was “sold” on the quality of not only Buff’s lyrics and flow! (don’t sleep, the production on “Pure” is bangin’ too!)

Now, some of you may recall Buff and the Lab Techs (who handled the bulk of the production duties for “Pure”) from their earlier days as members of the D’s (Detroit) famed Athletic Mic League (AML). Matter of fact, it was the Lab Techs who produced the critically acclaimed AML 2002 release “Sweats and Kicks”, as well as the mutually revered national release of “Jungle Gym Jungle” (2004, Barak Records). However, it was the remaining emcees of the AML who approached Buff with a change of plans: it was time to for Buff to emerge as a solo artist. With the blessings of the Athletic Mic League, and the Lab Techs helming the boards, Buff delivered an extremely impressive solo debut that was highly overlooked in ‘07. Buff is a uniqe emcee who possesses an unmatched lyrical talent that is highlighted by humor that doesn’t come naturally to most. Buff is also very effective in relaying a simple philosophy of those “deeper thoughts” that everyone can relate to, but none can seem able to verbalize with his ease.

So here we are…..a year later, and while the quality releases for ‘08 are starting to pile up, it’s never too late to revisit an album that some of you may have slept on in 2007. Recently, one of Detroit’s finest offered listeners his version of “VH1’s Classic Albums”, with his “break-down” of “Pure” and Buff was also generous enough to let W.T.R. share it with you. I truly wish that many more artists would follow in Buff’s path and take the time to sit down and detail an album’s structure, to include little tidbits that the listener, in most cases, may have been unaware of. Kudos to you Buff 1!! Also, the heat doesn’t end with “Pure” either, in preparation for his new LP, “There’s Only One”, Buff has recently leaked his newest banger “Beat The Speakers Up” (prod. by Lab Techs) click to DL along with the accompanying video (which you can peep below) for your viewing and listening pleasure. In the meantime, peep the “break-down” and enjoy the album, or vice versa. Also, make sure you go out and get yourself a copy of Buff1’s “Pure”. Shit, I know it’s a downloader’s world, but you gotta’ go out and support the artists (like Buff 1) that are actually crafting good records or they’ll cease to exist and we’ll be subjected to the Souljah Boys, Akons & T-Pains of the world even more so!!

1. “Pure” prod. by Lab Techs

“Parts of the verse from “Pure” were about 3 years old when (it) came out. It went through transformations as did the beat for the intro. The verse was originally recorded on one of KT’s beats titled “Sledgehammer”. I wanted to see if I could get away with a 3 year old verse. I liked it but it was kinda’ dark so I edited it into my life story in a verse and made it what you hear on the intro. The beat for the intro was one of three I recorded on; it was the first and the last. I recorded on this beat but I thought it wasn’t hype enough. KT then gave me a Teddy Pendergrass loop for the intro that I recorded on but that wasn’t emotional enough for me. THEN he gave me what you will soon hear on “The Golden Hour” titled as “Ivory Pillars”. I loved this one but the original beat kept calling me like a child I left to fend for itself. As a result, I went BACK to the original beat. KT being the weirdo/genius he is decided at the last minute he wanted to leave the drums out for most of the verse, turned out to be dope! Thus, you have the title track/intro “Pure”.

2. “Get To It” prod. by Lab Techs

“This one is simple. KT didn’t really like this beat. It was kinda’ old and it was a keyboard beat which was different for AML (Athletic Mic League). I heard it and loved it, KT was weary but I knew I could make a classic banger out of it, and that’s what I did!”

3. “Moving Along” prod. by Lab Techs (click to preview)

“When it was decided that I would do a solo album, I knew I wanted to use this beat from Tres. I had it in rotation for a while. I knew I wanted to write about adult responsibilities on this one. I wrote the verses and I heard some singing on the hook. Around the time I was working on this I had met (through the internet) Tiffany Paige through my man Zo(!). She asked me to spit a verse on one of her songs for a mixtape. She’s dope so I returned the favor and asked her to sing the hook. Classic Material.”

4. “Slick” prod. by Lab Techs

“Another one of KT’s older beats. Whenever I heard it I just felt like a Black superhero, haha! That’s why the first verse is what it is. And even though I’m fully aware that I make “underground” hip hop, I thought we could still make an attempt at making the ladies 2-step in the club so I kinda’ made the hook and second verse kinda’ lighthearted. Then I wanted to really throw people off and get real hip hop on em and throw some cuts at the end. Got ‘Cut to get busy one time and there you have it.

5. “The Kingdom” ft Miz Korona and Elzhi prod. by Lab Techs

“Yet another one of KT’s older beats. Marv (Won) actually recorded a joint to this but I had to have it. I just wanted this to be raw spittin’ so I got Korona and El on it. The drums just sounded like Africa to me so I went with the African king vibe, hence, “The Kingdom”. Thanks Marv, I owe you homie!

6. “I Go” prod. by Mr. Porter

“One of the two outside of the Lab Techs produced tracks. Long story long, DDT of fm98 liked my song “Hula Hoops”, A LOT. He played it on the radio, A LOT. He works with Denaun Porter (aka Mr. Porter, aka Kon Artist of D-12) for his Runyan Ave. label. DDT played it for Mr. Porter, he loved it and wanted to know who did the beat. KT did the beat and they got cool on the producer admiration tip. Mr. Porter liked what KT does, liked a couple songs we let him hear from my album, liked our hustle. As a result he gave me a beat on g.p.! This man gets literally millions of dollars to make beats and he gave me one for free! One love to Mr. Porter! Oh, the song, I wanted to just chill and show how effortless my skills were, so that’s what I did.”

7. “Big Thangs” prod. by Lab Techs

Vaughan and Wes (the brothers Taylor) said I needed and Ann Arbor anthem song where I claimed the Ann Arbor mayoral throne and made people proud to be from the Deuce. V gave me a beat cd, don’t think he intended for me to use this one but I picked it, something different. It kinda had the south snap feel. I’m from the A so I wanted my people down there and the people up here who ONLY listen to artists on the radio to be able to vibe to it. I kept the pattern simple but I still did me on it. V came up with “small town folks” bridge and the rest is history, came out dope”.

8. “Pretty Baby” prod. by Lab Techs

“NOT one of KT’s older beats. KT had the sample part at the beginning and my first inclination was to take “pretty baby” and make it about a fictional pretty female I was trying to court. Instead I decided to take “pretty baby” and think about Black youth in America. Glad I did. It sounded classic so I decided to go all the way classic in the vein of Nas’ “Life’s A B!tch” and get my man Sam Beaubien to play the horns on it. There it is”.

9. “Much Better” ft. OneBeLo prod. by Lab Techs

“KT and Drew made this beat together just messing around one day, I was there when they started. It sounded real sexy so I wanted to do something the ladies could feel. But in an attempt to straddle the fence I wanted to keep it hip hop, haha! I wrote a metaphorical verse as if hip hop was a woman, like hundreds of emcees before me have done and hundreds more after me will do. I reached out to my homie of about 10 years and one my favorite emcees in the rap game OneBeLo (he’s good at the metaphorical hip hop stuff, haha!). I couldn’t think of a hook so I had Jax do his thing. Drew finished up the beat, and BAM”!

10. “FoodChainGang” prod. by Lab Techs

“This may be my favorite song on the album, and NOBODY talks about it. It’s just raw. Vaughan made the beat while he was out in NY, grinding, trying to make it happen. Us back here at home titled it “Vaughan’s Hungry”, haha! That kinda influenced me to go in the direction I did, hunger, the haves and the have nots and what people do to get things when they don’t have them; “Food-Chain-Gang”. I love the hook, two of my favorite verses ever, the beat is Buh-nan-nuz. Everything just meshed well on this one to me”.

11. “House of Horrors” prod. by Lab Techs

“I wrote this verse to the beat that eventually became Octane and Illite’s “Leave Me Alone”. KT put the scream at the beginning and it just sounded scary. I wanted to say something kinda political but I also wanted to catch people off guard and challenge them to think for themselves. The song is kinda’ heavy so I wanted to lighten it up with some comic relief so I found a funny Bush quote on the internet (one of MANY). It just happened to flow into the next song since I start it off laughing at these untalented rappers, that song happens to be…”

12. “Supreme” ft. Invincible and Guilty Simpson prod. by Waajeed

“This is the other song with production from someone other than the Lab Techs, W-AA-JE-ED!!!!! Got my sister Invincible on it. I let her choose which song she wanted to be on, she didn’t wanna be pigeonholed into a type of sound (sorry Lo, haha! I’ll let you choose next time) and she knew being on a song with Guilty would be different for her. Guilty was on my first mixtape, “The One and Only Mixtape” in ‘05 so we had to do it again!”

13. “Show Stopper” prod. by Lab Techs

The title pretty much says it all. Vaughan made the beat, I knew it would be a show anthem. I just had to let people know that my live show was like no one else’s and well worth the price of admission.

14. “Hula Hoops”

“Plain and simple, this song was a joke. The beat is crazy of course, but the rest was pretty much me and KT being silly. KT was directly inspired by Dilla on this one. After listening to and marveling at how Dilla somehow took Jeffrey Osborne’s voice out of the sample for De La’s “Much More” WITHOUT filtering out the music/instruments (producers/heads know how crazy that is) KT wanted to try it, I think he did an excellent job. As for the lyrics/hook, just messing around. Wanted to make a “club” song but still be myself. I didn’t really like it that much but I put it on my first mixtape anyway and everybody in Ann Arbor/Detroit loved it so I had to put it on the album”.

15. “True Colors” ft Now On and Monica Blaire prod. by Lab Techs

“One of Drew’s beats that I had in rotation for a while. I was kinda bored so I decided to write about colors. I wrote the hook, got my brothers Now On on it and knew I needed a female to sing the hook. My favorite singer/performer at the time was Monica Blaire, I asked her to get on it, she was down and “True Colors” was born”.

16. “That Fonk!” prod. by Lab Techs

“It wouldn’t be a Buff1 album if I didn’t have the rest of my body parts on here with me. This was pretty much an AML album but I was the head on this one, but of course I had to have the rest of me on here. The reason I didn’t put “featuring AML” in the liner notes is because AML is not a separate entity. I will always and FOREVER be a member of AML no matter if another CD with any of us on it gets pressed or not. A lotta’ people think AML has a very soulful sound, Tres had the beat and I just wanted to go extra extra with the soul vibe”.

17. “For U” prod. by Lab Techs

“Me and KT wanted to make “grown men with muscles cry” with this one… “tears”. I don’t think I’m all that good at it but I tried my best at pouring my heart out. KT wanted a Big Rube intro, we tried to get a male poet to do it but it didn’t work out in time so I just did it myself. Got Zo(!) on the help out and you have a fitting end to what I believe to be a classic album!”

“Beat The Speakers Up” (new video)

“Most Played For The Week”

1. “All Of Me” (Remix)-Ill Poetic/Joe Budden/Portishead

It’s safe to say that Ill Poetic’s week has turned out to be a pretty darn good one with the the leak (free download) of his Joe Budden meets Portishead “mash-up”, “MM3rd”. Timing is everything, a week ago the idea of crafting this album was all but dissolved after one of the project’s contributors backed out at the last minute. Rather than saying, “ahh, fu*k it I’ll just keep the beats for another project”, Ill chose to knock out “MM3rd” in less than 48 hours. The results are nearly amazing, if not genius. The release has already garnered an enormous amount of praise, and just yesterday “MM3rd” made it’s appearance on Rolling Stone.Com’s “Rock & Roll Daily”. (editor’s note: the amount of incoming “hits” from Rolling Stone.com do wonders for your “Stat Tracker”). Of course, the release also coincides with the release of Portishead’s first album in nearly 10 (!) years, “Third”. Timing is everything.

“MM3rd” is the perfect marriage between Portishead’s “mourning” glory, Budden’s self-reflective lyrics (sheeet, you think you gotta’ it bad, listening to Joe’s depressing lyrics is sure to put your “situation” in a brighter state) and ill poetic’s crystal-clear, precise and bass-heavy production. Your see and hear Budden in a totally different light atop the production on this album. I don’t know if it’s primarily the production (of not only Poetic, but Portishead’s production is extremely daring as well!) on this “re-working” or what, but after just a few listens your sold on Budden’s story-telling abilities and lyrical skills in general, enough to push to seek out Budden’s prior releases in the “Mood Muzik” series. “All Of Me” is an 8 minute recollection of some of the many road-blocks that have occurred in Budden’s history atop sharp, stutter-step drum kicks from ill poetic intertwined with bits and pieces of Portishead’s finale from their debut smash “Dummy”, “Glory Box”. The track has numerous twists and turns that all come come crashing together at various moments to coincide with Budden’s lyrical “highs and lows”, although the real treat arrives at the 7:47 mark as a pulsing drum track is inserted for the track’s “outro” only leaving you wondering why this track wasn’t utilized to it’s full potential (ill poetic has made a habit of doing that, peep a few of the track endings on “The World Is Ours”). After last week’s release of “Blueprint vs. Funkadelic” (also one of the year’s best thus far) and this outstanding, daring release from Ill Poetic, the state that both of these emcees/producers call home (Ohio) is most definitely a force to be reckoned with!

Ill and I have joked that I’m the Source (mag) to his Benzino (similar to what Trav of “Wake Your Daughter Up” and the Smile Rays have going for them), but you have to give credit where credit is due! Not only is Ill Poetic hands down my favorite artist in Hip Hop right now as I never seem to get tired of his music, but I also consider him to be one of the industry’s most talented assets as well (the Smile Rays aren’t anything to sneeze at either)! Plus, from some of the “exclusives” and test material that Ill Poetic has leaked out to me thus far, we’re all in for quite a treat for the months ahead! So for all of you bitchin’ and moanin’ about “Smile Rays Week” over at W.Y.D.U., I’m tellin’ you right now if you can’t appreciate the dope product that’s emerging from Columbus, Ohio then don’t even bother tuning in for the next week or so as I have an “Ohio Appreciation Week” that I’m working on that will (if all goes as planned) feature some of the ‘Nati’s finest artists on the come-up and those whom already solidified their place in Hip Hop. Lastly, thank-you Columbus, Ohio (Ill Poetic, Blueprint, Danger Zone, etc.) for helping me get through the last few weeks with three of 2008’s best releases (stay tuned for more on Danger Zone), which have made my days and nights that much more enjoyable. Plus, my Wife loves Blueprint and Ill Poetic so I’ve gotta’ love em’ right? (p.s. congrats go out to dedicated reader Big Fonz and his Wife whom were married…..today (?) actually)

2. “Inner Me”-Kidz In The Hall

If I’d told you a few weeks ago that the most recent Duck Down signees, Kidz in The Hall, would create one of the most depressing tracks in recent memory, would you have believed me? Well, believe it as the duo (and certified preppies) of Knawledge and Double-O prove that things aren’t always as they are portrayed in the video for “Drivin’ Down The Block”. Let’s face it, Kidz’ Rawkus debut “School Was My Hustle” kind of presented the duo as a care-free, all about a good time, life of the party group. Maybe it had something to do with their youth, however, the time between the release of “School…” and “The In Crowd” has obviously done wonders for the group. As this is a much more concentrated and honest record than what I’ve come to expect from Kidz In The Hall. The production on “Inner Me” is sick! Double-O (whom I believe produced ALL of “The In Crowd”) does an A+ job of provided Knawledge with a heart-felt, bass-heavy banger with a fading sample that flows from right to left in your headphones. The track builds even more momentum near it’s close, and being that the track is over 5 minutes in length, you never begin to grow weary and reach for the fast-forward button.

As far as the rest of “The In Crowd” is concerned? Well, that’s really not for me to say as I’ve been enraptured by the recent releases from Blueprint and Ill Poetic, that I really haven’t been able to really “sit down” and take this album in from start to finish. Hopefully, be the end of next week I’ll be more suited to speak my thoughts on this highly anticipated follow-up to “School Was My Hustle”. However, from what I’ve read thus far regarding “The In Crowd” it’s received alot of praise, and I’ve even seen it tagged on a few sites as “The Album Of The Year Thus Far”. Although, I squirmed in my chair a bit when a few of those same exact sites dubbed Kidz In The Hall as today’s version of GangStarr, Eric B & Rakim, and even Pete Rock and CL Smooth….now, that’s pushin’ it a bit, wouldn’t you agree? In the meantime, be sure to bump “Inner Me” in the headphones as it is one of the hottest beats (and songs) of 2008.

3. “Roaring Flood”-Educated Consumers

While “Roaring Flood” or even Educated Consumers’ “Write Hear” (released in 2007) isn’t exactly new per se, I have been bumpin’ the hell outta’ this album as of late. Even though I stated last year that “Write Hear” was one of the year’s best, after a few more listens I’ve come to realize that this album isn’t just good….it’s REALLY GOOD! The mic-holder of the duo, SeezMics has one of those very voices and flows that is extremely easy to listen to. Not only is SeezMics a dope emcee in his own right, but he’s something that very few emcees are…..he’s very comfortable and relaxed on the mic. You can actually tell that dude’s confident in his own skill-set as he delivers well thought-out verses that never come off as sounding rushed or senseless (read: he’s not just piecing together words at the end of a bar for the sole purpose of theme rhyming). Production-wise…..and fu*k I hate trying to spell this, but…t..E..C..K! is always on-point with sparse drum kicks that truly (and I’m not bullsh*tin’) have an early ta’ mid-nineties feel to them. The samples within the tracks are well placed and the breaks are just how I like em’, dusty yet crispy!

Really, there’s not one single downfall to this album. Every cut on “Write Hear” is enjoyable, and there’s not a single piece of “Fast-Forward” material to be found. This is actually the Educated Consumers 3rd album, their self-titled debut released was released in 2000, while “Aisle 2″, the follow-up released was released in 2001. Even with nearly a 6 year gap between releases, I’ll admit I’ve slept on these cats (and “Write Hear”) for quite some time…..shame on me! If you don’t find a way to get your sticky fingers on a copy of “Write Hear” within the next week? Well, shame on you! Please, take it from me, don’t overlook this release from two very talented individuals or you’ll be missing out on some of the underground’s finer elements.

4. “Soul Music”-Jah-I-Witness Emcee (props to leroi for the link)

All I can say is “Thank God For The Internet”!! I mean really, if it hadn’t been for my random browsing of “HHB” (well, not really “browsing”, but we all know why we visit “HHB”), would I have ever run across the video for “Soul Music”? Probably not, and I’m still wondering just how in the world they got their hands on this track. Whatever the case may be, I’m glad that I didn’t get the opportunity to peep an outstanding track from a very eclectic individual whose definitely got some worthwhile to say. Remember Public Enemy’s follow-up to the classic, “It Takes A Nation Of Millions…”, “Fear Of A Black Planet”? Well, when I first heard “Soul Music”, lyrically, I immediately thought that this track reminded me of a “Who Stole The Soul” Pt. II. However, the comparisons end there as “Soul Music” is more of a mid-tempo cut that is more, well….musical. I never thought I’d say that a song is more musically inclined than a Bomb Squad production but I would take “Soul Music” over “Who Stole The Soul” any day of the week. Of course, you already know that I’m a sucker for the Panaceas, Ill Poetics and Blu & Exiles of the world, good music that is not only emotional, but packs more than enough punch to keep your neck snappin’ as well.

“Soul Music” focuses on the godfathers of soul, the leaders who paved the well only to have the Timberlakes, Robin Thickes and Christana Aguilerras garner all the attention, you know the “Elvis Presley Dilemma”. Don’t get me wrong, I’m white, but dude’s definitely hammering home a valid point here. As for the production on the “Soul Music”, the track is backed by a thumping, quick-hitting bassline and sprinkled with some subtle keys. However, the track rises to new heights on the hook, which is so damn soulful it makes the hair on my arms stand up with every listen. As for Jah-I-Witness, he is currently working on his latest release, which will include “Soul Music”. Jah also has a group release titled “The Remnant Project” coming out soon. He also has an earlier release entitled “Stranger” that was pressed up a few years ago with very limited compies. On top of that there a bunch of other little side things that he’s involved in currently…just remember where you heard his name first. I think that Jah-I-Witness Emcee is definitely one talented artist that we’ll be hearing alot more from in the very near future!

5. “Keep It Hot For Daddy”-Soul Position (Blueprint & RJD2)

“Personality? (check)/nice salary/nice bubble/stay out trouble” not the typical lyrics that fuel a chorus, especially when coming from the duo who brought you “8 Million Stories”. Again, not quite a “new” release, but after attaining nearly classic status with the aforementioned “8 Million..”, I’ll admit once i heard Blueprint & RJD’s (aka Soul Position) 2006 follow-up, “Things Go Be With RJ & AL”, I experienced a bit of a let-down. Not that the album wasn’t (or isn’t) dope, it’s just that I expected to be captivated and blown away, just like after the first listen to the moody “8 Million..”. Well, for whatever reason I’d gone nearly 2 years without giving “Things Go Better…” a second chance. However, with the recent release of “Blueprint vs. Funkadelic” I decided to dive a little deeper into Blueprint’s discography, being that he’s not only a solid emcee but a dope producer as well (see: “Chamber Music”). Needless to say, much of last week was dedicated to revisiting recordings such as “The Weight Room”, “Chamber Music”, “1988″ and of course, “Things Go Better..”. Let’s just say that the second time around was a much smoother ride than the first, in particular “Keep It Hot For Daddy”.

It is what the title suggest folks! If “Keep It Hot..” was done by anyone else but Blueprint and RJD2 (imagine some bullsh*t Down-South act rhyming this over a keyboard-only constructed “bounce”, fu*k outta’ here!) it may have run the risk of being labeled “corny” are a blatant attempt at urban crossover aka “radio airplay in the day”. However, this is a nice change of direction for the two, not necessarily something that you’d want to hear all the time, but still….very fresh! Blueprint delivers a confident swag on this one over RJD2 “herky-jerky” production, this is the kind of track that’s perfect for working out, or anything that involves a significant amount of effort. Sheeet, this track very well could have found it’s way into the clubs and the dance floors had it been given the right push. Also, don’t sleep on “Things Go Better…” even though many of you have expressed a dislike for RJ2’s production, Blueprint (much like SeezMics) always comes off fresh, delivering intricate rhymes with almost no wasted effort.

6. “Addictions”-Danger Zone f. Illogic

Once again, it’s Ohio producing another strong act as the producer emcee duo of Amos Famous and Bru Lei have managed to churn out a pretty darn good album. Bru Lei, while maybe not “deepest” emcee out there, is still very solid and having a good voice (like Guru said: “It’s mostly tha’ voice”) along with a delivery that is very reminiscent of an early Erick Sermon doesn’t hurt matters either. Matter of fact Danger Zone’s “Dangerous Styles” and the aforementioned “Write Hear” by the Educated Consumers are both very similar albums, especially production-wise as producer Amos Famous succeeds in bringin’ back “that ol’ Boom-Bap”. Both albums also follow the same structure guidelines, both Bru Lei and SeezMics (Educated Consumers) surely know how to pack enough “fun” in their rhymes to keep the party live, however, they also know when it’s time to get down ta’ bidness as well.

Formed in 2005, Danger Zone is the collaborative result of of a chance meeting between the emcee and producer while they were performing at the same show. A few beat cd’s and blunts later and the deal was sealed. Prior to “Dangerous Styles” the duo of Bru Lei and Amos Famous dropped a self-titled EP. Collectively, these two have rocked shows with some of the best, and with their debut full-length “Dangerous Styles” they set themselves up to be placed in that same category. For 17 solid tracks Danger Zone takes you on a journey from “Bright City Lights” to “Video Games” and “Addictions”. With guest appearances from Dove Ink label mates Illogic (who absolutely has KILLED every record I’ve ever heard him spit on…BTW, Ill Poetic is producing his forthcoming LP as well) & Ill Poetic, “Dangerous Styles” has almost instantly found itself amongst the best albums of 2008.

7. “Me”-Atmosphere

Admittedly, I’ve never been the biggest Atmosphere fan, and the recent collection of YouTube videos (and I mean collection, shit!) didn’t really convert me in to a true-blue fan either. However, the duo of Ant & Slug have churned out a good…..REALLY good album with their recent release, “When Life Gives You Lemons, Paint That Sh*t Gold”. While I wouldn’t exactly designate Atmosphere as “trend setters”, these cats are very innovative and have set out to carve their own path to truly push the envelope of what has become acceptable within the limits of a “traditional” Hip Hop album. And let’s face it, the outward appearance of these two isn’t considered exactly “Hip Hop” either, but fu*k it, who cares? “When Life Gives….” is probably in my top 5 releases of the year thus far, and I’ve never even owned an Atmosphere record besides “Seven’s Travels”, which my Wife (then Girlfriend) sent me in a “care package” when I was deployed in Iraq. Now, that was a pretty dope album as well as it provided the background music to alot of good memories that I took along with me following my term in the Military.

“Me” just so happens to be my favorite track from the album. Ant provides Slug with a beautiful sound scape for Slug to unveil his self-depreciating, reflective lyrics that perfectly describe his past while rapping in third person. It’s almost as if Slug is looking at himself in the mirror, revisiting a time line in his life that he would rather mend than regret. “Me” is super mellow and cooled out, mainly in part to the soothing guitar lick and the heavenly vocals that stray in the background. A word of advice, even if you aren’t the biggest Atmosphere follower (much like me), be sure to give “When Life Gives…” a listen, you won’t be wasting your time!

8. “Watchin’ My Moves”-Rashid Hadee f. Young Valentine

You know, I like to keep things fresh when I write a “Most Played” post. I mean, I try to hip ya’ll on new stuff, or even stuff that wasn’t discussed in the week prior. However, I’ve slept on Rashid Hadee’s “Dedication” so damn long, it’s only right that it receives it’s due mention. Last week it was “From 6 To 7″, twice actually (see: “Sample Appreciation”), and this week it’s “Watchin’ My Moves” a track which Hadee reunites with fellow Chapter 13 alumni, Young Valentine. Although, I prefer Hadee’s solo work compared to his work with Chapter 13, “Watchin’ My Moves” boast such a soulful production that it’s easy to overlook Valentine’s Mississippi twang’. Not to knock Valentine, but his flow and lyrics are somewhat of an odd fit over Hadee’s top-notch beats. Who knows, maybe it’s just me, because I’m definitely not accustomed to a lyricist with such a heave accent spitting over production like this. Sh*t, Hadee laced “Watchin” with the best 9th Wonder track that 9th never produced, and just in case you don’t know, Hadee is also responsible for “Dreams” from Little Brother’s minus 9th effort, “Get Back”.

Also, I don’t know if this is for public consumption or review purposes, but Trav hit me up with a Hadee mixtape he received this past week via e-mail. I haven’t even listened to it yet, but from what I’ve gathered it’s more or less a compilation of Rashid Hadee productions and features. Oh, and speakin’ of Little Brother, Rapper Big Pooh actually host this joint that is mixed by Cosm Roks, titled “A Change Gone Come”. So, here’s the link and you can peep the tracklisting below…..hmmm, looks good to me, I’ll have to check this out sometime today. Hell, if it’s even half as dope as “Dedication” or much of Hadee’s other production, you know that this mixtape will be dope!

Track Listing

01. Big Pooh Intro
02. “A Change Gon’ Come”
03. “Pushers”
04. “You Can’t Hide”
05. “High Wednesday” Feat. Primeridian
06. “Heart Beat (Freestyle)”
07. “Back to Business” Feat. Melatone of Chapter 13 (Prod. By
J-Dilla)
08. “What is it” Feat. Astonish & Jay Vega
09. “Fresh” Feat. Visual
10. “Explode” (Prod. By Analogic)
11. “Dreams (Interlude)”
12. “Dreams” Feat. Little Brother
13. “Feels Good” (Prod. By Dj PHD)
14. “When We Rock” Feat. Abstract Mindstate & Iomos Marad
15. “We Roll (Freestyle)”
16. “Watchin’ My Moves”
17. “Standing for Something” Feat. Thaione Davis (Prod. By Madlib)
18. “Duck, Duck, Duck’ Feat. Young Valentine
19. “You Never Know” Feat. Furlee of The Landlords
20. “Getting’ It In” Feat. Donwill of Tanya Morgan
21. “Black Sunday” Feat. Augustine & KING
22. “Fallin” Feat. Abstract Mindstate & O-Type Star
23. “Surrender”
24. “Surrender (Brand New Remix)” Feat. Rita J.
25. “Focused” Feat. F.O.O.D. (Decay & Selfish)
26. “Flyin’ High” Feat. Abstract Mindstate
27. “Oxygen” Feat. Pugs Atomz (Prod. By Pete Rock)
28. “All Day” Feat. Skinny Kenny
29. “Glam, Glitter” Feat. Cap D of All Natural
30. “How Long” Feat. KING
31. Outro
32. “My Life Story”

Note: All songs produced by Rashid Hadee and mixed by Cosm Rocks

9. “We The People”-Prince Ali

Don’t get Prince Ali confused with Toronto’s Prince Ali (the same cat who drop that “free download” EP titled, “I Miss 1994″ about a year ago), this is the Hiero affiliate Prince Ali from the Bay who dropped “Curb Side Service” last year. Here’s just a little bio that I copied from Amazon.com, since I know very little about this cat even though I’m a big fan of his this mixtape, “Cornerstore Ensemble” and last year’s “Curb Side Service” (”California Cliff Notes” f. Pep Love actually made my “Top 100″ tracks of ‘07):

“Bay Area rhymesayer Prince Ali’s verbal assault combines a flaunting, B-boy-like swagger with nuances of spirituality, a strong implication of his Souls of Mischief influence. Born in Oakland, CA, but raised a few miles south in Hayward, CA, Ali was inspired to be an MC in the mid-’80s by the king B-boys of hip-hop, Run-D.M.C. After he completed his graduate program at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, he founded Eye5 Recordings in 2006, putting forth a stable of progressive rap artists, including L.A. hip-hop band Destruments and three-man crew Pacific Sonz (of which he is a member). That same year, Ali made noise with this underground mixtape, that contains “We The People”, “Corner Ensemble”, despite its limited distribution. Oakland hip-hop pioneers Hieroglyphics caught wind of the up-and-coming MC and picked up this mixtape and debut album, “Curb Side Service”, for proper release via Hiero Imperium/Fontana Distribution last year. The full-length from Ali “Curb Side Service”,featured Hiero members Pep Love, Tajai, and Casual as well as guest spots from Planet Asia and Keith Murray”.

“We The People” has been out for nearly two years now, well, not quite actually. I remember hearing this the same week that I copped Ill Poetic’s “TWIO” so I guess it’s not that old. Anyway, “We The People” is that knock Boyeeee! This track has the potential to be the avid breaker’s anthem as it possesses a much sampled drum break and the filtered horn loop on this joint is simply elegant. Ali as an adept lyricist who definitely has spent ample time with the Souls Of Mischief in his headphones. Couldn’t even begin to tell you why I’ve been bumpin’ this so much as of late, but I’m glad I dug this one back up as “We The People” is not to be missed!

10. “They Say Vision”-Res

Ahhh! Let’s push the envelope here a bit….beware: “They Say Vision” isn’t Hip Hop (gasp!)!! However, since it’s release in 2001 this has been my favorite non-Hip Hop track (maybe even album), simply put….Res is the shit. Why in the hell she hasn’t dropped another album in the 7 years is beyond me. While I’m not a big fan of posting “newer” albums, I do find justice in posting this overlooked debut (click it already dummy!) from Res. This album flew soo far under the radar that’s it’s almost an injustice. “How I Do” was released in 2001, in 2002 Res dropped the highly successful “They Say Vision” which skyrocketed to #1 on the Billboard dance charts. “Vision” was my introduction to “How I Do” and I’m glad I didn’t sleep on this release like most folks. To be brief, “How I Do” is solid from begining to end. Res is more than apt to keep the listener enertained with soothing vocals and excellent production. Also in 2002, Res dropped the single “Ice King” (which I loved) featuring Nas, but it failed miserably and needless to say Res feel off the map. Lately, Res has been touring with Gnarls Barkley providing background vocals and it’s good to see her on more recent bangers such as Madlib & Kweli’s collabo “Liberation” and Evidence’s “Weatherman LP”. It would be great to see her bless us with another solo album and I’m sure you will feel the same after hearing “How I Do”.

Editor’s Note: I actually had this “Most Played” sequenced from 1-10 on my Ipod and listened to it throughout the week, it’s a real dope mix if you put them all together. It turns out as a nice little mix….not that it matters, but whatever. Have a good week ya’ll and to all the Mothers out there have a Happy and Blessed Mother’s Day!

Sample Appreciation: “Visions Of A New World (Phase 1)”-Lonnie Liston Smith

“From 6 To 7″-Rashid Hadee

“The Beautiful”-Ill Poetic (keep your ears peeled at the 4:12 mark)

Not that I’m trying to follow in the footsteps of Scholar (”Souled On Music”) or “From Da Bricks” Dan Love (damn, that cat can break down a beat, for real!) and attempt to tear down the intricacies of production genius on a consistent basis, but I was so elated when Ill Poetic identified the origin of this sample that he freaked for two of the finest cuts on his album that I had to dig a little deeper. Earlier this evening I was able to track down “Visions Of A New World (Phase 1) via some random YouTube video. I first became acquainted with Lonnie Liston Smith’s elegant masterpiece “Visions…” via Ill Poetic’s near-instant classic “The World Is Ours”. Ill not only chose to use Smith’s calming vocals for his ode to his hometown, “Cincilluminati”, but also on “The Beautiful”. Ill showcases the true soul (not that it really needed to be “brought out”, Lonnie did just fine on the original) of “Visions” near the 4:12 mark of “The Beautiful” where Liston’s hypnotic vocals are backed by a neck-snapping break-beat, the two combine to nearly give me goosebumps with every listen. I’m only hoping that Ill choses to utilizes this snippet for a full-length track in the future, because rounding out the last minute or so of an already soulful track (”The Beautiful”) is like the fine ass skimmy in High School who would never give you the rhythm, choosing rather to leave you with the worst case of blue balls.

My love for this sample was rekindled last week with my discovery of Rashid Hadee’s “Dedication” (I STILL don’t know how I missed out on that album last year!) and his usage of “Visions” for the superb “From 6 to 7″. For “6 to 7″, Hadee chose to concentrate on the subtle keys of “Visions” as well as the repetitive loop of Smith’s fading “LaaaAaaa” vocal sample over a thumping drum kick that would make 9th wonder jealous. I’ve never been one to chase down a sample or dedicate a tremendous amount of time to discover a sample’s origin, but Lonnie Liston’s “Visions” has led to me dropping close to $50.00 attempting to capture the majority of this creative legend’s discography, and honestly, I can’t keep his music out of my headphones! I highly suggest that you to check out some of Lonnie’s work as well. Musically, it’s amazing to hear how far ahead of his time this cat was and besides, it’s always good to switch it up sometimes. Peep the YouTube vid for Lonnie Liston’s “Visions Of A New World (Phase I & II) below, and if anyone has an MP3 of this joint please drop a link in the comments and I’ll be glad to upload it in Zshare format.

“Soul Music”-Jah-I-Witness

-Man, I couldn’t tell you anything about this cat other than the fact that I first peeped this video less than 10 minutes ago over at HHB. However, I had to post this joint! “Soul Music” is crazy nice ($26.00 video and all), anyone have an MP3 of this joint or any good info on this dude/group?

Free Download: Ill Poetic Presents: Joe Budden meets Portishead-”MM3rd”

“MM3rd”-Ill Poetic/Joe Budden/Portishead (click to DL)

Most people know Joe Budden for his 2003 hit, “Pump It Up”, as well as his label woes with Def Jam regarding the dropping of his second album…or a single…or him. His fans know him for his introspective, highly respected lyricism, most notably showcased in his “Mood Muzik” series of mixtapes. His latest, “Mood Muzik 3” was released in earlier this year to high praise in the hip-hop community.

Most people know Portishead as pioneers of the trip-hop genre, releasing such classic LPs as “Dummy” and “Portishead”. Fans know them for their unique approaches to recording, as well as lead singer Beth Gibbons’ mournful voice. Their first LP in nearly 10 years, “Third, was released last week to a great response.

Most people don’t know Ill Poetic. In 2007, he released his national debut, “The World is Ours” to critical acclaim as well as a US and European tour. His name and production have received press in VIBE magazine, allhiphop, okayplayer, and countless others. He’s produced/collaborated with such underground notables as Wordsworth, Illogic, Blueprint, and Piakhan. Fans know him for writing his own self-deprecating press releases.

The following LP chops and layers Portishead’s “Third” (with some old ones in there, too) with Joe Budden’s “Mood Muzik 3”, creating the kind of dark, atmospheric LP that your cousin drinks bourbon in a bathtub to with the lights dimmed.

Editor’s Note: This sh*t is bananas!! Ill Po’ totally changed the feel of “Mood Muzik”, the Portishead chops give the album are dark murky feel that match up well with Joey’s somewhat depressing lyrics. If only Joe Budden could have this kind of top-notch production with each release! Also, be sure your “speaker game” is up to par, ’cause Ill Poetic loaded this re-working with enough bottom to rattle your ribcage. One of the best releases of the year thus far!!

From Ill: I just wanted to give a brief history of this project so that everyone gets their credit. This album was put together in one weekend, and i still don’t know how it actually got finished.

-Thanks to Greg and Macniff at Garnett Entertainment for the idea and the Portishead records. This was supposed to be a collab project, but unfortunately, they got caught up in some other projects.

-Thanks to my best friend Young Zone (Zone’s MySpace) for talking me into still doing this by myself.

-Thanks to my 13 year old computer, who, despite the loss of 80 percent of it’s plug-ins, inability to convert files into mp3s, and 15 minute load in time for a photoshop file, still saw this project through with me.

-Thanks to Number one Budden Fan Terrell Wright for helping me leak this.

-Thanks to you for listening and not putting this immediately in your recycling bin.

Pass this link on to everyone you can reach….or not. Either way, just enjoy it

Forthcoming Ill Poetic projects:

-Illogic “Diabolical Fun” Sept. ‘08 on Weightless Records (Illogic’s MySpace)

-Ill Poetic and j. rawls - Fall ‘08

-Wordsworth LP - TBA

-Blitz the Ambassador LP - TBA

-Young Zone “Face The Music” - TBA

-Definition (Ill Poetic & Young Zone) LP - TBA

Ill Poetic Presents: “MM3rd”-Joe Budden meets Portishead

If you’re a frequent visitor of “W.T.R.” you already know what a huge Ill Poetic “Stan” I am. Not only did I proclaim Ill’s “The World Is Ours” as my favorite release of ‘07 (sh*t, of the last five years or so even!), but had his 2005 album “Illumination” actually been released last year as well (being that I didn’t even know it existed until mid-way thru the Summer), it probably would have found itself in the Top 10 releases of the year as well. In an odd and somewhat coincidental turn of events, (please see my take on Joe Budden’s “Mood Muzik 3″ in my “Most Played For The Week” for more), Ill has taken on the task of pairing Joe Budden’s “MM3″ with the unlikely duo of Portishead and their latest offering “Third”. Now, what I have from the album I’m sharing with you as the remainder of “MM3″ will be a free download (a la “Blueprint vs. Funkadelic”) that I should have by tomorrow. However, in the meantime here is “Ventilation” (click to DL) to hold you over until I receive the album. Who knew that Joey B over some Portishead ‘ish would sound soo dope?? Especially after hearing all the lackluster beats on the original “MM3″. I have no doubt that Ill Poetic will do for “MM3″ what Small Pro did for “American Gangster” with his remix album, “Crooklyn Gangster”.

“Most Played For The Week” (keep your ears peeled)

1. “Day To Day”-Blueprint vs. Funkadelic (click track title to preview or DL)

Three things have become very clear to me after bumpin’ Blueprint’s “mash-up” with Funkadelic (over and over since it’s “leak” earlier this week):

1. This little 8 song (well, it’s closer to 6 being that track one is an “intro” and “Check Mate”, even though it’s a great track, is sadly only a little over a minute long) EP may very well be one of the most well executed releases thus far in ‘08. Now, this year hasn’t blessed us with half of the quality material that we were bumpin’ last year around this time, but as of late the “quality” has seemingly picked up with dope releases from the likes of The Roots, Atmosphere and believe it or not…Prodigy’s “H.N.I.C. Pt. II” is surprisingly solid as well. However, it has been the Has-Lo’s, Braille’s and Danger Zone’s of the underground that have truly held me over amidst the flood of releases that have been fairly disappointing and this latest EP release from Blueprint is very satisfying as well.

2. The combination of Funkadelic’s Rock meets Funk style meshes perfectly with Blueprint’s lyrics, delivery and unique vocal tone. I mean, I’ve always loved Blueprint and his collabos with RJD2 as one half of Soul Positon, as well as Blueprint’s solo outings, the instrumental opus “Chamber Music” and “1988″ but this sh*t was a brilliant move on Blueprint’s behalf. Score a major win for Weightless!!

3. Damn, I truly need to go back and dig up Funkadelic’s catalog, these cats were most definitely waaaay ahead of their time. Peep the ill guitar lick on “Day To Day”, and this track blossoms into a funky “free for all” even after Blueprint’s lyrical barrage ends near the 2:16 mark. Don’t miss out on this funky expedition, ’shrooms not included.

2. “Dear Diary”-Joe Budden

Damn Eric!! Joe Budden? Yep, I gotta’ come clean I’ve been a closet Joe Budden fan for quite some time now, all the while anticipating his actual “major label” release. However, I guess I’ll have to settle for the latest installment in Joey’s “Mood Muzik” series. After letting this sit on my computer for the longest, I finally decided to give this one a listen and much to my surprise, it’s really a pretty decent album. “Dear Diary” is the true crowning moment for Joey on “MM3″ as he spits introspective and deeply personal lyrics regarding past relationships (or as I like to call em’ “relation-sh*ts”) over a bangin’ “Just-Blazish” track (please overlook the sped-up sample tho’) that for whatever reason reminds me of Fabolous’ “Breathe” everytime I hear it. There’s no denyin’ that Joe Budden is a gifted emcee, but he definitely could stand to up his production budget as many of the tracks that I’ve heard him spit on don’t seem to be up to par with his lyrics. Plus, we all know that Joey has had his share of bad luck with finding a home to actually put out a decent full-length LP. Still, don’t miss out on “Dear Diary” and even if your not a fan of the Stack Bundles’, Ransom’s and Joe Budden’s of the world, “Mood Muzik3″ is definitely worth your time. Hell, I even bought it, which turned out to be a huuuuge mistake as the sound quality of the CD was utterly horrible!

3. “Don’t Wanna’ Be Right”-A & R (Analogic & Rashid Hadee)

From SoulSpazm’s Press Kit: “Serenade For The Moment”, dropping March 24th, is the collaboration between two great up and coming artists. One a producer and the other an emcee, who got together over the course of two years to create a record just for the sake of making music. Emerging from Trenton, the capital of New Jersey, producer Analogic has set out to win over the fans of this new generation of hip-hop with his soulful and hard hitting production. Having only been making beats since 2003, Analogic has amazingly climbed the proverbial ranks of the undergrounds new generation of elite producers. Quickly making a name for himself, Analogic has worked with the likes of such renowned emcees as Talib Kweli, MastaAce, AZ, Sean Price, Wordsworth, & Phonte (of Little Brother). Reminding listeners of the “Golden Era” of Hip-Hop without sounding dated, emcee Rashid Hadee’s solo music combines soul piercing wit, hard-edged confidence and innovative beat production. As one-half of the highly regarded hip-hop group Chapter 13, the young Chicago native is here to show the world he has what it takes to standout alone in the competitive world that is underground hip-hop. Coming with 7 songs and 7 + 1 instrumental tracks, “Serenade For The Moment”: Featuring all production from up and coming producer Analogic. All rhymes by Rashid Hadee. A new collaboration with an old school approach.”

Eric Says: “Talk about a dope collabo betweent two below the radar producers! Analogic has linked up with Chi-Town’s very own Rashid Hadee for a dope 7-cut EP titled”Serenade The Moment” a solid release from two relatively unknown and extremely underrated producers. The formant for this EP finds Hadee droppin’ the rhymes over Analogic’s soulful, bass-heavy beats. Damn, I’ve really been sleeping on Hadee, whom I decided to check for after hearing his production work on Silent Knight’ newest release, “Restoration”. Needless to say, much of my listening for the past week or so has been devoted to much of Hadee’s discography, to include his work as a member of Chapter 13 as well as his phoenominal solo LP, “Dedication”. It’s safe to say that this won’t be Hadee’s only appearance on my “Most Played For The Week” as this cat is definitely a “must hear” in the near future that is not only a dope emcee but a very soulful beatsmith as well (as evidenced by “From 6 To 7″, one of a handful of excellent tracks that appeared on Hadee’s “Dedication”.

“Don’t Wanna’ Be Right” is a definite head-nodder as the crisp, crackle & pop of the record spinning fits hand in glove over the pyramiding bassline that is sure to rattle a liscence plate or two. Hadee lyrically devotes much of the track to battle rhymes with a reflective line or so thrown into the mix for good measure. “Don’t Wanna’…” is one of those “feel-good” cuts that injects just enough momentum to serve as a nice companion in the gym or whenever you need that extra little kick-in-the-ass.”

4. “Emo Coaster”-JustMe & Cas Metah

It’s been nearly 3 years since the original Scribbling Idiots duo brought you their debut collaboration. Well the wait is over. JustMe & Cas Metah are back and they’re “Unemployed”, their 2ndfull-length project together and it’s just what you enjoy from these (Scribbling) idiots: Witty battle rhymes, thought-stirring lyricism, and the sarcastic raps you love and expect over jazzy, boom-bap production. This side project also features the rest of the Scribbling Idiots crew and beats from Scribbling Idiots, Muneshine, Vintage and more. “EmoCoaster” is an up tempo little ditty, detailing “a day in the life” of an underground artist, complete with tales of not getting paid after a show, primary income from “merch” (merchandise) sales and the general pitfalls of being an independent trying to carve out a name for yourself. “Emo…” also boasts stellar production from fellow Scibbling Idiots alumnus Theory Hazit. “Are Unemployed” is yet another good “Christian” rap album that has joined the likes of Poems’ “Blooming Sounds” as a solid release that should not be missed just because it isn’t exactly “hardcore” per se.

5. “Throwing Shade”-9th Wonder & Buckshot

I’ll admit it, after a dozen or so listens to 9th Wonder & Buckshot’s most recent collabo, “The Formula”, I’m highly disappointed. As I was telling Trav yesterday, 9th’s production seems to have regressed between the release of this album and “Dream Merchant 2″. Or maybe 9th has fallen victim to the same ills that led to the downfall of Das Efx, so many cats jock your style to the point were no one actually wants to hear you anymore, which in turn causes your material to come off as somewhat dated. Typically, for the most part, I love 9th’s beats and Fruity Loop production but aside from “Throwing Shade”, not much else has really grabbed me on this album. By comparison, 9th& Buck’s “Chemistry” was loaded with bangers such as “No Comparison”, “I Don’t Know Why” and “Nowadayz” (That’s What’s Up) to name a few. Hell, I actually thought that “Chemistry” was one of the better albums of 2005! But no matter how many listens I give “The Formula”, and believe me I WANT to like this album as a huge supporter of both the contributing artists, but it just doesn’t have the same “feel” as “Chemistry”. At times, the album sounds lazy, and truly lacks that real knockout punch. However, one cut that I am feelin’ is “Throwing Shade”, which features 9th’s best production on the album while Buckshot gives us his analysis about all the shady characters he’s crossed paths with. Matter of fact, the lyrical content and production on this track kinda’ evokes images of “Birdz” from “Chemistry”.

6. “Forgotten Boro”-Silent Knight

In yet what proves to be another solid outing from a member of the prestigious “Rawkus50″ campaign, Silent Knight continues to drop quality material with the release of “Restoration” his follow-up to his highly overlooked debut, “Hunger Strike”. Featuring production from…yep, here he is again…Chicagos’ Rashid Hadee, “Forgotten Boro” is an elegant, airy track that fits well with Knight’s reflective rhymes as he recollects his days as a youth growing up in Staten Island (which even includes a visit to “Wu-Wear”). Fresh off of the buzz of the Rawkus Records digital re-release of his debut, Silent Knight delivers a nice collection of rare, unreleased tracks and previously released material, remixed by some of today’s finest beat-smiths. “Restoration” boasts a line up of what many would say is some of today’s best up and coming producers. Along with Hadee, Analogic, M-phazes, E.Jones, DJ Vadim & Quincey Tones all stop by with some heat. If you did indeed miss “Hunger Strike”, be sure not to miss out on this one as Silent Knight is another cat to keep your eye open for.

7. “It Don’t Stop”-J-Live

Man, I don’t know who in the hell produced this but I know that Marco Polo is definitely one of the producers who did contribute beats to Live’s forthcoming LP, “Then What Happened?”. My best guess is that Marco laced Live with a banger on this one as well. The comparisons of “It Don’t Stop” and the Polo & Masta Ace classic “Nostalgia” are going to be inevitable. Both of the “breaks” on the two cuts sound nearly identical as does much of the lyrical content as Live offers up his current take on Hip Hop, much as Ace did on “Nostalgia”. So what does all the comparisons lead too, you ask? Yep, you guessed it another classic from a well-revered underground artist who never seems to get his props from the over-ground. I received a press advance of “Then What Happened?” a few weeks ago and let me just givey ou a heads up….you NEED to check this album out. Don’t be like me and overlook much of Live’s discography prior to this release as well, as Live is a well-spoken emcee who definitely has alot to offer Hip Hop’s underground demographic.

8. “Changed Locks”-Dagha

Boston emcee Dagha (who’s already appeared on what many have labeled a classic already, Edan’s “Beauty and the Beat”) drops an odd, yet innovative concept album regarding a depressing and often overlooked subject (divorce) that features production from DJ Real of Lewis Recordings. A bit of a departure from his last release, “Object In Motion”, Dagha takes on a confessional narrative (similar to Nicolay and Kay’s “Timeline”) with funky head nodding boom-bap production to back it up. This could be the years biggest sleeper so far, especially if your a married man with children. “Changed Locks” is pure comedy, as Dagha finds himself locked out of his own house, while valiantly attempting to “kick in the door”. The production and old movie samples (a la “Madvillianary” or much of Doom’s work) are more than ample accomplices for this descriptive tale that yet again involves “relation-sh*ts”. “The Divorce” is definite listening material for the “grown folk”, but the ill production makes it very attractive for any avid Hip Hop head.

9. “From 6 to 7″-Rashid Hadee

I promise, this is the last time you’ll see Rashid on my “Most Played For The Week”. Hell, maybe I should have just labeled this post as “Rashid Hadee Appreciation Week”, but you gotta’ give credit where credit is due and Hadee’s’07 smash “Dedication” is definitely worth the props. For “6 to 7″ Hadee freaks the same “Laaa, Laaaa” sample that Ill Poetic used for his smash, “Cinciluminatti” (if any one knows where that sample’s origin is, please hook me up! I’ve been searchin’ for it for a minute now) over a somewhat simple, but still very effective drum track. And even though, much of Hadee’s production may sound similar to 9th’s work (or Muneshine, or Analogic, or M-Phazes for that matter) he’s still a very talented double-threat, whether it’s behind the boards or on the mic. I have absolutely now idea how in the world I overlooked “Dedication”, and if it wasn’t for his work on the Silent Knight track listed above I’d still be slumberin’. It’s safe to say that Hadee’s music made the majority of last week very enjoyable, as much of his lyrics entail day-to-day living experiences over that “hit you in the soul” production I tend to favor. Props to you Rashid Hadee!

10. “Runnin”-Piakhan

Damn, if there is one state that goes relatively unnoticed when it come to up and coming emcees and producers it’s definitely Ohio. If proven artists such as Blueprint and Ill Poetic have anything to say about it, the “O” is definitely poised to stake their claim on Hip Hop’s landscape. For fans of Talib Kweli & Hi-Tek’s “Reflection Eternal” some of you may recall the Stat Quo like vocals of Piakhan on “Touch You”. Although I’m still not sold on “Khankrete” just yet, the Ill Poetic production “Runnin” (I’m tellin’ you, dude is the white Just Blaze) has been in the headphones for the majority of the day. Piakhan has what many emcees are lacking in Hip Hop today….a presence! Piakhan sounds more like a “seasoned vet” rather than another new jack hailing from Cincy. So you be the judge, here’s the LINK along with a brief press release compliments of Ill Poetic:

“If any of you are familiar with Piakhan, then ENJOY!!!If not, you might remember Khan’ from “Touch You” on Reflection Eternal, his “Wide Open” 12″ from late 90s/early 2000’s, his joint on the “Brown Sugar” soundtrack, etc. Don’t sleep on dude…he has one of the sickest flows I’ve ever heard in my life. I never get tired of it. This is an LP that was released primarily in Cinci’, but i’m trying to help spread the word far as i can…feel free to do the same…take this link wherever you want…it’s good for a week! HaHa!.The LP features Bootsy Collins, Maker (Glue), Animal Crackers, myself, and much,much,much more…Once again, enjoy.”

“I Love The 90’s”…”there’s only 1 year left!” (1999, Pt. I)

“As The World Burns”-The Arsonists (1999, Metador Records)

Welcome to underground Hip Hop folks, the only place where all four preserved elements-DJing, emceein’, graf and B-Boyin’ remain. The underground also….even to this day, stays far from the public eye, instead being passed over by consumers searchingfor more “commercial” fads and music. With that in mind, you can’t gauge the heat (pun intended) that the five man crew of the Arsonists brought forth on their debut, “As The World Burns”, even though most of the “burning” would go largely unnoticed. This fiveman collective captured the true essence of the “underground” with freestyle flows and stories that boasted witty metaphors and similes, dope beats and energy reminiscent of the early Leaders Of The New School days.

Perhaps the most attractive aspect to “As The World Burns” was the group’s energy, the same energy that Hip Hop seemed to lack after 1995. Check the hard drum track of “Shaboing” as Q-Unique spit verbal gems such as: “Like a sunset scenery/I’m like the bottom of the eye chart/’Cause rappers ain’t seein’ me… Also, the hilarious and clever “Lunchroom Take-Out” and “Freinemies” highlighted the groups potent strengths-free-styling and dope wordplay. Paying tribute to Hip Hop’s underground, “Underground Vandal” the Arsonists defined their mission throughout much of “As The World Burns” with this one single track. The only real downside to the album is that many of the tracks shared the same mood. The lack of tempo change tends to become the group’s Achilles’ heal, as the album is essentially one big cypher of emcees with exceptional skills. However, what mattered most with this release was the feedback of “the underground” and as the years have passed since 1999, “As The World Burns” remains as a definite “must-cop” if you consider yourself a consumer of the underground market. Like Primo said: (underground Hip Hop is) “always livin’ never dyin”…

“Rap Life”-Tash (1999, Loud)

Poised to make his own mark without the assistance of E-Swift and J-Ro and set it off on his own during Hip Hop’s “Platinum Era”, Tash emerged in ‘99 with his solo debut, “Rap Life”. In no way did this solo effort mark the break-up of Tash and his fellow ‘Liks, but Tash did maintain the level of dopeness that became standard on most of the ‘Liks full-lengths. Over the years, Tha Liks have remained as the one group that managed to rise above the stagnation that gripped most of the Westside, as they strayed far away from the curse better know as “G Funk” overdose. And despite minor flaws such as limited subject matter and a few useless skits this solo effort from Tash represented another beacon of hope for the West to shake free of the “G Funk” label.

On “Pimpin’ Ain’t Easy”, Tash boasted of his lyrical expertise over KC & The Sunshine Band’s “I Get Lifted”, add a crafty hook comprised of Waterbed Kev’s rallying cry, “PuertoRico! Ho!” and you had a certified hit. “G’s Is G’s” and the album’s title cut, featuring Kurupt and Raekwon respectively, came off as radio friendly bangers that pretty much summed up the subject matter of the whole album: the life of a rap star, complete with ho’s, money and naysayers. Production on “Rap Life” showcased flavors from all coasts that mixed together like rum & Coke without sounding too contrived. But hands down, the gem of the album was “Falling On” where Tash spit with the charismatic delivery of an early Big Daddy Kane.

“Fantastic Vol. II”-Slum Village (yes, I know…2000, Good Vibe)

Note from Eric: Yes, I realize this album “officially” dropped in 2000, but hey, this is the last installment of “I Love The 90’s” and “Fantastic” (at least a good portion of it) was fairly familiar to the listening public in the late-90’s.

“A Tribe Called Quest” game three outstanding albums (their first three that is)! I liked their “Beats, Rhymes and Life” but as a follow-up to “Midnight Marauders”, well, I guess you could only lose. It was a good album and it felt very much like my “Tribe”, it just didn’t knock me out my socks. More significantly, they introduced us to their new production team “The Ummah”, consisting of Q-Tip, Ali and a kid they had met backstage at a show in Detroit (The question at hand, why would those guys need some help anyway???). “The Love Movement” on the other hand will forever be their least appreciated piece of work. For once, they had already announced their break-up, stating that this would be their last album (Great PR- yeah right), plus the sound and feel of the album was just too different. If you’re a crate-digger and you’ve came across some the tunes ATCQ have sampled for their first three albums, you will notice very straight-forward techniques (less chopped up pieces, more or less multi-layered loops), typical light drum-sounds with abounding detail on their arrangements. Now, I challenge anybody to name me three samples of the “Love Movement”! You’ll get the idea? I very much hope so… Jay Dee, and if you listen to the “Love Movement” right now (matter of fact do it RIGHT NOW), was way ahead of his time and his testament is not the music that he has left behind, it’s inarguably the respect, the admiration and marveling his peers and colleagues showcase when they still talk about him!

Never compromising his integrity as an artist, Dilla influenced the modern sound (not only Hip Hop) in many ways beyond comprehension: He single-handedly made it cool to replace the snare with a clap; he chopped up samples soooohard, I bet the original artist wouldn’t recognize their own work. Overall, a genius who’s left us way too early. Slum Village? Anything after “Fantastic Vol.2″ flew under my radar. I didn’t like the MCs back then and the only reason “Fantastic Vol.2″ was and still is a winner are the beats and the guest-features. If Busta Rhymes provides the best verse on your album, you sure have a huge problem Homie! Great production, good guests, disillusioned MCs… R.I.P. Jay Dilla…-Rasul

Eric adds:  Shouldering the high standard imposed by the Tribe comparisons, T-3, Jay Dee and Baatin provided the right combination of humor, arrogance and microphone abilities. They tactfully bounced in and out of “Fantastic” without ever being overpowered or upstaged by the bass-heavy production. And even though the trio relied primarily on sampling, the tracks had the kind of dense instrumentation that could actually be mistaken for a live band. With such an endorsement and beats by the late Dilla, Slum Village’s “Fantastic..” had to be good-and it was.

On my favorite track, “Conant Gardens” a homage is paid to S Villa’s home turf, the D. This track was just a beginning to introduce us to how Detroit MC’s could get down. And “Fall In Love” employed an amazing track and chanted hook where the trio pondered their love/hate relationship with the jaded state of Hip Hop. Slum Village wasn’t afraid to employ the talents of already established and charismatic emcees either. “The Hustle” featured the zany Busta Rhymes and Pete Rock graced “Once Upon A Time” with his legendary presence. And while there were a few “clubby” tracks, overall “Fantasic Vol. II” was loaded with mellow tracks and quality material. However, periodically, the album slid into a few moments of monotony, Slum Village’s follow to the first installment “Vol I” was damn near a classic album!

“I Am”-Nas (1999, Columbia)

No bones about it: by the time that Nas’ “I Am” dropped in 1999 the “Nasty” in the Nas was dead. Despite desperate cries from devout fans who longed for Nas’ return to the days of his “Illmatic” debut, all we had to feed off of prior to this release was the disaster better known as the “Firm Fiasco”. Fortunately, with the release of “I Am”, Nas’ “Esco” persona seemed dead as well, ultimately destroyed by the illmatic ghost of “Nasty” Nas that emerged to also replace Nas Escobar with the release of “I Am”. Confused? Well, after one listen to the first single release from this album, “Nas Is Like”, the Primo-laced classic, traces of the Nas that appeared on the Main Source classic “Live At The BBQ” could be found. Not since Large Pro and Naslinkedup for “It Ain’t Hard To Tell” did we hear such an amazing chemistry on one single Nas track. Nas’ project-induced poetics, coupled with Preem’s hauntingstrings, still give me goosebumps to this day. And in case you forgot (since it was nearly 5 years after the release of “Illmatic”) just how “Nasty” Nas could get, Primo’s stratched hook used some of Nas now classic phrases such as: “Nas Is Like…life or death/My poetry’s deep, I never fell…/Half man, Half Amazin’. Indeed, a sweet trip down “Memory Lane”, pun intended by the way.

With offerings like “Money Is My Bitch”, a near genioustrackin terms of metaphors, and “Favor For A Favor”, which featured the always captivating Scarface. For further proof that Nas hadn’t fallen off with the release of the Firm album, the one man who came to embody Hip Hop’s adoration of all things material (Puffy) emerged to declare Nas’ continued existence on the venomous, “Hate Me Now”. While Nas’ duet with DMXon”Life Is What You Make It” wasn’t really anything to write home about, his experimentaion with the ever-so-popular Mid-West flow on “Big Thangs” and his cinematic depiction of domestic violence, “Underlying Love” found Nasathis most creative on “I Am”. Also, don’t sleep on Nas’ call to arms on “Ghetto Prisoners Rise”, his indictment of the government on “C.I.A.” or Nas’ ‘99 version of “One Love” the instrospecitve letter to Big and Pac, “We Will Survive”. Plus, I hate to say it but I think Primo may have even one-upped himself with his re-working of the classic “N.Y. State Of Mind” on “Pt. II”, and lyrically Nasdidn’tfall off one bit on the second ‘go round. Needless to say, if anything was accomplished by Nasonthis record, he solidified his “Nasty” status. However, there’s no mistaking, that the “Nasty” was questioned (once again) with the all-too-soon release of the sub-par “Nastradamus”, or as I like to call it the “I Am left-overs” that weren’t good enough to make the cut.

“A Musical Massacre”-The Beatnuts (1999, Relativity)

Ever since the release of their debut EP, “Intoxicated Demons”, Psycho Les and JuJu have bestowed our minds, bodies and souls with classic Hip Hop. With straight up, no frils, trunk popping beats and unmatched microphone brashness, the Beatnuts will always remain as one of my favorite groups ever, and even though they added a few aliases to their brew on “A Musical Massacre” the ‘Nuts still remained as cool as the other side of the pillow. The Beatnuts will always be known as those cats that were cool enough to be crazy and crazy enough to be cool.

From the jump, the sick strings on “Beatnuts Forever” found Juju “(killing) everybody at work and taking the day off” and on the Cheryl “Pepsi” Riley assisted “I Love It”, the ‘Nuts claimed to be those dudes that “lent O.J. the glove”. Bad influences were unleashed on Common, taking him out of his shell for an odd pairing that worked on “Slam Pit”. Hell, even Psycho Les’ daughter warned for you to “watch your step” atop the ill piano loop found on “You’re A Clown”. Even though the Beatnuts conducted their standard protocol: fuc*ing, drinking and smokin’ some sh*t, “Look Around” (which featured dead prez) found them acting responsible and reflective. However, don’t get it twisted, such sentiments are few and far between on “Massacre..”. Plus, who could ever forget the catchy as hell follow up to “Off The Books”, “Watch Out Now”. Simply put, the ‘Nuts had it right when they titled their “greatest hits” album of sorts “Classic Nuts”, no doubt that’s what these cats put out….CLASSICS indeed!

“Hit Or Miss?” aka “it wasn’t the Golden Era, but…..you be the judge”

“Keep It Movin”-Ill Al Skratch (1997, Mercury)

Artists like the Brooklyn-Uptown duo of Ill Al Skratch will never win any awards for lyrical insight, but at least their noteworthy smashes, “Where My Homiez” and “I’ll Take Her”, packed enough Easy Mo Bee funk and like-able hooks to remind us that unfortunately (in most instances) these kind of artists are what made the Hip Hop world go ’round.  However, the dislike for Ill & Al began to arise when the hook’s became monotonous on the group’s debut LP, but more like an “EP”, “Creep With Me”.  Is it just me or does it feel like every track title and hook had the word “homiez” incorporated somewhere within?  As subtle versions of their first single “Where My Homiez” where re-upped and presented as “full” songs our adoration of this duo quickly began to where thin, despite the catchiness of “Homiez” and the Brian McKnight featured follow-up, “I’ll Take Her”. Thankfully, the duo’s follow-up “Keep It Movin” aimed to deliver something more….original, although Hip Hop purists may have questioned what exactly that was in this instance. Could it have been Group Home’s Melachi the Nutrcracker’s freestyle intro? Or maybe even the over-used “Enter The Dragon” sample (used by both tha Liks and Scarface) for “Me And The Click”? Or perhaps it may have been the syrupy, sing-songy hooks that appeared on much of the LP’s tracks?

While “Keep It Movin” suffered from questionable song placement, the LP actually had it’s moments. Despite it’s uncreative sample selection, “Me And The Click” benefited from a strong chemistry between Ill Al Skratch and guest emcee, Nice & Smooth’s Greg Nice. The melodic grooves of “Dance With Me” and the lame-duck titled “Get Your Swerve On” (Stuart Scott would be so proud!) provided pretty dope background music, while “Get Down” was fairly decent due to Big Ill’s knocks on “imposters” and cats rockin’ “Khakis and tennis shoes”. Predictable? Yes, “Keep It Movin” was absent of any depth whatsoever. And even though the harmless production and catchy hooks may have been part of their initial charm, it would also be Ill & Al’s downfall. By comparison, the crew had a track that appeared on the New Jersey Drive O.S.T. titled “Don’t Shut Down On A Player”, thankfully they shut down themselves before anyone else could with a lackluster album like this.

“Malpractice”-Redman (2001, Def Jam)

In 2001, it had been nearly a decade since we first heard a young Reggie Noble “blow up the spot” on the EPMD classic, “Hardcore”.  Over those 10 years, along with Ol’