Notes to Self- Mr. Polite ft. Fashawn

Toronto based group Notes to Self connects with Fashawn for their new song together, "Mr. Polite". Notes recorded with Fash in Toronto earlier this year courtesy of their mutual friend Evidence. The song that emerged from the meeting shows a different side of Notes to Self, a departure for both themselves and Fashawn as they tackle the topic of girl at home vs. girls on the road.

Mr. Polite with Fashawn by NotestoSelf

Cyne- Enter Killmore

Now I go by the name Laserteeth KillmoreBaptized in hurt Resurrected in flames

CYNE returns. On the heels of the rush of Water For Mars and the resplendence of 2008’s Pretty Dark Things, Cise Star, Enoch, and Speck tell a new story in classic mixtape form. Nearly an hour of brand new vocal tracks, seriously addictive beat vignettes, evolved samples, and the story of Laserteeth Killmore.  

Out on cassette tape and in digital stores December 6, you can pre-order Wasteland Vol. 1 now in a special pre-order package including:

• Wasteland Vol. 1 cassette tape featuring full-color cover, imprinted yellow-tinted cassette, and digital download code.
• A t-shirt designed by Justin Lovato. Three color print on black unisex 100% cotton tee. See image below.
• An 11”x17” full-color poster featuring the cover art by Justin Lovato. Printed on fine heavyweight stock and hand-numbered. Pre-order-exclusive edition. 

You can also pre-order the cassette tape or the t-shirt alone.

BUY: CYNE Wasteland Vol. 1 

Enter Killmore by CYNE

Video: Knocksteady Live w/ Evidence

Evidence drops by Knocksteady in support of his AOTY candidate, Cats & Dogs. You can also download the free podcast with him here.

Bun B- The Life (Prod. 14KT)

Michigan meets Texas on this new banger from Michigan producer 14KT and Texas legend Bun B. The connection happened after 14KT's big win at the Red Bull Big Tune battle and cashing in his prize-- working with an artist of his choice.

Excellent choice.

Bun B "The Life" [Prod. by 14KT] by 14KT

Nacho Picasso- For the Glory Instrumentals x Blockhead Remix

Like I said below, For the Glory is definitely one of my favorite albums released in 2011. I hope my enthusiasm for the production doesn't take away from what Nacho Picasso brought to the record, but I can't reiterate enough how much I enjoyed what Blue Sky Black Death and Raised By Wolves did on this.

The instrumentals are now available for free, along with the original download of For the Glory. I also added the new Blockhead remix for the song Benjamin Segal.

Here is what I said about the album in my orignal post:

Until today, I've never heard of Nacho Picasso out of Seattle, Washington (Thanks, Sniper). But with the otherworldly production duo Blue Sky Black Death and Raised By Wolves behind him, Nacho has the potential to be an instant smash hit with underground hip hop heads and swag rap aficionados alike. 

On my second go around with his new free album For the Glory, I have officially become a fan of Nacho's nonchalant talk-rap delivery and voice reminiscent of Luckyiam on lean. At first, Blue Sky Black Death/Rasied by Wolves' overwhelming and vaporous production was overshadowing Nacho's presence, but eventually my ear caught up to his original wit and punchlines. To me, this is one of Blue Sky Black Death's best collaborations with an MC, crushing the output of Jean Grae, Hell Razah, and artists featured on A Heap of Broken Images. With the popularity of acts like Asap Rocky, Main Attrackionz, Clams Casino on the rise, Picasso, BSBD, and Raised by Wolves have an undeniable chemistry that rivals the output of these guys on the opposite coast.

Stream/Download the album and remix on the flip side.

Download: Nacho Picasso (w/ Blue Sky Black Death & Raised By Wolves)- For the Glory + Instrumentals
Download: Nacho Picasso- Benjamin Segal (Blockhead Remix)

Video: Nacho Picasso- Bad Guy

Here is another video off of Nacho Picasso's incredibly slept on album, For the Glory, featuring stunning production from Blue Sky Black Death and Raised by Wolves.

If you missed out on the record, catch up here. It is, without a doubt, one of my favorite albums released in 2011. Not only is Nacho an interesting, infectious, and witty rapper, but Blue Sky Black Death and company murdered the production.

For further proof, peep the above post for the For the Glory instrumentals.

Download: Nacho Picasso- For the Glory

Writtenhouse- Genesis

Here is the first peek at Writtenhouse's upcoming Brown Hornet mixtape.

Black Milk & Danny Brown- Black & Brown EP Stream

Black Milk and Danny Brown have been two of the most consistent and prolific hip hop artists in recent years. After collaborating on the track "Black and Brown" in 2010, they've joined forces for a full EP that will be released November 1 on Fat Beats Records. Here is the album stream below, as well as a few pre-order links.



PRE-ORDER:
iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/preorder/black-and-brown/id473825419
Amazon: http://amzn.com/B005OBUK8M
BlackMilk.biz: http://blackmilk.biz/shop/black-and-brown/
FatBeats.com: http://www.fatbeats.com/products/black-milk-danny-brown-black-and-brown-cd

Free Mixtape: Lushlife- No More Golden Days

From his modest South Philadelphia recording space, emcee/producer/multi-instrumentalist Lushlife has been quietly crafting some of the most inventive and well-regarded hip-hop records of the last several years. On his latest release, a limited-edition cassette/digital offering called, No More Golden Days, Lush explores increasingly eccentric sonic territory, still effortlessly engaging listeners with his undeniable pop sensibilities and classic east coast flow. Clearly the work of an artist interested in conveying feeling through sound, No More Golden Days ebbs-and-flows like a classic DJ blend tape. Lushlife deftly moves from the same hip-hop instrumentals you’ll hear on Top 40 radio, to narcotic arrangements of mid-‘80s synth-pop jams. He recontextualizes modern indie records with an undeniable swagger, and then spits thoroughly over his own jaw-dropping productions.

And while this mixtape isn’t bloated with guests, each featured artist does bring fresh energy to the program. At one moment, Heems of Das Racist trades sixteens with Lush on a mystic-sounding Gang Gang Dance edit, and in the next, former Titus Andronicus member, Andrew Cedermark is crooning away on a Lushlife rerub of OMD’s The Romance of the Telescope. It’s obvious that every millisecond of No More Golden Days is carefully executed to emote precisely what Lushlife wants you to feel. “I guess at its core, Golden Days is built on a sense of Impressionism,” he reflects. “I wanted to make the listener feel certain complex feelings, but also somehow sidestep the direct musical routes for eliciting those feelings. Like, for example, I don’t want to directly remind you of your favorite Rakim or Beach Boys record. I just want to try and use everything at my disposal to give you a little bit of the feeling you got, the first time you ever heard those records.”

Whether he’s flipping tween-pop starlet Katy Perry into a blissed-out whip-banger, or rapping on blown-out Clams Casino instrumentals, Lushlife is seemingly pushing the listener toward some gauzy, autumn night in his mind, with each successive track on this mixtape. So ultimately, No More Golden Days is not simply a work of post-millenial genre-hopping. Instead, its strength can be found in Lushlife’s unique ability to make Dilla, Katy Perry, Slowdive, and Drake feel like they’re part of one strangely, but perfectly-connected lineage.

Download/Stream: Lushlife- No More Golden Days (Bandcamp) // Mediafire

Señor Kaos- It's Like That ft. Ekundayo

Here is the first leak from Senor Kaos' upcoming album, The Kaos Effect, which drops November 11th. The album will feature J-Live, Fresh Daily, Ekundayo, and more.

Video: Vin'S- The Drift ft. RacecaR

Off of Vin'S da Cuero's Put it On Wax album out now.

Video: Stalley- Lincoln Way Nights Remix ft. Rick Ross

Lincoln Way Nights the album due out November 8th.

Video: Kyo Itachi & Ruste Juxx- No Prints ft. R.A. The Rugged Man

Kyo and Ruste Juxx collabo album coming soon.

Jellyfish Brigade- Sunflowers

Picking up where their debut Gills and a Helmet left off, the songs featured on “Sunflowers” combine the soulful, heart-on-the-sleeve vocals of Lucas Dix with the whimsical melodies and grounding beats of Jeffrey Acciaioli's production. The release’s title track is a chlorophyll colored piece showcasing the musical and personal growth of the duo. Blooming over a jazzy, drum and bass influenced hook, Dix croons the chorus "I've a long way to go", highlighting the cycles of a seemingly endless journey.

Download:  Jellyfish Brigade- Sunflowers



Download their album from earlier this year below.

Download Album: Jellyfish Brigade- Gills and a Helmet

Chuuwee- Joe Jackson (A Tyrants Rage)

Another loosie from one of the internet's most slept on MCs.

Download: Chuuwee- Joe Jackson (A Tyrants Rage)

Free Album: Cloudy October- The Metal Jerk

The first time I heard Portland rapper Cloudy October I knew instantly that he would be an artist I would want to follow for the remainder of his career. I've been highly anticipating his new album, The Metal Jerk, since he told me about a month ago. His first leak, "Play", caught me off guard a bit (where was he going after the material I heard on The Aviator is Dead EP?), but after hearing the record in full, Cloudy proved why he caught my attention in the first place. Simply put: he isn't your average MC and he doesn't do average MC things.

In the same vein as a few of my favorite experimental west coast artists, Cloudy October presents common subjects in his own original and oddball way, rejuvenating the way one listens, absorbs, and connects with hip hop.

Here is the free download below, as well as my favorite cut from the album.

Download: Cloudy October- The Ins and Outs of the Female Reproductive System


Download: Cloudy October- The Metal Jerk (Bandcamp) // Fieldwork Website // Mediafire

Check out the track list and what Cloudy had to say about the album on the flip side.

Quelle Chris- Shotgun ft. Danny Brown & Roc Marciano

On the heels of Danny Brown's other Detroit collaboration, he connects with a familiar local friend in producer/MC Quelle (Kwel-Lay) and Long Island MC Roc Marciano on a song from Quelle's upcoming solo album, Shotgun & Sleek Rifle.

Quelle Chris "SHOTGUN" feat. Danny Brown, Roc Marciano (prod by Quelle Chris) by Synergy Works

Video: Aceyalone & Self Jupiter- Dart (Acapellas)

Freestyle Fellowship drops two promo acapella videos to celebrate the release of the new record that dropped today, The Promise.

The Promise on iTunes
Past Freestyle Fellowship coverage

Gonjasufi- EATFISH ft. Blu

“Be rich, eat fish, and die”

Former member of San Diego's Masters of the Universe crew and you girl's favorite color team up for an eccentric tune that will appear on Gonjasufi’s upcoming EP, The Ninth Inning, set to drop on October 24th via Hydroshare.tv. The beat is courtesy of Johnson & Jonson (Blu & Mainframe).

GONJASUFI - "EATFISH" w: BLU (Produced by Johnson&Johnson) [MP3] by Hydroshare.tv

Video: Writtenhouse- Sticky

Here is the latest video from Philadelphia's own Writtenhouse off their 2011 album, While You Were Sleeping, available now on iTunes.

Peep our past coverage of Writtenhouse here.

Open Mike Eagle- Slow Down (Prod. Loden)

Loden is a Mush Records producer that cultivated his blend of electro and hip hop within the Brussels and Amsterdam music scenes. This is a random loosie track that he did with Open Mike Eagle.

Open Mike Eagle - Slow Down (prod. Loden) by JKLoden

Video: DJ Center & Oddisee- Workin' in NYC

This ^ is an accessory to this.

Free Mixtape: Skam2- The Skronik: How to Boil Vomit

Here is Skam2's debut mixtape, The Skronik: How To Boil Vomit (presented by HHDX & Public Wizard Inc.). Features on the tape include Ill Bill, Raekwon, Supernatural, Black Violin, Low Life, Omniscient, and Steven King. Per the norm, Skam holds down the artwork himself. Throughout the 20 track tape, the Miami emcee/visual artist gives you a mix of heavy metal, dirty south, and boom-bap hip-hop.

Download: Free Mixtape: Skam2- The Skronik: How to Boil Vomit

Track list on the flip side.

The Roots- Make My ft. Big K.R.I.T.

via OKP.

This morning The Roots officially announced the December 6th release of their new LP undun on Island Def Jam. A sort of novel in audio form, undun is “an existential re-telling of the short life of one Redford Stephens (1974-1999).” In some ways the culmination of the play between street legal rap and high art that has always characterized The Roots’ music the record explores “the intersection of free will and prescribed destiny as it plays out on the corner,” beginning with Redford’s death and moving backwards in time to deconstruct all that has led to his (and our own) coming “undun.” Or as The Roots’ drummer and spokesman Ahmir “?uestlove” Thompson puts it:

“At this point in our career we’d like for our work to have a unifying theme, and an experiential quality. We’ve been intentionally making our albums shorter in length so that they can be experienced as a continuous work. The music is band-oriented with an eye on the moody cinematic. As a DJ, I am the King of playlists, but I don’t want our albums to feel like a playlist or a mixtape for that matter. We want to tell stories that work within the album format and we want the stories to be nuanced and useful to people. Undun is the story of this kid who becomes criminal, but he wasn’t born criminal. He’s not the nouveau exotic primitive bug-eyed gunrunner like Tupac’s character Bishop in Juice… he’s actually thoughtful and is neither victim nor hero. Just some kid who begins to order his world in a way that makes the most sense to him at a given moment… At the end of the day… isn’t that what we all do?”

See our accompanying post to catch the World Premiere of the first leak “Make My” featuring Big K.R.I.T. ”Make My” hits iTunes November 1st and The Roots will be playing New York’s Highline Ballroom on Nov. 29th-30th and again on Dec. 5th to launch the album with a bang. Get the full tracklist after the jump and stay tuned for more!

The Roots "Make My" featuring Big K.R.I.T. by okayplayer

Video: Percee P- Raw Heat

Visual lyrical, miracle, spirituals from Percee P.

Free EP: Sun Motel- Gifts

“Sun Hotel sound like the south they’re from; sometimes swampy and sweltering, sometimes cool and breezy, but always assertive and self-assured.” - Quick Before It Melts

The New Orleans based quintet Sun Hotel are on fire with the sound of what they call post-gospel. On their latest EP, Gifts, the band blaze through 5 tracks armed with fuzzy, drifting ambient guitars, infectious four-part harmonies, thundering rhythms, and biting lyrics. 

On "Alchemy", lead singer Tyler Scurlock leads their haunt with cortex piercing words and an oddly alluring voice that perfectly accents the surrounding haze of guitars, strings and echoing vocals, which together metastasize slowly into one of my favorite indie rock songs of the year.

Download "Alchemy" and the entire EP below.

Sun Motel- Alchemy


Download:  Sun Motel- Gifts EP

Free EP: Bouts- Bouts EP

Dublin, Ireland has a bout of infectious pop-alternative as Bouts, a relatively new quartet, drop off their latest four track self titled EP.

Full of harmonious melodies, meaty guitars, and seamless drums, the Bouts EP is a short but sweet journey through 90s alternative and modern indie trends that will please any ear that's craving a feel good moment. We Tried (above video) is the standout, but the EP embodies a band with a bright ethos and bright future.

Read more for the track list/stream/and free download.

Video: Gel Roc- Beautiful Tragedy ft. Abstract Rude

Gel Roc's "Beautiful Tragedy", is an accurate prosopography of his recent works over the past couple of years. A solid collective of ideas, raps, and storied songs with production from Xczircles; cuts and sound selections by DJ Drez. This album features sixteen tracks with additional contributions from Abstract Rude, Aceyalone, Awol One, Ecid, Mestizo, Open Mike Eagle, and many more.

DJ Center- Workin' ft. Oddisee

Awhile back I posted an Oddisee track with DJ Center called Leave the City Outside from DJ Center's 2010 album, Everything in Time. Today, from the same record, DJ Center dropped another Oddisee blessed cut to celebrate the limited edition vinyl release, which you can cop here. Thanks to Fats Eardrum.

Download: DJ Center- Workin' ft. Oddisee

Freddie Joachim- Looking Back

Freddie Joachim - Looking Back by freddiejoachim

Video: DaVinci- Beers, Bitches & Bullshit

Another one off of the Feast and Famine EP.

Stalley- Born to Win (Prod. J. Rawls)

Stalley teams up with J. Rawls for Nike's Always On campaign.

Here’s your change to snap up “Born to Win,” an exclusive track from Stalley that accompanies “ALWAYS ON: LAMAR ODOM”. On the soulful summery song, produced by J. Rawls, the bushy-bearded Ohio native discusses his youthful ambitions and how his neighborhood shaped his life. “Fresh out the bed, hit the ave for some kicks / holla at my guy for the new exclusives,” he reminisces. A natural fit for the project, Stalley was a promising high school basketball player who pursued music instead of college hoops. His creative process for writing the song was as breezy as the song itself: “I just let my mind take the pen wherever it would go,” Stalley explains.

100 Forgotten Favorites, Part I of IV

The people over at The TROY Blog are putting together a four part compilation of 100 obscure rap songs that they felt deserved to be recognized and remembered. Since I trust their tastes and opinions, this gets an insta-pre-listen post. Regardless, Part I is worth the download for King Sun's "Fat Tape" alone.

Download: The TROY Blog Presents: 100 Forgotten Favorites, Part I of IV
Mirror Download

Chuuwee- Dolla Bill Cosby

I missed this cut from last week. Woops.

Here is the first leak from Chuuwee's upcoming Watching the Throne project set to release sometime in October or November. Stay tuned.

Click Here for the DL since Hulkshare is turning into a shit site.

Torae- Raw (Prod. Pete Rock)

I don't mess with Torae's tunes much anymore, but this Pete Rock collaboration joint is exactly what the title says.

The song is off of Torae's forthcoming solo record, For the Record, dropping November 1st.

Slim the Mobster- Marta ft. Prodigy (Prod. Sid Roams)

Dr. Dre's latest protegé is Los Angeles based rapper Slim the Mobster. After pushing his demos to Dre in 2008, Slim became an Aftermath affiliate and has been diligently working with Dre on Detox (an album he is supposedly heavily featured on) and his upcoming street album, War Music, which drops November 8th. The street album features production from Dr. Dre, Jake One, Nottz, and Siege Monstracity, has guest vocals from Prodigy and Snoop Dogg, and is executive produced by Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg and Sha Money XL.

Below is the latest single "Marta" featuring Mobb Deep's Prodigy and the video for "Gunplay" that was released last month. The above video is just an inside look at Slim.

Slim The Mobster "Marta" Feat. Prodigy of Mobb Deep by SlimTheMobster

Video: MadKem- Dayz of Rot

Here is the first look at MadKem's forthcoming solo album, Charles Workman, set to release next tuesday on Soulspazm.

Video: Thievery Corporation- Culture of Fear ft. Mr. Lif

Here is the official music video for the title track from Thievery Corporation's latest album "Culture of Fear" which was released in June 2011.

SKAM2

"I got a wall full of your posters and your pictures man/ I even got the underground sh*t you did with SKAM2?" 

If you remember this line from Eminem's "Stan", then you might have already researched and stumbled upon the Carol City, Florida based MC SKAM2. From the song 3hree 6ix 5ive, SKAM2 (often credited as OldWorlDisorder on YouTube videos), alongside Eminem, shows that his rhyming skills are a lot like his designs-- colorful, odd, and spirited-- which is probably why you will instantly recognize SKAM2's art:

Yup. The man behind the Beats, Rhymes, and Life cover, Slim Shady LP inserts, and many more eye-catching album covers from D12, Ill Bill, Uncle Howie are from the hands of SKAM, a great artist and slept on MC that is about to release his first ever mixtape, The Skronik: How to Boil Vomit on October 19th. After recording with influential lyricists such as Eminem, Raekwon, Ill Bill, and Talib Kweli, it's time for SKAM2 to spit stag and show that he is more than an ill illustrator.

So far SKAM has released a bunch of tracks from the tape, so here are a few of my personal favorites, along with the infamous underground shit he did with Em.

Download: Eminem-  3hree 6ix 5ive ft. Skam2


Download: SKAM2- RE+animated Cannibal


Download: SKAM2- Calm Like Motion


Download: SKAM2- Beezie Getz Bizzie

Black Milk & Danny Brown- Zap

This is off the highly anticipated Black & Brown collabo album set to release November 1st.

Black Milk and Danny Brown - Zap by BLACK MILK

Got Instrumentals: Tyler, The Creator Edition

GotInstrumentals.com put together this compilation of beats from Odd Future's outspoken leader, Tyler, The Creator. Some of these beats don't sound like the end product (See "Assmilk" and "Bastard"), but the rest seem legit.

Download: Got Instrumentals: Tyler, The Creator Edition

View the track list on the flip side.

Beat Tape: Hashfinger- October.11

Here is United Kingdom producer Hashfinger's latest monthly beat tape.

Otis Heat

Otis Heat - Two Feet from Jam in the Van on Vimeo.

Otis Heat is an awesome blues rock outfit from Portland, Oregon that I recently stumbled upon while hunting down music for my job. The band released their sophomore album, Yoon, earlier this year which holds a few of my favorite 2011 rock related jams in "Shame" and "Everybody Loves Me the Same Way".

Recently, Otis Heat jammed themselves in a van and jammed for Jam in the Van (Damn!). Featured above, Two Feet is another one of my favorite Otis Heat songs that appears on their 2009 debut, Oh Yea Oh Yea Uh Huh.

Get familiar and allow the Heat to melt your face!

Shame - Otis Heat by Otis Heat

Everybody Loves Me the Same Way - Otis Heat by Otis Heat

More Jam in the Van videos.

Free Album: KeithCharles Spacebar- BeforeCommonEra

I thought Ethereal's ▲ B S T R ▲ C T I C ▲ was a interesting. I thought SUPERBUDDAH's Watch the Couch was cool. I think KeithCharles Spacebar's new album, BeforeCommonEra, is the best thing to come out of that camp so far. Period.

This LP is high off the same type of blunted atmosphere the SUPERBUDDAH album was in contact with, but finds itself floating on another stratosphere. KeithCharles shines as a solo artist and BeforeCommonEra will undoubtedly have hip hop fans pressing CAPS LOCK to express their love for what the Spacebar provided.

Download/Stream: KeithCharles Spacebar- BeforeCommonEra (Bandcamp)//Hulkshare

Rocky Rivera- SF City Retrospect ft. DaVinci

This is definitely not something I would regularly post if it wasn't for the DaVinci feature. DaVinci is a Bay Area rapper I'm really getting into at the moment after spinning his new Feast or Famine EP a bunch of times over the last few weeks. If you are a fan of street conscious rapping, you need that EP in your life.

Video: Jarren Benton- Skitzo

Official music video for "Skitzo" by Jarren Benton, from the first-ever A3C Hip-Hop Festival compilation, "A3C Volume 1." Video directed by J. Kap.

Purchase "A3C Volume 1" on iTunes now: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/a3c-volume-1/id466435594

Free Album: Apoc- Boredom in Full Bloom

In a San Diego CityBeat article, a reporter said, “Apoc’s music sounds like the last 35 years of hip hop and electronic music happening all at once.” This is a perfect explanation of an artist that is sometimes hard to explain.

With an overall ethos that reminds me of Ceschi and other records coming out of the Fake Four camp, Apoc raps about his general dissatisfaction with the current direction of the western world with scathing humor and irony. Boredom in Full Bloom is a collection of sound sketches directed at his distaste for modern Americana, while shining a spotlight on many of its characters and providing personal solutions and opinion. Earmint provides an array of electronic distortion, bass heavy drums, and chaotic layers of synths and futuristic oddball samples, which collectively have been the go-to sound on Apoc's past records.

Apoc's commentary on the drowning-in-information generation's lack of attention, common sense, courtesy, tact, social skills, and obsession with materialism and technology is both refreshing and important. While most rappers continue to numb, Apoc questions and rips the veil off of a generation that continues to bloom amongst a garden full of boredom, apathy, and isolation.

(And with all that being said, I think it's hilarious that a few of these songs have appeared on Jersey Shore. HAHA.)

Apoc- Information Overload


Apoc- Marry. Breed. Die.


Album Download: Apoc- Boredom in Full Bloom (Bandcamp) // Mediafire

El Chavo- Estrada ft. RacecaR x Apoc- Drop That ft. RacecaR

RacecaR took a few seconds off from his tour of distant lands to share a few new tracks that he blessed in 2011.

The first track is from El Chavo's Gegant de Ferro EP that dropped on the Debilorithmico's label, Molts Recordings, last month. RacecaR tackles a busy beat from Chavo that's laced with jazzy drums, upbeat horns, and ivory trickles.

El Chavo- Estrada ft. RacecaR



The second track comes from Apoc's latest album, Boredom in Full Bloom, which I somehow missed in September. Apoc and RacecaR paired up last year as Langston Bukowski and dropped the slept on Down and Out in Chicago & Los Angeles, so I knew "Drop That" would most likely be an oddball track nestled in a bass heavy beat with splashes of electro noise. I was right.

Apoc- Drop That ft. RacecaR

Aleon Craft & George Clinton

Mothership: The Decatur Connection is a collaborative project between funk legend, George Clinton, and creative, hip-hop/funk artist, Aleon Craft. Mothership: The Decatur Connection is a musical creation consisting of elements from: Aleon Craft’s Mothership Decatur, The Parliament’s catalog – including, Mothership Connection – and original recordings from both Aleon Craft and George Clinton. Paul Forrest, SMKA-affiliate, is the chief producer behind Mothership: The Decatur Connection and was tasked with taking all of the pieces from Craft and Clinton and creating something unique that reflected their style and vision. Mothership: The Decatur Connection is an exciting mash-up project combining two very different artists, both with an exceptional creative process. The project is presented by SMKA & Funkprobosci.com and is scheduled to be released in 2011.

Aleon Craft - Donkey Kong (Mothership: The Decatur Connection) by SMKA

Read more about this collaboration below.

Muamin Collective- FTF (Fair Trade Future)

In 2009 the internet went a little nuts for a random album out of Cleveland, Ohio called World B. Free. If I remember correctly, it was because Blu, who at the time was still one of the internet's favorite up and coming rappers, gave a shout out to the Muamin Collective and suggested everyone check them out. The rest was history. Since then we haven't heard much from aLIVE and Zion, but tonight that all changes.

FTF (Fair Trade Future) is a dope new single that appeared in my inbox over the weekend from Cleveland's keeper of subterranean gold. There is no information on what this is off of or what Muamin Collective has in the works, but I'm sure I can grab that information and release the knowledge as the year goes on.

Until then, check out Muamin two years later and catch up with the duo if you've never heard them before here.

Muamin Collective- FTF (Fair Trade Future)

Free Instrumental Albums: Insightful- Elena x Recursive Self

2011 has been one helluva year for Insightful, an enigmatic and reclusive producer hailing from San Diego that really impressed me earlier this year with The Flowers in My Mind.

Since that first quarter gift, Insightful has dropped two more instrumental records-- Elena and Recursive Self (the latest), which are stuffed with his signature space glitch beats, ethereal samples, and experimental noise.

Much like Spacekid, Insightful channels the Dilla/Low End Theory influences that remain popular with beat makers around the world, but adds enough of his own ingredients to the mix to challenge fans that are already comfortable with producers that share a similar sound.


Download: Insightful- E l e n a
Download/Stream: Insightful- Recursive Self

Video: Smoke Screen- Melodies of a Silouhette

Here is a video from a Cleveland, Ohio duo that I've never heard of before. The track is from their 2010 record, Imagination Beyond Illustration, which you can download for free below. I haven't had a chance to go through the entire album, but they definitely have some jams on there with "Melodies of a Silouhette" easily being my favorite.

Free Album: Smoke Screen- Imagination Beyond Illustration

Cloudy October- Play

It has been a minute since I have heard from Portland based MC Cloudy October, but he got in touch over the weekend to drop off a track from his forthcoming album, The Metal Jerk, set to release as a free download on October 18th.

On the first single, Cloudy raps distorted over a buzzy beat that eventually turns into a blues house hoedown towards the end.

Here is Cloudy explaining the album:

The Metal Jerk, is named after a rhyme style I am currently employing.

The Metal Jerk is a walking abortion. It is a rhyme style that seems to have an advantage by vocally mimicking and adhering to the instruments inside of a beat. It is inspired by popular piano right hand techniques. It is also a rhyme style that is handicapped by my lack of practice, primitive syllabic composition and my incessant, desperate use of the punch-in function and delay effect while recording. This album marks a period in my life that I discovered that my imagination is much larger than my skill set. As one can clearly hear, even my disadvantages seem to have sharp edges at times, depending on who is listening.

 Check out our past coverage of Cloudy October and download his debut EP.

Cloudy October- Play // Bandcamp Link