2011 Top Ten Hip Hop Albums of the Year

Here are WhiskeyTeeth's top ten albums (or "releases" if you want to get technical with the one mixtape that made the list) of the year. What does your list look like? 

10. Oddisee- Rock Creek Park & DTMD- Makin' Dollas

Released: August 23rd and September 20th on Mello Music Group

Thoughts: Some might think it's weak to toss up a tie, but I truly love both of these records and couldn't bring myself to leave one off this list. I haven't had a chance to hear everything Mello Music Group put out this year, but that's mainly because when they put an album out it STAYS in my rotation the entire year. If MMG isn't on your radar yet, you're missing out on the most consistent collectives making hip hop today.

I am a die hard Oddisee fan (raps and beats) and own just about everything he has put out, so it was really inspiring to get one of my favorite records from him so far in 2011. As a sucker for live hip hop instrumentation, I felt the addition of Jon Laine's brilliant drumming took Oddisee's already polished sound into another stratosphere of feeling and emotion. You could hear in every track that this was a special project close to his heart and Oddisee's passion and precision transferred well into my headphones.



DTMD's debut full length, Makin' Dollas, remains one of the more slept on releases of the year. I've been highly anticipating their work since hearing about them in the first quarter of 2010 with The Basics EP. Dunc and Toine did not disappoint.

Dunc's throwback bangers provide the perfect backdrop to Toine's wise-beyond-his-years writtens and, despite its lengthy sixteen track body, never fails to to keep your attention in more ways than one. We are seeing a lot more full length records spotlighting one MC and one producer's chemistry, but most of them are one and done collabos. Dunc and Toine have a Mecca and the Soul Brother type vibe that will only cultivate more with time and the talent that surrounds them and this isn't a one and done connection. Get ready for a bright future full of beautiful hip hop and many 'dollas' being made in PG County.

#9-1 on the flip side! Read More Below...

Panacea – Sub-sessions @ XM Radio (9.17.07)

I've been a hug fan of Raw Poetic (Panacea, RPM) and all his endeavors since finding him around my old stomping grounds of Fairfax County, Virginia. This is a dope live set featuring him and members of RPM (Restoring Poetry in Music).

Setlist:

1. The Scenic Route
2. Word Of Art
3. Ecosphere
4. RPM – There U R
5. RPM – Less Is More
6. Place On Earth
7. Bubble
8. Pops Said (Freestyle Version)
9. RPM – Sliders
10. RPM – Sleepwalkers
11. RPM – Poetry Bum
12. Starlie
13. Pulse
14. Classic
15. RPM – Poetron
16. Aim High
17. RPM – Grandpa
18. RPM – Life is Change

*Please note that this is the whole 90+ minute performance mixed, but unedited so as to capture the unique personality & vibe of this very special event

This is a recording of a live performance we, Panacea, did back in Fall of 2007 after the release of our album The Scenic Route. It was recorded in front of small, intimate audience in XM Satellite Radio’s Live performance studio as a “Sub-session” for my show SUBSONiQ (http://subsoniqradio.com) The set mainly features songs from Panacea as well as a few by R.P.M. (http://rpmband.com) which is Raw Poetic’s other group that included (at the time) guitarist Patrick Fritz, bassist Adam Hopkins, Drummer Jon Laine & Aaron Gause on keys and trumpet; Session engineered by Mike Taylor.

Panacea - "Sub-sessions" @ XM Radio (9.17.07) by Neosonix

Shabaam Sahdeeq- This Is ft. Skeezo

Here is the second leak from Shabaam's forthcoming Relentless Part 2 mixtape. Missed the first leak featuring Rock from Heltah Skeltah?

Reks- Autographs (Prod. Statik Selektah)

This is the first single off Reks’ new album “Straight, No Chaser”, produced entirely by Statik Selektah, dropping early 2012 on Showoff Records.

Freddie Joachim- Sweep Away My Sorrow

Freddie turns up the BPMs and bends a few genres on this new track. I'd say it's more "loungy" than his usual brand of mellow hip hop, but solid as always.

Freddie Joachim - Sweep Away My Sorrow by freddiejoachim

Download: Freddie Joachim- Sweep Away My Sorrow (Right Click, Save As)

Gensu Dean- On & On ft. 7even Thirty

It's been awhile since I've heard from the Mississippi MC 7even Thirty, but here he is on a random new track from one of the new Mello Music Group signees, Gensu Dean.

Bumpy Knuckles- B.A.P. (DJ Brans Remix)

Here is Paris producer DJ Brans' remix of the Bumpy Knuckles and DJ Premier track for the DJ Premier Blog remix contest.

Chuuwee- Smoke One for Doom ft. Abstract Ninjaa (Video)

New track and video off of Chuuwee's forthcoming retail release, Crown Me King, coming soon.

The Grouch, Evidence, Zumbi, and Eligh- Amp Live for President (Video)

You gotta love when a bunch of your favorite artists get together on a track.

Z&G&E (Zion I, The Grouch and Eligh) and Evidence birthed a dope song and video this past month while on the road together! The guys just finished the extremely successful (mostly sold out) 19 city “How The Grouch Stole Christmas Tour”.

“The response has been overwhelming and we just wanted to give the people a little gift for the holidays” says The Grouch about the free download.

Amp Live of Zion I made the beat and the song was complete when Evidence recorded his verse backstage at the Fox Theatre in Boulder Colorado. We shot the video at the venue right before our show in Sacramento. DJ Icewater did the cuts.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, Kwanza or whatever it is you choose to celebrate!

Fashawn- Generation F (Video)

Download here.

Rogue Venom- Go ft. Nocando

After releasing her first free solo EP Sick Sad World, GoldChain Music affiliate Rogue Venom is back to drops off another dope new single featuring fellow Swim Team member, Nocando.

Go ft. Nocando by roguevenom

Fashawn- Gettin' It

Here is a new track from Fashawn's upcoming mixtape, Champagne and Styrofoam Cups.

Download: Fashawn- Gettin' It

Heavy D- Something Going On (Marley Marl Remix)

Marley Marl shares his Heavy D remix that he found on a DAT tape from 1994 when he used to work at HOT 97.

SOMETHING GOING ON HEAVY D 94 MARLEY MARL REMIX by DJ Marley Marl

Aleon Craft & George Clinton- Mothership: The Decatur Connection (Free Mixtape)

Mothership: The Decatur Connection is a collaborative project between funk legend, George Clinton, and hip-hop artist, Aleon Craft. This is the first time George Clinton (of Parliament Funkadelic) has linked up with a hip-hop artist for a complete, new project. George Clinton recorded to 3 new records for the project, however, Mothership: The Decatur Connection consists of elements from… Aleon Craft’s Mothership Decatur (2011 Mixtape), the Parliament-Funkedelic catalog and original recordings from both Aleon Craft and George Clinton.

Download: Aleon Craft & George Clinton- Mothership: The Decatur Connection (Free Mixtape)

Illogic & Blockhead- Anomoly

As you may know, I’ve been working on an album with Ohio MC Illogic called “Capture the Sun”. We’ve got about 30 songs recorded and plan on releasing a few free ep’s , as well as the official full length.

Because Illogic is in the christmas spirit, he decided to give away one of the songs on Bandcamp. This one, in particular, will not be available anywhere else so, you know, EXCLUSIVE SHIT BRO!

Read more for the stream/download.

Dudley Perkins (Declaime)- Interplanetary Peace Talks Documentary

Elzhi- Memory Lane (Video)

Elmatic.

Shad- Besides (Mixtape)

Here’s a little joint I thought some fans might like; a 25-minute mix of some of the guest spots I’ve done on other projects over the past couple of years. Mixed by my man, the former DMC and Scribble Jam Champion, DJ TLO. Be sure to check out the tracks in full if you dig!

Download: Shad- Besides Mixtape

Track list on the flip side

Murs- '67 Cutlass (Video)

Keen & Sid- Repeat

Tomorrow, Los Angeles MC Keen is set to release her latest collaboration record, Repeat, with Sid Wilson (aka DJ Starscream) from the Grammy Award winning band Slipknot.

Here is the title track that Keen & Sid released last week.

KEEN X SID X REPEAT by thekeenone

Helluvastate- Tanlines x Adventures in Helluvastate Mixtape

While hunting for more background info on Seattle MC Nacho Picasso one night, I came across the Beacon Hill based artist collective known as Cloud Nice. On top of finding Nacho's old solo and group (BadAssYellowBoyz) mixtapes, I was gifted with a grip of slept on loosies, videos, and mixtapes from his slept on Cloud Nice compadres. Some of my favorite findings within the group come from Thadwick Tristen Trevor III and Swan Coltrane known together as Helluvastate.

As heard on their  Adventures in Helluvastate mixtape that was released this past March, Thadwick and Swan flourish over a flurry of mellow foundations provided by Cloud Nice in-house producers and other random beatsmiths from around the globe.  Despite the "spur of the moment basement demo" origins of the recordings, the tape is cohesive and bubbling with organic chemistry.

To give a great example of what these two are cooking up together, I've uploaded their new summertime jam, Tanlines, that most of us can still appreciate under the glow of our space heaters. If that isn't proof enough, check out the video for their single Brain Champagne from the tape, as well as the full tape download.




Download: Helluvastate- Tanlines



Download: Helluvastate- Adventures in Helluvastate Mixtape // Mediafire

MaLLy- Cloud Culture (Video) & Stomp Through ft. Tigre

It's been awhile since I've heard from MaLLy, but we have a grip of a new material from the emerging Minnesota MC, beginning with the video for "Cloud Culture" off his and The Sundance Kid's "Free on the 15th" series (above).

On top of that and the collabo tour track with Atmosphere and company in the previous post, here is a new track laced by Last Word and featuring guest vocals from Tigre called "Stomp Through".

Atmosphere- Somebody, MN ft. Kill the Vultures, Biq Quarters, and Mally

Atmosphere have just announced their "Welcome to Minnesota" Tour, which will blast off in The Land of 10,000 Lakes in February. All of the artists on this track (I'm assuming) will be accompanying Slug and Ant on the tour. Dates and ticket info below.

Somebody, MN feat. Atmosphere, Kill The Vultures, Big Quarters & MaLLy by rhymesayers

Vida Jafari- Movin EP (Free EP Download)

When it comes to female fronted soul, R&B, and pop music, I have an odd ear. It has never been attracted to touted singers such as Mariah, Whitney, Stevie Nicks, or any other singers you would name off the top of your head. When it comes to lady lungs, I seem to lean toward the raspy or eccentric-- Linda Perry, Hope Sandoval, Billie Holiday, Janis Joplin, Astrud Gilberto, Yukimi Nagano, Erykah Badu, Georgia Muldrow, Blossom Dearie-- so it's not often that I'm struck by a new female artist.

Getting the boring background info out of the way, today, a Los Angeles based vocalist by the name of Vida Jafari, immediately grabbed my attention once I pressed play on her debut Movin' EP. Laced with a trippy sonic haze that bounces from electro-pop to hip hop to downtempo to neo-soul, Vida's unveiling uncovers a free-spirited talent that has an impeccable ear for production and an unfettered outlook on sound. Combining the off-kilter vocal stylings of Georgia Ann Muldrow and Yukimi Nagano with fuzzy, modern electro tweaked beats, Vida is the rare genre-bending rock in the rough that all indie music bloggers are digging for right now.

Here are two of my favorite tracks from the EP, as well as the full free download.

Vida Jafari- Movin


Vida Jafari- The People


Free EP Download: Vida Jafari- Movin EP (Mediafire) // Bandcamp

Jelani- De La Vega

Here is a record that was released in the first quarter of 2011 (while I was on blogging hiatus) from New York MC Jelani.

I became familiar with Jelani's work from his connections with Black EL, who introduced me to his 2009 debut album, Wait, You Can Rap?!?!, released on the now defunct Notherground Music label. After years of adding numerous weapons to his already stellar musical arsenal, Jelani returned to cultivating his solo career and released a plethora of singles in 2011, which will all soon be released as a compilation.

"De La Vega", entitled after, and inspired by the NYC street artist, James De La Vega (wiki | facebook), is a smooth, throwback flavored joint that spotlights Jelani's introspective wisdom and socially conscious side over an instrumental from WhiskeyTeeth favorite, Freddie Joachim.

Be on the look out for a video for this track coming soon.

De La Vega by JelaniTheMC

Chuuwee- Keep It Real (On the Real) ft. Mean Doe Green

After numerous free EPs and mixtapes, it's finally time for one of my "freshmen" list MCs to release his first retail record. Chuuwee's latest track, Keep It Real (On the Real), is the first leak from Crown Me King set to release December 16th on iTunes.

Keep It Real(On The Real)[Prod. by ENG] Feat. Mean Doe Green by ChuuweeofTUS

Aleon Craft & George Clinton- Places to Fly

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 & Justin Padron, SMKA-affiliates, are the chief producers behind the project and were 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.

Aleon Craft & George Clinton - "Places To Fly" by SMKA

Zumbi vs. Bassnectar- Champion (Video)

Visuals from this FREE mixtape.

Statik Selektah- Never a Dull Moment ft. Action Bronson, Termanology, and Bun B (Video)

Here are the visuals for "Never a Dull Moment" off of Statik Selektah's underrated 2011 release, Population Control, which is now out on iTunes. The video was directed by Rik Cordero.

Ski Beatz- Gentleman's Quarterly ft. Stalley (Video)

Production heavyweight Ski Beatz unveils the first visual from his forthcoming album 24 Hour Karate Presents: Twilight which is set to hit stores on Valentines Day, February 14, 2012. The first single features the Ohio repping Maybach Music Group signee, Stalley and sees the two recreate that magic that we’ve heard on their previous collaborations. Watch the full video below directed by Jonah Scwartz.

Homeboy Sandman- New York Nights

Here is Homeboy Sandman's first Stones Throw track from his forthcoming debut EP on the label.

We're proud to announce the newest name to the Stones Throw roster, the New York based MC, Homeboy Sandman. 

Homeboy Sandman has already made a name for himself with a series of self-released records - Nourishment, Actual Factual Pterodactyl and The Good Sun. And now we start something new: His track "New York Nights" will lead off the forthcoming Stones Throw/Serato collaboration, and his debut Stones Throw EP will be released in late January 2012. 

Homeboy Sandman - New York Nights by stonesthrow

Download: Homeboy Sandman- New York Nights

Aer - Feel I Bring (Black EL x Durkin Remix)

Black EL and Ryan Durkin cooked up a remix for fellow Massachusetts noise makers, Aer. Durkin replaced the irie vibes of the original single and turned it into a synthy swinger that Black EL smokes from 1:11 and beyond like a complimentary spliff.

Aer and Black EL x Durkin are sharing the stage on Thursday, December 22nd at the Middle East in Cambridge, MA. Black EL x Durkin are slated to release material from their new EP, "The Collage" starting January 2012.

Aer - Feel I Bring (Black EL x Durkin Remix) by Black EL x Durkin

DJ Adlib - Wine feat. Black Spade & The Primeridian

Here is the first single from Hi-Hat Club Vol. 6.

Exclusive album pre-sale at http://mpmsite.com/?area=store

DJ Adlib is bringing the Hi-Hat Club back to Cologne. "Haus & Garten“ is the sixth installment of our producer series and we're taking things to the next level with this one. Not only because Adlib has chosen to share the spotlight with Black Spade, Declaime, Frank Nitt and Planet Asia but simply for the music the turntablist turned producer has cooked up in his "Haus & Garten"(House & Garden).


Since 1999, Adlib has been a member of the Noisy Stylus crew, who won trailer loads of turntablist competitions and released their fully scratched album „Table Manners“ in 2005. As a producer, Adlib dropped his first solo effort (Adlibertine EP) under UK's exotica drum & bass pioneer Danny Breaks' own imprint Alphabet Zoo. Ever since Adlib has laced productions for various hip hop outfits including Stones Throw's MED and Rawkus' Dynas.


By no means a beat tape "Haus & Garten" is a complete album by one of Europe's most complete hip-hop producers. One could cite influences ranging from early electronic to prog, miami to UK bass, Jay Dee to ??? and still wouldn't do justice. Give it a listen and you'll know what we mean...


MC's aside, the album also features Cologne beatsmith Hubert Daviz and long-time Fred Freddy's Drop side-kick Adi Dick. Mixed & mastered by engineer extraordinaire Erik Breuer at Brewery Studios Cologne. Cover photos by Robert Winter.

DJ Adlib - Wine feat. Black Spade & The Primeridian by MPMCGN

Danny Brown- Monopoly (Video)

Awesome video directed by Ben Fries.

"It’s really just a trippy, LSD-type of video. The director’s concept was to get performance shots with old, vintage cameras," says Brown, who drives a dusty Ford pickup and briefly sports a blonde toupee over his well-known angular hairdo in the clip, directed by Ben Fries. Brown plays his own version of Monopoly, natch. It’s an atypical rap video, but Brown is the first to admit that his fanbase isn’t typical.

Stalley- Go On (Video)

Legit- A Nigger in Northface (Video) + Free Coloring Outside the Lines Mixtape

Legit (aka Legitimate) is an up and coming rapper out of Chicago that is making quite a name for himself after releasing the video for his song "A Nigger in Northface", a track off of his free mixtape, Coloring Outisde the Lines, that was released for free this past summer.

Legit is only 19 years old, but his musical maturity shines all over this mixtape. On top of tackling taboo subject matter, Legit's witty lyricism and ample ear for production makes for a far more interesting and refined listen than many other indie rappers that have been cutting their teeth in 2011, non-swag related.

Download: Legit- Danny Ocean


Download Mixtape: Legit- Coloring Outside the Lines

Bellse Soneek- A Tribute to Roy Ayers (Free Album)

Bellse Soneek [BELL-SAY SAW-NEEK] is a classically trained multi-instrumentalist, performer, and beat maker hailing from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, who recently released a magnificent instrumental project dedicated to Roy Ayers. Better known as Kiran Vee of live hip-hop quintet, Fresh Cut Collective, Soneek is inspired by music from the late 60′s – early 70′s era, and as he plans to release future beat tapes paying homage to his personal favorite artists, Roy Ayers is the first installment of the series. This beat tape is a great reflection of Roy Ayers, as it shows a range of styles in Hip Hop production from smoother instrumentals to more uptempo selections.

Download: Bellse Soneek- A Tribute to Roy Ayers (Free Album) // Bandcamp

Fashawn- Skating Down the Block (Video)

The visuals are above, the downloads are here.

Toki Wright- No Idea's Original ft. MaLLy and MC Longshot

Here is a new single from Toki Wright along with fellow Minnesota MC MaLLy and Chi-town representer MC Longshot. The trio rhyme over Alchemist's "No Idea's Orignial (Remix)" from Nas' 2002 The Lost Tapes.

Toki Wright- No Idea's Original ft. MaLLy and MC Longshot

Dr. Smith- Another Merry Christmas (Video)

I have discovered a lot of diamonds in the rough while helping out BandSoup.com, but one of my favorite discoveries this year has been a relatively unknown collection of kooky dads from Oklahoma City known as Dr. Smith. Here is a quick write up I did about them a few months ago. I'm re-upping this post because I just heard/watched their 3 year old Christmas song/video (above video), Another Merry Christmas, and god dammit-- these fellers deserve to go viral! Like, yesterday.

Led by the "Pied Piper of Soul and Rock and Roll" Norman Breedlove, Dr. Smith is a five piece rock enigma that has rocked every crevice of the 405 for over twenty years and still somehow remain unnoticed. Recently, the band has picked up on their web and social media presence, which in turn has given us the greatest music video of the last decade, Zombie Bitches Kicking Peoples Ass. 


This song (above) appears on their 2010 record, Songs From the Heart, a surefire future classic that features their other smash singles: Burn, Timmy, and The Time Is Right.

In my opinion, Dr. Smith are on the verge of blowing up. Their tongue in cheek ethos mixed with their infectious energy, punk rock art stylings, and viral ready visuals is a perfect package in becoming the next big internet sensation. With a plethora of hilarious videos and an attitude that is SORELY missed and forgotten throughout the industry, Dr. Smith is what rock and roll needs. These guys deserve to be Oklahoma's most beloved and celebrated band alongside The Flaming Lips.

Read more for a few more videos from Songs From the Heart.

Versis & Dibia$e- Fly Me t'The Moon (Video and Free Download)

A few posts below I commented on how underrated Dibia$e is (Still. For some reason. For no reason.), and on top of that dope EP that I posted below, I have a feeling this new song/video with the froggy-lunged MC Versis will start grabbing more listeners attention.

Also, on December 13th, Dibia$e will be dropping his new solo album, Sound Palace, on 10ThirtyRecords.

Melaz- Jazzy Trip (Free Compilation)

This is exactly what I needed on this rainy, freezing Monday in Central Texas.

Melaz has put together a fine collection of jazz laced loops that serve as a perfect accessory to a lazy day, night, smoke session, or an all-nighter full of studying.

‘Jazzy Trip’ by Melaz is a selection of the best jazz and urban beats. Instrumentals that merge hip hop with jazz smoothly. There’s music by the likes of DJ Cam Quartet, AGQ, Boho Fau, Elevated Soul, DJ Ezzascul, Jazz Addixx, Question and much more. More beat tapes can be found here.

Download: Melaz- Jazzy Trip (Free Compilation)

Dibia$e- Comfort Zone EP (Free Download)

One of the most underrated pounding pads today is the Wizard of Watts, Dibia$e. Combining 8-bit sounds with soulful samples and ear blistering drums, the Diabolical one has destroyed the blogosphere with his beats for years and continues his rise to the top where the creme de la creme belong.

The other day, Fresh Selects dropped his brand new Comfort Zone EP as a free download:

For this 9th installment in our series, Dibi offers up Comfort Zone - a 7 track beat EP, w/ more worthwhile morsels in its 17+ minutes than most producers could give you in a full album’s time.

Not only that – but these particular tracks are literally hot off the presses, being heard here for the first time, all of them just being bounced down from their respective programs early this same morning.

Download: Dibia$e- Comfort Zone EP

Fashawn- The Motto Remix & Skating Down the Block

The holiday season has Fashawn in the giving mood as of late because he released two more loosies over the weekend. These two cuts show a lighter and bouncier side of the NorCal rapper, opposed to his more introspective and conscious work that he is known for with Exile.

The Motto Remix


Skating Down the Block

DJ Gman & Blu- All Falls Down

Here is one of the few Blu tracks from this year where he doesn't sound half asleep.

This is from their Almost Lost Tape, a new 7" cassette now being sold on Mush's site.


DJ Gman & Blu - All Fall Down by Hypetrak

Damu the Fudgemunk- Faster Rhyme For Self 7″ Single (REDEF EXCLUSIVE RELEASE)

UPDATE: Brought this back up because Re-Def decided to let this loose as a free download on their soundcloud!

We just released 2 new records by the best producer in hip-hop music right now (and co-owner of Redefinition Records) … Damu The Fudgemunk!  Just like that.

Both 7″ singles are EXCLUSIVE to the Redefinition Records store, so get em before they’re gone.  Why?  Besides the fact that the music is great?  They’re both VERY LIMITED and will never be repressed.

To all the Bobby Digitals out there; digital versions will be available at a later date on iTunes, Amazon, Bandcamp, etc.

Faster Rhyme For Self - Damu The Fudgemunk by Redefinition Records

MasterClass- LoveQuest (Video)

Here is the video for the first song off of this slept on instrumental release.

Raashan Ahmad- Just Cool (DJ Moar Remix)

Raashan Ahmad drops a video for the “Just Cool” (DJ Moar Remix) that was filmed in Poznan, Poland. This is a remix for a track from his latest album, For What You’ve Lost.

Green Butter- Appertif

Green Butter consists of two slept on Japanese producers in Budamunk and Mabanua. I gave both guys a lot of coverage on my old site, but all that is lost in the binary somewhere. Their collaborative album, Get Mad Relax, is set to release on December 7th in Japan.

Black Spade- N.R.L. & The Sweetest Revenge

Via Fresh Selects

Today we have an exclusive sneak preview into two new, under-the-radar releases from St. Louis multi-talent Veto Money, better known as Black Spade, coming in the form of the new full-length LP, The Sweetest Revenge & the corresponding “N.R.L.” 12″ EP.

The Sweetest Revenge is Spade’s official sophomore effort the follow up to his solo debut, 2008′s To Serve With Love, which, on the sly was really the St. Louis equivalent to The Chronic or Welcome 2 Detroit serving both as a proper introduction of the city’s talent for anyone outside of its scene, & also, a launching pad for much of the city’s unheralded talents.

Revenge carries on in that tradition, but it isn’t exactly a solo album as Spade teams up w/ STL indie label, F5 Records, and its founder, DJ Crucial – who also ended up handling a bulk of the production on the album. The LP also features an extensive cast, all from The Lou, including his brother Tef Poe, Rockwell Knuckles,
Crucial’s partner Hi Fidel (who also handled the album’s artwork), Ill Spitta, Jia Davis, & Spade’s former partners in Soul Tyde – Kash, Nato Caliph, & more.

Offered up as a free download for the project is the album’s title track, produced by DJ Crucial, featuring Black Spade w/ his patented natural voice singing/stream-of-conscious rap styles - his voice sounding as smooth, & his lyrics as personally lighthearted, as ever.

Released exclusively thru F5′s website, & available as vinyl-only (w/ a free download card), along w/ The Sweetest Revenge – they’ve also pressed up a single EP for “N.R.L.” (listed on Build & Destroy as “N*gga Ray Leonard”). The EP features 4 tracks in all, including a new one featuring Sadat X, all pressed on clear blue vinyl.

Black Spade- N.R.L. (Nigga Ray Leonard)


Black Spade- The Sweetest Revenge

Shabaam Sahdeeq- Stuck off the Realness ft. Rock (of Heltah Skeltah)

Shabaam Sahdeeq leaks a new joint off his upcoming Relentless Part 2 project featuring Rock (of Heltah Skeltah).

Shabaam Sahdeeq- Stuck off the Realness ft. Rock (of Heltah Skeltah)

Open Mike Eagle- Extended Nightmares Getdown (The Dark Blue Door)

Fuck what you heard. Open Mike Eagle is a 2011 Artist of the Year Candidate and tonight he pads his nomination with a free EP full of unheard eggs.

The rest of the spiel is brought to you by Open Mike Eagle himself and Jeff Weiss from LA Times:

Pop and Hiss has made little secret of its appreciation of Open Mike Eagle's music. Over the last 18 months, the Los Angeles-based Project Blowedian has carved out a singular niche. He's analytical, sardonic, political, and he manages not to take himself seriously despite taking everything seriously. Plus, he can sing.

His latest EP, "Extended Nightmares Getdown: The Dark Blue Door," (presented by Open Enrollment Tour) finds him delving deeper into his interior psyche and memories. There are comic meditations based on Kurt Vonnegut novels, childhood dreams of patent leather Jordans, and images of drinking Blue Moon out of salt shakers. "Four Days" finds him and fellow Chicago transplant Serengeti spinning completely different stories of bathroom fiascoes at friends' homes -- narrative detail and humor worthy of S.J. Perelman. There are beats from underground rap heroes Busdriver and Blockhead and a song called "Wolfmother Wallpaper" that somehow is not about the mediocre Australian rock band.

Eagle has also written a note about the record, which you can read below -- where a download link to the free EP also awaits.

Writes Open Mike Eagle:

My album "Rappers will Die of Natural Causes" was released last summer on Hellfyre Club Records.

The entire record is a treatise on perception and black male identity.

Hopefully I wont have to answer that question in interviews anymore.

The above sentence is the single most pretentious thing I've ever written that I actually meant.

The sentence above this one proves that within five sentences I can go completely off-topic.

The album moves in the same sort of manner. The title track sticks to the thesis in a straightforward manner (twice.) but in exploring the topic I end up touching on everything from Weezer, to NBC's "Community," to the order in which I select dishes to wash.*

*silverware, cups, bowls, plates, pots/pans for those keeping score.

I have so much to say on the subject that I've chosen to expand some of the material into a series of standalone EPs. Four to be exact. Each one anchored by a remix of the song on the album that inspired it.

The first in the series is the "Extended Nightmares Getdown: The Dark Blue Door"

1. Nightmares (Busdriver Remix)

2. Billy's Quagmire (prod. Blockhead)

3. Four Days feat. Serengeti (prod. Busdriver)

4. The Secret to Negro Alchemy (prod. N/A)

5. Experimental Dream FLCL (prod. Awkward)

This EP can be obtained for zero american dollars for you and you only at the following link.

This first EP is a group of songs that were written by my shadow self. They all feel like the darkest part of happy. They are cotton candy monsters that smell like night-time. The prevailing themes are reminiscence, anime, and my grandmother's ghost.

You go ahead and get your thoughts together about it. Sit with it and let it haunt you a bit.

Download: Open Mike Eagle- Extended Nightmares Getdown (The Dark Blue Door)

Modern Shark Sampler Tape #3

I've loved Junk Science since I first heard "Roads" on an American Eagle television while shopping with my girlfriend (Hip Hop as FUCK alert!). Since then, Junk Science has continued to float under everyone's radar, despite releasing forward thinking, well produced, accessible hip hop since 2005. I was really excited about the Embedded Music label back in the day, mainly due to the fact that it held some of my favorite unsung heroes of the mid-2000s in Cool Calm Pete/Babbletron, Junk Science, and Bisc1, but sadly it disappeared as soon as they peaked. Luckily, a few years later, Baje One filled that void when he launched Modern Shark.

Baje's label has been around for over a year now and continually shells out original, interesting, and progressive music that the "blogosphere" ignores. There latest label compilation, Modern Shark Sampler Tape #3, might be the tape that shakes bloggers up, as they drop really dope material featuring internet rap nerd darlings Serengeti and Cool Calm Pete, great Junk Science material, and  really intriguing material from artists I've never heard of in Cavalier, Big Urban, and King Guttah I.

Below are a few of my favorite tracks along with the full tape download.

Jump the shark!

King Guttah I- Real American


Big Urban- Kick the Can


Serengeti, Tone Tank & Cool Calm Pete- Goog


Cavalier- Re-Birth


Download: Free Mixtape: Modern Shark Sampler Tape #3 // Bandcamp

Stream on the flip side.