Dj Soops NeoSoul

Robert Glasper: Black Radio is officially a Classic.

2012-02-28T17:00:00.000-08:00

"They will say "Music" was reborn on 28th Feb 2012..." That was one of my many tweets today about this enormous release by Robert Glasper Experiment called "Black Radio". If you don't already have it, I suggest you run out and buy it now. I don't know how else to explain this? Imagine 12 tracks of sheer beauty...The terms "classic Soul music" "classic Jazz music", doesn't even scratch the surface. This really is something special. Someone said this album proves that "Dilla lives" and I have to agree because I cant put it down. If I had to choose 3 songs out of this "plethora of cuisines" it would be "Cherish the day" featuring Lalah Hathaway, "More love featuring King and "Ah yeah featuring Musiq Soulchild /Chrisette Michelle...
If you listen to one album this year, please let it be "Black radio".

"...Big bird falling down on a mountain pass
Only thing to survive the crash
Black Radio
You wanna fly free go far and fast
Built to last
We made this craft
From Black Radio" (Mos Def)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0067Q04AM/emmuma-20/ref=nosim

http://robertglasper.com/

J Dilla Documentary: Still Shining

2012-02-23T11:25:00.000-08:00

I watched this documentary late last night and I couldn't tear myself away from the screen. I was very impressed by this poignant reminder why J Dilla was, and still is a "genius" of music. With interviews from his peers who are actually some of the greatest artists to ever walk this planet, everybody just had a great story to tell about Dilla. He affected many and moved a generation with his classic beats, to use the words "high esteem" still doesn't quite capture how people felt about Dilla....Common said "he was sent here to do music" Bilal said "that's how you know somebody who's really ill, by how humble they are" and the legendary Pete Rock said "when Q-Tip first brought me his beat tape, I was like floored!! like who is this? to the point where I bought a ticket to Detroit just to meet homie....

J Dilla we salute you eternally...

watch and be inspired:

"J.Dilla: Still Shining" from B.Kyle on Vimeo.

thejdillaproject.com twitter.com/BKyle_ GiftedFilmsInc.com

The best beatmaking I've seen so far..20SYL

2012-02-17T04:43:00.000-08:00

This was one of the first beatmaking videos I discovered on the internet, and in my opinion it has to be one of the most outstanding videos I've seen so far. It was uploaded quite a few years ago but I thought it was only right to post it now that my blogs up and running. These types of videos are dime a dozen on You tube and they all vary in terms of skill and quality. But this one stands out for me for its soulful content, integrity and genius. What I like about 20SYL (the producer), he uses a combination of eclectic sounds, samples and instruments to create this masterpiece called "far away". I would absolutely kill to get hold of this instrumental, so 20SYL, if you're reading this, give me a shout...

Making the Beat:

Finished product: "Melodiq - Far away"

Eric Lau - The Mission E.P

2012-02-14T10:44:00.000-08:00

"Eric Lau - The Mission" is Probably the biggest Hip-Hop E.P of 2012 so far. It just sounds so polished and so big, only wished it was a full Album. The combination of Guilty Simpson and Eric Lau is like two heavyweights in a ring going round for round. How this sound was contained in a studio is beyond my belief...sonically it's perfection. Like all the great "producer/mc" teams that went before: Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Guru & DJ Premier and Eric Sermon & Parrish Smith, I can only see more classics coming out of Kilawattmusic if these two evolve this underground greatness. Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself? ...hopefully this mission's far from complete.

http://www.kilawattmusic.com

90s Hip-Hop Mix (The Golden Era)

2012-02-13T14:13:00.000-08:00

I went through the vinyl collection the other day and I thought it’s time to drop a 90's Hip-Hop mix with some of my favourite tracks from the "Golden Era" I really value my vinyl collection and I remember how much it meant to me, to get hold of that new 12" record. This got me thinking about the old "digital vs analogue debate" I understand why some people will never appreciate something that’s in a digital format. Can you really appreciate something that you can just download in a minute? Probably not. Now before I go any further I just want to hold my hands up and say yes I'm "old school" but I've actually embraced "digital djing". The problem is when people see you with a laptop, they automatically think that you've just picked up a midi controller and become an overnight "auto sync" DJ. Unbeknownst to them is that this guy mastered his craft on vinyl 15 years ago and those same skills still apply to any deck he chooses to use now. Wishfully, I think that every aspiring DJ's first point of contact should be the Technics 1200's. I know this is not a realistic prospect when you're surrounded by digital tech and restrained by a budget. But I think that’s the only true way you can appreciate: learning how to scratch and blend by ear instead of just looking at waveforms and pressing buttons. But don’t get me wrong, this is not about "digital hating" I’ve got two midi controllers and I love mixing on them for various reasons (a mixture of convenience and a love of tech). People ask me for advice on what decks to buy and I always recommend the Pioneer DDJS1 which is kind of contradictive, but I think midi does serve a purpose and can be good if used correctly...

Ultimately "a good DJ" should have good timing and know how to select the right tracks at the right time and be able to read a crowd. So what I'm trying to say is that "no digitalness" can teach you flair, rhythm and knowledge of music. The medium I choose to mix with may have changed, but the music I play is still and will always be unbeatable...

The Video:

90s Hip-Hop Mix (The Golden Era) Pioneer DDJS1 from djsoops on Vimeo.

The Collection:

Listen to the full 2hr Mixtape here:

DJ Soops 90s Hip-Hop Mix (The Golden era) by Dj Soops on Mixcloud

Download here:http://www.mediafire.com/?7cc845xgduynjhi

Asher Roth - Dope Shit (Explicit)

2012-02-09T11:56:00.000-08:00

Usually this is the space where I say a little something about the track.....but the title just about sums up this joint through and through... nice visualisation too.

Union - Analogtronics (2012)

2012-02-07T15:52:00.000-08:00

Analogtronics.....the Album title says it all really. "Space age, intergalactic, interplanetary goodness meets soul" is how I would describe this masterpiece. Like so much good music, this is one of them ones I just stumbled across. Call it fate, I don't know, just knew this would be a memorable 2012 release and trust me I'm writing this whilst head nodding, trying to take in this beast. I mean, look at the Album teaser and tell me if your not drawn in instantly??

Broaden your musical palette...get: Union - Analogtronics immediately.

Tracklist:
01- Intro
02- Mystery Part 1
03- Time Leak Feat Talib Kweli and Sly Johnson
04- Coco Mango Feat Mf Doom
05- Light Odyssey
06- Good Morning Feat Moka Only
07- Song for Janasa Feat Rachel Claudio
08- Wings Feat Elzhi
09- Fallin Feat Rapper Pooh and Janic
10- Blue Wave
11- Preset Mars Feat Roc Marciano
12- October Rush
13- Digital Delight Feat Guilty Simpson
14- Space B Boy
15- Sky Dust
16- Baby Mama Feat Mani Hoffman
17- Mystery Part 2

Zo! - Greater Than The Sun feat. Phonte (Official Music Video)

2012-02-02T08:50:00.000-08:00

I love this song....from the fantastic 2010 album "Sunstorm". Phonte really has established himself as one of the greatest. So versatile and forever soulful. I think that this generation can learn a lot from this guy. Theres no video hoe's over here...

For more goodness, please visit http://www.theforeignexchangemusic.com

D' Angelo "Solo Medley" Live...He's Back in 2012!!

2012-02-02T08:30:00.000-08:00

"D' Angelo "Solo Medley" Live @ Paradiso Amsterdam 31/2/2012"
He's back people and sounding really good, the Amsterdam crowd sounded like they were amped off this performance. Maybe we'll get an album in 2012?
I've got my fingers crossed...

Dj Soops neo soul mix Part 8

2012-01-25T16:35:00.000-08:00

A heavy dose of "Neo" for those searching for something "deeper" than your average Mixtape...Featuring the Dj Soops Exclusive "Love's Galaxy" from Tracy Cruz (Thank you!!), lifted off the fantastic Album "Universoul Symphony" Get your copy here: www.tracycruz.com

Here's the video and full 60min Mix. Get this Mixtape by supporting this blog with a small donation.

Dj Soops neo soul mix Part 8 by Dj Soops on Mixcloud

ROBERT GLASPER EXPERIMENT - BLACK RADIO

2012-01-22T14:39:00.000-08:00

My jaw just dropped.......On February 28th, Robert Glasper Experiment will release their album entitled Black Radio. When you see the lineup, you'll understand why I'm so hyped about this project. Here's the track listing from the highly anticipated new album, there's no recession when it comes to good soul music. In the video, Robert Glasper epitomises my feelings on music when he said "these amazing artists said "yes" to doing his project knowing that it was not about it being financially lucrative but more importantly being musically and spiritually lucrative.

1. Lift Off (featuring Shafiq Husayn)
2. Afro Blue (featuring Erykah Badu)
3. Cherish The Day (featuring Lalah Hathaway)
4. Always Shine (featuring Lupe Fiasco & Bilal)
5. Gonna Be Alright (F.T.B.) (featuring Ledisi)
6. Move Love (featuring KING)
7. Ah Yeah (featuring Musiq Soulchild & Chrisette Michele)
8. The Consequences Of Jealousy (featuring Meshell Ndegeocello)
9. Why Do We Try (featuring Stokley Williams)
10. Black Radio (featuring Yasiin Bey a.k.a. Mos Def)
11. Letter To Hermione (featuring Bilal)
12. Smells Like Teen Spirit (featuring Lalah Hathaway)

Robert Glasper Experiment - Move Love Ft. KING by Moovmnt

Robert Glasper x Erykah Badu - Afro Blue by BamaLoveSoul

The inspiration and artist collaborations behind 'Black Radio' :

Introducing MPC Fly...Make beats on the go

2012-01-21T15:26:00.000-08:00

Mmmmmm....As an avid AKAI MPC enthusiast (and tablet user), this latest IPad combo makes for very interesting viewing:

This might actually make me trade in my "clunky but non restrictive Android tablet" for some IOS action. Especially with the new iPad 2 "jail-break" mod my brother keeps going on about. If MPC fly is as good as it looks, I can imagine sitting on the Eurostar train making beats with a big smile on my face...Well its out this Summer, so lets see how the reviews go first.

Here's what Akai officially had to say:

MPC Fly merges unmatched Akai Professional technology with the power of your iPad 2, embodying legendary capabilities that have made the MPC an industry standard like real MPC pads, MPC Note Repeat and MPC Swing. Its multifunctional, double-hinged design gives you the flexibility to produce tracks anywhere, while also acting as a protective case between sessions and giving you total access to your iPad 2 for normal uses. MPC Fly transforms your iPad 2 into a professional beat-making powerhouse.

http://www.akaiprompc.com

Tracy Cruz - Love's Galaxy [Official Video]

2012-01-18T15:19:00.000-08:00

I just got sent this beautiful track from Californian Singer/Songwriter Tracy Cruz called "Love's Galaxy". Her latest single is lifted from a very good album called "Universoul Symphony". I have to be honest people, I'm totally captivated by this one! and will hopefully get it featured on my next Neo-Soul Mixtape (Holla at me Tracy??). So I urge all those in favour of "good music" treat yourself to the essential: "Universoul Symphony" available now @ www.tracycruz.com, Itunes, CD Baby & Amazon.com.

Jean Grae - U & ME & Everyone, We Know...A soulful 2012?

2012-01-09T17:12:00.000-08:00

I'm just Riding into 2012 with this one. Anything Jazzy and soulful will always get my attention. The first 1min 19secs is just captivating and Jean kinda reminds me of Common on "Come close" Reminiscent of great female emcees like Bahamadia, Queen Latifa and Mc Lyte. I call this track "simplicity mixed with greatness". Ive been up on M-Phazes, (the tracks producer) since I heard his RMX of O.C's - Times up ://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9eYu-HqIRc ,trust me remixing a classic is no mean feat by anyones standards. So folks, definitely look out for Jean Grae's anticipated Album "Cake or Death" dropping this Spring and lets hope its the start of some good soulful music this year.

Jean Grae - U & ME & Everyone, We Know by M-phazes

Skewby - Lost and found...Underground Classic

2012-01-09T14:52:00.000-08:00

I love it when you discover an artist for the first time and then go on to discover a whole discography of quality material. Like, how could this one pass me by?? It just shows there's some good Hip-Hop out there if you really look hard. As someone said to me the other day "I only listen to artist's I ain't heard of", and I kind of see his point. Whether you discover it at the time it's released or 2 years later, I consider it "fresh" from the day I press play. So this is a classic example...From the 2010 Album called "More or less" This will Definitely feature on my next Underground Mixtape, coming to a good "ear" near you...

http://skewby.bandcamp.com/

Lost and Found by Skewby

Georgia Anne Muldrow on Beat Making

2012-01-08T13:07:00.000-08:00

You'll find Georgia Anne Muldrow on my Mixtapes all day long....
I will keep this short...She said "When you know what you wanna do. You can conquer the world"
..Very inspirational.

Akai MPC Renaissance.. Music Production Controller for 2012

2012-01-06T16:40:00.000-08:00

Akai has truly grabbed midi by the balls and are set to release an exciting midi production controller in 2012…. Enter the Akai MPC Renaissance (and no you can't put your old floppy's in it lol). OK, Forget about what its capable of, I just love the name!! I Just kept repeating it in my head after I saw the promo video from Akaiprompc.com. Getting back to business, the spec does look pretty exciting: it has a full audio interface, USB hub and lots and lots of I/O. The part that I’m really looking forward to, is that for the first time the MPC gets a dedicated external software. This concept is obviously a direct response to the very popular hardware/software controller from Native Instruments called Maschine. But despite “Maschine” filling the void that Akai left, it doesn’t have an audio interface or the legendary MPC name and workflow? But then again, it might just come down to price to entice that budding producer to take the plunge….

Well here’s the mouthwatering video for you to dissect:

For more info: http://www.akaiprompc.com

What every good DJ needs??

2012-01-02T15:35:00.000-08:00

What every good DJ needs? ...Firstly, Protection for your Macbook Pro, so that boozy club environment doesn't ruin your money maker. Secondly, a nice dime piece so you're not late for your set....OK I'm joking, but this year Santa (in the form of a Gorgeous Green-eyed Goddess) was good to me and she forced me to write this post and put up the pictures......

Watch by Flud: http://fludwatches.com/products#/tableturns-silver-linked

Macbook hardshell Case by Speck: http://www.amazon.com/Speck-MacBook-Inch-See-Thru-Hard/dp/B000KWYP4U

I'm Free - Ebrahim

2011-12-21T14:41:00.000-08:00

Just discovered this fantastic piece of animation by Ebrahim. Some of you might know him from his many freestyles on YouTube or from his 2007 release "Goldrush", which I must add is a very good album. If you don't know about Ebrahim, you gotta check him out on YouTube. Trust me, he's on the grind and there are definitely big things to come for this guy.

"...Concept and designs by nomadicalternatives productions ...the animation was made in toonboom digital pro,we used cut outs of photographs for the backgrounds and the cars,bikes...it took approx. 4 months."

http://eebmusic.com/

Common - The Dreamer The Believer: Track by Track (First Listen)

2011-12-16T16:07:00.001-08:00

Conscious yet street, soulful but raw: Why can’t all Hip-Hop Albums be like this?
I was truly inspired on first listen... Knowing that this will be another etch in Hip Hop history for the legendary emcee Common. To me this is like “I used to love her” all over again, when I heard that NO I.D was involved in this project. The anticipation was just too much to contain so I did a track by track video to pay homage to this classic Album. Dec 20th Get that Album!!

http://www.thinkcommon.com/
http://facebook.com/thinkcommon
http://twitter.com/common
http://myspace.com/common
http://youtube.com/user/thinkcommon

Pioneer DDJS1 with a Macbook Pro or Windows laptop?

2011-12-15T11:24:00.000-08:00

I recently swapped out my Sony Vaio (2.2GHZ Core 2 Duo, 4GB Ram) for a Macbook Pro (2.4GHZ Core 2 Duo, 3GB Ram) as I thought it was time to upgrade. Now, don’t get me wrong, the Sony vaio has held it down since I bought the DDJS1 9 Months ago and I have done quite a few parties with no problems or issues whatsoever. The only thing I would say, is that I didn’t feel 100% confident in putting the Sony vaio under pressure in a club/party environment (using effects, loops and scratching all at the same time). So it was time to switch, and I can really see what all the noise is about, when it comes to these Mac’s. This thing is stable as hell!! I put this machine under pressure and it yawned back at me. I even had a few windows open (Internet, Word and Photoshop) and the Mac still didn’t show signs of fatigue, my Sony vaio would have been coughing up a lung by then. At the end of the day, I guess your budget determines what you’re going to DJ with and these Macs are definitely not cheap (even the used ones!). But I just think that if I’m going to be solely reliant on a laptop when I’m DJing in public, I need to be 100% or 99.9% certain it’s going to be stable.

Heres a quick video I did:

Amy Winehouse - "Halftime"

2011-12-10T15:01:00.001-08:00

"Halftime" Lifted from the new Amy Winehouse Album "Lioness Hidden Treasures". Wow.....She sounds absolutely beautiful on this track and it just reinforces the fact that she was one of the U.K's strongest soulful singers of our time. This track will definitely feature on my next Neo-Soul installment and trust me, you'll be diving for the rewind button at 3 mins 45.

.....“Halftime” - Amy had talked to Ahmir ‘Questlove’ Thompson of the Roots about working together. “Halftime” is a song that Amy and Salaam had worked on since the Frank sessions. The result is beautiful. Recorded in August 2002.

(http://www.amywinehouse.com/2011/10/lioness-hidden-treasures-announcement/)

www.amywinehousefoundation.co.uk/ follow on twitter @amysfoundation

Common "The Dreamer" Album....Highly anticipated

2011-12-09T15:55:00.001-08:00

You know what!! The excitement is just too much to contain!! Album In Stores December 20th! Trust me, I will be purchasing 3 copies; one for the crib, one for the work van and one for the ride....
Common gives some insight behind the music of the first track "The Dreamer" off his upcoming album!

Pre-order The Dreamer/The Believer on iTunes and get an instant download for "SWEET": http://bit.ly/CommonPreOrder
Keep up with Common on http://www.thinkcommon.com/!

Georgia Anne Muldrow - "More & More" featuring Bilal (Official Video)

2011-12-09T15:19:00.001-08:00

I love Georgia Anne Muldrow...She's just so super fresh and conscious. This is definitely one for the people. Teaming up with Bilal on this one, they actually take you on a journey leaving you wanting......you guessed it, more & more.

From her new album - "Owed To Mama Rickie" available everywhere NOW.
Buy it at iTunes: http://bit.ly/rIqGcD
Buy it at Amazon: http://amzn.to/vyhgkb
Buy it at CDBaby: http://bit.ly/syl139
Buy it at FatBeats: http://bit.ly/w3iY7Z

THE ESSENTIAL 20 UNDERGROUND HIP-HOP ALBUMS YOU NEED IN YA LIFE!!

2011-11-28T11:56:00.001-08:00

Ok, so I've done an essential Top 20 Neo-Soul Album list already, so it was inevitable that Hip-Hop had its turn. So I thought what better place to start for inspiration at DJ Maintain's spot. We both appreciate good Hip-Hop music and we both came up on the Grandmasters: Technics 1210/1200s.
Big up DJ Maintain for that amazing set. I need to study them cuts Son!!!
In no particular order here is my 'Essential 20 Underground Hip-Hop Albums':

1. Black milk - Popular Demand
2. Median - The Sender
3. Slum Village - Detroit deli
4. Blu & Exile - Heavens below
5. Fashawn - Boy meets World
6. Phonte - Charity starts at Home
7. kendrick lemaar - Overly Dedicated
8. Skyzoo - The Salvation
9. Little Brother - The Listening
10. Black Milk - Black & Brown (E.P)
11. J Dilla - Welcome to Detroit
12. Talib Kweli - The Beautiful Struggle
13. Dela Soul - The Grind Date
14. Elzhi - Elmatic
15. Buckshot & 9th Wonder - Chemistry
16. E.M.C - The Show
17. A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory
18. Pete Rock - Soul Survivor
19. Common - Like Water for Chocolate
20. Q Tip - Amplified

....of course there's so many I left out but these are my personal favourites.