Hip Hop Is Read

Happy 90th Birthday, Jack Kerouac!

noreply@blogger.com (Ivan) — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 15:00:00 +0000

"I saw that my life was a vast glowing empty page and I could do anything I wanted."

RICKYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Ivan) — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 14:50:00 +0000

Happy Birthday, Bella Moretti!

noreply@blogger.com (Ivan) — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 07:00:00 +0000

"Quant'e Bella Giovinezza"

Justin Bua's The Legends of Hip Hop

noreply@blogger.com (Ivan) — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 00:34:00 +0000

The Legends of Hip Hop
by Justin Bua
Harper Design, 2011

Immortalizing hip hop icons on canvas and paper, Justin Bua is an innovator himself, specializing in urban/fine art. He's designed everything from album covers to skateboards, capturing and reinterpreting the essence of hip hop culture. The Legends of Hip Hop, Bua's latest book release - a follow-up to 2009's The Beat of Urban Art - is a masterful collection of his hip hop portraits and prints. It might just be THE definitive hip hop coffee table book (sorry, Jay). From cover to cover, The Legends of Hip Hop is a highly-saturated collection of the best hip hop has to offer. Justin Bua presents an assortment of paintings and drawings of fifty individuals, artists and groups. Beginning with Muhammad Ali, James Brown and Michael Jackson, Bua works his way up to legends like Melle Mel, Big Daddy Kane, Rakim, Public Enemy, Guru, Nas, Tupac, The Notorious B.I.G., Jay-Z and Eminem, finally capping things off with President Barack Obama, arguably a product of the multicultural progression of hip hop influence. The inclusion of both paintings and drawings offers a very nice balance of fine art and sketches, not to mention the well-written mini-essays and quotations on each individual's influence(s) on culture and Bua himself. The Legends of Hip Hop is a blast from the past, often times teaching the reader a thing or two about the history of hip hop: Lesser known contributors to the culture like Futura 2000, Mr. Wiggles and Crazy Legs are included in the narrative, given equal exposure as more prominently recognized greats like Slick Rick, KRS-One and Dr. Dre, amongst many others.

KONY 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Ivan) — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 05:44:00 +0000

Blockhead - Interludes After Midnight [Album Cover]

noreply@blogger.com (Ivan) — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 22:21:00 +0000

Blockhead just unveiled the cover to his upcoming album Interludes After Midnight, his latest solo release since 2009's The Music Scene. I'll definitely be looking out for this one (and you should too). Head over to Blockhead's blog to get a feel for the styles and themes he's touching on with Interludes After Midnight, prepped to drop in April...ish.

Step It Up and Stop Playing

noreply@blogger.com (Ivan) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 06:32:00 +0000

Soon after reaching 400,000 followers on Twitter, Bun B (a.k.a. @BunBTrillOG) unleashed this monster on the internets. This is the type of song I can imagine listening to while flipping through teams on NBA2K13. (Yeah, I was listening to it during today's Lakers/Heat game too). Word on the tweets is Bun B's getting ready to drop yet another entry to his Trill catalog. Frankly, I think Trill OG was the perfect bookend to the series, earning 5 Mics in The Source and all. Besides, who prefers a quadrilogy over a trilogy? But hey, if he can drop an album full of tracks like this, Bun can do whatever he likes. He can even name the album Trillmatic if he pleases.

What I really like about "Stop Playin'" is the roster: three grizzled veterans in the game who've seen it all and done it all and yet, for whatever reason, often fail to earn the respect they've long deserved. Hearing them go apesh*t with vigor and hunger over a energetic beat like this (produced by Mr. Inkredible) is just what the game needs right now. #TTD201214

Bun B - "Stop Playin'" (feat. Royce Da 5'9" & Redman)

The Tape Deck '12: Volume #14

noreply@blogger.com (Ivan) — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 01:00:00 +0000

Kobe Bryant is... The Mask

noreply@blogger.com (Ivan) — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 20:05:00 +0000

By yours truly.

"When Birthday Cake Prank Goes Wrong"

noreply@blogger.com (Ivan) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 17:55:00 +0000

That's what friends are for...

Give Funk Doc the Drummer Some...

noreply@blogger.com (Ivan) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 15:00:00 +0000

I'll bet you there's some legendary emcees out there who know how to play bass or piano; maybe some who play a horn (sax, clarinet, trumpet...); who could get together and form a jazz quintet. That'd be f*cking amazing...

The Combat Jack Show ft. Dallas Penn: 2/29/2012

noreply@blogger.com (Ivan) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 08:00:00 +0000

The Combat Jack Show (Redman) 2-29-12 by PNCRadio

#ReggieVsReggie

Previous episodes:
February 22, 2012 (w/EPMD)
February 15, 2012
February 8, 2012 (w/Fab 5 Freddy)
February 1, 2012 (w/Sha Money XL & Ryan Grant)
January 25, 2012 (w/Maino + HHIR Shout-Out!!)

Daily Operation 2-29/2012

noreply@blogger.com (Ivan) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 06:30:00 +0000

Since I started releasing the revamped volumes of The Tape Deck, I've been a lot more selective about the tracks I include. And then I realized that I've featured five Paul Wall tracks so far. That's a lot. Right? Again, keep in mind that I've been more selective here. Five Paul Wall tracks. In 2012. What the f*ck is going on here? Well, each of those five tracks are smooth. And pretty damn good. Stay posted for No Sleep Til Houston. Listen:

Kirko Bangz - Knowmtalmbout (feat. Paul Wall)
This track right here pushed me over the fence to download Kirko Bangz' new mixtape Progression 2 - A Young Texas Playa. The hook is stuck in my head. Very dope record I've got on repeat. #TTD201209

Paul Wall - 1st Time U Say No (feat. Crystal Wall)
Featuring his wife (yes, Mrs. Wall) on the hook, Paul Wall gathers his thoughts on his career thus far and what he's got to do to continue to put on for his city (and state). The lovely beat is laced by GL Productions. #TTD201209

Paul Wall - 2 Cups (feat. DJ Michael 5000 Watts)
Also produced by GL Productions, "2 Cups" kinda sounds like a Lex Luger mimic beat. This one's probably the weakest of the selection here (process of elimination), but I still #Fuxwitit. #TTD201208

Paul Wall - That's the Way Luv Goes
"I was shocked, g/ She got around like 2Pac/" I'm gonna overlook that line 'cause it kinda verges on #StruggleBars right there, but here's another one #iFuxwit. #TTD201207

Tum Tum - How We Chill (feat. Paul Wall, Smoke DZA & Deonte)
As if a Curtis Mayfield track couldn't attain a greater level of #FunkyFlyDopeShit, Tum Tum and crew go to work on the classic "Diamond in the Back" to do just that. This right here would be a summer anthem if they hadn't released it so early. Either way, I'll still probably be bumping this 'til August. #TTD201209

Songs of the Day 2/27/2012

noreply@blogger.com (Ivan) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 07:00:00 +0000

"The world is like a book, and those who don't travel read only one page."

From time to time I'll discover a great track by hearing the instrumental first. It's not the most conventional way of coming across new music, but sometimes it's extra rewarding. It's a strange experience listening to a beat, reading who spit over it, then looking for the track and realizing the emcee did that beat justice. Of course that's not always the case! Here are a few tracks that fit that bill, along some others I've played more than once (i.e. I like) today, all featured on either #TTD1212 or #TTD1213:

Styles P - "Ryde on Da Regular" Shame on me for sleeping on SP. This AraabMuzik-laced gem off last year's Master of Ceremonies LP features the Ghost at his introspective finest. The spooky ambience and ominous keys are perfection, with just the right touch of synths for the chorus. Very well-produced - what we've come to expect from AraabMuzik by now - and great execution by Styles. #TTD1212

DNA - "Public Eye" I'm not too familiar with DNA, but I got hooked in by the submerged sound textures provided by Straight from the Lab's production chops. DNA serves the beat correct with some underdog lyrics you can't help but root for. #TTD1212

Diamond D - "My People" If you've been keeping track of Diamond D's SoundCloud page, you've noticed the ill snippets he drops at random. On #TTD1206, I featured his collaboration with Sadat X titled "I Shot U Down", which samples Nancy Sinatra's legendary "Bang Bang." Well, "My People" is another one of those snippets that's got me scratching my head - but fiending for more! The track has since been taken down from his page. That's fine, 'cause I saved it in time. What I wanna know is: what's this for? #TTD1212

Ja Rule - "Never Had Time" As if Ja Rule's 2Pac fixation wasn't enough, this track samples Strafe's "Set It Off" - famously adding flavor to 'Pac's "Changes." Let's put that aside. This track, along with Ja's new album as a whole, deserves some mention. Ja's in prison. Yet somehow, he's cranked out a pop album that would rival anything Timbaland could muster up on par with a Shock Value-ish type of a record. Look, PIL2 is not my ideal brand of hip hop. I just find it interesting that given all that's happened to Ja Rule, he could craft an album that could/shoulda/woulda been super-popular under different circumstances. If he still had the clout and popularity he had B.F. (Before Fiddy), this might've been a monstrous record. Just give it a listen and tell me I'm wrong. #TTD1213

Rick Ross - "Stay Schemin' Riddim" Remixed by Mr. Meyz, this Jamaican-inspired reinterpretation of Rawse's street single "Stay Schemin'" seems so unconventional on paper. But it works. Very, very well. #TTD1212

NERVO - "We're All No One" I'm not too fond of this song, but I did get a kick out of the Jay-Z sample that's so subtle you probably wouldn't even notice it if you hadn't heard the instrumental. Here, I'll save you the headache: It starts at 1:04. "Uh, uh, uh, uh..." Hilarious! #TTD1213

Chinx Drugz - "Had It All" This track came out about a year ago. But with Adelemania being revived earlier this month (she sold 730,000 additional copies of 21 in the week following the Grammys!), this one's worth looking at again. Add to the fact that I only just got the instrumental for this. Props to Harry Fraud for flipping Adele's vocal with that ol' Heatmakerz/Dipset style. I miss those days. #TTD1212

P.S. What should this (new-ish) feature be called? Is "Songs of the Day" too boring? Comments section... :)

The Tape Deck '12: Volume #13 (Instrumental Edition)

noreply@blogger.com (Ivan) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 03:00:00 +0000

The Tape Deck '12: Volume #12 (Instrumental Edition)

noreply@blogger.com (Ivan) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 01:30:00 +0000

The Tape Deck '12: Volume #11

noreply@blogger.com (Ivan) — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 06:00:00 +0000

The Combat Jack Show ft. Dallas Penn: 2/22/2012

noreply@blogger.com (Ivan) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 06:53:00 +0000

The Combat Jack Show (EPMD) 2-2-12 by PNCRadio

Previous episodes:
February 15, 2012
February 8, 2012 (w/Fab 5 Freddy)
February 1, 2012 (w/Sha Money XL & Ryan Grant)
January 25, 2012 (w/Maino + HHIR Shout-Out!!)
January 11, 2012 (w/Toure)

Mydus - Cold Brew Vol. 2 (Motor City Foreplay)

noreply@blogger.com (Ivan) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:55:00 +0000

Yeah, he's a Miami Heat fan, but so what? I've known about Mydus since the Boxden days and he's still pumping out heat rocks. Motor City Foreplay is no exception, with Mydus serving up self-produced remixes to some Detroit classics courtesy of Dilla, SV, Royce and more. Enjoy... and turn it up!!

Cold Brew Vol.2 (Motor City Foreplay) by Mydus

Rick Santorum Meme [NSFW-ish]

noreply@blogger.com (Ivan) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 06:44:00 +0000

I Got 5 on It... #TTD2012

noreply@blogger.com (Ivan) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 07:00:00 +0000

Around this time last year, I already had 15 volumes of The Tape Deck released on the site. This year we're at 10. All the MP3s I'd accumulated in the past month and a half (i.e. since the year started) have (finally) been either placed into a volume of The Tape Deck or deleted from my hard drive. From this point on, The Tape Deck is starting off fresh with tighter tracklistings - both in terms of quality and quantity. The cover art seems to be doing its job too, as the Sasha Grey edition (Volume #7) has gotten more downloads than Volumes #1-#5 alone - all in the past 24 hours! Crazy. (I guess what they say is true... Sex sells! Don't worry though - I won't let that get too out of hand...) Anyways, I hope you enjoy the new direction I'm taking with these mixes. If you've got any suggestions, kind words, or even complaints, hit the comments section. Thanks.

The Tape Deck '12: Volume #10

noreply@blogger.com (Ivan) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 06:00:00 +0000

The Tape Deck '12: Volume #9

noreply@blogger.com (Ivan) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 03:20:00 +0000

Blu & Madlib - UCLA

noreply@blogger.com (Ivan) — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 10:01:00 +0000

Though I'd heard about Blu working ~~with Madlib~~ on a project tentatively titled "UCLA", leave it to the L.A. native to release it out of nowhere - late on a Saturday night no less. I'm gonna go out on a limb here and assume that Blu found the image for UCLA's cover from the Just Sexy Pics tumblr page. #iAintEvenMad *kanyeshrug*

ucla by blu

...now #iFuxwit Blu and all, but I really wish he'd take a course on marketing...

The Tape Deck '12: Volume #8

noreply@blogger.com (Ivan) — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 06:00:00 +0000