rockthedub

Konflict - "MESSIAH (KILLSAFARI FLIP)"

khaldub@gmail.com (khal) — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 11:11:00 -0500

I can't even front: Konflict's "Messiah," one of the biggest anthems/staples in the drum & bass scene, has never been my cup of tea. I get it: that sound was rising within the scene at the time (circa 2000). The intro is EPIC, one of those things DJs started sets with a lot...hence why I got bored with it. Once it drops, it doesn't do much but repeat what's been established and have that "aaaaAAAAAAAHHHH" vocal in it. Never did it for me.

Now this flip from Kill Safari (aka the project from Kill the Noise and Bro Safari) is hands down the only way I want to hear "Messiah": as a trap banger. Shout out Kill Safari; I'm old enough to have been doing content over on DOA when Kill the Noise was producing as Ewun and Bro Safari was known as Knick from Evol Intent; they were some of the stateside soldiers who helped put bricks on the foundation of the American dnb scene when they were passed the baton. When dubstep and trap and other sounds started to emerge, mad folks dove in to explore, and these two really turned their side projects into their mains, which makes Kill Safari even more intriguing, as it's their side side side project that's operating as a main. Hence the free(!) release of this "Messiah" flip. Happy Friday!

Kill Safari · Konflict - MESSIAH (KILLSAFARI FLIP) - Free DL

RIP junclassic

khaldub@gmail.com (khal) — Mon, 3 Nov 2025 22:38:00 -0500

Damn. This one hurts; it always hurts when someone I know passes, especially when the word comes out of nowhere, but damn, I really rocked with junclassic. I don't remember how we first linked up; back when we were really rocking over here, emails would just hit the inbox on the regular. Hell, I was getting mail sent to the crib. Thing is, jun still sent his albums. I have a few CDs sitting around somewhere; he was always working, and was always looking out.

Back in 2009, Kid Hum allowed me to let a bunch of dope emcees rap over beats from his Fossil Fuels instrumental album; when I was reaching out to folks for the tracks that would become Offshore Drilling, I feel like jun was one of the first cats to submit tracks. Hell, he has two solo joints on the project, and he made sure to throw in "you gotta rock the dub, baby." I never asked; that's just how he was. Stand-up individual. Hard worker. Dope as fuck with the pen. Dare I say one of the more prolific artists I've ever come across.

Kid Hum · 06 Junclassic "Angst" (Produced by Kid Hum)

Kid Hum · 14 Junclassic "Passport" (Produced by Kid Hum)

jun is also all over The KhemLab, the spiritual sequel to Offshore Drilling if you will; one of my personal favorites is the J57-produced "Khemistry," which finds junclassic kicking the final verse. I always loved the last line of his verse: "keep ya shit tighter than African hair braiding." jun was always ready with a tight verse, a dope project, and his warm spirit, always down to rep for the culture.

You will be missed, jun, although it looks like you have a project dropping Friday, so you'll definitely still be with us. Rest easy.

RIP Jay Kountree

khaldub@gmail.com (khal) — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 18:23:00 -0400

Local legend Jay Kountree passed away early Tuesday morning; he was 38. Reports say he was killed during a situation involving a motor vehicle crash, which is fucking tragic. Not only was dude a phenomenal DJ—I'd seen a few sets in the city of Trenton where he'd be going ham with the '90s house—but he was just a good dude. Seeing him out meant a smiling face and someone around my age who was a father and would geek out on the same culture I'd geek out on.

What sucks is that Kountree, who was already a staple of the club scenes in Jersey and Philly, was making some dope material over the past year, dropping a four-track release WWJKD in January, followed up by a two-track remix EP, DEDICATED<3 in February.

Jay Kountree · WWJKD

Jay Kountree · DEDICATED <3

There have been a number of tributes and thoughts about Kountree, especially throughout the Trenton and Philly scenes on Facebook. I could share a bunch of thoughts, but honestly, Trenton Social's Facebook post may sum things up:

"Kountree wasn’t just behind the decks," they said, "he was the energy, the heartbeat, the soundtrack of so many unforgettable nights here. Thank you for the years of music, laughter, and memories you gave everyone. Your presence filled this place with life, and your legacy will always echo through every beat that plays in this home you helped build. You will forever be missed, forever loved, and your music will forever live on."

Rest in peace, Jay Kountree. And if you want to contribute to the GoFundMe for his funeral, please do.

Deal - The Villain drops 'EPos'

khaldub@gmail.com (khal) — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 12:00:00 -0400

Fifteen years ago, this very blog was moving in such a way that I had a lowkey digital distribution situation going on. There wasn't a lot that RTD dropped, but one of the absolute best projects was the homie Deal - The Villain's EPic, which dropped in Feb. 2010 and found DTV doing what he does best: bullying his beats with his bars. Dude's a mad scientist and someone I consider a homie, so when he said he was back at it with EPos all these years later? You gotta love it. Glad my brother continues to do the damn thing. Some fucking gems in here, too, and if you're smart, you'll cop because DTV has the instrumentals on DECK. Stream the full project below, and cop via Bandcamp.

EPos by Deal The Villain

Joey Bada$$ ft. Ab-Soul & Rapsody - "STILL"

khaldub@gmail.com (khal) — Mon, 25 Aug 2025 16:36:00 -0400

Seeing that Joey is going on tour with Ab-Soul and Rapsody, it makes sense that tracks like "STILL" are hitting. Kinda wish Rapsody did more than the hook over this Statik Selektah-produced joint (although folks who want to hear more of what Rapsody should have checked out her latest, MadRaps, which is produced by Madlib). (Sample of that HERE!) "STILL" shows the mature side of Joey, the side that most folks wish they could see on an album project. Glad that Joey isn't just sitting on his work, though; he's putting out what he think works by any means necessary. Gotta support that, "DARK AURA," and more via Joey's site, all ahead of the release of Lonely At The Top, Joey's latest mixtape, which is out on August 29.

Joey Badass Dark Aura Tour Dates:

10/16 – Boston, MA
10/17 – Montreal, Quebec
10/20 – Toronto, Ontario
10/21 – Cleveland, OH
10/22 – Detroit, MI
10/23 – Chicago, IL
10/25 – Milwaukee, WI
10/26 – Minneapolis, MN
10/29 – Denver, CO
10/30 – Salt Lake City, UT
11/1 – Seattle, WA
11/2 – Portland, OR
11/4 – San Francisco, CA
11/6 – Los Angeles, CA
11/7 – Las Vegas, NV
11/8 – Anaheim, CA
11/9 – Phoenix, AZ
11/11 – Austin, TX
11/12 – Dallas, TX
11/13 – Houston, TX
11/15 – Atlanta, GA
11/16 – Nashville, TN
11/18 – Washington, DC
11/19 – Brooklyn, NY
11/21 – Philadelphia, PA

better late than never weather the storm (6/08/2024)

khaldub@gmail.com (khal) — Sat, 8 Jun 2024 19:27:00 -0400

/inhale The other day, I got introduced to Phiik and Lungs via a post from the Passion of the Weiss label's Twitter account. I clicked because it said "Funcrusher 2024," and I'd recently given Company Flow's a listen and it's still independent as fox. I stayed because... what the fuck?!

The clip was from their 2022 Top Shelf Premium freestyle session, where they spit two tracks: "Played Myself Again Loop" from Lungs' 2021 tape The Birth of LoneSword and "Jim 'The Hammer" Shapiro" from their first Another Planet project, which both songs being beautiful examples of this

It took a bit for me to figure out what was going on. On first listen, I had to admit: it had been a while since I'd heard someone rap over something that haunting...without drums. And when you couple that with how densely-packed their verses are? They are definitely definitively juxin', but I had to do some investigating. On what planet does this just happen? Another Planet, apparently.

While I was diving deep into the drudges of the internet during the pandemic, these two dove deep into their bag. It's admirable, to be honest. With all of the responsibilities you can acquire, it can be hard to lock in on your square and birth flowers from the musique concrète. This was best found in Another Planet 4, which dropped in February 2023 and features frequent collaborators like Fatboi Sharif. Praise whoever decided to throw subtitles on the video for this project's lead single, "Don Quixote." It's really some "play twice before listening" shit; the perfect (drumless) loop, the dizzying barrage of bars barreling by you. Phiik's bars in particular make me want to write like I used to, write to abuse you, write like Dallas Penn (RIP) was standing behind me like, "now it's on you." Maybe that's why I'm here.

Look: it's been a minute since hip-hop shook me enough to open up the Blogger. (I almost hopped on here to dissect ~~a horror movie on wax~~ "meet the grahams," but I had work to do.) I'm still downloading promos, I'm still listening to all of the dnb, and I hope that Cash Cobain makes it a slizzy summer. Until then? It's running back Another Planet 4 ahead of the release of Carrot Season, which they previewed months back with the video for "Gazpacho." That says "Spring 2024," but it sounds like this shit is dropping SOON soon.

Go down the rabbit hole. Now. Do the thing you have been saying you were gonna do. Now. We don't know what's happening tomorrow/next week/next month/next year. Regret is ass, and in another election year, maybe Lungs and Phiik are what we need to help make sense of it all, one complex stanza of a rap verse at a time. /exhale

danny brown's new single cured my depression (10/18/2023)

khaldub@gmail.com (khal) — Wed, 18 Oct 2023 15:04:00 -0400

i kid; that depression been here and stays here. but it does help me remember that, sometimes, good stuff happens.

anyways, i got word the other day that Danny Brown was due to drop his next album, Quaranta, on Nov. 17 (digital) / Jan. 19 (physical), and i was ready. a few months ago i started making a Danny Brown playlist with my favorite songs from his career—didn't realize i was making it in anticipation for the album that The Alchemist produced. or that it would be a "spiritual book-end" to his 2011 opus XXX. yeah. it's that kind of party.

pre-orders for Quaranta are available now; you can get a t-shirt and stuff. peep the video for "Tantor" below.

we need more griselda on this blog (4/03/2021)

khaldub@gmail.com (khal) — Sat, 3 Apr 2021 11:12:00 -0400

i wasn't sure who Julia Lang was before she showed up in the music video for Westside Gunn's song "Julia Lang". That's a flex for him. Gunn recently dropped that track and "TV BOY" the other day, both of which are said to be from his next mixtape, Sincerely Adolf (#HWH8). no word on that project's release date aside from "Coming Soon".

check out the full video for "Julia Lang," featuring Julia Lang (who i'm not sure is even a fan of the song), below.

rockthedub turns 15. (3/15/2021)

khaldub@gmail.com (khal) — Wed, 31 Mar 2021 16:03:00 -0400

i used to make compilations to celebrate this site's anniversaries. i don't know why; the one compilation that made mad noise—Offshore Drilling with Kid Hum—dropped in May of 2009, and I don't really remember why. people don't remember that stuff; these dates don't really matter. my wife did give me some props this morning though; 15 years of having anything is a huge accomplishment. i am busy today, but felt compelled to put some words on the site on this day.

it's interesting; i vaguely remember setting up a Blogspot page at the time; it was really to share this review of Green Lantern's Alive on Arrival mixtape. i must have dug it, because i then put up a playlist featuring 20 tunes: 10 dnb, 7 hip-hop/rap, and 3 of other genres (always doing the most). then i wrote a piece influenced by some shit the Green Lantern tape had me thinking about INRE Trenton. i just reread the piece and didn't like a large chunk of it. i wasn't hating on everything, but i would've written that way differently.

rockthedub.com made me the person i am today. i learned how to blog on here—mostly about music, but i've griped about daily life, reviewed shows like The Sopranos and LOST, and ran with the big dogs when it came to upfront content. that game was dope at times, and put me in a position to be where i've been since 2012. almost nine years of grinding and finding myself doing something that excites me. and growing as a writer (i hope). and a podcaster. and a sometimes talking head. whatever i'm doing, this very site was a testing ground for it. it was where i honed my skills while putting my appreciation on display.

think of someone like ELUCID, for example. we did a lot during our time. and he's still that guy. his group, Armand Hammer (w/ billy woods) just put out Haram, a project they did with The Alchemist. i'd go in on it but a) i haven't had nearly enough time to decipher it, but more importantly, b) there are already dope pieces written to help you start to understand what J. Edward Keyes called "a Japanese puzzle box." it also features Curly Castro, which is dope!

Haram by Armand Hammer & The Alchemist

if 15 years of keeping a blog have taught me anything, it's that things can change on a dime, so don't sweat the small stuff. the amount of times i got amped because i didn't get a shout out or some pinhead got an exclusive over me mean nothing because where even are...let me chill. i've got work to finish. thanks for rocking with me for however long you've been rocking.

what's your favorite rockthedub memory? artist you discovered here? is anyone even still around anymore? props to you if you are.

Haram by Armand Hammer & The Alchemist

that time skream hit the reload on his new dubplate in royal albert hall

khaldub@gmail.com (khal) — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 09:14:00 -0400

i figured i was beating this one around in my head enough, i needed to commit some words to a space about it. i didn't even realize fabric had a YouTube page until I got the link for Skream's set in the150-year-old Royal Albert Hall for their London Unlocked series. The beauty is immediately in the description:

"Skream takes dubstep to the Royal Albert Hall for the first time, playing an exclusive set of brand new 140 productions with a firm nod to the genre’s formative years. Joining him is Crazy D one of the most important MCs in dupstep’s history."

as i was really getting deep into the dubstep scene, Skream was making moves to dip for a bit. around the time DoAndroidsDance? was a site, Skream was rolling into his disco/house phase, something i imagine he is still occupying while exploring how to incorporate the bass-heavy side of the 140 sound into it. some of that is in this set, IMO. early on there's some Autechre-leaning IDM-ish tribal dub rumble going on. this set gave me big Freeizm vibes, which makes me shout out Mediafire to keeping this Freeizm Album link alive like a decade later.

who knows what this means. i'd love to own some of these bits in some format, and Skream feels right at home alongside the mighty Crazy D. what i'm not certain about is what the market for this is. when outside opens up, i imagine Skream will be getting pulled for bigger chicken at non-140 shows. which is good! put food on your family. i'd just love another dirty Mediafire link. or better yet, a Bandcamp link with some of these bits. i'm no dj. i just want them. they are exquisite! so full of life and tech and bounce and BASS and vibes. it's a history lesson through Skream's influences, filtered into a sound all his own. something he couldn't have made back when he was in the thick of the dubstep scene. and we're all better for it.

just sort me the tunes some day.

UPDATE 9:05AM EST, Thur, March 18, 2021: i had to run this log back and add more emphasis on what is going on here, and what feels like is being overlooked or understreamed. this bit coming in at the 34 minute mark?! burn the dancehall down, it's such a scorcher. this tune—which i'm calling "BREAKA BREAKA" for that "BREAKA BREAKA/CALL THE UNDATAKA" line—was so ill...TO SKREAM, WHO PRODUCED IT AND WAS DEBUTING IT IN ROYAL ALBERT HALL DURING THE COVID-19 QUARANTINE, SO REALLY ONLY HIMSELF, CRAZY D, AND THE PEOPLE WORKING TO PUT THE EVENT ON COULD HEAR IT...had to pull it back. shit, i've been pulling the whole mix back ever since i discovered it the other day. it's fueled my evenings, and made me run back the Skreamizm/Freeizm era—hence why i found that Freeizm Album link from earlier.

and we haven't even begun to speak on the fact that Dubstep Warz turned 15 back in January.

i'm not sure what the audience for dubstep is doing at this point. there's so much going on right now, and while 140 has continued to have supporters, this vibe right here hasn't been at the forefront. and this is a junglist telling you this, rofl. Skream and Crazy D—who i used to listen to weekly on Hatcha's Kiss show—killed this set. BOTY 2021, so far. there are a number of London Unlocked streams on the way, and names like Kode9, Dillinja & GQ(!!!!), and Fabio & Grooverider(!!!) were mentioned.

outa 2020, inta 2021 (1/01/2021)

khaldub@gmail.com (khal) — Fri, 1 Jan 2021 13:03:00 -0500

i haven't forgotten about you, true believer...i just haven't had the time. from the quiet death of a podcast that i spent most of 2020 cultivating to the quiet rebirth of another podcast i spent 2020 nurturing, to all of the insanity of what 2020 was, sometimes it was hard to find the time to really WRITE about stuff that doesn't keep the lights on. hell, i even started and stopped a whole different site that i'm itching to carve out more time for. this post isn't about any of that, though.

normal end-of-year traditions usually incorporate two things: DJ Cable's best-of hip-hop megamixes and Cousin Cole's New Year's Day mix. Cable's 2020 AD is actually going to be his final year-end hip-hop mix, which is sad but understandable; dropping 124-track mixes is fucking time consuming! You can download this mix and show him mad love for keeping it going.

Cousin Cole always comes correct with the New Year's Day selections. They are more chill, much more spiritual, and should help you enter the year on a cooler vibe than you went out. And with word of DOOM passing away hitting on Dec. 31, 2020, maybe this is the energy we need to keep going.

stay safe, true believers.

Bonus Beats DJ Earl - Sounds 2 Lab 2

the future (5/11/2020)

khaldub@gmail.com (khal) — Mon, 11 May 2020 22:38:00 -0400

i actually hate posts like this, but i'm not sure what else to do. i'm not even sure who all is listening. shouts out to heads like The Cause and The Custodian of Records and Deal - The Villain—aka heads who know and still reach out because what even is going on any more. i sure don't know.

back when i first told y'all i was going to be working at Complex, i thought i'd be able to find a rhythm with this blog. i figured i would; who knew how all-consuming a gig in media could be! (almost!) eight years later, i can say that it's been easier to find the groove, but maintaining it has been something else entirely. can't say i know WHY, it just is what it is. lots of juggling going on. who knew, back in 2012, that i'd have a weekly movies/TV podcast? the people who suffered through my Sopranos, The Wire, and Lost recaps may have known, but wow.

anyways, i keep seeing some of my favorite writers starting dope newsletters, and during this time where everyone is delf isolating (idolating?), it makes sense that jokers would want somethign to read at certain points. but what do people even read anymore? what niche excellence will get people interested again? it's the eternal struggle, but i'm here today to say...i haven't cracked the code.

that said, i have been doing a lot of listening to classic dnb and jungle, and have been itching to get things rolling at some point. i don't have a controller, though, so until then, i might need to be utilizing this space more. no promises, and even if, it'd be on some chill shit.

or it'll just be a bunch of rockthedub radio sessions. who even knows.

just wanted to say i haven't forgotten y'all. shouts to y'all. i forget who much fun it used to be to stretch and explore on this side of the web. might need to do that every now and again.

until then...

Conversations W/ Cause Pt. 2

khaldub@gmail.com (khal) — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 10:53:00 -0500

At the beginning of the new year, The Cause dropped a dope Teyana Taylor remix; that sparked us getting back in contact, which then turned into Cause asking me to sit down with him for Part 2 of his "Conversations W/ Cause" series, which he kicked off in December of 2018. After chopping it up while driving through his stomping grounds, we sat down to talk about everything—his last project, The Release Party, growing as an artist and a person, working with the legendary DoItAll, and much more. It was dope chopping it up with him and having a real convo about the life of an artist and his varying inspirations in general.

Check the full conversation below, and just in case you haven't checked it out, dive into Cause's Release Party.

DJ Sega Continues His 'Vision' With Explosive New Mixtape

khaldub@gmail.com (khal) — Fri, 10 Jan 2020 12:00:00 -0500

Been a bit since I've taken in a new mixtape from Philly's unsung hero DJ Sega. He's back with a new mix, Vision, for the 2-0-2-0, and it's just as frantic and inspiring as his previous work. One of the beacons of the Philly club scene (and the club scene worldwide, truth be told), Sega's whipped up this 20-track selection of original bangers and remixes, giving his latest statement as an artist in this insane world. "Hindsight, foresight, and the unseen" is what he has listed in the description of this one; press play and dive deeper into the current mindstate of the mighty Sega.

Tracklist:

1.) Evacuation (The Chase)
2.) Let’s Go God!
3.) Rose In Harlem
4.) Breathe And Stop 2020
5.) Icon
6.) Crack
7.) Boogie Wonderland
8.) Super Bad Brother Sega
9.) This Is America
10.) Don’t Get Comfortable
11.) Wu-Tang 2020
12.) New Jack City Theme
13.) Mellosmoothe
14.) Boots
15.) Wanna Get Wit U
16.) Love
17.) Don’t Walk Away Dub
18.) Jarrod
19.) Mask Off
20.) I Thought About Killing You

The Cause Drops His Flip of Teyana Taylor's "We Got Love"

khaldub@gmail.com (khal) — Fri, 10 Jan 2020 10:29:00 -0500

It's been over a year since we got new material from The Cause, so it's dope to not only get some fire from him, but fire that is helping manifest the right energy we need for the new year. Something about this Teyana Taylor cut inspired Cause enough to get in the studio, come up with his own loop, record his bars, then mix the cut down himself. Sounds like that anthemic determination to me.

Stream and download his "We Got Love" remix below, and watch this space for more.

RIP Optiv

khaldub@gmail.com (khal) — Mon, 6 Jan 2020 21:08:00 -0500

Sad news coming from the dnb world today; Edward Holmes, known fondly as dnb producer/label head Optiv of the legendary Cause 4 Concern, is said to have passed away.

While not a creator of the neurofunk sound, Optiv—as a part of the then-quartet C4C—played a huge part in helping the sound grow, netting releases on their self-titled imprint in 1999 before spreading their wings to imprints like Virus, Renegade Hardware, Timeless, Metro, True Playaz, and a host of others. While they were on their tear, Optiv set up his own imprint, Red Light Recordings, which not only nurtured the future of the scene, but also helped usher in established talents like Black Sun Empire to the larger dnb realm.

It was via Red Light that Optiv started a long list of collaborations, linking with Bulletproof and Gridlok early. Always one to link with producers to explore the darker side of the dnb sound, Optiv found a kindred spirit in BTK, who he started releasing material with in 2011, resulting in three album-length projects released during their union (2012's Dirty Tricks, 2014's Blackjack, and Authentic Part One, which dropped in 2016).

No cause of death is being shared at this time, but that hasn't stopped drum & bass community from sharing condolences along with their thoughts on his legacy.

RIP Optiv. This man was such an amazing, genuine human. He will be remembered as a huge inspiration + the cleanest of sound designers. So many of my fav D&B tunes were produced by him. It’s an honor to have released music on his label but damn my heart rly breaks for his family.
— мayнəм (@mayhemSLR) January 6, 2020

Oh man.... so so sorry to hear we have lost Ed Optiv. He was a proper cool and genuine guy with so much talent. Gutted to hear this.
— Matrix (@MatrixLondon) January 6, 2020

We put together an Apple Music playlist full of our favorite tunes from Optiv's extensive catalog. Tune in and celebrate his legacy. Rest in peace, Optiv.

Will Drum & Bass Blow Up In America In 2020?

khaldub@gmail.com (khal) — Sun, 5 Jan 2020 19:52:00 -0500

One of the most common sayings at the end of a year is "(insert the next year) is my year." I see every rapper, DJ, and wannabe influencer on that wave on the reg. I never thought it'd be uttered about drum & bass in America...nor would it start from a dubstep producer.

"In 2020 can we get more dubstep DJs to play a bit of dnb in their sets?" Downlink asked on January 1, going on to say that, "[a]s a collective we have the ability to influence whats poppin, and I think the headbangers could enjoy a bit of dnb as they become more familiar with it. Its also fun to change it up from a mixing perspective." He isn't wrong; the world of dubstep and drum & bass aren't that separate; hell, 10 years ago(!) the dnb world started experimenting in dubstep sounds via the drumstep genre, which is still kinda vibing to this day (although on a much lower level, which a number of smaller artists). In any case, that tweet turned into a conversation (using the #dnb2020 hashtag) that's still going on in some segments of the internet: How can we get drum & bass to blow up, particularly for the EDM mainstream? Currently, there's no right answer, as it's hard to pin down exactly where the issue is.

On the onset, it's not like dnb hasn't had its time in the sun in the American mainstream. Roni Size/Reprazent's "Brown Paper Bag" video got some prime-time MTV rotation, most memorably (for me) on MTV's 12 Angry Viewers program back in the late '90s—they were also doing their American tours around that time as well. The biggest EDM festivals in America—Ultra and EDC—have had everyone from Pendulum to Andy C rinsing their stages 15-16 years ago, and seem to always have some kind of representation on their massive lineups. And some of the bigger UK artists, including Subfocus and Chase & Status, have name recognition among ravers. So what gives?

To this junglist—who's lived in America all of his life and has been listening to jungle and drum & bass since '95—it sounds like there are a number of factors, based on what a number of producers, DJs, and writers have been bringing up:

There's no room for newer/smaller artists when the same bigger acts are being booked. This is no surprise; the same big name DJs I was going to see in 2000 are more than likely the same big DJs I'm seeing on flyers for Miami Music Week dnb events, or just at the biggest shows across the country. Some have said that the gatekeepers are holding certain acts or artists back, which we can't say isn't true, although we'd need to dive deeper to know the who, what and why.
There's not enough of a scene here. This is a weird one; there's always pockets for dnb across the country, including NYC, parts of California, Philly, and a number of other states. The thing is, it's always the same big cities with people flocking to the same lineups. There could be a dope producer in your local town, but if your local promoters can't get enough people to come through to a venue on a regular basis, you can't really nurture a thriving scene.
There's not enough knowledge about the scene. This is a tough one; As a guy who ran a fairly strong EDM website for a few years, one that concentrated on the bigger festival sounds as well as everything from footwork to dnb, the appetite for drum & bass was definitely lower, no matter who was making the tunes.

I'd assume there are other reasons, but it feels like the real problem is a combination of those factors, plus a bunch more. I'm more leaning to the side of Americans not giving a fuck about music clocking in at ~170BPM compared to other styles, but it seems like at a festival, people playing the hardest drum & bass should be getting ravers hype. Sounds like it should be easy...so how do we get past this?

Personally, I recommend there be some united front. No shade to the dubstep scene, but I think the American dnb scene really needs to build a new foundation. I'd love to see a situation where a dedicated group of people start a site that has multiple purposes: educating newcomers from the EDM scene about drum & bass as a whole, while highlighting American acts who are killing it, both here and abroad. This can include podcasts, a mix series, interviews and profile features, and more. And it shouldn't discriminate; it needs to be about the music, regardless of gender, race, or anything like that. If it's dope, it's highlighted. Simple. I also think we need some new life in the scene, a new outlook, or some new personalities. People outside of the scene always call it elitist, which it has been and can be; it's a huge turn off for newcomers looking to go from being ignorant about the sound to becoming card-carrying junglists. I'm not saying be a Dillon Francis or anything, but we gotta lighten up and have some fun the way we know how.

Again, that's just me. I want the scene to win, but I've wanted the scene to grow off the backs of the Sutpen's Jungle shows Goodie Goodie and the Substitution crew threw back in 2000. Loads of UK talent, but also the heaviest hitters stateside. And those are still the greatest sets I'd heard as a raver. With acts like The Burner Brothers set to drop their first album in 2020, along with artists like Ownglow and Flite getting a bigger name on the strength of their productions, now can and should be the time.

Or things will just go the way Alix Perez said.

When all this “dnb is gonna pop in 2020” etc etc... blows over. We will just carry on as we were :-)
— A L I X P E R E Z (@AlixPerez) January 3, 2020

Either way, we'll still be here.

DJ Cable Drops 100+ Song '2019 AD' Mixtape

khaldub@gmail.com (khal) — Fri, 3 Jan 2020 16:19:00 -0500

I don't know about you, but one mix I always look out for at the top (or bottom) of a year is DJ Cable's annual "AD" mixes, which run through the realm of hip-hop throughout the calendar year. For 2019 AD, Cable drops over 100 songs in this massive three-hour-and-37-minute mix, giving you the full scope of 2019 in rap, from Benny the Butcher to DaBaby.

"Whilst it wasn't the best of years for club joints," Cable said when sending this one over, "there's been so much exciting music coming from the underground." He also makes sure to know that you can "expect the usual bangers, UK sounds, weirdo rap, backpack selections, and even Australian Drill." I'm not sure I've even heard Australian Drill music. Press play below to stream, or go here to download the mix in full.

Tracklist:

001. DJ Cable School Of Woke [Intro]
002. Flee Lord & Nems - Grind To Survive
003. Krept & Konan - Goat Level
004. Polo G - Pop Out
005. Pusha T Feat. Kash Doll - Sociopath
006. Young M.A. - BIG
007. Denzel Curry - RICKY
008. Fabolous Feat. Meek Mill - Talk To Me Nicely
009. Megan Thee Stallion - Money Good
010. Lil Tecca & JuiceWRLD - Ransom (Remix)
011. D Block Europe - Home Pussy
012. Casanova - Knock Knock
013. Maino Feat. Manolo Rose - Love and Loyalty
014. Freddie Gibbs & Madlib - Massage Seats
015. Giggs Feat. Wretch 32 - Gwop Expenses
016. Kanye West - Follow God
017. Skyzoo & Pete Rock - It’s All Good
018. Little Brother - Work Through Me
019. Gang Starr Feat. J. Cole - Family And Loyalty
020. Big K.R.I.T. Feat. Saweetie & Lil Wayne - Addiction
021. Stormzy - Vossi Bop
022. Gang Starr - Bad Name
023. Snowsa Feat. Young M.A. - Yank Riddim Remix
024. French Montana Feat. Blueface & Lil Tjay - Slide
025. Rich The Kid - Save That
026. A$AP Ferg & A$AP Rocky - Pups
027. Mustard Feat. Roddy Ricch - Ballin’
028. City Girls - Act Up
029. Kano - Teardrops
030. Rapsody - Cleo
031. YBN Cordae Feat. Anderson .Paak - RPN
032. Ronnie Bosh - You Know
033. Aitch - Taste (Make It Shake)
034. Young Thug - The London
035. Giggs - Baby
036. K-Trap - Big Mood
037. NSG Feat. Tion Wayne - Options
038. NSG - OT Bop
039. Blueface - Thotiana
040. Saweetie - My Type
041. Headie One - Rubbery Bandz
042. Young T & Bugsey Feat. Aitch - Strike A Pose [Aitch Verse]
043. Skengdo & A.M - Gun Talk
044. Dave Feat. Burna Boy - Location
045. Young Thug Feat. Gunna - Hot
046. Black Milk - Blame
047. Goldlink Feat. Tyler, The Creator & Jay Prince - U Say
048. Conway The Machine - Half Of It
049. J. Cole - Middle Child
050. Beast Coast - Left Hand [Joey Bada$$ & Issa Gold Verses]
051. Tree & Vic Spencer - Spotify Playlist
052. Cousin Stizz Feat. Freddie Gibbs - Toast To That [Freddie Gibbs Verse]
053. DaBaby - BOP
054. ScHoolboy Q - CasH
055. Tyler, The Creator - NEW MAGIC WAND
056. Baileys Brown - Gimme That
057. AJ Tracey & Giggs - Nothing But Net [Giggs Verse]
058. Digga D - No Diet
059. Poundz - Opp Thot
060. RUSS (SPLASH) & Tion Wayne - Keisha & Becky Remix
061. Krept & Konan - I Spy Remix
062. Headie One - Home
063. S1 - Pirate Swing
064. V9 - Devilish
065. OFB - Ambush
066. Pop Smoke - Welcome To The Party
067. Pop Smoke - Dior
068. Fivio Foreign - Big Drip
069. Onefour - The Message
070. Jay1 - Your Mrs
071. Young Thug - Surf
072. Dreezy Feat. Kash Doll - Chanel Slides
073. Dreamville - Down Bad
074. DaBaby - Suge
075. Maxo Kream - Drizzy Draco
076. Roddy Ricch - Big Stepper
077. Travis Scott - HIGHEST IN THE ROOM
078. Benny The Butcher Feat. Pusha T - 18 Wheeler
079. Conway The Machine Feat. Eminem - Bang
080. Westside Gunn - Size 42
081. Bill Shakes - Tugay Kerimoglu
082. Freddie Gibbs & Madlib Feat. Pusha T & Killer Mike - Palmolive
083. EarthGang - Top Down
084. Octavian Feat. Skepta & Michael Phantom - Bet
085. ESSIE GANG Feat. SQ Diesel - Pattern Chanel
086. Missy Elliott - Throw It Back
087. Rick Ross Feat. Wale - Act A Fool
088. Gucci Mane Feat. Megan Thee Stallion - Big Booty
089. Nipsey Hussle Feat. Roddy Ricch - Racks In The Middle
090. Blade Brown - Bread Break 2
091. Apollo Brown Feat. Black Milk, Ketchphrase & DJ Los - God Help Me
092. Curren$y & Statik Selektah Feat. Termanology - Gran Turismo
093. Larry June - SLS 30 Days
094. Action Bronson & The Alchemist - Accoutrements
095. Roc Marciano - Molly Ringwald
096. Danny Brown Feat. Run The Jewels - 3 Tearz
097. Griselda Feat. 50 Cent - City On The Map
098. Sean Price & Lil Fame - Big Gun Vs Lil Gun
099. Joell Ortiz - Before Hip Hop
100. 2 Chainz - Threat 2 Society
101. Anderson .Paak Feat. Andre 3000 - Come Home [Andre 3000 Verse]
102. Da Flyy Hooligan - Helly Hansen
103. Westside Gunn - Gunnlib
104. CRIMEAPPLE & DJ Skizz - Pasteles
105. The Game Feat. Nipsey Hussle - Welcome Home
106. Dom Kennedy - Our Sins
107. Dave East - Mama I Made It
108. Nas - Highly Favoured

The Teklife Crew Kicks Off 2020 With a New 'TEKLIFE VIP' Compilation

khaldub@gmail.com (khal) — Wed, 1 Jan 2020 12:08:00 -0500

After all of the holiday jazz about gifts and resolutions, there are certain traditions this time of year that I can't wait for. One of them is the TEKLIFE crew's yearly VIP compilation full of bangers from their heaviest hitters. Overnight, they unleashed the 2020 version, which features 17 footwork bangers from everyone, from DJ Spinn to Traxman. For what it's worth, I'd say hit up Gant-Man's Public Enemy flip. He DID that.

You can stream the full project below, and head over to their website to grab the .zip for free.

The Burner Brothers Celebrate 20 Years With This Retrospective Mix

khaldub@gmail.com (khal) — Tue, 31 Dec 2019 20:00:00 -0500

While I can't say I've been around for everything, I've definitely been at the forefront of the stateside dnb movement. Back in the mid-to-late '90s, there were only so many producers and DJs really doing it that guys like Pish Posh, DJ Seen, and CT—collectively known as The Burner Brothers—have been on my radar. Seeing them grow as individuals and as a squad has been awesome, and after 20(!) years, they are finally ready to drop an album.

To get heads ready for that, they've come correct with Retrospect, a 35-track mix that runs through their career as a unit. You need this, seriously, especially if drum & bass is your place. Stream Retrospect below, and keep it locked for their album, which should be out Spring 2020.

Tracklist:

01. The Burner Brothers - Direct Drive Intro
02. The Burner Brothers and Pish Posh (ft. Mayor Ape Shit) - The Propaganda Bomb
03. The Burner Brothers - The Offlanders (Pish Posh VIP)
04. The Burner Brothers (ft. Joe Philips) - Sinister
05. The Burner Brothers - All of The Feels
06. The Burner Brothers - Cold As Me
07. The Burner Brothers - Road Kill
08. The Burner Brothers - Everyone Around Me (snippet)
09. The Burner Brothers (ft. Erik Kang) - Police Raid
10. The Burner Brothers - Armed and Dangerous
11. The Burner Brothers (ft. Digga Bruckshot) - Fully Bulletproof
12. The Burner Brothers - Give It Up
13. The Burner Brothers - The Concept of Love
14. The Burner Brothers - Rave Til Dawn
15. The Burner Brothers - The Happy Song
16. The Burner Brothers (ft. Emma Walker) - Affection
17. The Burner Brothers - Tower of Babel
18. The Burner Brothers - Big Boss Man
19. The Burner Brothers vs POR - Unknown Dub
20. The Burner Brothers (ft. Trixie Reiss) - Where I Want You (Subsonik Remix)
21. The Burner Brothers (ft. Illy MC) - Can’t Stop The Mosh
22. The Burner Brothers (ft. Shannon Swain) - Milo’s Revenge
23. The Burner Brothers - Global Killer
24. The Burner Brothers - Assassin
25. The Burner Brothers - Bring Back The Funk
26. The Burner Brothers (ft. Ginn Doll) - Saints Of New York
27. The Burner Brothers - Pandemonium
28. The Burner Brothers - Get Up To Get Down
29. The Burner Brothers - The Vulture
30. The Burner Brothers - You Can’t Escape The Fire
31. The Burner Brothers - Damages
32. The Burner Brothers - The Document
33. The Burner Brothers - Monday Night
34. The Burner Brothers (ft. Joe Phiips) - Far Beyond Dub
35. The Burner Brothers (ft. MC Posi D) - Release The Beast

L-Vis 1990 Gave Away a 'Decade of Dubz' Before 2020

khaldub@gmail.com (khal) — Tue, 31 Dec 2019 19:00:00 -0500

The beats truly speak for themselves. L-Vis 1990 has made some of the dopest jams I've rocked to this month, so it'd make sense that he'd collect a batch of these bangers into a free download. This is definitely for heads who keep it funky on the dancefloor (and the DJs who provide their soundtrack), straight up and down. Sixteen gems, some original, some edits, all essentail. Stream below, grab for whatever you want to pay via Bandcamp.

Decade Of Dubz by L-Vis 1990

Skillz is Back Once Again With His "Rap Up 2019"

khaldub@gmail.com (khal) — Tue, 31 Dec 2019 18:00:00 -0500

Damn, it's been such a hectic year that I almost forgot that Skillz was back for another edition of his "Rap Up" series for 2019. It's almost like Skillz compiled all of the biggest trending topics or Twitter jokes into a five-minute cut. With a packed year like 2019, you almost need something like this to help you remember what even happened this year. Agree with his bars or not, Skillz gets props for just keeping this going. Stream and download his 2019 rap up below.

DaBaby's 'KIRK' Got Chopped Not Slopped By Slim K

khaldub@gmail.com (khal) — Tue, 31 Dec 2019 17:00:00 -0500

Literally done working for the rest of the decade, so why not drop these ~~uncut~~ gems that hit my inbox/Twitter timeline/DM? It's a regular NYE ting, seen? Latest is a new tape from Chopstars resident DJ Slim K, who applied that chopped up (and never slopped up) treatment to one of 2019's most talked-about albums, DaBaby's KIRK. You know, the album with cuts like "INTRO," "GOSPEL," and "BOP" on it. It's exactly what you'd expect it to sound like. Turn this NYE pre-game tape UP. Stream the full mix below.

Download the 24-Track 'Boxed MMXX' Compilation

khaldub@gmail.com (khal) — Tue, 27 Aug 2019 20:51:00 -0400

On August 30, the Boxed crew is taking over Corsica Studios with a line-up that features Teki Latex alongside Brackles, MJK, and more (grab tickets before they're gone). To celebrate, they dropped a massive 24-track compilation—Boxed MMXX—featuring a bunch of gems, including new material from Slackk, Flint, William Skeng, and plenty more. Don't even trip; press play below and grab the full compilation via Bandcamp. You're welcome.

DJ Jazzy Jeff and MICK Soundtrack Your Summer With 'Summertime 10'

khaldub@gmail.com (khal) — Thu, 4 Jul 2019 21:04:00 -0400

Usually, once I see something like DJ Jazzy Jeff and MICK's Summertime 10 (which in the tenth installment of their annual summer-themed mixtape series), I end up posting it as I'm diving into it. Like it or not, they are dope, and I can guarantee satisfaction just by perusing the journey in the tracklist. This year, it's a bit different; I was actually at my mom's during a Fourth of July cookout when this dropped. Being that we live in a Bluetooth world, I streamed the Mixcloud from my Pixel 3 to my speaker, and even my MOM was turnt up. It's that kind of broad, all-encompassing style.

You can download the mix, or stream it below. The tracklist is also below. Turn up.

Tracklist:

01. Will Smith f/ Ronnie McNeir: Summertime (MICK x Chi Duly Mix)
02. Isley Brothers: Between the Sheets
03. Prince: Pink Cashmere
04. D’Angelo: Lady
05. Isley Brothers: Work to Do
06. Outkast: Elevators
07. The Eagles: Hotel California
08. Al Green: I’m Glad You’re Mine
09. Notorious BIG: Dead Wrong
10. Patrice Rushen: Where Is The Love
11. Jay-Z: Feelin It
12. Mims: This Is Why I’m Hot
13. Rich Boy: Throw Some D’s
14. Lil Jon: Snap Your Fingers
15. Monica: So Far Gone
16. Minnie Ripperton: Baby This Love I Have
17. Biz Markie: Just A Friend
18. Commodores: Zoom
19. EPMD: Da Joint
20. Joe Cocker: Woman to Woman
21. 2Pac: California Love
22. Warren G: This DJ
23. LL Cool J: Paradise
24. The Spinners: It’s A Shame (King Most’s Grindr Mix)
25. Sadat X f/ Grand Puba: The Lump Lump
26. Groove Theory: Tell Me (King Most x MICK’s 1991 Mix)
27. Bobby Valentino f/ Lil Wayne: Tell Me
28. Talib Kweli: Never Been In Love
29. Kanye West f/ Steely Dan: Champion (Chi Duly’s Charlemagne Edit)
30. Biz Markie: Pickin’ Boogers
31. Nas: Memory Lane
32. The Roots: Act Too (The Love Of My Life)
33. Das EFX: Real Hip-Hop
34. Common: They Say
35. Isley Brothers: It’s Your Thing (Studio Rio Edit)
36. Sergio Mendez f/ Black Eyed Peas: Mas Que Nada
37. DMX: Get It On The Floor (Daniel Crawford Remix)
38. EU: Doin’ Da Butt
39. Midnight Star: Curious
40. A Bossa Eletrica: Sob A Luz Do Sol
41. Lafayette Afro Rock Band: Darkest Light
42. The Emotions: Blind Alley
43. Mariah Carey: Dreamlover
44. Mic Geronimo f/ Jay-Z: Single Life
45. Father MC: I’ll Do For You
46. Cheryl Lynn: To Be Real (Nick Bike Edit)
47. DJ Jazzy Jeff And The Fresh Prince: Live At Union Square
48. Big Daddy Kane: Warm It Up Kane
49. Tony Toni Tone: Feels Good
50. Milt Jackson: Enchanted Lady
51. Large Professor: I Just Wanna Chill
52. Kanye West f/ Jay-Z: The Morning (Hasan Insane + MICK’s “Hold The Salsa” Mix)
53. Drake: Best I Ever Had (Nike Bike’s Yacht Rock Mix)
54. East of Underground I Love You