Future Classics

Future Classic: Les Gens d’Air “Les Gens d’Air”

Independent Hip-Hop is a tough genre to evolve in especially if you are over the age of 25. Standards, quality and creative arcs are often met head on by the harsh realities of self-promotion/production. Many have given up but it’s a breath of fresh air when a project like Les …

READ MORE →
Music Tech & Art

The “Donuts” knit sweater by Stones Throw

The folks at Stones Throw have teamed up with Shredders Apparel on a “Donuts” inspired knit sweater to celebrate the 10th anniversary of J Dilla’s classic solo album, this February 2016. It seems the cult surrounding Jay Dee keeps intensifying every year with Dilla Day Celebrations worldwide, album reissues in every shape and …

READ MORE →
Future Classics

Future Classic: Fredfades & Ivan Ave “Fruitful”

In the long line of classic hip-hop producer/MC duos you probably won’t find many from Europe, much less from Norway. But hip-hop isn’t the US centric movement it used to be, which is probably for the best since a lot of the more progressive artists come from unlikely spots all …

READ MORE →

NxWorries (Anderson .Paak & Knxledge) Release ​“Link Up & Suede” EP

via Stones Throw: “R&B vocalist Anderson .Paak and producer Knxwledge are working together as NxWorries (pronounced “No Worries”). Last Spring, they debuted with the single “Suede” which quickly found the ears of Dr. Dre. Anderson .Paak went on to record eight tracks with Dre that appeared on his album Compton. …

READ MORE →
Future Classics

Future Classic: Anderson .Paak “Am I Wrong” feat. ScHoolboy Q

With one of the singles of the year, “Suede“, his collaboration with Knxwledge (NxWorries) already under his belt, Anderson .Paak‘s numerous appearances on Dr. Dre’s (final?) album “Compton” only cemented what was already a breakout year for the Oxnard, Cali native. His latest single is taken from his upcoming album …

READ MORE →
Music Documentaries

The Pharcyde ‘Labcabincalifornia’ 20th Anniversary – Mixed by Chris Read

via WhoSampled: This Saturday (14th November 2015) marked the 20th Anniversary of the release of The Pharcyde‘s seminal sophomore album ‘Labcabincalifornia‘. Produced in part by the late great Jay Dee together with various members of the group and guest producers including Diamond D, it’s a timeless long player that sounds …

READ MORE →
Dj Mixes

Mr.Scruff’s 1992 Hip-Hop Mixtape

via Mr.Scruff: “This is one side of a mix tape that was sold in Manchester’s Funky Banana record shop in 1992. I only did 20 copies, although most people heard it when it was given away on the Ninja Tune xx website as part of their 20th Birthday celebrations. This …

READ MORE →
Exclusive Premieres

Video Premiere: Fredfades & Eikrem “Snowflakes”

Here is an exclusive look at the first video off the new album titled “Jazz Cats” from Trumpeter Kristoffer Eikrem and producer Fredfades, both from Norway. The two enlisted several other jazz musicians on this innovative LP, as well as Norway’s fast rising MC, Ivan Ave. We highly recommend it if …

READ MORE →
Forgotten Treasures

Forgotten Treasure: Chi-Ali “The Fabulous” (1992)

Forgotten Treasure : Chi-Ali’s 1992 classic “The Fabulous Chi-Ali”. The videos and info on this lost gem. “Age ain’t nothing but a number” and “Roadrunner” videos

READ MORE →
Sunday @ the Movies

The Making of The Pharcyde “Drop” Video by Spike Jonze

In 1995, at the height of the multi-million dollar rap video craze,  The Pharcyde‘s “Drop” was released with a incredibly small budget but a big idea. It stands to this day as one of the most innovative rap videos ever made. Most of the 90’s classic over-the-top videos stood out with their budget …

READ MORE →
Sunday @ the Movies

“Rhyme & Reason” (1997) by Peter Spirer

“Peter Spirer was behind many of the notable hip-hop documentaries on this list, but none are as ambitious (or as successful) as Rhyme & Reason. It’s not even that Spirer interviewed over 80 major artists for the film—it’s the subject matter he includes that other documentaries fail to acknowledge. – …

READ MORE →
Future Classics

Future Classic: Fred Fades & Ivan Ave “Reaping”

Seeing as their album titled “Fruitful” is only coming out on December 4th, I probably shouldn’t jump the gun and declare this a “future classic” just based on their first single. But judging from the work i’ve heard so far from producer Fred Fades and Ivan Ave I’m going to pre-emptively …

READ MORE →