Mike Trampe Of HipHopDX, Maad Management & Get Your Buzz Up breaks down the 10 Commandments of being an artist nowadays and how to submit to Blogs & Sites; Biggie Style!
1228 Management, Studio 202, in conjunction with BLIS FM (Better Listening In Sound) is proud to announce the debut of The Raheem DeVaughn Internet Radio Show on June 19, 2011 airing weekly on Sunday nights from 7-9 pm on www.blis.fm/raheem.
The three-time Grammy Award Nominated Recording Artist alongside fellow radio personality, Deja, and veteran comedian, Skiba, will provide a unique experience for listeners. The Raheem DeVaughn Show will fuse together music with celebrity guest features that will provide commentary on everyday issues from politics, technology, fashion, and all things lifestyle. The Raheem DeVaughn Show will feature a health segment from the DCCC (District of Columbia Cancer Consortium) to encourage listeners to be health conscious and encourage wellness. As DeVaughn is an ambassador for the CDC HIV/AIDS prevention programs, he will also be providing facts and resources to educate listeners to encourage safe relations.
When asked about his outlook on the show, DeVaughn remarked, “I am so excited about this internet radio show opportunity. I have always enjoyed performing and hosting events,but I also have always had a secret passion for radio. This will allow my fans to have a personal interaction with me, and see me in a different light. They will see my sense of humor and get a glimpse into some of my favorite things. So tune in and enjoy”
Raheem DeVaughn has released three albums under Jive Records, his first project, The Love Experience, released in 2005. His sophomore project, Love Behind the Melody, released in 2008 — which debuted at #5 on the Billboard Top 200 and #1 Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums. In addition, DeVaughn has received high awards and honors including a 2008 Grammy nomination for Best Male Vocal Performance for “Woman” and a 2009 Grammy nomination for Best R&B Song for “Customer,” as well as, two BET J Awards for “Best Male R&B Artist” and “Album of the Year” off of his sophomore release, Love Behind The Melody. His critically acclaimed third and most recent album, The Love & War Masterpeace, debuted at #1 on Billboard’s R&B Charts and #9 on Billboard’s Top 200 Releases. It features the likes of Dr. Cornel West, Jill Scott, Anthony Hamilton, Chrisette Michele, Wale, Bun B and Ledisi, among others. This project also garnered DeVaughn with a 2011 Grammy Award Nomination for Best R&B Album of The Year. Most recently, Raheem received the honor of being awarded the Key To The City from Washington, DC.
Fat Possum has set a street date for the official release of Blackenedwhite from Hodgy Beats & Left Brain of Odd Future collectively known as MellowHype this summer July 12th, 2011. The original incarnation of Blackenedwhite received a soft release for free in the fall of 2010 via Odd Future’s TUMBLR. The album will feature some new tracks w/ artwork and packaging designed by the group themselves. This is the second release to be available in stores from Odd Future and last of it’s kind to be released outside the Odd Future Records imprint which is being launched this summer. A new video from MellowHype is coming soon as well!
2K Sports and Duck Down Music would like to congratulate Alex Kresovich of Ithaca, N.Y. and D.J.I.G. of Glassboro, N.J. on winning the NBA® 2K12 Producer and MC Soundtrack Contest. The grand prize winners will have their song featured in the music soundtrack for NBA 2K12, the next installment of the top-selling and top-rated NBA video game simulation franchise* that is expected to
launch later this year.
Are you the Next MASTER OF THE MIX? Over $250K in Prizes for the winner of Season 2. The next audtion will take place on TUESDAY, MAY 19, 2011 in Los Angeles, CA. APPLY NOW!!
WELCOME to the application process for Season 2 of Master of the Mix (MOTM). Season 1 was designed to challenge 8 of America’s best DJs in fair and somewhat friendly competitions. The competition touched on the fundamentals of the DJ craft and eventually ended in London where the finalists showed that they could rock any venue anywhere in the world.
Season 2 will be a national search for 8 of the nation’s self proclaimed “best” DJs. These DJs will journey across the United States with their last stop abroad, facing unique challenges that will test their DJ skills and commitment to becoming the Master of the Mix. This season will focus on their understanding of original nightlife. This season will be different because it’s going to be a straight out battle. We are putting complete strangers together and raising the stakes. Ultimately ending with one Master of the Mix.
Competitors must be able to control a crowd, understand the fundamentals of DJ culture, know a wide variety of music, know various nightlife scenes, and rock anywhere in the world.
The winner will receive $250,000.00 in cash and prizes, 1 year reign as Master of the Mix, a guaranteed appearance in the next season of Master of the Mix, point of sale imagery all over the United States and a marketing and publicity push executed by the brand.
If you’re from the Bay Area, you’ve probably at least heard about the Bay Area Freshmen 10. In the beginning of Spring DJ Amen of 106.1 FM KMEL teamed up with Thizzler.com and the entire Bay Area to provide yet another outlet for up and coming local artists to be heard. Following XXL mag’s model, we asked the public to get to work and let us know who they thought Northern Cali should watch bubble this year. We kicked off the online nominations via Twitter and trended all over the map with well over 100,000 tweets. Then in the 2nd round, we added a Facebook page that also had well over 100,000 hits in a matter of weeks! In the third and final round, we gathered up all the nominations and reached out to a panel of influential Bay Area music pros (almost 20 in all) and narrowed it down to the top 10 names that kept coming back. The process took a long time but the announcement is finally here!
This year’s Bay Area Freshmen 10 were announced live on 106.1 KMEL’s local artist spotlight show, Hometurf. You can listen and download the full show at Thizzler.com.
Thank you to this year’s selection board:
The good people at Thizzler.com, WeTheWest.com, BayIsBack.com, Streets Is Talking Radio, 38th notes, Teambackpack.net, Golden Mean Mgmt, Street Cred Music Group, Front Office Media Group, Thizz, D-Ray & Ozone West, Stash, M1Promo, Mr. JE, Saeed @ Rasputins, all the DJs especially Dj Slowpoke & Dj Mark 7, and of course all the good people at 106KMEL.Thizzler.com will be providing a weekly spotlight on each Bay Area Freshmen artist every Wednesday at 5 PM, written by Matt Moretti. DJ Amen & Thizzler.com will also be presenting a Bay Area Freshmen 10 2011 Music Meeting mixtape with songs from each Freshman and there will be a Bay Area Freshmen Meet & Greet, to be announced soon. Stay tuned! – Thizzler
Producer Nottz is taking his production skills to the big screen. The Norfolk, Virginia beatsmith – best known for production on records by Kanye West, Snoop Dogg and The Game – has been tapped to score the upcoming hip-hop flick Revolutions Per Minute.
Directed by Tim Gregory, the film follows a rapper named Billy da Kid who tries to maintain his buzz in the constantly shifting hip-hop universe. Set in 1998, the plot focuses on the up-and-comer as he tailors his sound to be more mainstream, only to discover his voice in the Parisian ghetto after falling in love with a French pianist.
Nottz, who has been active in the rap scene over the past two decades, expressed his desire to match the music for the plot line. “Nowadays, too many movies just throw together a few songs from people’s back catalogues and call it a soundtrack. We want to create music especially for this that will unify the whole film,” he said. “We want people to leave the theaters saying ‘I got to get that soundtrack!’”
He further shared what viewers can expect with his work on the film. “It’s gonna sound nostalgic and authentic for that time period but fresh at the same time!”
Producers are now seeking their leading man, with plans to find their star in the next two months.
While Blaq Poet has chosen to remain out of the spotlight over the course of his long and storied career, there is no disputing his place in the NYC street-hop pantheon.
To say that Elzhi’s “ELmatic” has been a labor of love would be an understatement. The idea was first broached years ago by DJ House Shoes and discussed and bandied about incessantly since. Though the concept was unrealized for what seemed like ages; years went by, life got in the way, recording and touring with Slum Village got in the way and as more time passed, desperate fans continued to wait (albeit impatiently) for news and updates on the project.
Well, at last, the long wait is over, as Elzhi has finally completed “ELmatic” and the long-wait fans endured will prove to be well-worth it, as Elzhi will release the project for free on 5-10-2011 on his own site Elzhi.com; the LP is being released for free by Elzhi as a dedication to his fans for their patience.
Nas tributes have been done before, but it’s safe to say, never in the manner in which Elzhi attacks it. “ELmatic” is a game-changing effort on a few different levels, not only is it genre-defying, but it finds Elzhi in his lyrical prime and rather then expressing himself over Nas’ original instrumentals, Elzhi enlisted the famous Detroit ensemble Will Sessions (a six-piece band who has cultivated a reputation in the Detroit area for being able to meticulously replay Nas’ instrumentals from scratch and who produced the endeavor) and recorded the entire project with only live-instrumentation, which gives the project an undeniably plush and unique sound and dare we say even adds an updated flair to the original’s hall-of-fame lineup of producers. These new flourishes can be heard as Will Sessions add even more instrumental interludes (sometimes mid-track) and over special drops from artists such as Pete Rock and DJ House Shoes. While guest features are sparse, Royce 5’9 and Mint Condition’s Stokely both grace “Life’s A Bitch” and Amp Fiddler plays keyboards on “The World is Yours”.
While immersing himself into the recording of “ELmatic,” Elzhi underwent a series of professional and personal struggles that have made this project even more gratifying for him. After a nearly decade long stint as a member of the beloved group Slum Village and numerous hit singles (including “Selfish” f/Kanye West and John Legend and “Tainted” f/Dwele ) in July of 2010 Elzhi was forced to re-start his solo career after discovering a variety of unfair business practices by Slum Village’s record label and T3. These professional and personal trails and tribulations are certainly an audible under-current on “ELmatic,” as it gives the project that much more urgency and edge; and undisputable air of rebirth.
With the support of his new management by music executive and artist manager Jae Barber of The JAE.B Group and Will Sessions “ELmatic” is finally completed. With his new website and a once again flourishing solo career fans can anticipate a newly reinvigorated Elzhi and one who is anxious to share his talents with the world.
A big congratulations goes out to Alex Kresovich for producing the contest winning beat entitled “The Return.” Now that the producer phase is over, the MC phase takes over. Let the fun begin!
Starting at 12PM EST on April 14th, MC’s will have two weeks to submit one clean track using the winning producer’s instrumental. We urge MCs to record music that DOES NOT include obvious references to basketball. Be creative with your delivery & overall theme.
All submissions must be uploaded to the SoundCloud drop box at this page by 12PM EST on April 27th. At 12PM EST on April 29th, after the top ten songs are determined by Duck Down Music and 2K Sports, they will again be streamed online via a custom SoundCloud music player at NBA 2K & Duck Down Music’s Facebook pages. Fans will again have the chance to vote once for their favorite track by “liking” the one they feel is best. Voting ends at 12PM EST on May 6th & the grand prize winners will be announced.The grand prize winners of the contest, which will consist of one producer and one MC, will have their song placed in the music soundtrack for NBA 2K12.
In addition, each winner will receive an all-expense paid trip to New York City, where they will have the special opportunity to perform the song live at Duck Down’s CMJ Showcase in October 2011. The top ten MCs & top ten producers selected from each phase will also receive premium accounts at SoundCloud, valued at $700.
When Submitting MC Tracks, Please Include Your Full Name, Mailing Address, Phone Number, & Email Address In The Personal Message.
Fat Beats Records is proud to announce that their first funk signees, CSC Funk Band, will release their album, Things Are Getting Too Casual, on June 14th, 2011. Recognized by the Village Voice as Brooklyn noise-punk scene’s very first funk band, CSC Funk Band is a random, diverse, and eclectic 11-member band hell bent on fully exhibiting the energy they exude in their live shows with their debut album.
Spearheaded by Colin Langenus, lead guitarist for prog-punk pioneers USA Is A Monster, the band has absorbed the diverse influence of new additions to the family, including a former GWAR drummer, a former Akron Family keyboardist, an Anthony Braxton collaborator, and a trombonist for ska legends Bad Manners. Rocking saxes, moog, guitars, trombones, drums, trumpets, a bass, and an oboe (!), the band members’ technical mastery can be traced back to everything from avant-experimentation to noise-punk.
Although Fat Beats is known for releasing hip hop albums, CSC is a welcome addition to the family. Says President Joseph Abajian, “Growing up in the 80′s hip hop music was funk breaks, electro-funk, freestyle, and eventually rap. CSC’s music helps us reflect on our foundation with a fresh perspective and shows the variety of music that both hip hop culture and Fat Beats embrace.”
In 2010, CSC Funk Band released two 7″s on drummer Jim Thomson’s Electric Cowbell Records, “Bad Banana Bread/Caneca” and a split with Stuart Bogie’s Superhuman Happiness (Antibalas, Iron and Wine). The summer release of Things Are Getting Too Casual marks the band’s first full-length release and Fat Beats’ Records inaugural funk band release. The album balances slightly urgent and mildly aggressive tracks such as “Canaca” and “Fiesta” with more chill and casual tracks such as “Bad Banana Bread” and “Funk Shoppe.” Explains Jim, “The latter could be the soundtrack for when you’re searching for that spot in the grass to put your picnic blanket while the former tracks mentioned have that car chase under the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway at the end-of-the-world-Mayan-calendar vibe.” Things Are Getting Too Casual will be released via full-length vinyl, CD, and digitally.
CSC Funk Band’s Things Are Getting Too Casual will be available June 14, 2011.
The Freeze Tag, the newly formed duo of Los Angeles-based producer Cassettes Won’t Listen and Brooklyn MC Bisco Smith, is happy to announce the release of Hamster Kid, a five-track concept EP and animated musical collaboration brought together with the help of world-renowned street artist Bishop 203 and director Mike Vidoli. Hamster Kid will be released May 3, 2011 through The Freeze Tag’s collective label, Daylight Curfew.
With over 1,100+ original instrumental submissions, Duck Down Music’s A&R and 2K Sports representatives have chosen producers King I Divine, Dae One, Alex Kresovich, 8bars, Audiomoe, ProVerb Productions, JNZ, Saylavee, Major, and John Castaneda as the Top 10 Producer Finalists. In addition to being in the Top 10, these producers will receive Premium Accounts at SoundCloud, valued at $700. Fans are encouraged to VOTE for their favorite track through the official Facebook Tab Application. Voting ends At 12PM EST on April 13th, 2011 and the winning producer will be announced. The producer track with the most Facebook “Likes” moves on to the MC phase where aspiring MCs are encouraged to record their vocals over the winning instrumental.
Shouts to TheRealMidwestRadio.
Everybody is co-signing and grabbing up the best of the Midwest so of cousre Gangsta Gibbs would not be left out in that newfad.
XXL Magazine recenetly reported that Young Jeezy & CTE are currently seeking to acquire Freddie Gibbs to their label. Gibbs told HipHopDx a while back that him and Jeezy met up but no music was recorded but no business was spoke of either. Good look for Gangsta Gibbs!
Underground legends Canibus & Keith Murray plan to release the follow up to last years self-titled “Undergods” EP on May 31st. “In Gods We Trust, Crush Microphones To Dust”, the full length effort by The Undergods is Executive Produced by Erick Sermon (in conjunction with Canibus & Keith) and A&R’d by M-Eighty of Wu-Tang Meets The Indie Culture, The Academy, and 4 HRSMN fame. In addition to appearances by Tech N9ne, Crooked I & Planet Asia, the beats are supplied by Erick Sermon, Jake One and more. With all of these key players lending their skills to this project, “In Gods We Trust” is a virtual “who’s-who” of the underground.
Pete Rock & Smif N Wessun have joined forces to record an entire album together titled ‘Monumental’. The album will be released June 28th on Duck Down Music. “Monumental” is entirely produced by Pete Rock with features from Raekwon, Bun B, Pharoahe Monch, Styles P, Memphis Bleek, Hurricane G, Sean Price & Buckshot.
I’m with you CuD…Support the strong.
I dont smoke weed anymore. Ill leave it to the kids. Im 27 with a business to run and i need to be alert and focused with my mind strong. For those who still get it on, smoke one in my memory as your favorite lonely stoner.
This is not a joke. I know most of you wanna see me all drugged out and fucked up and i know misery loves company, but im sorry those days are over. I had a good run, Amsterdam and all. Im happy being sober. Im happy being a new me. Giva fuck who thinks of me different, you didnt care about me in the first place if you cant be proud and happy for me for growing and starting a new chapter. Im not your puppet or your tap dancing drug addict here to be your miserable muse, i always made music for me to help myself find understanding. I have finally learned from the words in my songs. I love who loves me and who really cares about me.
Learn from this, theres always light at the end of the tunnel. Hell does have an exit, and i found it. For those who are looking for a way out, i left the door open, and ill be waiting for whoever wants to grow with me. Peace and Love, Cudi – KiD CuDi
Each canvas in the series measures 60 by 33 inches, but the statement each makes looms way larger. Arizona’s SB 1070 law, which many feel encourages police to racially profile Latinos, takes America a large step towards fascism. Ultimately, the decision to allow America to turn on the come-one-come-all philosophy that once made it the most progressive country in the world rests with we, the people. And it is the people whose minds Chuck D seeks to move with By The Time I Got To Arizona, his limited edition fine art collaboration with notorious Los Angeles creativity house SceneFour that was released to the public March 4th and has rapidly become their fastest-selling piece in a line of artwork that includes collaborations with RZA of the Wu-Tang Clan and Bootsy Collins. “This statement of artwork is maybe reminding people that they gotta have more of a voice,” says Chuck. “We can’t rely on the people who are scrutinized – quote unquote ‘illegal immigrants’ – to speak up, because they’re terrified by some sort of terror law that has been enacted upon human beings. And the United States has bogarted their territory under the Manifest Destiny principle which basically doesn’t speak to human development as far as sharing the planet. Where do we go with that? Make a statement in art, and hope that they will stick.”
Few figures in music are better suited to tackle this topic than Chuck D. From the moment he stepped on the world stage in the ‘80s with Public Enemy he has crusaded relentlessly in the name of America’s oppressed. Arizona in particular has drawn Chuck’s ire in the past, from Public Enemy’s 1991 song “By The Time I Get To Arizona” which slams the state for not recognizing Martin Luther King Jr Day, to last year’s “Tear Down That Wall”, the musical counterpart to the art piece. Chuck stresses, however, that he doesn’t consider Arizonians bad people. “I think [all this] is a coincidence over the last 25 years. For years [Arizona] was a refuge for a lot of people to take their attitudes, build a space apart from each other, and just go down there in a different type of climate and kinda sit still without having to capitulate to other beliefs, just like a lot of places in the West. So I think a lot of those beliefs happened to travel with people wanting to get out of areas where they didn’t really feel like living with people as much. It was a latter-day coincidence that Arizona turns into the Alabama of now. Arizona is a beautiful state, people know it’s beautiful. I think the people who are actually taking these attitudes in the wrong places, they actually know it’s beautiful too and they want to keep it.”
Each canvas in this limited series of 300 is signed and numbered by Chuck, comes with an authenticity placard, and bears an aerosol stencil of the Public Enemy logo. Hidden within the piece are more than 30 various figures, lyrics, and messages for viewers to find, making it an artifact that reveals itself fully over time. Visit theartofchuckd.com or legacyoften.com for more details.
It seems that after suffering from several strokes Hip-Hop pioneer Nate Dogg was taken from us today. For a long time now Nate was dealing with health issues and his road to recovery was ongoing. Today is a sad day indeed, lets show our love and support by putting are ones in the air and bumpin’ Nate all day long. More details on Nate’s death to come as they surface, keep it locked. #RestinParadise a #TrueOG indeed.
Bay Area DJ Prince Aries is excited to announce the release of Clean Ass Whip. The mixtape, which features original tracks from DaVinci and Bambu along with a variety of west coast classics from Aries’ personal collection, will be released this May via SWTBRDS (Sweetbreads). Joining the mixtape will be a series of limited edition silk-screened art prints, designed personally by Aries, who is an accomplished graphic designer.
A veritable jack-of-all-trades, Prince Aries has become an established name in the Bay as one of the city’s most well known personalities, becoming a sought after DJ, promoter, graphic designer, and producer. However, it was his talents as a VJ that garnered the hip-hop renaissance man his first notice. Originally from the Washington Heights neighborhood of New York City, Aries moved to the Bay Area in the mid-90s and shortly there after went about founding the Bay Area’s first hip-hop television program, Distortion 2 Static, which allowed Aries up-close-and-personal interaction with many of the artists that inform the music on Clean Ass Whip. Since starting the show, which fans can now watch on air or online, Aries has interviewed and featured artists including DJ Spinna, DJ Premier, The Pharcyde, Too $hort, Biz Markie, and many more.
It was also Aries’ move from the east to west coast that largely influenced much of the music and the overall concept and theme of Clean Ass Whip. “A majority of the songs on the mix are songs that were significant to a certain time in my life, when I first moved to the Bay Area,” says Prince Aries. “The sound and feel of West Coast music made a big impact on me.” Those influences shine through with the inclusion of songs like “We Roll Deep” by Conscious Daughters and the “I’m A Player Remix” from Too $hort, both of which easily pair with the newer songs, like the mixtape title track with DaVinci or “And We Mobb In That…” with LA rapper Bambu. The tape also features Aries’ own mix of “Distinguished Gentlemen,” from fellow SWTBRDS artist StreetMedia.
While many of today’s DJs can be found Google searching for their tracks, Aries went to the source for Clean Ass Whip, digging into his extensive vinyl collection, many of which are original pressings straight from the artists. “I’ve been collecting vinyl for some time now,” explains Aries. “Some of these songs I got from the artists themselves, and the newer songs can be tied into the work I’ve done with Distortion 2 Static, which is how I met a lot of these artists in the first place.”
Prince Aries’ Clean Ass Whip mixtape will be available for free download this May.
In addition to releasing official music videos for “Clean Ass Whip” and “And We Mobb In That…,” Prince Aries will be releasing a number of short videos leading up to release, each offering insight into Aries’ history as well as the new project. This first video features Aries discussing Walkman Day, and how the tradition first put him onto Too $hort and N.W.A.
