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Music
T.Dot representative Drake, has blessed our ears once again with a new mixtape "So Far Gone".
If you are a new comer to Drake, you MUST get this. That's all I'm sayin...
If you don't download it, you stupid.
Click the pic to download.
Peace!
Illa J has dropped an Exclusive Valentine’s Day Song titled “Sunshine”.
John “Illa J” Yancey, younger brother of late great genius producer James Yancey (AKA Jay Dee AKA J Dilla), is currently completing his debut album for Delicious Vinyl. In the mean time, still on his grizzly, just dropped this 'lil gem for the ladies with a personal Valentine's Day number.
Enjoy,
Notion.
Dipset fans, listen up.
Just eight months since "Black Mask Black Gloves" reached #9 on the Billboard Top Rap Albums chart, Hell Rell returns with "Get In Line or Get Lined Up" on March 10th.
The Dipset member known for his tough street talk, jail time, and crazy over the phone freestyles, says what you hear on the record is one hundred percent Hell Rell.
"All of my songs are real. Nothing is sugar coated. They are all full of substance," Rell says. "Rapping just comes naturally to me. I don't write rhymes down on paper and I don't practice. It just flows off the top of the dome."
Packed with 15 tracks, "Get In Line or Get Lined Up" is sure to keep Hell Rell and Dipset fans satisfied.
"Get In Line or Get Lined Up" will be released through Hellz Kitchen' Entertainment.
Good to see Dipset still on they grind. Check it out. I'm excited haha.
Peace.
*As originally published on www.KevinNottingham.com. Interview by DJ Grain.
By now I am sure that everyone has heard of Tanya Morgan. If not, consider this an introduction to Tanya Morgan and in particular my main man Ilyas, winners of the MySpace Music “Show Us What You Got” contest.
The recent release of The Prelude is just a preview of what’s to come. It’s not too often that you find an MC that can switch styles at the drop of a hat and rap about any subject in the dictionary. Luckily, I was able to catch up with the homie Ilyas to talk to him about the pre-Tanya Morgan days, his activities for 2009, his other passions besides Hip Hop, and the music industry.
DJ Grain: What’s good fam? Can you describe the pre-Tanya Morgan days when it was you and Donwill as ILWIL?
Ilyas: It was cool, we were just grinding. We’d done a joint called “So Far” with Nicolay back then and we were working with local producers and had a more “midwest/southern” sound then. We were still getting polished as artists a bit, learning to be more versatile and step outside of boom bap. Originally we were in a group in North Carolina called the “Jurx”, and our extended fam was called the Abyss. But Don and I had better chemistry creatively with each other than what we did with everyone. Man! The creative arguments were wild. Especially when you’re dealing with five cats in one group (laughs). But we got snatched up by a subsidiary of Warner Bros., a label on Lightyear and we got the group name ilwil.
DJ Grain: After listening to Beat Thieves Vol.1, on one of the tracks you said that you and Donwill were once enemies. Can you describe the rift once between you all.
Ilyas: Back in High School, a few dudes in my crew had silly beef with a few dudes in Don’s crew. Also a girl that was like a sister to me “liked” Don a lot and that’s all I’m gonna say about that. Let’s just say he used to do her dirty and I didn’t care for him much. I wasn’t a hater. I just didn’t care for him (laughs). And Don and his crew came to a dance at my school and went into the back area of the cafeteria and bombed the wall (graffiti). It was a dance me and a few others were in charge of for the most part, so we got in trouble for that shit (laughs). So yeah, I didn’t like Don too much. Our crews almost got into it after a football game once, on some heads walkin’ to the trunk type nonsense. Boy…the good ol’ days (laughs).
DJ Grain: When did you first start rapping, and what was the name of the first track your recorded?
Ilyas: In first grade, I wrote my first four line rhyme in my head, but eighth grade is when I started and stuck with it. It was called “We In The House.” It was my boy beatin’ on a table to make the beat then we recorded it and kept dubbin’ it to get it bassy. Then we played it out of one stereo while we recorded ourselves rappin’ to it a tape recorder.
DJ Grain: Dope! What is the Hip Hop scene like in Cincinnati?
Ilyas: Honestly, it’s kinda dead right now. It’s going through a rebirth though. A lotta new cats are steppin’ up. The cats that weren’t successful quit or moved away. And the cats that are making moves moved away. That’s how it goes here. Not much hometown support from DJ’s and the radio station here. So I can see how cats get jaded. You’re here and nobody cares. ou get on elsewhere then everybody wants to show you love then wonders why you moved away (laughs). Cincinnati…I love it, though. It’s home - it’s a Hard Knock City.
DJ Grain: Growing up, who were some of your favorite artists?
Ilyas: Ice Cube, MC Eiht, DJ Quik, Geto Boys, UGK, Tupac, etc. I was into the midwest, south, and west coast heavy. I got into the Native Tongues in high school though. Then later I grew into Nas, Mobb Deep and Jay-Z.
DJ Grain: How did you and Donwill link up with Von Pea?
Ilyas: Don and Von were on Okayplayer heavy and started trading music.
DJ Grain: When did you, Donwill, and Von Pea form Tanya Morgan?
Ilyas: Wow…hmmmm…2004, I think. I know that’s when we recorded a song together for the first time.
DJ Grain: Who has been your favorite artist to work with?
Ilyas: Outside of Tanya Morgan, I would have to say my homegirl in the Bay, Czelena. She’s an AMAZING talent and is always excited to work. I’ve done several solos with her and we’re still doing more. And you can hear her on The Bridge on “Be You”.
DJ Grain: After listening to your entire back catalogue, one thing I noticed was your versatility as an emcee. How would you describe your style?
Ilyas: I used to be a Kung Fu nut, and even studied Preying Mantis and Tai Chi for a bit. And I always loved Bruce Lee. Bruce would talk about having “the style of no style” and would say, “When one has reached maturity in the art, one will have a formless form. It is like ice dissolving in water. When one has no form, one can be all forms; when one has no style, he can fit in with any style.”
So I pride myself in being versatile. My flow’s a hoe…just cant be monogamous (laughs). I’m bein’ silly but for real, I pride myself on being unpredictable. That’s why all the solos I’m working on sound NOTHING alike. You’ll see haha.
DJ Grain: Besides being an emcee, not many people know that you are an accomplished video producer. How many videos have you done and what artists have you produced videos for?
Ilyas: I’ve done a video for Ill Poetic to “The Beautiful”. I’m working on a video for “Iswhat?!” I may be doing a video with Illogic. I did two videos for Tanya Morgan to “We Bad” and “How Low” and a video for ilwil to “The ilwil Theme”. I’m working on a video for Tanya Morgan now too.
Those vids were cool because I was learning basic editing but I just got into special effects and 3D graphics and animation, and I plan on shooting a video to every song on The Prelude. And trust me…its some real next level shit. I feel just as they say a producer/emcee is a dangerous combination. A video editor-director/emcee is even more dangerous, because you can express your song visually to fit your idea perfectly.
DJ Grain: If you had to choose between being and emcee and producer, which one would you choose?
Ilyas: Emcee because I have a lot to get off my chest verbally. I love that expression, and to be able to explain complex things in simplified musical form.
DJ Grain: The recently released project The Prelude was in my opinion a great album. What type of feedback have you gotten since it’s release?
Ilyas: I leaked it free because the economy sucks right now, and I know I don’t have money to buy anyone’s album so I feel its only fair. But on another note, I’m going to work on a very unique marketing idea being that I have the gift of video production and multimedia design.
DJ Grain: How do you feel that the digital age has influenced the music industry?
Ilyas: It’s forced it into a rebirth. It obliterated the old structure that honestly was strangling the industry if you ask me. Basically, just like Tanya Morgan is coming up with a bunch of industry folks we know that start small and are climbin’ the ladder. The old industry had the same, got in high places, and then they just catered to their friends and trends and it got old, so now there needs to be reconstruction so that the new blood can get a shot.
DJ Grain: What artists would you like to collaborate with?
Ilyas: Flying Lotus, Aphex Twin, Jay Electronica, M.I.A. (love her), Madlib, Andre 3000, Maynard of Perfect Circle, and in a perfect world…Bjork.
DJ Grain: Do you feel that artists may have to change their style in order to become “mainstream”?
Ilyas: Not necessarily change your style but you have to make yourself accessible to the masses. They’ve been dumbed down by society. So you have to package whatever you’re doing in a way they can digest it. It’s cool to be a creative genius but you have to understand that if you give it to them raw, they may not be able to interpret. It’s like me talking to my son about God and The Universe. I wouldn’t go into my Jungian studies, occult studies, and “otherworldly” experiences all at once to explain. I give him pieces over time so as he matures, one day all the pieces will make sense and he’ll see the puzzle that Daddy gave him to look at. Give them pieces. Do you eat a steak in one gulp?
DJ Grain: What plans do you have for 2009?
Ilyas: Push The Prelude all year. Drop Brooklynati (the new Tanya Morgan LP) in April and push that too. And pretty much sharpen my video skills all year and see what happens. It’s going to be a damn good year though. I can feel it. It’ll come easy too because we’ve worked so hard for it, and will continue to.
Thanks man and tell everybody to check out my site at http://www.i-el.net. 100!
It's finally here!
We've been going on and on about this damn mixtape for weeks now, possibly months. But it's here, it's done, and it's dope.
The idea came about when Bekah, Notion and myself were in Atlanta with DJ Grain. So we got the homie Glen to do the original artwork, Notion made that shit look fresh, we all collaborated on the track selection, and Notion and did an exclusive joint just for this special occasion, 'Brown Skin Lady'. Cee & Bekah also contributed our smooth and soulful 'Feel Your Touch'.
So this mixtape should be the soundtrack to your day. We got everything on there, including Neo Soul classics from D'Angelo, Aaries, Musiq Soulchild and Maxwell, dope Hip Hop from Nicolay & Kay, Method Man & Mary J. Blige, Lupe Fiasco and the homie Jermiside, fresh R&B from Jazmine Sullivan, Raheem DeVaughn and Keyshia Cole, and even some folk rock from Jason Mraz & Colbie Caillat.
We'll be officially launching this mixtape in Melbourne on Valentine's Day, Saturday 14th February, at the Blue Tile Lounge (95 Smith St, Fitzroy) at 9pm, complete with live drummer. Boom. Comment us with your thoughts!
To download FREE, either click on the covers or peep the link below:
Download The Movement Fam Presents: DJ Grain & Notion's Valentine's Day Mixtape
I bugged out when my man Ocka hit me with the link for this People Under The Stairs video. The Wiz was shot on location in Australia and references the cities and locations the P.U.T.S. crew have come to know and love.
Admittedly I'm late on this as the video was released towards the end of 2008, but everybody has to see this.
People Under The Stairs - The Wiz
So being we're a Hip Hop/Soul group, most would assume that's where our taste in music lies. You'd be fairly wrong to say that. Throughout the Fam, our tastes essentially touch damn near every genre of music, bar none. We're an eclectic bunch. :)
So lately, I've sort of unintentionally broadened my musical horizons more than I usually would. I've been reading Marilyn Manson's autobiography (mainly because it was co-written with Neil Strauss, my favourite author right now), and he has inspired me to check out his music. So I copped his whole catalogue and seriously, I'm digging all of it so far. I can't wait to do Manson covers when we set The Movement Fam band up properly.
And at the St Kilda Festival, we caught an acoustic duo who played 'Wonderwall', and even though I was off my face singing along, that stuck in my mind. So I copped Oasis's whole back catalogue too, and goddamn, 'What's The Story, Morning Glory?' is an AMAZING album.
Our drummer, Fading Hour's Chris Ferre, got me onto Tool (no homo), which I'm checking out as we speak. Can't wait.
So if anyone has any suggestions in the rock/hard rock/metal/alternative category that you suggest I should check out, throw us a comment. I always assumed this stuff was really soul-less and just screaming bullshit, but I was wrong. I've always dug Nirvana and Metallica since I played guitar as a kid, but I never really followed it up. Seems I'm discovering my inner white boy. :)
Alright, folks. Have we got a big day this Saturday. And the fact that it's Valentine's Day is just a bonus.
For all the Melbourne heads, we have a gig on Saturday, once again at the Blue Tile Lounge in Fitzroy (95 Smith St). We're on at 9pm and will be featuring Chris Ferre, drummer from Fading Hour (who is also a member of The Movement Fam band - coming soon).
We'll be playing love-themed tunes from all four Movement Fam releases, as well as two new tracks from The Soul Movement Volume 3, and Bekah will even belt out a couple surprise covers that y'all should dig. So come on down, bring your date, check out the early set then go home to do what you do. :)
Also, check in on Friday night at 10pm, when we'll post DJ Grain and Notion's Valentine's Day mixtape. It'll also be available via www.KevinNottingham.com and Wake Your Daughter Up!. I won't say too much more about it, except that it's the perfect soundtrack to your day/evening.
For all the Melbourne heads, this needs no explanation. For the folks on the other side of the planet, the St Kilda Festival, as outlined in the post on Sunday, is essentially a street festival in the bayside suburb of St Kilda, which really spans for like 8 or 9 days but the actual huge day is the last Sunday, which is generally the second weekend in February.
It's not unlike any other festival I've been to around the world - they close all the major roads and side streets in the area and fill it up with food stalls, vendors, and the like; it's got like 10 live music stages (I could be exaggerating here), and there's more hippies than you can poke a stick at. The two main streets - Acland St and Fitzroy St - are chock full of restaurants and bars anyway, so there's no shortage of spots to hit. The whole Fam ventured out for the day, and here's some of the less incriminating photos. Holla.
Vicki and Bekah
Tommy Gunnz and Cee
Notion and his stable of broads
St Kilda scenery
Father of the year - safety first!
Esscay, Theory and Cee
Luna Park at Sunset
St Kilda Sunset
The homegirl Joys performing with People's Opinion Afro Orchestra
St Kilda at nightfall
Big ups to the homie Pez. The launch for the video for 'The Festival Song' at Hi-Fi Bar on Friday was off the chain. Dude packed the venue, with crowd surfers, chicks sitting on shoulders and empty bottles as far as the eye could see. Opening act Hailey Cramer was incredible in the first solo set I've seen her rock, and Pez's brother Tys held down the hosting duties. Check the official video below.
Just a quick post to start the day. The Fam is heading down to the St Kilda Festival in Melbourne today, where like half a million folks descend onto the beachside suburb to eat, drink, watch, drink, party, do drugs and just plain have fun.
Expect photos in the next day or two, whenever we recover.
This has got to be one of the greatest battles I have ever seen, period.
Shouts to the homie Kev for putting me onto this brilliant vocalist from Toronto.
Melanie Fiona is signed to SRC Records (Steve Rifkin's new label), and her debut album The Bridge should be dropping in a few months time.
Check the links below, particularly the Artist Spotlight on Kevin Nottingham.com. There's a great video there too, as well as a dope article with all the info. Oh and check the track in the video below.
Here's a little something to get your weekend going. Two mixtapes of material from Filipino-American super producer Illmind, mixed by DJ DUB MD. If you haven't heard of Illmind, don't worry, these two mixtapes will get you up to speed. They are made up of joints he has produced over the last couple of years for emcees ranging from Skyzoo and Torae to LL Cool J and 50 Cent. Back covers are also included below so you know what's in store, but really there's something for everyone on here, so get to downloading!
Illmind - Blaps, Rhymes & Life Vol. 1
I dont really need to say much here, just OH. MY. GOD. Once again our dude from Inverse, Tunji, has blessed all of our ears again with yet another incredible freestyle for www.vimeo.com.
Tunji NEW CLASSICS freestyle from gregthedude on Vimeo.
Just watch it and admire.
MAKE SURE YOU COP THE "SO TRUE - EP" by "Inverse". Dope x10.
Peace yo
Araab Muzik is working the MPC like a mad man....I think he would give Exile a run for his money.
Aight, so I told you the homie GNZ was gonna post another free full length album today. And he did.
This one is entitled 'Rimando' and features 13 original tracks. Goddamn. I seriously don't know where he finds the time to bang out this much quality material. Check GNZ's blog for all the links to his back catalogue.