Blog - The Movement Fam, Independent Hip Hop Record Label - Toronto + Montréal
Yesterday was an amazing day. Three friends independently put me onto some of the dopest music I've heard in a while, and I hear a lot of dope music. Check out the BBC's Sound of 2011 list. Work your way through the Top 5, which is what I did. Here's some samples of some amazingness. Grab some headphones and vibe the hell out to some soulful post-dubstep (oh yeah, uber cool genre).
Jamie Woon
Jessie J
James Blake
Daley
British India have gotta be one of my favourite Aussie bands. So glad I caught em before I left, even though I got caught up in the slam pit and some pock-faced barely legal kid jumped on my camera. Bastards need to do a show out here. Anyway, here's the latest clip the fellas dropped for the title track to their latest (and best) album, 'Avalanche'. Word.
I gotta put this one on for the famo out here in TO. The homie Suundjaye, who is both a friend and our ever-suffering landlord, is a talented drummer in a band by the name of Earthtones. His partner, Aria, is an amazingly gifted singer and at the 2010 Manifesto festival in Toronto, these cats rocked a killer set, including this rendition of Mos Def's 'Umi Says'. Watch the video and throw in a comment on their YouTube page!
Chuuuurch.
The homie Raven's sophomore album, Ravenous 20Ten, has been getting a fair bit of attention all over the world since it's release last month, and rightly so. The LP is supremely crafted, with neck snappin' beats and complex, introspective rhymes that results in a fuckin' great album. This is the first video (I believe) from the album, for 'Devil's Advocate'. Full Clip, a video production team, put it together and like their other work, it's brilliant. Peep game and cop the album.
Marsha is incredible. This is the second single from her upcoming solo album 'Late Nights & Early Mornings', and one that is really personal. The video tells the story of her friend who committed suicide due to bullying for his sexual orientation. It's an extremely powerful song and the video is nothing short of moving. Can't wait for this album.
You know the homegirl E stays on her grizzy. The young lady just got back from a successful European tour, doing spots all over, including rocking a handful of shows opening for the legendary Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth. Peep the video after the jump.
Much love to the big homie L.S. We connected recently, and not only is he a top dude, his hustle and spit game is vicious. Peep the latest video for 'Soul Fly' from his album 'In this Life', shot during a recent music trip to Europe. Check L.S. out on Twitter and Facebook, while you're at it. And the album is available on iTunes so cop that!
Shouts to Notion for sharing this video on Facebook today. This guy is really dope. Voice is incredible. Hats off to him for trying to get heard and seen in this crazy world, even after messing with drugs and the bottle. He seems like he'd have a great story, too.
So check this out and spread the word, someone needs to give this cat a chance.
I caught up and coming Seattle MC J. Pinder live at A3C in Atlanta a couple months back. I'd heard the name, but never heard the tunes. Dude was rocking to a fairly dead crowd, and managed to totally turn that shit, well, upside down (pun intended). And this was the joint that did it - 'Upside Down', which is a fucking incredible track with ridiculous production, dope hook and mean verses. I'm officially a fan. Shame I didn't get to holla at the dude in the A. Peep the video after the jump, as well as an older track off the Code Red EP entitled 'Three Words'. The album, Code Red 2.0, is due to drop January 25th, so cop that.
I was definitely waiting on this one, but I'm not sure if it's the final version. There's watermarks over some of the scenes (Getty Images and shit), the audio is terrible quality and it just doesn't seem complete. Either way, it's dope. Can't wait for the HD version.
The homie Danny Diggs hit me with this link last night, and it's some dope shit. Danny just laced JC Poppe's latest single, 'Foundation Of A Moment', and we got the video for ya after the jump. The track is a throwback to mid-90s conscious Hip Hop, which is just the type I'm feeling. Peep game.
This shit is gold. The homie Thrizz put me onto the first video (below) during a recent discussion about Arcade Fire. I decided to check out the rest of the videos from the Skills In Time folks and the shit is classic. I've been using them to prove to Canadians that myself and Notion aren't making up how us Aussies talk. All the stuff about shelfing, wristies, cunts and other assorted shenanigans are part of our culture, goddamnit. Go have yourself a giggle after the jump...
Henry Stone website Henry Stone Twitter Skills In Time website Skills In Time YouTube
First up, from the whole Movement Fam across the world, we hope everyone had a great Christmas, copped stacks of pressies and stuffed their faces. So to go with the occasion, the homie Theo3 is about to drop yet another project, this one with Phat Tony and it's called Yung Santa. The fellas will be dropping an EP this month...check the trailer and info after the jump.
Happy Holidays yall! The work never ceases and the YUNG SANTA EP is ready for a late December 2010 release in support of the Beatz to da Streetz music program out of Toronto. (www.b2ds.ca) 6 original songs of pure goodness mixed by Toronto mainstay Scam of Time Bandits music. Phat Tony and Theo3 spontaneously created this jam packed cache of fresh songs in just 2 weeks time with a goal of limitless creativity, social awareness and good vibes. Take it in, spread the link and come along for the ride!
The big homie Day Diz over at Moser Music Group just passed the word that they dropped a 2010 mixtape with all the joints that MMG released throughout the year, along with some bonuses. And of course, Diz threw in our collab joint, 'Gimme That', from 'The Soul Movement Volume 2' back in 2008, which still bangs. Cop this, and Merry Christmas! Download Moser Music Group - MMG Mixtape 2010
These guys have gotta be one of my favourite indie bands right now. I was put onto The XX earlier this year, but only realised the awesomeness of these cats recently. Jamie (singer/songwriter) even did a joint with Gil Scott-Heron recently (see the very last video below), and they've remixed damn near everyone. Check out three videos from their self-titled debut album and do some research...
Mr. Boykins III is quite possibly my favourite artist right now. I caught dude rocking with Foreign Exchange at their CMJ showcase in New York a couple months back, and I immediately copped his album 'The Beauty Created' and subsequently became one of his biggest fans. Check the videos from the singles off the album. Incredible soul music, y'all.
What does Socrates have in common with Columbo? The science of the bummy genius. Those people that can break down complex things about human behavior and easily figure out the motives of others but don't care about the basics of dressing themselves presentably for the public eye. Socrates was considered the greatest of all the philosophers to walk the earth ( check Inspecktah Decks opening bars of “Triumph” to see how far Socrates influence reached ) but he lived his life in poverty, dressed very plain and walked the streets of Athens barefoot. Columbo deduced many crimes on his show but the character was as famous for his rumpled appearance as he was for his detective skills.
What the fuck does that have to do with Terriers? The show carries on that tradition. The two main Characters Hank and Britt solve crimes and help people in Ocean Beach but between the both of them seem Incapable of mastering the art of shaving or popping tags. One of the people in the show sees Hank and says “You know I thought you were undercover but now I realize you just dress like that” Wit like that drives this show to be one of my current favorites on TV.
Hank is a recovering alcoholic ex cop and Britt is a thief that Hank catches but eventually sees the good in. They both start a private investigation agency and combine their streetwise natures to help the people that hire them. Sure, shows like “White Collar” ( another favorite of mine ) have explored the idea of crook and cop working together but while that show is more high society this one is more gritty. Consider this show the Frank Miller's“The Dark Knight Returns” to that shows Alan Moore's “Watchmen” both exploring the non pretty side of heroes but placed in different settings and with differing levels of darkness and grit. One theme that runs through the season is Hank and Britt's relationships with the women in their lives. Hank has to watch ( not idly mind you, he goes all out to stop her wedding any way he can ) as his ex wife Gretchen moves on even though he still has strong feelings for her while Britt deals with the fact his love of his lady Katie scares him ( mainly the thought of settling down and growing up ) as much as it keeps him going. Hank also deals with the relationship between him and his sister Stephanie. A mentally unstable genius whom he feels especially attached to when post divorce he finds her secretly living in his attic. Her companionship filling a void left by his ex wife.
Now as the good guys, these dudes don't believe in the straight and narrow. They frame somebody for revenge when they cant legally prove him guilty, they break into buildings, sneak in and out of the border and at one point ( maybe two ) Britt becomes a fugitive. These aren't your typical dashing, morally upstanding citizens more two guys raised on the age old practice of ”kicking ass and taking names” Along the way they meet various members of Ocean Beaches underbelly and even find themselves neck deep in issues with a Mexican kingpin. Old friends and foes pop up to threaten the little semblance of normalcy they try to build and the biggest obstacles they tend to face are their own penchants for self destruction. But DAMN, They stay saying slick shit. This is one of those shows that has dialogue so ILL that you find yourself laughing at what the characters say as much as worrying about them. One episode finds them pretending to be thugs shaking down a tarot card reader for protection money in order to draw out her fugitive boyfriend. They threaten to trash her place if she doesn't pay when they come back. When they show up her boyfriend, her VERY FUCKING BIG boyfriend kicks their asses up and down her living room, knocking over all her furniture and after he throws both of them out the window Britt says “Well we did say we would trash the place” I bust my ass laughing.
I cant recommend this show enough. The first season kept me hooked and when ever I missed an episode I would catch it online even though I hate watching TV shows online ( I don't know why that shit just irks me. If its a TV show I like to watch it on TV damnit ) The season ended up on a very crazy cliffhanger that had me going “REALLY?!? How the fuck they gonna end it like that?” But best believe I will be tuning in as soon as it comes back. This show is great and I bet if you ask Socrates or Columbo about it they would say the same thing.
Peace
