MENTAL COMBAT

2010-11-05T11:00:00.009+11:00

Can't Hold Back - Matt Henshaw & Reggiimental.
Random search on Youtube led to this excellent combination of NME 'breakthrough winner' from Leicester, soul boy Matt Henshaw & Birmingham emcee Reggimental. Quality stuff.

2010-11-04T15:25:00.006+11:00

The ARENA DVD trailer.
Most snowboard films tend to have dance music or rock, but this trailer uses 4 tracks from Gangstarr. Loving the snowbaord/skate/mountain bike DVDs these days. The HD camerawork is making an impression.
VAS ENTERTAINMENT

2010-11-04T14:45:00.008+11:00

DIALECTRIX - Audio Projectile review

Blue Mountains lad Dialectrix’s debut album, the 2008 releases ‘Cycles of Survival’ was produced entirely by Sydney’s Chasm, but the follow-up ‘Audio Projectile’ (Obese) comes complete with a musical backbone from Melbourne’s illustrious Plutonic Lab. So as to be expected with a producer of that caliber, this is as equally enjoyable as the previous album. It’s fully loaded from the get go with the starting track ‘One More Time’, which is bursting from the seams with its punchy, dynamic & compelling stature. It’s immediately followed by the just as hyperkinetic lead single ‘Pieces of a Puzzle’. The album’s energy doesn’t really quit, it just manifests into the next track with differing results.

D’trix is really become a tour de force amongst the Obese roster with an eloquently appreciable dexterity that is seldom heard from many emcees. He flexes his well recognized tongue twisting skills on the slightly dubby hybrid ‘Life Goes On’ in which Koolism’s Hau sings the hook. The title track will pummel you with its fireball intensity, whilst the more introspective & melodic ‘Whats Important’ will calm you down with its examination of complacency & direction.

The standout tune for me was the organised confusion of ‘Inner Heart Beat’. It sounds like a breakbeat extravaganza with its b-boy percussion, multiple breakdowns & experimental elements. It reminded me of the 80s TV show ‘That’s Incredible’ with its ever changing kicks, snares & ear popping moments. Fellow mountaineer Joe New joins in for an unstoppable rapathon in which both emcees remove any gaps between their verses as they continue to outdo each other’s participation. I’m a huge fan of this kind of track. It really separates the men from the boys, but couple the tight vocal performances with Plutonic’s impossible to analyse beat construction & you have one of the years highlights. Probably the first time I’ve heard an emcee namecheck Cannibal Corpse next to Jennifer Hawkins on a song.

Deejay 2Buck (The Bingethinkers) provides an astounding array of threadwork through his scratches & even gets to shine with some production for the NY chorus inspired ‘Whut?’ We get a bit more gutteral when Fluent Form & Maundz add a rawer sound with their vocal input, but then singer Rigby brightens it up with her sunshiny, yet menacing chorus. ‘Zahir’ is another monster tune, especially if you like double time flows over an ultra funky bassline. Joe New appears again with Tommy Illfigga (Crate Creeps) as they burn through with their Olympian deliveries. Leading out the album is ‘I’ve Been Told’, which is one of those Sunday morning tunes that tantalizes with a breezy demeanour while D’trix’s two verses are bridged by 2 complimentary scratched up choruses from 2Buck. Outstanding work from everyone involved.

DIALECTRIX - Inner heart beat ft. Joe New

2006-11-30T11:08:00.000+11:00

WILD STYLE the Book. Coming early to mid 2007

Not much info around.
Coming from Miss Rosen/Powerhouse books..

"Charlie Ahearn's forthcoming book, Wild Style: The Sampler, the 25th anniversary book is planned for release in Spring 2007. Will feature never-before-seen images and stories documenting the making of Wild Style and it's influence on hip hop and pop culture for the past quarter century. Trust me, you will be hearing more about this for months to come"

2006-09-14T13:26:00.000+10:00

What tha?
For some bizarre reason I haven't been able to access this blog to post.
Looks like I can now. So hold on. I'll be back.
Meanwhile here's a picture too oogle at.

2006-08-16T12:30:00.000+10:00

Australian painted NYC subway cars

Sydney Show Opens: Friday August 18, 6-9pm continues 12-5pm following Saturday and Sunday. Gallery website.

2006-08-15T22:03:00.000+10:00

Germany's MOMENTAN

I've been a bit slack in the overseas department recently, so i'll endeavour to fix that up in the next week or so.

They're still making some excellent music over in Germany, despite all that bling rubbish that seems to dominate the main websites. Momentan are one of my recent finds that stick out. They have a cleverly designed website that has everything that might even convince you. They recently toured Europe with O.C. & El Da Sensai (who appears on the track Good Times on their 'SoulMates' EP). You can listen to their music on their main emcee's MySpace page or more on their deejays page. Personally I think it's quality stuff. Soulful & the beats, scratches & style are all on point.

The videoclip for the single 'Im Nachhinein' shows us the world famous Groove Attack record store in Cologne.

2006-08-15T21:45:00.000+10:00

Perth's CLANDESTIEN new 7"
Those menacing sounding perpetrators of the dark side of Australian hip hop recently released their 1st 7" on the OzHipHop related label Wog. The b-side is lovingly titled 'Utter Shit'.As expected it's more for those who like their beats based around minor chords. The videoclip for 'Offguard' is on YouTube, though you can find more clips over at their website here. Seems like its still under construction.

• MP3: CLANDESTIEN - Ancillary Cover

2006-08-15T00:13:00.000+10:00

KEEP IT CLASSIC online T-Shirt store.

Online site for clothing. It's designed with some nifty sketches from the kids over at Illastrationz.
Check the new J-Dilla tribute t-shirt as well.

• Available through Keep it Classic.

2006-08-14T15:59:00.000+10:00

JISOE. Melbourne graff documentary

Thursday 24 August 6.30 pm
Chauvel Cinema, Paddington Town Hall
Corner Oatley Road and Oxford Street, Paddington

Jisoe is set inside Melbourne's underground graffiti scene. The provocative film exposes for the first time how this international culture has carved an identity in Australian suburbia.

The film centres on Justin Hughes (aka Jisoe), a young graffiti artist who is part of an emerging Australian underclass. The story swings between Justin's gritty daily existence of painting trains and smoking drugs, to intimate, emotional moments such as the birth of his child, the deterioration of his relationship and, finally, his eventual mental breakdown.

Jisoe reveals a private, highly secretive (and paranoid) subculture, taking place completely in the face of the public. Although the film is set to a backdrop of ambitious graffiti art and a soundtrack including original local hip hop artists.

• Website here.

2006-08-14T15:47:00.000+10:00

Austin Texas Art

Any excuse to show a nice pic like this will do. If you're in Austin, Texas this week then check this out.

2006-08-14T00:17:00.000+10:00

SNAKES ON A PLANE - Josh Martinez

By now everyone is aware of the infamous Snakes On A Plane internet madness. If not, then track some of the commentary & crazyness that has surrounded this film. Due in most part to the ludicrous title & the stupid theme that it conjours up. Read more about it here at Snakes On A Blog. It opens this week in the US. And all reports seem to think that it could be the greatest B-movie in recent years or a dire mess. It'll be interesting to see how the fanbase via the Net has helped or hindered its success. It stars Samuel Jackson & a heap a snakes.

So naturally there are already a plethora of tribute songs to the unseen film. The best of the lot in my opinion is Canadian emcee Josh Martinez & his mate Evil with their contribution. You'll be reciting the lyrics & humming the melody for days as I have. It's a sticker.

• MP3: JOSH MARTINEZ ft. EVIL - Snakes On A Plane.

2006-08-14T00:12:00.000+10:00

STRANGE FRUIT PROJECT - Up Jumped Da Boogie

This 12" from June (on the Spilt Milk label) is not off their new album via OM, 'The Healing', but is still an essential purchase. Love this tune. Produced by one of the members Symbolic 1 (Soul Kontrollerz) it's definitely the bump 'n hustle joint for the mid year. They seem to be getting a more enthusiastic vibe these days, before they were all as mellow as could be. They must be rocking some parties down there in Waco Texas. The b-side 'Makin' My Way' is alos a highlight & produced by Aussie lad M-Phazes. Make sure you give their latest album a listen. Nice cover artwork as well: look here.

• MP3: STRANGE FRUIT PROJECT - Up Jumped Da Boogie.

2006-08-04T13:16:00.000+10:00

MONKEY SONS from Brighton.

I definitely feel that Brighton is my favourite area for UK hip hop. The great sense of humour & purity appeals to me. And this new joint venture of 2 crews, Hundreth Money & Sons of the Tribe, seems to cement my opinion.

The kooks have written their website in Latin... You can download an excellent free album from the site. The live band/crew includes Bandog, formerly of Killa Instinct. It may be a live band, but f*ck me if it doesn't sound like beats, loops & samples.

• MONKEY SONS website.
• Myspace.

Have squizz at the awesome posse track... Brilliant performances from all the emcees.

• MP3: MONKEY SONS - X-Ray Eyes ft. Junior Disprol, Real D, Legs MC, Exile, Websta, MC Phet, TS One, Louie The Monkey, Tekneek, Rage, Eastborn, DJ Sasquatch.
• MP3: MONKEY SONS - Sunshine Days. A breezy summer anthem. Hot stuff.

2006-08-03T20:04:00.000+10:00

DJ Shadow's 'The Outsider'.

No point reviewing an album one doesn't like very much. So here's an excuse to up the best tracks from it. The one with the found studio vocal from 30 years ago just scraping in would be the almost interesting epic with Phonte of Little Brother. The rest is just disposable hyphy stuff or far too bland Coldplay-esque for my ears. At best it would make a decent 6 track EP. Or a wicked 2 track 12". The Q-Tip & Lateef joint Enuff is just generic club rap. Will probably be a hit.

Sadly this new album just didn't work for me at all. Sounds like he was reaching to get airplay on 3 diffent styles of radio stations. Lacks cohesion & suffers greatly. And I did want to like it. The decent tracks probably only stand out more because some of the others are horrid. Inbuilt prejudice in thininking that Shadow could do no wrong. Oh, I forgot about that Keane remix he did a few years back. As long as he enjoys it then its all good.

I wonder how many hyphy dudes owned Endtroducing?

• MP3: DJ SHADOW: - This Time.
• MP3: DJ SHADOW: - BackStage Girl ft Phonte Coleman

2006-08-03T13:20:00.000+10:00

Tasmanian compilation, 'Alleyway Crawlers Volume 2'.

Split between instrumental tracks & some rappity rap tunes. It was a free CD recently given away at gigs & left in a few record stores. Worth a download for an insight into the scene happening down across the Tasman. Soon to be available for download on Altrueistic's website, but in the meantime I've upped a copy for you all.

1. Intro
2. Tempest - The Blade
3. EPC - Endless Nights
4. Projekt - Speed of Sound
5. Mizari - Self Preservation
6. Drastik X - Leave ya Half Baked
7. Rumn - The Expance
8. Assentrix - Fulfill your Fantasy
9. Altrueism - Wartime
10. Feline - Malaka
11. Crytearia - Last Impressions First
12. Axesent - that's Just me.

• Download here: Alleyway Crawlers Vol 2.

2006-08-02T15:45:00.000+10:00

Stonesthrow new mix Chrome Children.

Peep the goods about upcoming CD/DVD & download the mix here.

2006-07-29T17:14:00.000+10:00

DEF WISH CAST - All Stars.

Thanks to Underrated magazine for upping thier new videoclip on the Tube.

2006-07-13T13:13:00.000+10:00

TOOLS OF WAR

They've been the best source for true hip hop culture from NY, with a distinct focus on the originators via their weekly emails. Well now they have a page on MySpace.

2006-07-13T01:10:00.000+10:00

Mike Relm's Dr Octagon mix.

Not familiar with Mike Relm? Don't worry, there's time to catch up with his stuff. Firstly by downloading his new Dr Octagon mix. He did tour down here in Oz with Money Mark last year. Not that anyone knew. You can go search for hsi rather incredible mix-cd, Radio Fryer. Have a look at his website to see more.

You can follow the links on The Return of Dr Octagon website or direct download from the link below.

Check this excellent live video of a show from Vancouver, Dec 2005.

Direct downloads.
• MP3: The Remix of Dr Octagon mix. 20mins/192kbps/30MBs
• MP3: Lyrical Swords Westside Rebellion Mix. 9mins/128kbps/9MBs
DJ Relm cutting up Adisa (The Bishop) Banjoko's Speech at Harvard with Public Enemy's "Bring the Noise" plus Balance, the Bay Area Mixtape King.
• Interview from April.

2006-07-11T01:21:00.000+10:00

Boots Riley of The Coup interview.

Excellent audio interview with Boots from last month. Available in streaming or downloadable MP3 via the Minnesota Public Radio site.

2006-07-10T15:44:00.000+10:00

German graffiti film WHOLETRAIN

Click on image to enlarge.

Synopsis

Four Munich graffiti-writer - one crew; their life: drawing styles, "bombing" trains; when suddenly another crew shows up in the city, a battle starts that will change the live of the four protagonists forever...

I've been waiting & waiting for more information to come to hand on this new German film. It will be released in Germany in October. It recently won an award for Best Narrative Feature at the UrbanWorld Film Festival. The train scenes were shot in Poland where the Polish authorities apparently said, 'yeah sure, you can use our trains. layups, sheds to make your film. That would never happen here in a million years.

"Writer-director Florian Gaag was himself a member of Munich’s graffiti scene for many years. He later took up studies at Tisch School of the Arts in New York, also contributing to the Hip Hop magazine, “Juice”. Gaag persuaded well-known international graffiti artists Won, Cemnoz, Pure, Ciel and Neon to create both the graffiti and graffiti pieces for his film. Filmed in Munich and Warsaw, most of the young cast and crew working either in front of the camera or behind it were doing so for the first time."

• Wholetrain website Seems to be de-activated at the moment.
• Wholetrain trailer

2006-07-09T02:30:00.000+10:00

THE ASPECTS - Off the Lip.

One of my favourite UK crews, repping Bristol & this one of their best tracks from their awesome Mystery Theatre album of 2004. Its a solid looking video with Probe Mantis skating about on a surfboard. Featuring those other kooks from the Isle of Wight The Bees on the chorus.

...as a bonus. Here's a link to one of my favourite ever UK hip hop clips, That's Why, from the Dirty Diggers based out of West Yorkshire. Also one of my fave songs from their underated debut album Diggers Don't Get Days Off. Just proves all you need is heart, a bit of talent & honesty. No wonder I hate videoclip mainstream rap when stuff like this exists. Check it here at Tru Thoughts. It's also included on their 2nd album Freakishly Strong (CD version) as a bonus clip.

2006-07-09T01:36:00.000+10:00

MR T - Be Somebody.

Pure 100% 80's GOLD!!!!!!!!!!!

2006-07-09T01:05:00.000+10:00

Les murs de l'Atlantique : Road trip - Graffiti de l'Ouest
aka Atlantic Walls

Nicely designed road trip focused book on contemporary French graffiti outside of the usual places. Over 200 pages/35o photos of artwork from the Atlantic coast region of France. Including areas such as Bordeaux & cities Rennes, Nantes, Niort & La Rochelle.

• Alternatives: Publishers website. Includes page scans.

...and here's a nifty French Hip Hop site where you can watch a heap of videos of writers doing their thang. Look here at 90BPM.NET.

2006-07-09T00:41:00.000+10:00

ADULT SWIM MP3 collections.
Free downloads from Adult Swim.
You can grab DangerDoom - Occult Hymn EP or the Chocolate Swim EP.

2006-07-09T00:28:00.000+10:00

C-MON & KYPSKI - What's Happening?'

C-MON & KYPSKI - Shitty Bum

After I upped the Birdy Nam Nam video, I remembered I hadn't upped anything from the Dutch duo? 2 great clips that are very different, but very enjoyable. You can see them on their website, but YouTube streams are better.

• C-Mon & Kypski website.

2006-07-09T00:00:00.000+10:00

CUT CHEMIST - The Audience's Listening

All I can say is that it's easily one of the best frigging albums of the year in my books. I love it. J5's new album Feedback is a bit ordinary & it shows probably because of the absence of Chem & the use of outside producers. eg: Scott Storch's vomitous Black Eyed Peas styled track Brown Girl is one of the most pitiful & contrived radio friendly tracks I would never have thought J5 would lower themselves to make. It sounds unlike anything they've done before, but sounds like a million things others have done. Thankfully one listen to Cut Chemist's album & you know he would never go down that route in a zillion years. It's chock full of dynamic uptempo cut n paste styled compostions & quirky downtempo pieces of brilliance. Only 2 tracks have emcees, Edan & MR Lif on Storm (see here for MP3) & Hymnal on What's the Altitude. And a nice addition of a Astrid Gilberto vocal through the Brazilian inspired The Garden.

Easily one of the best albums of the year for me. No question. It delivers without even half a duff track. We all knew he had it in him, but many, including myself, were nervous only due to the fact that he was signed to Warner. Amazingly they must have left him to his own devices, because there isn't even a whiff of a suspicious odour with any of the tracks. I'd be hardpressed to even nominate an obviously radio friendly song.

Postscript:
The one thing that Cut Chem has over DJ Shadow is a definite sense of humour. I've seen the track listing for The Outsider & the mere fact that it has The Federation, Keak da Sneak & David Banner doesn't exactly have my heart racing. Even the Lateef/Q-Tip track 'Enuff ' sounds like generic club track. Though the soulful track, using a 40yr old found vocal, This Time (I'm Going To Try It My Way) is simply divine.

• MP3: CUT CHEMIST - My 1st Big Break
Classic double copy infused deejay wonderment.
• MP3: CUT CHEMIST - Spat
Listen to this imaginative & original track for example. Its 2 turntables having a conversation over the phone...

2006-07-07T02:41:00.000+10:00

OH NO - Exodus Into Unheard Rhythms

Okay, while someone has borrowed my Aloe Blacc album, I’ll have to twist my brain to put my ear to the speaker while yet another new Stones Throw album is pushed through my letter box. I wasn’t feeling Roc C’s recent debut, but an album that does include a contribution from C has been getting my gonads gushing. That would be the new experiment from Oh No ‘Exodus into Unherad Rhythms’. It’s a fully polyunsaturated corker. Sure to give yu a heart attack in epic proprortions. Why, well because it’s a collaborative effort with revered Canadian pianist/composer Galt MacDermot. Okay, maybe the 2 of them weren’t in the studio together, but Otis (Madlib) Jackson Jr’s little brother Michael managed to get his hands on the original recordings of the esteemed MacDermot. Obviously with his permission & blessing, for on the inside of the CD cover you can see Galt lounging with Oh No.

I read that Stones Throw’s obsessive record nut Egon worked for Galt’s son Vince a few years back on his dad’s label Kilmarnock. So maybe this helped in connecting the dots for this eventual hook-up. I can honestly say it’s turned into my favourite album of the last few weeks after only a few days listening. Sure it definitely helps from its source material, but also by Oh No’s choice of emcees that bless the beats. Thankfully we mostly get a swag of artists who have something to say, such as Cali Agents (Planet Asia & Rasco), Poor Righteous Teacher leader Wise Intelligent, LMNO, Buckshot, Wordsworth, Posdonous, Frank N Dank, AG, Vast Aire, Dudley Perkins, etc. Even the Aloe Blacc & Roc C track ‘Keep Tryin’ is superb. Not one dud track. I can’t find anything to fault it by. It’s a rewarding experience & makes me want to pull out Does this say more for Oh No’s talents or for Galt MacDermot’s genius? Lets just hope that anyone who buys this might get a little inspiration to discover some of the back catalogue of this now almost 80 year old composer.

There will be a much deserved documentary film released next year called ‘Ear of the Hear: The Music of Galt MacDermot’. You can find a preview for it on the Net at americanmontage.com. He may seem obscure to most, but everyone would be familiar with his pivotal soundtrack recording of the musical ‘Hair’ or at least the songs, ‘Age of Aquarius, ‘Let the Sunshine In’, all those classic 60s hippie themes that came from the much covered soundtrack.

Above: Videoclip for 1st single T.Biggums - Oh No ft Dudley Perkins & Georgia Anne Muldrow.

• MP3: OH NO - Black ft Wise Intelligent.
• MP3: OH NO - Smile A Lil Bit ft. Posdonous.

• Ear of the Heart: The Music of Galt MacDermot. Quicktime film preview for 2007 release.

2006-07-06T01:47:00.000+10:00

French turntable crew Birdy Nam Nam. Unbelieveable!!!

The most impressive deejay set I've ever seen, from the already stellar French quartet. Not exactly sure when this is from, but it has only just appeared online in the last couple of weeks. They did win the team event in 2002 at the DMC finals.
For its sheer originality & the amazingly impressiveness execution it's certainly one of the more refreshing sets I've ever seen. People seem to think they are re-creating the overture from the film 'Requiem For A Dream'.

• Birdy Nam Nam website.
• MySpace

2006-06-21T17:51:00.000+10:00

Sorry guys.

Had the Sydney international Film Festival & World Cup watching going on, so been busy. Then the Logic Board on my G5 died for a 2nd time, so I won't be back in action until I get my computer back next week from service.

Loads of stuff to upload as well.

2006-06-06T10:47:00.000+10:00

New The Roots single - Don't Feel Right

The 1st song off the forthcoming album Game Theory (due late August/early September) with Maimouna Youssef on the hook. And it's a welcome return after the wishy washy unmemorable Tipping Point.

•MP3: THE ROOTS - Don't Feel Right

Ex-Roots member Malik Abdul Bassett is back?
It's been well known that Malik B never toured much with The Roots because of an apparent drug problem leading to them having to dismiss him from the group. Apparently he will re-appear on thier next album Game Theory. In the meantime he has managed to get himself into a studio to record a 7 track EP, Psyhcological. So i've upped 2 tracks. The track Wait sounds like something Ghostface would do.

You know something is up when Malik B doesn't have a MySpace page... Oof!

•MP3: MALIK B - Psychological
•MP3: MALIK B - Wait

2006-06-06T10:26:00.000+10:00

New Jurassic 5 single - Work it Out

What? Can they get a little blander please. With Dave Matthews on the hook. My mum would like this one. From the upcoming album Feedback (due June 27) which will include beats from Nu-Mark, Salaam Remi, Exile &... Scott Storch.

So is this what happens after Cut Chemist leaves the group?

• MP3: JURASSIC 5 - Work It Out.

2006-06-06T02:17:00.000+10:00

DMOTE website

Another Sydney veteran finally ups his website. Also a Big City Freaks member.

• Check website.

2006-06-06T01:52:00.000+10:00

BIG CITY FREAKS website

Skote aka Zen aka Styles (Fab 4) of Sydney. Started writing circa 1984. Still going strong. His 1st attempt at a website. Some solid material here from a 22 year graff history.

• Check website.

2006-06-05T23:15:00.000+10:00

Finnish duo THE KOLLABO BROTHERS - For My People

Finnish lads The Kollabo Brothers (DJ Kool Ski & Staffro) have released their debut album with guests that span the years. Old school fans will like the inclusion of tracks that feature people such as Grandmaster Caz, Donald D, then Craig G, Tim Dog & Paris. As well as Zion, Afu-Ra, & Suomi emcee Gambit. They even get the services of fellow Finns, the jazz dudes Teddy Rok Seven with a remix of the Diamond D track 'My Flows Blow'. I upped the other remix & the deejay track.

My man Planet has a few songs uploaded from DJ Staffro over at his excellent Vinyl Athletes blog.

This is a slightly different version released on Japanese label Handcuts after initially coming out last year on Finnish label Kool Kat. Also available on double vinyl.

Associated label Recluse has some 12" single info.

Good luck in trying to track it down... Worth it though. Especially if you dig hearing some veterans on the mic.

My Flows Blow remix ft Diamond D
• MP3: KOLLABO BROTHERS - Words I Wrote ft Paris

2006-05-30T23:31:00.000+10:00

PIECE BY PIECE DVD
I posted about this last year, then just saw it was on Bombing Science & ordered from them straight away. Looks like a great package with 2 hours of extra footage. Now that's the way to exploit the capabilities of the DVD format.

"Take a journey into San Francisco's mysterious graffiti underground. Witness the birth of the movement as told by the people that lived it. Piece By Piece puts you along side the graffiti writers, police, and local San Franciscans affected by this misunderstood art form. Documenting the last 20 years of creation and destruction, you'll hear the stories and adventures depicting this elaborate movement for the first time in history."

• Piece by Piece website.

2006-05-30T23:27:00.000+10:00

Public Enemy Sneaker
A Supreme and Vans collaboration.

2006-05-26T14:50:00.000+10:00

New DAIM poster

What an effort & a half...
Glossy varnish 50 x 64 cm 'Can Mosaik' poster from Daim's website.

2006-05-25T00:51:00.000+10:00

Graffiti Women: Street Art from Five Continents

To be released in November 2006.
From the very nice publishers who brought us Futura, Graffiti World & Freight Train Graffiti.

Book Description
From the author of the enormously successful Graffiti World comes this spectacular follow-up, celebrating the contributions of women to contemporary graffiti and street art.

Female writers have always been in the vanguard of the graffiti movement, though often shunted to the sidelines by their male counterparts. This exhaustive volume places them front and center, featuring 1,000 full-color illustrations from some of the world’s most prominent artists, including Brazil’s Nina, Japan’s Sasu, Mexico’s Peste, and the Americans Lady Pink, Swoon, and Miss 17. Two eight-page fold-out collages, a fold-out poster jacket, and an authoritative text round out the impressive package. The first and only comprehensive survey of its kind, this book is sure to attract and expand upon the wide and enthusiastic readership that made Graffiti World such a runaway success.

About the Author
Nicholas Ganz, aka Keinom, is a young German graffiti artist who has traveled worldwide to become the leading authority on the graffiti scene. He lives in Essen, Germany. Nancy Macdonald is the author of The Graffiti Subculture: Youth, Masculinity and Identity in London and New York. She lives in London. Swoon is a New York City-based street artist.

• Publishers website.

2006-05-25T00:41:00.000+10:00

The History of Los Angeles Graffiti Art (Volume 1, 1983-1988)

Wooah!! 444 pages with a DVD as well...

Book Description
The History of Los Angeles Graffiti Art, volume one is the first in a series of four books that documents all aspects of Los Angeles graffiti art from 1983 to 2005. Focusing on the 1980s (1983 -1988), volume one recounts the first years of the graffiti movement in Los Angeles. Within the book, you will discover the truth behind the rich history, photos and stories. All experiences and DVD that is included are uncut and real. It¿s exciting and fresh to the point of understanding the culture, without cutting it up. The first volume contains over 446 pages and includes the following sections: Experiences: Every volume contains 56 exclusive detailed interviews. These interviews are free-style, not scripted, and are based on each writer¿s experience, personal views and memories. Spotlights: Special tribute to all writers/artists who made significant contributions and influences to the L.A. Graff scene. Pieces/Burners: Common to never seen before Pieces/Burners showcasing familiar works as well as numerous lost, legendary and forgotten murals. Battles: A special section dedicated to L.A.s first battles between some of the most prolific crews and writers of first era. Blackbooks: Historical detailed drawings done within sketch books called Blackbooks. Articles: Newspaper and magazine pieces related to historical L.A. Graff subject matter. R.I.P.: Memorials for all respected deceased Los Angeles Graffiti writers. DVD: A DVD will be included with each book. Each DVD contains over 30 slide shows of various L.A. writers. The DVDs consist of the graffiti writers breathing life into their own work while sharing their experiences with the authors. The DVDs are uncut, raw and true. Readers will be able to place a voice on the parade of slides from the respective writers.

Hardcover
Product Dimensions: 10.25 x 9.5 inches. 444 pages.
Weight: 6.2 pounds.
Publisher: Alva & Reiling Publications; 1st edition (2006)

• Check the website for more info.
• Amazon link.
• Interview with authors here.

2006-05-21T14:38:00.000+10:00

RETURN OF THE RHYME VANDALS. New graffiti mix.
Whew!! Thought while I was on a roll I should at least finish Part 2. Might take me awhile to create Part 3. Still looking through my crates of vinyl & CDs for ones I haven't able to find as yet. Trying to make them something worth having. Hope you appreciate the effort, 'cause I certainly do... Ha! - Idiot Proof.

And yes I know this is a pretty nerdy thing to do, but I wanted to do something thematical & graff comes naturally as a topic for me.

intro
Arsonists - Underground Vandal
Looptroop - Adrenalin Rush
Raydar Ellis - Graffiti Rock
The Shapeshifters - Vandal Squad ft. Met Fly, Existereo
Bukue One - 4 Tha Graff Hedz
Kero One - The Cycle Repeats
The Narcissists - Graffwriters
Company Flow - End To End Burners
Tommy Tee - Aerosoul
Promoe - These Walls Don’t Lie
Souls of Mischief - Stealth Bombing
Longevity - Burners ft. Abstract Rude & St. Mark
Talib Kweli & Rakim – Subway Surfers aka Getting Up Anthem
Full Throttle - It's An Honour
DJ Vadim - 4 My Writers ft. Juice
Blade & The Bazay Jam Band – Getting’ It On 82 (Peril remix of 'Soda Pop')
Bucc - Style Wars

• Download here: Return of the Rhyme Vandals. 91MBs/66mins/192kbps

2006-05-19T03:48:00.000+10:00

Lordz of Brooklyn - Bomb the System.

Headed by Kaves. Pretty crap emcees, in fact they can't rhyme at all on this song, but the sentiment is there & it's a pretty cool video anyway.

2006-05-19T03:38:00.000+10:00

FROM MAMBO TO HIP HOP TRAILER

Upcoming documentary from Henry Chalfant...

Mambo to Hip Hop: A South Bronx Story features: Ray Barretto, Benny Bonilla, Orlando Marin, Manny Oquendo, Willie Colon, Africa Bambaata, Charlie Chase, Fabel, Luis Chaluisan (El Extreme), Kid Freeze, Track II, Trace, Bom 5, Sandra Maria Esteves, Bobby Sanabria and more.

The schools and lunch tables were our drums; we played clave with the spoons. -- Percussionist Manny Oquendo, student at PS 52 in the 1940s

The film presents a panoramic view of the music that blossomed in the latin community of the South Bronx from the late 1940's when mambo burst onto the New York cultural scene through the birth of hip hop in the 1970s. The film chronicles two generations who grew up literally on the same streets, and both used rhythm as their forms of rebellion - for the older generation it was the pulsating rhythms of Cuba; for their children it was the rhythms of rap. The film, designed for public television and possibly theatrical release, aims to bring attention to the Bronx neighborhoods and communities who, with few resources, transformed the world's pop culture.

In the post war years in an area of the Bronx spreading out from the Longwood/Hunts Point section, the music was in the air. Hundreds of Latino musicians lived there, including Tito Puente, Tito Rodriguez, the Palmieri brothers, Johnny Pacheco and many more. Most grew up in, or moved to the area from East Harlem or directly from Puerto Rico and Cuba. They rehearsed, jammed and played in apartments and courtyards, on rooftops and street corners, in social clubs, and dance halls. They transformed Afro-Cuban rhythms and styles like son, charanga, cha-cha-cha and mambo into the uniquely New York Latin sound that was later called salsa and which, even later, contributed to the development of the vibrant hip hop culture that thrives here today.

Dozens of ballrooms, clubs and theaters - such as the glamorous Hunts Point Palace (which in later years was used by breakers) and the Tropicana, the family oriented Teatro Puerto Rico, P.S. 52 which nurtured musicians and threw weekly dances, and the Casalegre and Casa Amadeo record stores - flourished in this area of the South Bronx. The waning of the music scene and the demise of the old clubs coincide with the era of the burning of the neighborhood and the emergence of hip hop. In the early seventies in the South Bronx, Black and Latino teenagers, like the salsa musicians before them, held parties and jams in schools, basements, parks and playgrounds. Tying their turntables, amps and speakers into the lamp posts for power, kids would gather to rap, spin records and break. So this is a story about resuorcefulness. Young people of little means made do with whatever they could get their hands on; in the case of salsa, they improvised on the hubcaps and fenders of cars, on cans and chain link fences; in the case of hip hop, a later generation of kids plugged into the street lamps and utilized their parents'old funk and salsa records as source material for new sounds.

Hip hop is commonly thought to be an African-american cultural form. Often overlooked in this view is the huge contribution of Puerto Rican and other latin youth have made to the development and continuing evolution of hip hop in all its forms. Alongside Kool DJ Herc, a Jamaican, and Grandmaster Flash, of Barbadian parentage, stood such Nuyorican artists as Rock Steady Crew's Crazy Legs, Ken Swift, Mr. Wiggles and Fable; Charlie Chase of the Cold Crush Brothers, Devastating Tito and Master O.C. of the Fearless Four and the graffiti masters, Lee Quinones and T-Kid. Mambo to Hip Hop is about how creative expression helped to foster community in the Bronx, and about how people used and are using that as a resource for cultural and civic renewal. The film is also about conflicts and connections between generations; about how music helped Puerto Ricans become New Yorkers; Concluding its story in the present, Mambo to Hip Hop will explore how the people of the South Bronx, working with so little in the way of material resources, saved themselves and their community, and contributed so much to the world's popular culture.

2006-05-18T17:25:00.000+10:00

RESPECT OVERDUE compilation.
Australian 70's Funk/Jazz/Soul.

Chris from Nothside Records in Melbourne reading Stealth. Nice one.

Finally after what seems like almost forever we get the 3rd & most likely the final instalment of the ‘Respect Overdue’ series. This time it's through the Creative Vibes associated label, Basement Digs & it’s a blinder as well as being a fantastic indication that Australia wasn’t entirely a desert when it came to black originated music. Yes, it was extremely small, but at least there was enough to fill 4 CDs worth (Ubiquity/Luv n Haight also released an Australian funk/jazz compilation in the 90s). This new compilation shows that jazz was the more flavoured style back in the 70s, for only the tracks by Al Styne, The Life Organisation & ironically enough Helen Reddy with her version of ‘Hit the Road Jack’. To be fair, they step closer to big band cover versions that wouldn’t have been out of place in an RSL jukebox. Yes, we do get a few wah wah guitar licks, but on the whole its jazz fest. And Don Lane is a yank (he covers Bill Withers ‘Ain’t No Sunshine’), so it still looks as though we needed their help in creating this music. I can’t help but thinking that there must be better tracks out there than these. Its great & everything, but when the Masters Apprentice’s have the most exciting track on the album you have to wonder. You’d be hard pressed to name an Australian group that had a decent album’s worth of material that wasn’t jazz related from that era. Some of the tracks verge on easy listening & I’m saying that as a fan of the easy styles. It is an essential purchase no matter how you look at it, but no wonder Renee Geyer left this country. I want more from Al Steyne, for his rousing interpretation of Survivor’s ‘Vehicle’ (he wrote their 'Eye of The Tiger' song) is a slam down winner. Whatever I said about it, I still rate it.

Track listing...
Pink Steamroller The Life Organisation
Name Of The Game Billy Burton
Vehicle Al Styne
Song For Bobby Pyramid
Brown Tony Gould
Intergrations Charlie Munro
Feelin' Feline Trio
Rio De Camiro The Masters Apprentices
Nobody Nose Crossfire
December Dance Brian Brown Quintet
Hit The Road Jack Helen Reddy
Number One The Ted Vining Trio
Ain't No Sunshine Don Lane
Softly As In A Morning Sunrise Tony Ansell

• MP3: The LIFE ORGANISATION - Pink Steamroller. 192kbps
• MP3: AL STYNE - Vehicle. 192kbps

2006-05-18T17:21:00.000+10:00

RHYME VANDALS mix I did...
Okay, I've finished part 1 of my 2 part graffiti focused mixes. Took a lot of research & persistance so hopefully it goes down well. This one is a mix of US, English, Swedish, Norwegian & Australian tracks. I added bits of dialogue, used some effects & created a few edits, nothing too fancy schmancy, so it should flow okay. Part 2 should be just as solid. I could have made 3 x 60min mixes, but instead I cut it down to 2 x 70min mixes, so as not to force myself to include some 2nd rate tracks. I also wanted to use only contemporary songs. Rhymesayers member DJ Jay Bird already has a mix called Aerosolics that used a lot of the classics, so I went deeper. If was to release this properly I would've spent time adding cuts, but as this is a freebie I relented on spending more time on it. - Idiot Proof.

intro
Typical Cats - The Manhattan Project
Fort Minor - Spray Paint & Ink Pens ft. Lupe Fiasco & Ghostface Killah
KRS-One - Out For Fame
Company Flow - Lune TNS
Swarmy - Trains Mission
Looptroop - Ambush in the Night
Warlocks - Strictly Kings & Better
Blade & The Bazay Jam Band - Blades Theme (Jigsaw Jeff remix of Pacman)
Prefuse 73 - Wanted ft. Mr.Lif
Task Force - Still Bombing
Dilated Peoples - Night Life
Ex Vandalz - Industry Standard ft. Perk One, Rakaa Iriscience & 2Mex
Bias B - Hursty
Promoe - Freedom Fighters ft. Cos.M.I.C
Tame One - Homage 2 Da Bomberz
El-P - Bombing Pt. 2
outro

• Download here: Rhyme Vandals. 97MBs/70mins/192kbps

2006-05-12T15:45:00.000+10:00

MATTY B - Simple, But Effective.

Just wanted to up a track from his new album for the weekend.. Ha..

Shoguns Blurb...

"Matty B, Australia’s most likeable MC returns with his second album, ‘Simple But Effective’. Originally hailing from Perth, WA, Matty B kicked off his solo career in 2000 appearing on the first ‘Culture Of Kings’ compilation with his track “Courageous”. Since then, Matty B has been a popular inclusion on many Australian hip hop compilations such as ‘15 Oz Of Vinyl’ (Crookneck), ‘Mamma’s Kitchen’ (Obese Records) and most importantly, Triple J’s Super Request ‘Dog’s Breakfast’ compilation of the most frequently requested tracks on Triple J’s Super Request programme. ‘Simple But Effective’ contains some very memorable moments including “Aussie Weekender”, which Matty describes as “the follow up to ‘Fridays’, about taking time out to have some fun with your mates and enjoy a beer and the many beaches this beautiful country has” and the hilarious “I’m a Joke” which reminds us that we still have the ability to laugh at ourselves in the face of our imperfections. Matty has always delivered the truth about his country, in an Australian accent from the point of view of an average Australian bloke. Some may call it simple but it sure as hell is effective!"

MP3: MATTY B - Aussie Weekender. 192kbps
Produced by Dazastah (Downsyde).

2006-05-12T15:17:00.000+10:00

Hip Hop BBQ.

Awesome Idea... Philly based, but spreading.
You'll recognise some people no doubt. Looks pretty damn fresh...
Check it...

The above picture is for illustrative purposes only & do not reflect the actual event. Aw shucks. Looks mighty tasty though.

2006-05-12T15:10:00.000+10:00

Jesus Christ Superstar...

Best image of the week. Found randomly on the Net.
Props to the artist?

2006-05-12T15:03:00.000+10:00

Strictly Kings & Better DVD

Just like A.C., I can't find any information on this DVD. Anyone?

2006-05-11T13:55:00.000+10:00

Omar - Sing if You Want To

Need some soul in your life? I mean some real contemporary soul. Its hard to bypass a new offering from the UK’s Omar. He’s been blessing the circuit for well over 14 years since his excellent debut track ‘There’s Nothing Like This’ in 1992. He has been lying low for a few years, but its all worth it after a listen to this stunning return. Not least for the fact that the legendary Stevie Wonder is on the delightful ‘Feeling You’ or that Angie Stone turns up on ’All For You’. The rather frenetic almost broken beat tune ‘It’s So’ shows a new capability for Omar to ride some offbeat percussion whiel still keeping his own groove.

Readers here might be interested in the posse cut 'Gimme Sum'. Yeah, Omar has a posse jam with Common (Omar was on ‘Electric Circus'), Rodney P & newcomer Ashman. The hip hop connections most likely stems from Omar’s brother, the Skratch Professor, being a onetime deejay champion at a very young age & now helping out with the albums production by adding some heavier beats. Don’t despair if you want the warm soul, for its here in spades. In fact there’s quite a varied sound & I can’t determine which track I like best, the conga enhanced ‘Kiss It Right’ or the finale of ‘Ghana Emotion’ in which he contextualises his parents birthplace, their new house in Ghana & therefore his heritage through the music. It’s an incredible track, lyrically & musically & likely to make anyone stop in their steps. An incredibly rewarding album that is leagues ahead of the contemporary American sound & cements the fact that British soul seems to still have an edge over the over-produced American style.

• Omar's website.

• MP3: OMAR - Gimme Sum ft Common, Rodney P & Ashman. 192kbps
• MP3: OMAR - Ghana Emotion. 192kbps

2006-05-10T17:50:00.000+10:00

Q-Bert & Supernatural show Sydney 6th May, 2006.

This was from the encore of the Elements Tour show at sold out gig at The Metro.
upped on YouTube by WaksOn.

2006-05-10T13:07:00.000+10:00

New Cut Chemist is coming...

The Warner execs must've dictated the image change. Gone has his scruffy demeanour, long white t-shirt, unkempt hair, extra kilos & dirty fingernails. In comes the more photogenic styled up look. From early samples of the forthcoming album The Audience is Listening we need not fear too much of a departure. It could be easily said that he would have suffered in the sample clearance department with a higher profile. So it'll be interesting if anything.

• Website.
• Myspace page.

Some recent CUT CHEMIST goodies

• MP3: CUT CHEMIST - Coast to Coast from the Sound of L.A EP.
• MP3: JEM - They (Cut Chemist remix instrumental)
• MP3: AMMONCONTACT - Drum Riders ft. Brother J & Cut Chemist
• MP3: EDAN - Torture Chamber (Cut chemist remix) 12" version
• MP3: CUT CHEMIST - Storm ft. Edan & Mr Lif (first 12" off the new album)
• MP3: BREAKESTRA - How Do You Really Feel (Cut Chemist Atkins remix)
I presume he means the diet fellow & not Juan.

2006-05-09T16:49:00.000+10:00

DJ Dusk party. Los Angeles 12th May 2006.

In memoriam.
Look who will be celebrating his life? He must've pulled some power moves when he was alive. As long as his close friends aren't pushed to the side. I hope everyone remembers him as he would like to have been. Never met dude, but he seemed well solid.

2006-05-08T17:32:00.000+10:00

Vinyl Wars- The Battle

Upcoming Brazilian made TV series with stop animation characters. It's been in development for a while now, so I do hope their dreams are realised & it does come to fruition. Have a look through their Website here to see all the details & watch the cool trailer.

2006-05-08T17:10:00.000+10:00

Short vinyl records production film.

How cool is this... Shows the viewer how vinyl records are created. There's a Discovery channel watermark & the narrator has a Canadian accent, if that helps in locating the source. You'll love it. Shows the painstaking lengths it takes to manufacture, just so we can then scratch the crap out of them...

Part 1...

Part 2...

2006-05-08T12:50:00.000+10:00

Wu-Tang cover versions from NY funk outfit El Michel's Affair

Pretty stupid to call your series Shaolin, yet have a picture of the Japanese wandering samurai Ogami Itto & son Daigoro (Lone Wolf & Cub) as your image. Apart from that gaff, it's a great idea.

"In late 2005, at a packed house in Downtown NYC Truth & Soul’s El Michels Affair forged an unusual working relationship with incomparable Raekwon from the Wu-Tang Clan. Together they re-work Wu-Tang classics, bridging the musical gap between sampled hip-hop and live instrumental soul. In the wake of this event the decision for El Michels Affair to get in the studio and cut instrumental versions if Wu-Tang songs was an obvious one."

Part 1 of Truth & Soul's shaolin series….

• MP3: El Michels Affair - C.R.E.A.M. 320kbps Wu-Tang cover
• MP3: El Michels Affair - Glaciers of Ice. 160kbps (VBR) Raekwon cover.

2006-05-07T12:39:00.000+10:00

Ultimate Breaks & Beats Vol 26

The real 26th volume in the legendary series has returned after a 15 year absence. Strictly Breaks kind of took up the format in the 90s by also having illustated covers, but had nothing to do with the originals. The game has changed somewhat, so maybe they should have just made a website for Serato heads to download from. Then again, those MP3 suckers wouldn't get teh excellent 12" cover art from Kev Harris (TM7 Productions). Which I presume was created back then, because it is in the same exact style as we all remember. Rumour has it that Louis Flores died a few years back & that these contain edits of tracks that should have appeared on a release that was supposed to come out in 91.

As per the most recent issues of these classic 'bootlegs', they come in a double copy set.

A.
1. Joe Tex - You Said A Bad Word
2. Johnny Taylor - Ever Ready
3. Coalkitchen - Keep On Pushing
4. Graham Central Station - The Jam (Remixed)

B.
1. Touble Funk - Lets Get Small
2. Tony Alvon - Sexy Coffee Pot
3. Hank Carbo - Hot Pants (part 2) (Remixed)

2006-05-07T12:20:00.000+10:00

DERT - Sometimes I Rhyme Slow ReMixtape
Read all about it & order it from here.

I always thought that MySpace converted audio to a lower bit-rate via their music player. Seems not. You can download a track & listen to 3 others from Dert's Myspace page.

2006-05-06T19:45:00.000+10:00

MR NOGATCO - Nogatco Rd.

Kool Keith seems to be making some good music these days. After a few years where he went off hooking up with some, er, um, not so good producers, we now finally get to hear him over a more sampled based style of production. It isn't really a sequal to Dr Octagon, because there is no Automator in sight, but instead its kinda sorta Octagonish in spirit & name reversal alone. What we do get is more of Kieth's obsession with aliens & space. I was totally satisfied with all the kooky dialogue snatches from some of the 50s sci-fi films that are scattered throught the album. I think its a great return to form, maybe not 100%, but the track Alpha Omega is perhaps my now favourite track of the year. Its absolute Keith at his most lyrical golden. Mouse collectors, bubblegum, Captain Kirk & Spock, Bobby Brown, celestial divisions, 800pound women.. you know the deal, its all in there.

'He's strange, he's Spacey'. No shit.

Check out a freaky alien dissecting video & download a B&W image to colour from the label Insomniac.

• MP3: MR NOGATCO - Alpha Omega. 192kbps
• MP3: MR NOGATCO - Live Dissection ft. Sage Francis & Sole. 192kbps

PROJECT POLAROID - Project Polaroid

Bay Area producer Tom C hooks up another more rewarding effort for Keith. This time its with some hard as fuck crunchy drums & some more spacey tripped out sounds, but on a darker tone than Mr Nogatco. Strangely its on Kutmasta Kurt's label Threshold. I swear KK keeps everyone on their toes as he swerves, dives, ducks & keeps everyone guessing with his friendship patterns. We all know if the beats suck, then Keith ends up being non-listenable. I can say that this is another step in the right direction & I hope he keeps it up.

Find them on Myspace.

• MP3: PROJECT POLAROID - Diamond District. 192kbps
• MP3: PROJECT POLAROID - Digital Engineering. 192kbps

2006-05-06T19:11:00.000+10:00

New RESIN DOGS - Definition EP.
Out now is the new 5 track EP from the Brisbane lads. The 4 songs feature vocals from Hau (Koolism), the UK's Mystro, Abstract Rude (Project Blowed), the Pharcyde & Lazy Grey. Some tracks were co-produced or mixed by Brad Baloo (The Nextmen). They've gone back to their hip hop roots & there's no sign of their uptempo breaks sound on the EP. All the tracks are well solid, but I had to up Lazy's track because, well, if you are looking at this from overseas, it's pure Australian hip hop from one of our finest.

• Resin Dogs website.
• Resin Dogs at Myspace.

•MP3: RESIN DOGS - Mad Blunted ft Lazy Grey

2006-05-05T14:24:00.000+10:00

FREEEZ - I.O.U.

I cannot believe this was upped on the Tube. I haven't seen this for 20 years or so. One of the 1st clips I saw that had popping in it. Awesome track & dope clip. Well, you had to have grown up in those times to appreciate the, er... fashion sense. Also the first time I saw the Brit's interpretation of the NY sound & style. Pretty strange when you think how Freeez were originally a jazz funk outfit & then into this. I think Bluey from Incognito used to hang with them.

BREAK MACHINE - Street Dance

I believe this was a German production. Still in retrospect it isn't that bad a track & the 3 brothers must've had their actions rewound a zillion times on everyones VCR back then, just so we could work out the moves. Brings back a heap of memories of practising at the local Police Boys Club with my crew.

2006-05-05T13:41:00.000+10:00

What the? Baby Hip Hip.

Baby Hip-Hop is the world's first educational, rapping baby doll. What is so unique about Baby Hip-Hop is his ability to teach kids how to rap and count, as well as being able to teach kids how to do their ABCs by simply pushing in his Tummy. He will greet you with his name. (What's up? I'm Baby Hip-Hop. You want to hear me rap?) Then Baby Hip-Hop will rap and count for you. As you can see, this isn't just any ordinary doll; this is a doll, which represents the Hip-Hop music culture. Baby Hip-Hop is a 3-year old black Afro-American male who's about 18 inches tall and dresses as if he is a real live Rap Star.

E-40's brother D-Shot is responsible for this.

It's all gone pear shaped... ;(

2006-05-03T17:50:00.000+10:00

Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five - It's Nasty.

I didn't even know this existed. Check the crazy editing. Er, sorry, the one static shot..

2006-05-03T17:11:00.000+10:00

Soul Boulders - Matthew Africa & DJ B.Cause
One the best funk/soul mixes around. You need this one. Check this page for more details.
Or visit Matt's MySpace page.

This is their blurb...
"My homie DJ B.Cause and I have finally finished up SOUL BOULDERS, a dynamite 70+ minute mix of slow, funky soul.

SOUL BOULDERS came together because B.Cause and I share a love for a certain sound -- 70s era soul that's a little too soulful for the funk crowd, a little too funky for the soul crowd and too slow for the dancefloor. We both have a lot of records and we spent weeks scouring for some of the heaviest soul sounds we knew of and then stitching them together into a seamless mix. Although many of the songs are known only to collectors, our emphasis is on quality, rather than rarity, and it's a fantastic listen all the way through."

Click on image to enlarge track listing.

2006-05-03T16:55:00.000+10:00

Grandmaster Flash - White Lines.

Wtf?? Another video that I didn't now existed. And directed by Spike Lee with Laurence Fishburne. Where the heck are they finding these video clips?

2006-05-03T16:46:00.000+10:00

New Mixtape site. More bling than, sting.

Mixtape torrent site. Not really my type of sound, more club rap, bling, R&Bish, gangster styles but someone might like the link. Most seem to be the promo ones that highlight upcoming artists or future 'rap stars'. I just don't see names like Beat Junkies, Revolution, DJ Shame, Melo-D, J-Rocc, all I see is Kay Slay, DJ Drama, Wally Sparks, Envy, Whoo Kid. So there'd be no scratching & more shouting. Try your luck.

2006-05-03T16:43:00.000+10:00

Gang Graffiti in Iraq.

American gang graffiti though... Whoah!

2006-05-01T02:39:00.000+10:00

Footage of ZEPHYR, REVOLT & MIN ONE 1983.

Wow. I love seeing old footage I didn't even know existed. The 3 of them doing silver pieces in the West Side tunnels circa 1983. Nicely edited & designed. So dope.

Zephyr later went on to do the early graphic parts of MTV. Those bits in between clips. Maybe he sourced some of Chalfant's infamous 6hrs of extra footage that never made it into Style Wars & edited it for this 2:30min clip.

More at Zephyr's site.

The track playing over the footage is 'Films' by Gary Numan. Available on his excellent album 'The Pleasure Principle'. I recommend his 'best of' collection Exposed, because it also has the b-boy favourites 'Cars' & 'We are Glass.'

2006-05-01T01:50:00.000+10:00

He's Alive. DJ DETONATOR TOO TUFF...
Here's the proof above...

The rumours floated around for years as many Europeans travelled to Philadelphia looking for members of Tuff Crew. I met many of them & shared their enthusiasm for one of the most neglected crews in hip hop history. The made 4 albums & a heap of singles or compilation tracks, yet they had virtually zero media attention. True old school heads recognise & celebrate thier entire back catalogue. And yes, they still are my most favoured crew in the music's history. And also, Too Tuff was one of my inspirational reasons to start deejaying.

Here he is on MySpace. Post up a comment.

2006-05-01T01:35:00.000+10:00

Crazy. Check this automated Wild Style...

More here.

2006-05-01T01:20:00.000+10:00

R.I.P. DJ DUSK.

Apparently killed walking the street by a car driven by a drunk on Sun 30 April 2006.

Intergral member of the famous funk/hip hop Rootdown night in LA. Memoriams are flowing in at his MySpace page.

Another sad day for hip hop.

2006-04-20T00:39:00.000+10:00

Slick Rick?Whooah! Taken from Spinemagazine.

2006-04-19T02:30:00.000+10:00

MCTV DVD Vol 1

MCTV is an inside look into the world of underground hip hop. Conceived and hosted by Murs, directed and edited by Erick Peyton (he also directed Murs' 2005 film, Walk Like A Man). In this issue, Murs talks with Slug of Atmosphere, Mr. Dibbs and 9th Wonder.

Plus new music videos from Atmosphere, Grayskul, 3MGs. And freestyles by Little Brother and Supreme.

Found at the usual online stores.

2006-04-19T01:02:00.000+10:00

• Aerosol Warfare.

2006-04-18T02:40:00.000+10:00

Trinity International Hip Hop Festival

Join us for a FREE weekend of incredible music, art, dance & film.
Trinity College is located at 300 Summit Street Hartford, Connecticut.
All ages welcome!!!

Hip Hop has gone global!

Time to celebrate the culture and this common current running around the world. This unique three-day event aims to do just that, celebrate & educate.

The weekend boasts a line up of performers from Brazil, Kenya, Tanzania, Nigeria, Haiti, India, Mexico, Iraq, Korea, Puerto Rico, the Philippines, Australia, France, Uganda, and more.
Performances will be in more than seven languages, Spanish, Swahili, and Portuguese among them. Fresh and multi-lingual! Along with film, art, live graffiti & b-boying there is something for all.

FOR MORE INFO GO TO Trinity Hip Hop & Nomadic Wax

2006-04-17T19:23:00.000+10:00

Mixes for your listening pleasure.

New blog for uploading mixes. Check it out here.

2006-04-13T15:33:00.000+10:00

GHOSTFACE & MF DOOM - The Mask videoclip.
Pretty cool home edit by Charlie Bucket of Mexican wrestlers Santo & Blue Demon footage from their recently released films on DVD.

Or you can download hi-res QT version from here.

2006-04-13T14:42:00.000+10:00

JERMISIDE & BRICKBEATS - The Red Giants.

Anytime I see a shot of some rap dudes looking for records, I immediately check it out & have my fingers crossed in hope. No need for fingers crossed with these guys from Ohio. They bring it correct. Great review of their album at CokeMachineGlow with a couple of MP3s to download. And another positive review at our favourite review site Platform8470. I haven't got hold of the album myself as yet, but the 2 tracks & the reviews impress me enough to consider a purchase. Available from the very to easy order site CDBaby.

• Website
• MySpace

2006-04-10T19:43:00.000+10:00

Jazzy Sport deejays from Japan.
Japanese only release... Great downtempo laidback vibe... Like most Japanese releases, pretty hard to obtain, but great selection of indy music from the excellent Shaman Works label.

I think this mix is by the Brooklyn based Japanese members of the JAZZY SPORT deejays...

Interview & pics of Die from Jazzy Sport. In Japanese, but some nice CD/vinyl design.

1. Intro. Mann Up/Lacks
2. Sorcerers/Kmd
3. Ibandan Sunrise Inst/Wale Oyejide
4. One Day, Everything Changed/Wale Oyejide Feat Lacks
5. Galangal Root/Mf Doom
6. More Than You Know/Emanon
7. Compassion/Lacks
8. This Is Dedicated To/Wale Oyejide Feat Mf Doom
9. Gravity(Hold Me Down)/Sol Uprising
10. Groove Intermissin/Sol Uprising
11. Raach Ya Sol/Sol Uprising Feat Lacks
12. There's War Going On/Wale Oyejide Feat Jay Dee
13. Hooks Is Extra/Chris Craft Feat Mf Doom
14. Dream Factory Drum Machine/Wale Oyejide
15. Reign On/Lacks
16. Riot&Revolt Inst/Wale Oyejide
17. Kava Kava Root/Mf Doom
18. Four Square/Emanon
19. Wasting Time(Broken Beat Mix)/Wale Oyejide
20. Black Snake Root/Mf Doom
21. Kaya/Wale Oyejide
22. There She Goes/The John Robinson Project
23. High John/Mf Doom

• SHAMAN WORKS SYNERGY - Mixed by Jazzy Sport 91MBs

2006-04-08T13:32:00.000+10:00

DJ P mix from Ultrasound 2001.
Above: DJ P & DJ CRAZE

Going through my files...

Z-Trips mate. They did the classic Uneasy Listening mix a few years back. This is a recording from a radio show & not an actual released mix CD. Its only a 128kbps file, but it's superdope on all accounts...

• DJ P website
• MP3: DJ P - Live On Ultrasound On 107.7FM in Seattle (07-27-2001)

2006-04-07T15:30:00.000+10:00

This is pretty dope.
Dudes in Melbourne created a simple vid for those interested in making beats.
Check them on MySpace.

2006-04-05T20:15:00.000+10:00

SOLID STATE Radio Show

"Nice little soul, jazz, beat/break, reggae, house, broken beat, everything mixes out of Los Angeles. You may be surpirsed at what we got going on..."

• Solid State Radio show

• The Solid State website

2006-04-05T20:05:00.000+10:00

DJ TAKUMI - True Blue

An excellent downtempo mix with a slight lean to the jazzier side. But top notch & worth the space. Axelrod, Jazzanova, Rob Swift, Common, Erule, Jazz Liberators, KMD, etc... & some Japanese tracks as well.

MP3: DJ Takumi... True Blue Zip file. 95mbs. 192kbps

2006-04-05T11:22:00.000+10:00

DJ MURO : Blue Note DJ Mix
Released 2001. Out of stock everywhere.

A wicked mix of the best hardbop on Blue Note -- spiced up a bit with other tunes from labels that include Capitol and Solid State! The set was put together by DJ Muro, with a crackling groove that's all old school jazzy riffs and rhythms -- no real tricks, hardly any electricity, just pure dancefloor jazz grooving back to back! Mitsu mixed the whole thing live, and although tracks slide nicely into one another, they're also presented mostly intact, not chopped up or edited down too much.

1. Afrodisia - Kenny Dorham Septet
2. Fiesta - Stanley Turrentine
3. On The Street Where You Live - Felix Leclerc
4. Deus Brasileiro - Jackie Cain & Roy Kral
5. Recado Bossa Nova - Hank Mobley
6. I've Had A Little Talk - Horace Silver
7. Avila & Tequila - Jazz Messengers
8. Love For Sale - Kokee Band
9. It Was A Very Good Year - The Three Sounds
10. Nica's Dream - Horace Silver Quintet
11. I'm Related To You - Willie Tee
12. Space Spiritual - Cannonball Adderley
13. Stormy - Duke Pearson
14. Gospel Truth - Les McCann
15. Brother Isaac - Charlie Byrd
16. Thre Will Never Be Another You - Sandler & Young
17. Sampaguita - Moacir Santos
18. Soul Searchin - Horace Silver
19. Theme From Electric Surfboard - Brother Jack McDuff

MP3: DJ MURO - Blue Note Mix Zip file. 89MBs

2006-04-03T12:40:00.000+10:00

Awesome Vlog: Docmaker on the Go.

How good is this? First video is an interview with ODB's mum.

Basically the site is a video blog with some great candid clips straight from New York. Even though not many of the people filmed are even slightly known, it still makes for interesting viewing. Documentary filmmaker Lynne Lane has gone to a great effort to capture these spontaneous moments, as well as focusing on the early participants of hip hop culture. They are currently working on a DVD magazine & are hoping to make a feature film this year as well.

Check for more information here.

2006-04-03T12:32:00.000+10:00

HIP HOP Unbound, NY. April 3rd/15th 2006

Hip Hop Unbound website. Skirlball Centre @ MySpace.

2006-04-03T12:01:00.000+10:00

B-BOY videogame from Sony.

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe has today announced the development of B-Boy for both PlayStation2 and PSP. Set for release in September 2006, the game will bring the hip-hop derived sub-culture to Sony's consoles with the help of host and icon of B-Boy, Crazy Legs, as players progress through the ranks from the streets to the World Championships.

In addition to a number of different arcade modes that you can jump into for instant head-to-head contests (including wireless play for the PlayStation Portable version), B-Boy will feature a single-player "B-Boy Life" mode in which you'll get to create your own breaker and form your own crew. As you progress through the game, you'll be able to upgrade your breaker by learning up to 800 motion-captured moves. As your crew earns respect in competitions at 21 venues from all over the world, you'll encounter around 40 rival B-boy superstars, including the likes of Kamel, Ivan "The Urban Action Figure", Crumbs, Hong10, Lillou and Mouse. The game will also include 40 hip-hop tracks mixed in-game, as well as multiplayer face-off modes.

"B-boy culture is one of the four core elements of hip-hop, and the team SCEE and FreeStyleGames have managed to put together this game in a way that means the hip-hop community can be sure that the integrity and art of b-boying won't be compromised," said Crazy Legs. "It's great to know that they have actively sought out the real b-boys that make the scene what it is today to make this game happen."

More info at Freestyle Games.

2006-03-31T16:33:00.000+11:00

New comedy with Slim Kid, Mighty Casey, etc...

Synopsis:
"Six Ni**az in a Cadillac is a social commentary revolving around the use of the "N" word. A crew of freestyle rappers, led by Militant Mic and Pooky, are on a journey to make it in the world of Hip Hop. The story takes place over the course of one evening when our crew is on their way to a Battle Royale competition in which they were the runners up the previous year."

Read about this a year ago & looks like its finally finished. Seems to be a very low budget flick with ahorrible website, so expect it on DVD before the year is out. Stars former Pharcyde member Tre 'Slim Kid' Hardson, Stonesthrow's Wildchild, 2 for 5's Oktober, goofball Mighty Casey, Motive & Elvee. I spot Grandmaster Caz in some of the photos & a whole of Hasidic Jews running about. Could be cult, could be crap. Lets just hope that the personalities can carry the film.

• Six Ni**az In A Cadillac website.

2006-03-29T14:42:00.000+11:00

GNARLS BARKLEY aka DangerMouse & Cee-Lo
The album is crazy. Well from what I've heard on the 7 track promo CD anyway. The cover version of The Violent Femmes Gone Daddy Gone' is stellar. Its a very diverse set of styles & shows that the Mouse is enjoying his access to work with other kooky artists like Jemini & Doom. I've upped the track Basically & I Try because they are 2 of the more restrained tracks that i've played repeatedly. Some of the others are like Outkast's Bombs Over Baghdad & I have to be in the right mood for them. As you can see by the imagery, they seem to be having fun with appropriating cult film characters. All in all it looks to be a worthy project & i'm sure it will be a media darling once the album launches in May

Here's their website. And yes, here they are on MySpace.

• MP3: GNARLS BARKLEY - I Try.
• MP3: GNARLS BARKLEY - Basically.

2006-03-29T11:00:00.000+11:00

Rappers Omar Chakaki, left, the Syrian-American lead singer of The NOMADS, and Tayeb Ibrahim, perform at the Coda lounge, Thursday, March 16, 2006, in New York. (AP)

Arab-Americans rap about Israeli "domination"
They rap about checkpoints, military "oppression" and refugee camps: "Domination from another nation; we used to be brothers like Cain; now they got us living under occupation."
by Associated Press

Their songs express longing for Jerusalem and anger at the hardships of life in the Gaza Strip and West Bank. But they grew up in Tennessee or Virginia, live in Los Angeles and perform in New York City. Far away from the their parents' homeland in the Middle East, Arab-American rappers are trying to find their own voice in the United States - expressing the frustrations of the Muslim world at a time when anti-Islamic feelings are on the rise following the Sept. 11 attacks.

Their neophyte movement is spurred on by the success that rap and hip-hop have in voicing the grievances and reflecting the lives of other minorities in the United States.

Two of the Arab-American rappers, Omar Offendum and Ragtop of Los Angeles, are on the forefront of this small but growing trend in hip-hop music. "Hip-hop has always been trying to voice resistance in the face of oppression," said Omar Offendum, the performance alias of 24-year-old Omar Chakaki. "And if you're growing up Arab, politics are very important because they affect every level of your life in many different ways."

"There's definitely a feeling of solidarity with other minorities, like African-Americans, and not just when it comes to the music," added Ragtop, 25, whose real name is Nizar Wattad. "Palestinians in Israel and the territories are also second-class citizens." Their political lyrics resonate with young Arab-Americans. During a concert last week, more than 300 fans of mainly Middle Eastern background squeezed into the Coda Club in midtown Manhattan. The gig was organized by the Network of Arab-American Professionals of New York and the bands themselves. Clapping and singing, the crowd enthusiastically applauded the hip-hop performances of Wattad and Chakaki.

The two artists rapped in English and Arabic, combining electronic samples of popular and classical Arabic music from their parents' generation with fast hip-hop drum beats."I place my palms to the east where my people seek peace, and freedom from police control, checkpoints and patrols," Wattad and Chakaki rhymed in the song "Free the P" which stands for "Free the Palestinians." "Domination from another nation; we used to be brothers like Cain; now they got us living under occupation."

Wattad, who is of Palestinian origin and heads The Philistines, and Chakaki, the Syrian-American lead singer of The NOMADS, are currently on tour and have already played in Detroit, Dearborn, Michigan, and Oberlin, Ohio. The two rappers will perform in Vancouver on Friday.

They are promoting their co-produced album which like their duet is also called "Free the P," a compilation of spoken word and hip-hop that features 24 different artists from the U.S., Canada and the Middle East. While many of their songs focus on the plight of Palestinians, Wattad and Chakaki also rap about their own experiences as Arabs, and Arab-Americans, in a post-Sept. 11 world where suspicion of Muslims runs high.

"After 9/11, I got stripped-searched on 17 flights in a row," said Wattad, offering an example of what he perceives as growing discrimination against Arabs in the United States. Despite their anger about incidents like this, the two rappers reject violence as a solution for conflicts. "We don't believe in violence on either side of the conflict," said Wattad, referring to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. "If we can help to clear up the hate, we'd even play together with an Israeli band."

While Arab immigrants in Europe and Palestinian youths in Israel and the occupied territories have been expressing their political frustrations and anger through hip-hop for many years, the Arab-American version of rap is a relatively new phenomena.

In North America, there are only a few other Arab-American rappers like the Iron Sheik from Oakland, California, or the Iraqi-Canadian band Euphrates. Wattad and Chakaki have independently been producing rap songs for more than three years and both recorded a CD. But it is only in recent months that their music has gotten much media attention and that they have established a fan community. They hope that eventually their fans will include people beyond the Arab-American community. At last week's concert at the Coda Club, they managed to recruit some new fans, though mostly still of Arab descent.

"They are very political but that is part of who we are," said Mayida Zaal, a 27-year old design student of Palestinian background who had just bought the "Free the P" CD for her cousins. "This music is like the original hip-hop from the Bronx before it was commercialized," said Zaal. "I think their music has a future."

• Check for The Nomads on MySpace.
• Middle East Affairs article with some good links for Arab American/Canadian hip hop crews. Including the Free the P compilation & the amazingly refereshing Slingshot documentary.

2006-03-27T18:26:00.000+11:00

HILLTOP HOODS - The Hard Word. OBESE

I've been listening the Hoods 4th album all day. Its solid from start to finish & easily their best work to date. Before I write a review I wanted to up the possse track. It's a blinder. Competing with Def Wish Cast's early 90s Saga as one of our best collective emcees type a tracks. It features 12 locals including Hau, Muph, Pegz, Vents, Trials, Drapht, Mortar, Sesta, Robby Balboa, Honz, Pressure & Suffa.

From the publicity material.
Hilltop Hoods' much anticipated new album features a mix of tracks, lyrics and beats to cater to all tastes. Titled The Hard Road, it's about doing things the hard way as opposed to taking the short route to success. As a group that has been together for over a decade, this is a title that certainly rings true. There's guest production by Trials and Simplex with 1 bumper guest track which has to go down as the biggest oz posse track yet. The Hard Road is due to be released on the 1st of April.

• MP3 : HILLTOP HOODS - The Blue Blooded ft The Blue Blooded Allstars.

2006-03-26T22:56:00.000+11:00

UK compilation for the Scottish Socialist Party.

Some of the leading rap and hip hop artists in Britain and internationally have come together to produce a compilation CD for the Scottish Socialist Party.

Outraged at the treatment of the SSP MSPs, some of Britain’s leading rap and hip hop record labels set about appealing to their artists to donate tracks for the compilation. The response was overwhelming and the SSP is proud to announce a CD of superb material from Rodney P, Skinnyman, King Biscuit Time, Benjamin Zephaniah, Monkey Tribe, Emmanuel featuring KRS1 and many others.

All the money raised from the CD will go towards the fighting fund established to make good the £30,000 fine imposed by the parliament on the SSP MSPs and parliamentary staff for the protest.

The CD was released by Single Cell Press on February 27. SSP national convener Colin Fox said of it, “We are absolutely delighted that the rap and hip hop artists featured on this CD have given their time and world renowned talent in recognition of the injustice that was perpetrated on the SSP following our protest in the Scottish Parliament in June of 2005 over the right to peaceful protest at the G8 summit at Gleneagles.

“The SSP is enormously proud that artists of such stature should contribute to this CD and it is a testament to the vibrant rap and hip hop community of which Single Cell Press is a part of that this CD has been released under the title Fight The Power: Defend Socialism."

From Green Left Weekly, March 29, 2006.

Buy from here.

2006-03-26T19:36:00.000+11:00

Danyboy's mighty nice website.
If you like your Flash illustration type of deal, then this French graff writer's work will knock your socks off. Feast your eyes here.

2006-03-26T19:27:00.000+11:00

Cool art deco robot sound system.
The amazing Hiroshi Araki's King Of Audio.

2006-03-26T19:19:00.000+11:00

French animated musical

Check out this short computer animated film from this outfit, New Deal.
Look at the website.

2006-03-26T18:59:00.000+11:00

DJ Mekalek, "For My People" Mix

This mix has been floating around the Net. Not sure where it is from, but the Time Machine deejay/producer has the goods & the skill factor to make you want to download. More info here on MySpace.

1. "One In A Million" - Pete Rock & CL Smooth
2. "Room To Breathe" - Downtown Science
3. "Check The Method" - Lord Finesse
4. "Real Ting (KRS One Remix)" - Mad Lion
5. "My Kinda Moves" - Q Ball & Curt Cazal
6. Party record transition
7. "Brooklyn Kids" - Jemini the Gifted One
8. "Just Hangin Out (Remix)" - Main Source
9. "Sweet Therapy" - Rumpletilskinz
10. "A Penny For My Thoughts" - Common Sense
11. Party record transition #2
12. "C'mon Wit The Git Down (Buckwild Rmx.)" - Artifacts
13. "Rotten Apple" - Royal Flush
14. "Keep It Real" - Jamal
15. "Check It Out Y'all (Instr.)" - Little Shawn
15. "Proof Is In The Pudding" - Madkap
16. "Can U Dig It?" - Roughouse Survivers f/ CL Smooth
17. "Box In Hand (Lost Rmx.)" - Ghostface Killah f/ Method Man, Streetlife
18. "Regulate" - Royal Flush f/ Mic Geronimo
19. "Nuttin Ta Lose (Nuttin But Sax Mix)" - Dred Scott
20. "Saturday Nite Live (Remix)" - Masta Ace
21. "Cut That Weak Shit" - Lace Da Booms f/ Royal Flush
22. "Legion Groove" - The Legion
23. "Somethin 4 Da Youngstas" - Da Youngsta's
24. "How Nice I Am" - World Renown
25. "Roadrunner (Q-Tip Remix)" - Chi Ali
26. "Dawn To Dusk" - Powerule
27. "Understanding" - Nas

Rapidshare Download here.

2006-03-22T00:32:00.000+11:00

NYC Breakers.
Because it's still bloody awesome 20 years+ later.

2006-03-21T23:36:00.000+11:00

New UK film, KIDADULTHOOD.

Music was produced by the English born, then Los Angeles/now Brooklyn resident The Angel.

Synopsis: For 15-year-old Trife, a boy from West London, life is a day-to-day struggle. Trapped between the worlds of his school friends, the girl he loves, and the draw of his powerful and dangerous uncle, Trife must choose between a path that he knows is right and a life of guns drugs and violence that he has come to know only too well. When a class mate's suicide leaves Trife and his crew, Mooney and Jay, with the day off school it seems as though circles of violence may have finally come to a tragic conclusion - but in a world where sex is currency, drugs are easy, and violence is a way of life, trouble can never to be too far around the corner.

Powerful, disturbing and moving. Kidulthood takes you deep into London’s unseen underbelly and delivers a gritty, hard-hitting reflection of what life is really like for 21st century teenagers.

• Film website here.
• They're even on MySpace.

2006-03-19T22:37:00.000+11:00

Underground Robot. Music by DJ Disk.

Taken from the YouTube blurb.
This was a proof-of-concept piece that I made for a series pitch to Nickelodeon. They didn't buy it. The show would combine clay animation (the kids) with puppet animation (the robot and monsters). The kids could possibly have been live action too. Obviously in this test, only certain shots are finished, the rest is storyboards.

Illustrations: Webster Colcord
Animation: Anthony Scott and Webster Colcord
Music: DJ Disk
Voice of Girl: Pearl Wong
Armature: Lionel Orozco
Sculptor: Damon Bard