That raw fiyah

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It's Friday night and I'm no where near anywhere. It's all good though cause in a few days I'll be soaking up the sun in Miami (North/South Beach). But until then, let's keep this blog rollin with goodness.

It's no secret that I'm down with Buff1. While we patiently await for him to drop his next joint, here are the instrumentals from his most recent outing to help tie you (me) over. Production comes mostly from Vaughan T and 14KT with a little Haircut and Black Milk sprinkled in there.

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New Drizzy

UPDATE: Re-up'd on MediaFire 'pon request from The Far East.

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Never too late

Although this may be quite a bit late, as the title suggests, it's never too late. I wanted to do a "2008 favs" posting back in the beginning of January but as anyone who actually follows this blog knows, I've been on the other side of the world.

So, as to not waste anymore time than the paragraph above just did (and of course, as always, in no particular order)...

• Elzhi - The Preface
  
• Black Milk - Tronic
• Pacewon & Mr. Green - The Only Color That Matters Is Green
• Estelle - Shine
• Keane - Perfect Symmetry
• MGMT - Oracular Spectacular
• Jake One - White Van Music
• Kardinal Offishall - Not 4 Sale
• Buff1 - There's Only One
• Tokyo Police Club - Elephant Shell

Only one of those albums wasn't posted here before but if you missed any of them (or somehow don't have them anymore), be sure to cop them now!

Other notables (these are all posted somewhere here):

• Common Market - Tobacco Road
• Duffy - Rockferry
• eMC - The Show
• Jazz Liberatorz - Clin d'oeil
• Now On - Tomorrow Already
• Raphael Saadiq - The Way I See It
• DJ K.O. - Picture This...

Well, there you have it. What were y'all feeling in '08? Let it be known!

How could I forget...

In the mood for some emo (or at least what I like to call emo)? Well you're on this blog so you don't really have a choice. Or do you? This is another album that I meant to post a while back but never got around to.

Here is a band that treats dizzy cross-eyed awe and a vast bounding sense of sonic weightlessness as their yardstick, jostling to surpass themselves on a track-by-track basis and aiming for the musical equivalent of performing somersaults in tye-dye t-shirts off the rings of Jupiter. They seemingly submit this debut album as an application to acquire and even supersede The Flaming Lips' previously uncontested mantle as spiritual leaders of over-sized Technicolor psychedelic-indie with a soul, weird but not so weird that swelling crowds and even flirtations with the charts aren't a foregone conclusion. Thrillingly eclectic, endlessly colourful and never predictable. It's all a bit ridiculous, but indeed spectacularly so.

-- from Amazon.com

Wow, that was a pretty damn good review. Noteworthy tracks:

- Time To Pretend
- Electric Feel
- Kids

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Imported like a...

Everytime I go somewhere warm and return to this unbearable Canadian winter I ask myself, "why did I come back?"

This remix album will take you to a place that's just like sippin' an ice cold Red Stripe on a hot summer day. Refreshing. I can taste it already.

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What did I miss?

Didn't really see anything notable come out since I've been gone. Did I miss anything? Let it be known! Of note: Kardi's 'Dangerous' is huuuuuge in South East Asia. Heard it non-stop everywhere I went. Represent The Dot!

Here's a little something fairly recent (a couple of years old is still fairly recent, no?) from The Dutch Master. Definitely feeling his sound. So full and soulful.

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Yowza

You like Madlib? You like Dilla? You like this.

DJ Edit One - J Dilla Tribute Mix

A tribute to the greatest from the man who kcuffed my couch. Click the pic for the earfood.

On The Look Out

It's usually a good thing when you see production on an album from Illmind, Jake One, M-Phazes, Analogic, 9th Wonder & Oddisee. This is no exception. Don't really know who this guys is (maybe someone can shed some light onto the situation) but this is a dope mixtape!

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"Bad motherfucker like Oedipus"

This joint exemplifies the dude above's blend of Chicago soul with east-coast boom-bap; resulting in what he insists is “commercial hip hop” with awareness and attitude. Hip-hop is considered by many to be “classic” when it paints a picture vivid enough to be experienced by any listener, regardless of their own background. Throughout the album, he documents his one-of-a-kind journey from the windy city of Chicago to the nation’s capitol of Washington, DC, and across the globe. Although “classic” is a claim that only time can verify, SoulStice’s claim to have made the perfect album can only be decided by the legion of Hip-hop fans worldwide.

-- from Rap News Network

This album is dope! Production comes Oddisee, Analogic & M-Phazes to name a few.

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Who got the jazz?

Rap and jazz go together like you and this blog. This album came out earlier this year and don't ask me why I didn't post it before but here it is now (you'll ask WHY, trust me).

... a tribute to the golden age of hiphop, taking its strength into the roots of the black music and more notably in jazz music. Through out the album, the listeners will discover the warmful sound of the old jazz fusion records from the 70's mixed with samples and live instruments on which Jazz Liberatorz have invited la creme de la creme of the independant hiphop soul & jazz scene.

-- from MySpace

Track 1 takes you on a trip down memory lane, quoting recognizable riffs that have been sampled by some of the best producers in the game (can you name them all?). The rest of the album is just smooth smooth timeless music that you've come accustomed to here.

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A little something different

Here's a little something funky to help with those winter blues.

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Your Lazy Sunday Listen

This kinda album even makes the most retired of loop diggin' producers want to return to the game, lay down some freshness and profess eternal gratitude to all those that virtually made love to an instrument or instruments and laid it all out for the world on wax.

Damn Coltrane, I've missed your sickness...

Your Lazy Sunday Listen...float on!


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The Counter...Ed. 4

Here's an interesting selection. The Black Ghosts. A group that is somewhat akin to the Gorillaz, but with more of a UK neo-soul flare. Essentially, you have one psycho DJ and a limey crooner belting out some pretty cool chunes.

Ironically, Damon Albarn (of Blur and the Gorillaz) appears on the track, "The Repetition Kills You".

Peep this album for your Euro moments.


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On The Look Out

14KT is a producer that y'all need to be on the look out for.

As part of the Athletic Mic League and The Lab Techs, he's produced pivotal tracks for nearly every notable Detroit Hip-Hop artist. He has been instrumental in boosting the careers of fellow crew members Buff1 and DJ Haircut (Stones Throw Records' newest acquisition and 1/3 of Now On).

-- from myspace

Peep this instrumental album that will have you boppin your head until the very end... until you hit that repeat button and start it again!

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Your Lazy Sunday Listen

This one is interesting...very eclectic. A Belgian band, similar in style to Radiohead...

Your Lazy Sunday Listen


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Y. Boys

Peep this album by Dilla's younger brother, entirely produced by Dilla.

Who else out there is still sittin' on Dilla beats?

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Q-Teezee

Tip drops his first studio release in almost 10 years!

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Your Lazy Sunday Listen

This is a back in the day Sunday...oh those University Backpackin' Underground Hiphop Head Days.

Here's the line up on this one:

01. Truth Enola featuring De La Soul - Voicetress
02. Mos Def and Talib Kweli - Another World
03. Big Kwam - Verbalise (DJ Spinna Remix)
04. L Swift featuring A Butta - Ride This
05. Grap Luva - Touch The Sky
06. Invisible Mics - Way Past Go
07. Brother Alphonso Greer featuring Khaliq - Situations Realistic
08. Pharoahe Monch - Tooley Crew Personified
09. Alice Russell - Someday
10. Mr. Complex - Do It Up
11. Subterranean - My Style Is Phreaky
12. J-Live - Shyste
13. Big Twan - One For The Lyricist
14. Structure Rize - Put Your Hands Up
15. Big Kwam - Kwamaniz


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'Pon request

If you don't know about Aimee Duffy, you SHOULD!

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