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Monthly Archives: October 2006
Review: DJ Shadow, “The Outsider”
DJ Shadow The Outsider Universal Remember the game we played as children, when we tried to catch our own shadow? Those shadows were as elusive as DJ Shadow’s The Outsider, an album that refuses to be caught in simple genre … Continue reading
The Coup take to the streets, build with Tom Morello
Incendiary artists Mr. Lif and the Coup just announced a nationwide tour that will run through the rest of the year. Beantown MC Mr. Lif, whose video for "Brothaz" is catching wreck on MTVu, is promoting his acclaimed second album Mo’ Mega, released on Definitive Jux. The Coup, led by Oakland activist Boots Riley and DJ Pam the Funkstress, are touting Pick a Bigger Weapon, which came out earlier this spring on Epitaph.
In related news, Boots Riley announced several new projects in a post on his MySpace page. One is a pairing with hard-rock guitarist and leftist Tom Morello (formerly of Rage Against the Machine, currently with Audioslave and the Nightwatchman).
Definitive Jux, El-P preps for breakthrough year
Over five years after issuing its first record, a classic double-A side 12-inch by Company Flow and Cannibal Ox, Definitive Jux is poised to mount a major comeback in 2007. One of the most critically-acclaimed underground rap imprints of the new century, Definitive Jux has been relatively quiet during the last two years. In 2006 it only released one album, Mr. Lif’s Mo’ Mega, and a slew of Internet-only tracks via its online store The Pharmacy. If the label follows through on its plans, which it announced via a press release earlier this month, that will soon change.
Review: Zion-I & the Grouch, “Heroes in the City of Dope”
Heroes in the City of Dope, a collabo featuring Zion-I and Grouch of Living Legends, shows that MC Zion and producer Amp Live are fumbling to find a happy middle ground.
Review: Four Tet, “Remixes”
Four Tet Remixes Domino It is hard to put into words that which escapes them. Beauty is one word, and genius is another for the music of Kieran Hebden, otherwise known as the one man sound machine behind the Four … Continue reading
Review: Mojoe, “Classic.Ghetto.Soul”
Mojoe Classic.Ghetto.Soul Music World The Lone Star State is something like a Petri dish, culturing a duo of super soulful MCs that comprise the group Mojoe. With the release of Classic.Ghetto.Soul, Easy Lee and Tre along with the Mojoe Family … Continue reading
X-Clan postpones Mecca until 2007
In an Oct. 18 MySpace bulletin Brother J announced that X-Clan is postponing its comeback album.
"Suburban Noize and the X-Clan music group have both agreed that the best time for this product to drop would be February 2007," writes Brother J. Founded by Daddy X of Kottonmouth Kings, the rap-rock and funk-metal Suburban Noize imprint is releasing X-Clan’s Return from Mecca. "This album is not just an average release," Brother J promises. "It is the blueprint for the new millennium of conscious writers, artists, and music consumers that don’t have a consisent source to inspire them. This album feels pure like when I first recorded To the East, Blackwards in 1990."
Review: Dan the Automator, “2K7″
Dan the Automator presents 2K7 Decon When you pay a bunch of top-caliber rappers ridiculous amounts of money to create the soundtrack for a basketball-themed video game, you’re gonna get thirteen tracks that sound, well, strained. That’s not to say … Continue reading
Jazzy Jeff announces Hip-Hop Forever III
"Jazzy" Jeff Townes is a rare example of an old-school giant who stays relevant. Never selling out to the Hot 97 formula of club mixing, he mentors young Philadelphia acts (think Musiq and Jill Scott) while staying true to the sonic activism of turntable hip-hop through sundry panel appearances and DJ gigs. He’s more than that weirdo who gets thrown out of Will Smith’s mansion on "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air."
Now Jazzy Jeff is finally issuing a follow-up to his acclaimed 2002 debut The Magnificent. The new album is tentatively scheduled for a February 2007 release and reportedly includes collaborations with Method Man, De La Soul and Little Brother.
Before that, Jazzy Jeff is dropping Hip-Hop Forever III, a sequel to his 2004 mix CD Hip-Hop Forever II on October 31. It finds Jeff flipping classic backpacker cuts, from Eric B. and Rakim’s "Eric B. is President" to Jay Dee’s "Fuck Tha Police."
Cut Chemist brings “Listening” to Apple, tours with Lyrics Born
Former Jurassic 5 turntablist Cut Chemist continues to promote his excellent debut album, The Audience’s Listening. You can hear "The Audience’s Listening Theme Song" on a new iPod Nano commercial. The success of the clip — which is undoubtedly playing on your television set as you read this — fuels the momentum of "What’s the Altitude," the second single from the album. The single, a collaboration with Los Angeles MC Hymnal, includes dance-oriented remixes from She Wants Revenge and the Astronauts, and an Avalanches-like sampladelic adventure from UK producer Joe Buddha.
Meanwhile, Cut Chemist is taking to the road for a co-headlining tour with Lyrics Born. The man formerly known as Asia Born, whose music has also appeared in "commercial form" (courtesy of Coca-Cola) is about to release a live album, Overnite Encore: Lyrics Born Live! The Quannum Records release hits stores on October 31. Audiences will get a taste of what it sounds like when they see the chief party rocker in person.
Fourth-quarter comebacks from Jay-Z, Nas
Three years after The Black Album and his "retirement" from the rap game, Jay-Z finally returns with his 9th album of original material, Kingdom Come. The disc is scheduled for release via Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam on November 21.
Last week the Def Jam president "leaked" what may become the most overanalyzed MP3 in history, "Show Me What You Got." An in-depth history of the song by Jay-Z and producer Just Blaze is available for perusal at XXL magazine, and a video will debut on MTV on Oct. 16.
Meanwhile, Nas is launching the hype machine for his new album. The title was tweaked from Hip-Hop is Dead? to Hip-Hop is Dead…the N, and its release date was pushed back from November 7 to December 19. The first street single is "Where Y’all At."
Mr. Lif covers football, international territory
Last week, Definitive Jux artist Mr. Lif launched a new podcast, Yo! Football Radio, with RhymeCity Records owner Jason Griffin. On the hourlong show, the duo offer some dense analysis of week four in the NFL.
"One thing you will know about our radio stuff is that we will flash some stats at you. But generalization is probably my specialty," says Lif.
"We’re about 50/50 on our stats," adds Griffin.
"But that’s why it’s by the fans for the motherfuckin’ fans," says Lif.
Funkstörung: 1992-2006
Funkstörung has split up. Chris de Luca and Michael Fakesch announced the group’s end through a statement posted on their website last month. "Whatever the reasons were: musical differences, personal problems, the distance of 700 KM between Rosenheim and Chris’ new place in Berlin – who cares … fact is we both agreed it’s better to focus on solo projects from here on out," wrote the duo.
