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Monthly Archives: June 2007
Duck Down prepares for major revival
Nearly fifteen years after its launch Duck Down Recordings, the storied NY imprint founded by industry executive Dru Ha and Black Moon leader Buckshot, is poised to experience its biggest success since the days of Dah Shinin and "Leflah."
Duck Down has recruited Koch as its distributor for several upcoming projects. The first will be Casualties of War, a collection of outtakes from Boot Camp Clik’s 2006 album The Last Stand and tracks spotlighting the label’s roster. It’s scheduled to drop on August 14.
Rumors have swirled for months that Sean Price, one-half of Heltah Skeltah and the hero behind this year’s underground hit Jesus Price Supastar, will soon sign with Def Jam. While that has yet to pass, Price is preparing a mixtape, Master P, for release on July 24. He has also begun work on a new album tentatively titled Mic Tyson, and has formed a supergroup with Detroit rapper (and Stones Throw artist) Guilty Simpson and rapper/producer Black Milk. The trio hopes to drop an album before the end of the year.
Posted in News
Tagged Boot Camp Clik, Buckshot, Duck Down, Sean Price, Special Teamz
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Now-Again compiles “Re:Sounds”
Now-Again Records is the quiet little brother of Stones Throw Records. Launched by general manager, DJ, and crate-digging superstar Eothen "Egon" Alapatt, it focuses on reissues of little-known funk bands from around the country. Groove aficionados love the imprint, but it doesn’t garner nearly as much publicity as the mighty Stones Throw.
While the casual Madlib-loving fan might not have much interest in prime reissues like Amnesty’s critically-acclaimed Free Your Mind or the much-loved Connie Price & the Keystones, he might go for the forthcoming Now-Again Re:Sounds Vol. 1. Set for release on July 17, the compilation features previously vinyl-only remixes (like Kenny Dope’s remix of Kashmere Stage Band’s "Super Strut Vol. 1") and new, deep funk-influenced cover songs by Edan, Koushik, Aloe Blacc, Guilty Simpson and many others. The track listing for Now-Again Re:Sounds Vol. 1 is below.
Panacea takes “The Scenic Route”
Last year, Washington D.C. duo Panacea gave a pleasant surprise in the form of Ink is My Drink. The album was part standard-issue backpack rap, but it had a wonderful dreamlike quality, like the musical equivalent of Margaret Brown’s Goodnight Moon, or a B-boy version of Carole King’s "Chicken Soup and Rice."
Producer K-Murdock and MC Raw Poetic will bring back its Christopher Cross-styled hip-hop with The Scenic Route. Set for release on September 4 via Glow-in-the-Dark (which enjoys a distribution deal with Rawkus), the sophomore disc takes Panacea’s panacean qualities to gauzy extremes, and soul dynamo Raheem DeVaughn makes an appearance. "It’s really dynamic this time around. I consider it my masterpiece," says K-Murdock in a press releae. "If you want to get away, but can’t afford the vacation, this is for you." The track listing for The Scenic Route is below.
Zeph & Azeem back Souls of Mischief
In the San Francisco Bay Area, DJ Zeph and Azeem enjoy enviable reputations. The former gets props as a crate-digger, club DJ and turntablist. The latter is an acclaimed spoken-word and performance artist as well as a dextrous MC who has collaborated with Anti-Pop Consortium and Michael Franti, among many others.
Unfortunately, when the duo teamed up, the resulting Rise Up (issued on Om Records in May) didn’t make much noise outside of the West Coast. It’s like that sometimes…not every artist, no matter how talented, gets to go national and blow up. But next month, the rest of the country — or at least the eastern seaboard — will get a chance to see what it’s missed when Zeph & Azeem opens for Souls of Mischief, and then throw down at the annual Scribble Jam bonanza in Cincinnati, Ohio. Dates are below.
The Plug One Q&A: Cut Chemist
In a wide-ranging dialogue, influential turntablist Cut Chemist discusses The Hard Sell, the third and latest edition of his funk 45 concert series with DJ Shadow. He also talks about his upcoming projects, and notes the demise of his former group, the late great Jurassic 5. Continue reading
Necro bombs Sounds of the Underground
Every rock festival and/or tour needs its token rappers, and the Hot Topic-sponsored Sounds of the Underground junket is no different. But only a sick and twisted individual would choose gore proponent Necro to represent the hip-hop generation to the suburban ‘tweens and mallrats.
Then again, perhaps Necro fits right in amongst Gwar and Every Time I Die. "Metal has shown me a lot of love as a rapper. I don?t get nearly the same love from the hip-hop community," he writes on the Headbangers Ball blog. "In hip-hop, it seems everyone is out to stab each other in the back. Metal is more about music and musicians and the love for riffs and creativity. I have met most of the hip-hop legends and they don?t compare to the coolness of metal legends. But I have always considered myself both metal and hip-hop. I don?t see why there is a separation when both art forms started out super underground, rebellious, and original, and most of the world hated both."
True school summer park jams jump off in NYC
Forget what you think you heard from Nas, Oprah Winfrey, Al Sharpton or Master P. Real hip-hop is not going to die. It may fade away from the mainstream, but who cares? Real heads know that living, breathing culture — DJ’ing, graff writing, B-boying and MC’ing — has thrived both in and out of the limelight for decades, and it doesn’t need a backup dancer spot in a Christina Aguilera video to survive.
Summer park jams in New York are as old as the art form itself. This year, event promotion/publicity company Tools of War has teamed up with various sponsors and local politicians to throw a series of parties that not only bring the elements together, but feature many of the classic artists that helped birth hip-hop. Participants range from founding fathers Grandmaster Caz, Grandwizzard Theodore and Kool DJ Red Alert; to golden age heroes Lord Finesse and Steve Dee; and newer jocks such as Egg Foo Young. All of the events are free and family friendly.
Del returns!
On October 16, legendary West Coast hip-hop artist Del the Funky Homosapien will release The 11th Hour. The long awaited album is his first solo recording in nearly seven years — ever since 2000′s Both Sides of the Brain.
Obviously this is historic news. One of the titanic figures in alternative rap, Del has been largely quiet since 2001, when his Deltron 3030 project and his guest appearance on Gorillaz’ "Clint Eastwood" single brought him mainstream attention. A few random guest spots (notably Push Button Objects’ "360" single and Handsome Boy Modeling School’s White People) along with the occasional tour is all that’s been heard or seen of him.
Much more details on The 11th Hour, from a proper track listing to a massive fall tour with Devin the Dude, will be released in the next few weeks. For now, however, Del is embarking upon a short "Calm Before the Storm" tour to warm tings up. Those dates, which come from a MySpace bulletin Bukue One sent out this week, are listed below.
Rock the Bells, Paid Dues rock the nation
As expected, the Rock the Bells festival — which built its reputation in 2003 by featuring the last live appearance of the complete Wu-Tang Clan (RIP Ol’ Dirty Bastard) — has expanded from a two-day blowout to a summerlong holiday.
This year’s bill includes the mighty Clan (who will hopefully finish their 8 Diagrams comeback before heading on the road), Nas, Talib Kweli, Pharoahe Monch, David Banner, Immortal Technique and Jedi Mind Tricks. Freestyle phenom Supernatural and beatboxer legend Rahzal host.
As an added bonus, Rage Against the Machine, Cypress Hill and UGK will appear on select dates. Rage and Cypress Hill are slated for Rock the Bells shows in New York, San Bernardino and San Francisco. Every concert date will include numerous special guest performers.
Meanwhile, the previously announced Paid Dues Festival is gearing up for its own national jaunt. Felt (Atmosphere and Murs), Living Legends, Sage Francis, Brother Ali, Cage, Mr. Lif, G&E (the Grouch and Eligh), Hangar 18 and Luckyiam.psc. Just like Rock the Bells, Paid Dues will be brought to you by Guerilla Union, in association with rapper/executive Murs 3:16.
For those who want to attend Paid Dues and Rock the Bells, the two processionals will unite for one massive showdown on June 28-29 in New York and August 11 in San Bernardino. Book your airplane tickets now.
Dudley Perkins and Georgia Anne Muldrow offer peaches and light
During the next several months, Dudley Perkins and Georgia Anne Muldrow plan to cement their status as the power couple of future soul.
Perkins, who also records under the name Declaime, is best known as Madlib’s homie from Oxnard, and the unique rapper/vocalist behind triumphs such as A Lil’ Light and Expressions. Meanwhile Muldrow’s full-length debut Olesi: Fragments of an Earth updated free jazz for the 21st century, and was one of the most talked-about underground soul albums of 2006.
Now the two are launching a new label called Epistrophik Peach Sounds. And while details on the label’s release schedule are a little sketchy, a few recordings featuring both artists will definitely drop during the summer.
Posted in News
Tagged 2tall, Dudley Perkins, Epistrophik Peach Sounds, Georgia Anne Muldrow
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Marley Marl suffers heart attack
It’s been over a week since I’ve updated this site. Like I’ve said before, I sometimes get overwhelmed by the daily grind. For the handful of cats who regularly check out Plug One, as well as the hundreds of heads who have visited it recently, apologies for stepping away for a minute.
A lot has happened, most importantly Marley Marl’s heart attack. According to an Allhiphop.com story, Marlon "Marley Marl" Williams suffered a heart attack on June 5 and was transported to a New York hospital, where he is convalescing. For those that don’t know Marley Marl’s history, the 44-year-old musician is one of the greatest beat makers in history, one of a handful that is fully deserving of G.O.A.T. status.
Marley Marl’s latest release is Hip Hop Lives, a long-awaited pairing with KRS-One.
