The Teacha and Buckshot Shorty interface with Tron. I like how each video from this project has them confronting a seemingly futuristic industry built on the same old scams.

Directed by Todd Angkasuwan. From Survival Skills, out now.

As I work through a massive backlog of press material, here’s another one to watch out for. KRS-One and Buckshot’s collabo Survival Skills drops September 15 on Duck Down Records. It’s packed with guests, from Mary J. Blige and Melanie Fiona to Talib Kweli and Slug from Atmosphere. And, of couse, lots of Duck Down members show up, including Smif-N-Wessun and new signee Geologic from Blue Scholars. Production comes from Black Milk, Illmind, Marco Polo, Khrysis, Nottz and 9th Wonder.

The first single, “Robot,” was produced by Havoc and has percolated around the Internet for a minute. Here’s some press info:

On the surface the album is a testament to the resiliency of two lyrical titans, but at its root Survival Skills is a blueprint for life. For instance on the infectious head-nodder “Robot,” which was released 6 weeks prior to Jay Z’s “The Death Of Auto Tune” track, and already available World Wide at Digital Retail Shops, such as iTunes, the duo speak-out against the recent overuse of the Auto-Tune vocal effect in urban music, but under the surface the message is much deeper. “I don’t want people to get the averaged clichéd version and thinking that we’re dissing people,’” Buckshot clarifies. “What we’re calling out here is the biters, the people that feel like because this guy sold X amount of records doing this, that I’m going to turn around and do it as well,” KRS says of the array of artists who have followed in the creative footsteps of Roger Troutman, Afrikka Bambatta, Teddy Riley and T-Pain. Despite its heavy message, sonically the track, produced by Mobb Deep’s Havoc, is as inviting as anything on the radio today. The video for “ROBOT,” directed by Todd Angkaswan, has been added into rotation at MTV & BET. The track has also been included in the sound track for Activision’s upcoming Tony Hawk skate game in stores this Fall.

Coincidently, ROBOT is not the first example of where Jay Z has released similar material and concepts from KRS-ONE & BUCKSHOT. In 2003, Buckshot’s group Black Moon recorded a song called “Stay Real,” which was, again, released 6 weeks prior to Jay Z’s “Public Service Announcement” track, that ironically contained the same sample as Black Moon’s “Stay Real.”

A couple years prior to this Jay Z released “THE BLUEPRINT,” which was the same title used by KRS-ONE in his classic album, Boogie Down Productions “Ghetto Music: The BLUEPRINT of Hip Hop.” …

For all of their individual accomplishments, KRS-ONE and Buckshot remain fans of each other’s work; complementing each other’s strengthens. “That’s still KRS-One at the end of the day. I didn’t know how to rhyme back when I first started listening to Kris,” says Buck alluding to his partner’s dominant history. In turn, KRS gives all praises to the Black Moon front man. “I am the humble teacher on the track, Buckshot is clearly the man,” he says.

Still gritty tracks like “Clean Up,” featuring Rock of Heltah Skeltah and the politically minded “Running Away” featuring Immortal Technique, make Survival Skills a Hip-Hop fan’s dream, catering to those that love lyrics and the boom-bap. Equally as rich is the album’s Black Milk-produced track, “The Way I Live” featuring the Queen of hip-hop soul, Mary J. Blige. Together they create a triumphant anthem for all those on the grind trying to conquer their dreams. The song’s summery feel and soothing melodies make it an instant hit.

Throughout, both veterans sound as hungry and invigorated as any of their rap counterparts. “Projects like these are projects that motivate me,” KRS says. “The idea to work with another MC that has his own persona and style and do a real collaboration in the studio, that’s motivation. I already got 16 albums of my own,” he adds.

What KRS-One and Buckshot have created is an album that is socially responsible, lyrically sharp and sonically banging. Buckshot sums it up best, “Hip-Hop was started as an option to not killing each other. We were in the ghettos and we were real fucked up. We created Hip-Hop so we didn’t have to do that anymore.”

“The album is called Survival Skills, because that is what it takes.”

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I’m late on this one, but it’s such a great video that I’m posting it anyway.

From KRS-One and Buckshot’s Survival Skills, out September 15.

Today brought unfortunate news on two major artists.

Allhiphop.com reports that Buckshot just suffered a series of seizures that led to his hospitalization:

According to Duck Down co-founder and CEO Dru Ha, the legendary MC was returning home from a European trip, when he suffered from multiple seizures.

“I got to see him today and he’s doing OK but obviously needs time to recover,” Dru Ha told AllHipHop.com in an emailed statement.

Meanwhile, Yarah Bravo writes on her MySpace blog that DJ Vadim has been diagnosed with cancer:

Vadim has been diagnosed with Cancer!!!
(If you would like to know more about it, please google it.
As i do not want to delve into it here.
The name is: Ocular Melanoma / choroidal melanoma and
it is a very rare type of cancer)

This has obviously been a shock for all of us.

Thankfully, it seems that neither man is in mortal danger. Nevertheless, my thoughts go out to them.

As most 9th Wonder fans know by now, Asylum Records has put the North Carolina producer’s major-label debut The Wonder Years on hold … for now. However, it’s full speed ahead for the second leg of 9th’s spring attack: a new album with Buckshot from Boot Camp Clik.

9th Wonder and Buckshot’s The Formula drops April 15 on Duck Down Records. It’s the follow-up to the duo’s 2005 collaboration, Chemistry. The project includes a few guests such as North Carolina singer Carlitta Durand, Talib Kweli and several members of M1 Platoon.

“Every song is dealing with a topic. Each track specifically has a formula,” says Buckshot in a press release. “I’ve always had a certain sound within Hip-Hop and 9th Wonder helps bring out my unique style. We share a comfort level that allows me to be at ease when it comes to recording and that natural sound translates into great music.”

Heads tend to scrutinize and fuss over 9th Wonder’s work; it’s why he’s one of the most influential producers to emerge this decade. Will The Formula meet his fans’ high standards? Check out the track listing below.

• 1. “Intro – The Formula” (feat. the Formula Crew)
• 2. “Ready (Brand New Day)”
• 3. “Be Cool” (feat. Swan)
• 4. “Go All Out” (feat. Carlitta Durand)
• 5. “No Future”
• 6. “Hold It Down” (feat. Talib Kweli & Tyler Woods)
• 7. “Whassup with U” (feat. Keisha Shontelle)
• 8. “Only For You (Lou)”
• 9. “Just Display”
• 10. “Here We Go”
• 11. “Throwin’ Shade”
• 12. “Shinin’ Yall” (feat. Arafat Yates & Big Chops of M1 Platoon)
• 13. “Man Listen”

www.9thwonder.com
www.myspace.com/9thwondermusic
www.myspace.com/bdithug

Durham, N.C. production wiz 9th Wonder is scheduled to kick off 2008 with two full-length albums.

The first, The Wonder Years, is scheduled for a January 26 release on Asylum Records. Guests on the album include Erykah Badu, Teedra Moses, Talib Kweli and Mos Def. The second album reunites him with Buckshot, with whom he made the 2005 album Chemistry. Their new collaboration, The Formula, comes out via Duck Down on March 18 and features guest spots from Kweli and Raheem DeVaughn. The first single from The Wonder Years, “Miss Diva,” features Kweli and Tyler Woods.

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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.