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RJD2 rolls across the land
As the year winds down, RJD2’s The Third Down is starting to work its way through the DJs, newspaper and magazine hacks, college radio geeks and Internet whores that will be summoned to publicize its strengths to the international heads. As we wait in anticipation for its arrival we wonder: Will his singing surprise us with its remarkable depth? Or will it sound as weird as "Through the Walls" from Since We Last Spoke? No matter how it all turns out, he deserves some props for being a brave and fearless artist.
While you wait to hear it (with an open mind, of course), RJD2 is assembling a live band to take it on the road. The short tour winds through March, and will undoubtedly include a pit stop in Austin for SXSW. A longer excursion (Maybe another Definitive Jux package tour? Just kidding…) should follow later in the year.
Brother Ali is “The Undisputed Truth”
A few days ago, a publicist who shall remain nameless joked to me that all Rhymesayers MCs sound the same. But of course that’s not true. Brother Ali, for example, can carry his own with just about any underground rapper out there. And yes, that may not be saying much to all y’all backpack haters/Lil Wayne dick riders. For those that appreciate the Minneapolis albino, however, prepare for his first new album in four years, and first release since 2004’s Champion EP.
The Undisputed Truth is set for a March 20 release on Rhymesayers. A particularly strong cut, "Original King," was posted on his MySpace page a few months ago. Unfortunately, it’s not on the promo version of the album.
New k-os album to be released in U.S.
The last time Americans saw k-os (meaning knowledge of self) was at SXSW 2006, where he headlined a bill at Antone’s. Supported by a band that included, oddly enough, onetime Smashing Pumpkins bassist Melissa Auf Der Mar, he closed his set by announcing he would no longer record for Astralwerks, the EMI imprint that issued his first two critically-acclaimed albums.
Some heads thought that this might be the last time the Canadian artist would get a full-fledged domestic release of his work and we’d have to find it on import, like most of Buck 65’s catalog. But we forget that k-os is a superstar in his country. When his new album Atlantis debuted in the top 5 of the Canadian albums chart last October, it was clear he’d get another chance to crack the U.S. market. And so it is that Atlantis hits our territory on February 24 via Virgin, another arm of the EMI conglomerate.
Busdriver escapes from L.A.
Busdriver likes to wear a T-shirt that reads, "Sorry, underground hip-hop happened 10 years ago." Personally, I don’t like to take such a hard stance against new jacks and toys. But I will agree that Project Blowed, the weekly freestyle sessions in Leimert Park, represented a zenith in hip-hop expression.
Busdriver carries that spirit with him throughout his projects, whether it’s the Weather with electronic dandy Daedelus and zipper-rapper Radioinactive; or his upcoming Epitaph album RoadKillOvercoat, which is already garnering strong reviews. To promote the latter, he’s taking off for a cross-country jaunt. And just to show how crazy he is, he’s touring as an opening act for Deerhoof, the Bay Area-based experimental rock trio. Hopefully hip-hop heads will embrace the weirdness and give both acts a chance.
The Roots bring new shows, Questlove projects
After enjoying the afterglow of their criminally underrated masterwork Game Theory, perennial road warriors the Roots are finally going on tour. The four month jaunt has already begun in Great Britain and winds through Ireland, South Africa, Japan and Canada before reaching the U.S. in February. It will represent the group’s nationwide tour since Game Theory dropped last August.
As an added bonus, Chicago skateboard enthusiast Lupe Fiasco will open a handful of U.S. dates. Though he has completed several spot dates since issuing Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor in September, fans will have to wait a little bit longer for a full-fledged national jaunt.
Jemini tells “Memoirs of an Emcee”
Whatever happened to Jemini the Gifted One, the man who helped give the world its first taste of Danger Mouse via Ghetto Pop Life? According to Lex Records, he’s set to appear in a documentary about his career called Memoirs of an Emcee. Produced by Trans Hudson Films and directed by photographer T. Hopkins, Memoirs of an Emcee follows Jemini, underrated Philly rapper the Last Emperor (remember "Echo Leader"?) and newcomer Script.
"Emcee is about intelligent, thoughtful, faithful men who happen to make their living rapping. All too often, the featured image of young black men is that of apolitical, oversexed ignoramuses. Script, Emp and Jemini are iconoclastic by their very nature. They are all well-read and versed in a variety of subjects and never ‘dumb down’ for street credibility." There’s no word on when Memoirs of an Emcee will be released, but you can view preview clips at the film’s MySpace page.
The Coup requests donations following bus crash
A week after a bus crash ended his tour with Mr. Lif, the Coup’s Boots Riley posted an update on his MySpace page. The post gave further details about the accident that injured several people. Since the tour, which was scheduled to run through Dec. 19 in Philadelphia, ended prematurely, he and his crew are nearly broke, with little money to replace equipment or even buy Christmas presents for family members. He also made a request for donations through a PayPal site.
The full text of the post is below.
RJD2 presents “The Third Hand”
Last fall, RJD2 left his longtime home Definitive Jux for XL Recordings, home to artists like Thom Yorke (of Radiohead) and Dizzee Rascal. The Philly-based beat maker gambled that XL will be a more suitable home for his new recordings, on which he mixes his DJ Shadow-like production with actual vocal numbers in greater quantity than his last album, 2003’s Since We Last Spoke.
Now RJD2 will release his third album, The Third Hand on March 6. Two tracks from the album are posted on his MySpace page. "You Never Had It So Good" is reflective of the droll, slightly nervous singing style RJ trumpeted through an interview with Pitchfork, and is reminiscent of Since We Last Spoke’s "Through the Walls." The second track, "Get It," seemingly returns to his yearning instrumental style. According to XL Recordings’ website, The Third Hand was entirely recorded by RJD2. He composed its music with an MPC 2000XL sampler/sequencer, analog synthesizers, electric pianos and guitars.
Black Panther hearkens “My Eternal Winter”
New York producer Black Panther (no relation to the Marvel Comics hero) announced he’s releasing his second album, My Eternal Winter, on his newly formed imprint Manekinko Pro. For those that don’t know, Black Panther has worked with C-Rayz Walz (Ravipops [The Substance]), Immortal Technique (Revolutionary Vol. 2), and Celph Titled. His first album, the mostly instrumental The Darkest Night Ever, dropped on Third Earth Music (Kimari Rogers of The Masterminds and Roosevelt Franklin’s old label) back in 2003. My Eternal Winter drops March 13.
Papoose protests NYC shooting with “50 Shots”
Last Friday during his Hot 97 show "The Drama Hour," DJ Kayslay debuted "50 Shots," a hastily-recorded track by Papoose. The song instantly made its way around the Internet and drew commentary from several publications, including the New York Times, the Village Voice and Rolling Stone’s "Rock and Roll Daily" blog.
"50 Shots" speaks on the Nov. 25 incident where five undercover New York Police Department officers fired 50 shots at Sean Bell, Joseph Guzman and Trent Benefield as they drove from a strip club in Queens. While facts surrounding the case are under dispute, the three men, whom were part of Bell’s bachelor party, were unarmed. Bell died from gunshot wounds, while Guzman and Benefield remain hospitalized.
The shooting drew widespread protests and condemnation, with many calling the act an example of police brutality comparable to the 1999 Amadou Diallo shooting.
Bus crash derails Mr. Lif & the Coup
In a Mon., Dec. 4 news post on Definitive Jux’s website, label co-CEO El-P announced that the Coup and Mr. Lif were involved in a bus crash after completing a Fri., Dec. 1 concert at the House of Blues in San Diego.
J-Dilla loves ruff drafts, Japan
Want more music from James "J-Dilla" Yancey? Hot on the heels of Donuts, one of the best-received independent hip-hop albums of 2006, Stones Throw will add another J-Dilla release to its catalog. Like Donuts, Ruff Draft is an instrumental album that highlights the late producer’s musical prowess. It’s scheduled for release on March 6.
X-Clan & PE band for West Coast run
Can’t get enough of X-Clan? Missed Brother J and Co. during their opening stint on Jurassic 5’s summer tour? The Blackwatch raptivists are now opening for Public Enemy on their world tour. Try to keep your heckling to a minimum when PE hits the stage, though. Chuck D. won’t appreciate it if you ask him why he keeps defending Flavor of Love.
Ultramagnetic MCs are finally in your future
After nearly a decade of false starts and wishful features in XXL, URB and allhiphop.com, Ultramagnetic MCs finally finished a follow-up to its 1993 minor classic The Four Horsemen. Kool Keith, Ced Gee, Moe Love and TR Love, the Bronx foursome behind old-school classics like "Ego Trippin’" and Critical Beatdown, are issuing The Best Kept Secret on January 9, according to their MySpace page.
Necro heads out on the road
Goremeister and all-around sicko Necro launched his first national tour last weekend. For the uninitiated, Necro is a linchpin of late 90s NYC death rap. He’s released direct-to-video slasher movies with his brother Ill Bill (formerly of Non-Phixion), produced tracks for Missin’ Linx and Cage, runs a record label (Psycho-Logical Records) and makes humorousy horrific albums like The Sexorcist, Gory Days and I Need Drugs (the latter a parody of LL Cool J’s "I Need Love").
4 Hero returns, plays with the changes
Nu-jazz fanatics rejoice! Today cultish Britons 4 Hero announced the impending arrival of Play With the Changes. Scheduled for U.S. release on Feb. 27 on Milan Records, it is Dego and Marc Mac’s first album since 2001’s Creating Patterns. Both men have kept busy since then — Dego with his DKD and Silhouette Brown productions, and Marc Marc with his Visioneers joints (including this year’s Dirty Old Hip-Hop), as well as sundry vinyl-only efforts. But 4 Hero is the brand name.
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.