VIDEO: “Tu Me Manques (a short film)” – Sax G (dir. by 10.4 Rog)
This short film, inspired by and featuring instrumentals from Sax G‘s Tu Me Manques, was conceived and directed by Roger Habon (aka 10.4 Rog). Per the Cloud Nice blog:
The story is told without words, the actors using only body language to convey powerful emotions. Takiyah Ward’s bold choreography contrasts delightfully with Sax G’s subtle expressions, invoking all-too-familiar feelings of love and distance.
VIDEO: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Interviewed by The Nature Conservancy
As a part of The Nature Conservancy’s All Hands on Earth Music campaign, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis share a few words on what it meant growing up in one of the most beautiful places in the United States. As a lifelong camping and canoeing enthusiast — and product of the impossibly resplendent San Juan Islands — I have to agree with everything they’ve said here.
VIDEO: “First Avenue” – Kore Ionz (feat. Prometheus Brown; dir. by Jeff Santos & Daniel Pak)
Rock/reggae crew Kore Ionz with the second single from their 2011 album, World War Free. “First Avenue” gets the video treatment and guest bars from one Prometheus Brown.
NEW MUSIC: “Kill Bill” – Avatar Darko & Nacho Picasso (prod. by MegaMan)
Another drop from Av and Nach‘s upcoming Vampsterdam. MegaMan hops behind the console for this one.
VIDEO: “Go For Broke” – TH3RDZ (prod. by Kuddie Fresh; dir. by Eric Miller)
This That & TH3RDZ is scheduled to drop June 18 on Camobear records. The best thing about this Oldominion supergroup is how they combine slap-heavy party joints with smart humor and some of the deftest lyricism you’ll find anywhere on the Western seaboard. We talk a lot about chemistry when it comes to the best team-ups in rap, and TH3RDZ is a perfectly balanced formula.
NEW MUSIC: “Come Clean” – Thaddeus David
SOTA pioneer Thaddeus David will be opening for Mobb Deep this evening at The Crocodile. Here are the details on that. TH hopped in the studio for a free verse over Jeru the Damaja’s “Come Clean”.
NEW MUSIC: “Groov” – Brothers From Another (feat. Asher Roth; prod. by Justo)
Though I’ll probably never let them forget about the time they overslept, thus missing an interview opportunity on WNYU radio (!!!), I’ll certainly forgive them on the basis of continuing to churn out the most fun-loving, breezy hip hop Seattle has to offer. “Groov” is the first drop from Brothers From Another’s upcoming Tacos on Broadway. Justo on the beat and lifetime undergrad Asher Roth with the cameo. Nice look, dudes.
Here’s a video preview of the upcoming album:
VIDEO: “Whiskey Mask” – Ka.lil (dir. by Eric Miller)
Khingz is now known as Ka.lil (his real name, sic), so take note. Take note also of the date June 4 when his Between Saturday Night And Sunday Morning is set to drop. The longtime Seattle rap cooperator gets Wild in his new video for “Whiskey Mask”.
VIDEO: “A Limit” – JusMoni & WD4D (dir. by Harry Clean of Detooz Films)
JusMoni stepped her creative game up by partnering with DJ/producer WD4D for last year’s expansive Queen Feel. The EP’s lead-off track “A Limit” now gets the video treatment by Harry Clean of Detooz Films.
NEW MUSIC: “This Is Hip Hop” – Fleeta Partee (feat. Jarrard Anthony, Yirim Seck & John Crown; prod. by Jake One)
Blog favorite Fleeta Partee is preparing a remix album follow-up to last year’s Lifemuzik. It is aptly titled Lifemuzik Duex. Big talent can be found on the first release, “This Is Hip Hop”, in the form of Jarrard Anthony, Yirim Seck, John Crown, and Jake One.
VIDEO: “The City” – Mack E
“I’m a hippie that just happens to have a whole heart,” raps Mack E in “The City”. Indeed. The underground L.A.C.O.S.A. collective grows hip-hop like organic root vegetables. Go here to learn more about ‘em.
ALBUM REVIEW: Authentic – LL Cool J
LL Cool J
Authentic
S-BRO Music Group / 429 Records; 2013
Score (Potholes In My Blog scale): 1.5 / 5.0
The winter has officially arrived for LL Cool J’s rap career; even longtime fans should don their parkas for this one. Click here to read my review.
NEW MUSIC: “Vampire” – Avatar Darko & Nacho Picasso (prod. by AraabMuzik)
Avatar Darko and Nacho Picasso are hopping on the most popular teeny-bopper trend of the new decade: Vampire worship. Of course they’re doing it in their own special and menacing sort of way. Did you expect anything else? Vampsterdam is their upcoming collaborative album, and “Vampire” (produced by AraabMuzik — get well soon, brodie) is the second advance release.
NEW MUSIC: “Ghost” – The Flavr Blue
“Ghost” — as in, “get ghost” and “Casper the Friendly” — is the new track from electro-pop/dance crew The Flavr Blue. This trio is taking off, as evidenced by recent successful live outings in and around Town, and this year’s upcoming edition of Bumbershoot where they’ll be performing. Enjoy your Friday and subsequent weekend, fam. Dance your way into summer.
NEW MUSIC: “Chronicles” – Nissim
The musical and spiritual journey of Nissim (fka D. Black) continues with “Chronicles”, the second single from the MC’s mixtape Miracle Music.
VIDEO: “High Expectations” – Jarv Dee
Jackin’ Jarv Dee is preparing to release his next album, Moor Bible: The Book of Jarv “sometime this Fall” as the press gods have decreed. “High Expectations” is the lead single.
VIDEO: “Illectric” – Dave B (dir. by Ralph Madison)
“Illectric” is the third video from Dave B’s exceptional The Coffee EP.
VIDEO: “Thx Gvrdxxn” – Key Nyata
I use the cut ‘n paste shortcuts on Key Nyata’s posts more than any other Town artist. “Thx Gvrdxxn” by RVIDXR KLVN member Nyata. Naked women and V’s residing where A’s should live; these young cats make it disorienting for an old head like me. Watch for Key’s Shadowed Diamond.
VIDEO: “On Deck” – Produktive (feat. Mack E & Diggles)
L.A.C.O.S.A. collective does rappity-rap. From Produktive’s upcoming White Noise due this summer.
NEW MUSIC: “Black Velvet” – Avatar Darko & Nacho Picasso (prod. by Raised Byy Wolves)
Soul mates in calamity, Avatar Darko and Nacho Picasso are preparing to release a collaborative album called Vampsterdam. This seems like a natural pair-up given the rappers’ proclivity toward the dark side. “Black Velvet” is the first single and that’s Raised Byy Wolves wearing the black hoodie in the background. Click here to read 206UP’s recent interview with Av.
REVIEW: Twelve Reasons to Die – Ghostface Killah & Adrian Younge
Ghostface Killah & Adrian Younge
Twelve Reasons to Die
Soul Temple Records / RED Disribution; 2013
Score (Beats Per Minute scale): 79 / 100
Gangster and horror movie pulp explodes all over your face on Twelve Reasons to Die, the new album from Ghostface Killah and producer Adrian Younge. Click here to read my review over at Beats Per Minute.
VIDEO: “Can’t Hold Us” – Macklemore & Ryan Lewis (feat. Ray Dalton)
So this just dropped. Pretty epic from the minds of Ryan Lewis, Jason Koenig and Jon Augustavo (credited as co-directors, though Ryan cites the importance of other parties’ influence in the video write-up). Also Macklemore wrote some raps for it. I hear these guys are pretty popular these days.
[Update: 4.17.13, 2pm PST]
A few more stream of conscious thoughts I had while watching this video:
- “Magical brown people” all over the place. John Coffey, Bagger Vance, et al.
- Macklemore stunting wildly on a “pirate ship” / “Can’t Hold Us”‘s re-appropriation of soul music. Hmm… (Editor’s note: This thought credited to my friend; name withheld.)
- The Space Needle as Mack’s metaphorical penis.
- This some bullshit, fam.
And…
- I know hella white dudes who “planted their flag” on the tops of really tall shit — whether that means proposing to their girlfriends, or just summit-ing a damn mountain because it’s really big. (And yeah, this is a masculine thing not unique to the color of one’s skin, but still…)
- I don’t think there was menace behind any of the stuff in this video, but that doesn’t change the fact that this kind of imagery is pervasive. (And often damaging.)
- Yeah, I’m grinding axes. Deal with it.
NEW MUSIC: “Racist Accident” – Prometheus Brown
Do you trust this face to be a voice of reason when it comes to race relations? Me neither.
[via]
NEW MUSIC: After The Starting Gun – Griff J
Click album cover to purchase at Bandcamp.
Master of multimedia Griff J recently dropped a solo LP called After The Starting Gun. It’s 13 tracks of synth-heavy electro that moves in catchy hip-pop waves. The production credits are impressive (Budo, Brainstorm, P Smoov, Captain Midnite) and Griff’s half-sung, half-rapped lyrics are obviously intensely personal. That said, there’s a emo-heavy vibe that brings the whole thing down for me. Griff’s past work reveals a dude capable of having a fucking crazy good time and that doesn’t really show up here. Maybe on the next album.
