Some Seattle rappers just sound bigger than our humble town. Fatal Lucciauno is one of ’em. Click below to download “Diamonds”.
Photo jacked from Fatal's Myspace page.
Insert coffee to begin.
DOWNLOAD: “The Calling” (Logics f/Freeway & Element)
On the heels of the Jake One/Freeway Rhymesayers collabo (Stimulus Package), comes hungry-as-a-bear rhyme animal, Logics. The man also known as Young Ghangas goes in with Free and Element on “The Calling”. Click below to download.
“The Whole is Greater Than…”
“…the sum of its parts” is certainly an adage applicable to the best hip-hop groups. Still, Sabzi and Geo (aka. Prometheus Brown) are pretty f*cking great when they’re doing their own thing, too.
Pro Brown drops some of his solo guest shots on this post from his personal blog, Prometheus Brown — with commentary (love that!).
Photo jacked from the blog, "Prometheus Brown".
DOWNLOAD: “Special” (D. Black & Fatal Lucciauno)
From D. Black and B. Brown’s forthcoming collabo, Black and Brown EP, comes this conscious slow-burner, “Special” (featuring fellow Sportn’ Lifer Fatal Lucciauno). Black is always at his best on these mid-tempo tracks. Sounds like he’s marching toward the light again…
Seatown Freezer
On 2.16.10 at the Highline Ballroom in Manhattan, Freeway and Jake One are having their (New York) Stimulus Package album release party. Sometimes living in NY has its benefits — okay, living in NY always has its benefits, but it’s especially great when a collabo like this goes down.
Free, for all his talent and quality discography, always seems just this shy of blowing. I think he’s been underrated his entire career. He’s the quintessential mainstream backpack rapper. I dig his sh*t, and always have.
And what can you say about local boy Jake One other than he’s the most well-known unknown producer in the game, and (I contend) one of the most versatile producers working today.
If you’re in NY on Feb. 16 hit up the Highline. I’ll definitely be there.
(The album packaging is f*ckin’ filthy, don’t you think?)
On Haiti
For those of us far-removed from Haiti, be it because of simply geographic location or because we have no personal relationships with Haitian folks or others who were in the country when the earthquake struck, we face a very different challenge at this time: the temptation to turn our backs on the crisis.
As the immediateness of the tragedy fades, and we turn on our computers and televisions every day, there is the temptation to pull away from the images. Through the dulling filter of news media and Twitter feeds we can allow the pain and suffering to become as real, or as make-believe, as we want. From the comfort of our living rooms we can choose to not pay attention. It’s uncomfortable to watch, and so easy to turn away.
It’s unnerving when disasters like this happen and those of us in a position of being unaffected are allowed that luxury. Everyone is guilty of simply ignoring humanitarian crises in communities far-removed from our own. We all do it every day — and not just with Haiti.
This is especially not the time to succumb to the temptation of turning away. Those of us fortunate enough to have not been personally affected by the earthquake (which probably constitutes the majority of this country’s citizens) have a different kind of personal responsibility during this crisis. The responsibilities of paying attention, supporting those who are affected, and then helping in some way, any way, possible. To do otherwise would be to fail ourselves and our fellow man.
Read the stories in the paper, look at the pictures, watch the videos online. Spend time recognizing how delicate and precious life is by acknowledging the recent event on a daily basis, and then pray for the strength and resiliency of those who experienced the earthquake, survived it, and are left to pick up the pieces.
Comfort our brothers, Sol and Khingz, and all of the other Haitian folks in the Seattle hip-hip community by supporting them and their families and then making a tangible difference through responsible contributions to the relief effort. Hopefully you’ve already done that. If not, start by attending this benefit show on February 4th at Neumos.
(For more about Sol’s involvement, read this article from The Daily UW.)
UPDATE (1.28.10, 9:45 pm): A clip of Sol and Khingz in the studio recording a song dedicated to the recent events in their home country.
DOWNLOAD: “Stay at Home Dad” (Macklemore)
Best ode to stay at home dads since Michael Keaton’s Mr. Mom.
VIDEO: “Salud” (Wizdom)
Or, “On Leaving Fake Rappers Behind.”
VIDEO: “Freakshow” (Canary Sing)
And the moral of the story is: When in music video doubt, just run that sh*t backwards.
(And now, on the count of three, every dude in Seattle fall in love with the ladies of Canary Sing…one…two…THREE!!)
(One more thing: How nice is it to see two more ladies doing their thing in The Six? Put these women on!)
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