Last year, Nas celebrated the anniversay of his landmark hip-hop album, "Illmatic," with the acclaimed documentary, "Time Is Illmatic". Now you can stream the film for free on BBC Channel 4, plus, download an exceptional Solid Steel Radio Show Nas Tribute Mix!
Listen and Download DJ Moneyshot's "Nas Solid Steel Radio Show Tribute Mix":
Special Thanks to : Epic InkTattoos of Springfield - Stones Throw, Oregon, Bill Maher, Ketih Olbermann, Skate Or Die Mentality, People who wait outside Apple Stores waiting for the new iPhone to come out, Roger Goodell, Listening to phone calls on speaker phone, Bambu, G - Shock watches, Voyages in Mexico, Sunsets and Lebron James' receding hairline.
We've been championing the sounds of UK duo, Snakehips, for some time and FINALLY they're coming to America! To celebrate, the boys have just dropped a new Hypetrak mix for free download, appropriately titled, "Coming to America", and it's packed with all the genre-mashing sounds we've come to love about the group. Sit back and take it all in...these guys are set to be massive in 2015!
Listen and download Snakehips' "Coming to America" Mix for Hypetrak:
Tracklist:
HYPETRAK Mix: Snakehips - Coming To America (Tracklist)
Raury - Cigarette Song (Snakehips Remix) Karma Kid - Saffron Goldlink - Bedtime Story Wasted Nights - Hold Tight Maxwell - Ascension (aywy & Sh?m Edit) Pomo - Start Again Elaquent - Breakofdawn Lloyd - Get It Shawty (LAKIM's Back It Up Bootleg) Ginuwine - Pony (heRobust Remix) Schoolboy Q - Collard Greens (Jeftuz Remix) Nina Sky - Stoners Cosmo's Midnight - The Dofflin (Wave Racer Remix) Alizzz x Gucci Mane (Masuka Blend) Snakehips - After I Met U Slum Village - What It's All About Daz Dillinger - What's Your Pleasure (ft. Snoop Dogg) Tupac - I Get Around Goldlink - Sober Thoughts Falcons - Cell Aaliyah - Try Again Dinosaurus Rex - Hubert Eaves III Xzibit - What A Mess Snakehips - Days With You (Edit) Lion Babe - Treat Me Like Fire (Snakehips Remix)
Special Thanks: Snakehips and Hypetrak for this ill mix, HBO's Hard Knocks, Bombay curry kale chips and MF Doom.
With Stone Throw Records' captivating documentary, "Our Vinyl Weighs A Ton" hitting Blu-Ray/DVD, they have released some special "bonus" footage from the film - including an interview with Kanye West, where the enigmatic superstar talks about the legacy of J Dilla and working with Madlib.
Watch the "Our Vinyl Weighs a Ton" Bonus Footage Below:
Special Thanks: Stones Throw Records, Peanut Butter Wolf, J Dilla, Madlib, Kanye West, MF Doom, A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, Jungle Brothers, Pete Rock and all those who still believe in the power of real hip-hop
The weekend is here and we've gone some fresh music for you to add to your playlists! First up is this sick mix from Australia producer, Ta-Ku, entitled, "Drive Slow Homie (Part II)." Following on the heels of the successful first installment, this one has plenty of boom-bap and hip-hop flavored beats that will makes for the perfect cruising soundtrack!
Listen and download Ta-Ku's "Drive Slow Homie (Part II)" Mix Via SoundCloud Below:
TRACKLIST
Stwo - Syrup
Jeftuz - Girl
Trian Kayhuta - Alright
Tajan & fwdslxsh - Beautiful
Drake - From Time (Full Crate Remix) [Unreleased]
TNV x Rami B - Old School Covertible [Unreleased]
Professa - Goodnight Bump
Evil Needle - Light Ray
Mr Carmack - ifoundsomething [Unreleased]
Atu - YF Ella Remix [Unreleased]
Dpat - Untitled [Unreleased]
Rook Milo - Cobalt Polo [Unreleased]
Penthouse Penthouse - Private Jet [Unreleased]
RLP - DRP_DAT [Unreleased]
Sivey - Waterbed Slow-mo [Unreleased]
Ghost Town DJ's - My Boo (Wave Racer Remix)
Ta-ku - Electr(on)ic Relaxation (Benzi x Espinosa EDIT) [Unreleased]
Lord Shrimpy - Remedy
Masuka - Whatadime
HOWLS (Ta-ku & KitPop) x B.Lewis - Go [Unreleased]
Special Thanks: Ta-Ku, Flume and the Australian beats scene that is so on point right now
How did I never see this? After dropping some seriously ill karaoke stylings this past weekend to Jay-Z & Kanye West's now classic, "Ni**as In Paris" off their acclaimed collaboration album, "Watch the Throne," I decided to see if there was ever an official music video. Well there was (66 million views and counting) and it was filmed when the duo performed the track in Paris....now get ready to trip out!
Special Thanks: Jay-Z, Kanye West, Flume and hip-hop Mondays
Well this fresh Madlib-produced jam just came across our ears and what a line-up on it! Med & Blu team up with Mayer Hawthorne and Dam-Funk to tear up an extra soulful Madlib beat - marking the very first time all of these cats have been on the same track together!
I had the chance to interview one of the most influential and important DJ's and producers of the last 10 years, DJ Spinna, and when I asked him to tell me who in the Hip hop world has a ridiculous record collection, amongst people like Q Tip and Pete Rock,
one of his answers was Kenny Dope.
Kenny Dope is one of those guys who has been around since the good old days.
Understanding and studying where the beats behind classic Hip Hop tracks
came from is one of Dope's fortes. Jazz develops into Rock, Rock branches into Funk and Soul, Soul morphs into Disco, Disco to Hip Hop and House and Kenny Dope was there for it all.
This mix is one of those gems that takes you back to the good old days and helps you understand where a lot of those classic Hip Hop tracks came from. An upbeat style jam that features emcee's, scratching, beat juggling and overall a great selection from Kenny Dope's huge record collection.
Enjoy.
Special Thanks to : Fantasy Football, Elephant Polo, United States Soccer Team still sucks.
We were thrilled when the seminal Los Angeles hip hop label, Stones Throw Records, started a Kickstarter campaign to help fund their first documentary and now, "Our Vinyl Weighs A Ton" will finally see the light of day with some select screenings at places like Cinefamily in Los Angeles.
To celebrate, KCRW DJ, Anthony Valadez, has lovingly put together an exclusive Stones Throw inspired mix for you to download and don't miss screening "Our Vinyl Weighs A Ton" when it comes to your town or on Blu-Ray/DVD soon!
Playlist | Stonesthrow X Vala
Vex Ruffin - Secret Weapon Peanut Butter Wolf and Planet Asia - I Your Area Jonwayne - Gumbo Baby Homeboy Sandman - Not Really Stark Reality - Comrades and Dreams (PB Wolf Mix) Charizma and PB Wolf - My World Premier (12' Version) J Rocc - Stay Fresh The Lions - Picture On The Wall (Feat. Leroy Sibbies) Quasimoto - Low Class Conspiracy Myron & E - If I Gave You My Love J Dilla - Light Works Koushik - Be With Karriem Riggins - Tom Toms Anika - Yang Yang Madlib - Disco Dance Dam-Funk & Steve Arrington - Crazy In Here Jonti - Flesh Of Morning James Pants - We're Through The Stepkids - Sweet Salvation Breakestra - Cramp Your Style Mayer Hawthorne - Green Eyed Love (Classixx Remix) Gary Wilson - She Makes Me Think Of Endicott Aloe Blacc - Arrive Guilty Simpson - Run (Feat. Sean P and Black Milk) MED - Classic (Feat. Talib Kweli) Madvillain - America's Most Blunted
Special Thanks: Stones Throw Records for continuing to put out some of the most progressive hip-hop music on the planet, Peanut Butter Wolf for making it happen, KCRW, Kickstater and all those fellow fans who keep supporting underground music!
We're always in favor of a good mixtape, especially when its as fun as Nappy DJ Needles' new "A Tribe Called Kast," which pairs classic rhymes from Outkast over crisp beats from A Tribe Called Quest's back catalog. Much like last year's GummySoul Pharcyde Meets A Tribe Called Quest mixtape, this takes two of the game's most prominent players and successfully makes something new out of stone-cold classics.
Listen and Download "A Tribe Called Kast" right HERE
Special Thanks: Nappy DJ Needles for making this, Outkast and A Tribe Called Quest for being two of the great hip hop groups of all-time and cereal.
Spike Jonze virtually owned the music video industry throughout the 1990's
and has continued on into 2013 to produce and direct some of the foremost examples
of top notch American film and music video making.
Just to blow your minds before we discuss The Pharcyde "Drop" video,
here are my 5 "Random Instant Classics" Spike Jonze videos of all time :
Take a moment to watch them all... you'll thank me later.
You're Welcome.
Dinosaur JR - I Feel The Pain
Lakai Fully Flared Intro
M83 - Lower Your Eyelids to Die With the Sun
Kanye West - Flashing Lights
Beastie Boys - Don't Play No Games Ft. SantiGold
Notorious B.I.G. - Sky's The Limit Ft. 112
When it came time for Spike Jonze to work with The Pharcyde, he decided to use a new
technique that he had experimented with the video for "Sure Shot" by the Beastie Boys.
Spike Jonze directed the Beastie Boys to slow down their delivery with their mouths and bodies
so that when Jonze put it into slow mo, the lyrics would match with their mouth movement.
Beastie Boys - Sure Shot
Why the hell is the thumbnail for this video a photo of Chloe Sevigny?
KIDS represent.
Spike Jonze's new technique for shooting the "Drop" video was to have the guys do the entire video shoot backwards. Oh and did I mention that they were going to do each scene in one take?
Hailed as one of the classics of 90's Hip Hop,
The Pharcyde released "Drop" as their follow up to their hit song "Runnin" which featured
a switched lifestyle in which the Pharcyde were rich slave owners of white slaves serving
them at their parties. It's a classic joint, but let's get back to the program.
"Drop" and "Runnin" is produced by the late Jay Dee who also produced
numerous other tracks on the album "Labcabincalifornia" seen below.
Spike Jonze challenged the members of The Pharcyde to learn and create a completely different language and act the entire shoot backwards. Little did he know that The Pharcyde were more
than up for the challenge and went beyond even their language teacher's expectations.
Still from video
Still from video
Upperhands presents : "Drop" by The Pharcyde and Spike Jonze
See if you can spot Ad Rock and Mike D rollin down Broadway.
Upperhands presents : "Drop" by The Pharcyde and Spike Jonze
The Making of Documentary
Special Thanks to : Spike Jonze, Nerdy white guys who like skateboarding, Audible Ale, Charlie Hustle, PED's, being a Yankee twice in a decade ... no, not Ricky Henderson ... no, not Andy Pettite ... Alphonso Soriano, Yankees geriatrics squad, Simoneau frothing at the mouth over the 49ers in 2013-14, The Pharcyde, Wishing the Pharcyde stayed together and killed it for 10 more years.
After emerging from another stellar Lightning in a Bottle Festival from The Do LaB over the weekend, we came across this great NPR piece on J Dilla's recently discovered lost record collection and productions during the ride home. The story of how it all shook down is pretty mindblowing...so get listening!
Special Thanks: J Dilla, Jeff Bubeck, The Do LaB, Lightning in a Bottle 2013 and all the beautiful freaks we call family
Starting the first week of July on that Daft Punk tip....today's free download find comes from one of our favorite underground producers in the hip-hop game, Exile. While we could do without the needless MC Choosey over the early part of the track....once he steps off and allows Exile room to work his MPC magic, this remix really takes off.
Watch Exile unleash MPC mayhem on Daft Punk's "Doing It Right":
Then Grab that Free Download:
Special Thanks: Exile, Daft Punk, FACT Magazine and to all those that are "Doing it Right"
If this smooth new jam from our latest musical discovery, Snakehips doesn't put a smile on your face, you're taking yourself way to seriously! Proper sunny vibes and we're feeling the smooth vocals, hip-hop flavored beats and a dope video!
Check out Snakehips' "On & On" Below:
Special Thanks: Snakehips, Summer Sounds, Fort Knox Five Vs Thunderball, smoked gouda cheese and beach living
Special Thanks to: Freddy Finger "Luminous" album, Freddy Finger "Recline" album, underground beat makers that I unearth from the doldrums of the hip hop world, diamonds in the rough.
Last week we celebrated the late J Dilla's birthday with some special free downloads from Shigeto. But we overlooked this masterfully put together "All Dilla Mix" from UK producer, Kutmah! Digging deep into Dilla's vast production archive, he emerges with a mix that will entice newcomers and impress even the biggest Dilla aficionado.
Download the mix below and feast your eyes on that tracklist:
1. *the Pharcyde – Bullshit (Labcabincalifornia)
2. We Come Too Far (Unreleased – Last Batch) 3. Don’t Say Word (Unreleased) 4. Dedication (Jon Wayne Bootleg – Unreleased) 5. the Skip Inst (Unreleased- Vintage Unreleased) 6. Shish Shish (Unreleased – Hiccuped Classix) 7. Dynas Instro 8. You and Your Smile (Unreleased – Another Batch) 9. *busta Rhymes – Spark on It (Inst) (Unreleased – Hiccuped Classix 7) 10. *slum Village – How We Bullshit (Fan-tas-tic Vol.1) 11. Hard Days Night (Hiccuped Classix) 12. Brazil Shit’ (Unreleased) 13. Hey Kids (Unreleased) 14. Can’t You Seeee (Unreleased) 15. St Down – (Front Street Instro) (A Day Wit the Homiez) 16. *slum Village – Untitled/Fantastic (Fantastic Vol.2) 17. *slum Village – Fan-tas-tic (Fantastic Vol.2) 18. *slum Village – Fan-tas-tic Vol.1 19. *slum Village – Look of Love- Fan-tas-tic Vol.1 20. *a Tribe Called Quest-”find a Way (Jay Dee Remix) 21. *j-88 – Things You Do (Madlib Remix) 22. Little Indian – (One Little Indian) (Jay Dee Remix) 23. Still Shining (Raow Raow!) (1996 What Up De Sessions) 24. Go It Up (Unreleased – 1996 What Up Doe Sessions) 25. Miroslav Vitous (Unreleased – 2002 Jaylib Beats Vol 4) 26. *roy Ayers – Love from the Sun 27. *slum Village – World Full of Sadness 28. Fly Girl (Unreleased – No Knows Dope) 29. Every Time (Unreleased -new Incense) 30. *bahamadia – One 4 Teen (Inst.) 31. *bahamadia – One 4 Teen (Feat. Slum Village) 32. *bahamadia – Funky 4 U (Jay Dee Remix) 33. Misdemeanor – (Unreleased – Jaylib Beats Vol. 4)
All tracks by J Dilla aka Jay Dee unless stated [*]
Special Thanks: The legendary J Dilla, Kutmah, Silver Linings Playbook, XLR8R, Kruder & Dorfmeister, Tosca and Argo
February 7th marks the birthday of the late, iconic hip-hop producer, J Dilla. Every year since his passing there's always been an outpouring of love and support from fellow music producers whose work Dilla inspired. Ghostly International artist, Shigeto, has paid the ultimate respect by putting up a free download package on his SoundCloud entitled, "Beats 4 Dilla." The producer/drummer displays some serious diversity throughout each cut, just like the genre-hopping Dilla would do.
Grab these fresh free downloads and then be sure to break out some old Slum Village, A Tribe Called Quest, Frank & Dank & JayLib to bask in the greatness that is J Dilla!
Special Thanks: J Dilla for changing the game, Shigeto, Ghostly International, Psychemagik at The Lift, Spectrasoul's deep drum & bass, the word "scoofy" and peanut butter filled pretzels
