Producer: Illmind

Illmind (!llmind) is a Filipino-American hip hop producer from Bloomfield, New Jersey. He's been producing for artists like Hezekiah, Ghostface, Little Brother, Kenn Starr, Fresh Daily, Strange Fruit Project, Boot Camp Clik, Akrobatik, Sean Price, Supastition and El Da Sensei. In 2005, he collaborated with producer Symbolyc One, releasing an album entitled The Art of One Mind on the BBE label. The Dallas based duo created an underground buzz. Illmind released 4 mixtape projects featuring some of the artists he produced for throughout 2008-2009 entitled Blaps, Rhymes & Life.

October 5th 2010 Brooklyn rapper Skyzoo and Illmind are set to collab for a new album, 'Live From The Tape Deck', dropping via Duck Down Music. The first single 'Frisbees' is a heavy joint and you find it below accompanied by some other nice beats from Illmind.



Skyzoo & Illmind - Frisbees


Fresh Daily - Wildlife (prod. Illmind)


Kenn Starr - Against The Grain (prod. Illmind)

Tweet

Dilla documentary part 1-3

Here's a three part Dilla documentary produced by Stussy put out by Stones Throw interviewing some of the people he worked with. Especially interesting to learn that Donuts originally was only 20-minutes long and had to be edited/prolonged for the listener to be able to catch on to all the wizardry going on. Enjoy!

Part 1: Getting started
Part 2: Moving to L.A.

Part 3: Dilla at work: "Move the vocal back three baby hairs"

Tweet

Aloe Blacc - Good Things

As we mentioned before, Orange County, Cali native Aloe Blacc will be releasing his new LP 'Good Things' this fall. We felt it was time for a full post about the album. Because this is some really soulful stuff! From what we heard this is easily one of better soul releases in a long time! It's due out September 28th 2010 via Stones Throw.

In the clip below, Aloe Blacc & The Grand Scheme give us a live in-studio performance of one of the tracks off the album, 'Loving You Is Killing Me', as well as the second single 'Femme Fatale' where Aloe Blacc & Truth+Soul (Leon Michels & Jeff Silverman) production duo take on the Velvet Underground classic.



Aloe Blacc - Femme Fatale



Tracklist:

01. I Need A Dollar
02. Green Lights
03. Hey Brother
04. Miss Fortune
05. Life So Hard
06. Take Me Back
07. Femme Fatale
08. Loving You Is Killing Me
09. Good Things
10. You Make Me Smile
11. If I
12. Mama Hold My Hand
13. Politician (Reprise)

Tweet

Nottz - You Need This Music

Nottz (Dominick Lamb) is a music producer, writer and rapper from Norfolk, Virginia.

Nottz has produced for some of the biggest names in music including Snoop Dogg, Kanye West, Scarface, Busta Rhymes, J Dilla, Bilal and Dwele.

Nottz debut album 'You Need This Music' is currently scheduled for release the 12th of october 2010 on Raw Koncept and showcases Nottz ability as an MC and features guest appearances by Bilal, Black Milk, Mayer Hawthorne and Dwele.

On the first single 'Shine So Brite' Nottz pay tribute to the late J Dilla. We got the video below as well as the b-side 'Cars' where Nottz flips the classic tune 'Funky Worm'.



Nottz - Shine So Brite (128 kbps)



Nottz - Shine So Brite


Nottz - Cars

Tweet

Shawn Jackson - Brand New Old Me

Shawn Jackson is an emcee out of Los Angeles, Cali. In 2005 he released the collaborative project 'New Jack Hustle' with producer Newman of Giant Panda. That album received its fair share of critical acclaim and he followed it up with his first studio LP, 'First of All...' which came out in 2008 and featured artists such as Guilty Simpson, Ty of Ty & Kory, Double K (People Under the Stairs) and Ta'Raach. Shawn Jackson is one of the strongest MCs in the game to date. His rhyme play and well thought out content sets a high standard.

Shawn Jackson’s 2nd album 'Brand New Old Me' dropped yesterday, 27th of July on Tres Records. Shawn gets help from people like Co$$, Thurzday (U-N-I) and Jimi James. On the productional side look out for beatmakers like Cook Classics, Astronote, Tony Ozier, Knxwledge and Beat Maker Beat.



Shawn Jackson - Good Writtens (Introlude)


Shawn Jackson - Izichu feat. Thurzday & Jimi James

Tweet

Rakaa - Crown of Thorns feat. Aloe Blacc

Rakaa of Dilated Peoples dropped the LP 'Crown of Thorns' on July 20th via Decon. We have been listening to it for some time and didn't really feel it, but we had to post this tune. Heavy banger! It was the first leak from the album, the title track featuring the always soulful Aloe Blacc lacing the hook over a hard hitting Sid Roams beat. Get ready, and raise it UP!



Rakaa - Crown of Thorns feat. Aloe Blacc

Tweet

J Dilla - Donut Shop

Serato and Stones Throw teamed up with Pay Jay Productions aka. the J Dilla Estate for the official J Dilla Serato release, 'Donut Shop'. This is 2 discs with six J Dilla tracks, 2 sides with Serato Control Tone (for use with Serato Scratch Live DJ software), and 2 donut slipmats in a package designed by Studio No.1. This was released May 10th 2010 and we been planning to write some about it.

The J Dilla tracks consist of three previously unreleased instrumentals selected by J.Rocc from the Dilla archives – 'Safety Dance', 'Sycamore', 'Bars & Twists' – and three unreleased instrumental versions of Dilla's production for Mos Def, Q-Tip and Busta Rhymes, each remastered by Elysian Masters who mixed and mastered J Dilla's Donuts, The Shining and Ruff Draft albums.



J Dilla - Safety Dance.

(Dilla flipped the track Safety Dance by Men Without Hats. Crazy!)



J Dilla - Move (Instrumental) (Q-Tip joint from 'The Renaissance')

Tweet

Gangrene (Alchemist & Oh No) - Chain Swinging

Sometime long ago we heard about Gangrene, the collaboration between Alchemist and Oh No. Now they're getting ready to release their album 'Gutter Water'. It's dropping on october 12th via Decon Records. Take a listen to the lead single, 'Chain Swinging' below. You can look forward to hearing features from Raekwon, Planet Asia, Fashawn, Evidence, MED, Roc C and Guilty Simpson.



Gangrene - Chain Swinging (Cuts by DJ Romes)


Gangrene - Under Siege


Tracklist;

1. Intro
2. Boss Shit (Cuts by DJ Romes)
3. Not High Enough
4. Gutter Water feat. Raekwon
5. Get Into Some Gangster Shit feat. Planet Asia
6. Take Drugs
7. Chain Swinging (Cuts by DJ Romes)
8. Wassup Wassup feat. Fashawn and Evidence
9. All Bad (Cuts by DJ Romes)
10. Breathing Down Yo Neck feat. MED
11. From Another Orbit feat. Roc C
12. Ransom
13. Standing In The Shadows
14. Brass Knuckle Rap feat. Guilty Simpson
15. Not Leaving feat. Big Twins

Tweet

Def Chronic - EP Vol.1

Def Chronic is a new swedish duo out of Stockholm. Not much info available on them except that vocalist Seinabo Sey and producer Frank Nobel has team up for a eighties inspired electronic soulfunk mashup. Appearantly Fatima (Eglo) of BBC 1xtra fame is Seinabo Sey's half sister and has pushed these guys in the UK. We have some goodies for your listening pleasure below, including a remix from swedish producer Bjarne B. If you want more get the EP!

Def Chronic - Apple Juice

Def Chronic - A Call


Def Chronic - OH! (Bjarne B Remix)

The EP is available for download here. Get it while it's still available!

Def Chronic - EP Vol.1

Tweet

Beathearts rewind # 9: Mtume & friends - Juicy

It's hot like that day in Spike Lee's Do the right thing so we decided to do a summer reminisce special:

Summer of 1983: Return of the Jedi was number 1 at the box office. You know the vibe: little boys messing 'round with the girls playing double-dutch, hop in the waterplug just for old times sake. Then this tune Juicy drops on the radio and I was stunned for 3m50s. Didn't find out until much later that it was James Mtume biggest hit that hit billboard's number 1 spot for 8 straight weeks.

Summer of 1989: We were all queing up to see Batman and Ghostbusters II. Then that tune struck me again. This time it was Teddy Riley who hade picked up his old Mtume record and put out "Juicy fruit" under the Wrecks-n-effect moniker.

Wrecks-n-effect - Juicy

Summer of 1994: We'd just landed in New York for the first time. Turned on the radio and there's that tune again! This was the amazing summer when Biggie and Wu-tang launched their respective debut albums and the tune we heard was of course Biggie's Juicy. One of the greatest storytelling, summer tunes of all times in our book. You all know the track but maybe everyone isn't as familiar with the Pete Rock's remix that was blazed by Funkmaster Flex on Hot*97 that summer. Enjoy it above to the right!

Tweet

Tracks of the moment: Mala, fLako & Siriusmo

Three deep bass driven tracks that really lifts our spirits on the daily commute or when walking home at 3am:

1.Digital Mystikz - Eyez
South London dubstep pioneer Mala's highly anticipated album "Return II space" is finally here. Eyez is our favourite track so far of the album with beautiful harmonies and the signature wobbling bass. Released July 5th on his DMZ label and available as a three piece limited vinyl on Juno.

2.fLako & Berghem - Put chur hand up
We brought you a track from fLako earlier this year. Originally from Chile, fLako now resides in London and has decided to make music for a living. His latest banger "Put chur hand up" is taken off the new Beatniks vol.3 album (get it here).

3.Siriusmo - Mein neues fahrrad (boys noize rework)

Information is scarce about this Berlin based producer. Appearantly fine art painter by day and undercover Berlin dance guru by night he has put out a few remixes and releases on Monkeytown records. A label with a motto that is "Anything Pharell Williams can do, we can do better". At least on this particular track we'd have to agree.

Tweet

Black Milk - Welcome (Gotta Go)

New music from the D! Heavy Dilla-driven beat from Black Milk. Official first single from one of 2010's most anticipated album, 'Album of the Year'. Release on September 14th via Fat Beats/Decon. We love it! Especially the fantastic outros on both tracks!

The other hot gem from Black Milk, 'How Dare You' is not on the album but equally fine! Get up to date with Black Milk with some new free music HERE.



Black Milk - Welcome (Gotta Go)


Black Milk - How Dare You

UPDATE! Tracklist:

01. 365
02. Welcome (Gotta Go)
03. Keep Going
04. Oh Girl feat. AB
05. Deadly Medley feat. Royce Da 5'9'' & Elzhi
06. Distortion feat. Melanie Rutherford
07. Over Again feat. Monica Blaire
08. Round of Applause
09. Black and Brown feat. Danny Brown
10. Warning (Keep Bouncing)
11. Gospel Psychedelic Rock
12. Closed Chapter feat. Mr. Porter

Tweet

Erik L & 7even:Thirty - Rhyme Travelin EP

We got a mail from Erik L some weeks ago. He's back again with the fourth release on his label Soularp Records. This time in collaboration with Jackson, Mississippi-based emcee 7even:Thirty.

Erik L is known for his soulful and funk driven instrumental music, in his work with the groups Favorite Flava and Supersci as well as artists like Frank-n-Dank and Cerebral Vortex to name a few. He plays a mixture of live instruments to attain his characteristic harmonic style.

7even:Thirty, who also is a producer has been working diligently at developing his own sound, a sound he describes as a “futurefunkylectrosoulop soundscape for the ears and mind.” His first LP 'Star: The Seven Thirty Experience' has been cited an album that fans of good hip-hop music can spend some serious time enjoying.

The 'Rhyme Travelin' EP features the Philadelphia emcee/producer Hezekiah on the track Future Flow along with guest appearances by Fulgeance, Paul Mac Innes and Stray.

The EP can be purchased over at Juno or Amazon. It's also up for grabs at Soularp Record's bandcamp. Support good music!

The Future Flow is handed out as a FREE download by the guys! Enjoy!

Tracklist:
1. Time Travelin feat. Paul Mac Innes
2. Future Flow feat. Hezekiah
3. Make Her Dance
4. Galaxy Express (Erik L Remix)
5. Don't Push feat. Stray
6. Future Flow feat. Hezekiah (Fulgeance Remix)



Erik L & 7even:Thirty - Future Flow feat. Hezekiah


Erik L & 7even:Thirty - Time Travelin feat. Paul Mac Innes

Tweet

MED - Classic feat. Talib Kweli (prod. Karriem Riggins)

We just had to post this. Found it over at Stones Throw. New heat from MED aka. Medaphoar, one of our favorite rappers. Talib Kweli is making an appearance, and we really dig the production from Karriem Riggins, so soulful! Great track! From Stones throw: "Possibly from the forthcoming MED album. We'll be announcing more about this project in coming weeks." We like the news! Enjoy the tune, it's fire!



MED - Classic feat. Talib Kweli (prod. Karriem Riggins)

Tweet