Don't Sleep: Inland Revenue

You know the scenario. You buy an album, knowing full well that it's going to be nice. You listen to it nod your head to most of what can be heard. you put your favourite joints on your Ipod, maybe adding them to a playlist or 2. Then over a (varying) period of time, said album melts into background. Then one day ut of the blue, during a lazy weekday off of work, you find yourself scanning rack after rack of albums looking for something to listen to while you & a bredrin play some ISS Pro with the album of choice as an accompanying soundscape. You stumble across that same album you forgot about all those months ago & give it an airing. As each song comes & passes you wonder how in the hell you let it pass you by in the 1st place. While listening to The IRS debut, The World Is Theirs a few days ago. This exact thought sprung to mind. From the opening orchestral strings sampled (then flipped nicely for the verses) of the opening/title track, I realise that i'd missed a trick big time. Being 5 MC's deep (one of which doubles as producer) means that their is no lack of diversity of vocal delivery from one song to the next. Add to that the fact that this album is strictly real talk. Lyically the album plays out like a day/week/month/year of the trials & tribulations of London life, with all the ups & downs that go with it. Producer ED Strong (geddit) is probably the closest thing the UK has to Yogi (circa Da Dirty 30) only Ed is much better. The core ingredient of great Boom Bap Hip Hop is constant throughout the whole project. Strong snares, ill looped/chopped samples & rich kicks abound as many a neck snapping landscape passes by. Example, the superbly ironic (& my personal fav) Big Day In. A lazy day at home perfectly spun over a great piece of guitar inspired Jazz Hop. Or the moody piano & horns of Pretty Polly, a tale of the woes of being a promiscuous female. I can't believe I slept on such an accomplished album for so long. A lean towards a lighthearted delivery it may be, but it's delivered superbly & don't think for 1 minute that there isn't something to think about either. Ed tentatively says that there may be a mixtape in the offing by the end of the year with the 2nd album in the 1st quarter of '09. I won't be sleeping on these guys again.

p e a c e


The smart thing to do


But until then get a hold of this little piece of freeness.Enjoy!


1) Intro
2) Asaviour - Gully - feat Apatight
3) Asaviour & DJ IQ - Gatheround feat Jehst
4) TI - Swagger Like Us -feat Kanye West, Jay Z & Lil Wanye
5) Asaviour & DJ IQ - Beefy
6) Benga - 26 basslines

7) Skream - Rutten
8) Hal 1200 - Hustle & Hope REMIX - feat Asaviour, Pride, Kyza & TB

9) Teriyaki Boyz - Zock on - feat Pharrell & Busta Rhymes

10) Flying lotus - Roberta Flack (Ahu) - feat. Dolly
11) De Javaanse Jongens - On You
12) Carlos Nino (white label)
13) Daru & Rena - Excuse (Inst)


DJ IQ - The A Loop Theory Mixtape


Lockdown

Check out this mashup of Ye's Auto Tuned weirdness. Ill Vibez have teamed up Mr. Wests vocals with Dizzee & Calvins 'Dance Wiv Me'. What might seem like an odd combo on the surface is actually a nice tune. Enjoy!

Ill Vibes - Rolex Lockdown

Ill Vibes.com


16 Tapes in a DJ's set.........yo ho ho.......


My man just keeps bringin' the heat. Number 16 fot thr good people. Enjoy!

01 Euphonic- One 4 Dilla (Praverb & Nueve Intro)
02 DJ K.O. Feat.Wordsworth, Stricklin & Torae- That Knack
03 Jake One Feat.Elzhi & Royce 5'9- Glow
04 Outerspace- What The Future Holds
05 Dela Feat.Talib Kweli- Long Life
06 Heltah Skeltah Feat. Smif N Wessun- W.M.D.
07 DJ Revolution Feat.Special Teamz- Big Top
08 The Returners Feat.El Da Sensei, Dan Johns, Skyzoo, Don Cerino & King Magnetic- Do You (Remix)
09 Black Milk- Give The Drummer Sum
10 Hustle Simmons Feat.Mars Five- Standing By
11 Trek Life- Mind Right
12 The Smile Rays- Serious Bidness
13 DJ K.O. Feat.OC, Torae & Kaze- 3 In The Chamber
14 DJ Muggs & Planet Asia- Drama
15 DJ Revolution Feat.Blaq Poet & Bumpy Knuckles- Damage
16 El Da Sensei & The Returners Feat.Doujah Raze- Got Fire
17 Johnny Madwreck Feat.The Others & J-Swan- Blow Up The Spot
18 Nieve & Cook- Priceless Few
19 Madlib Feat.Talib Kweli- What It Do
20 Dela Feat.Surreal & J-Live- The City
21 Tunji- Still Risin
22 Nueve- Outro

Nueve - Hip Hop 16


Eyes Wide Open


How's this for a concept. My Man Fyba Optik is a real skilled beatsmith who is putting together an open mic mixtape. He wants to get MCs & singers together for 'Open Wide - The Open Mic Mixtape Project'. I for one think that this is a superb idea that the good people need to get behind. So be you a singer. MC or poet for that matter, hit Fyba up on his myspace & get involved.

Fyba Optik's Myspace


Definitive Action

This is a superb piece of freeness. K. Sparks more than holds his own. Pajozo flips some superb samples & showcases some seriously major beat skills. Get this now & show 'em some love.

K. Sparks & Pajozo - The Definition

Pajozo's Myspace

K. Sparks Myspace


12 x 12 x 1000 =

Mobb Deep, from The Infamous, through Hell On Earth, via Prodigy's HNIC (the 1st one) to Murda Muzik, were arguably at the top of the East Coast tree. Havocs Distinctive sharp moody beats & Prodigy's deeply introspective & sometime self degrading rhymes in that period are classics of their time. One listen to 4 tracks i've put up from 144,00 & the Mobb Deep reference will be obvious. Melanin9 (& his crew as whole) carry all that was/is great about Hav & P from that period & in my opinion take things to a new level. But that being said, the key to the greatness of this album (& M9's 1st release High Fidelity) is the unmisatable 90's moody Boom Bap spine throughout. I know I always go on about this era of Hip Hop & how great it was back then, but the fact is they were & this album will go a long way to helping you to understand why. The Ultra moody (& in parts just plain angry) backdrops provided by Chemo, Beat Butcha & Jon Phonics pure greatness. Were born across the pond they would be insanely busy right now. Ably supported Cyrus Malachi, Jehst, Bronze Nazareth, Blasphemy, Nasheron & others, M subject matter is ideally suited to the sound he's riding. The UK struggle both at home & on the streets, the state of our society, love & the powers that be are all dissected with a brooding anger, that never fully reveals itself. Lines like 'I'm from Crackney, where the Black kids live off latchkeys, & harbour dreams to stack G's', only half graduate from the street academies...' immediately set a tone of what's to come. Ain't no glorification to be found here. Sometimes getting a bit too worldly can take away from what you're trying to say. Thankfully M9 doesn't disappoint as he brings you into his world & doesn't lose out by trying to be all things to all people. Break ya neck to the beats then rewind & listen to what's being said. More of the same please.

p e a c e


Ain't no Dub-steppin'


You should know by now just how nice a beatsmith Illmind is (If he's still sighned somebody tell 50 Cent). Well DJ Dubs has just dropped this gem of a tape featuring some of Ill's best, past, present & future. Peep this track list, then click the pic (Or Here). And be on the look out for Dub's next project out next month. It's gonna be a banger.

01.) Get Ya Ass Up! (Intro)
02.)
Heltah Skeltah - Everything Is Heltah Skeltah

03.)
Brooklyn Academy - Raise Ya Hands (feat. Jean Grae)

04.)
Fresh Daily - Get Over

05.)
D. Black - The Come Up (feat. Skyzoo)

06.)
50 Cent - Make A Movie
07.) Supastition - Thankful (feat. Kil Ripkin)
08.) Naturel - The Bullets
09.) K.O. (K-Otix) - 48 Seasons

10.)
Torae - New Blood (feat. Skyzoo, Emilio Rojas & Fresh Daily)

11.)
Fortilive - The Come Up

12.)
Broken English - Different World
13.) Skyzoo - Lyrically Inclined (feat. Wale)

14.)
Naps N Dreds - Do What I Should (feat. Copywrite)

15.)
Quan - Geez Like Deez (feat. Rapper Big Pooh)

16.)
Naturel - Resurrect
17.) 8th W1 - A Fool's Lullaby

18.)
Faro-Z - Clap Ya Hands
19.) A.P.E.X. - One More Time
20.)
LL Cool J - Queens (feat. Prodigy, 50 Cent, Kool G Rap, & Tony Yayo)

21.) Wannabe? (Outro)


Illustrated by Illustrate

This tune is bloody superb

Bag 'em & Tag 'em

These guys are set to unleash their mixtaps this friday. If it's as good as this taster i'm letting go, it's gonna be very nice indeed. as soon as the tape drops i'll pass it on to the good people. It's funnt that even with the birth of cd's & now downloads, that we still call them mixTAPES?....(tumbleweed...) anyway, Enjoy!

Beautiful sampler


Self explanatory. Click the pic


Alwayz come Tool'd up


My man Toolzy finally came through with his mix. & a nice one it is too. Peep the tracklist be impressed, download & give the man his props.

01 - The ARE & Raphael Saadiq - Love That Chop
02 - Big Pooh - With You (prod. by 9th Wonder)
03 - The Loyalists - Sunday School
04 - People Under The Stairs - The Wiz
05 - Hustle Simmons (Dave Ghetto & Tha S Ence) - Outta Control
06 - Poems - Feels Good (prod. by M-Phazes)
07 - DJ Muggs & Planet Asia - Drama
08 - DJ Revolution - The Big Top (feat. Special Teamz)
09 - Choclair - The Essence
10 - Common Market - Slow Cure
11 - Jake One - Glow (feat. Elzhi & Royce Da 5'9'')
12 - H.I.S.D. - Bring It Back (feat. Kay & J. '8 Months' Lewis)
13 - Big Shug - My Boston (feat. Singapore Kane & Termanology) (prod. by DJ Premier)
14 - Cold Heat - Why You Wanna Do That (feat. Sean Price & Craig G) (prod. by Large Professor)
15 - Edgar Allen Floe - The Dirt (feat. Mal Demolish)
16 - Little Vic - Baby It's Good (prod. by FredNukes)
17 - K-Otix - The Streets (prod. by Vango)
18 - O.C. - Time's Up (M-Phazes Remix)
19 - Ill Bill - Society Is Brainwashed (prod. by DJ Premier)
20 - Busta Rhymes - Packin' Them Things (prod. by Kev Brown)
21 - Illa J - We Here (prod. by J Dilla)
22 - The Foreign Exchange (Phonte & Nicolay) - Daykeeper (feat. Muhsinah)

Be a Gentlemen

Got a myspace friend invite from these guys & i'm always one to listen to before i hit the accept button. I'm glad i did that as pretty much everything the Mighty Gents (Nick Nyce, Jayou & DJ Cali Red) had up on their player was nice. they've also got a blog going (HERE) so be sure to show 'em some love.


Mighty Gents - Wit' Jeans

Mighty Gents Myspace


DJ the Dama-ja

Dama's been my boy for a long while so there was no way i was going to review this album as I would never want to be in a situation where i could be seen to be biased. instead i've dropped a link for a few tracks off of the album (available on iTunes, Amazon, Tune Tribe etc) for the good people to digest.


Dama James - War Stories: England Expects selection


Face it, Brand names sell products

Found this mixtape last week & its been on regular rotation since then. Some real nice original material alongside others that you'll already know. There's a banterish feel to this guys flow that is instantly likeable. Plus with the likes of Ras Kass, Crooked I & Jayou (more on him later) this one is most definately worth more than just a few spins. At least until the album drops in '09.
Enjoy!

NameBrand - Know The Name Mixtape


Atom Bomb

By now Conversations With A Chamelion should have, at some stage, been on regular rotation on many an ipod. Well Pugz is back with his new project. This time he's in cahoots with Ill Legit & producer, Wes Restless. The result is The Gent$, who come forth with Cold, taken from their forthcoming album (14.10.2008).

The Lo End Theory

Has Lo is one seriously talented MC. This guy is making some serious waves on the inernational network, so I didn't need to think twice about this post when Trav over @ WYDU dropped Has' latest project in the mail. His 1st 2 projects are among my recednt personal favs & word has it that he & Small Professor (you should know by now) are gonna be puttting out a full length project together. Until that momentous occasion let the 3 lots of freeness & video tide you over. Enjoy!


Oh How Delightful


It's free & its here. Don't forget to hook up the retail version in november. There will be a few additions to the track listing to make it worth your while. Click the pic (or here) peepz.
Enjoy!


Jimbo & The Jet Set


Ive been waiting for this for a while. For those that don't know Sonny ijm is one gifted MC so click the pic to grab the sampler. For those of us that do know the sampler will have to hold ud down until September 22nd 2008. Enjoy

Sonny Jim's Myspace

Eat Good Records

Pre-Order Trading Standards

The Catchy Scananavian

Adam Tensta starring in Dopeboy. This is one seriously catchy tune. More from Adam as i receice it.

UK, UK, UK, UK, UK, UK, UK, UK, UK, UK

My over at Certified Bangers & Strictly Independent have most definately got my UK hat tipped firmly in there corner for the forseeable. Preety much all my uk needs are being taken care of over there by both of these heads.


Hip Hop festival related freeness 1st of all. The likes of Kasmere, Skreintax, Joel B, Stig Of The Dump & Asaviour all make an appearance so get at that people.

After Kemp Mixtape
---------------------------


The 2nd istallment of freeness comes coutesy of Ozmosis via Mashup at Strictly Independent
This one is most definately top quality freeness.

Ozmosis - Wizard Of Oz Mixtape

Thunder, Thunder, Thunder, Thundercats ........Hooooooooooooooooo

Thunderclaps, Orifice Vulgatron, Ghetto & Shameless
Judgement Day

Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeah!!!


Click the pic enter your email address & sample the niceness


15 Nueve's, sitting on the wall......

and another one (niceness)...

01 Kankick- Get The Fuck Up
02 DJ K.O. Feat. Torae, John Robinson, Talib Kweli & Tiffany Paige- Someday (Remix)
03 Trek Life- Long Time Coming
04 Supastition- New Me
05 Big Shug Feat. Singapore Kane & Termanology- My Boston
06 Shaya- Thinking Gap
07 Jake One Feat. Freeway & Brother Ali- The Truth
08 Prime Meridian Feat. Rashid Hadee & Pugs Atomz- Money
09 Heltah Skeltah- The Art Of Disrespekinazation
10 Large Professor- Hardcore Hip Hop
11 Ill Bill- Society Is Brainwashed
12 DJ Babu Feat. M.O.P- Dearly Departed
13 Reks- Rise
14 Common Market- House
15 The Loyalists- Third Strike
16 Ra The MC- Anything You Like
17 Theory Hazit Feat. Ohmega Watts- Jive Turkey
18 Little Vic- The Exorcist
19 Praverb- The Original
20 A+R (Rashid Hadee & Analogic)- Serenade for the Moment
21 J-Live- The Understanding
22 Skillz- I'm Gon' Make It

Nueve - Hip Hop Vol. 15


Never cross the streams!

What a superb bit of freeness. i found this a while ago over at my man Jazzhop's place & can't believe it's taken so long for me to post this. DJ Deckstream should a name that's well known to you peeps by now. for those that don't this is a bloddy superb comp of remixes by the man himself. Nas, Kool G Rap, Das Efx, Mobb Deep, Camp Lo, The Beatnuts & more are all given a once over with superb results. i've also dropped a few tracks from his album, Deckstream Soundtracks. Enjoy!


DJ Deckstream - Sweet 90's Blues Remix
DJ Deckstream - Deckstream Soundtracks selection



Ra Primo!!!


Just got this in the mail. Hell yeah Prim!. What is it about the greatness that is a Primo beat & MC's steppin' their game up. This of course is not a slight on RA's skills at all as she can more than hold her own (peep the freeness column). But heads always seem to step their game up for DJ Premier.

Click the pic (or here) & enjoy


Next on the menu...

My man Kev shot an email out to his fellow blogging brethrin to let us know about Tudakay's Dollar Menu. Top quality freeness abound people featuring Wordsworth & Edyai amongst others. Definately get a hold of this one. Apparently the 2nd installment is on it's way soon too. Check Kevs interview with the man himself & don't forget to thank the artist for the freeness people.



Not quite left it all behind


01. Daykeeper
02. Take Off The Blues
03. All Or Nothing/Coming Home To You
04. I Wanna Know
05. House Of Cards
06. Sweeter Than You
07. Valediction
08. If She Breaks Your Heart
09. If This Is Love
10. Something To Behold
11. Leave It All Behind

Digital release date: 7th October 2008

Double CD (album/instrumental) release date: 14th October 2008
(i'm getting me one of these)

Limited Edition (1000 only) vinyl release with 2 bonus remixes release date: TBA
(i'm getting me one of these too)


FE Trailer 3

Click the pic for part 3 peepz


Spirits At Large


Let me just say that i'm putting this up having skated through it without getting too deep. The simple reason is those 5 words in the bottom left corner. Crazyups at When They Reminisce (where i found the link) captured my thoughts perfectly when he said 'Why didn't Large Pro keep some of the beats for his own s$%t!'. Like i said i skated through it but the cover should tell you where the rhymr concept is going. But man Large Pro missed a trick with most of the beats on here. & it's freeness too, Enjoy!


Love Equals Omnipotence - Spiritual Intelligence


Mydus Touches back

Got an email from my man Mydus. He is somewhat belatedly (which he readily admits), putting together an AG remix album. As soon as its available i'll get it up here. So to tyde us over until then, Mydus has put his own version of Jay's Blue Magic over the vid. Enjoy!

Mydus' Blue Magic

Mydus Myspace

...& Keep Mixin'...

The next 3 volumes

01 Damu- Colorful Storms
02 CL Smooth- I Can't Help It (Shin-Ski Remix)

03 St. Da Squad- Its The St.

04 Fat Ray & Black Milk- Ugly

05 The Roots Feat. Mos Def, Dice Raw & Styles P- Rising Down

06 Fat Joe Feat. KRS-One- My Conscience

07 Cormega Feat. Dwele- Sleep Well

08 Skyzoo- The Necessary Evils

09 Talib Kweli Feat. Joell Ortiz & Blu- Hostile Gospel (Remix)

10 Tanya Morgan Feat. Naledge- You Should Know

11 EMC- Say Now

12 Skyzoo & Black Milk- Hold Tight (Remix)

13 9th Wonder & Buckshot Feat. Talib Kweli- Hold It Down

14 Kay, Donwill & Jawwaad- Winter In America

15 Drake Feat. Kardinal Offishall- The Last Hope

16 Silent Knight Feat. Sean P- Speakin My Mind (Remix)

17 Tanya Morgan Feat. Kay- Four Men

18 Skillz Feat. Common- So Far, So Good

19 Nefew Feat. Torae- I Don't Care

20 Braille Feat. Rob Swift- Remember Your Path

21 Black Spade- Enjoy The Experience

Nueve - Hip Hop Vol.7

---------------------

01 Welcome- Muneshine
02 Talib Kweli & Busta Rhymes- Follow The Leader
03 Trek Life & Oddisee- Hold Me Down (Remix)
04 Giant Panda- Speakers Pop
05 Finale- Run It Back
06 8thw1- Heartbeat
07 A&R (Analogic & Rashid Hadee)- Timeless
08 The Roots Feat. Wale & Chrisette Michele- Rising Up
09 Tanya Morgan Feat. Supastition & Torae- Shake It Off
10 King Reign Feat. Pharoah Monch- One More Time
11 C.R.A.C. Knuckles- Pop Dem Boyz
12 Sene- Lovely....So Lovely
13 Focus Feat. Big Pooh- I Rock It
14 Apani B- Top Of The Block
15 Silent Knight- Forgotten Boro (Remix)
16 Foul Mouth Jerk & Masta Ace- Small Town USA
17 Busta Rhymes- Don't Touch Me
18 Kooley High Feat. Lazarus & Edgar Allen Floe- Water
19 A&R (Analogic & Rashid Hadee)- Don't Wanna Be Right
20 La Coka Nostra- Thats Coke
21 Emilio Rojas & Torae- Heard It All Before
22 Praverb- Everything Is Broken

Nueve - Hip Hop Vol. 8

--------------------------

01 Pete Rock- Questions
02 EMC- Who We Be
03 Buckshot & 9th Wonder- Ready (Brand New Day)
04 Nas- War Is Necessary
05 Skyzoo- Ghetto America (Remix)
06 Big Pooh & Young RJ Feat. O-Dash & Frank-N-Dank- Money
07 Mobb Deep- Dirty New Yorker
08 The Roots Feat. Malik B & Talib Kweli- Lost Desire
09 Pharoahe Monch- Broken Heart
10 J-Live Feat. Posdnous & Oddisee- The Upgrade
11 Pete Rock Feat. Slum Village- Gangsta Boogie
12 Rashid Hadee- Feels Good Cant Stop
13 Elzhi Feat. T3- Save Ya
14 Big Pooh- What We Are
15 Pacewon- Hip Hop
16 Silent Knight- Passage Way (Remix)
17 Skyzoo & Wale- Lyrically Inclined
18 The Roots Feat. Common- The Show
19 Rashid Hadee Feat. Pugs Atomz- Oxygen
20 CL Smooth Feat. Skyzoo- Perfect Timing
21 Big Pooh- Smile

Nueve - Hip Hop Vol. 9