Red Bull Music Academy Radio’s Fireside Chat gets open. In an hour long discussion, rapper-producer Ka talks about his history in the game, stopping, starting, getting frustrated thinking that he wasn’t nice enough with the pen. It’s super fascinating to hear about what inspired him to rap, working with Natural Elements, hooking up with GZA and his version of Brownsville growing up verses the gentrified version that it is today. Definitely a big fan of this brother. If you haven’t …
Author: Tracy Jones
It’s looking like producer-emcee and DITC member Diamond D is back with that boom bap progressive classic sound. “Rap Life” features Pharoahe Monch getting pornographic, D on the boards and vocals on the hook. According to 2DBZ, he’s dropping The Diam Piece, a compilation album featuring Pete Rock, Talib Kweli, Skyzoo, Rapsody, Hi-Tek, Alchemist, Black Rob, Kurupt, Ras Kass, Scram Jones, Camp Lo, Tha Alkaholiks, Smif-N-Wessun, AG, Nottz and more. The video was directed by Deacon The Villain of CunninLynguists. …
De La Soul finally dropped their free mixtape, Smell The D.A.I.S.Y. (Da Inner Soul of Yancy). Jay Dee’s real name is James Yancy. The beats were taken from his old demo tapes. With the blessing of Dilla’s moms, Maureen “Ma Dukes” Yancey, De La took the demos and reworked some of their classic material over the instrumentals. Their tape serves as an ode to Dilla and a reminder of his prolific production. It also serves as promotion for Ma Dukes’ J Dilla …
They on some electric-Jazz-funked-up soul tip. Black Jazz Records’ collection of artists and music totally makes sense. They were from The Bay Area, a place rich in untold Jazz history and LSD awakenings. According to LA Weekly, the 70’s record label’s master tapes were for sale on Craig’s list until Snow Dog Records scooped them and reassured their preservation. Calling it “Black Jazz Radio,” music connoisseur Gilles Peterson delivers a “rare groove” mix comprised of some of his favorite jams …
Elusive poet and traveling man Jay Electronica has been surfing the sound waves lately. Besides Jay getting spotted roaming around SXSW, yesterday the song “We Made It” featuring his Roc Nation label boss Jay Z started floating around, but not before “Better In Tune With the Infinite” featuring LaTonya Givens popped up a week earlier. The thing that’s always guaranteed when listening to a Jay Electricity track is the brother’s uncanny ability to spit bars that almost sound like he’s casting …
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