SoundNexx

SOUNDNEXX'S ESSENCE OF THE UNDA MIX!
While the mainstream hiphop music scene seems to be at a stale & stagnated state these days, the underground hiphop scene is still makin' moves? Now, I don't want to fool you into believing that all of the artist on the "Unda" are talented, because that's just not true? Some of these indy artists are "stuck" on the underground scene because they are wack, while others choose to remain there! I won't say any names because I don't want to crap on someone's favorite MC or group!! Some would say that the most disturbing part about the underground hiphop scene is the lack of publicity. Unlike major label rap artists who get videos spots, guest appearances on tv shows, major magazine interviews, & posters at your local music store....underground artists usually make their name by word of mouth only? When they come to your town for a concert, it's usually at a small venue on a week night and there is no real promotion for the show. Hell, you might see the artist themselves handing out flyers to promote the event? Are these things bad?? Maybe, but then again that's what makes the underground scene so special! It's that personal connection that you have with your favorite underground artist(s) that's cool...like owning one of the only 1000 copies printed of their first independent album, or actually having a real conversation with them after a live show! Most of them are the type that will shake your hand and thank you personally for supporting them. Now, that's hiphop!!

I got turned onto the underground hiphop scene back in 1995! I still remember it like it was yesterday. I was living in Hawaii at the time, and I found this little underground mixtape music spot in Waikiki called, "Da Hott Shop!" It was ran by this Jamaician dude and he was an obvious fan of hiphop. I used to buy all kinds of mixtapes from him, but they were mostly the known New York DJs like, Ron G and DJ Clue! One day I decided to take a chance on a new DJ by the name of DJ Double KK based out of Conneticut. I didn't know any of the underground artists in his mix, but I figured I'd give it a shot! Needless to say that this mixtape changed my hiphop life forever!! The quality of the mix CD was terrible and the scratching was even worse, but the songs made up for it! The beats were raw and the lyrics were compelling. I bumped this Fisher Price record player quality mix of underground dopeness for months after I got it! Hell, I still have it today....

Double KK's mix opened me up to so much more when it came to hiphop music. I took the names off of his mix tracklist and started doing some research about these artists online! Back then, the internet wasn't the overwhelming galaxy of music knowledge that it is today? I hit a lot of deadends for most of the artists I was looking for, but I did discover some great information about the underground hiphop scene as a whole. I came across other people that were deep into the culture already, so I just starting getting all I could from them. I have been rolling with underground hiphop ever since. It has changed a lot over the years, but there are still some gems amongst the fluff I hear coming out these days?

That brings me to the reason for the "Essence of The Unda Mixx" I am posting today! I have tried exposed a lot of my true peepz to plenty of underground hiphop over the years, and hopefully their music tastes and collections have grown from it? Now, that I have a new audience of folks that come to SoundNexx seeking refuge from some of the mess the mainstream calls, "HIPHOP" these days....I wanted to share this mix with you! NO, you may not like ALL of the songs I put in this mix, and I don't really expect you 2?? If you find one song or artist that you like from this mix...my task successful! I want to do for you, what DJ Double KK did for me? I guess some would say these artists are on the "b-boy backpacker" side of hiphop (whatever that means), but dope is dope, right! Just to pay homage to my man DJ Double KK....I ended my mix with a snippet from Double KK's original mix. It's a track by a group called, Natural Resource on a song titled, "They Lied!" So, when you here that high-pitched rap song with no bass at the end of this mix.... remember, that's from Double KK's fault for the poor sound quality, not mines?? Get your earplugs ready.......

Oh yeah, the photos. The kat above (very top) is my man Von Pea of the group Tanya Morgan based out of New York! He is was the mystery MC featured on the Foreign Exchange project with Phonte of Little Brother. He's featured in my mix, so keep ya ears open. If you don't know what Foreign Exchange is about, or who Little Brother is...you have really been sleepin', so just turnover and go back to bed! The photo below Von is my man Lupe Fiasco from Chitown! He's making waves on the underground right now with his dope track, "Kick Push!" If you haven't heard it yet, you are in luck because I included it in my mix! These are just 2 of the katz I'm really feelin' on the unda right now....

Aiight...take a listen to this mix...even if you swear you don't like hiphop and see what you think? That's goes for you "I only like Young Jeezy, 50, T.I. and UGK" type katz too.

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Get the mixx tracklist here!