PRODUCERS 2 CHECK 4: AFTA-1

As we continue on with this whole exposure to dope producers movement at SoundNexx, my next producer to check for is a brother straight out of No One Really Knows. His name is Afta-1 and I have been aware of his soulful like Kevin Spacey style of production for a minute now, but I don't much about this dude. It's like the more you search about this guy, the less you actually find out? Afta-1 really reminds me of another beatmaker that obviously adores the reclusive lifestyle that goes by the name Moodymann. Moody rarely does interviews and I've even heard that he performs behind a curtain on stage so that you can't see his face? If I'm paying my hard earns to see a mutha-scratcha perform live, I promise you that all hell would break loose if a I see a curtain in front of the stage! I read a interview Afta did on the internet and I learned absolutely nothing of importance about the guy. I don't know if it was poor question asking or evasive answer giving? I assume he prefers to let his music speak for him...

Honestly, Afta-1's music is so dope that he could be from Zumunda and I wouldn't give damn. As they say, it ain't where you from, it's about how dope your beats are. While many producers today are really caught up in the simple looping of soul samples, Afta's sound is much more complex. His beats are saturated with different soundscapes and textures that almost give his music a visual effect at times. Hypnotic is not a strong enough word to describe the feeling that I get when his music messages my eardrums. It's more like a form of Escapism actually. The future is now! Once you hear Afta-1's latest project "Aftathoughts" you'll understand what I am talking about. I haven't heard an instrumental album this impressive in a minute. He's not up to a Dilla or Madlib status just yet, but he's definitely following in their footsteps. If you consider yourself a beat lover like myself, then you definitely need to put ears on this joint...

Check out some of his musical flavor below:

Lovesuite


Now, click HERE for a goodie!

Then take a look at his web site by clicking below:

www.myspace.com/afta1

SOUND SPOT: FLY UNION
Need a new rap group to get you open representing the Midwest? Straight out of Columbus, Ohio I bring to you a hip-hop movement to watch for this year that call themselves Fly Union! As flakey as rap music can seem sometimes, there are still groups out here bringing that flavor reminiscent of the Golden Era that we all know and love. I have read where fussy critics have called these types of hip-hop artists "Throwback Theives" because they basically dress, walk and talk like the rappers from Golden Era's past. Rap groups like Tanya Morgan, Cool Kids, Kids In The Hall, etc. would fall in the catagory. Personally, I don't feel that way. Yes, much of their swagger reminds me of De La, Tribe and Souls of Mischief, but I think these young kats are just paying homage to music that influenced them when they were coming up. There's no crime in that. As long as the beats and rhymes are hot, I'm down with it.

Fly Union is made up of 2 emcees (L.e., Jerreau Smith) and 2 producers (JSwifa, Eyeon), but at first glance you may not see their hip-hop swagger. If that's the case, then just close your eyes and listen. Hip-hop is not what you see, it's what you hear.

One of the interesting things that I read about this group is that they are truly modeling themselves after The Beatles! They not only want to make lots of money, but they want to change the fabric of music as we know it today. Those are definitely some challenging aspirations, but definitely not impossible. I'll definitely keep my eyes and ears open. You (that means U) should try to get your ears on Fly Union's overlooked underground compilation that dropped back in 2007 entitled "Kill Fly U!" It's worth some investigation. More on their upcoming album real soon...

Enough typing, put eyes & ears on these videos for some more info:

FLY UNION - ELECTRONIC PRESS KIT


FLY UNION - BIG TRUCKS



If you want more of this flavor, click the links below:


flyunion.wordpress.com


www.myspace.com/flyunion


Oh yeah, before you depart there is a link posted somewhere obvious in this post that has a musical parting gift for you if you care to find it...

IS IT J-LIVE OR MEMOREX?
Just recently I found myself crate digging for some dope for my ears and all of the sudden J Live's "The Best Part" album found its way into my hand. It dawned on me at that moment that J-Live has been doing his hip-hop thing for a minute now, but I don't think he's truly found the success he deserves. The guy is definitely talented with skills as a DJ, producer, writer and emcee all roled into one. Most kats in the game today can barely do one of those well and J is exceptional at all four of them. So, why hasn't he seen success yet? Well, it's probably because he's not a gangsta, pimp, drug dealer or ex-drug dealer, plus he doesn't rap about nor own any huge diamond chains, expensive watches or overpriced vehicles. Mr. Live is a real dude with a common life as a school teacher when he's not working in the studio. I know for a fact that most teachers don't get paid squat, so I understand him being a part-time rapper. Ole' will rap for food lookin' azz nukka...!

Anyway, I'm seriously tired of folks sleeping on my dude Live and then telling me how some no skills having cornball is the truth. I've decided to post a few of my favorite tracks from the Live catalog. Personally, I think J-Live can rap toe rings around 82.5% of these katz in the game today with his voicebox ripped out! His rhymes written in braille would sound better than most of those fly by night, BET 106 & Crap rappers that get entirely too much TV airtime...

Enough about that though. Let's get into some dope hip-hop! Feast your ears on the tracks below. Class is in session (Big Pun intended)...

J-Live - Braggin Writes Revisited

J-Live - Charmed Life

J-Live - Wax Paper

J-Live - Whoever

J-Live - The Lyricist

Class is dismissed...

Now, go and purchase J-Live's latest joint "Reveal The Secret EP"...

Then click www.myspace.com/jlive for more info...

IT'S MR. FRANKS TO U!
I bet when you first saw the photo for this post you thought, who the hell is this child molesting, middle school swim substitute-teacher looking dude that Nexx is posting about now? Maybe not that exact thought, but I’m quite sure that I was close, right? Well, for your information this gentleman is not anything of the sort, but most would consider him a jazz legend. His name is Michael Franks (if you didn’t know already) and he was making music before I was born, but this is my dude! I am constantly playing his albums in the whip and around the house just because I never get tired of his stuff. His jazz vocals are nothing exceptional compared to many of the greats, but they are definitely catchy after a few listens.

Truthfully, I am not doing this post on M. Franks to turn the masses on to his music, because I’m guessing that many of my frequent visitors probably wouldn’t give his stuff a fair listen. I am doing this post to answer a question that I get asked over and over and over again! Every time someone in my presence hears this particular M. Franks song they always ask me about it. I’ve even gotten a few emails about this track as well.

So, today I am posting this song so that everyone can hear it and know what the title is. The song is a classic in my book and it is called “When Sly Calls (Don’t Touch That Phone)” and the song’s hook is addictive. After the first listen you just might find yourself singing the hook all day long literally? I suggest that you put ears on this joint if you've never heard it before...

M. Franks - When Sly Calls

"Yo, this is Sly man...call me right away, cuz I got some bad news for ya bruh!"

THE AGELESS-PRINCE MIXX!
When it comes to “His Royal Badness” a.k.a. Prince, there is not much let to say about his genius that hasn’t already been said several times before. Personally, Prince and his music have literally been apart of my life since I can remember. Over the decades his music has become comfort food to my ears. When all else fails I can put on some Prince and the music world seems like a better place. No matter how many years go by, there are certain songs from Prince’s enormous catalog that seems to never age. Each spin of those records sound just as good as the last. There are not many artists that have those types of timeless recordings. It amazes me how Prince remained relevant after all of these years even though he’s shied away from the media spotlight the majority of his career. His personal life has remained a closed door to the masses pretty much, and instead of that being turn off it has somehow enhanced his appeal. One could assume that mystery is a large apart of his appeal. The less folks know about the man the more interested they are. In recent years Prince has opened up a little more through media interviews, but he still remains incog-negroe for the most part. Regardless, his influence on younger artists doing music today is undeniable. When I listen to artists like Sa-Ra, Janelle Monae, J-Davey, Platinum Pied Pipers, Olivier Daysoul, Alicia Keys, Gnarls Barkley and Andre 3000, I can really feel his presence.

Recently, I read an interesting article about “His Royal Badness!” The article was actually discussing the red carpet events that go on before and after the major award shows. There was an in-depth discussion about this one particular event where celebrities get to go prior the event to get very expensive good for free. It’s basically a free shopping spree for the celebrities. I’m not talking about free hats, wristbands and keychain type junk either. Nope. It’s good stuff like diamond necklaces, expensive purses, high-end cellular phones, family vacations and overpriced shoes. Talk about the rich getting richer! Anyway, Prince was at one of these events recently and he would not enter the venue unless a few of his demands were properly executed first. Prince requested that he shop alone, so all the other celebrities in the venue would have to leave and no paparazzi were allowed inside. The staff members working at the event where the merchandise was being distributed were not allowed to converse with him at all, and the lights had to be turned down to a dim. Only a legend like Prince or Michael Jackson could requests some sh*t like that, and even though his demands were selfish they did it anyway. Why? Because he’s PRINCE dammit…that’s why!

So, on that note let’s get into some music…

I have put together a Prince mixx for your eartertainment. I didn’t use the typical Prince joints that most like the spin while paying homage. I decided to showcase songs that are not as popular to the masses, but are still considered some of my personal favorites. Take a listen and hear what you think…

The Royal Play List:

01*Hello
02*Girls & Boys
03*I Wanna Be Your Lover
04*Sexy Dancer
05*D.S.M.R
06*Erotic City
07*Automatic
08*Dirty Mind
09*Tamborine
10*Irresistible Bitch
11*Anotherloverholeyohead
12*Lady Cab Driver
13*17 Days
14*Soft & Wet
15*Mountains
16*Paisley Park
17*She’s Always In My Hair
18*Scandalous
19*It’s Gonna Be Lonely

GET AGELESS HERE!

MOS DEFINITELY NEW?
Anybody ready for some new Mos Def hip-hop? Of course, because everybody is a Mos Def fan in some way, shape or form. I do know plenty of folks that didn't particularly like his last couple of joints, but even his mediocre raps are better than the average emcees in the game. Mos fans are truly feening for some new Mos Def material, but this project isn't it! When I got this joint in my box, I thought the hip-hop Gods had blessed me with a gift. After cracking open this musical treasure chest, I realized that it was the same ole' cookies that I've eaten several times before. Don't get me wrong, because these cookies are great, but I'm in the mood for some cheesecake dammit! This is a deejay's fan tribute mix entitled "Audio 3" showcasing the emcee we know as Mos Definitely! This mix is solid, so put ears on it when you get a chance. This may tide you over until the official joint drops...


Then again, maybe not...

IN CASE YOU HADN'T HEARD...

After searching many old school milk cartons and lost & found airport storage areas, I finally found Case! You remember the kat with that "Touch me, tease me" joint back in the day featuring Foxy Brown before all of the jail time and hearing issues? Well, it sounds like Case is back at it again. I got this little cassette single in my inbox, so I thought I'd share it with you...

Case - I Can't (but you will)

JOE IS A NEW MAN!
Damn, did anybody realize that R&B crooner Joe was back at it once again for 2008? Joe is like comfort food for seasoned soul music fans. Who hasn't enjoyed several of his tracks over the years, right? Have you ever wondered why Joe's musical career never really took off like it should have? Well, recently Joe did conducted an interview with EUR's Lee Bailey, and revealed some very disturbing information. After 11 years, Joe left Jive Records, and right after his departure he found out that his label mate R. "Pee" Kelly had been sabotaging his career behind the scenes. Can you believe that R. Kelly's jealous ass would actually tell radio stations and label executives to stop pushing Joe's music because he was getting too hot! Kelly was basically stalling Joe's career because he thought should be the one getting the attention. That's a sucker's move right there! Ya'll remember when Robert Kelly used to really sing R&B?

Joe finally got wise and now he's independent. His new album entitled "New Man" hits the streets on September 22, 2008!

Hear a new Joe track by clicking over there ----> Emergency Room

Then check out a couple of my favorite Joe joints, video style!

Joe - The Love Scene

Artist Site

More Videos

Joe - Lets Stay Home Tonight

Artist Site

More Videos

Support Joe in his new venture as an independent artist!!

SAADIQ'S BEING RIPPED APART!

Damn, sometimes I feel like Jay-Z when he talks about the gift and the curse in his lyrics. That sh*t is so true when it comes to this damn Devil in disguise we call the Internet. Actually, it's not the Internet itself, but it's the people that use and abuse it. I hate the way folks are just leaking the hell out my dude Raphael Saadiq's new album that will be dropping real soon! I mean damn, by the time the joint drops the whole album will be on the web listed song by song on Zshare files. The most disturbing part of it all is that most of these e-suckaz don't even appreciate the music that their posting. Most are only doing it in hopes of getting more traffic thru their sites. Okay, I'll save that convo for another day and time when I feel like standing on my e-soapbox again...

The good news is that Mr. Saadiq's new album sounds like a classic in the making. I'm feeling that Motown sound for real. Re-energizing old school music with a new twist is always a winner in my book. The album drops on September 16, 2008.

Put ears on it here:

www.myspace.com/raphaelsaadiq

SOUND SPOT: NOEL GOURDIN
Sometimes, I discover new artists by mistake. I guess it's more like an accident actually. Take new comer soul singer Noel Gourdin for example. I heard his debut single "The River" the very first time on
The Steve Harvey Morning Show of all places. This was a few months ago. I had never heard of the dude at that time, but Steve Harvey was praising this song to no end. Almost to the point where it was getting on my nerves dammit! Regardless, I paid the song no further mind because the song didn't move me like that. When I finally got my ears some other tracks from Noel's debut album, and I dug what I heard. This kat is pretty good with the vocals, plus he doesn't over do it. I hate them over-singing suckaz for real. I would name a couple for you, but they might be reading this?

Noel's album entitled "After My Time" is hot to say the least. Not only are the vocals on point, but I am loving the production with duties being handled by Kay Gee, Raphael Saadiq and Eddie F just to name a few. Where the hell has Eddie F been for the last decade? Anyway, this album has a nice mixture of hip-hop and old school soul vibes to keep your head nodding. If you enjoy soul artists like Anthony David, Carl Thomas and Joe, you should definitely give Noel's album a definite listen.

You've already heard a song from Mr. Gourdin if you've downloaded my latest mixx like a good visitor should.

Check this video clip out and hear for yourselves:



Click here for the official joint!

Then check out this dude's site for some more earful goodies:

www.myspace.com/noelgourdin

Support good music because you need 2!

A TOAST 2 SOUL MIXX!
Before I get started with true reason for this post, I just want to say a heartfelt Rest In Peace to Mr. Isaac Hayes! I'm sad to say that another one of my favorite entertainers has passed on. First, Bernie Mac and now Isaac Hayes! How much can a brotha take? Okay, so let's move on to something more pleasant, like some good ole' soul music for instance. I have another soulful mixx that I want to share with you folks, and I call it "A Toast 2 Soul." I can tell by the expressions on your faces as you read this, that you are wondering why I named it that, right? Well, it's pretty simple actually. I like wheat toast and I like soul music, so I put the two together and wah-lah! Okay, that's not the real reason, but it'll have to do for now since I am short on time. I will let you know that this mixx is filled with something old, something new, something borrowed and something true. Don't let the unfamiliar names in the track list trick you into not putting your weary ears on this beautiful piece of musical delight.
TOASTIE PLAYLIST:

01) AB & The Souljourners - I Just Wanna Make It Work
02) Nadine - Make It Right
03) Flo Brown ft. Raheem DeVaughn - Love Savior
04) Reggie B - Play House
05) Daniel Debourg - Quicksand
06) Lauren Santiago - It's So Easy
07) Rahsaan Patterson - Forever Yours
08) Steve Smith - Back 2 The City
09) Noel Gourdin - Make The Most
10) Raheem DeVaughn - Until
11) Tony Ozier ft. Neco Redd/Sun - Hope
12) Miles Bonny - Sing Your Song
13) Reggie B - Gone Away
14) Czelena - Seems Like
15) Eric Roberson - Pleasure Before Pain
16) Dwele - Shady
17) Stevie Wonder - That Girl

A TOAST IS HERE!

Now, check out one of my favorite Isaac joints below:

Isaac Hayes - Walk On By (live)

THE THUNDER OF S.M.V.!
I bet when many of you half blind blog surfers first read the title of this post, you thought it said S.W.V. (Sistas With Voices), right? Wrooonnng? It's S.M.V., which is a super jazz group consisting of Stanley Clarke, Marcus Miller and Victer Wooten. For all you non-jazz lovin'/out of touch youngsters out there that don't have a clue, these kats are the Dream Team of bass players. Imagine Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant all playing on the same basketball team. That's how super this jazz group is! These musicians are all serious bass players that have lucrative solo careers, but they decided to do this project for the funk of it. It was at a jam session after an award show that put this collaboration in their minds. Lucky for us they were able to pull this "Thunder" project off lovely.

Real jazz is mood music that can have a calming sensation like no other genre. This is not that elevator type smoove jazz that a lot of you are familiar with, but more like deep soulful jazz that you need. SMV is filled with dope technique and talent that shouldn't be just heard, but appreciated as well. It is important you realize that you are listening to historical greatness no matter whether you dig their sound or not. Remember, this is not that fast food/Kenny G type jazz, so it may take a few listens to eargest what is being heard. Don't gulp, sip it slowly...

Check out this track for a little of their flavor:

SMV - Tutu

The new album drops on August 12, 2008, so strengthen your music collection by picking it up.

HIP & HOP ROTATIONZ!
After an unsuccessful attempt to break our mayor out of the local jail yesterday, I am back at this music thing once again. I constantly get asked about what I am currently listening to at one particular moment or another. I am usually all over the musical map eargesting anything from the funkiest folk tunes to the hottest hip-hop influenced jazz chumpies. Most recently I have been indulging in a lot of underground hip-hop. I dug back in the crates and my external hard drives to pull out some gems that I overlooked, or just plain forgot about. Instead of just talking about it, I decided to be about it, which means that I put little something together for you kind folks to enjoy (if it's your flavor)! These joints have been getting much rotation over the last few days, so put ears on them...

Check the playlist:

01-Invincible - Spacious Skies

02-Phonte/Wordsworth/K-Hill/Masta Ace - Ladder of Success

03-J*Live - The Understanding

04-Wes Felton feat. Grap Luva/Kronkite - Unforgotten

05-Tonya Morgan feat. Czelena - Be You

06-Spectac feat. Legacy - Lounge

07-Royce 5'9/Elzhi/Supastition - Best To Do It

08-Red Cafe feat. Jadakiss/Fat Joe/Fabolous - Paper Touchin' (Remix)

09-HISN - Only a Fool

10-Kam Moye - Self-Centered

11-Cru - Pronto

GET HIP&HOP HERE!

R.I.P. BERNIE MAC!

October 5, 1957 - August 9, 2008

This was one of the funniest men on the planet, and he'll definitely be missed!

SOUND REWIND: ROBERT GLASPER
Even though new and interesting music comes out nearly everyday, sometimes you have to take time to reflect on some of the joints that were overlooked by the masses. A perfect example is my dude Robert Glasper. This talented jazz musician from Texas had a very hot album entitled "In My Element" that dropped back in 2007 that wasn't heard by many. When I first heard this joint, I became an instant fan. What I like most about Robert's style is his ability to incorporate small elements of hip-hop flavor into his jazz sound. It's like a jazz for the hip-hop generation while maintaining the essence of the traditional jazz roots. If you have been to any indie soul or organic hip-hop concerts where live instrumentation was used, you may have actually seen this brother's face on stage playing the keyboards. He's played with artists like Common, Ledisi, The Roots, Jill Scott, Mos Def, A Tribe Called Quest, Talib Kweli, Bilal, Jay-Z, Michelle N'degeochello and Slum Village. Dude is nice with his, so I think you better recognize...

Check out his sites:

www.robertglasper.com/ and www.myspace.com/therealrobertglasper

Put ears and eyes on some hot video of Robert and the band having a jam session with Mos Def!

2008 BLACK WEBLOG AWARDS!
Yep, it's that time again. The Black Weblog Awards are back! The blog world has grown like a weed in the grass over the years, and I don't think anybody really predicted how successful blogging would become? Regardless, I believe that blogs are here to stay like obesity, jheri curls and chipped toe nail polish! The blogging movement has sparked an urban organization to start handing out awards to blogs totally ran by black folks (African-Americans). It's a way to show some love to the black bloggers that are doing their thing on the Internet. This is your chance to acknowledge your favorite blogs around the Internet that have made your life a little bit better over the last few weeks, months or years.

Voting started on August 1st and ends on August 30th...

For more details on the qualifications and rules on the how to vote for your favorite black operated blog, click the link below:

www.blackweblogawards.com