THE MAGNIFICENT JAZZY JEFF RETURNS!
Over the years, I have read plenty of Top 10 Best DJ/Producers of all-time lists, and most of them never include DJ Jazzy Jeff for some sad reason? In my mind Jazzy deserves his props just like the other greats like JMJ, Pete Rock, J Dilla and DJ Premier! I think many folks overlook him because of his history with The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air himself Will Smith? Even though many folks liked them back in the day when rap music was fun, in the new millennium it seems to be uncool to be a fan of their music now for some reason? No matter what you felt about Will Smith's lyrics, you have to give credit to Jazzy Jeff putting it down on the turntables. I still remember back in the early 90's when they were on some major award show, and for the first time ever they were going to perform a mix session live on television! Without breaking a sweat Jeff ripped the vinyl to shreds while millions of viewers watch around the world. How many DJs do you know that could pull that off? Most folks don't realize that Jeff is a true hip-hop pioneer. He invented the essential technique of Transform Scratching that you still hear today in everyone of the top DJ battles held around the world. Yep, when the scratch is done correctly it sounds just like the sound made when a cartoon Transformer changes between robot and automobile! Outside of creating scratching techniques, Jeff also had one of the first full-scale production facilities in the country he called A Touch of Jazz back in 1990! This facility allowed many of the young producers of that day to work in the same location, and still have their own space to create. It's not hard to recognize that Jazzy Jeff is more than just your average DJ.

You would think after selling over 10 million records, winning three Grammy Awards, three American Music Awards, two NAACP Awards and recieving several other accolades that Jeff would have a big head like so many others have? Nope, he doesn't! He still remains humble to his craft and his fans. Still scouting out new talent and steadily enjoying this music that we all know and love. Over the years Jeff has made a slight transition from the hip-hop genre into soul. Back in 2002 when Jeff released his debut solo album "The Magnificent" it was full of soulful tracks by up & comers like Raheem DeVaughn, Erro & Jill Scott. He also had plenty unknown underground artists featured on there as well. Definitely a great album, but it was overlooked by the masses as expected. Now, we fast-forward to 2007, and after five years of touring Jeff is about to release his second album "The Return of the Magnificent" in a few weeks. Unlike the his first album, the new joint has a mixture of new and old school artists. Jeff basically made a list of what artists he wanted to work with, and made a few calls to make it happen. Now, that's what you call RESPECT! The new album has a definite old school feel to it, but it works overall. Jeff has the true ability to make anyone sound better over his production, so even the weakest verse seems to flow well? I wouldn't say that the Return is not better than it's predecessor, but there are definitely some bangers on this album worth your attention.

www.djjazzyjeff.com

www.myspace.com/djjazzyjeff

Peep these clips before you bounce for more insight!

GET BACK WITH LITTLE BROTHER!
One of my favorite new school hip-hop groups out is Little Brother. If you are asking why, then I suggest you exit my site immediately and get your Google on and find out! If you don't know who Little Brother is...be very, very ashame! As a matter of fact, throw your hip-hop fan card in the trash on the way out. Outside of the hip-hop music that they have blessed us with over the years, what I like the most about them is their down to earth personalities. After talking with them extensively, I realize that they are just regular folks that just happen to make dope music. Even with their fame, they've remained grounded and connected with their fans. When you read some of the commentary provided in interviews and on their blogs, you realize that they often leave themselves exposed for criticism. Instead of shying away from it, they seem to seek it out? Honestly, they just don't give a dayum about what anyone thinks, and that's actually refreshing. Phonte stated that he was in the process of finishing up the new LB album "Get Back" slated to drop this year, plus he's also working with Nicolay on the second Foriegn Exchange project as well. If you missed it, LB also dropped the free Mick Boogie/Little Brother mixtape earlier this year as well to keep fans happy while we patiently for the new stuff? My patience is thin dammit!


Before I close the door on this post, I need to say one more thing. I think it's sad the way some part time LB fans continue to shyt all of over my dude Big Pooh! Everyone knows that Phonte is a super emcee with crazy personality, wordplay and delivery, which a rare combination by any hip-hop standard. So, just because Pooh is not Phonte doesn't make him wack! He holds his own on the mic, and in a battle he'd probably out rhyme most of these mumble mowfed rappers out here wasting time and space. Also, if you didn't think that Big Pooh solo album wasn't tight, you're playin' yourself! Ayt, that's all I have to say about that....

Checkout this clip of Phonte and Big Pooh on the road....

ADRIANA EVANS - SEEIN IS BELIEVING

Vintage Adriana Evans for your eyes and ears!

SOUNDNEXX SOULQUINCHA MIXX!
I realize that many music fans don't always buy albums because a particular artist sings/raps really well. This is especially prevelent in the younger female music buyers! Come to think about it, are there any of those left in 2007? It tickles me when I hear a teenager say stuff like "I bought his CD cuz he fine" or "I just wanted the pictures that came with the CD!" Having actual talent seems to be secondary amongst many consumers? The record companies definitely understand that having sex appeal is a major factor to an artist being truly successful these days. Almost more important than having actual talent in most cases. Think about this...how come you see more pretty/sexy soul artists with no talent and less ugly artists with enormous talent in the music industry these days? That didn't happen by accident. Back in the 70s & 80s ugly soul artists were a dime a dozen, but now they are almost extinct like the African Turd Beetle? As much as we avoid talking about, sex still makes people pay attention to certain artists, and it definitely helps with record sells as well. I don't know about ya'll, but if I see a half naked woman on the cover of an album I'm definitely going to look at it! If the picture is too small, I might even pull out my trusty magnifying glass to get a closer look? I definitely wouldn't buy an album on eye candy alone though (not now anyway), but the reality is that I noticed that particular CD amongst all of the others on the store shelf. Job well done! By the way, everyone should keep a magnifying glass in their pocket at all times. You just never know when you may need one dammit! Trust me, you'll thank me later!

I will admit that being easy on the eyes makes me like some female music artists just a little bit more than the fugly ones. Shameful, but true! The soul singer Adriana Evans is a perfect example of beauty meets talent, which equals sexy azz hell! She's on that next level of finery! Looking at her pictures puts a smile on my face everytime, but her music is what keeps this fan coming back. The most impressive thing of all though is that Adriana can REALLY sing, or should I say sang? She effortlessly blows those music notes right out of the speaker, and her live shows are definitely the truth! Her voice has a very soothing quality to it, kind of like lying in Aretha Franklin's bosom on a cold winter night! Did I already mention that Adriana is really fine too? I have to make sure that point is very well understood. I first discovered Adriana Evans back in 1997 when she released her self-titled debut album that many folks slept on. I almost over slept on that joint too actually! After a long hiatus she released a second project "Kimset" that was basically an import remix project of her first album. It's a fresh spin on some of her more popular tracks. Soon after that joint came "Nomadic," which had a different feel from her previous works. It had more of an acid jazz/blues feel with a twist of Brazilian flavor on the side. This album showed her diversity and growth as an artist. Whether you liked that album or not, you had to appreciate her willingness to experiment and take a chance. I thought it an interesting piece of work actually. Now, it's 2007 and Adriana is back with a brand new album entitled "El Camino" that has brought her sound back to where it started. The new album has a nice balance of uptempo beats and mellow smooth vibes, which keeps everything moving along nicely. If you are unfamiliar with Adriana Evan's music, here is your chance to familiarize yourself with this great talent! Oh yeah, an she real fine too dammit!!

Okay, enough bantering folks! It's time for another mixx from the SoundNexx Soul Vault! I call this soulful mixx Soulquincha. Why? I don't know really, but it just rolls off your tongue oh so nicely. Say it with me one time...SOUL-KWIN-CHAA! I know that felt good, so feel free to keep on repeating it over and over again. This mixx is full of addicting soulful tracks, so make sure you take a listen and tell a friend or foe. You know I had to add a little old school at the end for my seasoned veterans that like to get their boogie on too!

SOUNDNEXX SOULQUINCHA MIXX:

01-Amerie - Money In The Bank
02-Leela James - Rain
03-Jaquar Wright - Let Me Be The One
04-Adriana Evans - Reality
05-Strange Fruit Project - Aquatic Groove
06-Jazzy Jeff feat. Raheem, V & Erro - For Da Love of Da Game (Remix)
07-Eric Roberson - If I Had A Chance
08-Slum Village - I Don't Know
09-McFadden & Whitehead feat. Black Thought - Ain't No Stopping Us Now
10-Ladybug Mecca feat. Raheem DeVaughn - Dogg Starr (Remix)
11-Nas - You're The Man
12-Joe feat. Nas - Get To Know Me
13-Wordsworth - Be A Man
14-Sa-Ra - Ladies Sing
15-Musiq Soulchild - Makeyouhappy
16-Ready For The World - Oh Sheila
17-O'Bryan - I'm Freaky
18-Prince - New Position
19-Mary Jane Girls - Candyman

GET SOUL QUINCHED HERE!

Muhsinah - Construction

I think you better recognize!

SOUND SPOT: PHAT KAT
As I have mentioned several times over the months that I have been running this blog, Detroit has a large underground hip-hop scene. Most of them are unknowns for the most part though, so when the average person thinks about Detroit hip-hop...names like Eminem, J Dilla, Slum Village, ICP, Royce, Obie Trice, Black Milk, etc. come to mind first. That's very understandable actually. Truth be told though, there are a lot more talented artists from Detroit that have actually been putting in serious work for years. Reppin' the "D" to the fullest! One of my favorites is an emcee named Phat Kat a.k.a Ronnie Cash! I am a big fan of Phat Kat's mostly because he's very raw with his lyrics. He's an emcee's emcee! You know the type that is always on the grind, hardworking and always trying to write the best verses he can write. Not overly flashy, but very consistent in his approach to making music. He tells the stories for the brothas still in the hood that seem to get overlooked, and he definitely hasn't forgotten where he came from either. Instead of only talking about the luxury automobile he drives or how much money he has in his pocket, you may hear a story about his moms having diabetes or how he ate government cheese as a child. Stories that the average person may actually be able to relate too? Phat Kat has released plenty of music over the years with the legendary producer J Dilla (R.I.P), but there has only been on official album release entitled "The Undeniable LP" from 2004. In my opinion that is Kat's best work to date, so if you like J Dilla production and hardcore street type lyrics give it a listen. All PG rated type listeners keep it moving...

It's 2007 and Phat Kat is back with his new album "Carte Blanche" that drops on May 8th! Like Black Milk did with his "Popular Demand" joint, I think this new album is the one that just may put Phat Kat on everyone's radar. Lyrically...PK seems to sharper than a razor while the majority of the production duties are being held by none other than J Dilla and Black Milk! Dilla and Milk did leave a couple of joints for the other B.R. Gunna Young RJ to lace as well. Phat Kat's featured guests include Detroit's own Elzhi, Guilty Simpson, Melanie Rutherford, Fat Ray and Truth Hurts! Yep, that Truth Hurts who did that Rakim featured R&B joint a few years back. Talking about missing in action! Anyway, no matter how you slice this Phat Kat album it sounds like a banger, so don't sleep on it.

CHECK THE MYSPACE PAGE:

www.myspace.com/phatkatakaronniecash


Phat Kat feat. Elzhi - Cold Steel

Joell Ortiz - 125 Grams

Keep your eyez on this kat! His album is about to drop...

NEW MUSIC FROM D'ANGELO!

Peep the exclusive new track by D'Angelo "Really Love" here!

Thanks to my peepz at Honeysoul!

CLIP OF THE WEEK!

Don't ask why I posted this clip, but I thought it was pretty funny actually...

RAPPERZ TURNED SINGERZ!

As I have surfed around hundreds of hip-hop websites, blogs and forums over the years, one of the most common and heated discussions that appears is rappers that sing on their records, and why we love or hate them for it! Is it genius or just down right annoying? I have decided to give my 9.5 cents on the subject today in hopes of getting some personal resolution for myself actually. Personally, I am indifferent about it? I guess it would be a fair statement to say that when a fan purchases or downloads a hip-hop album, they are expecting to hear the artist(s) rapping and not singing, right? When most people think of hip-hop, what automatically comes to mind is an emcee spitting hot verses over a hot beat with a DJ by their side. That image of hip-hop has been blurred in the recent years because of its intermingling with several other music genres. Whether you agree with it or not, rap music has evolved. The truth is singing has been a part of rap music since the 1980s. Groups like U.T.F.O and Whodini were singing the hooks on their records way back then. Remember, the classic Whodini track "Friends"...how many of us have them...ones you can depend on dammit! If you don't, shame on you! Fast forwarding to the late 90s, Ja Rule delivered his own brand of harmonizing on the hooks of many hot records during that time. Even though most hip-hop headz won't admit it in 2007 that they actually liked some of Ja Rule's music back in the day, either way you spin it he definitely made his mark in the game. Some folks feel that the rapper 50 Cent pulled a classic okie-doke move on Ja Rule by tricking him into changing his singing style up, only to emulate it later on several records of his own? 50 Cent incorporates singing into almost every track that he's on now-a-days, but many of his loyal fans seem to have become bothered by it? Calling him names such as "Love Balladeer" and "Female Background Vocalist" while his albums are referred to as "straight R&B." No matter how you flip it, 50 Cent knows how to make a hit record. The most disappointing part about this hip-hop transition is no matter how much some rappers want to sing on their records, most of them couldn't hold a note if it were written on a piece of loose-leaf paper!

Here is a very short list of the rappers that I feel should just stick to rappin' on a full-time basis, and some of them need to quit that too! This list is in no particular order:

T-Pain: This dude is T-Pain in my azz with those almost Roger from Zapp sound effects he uses to hide the fact that he really can't sing! I knew when I heard his first record he couldn't sang dammit! Maybe this rappa turnt sanga can turn back? --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chamillionaire: This dude is literally tone def for sure! If you have the stomach for it, put your ears on the "Grown and Sexy" track that he did on his 2005 debut! Get your earplugs ready though...

Nelly: Those rumored use of steroids did nothing for his vocal cords at all. He does one rap/country song and now he thinks he's Dolly Parton. Stop the madness!------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ -

DMX: I don't know which one I dislike more, his acting or his singing? His growl is actually better than his singing. I'll give him a couple of points for style, but as far as holding a note he gets a wrist breaking 2 thumbs down!

Okay, that's enough of the bad. Now, let's move on to the good! Even though I hate many of the rappers that try to become crooners, there are a few that I actually enjoy listening to when they decide to soften things up a little. The top of my list would definitely have to be Dwele! I know most of you are probably thinking..."Dwele is not a rapper he's a neo-soul singer!" That statement is correct, but way back in the day Dwele used to rap. He was actually pretty good, but because he sang so well he friends convinced him to be a singer instead. If you are one of the lucky ones that has been privileged enough to hear some of his rare early work, you have probably heard him spit a 16 bars. That last time I saw Dwele in concert back in the Fall of 2006, Yahzarah and Darien Brockington provided a vocal hooks while he kicked a fresh freestyle! I must say Dwele is a multi-talented kat that can pretty much do it all! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Next up is one of hip-hop's best kept secrets when it comes to whole rapper vs. singer steelo! Phonte a.k.a Percy Miracles of Little Brother is definitely a great vocalist. The most impressive part to me is that he is definitely in the top 5 amongst the best emcees doing it right now! The boy is vicious on the microphone, but he has the ability to do a solid R&B joint as well. He'll even do some pop/rock for you too and sound good while doing it. Before Darien Brockington joined the Justus League, Phontiga handled the majority of the vocal duties for the crew. What I like about the most is that Phonte really doesn't brag about his singing abilities that much. He seems to have fun singing and with his obvious sense of humor I think it's hard for many to really take his abilities seriously? At one point he had created an alter-ego named Percy Miracles who was basically an old school singer from back in the day that seemed to have a mixture of Otis Redding and James Brown all rolled into one person. Percy loved the ladies! He'd drop a love ballet on a woman in a hot minute. As you can see on the photo showing on the left, Mr. Miracles was a pretty snazzy dresser too! I use the word "was" because Phonte has chosen not to perform as Percy Miracles anymore. Phonte felt like at this time in music when the envelope has not only been pushed the limits, but ripped to shreds that his character may not be properly understood in the end. Instead of contributing the ignorance that has saturated the industry, he has decided to axe Percy for the time being. Hopefully, one day Percy's permed wig and lime green, shark-skinned suit will bless us once again? Until then we'll have to be happy hearing Phonte harmonize on the upcoming Foreign Exchange project and the upcoming Little Brother album!

As much as I enjoy the group Outkast, I am a bigger fan of Andre 3000! Andre has always been pretty complex on the mic, but his ability to tell stories is almost amazing! It's like putting pieces together in a puzzle, but you never really get the full picture until the story is finished. Even though he is a great emcee, over the last few years some fans have been left wondering when Andre will actually start rapping full-time again? Personally, I dig his singing, but I miss his rapping. I still remember how excited fans were when Outkast dropped that double album a few years ago. Realizing that we had a whole solo album of Andre 3000 tracks seemed like heaven to any true hip-hop head? Instead of a hip-hop album full of tight beats and rhymes, we got a funk-soul album full of deep rooted cosmic love songs. Even though I taken back initially, I found myself enjoying the journey that Andre was taking my ears on. Before I knew it I was singing along to most of the tracks. In the end, I enjoyed Andre's disc better than I enjoyed Big Boi's. Andre had pulled it off! He had reinvented himself into a singer that even the hardcore fans could enjoy. Not many can do that, but now we are ready for the old Dre to bless us with some of that Southernplayalistic Aquemini type lyricism again dammit! Recently, Andre has been spitting something serious while guest appearing on tracks with Devin The Dude, UGK and Lloyd! The boy hasn't lost a step either, if you were wondering? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When I think of true multi-talented emcees in the game, Mos Definitely is usually at the top of the list. Mos is one of those types of katz that may leave you wondering why he decided to rap in the first place? He is such a deep brother with so many talents, he could have probably gone in any of life's directions and been successful! This dude is a great rapper, actor and host, plus he's a solid singer as well. When I purchased his debut album, one of the tracks the stood out immediately was "Umi Say." The passion of the vocals and lyrics in that record were undeniable in my opinion. At that time I didn't no if the singing bug was just a one shot deal or something that he would indulge in even further later. Now, I realize that Umi Say was just the tip of the iceberg for Mos Def. When he dropped his second album "The New Danger" he gave his fans a full taste of his evolved sound? Some loved the album while many others hated it. I enjoyed the album better when I accepted the fact that it was more like an artistic endeavor. Going against the grain can be costly sometimes, but I think every artist has to make an album for themselves. Whether the fans like it or not, it's their free forum of expression. Instead of becoming a bitter fan about it, I try to understand what they are trying to convey through the music. Chances are I will never totally figure it out, but I didn't hold that against them. The reality is that Mos Def at his worst is better than many other rappers at their best!

Last, but definitely not least is Lauryn Hill a.k.a. L-Boogie of The Fugees. Ms. Hill has always been pretty clever with her wordplay on the microphone, so she already had a following as part of The Fugees. Being such a multi-talented artist, it's hard to put Lauryn into just one box. The best adjective that I can come up with to describe this young lady is BEAUTIFUL! I think that word captures her mind, body and soul. The Fugees were a force to be reckoned with, but when Lauryn dropped her debut solo album "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill" she literally changed the game. Even though I was aware that she was a great singer, I had no clue that her debut album as a solo artist would have such an undeniable impact. I don't think there was one person that has not heard that album? Even today Lauryn Hill and her music is still idolized like it was only yesterday. She left the music scene abruptly right at the time she seemed to be peeking as a solo artist. Obviously, the turmoils in her personal life had her mentally trapped, and she seemed to be unable to break free from her inner demons and insecurities? On the brink of what many felt was a nervous breakdown, Lauryn vanished from the spotlight for many years. Selfishly, I felt cheated! I wanted more of her music, but deep down inside I knew that I wasn't going to get any for along time. I was just like many other fans that were left rewinding the tracks from her personal memoirs on her Miseducation album. In recent years Lauryn has come out of hiding to bless us with a glimpse of once was, but she still seemed a little apprehensive about being in front of her fans once again? I think everyone was pleased to hear her voice once again regardless of what actually came out of her mouth? Honestly, no matter how long it takes for Ms. Hill to recover the pieces of her personal life, fans will be waiting with open arms to welcome her back. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In conclusion, I feel that rap singers deserve to have a place in hip-hop music. Without these types of artists in place I think rap music could get pretty stale and boring? Diversity is essential if we has fans want the hip-hop genre of music to substain its place amongst the others. Even though the so-called defined line of hip-hop becomes blurry at times, as long as the end result is quality music I'm all for it!

Monica Blaire "What I Want"

Some Detroit Soul Flava for your eyes and ears!

THE POLYRHYTHM-ADDICTS R' BACK!
As urban music goes through a definite transition, many once loyal fans seem to have lost their way over recent years. The once fan favorites who were considered royalty in the game are slowly falling from their thrones one by one, leaving many feeling hopeless. Radio and video stations are no help during these trying times because they are only concerned with the dollars, so relying on them for the answers is a fruitless venture as well! Is there no hope? Well of course there is dammit!! Have you ever heard of the Polyrhythm-Addicts? Of course you haven't, but I think this crew of talents has what it takes to shine some needed light on this dim state of hip-hop? On April 24, 2007 they will be releasing their second album "Break Glass," which should put a smile on true hip-hop headz faces? The album title comes from the phrase "Break glass during an emergency" and this is definitely a hip-hop emergency. The Polys have been missing in action since 1999 when they dropped their highly slept on debut "Rhyme Releted" album. Back then the Poly crew members consisted of DJ Spinna, Mr. Complex, Shabaam Sahdeeq & Apani B Fly! For whatever reason, Apani is not apart of the crew on the new album? She has been replaced by a newcomer named Tiye Phoenix. Personally, I feel that Apani is one of the tightest MCs in the game (male or female), but she's still pretty unknown on the mainstream scene. As far as female MCs go though, she definitely holds the number 2 spot behind the NY Wordplay Queen Jean Grae! With that being said, Tiye Phoenix has some big stilettos to fill, but she can definitely handle her own on the M-I-C.

Not since the Wu-Tang Clan and The Justus League has their been such a force of diverse MCs united together in one group. Each one with their own original style and delivery technique brings something fresh to the hip-hop table. The best thing about this whole endeavor in my opinion is that all of the production is being handled by my main man DJ Spinna! Spinna is definitely in my top 10 for all time producers because of his versatility. Not many DJ/Producers can produce solid tracks in hip-hop, soul and house music, plus make a dope remix for just about any artist on the planet! When he's in Poly mode though, Spinna is strictly hip-hop. Just like back in his Jigmastaz days, Spinna does spit a few solid bars to show he can still hang with any other producer on the mic. Some so-called emcees too! For the most part though the majority of rhymes are delivered by the other three MCs. If you are unfamiliar with underground vets like Mr. Complex and Shabaam Sahdeeq, it's time to do some hip-hop homework. Both of these katz are pretty good at what they do, so while you are waiting for the new Poly joint to drop, you can go back and seek out their solo albums. Get a little of the Apani flava too while you're at it. You need that for sure! Stop buying the cosmic slop and support that good hip-hop..!

Checkout these sites for more info:

www.myspace.com/thepolyrhythmaddicts

www.myspace.com/mrcomplex

www.myspace.com/djspinnafrombrooklyn

www.myspace.com/tiyephoenix

www.myspace.com/apanimusic


Poly Episodes "Four Corners 2/4"

Add to My Profile More Videos

HEAVY - FIRE

Indie Soul Music!

SA-RA "THE HOLLYWOOD RECORDINGS"
What do you get when you infuse the sounds of jazz, funk, blues, rap, electronica & soul together? In most cases you would end up with a bunch of wack crap, but one exception would definitely be the diverse sounds of the supergroup Sa-Ra Creative Partners! I call them a supergroup because each one of the group members has the potential to be great on their own, but they have chosen to come together as one major force. Kind of like a musical Voltron for all of you cartoon buffs out there. SA-RA (pronounced Sah-Rah) is a trio of diverse katz (Taz Arnold, Om'Mas Keith & Shafiq Husayn) that have been making music since the late 90s on the underground circuit, but most folks still have never heard of them. Over the years they have worked with plenty of exceptional talents like Pharaoche Monch, Jurassic 5 (R.I.P) & Erykah Badu just to name a few. Their unique sound and hot remixes have made them underground legends to many music lovers. The fan buzz had been very strong for Sa-Ra when they first came out, and everyone was biting their toe nails waiting for their first official release. Due to unforeseen label issues the group was never able to release their original debut album "Black Fuzz" in 2001. Fans were pretty much left starving until they dropped "The Second Time Around" EP in 2005. That was a great release, but it only left everyone wanting more. Now, the day for the true Sa-Ra experience is just around the corner!

On April 24, 2007, SA-RA will be releasing their full-length musical feature "The Hollywood Recordings" for all to enjoy! It's full of guest features from some of my favorite artists like J Dilla, Talib Kweli, Erykah Badu, Bilal, Kurupt & Georgia Anne Muldrow to, so that's a plus in my book! Just like the majority of the Sa-Ra musical endeavors over the years, this project is not your average album. Trying to describe it in mere words would be a waste of time, but your ears will definitely get an exhausting workout of musical bliss after listening to this joint! All that you think you know about beat cadence and drum patterns will be thrown out of the highest window after experiencing this Sa-Ra adventure. One consistancy throughout this musical experience of the definite presence of spacey funk. Not since the early days of Parliment Fuckadelic and the more recent sounds of Spacek have I felt such a funky vibe in music. What I enjoy most about this album is how each track has its own story to tell. Plus, Sa-Ra pushes the music envelope to say the least. While many groups remain stagnated by their own fears of change, Sa-Ra has continued to evolve over the years. Their new album brings everything together in one neatly wrapped funktified package, so don't be affraid to take a listen.

Checkout these sites to get more familiar with Sa-Ra:

www.sa-ra.net

www.sa-ramusic.com

Sa-Ra and Kanye West Presents: All Access on Tour in Chicago

SOUNDNEXX MIXX REWIND!
I rarely think about how long I have been running this blog, and I hardly ever go back to review my older posts either. I'm the kind of person that likes to keep moving forward. Back when I first started this site, there were only about seven people that came through on the regular: Harm1, DMecca, Robogriff, CubikMuzik, Honeysoul, Mr. ATL & my peepz from over in Taiwan! Originally, I had not set any goals for this site and I was just basically enjoying the experience of sharing my music vibes with my friends. Back then when it came to sharing large media files, the only available source was Yousendit.com. Remember that website? They were the KINGS of the large file media sharing business in the early days. Like all other music bloggers trying to step their game up, I uploaded many of my original mixes on Yousendit to afford my limited visitors the opportunity to download them. At the time it didn't really occur to me that the mix links only remained active for a measly seven days before it was deleted by the website. Even back then, that really sucked! I understood that space may have been limited back then, but dayum!

In 2007, things have definitely changed for the better? Now, folks have several sites like Megaupload, Rapidshare, Zshare and Sendspace to choose from for their media hosting needs. The time average is about 30 days in most cases, and as long as atleast one person downloads the media file within that time frame it is extended even longer. So, on behalf of all of the folks that have lost, or never got the chance to download a great media file because the geeks over at Yousendit deleted it in a week, I have some words for you. Yousendit can go Yousuckit, because we don't need you anymore! Try stepping your file sharing game up and stop trying trick folks into paying for your services dammit! I get spam from those jokers almost everyday trying to get me to come back home to Yousendit. Nope, that relationship is officially over, so stop writing me!

Okay, now on to the good news (for some anyway)! Due to Dontsendit's limited hosting options of the past, I have decided to rewind things a little and repost some of my older mixes for your listening pleasure. Today, I have three mixes that I get lots of request for, but I never had the time to repost until now. These are all on the old school hip-hop tip, so pull your shell toes, kangols, wristbands and starter jackets out of the closet before you put your ears on these. Two are megamixes for showcasing my favorite MCs of yester-year Big Daddy Kane and Lord Finesse. The third is a listen into some of my favorite 80s hip-hop classics. I have the mixes linked to the original posts, which I have linked below. I will be reposting some of the other lost mixes in the future, so stay posted.

Unfortunately, I didn't create any tracklistings for these mixes, so hopefully you know most of the songs already (which you should anyway), but if you have any questions about a track just leave comment and I'll get back to you.

Here are the mix links:

BIG DADDY KANE MEGAMIXX


LORD FINESSE MEGAMIXX


80'S RETRO HIP-HOP MIXX

Also, for those folks that want to track down previous SoundNexx mixes I posted on this site, try using the "Google" search option located on bottom/right to search this blog. Just type in your search information into the empty space and click the "Nexx It" button.

SLAM IT OR JAM IT DEBATE 1!
Okay, here is the skinnie! I come across lots of music surfing the internet and for the most part my feelings are pretty cut and dry. I either like the song or I hate it! If I put a song into the "I Hate This Song" catagory, then I normally never play the song again. At moments I have been a little too hasty in my final assessment of a track, which has caused me some regret after I finally realized it was better then I originally thought. Wisdom in music has taught me that some songs have to grow on you a little to really be appreciated. Patience is key, but most of us are into the 20 second skimming mode when we first listen to a new song. That's when you give a new song only the first 20 seconds to impress you, and if it doesn't get you interested in that short time frame you skip to the next track! Before long you have skipped through the whole album and become pissed off because you don't like any of the tracks. Now you have a brand new shiney coaster. I used to be notorious for that back in the day, but now I give a song atleast 25 seconds to impress me, so I am getting a little better? On occasions there are times where I'm totally indifferent about my true feelings on a song. I like the track enough not to hate it, but I hate it just enough not to like it either. In cases like that I usually converse with a couple of my buddies to discuss the song(s) in hopes of coming to a final conclusion. Maybe, I am just missing something? This tactic works sometimes, but most of the time I am left even more confused. I have four tracks that I still can't decide on how I really feel about them.

So, I decided to take a page from a local radio station here in Detroit! When I was coming up back in the day when this particular radio station would premiere a new song, they would let the listeners decide whether they should "Slam It" or "Jam It." Slam It meant: This song sucks, so don't ever play it again! Jam It meant: This song is hot, so keep playing it! It was cool because station made us feel like we had a real voice in what they played on the radio. Even though it wasn't true in the end, it was still fun to hear what people thought about each song. Since, there are people from all over the world that frequent this blog, I hope that this endeavor will lead to fruitful interaction and dialog between us all? If this works, I will continue doing these types of post sharing new and unreleased tracks for you to critique. Let's see how this one goes and take it from there.

Okay, here are the four tracks that I want you to listen 2, review and leave your final opinion about each track in the comments section using the phrases "SLAM IT" or "JAM IT!" Feel free to go into greater detail about why you like or hate these tracks as well. I'm quite sure most of you folks have some interesting things to say....

The first track is LL Cool J - Whatcha Hood Like (Prod. 50 Cent), which is supposedly the first single off of his new album working with 50 Cent.

The second track is 50 Cent - Straight To The Bank, which is supposedly the first single off of his new album.

The third track is Chaundon - Tripod, who is a member of the Justus League and this is supposedly a song off of his upcoming album.

The last track is LL Cool J - Preserve The Sexy feat. Teairra Marie, and I don't know where this one came from.

REMEMBERING LOVER'S ROCK REGGAE!
It's been a minute since SoundNexx showed some luv to the Reggae music genre. It's sad, but true! Honestly, when I surf the thousands of blogsites throughout the vast internet world, I hardly ever see post about reggae artists and/or the music. Do you remember when reggae music was poppin' over here in the United States? That's back when urban radio had a lot more diversity in selection. Ask yourself this question: When was the last time you heard a true reggae song on the radio? An before you think it, Akon's "just outta prison jingles" are not considered real reggae music, so please don't go dere ya bloodclot! I'm talking about the Bob Marley, Shabba Ranks, Chaka Demus & Pliers, Aswad, Thriller U and Inner Circle type of reggae music. Yes, the good ole' reggae music days. Back in the day when it was okay to get sweaty from doing the Butterfly Dance until the wee hours of the morning! That Mad Cobra song "Flex" used to get the ladies real frisky on the dancefloor at the club, so I would always demand that the DJ play it even if I was at a 70's Old School Back Jam Party dammit! There would be a definite discrepacy if the DJ forgot to play it before the club night was over. Mysteriously, the DJ would be missing one of the foam pads off of his favorite pair of headphones, or the microphone would suddenly go out? He'd think there was some ole' Rod Serling "Twightlight Zone" type ish going on up in the club, but it was just me getting revenge for not being allowed to get my reggae slow grind on with a gorgeous female for a few precious minutes! Do you know why? Because nobody messes with SoundNexx's quality time with da lovely ladies, and I mean nobody dammit!

Out of all of the reggae crooners I've enjoyed over the years, I would have to say that Maxi Priest was one of my favorites. Everyone loves the legendary Bob Marley, so there is no reason to compare him to the rest. He's in a league all his own. Maxi's voice is something special though! His soothing harmonies are top notch, and he's had several classics that are still some of my favorite tracks even today. Hearing Maxi's albums got me more interested in the smoother side of reggae music. Before hearing Maxi, all I bought was the hardcore chant type of reggae artists like Shabba Ranks and Supercat. As I went on shopping quest to broaden my reggae horizon, I came across a series of artists that fell into the "Lover's Rock" reggae music category. Lover's Rock is basically reggae music about love, life and relationships. The LR vibes are normally mellow and full of hynotic rhythms. Sometimes, these artist even rework many of our soulful contemporary classics and give them a Caribbean vibrations. It's good stuff no matter how you spin it! For your listening pleasure, I have put together a compilation of my favorite Lover's Rock Reggae tracks. Even if you think you hate reggae music, listen to this mix to be sure you really feel that way. So, grab yourself a mixed drink, a plate of jerk chicken, get relaxed and put your ears on this mix for sure!

LOVER'S ROCK REGGAE MIXX TRACKLIST:

01-Deborahe Glascow - Give Me That Touch
02-Frankie Paul - Can't Stop
03-Marcia Griffiths feat. Cutty Ranks - Half Idiot
04-Luciano - Set Me Free
05-Half Pint - Substitute Lover
06-Peter Hunningale - Mister Vibes
07-Sandra Cross - I Adore You
08-Chaka Demus & Pliers - Let's Make It Tonite
09-Jocelyn Brown - Day Dreaming
10-Gregory Isaacs - Too Good To Be True
11-Judith Gayle - Dream Lover
12-Kofi & John McClean - I'm Still In Love
13-Peter Hunningale - Time For Love
14-Wendy Walker - Stop Playing Around
15-China Black - Searching
16-Kofi - Coming Down To See Me
17-Mikey Simpson - Save A Little Bit
18-Pure Silk feat. Wendy Walker - Make My Dreams A Reality
19-Junior Tucker - Do You Think I'm Sexy

GET THE VIBRATIONS HERE!

SOUNDNEXX SOUL VITALITY MIXX!
The pretty lady in the photo on the left is Joss Stone. Honestly, I thought she was going to be another one of those Pink type artists actually? Do any of you folks remember when the singer Pink sounded R&Bish? Don't try to act like it was just me dammit! When she dropped her debut album "You Can't Take Me Home" back in 2000, it was definitely catered to the urban mainstream audience in my opinion. Pink found success with that first album too, then she flipped the script and went punk-rock n' roll on us after that. Traitor! I'm not mad at her for being true to herself musically, but it bothers me how some artists/record labels use the urban arena to get a buzz then totally abandon us altogether in the end. Jennifer Lopez a.k.a J-HoHo, Vanilla Ice Cream and even Michael Jackson a.k.a Mr. Touchie-Feelie have all turned their backs on the urban audience at one point in their careers. Give me a moment (SoundNexx grabs a tissue)....as I shed a tear for the artists that have vanished from urban radio and video stations around the world. They won't be missed, and when they try to come back to us after their careers are finally toiletrized we should show them the same courteousy. That'll teach them to leave us high & dry...

Alright dammit, back to my girl Joss Stone! Joss has remained very consistent over the years. I have personally enjoyed all three of her albums very much. I currently have her lastest album "Introducing Joss Stone" in heavy rotation. There are plenty of great songs throughout the album, and I hope she is able to pull a Beyonce and have five singles off of one album? I really doubt that would ever happen for Joss, but you can't blame a man for wishing! Okay, this post will start to go downhill from here? For some anyway! I don't normally get into the whole media "he said, she said" rumor/gossip BS, but I was intrigued when I read this little tidbit on the internet. So, I thought I'd share it just to get your opinions about the subject if you choose to leave one. Rumor has it that Joss Stone & Christina Aguilera have both offered to exchange sex to have certain producers (Dallas Austin & Raphael Saadiq) work on her music?? One of them took the deal and the other supposedly didn't? Rumor also has it that Joss is currently dating Raphael Saadiq?? Some fans feel that if these type actions are proven true it could damage their careers?? Please spare me! Sexual favors have been used to get ahead for centuries, so it would unfair to ostracize them and allow Janet to go unscathed... What do you folk think? If you don't really give a damn, I totally understand your position.

Okay...boys and girls, it's mixx time again. I have been meaning to post this mixx for awhile now, but it's better late than never! This joint is filled with soulful bliss that will hopefully put a smile on your faces as it did mines? How can you go wrong with De La Soul, Dwele, RaheemDeVaughn, Phonte, Diana Ross & Jermaine Stewart all in the same mixx? U just can't dammit, so make sure you put your weary ears on this one for real....


SOUNDNEXX SOUL VITALITY MIXX TRACKLIST:


01-Sunshine Anderson - Problems
02-Zo feat. Phonte - Africa
03-De La Soul - Trying People
04-W. Ellington feat. Raheem DeVaughn - Everlastin
05-Will.I.Am feat. Sy Smith - Lay Me Down
06-Dion feat. Talib Kweli - Let It Go
07-Jazzy Jeff feat. Little Brother - Whatever U Want
08-A Tribe Called Quest feat. Erykah Badu - I C U (Doin It)
09-Joss Stone - Proper Nice
10-Yahzarah - Hour Glass
11-Dwele - That's The Way of The World
12-Jazzy Jeff feat. Raheem DeVaughn - My Soul Ain't For Sale
13-Porche' King - Make You Feel Real Good
14-Diana Ross - Upside Down
15-Secret Weapon - Must Be The Music
16-Jermaine Stewart - We Don't Have To Take Our Clothes Off


GET YOUR VITALITY HERE!


In other SoundNexx Mixx Newz:


I don't normally repost mixes once the link is dead, but since I have gotten a lot of request to make this one available again....here you go!


GET SAMPLE LESSONS 1 HERE!


Also, I got a lot of emails telling me that the TeddyRileyJamz Mixx file was currupted, so I converted it to MP3 from WMA and reposted the link as well. It should be good to go now.


GET SOME T.R. IN YOUR LIFE HERE!