SN BOOMBOX GEMZ MIXX!

Hip-Hop music has it's good and bad qualities in 2011, and today I present you with some of good ones. I put compilations together of my favorite tracks all of the time for my personal listening pleasure, but today I am sharing one with you. It's called "Boombox Gemz" and it's iPod ready. This will be available for a limited time, so don't hesitate or it maybe too late...

The Goodies:

Black Milk/AB ~ Oh Girl

Lords of the Underground ~ What I Am After

Guilty Simpson ~ Real Heavy

Nottz/Mayer Hawthorne ~ I Still Love You

Kanye/Raekwon ~ Gorgeous

Kaimbr/Kev Brown ~ The Combination

Von Pea ~ Dreamz

Apathy/Phonte ~ True Love

E. Major ~ Want To Be Me

Kaimbr ~ Firewater

Big Remo/Collin Munroe ~ Girls Most Wanted

Jay Electronica/Tone Trezure ~ Jazzmatazz (SN Mixx)

Elzhi ~ Freestyle

OpEn ThE bOoMbOx 2 GeT dA gEmZ

Peep this smooth Faith Evans joint before you exit stage left:

J-DAVEY DROP CHRISTIAN COP!
Why J-Davey isn't a super-group on the mainstream in the new millennium is beyond my comprehension. All of their music is dope, and they have continued to impress me by pushing the music boundaries further with each release. They're definitely in their own music lane, and deserve to be recognized by the masses. Okay, now I am stepping down off of my soapbox. Fortunately, for the J-Davey babies, they have just released a new joint "Evil Christian Cop: The Great Mistapes" EP. It is five tracks deep, and this joint bumps from end to beginning! This EP was available for free download for a few hours, but now it's costing a few $$$. It's well worth it, so support independent artists.

GET J-DAVEY HERE!

www.jdaveybaby.com

WHAT'S NEXX VIDEOS!

KAIMBR & KEV BROWN GO GREEN!
Hip-Hop heads take note! The emcees and producers from the Low Budget Camp are back at it again. Kaimbr has teamed up with Mr. Kev Brown (producer extraodinare) to create the "Alexander Green" project. The dopest thing about this album outside of Kev's production is that he only uses Al Green samples. If you haven't heard, Al Green has some of dopest soul samples known to man. Even though Kev is not the first producer to flip a classic Al Green sample, he does put his own original and magical touch on these beats. Listening to this joint reminded me just how much I missed Kev Brown and the Low Budget Crew. This is what the game has been missing. This truly reminds me of back when I'd get hyped once I heard Gangstarr, Def Squad or Wu-Tang dropped new music. This is a Golden Era flashback joint...

Support the indie underground artists where real hip-hop lives!

GET THE ALEXANDER GREEN ALBUM HERE!

Checkout this video below for a taste of that A. Green flavor:


That is all!

NIKKO GRAY + IMANI WADDY!
After posting about the magnificent Imani Waddy and his lovely "Love Letters To: Yellow" project, I felt the collaboration project featuring Nikko Gray on vocals deserved its own post. Listening to Nikko's sultry vocals over Imani's smooth instrumentals is heaven in a hand basket. Nikko stated this about working on this project: “For me, this project created itself in a sense… Love as Art. Love creating itself. Through Art. Given, received, reflected, accepted, and given again. I recorded most of everything myself at home with the intention of capturing the first sparks of my creative energy.” This project is 5-tracks deep with soul, and features Chris Young as a special guest on the "Press Play" track.

Click this---> PRONOUNCED LOVE BANDCAMP

www.nikkogray.com

SOUND SPOT: IMANI WADDY
Now, this joint here is on some serious mellow madness! Definitely a great listen during a relaxing afternoon when whinding down is critical. Musician Imani Waddy (whom I recently discovered) has an album "Love Letters To: Yellow" that has me smiling from ear-to-ear. It's always a treat when I discover new and talented artists in a time when many feel that real music is on the decline. This proves that great music is still available, but you have to put a little effort into finding it. Imani's Yellow has a jazzy-lounge sound, and should appeal the fans of instrumentals and smooth jazz. One of the seven tracks inlcudes guest vocals from soul singer Nikko Gray. The beatmaker AFTA-1 also adds a little of his flavor to one of these tracks as well.


Stop reading now and click there to get it---> IMANI WADDY BANDCAMP

www.imaniwaddy.com

ERYKAH BADU & MELO ARE GONE!

VALENTINE'S DAY NU DOPEST DUETZ

CUPID'S HUNT 2011Valentine's Day and music go hand-in-hand just like a couple in love. This year I am dropping two mixxes dedicated to the music lovers for V-Day. This post is part of the Cupid's Hunt crusade, which involves DJs, podcasters and music scholars all over the world releasing various Valentine's Day mixes.

My "Nu Dopest Duetz Parts 1 & 2" mixxes showcase some of my favorite duets from the new school soul and hip-hop artists. Below are the track lists and links for each of the mixxes.

NU-DOPEST DUETZ PT. 1

1. Vikter Duplaix & Ms. Saigon - Stimulate
2. Steve Spacek & Mpho Skeef - La Bougie
3. Anthony Hamilton & Angie Stone - Stay For A While
4. Keith Sweat & Athena Cage - Like You've Never Been Done
5. Changing Faces - Keep It Right There (Remix)
6. Kelly Rowland & Tank - The Show
7. Carl Thomas & Lalah Hathaway - Thought You Should Know
8. Yahzarah & Darien Brockington - All My Days
9. Hil St. Soul & Dwele - Baby Come Over
10. J.S.O.U.L. & Natalie "The Floacist" - Closer
11. Kindred & The Family Soul - Where Would I Be
12. Common & Mary J. Blige - Come Close (Nic Remix)
13. T-Love & Dwele - 7
14. Teedra Moses & Raphael Saadiq - Take Me
15. Jose' James & Jordena De Lovely - Love Conversation
16. Amel Larrieux & Glenn Lewis - Where Is The Love
17. Ron Isley & Lauryn Hill - Close To You
18. Chante' Moore & Kenny Lattimore - Here We Go
19. Marva King & Tru-ko - Know Me

NU-DOPEST DUETZ PT. 2

1. Anthony Hamilton & Lina - Around The World
2. Stacy Epps & Finale - 00:00
3. Iman Williams & Velben - I, Confide
4. Eric Benet & Chrisette Michele - Take It
5. Wes Felton & Wayna - You Can
6. Koffee Brown - Qualified
7. Melo & Fatima - Coming Home
8. Darien Brockington & Yahzarah - Sacrifice
9. Lil'Mo & Fabolous - 4Ever
10. Raphael Saadiq & Rosie Kaye - Skyy, Can You Feel Me
11. Missy Elliott & Ginuwine - Take Away
12. Nivea & R. Kelly - Laundromat
13. Avant & Kelly Rowland - Separate (Remix)
14. Aaliyah & Smokey - One Man Woman
15. Vinia Mojica & Mos Def - Get Ta Steppin'
16. Daniel DeBoung & Dyanna Fearon - Bubblebath
17. Joya Mooi & Mar - My Day
18. Mary J. Blige & Dave Young - Settle Down
19. Tone Trezure & J. Bird - No You Without Me
20. Jill Scott & Mos Def - Love Rain (Remix)

DD MIXX PART 1 (LINK 1) (LINK 2)

DD MIXX PART 2 (LINK 2) (LINK 2)

2011 CUPID'S HUNT WEBSITE FOR MORE V-DAY MIXES

CORINNE RAE BRINGS LOVE!
Soul singer Corinne Bailey Rae has released her latest joint "The Love EP" just in time for Valentine's Day. All 5 of the cover tracks are about love and were originally performed by legends like Prince, Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder, Bob Marley, Belly, Doris Day and Sly & The Family Stone. Corinne is paying homage to some her favorite musicians and many that influenced her career. Things are going good for Ms. Rae as she's traveled around the world on tour. This project is testimate to her giving back musically. Personally, I am not complaining at all. I'll take all of the new music I can get from Corinne. Do yourself a favor and put ears on this EP. Click the link below to check it out:

THE LOVE EP

www.corinnebaileyrae.net

BIG TONE: FLESH & SOUL!

Detroit emcee alert! Rappers like Big Tone have been representing Detroit for many years, and I have been a fan for a minute. Ironically, I ran into the guy and family eating at the best pancake restaurant in the world "The Pancake House" eating breakfast. Around this town you never know who you might see. Tone has released two albums at point, and now he's released a free EP titled "Flesh & Sole" for his fans. The fans that have been supporting him since day one. It's six tracks deep. He's in a good space right now in his life, and he wanted share his feelings. I'm giving myself a late pass on this one, so if you missed it like I did don't sleep.

Get the F&S EP here: BIG TONE BANDCAMP

MY FAVORITE SB COMMERCIAL!


Thanks to Eminem and Chrysler representing Detroit well in this great commercial! I couldn't have said it better myself...

JSOUL IS BLACK SINATRA!
Awhile back, I came across this soulful track by a soulful kat from Baltimore that calls himself J.S.O.U.L. and my interest was sparked. I love discovering new music artists. Unfortunately, I forgot to check for the dude when I originally planned, but eventually did it a few months later (so I thought). I Googled his name and another soul (gospel) singer using the same moniker popped up. The other kat was alright, but it wasn't the sound I was expecting judging by the track I'd previously heard. Luckily, I heard a remix track from the right JSOUL featuring Erro awhile later, and from that I figured out who was who. The timing was perfect because happened right around the release of his latest "Black Sinatra" music project. Don't sleep on this joint! There are 11 tracks with featured guests that include Eric Roberson, Natalie "The Floacist" Stewart, Substantial, Carol Riddick and Julie Dexter. Support independent soul music.

GET BLACK SINATRA HERE!

Checkout his website here: www.jsoulblacksinatra.com

JAY-DEE STILL SHINES ON!


It's dope that people are still showing love to the missed, but never forgotten producer Jay-Dee a.k.a. J Dilla after all of these years. The dude will always remain one of my top 5 producers of all-time list forever. He's unmatched in my music book! His fans will love this upcoming video dedication project "J Dilla: Still Shining" that drops on February 7th. It's a further look into the man's life through his eyes, words and commentary from many from aritsts that he's worked with in the past.

If you haven't already, checkout the trailer above...

A VERY SOULFUL! PRODUCER!
The only thing I like better than beat instrumentals is free beat instrumentals. I like them even better when my dude Soulful! is creating them. What makes a producer unique to my ears is having a somewhat original sound. It could be a signature loop pattern, odd sample choices, bells, dogs barking or whatever. However, it can't be too repetitive because then the beats become boring and predictable. That's a definite no-no! Legendary producers like Pete Rock, Dre & DJ Premier have figured out this magical formula. You can hear their beats at anywhere and know they're behind the boards. Their signature sounds very recognizable to music lovers around the world. I believe that's the level where any up & coming producer in the game aspires to reach.

With that being said, beat lovers need to keep this kat Soulful! on their radars. He's back with another hot album called "Mumbo Sauce and Drumbreaks" that's a mixture of fresh instrumentals, and songs featuring some underground artists. This is available for free download, and we should thank Soulful!, FWMJ and Inner Loop Records for making this available for the masses.

Okay, enough typing...so click the link below and grab this joint right now:

GET SOULFUL!'s MUMBO DRUMBEATS

www.innerloopuncut.com

www.twitter.com/deycallmesoul