EPMD MEAN BUSINESS IN 2007!
Who doesn’t like EPMD? If you answered "ME" then I suggest that you wash your mouth out with a pubic hair covered bar of soap and then answer the question again. Not liking EPMD is basically not liking hip-hop music. I mean these brothas are a couple of the pioneers of the hip-hop music that we know and love today, even though according to some hip-hop has died already. I am a TRUE EPMD fan from way back when EPMD still stood for “Erick and Parrish Making Dollars” and not “Erick and Parrish Millennium Ducats!” Yes, the meaning of the letters has changed slightly over the years. Since, their early beginning EPMD has been Strictly Business. Over the years they’ve had to tighten up some Unfinished Business, but it’s always Business as Usual and of course Business Never Personal. Unfortunately, the group had come Back In Business just to turn around two years later and Out of Business again. Personal turmoil has hampered the group’s success during the later years, but EPMD is coming back on the music scene with their seventh album “We Mean Business!” I’m quite sure that plenty new school rap fans could give a damn that EPMD is about to drop another album, but personally I’m always happy when Erick & Parrish start doing BUSINESS together again. We need a less rap gimmicks and a little more of that old boom-bap back in hip-hop to balance things out.

Rumor has it that the first single off of the new EPMD joint is called “BLOW!” If you haven’t heard it already, check it out and hear what you think:

Even though I am a fan of EPMD and many other rappers from that era, sometimes I wonder when would be the right time for these artists to finally hang up the microphone for good? Should there be an age limit on emcees? An expiration date of some sort? I hate to see my favorite rhymers from hip-hop's past sounding like hot garbage because they can't let it go. Then when and if an artist does finally call it quits, the fans miss them and almost beg them to pick up the mic once again. So, what is an older artist supposed to do???

RAHEEM'S 'LOVE BEHIND THE MELODY!'
Currently, I am a big Raheem DeVaughn fan, but I have to admit that when I first discovered him I was very skeptical of him as artist. I still remember it like it was yesterday actually. It was on a Saturday back in the early spring of 2005, and I had the TV on BET J trying to get some soul music in my ears before I headed out for the day. All of sudden I hear the Earth, Wind & Fire “Can’t Hide Love” beat come through the speakers of my television. I immediately turn my head toward the screen expecting to get a glimpse of Maurice White and Phillip Bailey putting the boogie down, but that’s not what I saw! What I saw was this unknown kat with corn rolled braids singing over one of my favorite EW&F samples instead, so immediately my grin turned into a definite frown. I wasn’t feeling it, but I skeptically finished watching his “Guess Who Loves You More” music video anyway. In my mind I had already written off this Raheem DeVaughn dude as just another neo-soul gimmick that was trying to slide into the (always swinging) music business door by using a hot old school sample. This type of trickery had been used hundreds of times in the past, and I wasn’t falling for it. As far as I was concerned I wasn’t the slight bit interested in finding out anything more about this artist. Our musical partnership was over before it had even started.

So, a couple of months later I was up in one of my favorite local record stores Record Time and I was rummaging through their promo albums/used music bins and I stumbled across a promo copy of Raheem DeVaughn’s “Love Experience” album. I didn’t recognize his name at first, but I put the CD in my pile of stuff I planned on checking out at their listen station. When I eventually opened up the CD cover, I realized that it was that corn-rolled headed, beat stealing neo-soul dude again! At the point of my discovery, I was about to just throw the Raheem CD back in the bin and not even listen to it, but my curiosity got the better of me. So, I went a head and put the Raheem album into the player, and I when I first heard the "The Love Experience” song (track 2) I was totally impressed! I made it to “Guess Who Loves You More” song (track 3) and that even sounded better to my ears this time around. By the time I reached “Is It Possible” (track 11) I knew I had something special in my hands, and I had almost missed out on it. So, needless to say that I scooped that joint up with the quickness, and at the low cost of $6 you know it was a wrap! There was still approximately a month and some change before the official release of his album on June 28, 2005, so I went on a personal mission trying to turn everyone that could onto Raheem DeVaughn and The Love Experience.

I made another discovery as I was on my Raheem DeVaughn crusade as well. I was actually a fan of Raheem’s music before I heard his album. He had actually been featured on a few tracks on Jazzy Jeff’s “The Magnificent” album back in 2002, and it never dawned on me that he was the same dude. That was a dope album as well that was slept on. I can admit that I was totally wrong about Raheem when I first formed my initial opinion about his whole career based on the first single off of his album. We all make musical mistakes, but in 2007 he is a household name to most when it comes to male soul singers. It’s been over two years since we’ve had an album from Mr. DeVaughn, but he is about to release his second album “Love Behind the Melody” on November 27, 2007. I have heard a few tracks off of the new joint and I’m really diggin’ them! The lead single off of his new is called “Woman” that just so happens to be causing a slight buzz on the internet right now. If you haven’t heard that track yet, check it out below…



LOVE BEHIND THE MELODY TRACK LIST:

01. Love Behind A Melody
02. Some Kind Of Way
03. Desire
04. She's Not You
05. Four Letter Word
06. Cocaine Dreams
07. Rich Girls
08. Mo Betta
09. Butterflies
10. Lovesick (Empty)
11. Try Again
12. Energy
13. Marathon
14. Woman
15. Love Drug
16. Customer
17. Friday (Shut The Club Down)

GET FAMILIAR FOLKS:

www.theloveexperience.com

www.myspace.com/devaughnenterprises

SOUND SPOT: NECO REDD
Detroit has been putting it down for decades when it comes to music. Our music scene has always been influenced by just about every genre from around the globe (post the Motown era) so most of the local artists have a pretty diverse musical sound. Many have taken the best parts of the music from different regions and have reworked those sounds and ideas into something uniquely new, which several have labeled as the “Detroit Sound!” Some of the pioneers of this recognized sound are katz like Jay Dee, Karriem Wiggins and Waajeed. The Detroit hip-hop scene has been getting worldwide recognition as of late. With local hip-hop artists like Black Milk, Buff 1 and Dilla dropping dope albums, and indie new comers like Guilty Simpson, Finale', Invincible and Illa J putting it down that's understandable. Coincidently, most outsiders have been completely sleeping on the Detroit soul music scene, except for Dwele's music. Honestly, many local Detroiters have been napping on our soul scene as well, except for Dwele's dope music. Hopefully, that will be changing soon with many of our local soul artists coming out with new music.

Today, I’d like to shine some light on one of my favorite soul singers reppin’ the D. Her name is Neco Redd and she’s been putting it down for a minute. She’s a soulful sista with a lot to say. Neco has already worked with a few of my favorite artists like the Platinum Pied Pipers, Amp Fiddler & DJ Mitsu. Musically her sound has been influenced by artists like Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, Syleena Johnson, Raphael Saadiq, and Chaka Khan just to name a few. Finally, my girl Neco is about to release her first album entitled “No Discipline” real soon, so hopefully other folks can get on the bandwagon like I’ve been for years. After hearing a few joints off of her new album, I think that true soul fans are going to be in for a real treat when it finally drops!

Since, Neco's new album is not available just yet, I have decided to pay a little homage to my homegirl by putting together some of my favorites by this singer for you to hear. It's a musical sampler of some of her new and older tracks, so check it out and get a taste of her soulful flavor. I'm definitely diggin' the voice!

Clink these links before you leave...


Neco Redd's Myspace Page here


SoundNexx DJ feat. Neco Redd Sampler here


SOUNDNEXX DJ FEAT. NECO REDD TRACK LIST:

01. History
02. 1 Luv 2 U
03. No Discipline
04. Better Days
05. Phase The World
06. Right There
07. Southern Lovin

E.A. FLOE'S REMIXTURE PROJECT!
The Justus League is on the tips of everyone’s tongues these days because 9th Wonder finally released his long overdue “Dream Merchant 2” solo project, and the highly anticipated Little Brother “Get Back” album was leaked onto the internet by one of the group members. I won’t type the suspected group member’s name, but it starts with the letter 'P' if you can’t guess. Anyway, the new Little Brother joint is dope as expected, so be sure to pick that up when it officially drops at a store or internet site near you. As far as Mr. Wonder’s Dream Merchant 2 project…well, I’m not totally in love with it personally. Yes, there are a few songs on there that stand out above the rest, but I found myself hitting the skip button more than a couple of times. Truthfully, I think there were too many unknown artists on the project that really didn’t move me lyrically. I think if 9th had recruited more known and talented artists for the project the album would have been a lot better overall. I do suggest that you give DM2 a listen to hear what you think about it for yourself though. One man’s opinion is just that.

There is a lot of solid talent amongst the Justus Leaguers, but one of my favorite emcees in the crew is definitely Edgar Allen Floe. His rhyme flow reminds me of a young Jeru and his voice has the power of Chuck D. Edgar is not out there in the JL limelight like some of the others from the crew, so most folks have overlooked his skill. His album debut “Floe Almighty” was one of my favorite hip-hop releases in 2006, but many didn’t even know it had been released. Well, for those that missed E.A. Floe the first time around, he’s releasing a remixed version of his album dropping on the November 13th called “The Remixture” that will hopefully get more people interested. Handling the project’s remix duties are 9th Wonder, Khrysis, Blunt & Slicemysta. The project has a total of 13 remixes and 2 Khyrsis produced bonus tracks not included on the original release. There will also be a bonus disc included in the CD pack that has all 15 instrumentals available for your listening pleasure as well. Patience is no longer a virtue in the day of digital downloading, so if you want this music now and not later you can go over the HipHopSite and kopp these joints today!

Click here for The Remixture Downloads

Check out the EAF myspace page:

www.myspace.com/eafloe

Then download this LB/DJ Dub mixtape for good measure:

The Good Clothes Mixtape

Finale - Motor Music (Video)

This "Motor Music" is my joint right now! My dude Finale has been reppin' Detroit for a minute now, and it's time for the world to recognize who he is. The beat is by my other dude Black Milk, so this is definitely a banger. This video is on some Madlib meets a 1930s brothel type ish, but I'm diggin' it. Definitely not your average video, so check it out. There be more on this kat later...

www.myspace.com/finale

RAP ATTACK: SWATCH WATCH MIXX!
Personally, I have owned all kinds of watches throughout my short life, but one of my favorites over all is definitely the Swatch Watch! Those watches just had FLAVOR written all over them. Each watch was a unique blend of crazy colors, designs and style. The best part about them was the fact that they were very reasonably priced, so a child could actually purchase one of them with their birthday or paper route money. Plus, they had a bunch of inexpensive accessories that you could by to make this fly time piece even flyer! I owned 3 of them myself, and each one of them played a special part of my gear game back then. These Swiss watches were made from some durable azz plastic too, because I remember mine getting ran over by a car and it still worked afterwards. Timex who? It was scratched to hell, but I still sported it with confidence. You couldn't tell me nothing! Bring the Swatch Watches back dammit!!

Just like the Swatch Watch is a slice of hip-hop history, so is this mixx that I posted for you today! Truthfully speaking, these songs are 18 reasons why I originally became a huge fan of hip-hop music. I remember hearing most of these joints being played on the late night mix shows that would air on Friday and Saturday nights. I still remember the late nights where me and my trusty JVC Boobox double-cassette recorder would be trying to capture each hip-hop mixshow moment on a 90 minute Memorex cassette tape. That cassette would stay in my Sony Walkman until the following weekend when I was back at it again. Now, I share some of those retro joints with you good folks. I call this joint the "Rap Attack: Swatch Watch" mixx, and if this one doesn't take back down memory lane you were probably never there in the first place...

RAP ATTACK: SWATCH WATCH TRACK LIST

01^Man Parrish - Boogie Down Bronx
02^Dana Dane - Nightmares
03^Doug E. Fresh ft. Ricky D - La-Di-Da-Di
04^Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince - Girls of The World Ain't Nothin But Trouble
05^Just-Ice - Cold Gettin' Dumb
06^Roxanne Shante' - Go On Girl
07^J.J. Fad - Supersonic
08^Jazzy Joyce & Sweet Tee - It's My Beat
09^Queen Latifah - Wrath of My Madness
10^Isis - Rebel Soul
11^MC Lyte - 10% Dis
12^Antoinette - Watch The Gangstress
13^K-9 Posse - Ain't Nothing To It
14^Nice & Smooth - Funky For You
15^Cash Money & Marvelous Marv - Ugly People Be Quiet
16^Heavy D - The Overweight Lover's In The House
17^Three Times Dope - Funky Dividends
18^Biz Markie - Vapors (Remix)

GET YOUR SWATCH WATCH HERE

Donnie - 911 (Music Video)

This is my favorite joint off of Donnie's latest album! Take heed to the lyrics...

EVE SAYS "HERE I AM" SNITCHEZ!
A few days ago I was going through my archives and I started pulling out a bunch of music from some of my favorite female emcees of the past like Antoinette, Sweet Tee, Shante’, Salt-N-Pepa, MC Lyte, Finesse & Synquis, etc. It dawned on me at that moment that most of the females rapping these days just don’t move me in that way like their predecessors. Now, there are a few exceptions, but for the most part it seems like female rap has because just another gimmick to sell sex. I like looking at a nice half dressed woman just like the rest of heterosexual males out there, but the overkill of it in videos has become a little annoying to me. Well, maybe not that annoying, but you know what I mean? Basically, if you call yourself a rapper then rap. If you can’t rap and all you want to do is show off your breasts and ass then start a modeling career. It’s possible to be sexy without coming off trashy. Yes, Eve has tried to reveal her boobs to her in the past, but since she wear a negative A cup I won't hold it against the woman! Eve is a perfect example of how a female can be ‘sexassy.’ Sexassy equals 'sexy' plus 'classy' if you couldn't figure it out. Yes, sexassy is a real word when you’re here at SoundNexx. Think of it as me expanding our vocabularies a little. If 'bling-bling' can be added to the dictionary, so can 'sexassy' dammit! So, when you see that word pop up again in the near future, don't act like you've never heard it before.

Anyway, I have always enjoyed listening to Eve of Destruction’s music over the years, but I did get a little worried about her rap career after she did that goofy self-titled sitcom of hers. I didn’t think I would be able to view her in the same way after that, but I saw her recently on some television show performing, and she still had that old swagger. Just last night on the VH1 Hip-Hop Honors show Eve revealed a glimpse of her former self on the stage once again. After seeing her recent performances, I am sort of looking forward to hearing her new album “Here I Am” that has just been pushed back from its original release date of October 16th to some unknown date in 2008. Damn, I hate when that happens! I am assuming that her release date being pushed back has something to do with her lukewarm responses to her first two singles. Personally, I wasn’t feeling those singles either, but I rarely like most singles that drop for some reason. I expect more from the album though. Just in case you give a damn about Eve’s new album, I have posted the tentative track listing below…

01-Ain't No Stopping Me
02-All Night Long (featuring Pharrell)
03-Cash Flow (featuring T.I.)
04-Fantasy (featuring Robin Thicke)
05-Get That Money
06-Mirror Mirror (featuring Keyshia Cole)
07-Sorry (I'm Gone)
08-Here I Am (featuring Elan Atias)
09-Give It To You (featuring Sean Paul)
10-Hold A Candle
11-Real Love (featuring Mary J. Blige)
12-Tambourine (featuring Swizz Beatz)
13-Turn Me On (featuring Sizzla)
14-Together
15-Ain't Nothin' Changed
16-Get It In (featuring Ne-Yo)
17-Say My Name
18-Fire (featuring Dr. Dre)
19-Dance Floor (featuring Mashonda)
20-I'm Caught Up

OH YEAH, and for all of you folks that have been emailing me about re-uping that Dwele "Adwelogy Mixx" it's back, so get it while you can.

GET ADWELOGY HERE!

THE BLIGIN' WIT MARY MIXX!
Who doesn’t like Mary J. Blige? The official Queen of Hip-Hop Soul has convincingly maintained her reign over the throne for more than a decade, even though many have tried to take her spot. There have been plenty of talented female artists that have created some great hip-hop soul tracks over the years, but none of them do like Mary J. Blige. Mary’s fans have a deep connection with her music, and most of us have been following her music career since the beginning. She has lyrically shared some of her most intimate moments with us in her music, revealing the good, the bad and ugly times that she’s endured over the years. We have watched her mature as an artist and a person as well. Even though Mary’s music has evolved over the years, she has managed to stay relevant throughout. Personally, I have liked some of Mary’s joints better than others, but I can honestly say that she hasn’t released anything that I consider just straight trash! Mary just knows how to make dope records no matter who she works with, which is impressive. I actually thought when she parted ways with Puff Daddy that her career would take a drastic slide into the toilet, but I was totally wrong. Now, I understand that their split was probably the best thing for her career.

Since, I am always anticipating new Mary releases I’m pretty hyped about her new album “Growing Pains” that is scheduled to drop on November 27th! I have already heard some good things about the album, and I am really diggin’ her first single “Just Fine,” which is creating a nice buzz on the internet right now! So, for those of you that actually still buys music mark your calendars accordingly!

Being a music connoisseur and a huge Mary J. Blige fan, I have collected several of her rare and remixed tracks over the years. Living overseas in the past has provided me golden opportunities to obtain many of her non-United States released tracks as well, so I guess you can say that I am pretty lucky! So, I have decided to share some of that luck with you good folks, for a LIMITED time of course. I enjoy sharing good music with my loyal and frequent visitors, so here’s another gem to add to your archives. I call this one the “Bligin’ Wit Mary” mixx and this joint will definitely be worth you kopping. There is some classic material on this one for sure! Just like the "Adwelogy" mixx (which will be back shortly) that I posted a few months ago, this SoundNexxclusive mixx will only be available for a LIMITED period of time! Once the link is dead, it’s dead until further notice...

There is no track list for this mixx either, and that's to keep things mysteriously interesting. You won’t know what song is coming next until it actually arrives, so enjoy this musical experience. However, I will list the names of the featured guests though to get your mouth watered a little bit.

Featured guests include: Ghostface Killa, Pete Rock, C.L. Smooth, Lauryn Hill, Talib Kweli, Method Man, Mos Def, George Michael, Foxy Brown, Audio Two, Smif-N-Wessun, Keith Murray, Big Pun, Mr. Cheeks, Jay-Z and Case…

Okay, wipe your mouth!!

GET THE "JUST FINE" JOINT HERE!

GET THE "BLIGIN' WIT MARY" MIXX HERE!

KEYSHIA COLE - SHOULDA LET YOU GO


Is it me or does the female rapper in this video (Amina) look like a young and taller Lauryn Hill? For some reason, I enjoy looking at Ms. Cole's physique more than I like listening to her music...

REMEMBERIN' MINNIE RIPERTON, BABY!

I have spoken about a lot of great artists on this blog during my short stint, but one person that definitely holds a dominant spot in my heart of music is Minnie Riperton. Her voice was like no other and her music is nothing short of timeless. Every time I play any of her songs it’s like going back down memory lane to a melodic place and time when music still had passion and genuine soul. Oh, how I miss those days. Understand that Minnie wasn’t just a great singer, but she was a beautiful and rare jewel. The woman was gorgeous and gifted. Her gift was having the ability sing a rare and amazing five-octave vocal range. She was recognized for her abilities in the whistle register, which is the highest register of the human voice. Check out her classic record “Loving You” to hear her unique voice in action. During her singing career Minnie was adored by the masses, and she seemed to be on her way to a lengthy and legendary music stint in the business. Sadly, her career was interrupted by a devastating diagnosis of breast cancer that was discovered in 1976. Even with her illness, Minnie continued to record music until her untimely death from cancer in 1979. Minnie’s death shook up the music industry, leaving her family, friends and fans distraught to say the least. Even though many have tried to immolate her, there can and will be only ONE Minnie Riperton!

If you are unfamiliar with Minnie’s music, try to put your ears on one of her greatest hits compilations. Honestly, you have to hear her albums to really get the full listening experience, but her greatest hits are better than nothing. If you really enjoy great singing, do yourself a favor and check for Minnie Riperton because you won’t be disappointed!

Your iPod Mixx Kang has graciously provided you kind folks with another mix for your listening pleasure. This one was actually pretty fun to make, just based on its concept. Recently, I was challenged by a buddy of mine to make a solid mix based on one word only, and that word was BABY. I had to dig in my archives to find the songs in my extensive collection with the word BABY in the song title, and it actually took me a minute to go through all of my music. I call this mixx the 'Baby'z Soul Mixx' and you can figure out why. It was a challenge make, but I put it together and I really like the final product! This joint is full of great songs from all over the place. It’s definitely a soulful and diverse mixture of talent, but I think you’ll enjoy it. This was so much fun making, I will definitely be doing one of these type mixes again real soon, so stay posted. Also, I have a couple of other musical goodies on the horizon for you as well...

BABY'Z SOUL MIXX TRACK LIST:

01~RICK JAMES - GIVE IT TO ME BABY

02~GROOVE THEORY - BABY LUV (REMIX)

03~BRANDY - BABY BABY (MK REMIX)

04~MICHAEL JACKSON - BABY BE MINE

05~ANGIE STONE FT. BETTY WRIGHT - BABY

06~MUSIQ SOULCHILD - BABYGIRL

07~DWELE - COUNT BACK (HOPE IT'S NOT MY BABY)

08~LALAH HATHAWAY - BABY DON'T CRY

09~WILLIE HUTCH - BABY COME HOME

10~MINNIE RIPERTON - BABY, THIS LOVE I HAVE

11~BARRY WHITE - PLAYING YOUR GAME BABY

12~ISAAC HAYES - HUNG UP ON MY BABY

13~VIKTER DUPLAIX - MAKE A BABY

14~R. KELLY - HALF ON A BABY

15~PRINCE - DO ME BABY

16~RELL - IF THAT'S MY BABY

17~V - HEY PRETTY BABY

18~MUSIQ SOULCHILD - OOOBABYBABY

19~DENISE WILLIAMS - CAUSE I LOVE YOU BABY

20~ROY AYERS - COFFY BABY

GET THIS MIXX HERE!

Check out these videos before you bounce 2:

Minnie Riperton - Loving You

Vikter Duplaix - Make a Baby

JUST IN CASE YOU MISSED THESE!
In these days of high traffic downloading and music purchasing, it's very easy to overlook quality searching for quantity. Don't worry about it though, because your boy SoundNexx has you covered like a cheap bathroom rug. I mean that too! Today, I want to shine a little light on three albums that you may have overlooked that I have thoroughly enjoyed personally. That doesn't mean that you will enjoy them as much as I do, but you should still hear them atleast. First up is the musical sensation Emily King and her new joint is called "East Side Story." Her style of music is unique, so I can't really compare her sound to anyone elses. I will say this though, if you like artists like Natalie Williams and Ciara Hill then Emily King may be to your liking? The subject matter on Emily's album is very diverse, and it seems to center around who she is as a person for the most part. Call it her official introduction. She's obviously gone through a lot of personal issues growing up, and she has found a way to paint a musical collage to effectively share her story. Don't get it twisted though, because Emily is a true b-girl at heart, so she has a few joints that definitely have a old school hip-hop feel to them. Truthfully, I look at Ms. King as the whole package as an entertainer and maybe you will too. So, if you haven't heard Emily's album yet you should seriously think about giving it a listen. If Emily's not your bag of chips, then maybe this next kat is?

Next up is one of my favorite and most consistant soul artists in the game today, and his name is Rahsaan Patterson. Why this dude isn't more popular than what he is has me boggled. His music is always genuine and refreshing, and he seems to get better with each of his releases. I am a big fan of this kat, and I have mentioned his name on here several times in the past, so here it is again. Recently, Mr. Patterson released his fourth album entitled "Wines and Spirits" and this joint has been getting plenty of spins every since I got my hands on it! Rahsaan's music always seems to be uplifting, which makes the listening experience fun. Personally, I hate albums that just stay in depress and distress mode like *cough* Keisha Cole's joint *cough* *burp* *sneeze*...but that's just me though! If I want to feel distressed and depressed, all I have to do is turn on the evening news. Anyway, Rahsaan has a few spiritual (not gospel) tracks on this album as well, so it's a nice balance of soul all the way around. Since, this album got absolutely no publicity (other than a couple quality music sites around the web) I felt it was necessary to give it some myself. I realize that most of the regular SoundNexx visitors enjoy the more obscure and diverse artists, so here's another one to get familiar with if you haven't already.

Last on my list is the kat with the biggest afro in the game right now Kevin Michael. I did a Sound Spot segment on this guy back in July after hearing his "Kevin Michael's Yadig?" EP. I was thoroughly impressed by that project, so I was pretty eager to hear his upcoming self-titled album as well. Good news, the new album was finally released on October 2nd. Now, I was diggin' the EP for sure, but this album is even better! Honestly, I let this joint play from beginning to end without skipping one track, which is really rare for me. Now, I did go back and repeat a few tracks several times though. One of my favorite Kevin Michael tracks is the accoustic version of "Vicki's Secret" and it's definitely dope, but the original version is bananas! The album has a carefree feel to it, which is very refreshing. He has a few guest appearances on the album like Q-Tip, Lupe Fiasco and Wyclef, but other than that it's all Kevin, which is great! I hate albums with too many featured guests on it, because normally the actual artist gets smothered or out performed by the guests. This is definitely an impressive debut from Mr. Michael, and I hope that it gets the attention it deserves. You damn sure need to hear this one, and the other two joints I mentioned above as well!

Now, the choice is yours. You can get with THIS, or you can get with THAT...

GATORZ N' FURZ: FREAKXXXSHOW!
It's October and the Chief Chinchilla, J-Zone is back with his latest installment of his crazy themed mixtape show he calls 'Freakxxshow.' The theme for this month is dedicated to the freaky side of life, and everything else that comes with it. Zone is obviously in the Halloween spirit with the whole freaks theme, so trick or treak mo-fos. This mix is definitely full of some very diverse artists that you have probably never heard sharing the same space in a mix, but that's what makes this such a novelty. There are definitely some classic joints on here, but there are a couple that I have never heard in my life. For example, who the hell is JCD & The Dawg LB? They must be from Idaho or something, because I have never heard of those katz? Also, I'd like to give a true typeout to my favorite hip-hop freak of all times Choice! She never got the freaky respect she deserved though. Folks seem to think that Lil'Kim, Trina, Khia, etc. were the first of the foul mouthed female rappers, but if you do some research Choice actually came before them. I still remember when I heard her album "HIV Positive" back in 1991. J-Zone did miss the boat on this mix though by not adding atleast one Millie Jackson track for good measure. Millie is the person that taught Richard Pryor, Dolemite and Paul Mooney how to curse, I mean cuss...

FREAXXXSHOW TRACK LIST:

01. Intro
02. Whodini - 'Freaks Come Out At Night'
03. Blowfly - 'She's Bad'
04. BWP (feat. Ed Lover) - '2 Minute Brother'
05. Color Me Badd - 'I Wanna Sex You Up'
06. K-Solo - 'Renee-Renee'
07. Poison Clan - 'Ho Stories'
08. Brooklyn Assault Team - 'On The Bone Again'
09. Jodeci - 'Feenin' (Talk Break)'
10. Sylk Smoov - 'Bitch Haven (Commercial)'
11. Scarface - 'The Pimp'
12. Onyx - 'Blac Vagina Finda'
13. 2 Live Crew - 'Ugly As Fuck'
14. Too Much Trouble - 'If You Ain't Suckin''
15. Too $hort - 'Paula & Janet'
16. Willie D - 'I Wanna Fuck Ya Mama'
17. MC Ren - 'Behind The Scenes'
18. JCD & The Dawg Lb. - 'Bon Apetit'
19. Marvin Gaye - 'Sexual Healing'
20. Choice - 'One Just Ain't Enough'
21. Ice Cube - 'Condom Commercial/A Midnight Leak'
22. Bo$$ Hog Barbarian$ (J-Zone & Celph Titled) - 'Baby U Burned Me'
23. Words From ODB
24. Master P - 'Ooh Shit'
25. The Hoodratz - 'Ms. Crabtree'
26. Jodeci - 'Freak'n U (Talk Break)'
27. King Tee & E-Swift - 'Where'sa Hoes At? (Commercial)'
28. Bobbie Knight - 'Lovomaniacs (Sex)'
29. Nice-N-smooth - 'Hit Me'
30. Vanity 6 - 'Nasty Girl'
31. AMG - 'I Wanna Be Yo Ho'
32. Madonna - 'Like A Virgin'
33. Greyson & Jasun - 'Laura'
34. J-Zone - 'Freak & Dome (Talk Break)'
35. Section 8 Mob - 'Ketchup On My Hotdog'
36. Bustdown - 'Nasty Bitch'
37. Tim Dog - 'Secret Fantasies'

(RIGHT CLICK LINK & SAVE TARGET AS TO DL)
GET THE FREAKSHOW HERE!

BOMANI "D-MITE" ARMAH ON JENA 6!
Mr. Bomani Armah's name may not be familiar to you at first glance, but if you have been on the internet in the last few months, you should definitely know his music. He the poet behind the controversial "Read A Book" song that left everyone with a blank stare after seeing the video for the first time. While most folks thought the so-called positive message of the record was lost due to the foul language and shocking imagery, Bomani felt that his actions were necessary. Well, in the wake of the Jena 6 movement down in the Louisiana recently, Mr. Armah has written another song to express his feelings about the situation. Don't call him a rapper though, because he considers himself a poet with a hip-hop influence? That's funny, because I always thought that a poet and a rapper were synonymous. Anyway, here is a recent quote taken from an interview conducted by the folks over at Urban Report:

"I made this song, not to highlight the problem. That has already been done by activists, organizations and leaders like Color Of Change, Rev. Al Sharpton, Michael Baisden, and countless grassroots activists that aren't getting credit today for the work they put in months ago," Armah said in a statement.

"I made this song, and released it after the recent march out of concern that this movement will die and lack the follow-through and unity we need to make any change in Jena, permanent," he continued. "My job, and that of every one who listens to this song who has a sense of justice and concern for black people, is to make sure that we do what is necessary economically, politically and culturally to support the Jena 6, and all those who were left behind when the march ended and the media and thousands left town.

"The hard work still remains to be done, in Jena, and throughout America, and I'm taking a stand, as an artist, father, husband, son, and brother."

Check out the "Jena 6" track at both of the links below:

www.notarapper.com

www.myspace.com/knotarapper

SOUNDNEXX RAP REBELLION MIXX!
Before I get into details about my latest mixx, I want to speak on one of my unexpected rap album surprises of 2007, and that's the "Perseverance" album by the veteran Percee P! Most folks wouldn't expect much from a rapper that calls himself Percee, but this dude is the exception. He originated his career in the era of Big Daddy Kane, KRS-One and Lord Finesse. Percee has always been a true force on the microphone, and he has held the respect of his peers in the rap game for years. I just don't think that Percee has gotten his just due up to this point in his career, but ever since he has become apart of the Stones Throw family things have been looking up. His new joint is a refreshing slice of that Golden Era hip-hop that most of us have been missing. Mr. Quasimoto himself Madlib handled the production duties for this joint, so how could it not be a memorable listening experience! Percee's flow is just as effortlessly razor sharp as it was back in 1992 on this album as well. So, don't just write this kat off just because he's been in the rap game for a minute! Okay, it's been a few minutes, but the man can still hold his own dammit! Don't sleep!

Onward to the mixx details. Honestly, this one is just a bunch of songs that I have been playing in my personal rotation for a minute. It's a mixture of different styles and flavors, so check it out when you get a minute. You folks know the routine by now, so...

RAP REBELLION MIXX TRACKS:

• 01) Median - Comfortable (Midnight Remix)
• 02) 50 Cent - Rowdy Rowdy (Khrysis Remix)
• 03) Cool Kids - Black Mags
• 04) Percee P feat. Vinnie Paz & Guilty Simpson - Watch Your Step
• 05) Planet Asia feat. Tristate - Todays Mathematics
• 06) J Dilla feat. Talib Kwel & Q-Tip - Lightworking
• 07) Oddisee feat. Kev Brown & Bumpy Knuckles - Once Again
• 08) C.L. Smooth feat. J.R. Writer - Mezmorized
• 09) AZ feat. Little Brother - Rise & Fall
• 10) 9th Wonder feat. Saigon & Joe Scudda - Saved
• 11) Joe Scudda - Pearly Gates
• 12) Access Immortal feat. Karniege & Medinah - Styles Upon Styles
• 13) J*Davey feat. Pacific Division & Bleu Collar - 9 Slayer
• 14) Killer Mike feat. Gibran & SL Jones - Good For You
• 15) Median - Collage
• 16) Planet Asia feat. Krondon - F*ck You Up
• 17) Little Brother - Cool As a Fan
• 18) Oddisee - Such Is Life
• 19) Black Milk - Threeandsum
• 20) Nas feat. Cee-lo - Less Than An Hour Escotheory
• 21) Jay-Z - Flashing Lights vs. Ruler's Back (Rework)
• 22) Guilty Simpson - Make It Fast

Listen Here:

GET THE RAP REBELLION HERE!