Benz and a Backpack

No better way to start your day than with Phonte’s new joint “Life Of Kings” featuring Evidence and Big K.R.I.T. as well as production from 9th Wonder. Phonte’s verse is fresh like china white, and if you didn’t catch it when it dropped this week you’ll be pleasantly surprised to see Mama Tigallo rap Ev’s verse like she wrote it. [Via}

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Rapper Big Pooh’s contribution to Little Brother’s success has been downplayed by some in the past. Not until his solo debut, Sleepers, was it made abundantly clear that his rhymes were a crucial element in the LB formula; it put the spotlight on the shrewd lyricism that gave the group a necessary edge. While you could always count on Phonte to tell it like it was, Pooh’s quick-wit cemented the group as a force to be reckoned with. Take a look at the these bars from “For You” off the groups critically acclaimed debut, The Listening; on the last verse Phonte raps, “making the crowd cheer massively/I tell ni–as ‘y’all aint wack’/'y’all just sound wack rhyming after me’” and Pooh later continues the thought by cooking up this heater, “thugs getting open to me/and yo mad hands up in the air/ like I told em to freeze.” Their contrasting styles brought 9′th’s larger-than-life production back down to Earth.

Rapper Big Pooh dropped his sophomore album, Dirty Pretty Things, at the beginning of this month. Like Sleepers, the hard-biting production showcases that signature Big Pooh sound, but it also explores more approachable subject matter. On “Right With You,” Big Pooh proves he has matured as a solo artist. Essentially his love-letter to hip-hop, clever lyrics like, “Seeing how my boys act/like they like you more than me/that kinda turn me on/it don’t evoke jealousy” are effectively applied to a laid-back beat. It wouldn’t be surprising if he appropriated a mob of new fans with the track “Around the World (ladies love),” a pleasant surprise complete with the infectious crooning of Novel. As he explains on “Interdependent,” the album is all about telling his story; “this is my struggle/this is my pain…emotionally drained/married to the game/this is chapter 2/welcome all to the change.” The beats are meticulously arranged to suit him, consistently hitting the mark and the album as a whole is really well-rounded. This could be the beginning of something much bigger, so get familiar.

As the title of this post suggests, Benz and a Backpack was fortunate enough to snag an interview with Big Pooh only a few days ago. Hit the skip to see his take on the NBA lockout, his future projects and Spotify. You’ll also find the tracklist for Dirty Pretty Things and a link to purchase the album via iTunes. Read the rest of this entry →

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North Carolina emcee and Jamla Records recording artist Rapsody has hooked up with DJBooth.net to bring fans her sophomore solo release, the Thank H.E.R. Now street album.

The follow-up to late-2010’s Return of the B-Girl, the project finds the Kooley High member offering listeners insight into her story and her intimate experiences over the course of 20 brand new tracks. Included are Booth-approved leaks “Black Diamonds,” “Top Five,” “Out Tha Trunk,” “Extra Extra,” “Blankin’ Out” and “Lemme Think.”

Joining Rapsody on the guest tip throughout the project are Phonte, Mac Miller, Jean Grae, MURS, Raekwon, Estelle, Big K.R.I.T., and Marsha Ambrosius. In addition to mentor 9th Wonder, beats come courtesy of The Soul Council, Vitamin D, Nottz and more!

“Top Five” – Rapsody ft. King Mez & Laws (prod. by Amp) by JamlaArmy

***NEW*** “Black Diamonds” – Rapsody ft. Raekwon (prod. by 9th Wonder) by JamlaArmy

Rapsody-Lemme Think-Prod.By 9th Wonder by JamlaArmy

As you might guess from the roster, the production on Thank H.E.R. Now is on point. Throw in Rapsody’s soulful, southern drawl (and a host of dope features) and this here is an absolute winner. Tracklist and D/L after the jump!
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Pharoahe Monch teamed up with Red Bull for the release of his newest video “Black Hand Side,” featuring the always spirited Styles P and Phonte. “Black Hand Side” is one of the most popular songs from Pharoahe Monch’s most recent album W.A.R. (We Are Renegades), available now via iTunes. Monch and Styles P both offer thoughtful verses punctuated by Phonte’s melodic choruses, and director Terence Nance managed to tell at once a sober and poignant visual story.

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Grammy nominated duo Phonte and Nicolay release the visuals for their single “The Last Fall” off their most recent LP Authenticity. Direction for the video comes courtesy of Matt Koza and Bruce Pinchbeck. Based on the song’s lyrical content, one might think “The Last Fall” is an over-sentimental ode to women. However, Koza and Pinchbeck do a wonderful job deepening, complicating and complementing the song’s impact. Watch it all the way through, it’s worth it!

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In case you haven’t been keeping up, here is the full compilation, with a track list and D/L after the jump. The artwork has all been from celebrated hip-hop photographer Mike Schreiber, who recently dropped a collection of his favorite hip-hop pictures called True Hip-Hop (available via Amazon.com). Each of his pictures captures some fundamental element of hip-hop: Biz’s playfulness, Nas’ cerebral disposition, Mos’ introverted artistry, Meth’s larger-than-life persona. The release of Mike’s anthology in 2010 is just one of the reasons it was such a wonderful year for hip-hop. Here’s to an even better 2011!

Previously: Dizzy’s Best Singles Of 2010 [Part 5]
Previously: Dizzy’s Best Singles Of 2010 [Part 4]
Previously: Dizzy’s Best Singles Of 2010 [Part 3]
Previously: Dizzy’s Best Singles Of 2010 [Part 2]
Previously: Dizzy’s Best Singles Of 2010 [Part 1]
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Fifth and final installment, from The Roots through yU (of Diamond District). It includes several emcee/producer combinations: Ruste Juxx & MP, Dat X & the Chocolate Boy Wonder, Mos & Ski, Sky & Ill, Trek Life & Oddisee, Waka Flocka & Lex Luger. Plus: Sean Price and Tyler The Creator at their finest, respectively.

Previously: Dizzy’s Best Singles Of 2010 [Part 4]
Previously: Dizzy’s Best Singles Of 2010 [Part 3]
Previously: Dizzy’s Best Singles Of 2010 [Part 2]
Previously: Dizzy’s Best Singles Of 2010 [Part 1]
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Ridin’ solo has become passé.  Everyone nowadays is linking up, whether it be it hip-pop stars or backpackers.  Young Money, Slaughterhouse, Diddy Dirty Money; the list goes on and on.

Last week, out of nowhere, Dizzy and I were blessed with the opportunity to interview Chuck D of Public Enemy as we sipped sweet tea at his kitchen table.  Much of the conversation was about the decline of live hip-hop shows and the disappearance of crews, two things Chuck believes have a serious correlation.  He dropped knowledge about the predeccesors of hip-hop shows, all out funk fests from the likes of Earth Wind and Fire.  “You think an emcee would come walking onto the stage like nothing after an entire funk orchestra rocked out?  Nah, they would come out dancing their asses off.”

Inspired by miss a.k.w.’s Throwback Thursday: Posse Cuts Edition (Parts One and Two), here are ten of 2010′s hottest team efforts.  At first, I wasn’t gonna rank these cuts so you guys could be insulated from my opinion.  But, fuck it, leave some comments.

1. Curren$y Feat. Mos Def and Jay Electronica – The Day

The lead single and anthem off of Pilot Talk.

“I’m so sorry/ if I don’t look happy to be here/in your label office/cause they said I cant smoke weed here”

The first question we asked Chuck D in our upcoming interview was what he though of Jay Electronica’s verse on this song.

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2. Rick Ross Feat. T.I., Jadakiss, and Erykah Badu – Maybach Music III

Rick Ross’s 2010 release Teflon Don shows serious growth and maturity.  Ross is one of the few artists this year that has successfully put together a solid, 12 track album that is replayable from front to back, over and over.  Top 3 so far for me.

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3. Young Money – Bed Rock

No one can ever say Birdman is bad for business.  After nurturing a young Lil’ Wayne into a mega-star, he has now constructed a super-group of young and up and coming (if you can still call them that anymore) rappers and singers around him.  Now that Drake and Nicki are household names, I’m thinking Tyga is next to burst, starting with “Dueces“.

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4. The Roots Feat. Blu, Phonte, and Patty Crash – The Day

If you put on How I Got Over, the latest release from The Root’s, as background music, you will barely be able to tell when one song ends and the next one starts.  The whole album blends seamlessly, with The Day sitting right at the middle.  The best part might be the rare appearance by Blu.

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Where the hell is he?

Here is a sneak peak at the Madlib produced album.  Peep a review of the album over at Potholes In My Blog.

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P.S. Heres a clue.

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For all those Doom heads who may not have seen this, you’ll be glad to know Madlib and Metal Fingers are currently working on a second album together. This week we’ve got an eclectic collection of music from all kinds of artists: Kidz In The Hall, Lloyd Banks, Sean P!, Raekwon, Nickel Nine, and Statik Selektah. Big ups also to Radio B, the Richmond, VA native who broke into the game as a battle rapper and transformed himself into a complete emcee. Hit the skip to peep his tracks, both of which are dope, as well as a highlight from this weekend’s football hoop-la that is bound to impress.

Raekwon – Crime Wave Freestyle

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Radio B – This Is My Life

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Sean P – Street Shit (off the Kimbo Price Mixtape)

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Co$$ – No Allah

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It’s that time of year again. The 2010 Grammy Nominations just rolled in, and as we lay expectantly in the cut we can chalk up a few small victories for hip hop in the midst of this pop-dominated music world. Although Taylor Swift, Lady GaGa, Kings of Leon, Beyonce, Kanye West and many other mainstream-pop-centric (yup, I said it, that’s where Kanye lives now) artists received a large percentage of the nominations, a few nominations in particular should bring smiles to the faces of hip hop heads ’round the world. Hit the skip for the full list of the Grammy Nominations, plus the standouts.
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To wrap up the first weekend of the NFL, the Bills and Patriots will face off tonight on Monday Night Football. What a weekend it was: Adrian Peterson proved why he is THE big man on campus, Mark Sanchez impressed just about every ESPN analyst, and Drew ‘Playing Quarterback is a’ Brees was lights out. Tune in to ESPN tonight at 7pm for Tom Brady’s return to action. Hit the skip for Drake, Brother Ali, Phonte, and Sean Price.

KRS-One & Buckshot – Past Present Future ft. Melanie Fiona & Naledge (of Kidz in the Hall)
KRS-One is signed to Duck Down…which makes no sense artistically, but from an industry stand point it’s more understandable than it seems at first glance.

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Fashawn – Lost In New York
Saw the boy Fashawn at a Roots jam this summer in NYC, and he held it down.

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Raekwon ft. Jadakiss & Styles P – Broken Safety
Off OB4CLII. The Chef + D-Block reps = GOOD

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Ghostface Killah ft. Fabolous & Shareefa – Guest House
Ghostdini’s new album, The Wizard of Poetry, drops soon. Album artwork here.

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