Benz and a Backpack

Fresh off the release of The Mechanics EP, his collaborative tape with super duper producer Falside, Providence’s rugged rally capper Juan Deuce unleashes “Freeze,” the first single off his upcoming mixtape No Sweat presented by Ricky Shabazz and the Boom Bap Boys. “Freeze” features Deuce flexing his sinewy lyrical muscles over a hypnotic, bass-heavy cut from up and coming beatsmith, Fonzi Wells. Preparing No Sweat nicely, “Freeze“ sets the table for what promises to be a very strong showing from Juan Deuce and Ricky. Stream below, download after the jump!

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Krill Pill (Juan Deuce) from Ricky Shabazz on Vimeo.

In February, Ricky Shabazz and the Boom Bap Boys will be releasing their second annual mixtape of exclusive tracks from some of your favorite underground hip-hop acts. This time around, the tape is sponsored by 2dopeboyz and will be released digitally and physically for free. Tracklist/Artwork/Release Date will be announced soon but in the meantime, enjoy the first of many videos we will be putting out leading up to the release.

Additionally, this marks the very first in “Ricky’s Wontime” series in conjunction with Three/21 Media. The idea of the series is to achieve a thought provoking and entertaining one-shot music video. There are no restrictions, as long as the entire thing has no cuts and lasts the entirety of the song. Subscribe to Three/21 Media’s YouTube to follow the series in full.

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Juan Deuce and Falside are ready to drop “The Mechanics EP” free on Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011. Here is the official artwork and tracklist for the project.

Tracklist:

1.) GUTS
2.) HEY DJ
3.) MECHANICS
4.) FORECAST FT. JAYSONIC (OF TIME MACHINE)
5.) VICES
6.) FRANK & DEAN
7.) KINGS

Raps by Juan Deuce
Beats by Falside
Recorded in Providence, RI.
Mixed by Reason (PDP)

Previously: Juan Deuce & Falside – Guts (Video)

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You ready? Thought so:

“We are proud to present “Guts” the new video from Providence, Rhode Island’s wordworker Juan Deuce and beatsmith Falside. “Guts” is directed by Nicolas Heller (Ricky Shabazz and the Boom Bap Boys) and is presented/honored by Rik Cordero, the acclaimed hip hop video director for such acts as The Roots, Busta Rhymes, Rick Ross, Q-Tip, Snoop Dogg, and The Clipse, as an official selection for his Directors Hub series. “Guts” is a song from Juan Deuce and Falside’s upcoming release, The Mechanics EP, which is slated to drop on Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011 for free. Please enjoy the visuals, and please share, post, and as always, tell a friend.”

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Ricky Shabazz and the Boom Bap Boys return to glory with their latest video for Apathy’s single “Stop What Ya Doin,” featuring Celph Titled and production from the legendary DJ Premier. In what’s now become classic Shabazz style, Apathy and Celph wreak havoc on their surroundings, tearing apart a birthday party for tiny children, shoving unassuming dudes off bridges and docks, and passing piff and OE til their eyes turn red. From start to finish the video muddles typically stark contrasts (young vs. old, the boardroom vs. the streets), culminating in a vivid scene where Apathy and Celph, instead of spitting with a city as the backdrop, rap in the middle of the woods while kids plunge off a bridge and into a river behind the two gritty emcees. Are there any absolutes anymore? I don’t think so. Welcome to the future.

Honkey Kong is available now.

Previously: Juan Deuce – Hard Luck (Dir. Nicolas Heller)

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Snark-tastic rapper Esh the Monolith (of Labeless Illtelligence), producer extraordinaire Dox (of Poorly Drawn People) and Ricky Shabazz and the Boom Bap Boys teamed up on the video for “Bored Games,” off Esh & Dox’s collaborative project entitled The Invisible EP. The tape is available for free via Esh’s BandCamp. For more on Ricky Shabazz (and how to help him get out of jail) click here.

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Straight from Falimus himself:

Peep science, grouches. So I have this new Beat Tape dropping (god knows when) in the next month. It’s fittingly called “Snare Conditioning” (get it?) – and I got this wacky idea to press it on Cassettes! (remember?). As it nears completion, I will pump the promo IV directly in your feed (per usual) with info on ordering. The best part, the beat tape will (still) be free for download! Stay cool!

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The Sun Cycle emcee C-Rayz Walz returns with his first ever free full length project, as he connects with the UK’s Dub MD to bring you All Blvck Everything: The Prelude, a 16 track concept album, an amuse-gruel for the main course All Blvck Everything: The Album. The Prelude is a funeral that represents the death of C-Rayz Walz’ old ways that have proven unproductive in the past. It also symbolizes the death of the competition’s careers. Enjoy the wake!

All Blvck Everything: The Prelude lists a strong line up in both features and production, with heavy hitter beats by the likes of 9th Wonder, Bronze Nazareth, The Beatnikz, Marley Marl, Isam’il Mitchell and more. Collaborations include M1 (of Dead Prez), Freddie Bunz, iCON The Mic King, Psalm One, Hap Hathaway, Complex, to name a couple. Stream All Blvck Everything: The Prelude below, and download it from Dub MD’s BandCamp. Then hit the skip to see Ricky Shabazz and the Boom Bap Boys team up with C-Rayz for something truly, truly special.

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I heard about Fresh Daily a long time before I met him. On a snowy day last winter, I was trekking around Brooklyn handing out Benz And A Backpack stickers. I happened into Ride Brooklyn, a bike shop on Flatbush Ave, and after hearing about the site the guy behind the counter (clearly trying to put me on) sang Fresh’s praises with such enthusiasm that you would’ve thought he and Fresh were related by blood. I left the store feeling a little skeptical: how many people talk about their friend/brother/cousin/mother who raps? It seems like everyone in America either knows someone who’ll be the next big thing, or they’re the next big thing themselves.

Fast forward a year and a half and I’m standing at a roof party in Bushwick. Who’s hosting? Fresh Daily. By this point, I’d heard his music and I knew it was tight, and based on the love all the party goers were showing him I was pretty sure my man in Ride Brooklyn was right. 

The Quiet Life is Fresh’s most recent release, and it’s perfect for the summer. The combination of soulful, breathable production and Fresh Dot’s astute rhymes implores you to give pause and appreciate the finer things. What’s the key to living this quiet life? Dream the impossible, leap over obstacles/say what you mean, speak when it’s honorable.

Stream The Quiet Life below and download it for free via Fresh Daily’s BandCamp. Keep tabs on Fresh via Tumblr (the homie does design work, too), and hit the skip to see the product of a Fresh Daily X Ricky Shabazz collaboration.

Download: Fresh Daily – The Quiet Life (Album)
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Another new cut from Ricky Shabazz and the Boom Bap Boys, this time for the famalam Juan Deuce and Falside! “Hard Luck” is one of the tougher tracks from the Fameless Fam’s compilation album Eat Fly which dropped last month. The video is full off vintage throwback jerseys, trench coats, blow up sex dolls, incredible chest hair, the Spike Lee Double Dolly Shot, kiddie pools full of pudding, and a bunch of other crazy shit too. Tell a friend, bitch!

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Nicolas Heller is at it again. He stopped in Providence this past week for a video shoot with the good homie Juan Deuce (which is coming soon), and today another of Heller’s videos graced the world wide web. This time, Ricky and the Boys lent their handiwork to New England-based emcee Reks for his track “Mascara,” off his recent album R.E.K.S.

Produced by Statik Selektah, “Mascara” is a powerful song in which Reks highlights the insidious dangers of minstrelsy and “whiting up.” Reks’ ownership of these practices effectively undercuts their power as a tool of ‘Othering’ non-whites. Also catch the homie Falside’s cameo around 2:25!

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You may know George Watsky as the “Pale Kid Who Raps Fast“, but his talent as a musician is much deeper than spitting words out of his mouth quickly.  A San Francisco native who transplanted to Emerson college, Watsky might be more appropriately described as a poet, a worker of words who happens to be able to recite them rhythmically.  He was featured on season 6 of Russell Simmons’ Def Poetry Jam and has a couple youth championships under his belt.  The backwards montage conceived above for “Stupidass” is very reminiscent of Ricky Shabazz’s video for Homeboy Sandman.

Hit the skip for some extra George Watsky video treats.

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