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Showing posts from February, 2010

Dilla, Nas, Pun & Some Musings

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I saw someone promoting a Dilla night in Philly rechristian the town Dilladelphia . I liked that. Bullshitting with Swervewon one evening we came up with Dillauary, definetly not as cool but the point remains the same. Anything we can do to keep James Dewitt Yancey's name alive and in the mouths of the public the better everything will be. This mans beats have been praised by far sharper tongues than I but his beats truely can be anything. He flips styles no one fucks with in ways people never would of found imagineable before him. With his passing we all lost. Music lost. Heveans band just got a little bit stronger. Just think about what he and Marvin are cooking up? People hold Dilla in high regard for this very reason, he was supremely dope. This has led to posturing from people wishing they had been part of the band wagon and it inevitably leads to a person being asked what their relationship is with Jay Dee's music. It doesn't matter. People are listening and that'

Q & A with Helladope

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Towards the end of January I took a drive south to Beacon Hill to meet up with Tay Sean and Jerm along with assorted other members of the Cloud Nice posse. Helladope emerged on the scene with a sound and style very much their own while at the same time complimenting much of what else is emerging in Seattle right now. They have been talked about by everyone and starting this Wednesday embark on possibly the biggest month of their career. Opening for Goodie Mob at Neumos on the 24th , Snoop Dogg on March 5th at Showbox Sodo and then releasing their full length self titled debut on the 12th of March at Nectar . The guys are hustling. TML: Can you guys introduce yourselves, where were you born and raised, how long have you been making music? Tay Sean: My name is Tay Sean, I'm 22 years old, born and raised in the Seattle area and I've been making music all my life. Jerm: My name is Jerm, born and raised in Seattle. Been actively making music for 13-14 years. Tay: And our powers com

TML Radio, Vol. 8

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If you weren't at the Admirals Club last night for Members Only shame on you! Kicking it hard with the fam last night. Great! But before that all went down me and B.A. Baracus got busy over at SU holding down KSUB with the funkiest and freshest cuts. As always we get caught up on things and drop some knowledge as well. Check the track list and download the podcast! DOWNLOAD TML Radio Vol. 8 HERE Vol. 8 Track List: Neil Landstrumm "Schlump Funk" Hudson Mohawke "Gluetooth" The Heavy "How You Like Me Now? (Joker Remix)" Cymande "Dove" Ike Turner "Ghetto Funk" Miles Davis "Minnie" Black Monk & Ras G "Hummin' In The Sun" Black Monk & Ras G "Cool Out Factor" Black Monk & Ras G "Watch It!" Black Monk & Ras G "Dwights Joint" Black Monk & Ras G "Juju" Black Monk & Ras G "Yeah..." Black Monk & Ras G "Outro..." Sly & The Family S

Q & A with OC Notes, Pt. 2

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If you missed part 1, check it here . Picking up where we left off, Otis just revealed that he is a chef, this took the conversation in a whole new direction. TML: How'd you learn to cook? Just having to work. I use to just work, I didn't graduate from high school I always worked food service jobs and I think I got conditioned to be a food service person cause I can not be a server. Or even a buser is difficult for me. I hate when people, if someone is like an asshole to me, I don't give a shit, I'm not fucking with you. I can't be a server who has to deal with assholes, naw it's not gonna happen. I can't help it. TML: The kitchen is a good place for that. Otis: Plus cooking is hella fun. it's fucking dope. TML: I love cooking. What is the Otis signature meal, signature recipe ? I don't really have a signature meal, I like to make pasta. It's quick, it's easy and it's fun. You can just do little shit just to change it up and give it a who

Q & A with OC Notes, Pt. 1

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OC Notes is a man that those who know about swear by and those who don't shrug their shoulders and stare at you blankly. He doesn't seem to mind though, as he maintains a laid back demeanor pretty much always and is happy to make his music and have a good time. Towards the end of '09 his name started popping up more thanks to a huge collaboration with THEESatisfation, " Icing ." I caught up with him at Jet Set and exchanged numbers. One Sunday morning I rolled through to his lab in downtown Seattle to see what he has cooking right now. TML: Introduce yourself, what you do, how long you been doing it, where you're from? I'm Otis, i've been making music my whole life. That's it man. I've been making music since I don't know. TML: What instruments do you play? Guitar, bass, keys, drums, and shit. That's pretty much it. Whatever, I'll try to play anything. Just figure it out. But I'm really good at that other shit though. I guess

Gonjasufi "A Sufi & A Killer"

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I hate writing about people I know nothing about. Perhaps it's because it forces me to focus solely on the music. Gonjasufi's debut album A Sufi and A Killer solves that problem by being across the board the most eclectic album full of disparte sounds I've ever heard. It's heavy, melodic, soulful and moody just at the surface. Digging deeper will only make you sink further into the maze of musical styles prevalent here. Gonjasufi is a dreaded man and sings hauntingly poetic verses over LA beat scene canvases that sound as though they were made specifically for the man to make his own. The album opens with a recording of chanting, while the title references an acient Indian dancing tradition. " Ancestors " was the first song to leak from the project and it's a great choice as it's one of the most straight forward and melodic songs on the album. Over a chopped guitar and piano sample along with gritty and stuttering drums Gonjasufi sings about those tha

January Heatrocks

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Yo I don’t know where to start dog, check it out. Music is my total existence, dog straight up. Everything in my life revolves around music. It’s like I can’t get in a relationship because I’m still with my first love, music. You know what I’m sayin for real, it’s the reason I’m here. J Dilla it’s like that, peace. Rest In Peace A little late but just consider it a Valentines day treat. Here were the tracks from January that kept me warm at night. Before you get into this go ahead and grab the tunes! Download January 2010 Heatrocks OC Notes is Seattles biggest musical secret. Blowing both those who were familiar and were not away with his late '09 smash with THEESatisfaction "Icing" - the song proved that the narcoleptic from the basement of the Okay Hotel should not be ignored. Sitting down with him for an interview (watch for that to drop soon!) opened my eyes to just how much work this man has done and excites me to think that their is so much we have yet to hear. Enjo

TML Radio, Vol. 7

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Another good show this week. BA Baracus came through and we played some cuts. Peep out the tracklist and watch the space for more info about our soonish transition over to iTunes and getting offical in this bitch. Thanks for rocking with us let me know what cuts you would like to hear or artists I should be looking for, artists - hit me with music! I'll play it if you are on point. Download TML Radio Vol. 7 Tracklist: Stark Reality "All You Need To Make Music" Kool & The Gang "Fruitman" Fresh Espresso "Elegant" The Game "Dreams" Jerry Butler "No Money Down Born From Another ft. Rebel "Dukes of the Ghetto" NinjaSonik "All Our Friends" Take "Lie-Twerx" Oddisee ft. yU "Traveling (NYC Remix)" Flying Lotus "Quakes" Bell Biv DeVoe "Poison" Wax Tailor "The Tune" Willie Hutch "Tell Me Why Has Our Love Turned Cold" RJD2 "The Horror" Grieves "Bottom

Curren$y "Smokee Robinson"

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Curren$y has been consitently dropping free albums on the web for anyone who cares to download and join his movement. From being someone who looked like he would be the next one from Young Money to blow, to abandoning the man that has since become the biggest rap star on the planet so he could shine on his own, Curren$y has done nothing but with an offical album dropping late last year catching people up, The Jet Files plays just how you expect something from the man to play - smooth and funky. Early this morning Curren$y and Don Cannon let loose the latest free project from the young spitta. While most of his free projects from the past were DJ free, teaming up with a name like Don Cannon will help increase his presence and those beats are never bad. Luckily Cannon was talked to, or maybe he had the presence of mind to not fuck up a good thing, and he lays back on the Smokee Robinson tape. Very little in the way of rewinds (which isn't the case for the first track, making one w

TML Radio, Vol. 6

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Another week in the studio and things continue to just get better. Started the show off without feeling rushed for the first time since being back on the air. I stayed in a more Hip Hop lane for most of the show, dropping in and out of other genres as I pleased. You know how we do around these parts. Peep the track list, give it a listen with the player if you like and download the podcast! Download TML Radio Vol. 6 (2.6.10) Tracklist OC Notes "Studder Step" Jose James "Code" Curren$y "Smoke N Maintain (In & Out)" Exile ft. Blu, Donel Smokes, Cass & Jontel "Maintain" DJ Muggs "Smoke (Interlude)" Dibia$e & P.U.D.G.E. "Smoke It Over" House Shoes "The Makings" Marv Won "Axel Foley" Obie Trice "On & On" Flying Lotus "Sangria Spin Cycles" Gonjasufi "Ancestors" Flying Lotus "Quakes" Al Green "Going Away" Mark Morrison "Crazy (Ital Remix)"

It's the D!!! A few projects you may have missed...

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Reginonal Hip Hop exists across the country. Some regions gain some media attention, some gain record label attention. Detroit has gained both over the years, with just cause. Since the passing of J Dilla in 2006 the town has seen an increased presence in the national Hip Hop scene. With aritsts like Black Milk, Guilty Simpson and Mayer Hawthorne all representing for the 313, and legends in the scene like Royce Da 5'9" linking up with the Slaughterhouse crew and touring relentlessly to spread there brand, which by extension is spreading the Detroit sound to further unknown locals. Given the history of the city, be it the music, the politics, the industry - or down fall of, it's no suprise that this city has been and continues to be a hot bed for influential music. Going through some new music that's been gathering digital dust on the hard drives around TML brought me aross a handful of releases that slipped through the radar and shouldn't have. Dilla ambassador and

Q & A with Annu

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Discovering new music is one of the few reasons I spend hours on end online every day and it's because of cats like Annu that I keep going back and digging deeper, searching the deepest and darkest nooks and crannies I can find. If you haven't heard the name or the tunes get over to his bandcamp page and familiarize yourself with the man who makes ghostly hip electro jams perfect for a late night drive home from the club, or as background music to the session. His debut album Def Vibrations caught my attention with it's cohesiveness which left me with an urge to keep pressing play upon it's completion. He builds songs up, chops things left and right, utilizes a wide range of drum knocks for different effect and emphasis on the selected spaced sounds vibrating in your ear. Basically, if I were an A & R at Brainfeeder I'd be knocking down the door to get at whatever he has on tap. Over the last month and a half or so I've corresponded with the man behind o