Event this Friday: Beats, Rhymes and Mics @ UC Berkeley’s Multicultural Center
Do you love hip-hop, spoken word, and/or electronic music?
Are you interested in joining students for hip-hop, CalSLAM, or elecTONIC and want to find out more about what each student organization does?
If so, come to the MCC on September 9th to see each group in action. elecTONIC will start the night off with some student DJs, CalSLAM poets will grace the mic with their poetry, and students for hip-hop will end the night by bringing out a few local hip-hop artists – Maddy of Canary Sing, Dyna*Mic, and Second Nature.
Want to perform at the CalSLAM Open Mic? Sign-ups start 30 minutes before show time!
Find your niche at Cal – see if you want to be a part of any of these dope arts organizations!
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9th, 6:30-9:30, UC BERKELEY’s MULTICULTURAL CENTER in the MLK STUDENT UNION
RSVP: https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=185460638194518
I. On Hip Hop: Rock the Bells 2011 Diary
The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author Ion the Prize and may not representative of all of UC Berkeley Students for Hip Hop
While the present state of hip-hop may right now be divided into many different regional tastes, styles, sub-genres and sub-sub-genres, there is still heaping amounts of nostalgia for the sounds of early- to mid-90s golden age and 2000s forward-thinking hip-hop, which could be seen in this year’s lineup at the Rock the Bells festival, which for the second year in a row highlighted the classic-albums-performed-in-their-entirety sets. This past Saturday, albums such as Illmatic, Black Star, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, Be, Black Sunday and others got their on-stage treatment. Speaking of stages, there were THREE at the Shoreline Ampitheatre this year (not counting the Grindtime battles stage) with the addition of a 36 Chambers stage promoting various parts of the Wu culture of course. I along with some friends was there, toasting in the sun, basking in the plumes of smoke and bass, and scrambling through the festival grounds for 10 hours to see as much of what I was hoping to see as possible. My lookback is not complete as I was physically unable to see everything (my bad, Cypress Hill, but I did already see you once) but here were some of my observations:
Hiero ‘Til Infinity
So me and a couple friends got to Mountain View through the Shoreline gates around noon, a bit too late to see Freddie Gibbs open up the main stage, but we caught most of Souls of Mischief’s set. They were performing all of the 1993 debut album 93 ’til Infinity, and from the lawn it seemed most people only recognized the title track, but the performance was definitely electric and a swell homecoming, especially when the rest of the Hieroglyphic crew came on for a quick number. I really would like to see more Bay Area representation at Rock the Bells in future years (Life Is…Too $hort perhaps?). You could really feel Hiero’s presence outside the shell as well with many people at the festival donning the three-eyed face shirts. If the Hieroglyphics merch booth wasn’t the best selling non-edible booth at the festival, it was definitely still doing great business.
Common’s Performance Was One-of-a-Kind
Definitely one of the highlights of the festival for me, Common performed the album Be with a purpose as if literally trying to shake off the recent lameness that was the Universal Mind Control album and return to the rugged and raw Chicago emcee that had inspired/been inspired by Erykah Badu. Instead of sticking strictly to performing the aforementioned album in order, he moved tracks around to fit the up and downs of the set and crafted wonderful transitions with the help of his live band + DJ. Speaking of the DJ, DJ Dummy, he seemed to truly have magic fingers when it came to doing his solo scratch session, breaking down “Ten Crack Commandments” with the number-agility of an idiot savant. Definitely try to see that DJ perform live if you can (or just look up DJ Dummy on youtube, you’ll find something worthwhile). In addition, Common let loose by moving around aplenty on the huge stage, spitting an epic freestyle, and giving shoutouts to the Bay Area and its local landmarks, all while sporting a Brian Wilson-worthy beard no less. We could tell Common was back (his new album The Dreamer the Believer drops later this fall) and meant more business than a Gap ad.
Keep the Black Star Shining
So thanks to me forgetting the updated schedule, I missed the first half-hour of Black Star’s set, during which I saw some of Roc Marciano on the Paid Dues stage, which wasn’t bad as it included an appearance from Sean P but yes I do find opening your set with a Scarface voiceover in the year 2011 a bit cliche. Anyway, Mos Def and Talib Kweli, though I was watching from way back in the lawn area, definitely were keeping the crowd into it and delivered a soulful performance (helped by Mos Def’s crooning along with a final curtain call of “Umi Says”). The highlight for me was, to no surprise, when Common joined the two emcees on “Respiration”, making for one great stage photo I bet (please if you have one let me know, I already bought a frame!)
Dirty Science Is A Winning Formula
After Black Star, I went back to the Paid Dues stage in time to see Fresno-based rapper Fashawn entertain with a few just-right-for-a-sunny-day songs, featuring a drop-in from local rapper Nio tha Gift, a fantastic back-and-forth between Fashawn’s live drummer and Exile on the MPC, and a great performance alongside Blu and Planet Asia. Blu then stayed on to do some of best songs from his and Exile’s flabbergastingly-good album Below the Heavens, giving the Cali crowd a great show and something to keep West Coast hip hop’s future looking mighty bright.
Big K.R.I.T., Lots of Grit and Teriyaki Tacos
After seeing Fashawn/Blu/Exile, I caught some of Black Moon’s set as the performed from their album Enta da Stage. The 36 Chambers, after opening with Killah Priest and Masta Ace, was definitely the place to be if you wanted that NYC gritty boom-bap of the 90s, but sometimes those sounds can also run together when listening from the crowd. At this point it was near 5 and I decided to get some food at an asian taco/burrito truck. With the spicy pork and sriracha taco I got, I guess you can say it really was a Hip Hop BBQ (how about that, Fox News?) Just in time I was about to devour the hot sauce, appropriately enough, Big K.R.I.T. with his country-boy swagger came on to rock the stage. Not only were his bass, beats and lyrics lighting up the crowd (and getting them to light up), but seeing how this hip-hop star had made it from humble beginnings in Mississippi really had me rooting for him all the way, enough to look past some of the more derogatory lines in his songs and jump along to the beat.
Don’t Stand In-Between For Sanity’s Sake!
After Big K.R.I.T., the Paid Dues and adjacent 36 Chambers stage had Slaughterhouse and Mobb Deep scheduled respectively around the same time. I wanted to go back and forth to see both performances but the fact that the stages were only 100 ft apart and oriented at a 30 degree angle with respect to each other made standing in the center impossible to handle noisewise, especially since both stages seemed to be pushing 11 on the soundsystems. Once I migrated to the far side of either stage, there wasn’t much of an interference issue, but I’m sure many others walking into the parking-lot-turned-festival-grounds were confused what they were hearing from where. Regardless, both groups put on exciting shows which I liked because I hadn’t seen either MD or SH before. If I had to choose, I’d favor the Slaughterhouse performance because the Paid Dues stage felt more intimate and each emcee was capable of dropping lyrical firebombs at a moment’s notice.
The World Is Yours (And Hip Hop Giants of the World Collide)
I didn’t want to get too attached though because at 6:45 pm I realized Nas’ set, the one I was anticipating the most, was already starting. From the lawn I could still make out Nas and AZ trotting in front of a NYC streets-themed set with DJ Premier and Pete Rock taking their places above a LED display of the original Illmatic cover. I found it to be a fantastic performance based on Nas’ energy alone, plus we got to see a preview of the upcoming Primo vs Pete Rock collaboration via a mini beat-battle! Include a cameo by Mobb Deep members Havoc and Prodigy and a couple later Nas songs (“One Mic” with live bongos, “Made You Look”) for good measure, and it felt like hip-hop history just being there.
A Genius, A Gambino, A Supernatural and Some Killa Bees
When Nas set ended around 8 pm, many people started to either file out (I guess they wanted nothing to do with Lauryn Hill), or flew over to the other two stages to see more clever rhymage. I entered the parking lot and once again, soundclash! To the right was GZA finishing up his mighty-fine Liquid Swords set, while to the left was up-and-comer rapper/TV actor Childish Gambino, pulling out all the stops with a rockin’ live band. CG definitely had the crown jumpin’ and displayed an almost-unhealthy amount of energy onstage, but some of the cheesy lines (e.g. “Kiss my ass, Human Centipede…”) turned me away after a while. I anticipated the Raekwon/Ghostface set to go on around 9 pm and was wonderfully surprised to see MC Supernatural do a couple opening routines (and by routines I mean some of the most immaculate time-killing freestyles ever, because he is the undisputed freestyle champion IMO). It was one of those you-had-to-be-there moments seeing Supernatural freestyle about whatever props the first row of fans handed to him, and in another bit, resurrect the flow of Notorious B.I.G. to freaky precision. The mood was then ripe for Ghostface and Raekwon to take the stage, leaving no regret in my mind to choose seeing them over perennial class-act Immortal Technique.
To Be or Not To Be Miseducated
After her performance last year which I found did not to justice to her recordings in the 90s, Lauryn Hill was the biggest question mark for me going into Rock the Bells. Would she step up to the spotlight and not leave us worrying about her state of mind? From the few songs I checked out from her set (“To Zion”, “Doo Wop (That Thing”, and “Light My Fire”), I would say somewhat yes, but I still felt the songs were unnecessarily sped up 30%, blurring her rap verses. In addition, Hill was very conscientious of how she looked and sounded and the band was many times out of sync. Hopefully her inconsistent performance doesn’t define this year’s Rock the Bells for everyone when they look back on it. From what I heard though, some people enjoyed her hyperactive set (and encore), and considering the emotional rollercoasters she’s been on, plus recently having a sixth child, I felt like giving her the benefit of the doubt. There was much to feel good about from the day as my friends and I walked back to the parking lot around 10:30, stepping over empty beer cups and slaloming past flyer jockeys.
What’s Next?
Well, In n’ Out of course. What’s better to get after a long day of music, not spending much money on food, and heading back up the 880? I thoroughly enjoyed this year’s Rock the Bells. Even if not everything was clicking, there were enough great (perhaps monumental) performances for one outing. But the festival should think about expanding to include artists that represent different hip hop regions (maybe Outkast, some of the Rhymesayers cats again, British hip hop, etc). Also, the only female on the bill I could find (since Erykah Badu wasn’t performing at this stop) was Lauryn Hill; why not have more female emcees? Because honestly these hip-hop festival can seem so overtly pro-male. In the wake of a mixed outing from Lauryn Hill, this time in the headliner spot, where to find someone worthy of closing the show? Will some artists (Eminem, Jay-Z, Kanye West) be just too big for this festival? For now, I can find solace in many of the great things this festival has been able to put on throughout the years and hope it will keep coming back to the Bay Area for many more.
Here are a couple more reviews of this past weekend’s show for you recapitualtion fiends:
http://www.mercurynews.com/entertainment/ci_18775450
http://blogs.sfweekly.com/shookdown/2011/08/lauryn_hill_delivers_the_encor.php
If you also went, let me know what you thought of it in the comments below!
-Ion the Prize
1st Annual International Hip Hop Fest 4/2 @ La Pena Cultural Center
Courtesy of VivaLaHipHop!
The 1st annual “INTERNATIONAL HIP HOP FEST”
an event to celebrate Hip Hop Culture at an International level.
…The goal is to promote international understanding and community development through this education-oriented and politically revolutionary medium we all know as ‘Hip Hop” focusing on its global potency and proliferation to unify.
This year we are bringing some of the most innovative artists
from Latin America and Japan
PERFORMING LIVE
Vomito Liriko(Oakland/Mexico) http://www.vomitoliriko.com/
Ximbo (Mexico) http://ximbo.com.mx/
Skool 77 (GDL Mexico)http://skool77.wordpress.c om/
Kensho Kuma (Tokyo Japan)http://kenshokuma.com/
D.U.S.T (South Afrika)
$12 cover :: All ages :: Doors 7:30pm
La Pena Cultural center
3105 Shattuck Ave Berkeley , CA
High Fidelity // 2nd & 4th Thursdays @ Beta Lounge, 2129 Durant Ave
Yo peep this! Found out about a cool event going on every other Thursday at local wine & sake bar Beta Lounge near Oxford and Durant. This past Thursday saw DJs spinning four hours of new and unreleased Trackademicks productions AND Trackademicks & Josie Stingray of HNRL themselves made it out for the night to support Trackademicks’s debut solo album “State of the Arts” (which is a joy for those into DJ Quik-style production). I was thrilled to meet and chat some with the Alameda-based producer, and the happy hour prices til 9 pm didn’t hurt either. On February 10th, there will be a celebration of J Dilla productions and crate-digging on the anniversary of the late pioneer producer’s death. Join me there if you can, it should be a good one!
For more, check out http://www.thebetalounge.com
Spring 2011 First General Meeting TUESDAY JAN 25th @ 8 PM, 233 DWINELLE
Wanna meet students interested in/obsessed with hip-hop music? Looking to help organize hip-hop-related events on and around campus? Come by our weekly meetings Tuesday nights at 8 pm in 233 Barrows. The first one takes place this Tuesday, January 25th.
Topics on the chopping block this semester:
-S4HH fundraiser event @ Blakes on Telegraph
-a concert and speaker panel combatting misogyny in hip-hop on March 10
-our annual Hip-hop in the Park in People’s park on May 7
See you there!
Join the mailing list: calhiphop@lists.berkeley.edu
Ion’s Ten Fave Outside-of-Hip-Hop Albums of 2010
While I love listening to hip-hop, I certainly can’t appreciate it as much without listening to funk, soul, jazz, rock, electronica, hell even folk music sometimes. And there were a lot of great albums that complemented this year’s hip hop releases and made their mark on 2010. Here are ten of my favorites (in no particular order).
Cee-Lo Green – The Lady Killer
From the moment I first heard the song “Fuck You”, I sensed there’d be some heat to this album. While I always expect Cee-Lo to bring his game, I was impressed many times over by his range and charisma while listening through The Lady Killer. Add that to motown soul backdrops and superb surprises, it makes for a great listen.
Deerhunter – Halcyon’s Digest
While it was nowhere near a hip hop record, the retro guitar riffs and now-and-then experimental drum patterns of Halcyon Digest had me instantly hooked. Similarly enjoyed Before Today by Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti for many of the same reasons, but “Helicopter” really took off like few songs could in 2010.
Erykah Badu – New Amerykah Pt. 2
Strip away the controversial public strip scenes in the “Window Seat” music video and what you have left is not only another stellar songwriting showcase from Erykah Badu but also a fluid neo-soul journey with the occasional WTF-that-was-strangely-hip moment. But it’s an Erykah Badu record, so we should expect that.
Fitz & the Tantrums – Pickin’ Up the Pieces
Being a huge crate-digger for rare funk and soul records, no record this year got me grooving more than the one from this Los Angeles band. Their sound reminds me so much like late 60s/early 70s Stevie Wonder and Sly and the Family Stone that’s scary. I half expected Smokey Robinson to show his face halfway through a listen.
Flying Lotus – Cosmogramma
Not even gonna try with this one. Instant classic, Flying Lotus is pushing and reimagining hip-hop/electronic productions to new frontiers, part of the thrill is just trying to keep up with the wild sonic rodeo that is Cosmogramma.
The Foreign Exchange – Authenticity
Nicolay and Phonte do it again with another well-crafted album featuring perfectly thick vocal hooks, exciting keyboard melodies and, most importantly, undeniable chemistry. Wish Phonte would still do more rapping, but plenty of needs are satisfied here.
Free The Robots – Ctr Alt Del
This was the year I started listening to a lot of dubstep and glitch hop, big thanks to great releases from Bassnectar and the Glitch Hop. But Free The Robots’s debut album really stood out to me, ditching the lustrous instrument pads used by Flying Lotus in favor of warm sub-bass with plenty of sensational drum experimentation. Enough robot swagger here to make Robocop bust-a-move.
Janelle Monae – The Archandroid
An album that draws inspiration from Alfred Hitchcock, Philip K. Dick and Claude Debussy? With an artist that truly believes in time travel? Who can make almost any hair style look cool? Janelle Monae gave us The Archandroid in 2010, a spellbinding album with so many enjoyable songs you wonder to yourself “what can’t she do well?”
Orgone – Cali Fever
Funkiest release of 2010 from a band really coming into their own the past couple years.
Teebs – Ardour
If you made it through the first nine I listed, put this one on for your dessert. Teebs, who is only 23 and comes from the same scene as Flying Lotus, creates an even tastier, pleasure-filled album half-Cosmogramma and half-Strawberry Jam a la Animal Collective. Sure it can sometimes be redundant, but I haven’t found an album this inspiringly fresh sounding in a long long time.
Ion’s Ten Fave Bay Area Hip Hop Albums of 2010
What’s up everybody!
First off let me say what a year it has been! As someone who has only been in the Bay since fall 2008, I’ve really learned a lot about the history of Bay Area hip hop and have come to embrace the local scene. While the Bay Area scene may not get as much national attention as the NY or LA scenes, hip-hop that grows from here is as diverse, conscious, tough and quirky as anywhere else, due to many reasons (the interaction of asian, white, hispanic and black cultures, portayals of rap as a “glamorous style” in times of economic downturn and record unemployment, fallout from the death of Oscar Grant and Mehserle trial verdict, etc.). There have been many worthwhile releases this year from rappers all over the Bay, veterans and newcomers, of different rap styles and philosophies, and because of it I have gladly had the chance to bump music in my headphones a whole lot more. Putting all personal feelings towards artists aside, I’ve settled on my ten favorite local albums released in 2010, in no particular order, excluding mixtapes and unofficial albums.
Chosen Few – New World Symphony
After listening to the first two tracks on New World Symphony, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Chosen Few has found a great home with Hiero Imperium Records. Unjust’s production on “Few are Chosen” takes you back to the sound Domino crafted throughout Hieroglyphics’ debut Third Eye Vision. Though the members of Chosen Few are originally from Ohio (they have spent the past decade in the Bay), the handful of guest spots from Dilated Peoples’ Rakaa Iriscence and Hiero members Del tha Funkee Homosapien, Pep Love, Opio and Tajai pay off and make this album feel right at home on the west coast. But no doubt, with its powerful messages and the drifting between golden and buckeye states of mind, this is more than just a Hieroglyphics record. Check out “Dreamscape”
DaVinci – The Day the Turf Stood Still
The “urban renewal” of the spot known as Fillmoe in San Francisco is the prologue to the story contained in The Day The Turf Stood Still. Hailing from the same place as SF veterans San Quinn and Messy Marv, DaVinci comes out with a strong debut album, smoothly delivering tough lyrics over spooky-yet-soulful beats. I first became aware of him this past February when he performed at a show with headliners Freeway/Jake One. The way DaVinci had the crowd moving with his honesty, storytelling imagery and undeniable passion, his fanbase should only grow in 2011. Check out “Concrete Jungle Juice”
Do D.A.T. – Oakland In Blue
Since hearing Gang Starr and A Tribe Called Quest records in high school, I’ve been a huge fan of jazz and hip-hop combinations. Do D.A.T.’s Oakland In Blue is a refreshing album using Duke Ellington recordings as sample and inspiration. On face value alone, I never would have believed this album came out of the birthplace of hyphy, but the descriptions of Oakland life that Do D.A.T. offers up go seamlessly with this sonic landscape. Sometimes lighthearted, other times somber, this album travels all over the city with the ability to take you from Yoshi’s in Jack London Square to 12th street & Broadway in a second. Check out “The Bridge” featuring Melina Jones
E-40 – Revenue Retrievin’: Day Shift/Night Shift
With two discs and 38 tracks, E-40′s mega release was very hard to get an overall feel for if simply because there is so much. My first impressions of a release this big is that there is a lot of filler and skippable tracks, and while that is the case for some tracks here, there are enough jams, slaps, catchy hooks and tongue-twisting verses to have me coming back to Revenue Retrievin. Both collaborations with Too $hort are huge bangers, plus there are a slew of appearances from other Bay Area artists to keep this album interesting. It is not E-40′s best or most well-conceived release, but he impresses by constantly changing between his many rap styles, a reminder why the Bay Area has embraced him for so many years. Check out “Can’t Stop the Boss” with Snoop Dogg and Too $hort.
Erk Tha Jerk – Nerd’s Eye View
Ironically, Erk tha Jerk stands out from other East Bay rappers because of his everyday realism, rapping about many topics that are relatable to the listener. The production on Nerd’s Eye View is top-notch, and Erk’s flow works best riding comfortably with the beat rather than trying to outdo it. Sure, singles like “Right Here” and “Hands Up” are little too R&B for my taste, but I found plenty to like over these 19 tracks. With the success of Erk’s Hood Nerd mixtape series and a collaboration with Nio tha Gift, Traxamillion and Willie Joe known as The FNM, its hard to argue any other Bay Area artist has had a bigger year. Check out his new video, “Ha Ha” featuring London.
Kero One – Kinetic World
Not to be forgotten is Korean-American rapper Kero One, who released his third full-length album Kinetic World in June. Independently writing and producing the entire album on his own label, Kero One pulls off a beautiful-in-its-simplicity piece of work while making the most of stellar guest verses from Fashawn on the title track and Tablo, Myk and Dumbfoundead on the standout “Asian Kids”. His lyrics are very positive and upbeat, while his at-times speedy flow makes me think he would fit in well with the Project Blowed artists in Los Angeles. But with the many talents he demonstrates on this album, I’m very happy that the Bay Area claims him. Check out “On Bended Knee” featuring Sam Ock.
Moe Green – Rocky Maivia: Non Title Match
Vallejo’s Moe Green has admitted he needs to win a few belts before getting his shot at being the heavyweight rap champ. With Rocky Maivia: Non-Title Match, he took a huge first step towards just that, spitting thoughtful lyrics over many different types of production, from the La Roux-sampled “Going For The Kill”, to the instrumentation of “Emerald City” which sounds like it belongs on a Deerhunter record, to the UGK-sounding “Preliminaries”. Even with all this, there was no way one could have prepared for the adrenaline-boosting bonus track “Lights Camera Action”, accompanied by easily the most entertaining music video of 2010 kudos of the cast of Jersey Shore. Not only is this album legally free, but Moe Green is set to release a new LP, To Whom It May Concern, on December 28th: Other emcees should be concerned. Check out the infamous “Lights Camera Action” and get down wit’ yo self!
Raashan Ahmad – For What You’ve Lost
We were not likely to get a new Crown City Rockers album this year after 2009′s The Day After Forever, but member Raashan Ahmad’s solo effort is a huge surprise and welcome treat. Ahmad’s lyrics shine with engaging lines like “too beautiful to hate/too ugly to love” and clever references to golden era hip-hop “do what you like/one love but two make a thing go right/some eat soul food and throw guns in the ghetto/my philosophy on the show like Edo/G see we go to have it/so check the rhyme anything can happen”. The jazzy instrumentation is fun and addictive on such tracks as “Sunshine” and “Falling”, while delicious soul samples bring out songs like “In Love With Wax” and “Understanding”. Not to mention guest spots from Count Bass D, Aloe Blacc, Gift of Gab and many talented vocalists. Check out “Beautiful Ugly” featuring Adam Theis.
Richie Cunning – Night Train
My apologies to Richie Cunning because I think I was in a beat battle with him in July and didn’t know about this album he released. Through word of mouth I heard about it and immediately got into Night Train, Cunning’s 45-minute ballad for the city of San Francisco which he grew up in. Though as a white kid who went to UC Santa Cruz he may not look the part of a Bay Area rapper, he proves with his precise lyrics and soulful boom-bap production that he is as San Francisco as it gets. With a record that’s perfect for listening during a BART or Muni ride, and having opening gigs for Little Brother and Hieroglyphics among others under his belt, Richie Cunning is poised to entertain many Bay Area fans who are now waking up to his rapping and producing talents. Here’s a video for “My City” done for Warriors’ Weekly. Slam!
Zion I – Atomic Clock
Zumbi and Amp Live, who individually released projects earlier in 2010 (Amp Live with his hip-hop-turned-electro Murder at the Discotech and Zumbi with his collab with producer the ARE called The Burnerz), show exactly what great things Zion I is capable of in Atomic Clock. Compared to 2009′s The Takeover, this album shows a definite synergy between Amp Live’s electric production and live-performed instruments, giving the album some gorgeous reggae undertones. Collaborations with reggae band Rebelution and Seattle rapper Macklemore further show how on-point Zion I is and how they’ve grown in the ten years since their debut. ”Clock”ing in at around 40 minutes long, its the shortest album on this list, but I feel there is no one bad track on this album. If you want more after its over, there’s nothing wrong with playing it from the beginning again. Check out the new video “Always”
UPDATE: Another album I would have put on this list was Esinchill’s Vigilante, but I found out from many sources that that was a December 2009 release. Still another dope album to check out!
Besides these albums, there were many quality mixtapes released in 2010 which I haven’t all got to yet. Here’s an incomplete list of some I was digging the past year (feel free to add)
- Roach Gigz – Roachy Balboa
- Young Gully – Grant Station Mixtape
- Fashawn – Grizzly City 3
- The Jacka – GSlaps Radio Vol. 1
- Mistah F.A.B. – Prince of the Coast
- Erk tha Jerk – Hood Nerd 2: Memoirs of the Invisible Man
Make sure to come back tomorrow to catch my Ten Fave NOT-SO-Hip-Hop albums of 2010!
Peace,
Ion
Ion the Prize is back and “Winterfresh”er than ever!
Yes that is me next to a snowman I built, I’m not sure how long ago, but I think I still have ice building skills. Anyway, I’m writing this post to first wish everyone a
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!
and second, to let everyone know that
I HAVE A NEW COLLECTION OF BEATS OUT!
called “Winterfresh”. Available at http://iontheprize.bandcamp.com where you can stream the ENTIRE thing and download it in pristine quality, ain’t that cool? It’s only 8 tracks, but I feel like its my best work to date and should put you in a reflective mood this winter. But enough from me, I’ll let you check it out.
See you in 2011, when we will have the 15th anniversary of Hip Hop In The Park this May!
Ion
Go chew on some Winterfresh
Description:
Tis the season for a new collection of chill, wintry, and jazz-infused beats bouncing between hip hop styles and experimental soundscapes. I will continue to release more free music, mixes and whatnot, so please show your support for the hard work which I love doing:)
Tracklisting:
1. On My Way
2. Light A Fire
3. Baby It’s Cold Outside
4. Deer Tracks
5. Whiteout
6. Witch Hazel
7. Snow Angels
8. West Coast Chill
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