Motion Man: "Straight Flowin' On 'Em" Video
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Kool Keith: "The 98-Year-Old Fridge Scene"
In this funny bonus interview from the "Kool Keith -- Global Enlightenment" DVD, Kool Keith reflects on the necessity of stocking with fridge with seltzer water, Oakridge cake, pumpernickel bread, spring water, celery, apricot, diet yoghurt, wheat cookies, and all the other goodies.
DBS: "V Techto Dnech (In These Days)"
After the first home recordings in the early 90's, DBS (aka David) got some wider recognition in 1998 when three of his songs appeared on the "legendary" Czech (Karvina) compilations "Rhymes Street Squad". He contributed, along with the rest of Karvina groups and soloists, his next songs on RSS compilations released in 2000 and 2001. He then established the label RS Entertainment with DiGaZ, which in 2003 released a CD re-edition of the "Rhymes Street Squad" compilations, and in 2004 released the albums H.C.F., Odboy and Dva z Moravy. During 2001-2003, he universally played concerts (as forerunner of world stars GangStarr, DJ Vadim, PMD & DJ Honda...), recorded songs for compilations, and worked on his first album. In 2004, DBS released this album at major label Universal Music. Both sides came to an agreement, and on the 8th of November, 2004 Karvina indenpendent label RS Entertainment (in cooperation with Universal Music) released the first DBS album "6ka". At DBS's site www.DBS6ka.com, you can download a lot of audio, video and photo stuff, get his lyrics translated into the English language and get more information about DBS and his activities.
DBS: "Neodvolatelne Pravo (Irrevocable Right)"
After the first home recordings in the early 90's, DBS (aka David) got some wider recognition in 1998 when three of his songs appeared on the "legendary" Czech (Karvina) compilations "Rhymes Street Squad". He contributed, along with the rest of Karvina groups and soloists, his next songs on RSS compilations released in 2000 and 2001. He then established the label RS Entertainment with DiGaZ, which in 2003 released a CD re-edition of the "Rhymes Street Squad" compilations, and in 2004 released the albums H.C.F., Odboy and Dva z Moravy. During 2001-2003, he universally played concerts (as forerunner of world stars GangStarr, DJ Vadim, PMD & DJ Honda...), recorded songs for compilations, and worked on his first album. In 2004, DBS released this album at major label Universal Music. Both sides came to an agreement, and on the 8th of November, 2004 Karvina indenpendent label RS Entertainment (in cooperation with Universal Music) released the first DBS album "6ka". At DBS's site www.DBS6ka.com, you can download a lot of audio, video and photo stuff, get his lyrics translated into the English language and get more information about DBS and his activities.
Northern Cali rapper Motion Man flexes his hip-hop mental muscle with this cut.
WRITTEN BY UNDERGROUND RAPPER ARMAGIDEON. Milwaukee, Wisconsin is not known for breeding hit emcees as it is a house hold name for brewing the beer that stretches from sea to shining sea. Armagideon has managed to shine through the stereotypes as he set to release his debut album Tryin' Times. The twenty-three year old artist could quite easily be the Midwest's best kept secret. Beginning his musical journey on his front porch writing rhymes and break dancing at the tender age of twelve, Armagideon paid his dues as a member of Kings Paradice Records. For over a decade Kings Paradice Records has been the Milwaukee/Chicago hip hop source for innovative artists and quality hip hop products. Armagideon began as a roady, selling merchandise and towing his writing skills. Now, Armagideon is getting a taste of his dreams by touring constantly, by self marketing and distributing his own product. Armagideon has performed with the likes of neighboring emcee Common, veteran artists Whodini and Afrika Bamm. Eager to succeed, Armagideon has taken advantage of every single opportunity to shine. During a Common concert, Common asked the crowd, "Does Milwaukee have any real emcees?" Before Common could finish his sentence Armagideon catapulted himself to the stage and before he could realize what was happening, he was rapping along side one of his favorite artists. Other notable opening performances by Armagideon include Dead Prez, KRS ONE, Lil Webbie, Professor Griff, Erykah Badu, Mike Jones, Black Eyed Peas, N.E.R.D.and Young Bloodz. The sound is original and the lyrics have substance, a perfect combination that is sure to promise a bright future for this young artist. Armagideon's Lyrics are in his words, "a piece of my experience and people of the struggle across the Globe...I have traveled to Cuba, Jamaica and Peru and no matter where I go struggle is struggle and poverty is poverty, I have to be that voice." Working with selfless dedication to his message, he spills his heart out in songs like "Shine" and "Crazy Lady". Overall Armagideon's sound is a breath of fresh air from all the emcee battles, bling bling and murder music. It is hip hop in it's truest form and if you can appreciate authenticity then you will love the musical message of Armagideon. for more info visit http://www/myspace.com/gideonsarmy
Toots and the Maytals (featuring Shaggy): "Bam Bam"
Toots is one of the true architects of reggae - so much so that "Do the Reggay," a 1968 single by Toots and his group, the Maytals, is credited with giving the genre its name. Classic songs written and recorded by Toots and the Maytals have been covered by the likes of the Clash and the Specials, and the group was featured in reggae's greatest breakthrough event - "The Harder They Come," the 1972 film that became an international sensation. The all-star guests on TRUE LOVE range from legends like Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, and Bonnie Raitt to younger stars including No Doubt, the Roots, and Phish's Trey Anastasio. The caliber of these collaborators reveals the impact that Toots has had on several generations of rockers and rappers, while appearances from reggae icons Bunny Wailer and Marcia Griffiths show the respect granted to the man who might be the music's greatest living vocalist. At the heart of it all is that voice - drenched in soul, rooted in gospel, and still breathtakingly powerful after almost four decades in the spotlight.
Toots and the Maytals: "Get Up, Stand Up: Live"
Toots is one of the true architects of reggae - so much so that "Do the Reggay," a 1968 single by Toots and his group, the Maytals, is credited with giving the genre its name. Classic songs written and recorded by Toots and the Maytals have been covered by the likes of the Clash and the Specials, and the group was featured in reggae's greatest breakthrough event - "The Harder They Come," the 1972 film that became an international sensation. The all-star guests on TRUE LOVE range from legends like Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, and Bonnie Raitt to younger stars including No Doubt, the Roots, and Phish's Trey Anastasio. The caliber of these collaborators reveals the impact that Toots has had on several generations of rockers and rappers, while appearances from reggae icons Bunny Wailer and Marcia Griffiths show the respect granted to the man who might be the music's greatest living vocalist. At the heart of it all is that voice - drenched in soul, rooted in gospel, and still breathtakingly powerful after almost four decades in the spotlight.
Jerry Lee Lewis and Kid Rock: "Honky Tonk Woman"
From Jerry Lee Lewis' album "Last Man Standing," which features mythic rock'n'roll pioneer duets with pop's biggest superstars including Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Toby Keith, B.B. King, Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, Willie Nelson, Kid Rock, Rod Stewart and more.
For many, this is a dream collaboration between two of the most cherished artists in hip-hop, pitting the dusty, wig-twisting originality of Madlib's smoked out sounds capes against DOOM's nostalgic, visual rhyme style. Brothers from another mother, DOOM and Madlib have long admired each others work, first meeting face-to-face in Southern California in summer 2002, and since then they've shared a whole bunch of Cali-green, run through countless bottles of Grey Goose vodka and Heineken (well, that would be DOOM) and assembled over twenty tracks into a superb psychedelic romp of the highest caliber. The closest one can come to describing this beautiful chaos is a sublime companion piece to Madlib's previous evil adventure, Quasimoto's "The Unseen." But, as DOOM himself would ask anyone asking for a description: "He's the villain, so what about it?" In recent years the metal-faced maniac has released albums under the aliases of Viktor Vaughn, King Gheedora and Monster Island Czars. But rewind to 1993: DOOM (then Zev Love X) made his debut with the groundbreaking album 'Mr. Hood' as part of the group KMD, which has since achieved critical acclaim and cited as a key record in hip-hop's "Golden Age." Zev Love X, Subroc, and Onyx had just finished work on the follow up, "Bl_ck B_st_rds", a politicized commentary on the portrayal of race by the media, when their label Elektra decide to shelve the album over the controversial cover art which depicts a 'blackface sambo' character hanging from a gallows. Shortly after KMD were dropped and Zev Love X's brother Subroc was killed in a car crash. Like true-life story from the pages of a comic book, Zev Love X disappeared completely from public view, going back to the lab and fashioning new beats and lyrics, only to reemerge as the masked MF DOOM with the now classic "Operation Doomsday" in 1999. "Zev Luv X still exists, DOOM is a character, neither one of them is really me, they're a fa?ade I use to voice a certain view," Explains the MC behind the mask, Daniel Dumile. "Zev was like you're average nerd cat, might drop a jewel here and there, might tell you something you don't now, humble and modest. Whereas the DOOM character is more aggressive, on some real take over shit, but still trying to play likes he's a good guy. It's not so much I changed; I just took on another character." A string of creatively inspired singles on the influential Fondle 'Em label in the late 90's heralded DOOM's return. "Being from the underground, there's not so much bureaucracy, you can come out how you wanna come out. It's music straight up and down, if you're good you're good." DOOM sees himself as a conduit for his music. "I try not to tamper with it too much, I'm like the narrator or the spokesman. My music is raw, yet at the same time it can be easy listening." The spontaneity in DOOM's working process whether writing lyrics or building beats, calls to mind the spontaneous prose of Kerouac or the 'cut up' techniques of William Burroughs, in its praise of the purity of the original thought. Nostalgia is a central theme for DOOM: "I love cartoons, I still watch them to this day. I have an 8 year old son, he comes home and we just watch them together," smiles DOOM. "Dexter Laboratory, and of course all the Japanese shit, Dragonball Z, all them ill." DOOM's music harnesses the instinctive, inherent power of childlike thought; "There's no in-between with kids, they're so pure they can feel something if it's fat. As you get older you lose that innocence and purity of the original thought, so called 'growing up'," DOOM ponders. "I mean - you gotta keep that, that's the essence right there." Using his music to test the limits of his mind, DOOM finds creative inspiration in everything he does: "Any artistic genre feeds what I do as a musician, I do paintings, but music inspires my painting, and paintings or art inspires my music. Creativity and imagination is the key to what everybody's trying to figure out on Earth, it's the one thing that bridges everything together. It can solve a lot of problems with all this war and retarded shit that's going on." From the mellow keys of 'Accordion' with Madlib's deft tinkling to the bumping bass groove of 'America's Most Blunted' and the soulful beats of 'Fancy Clown' under his Viktor Vaughan guise, Madvillain sees Madlib on top form providing the freshest, most blunted foils for DOOM's ill flows. "Music is a universal language and I'm trying to show that all of us laugh at the same things, I'm trying to bring us all to more of an understanding. We need to bring this whole thing together," explains DOOM. With their Madvillain double-team, MF DOOM and Madlib have made a sure-fire classic sure to take the world by storm - will anyone dare step try and stop them?
Zimbabwe Legit: "Doin' Damage in My Native Language"
As youngsters, Akim and Dumi's exposure to hip-hop came via their oldest brother. Nicknamed Fu Man Chu, he was the leader of a pioneering DJ crew and his extensive record collection of early rap and classic funk provided a window into the realm of Hip Hop music. Many of his records were acquired through friends that traveled out of the country and picked up wax that wasn't available locally. Getting access to Hip Hop in Zimbabwe was extremely difficult and the only chance to hear rap on the radio was a weekly 30-minute show that played a few hits. Akim and Dumi soon began popping and breaking. After a while they got into rhyming, using instrumentals by the likes of Eric B and Rakim, Kool Moe Dee, Mantronix and UTFO. They used two radios, one to play the instrumental and the other to make low-quality recordings. Eventually, they connected with friends who had more advanced equipment, and at one point Akim even got the opportunity to rhyme on the weekly Hip Hop radio show. As Hip Hop entered its Afrocentric era, the two identified with it more than ever. They got serious about pursuing their dream to become like artists they were listening to and reading about in magazines such as Hip-Hop Connection, Word Up and The Source. The Source Magazine featured a monthly column called Gangsta Limpin' written by Dave Funkenklein. At the time, he was also working at Red Alert Productions, which was closely affiliated with the Native Tongues. Dumi wrote Funkenklein a letter, letting him know that in an era when it was so popular to rap about Africa and rock dashikis, medallions, beads and Kente cloth, there were some emcees in Zimbabwe that were making Hip Hop music of their own. Funkenklein wrote back and said he thought it was cool to hear that there were heads in Africa rapping, and casually mentioned that if Dumi was ever to come to the U.S. to give him a call. Dumi was actually about to move to America to join Akim at college. Shortly after Dumi arrived in New York in the summer of 1990, the brothers began working on a demo to send to Funkenklein. They aimed to stand out by highlighting their unique perspective as emcees coming out of Africa. Funkenklein was initially uncertain of how rappers from Africa might sound, but upon hearing the demo, he was impressed and set up a meeting with Dumi and Akim at the sparse 29th street offices of Red Alert Productions. When they met, Funkenklein said that he was feeling the rhymes, but wanted to hear what they could do with some dope American producers. He had one such producer in mind for the job, Mr. Lawnge from the group Black Sheep, newly signed to Mercury Records. They met up with Mr. Lawnge and Dres, as well as some Mercury execs, and Akim and Dumi kicked some impromptu rhymes that had everyone buggin'. Fast forward some months later and Funkenklein was out in Hollywood, heading up a newly established rap label. He pitched the idea of a record from the Brothers from Africa, and the label was down to cut studio demos and see what kind of response they got. Akim and Dumi took on the name Zimbabwe Legit and hopped into the studio to record a 4-track demo. The label liked the demo enough to sign the duo to a contract, and before long, the group was laying down tracks at the renowned Calliope studios where artists like the Jungle Brothers and De La Soul also recorded. Once the project was completed, the 4-song Zimbabwe Legit EP dropped to a flurry of press, mostly glowing and positive. Despite all the attention, several missteps hampered the success of the project and caused the dream to be derailed, or at least deferred. People reported not being able to find the record in stores, and some radio DJs said that they never received promo service. There was a severe lack of budget for marketing and promotion, and the label even balked at doing a video. Eventually, thanks to some of Funkenklein's connections, the group was able to do a no budget video using a camera crew that worked for free. The dilemma of Zimbabwe Legit was this: even though the group was signed to a subsidiary of a major entertainment conglomerate and the man at the forefront was a Hip Hop visionary, the suits in the back setting the budgets and cutting the checks were straight clueless. Funkenklein even said that they kept asking him to bring them a group like Kris Kross. Zimbabwe Legit was not your typical run-of-the-mill rap group and they required careful marketing and promotion that the label was not 100% willing to supply. On Organized Konfusion?s "Stress", Prince Po raps "I'm spreading like leprosy throughout the record labels, cause mines put me and Monch's career in jeopardy." Organized Konfusion was signed to the same label, and experienced some of the same frustrations. Meanwhile, Dave Funkenklein was enduring a battle with Cancer. Once his health declined, other people were assigned to run the label. Things worsened, and after a while, Zimbabwe Legit ceased to be a priority. It was not long before it all unraveled and eventually the label that had also been home to Organized Konfusion, The Lifers Group, Raw Fusion, Charizma and Peanut Butter Wolf, and The Boo Yaa T.R.I.B.E. closed its doors. Sadly, Funkenklein, a true Hip Hop purist and visionary, passed away in 1994. Undaunted, Zimbabwe Legit never stopped recording. This album is from that era, when talent and promise never got their due shine. Nowadays rappers are everywhere, from St. Louis to New Orleans to France and Japan. Enjoy listening to a ground-breaking group that helped open the door for international Hip Hop.
