Tru-Paz: "Rude Boy" Video
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Tru-Paz: "For Whom the Bell Tolls"
To define Tru-Paz is to define what hip hop is. Hip hop today is the epitome of Pop, the style and the music. Hip hop is also the epitome of street expression. Some view this dichotomy as a paradox, Tru-Paz views it as an opportunity. Akim, Boozy, and DJ Unknown are looking to bring up-tempo, energizing music with a conscious message into the ears of the people. Blending the good feelings of club music, with the uplifting vibes of positive messages, Tru-Paz hopes to deliver a universal brand of hip hop. Tru-Paz have always made their music for the people. The group is composed of three core members: Akim, Boozy and DJ Unknown. Akim is the lead MC, delivering sharp and energizing vocals that cut to the heart of any issue that needs to be tackled. His fans have compared him to everyone from Big L to Jay Z. Boozy is the Yang to Akim's Ying. Where Akim is fierce and aggressive, Boozy is cool and smooth. His sultry blend of harmonious singing and soulful rapping gives Tru-Paz a distinct reggae feel that very few groups possess. With his powerful voice and moving verses, Boozy is the perfect compliment to Akim's raw energy. Anyone that has heard Boozy has compared him to such legends as Tupac, and Bob Marley. With two solid vocal forces, DJ Unknown provides the glue that binds Tru-Paz together. With production that ranges from choppy samples over hard drums, to soulful electronic grooves over jazzy rhythmic drum loops. Unknown weaves melodies that both move the listener, as well as compliment Akim and Boozy's flows. As a producer, DJ Unknown has been compared stylistically to DJ Premier and DJ Pete Rock. Together, these three artists represent one goal. Together, they aspire to unite the fragmented hip hop community into one unstoppable force. The Tru-Paz vision is to inspire everyone, from the backpack kids who study hip hop history, to the club kids who bang bass heavy beats in their ride. From the average pop listener, to the most intense music critic, the Tru-Paz aim to smash the boundaries that divide hip hop. To take hip hop to where it was meant to be, to be a universal voice for the positive upliftment of all people, regardless of their differences.
A collection of the past week's best brings together Brazilian rap, the Thundercats, and a brillant mistake.
1.)
Tru-Paz: "Rude Boy"
2.)
"Hoot" trailer
3.)
Braza: "Welcome to Brasil"
4.)
MC Deux: "Caro Diario"
5.)
"Thundercats: Season Two, Volume One" DVD clip: "Epic Horn"
6.)
Jerry Hawkins: "Dancin' With This Ol' Cowboy"
7.)
"The Promise" trailer
8.)
Cemoy Clarke: "Me and J at the Studio"
9.)
"Stop Smoking: Break the Chains"
10.)
"Thundercats: Season Two, Volume One" DVD clip: "Rembrandts"
Click
here for the Week in a Minute archive.
Classified featuring Royce 5'9" and Choclair: "Unexplainable Hunger"
"Gritty urban narrative is the name of this game. The players: 2 Canucks - newcomer Classified, vet Choclair and a American guest, Royce Da 5'9". Each rapper takes on a role in this heist tale and, as their raps reflect their characters' motivations, it takes the video to a new level. The end result - dare we even suggest - is a sobering look at morality on the streets. Since few people do narrative videos anymore this one is definitely worth a close look". - MuchMusic (Canada) This is the fourth video release from Classified's album "Boy-Cott-In The Industry" in stores now!
"Joe Cartoon Greatest Hits" clip: "Joe Momma"
Joe is really getting on his momma's nerves. This is a "painfully self absorbed look into the imaginative mind of some unknown pain in the ass kid." This clip comes from the greatest hits of "Joe Cartoon," available at joecartoon.com.
Director Garry Tutte directs DL in this dance-centric club clip for Verbalerity,the second single off Life's A Collection of Experiences. DL looks pretty comfortable in the room of muted burgundy, gold and chocolate, rocking a white track jacket with popped collar and making eyes at the lady at the bar. He's entitled to be feeling pretty good; Life's A Collection was Juno-nominated and his next LP, Organic Music For A Digital World is due March 2006. - MuchMusic
Andre from Arizona was our fourth Xbox 360 winner during CNET's Holiday Helpdesk marathon.
"The Scooby-Doo/Dynomutt Hour" DVD clip: "Scary Idea"
"The Scooby-Doo/Dynomutt Hour: The Complete Series" DVD chronicles the outlandish animated union of man and beast to solve crimes - and brings comic relief to the kid in everyone! As the catchy theme song celebrates: "...while Scooby is haunted by a spooky ghost, Dynomutt is doin' what he does most!" That means becoming a mechanical menace to the bad guys, faithfully assisting his action-hero comrade The Blue Falcon. Watch Scooby-Doo, Scooby-Dum (a dim-witted cousin first introduced here) and the Mystery Inc. crew and Dynomutt and the Blue Falcon whenever you feel like watching the dogs!
"The Scooby-Doo/Dynomutt Hour" DVD clip: "Personalties"
"The Scooby-Doo/Dynomutt Hour: The Complete Series" DVD chronicles the outlandish animated union of man and beast to solve crimes - and brings comic relief to the kid in everyone! As the catchy theme song celebrates: "...while Scooby is haunted by a spooky ghost, Dynomutt is doin' what he does most!" That means becoming a mechanical menace to the bad guys, faithfully assisting his action-hero comrade The Blue Falcon. Watch Scooby-Doo, Scooby-Dum (a dim-witted cousin first introduced here) and the Mystery Inc. crew and Dynomutt and the Blue Falcon whenever you feel like watching the dogs!
"One of Britain's most hotly tipped musicians . . ." -- The Guardian (UK) This young woman has built her way up from nothing, from dropping out of school, from selling donuts and double-glazed windows to making a slew of world tastemakers (from production collaborators Basement Jaxx to Missy Elliot and Jay-Z) take note of a random, cheeky, and undeniably charismatic talent. Now it's time for America to make way for the Ess-Oh-Vee, otherwise known as Lady Sovereign. Lady Sovereign expresses a unique perspective of youth culture that's previously been a hidden voice. An MC, lyricist, and producer, she's the alternative microphone vandal with lyrics that hit like left and right hooks, whether subjects are light or weighty. "Vertically Challenged" finds Lady Sovereign definitely doing her own thing as well, showcasing her incredibly varied flow and animated voice across a multivariance of bottom-heavy beats that could only emerge from the UK urban underground.
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.
