Thursday, April 30, 2015

Metasota -"Aint No Love (prod. by Tek)"-mp3


Meta and Tek release the burner "Aint No Love", about which Metasota states "Fuck the police that's how I treat em, we buy our way outta jail but we can't buy freedom." In solidarity with oppressed people EVERYWHERE!

Metasota -"Aint No Love (prod. by Tek)"-mp3

Muja Messiah -"Burn This Bitch Down"-mp3


Minneapolis Muja Messiah goes in over the Gang Starr classic "Code Of The Streets". Never shy on sharing his opinion, coming a few days after he opened for the socially conscious Mos Def, bluntly speaks out on Baltimore and the never ending police brutality against black youth. Also check out Muja Messiah & I Self Devine deliver the message very clearly with "It Goes Down" video, directed by Mark Wojahn. Baby shout out to City Pages for Powerful Scenes at the Black Lives Matter Rally for Freddie Gray. Check out Muja Messiah with P Murda on their podcast, The Godcast. Next jump Muja Messiah & Greg Grease May 8th at The Capri, Minneapolis.

Muja Messiah -"Burn This Bitch Down"-mp3

Kamasi Washington -"Re Run Home"-mp3


New avant-soul jazz from Brainfeeder artist Kamasi Washington very serious business from Flying Lotus label artist who makes his debut with a 3 hour record, The Epic. He's not John Coltrane quite yet, but you can hear the Ornette Coleman's influence. Jeff Weiss has a nice feature at LA Weekly with An Inglewood Saxophonist Might Have Made The Best Jazz Record Of The Year.

Kamasi Washington -"Re Run Home"-mp3

Monday, April 27, 2015

Yabil -"Off White (demo)"-mp3


Minneapolis producer Yabil changes gears on new solo project. Jonathan Cliby formerly known as The Sundance Kid, known for his work with MC Mally. Now Jonathan Cliby goes by Yabil, with hints of sensual electro-soul and an adventurous "feel good" vibe. Yabil makes his debut at Red Bull Sound Select show with Thundercat and Greg Grease with DJ's Sarah White & Tiiiiiiiiip, Mat 21st at The Amsterdam.

Yabil -"Off White (demo)"-mp3

Thursday, April 23, 2015

Ta-ku ft. JMSN & Sango -"Love Again"-mp3


Ta-ku recruits Soulections producer Sango and JMSN for the lovely "Love Again", off the upcoming Songs To Make Up To, available June 12th on Future Classic / Fool's Gold.

Ta-ku ft. JMSN & Sango -"Love Again"-mp3

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Shamz Le Roc ft. Herda Vim – "Out My Head"-mp3


East London-based, Anglo-Caribbean artist Shamz Le Roc makes her solo debut with Incipio. Shamz Le Roc has a handful of tracks and also collaborated with Hudson Mohawke. Dazed and Confused has a nice feature Shamz Le Roc gets real on her debut EP.

Shamz Le Roc -"Out My Head Ft Herda Vim"-mp3 .

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

De La Soul ft. Nas - "God It"-mp3


As New Yorkers De La Soul finish work on their new record they let loose a nice little baby burner "God It", featuring fellow veteran Nas. "God It" will not appear on their new record, but guest will include Little Dragon, Damon Albarn, David Byrne & 2 Chainz.

De La Soul ft. Nas -"God It"-mp3

Yasiin Bey/ Mos Def with Sarah White & Muja Messiah at The Skyway


Brooklyn's Yassin Bey pka Mos Def will be hitting a few cities and Minneapolis is one of them. Mr. Yasiin Bey is working on new music, he will be featured on next A$AP Rocky's next record this spring.

Mos Def
Sarah White
Muja Messiah
Skyway Theater
April 25th

Mos Def -"BeyOnDoom project"-mp3
Sarah White -"Create Found [M¥K Remix]"-mp3
Muja Messiah ft. Bro Ali & Boots Riley -"Pocket Full Of Slave Owners"-mp3

Knxwledge -"Jstowee"-mp3


Producer Knxwledge (Kendrick Lamar/ Joey Bada$$) steps out on his solo debut for Stones Throw with "Jstowee". From his upcoming full length instrumental album, Hud Dreems.

Knxwledge -"Jstowee"-mp3

Phen Ray -"Til I Die"-mp3


From the woods somewhere in Northern Canada Phen Ray offers another side of left-field soul with a Africa Baaambata meets KOno#1 sound of his "ocean trill" aesthetic.

Phen Ray -"Til I Die"-mp3
Phen Ray -"NYC-5"-mp3

Friday, April 17, 2015

K.Raydio & O-D -"The Back Wall"-video



Minneapolis modern soul, adventurous vocalist K.Raydio and groove merchant producer O-D released their stylish, funk-drenched One Drop late 2014. Minneapolis is definitely stepping it's soul game up with records like One Drop that sit comfortably between neo-soul veteran Erykah Badu and world travellers Ibeyi. City Pages has interview K.Raydio and O-D Bond Raw, Soulful Emotion Together on One Drop. "One Drop" video directed by Medium Zach & Tommy Ellis at Valued Input (MPLS, MN).

K.Raydio & O-D -"Gossip"-mp3

Thursday, April 16, 2015

Doomtree -"Beastface"-video



Minneapolis massive Doomtree latest visuals has Sims, P.O.S. & Mike Mitclan on some desert warrior jump for "Beastface" off their record All Hands. "Beastface" directed by Isaac Gale.

Mike Mictlan -"CLAPP'D"-mp3

Ibeyi - "Eleggua (DJ Don Cuco Remix)"-mp3


Rising Afro-Cuban artist Ibeyi gets some love and nice, heavy percussion from DJ Don Cucuo with a very cool rework of "Eleggua".

Ibeyi -Eleggua (DJ Don Cuco Remix)-mp3

J*DaVeY -"Strong Anticipation"-mp3


Los Angeles soul explorers J*DaVeY return with "Strong Anticipation", from their upcoming POMP EP this spring.

J*DaVeY -"Strong Anticipation"-mp3

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Tyondai Braxton -"Gracka"-mp3


Former Battles frontman and son of avant composer Anthony Braxton Tyondai Braxton shares first track from upcoming album HIVE1, is out May 12 via Nonesuch. "Gracka" is named after his wife's Grace nickname. Braxton says "The piece emulates her always surprising, always beautiful spirit and down to earth nature."

Tyondai Braxton -"Gracka"-mp3

Crescent Moon & Andrew Broder ft. Greg Grease -"Ashes"-mp3


Minneapolis trio of Crescent Moon (Kill The Vultures) & Andrew Broder(Fog/The Cloak Ox) & Greg Grease go in the lab, their experimental collaboration produced "Ashes" where "Only thing we're certain of, is silence when the curtains touch". Greg Grease, Cresent Moon, Andrew Broder, Uprock & Freez & Mike Frey perform at Fifth Element Records on Sat. April 18th for Record Store Day.

Crescent Moon & Andrew Broder ft. Greg Grease -"Ashes"-mp3

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Mally, Haphuzn & Last Word -"Squad"-mp3


Mally & Haphuzn link of up over a guitar-heavy Last Word production for "Squad" ahead of their show at 7th Street Entry Friday April 17th with Mac Irv.

Mally, Haphuzn & Last Word -"Squad"-mp3

Monday, April 13, 2015

Adrian Younge ft. Laetitia Sadier - “Memories Of War”-mp3


Crate digging, "dusty soul" producer Adrian Younge has recruited Stereolab's Laetitia Sadier for “Memories Of War” from his compilation Los Angeles’ on May 18th through his own Linear Labs imprint.

Adrian Younge ft. Laetitia Sadier -“Memories Of War”-mp3

Greg Grease - Born To Lurk Forced To Work, Radio K Album of the Week



Minneapolis Greg Grease released his sophomore record Born To Lurk Forced To Work and "pop-up shop" a few weeks ago at Public Functionary Art Gallery. This week Radio K features Born To Lurk Forced To Work as their Album Of The Week, with a nice review and download of "Work Song". Album artwork by I Self Devine.

Greg Grease - Born to Lurk, Forced to Work (Sound Verite Records)

It isn’t even halfway over, and already 2015 is one of the best years for hip-hop in recent memory. The wall that once divided so-called “conscious rap” from everything else has been thoroughly obliterated by the likes of Kendrick Lamar (with To Pimp a Butterfly), Kanye West (with “All Day” and, if what he’s been saying about it is true, the rest of Yeezy’s forthcoming record So Help Me God), and now local emcee Greg Grease, with his sophomore album Born to Lurk, Forced to Work. The Minneapolis rapper has crafted a record that deftly walks the line between laid-back weed rap and sophisticated political discourse, and he never lets either side of this double consciousness subsume the other. Born to Lurk, Forced to Work is a triumph for Grease and his crew and a statement that signals a new era for Twin Cities hip-hop.

It’s certainly fair to say that on a basic technical level, Greg Grease is the most talented hip-hop artist in the Twin Cities right now. No one makes dazzling internal rhyme schemes and breakneck flows sound as slyly simple as Grease. Take one of the record’s singles, “Really Tho,” produced by his afrofuturist electro-funk side-project ZULUZULUU and Big Quarters’ Medium Zach. Grease locks into a transcendent double-time flow that reminds you exactly why Q-Tip’s pops used to say hip-hop reminded him of bebop.

Even more staggering is the way Grease manages to use his technical skill to weave together complex narratives about youth, racism, and poverty. The title of the album itself is a play on the concept of Minneapolis’s “Lurk Ordinance,” which states that, “No person, in any public or private place, shall lurk, lie in wait or be concealed with intent to commit any crime or unlawful act,” but has often been used to by police to harass racial minorities and the homeless. “Twud” is an introspective first-hand account of being arbitrarily pulled over by the police. “Rip Van Winkle” waxes brilliantly on the album’s central conflict: How can a person live happily and meaningfully in the face of the constant struggle to simply survive in America?

The production on this album is no less staggering than its lyrical content. Much like on his previous album Cornbread, Pearl, & G, the beats are a perfect synthesis between the hazy cloud-rap style of the moment and the urban grit of classic East Coast boom-bap. Production wise, the highlight of the record is undoubtedly “Work Song,” which flips a vintage soul sample to evoke a perfect, haunting sense of loneliness.

Clocking in at just under an hour, Born to Lurk, Forced to Work is a dense piece of art. But when the skittering beat on the album’s last song fades out, it becomes clear that Greg Grease has created a stunning testament to the enduring political importance of hip-hop, without ever leaving the booth to holler from a soapbox. by Sam Segal


Greg Grease -"Work Song"-mp3

Friday, April 10, 2015

Vic Mensa ft. Kanye West -"U Mad"-mp3


Chicago's Vic Mensa gets a look from Kanye West with "U Mad".

Vic Mensa ft. Kanye West -"U Mad"-mp3

Flying Lotus ft. Kendrick Lamar -"Eyes Above"-mp3


Flying Lotus & Kendrick Lamar deliver over an unreleased Flying Lotus track from You're Dead!, "Eyes Above". Flying Lotus interviews Lamar for BBC Radio.

Flying Lotus ft. Kendrick Lamar -"Eyes Above"-mp3

Thursday, April 9, 2015

A$AP Rocky -"M'$"-mp3


Harlem's colorful A$AP Rocky returns with "M'$", produced by C-Note and Mike Dean. The first track from upcoming At.Long.Last.A$AP. , it will feature Mos Def, rumored older material recorded with FKA twigs & Lykke Li will not, revealed during A$AP Rocky's interview with Red Bull Music Academy.

A$AP Rocky -"M'$"-mp3

Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Midnight -"Sinister (prod. by su na)"-mp3


Rochester, NY vocalist Midnight goes hard with the itmimacy and Minneapolis producer su na laces the track. Gangster.

Midnight -"Sinister (prod. by su na)"-mp3

TV On The Radio -"Trouble"-video



Brooklyn's TV On The Radio releases video for "Trouble" off the bands latest Seeds. "Don't worry be happy, everything's gonna be ok".

Fort Wilson Riot -"Tryin'"-mp3


Minneapolis Fort Wilson Riot heads in a new direction with the electro-pop of "Tryin'". "Tryin'" is the first of two singles we will be releasing in April 7th via Comonada.

Fort Wilson Riot -"Tryin"-mp3

Mick Jenkins -"Alchemy [Prod. By Lee Bannon]"-mp3


Chicago's Mick Jenkins with a new Lee Bannon produced burner "Alchemy". From his upcoming new project Wave[s]. Drink more water.

Mick Jenkins -"Alchemy [Prod. By Lee Bannon]"-mp

Freddie Gibbs & KAYTRANADA -"My Dope House"-mp3


Gary,Indiana's hardest Freddie Gibbs hooks up with Montreal's innovative producer KAYTRANADA for a a visit to the "Dope House".

Freddie Gibbs & KAYTRANADA -"My Dope House"-mp3

Monday, April 6, 2015

DJ Snuggles ft. Metasota, Manchita & Mike Mitclan -"Drank"-mp3


DJ Snuggles recruits some of Minneapolis finest in Metasota, Manchita (GRRRL PRTY) & Mike Mictlan of Doomtree all for a drank. Produced by Dimitry Killstorm and James “DJ Snuggles” Logan II.

DJ Snuggles ft. Metasota, Manchita & Mike Mitclan -"Drank"-mp3

Friday, April 3, 2015

Twin Limb -"Long Shadow (Yo K Ono) Remix"-mp3


Louisville, KY's Twin Limb with nice ethereal vocals and a cool downbeat flex of dream-folk made up of accordion, percussion, seraphs and reverb.

Twin Limb -"Long Shadow (Yo K Ono) Remix"-mp3

Loston & Ta-ku -"No Reason"-mp3


Two of Australia’s most renowned instrumentalists, Loston & Ta-ku link for the sexy "No Reason". "Love isn't always fair, there's no reason, there's no reason".

Loston & Ta-ku -"No Reason"-mp3

Thursday, April 2, 2015