This well put together documentary charts the defining moments in the career of one of the greatest of all time, Large Professor, including the Main Source break-up and more. Its timed nicely with the release of Large’s dope new album, RE:Living, which is out now. Listen below for some real hip-hop history.
Category: History
Slum Village – ‘Right Back’ feat. De La Soul
The drops from new Slum Village album Yes! have been great so far, but Right Back is the one that has been intrigueing us most, and that’s because it features De La Soul over J Dilla beat once again. Turns out it only has Plug 1 on it, but it’s still dope all round. Listen below.
Large Professor – ‘Own World’
The anticipation for new Large Professor album RE:Living has been getting thick lately, and to further wet our appetite, he’s released a video for Own World. Watch below, and go support the legend with a purchase when it drops next week.
Slum Village – ‘Push Along’ feat. Phife
Yesterday we were treated to a video from Slum Village for latest single Expressive, but now we get to hear another track from the upcoming Yes album, and this time it features the one and only Phife Dawg. Listen to Push Along below, and make sure you cop that album when it drops.
Slum Village – ‘Expressive’ (video)
No album from Slum Village is complete without at least one track produced by original member J Dilla, and new project Yes is no exception. Latest single Expressive now has a video, featuring Dilla’s little bro Illa J, plus BJ The Chicago Kid, and you can watch it below. Look for the new album coming soon.
Byron The Aquarius & Dillon – ‘KeepDoinYaThang’ (Dilla tribute)
We fuckin’ love a J Dilla tribute, so we were pleased to hear that Byron The Aquarius and Dillon are about to drop their Dilla Dedication EP. The first single is KeepDoinYaThang, which has a definite Slum Village vibe to it. Listen below, and look out for the full EP coming next week.
The best hip-hop writing from last week
Its been another good week for hip-hop writing and journalism, with many of the usual suspects writing the best material. Here’s a round-up.
DJ Screw: A Fast Life in Slow Motion by Lance Scott Walker
Whether you are a fan of his music or not, the impact DJ Screw had on rap in his all-too-short life is huge. In this well-researched and extensive article, the writer pays proper tribute, telling the full story of Screw’s come-up, without focusing too much on his abuse of Lean and subsequent death. Read here.
The Selective Memory of Rap Fans by Robbie Ettelson (Unkut)
At a time when a lot of classic albums are celebrating their 20th or so anniversaries, Unkut points out how others are being forgotten. He singles out the X Clan album To The East, Blackwards as a prime example, and how it was a project of way more significance than most care to remember. Read here.
GZA Speaks: The Lost Art of Lyricism by GZA
He may be pointing out what most of us already know, but its interesting to have a first-hand opinion about the state of rap lyrics from one of the best rappers still working today. The highlight comes at the point where GZA explains how two different artists would interpret the same simple subject matter. Read here.
Jedi Mind Tricks – ‘Fraudulent Cloth’
That long-time-coming new The Thief And The Fallen album from Jedi Mind Tricks finally arrives next month. While you wait, check this new video for singe Fraudulent Cloth. Its a more low-key affair after the gore of last single Deathless Light, and you can watch it below.
Pete Rock – ‘Heaven & Earth’
The long wait for Petestrumentals II is nearly over, and Pete Rock has bumped up the anticipation with the release of another single from the upcoming project. Listen to the silky-smooth Heaven & Earth below, and hold on tight for the full album.
Easy Mo Bee & Emskee – ‘Two For One’ album sampler
Easy Mo Bee is one of the most prolific producers in the history of this music we call hip-hop, and so we were pretty excited to come across this short but impressive sampler from new album Two For One; a collaboration with Emskee. Check it out below, and keep a look out for the full project coming soon.