Game of Thrones mixtape Catch the Throne II is being released to hype up the new season, and features Lord of the Light from Talib Kweli. Check it out below.
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Category: Talib Kweli
Dilla Day 2015
February 10, 2006. For many hip-hop heads, it was the day the music died, for it was the date that the great J Dilla passed away. His legacy lives on in all of us though, and for several years since his death, his mother, the much-loved Ma Dukes, has organized the annual Dilla Day event.
The 2015 edition is leaving Dilla’s hometown of Detroit for Miami instead, and the confirmed line-up of artists is already incredible. His old group Slum Village will be there, as will frequent Dilla collaborators Talib Kweli and Madlib, plus the legend Pete Rock. Other guests include Black Milk, whose music has been inspired by Jay Dee, alongside Joey Badas$$, Camp Lo and more. That adds up to a fine selection of talent paying their respect to one of the greatest of all time.
This year the event is also being extended to an entire weekend, from February 5-8. Tickets are available from here right now. Peep the flyer below for more.
We salute Tyler, the Creator for crying like a baby
We’ve all seen that clip of Tyler, The Creator crying at the sight of N.E.R.D. on stage (haven’t seen it? Wake the fuck up), and how star-struck he was in a recent interview with Pharrell.
Funny shit, but at least the guy clearly has some genuine passion for the music and its biggest stars.
In a music fueled by egos and trash talk, its all too rare for a young hip-hop artist to show mutual respect for their peers. Its even common now to hear modern rappers talk about how they don’t even listen to rap at all, not even hiding how they are in the game solely to get money.
Compare this to the veterans and older artists and its a completely different story. They have no trouble shining a light on others, and acknowledging the history of the music. Take Run the Jewels, currently the hottest property in the game. El-P and Mike not only have a detailed knowledge of hip-hop, but also have no issue singing the praises of the legends and other artists. Same goes for Common, Talib Kweli, Pharoahe Monch and others. As for the legends themselves, like DJ Premier, they are forever paying respect to others and the masters of genre.
Its perhaps unfair to say all young artists are ignorant to other rappers (Freddie Gibbs frequently points to Drake as being the best there currently is, as contentious as that may be), but a little acknowledgment that they at least like hip-hop and appreciate others would be nice.
Tyler himself has stated he doesnt intent to make hip-hop for much longer, but this is still a man with a deep-rooted respect for the music. And for that, despite all the other crazy and stupid shit he does, we salute him. It was his party, and he can cry if he wants to.
Legends of the game combine as Indie 500
Heavyweights Talib Kweli, Pharoahe Monch and 9th Wonder today announced a new collaborative venture named Indie 500. It’s not clear yet if it’s set to be a record label, a group or just a movement, but with these three involved, only good things can come from it.
The aim seems to be to uphold the quality and tradition of the Native Tongues and that classic A Tribe Called Quest/De La Soul vibe, and the legacy of it that has lived on through artists associated with the good people at Okayplayer (J Dilla, the Roots, Little Brother, Mos Def, Q-Tip, Common, Slum Village and others).
All three artists have spent their careers in and around this creative circle anyway, so it’s likely just a case of quality business as usual. Which of course is no bad thing. Any project that combines two of the most gifted rappers of all time with one of the best producers will definitely equal incredible music.
Watch the video below from Okayplayer for the full lowdown.