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Agartha Audio, a collective of emcees and Producer Dig Dug out of Berkley, CA present the full length LP "The Hollow Earth". In this Welcome to The Hollow Earth video, you will here audio snippets of the LP along with further explanation of the album's overall concept illustrated through the amazing artwork Dig Dug himself. This bold hip-hop LP features work by (as featured in this video) Gigster, Cam, Nac1, Mischief Mic, Passive65ive, Tracy Jones, E. Coli, The Presence and more. Watching this will give you a clear idea of the concepts that are on the album, namely The Hollow Earth and the Reptilian Agenda. The album is released through Uncommon Records wordwide www.uncommonmusic.net. It can be purchased on Itunes at http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-...
Mayer Hawthorne - I Left My Heart In San Fransisco
Aloe Blacc - I Need a Dollar
Wais P - Ain't A Problem (Formerly of Da Ranjahz)
Here's the video for "Ain't A Problem" from Wais P (of The Ranjahz). Shouts to John Colombo in the director's chair and Scram Jones on production! Stay tuned for more leaks, singles and videos from Wais P who is currently working on his solo debut album (currently untitled), that includes a strong line-up of guest features and producers such as: Joell Ortiz, Devin The Dude, Sean Price, Mistah Fab, Mario Winans, Red Cafe, The Madd Rapper, DJ Premier, Sean C & LV, M-Phazes, Domingo, Frequency & more! Click on either of the links below to download the mp3 for "Ain't A Problem".
When you get a moment, download the new ScholarMan EP Hiroshima Fusion. ScholarMan recently found himself checking out the 1979 work of the soulful band Hiroshima and decided to create an EP that fuses their jazzy and soulful sound with his brand of hip-hop, thus the reason for the title.
This is his first free project of 2010 that features the talents of K-Mynez, Kahli Abdu, Teisha Marie and Verronica Styles. The download link follows, please share this with your friends, family, audience, readers, listeners etc.
I've long thought about how to do a video show in the same vein of Yo! back in the days. Is it possible or did youtube just kill the video show? I'm not sure if it's something that could ever happen again or not. The fact is though, I miss videos. I mean yeah, we can go to youtube and check them out whenever we want, but I miss the package of a hip hop video show. Yes, Ed and Dre were great as hosts and were a big reason we watched. And the fact that the game has changed so much since the days of "Yo!" and other rap video shows, the same reasons we watched back then, for the newest and hottest song, has been replaced by the internet. One more good thing the internet has killed, how is that for biting the hand that feeds me?
In any sense, I'd to do a somewhat regular series around here (anyone knows I don't do anything on a regular basis for the most part) of some videos that get sent my direction. Lord knows I get enough of them, and I'm always trying to figure out a way to get them posted up in a more original way than just making a post and saying "here is so and so's latest video". So here is the first crack at this...
The first video comes from a Gutter Water Music fam member, Oddity. Coming in over Dysposable Heroes production, Oddity tackles the subject of the Twin Towers, 9/11 and the potential the government had a role in it. I haven't had the pleasure of having much contact with Oddity yet, but from following his rants on the Gutter Water Music site, the dude is one of those cats that challenge you to think for yourself and not rely on the face value of anything. "Twenty Minutes With The President", does that as well. The video is aight, nothing mind blowing, but it does it's job with lots of footage of that eventful day that is sure to spark something in most everybody that dealt with that day.
The second video is from another WYDU Artist Spotlight alum, ScholarMan. I've been a supporter of anything ScholarMan does, because it's straight from the heart with soul, he doesn't mess around with unnecessary bullshit. The new song and video "Reap, Sow", is a great track, one of the better ones I've heard from ScholarMan, and dude creates nothing but quality music. The video looks like a big budget was put up for it as well, very professional, with a storyline and all hooked up to it. It added to the song, which is what a good video should do, take a great song and add to it or at the very least don't take away from it. Now I just have to find the mp3 for this track...
Next up Kam Moye aka Supastition. It's getting late and I'm getting tired, so we go to what the good people at Audible Treats sent us
The Video:
"Sometimes you have to be grateful for the things you already have." With Kam Moye's new video for "Let's Be Honest," the North Carolina emcee continues to display his down to earth sensibilities, and now finds himself fleshing out those sentiments with a strong set of visuals. The scenes are filled with Kam rhyming on a park bench and window-shopping with his girl, a refreshing contrast to the decadent hip-hop videos that have grown to be so common. The video is directed by Matt Koza of HOJ Media, who is known for his recent work with Foreign Exchange, Big Pooh, Cymarshall Law, and more. Kam and MYX Music Label have enlisted Koza for a 3-video package deal, which will also include videos for "Splitting Image" and one other video off of the new album. Kam states, "I've worked with a few video directors in the past and I've had great experiences, but very few had the same quality as Koza's videos. Instead of experimenting with different directors, I wanted to use one director to help tell my story for the album." Kam Moye's new album, Splitting Image, is currently available everywhere via MYX Music Label.
Last but not least, it's Bekay, with his newest video, "Bloodsport".
Brooklyn's own Bekay presents his follow-up video, 'Bloodsport," to his long awaited album, Hunger Pains, which dropped this week on Coalmine Records. The track is produced by Shuko and features DJ Dutchmaster on the cuts. Directed by MonStar films, 'Bloodsport' was shot & directed in the world famous Gleason's Gym which was once the training facility for boxing legends Muhammad Ali & Mike Tyson. The concept is a spin off LL Cool J's "Momma Said Knock You Out."
You can view it on YouTube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZEubf7tFi4
Embedded Bekay - "Bloodsport" (Video) HUNGER PAINS DROPS THIS WEEK!!
My man ScholarMan is back on the grind. Dude never sleeps with one album (the very good Gameshift: The Movement) and two EPs already released this year. Up next? ScholarMan's next album, Free Spirit of a Troubled Soul, due out in January.
The first single and video is here, I Love Hip Hop Music, feat K-Mynez.
Wait? What? We are half way through the year? Ya gotta be shitting me.... Well crap, I guess that means I should get my shit together and do my "Half Way There" post that covers all my favorite releases as far as EPs, Instrumentals albums, and full fledged albums (I haven't decided if I'm going to waste my time with a mixtape category, I'm getting to really hate those things for the most part). It's an excuse to come up with some lists, what can I say? It'll be a week long thing, as I try to bang out a bunch of posts over the weekend so I can catch up with other shit that I need to do, questions, type out interviews, bios, and assorted other things. I never get caught up, it never stops.
Today, well kick out the top 10 EPs for the first half of the year. I love a good EP, something I can sit down and a half hour later, when my ADD has totally kicked in, I can move on to the next thing. In this age of shortened attention spans and the shuffle button on the iPod, not many of us can sit down with the same album over the hour and just listen to it. Yes, I do have my listening sessions each evening, but I usually end up doing something while I'm listening, whether it be surfing the net, organizing files on my computer or doing what I'm doing right now, working on the damn blog. Plus a lot of EPs can be found for free on the net. Myself personally, I'd rather listen five or six songs from an artists, than a cat rhyming over every classic hip hop beat, 10 songs that weren't going to make the album, for 25 songs on a mixtape that I will probably never listen to, so I appreciate the free EP as a marketing tool a lot more than the mixtapes in most cases.
When I started thinking about the EPs of the first half of 2009, I was kinda disappointed. I was thinking they were kind of slow, but when I sat down and pounded a list, I had a hard time. There were several EPs that I had to leave off that contain good music. Overall, it was a strong crop of EPs and like I said, most of these are free music, released by the artists to just keep their name out there. Without further ado, here is the "Top 10 EPs for the ADD Inflicted of 2009"
10. (TIE) ScholarMan - A Meeting With Andre Kostelanetz
Sounds Like: Hip-Hop meets classical music, which is what it is, ScholarMan rhyming over beats made from the music of the late Russian composer Andre Kotelanetz.
Summary: While my knowledge of classical music doesn't run all that deep, I do have some knowledge of it. My Freshman year in college, I had to take a Intro To Music class, which basically covered the history of music. They made us buy this 10 tape collection of different periods of music, and the way I got through it was to listen for stuff to sample for a hip hop beat in the whole thing. So basically, I've had a fondness for tracks that use the classical/orchestrated vibe, and that's all this EP is from WYDU favorite, ScholarMan. "A Meeting With Andre Kotelanetz" was a brain child from ScholarMan after listening to a record from the late composer. The beats are nothing short of great, with lots of strings layered over hard drums. On the mic, you know what to expect from ScholarMan with his monotonous flow, which works quite well with this type of project.
Favorite Tracks:"Well Orchestrated", "Not Give Up"
Sounds Like: Straight up hip hop beats & rhymes. No gimmicks, no cutesy dance moves, just Serge kicking lyrics for days over solid beats.
Summary: Earlier this year, my man Gen Erik of Animal Farm let me know they were going to be in Boise to do a show. I told him I'd bring some cats and check it out. The day of the show, he emailed me saying he wasn't going to make it, but check it out anyway and he'd make sure we got on the guest list. He said half of Animal Farm would be along with fellow Focused Noise artists, Mic Crenshaw and Serge Severe. After waiting around for ever and putting up with a HORRIBLE turnout, we caught Serge's set and I was quite impressed with it. I'd already known about him through his Concrete Techniques LP from last year, but its good to catch acts live. Soon after, we ran a WYDU Spotlight on Serge, and with that, we posted up his free Orangutan Slang EP that shines some light on tracks that didn't make the Concrete Techniques project. Why not, I'm not totally sure, because there is some great tracks on this project. It has no gimmicks, just an MC rhyming over the beat, so for those of you that need flash with your hip hop, this isn't it. Those who just want rhymes and beats, this is what you seek.
Favorite Tracks:"Knock Knock", "Microphone Mandhandler", "Wit The Flow" (WHY OH WHY is this track so short?)
Sound Like: Throw some raw dinginess sound of Black Moon, toss in some numerous early 90's hip hop and add a dash of the 2000's in it and you have yourself some dirty, dusty hip hop for the 2000's.
Summary: Could it be that I show Whygee, Sunkenstate & Kid Hum a little "hometown" favoritism (I consider Denver my second home)? Nah, they deserve all the shine that I've given them over the last six plus months. I would put Whygee up against any MC from any hotbed of MCism and I'd put Kid Hum's beats against anyone elses out there as well. The Suicide Watch EP was shipped over to me by either Kid Hum or Whygee (I can't remember which one now) in late December, and after listening to it, I was very impressed the EP that they had crafted and the fact they were from Denver was an added bonus. The EP has steadily gained plays from me over the past six months, an opposite of what usually happens.
Sound Like: A new millennium, northwest version of Native Tongues. Yes, it's a big compairison, but they deserve it. Common Market are favorites of many of the underground blogs, such as WYDU. Producer Sabazi is quickly becoming one of the best underground producers east of the Pacific Ocean. The EP, Winter Ends, picks up where their full length album, Tobacco Road, left off with dope beats and thought provoking lyrics. Scion tackles everything from suicide to cheating death itself. Probably not your typical hip hop subject matter, but that's what draws me to their music. Coming in at five short and quick songs, Winter Ends still packs a punch and get you geeked up for the next release they plan on dropping.
Sounds Like: A white version of Breezly Brewin' over butter smooth beats
Summary: (Yes, it's a cheap rip off of last Friday's post, but you get the jest). Long time WYDU readers will recognize this Yonkers MC, Mouth Blocks. We did a WYDU Spotlight on him late last year and the dude's EP stayed in my rotation for a few months after that (which is no small feat). Well Mouth Blocks is back, with another EP, this time totally free. Produced by Evolve-One, the smooth mellow beats are perfect for the ruff, yet smooth flow of Mouth Blocks. Lyrically, he won't "wow" you, but he brings stuff to the table that most cats can relate to. The songs are all under three minutes, so those with the short attention spans can whip right through a song and the EP in no time flat. Cats that get down with rhymes about just trying to get through life will no doubt dig this little EP. It comes highly recommended by myself and WYDU...
Favorite Tracks: "Can't Deny Me", "How You Doin, My Friend"
Welcome! Sit down, have a glass of lemonade, and while you're at it, sample some of our fine rap music, aged underground in dusty electronic equipment according to a cherished week and a half old family recipe. Imported directly from our very own slum in Yonkers, New York, in conjunction with California's Evolve-One, this rap music meets the highest standards in excellency set forth by Local 108 Crossing Guard's Union. We're so confident that you'll enjoy Mouthblocks' free download of "It Takes One to Know One", that for a LIMITED TIME we're offering a MONEY BACK GUARANTEE, if you enclose three fortune cookie fortunes in a S.A.S.E. addressed to yourself, and text 07734 07734 to Mouthblocks' disconnected cellphone. (offer only valid on Christmas day to residents of Puerto Rico)
Oh, yea, haters can suck an egg and critics get the di-dick. And if that makes me a jerk, well...
IT TAKES ONE TO KNOW ONE
Kind Regards, Silvio ZwoechenkoHead of MarketingBaby Grey ProductionsYonkers, NY Download:It Takes One To Know One for Free: http://mouthblocks.com/
Sounds Like: "The Real Shit", with horns, classic hip hop production done by a mad Scott, Sci-Fi, and the MCs are part of the reason why you should always check for music you've never heard of before.
Summary: I get a lot of music in my inbox and I honestly try to listen to most of it. I love finding new music. Sci-Fi (who should be familiar to those that jam Tha Connection releases as he has done several songs with the NY crew) hit me up about a three man crew out of the States named Ill Poetix that he was doing the production for. The trio was is also on his Advantage Music Group label and wehn I checked out a myspace page link he gave me, the song "The Touch" was the first track I heard and I was immediately hooked. The thing is, it's not just that song though that is dope, all five tracks should be on a person's iPod, but you will be seeing "The Touch" high up on the year end list for my favorite songs. Comprising of MCs The 4th, 808 (Stop 1) and Ivisuai, the group is definitely a group that I will be waiting impatiently for new music from.
Favorite Tracks: "The Touch", "What Y'all Waitin' For"
Sounds Like: A combination of a lot of jazzy groups you've heard before and nothing like you've heard before. Upbeat, jazzy, and generally feel good music.
Summary: The new free EP from The Physics barely sneaked in under the deadline and I've been playing it almost daily since Tunji from Inverse sent it to me. Representing the great Northwest, a region I call home and always anxious to promote the great music coming out of the area, The Physics drop a fun, jazzy and catchy album (check "I Just Want To Beat" and tell me you weren't singing it afterwards). After doing some research, I noticed they had a full length release in '07 that completely got by me. If it's anything like High Society, it might be worth tracking down.
Click on the album cover to download High Society for free!!
Two years after the release of their critically lauded full length debut, Future Talk, Seattle-based hip hop group The Physics are back with June 2009’s release of High Society, an eight track EP of new material representing a natural progression both musically and personally. Steeped heavily in references to jazz and soul, Just D’Amato’s production (alongside Phee Dill & Dyalect) provides the smoothed-out backdrop against which lyricists Thig Natural and Monk Wordsmith (absent from Future Talk but a notable presence here) do their thing and do it with skill. Featuring guest appearances by beastly Seattle MCs Language Arts (“Back Track”) and Macklemore (“Good”) as well as one of the year’s most buzzed about local duos, the fresh-as-all-hell females of Thee Satisfaction (“Radio Head”), High Society dims the lights on the laidback aesthetic established in Future Talk and invites the listener to get real grown—and enjoy it. While this EP may feel like a main course, don’t get it twisted: it’s merely just a taste of what’s to come, a prelude to an additional as-yet-untitled release slated for later in the summer.
4. Brother Ali - The Truth Is Here
Sounds Like: Political, lyrical, assertive, underground, all over thick bass lines and catchy loops.
Summary: I'll admit that I'm not usually a Brother Ali fan. Yes, I like Ant's beats, and I think he is one heck of a lyricist, but his voice usually ends up grating on me before the end of an album. This time around though, I was impressed enough with everything else involved that it made his voice easier to get with. It's not even that it's an EP, it clocks in at nine songs, it's just good music all the way around, with "Palm The Joker", "Philistine David", "The Believers", and "Baby Don't Go" all getting extended plays from me this year.
Favorite Tracks:"Philistine David", "Palm The Joker"
Sounds Like: The Ventures meets Billy Joel meets Louis Logic (before he "became" Louis Dorley) Summary: No, it's not the new Louis Logic project. It's the Louis Dorley and Beatman & Rockin' project. When one reads the biography of their latest EP, Beaches Love Us, one has to kinda wonder how something that is a "live band that fuses 60s surf rock with balkan, afro beat and hip hop styles," will actually sound. The answer? Pretty damn good, if you have an open mind when listening to your music. It's something different and the fusion of the smorgasbord of musical flavors works really well. Coming in at a mere four songs, it's like a good carnival ride, just when the good part gets going, it's over. That's a good sign though, wanting more. True, you have to have an open mind when it comes to Louis' new direction, but for those of you that listen to more than hip hop or at least can respect other musical sounds, Beaches Love Us is a fun EP to listen to. You have to wonder what a whole album will be sounding like, hopefully we won't have to wait too long.
Favorite Tracks:"Black Widow", "Blast From The Past"
2. Has-Lo - You Can Live Thru Anything If Magic Made It
Sounds Like: The RZA had a son with a Ninja princess and gave him an MPC to play with
Summary: I'm not sure if I should call this an EP, a remix project (which it clearly is I supposed) or a mixtape. I will call it a damn good effort. We all knew Has-Lo could rap, and if you were into his music at all, you had heard his production, but did you really KNOW he could produce? Well, Has made sure you knew it after releasing his free EP, You Can Live Thru Anything If Magic Made It. Taking some hip hop classics, personal favorites and other goodies, Has made them his own by putting some of his dusty analoged funk on them. Tracks like Big Pun's "Leather Face", Ghost's"Love Session" and Nas' "Shootouts" all get bottom heavy, pounding drums boost from Hassy Davis. What's next? Time shall see......
01 Intro 02 Big Pun - Leather Face (has-lo remix) 03 O.C. - Time's Up (has-lo remix) 04 Royce Da 5' 9, Elzhi & Supastition - Best To Do It (has-lo remix) 05 Cormega - Montana Diaries (has-lo remix) 06 Interlude #1 07 Ghostface Killah - Love Session (has-lo remix) 08 Sean Price - Onion Head (has-lo remix) 09 Common - Chi City (has-lo remix) 10 Nas - Shootouts (has-lo remix) 11 Outro 12 (Bonus Track) Tree Woodz - Move the Crowd (has-lo remix)
1. Poorly Drawn People - Motion Not Emotion
Sounds Like: Jim Morrison came back to life and started a rap group Summary: Sometimes I worry if my personal interaction with artists sometimes skews my view of their music. Case in point with Poorly Drawn People, which is the group Storm Davis is a part of. Storm is an MC that I've had a good blogger/artist relationship over the past two years. I like dude cause he reminds me of my good friends and of someone that I would get a long with real well. So when PDP dropped Motion Not Emotion, I gave it a listen, and actually was planning on being harder on it than the average submission, just because I didn't want people to accuse me of favoritism (not that I give a rats ass what people think). After the first listen though, I knew that this was a good, nah it was a GREAT, release.
I hated to include this as an EP, although that's what the four man group of Storm Davis, Reason, Dox, and DJ Sterbyrock label it. The truth is, this is one of my favorite projects of any sorts this year. I've been blasting their music since running across Storm Davis' solo album, Kegstand Poetry for The Recovering Alcoholic, back in '07. We started talking and he let me know about the rest of his crew. From there, PDP's mixtape, Nothing Stays Gold, dropped in 2007 and last years Shoot For The Stars, Hit The Ceiling got major play on the iPod/car stereo, discman, computer and home stereo.
Well, they graduated from the mixtape scene to an EP, but it's got the flavor and cohesiveness of a full fledged album in the form of Motion Not Emotion. Coming in at tweleve songs, you get the typical PDP tongue in cheek humor, John Friesz name drops (props to whoever knows that name), missed women (and it's fuckin' annoying....listen to the song) and sound drops from "Better Off Dead", the classic 80's movie. They take everything you liked (or will like) about their mixtapes and put it all on one project. If you have heard them in the past, this needs to be heard. If you haven't heard of Poorly Drawn People, then you needs to hear this.....
Favorite Songs: Stress Filled Days, Might Blow Up, Ain't Hard To Make a Million Dollars, Stealer's Wheel, Better Off Dead, Motion Not Emotion
If you download it (and this is a totally legit download) and you like it, hit up them up and purchase a hard copy, you know those disc things that you can play in those disc thing players. Or just cop a shirt....either or.
01- Stress Filled Days [04:11] 02- Might Blow Up [03:50] 03- Aint Hard To Make a Million Dollars [04:25] 04- A Quarter Milli [00:38] 05- Sawbucks and Fins Ft ESH [04:33] 06- Stealers Wheel [03:30] 07- Elmer’s Lament Ft Labeless Illteligence [04:03] 08- Celebrity Rehab [03:39] 09- Way With Words [04:36] 10- Better Off Dead [03:42] 11- Static [04:20] 12- Motion Not Emotion [05:56]
My man ScholarMan is back with a new free EP. I haven't had the chance to listen to it yet, but I'm willing to bet it's worth the time to check it out. - Trav
ScholarMan's new EP "A Meeting With Andre Kostelanetz" is now available for download! With guest appearances by K-Mynez, Kats, Domer and Random.
The download link, cover art and song information is listed below!
Busy day in the inbox, we got a DJ Concept mix, dude has been busy. He is celebrating Bob Marley's birthday. New videos from ScholarMan and Pugs Atomz. We also have fellow Steeler's fan, J. Sands of Lone Catalyst dropping his Sands on Sports #16.
It's Friday, it's Bob Marley's birthday - so I figured it was only right to create a mix & celebrate the life of a legend. Bob Marley was basically responsible for spreading Jamaican music to the worldwide audience. This is just a small selection of joints from his catalog with a little help from a some rock & hip-hop heavyweights. Whether you're at work listening in your headphones, or home blazing - enjoy these classics from the Mr. Marley.
Them Choose Reggae Music Intro Trench Town Rock [Live] Natty Dread Gonna Get You Roots, Rock feat. Aerosmith Duppy Conqueror [Fort Knox Five Remix] Mr. Brown [Styles Of Beyond] Dracula Put It On Could You Be Loved Kaya Herb Interlude Hold Ya Head [Notorious B.I.G. feat. Bob Marley] Johnny Was Midnight Ravers Them Belly Full (But We Hungry) [Live @ The Lyceum] Catch A Fire Revolution Pimper's Paradise No More Trouble Exodus Unauthorized Biography Of Bob Marley [Shaun Boothe] No Woman No Cry [Live]
I'll tell you what, judging from the leaks of Pugs upcoming album, it could be the one to watch in the early months....and late months. Dude may just make one of the best albums of the year, everything heard so far has been heat. This is his new video, "The General". It's not officially on his up coming album, but it's hot. Might have to check the Mulatto Patriots album as well.
Video for "The General" taken from producer Mulatto Patriots album Sonic Visuals feat. Pugs Atomz who also directed and edited this video.
My man J.Sands drops his sports/radio show once again for the sports fans. Sands drops his knowledge and talks Cincy Bengals football (yuck), Pete Rose, and of course the Steelers' Super Bowl victory
New video for track "Passin' Me By 2008" by ScholarMan from The Pull Forward EP Vol. 2. This is a tribute to The Pharcyde's original classic. Video features Agatha Jazmin.
Hip hop is more than just a hobby or music for me. I love the music and I'm a strong believer in keeping the culture alive. I see hip hop as bringing people together, supplying hope and teaching those that need to be taught. A lot of that has been lost over the years with the commercialization of the art form. I'm not going to blame the mainstream for ruling hip hop, there is a reason for everything. But it's good to hear artists such as today's spotlight artist, ScholarMan, kick some knowledge and offer food for thought.
Those of you unfamiliar with ScholarMan and our fans of positive and progressive hip hop, will appreciate where he is coming from. He labels himself a "hip hop activist", a term that he does not take lightly. With his Soganic label, he has dropped 2 critically acclaimed albums (Candy Medicine and Soul Purpose) and is gearing up for this third studio album, Gameshift: The Movement. He has also dropped a couple free EP's, in which he shows homage to those that have come before him with new twists and old classics. We sat down and talked to ScholarMan, in what is one of my favorite Spotlights that we've done.....
The Pull Forward EP Vol. 2 now available!!
The Pull Forward Series pays tribute to hip-hop music made famous during the early to mid-1990’s. On Vol.2, songs by Outkast, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Wu-Tang, The Pharcyde, Biggie and Gangstarr are honored. Volume 2 features Maryland emcees K-Mynez, Chainge, Kahli, ScholarMan and vocalist J. Hill. Check us out on MySpace.
The Pull Forward Series pays tribute to hip-hop music made famous during the early to mid-1990’s. On Vol.1, songs by A Tribe Called Quest, Mobb Deep, Fat Joe, Nas and LL Cool J are honored.
1. Quick Words (Intro) 2. Lyrics To Go 2008 3. Shook Ones 2008 ft. K-Mynez 4. Strife We See (Success 2008) 5. Pull Forward: The Concept ft. Nathaniel Long 6. Reflect I (Life’s A Bitch 2008) ft. Makeshift Deluxe 7. Sensual Ride (Electric Relaxation 2008) 8. No Questions Asked (Pink Cookies 2008) rmx ft. TrueBless
WYDU: Hey, what's good? Can you give the readers that might not be familiar with your name and music a little background?
ScholarMan: Maintaining Trav. What's good WYDU fam? My name is ScholarMan, rap activist and producer from the Maryland area. Ive been in the game for a minute but the public eye only recently noticed me with my '07 release of Candy Medicine, my '08 release Soul Purpose and The Pull Forward Series. I've been producing for over 5 years and been rhyming even longer. I represent Soganic Music, my recently re-established record label. My label mates are TrueBless and recently K-Mynez, both in Maryland as well. We release socially conscious hip-hop music, music that inspires that many can relate to; all while keeping the essence of hip-hop alive.
W: Your music is among some of the more positive and thought provoking music I've ran across in a short while, why is it important to you to offer the listener more than the average "bling, bitch, gat" rhymes that run so prevalent in the mainstream realm? ScholarMan: Thanks, appreciate that homie. I simply want positive change in our world man, there is enough negative things in reach compared to the positive, especially in hip-hop. I've experienced the street life and much of what influences "gangsta rhymes;" many of us have, but there comes a time when you must mature and realize that these things arent helping you, your people or your community grow. Simply upward movement man.
WYDU: You dropped a very intelligent and insightful writing about how the majority of African Americans do not support "real" hip hop, can you deluge into that statement some, and what is your definition of "real" hip hop?
ScholarMan: Appreciate it, cool. I get criticized sometimes about using the term real hip-hop; the whole aspect of "what isn't real to you may be real to me." I dig that to some degree. So..let me be clear, real hip-hop to me is soulful hip-hop, music with substance, music that not only is fun, but intelligent, vibrant and organic; music with heart. Trav, you used "bling, bitch, gat" music in the previous question, real hip-hop is the opposite of that, music that doesn't praise the negative, but addresses it and searches for a solution.
WYDU: As an artist, you seem to still carry a genuine love for the culture and music, something that we don't always see. Do you think it's important as an artist to still be a fan of the music? Why or why not?
ScholarMan: Hell yeah homie. I love this music and I think every hip-hop artist should have some level of love and respect (beyond residuals) for it if they are going to say "i am hip-hop." I think that is a big part of why "underground" cats cant surface, they don't want to show love to another artist making moves but yet expect that same artist to ride.. - well you get my drift. So many of these artists walk with a chip. I strive to support good music, period. Like Common said, "just because I don't like it doesn't meant that I am hating. "
WYDU: Your label, Soganic, and yourself have been releasing the Pull Forward EP's. What are they exactly and what do you hope to accomplish with them?
ScholarMan:The Pull Forward Series is simply a counter to the term "throwback," I never really understood/agreed with this term and decided to create my own, "pull forward." When we reflect, we are pulling previous memories forward to our thoughts of today, so that is what the point of the series is. To look back at classic hip-hop music over the years and create new music using those tracks as inspiration.
WYDU: The first two volumes of the series have been tributes of sorts to the past artists and songs, who were some of the cats you look up to from the "golden ages"? Do you have an all-time favorite album?
ScholarMan: The artists that we paid tribute to on these volumes are some of my favorites. A Tribe Called Quest, Biggie, Outkast and others I have yet to honor, Common, The Roots and some others. An all-time favorite album...man, thats hard homie. There are so many I love equally. I need to get back on that one.
WYDU: They have been available for free on your site and you've also hit up various blogs about posting them, why did you decide to release them as a free download?
ScholarMan: Outside of honoring these artists with new remakes, I wanted something free to recruit new fans and followers. The Pull Forward Series is pretty much me saying "thank you hip-hop," "thank you" to my current fans and "hello, nice to meet you" to newcomers.
WYDU: What is your take on the internet in general and it's roll in marketing and releasing music?
ScholarMan: The internet can be a double-edged sword; it can be a great tool to boost your career and at the same time could be killing your career. Bootlegging is now digital and its easy to lose money as soon as your album drops, if not before. The best protection is knowledge, studying the game, learn techniques on marking and promoting and keep a handy team of spys to report piracy when they find it.
WYDU: You have a new album dropping in January, what should we expect from it? Why should someone who has never checked your music, check for this one?
ScholarMan: Yeah homie, cant wait for you to hear it. What you can expect on my new joint is a beautiful mix of innovative beats and rhymes, but this time a bit more political than my others. Since I am dropping "GameShift: The Movement" right after the new president is elected, I thought I would I get more in the trenches with my lyrics on this one. Conspiracy theories, world politics, racism, hood life and of course a love for life and hip-hop is on this one.
WYDU: Anything else you and Soganic have on the agenda in the near future?
ScholarMan: Yeah man, my new album "GameShift: The Movement" as stated, new K-Mynez joint next year, another Pull Forward release and much of what you have seen in the past and then some to come as well.
WYDU: Do you have any last words for the readers out there?
ScholarMan: Appreciate the time and attention and thank you for listening. Big ups to WYDU!!!
ScholarMan's "The Pull Forward Ep Vol. 2" is now available!
1. Intro ft. Doug E. Fresh (circa 1986) 2. We Reminisce (T.R.O.Y 2008) ft. Kahli 3. Passin’ Me By 2008 4. Cash Rules (C.R.E.A.M. 2008) ft. K-Mynez 5. Warning 2008 6. Playas Ball 2008 ft. Chainge & J. Hill 7. Everyday Real (Moment of Truth 2008)
