undergroundhiphop

Here in NYC, Funk Flex dropped a bomb on the opening of his drive-time set last night over a haunting orientalist wail followed by a huge dancehall riddim. The sound was the building-flattening introductory bars of Busta Rhymes and Vybz Kartel‘s “Wine & Go Down” (listen below) a summer smash in the making if there ever was one. Of course by that time our bashment specialists at LargeUp had already buss the record wide open and in the spirit of Top 10 Tuesdays followed up this afternoon with a rundown of Busta’s biggest musical nods to his Jamaican Roots. Watch this live performance of Busta’s take on “Rastaman Chant” with Julian Marley filling in for Bob to get the flavor, then hit the link at bottom for the full Top 10.

>>>Hear the Full Top 10 (via LargeUp)

The Very Best take on the Malawian government in their latest video for “Yoshua Alikuti” (watch below). In our exclusive interview with Johan Hugo and Esau Mwamwaya, they describe how the late president’s policies devastated the livlihoods of many Malawians. When Esau and Johan couldn’t get fuel for their car during the recording of their forthcoming album in Lilongwe, Esau decided it was time to, as Fela would say, use music as his weapon. In this behind-the-scenes look, we watch the band strut the streets of one of Nairobi’s most dangerous slums – entertaining the local population and making friends with goats.

What has The Very Best been up to lately? Johan: Well! We’re suuupeerrr excited to have “Yoshua Alikuti” out finally. Even though we had the Super Mom Mixtape last year, that felt more like something we put out to buy more time to finish the album, and it was the right choice. What came out of the Malawi sessions last September really changed and solidified the new album’s sound. We’ve been very lucky to meet Village Beat who directed the first 3 videos for us in Kenya which was an amazing experience. That 1 week felt like 1 year. Most intense week of my life I think. We also brought Seye Adelekan with us cause he’s on the next single, and he co-wrote and played guitar on parts of the new album. It’s been amazing working with him on his record too. It’s just been really nice to see the ball rolling again and to see the amazing feedback on “Yoshua Alikuti.” I really didn’t know what people would make of it, but it seems people like it so that’s great news!

Last time you spoke with Okayplayer’s Eddie Stats, you talked about finding the ‘new sound’ of TVB. How has your sound changed on the new records—and do you think “Yoshua Alikuti” exemplifies that new sound? Johan: Maybe it’s still a little bit early to reveal too much about the new album =) , but I guess “Yoshua Alikuti” is a good starting point. There’s so many different vibes on the new album I hope it will feel like a journey listening to it. It’s true what I said in last Ghetto Palms interview about it being a bit more dancey and darker, I think you can hear that from Yoshua already… some of the people we worked with are probably not expected either. I know its official about Amadou & Mariam, Baaba Maal, K’naan, Seye Adelekan, etc. Some of the co-writers of album are more surprising… but I can’t say who they are yet hahaha!

>>>HEAD TO OKAYAFRICA FOR BEHIND THE SCENES VIDEO, PICTURES AND THE FULL INTERVIEW

The homie J57 of Brown bag AllStars fame dropped not one, but two EPs today that you need to check for. You can stream/purchase 2057 and The Ports EP, respectively, after the jump. In celebration of the dual release, J57 teamed with his BBAS brethren to release a video for The Ports EP track “Days Still Turn To Night” also featuring Andrew Thomas (Recess/TheClubhouse). Video directed by Pace Rivers.

In anticipation of the release of his debut LP, Let It Go, House Shoes just dropped a new EP, The Time. The EP features some album tracks as well as exclusive instrumentals limited to the EP. Today, we get the Danny Brown assisted song “Sweet” which appears on both the EP and the LP. The Time is out now via Tres Records. Let It Go has features from Black Milk, Danny Brown, Alchemist, Oh No, MED, Roc Marciano, Quelle Chris, Shafiq Husayn, and many others. It’s entirely produced by Shoes and will be out June 19th.

>>>Download 

Like the proverbial moonshot, okayplayer artists-to-watch Sonnymoon blasted out a stream of their new LP this morning and as the first song warns you, it is a wild rumpus from start to finish. Love to see them getting a little more noisy and experimental with their sound, while still keeping the underlying musicality and atmosphere. It’s kind of like they are trying to bu un-musical but they can’t because their so damn musical. Hit the link below to see what I mean and then order your copy on iTunes. (And find live dates after the jump–Sonnymoon is in yo’ town!)

>>>Stream (via AOL)

Upcoming Tour Dates: June 14th – Portland, OR – Crown Room w/ Knxwledge June 15th – Seattle, WA – Vermillion w/ Knxwledge June 16th – Vancouver, BC – The Waldorf Hotel w/ Knxwledge June 19th – San Francisco, CA – Public Works w/ Devonwho, B. Lewis June 20th – San Jose, CA – The Pagoda at Fairmont Hotel w/ Devonwho, B. Lewis June 21st – Fresno, CA – Fulton 55 w/ Devonwho, B. Lewis June 22nd – Los Angeles, CA – The Echo w/ Mndsgn + Special Guests TBA June 23rd – San Diego, CA – Kava Lounge w/ Mndsgn

You may have peeped this one a few weeks ago when it sprung an early leak. But today, Coalmine Records formally released this new single from Blu “Kiss The Sky” featuring Mela Machinko on the hook and M-Phazes on the beat (DJ Dutchmaster on the cuts). I’m not sure when this was recorded, but the sound is definitely more Below The Heavens than N O Y O R K. Stream it below, and cop it on iTunes. Also, check out this new interview with Blu on Coalmine’s blog Takin’ Mines.

Props to Mass Appeal on the premiere

Tab-One (of Kooley High) and producer Sunshine J come through with the latest set of visuals off their upcoming collabo project, Madflowridiculous. Watch the video for the piano laden track “Caught Up” featuring DJ Gonzo on the cuts. Video directed by Barrett Phillips. Madflowridiculous drops May 29th.

Jill Scott turned out the season-opening episode of Vh-1′s Storytellers last night and turned it into a one-woman show, switching wigs and filling in between peak performances of her most powerful songs with examples of her poetry, acting chops and her own extremely self-aware insights on the stated theme: “It takes many women to make one woman.” Watch two of my personal favorite clips, structured around the songs “Golden” (above) and “Quick” (below–an online exclusive not included in the version aired on TV) and get more via Vh-1.

You’ve really gotta put in some serious work to bludgeon a man to death with a half gallon of milk container. Watch this and many other strange occurrences of homicide in Lushlife‘s new video for “Still I Hear The Word Progress” featuring Styles P. Video directed by Willy Berliner. Lushlife’s latest album, Plateau Vision, is out now.

Alright. Y’all remember this show Hollywood Squares –you know the one where that dude who did the voice for that cartoon wolf who was the announcer on Laff-A-Lympics was always dropping zingers…never mind. Doesn’t even matter. What you need to know is that a new thing called Hip-Hop Squares takes that classic game show you may have just googled to a whole new level, putting hip-hop’s heavyweights in the center square. Hosted by Peter Rosenberg (of Hot97 fame), Hip-Hop Squares will bring together the likes of Ghostface Killah, Common, Fat Joe, Mac Miller, Biz Markie, Kat Graham, DJ Khaled and our own benevolent afrolord ?uestlove (and maybe some other hip-hop nerds we know–stay tuned for more details) for pure gameshow chaos. This is not some game of hip-hop BS, as MTV2 put it in their official motto: “Hip-Hop Squares is the ultimate game of BS!” This thing airs tonight Tuesday, May 22nd at 11pm (10c). Watch Ghostface take a tour of the set (above–and another teaser after the jump) to get the flavor and find full details at MTV2

In between donning bespoke suits and baring his soul in the current issue of GQ magazine, D’Angelo plugged in to put down an impromptu performance of what sounds like Funkadelic‘s “Soul Mate” on the set of the photo shoot.  An amazing little moment of musical candor from the notoriously camera-shy singer. Watch above and get psyched for this summer’s festival season.

props to GQ

First of all, take a moment to appreciate that picture. Then go ahead and appreciate that Cocaine 80s have now hit us with four strong songs in less than a week. With the latest track, “Chain Glow,” James Fauntelroy and Nas address those lacking radiance on their necks over No I.D.‘s production. More white soon come – I’ve got to imagine this is all off a soon to be released project.

>>>Download

Spotted at FSD

Black Radio? What about some black wax, son? That’s more or less what we said to the good people at EMI while we were shaking them down for vinyl copies of the Robert Glasper Experiment album of the same name–one of our favorites if you hadn’t noticed. And in order to give what is basically extortion on our part a thin veneer of legality we are giving you, the Okayplayer reader a shot at winning a couple of the long-players we scored–signed by Mr. Glasper himself. To qualify all you have to do is the following:

1) follow @okayplayer on twitter.

2) Tweet the following phrase:  I want 2 win a signed vinyl LP of @robertglasper’s #BlackRadio: http://bit.ly/LI1cma. @okayplayer, gimme those goodies! #blackwax

Please remember to include the #blackwax tag and make sure you include the link to this post:  http://bit.ly/LI1cma – also make double sure you follow us on twitter so we can DM you with info on how to collect your prize if you win. That is all–good luck!

Buy Robert Glasper Experiment’s Black Radio:    

It’s coming, it’s coming, it’s coming…it’s here! Tomorrow is now today and the first single from Lupe Fiasco‘s new LP Food & Liquor 2 is here. Flipping the much-loved beat from Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth‘s “Reminisce (T.R.O.Y.)” into a biting indictment of the American dream. Get it in your system. Legal and otherwise.

spotted at HHNM

You know we’re big fans of Willis Earl Beal and this video shot by Yourstru.ly perfectly sums up why. This guy has got the soul of an old blues crooner, the voice of a young man wise beyond his years, and a natural mysticism that permeates every note he sings and makes him say things like this:

“I was on the 99th floor of Sears Tower, looking out at all the torches, all the lights. I looked at Lake Michigan that was completely black. And I noticed how large the darkness was and how small the lights were. I thought to myself the darkness could completely swallow up the light if it wanted to. It just doesn’t. It’s just sitting there, waiting patiently.”

Granting his first major interview in quite a while prodigal player D’Angelo is featured in a 6-page spread in the June issue of GQ magazine, speaking in-depth about the ups and downs of his life and career, and getting his suit-and-tie on for the style-minded men’s publication. The piece is only available by purchasing the actual, physical print version of the magazine (crazy, I know) which is on newsstands now. But celebrity-watcher Necole Bitchie provides a few fascinating excerpts on her blog. Read on!

D’angelo on the evil in music: There’s forces that are going on that I don’t think a lot of motherf-ckers that make music today are aware of,” he says. “It’s deep. I’ve felt it. I’ve felt other forces puling at me.” He stubs out his cigarette and leans toward me, taking my hand. “This is a very powerful medium that we are involved in,” he says gravely.” “I learned at an early age that what we were doing in the choir was just as important as the preacher. It was a ministry in itself. We could stir the pot, you know? The stage is our pulpit, and you can use all of the energy and that music and the lights and the colors and the sound. But you know, you’ve got to be careful.”

Paul Hunter (Director of “Untitled:) on the video being misunderstood: Most people think the ‘Untitled’ video was about sex, but my direction was completely opposite of that. It was about his grandmother’s cooking. Think of your grandmother’s greens, how it smelled in the kitchen. What did the yams and the fried chicken taste like? That’s what I want you to express.” The video may have looked like foreplay, but it was actually about family, Hunter insists-about intimacy.

Later when I tell D’Angelo this, he says, “It’s so true: We talked about the Holy Ghost and the church before that take. The veil is the nudity and the sexuality. But what they’re really getting is the spirit.

D’Angelo on the effects of the ‘Untitled’ video:

One time I got mad when a female threw money at me onstage, and that made me feel like f-cked-up, and I threw the money back at her. I was like, ‘I’m not a stripper.’

On the last day of the eight-month tour, Questlove says D’Angelo told him, “Yo, man, I cannot wait until this f-cking tour is over. I’m going to go in the woods, drink some hooch, grow a beard, and get fat.” Questlove thought he was joking. “I was like, ‘You’re a funny guy.’ And then it started to happen.That’s how much he wanted to distance himself.”

spotted at NB

The Throne kicked off their European tour in London a few nights ago. We don’t know how many times they performed “N***as in Paris” at that show (they might wanna save some energy before they hit the French capital on June 1 and 2), but we do know that they gave a big-screen-preview of their “No Church In the Wild” video, which should be out any day now. Judging by the few scenes we’re allowed to witness, there’s a riot going on. But who’s The Throne gonna revolt against? The ruling class? Anyways, we’re looking forward to the full version of this video. Skip to the 1:40 mark to watch the song set in or peep the video after the jump for less extensive but better quality footage.

spotted at SC

With a Grammy-nomination and career-spanning OKP-coverage under his belt, you know the name Dwele stands for quality. His new single provides no exception to the rule. “What Profit” is a piece of perfectly executed soul music. A low-profile, double bass-driven backdrop gives the singer all the room he needs to shine. And shine he does. Go buy “What Profit” on iTunes now.

Just last year, Van Hunt released his first live concert album, Live at “The Troubadour” 2011 and now you can experience Van the man as he brings the show to your town live and in color. Check out his upcoming North America tour dates after the jump.

06/21 – San Francisco, The Independent 06/23 – Portland, OR, Hawthorne Theater 06/24 – Vancouver, BC, Vancouver International Jazz Festival 06/26 – Seattle, WA, Barboza 07/01 – Pasadena, CA, Levitt Pavillion 07/05 – Brooklyn, NY, Metrotech Plaza, Brooklyn Academy Of Music 07/27 – Chattanooga, TN, Nightfall Concert Series 09/21 – Atlanta, GA, Music Midtown Atlanta

That headline alone is guaranteed to take you back to the days when Camp Lo ”Luchini” was in regular rotation on Hot97, Jay-Z was that underground rapper who scored with a few crossover singles and Sporty Thievz was about to be the next sh*t. Of course what all those artists had in common was the input of once-and-future super-producer Ski Beatz. Something has definitely come full circle cause Ski is everywhere at the moment, working with the hottest rising-star MCs from Panabay to Cape Town and now dropping this unlooked-for EP, apparently recorded circa 2006. Download below and find back cover and tracklisting after the jump, then let’s get rich. What?

>>>Download

TRACKLISTING: 1. Sugar Willes Revenge 2. Afros 3. Zoom 4. Flawless Victory 5. 52 Pick Up 6. Did You Know