Myka 9 & JtheSarge Ready Cardiac Arrest

Only a few emcees can pull off rapping about yoga and the perils of drunk driving on the same CD. West coast legend Myka 9 is one of them. Today, Myka, along with his partner in rhyme, JtheSarge, are back with a second LP, Cardiac Arrest (M9 Entertainment).

While the subjects vary, each track—laced with Myka 9’s melodic raps (and vocals) and Sarge’s funkadelic-inspired beats—come straight from the heart. On “Dream Catcher” Sarge laments being smitten with a woman who isn’t ready to open her heart.  “Designated Driver” is a stirring track warning against the dangers driving under the influence.

Production on Cardiac Arrest is shared by Myka 9 and JtheSarge, along with Mr. Aeks, Fat Jack, Josef Leimberg, BSmash, Allen Pettsinger, and GMG.

Click here to hear more of the magic.

 

 

C & U Music Factory in Stores January 26, 2010

L.A.’s CookBook and UNO Mas are back again with their sixth release, C & U Music Factory (Just-Us/Audio Sketch Book Records). Undoubtedly their most complete work to date, the 16 track collection features guest appearances by Evidence (of Dilated Peoples), Scarub (of Living Legends), DJ Rhetmattic (Beat Junkies), L.A. Symph alumns Pigeon John and Sareem Poems (fka Sharlok Poems), and vocalist Raquel Rodriguez.

“We’re not claiming to re-event hip-hop,” notes CookBook.  “We’re just trying to do what we do best.”

Like so many artists, CookBook and UNO have experienced the industry shuffle that goes along with the rap game. In ‘98, the two formed a group called LA Symphony with Pigeon John, Flynn, Joey the Jerk, and Sharlok Poems. In `99, the group’s critically acclaimed debut album, Composition No. 1, catapulted them into the national spotlight. Since then, they’ve released five full-lengths, and two EPs.  The last record, Unleashed, was released in 2007.

Although the group is planning a reunion someday in the future, CookBook and UNO Mas stay busy at “the factory” churning out new projects of their own. Together they’ve released Stereo-types (2001), Robertson Bullies (2006), While they Slept (2006). Their fifth LP, The Overflow, resulted in 40,000 hits by the first five months.  Last year, CookBook released a critically acclaimed, a retro themed concept album, I Love the 80s.

Production on C&U Music Factory handled largely in-house by CookBook with some help from JJ Brown, Muneshine, & Million Watts (CookBook & DJ Rif).

For more info: myspace page: www.myspace.com/cookanduno

Coolzey Readies Debut LP, The Honey.

Hailing from the middle of the USA, emcee Coolzey is readying his genre-breaking debut LP, The Honey on Public School Records. Recorded at Flatblack Studios in Iowa City, Coolzey’s 10-track collection features Raashan Ahmad (Crown City Rockers), Sadat X, Copywrite, indie rocker William Elliott Whitmore and rapper/comedian Schaffer the Darklord.

Growing up across the street from a cornfield in the city of Dallas Center, Iowa with a population of roughly 1,500, Coolzey’s bucolic childhood was characterized by a love for the films of Bill Murray and the music of Biz Markie, DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, Public Enemy, Big Daddy Kane and Digital Underground.

Starting as an MC and producer in the 90s with the seminal Midwest hip-hop collective, The Sucka MCs, Coolzey is now the founder of his own independent record label Public School Records. Today he spends most of his time writing and recording hundreds of hip hop and rock and roll songs.  More, he's toured with  the likes of Akil (of Jurassic 5), Brother Ali, Pigeon John, Raashan Ahmad, Giant Panda, Zion I, Prince Po, Count Bass D, Copywrite, Vast Aire, Sadat X, among others.

In his spare time, Coolzey remodels houses and stars in a trilogy of horror films featuring Fred ‘the Hammer’ Williamson.

THE HONEY TRACK LISTING

1. Little By Little

2. The Honey

3. Look

4. Let’s Flip

5. Tour Song Too


6. Ride

7. Retina Scan

8. By the Time

9. We’re All Gonna Die

10. Old Machine

LYRICS BORN RELEASES NEW SINGLE, “OH BABY"

Lyrics Born’s new single, "Oh Baby," is available exclusively on LBFM and is the latest track from his forthcoming new album, AS U WERE, slated for a Spring 2010 release. The eclectic song continues to build upon LB's pre-album-launch campaign which has already spawned videos and singles for the tracks "Funky Hit Records" (featured on YouTube) and "Pushed Aside, Pulled Apart" featuring Latyrx partner, Lateef the Truthspeaker (premiered on URB.com.)

LBFM is a fully embeddable flash player which can be added to websites, blogs, Myspace pages and more. The new online radio player adds to the MCs extensive online presence which currently includes pages at Myspace, Facebook and Twitter (which he personally updates himself) as well as LBTV, a weekly internet video show featuring artist interviews, live footage, behind-the-scenes moments, studio exclusives and more! All of this in addition to the official website, www.lyricsborn.com.

Lyrics Born recently released the fourth mixtape in his hit Variety Show franchise, The Lyrics Born Variety Show Season Pho -- featuring Kasabian, Gift of Gab, Lateef the Truthspeaker, Clyde Carson, Trackademicks, Joyo Velarde and many other guest artists. The mixtape is currently available digitally at The Lyrics Born Downloads Store, http://downloads.lyricsborn.com and physically in record stores and online at Lyrics Born's online shop, The Lyrics Born Variety Store http://store.lyricsborn.com. 

Lyrics Born's unique voice has also allowed him to step outside the world of music and lend his talents to radio and television projects including Cartoon Network's #1 Friday Night Franchise, You Are Here, of which he is currently the voiceover announcer.

One of the most licensed hip-hop artists in the world, Lyrics Born has had placements on Diet Coke, Motorola, Nokia, and Vans commercials, TV shows such as "Entourage", "Six Feet Under", "What About Brian", "Gossip Girl", and "Gilmore Girls", films like Michael Mann's "Collateral" and Justin Lin's "Fast And The Furious: Tokyo Drift", "Friday the 13th," and videogames by EA Sports, 2K Sports and Atari. He has had sponsorships with Puma, Adidas, Diesel, and Evisu.

 

As the MC and Host of November's Deadliest Catch Tour featuring The Gift of Gab (Blackalicious), Chali 2na (Jurassic 5) and Mr. Lif as well as plans for a tour of Australia this winter with wife Joyo Velarde and his full band, The Lyrics Born Re-View, LB is never one to sit still for long.

 

 Check out the hot new single, “Oh Baby” and LBFM here http://www.lyricsborn.com/lbfm

 

LA Rapper Loose Logic Readies His Second LP, Logistics!

If you haven't heard of Loose Logic already, you will soon. The LA emcee is readying what is sure to be one of 2010's most memorable indie releases, Logistics. Featuring guests such as RBX, Jay Rock and Ms.Toi, Logistics will drop January 26. Production is shared by Soleternity, Ayiro, Paul Cabin, CL of Mix One Studios, and Allstar.

Logic has been on the local scene, making music, for sometime. His 2007 release, Before the Storm, which was was nominated for “Hip-Hop Album Of the Year” at the 2008 L.A. Music Awards. But that's just the beginning: Logic won “Best Hip-Hop/Urban Artist Of The Year” at the 2007 All Access Magazine Music Awards as well as “Best Urban (Rap) Artist of the Year” at the 2007 Orange County Music Awards.

And the local press has taken notice of Logic. The rapper has graced the cover of Orange County’s What’s Up magazine, and has been featured in the Huntington Beach Gazette, OC Weekly, and OC Register, including being named “Top 100 Unsigned Artist” for 2007 by Music Connection magazine. 

Loose Logic has performed onstage with national recording acts Pitbull, KRS-1, DJ Quick, Ying-Yang Twins, Strong Arm Steady, and Evidence, among others.

Afro-Classics Release LP, Classic Rock!

Afro Classics, a hip-hop group consisting of Scarub of Living Legends and Very of Us Pros, represents feel good music that makes you want to bob your head, dance, laugh and think. This fall, they are readying their debut LP, Classic Rock.

The album is 12 tracks deep of hard-hitting, thought provoking,body moving, trunk rattling California independent hip hop. The production is handled by Eligh, Fat Jack, Scarub, Style Misia, Mustafa, Thavius Beck, Jonas Hurst and Andrew Scott! Cop this one!

Emcee Zumbi Releases "INFINITE" with producer Lee Bannon

THE TRACK IS OFF THE NEW MIXTAPE "Science of Breath Vol 4" FEAT. KNAAN, TALIB KWELI, MISTAH FAB, U-N-I, GIFT OF GAB & OTHERS, AVAILABLE OFF ITUNES ON NOV 24, 2009! 

Zumbi is one half of the duo Zion I, one of the Bay Area's most accomplished hip-hop groups. Their sixth critically acclaimed album, The Take Over, was released this past Spring. Lee Bannon  is Sacramento's latest up and coming producer currently signed to Duck Down!

The Busiest Rapper You've Never Heard Of: SOLE

Hip-Hop -experimental artist Sole (one of the founders of Anticon) has spent the last two years living in a cabin in the midst of the Coconino National Forest in Arizona with no mayor, no phone lines, broken cell phone reception, just books and environmental canyon sprawl.  

The return to analog life inspired much his latest album Plastique along with an EP: Battlefields, a national tour, and a website that boasts 1-2 million hits a month! Check it: www.soleone.org/stats

"Everywhere man goes he is in conflict, and such conflicts are found throughout the album: the interpersonal, the political, the anti-social, the city, the desert, the industries and the anti-ideologies wherever they are found." Sole touches on everything from touring in a recession, media and war, race, rap, wildlife, space, identity politics and the insane tightrope one must walk to talk about such issues without sounding like a book report.   

Also, don't miss Sole and the Skyrider Band on TOUR this month!

ITINERARY: 

10-15 - LA Knitting Factory 

10-16 – San Diego - Kava Lounge 

10-17 – Oakland - The Uptown 

10-18 – portland - Rotture 

10-19 – seattle - The Nectar 

10-20 – missoula - The Palace 

10-21 – boise, id - Neurolux 

10-23 -  SLC – Urban Lounge 

10-24 – Ft. Collins 

10-25 – Denver, Co – Hi-Dive 

10-26 – ABQ – The Launchpad 

10-27 – LV, NV – The Bunk House

 

 

Hip-Hop Emcee and Producer K.FLAY Mashes it Up on Her New Mixtape!

While putting the finishing touches on her debut album, 24-year-old rapper and producer K.Flay is releasing a mixtape teaser, MASHed Potatoes. Mixed and produced by the San Francisco-based artist, MASHed Potatoes is a re-imagining—both sonically and lyrically—of eleven different tracks from artists like Kanye West, The Gossip, Missy Elliott, and more. The project features fellow West Coast artists Zumbi (of Zion I), Eligh (of Living Legends), and MC Lars.

“MASHed Potatoes is a blend of hip-hop, electro, and indie rock,” explains K.Flay. “I listened to everything as a kid—George Clinton and Snoop Dogg to Talking Heads and The Zombies—and you can hear all of it my music.”

Indeed, K.Flay’s sound reflects the eclectic influences in her life growing up. Born and raised in the soulful state of Illinois, she spent her childhood reading Ronald Dahl books, jamming out to Sgt. Pepper, and rocking Air Jordans a size too big.

At 18, K.Flay ventured to California to study at Stanford University. While in college, she discovered the power of midi interfaces and began writing, producing, and performing the unique blend of hip-hop and indie rock that has come to characterize her sound.

Hailed in URB Magazine’s “Next 100” issue as a rap girl with “a bad-ass style that comes straight from a feral and natural talent,” K.Flay has been making her mark on the music world, giving fans shins splints on both sides of the Mississippi.

Most recently, K.Flay is featured on Zion I’s Coastin’ video and she is working with acclaimed DJ/producer Amp Live.

http://www.kflay.com

Atlanta, GA., Based Emcee Rita J Readies Artist Workshop

Don’t let the petite frame or striking brown eyes of this female emcee fool you. Rita J. is rugged and raw — and she can hold her own with any rapper in the game today. This fall, Rita J. is releasing her debut album, Artist Workshop on the Chicago-based independent label All Natural. Organic and soulful, Artist Workshop features Steph Staa, Cap D., Guilty Simpson, Yaw, Ka-Di, Adad, Mr. Greenweedz, Rashid Hadee, and Dylan Jones.

Born in Chicago, IL, Rita J. credits her father's massive collection of soul, pop, rock, r&b, disco and hip-hop records for instilling her with a love of hip-hop. While living in Chicago after college, she connected with the underground icons DJ Tone B. Nimble and MC capital D of the group All Natural. In 2002, she joined the collective officially. Rita J. was featured on numerous compilations and was part of the collective Family Tree for a few years honing her skills, studying and gearing up for her debut solo album.

In 2005, after fleeing a number of hurricanes, including Katrina, Rita J. ended up in Atlanta. She is also a dancer, actor and producer. Rita J. was featured in the independent film What Ever Happened To Hip-Hop? (directed by Sonali Aggarwal) alongside KRS-ONE, Nikki Giovanni, and Jean Grae. She is also featured in an upcoming film entitled Pathways directed by Eljay Williams.

Production on Artist Workshop is shared by Black Spade, Kenny Keys, Yuani, Rashid Hadee, Tre Styles, Willowtreez, Vick Lavender, and K-Kruz.

Artist Workshop drops November 10, 2009.

A BEAUTIFUL HOUSE...

VIBE BITES THE DUST

According to this article in GAWKER Vibe Magazine—one of the biggest music magazines in America—is folding. The entire music magazine landscape is full of the dead and dying. Jeff Bercovici at Daily Finance with the scoop who wrote the article, added:

Wikipedia sums up Vibe unexpectedly well:

The magazine owes its success to having a broader range of interests than its closest competitors The Source and XXL which focus more narrowly on rap music or the rock & pop-centric Rolling Stone and Spin. It also differs from the more staid Essence, Ebony or Jet publications by attracting younger readers of many ethnicities.

It was essentially the black version of Rolling Stone, and its readership grew broader as hip hop became pop music. (Kind of fitting that their last issue had Eminem on the cover). But Vibe hasn't been doing well for a while now; in February, the magazine cut its circulation and frequency, and salaries. Now the music industry is crumbling, and the magazine industry is crumbling, and the music magazine industry is really crumbling.

The recent dead include Radio and Records, Performing Songwriter, and Blender. Vibe probably had the most demographically diverse readership of any major music magazine. Now, the hip hop magazine world is ruled by the shaky Source and XXL, with strong online competition; the trade music sector is still topped by Billboard, incredibly shaky as well; the pop music mag sector is ruled by Rolling Stone, which is a shell of its former self; and Spin, Fader, Paste, and everyone else are just trying to protect their own audiences from the free, and many times much better, online intruders. Hard times.

LETTER FROM MC TROUBLEMAKER ASKING FANS TO "WORK IT OUT"

On May 22nd I headed to Nairobi, Kenya with HOPE (Helping Other People Everywhere) for the experience of a lifetime. We were there to bring our artistic abilities and knowledge to the locals, share with them, and work with them. As part of the trip I DJed at the Sawa Sawa Festival, participated in interviews, taught kids about DJing and how to use Serato, as well as recorded music with Kenya's biggest hip hop emcee. In addition to donating my energy and time, I am offering an advance download from my upcoming album, The Maestro (out in July), to benefit the HOPE Campaign. The song is called "Work It Out," and it is very fitting to my journey, and is one of my favorites on the album. The donation price is set at a minimum of 60 cents and all the money goes to the HOPE Campaign (minus 10 cents to PayPal).

Please download it, enjoy it, and know that all the proceeds will go to incredible projects for the advancement of the arts in Kenya.

http://djtroublemaker.com/hope/

Thank you for your support,

tROUBLE

One of the coolest things about Fish Outta Water? The Album's Artwork!

The artist is the LA- based Martin Hsu: http://www.martinhsu.com/

Japanese-born Emcee Kaz-well is a Fish Outta Water

The Bay Area has long since been a haven of experimental hip-hop, where artists aren’t afraid to embark into musically uncharted territory. So it's no surprise that the San Francisco-based self described “hip-hop geek,” Kaz-well, is readying his debut album, Fish Outta Water, a journey into an artists' thoughts and emotions, set against a hip-hop landscape, reminiscent of 1980s.

“I just let my pen go as a catharsis,” explains 28-year old Kaz-well, who was born and raised in San Francisco. “It was all a big experiment.”

Kaz’s lyrics are a reflection of his own trials and tribulations, which are typical of many break dancing, graffiti-loving hip-hop heads. Take track no 1, “Krazy Glue,” Kaz charges that you can always put your life back together no matter what your childhood or past was like. Undoubtedly, the topic of love was also on Kaz-well’s mind when recording this LP, as many of the tracks tackle the subject of love, loss, and heartbreak. “Whether a crush or a broken heart, everyone can relate to love. Plus, I had met my fiancé during the time of conception for most of these songs...love was fresh in my heart and mind.”

The fact that Kaz-well, raised by Japanese-American restaurateurs, was consumed with all things hip-hop set him apart from his classmates from an ealrly age. Rapping was the natural extension of his passion.

Sighting musical influences from Wu-tang and Nas to Living Legends and Hieroglyphics to Radiohead and Curtis Mayfield, Kaz’s eclectic influences are reflected in his own style of music. These days, his tastes run the gamut from folk to rock to electronica, sighting Jay Electronica, Iron and Wine, and Ray Lamontagne as his current favorites.