The Best DJ Premier Beats of 2011

Recently on www.djpremierblog.com there was a poll for hip-hop fans to vote on which beat Primo had produced in 2011 that they thought was his finest work. As far as I was aware, the Works of Mart were relatively small and low-key over the past 12 months, aside from a few tracks on the Evidence LP - but I was clearly mistaken.

Primo is a workaholic behind the boards. When he isn't producing tracks for his core family of Big Shug, the Year Round family, Freddie Foxxx, Big Shug's mother or Big Shug's landlord's stepdaughter, he's branching out and bringing some of his trademark boom-bap to overseas artists or musicians from outside his comfort zone.

So, I decided to compile the tracks rap fans voted highest in the poll into one nice, compact little album for general consumption. Isn't that nice of me? I'm sure Primo will approve.

There's a lot to like here, as usual. If you're a fan of DJ Premier (and if you're not you really have no place looking at any rap blog whatsoever - get back to your hippy bullshit and buy a thin tie and some elbow patches - pick up that empty Lana del Rey album while you're there) you know what to expect.

He has a very defined sound which hasn't really changed for a decade now. Some people would consider that to be a downside, and in some ways it has led to the popular opinion that hearing a new Primo beat isn't as exciting as it was say, in the late 90s. I can't really disagree with this, but it doesn't change the fact that he is a top 5 DOA producer in hip-hop history, and there aren't really many people out there that can claim to have a better discography than him.

Here he continues his legacy with a set of mostly understated tunes, none of which will make their way into the average backpackers 'favourite Primo beat ever' sentence, but songs that we can all respect and listen to on our iPods regularly with glee.

The beat that was voted highest in the pool was 'You' by Dilated Peoples emcee Evidence, which was from his superb full-length 'Cats & Dogs'. That particular choice isn't too surprising as it was arguably the most high-profile beat on the list aside from 'Born In The Trap' from Dr.Dre's former butler and reference library The Game. Then there's the remix to 'Writer's Block' from Royce & Eminem's successful Bad Meets Evil EP, which eclipses the original with relative ease. Royce is the only artist that appears twice on the list, as he brought Primo on board for 'Second Place' for his solo LP 'Success Is Certain'.

Strangely, my favourite beat on here is probably the remix to 'Embody' by French dance producer SebastiAn, as not only does it keep the general vibe of the superb original song, but it opens up a great great track to a whole different genre. DJ Premier seems to be producing for a lot more eclectic set of artists these days, from pop to dance to rap, both US and overseas, and that can only be commended.

Enjoy everything here. And thank DJ Premier for the music. RIP Guru.

DJ Premier's Best Beats of 2011

1. Evidence - You

2. Reks - 25th Hour

3. Torae - For The Record

4. Prop Dylan - Shock & Amaze

5. Edo G - Fastlane

6. The Game - Born In The Trap

7. Apathy (feat. Celph Titled) - Stop What Ya Doin'

8. DJ Premier & Bumpy Knuckles - B.A.P.

9. Royce Da 5'9" - Second Place

10. Venom - Vigilantes (DJ Premier VHS Remix)

11. Bad Meets Evil - Writer's Block (DJ Premier Remix)

12. Big Shug - We Miss You (Guru Tribute)

13. Kendra Morris - Concrete Waves (DJ Premier 320 Remix)

14. Mac Miller - Face The Facts

15. Bushido - Gangster

16. DJ Fudge (feat. Afrika Bambaataa) - Jump Up (DJ Premier Remix)

17. SebastiAn - Embody (DJ Premier 95 Break Remix)

18. Nick Javas (feat. Khaleel) - Anonymous

It's So Hard Out Here For A G

The turn of the new year brings some new music from one of UK rap's true living legends. Farma G, one half of Taskforce, is set to release a new EP entitled 'The Art Of Moron' with hints given in this first leaked track as to who the targets are.

'It's So Hard' is a superb starting point for the EP, due out this month, and strangely enough, the real shining star in the song is the production. Farma Jesus does his thing on the vocals as you'd expect, but the beat is a sensational cut of emotional soul rap filled with drama, sadness and passion. It comes courtesy of Life Scarz, a producer who admittedly hasn't been on my radar until now. Consider that corrected from this moment forth. Listen to the track below, and look out for Farma G's new release later on in January.

Follow Farma G on twitter for more info: www.twitter.com/farmazan

Follow Life Scarz on soundcloud for more beats: www.soundcloud.com/mic-terror

ITS SO HARD - LIFE SCARZ FEAT FARMA G (TASKFORCE) (PROD BY LIFE SCARZ DIRTBOY MUSICK) by LIFESCARZ DIRTBOYMUSICK

2011. Done.

It's the last day of the year, so what I'd like to do is take a moment on look back on what has happened in my life, and in life in general over the past 365 days. What I'd like to do even more than that though, is allow a world class emcee from my country sum it up in a far funnier, more in depth and wittier way than I ever could. In steps Mystro.

Below is the radio rip premiere of the most recent of Mystro's long awaited and always brilliant rap-up series. Skillz has the US, Bekay has the Aussies, and we have the best of all with Mystrogen. Listen muthaluvaz, and have a happy new year.

Maybe one of my many new year's resolutions should be to update this site more and give it the love it deserves like I did in the past. But if I state that officially it'll just fall to the way side like all my other half-cocked resolutions. Really, Adam? Are you really going to join that gym or pass that driving test? Are you fuck, mate. And deep down you know it.

New Year's resolutions are for people who need a legitimate reason not to enjoy their lives. I'm going to eat more, fuck more, sit around more and insult more. Enjoy your night, see you in 2012.

Meet The Quaranteam

While trying to find photos of the new burgeoning rap collective from London, I couldn't get anything past photos of spanish horror movies. Its almost like the group want us to think they're picking Spaniards off in a high-rise inner city flat by biting the fuck out of them. But keeping on the subject of throat-rips, Quaranteam - probably one of the most promising straight rap collectives that the UK have produced for at least a few years - are far from tough to find and they're here to annihilate the competition.

In 2011 alone, every member of the group have released at least one full-length album, all of which have the same theme and aesthetic running through them: hard beats with a soulful edge, a good mixture of punchlines and street poetry, and an undeniable chemistry between them that can make for some brilliant collective efforts.

As a christmas gift, the group have released their first ever EP, and it continues their rise in the UK rap game with all 5 emcees trading verses through 8 solid songs that showcase everyone's talents.

Loudmouth Melvin & K-Nite handle a lot of the beats on most Quaranteam releases, and this allows the group to gain a musical identity without having to waste time on bullshit gimmicks or shock tactics. The music, with these two on the boards, is always at a high standard and it provides the perfect backdrop for Pyro Barz, Skillit, Chris Mentalist, the aforementioned Melvin and K-Nite (along with their affiliates) to spit fire like Spyro The Dragon.

This is no kid's game though, this is just as much introspective as it is rap boasts, as much intellect as there is ignorance, and as much fun as it is serious. Below, not only will you find the brand new Quaranteam EP, but also the recent releases from each member of the collective. There's enough music here to keep you inside the world of your headphones for weeks, and all of it is so ill it's got NHS Direct on speed-dial. Enjoy and Merry Xmas.

*click the titles for download links*

The Quaranteam EP

www.thequaranteam.com

Loudmouth Melvin - 1,2,3,4

www.loudmouthmelvin.bandcamp.com

www.twitter.com/loudmouthmelvin

Chris Mentalist - Make You Proud

www.twitter.com/chrismentalist

K-Nite 13 - The Drawing Board

www.k-nite13.bandcamp.com

www.twitter.com/knite13

Skillit - As Seen On TV EP

www.youtube.com/skillitmusic

www.twitter.com/skillitmusic

Pyro Barz - Look Who Crept In

www.twitter.com/pyrobarz

Are you not entertained? Quaranteam should keep you in music well into 2012, by which time we'll all know their names.

Dangerous Adventures

Lewis Parker seemingly left these shores a long time ago, opting to hone his already considerable skills in the birth city of hip-hop, New York, instead of his native UK. Over the past few years he's produced for such luminaries as Ghostface Killah, done remix LPs reworking songs by everyone from MOP to Kool G Rap, and he's released albums with underground stalwart John Robinson.

I'm so late on this if I was a lass I'd be pregnant, but he released on the low a new EP entitled 'Dangerous Adventures' back in the Summer. It continues his new direction of working with US artists and harking back to the so-called golden era of our beloved genre and culture. Below you'll find tracks he has laid down for emcees like one half of the Cali Agents, Planet Asia, one half of Def-Jukies Cannibal Ox, Vast Aire, and QB emcee Killa Sha amongst others.

Its the sort of material we've come to expect from Lewis, which is definitely a compliment, because this guy has been churning out brilliant material since the mid-90s. Although his songs seem to have became a lot more homogenised over time (and less reliant on odd antique samples which was a facet to his music he relished in back at the turn of the millenium) he still delivers the very definition of boom-bap.

It baffles me why he hasn't had more beat placements with great emcees, because he can create soundbeds that, if handled by the best emcees, can become classics.

Enjoy his latest.

And as an added extra, here is a song he produced recently for songstress Brianna Colette. It's so smooth out the mp3 is slippy. Versatility is one of the greatest things a producer can be, and I've not heard much material from Lewis tailored to an RnB audience, but this song is superb. I could definitely chill with a full album of this.

Sav-age

Huddersfield's own atmospheric beatmaker and thought-provoking emcee Asavious is finally back after what seems like a long hiatus since his LP with DJ IQ "The A-Loop Theory" (its actually only a few years, and that album still gets plays to this day). Its time for the third-instalment of his much-lauded mixtape-cum-album series Play2Win, and in anticipation for its release Savvy has dropped a cold video for the lead track from "Vol. 3 - Adapt Or Die".

All I'm saying is, you people better fucking adapt, because that chilly West Yorkshire weather will freeze your soul...

Hip-Hop Newsround

A scattered post here, much akin to the back porcelain wall of your water closet after a particularly lively curry. Rounding up the recent movements in rap that I like and I'm intrigued by.

Kicking us off is Lecs Luther, an emcee who you will never believe is based in Dublin. Mainly because he sounds like MF Doom if he managed to drink a lot of cough syrup, got rid of that sore throat, and then listened to a lot of OFWGKTA. Which is a good thing, because despite there being no mention of the famous potato drought of whatever the fuck year that stereotype was born, he has potential by the bucketload, a great flow and sonics behind him that could catapult him much further than just these UK lands. Here's the vid for his self-titled opening salvo "Luther" from the forthcoming EP "Fish & Chips". I couldnt care less what accent a rapper uses personally, as long as he kills the track, and Luther just left this beat with its entrails stuffed up its own arsehole. A great opener:



Go to http://www.lecsluther.tumblr.com for more info on him and his new EP

______________________________________________________________________

Next up we have a UK rapper who has had success in the past with "The Union Jack Album", which I distinctly remember getting quite a buzz on the UK rap blog-scene about three years back. Well, Jack Flash is back again, this time accompanied by a producer named Wizard, and they're packing more heat than a sauna in a suitcase.

Jack Flash passed me the following vid for his track "Tomorrow", featuring rolling acoustic guitars and piano tinkles underneath a cross-over chorus. The track is laid-back and showcases Wizard's production just as much as it does Flash on the mic.



I'm not going to lie though, I stumbled across this track, also from their forthcoming LP, and I absolutely loved it. Its a banger from start to end...exactly the type of track I want to hear from UK artists. And is it just me, or do I hear a tiny bit of UK legend Blade somewhere in that voice? Either way, the album sounds stellar and the guy is from the second place in the world I love besides the north-east, Huddersfield. Big up.



For more info on the album, buy previous Flash releases, and track both Jack Flash and Wizard's movements check out:

http://www.jackflashuk.co.uk/
http://twitter.com/wizardbeats
http://twitter.com/jackflashuk
http://jackflash.bandcamp.com
http://wizardbeats.bandcamp.com

________________________________________________________________

An artist that I personally hadn't heard of before it being presented to me is Nasty P, a scottish DJ/Producer who is making noise and incredible beats straight out of Edinburgh. Scotland needs a lot more frontline UK rap artists because there is a lot of culture up there, and Nasty is making the soundbeds for emcees to lay words on.

But its not local emcees who are getting the goods here, Nasty P's reach has extended to such luminaries as Jurassic 5 legend Akil, extremely dope US emcee Oddisee, and the ubiquitous british bread-and-butter hero Skinnyman. Thats some top company, and judging from the beats, he deserves to keep it. His new LP "Choosers Can't Be Beggars' is out now and there is a forthcoming EP billed for September so watch this space.

Check out the track with Akil & Profisee below, and also the solo track 'Signs' which samples reggae classic 'Lots of Sign' by Tenor Saw (also, as you SHOULD know and if you don't you should slap your FACE, used by Klashnekoff as the opening gambit to his classic track 'Zero') and has some cuts & scratches on it that I can only refer to as sick as fuck. Because thats music journalism folks, thats my extended vocabulary. Anyway, its great stuff, enjoy the two vids below:





For more info on Nasty P, and his previous album go to:

http://nastyp.bandcamp.com/album/choosers-cant-be-beggars

Also, he has uploaded a LOT of great stuff to his soundcloud page, both remixes of famous tracks and new exclusives, so check that out too at:

http://soundcloud.com/nastyp

________________________________________________________________________

And finally, I'd just like to take a moment to say that I'm immensely proud of Foreign Beggars for their longevity, mainstream success and what they're doing both for UK hip-hop and also for the other UK-created genres they're championing such as dubstep and drum & bass. They're killing it right now and deserve every inch of money and bitches they acquire. In celebration, I know these are one/two months previous, which in online blog terms means ANCIENT, but here's two vids, one for their smash hit 'Bad Man Riddim' and one for their absolutely epic, song-can't-be-beaten, best drop of all time status cracker with Noisia, "Shellshock".

That New Ish

Back in the early 90s, Digable Planets were critically acclaimed from every corner of hip-hop due to their rich sound, utilising jazz and swing samples to create a rap style that set itself apart from the aggressive rhyme style that was garnering international attention from artists such as ICe Cube at the time. Their lead rapper, known as 'Ish', or 'Butterfly', had such a laid back rhyme style that made him so effortlessly cool that he could ramble through a thesaurus and make it sound like the most engaging and entertaining thing in rap.

That was back in the 90s though, and it has been a LONG time since Ish has really been active on the album front. Digable Planets did reconvene at some point in the 2000s for various tours and such, and a mixtape came up co-signed by them that garnered some attention some 5-6 years ago, but since 'Blowout Comb' came in the mid-90s, they hadn't had a single 12", EP, as a group.

The other members, such as female emcee Ladybug Mecca and producer Doodlebug, have both been relatively quiet, but their DJ King Britt has moved into production over the past decade with great success and released a lot of well-recieved material. But how come Butterfly hasn't been seen? Other than an album called 'Bright Black' under the guise Cherrywine nothing had been heard from him for almost 15 years.

Well, he was cool like that back in the 90s, but now it was time for a rebirth of the slick. In 2010, he changed his rap moniker and released two strange yet enticing EPs, 'Of Light' and 'Shabazz Palaces'. The latter was also the name of his new project.

Shabazz Palaces by subpop

Well, Ish is back again as Shabazz Palaces' emcee leader and his full length LP 'Black Up' has hit the shelves, released by Sub-Pop Records. And it is STONKING.

The same laidback smooth rap style is prevalent and it endears you to the material instantly due to the memories from classics past coming flooding back into your consciousness. But its not the same words. Instead if it being about style, panache and freshness, Shabazz has a whole different agenda entirely. Yes, its still about style, but under yet another new name, the compelling Palaceer Lazaro, the style is palatial. Everything seems like a reference to some form of forgotten african monarchy in its sound and delivery, and the beats keep up this royal touch.

Speaking about the beats, they are out of this world. Literally. I'm pretty sure every review people will read about this album will use the phrase 'Space Age', but I for me its almost as much tribal and archaic as it is galactic. Its certainly forward thinking and different to anything else that has came out this year. The only name I can even throw up at this point that can even slightly explain this sound is Flying Lotus. But lets not confuse that for anything other than a reference point because Shabazz Palaces are set apart and alone in their approach

One thing I would say when approaching the album. Its not going to spawn a hit. Its not for everyone, and it definitely isn't going to be something you'll see on many mainstream sites. I would also urge for everyone who takes a listen to it to make sure its on some great speakers or great headphones, because the production value is fantastic. On tinny laptop speakers there's a good chance half of what you should be hearing will be lost.

For me its one of the best albums I've heard in 2011. Up there with Pharoahe Monch's "W.A.R.", which up to now has been one of the rare LPs that has had a lot of replay value as an entire entity for me. This album will be different to anything you've ever heard and you'll thank your lucky stars that that's the case. Time for that new Ish.

This is the final track off the new LP 'Black Up', and above in the article you will find the 2010 EP 'Shabazz Palaces' for more examples of the sound.

www.shabazzpalaces.com

www.subpop.com

And finally, here is the stream of the full album as released by record label Sub Pop in the form of one youtube vid. Listen before you buy at any good record store worth its salt or at the above SUBPOP website:

DMX's Damian

A 16-year old fan of hip-hop right now probably has no idea what the hype behind DMX was about 12/13 years ago. Its tough to imagine that this washed-up, holiday-in-jail, tax-evading failed actor used to be one of the most exciting things in hip-hop, not to mention one of the most consistent.

DMX was in a position to be one of the biggest artists in rap, and probably would have been had the wheels not fallen off so badly that he was left using prison like a timeshare holiday agreement. Honestly, the guy has been in and out of jail more than some of the guards on shift-work.

But let's forget all that. Let's forget that it's 2011 and a DMX article won't be read by a single soul. Let's take it back to 1998. The year DMX became the biggest emcee in New York.

Following a decent run of hype following some guest spots (most notably on LL Cool J's track "4.3.2.1", which subsequently became more famous because of the LL/Canibus beef (sidenote: Canibus won that by the way)) Earl Simmons' debut LP "Its Dark & Hell Is Hot" was released to an absolutely rabid frenzy of support. It was heralded by some as New York taking the power back, but by most it was just an agreement that this wierd guy who growled and barked (and looked like a really dodgy mechanic who would smack you in the face if you didn't tip him) was actually running things.

There was no-one before and has been no-one since who has had a style as abrasive and aesthetically underground as his, but still managed to captivate the mainstream middle-class pop-rap audience just as much as his core fanbase.


"Get At Me Dog" and "Ruff Ryder's Anthem" were huge street hits, as was "Stop Being Greedy", and he followed that aforementioned debut album up quickly with his second LP later in the same year. "Flesh Of My Flesh, Blood Of My Blood" just continued the bludgeoning. Then the Ruff Ryders came with a compilation album...then came his third LP. The guy was basically hip-hop's 'everyman' voice. That is, if by 'everyman' you mean the nutter standing at the end of the bar waiting for someone to glance at him so he can start some shit.

But for all of his success and his huge hits, his career came crashing down just as swiftly as it was established. Its continue crashing since, like a dickhead drummer playing hell with the hi-hat (stop me with these horrendous similes whenever you're ready).

However, enough of the background info, this is about DMX's slow-burning classics. In amongst "Party Up (In Here)", "X Gon Give It To Ya" and "Slippin", there was a trio of album tracks that spanned the best four LPs he released before he went on the wane. They were astonishingly dark for a major label rap artist, not least one who had a huge fanbase and a burgeoning film career, and it was both surprising and refreshing. Even today they still sound new and raw, and get repeat listens from myself on my desperately-trying-to-hold-onto-hip-hop-past iPod library.

The three tracks were called Damian I, II & III, and they recounted DMX fighting his demons, literally. The beats were harrowing on each of them, with the second featuring the en-vogue media hate-mogul at the time, Marilyn Manson, on the chorus. DMX was never a smiling, happy emcee rapping about his relaxing life and loving family, and a lot of his other material felt cold yet emotional. But these were different.

The first Damian is about DMX scolding himself for always picking the wrong route and cursing why he doesn't have a "guardian angel". The "guardian angel" (by the name Damian) then suddenly turns up out of the blue and promises D the world, which is greatly appreciated by our Ruff Ryding friend. However, it becomes apparent over the song that Damian isn't the angel DMX was hoping for. Instead, we're treated to a bloodbath, with Damian instructing Earl to kill off anyone that gets in their way, even people considered friends.

The second one and third continue this trend, with the story developing further, and going into murkier territory as it carries on. The best part of all this is that, in amongst all of this, DMX has chosen to voice this devilish guardian angel with a lisp and a happy disposition, which just happens to make proceedings all the more stark.

Its superb stuff and I pray for the day that a commercial rap artist on a major label would ever have the bollocks to do something like this again. But instead, we're stuck with DRAKE. And sorry, Drake, but you're just a fucking bitch. If you agree, enjoy this small collection and listen to it at full volume on your headphones while rocking back and forth in the corner of your bedroom.

DMX's Damian (1998-2001)

1. Damian
2. The Omen (Damian II) (feat. Marilyn Manson)
3. Damian III

Jehst - Starting Over

New Jehst. This has actually been circulating for a few weeks now but it needs air on this site. Anything by this guy instantly floats to the top of the pile when it comes to UK hip-hop. We all wait with rabid anticipation for a new LP. Even the Menghi Bus Mixtape seems a LONG time ago, Jehst!