Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Giant Panda - Fly School Reunion

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Giant Panda is a hip hop group from Los Angeles, California comprised of three members: Newman (born Alex Newman; Seattle), Maanumental (Jamaan Mclaren; Seattle), and Chikaramanga (Chikara Kurahashi; Tokyo, Japan). The album is released in 2006 on Tres Records, an independent label. This has easily become one of my favorite albums that have come out in the 2000's decade. Extremely funky and fresh beats, clever and original rhymes that really paint you a great west coast vibe. Enjoy.


1. Rap Attack Intro Listen
2. One Time Listen
3. With It Listen
4. Super Fly Listen
5. Just Cause Listen
6. Diggin' in the Tapes Listen
7. 90's Listen
8. Sho' Improve Listen
9. Chops Listen
10. Grand Prix Listen
11. Always Dope Listen
12. 3rd Party Listen
13. Racist - Giant Panda, Thes One Listen
14. T.K.O. Listen
15. Strings Listen
16. Classic Rock

Free Download
http://rapidshare.com/files/67741016/djn-Giant_Panda-Fly_School_Reunion-JP_Retail-2005.zip

M.G.

Thursday, December 24, 2009

HipHopPhilosophy.com

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A.C. the Program director was absolutely killing it on his radio show @
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/hiphopphilosophy-com-radio

Played a ridiculous jam from Dr. Oop (might be titled Green Butta) that doesn't even come out till Feb. 2010. Here is a download to that show leading off with this special track. Love the sample used from the idiot police officer who called 911 for a marijuana overdose, haha. A.C. thanks for all your hard work and ultra funky fresh shows man. Please check him out if you want to bob your head and move your feet. Here is the download from show on 12/24/09.
http://www.mediafire.com/?nwntqgoynmf

Merry Christmas everyone.

M.G.

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Instrumental Free Download

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Came across a sweet instrumental that is from The Puzzle Productions. It's titled Sweet Life and here is the link for free dowload.

http://soundclick.com/share?songid=8165641

MG

Friday, December 18, 2009

Interview with Buscrates

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Would like to thank Orlando Marshall a.k.a. Buscrates for giving me the time to be able to get this done. The Dj / Beatmaker is coming out with his second album soon and we get to know more about this self made man. Enjoy.

Where did you grow up and what kind of things were you involved in as a kid?
I grew up Wilkinsburg, just outside of city limits. As a kid, I wasn't really into much..mostly music, cartoons and video games. I remember having an Atari 5200, playing Pole Position and Pac Man..that was about '83.

What kind of student were you? (My dad used to have to drag me out of bed to go school)
Before I got to high school, I was a pretty good student. I used to make honor roll regularly through 6th grade. I was even in a gifted program once. once I got to junior high school though, things changed. I was never really a bad kid, I just started falling off the wheel a bit.

Were your parents into music?
They were into it, especially my dad. I still big him up on having such great music around me as a kid. It is definitely a huge part of what I am today musically. He used to play stuff like Faze-O 'Riding High', he played some Gil Scott-Heron, Bob James, Steve Arrington, Les McCann, a little of everything..I am really blessed to have had that going on in the house. I still owe my dad a mixtape! haha..

What is the first casette, record or piece of music you remember being absolutely in love with?
The first record I remember ever getting and loving was the 12" for Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five 'Beat Street' . I remember wanting the whole soundtrack but they got me the 12" single. That's still one of the best rhymes ever written, by the legendary Melle Mel..and this was '84. I love that movie still to this very day.


Did you play any instruments?
Before last year, I never played any instruments. Just in Summer of 2008 while staying in NYC, I met this cat name Eugene Lemon in Guitar Center on 14th Street, near Union Square. I thought he was Lonnie Liston Smith! He reminded me of him, the way his hat was and everything. Turns out he's done some work with soul groups like Black Ivory in the 70s, and did a lot of writing on this super-rare Caress LP, produced by Patrick Adams. I got cool with him, and every Saturday I would go over to his apartment building, where they have a piano room downstairs, and he was teaching me different chords and stuff. I credit him for a lot of what I know up to this point.


Who were musical influences to you?
My homie Geeman (who is actually the one who got me into making beats), DJ Spinna, Weldon Irvine, Herbie Hancock, Large Professor, Jay Dee, so many..Stevie Wonder, James Brown, man this list could get outrageous!

You mentioned to me before that you were rhyming before you got into dj'n. Can you get into how you got started with your lyrical skills?
I used to rhyme back in like 7th grade. We would all hover around the table during lunchtime, and I was pounding beats on the lunchroom table! There were a few of us rhyming and stuff back in those days..my man Divine Seven was there, we went to school together back in '91 (we collaborated on a project last year called 'Seven Wonders'. He's a very talented lyricist!). I was mostly a freestyler, I have not written many rhymes at all!


And then how did you get involved as a DJ?
Very early on..I remember there was a talent show at this place called The Dallas Club, in '86. Sly Jock let me blend some records .I remember it was Cameo - Word Up..and I was just as happy as can be..up there, this little 8-year-old kid on Sly Jock's turntables! This guy is a local legend around here. Then my cousin Jai got some turntables in his basement, I was rocking the tables at his crib when I was about 10 or 11.

How did your debut LP 16-Bit Ensemble get started?
Andrew Burger of 720 Records wanted to put out a 7" of some of my music for his new label, Harmony Society. He wanted mine to be the first release on that label. This project was in the works for about a year. Three of the four songs were created when I lived in New York, the last track "Frozen Extremeties" was recorded here in Pittsburgh. Big shout out to my man Sam Champion in NY, and Nice Rec here in the 'Burgh for letting me use their Rhodes pianos on that project!

I read you are currently working on a release scheduled for feb 2010 , can you elaborate more on that?
As of right now, It's slated to be a full-length instrumental album titled 'Alarm Clock'. I'm thinking of anywhere from 10-14 tracks. I just got the first draft of the cover for it done. Andrew designed this one, too. I came up with that title because from time to time I would hear people say things like 'oh man, you're so slept on'..and I want this particular album to act as an alarm clock, to wake up the sleepers. It was among the first titles I came up with, and it stuck so I went with it.

What are your feelings with current state of hip hop?
While most of the good stuff isn't exactly at the forefront cause of all the big labels pushing garbage, I think hip hop is very much alive and well. It's not as easy to get the good stuff like it was in say..1993, you have to kinda search for it a little more, but it's out there, and I still got love for it.

Thanks a lot Buscrates. Here is a link to purchase his debut lp 16-Bit Ensemble.
http://www.720records.com/dispatchSite.cfm?section=shop&page=detail&category=&SKU=18684

He will also be at New Amsterdam in Lawerenceville on Wednesday Dec. 23rd (My Birthday!) for a nice night of hip-hop with J-Sands of Lone Catalysts and J-Malls. $5 cover over 21 show.

MG

Basic Sickness- Get Some

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Basic Sickness with his third independant release, Get Some, is here to stay people. An original sound that is comprised of aggressive up tempo lyrics, hard rock music with a hip hop hop splash from vocal delivery and attitude. Very talented mc with some very gritty content and matching music with solid guitar and drum sounds with a Dj. This has become a weightroom banger for me from the time I first heard it. The live stage shows will definitely get you up on your feet to bounce. Check him out on facebook for free download.

http://www.myspace.com/basicksickness

and on facebook
http://www.facebook.com/basicksickness

1. Intro
2. Crank It Up
3. Get Some
4. Horns Up
5. Everybody
6. What You Are?
7. Redemption
8. Intermission (Sometimes)
9. Daydream
10.Type of Shit
11.The City
12.Whore
13.Someday
14.Like This (Why Am I?)

MG

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Charizma and Peanut Butter Wolf- Big Shots

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Big Shots was Charizma and Peanut Butter Wolf's first album and unfortunately it was their only album. Charizma was tragically murdered in a mugging incident on December 16, 1993 at the age 19. This album was being recorded from 1991-1993 and was shelved following Charizma's death. Through drama of the Disney owned label Hollywood Basics, the work stayed vaulted untill Peanut Butter Wolf was able to release it through his own label, Stones Throw Records, in 2003. It was a tribute 10 years later of the tragic death that took a very talented mc from us way too early and celebration of a beautiful album that was hidden for way too long. This is a must for all hip hop fans. It's an extremely refreshing piece of work with clever rhymes from Charizma and matching energy with beats and production from Peanut Butter Wolf. Enjoy this album.

http://rapidshare.com/files/122352619/Charizma___Peanut_Butter_Wolf_-_Big_Shots__2003_.rar

1. Here Is a Smirk
2. Methods
3. Jack the Mack
4. Talk About a Girl
5. Red Light, Green Light
6. Tell You Something
7. Gatha Round
8. Devotion
9. Apple Juice Break
10.My World Premire
11.Ice Cream Truck
12.Charizma What?
13.Fair Wheathered Friend
14.Soon to be Large
15.Pacin' the Floor

MG

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

J Pitts Show

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Good hip hop show starring Justin Pitts and Dj Nice Rec. Very solid music with colorful dialouge. It's a very entertaining set and they have good guests on as well. Check them out @

http://www.jpittsshow.com/

MG

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Jasiri X - American History X

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New Independant Release from Jasiri X titled "American History X". Executive Produced by Paradise the Arkitech (from the legendary group The X-Clan). Enjoy this free download link.

http://www.lyricsincorporated.com/realtalkxpress/?p=2117

720 Records

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http://www.720records.com/

Hey Hip Hop World, if you are from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania or just visiting, check out 720 Records for your hip hop needs. Lots of Vinyl for all you Dj's and cd's, t-shirts, gear, equipment, etc. Located on 2136 Murray Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15217. (412) 421-6485. Owned by James Scoglietti (Dj Selecta) so you know it's quality. Also a good place to buy tickets for hip hop shows in the area.

MG

Monday, December 14, 2009

DJ B-Tips New Mix

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DJ B-Tips blessed us with a new mix he's working on. This is the unfinished version but I'm going to give you a taste anyway since I got the exclusive. If you like what you hear hit up tips on his facebook page search (Isaac Goldszer) or hit up fanclub page of DJ B-Tips. Download link

http://www.zshare.net/download/69871108fdb8824b/

I will be posting the finished version next week. Here is to get your taste buds wet.

Sunday, December 13, 2009

People Under The Stairs Mix

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One of my favorite groups has been People Under The Stairs. Reigning from Los Angeles, California the group consists of two ultra talented mc's Thes One and Double K. They both started out as producers who were just huge fans of hip hop and spit lyrically for the love of it. They found each other through their mutual love for the culture and they have been making albums since 1998. Here is a mix of some of my favorites, enjoy. Here is the link for the free download. (This wasn't the track order I wanted but once it was in the zip file i couldn't change it :-(

http://www.mediafire.com/?3ygjmjc5jvd


1. Code Check
2. 43 Labels I Like
3. E Business
4. July 3rd
5. Earth Travelers
6. We'll Be There
7. Good Co.
8. Days Like This
9. San Francisco Knights
10.Hang Loose
11.Crown One's
12.The Dig
13.The L.A. Song
14.Acid Raindrops
15.The Breakdown
16.Cholo Dad

Saturday, December 12, 2009

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Roc Raida- I got records too

This has absolutely blown me away. I highly recommend for people to check this out. All original music to a lot of songs that people are familiar with from artsits such as Jay-Z, Nas, Wu-Tang Clan, Gangstarr, with many others. Will definitely get the blood pumping through the veins and make you want to start dancing. I will be working on and posting as many original songs as i possibly can from this wonderful album. R.I.P. Roc Raida, your influence will live long, live strong.

Hello Hip Hop Fans and Music Enthusiasts

I would like to say hello and welcome to my music blog. Have thought about doing something like this for quite sometime and after consulting with a few people decided it was time to do so. I love hip hop music (well all music to be honest) but hip hop is my favorite. Much love and respect to A.C. The Program Director out in Long Beach California for being a source of inspiration, great musical direction as well as mentor and friend. One of the most original people in the music industry. Hiphopphilosophy.com radio (http://www.ustream.tv/channel/hiphopphilosophy-com-radio). Big props to Basick Sickness and DJ B-Tips. Basick was a big reason for me starting this blog. Dj Selecta as well for keeping vinyl a big part of your arsenal. Looking forward to to ride ahead. Will be contributing very soon, stay tuned.

M.G.