The Future Is In Your Hands?

Do you have what it takes to steer the good ship Certified Banger into 2011 and beyond? Do you love UK Hip Hop more than life itself? Do you want to receive a ton of free music a month? Do you want to make your opinions on music count?

If you answered ‘yes’ to all of the above then send me an email. I’m looking to hand over the wheel after almost 4 years at the helm. I’m looking for someone who can commit their time to providing CB’s large readership with the reviews, news and interviews that they deserve in order to maintain CB’s reputation. I’m looking for someone who can maintain the standards that I have strived hard to bring to the UK Hip Hop scene.

This is an opportunity for someone to take over a well known and respected site with an established readership and a huge list of industry contacts ranging from artists to record labels, from promoters to PR people.

Email me a piece of your own writing, preferably Hip Hop related, and a quick bit about yourself and we can go from there.

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Certified Banger has been a blast, but it’s time for me to step down. I feel that I no longer provide the type of coverage I once did. But, I don’t want the ship to go down. I want it to continue its voyage and as a result I am currently searching for a worthy replacement owner for the site.

It is of utmost importance to me that Certified Banger is handed over to someone who is passionate about the music that you create, promote, or just love listening to. I have worked hard to get the site to where it is today and understand that for many, it has provided important coverage and support and I would love this to continue to be so. I hope that whoever I find as new owner will continue to support you and will continue to bring quality news, reviews and interviews from the UK Hip Hop scene.

This is not my departure from the scene, nor is it a sign of me falling out of love with the music; I feel that CB is something I can no long do justice to as my life is so busy with family, work and other commitments which now must take precedence. I do however hope to still provide the odd review for the site and by no means want to lose touch with the scene.

If you know of someone who might be up for the task then please ask them to be in touch with me. The transfer needs to happen at a grassroots level so that the site goes from one enthusiast to another.

I hope you all understand my decision and appreciate that I am going to do my best to keep the site going instead of just letting it go. Hopefully Certified Banger will remain the site to support underground music for years to come.

I would like to thank everyone who I’ve met or been in contact with over these last few years – thank you for believing in my vision and for trusting me with your music. Thanks for helping me make Certified Banger a success. Much love.

Evil Ed - 'Edstrumentals Part 2' Out Soon (free downloads)

Grab some free instrumentals courtesy of Evil Ed whose 'Edstrumentals Part 2' is soon to be released.

'It's A K.O.' is pure funk and I'm currently just bopping my head to it (and my little girl is bouncing to it in her bouncer - it's that infectious).

'Razorblades Remix' is a different monster altogether; menacing and mean - this one is dark, sounds like one, two o'clock in the mornin' with the full moon out. That is until, the fairy dust is sprinkled all over it to reveal a bouncy, classical dance number. Oh, and then it switches up another couple of times - the man's a genius.

Download the whole thing on 8th December.

'Fighting Trousers' - Elemental (video)

'Clocks 2' - Chima Anya

Still bumping Chima's album from earlier this year and this track from this mixtape proves that he's not showing any signs of slowing. I've been telling you, if you didn't heed my warning, don't blame me.

'Love Me!' - Knew Jeru'slum (free download)

Positive soulful vibes from Knew Jeru'slum on this new track entitled 'Love Me!'. The group are evidently continually honing their craft and this track is a great addition to their catalogue. Check the northern wordplay of Jonny Alpha and Watson G and the dreamy vocals of Belinda Hards by downloading the track for not a penny more than free. The tune is produced by Paris based Keor Meteor and is to promote the forthcoming 'The Samson Lok Files' Project, which will also be free to download in January.

Bonafide Issue 04 UK Special - Out Now!

Check out Bonafide's latest issue, it's a UK special so y'all should be into it. It features my interviews with the one and only Ghengis aka Cappo. Order your copy here.

'The Indifference Engine' - Professor Elemental (album review)

I'm a sucker for comedy rap (don't let him catch me calling it that); and it doesn't come more refined than that which Elemental purveys. This time under the Professor guise, the MC continues where he left off on 'Cup Of Brown Joy'.

Essentially what Elemental does is adopt a posh English accent in order to explore appropriate material; things that you don't hear in your everyday rap songs. But it's more than just that, if you know of Steam Punk, then just think of that, but in rap form - Steam Rap? Tom Caruana (and Herma Puma in one instance) doesn't pass up on the chance to plunder some rather jaunty sounding records in order to provide the right beats for a gentleman - making this a very rounded piece of work.

Safari, elevenses, Victorian cake-based naughtiness (involving a lady rhymer), adventure, Battenberg, fayre grounds (and much more that would concern only a real gentleman) are the order of the day here. There's even a diss song aimed fairly and squarely at one Mr. B, claiming that there is only room for one gentleman rhymer. Things could get ugly. Just because you like whichever sort of rap you like doesn't mean you shouldn't check this out - everyone's got room for a little enjoyment haven't they? Enjoyment is why Hip Hop started - let's not forget.

'The Indifference Engine' is available on the wonderful Tea Sea Records and can be bought at their website and fully previewed at Bandcamp.

'Benny Huge' - Dr. Syntax (album review)

Whilst the world's Hip Hop fans eagerly await Dr. Dre's long-awaited 'Detox', a few more in-the-know heads will be waiting for the UK's own doctor to drop his next LP. Dr. Syntax's 'Benny Huge' is on its way and it's one that all music fans should check out.

With a futuristic sound, mainly courtesy of Pete Cannon, and a comedic take on day-to-day (night) life, Dr. Syntax has created a very entertaining album. With an impeccable flow, hilarious punchlines and that semi-melodic rap style, Doc Synners really does deserve your hard earned.

'Jump Up!' is one of those tracks that you'd love to hear on a night out - it's one of those songs that tells you what to do and is definitely in the vein of Humpty Hump. Which is exactly what I thought on first listen; and then I heard Dr. Syntax mention the large-nosed one on 'This Fresh' - weird, but on the money. Sytax still has what it takes when it comes to story telling ('Cock Block') whilst holding it down on concept tracks ('Number One'). Topic of the hour seems to be the daily grind of everyday life and work ('Stress', 'Hire Me') combined with tales of the weekend (as demonstrated on the awesome D'n'B-laced 'There's Got To Be More'). Not that this MC can't put across a serious message, albeit in a rather tongue-in-cheek manner ('Big Business'). Oh yeah, and just so you don't got bored (not a chance of that anyway), Mr. Huge also nonchalantly throws in a bit of double-time, just 'cause he can ('Benny Huge').

'The Bird Has Flown' switches up the mood once more, and rounds things off perfectly, leaving the listener wondering if there was a bad track on the album they've just heard. No, there's not. The alvum is out 6th December, so you don't have to wait long. One of the best releases this year.

'The Realism (Can I Rock)' - Kasha (video)

Kasha freshens up and polishes what may be perceived to be a fairly poppy sound, making for a ridiculously compelling and enticing song. Would love to hear Kasha's music gracing our radio waves. This is just great music, in my opinion.

'Requirements' ft. DJ 456 - Ricta

Check out Ricta's latest offering. His very laid back delivery match perfectly to the solid, head nod beat. 'Ave it.

'One Step Together' - Yungun (free download)