Stop What Your Doin - Apathy feat. Celph Titled prod. by Premo

Apathy adds visuals to his Premier produced, Celph Titled featuring track Stop What Ya Doin. The videos good from the kids party to the bridge jumping and hot tattooed chicks. Classic Hip-Hop from the whole crew you can cop Apathys new album Honkey Kong right now from your favourite music site/store. The albums sounding pretty good and features a wide range of guests and producers.

Reks - 25th Hour (Video)

Here's the first track off Reks' upcoming album R.E.K.S. After hearing that this joint is produced by Primo, you shouldn't need any more persuading to hit that play button!

In fact, the album (released in March) has a serious cast of producers including Pete Rock, Nottz, Statik Selektah, The Alchemist, Hi-Tek & Fizzy Womack as well as DJ Premier. Sounds like it should be worth checking for...

'One Inch Punch' - Dubbledge (mixtape review)

Are you a fan of 90s beats such as those crafted by RZA and DJ Premier? Are you a fan of charismatic, funny but intelligent rappers? Then the ‘One Inch Punch’ mixtape fresh from Dubbledge is for you.

Hurtling through productions jacked from classics from Snoop and Dre, ATCQ, Raekwon, Souls of Mischief, Rakim and more, Dubbledge brings a brief 26 minutes of madness and memories. Kyza joins Dubbledge to destroy ‘Juice aka The Duppy Tamer’ (not the Puppy Trainer as I thought at first glance) and TB brings his aggy delivery to the table on ‘Glaciers of Ice’.

This release is a prequel to his forthcoming album ‘Is Wot It Is…But It Ain’t Wot It Woz’ and it’s proof that Edge is still on top form lyrically. ‘One Inch Punch’ is what a mixtape should be – not a listening marathon, quality loveable beats and well chosen verses (as opposed to every bar the MC ever wrote).

‘One Inch Punch’ will be released on 7th December on Hidden Agenda.

'Ain't Nuttin' Changed' - Blaq Poet (video)

Maaaaaan. This beat is sooooo nice - Preemo still has it - he's got it, he has!!! Love this track! And that's why it gets on this predominantly UK Hip Hop blog. Go check out some other DJ Premier/Blaq Poet tracks on youtube.

'The Official Mixtape Volume 1' - Ramson Badbonez & DJ Harry Love (mixtape review)

Coming up under the wing of Task Force can never be a bad thing. First appearing in 2002 on the ‘Mud Fam EP’ and then again in 2003 on ‘Music From The Corner Volume 2’, Ramson Badbonez has had a good start in UK rap life. Along with DJ Harry Love he now brings us an epic collection of verses and concepts over a load of beats from the greats (Premier, RZA, 9th Wonder, Alchemist, Madlib and more).

If Badbonez isn’t one of the most promising MCs on the scene right now then I don’t know who is. He’s interesting, clever and witty, he’s laidback, competent and lyrical - skills which could be generalised as ‘panache’.

Ramson displays a versatility that’s missing in most MCs only on their first mixtape. Concepts, hooks, lexis, on-point delivery, real talk, braggadocio and story telling are all present and correct in the most refreshing way.

Standout tracks for me are ‘Put The Mic Down’ (for the awesome reworking of the RZA’s ‘Liquid Swords’) and the British weather reality track ‘Out In The Rain’ but if you’ve got an hour and a bit you’ll find it’s all of high quality. Rounding off with his version of Slick Rick’s ‘Children’s Story’ is a perfect way to end a release which only leaves me hoping that, with a bunch of instrumentals specifically made for him, Ramson Badbonez will produce a storming debut album proper.

‘The Official Mixtape Volume 1’ also features tracks from various projects already released (aforementioned ‘MFTC 2’, DJ MK’s ‘Above Board’ and Ramson’s own 12 inchers). Buy it now, as usual, at Suspect Packages (and don’t download it).

Recent Listening Habits Part 2

Well I said I'd write this on Friday night but I didn't, not that anyone will be bothered anyway, so here it is.

I recently got Warren G's 'Take A Look Over Your Shoulder (Reality)' album because when I was in 6th form me and my mate totally loved 'Annie Mae' the first real track on the album. It features Nate Dogg and is G'd up. Other great tracks are 'Smokin' me Out', 'What's Love Got to do With It' and 'I Shot The Sheriff'.

I also got probably the hardest Christian rap album ever. 'Stop The Music' is by New Breed from the Tunnel Rats camp and it's a barrage of heavy beats and vehemently spat lyrics. This Brother/Sister combo really bring the funk through stripped down, kick driven, latin infused production and manage not to come across preachy despite their Christian content. 'Stand' has always been a favourite, 'Breathless' shows some versatility and the title track bangs. Dope cover art too.

Speaking of cover art, I picked Libretto's 'Ill-oet The Last Element' up because a) it looked good, b) it was cheap, c) an amazon review said it was good and d) I listened to a clip of one song and liked it. If you like Erick Sermon's music then this is one you might like however the production is all original and is handled by his crew. The intro is one of the more enjoyable ones around and the follow up track 'Slumfunk' is a good 'un. When the production is not squelching with funk it's soulful. 'Alma Mater' (sorry about the ID3 spelling) is a Dre'ish G Funk club/ridin' track and whilst it's not the OG it's pretty good anyway.

I'm gonna finish off with one last CD and pick this up again another day, there are too many to post at once. Non Phixion are kinda unique in what they do. It's hardcore, socialogical, political, none-black (I hate to add but it's important I do) Hip Hop. NP's choice of beats is second to none - Necro, Large Professor, Pete Rock, DJ Premier and Juju all have a hand in the production on 'The Future is Now', and that's a good who's who of classic 90's Hip Hop producers. Stand out tracks are 'If You Got Love', 'Suicide Bomb' and 'Rock Stars'.

Hmm, looking back at those four albums, they're quite diverse! But wait for the next installment, it's different still, Hip Hop, but different.

The Building Aint Big Enough

Me: There's a rapper called Kel Spencer who has a single out today.
You: What's up with all these 'real name no gimmick' MC's at the moment?
Me: I know. But this MC isn't actually called Kel.

You: So what's this Kel Spencer like? Is she good?

Me: It's a bloke, he's alright actually. He Co-wrote/ghost-wrote Switch by Will Smith.

You: Oh, I remember that track. It was pretty big in the charts and the clubs and that. But that's not exactly a good thing is it? I mean...Will Smith?

Me: Well, no. But this dude does obviously have the knack for writing a attention grabbing smash hit and it means he's sold a good few records!

You: So has he done anything a little more credible? Y'know, something I can be down with?

Me: Yeah fo' sho. He was on Jazzy Jeff's latest album on a track called 'The Definition'. Jazzy Jeff also said he's "The best rapper you've never heard of" and DJ Premier stated "Kel Spencer is Hip Hop". Can't mess with Premo can ya?

You: Oh. No.

'The Building' is definitely a club banger right down to the fact he's talking about being in a club. This track could easily be played alongside 'Pump it Up' by Joe Budden, 'Right Thurr' by Chingy and 'Tipsy' by J-Kwon. Make of that what you will. The track revolves around a Lil' Jon style chorus (the title of this post), a bassy kick andsome synthy claps.

Kel employs a funny little way of pronouncing his rhyming words ("I'ma turn it ud der du up//I'ma stutter der du der//See me push that whip through the hood der du der") that will have loads of girls drunkenly trying to imitate when it comes on. Spencer is on a 'this-is-how-great-I-am' trip here so expect to hear him compare himself to a pair of fancy kicks ("Im the latest edition, Limited der du der") amongst other such braggadocious metaphors.

By now the conversation between me and you is probably something like this:

You: But...you don't usually like this sort of music.

Me: No, I don't but you must understand this is a club track and it's a good club track. I mean, most clubs aren't gonna be playing Jehst or Braintax at their Hip Hop/R'n'B nights. No, those nights are made for music like this and therefore this music has it's place.

You: OK then, you have a point. I'm not going to deny I've never been on a night out to a place like that so I wont argue anymore!

Will Smith - Switch

Kel Spencer - The Building

DJ Jazzy Jeff - The Definition ft. Kel Spencer