CRS Studios Ready To Blow (free downloads)

Nottingham is about to blow again on the UK Hip Hop scene. CRS studios has been working overtime with a bunch of talented MCs who have muchos material ready to drop on your ears. I have some of said music to drop on yo domes right now:

First up is the excellent Scorzayzee freestyle of Dre’s ‘The Watcher’ – it’s Scorz on top form rapping all the way through with loads of chuckle inducing and seemingly effortless rhymes.

Then there’s Jah Digga (not to be confused with Busta’s one time right hand woman). He did a track for Black History Month which was back in Octber entitled ‘Black And Proud’. It’s produced by Kirk Spencer (as heard on ‘OTR Vol. 5’) and it sees Digga get live as he discusses slavery and other black history based topics. Not sure what he considers to be “modern day slavery” though.

Then there’s Jay Eye, a young MC with his track ‘Warning’ which is produced by Nick Stez.

There’s also a free EP from Miz Red which features 7 tracks of poppy R'n'Bish sing song type stuff.

Look out for more from the likes of the above MCs, Shifty and Tempa on the 'Travelling True Time' compilation CD (out soon). Check out their youtube account for loads of videos of them doing their thing.

'Spinning Round'/'Busy Road'/'That's Entertainment' - Scorzayzee (free downloads)

Scorzayzee's forthcoming LP must be a belter - these three tracks didn't make the final cut and they're blinders. Scorzayzee speaks so much sense on 'Spinning Round', 'That's Entertainment' and 'Busy Road (remix)' - in his dormant years he's really had his thinking cap on. Birth, life, death, God, creation, drugs, families, fame, riches - it's just so refreshing to hear these topics covered in style and without being preachy. This is some quality UK Hip Hop, I'm really feeling these tracks. All three tracks are produced by Nick Stez.

Scorzayzee - 'Spinning Round'
Scorzayzee - 'Busy Road (remix)'
Scorzayzee - 'That's Entertainment'

'C-Mone vs. The Indie Boys: The Mixtape' - C-Mone (free download)

One of Britain's bestest female MCs has dropped a mixtape so chock-full of quality that it's hard to believe she got clearance for all the samples. Oh wait, she probably hasn't but we Hip Hop fans like that don't we?

'C-Mone vs. The Indie Boys: The Mixtape', as you may have guessed, is Nottingham's C-Mone rapping over beats made from tracks by artists such as Ian Brown, Razorlight, Coldplay and Bloc Party. If that's something that appeals to you already then great, but if it doesn't, give it a go, it's really worth it.

The mixtape also features a few new names: CizzI, Kirk Spencer, Zeeks, Soulstice, Nick Stez and Jah Digga.

'Amerika/Falling Star' is a pretty intelligent exploration of the world's obsession with America (over Razorlight's 'America') and opener 'Guilty', produced by Nick Stez and featuring Chicago's Soulstice and Nott's resident Jah Digga is also well nice. 'Festival of the Rising Sun' is a really interesting interpretation of Snow Patrol's 'Chasing Cars'.