REWD ADAMS & THE LAST SKEPTIK - EVERYTHING'S OK (Music Video)

OUT MAY 7th on iTUNES, AMAZON, HMV.COM

FILMED, ANIMATED & EDITED BY SONNY MALHOTRA

http://twitter.com/rewdadams
http://twitter.com/thelastskeptik
http://twitter.com/photosonny

'Collapsing Cities' ft. Shy FX - Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly (video + free downloads)

Now, if you follow the blog then you'll already know that I like this track and I'll make no apologies for the non-Hip Hop content of it. It is produced, however by Shy FX so that should be good enough for you. It's by Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly and is off his forthcoming album which The Last Skeptik has been working on too I believe - there, there's your link.

You can go and get this on preorder and right now you can download Jakwob's remix of the track, a cover version of the Justice track 'D.A.N.C.E.' and a track called 'Morning Light' - go for it.

And Now For Something A Little Different...

It might surprise you to know that I don't always listen to Hip Hop. Some people even send me some different kinds of music so I thought I'd give some of it some shine:

I've been noticing Nneka's name for a few months now and I got the chance to check her track 'Walking'. DJ Farhot, the track's producer, has taken a Curtis Mayfield composition ('Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um (Curious Mind)' as sung by Major Lance) and made it into fat slice of headnod Neo Soul with a hint of the old Negro spirituals. Nneka's voice is sweet and her message is positive, also with a hint of the old Negro spirituals. Lovely stuff.

I've also got possibly the strangest thing Stones Throw will ever release. 'The Minimal Wave Tapes: Vol. 1' is a compilation of Minimal Wave - an 80s genre of "underground DIY electronic music". Some tracks are more minimal than others, some sound like the soundtrack old school computer games (but with real singing voices) and some really remind me of the old school cinema infomercials. Whatever your preferred genre, this will certainly expand your mind! Personal favourites are Linear Movement's 'Way Out Of Living' and 'Blurred' by Turquoise Days. It's out on 15th March.

Next up is The Last Skeptik's latest project. It's a remix album on which he does nothing like he's ever done before. There are no dusty samples only original electrofied compositions. Some of the tracks he tackles are unfamiliar to me so I can't comment on whether he's done them justice or not - Marina and the Diamonds, Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly, Daniel Merriweather, Hong Kong in the 60s, and David's Lyre all get unconventionally remixed in a way that requires loud playback. These particular remixes made me wonder whether I would keep listening if they came on the radio or whether I only like them because of a knowledge of the artist behind them - hmmm, thought provoking. The rest of the remixes are more in the Hip Hop vein with Loudmouth Melvin, Joe Budden, The Streets, Brad Strut, Lowkey, Mudmowth and Eslam Jawaad all getting reworked with varying degrees of electro-funk. That's going to be available for free on 5th April but you can go here to check out many of the tracks.

Finally, Distiller Records sent me an interesting thing: 'Flush' by Losers. It features feisty female MC Envy alongside Riz MC on a dance floor shaker all about falling out with ones other half. It won't be to everyone's taste (including mine) but Skism's dubstep remix is exceedingly heavy as is Sukh Knight's meaning that it might just appeal to those into that kind of thing. 'Flush' is out on 5th April.

'Careful On The Way Up' - Diversion Tactics (album review)

Authentic Hip Hop from the UK – don’t believe that? OK – Percee P and Tim Dog, two pioneering Bronx rappers, feature on this LP. Believe me now? Thought so. Need proof from the UK? UK legend Blade endorses this by lending an out-of-retirement verse – dopeness and total awesomeness in my books.

‘No Collaborations’ features no collaborations – with lyrics like “if you think this is about you, then this is about you” Chubby holds his own over the banging beat shaming you for ever needing big names to recommend ‘Careful On The Way Up’ to you. As well as Blade ‘Three Card Blag’ features back-on-the-rise D.Gritty – top tune.

When top quality producers Jazz T and Zygote aren’t doing their dusty thing, Tommy Koi is flipping some 80s-sounding cheese on ‘Return of the Ladies Man’ and The Last Skeptik is doing the honours on the neck snapping ‘Where I’m From?’ (on which Chubby discusses the roots of Hip Hop).

Previously heard tracks ‘Can’t Swim’ and ‘Back To School’ (produced by J-Zone) still sound aces as part of this small (35 minutes – just how I like it) but perfectly formed LP with won’t be released until January 11th 2010 on the Boot label.

Forthcoming Doctors Orders Events

Sunday 13th September: End of Summer BBQ @ Cargo
Spin Doctor / Mr Thing / Excalibah / The Last Skeptik / DJ Lok / Chris Read / DJ Rags & more
Friday 18th September: Tell A Friend @ Secret London Location
DJ Neil Armstrong & Spin Doctor.

Friday 2nd October: The Doctor's Order @ Herbal
CL Smooth & Micall Parknsun Live & Mr Thing's B-Day party.

Friday 9th October: SouBrew @ East Village
Joey Negro, Kev Beadle, Mr Thing & SoulBrew residents Spin Doctor & Andy Bird.

Saturday 24th October: Hip-Hop Pub Quiz @ The 3 Kings, Clerkenwell
Just like a regular pub quiz but about Hip-Hop.

Friday 30th October: The Doctor's Orders @ Fabric
Shortee Blitz, Yungun & Mr Thing, Spin Doctor & DJ Lok.

Friday 6th November: The Doctor's Orders @ Herbal:
Def Jam vs Motown special with DJ Semtex, Phil Asher, Spin Doctor & Rob Breezy.

'We Don't Want Them' - Lowkey, The Last Skeptik, Eslaam Jawaad & Get Cape.Wear Cape.Fly (live video)

'Fallout Shelter' - Brad Strut (EP review)

The Australian Hip Hop scene is more closely related to ours than it is to the US scene. The main reason for this is the automatic hard work that has to be put in to be respected above our American brothers and the attention to detail in the lyrics - Brad Strut, an Australian now living in London, is at home here.

His ‘Fallout Shelter’ EP dropped last month and with its 6 tracks being produced by Beat Butcha there is all the more reason for it to be on Certified Banger. As you would expect, the production holds weight and Brad Strut pours his triple distilled lyrics perfectly over the beats. With a positive outlook (considering the name and the concept), I find this EP to be just how I want Hip Hop to be. ‘NO!’ is a harpsichord based apocalyptic thriller – if it’s possible, this is the stand out track. The EP’s pinnacle, the beautiful but banging ‘Believe’, is blissful and flawlessly created. ‘Looking At You’, the closing track, appears to deal with some very personal issues with cryptic lyricism (check the lyrics here) being the order of the day.

As if an excellent EP wasn’t enough the EP comes packaged with a remixes LP featuring versions of Brad’s past tracks by M-Phazes, Chemo, Beat Butcha, Jehst and The Last Skeptik amongst other (possibly Aussie) producers. With 13 extra tracks this is more than an incentive to buy this excellent package.

‘Fallout Shelter’ EP/ ‘Rejuvenation’ is out now and can be gotten at Suspect Packages.

'Never' (Father Jack Remix) - Jee4ce & Riddlah (free download)

Keep your peelers peeled for a project compiled by Jee4ce and brought to you in association with Certified Banger entitled 'Certified Celtic Connection'. Jee4ce has mustered his Celtic troops from Ireland, Scotland and Wales and put together yet another compilation of tracks repping the unsung areas of the UK.

The mix will feature Skamma, Mudmowth, Ral & Gambit, Ralph Rip S**t and Dead Residents repping for Wales, DJ Flip, Freeze, Richie Filth, Marc Stretch, (the late) Lunitic, Nucentz, The RubberBandits, Rhymes Vital, Jonny boy, AJ, Sert One and Jee4ce doing it for Ireland and Riddlah, Show N Prove, U-turn, Dandy, Holmes, Madhat, Mog, The Riddlah, Werd, Steg G, Respek BA, Catchklick Emceez, Scatabrainz, Depths and Perfect Practice showing their skills for Scotland. There's also a track produced by The Last Skeptik.

To get a taste of what to expect, go download Jee4ce & Riddlah - 'Never' (Father Jack Remix) for free! It has sleigh bells, funky samples and top notch celtic lyrics from Ireland and Scotland. UNITED Kingdom - stand up!

'We Don't Want Them' - Lowkey (single review)

"Can't blame immigrants for the state of the economy, some come here from former British Colonies/ Some come here to escape British foreign policy/ You make a mockery of democracy and equality" - no guesses who Lowkey is talking about on his latest single, 'We Don't Want Them'.

Yup, it's the BNP and he gets it pretty spot on - apart from the name of the track and this: "They scream freedom of speech but I won't let these cowards..." - if we want freedom of speech then they must have it too, it's just sad that people like the British 'Nazi' Party exist in the first place.

The track is awesome, The Last Skeptik's production is menacingly funky and futuristic, and Lowkey's brand of politics is accessible to all. The track is being released in association with Love Music Hate Racism and Lowkey will be donating all profits from the single to LMHR. The track is out on Monday 6th July and LMHR is a very worthy cause - people of the same mind of Lowkey need to make their voice heard and LMHR really does that in a positive way. Get involved - there's power in numbers - something the BNP does not have. Download it now from itunes.

'Top Ten List' - The Last Skeptik's Remix

The Last Skeptik has been busy over the last few weeks making remixes of pretty current tracks. His latest reworking is of Loudmouth Melvin's 'Top Ten List':

'Soldier' ft. Wretch 32, Kyza & Orifice Vulgatron (The Last Skeptik's Re-Re-Remix) (free download)

Basically a brand new track - It's Skeptik's new beat for the re-vocalled version of Vadim's 'Soldier' which was originally on a reggae vibe with a french guy and a russian guy rapping and singing respectively - check my review of the 12" it featured on for more.

HHC Digital 002 - Out Today!

Head over to the Hip Hop Connection place at 5pm today for the publication of their second digital issue. It's going to feature Raekwon (as you can see),Ghostface, Speech Debelle, P.O.S., General Steele, Superstar Quamallah, Paul White, DJ Vadim, Asher Roth, YNR and Dr Butcher. Oh, and an piece on Homecut written by a blogger you know well.

It's also coming with either 35 or 40 free mp3s from all the artists featured in the mag as well as a mix by The Last Skeptik (but not DJ Skeptik mind!).

'Flying The Flag' Coming Soon!

Here's something I'm looking forward to: Tricksta of UK Runnings and Lunatrix of HHB Radio have teamed up to put together a double disc compilation/mix CD.

Now the UK Runnings series have always hit the spot with me - up-to-date tracks from UK Hip Hop's overground and underground - so my expectations are justifiably high. ‘Flying The Flag’ features underground anthems, exclusive tracks, unreleased tracks and remixes.

The double CD features the following artists; WILEY, SKEPTA, LATE, SUPAR NOVAR, RELOAD, IRON BRAYDZ, DJ SNIPS, TB, PYRELLI, SHAMELESS, RUKUS, SKINNYMAN, DEADLY HUNTA , TINCHY STRYDER, WRETCH 32, TINIE TEMPAH, SCORCHER, BASHY, SWAY, CHIPMUNK, MILLION DAN, MC DYNAMITE, MCD, K.NERS, SKREINTAX, STIG OF THE DUMP, GIGGS, DUBBELEDGE, KYZA, BIG CAKES, M9, CHEMO, THUNDERCLAPS, GHETTO, ORIFICE VULGATRON, REGGIIMENTAL, UNFRIENDLY NEIGHBOURS, LOWKEY, SONNYJIM, MALIK, YOGI, SHADE1, 10SHOTT, SMILER, STYLAH, LETHAL & DESTRUCTION, TOR, SI PHILI, WORDSMITH, KASHMERE, JEHST, CHARLIE SLOTH, JOKER STARR, GENESIS ELIJAH, LOUDMOUTH, BABY J, RANSOM BADBONEZ, DR. SYNTAX, THE LAST SKEPTIK, TRICKSTA, JABBA THA KUT, MANNY MOSCOW and CONMAN amongst many more!

HHBRADIO & UK RUNNINGS Present ‘FLYING THE FLAG’ is out on RGS Entertainment March 2009.

For more information check these website links…

http://www.hhbradio.com/
www.myspace.com/lunatrix
http://www.oymmedia.com/
www.myspace.com/butchershousestudios
www.myspace.com/oymmedia
www.myspace.com/occupyyourmindrecords
http://www.ukrunnings.co.uk/
www.myspace.com/trickstawolftown
www.myspace.com/ukrunnings
http://www.wolftownrecordings.com/
http://www.parkstreetpr.co.uk/
www.myspace.com/parkstreetpromotions

Dusty Crates Radio Show December

Click for this month's show

Tracklisting
Black Milk ft. Royce Da 5'9 - Let's Talk About (Traffic)
Rusty Juxx - Wipe off ya smile (white)
Lowkey ft. Wretch 32 - In My Lifetime (SO Empire)
Jay Z ft. Santogold - Brooklyn We Go Hard (Rocafella)Ludacris - MVP (DTP)DJ Babu ft. MF Doom and Sean Price - The Unexpected (Nature Sounds)
S Type and Grimlok - Stand Strong (white)
Jyager ft. Dubbledge, Jehst, Micall Parknsun, Kyza, Sir Smurf Lil, Joker Starr and Cobane - Eyes Open Re Spit (YNR)
Wordsmith ft. Skyzoo - Who Really Cares (white)
Ludacris ft. Jay Z and Nas - I Do It For Hip Hop (DTP)
Common - Gladiator (GOOD)
Slaughterhouse (Joe Budden, Royce, Crooked I, Joell Ortiz etc.) - Onslaught (white)
Mudmowth - Skullcrackology (AM)
Skyzoo - Only One Can Win (white)
Statik Selektah ft. MOP and Jadakiss - Livin In The City (Brick)
Lowkey - Tell Me Why (SO Empire)

'Snippet Mix' - Skandal (free download)

Download here, it's actually better than it sounds. The snippets are chopped and mixed in a hardcore way and the beats and rhyme are quality.

Production comes from Beat Butcha, Chemo, The Last Skeptik and Ed Strong as well as the utilisation of some stolen beats.

If this is an album taster then the album promises to be full of flavour. It's not just on the dark, stripped down tip that his EP was on so don't worry if you weren't really feeling that, although those tunes do feature here.

Stig Of The Dump, Dr Syntax, The Last Skeptik, Marvin the Martian and Akira the Don To Play New London Festival

Shoreditch Shuffle is a new event covering all sorts of interesting things like 'old, current and new talent across the realms of music, fashion, art, short film, comedy and poetry & literature'.

Music, since that's why you're here, comes from the likes of Five o’Clock Heroes, Kid Carpet, 28 Costumes, 5 Minute Pop Promo, Akira The Don, Assembly Now, Depot London, Eskimo Disco Gary Go, Ghostcat, Ist, Jacob’s Stories, Joe and Will ask?, Kids Love Lies, Little Man Tate, Mama Shamone, Marvin the Martian, Me My Head, Minus IQ, Miss Odd Kidd & Dekker (Live), Model Horror, Public Service Announcers, Rank Deluxe, Substatic, The Coolness, The Fighting Cocks, The Gadsens, The Ghost Frequency, The Sexual Hot Bitches, The Standards, Thomas Tantrum and Vincent Oliver.

You, the reader will possibly be interested in Akira the Don and Marvin the Martian both being Hip Hop acts and you'll be also interested to know that Stig of the Dump, Dr Syntax and The Last Skeptik will playing - those would be the shows I'd get to.

The Shoreditch Shuffle takes place on the 13th and 14th of September 2008. Tickets are £20 for one day and £30 for the weekend from these dudes: http://www.ticket-text.com/ and you can keep up-to-date on the happenings at the Shoreditch Shuffle blog.

First up... some videos

The first video for you is a trailer for Bashy's 'Black Boys' DVD/CD double pack. It features some of the remix artists and is still on a positive vibe. Check Youtube and Myspace for more videos, especially the one with Skinnyman.

The second video is an interview by DJ Analogue in association with Leeds Hip Hop Scene with The Last Skeptik and Verb T. If you don't know much about either of these cats then spare less than ten minutes to get up to speed. Verb T has one of the best voices and flows in the UK and Last Skeptik currently has some of the nicest beats. I haven't had the cash to pick up their latest collabo but have heard tracks from it, the team up with Sway and Kyza being a favourite.

Also you should get the weekly podcast by The Last Skeptik, 'Dusty Crates Radio', where he plays good Hip Hop old, new and futuristic. His blog is here and this link does something about getting yourself the podcasts on the regular. And here is a link to the latest 'cast featuring Braintax, Manage, Ali Vegas and Kool G Rap among others.

UK Exposure #1 - Skrein, Young Kof, Yungun, Verb T

>>Mission: To make people aware of some current UK Hip Hop artists through words and audio downloads<<

>>Commence Mission<<

Name: Skrein
From: North London
Record Label: Dented
Worked with: Foreign Beggars, DJ IQ, Shamless, Plan B, Verb T, Dubbledge & Stig of the Dump...
Other info: Has a mixtape out called 'The Eat Up' and is currently touring with Verb T & The Last Skeptik.
Sample Track: Where It All Started

Name: Young Kof
From: Liverpool
Record Label: URBeatz
Worked with: Nutty P, Logic, Lowkey, Alex Blood, Instinct, Karizma...
Other info: You can go to his myspace and download a whole mixtape for free.
Sample Track: 80's Baby (Calvin Harris Remix)

Name: Yungun

From: North London

Record Label: Silent Soundz

Worked with: Mr. Thing, Harry Love, LG & Lopez, Doc Brown, Tommy Evans, Jehst, Asaviour, Kyza...

Other info: Has an smooth relaxed voice, is very funny, also goes by the name of 'Essa' and is bringing out a new album called 'The Middle Man'.

Sample Track: Jacking 4 Breaks (With Mr. Thing)

Name: Verb T

From: South London

Record Label: Silent Soundz

Worked with: The Last Skeptik, Harry Love, ED O.G, Sway, Kyza, Jehst, Syanide, Kashmere, Karizma, Yungun, Ramson Badbonez...

Other info: Currently going by the name of Verb T100 (alongside Kashmere who called himself Kashmachine) and has a whole album with Harry Love and another with The Last Skeptik

Sample Track: March ft. Sway & Kyza (From 'The Broken Window' with The Last Skeptik)

To be continued...