The Audacity of Dope

The snow is melted, the ice is gone, and Seattle’s back to its normal 35 degree winter climate.  That can mean only one thing: Sound Session is back.  After last week’s online only edition, it felt good to be back on the air and broadcasting some of the best new music around.  We featured dope tracks from people like Royce The 5’9″ (produced by DJ Premier), Q-Tip (w/D’Angelo), Blu, Kenna, K’Naan, Wale, Shad, and more, plus we aired a few snippets from our Universal Mind Control listening party with Common.  We also had Silent Knight call in to give us an update on his Loud.com contest and speak about his Jake One produced single & video for “Pop Culture Shock.”

All in all, another dope show.  I could go into more detail, but I’m in the process of moving places and I kiiiiiinda need to pack.  Consequently, blogging might be at a premium over the next week or so.  In the meantime, enjoy!

Show #187 (12-28-08)

1. Royce The 5’9” – “Shake This”
2. Joell Ortiz ft. Joe Budden – “Move On”
3. Kali – “Cali Kali”
4. Inverse ft. Deacon The Villain (of the CunninLynguists) – “So True”
5. Clockwork – “Laid Back” (Local Artist)
6. Q-Tip ft. D’Angelo – “I Believe”
7. DJ Cadik ft. Phat Kat & Elzhi – “Keep It Real”
8. Blu – “SpaceJive”
9. Adele – “Daydreams (nVMe Remix)”
10. Kardinal Offishall ft. Barrington Levy & Busta Rhymes – “Numba 1 (Tide Is High) (Remix)”
11. **INTERVIEW WITH COMMON #04, SNIPPET PT. 1**
12. Common – “Inhale”
13. **INTERVIEW WITH COMMON #04, SNIPPET PT. 2**
14. Kenna ft. the Cool Kids – “Loose Wires (Remix)”
15. K’Naan ft. Chubb Rock – “ABC’s”
16. Josh Martinez ft. Devin The Dude – “Hurricane Jane” (Local Artist)
17. Shad – “I Don’t Like To”
18. Sene – “Whateva, Wheneva”
19. Exile ft. Muhsinah – “Stay Tuned (Stay High) (Vocal Mix)”
20. Willie Will – “Honor You” (Local Artist)
21. **INTERVIEW WITH SILENT KNIGHT**
22. Silent Knight – “Pop Culture Shock”
23. Wale ft. Brother Ali – “2nd Time”

Link to download the mp3 of the show – http://www.mediafire.com/?zomdnmgzq3m
(back up / streaming link – http://www.zshare.net/audio/534609092e2de29d/ )

If there are any problems with the links or if you’d like to be added to our weekly email list to receive the playlist and download links after every show, just shoot me an email, DJHyphen@gmail.com.

(watch part one in HD on HyphenTV)

On December 13th, the legendary Common Sense made his 4th appearance on Sound Session here in Seattle. Since we just talked to Com in September (check it out here), we wanted to do something a little different instead of our traditional interviews.  With help from our good friends at Interscope/Geffen/A&M we threw a listening party for his new Universal Mind Control album with 50 lucky winners, some customized Microsoft Zunes, and other assorted goodies.

In the video recap, you can watch Com talk about the creative process for every track on the album and what it was like to work with the Neptunes, Mr. DJ, Kanye West, Cee-Lo, and more.  Be sure to watch both parts of the video and enjoy them in HD on the HyphenTV Vimeo Channel courtesy of Organic Digital Videomedia.

(watch part two in HD on HyphenTV)

Since the entire interview lasted about an hour, I’ll be posting up the full audio for all you die hard Common fans sometime in the next week.  As dope as the video clips are, there’s even more interesting tidbits about UMC‘s creation in the extended interview (the reason why the “Announcement” video was pulled, the story behind the original mix of “Punch Drunk Love,” etc.).

Stay tuned for that and hit up Com in the blogosphere over at his new site, ThinkCommon.com.  Be sure to go cop Universal Mind Control in stores now and still available at Zune.net for 99 cents!  It makes a great last minute Christmas present…

I recently mentioned that Shad was one of my favorite discoveries of the past year (watch this video to see why) and I should also add Fashawn to that list as well.  The MC from Fresno (what up Blake?) killed every appearance I heard from him this year and he’s dropped a new mixtape to help close out the year in style.  In conjunction with the homies at NahRight and OnSmash, check out Higher Learning:

1. Intro
2. Fortified Live (Remix)
3. Freedom
4. Let Me See Your ID (Skit)
5. Day ‘N’ Nite (Remix) (feat. KiD CuDi)
6. Sunday Morning (Remix) (feat. K-OS)
7. The Far Left (feat. Alchemist & Evidence)
8. Turf Rap (Remix)
9. Seize Power (Skit)
10. Politics (feat. Krondon)
11. Jimmy (Ratatat Remix)
12. Fake ID
13. Life Is Too Short
14. Buyers Guide
15. Cold Shoulder (Remix) (feat. Adele)
16. You Lookin At Me (Skit)
17. Something Special
18. Do You (Skit)
19. Still Gettin Mine “5-5-9″ (Remix) (feat. Rickochet)
20. Beautiful Day (Remix) (feat. Evidence, Big Pooh, Aloe Blacc, Mickey Factz, Theo & Kes Kaos)
21. Over When Its Done (Outro)

Download here.

I’ve been sleeping on Little Dragon, but I’m finally awake.  And I’m highly intrigued.  Half way through the album and it’s great.  There’s so much good music in the world right now…

Little Dragon – “Constant Surprises”

Shout to my Swedish ancestry.

Yeah, yeah, WLotD has been on vacation for a while, I know.  Honestly, when you work 2.5 jobs, I spend most of my free time trying to avoid wackness so it may be somewhat sparse from here on out.  That said, my jobs still have me listening to new music all the time and sure enough, wackness is inevitable:

“Her booty big enough to swallow up a g-string/
Hey, go on, put that ass on me like a bee sting”
–T.I., “Day Dreaming”

I heard that and had the same expression as Tip did above.

New dopeness from the homies Tunji and Toby, produced by Decap and featuring the most underrated hook singer in the game, Deacon The Villain from the CunninLynguists.  Actually, seeing as how this song (or at least the demo) was my ringtone about 2 years ago, it’s really that new…but it should be new to y’all and it’s dope as hell, so grab it ASAP:

Inverse ft. Deacon the Villain – “So True”

This will be featured on Inverse‘s upcoming EP, dropping online New Year’s Day with production from Kno (of the CunninLynguists), Decap, M-Phazes, and Cook Classics.  No better way to kick off ’09.

Seattle People: You better come check out Inverse when they make their debut in the 206 at Chop Suey on January 17th.  Be there.

GregTheDude and Tunji took OkayplayerTV around Los Angeles to link up with Thes-One and Double K, better known as the People Under The Stairs.  The duo talked about how they originally linked up, their recording history, their new Fun DMC album, and their video for “The Wiz.”  That clip is one of my favorites from this past year, though I never would have guessed that the weather was awful when they shot it in Australia.  It always looked like the perfect summer joint to me:

Sidenote: it’s not smart to watch a video like that on a day when we’re snowed in here in Seattle.  Even if it was freezing down there, it makes me miss summer like craaaazy.

Silent Knight has been doing his thing for a minute and he’s currently one of 10 finalists in a contest for Loud.com.  Part of the competition entails shooting a video, so he linked up with  Court Dunn and Restless Films for this simple, but ill, clip for “Pop Culture Shock.”  Oh yeah…and it was produced by the big homey Jake One too, so you already know.

Be sure to download Silent Knight’s Holla Burton (The UnMixed Cassette) when it drops tomorrow (the 23rd) over at Elementality Productions.  You won’t want to miss this:

Side A:

1. “Holla Burton Intro”
2. “Regular Guy” (Produced by Illmind)
3. “Pop Culture Shock” (Produced by Jake One)
4. “Scarlet Fever” (Feat. East)  (Produced by Erv Ford)
5. “Where Is It Goin?” (Produced by DJ Vadim)
6. “Be Ok” (Produced by M-Phazes)
7. “The Journey Continues” (Produced by DJ Ings)
8. “The Wager” (Feat. 8thW1 & Fresh Daily as Charlie Brown’s Field Goal) (Produced by Illmind)
9. “What Makes U” (Produced by Erv Ford)
10. “Goin’ Get It” (Produced by Analogic)
11. “Block Justice” (Produced by M-Phazes)
12. “Siren Symphony” (Produced by Erv Ford)

Side B:

1. “Here We Go” (Feat. East) (Produced by 9^th Wonder)
2. “The Gathering” (Feat. Rashid Hadee, Emilio Rojas, Kaze & Oddisee)(Produced by Oddisee)
3. “What It Is” (Feat. Shabaam Sahdeeq & Fresh Daily) (Produced by Erv Ford)
4. “Get ‘Em” (Feat. Skyzoo, Emilio Rojas & East) (Produced by Illmind)
5. “Let It Be Known” (Feat. Kenn Starr & Hassaan Mackey) (Produced by Analogic)

Fresh.  Shout to Silent Knight, KO, and Court!

(why are EPL highlights so hard to find online?  seriously.)

If you didn’t learn the first time, just look at RvP’s finish in yesterday’s match vs. Liverpool.  Wow.  The chest control was brilliant, the one touch completely fooled Carragher, and then the finish with his ‘weaker’ right foot was still a rocket.  Bergkamp woulda been proud.  Lastly, he tops it off by brushing off his shoulder?  Aww man, phenomenal swag from RvP.

Before anyone says anything, yes, Keane’s finish was excellent too, and yes, it was still a draw that continues to reduce Arsenal’s title hopes.  Since I enjoy watching all the ‘Big 4’ play, I just want it to be a tight race and the draw keeps it close enough heading in to the new year.  LOL @ Howard Webb sending off Adebeyor for two normal fouls, meanwhile Lucas racked up about 11 fouls before getting his first booking though.  GTFOH.

I’m shocked that Liverpool couldn’t get a goal against a 10 man Arsenal team that lost Fabregas at the half.  If you’re going to be the champions, shouldn’t you take all 3 points there?

It’s about 11:30 on Sunday night, normally the time where J. Moore and I would be half way through Sound Session, but that’s clearly not happening.  If you’re in Seattle, you know why.  If not, click here.  It’s snowed virtually non-stop since last night, and I think we’re currently looking at about 8 inches of packed snow sitting on my deck.  In other words, ain’t nobody going nowhere tonight.

Some DJ’s might say ‘screw it,’ and leave y’all cold, dark, and clutching to a radio playing the latest travesty from Soulja Boy or Ron Browz.  Not I however.  Originally I was going to plug in my mic and record a little bootleg SNSS, but then I realized that the whole reason I’m on the air is to play good music, not to talk.  As a music lover, DJ’s who like to hear themselves talk has always been a pet peeve of mine.  So that said, I’ll stop ‘talking’ and get to the joints.

I’ve pulled together 25 songs that I would have played tonight on air if we weren’t all snowed in, put them in order, and zipped them together for you in one folder.  Just download the .rar file, extract/unzip the mp3’s (please say you have WinRAR by now…it’s almost 2009), and drop ’em into your mp3 player.  If you have any problems with this process, just contact me and I’ll help.  Contact info is at the top of the right sidebar –>

You may even like this option better because you’ll get the music in higher quality and separated track by track.  Plus, my fellow DJ’s who often hit me up for clean versions, you don’t even need to ask this week.  Have at it:

Show #186 (12-21-08)
**Online Only Edition**

1. Souls of Mischief – “Tour Stories”
2. K’Naan ft. Chubb Rock – “ABC’s”
3. Kali – “Cali Kali”
4. Wale ft. Brother Ali – “2nd Time”
5. Common – “Inhale”
6. Billy Danze (of M.O.P.) ft. Busta Rhymes – “Undescribable”
7. Joell Ortiz ft. Joe Budden – “Move On”
8. Josh Martinez ft. Devin The Dude – “Hurricane Jane” (Local Artist)
9. Royce The 5’9” – “Shake This”
10. DJ Cadik ft. Phat Kat & Elzhi – “Keep It Real”
11. Mikkey Halsted – “No Christmas”
12. Fashawn – “Freedom”
13. Exile ft. Muhsinah – “Stay Tuned (Stay High) (Vocal Mix)”
14. Willie Will – “Honor You” (Local Artist)
15. Q-Tip ft. D’Angelo – “I Believe”
16. Sene – “Whateva, Wheneva”
17. 88 Keys – “Nice Guys Finish Last”
18. Silent Knight – “Pop Culture Shock”
19. Fortilive – “The Come Up”
20. Clockwork – “Same As Me” (Local Artist)
21. U-N-I – “Hollywood Hiatus”
22. Black Milk ft. Colin Munroe – “Without U”
23. Adele – “Daydreams (nVMe Remix)”
24. Kanye West – “Street Lights”
25. Supastition – “Sounds of Xmas”

Link to download the mp3’s – http://www.megaupload.com/?d=ZC58LB3M
(back up link – http://www.zshare.net/download/530995513caabca2/ )

If there are any problems with the links or if you’d like to be added to our weekly email list to receive the playlist and download links after every show, just shoot me an email, DJHyphen@gmail.com.  If the weather cooperates, we’ll be back to our regularly scheduled program next week.