The Audacity of Dope

Having been on the airwaves for almost a decade now, sometimes it’s easy to get stuck in the routine and lose some of the excitement that got me into this industry in the first place.  While it’s fun to interview hip-hop’s next generation and meet all the up and comers, there’s nothing better than chopping it up with someone who I listened to back in “the good ol’ days.”

When I got to college in 2000 and discovered the magnificence that was Napster + a T1 connection, I downloaded just about every ‘underground’ track I could find.  Among those gems was Louis Logic’s Music To Drink By compilation, which I definitely consider a personal classic (even though I was never a drinker…shrug).  Since then, Lou’s gone on to release more great projects, many of which have fallen a bit under the radar.  With the upcoming release of his Spork Kills surf-pop meets hip-hop hybrid album, Beaches Love Us, he’s about to burst back on the scene with more noise than ever.  Don’t believe me?  Peep the video for the first single, “Night Of The Hip ‘N Dead”:

A little while back, Lou came through Sound Session to talk all about the early 2000’s underground scene, his work with the Demigodz, his musical and personal evolution, his time as roommates with Travis from Gym Class Heroes, why Spork Kills is his best and most important work to date, and much more.  Do yourself a favor and check out this in-depth interview with one of hip-hop’s best lyricists:

Louis Logic on Sound Session – http://www.mediafire.com/?gxzkmkv2ig2
(back up / streaming link – http://www.zshare.net/audio/607441023e2f958e/ )

Shout to my dude Type for helping bring Louis through the show…now he’s a homey from the real “good ol’ days,” all the way back in middle school.  What up Jeff!

Ahahahahahaha, greatness.  Though to be fair, range is generally not our problem.  It’s every other skill set on the highest level, but we have jumpers for days.

Via the new and improved QN5.com.

Despite the special effects looking like cut scenes from an early 2000’s computer game (Starcraft FTW), I kinda dig this video.  Well, upon further review, I think I just like he song and the clip itself is adequate.  Kanye kind of bodies his verse (for a guest 16 on a R&B track) and The-Dream is actally one of the few pop/R&B singers I like these days.  Though I don’t like that there’s a hyphen in his name…not one bit.  Why does The-Dream have a hyphen and Flo Rida doesn’t?  These are the things that keep me up at night.

Sidenote, Seattle folks: The-Dream (and perhaps Ms. Milian?) will be coming to Summer Jam this year, July 25th at White River Amphitheater.  For more info and the complete lineup, click here.  And since it is a recession, if you want to cop lawn seats for $9.33, we’re having a special promotion this Saturday from 10am  – 1pm at White River.  Plus, if you find me there and mention The Audacity of Dope, you win a special prize*.

*special prize is dap lasting no longer than 2.3 seconds.

Yessir!  It doesn’t get any more 206 than this one.  Big shout to everyone involved in this video, many of which are my favorite folks in this industry/community.  Great to see everyone get some shine and I’m still a little disappointed I wasn’t able to hit up the shoot too.  If I remember right though, I was coaching my 6th grade select squad to some Eastside ass-whooping, so it’s all good.  Would have been nice to get a little U-District/Ravenna repping though hahaha.  The end of this song (“peace out homey!!!”) will always be a great memory, as that soundbite was taken from one of our crazy SNSS callers when Jake was in the studio one night.  Classic.

Special props to Jake, Zia, & Pinder for doing a great job with this clip.  Townbidnassmane.

Yeah, Cudi’s on the hook on this too, along with Hudson…not sure why nobody ever credits him…

Anyway, here’s the long awaited video for Kanye’s “Paranoid,” one of my favorite songs from the past year.  Unfortunately, this video doesn’t really do a lot for me, mainly cause I don’t think Aneesa from the Road Rules/Real World Challenge Rihanna is that hot.  Sue me.  Song is still the JAM though.

If you remember the first video from Shawn Jackson & Newman’s New Jack Hustle project, you already know this one was gonna be fresh.  Add in Ohmega Watts and dope, innovative idea and it’s a wrap.  NW/Pitzer in this piece.  Peep the interview with New Jack Hustle from SNSS a while back right here.

Any of you own some of the vinyl in the video?  I know I do…

As I mentioned in the post for the most recent Sound Session, Krispy and Al from the Knux came through the studio to kick it and co-host last night’s show.  We talked about their next album, upcoming tour plans, an all-star remix to their “F!re” track that’s in the works, the Twitter phenomenon, and more. Plus, they even kicked a quick freestyle live over the air.

You can watch part of the interview above (including the freestyle) and/or download the audio below:

The Knux on Sound Session – http://www.mediafire.com/?aowymygdmhm
(back up / streaming link – http://www.zshare.net/audio/60507495869da4aa/)

In case you missed their first appearance on SNSS, click here.

Shout to the whole crew for coming through.  Be sure to cop Remind Me In 3 Days if you haven’t already and catch the Knux on tour in your town soon!

On a week where J. Moore was holding it down for us with Jake One in Minnesota at the Rhymesayers’ Soundset concert, I was expecting to run through a normal episode of SNSS solo.  Turns out, I forgot that the long holiday weekend also meant that the yearly Sasquatch Festival was taking place down at the Gorge and the homies The Knux were in town early for their Monday performance.  Krispy Kream and Rah Almillio dropped through the studio to kick it and co-host with me, and we talked about their next album, upcoming tour plans, an all-star remix for their “F!re” track that’s in the works, the Twitter phenomenon, and more.  Plus, they even ripped a quick freestyle live over the air.

You can peep the interview and full show below…video of the freestyle coming soon.  In case you missed their first appearance on SNSS, click here.

Show #208 (5-24-09)

1. **INTERVIEW WITH THE KNUX, PT. 1**
2. Marco Polo & Torae ft. Masta Ace & Sean Price – “Hold Up”
3. DJ Spinna ft. Fresh Daily, P.Casso, & Homeboy Sandman – “Get On Down”
4. Quest Tha Young’n ft. Reks & Termanology – “To Be Nice”
5. CL Smooth – “The Piano”
6. Kanye West & Malik Yusef ft. Common & John Legend – “Magic Man”
7. Kid Cudi – “Super Boo”
8. Santigold – “Your Voice”
9. **INTERVIEW WITH THE KNUX, PT. 2**
10. The Knux – Live Freestyle
11. Scribes – “Roll My Way” (Local Artist)
12. Buff1 – “For U (M-Phazes Remix)”
13. Shaya – “Be Proud”
14. Lykke Li ft. Drake – “Little Bit (Remix)”
15. Julian Marley ft. Damian Marley – “Violence In The Streets”
16. Busta Rhymes ft. Pharrell & Tosh – “Kill Dem”
17. M64 (Ragen Fykes & Ohmega Watts) – “In The Pocket” (Local Artist)
18. **INTERVIEW WITH THE KNUX, PT. 3**
19. Bruce Leroy – “100 Bars Of Death” (Local Artist)
20. Saigon – “Change Gon’ Come”
21. Windimoto ft. Phonte – “Don’t Let Me Leave Alone”

Link to download the mp3 of the show – http://www.mediafire.com/?kcn22gljlwd
(back up / streaming link – http://www.zshare.net/audio/60507353af892ef7/)

Link to download just the parts with the Knux – http://www.mediafire.com/?aowymygdmhm
(back up / streaming link – http://www.zshare.net/audio/60507495869da4aa/)

Link to watch the interview/freestyle with the Knux – http://vimeo.com/4835244

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.

Back in the good ol’ Napster days, one of my favorite discoveries was a dope crew from Maryland and NYC named Maspyke.  Tableek and the criminally underrated Hanif Jamyl held down mic duties while Roddy Rod killed the production.  Whether you’re familiar with Rod through Maspyke or his Low Budget crew affiliation, just make sure you’re not sleeping.

Here’s his new video for “This Time Around” with Phonte (of Little Brother) and Carlitta Durand.  SNSS listeners will remember us world premiering this track last month, so act like ya know.

Roddy Rod ft. Phonte and Carlitta Durand – “This Time Around”

Off the re-release of Rod’s Cuba After Market album.

The new homey M-Dot recently dropped his new mixtape, Money Doesn’t Own Thought, featuring guest appearances from Termanology, Agallah, Singapore Kane, Trademarc, Grime Tha MC, and EMS and production by Domingo, DC The Midi Alien, D-Sharp, and more.  Peep the tracklist and download link below:

Download here.