The Audacity of Dope

When you start going through the list of producers that also rhyme on the mic, you’ll actually come up with more names than you might expect. That said, our homey Black Milk is definitely right there near the top of the list.  Milk’s been dropping great music for years now and we always enjoy catching up with one of our favorites when he comes through town.

On this appearance on Sound Session, he spoke specifically on his peers that both rap and produce, and the advantages that handling everything yourself affords you as a MC.  He’ll continue to take matters into his own hands by releasing If There’s A Hell Below on his own Computer Ugly label later in the year, and Milk talked in depth about the project, including revealing his guests.  Other topics included the state of mainstream rap production over the years, the temptation of compromising his sound and how he stays true, his desire to work with Earl Sweatshirt, and more.

Shout to Black Milk, Rosalinda, and the First Ladies.  What up doe!

Think a female version of The Weeknd, minus the drugs and with a stronger voice. No idea how she became involved with Tyga’s label (seems random), but I really like what I’ve heard from Esty so far. Be sure to cop her EP here if you haven’t already.

British dance music or alt-R&B is probably the most enjoyable stuff coming out these days. MNEK is killing just about everything he touches.

Super busy at the day job, so I’ll keep this brief.  New music on this week’s SNSS from our local friends, Mary Lambert, Sam Lachow, Gifted Gab, Mario Sweet, Theoretics, and Moe Betta, plus cuts from around the world from the likes of Dilated Peoples, Your Old Droog, Majid Jordan, Kiesza, Psymun, Sango & Waldo, Nikki Jean, John Legend, Gorgon City, and more.  We also ran a snippet of our interview with one of our favorite cats in the game, Shad.

A lot of folks still haven’t heard of Shad, but I really recommend you get hip if you’re sleeping.  Recently, I was trying to think if there are any artists that I can cosign literally EVERYTHING they’ve ever put in their music and I think Shad is the only one that fits.  On top of that, he’s an incredibly intelligent and humorous writer with an ill delivery/flow plus better wordplay than pretty much everyone out there.  This old clip sums it up…witty, funny, knowledgeable, the right messages, etc…it has everything…and it’s from six years ago.  Good grief.  Be on the lookout for the full video interview soon!

Enjoy the show in the meantime!

Show #475 (7-20-14)

1. Mary Lambert – “Secrets” (Local Music)
2. Sam Lachow ft. Gifted Gab & Mario Sweet – “Action Figures” (Local Music)
3. Lupe Fiasco ft. Ty Dolla Sign – “Next To It”
4. Dilated Peoples ft. Aloe Blacc – “Show Me The Way”
5. Your Old Droog – “Gunsmoke Cologne”
6. Termanology & Shortfyuz ft. REKS – “The Mecca”
7. Theoretics ft. Moe Betta – “Funk Break” (Local Music)
8. Common ft. Vince Staples – “Out On Bond”
9. Mac Miller ft. Vince Staples – “Rain”
10. Tayyib Ali – “Do It (High School Dropout)”
11. Joell Ortiz ft. B.o.B – “Music Saved My Life”
12. Travis Scott ft. Big Sean & The 1975 – “Don’t Play”
13. Mike Will Made It ft. Lil Wayne, Kendrick Lamar, & Future – “Buy The World”
14. **INTERVIEW WITH SHAD**
15. Shad & DJ T.LO – “Always Winnin”
16. Majid Jordan – “Forever”
17. Gorgon City ft. Yasmin – “Real”
18. Kiesza – “So Deep”
19. Psymun ft. Spooky Black & Bobby Raps – “Blind”
20. Sango & Waldo ft. SPZRKT – “Crossroads”
21. The Roots – “Silent Treatment” (Throwback of the Week)
22. Jhene Aiko – “The Pressure”
23. Nikki Jean – “Summertime Girl”
24. John Legend – “You & I (Nobody In The World)”

Link to download/stream the mp3 of the show – http://www.solidfiles.com/d/ef3815b05c/DJ_Hyphen_and_J._Moore_-_Sunday_Night_Sound_Session%2C_Show_475%2C_7-20-14.mp3
(back up – http://www3.zippyshare.com/v/20530415/file.html)
(2nd back up – http://linkmixes.com/ns46vk7wshm5)

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.

Peep this week’s episode of SNSS for new music from Common, Big Sean, J. Pinder, Fly Union, Easy Money, REKS, Noreaga, Saigon, Rah Digga, Shad, The Lox, Majid Jordan, SlimKid3, Kiesza, Havoc, and more.  Lots of good music on this week’s show, running through multiple genres.  Enjoy!

Show #474 (7-13-14)

1. Common ft. Big Sean – “Diamonds”
2. J. Pinder ft. Camilla Recchio – “Virtue” (Local Music)
3. Fly Union ft. BJ The Chicago Kid – “Don’t Count Me Out”
4. Statik Selektah ft. Action Bronson, Royce Da 5’9”, & Black Thought – “The Imperial”
5. Easy Money – “Nothin Alike”
6. REKS ft. Noreaga & Saigon – “Garvey”
7. Rah Digga ft. Chuck D – ‘Storm Comin’”
8. Shad & DJ T.LO – “Always Winnin”
9. The Lox ft. Sevyn Streeter – “Remember”
10. Russ – “Yellow”
11. The Good Sin – “Promise Me” (Local Music)
12. Majid Jordan – “A Place Like This”
13. FKA twigs – “Two Weeks”
14. Melat – “Love So High”
15. Marsha Ambrosius ft. Dr. Dre – “Stronger”
16. KillemAll Coop – “Do U Feel Dat” (Local Music)
17. Cozz – “Dreams”
18. Mac Miller – “Funeral”
19. Mayday & Murs – “Here”
20. SlimKid3 & DJ Nu-Mark – “Bom Bom Fiya”
21. Gist The Essence ft. Havoc – “Illest Alive”
22. Lauryn Hill ft. D’Angelo – “Nothing Even Matters” (Throwback of the Week)
23. Kiesza – “So Deep”
24. Gorgon City ft. Yasmin – “Real”
25. Disclosure & Friend Within – “The Mechanism”

Link to download/stream the mp3 of the show – http://www.solidfiles.com/d/f695ca784f/DJ_Hyphen_and_J._Moore_-_Sunday_Night_Sound_Session%2C_Show_474%2C_7-13-14.mp3
(back up – http://linkmixes.com/5rbvwl1ghd0x)
(2nd back up – http://www66.zippyshare.com/v/70037757/file.html)

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.

Very 80’s…from the visuals to the Prince-esque sounds. The UK wins again.

Majid Jordan, the duo best known for their work on Drake’s “Hold On We’re Going Home,” are prepping their new EP and “A Place Like This” acts as the lead single and title track for the project.  As an added bonus, we get visuals at the same [damn] time the song is released, which almost always works as a smart marketing move (you never get a 2nd chance at a 1st impression).  It plays well here (that drop and laser effect at 2:53 is doooooope), and the visuals provide an interesting contrast to the images/messages that we’ve seen from another Toronto alt-R&B artist affiliated with Drake.  As much as people would like to think of that party scene as being all fun and games, it can quickly drag you under if you aren’t careful.

“It’s hard to teach a child when it gets like this //

What they offering you in a place like this //

What they promising you when it gets like this?”

If you’re late to the Majid Jordan bandwagon, be sure you track down their Afterhours EP they released before signing to Drizzy’s OVO Sound label.  Some of my favorite music of the past few years and the new project will surely pick up where that left off.  It drops July 22nd.

I’m writing this on the eve of the World Cup semifinals and as anyone who knows me is fully aware, as much as I love music, sports are just on another level for me.  I’m beyond excited to watch these last few matches, where Germany and Brazil battle on one side of the bracket and Argentina vs. Nethlerlands square off on the other.  Sure, the first match up lost a little luster without Neymar and Thiago Silva, but it still features the best two teams in the world and Brazil hasn’t lost a competitive match on home soil in about 40 years…so you could say there’s a little pressure for the Seleção.  The next day, I’m pulling for my guy RVP to work some magic and get the Dutch back to the final for a second cup in a row.  Hopefully he can help them win it all this time.

But I digress…peep this week’s episode of SNSS for new tracks from Kolley, Cozz, Rejjie Snow, Fly Union, Black Thought, Nas, Sam Lachow, Black Milk, Sebastian Mikael, and my favorite artist of the moment, FKA twigs.  Plus, our homey Avatar Darko dropped through to premiere his new record with Jarv Dee.  Enjoy the show!

Show #473 (7-6-14)

1. Wiz Khalifa ft. Rick Ross, Schoolboy Q, and Nas – “We Dem Boyz (Remix)”
2. Kolley ft. Big K.R.I.T. – “Poetry In Motion”
3. Jeezy ft. Jay-Z – “Seen It All”
4. G-Unit – “They Talked About Jesus”
5. **INTERVIEW WITH AVATAR DARKO, PT. 1**
6. Avatar Darko ft. Jarv Dee – “Modern Day Pharaohs” (Local Music)
7. Cozz – “Dreams”
8. **INTERVIEW WITH AVATAR DARKO, PT. 2**
9. Statik Selektah ft. Action Bronson, Royce Da 5’9”, & Black Thought – “The Imperial”
10. Buckshot & P-Money – “Red Alert”
11. Lupe Fiasco ft. Ty Dolla Sign – “Next To It”
12. Common – “Speak My Piece”
13. AZ – “Red Magic”
14. Rejjie Snow – “Olga (1984)”
15. Fly Union ft. BJ The Chicago Kid – “Don’t Count Me Out”
16. Sam Lachow ft. Raz Simone & Ariana DeBoo – “Dreams of Gold” (Local Music)
17. Wanz ft. Warren G, Grynch, & Crytical – “To: Nate Dogg” (Local Music)
18. Tha Dogg Pound ft. Michel’le & Nate Dogg – “Let’s Play House” (Throwback of the Week)
19. Troy Ave – “Feel Good”
20. Black Milk – “What It’s Worth”
21. Jaded Incorporated – “Come Down”
22. The Weeknd – “Often”
23. FKA twigs – “Two Weeks”
24. Spooky Black – “Without U”
25. Sebastian Mikael – “Lose It”

Link to download/stream the mp3 of the show – http://www.solidfiles.com/d/a5e99ed98e/DJ_Hyphen_and_J._Moore_-_Sunday_Night_Sound_Session%2C_Show_473%2C_7-6-14.mp3
(back up – http://www53.zippyshare.com/v/46480725/file.html)
(2nd back up – http://linkmixes.com/hqcerdt7r08g)

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.

Running behind on archiving SNSS episodes, so this will be the first of two to go out tonight.  On episode #472, we welcomed Wanz, Grynch, and Crytical in to the studio to discuss their tribute to Nate Dogg and how they linked with Warren G for the track.  Wanz also told some very interesting behind the scenes stories about working with Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and how “Thrift Shop” all came about.  Many thanks to the fellas for coming through, but especially for all the knowledge Wanz dropped.  We’re lucky to have him in our Seattle scene.

We also ran new records from Meyhem Lauren, Slaughterhouse, The Good Sin, G-Eazy, Jhene Aiko, 20syl, Pell, The Weeknd, and even world premiered a record from AZ.  For throwbacks, we had to honor the late, great Bobby Womack.  Rest in peace to one of the all time greats.

Enjoy!

Show #472 (6-29-14)

1. Meyhem Lauren & Buckwild ft. Action Bronson – “100 MPH”
2. Slaughterhouse – “Life In The City”
3. G-Unit – “They Talked About Jesus”
4. **INTERVIEW WITH WANZ, GRYNCH, & CRYTICAL, PT. 1**
5. Mike Will Made It ft. Lil Wayne, Kendrick Lamar, & Future – “Buy The World”
6. Lupe Fiasco ft. Ty Dolla Sign – “Next To It”
7. **INTERVIEW WITH WANZ, GRYNCH, & CRYTICAL, PT. 2**
8. Wanz ft. Warren G, Grynch, & Crytical – “To: Nate Dogg” (Local Music)
9. **INTERVIEW WITH WANZ, GRYNCH, & CRYTICAL, PT. 3**
10. The Good Sin – “Two Lips (Roses)” (Local Music)
11. G-Eazy ft. Blackbear – “Remember You”
12. Jhene Aiko ft. Cocaine 80s – “To Love & Die”
13. Jessie Ware – “Tough Love”
14. Melat – “Love So High”
15. Astro King Phoenix – “Yes Lord” (Local Music)
16. 20syl ft. Oddisee – “Ongoing Thing”
17. **AZ – “Red Magic” (WORLD PREMIERE)**
18. Buckshot & P-Money ft. Raz Fresco – “Just Begun”
19. Black Milk – “Cold Day”
20. Pell – “Runaway”
21. The Weeknd – “Often”
22. Spooky Black – “Without U”
23. Bobby Womack – “If You Think You’re Lonely Now” (Throwback of the Week)
24. Bobby Womack – “Across 110th Street” (Throwback of the Week)

Link to download/stream the mp3 of the show – http://www.solidfiles.com/d/a91ea6bb97/DJ_Hyphen_and_J._Moore_-_Sunday_Night_Sound_Session%2C_Show_472%2C_6-29-14.mp3
(back up – http://www47.zippyshare.com/v/92339579/file.html)
(2nd back up – http://linkmixes.com/hkcnat2e11lg)

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.