The Audacity of Dope

Aloe Blacc visited us last week and while here, he blessed us with a live performance of “Politician,” singing soulfully and eloquently about our government officials. The full interview is coming soon, but I wanted y’all to see this video ASAP.  Nailed it in one take…

Be sure to cop Aloe’s Good Things album on Stones Throw, coming out September 28th.  Support good music!

“My purpose for music is positive social change…” – Aloe Blacc

When Miguel blows up, we can all tell our friends we used to listen to him sing harmonies on Blu & Exile records before he got his deal…

Oh, and Seattle people: J. Cole is coming to Bumbershoot this year.  As one of the Bumberboard, you’re welcome.

Dope visuals by Punit Dhesi for Fashawn & Blu’s “Samsonite Man” off the instant classic album, Boy Meets World.  Speaking of being a traveling man, Fash will be in Seattle today for 2 shows with Wiz Khalifa.  He’ll also be stopping by the Sound Session studio, so if you have any questions you want me to ask, email me.

New visuals from Fresno’s Fashawn, produced by Exile.  This is the lead joint from Fash’s upcoming Boy Meets World album, which is setting up to be an incredible release.  Could it be another Below The Heavens?

There are some artists in this industry who are talented, and then there are a few that seem to be on another level, closer to genius status.  I won’t put the pressure on the homey Exile by calling him a genius, but he’s clearly working on another plane than your average ‘dope’ producer.  Between his beats, his live MPC performances, his beatboxing, and even his rapping, he hears things that we don’t, and puts sounds together in ways that we would never think to do.

A little while back, Ex came through Sound Session to talk all about his latest opus, Radio, an album crafted entirely out of sounds culled from his home radio.  He detailed the creative process behind the project and how it gave him a deeper respect for radio in general.  He also talked about his crazy live MPC sets with DJ Day, how his family influenced his music, his upcoming Boy Meets World album with Fashawn, a follow up to Blu’s Below The Heavens, and the 2892412931 other projects he’s got on his plate.  Check it all out right here:

Exile on Sound Session – http://www.mediafire.com/?gjnb13y1muj
(back up / streaming link – http://www.zshare.net/audio/610749136fb90d7d/)

If you haven’t already, cop Radio in stores now!

After another long winter and spring, it finally feels like summer here in the 206.  If you’re anything like me, the perfect complement to 70-80 degree weather is a good soundtrack and that’s exactly what we’re giving you each week with SNSS.  Peep the latest episode featuring dope new music from folks like Drake, Kid Cudi, B.o.B, Asher Roth, U-N-I, P.Casso, Tanya Morgan, Homeboy Sandman, Donny Goines, Outasight, Brother Ali, Marco Polo & Torae, Chester French, Fresh Daily, Oddisee, Santigold, and more.  We were also joined in studio by two of our illest up-and-coming Seattle MC’s, J. Pinder and Shawn Starr, and we aired a snippet of our interview with Exile.  We’ll be posting up the full interview on the site soon, but in the meantime…

Show #209 (5-31-09)

1. Drake ft. Lil’ Wayne – “Ignant Sh*t Freestyle”
2. Kid Cudi – “Super Boo”
3. U-N-I – “Land Of The Kings”
4. B.o.B – “Put It On Me ’09 (Reebok Classic Mix)”
5. Brother Ali – “Real As Can Be”
6. Tanya Morgan ft. Jermiside – “Don’t U Holla”
7. P.Casso ft. Von Pea & Homeboy Sandman – “Best In Show”
8. **INTERVIEW WITH SHAWN STARR & J. PINDER, PT. 1**
9. Shawn Starr ft. GMK – “Past The Games” (Local Artist)
10. Mos Def – “Casa Bey”
11. Skyzoo ft. Talib Kweli & Reks – “When I Rhyme”
12. Donny Goines ft. Outasight & Peter Hadar – “Sublime”
13. Scribes – “Can You Hear Me” (Local Artist)
14. **INTERVIEW WITH EXILE (SNIPPET)**
15. Blu & Exile – “Love Line”
16. Santigold – “Your Voice”
17. Fresh Daily ft. Oddisee & Mela Machinko – “Universal Medicine”
18. Asher Roth – “Sour Patch Kids”
19. Guilty Simpson – “Stress”
20. Bruce Leroy – “Million Dollar Dream” (Local Artist)
21. Marco Polo & Torae ft. Masta Ace & Sean Price – “Hold Up”
22. Chester French ft. Wale – “I’m Sorry”
23. Windimoto ft. Phonte – “Don’t Let Me Leave Alone”
24. **INTERVIEW WITH SHAWN STARR & J. PINDER, PT. 2**

Download the mp3 of the show – http://www.mediafire.com/?ldzjtyjy2cj
(back up / streaming link – http://www.zshare.net/audio/608328707136b4e0/ )

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.

Fresh off last week’s 200th edition of SNSS, we’re hitting you over the head with another dope show, this time, packed full of exclusive joints that I believe we world premiered Sunday on KUBE.  In today’s internet age, the traditional idea of ‘exclusives’ has pretty much gone out the window, and regardless, I’ve never even been that big a fan of the whole notion anyway.  Simply because a DJ plays something first, doesn’t make it worthwhile (“NEW SOULJA BOY!!!!”).

Instead, this past week, we ran some great songs that the general public just hasn’t heard yet, but everyone will probably have soon.  Some of them will be included on our upcoming Cornerstone Mixtape (with some other exclusives), but who knows if they’ll leak before that drops in May.  Speaking of which, DJ B-Mello, J. Moore, and I finished up the mixtape last night (shout to Taybot and L for the engineering assistance!) and it sounds fresh.  Looking forward to y’all hearing it, but for now, peep the show and some world premieres from Fashawn (prod. Exile), Roddy Rod ft. Phonte & Carlitta Durand, Asher Roth, and Tanya Morgan ft. Blu.  [Kanye] Good music definitely in the building! [/Yeezy]

Show #201 (4-5-09)

1. Donnis – “Party Works”
2. CunninLynguists ft. Khujo Goodie & Killer Mike – “Georgia (Remix)”
3. Drake – “November 18th”
4. Kid Cudi – “Rollin’ Freestyle”
5. Kid Cudi ft. Kanye West, Common, & A-Trak – “I Poke Her Face”
6. Melanie Fiona ft. Talib Kweli – “Give It To Me Right (Remix)”
7. J. Pinder ft. Shawn Starr – “Havin’ Problems” (Local Artist)
8. Crooked I & DJ Wicked – “Jackin’ For Beats 2009”
9. Bishop Lamont – “Friends”
10. Method Man & Redman – “Mrs. International”
11. Fashawn – “The Outer City” (WORLD PREMIERE)
12. Outasight ft. The Kid Daytona & Donny Goines – “Fame & Fortune (Remix)”
13. Shad – “Exile”
14. Illa J ft. Grynch – “Showtime (Remix)” (Local Artist)
15. Roddy Rod ft. Phonte (of Little Brother) & Carlitta Durand – “This Time Around” (WORLD PREMIERE)
16. U-N-I & Ro Blvd – “Lauren London”
17. Pac Div – “Shut Up”
18. Common Market – “Escaping Arkham” (Local Artist)
19. Scratch ft. Musiq – “Tonite”
20. Asher Roth – “La Di Da” (WORLD PREMIERE)
21. Keelay & Zaire ft. Supastition & Slo Mo (of Fortilive) – “Trapped”
22. Tanya Morgan ft. Blu – “Morgan Blu” (WORLD PREMIERE)
23. Mayer Hawthorne – “Just Ain’t Gonna Work Out”

Link to download the mp3 of the show – http://www.mediafire.com/?mxjmgntmwmy
(back up / streaming link – http://www.zshare.net/audio/58302299c213a043/)

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.

Here’s some footage shot by the legendary JKim at the Seattle release party for Exile’s Radio at Nectar Lounge.  This was a dope night all around – DJ Day and Ex killed their set, and I judged the Qualified Beat Battle.  Congrats again to the winner, Ohmega Watts, and shout to all those involved with putting on a great night.

Be on the lookout for Exile’s appearance on SNSS soon…more homies who were down at SXSW!

What up, what up?  I know it’s been a minute since I’ve posted anything up, but your boy has been mad busy.  After heading down to Oregon last weekend for a basketball tournament with my 6th grade select team that I coach, I promptly caught a crazy cold that has me stuck in bed.  I fought it all last week and seemed to be doing pretty well, but when you have a nagging cold and don’t eat or sleep well all week, it usually catches up to you.  Running around from 9am – midnight every day for weeks at a time definitely got to me.  And someone please tell me why it’s still snowing in March in Seattle…wtfffff.

Anyway, I hope to be blogging more again soon.  Here’s this week’s Sound Session to get things started.  Darn good show if I say so myself…

Show #197 (3-8-09)

1. Buggs Tha Rocka ft. Little Brother – “Get Away”
2. Reflection Eternal ft. Bootsy Collins – “Internet Connection”
3. Focus ft. Big Pooh, Sha Stimuli, & Kurupt – “Homage To Pete Rock”
4. DJ Babu ft. MF Doom & Sean Price – “The Unexpected”
5. **INTERVIEW WITH MACKLEMORE & CASSIUS**
6. Blame One ft. Sean Price – “Disturbed”
7. Nottz ft. Kardinal Offishall & Cory Gunz – “Can’t Hide The Truth”
8. Braille & S1 – “For Life” (Local Artist)
9. John Legend – “Lay Your Head Down”
10. Mayer Hawthorne – “Just Ain’t Gonna Work Out”
11. Zion I ft. K. Flay – “Coastin’”
12. LaRue – “Rise Up” (Local Artist)
13. Kid Cudi – “Sky Might Fall”
14. TiRon ft. Ayomari – “3 Drink Minimum”
15. Ms. One ft. Black Milk & Big Pooh – “2 MC’s”
16. Drake – “Lust For Life”
17. Saigon & Statik Selektah – “The Rules”
18. Ripynt ft. Jazz Digga – “Can’t Take It” (Local Artist)
19. Pacific Division – “Mayor”
20. Slaughterhouse (Joe Budden, Joell Ortiz, Royce The 5’9”, & Crooked I) – “Fight Club”
21. Method Man & Redman – “A Yo”

Link to download the mp3 – http://www.mediafire.com/?ododhcoedzi
(back up / streaming link – http://www.zshare.net/audio/56841816dcd6056c/)

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.

I’ll be there…possibly telling you how your beats sound.