The Audacity of Dope

Oh man, very late on getting you guys some recent SNSS episodes to rock to in the car, on the train/bus, at the gym, at the desk, etc., my bad!  Luckily, the music from our final 10 Year Anniversary Special is timeless.  If you missed parts 1 and 2, click here.  Again, we went through our archives and picked out two records from each year that we really, really loved, and thought represented the show well.  There were hundreds of other GREAT songs that didn’t quite make the cut, so these are really some of our favorites.

We also took a few minutes out of the show to give the homey Post Malone his first radio interview.  Fun little fact to look back on years from now…

The next two episodes will be up soon.  Enjoy the cuts!

Show #520 (5-31-15)
**10 Year Anniversary Special, Week #3**

1.    Jay-Z – “Dear Summer” (2005)
2.    Kanye West ft. Jay-Z – “Diamonds From Sierra Leone (Remix)” (2005)
3.    The Game ft. Kanye West – “Wouldn’t Get Far” (2006)
4.    J Dilla – “Won’t Do” (2006)
5.    **INTERVIEW WITH POST MALONE**
6.    Amy Winehouse – “Me & Mr. Jones” (2007)
7.    Outlawz ft. Young Buck & Dion – “Drivin’ Down The Freeway” (2007)
8.    Big Boi ft. Raekwon & Andre3000 – “Royal Flush” (2008)
9.    N.E.R.D. – “You Know What” (2008)
10.    Nipsey Hussle – “Hussle In The House” (2009)
11.    Pac Div – “Mayor” (2009)
12.    Shad – “Rose Garden” (2010)
13.    Nottz ft. Dwele – “You Need This Music” (2010)
14.    Frank Ocean – “Novacane” (2011)
15.    Tyler, The Creator – “Yonkers” (2011)
16.    Yuna – “Live Your Life” (2012)
17.    Gilbere Forte – “Pray” (2012)
18.    Drake ft. Jhene Aiko – “From Time” (2013)
19.    Drake ft. Sampha – “Too Much” (2013)
20.    Anna Lunoe ft. Jesse Boykins III – “Heartbreak In Motion” (2014)
21.    J. Cole – “Fire Squad” (2014)
22.    Scribes – “Roll My Way” (Local Music) (2009)
23.    Ray Dalton – “So Emotional” (Local Music) (2012)
24.    Blue Scholars – “Southside Revival” (Local Music) (2005)

Stream/Download via Soundcloud:

(back up – https://www.sendspace.com/file/j1gekp)

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 around like crazy this week so unfortunately I don’t have too much time for a recap, but never fear, we’re back with another great episode of SNSS to hold you down.  J. Moore was joined in studio by DV One and ran through dope tracks from folks like Tunji Ige, Kali Uchis, Warm Brew, Drake, Joey Badass, Nefew, Alina Baraz, TUT, a few throwbacks to honor two of the greatest musical geniuses of all time, and more.

As often happens with our show, we have the privilege and honor to give some artists their very first radio spins, and no matter how many times it happens, I will never get tired of seeing their reactions.  Moments like Russ hearing his track played over 100k watts while in the home studio he recorded it in, or Johnny Rain’s tweet below are what SNSS are all about!

shoutout to @KUBE93 & @DJHyphen for showing love tonight in Seattle! first radio station to play my music! much love! 🙏

— Johnny Rain (@JohnnyRainOD) February 9, 2015

Enjoy the show (and peep that Johnny Rain album ASAP!):

Show #504 (2-8-15)

1.    Big Sean ft. Drake & Kanye West – “Blessings”
2.    King Reign – “Happylaidback”
3.    Nefew ft. BJ The Chicago Kid – “Lionheart”
4.    Raz Simone – “These Words” (Local Music)
5.    Tunji Ige – “Pocketed Lighter”
6.    Joey Badass – “Hazeus View”
7.    Warm Brew ft. Arima Ederra – “In A Bottle”
8.    Russ – “Hoe Love”
9.    TUT ft. Angel Mae & Taylor Freeman – “Holy Water”
10.    Vic Mensa – “Down On My Luck”
11.    Slum Village – “Raise It Up” (Throwback of the Week)
12.    Bob Marley – “Waiting In Vain” (Throwback of the Week)
13.    Kali Uchis – “Know What I Want”
14.    Tuxedo (Mayer Hawthorne & Jake One) – “Two Wrongs” (Local Music)
15.    Malice Sweet – “Try You” (Local Music)
16.    Alina Baraz & Galimatias – “Fantasy”
17.    Johnny Rain – “Oakland Ting / 808 and Patron”
18.    D’Angelo & The Vanguard – “Really Love”
19.    Von Pea & The Other Guys ft. Kooley High – “Might As Well”
20.    J. Cole – “Fire Squad”

Stream/Download via Soundcloud:

(back up – https://www.sendspace.com/file/u2a3iv)

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.

Sound Session #452 was an episode all about celebration.  As we always do around his birthday, we celebrated J Dilla’s life by playing his instrumentals all night long and talking a bit about his dopeness.  Still the greatest producer of all time in my book!

We also discussed the 10 year anniversary of a classic album, Kanye’s debut, College Dropout, which coincidentally dropped during the 2nd semester of my senior year in college.  We were graduating, not dropping out, but that album still defined that time of my life and encapsulated so many of the feelings my friends and I had back then.  It helped that we got to kick it with a younger Yeezy when he was on tour in LA that year, and the stories we have from those encounters are some of my favorite memories ever.

Kanye rapping his “18 years, 18 years!” verse from “Gold Digger” acapella to us 2 years before we’d hear it again on Late Registration?  Check.  Kanye asking us incredulously, “you’ve actually heard of me?” when we were telling him about how much we liked his mixtape freestyles?  Check.  The turntables skipping so much at the El Rey that Ye stopped Don C from playing the instrumentals and had John Stephens (later renamed John Legend) sing background melodies for him to rap over?  Check.  Kanye pouring us all glasses of champagne as he performed “Last Call”?  Check.

Ironically enough, I went back to my college last week to play in an alumni game with my old basketball teammates and it definitely brought me back to those days.  Shout to everyone I saw in LA, I appreciate y’all!

Enough of that, enjoy this week’s show and be sure to come out to the release party for our new Northwest Fresh mixtape on Saturday at 2312 2nd Ave in Seattle’s Belltown neighborhood.  Free entry, open bar, prizes, good music, good people…what else do you need?  You can even celebrate Valentine’s Day and my birthday at the same time!  Here are the details.

Show #452 (2-9-14)

1. YG ft. Drake – “Who Do You Love”
2. Schoolboy Q – “Break The Bank”
3. Future ft. Pusha T & Pharrell – “Move That Dope”
4. Raz Simone – “Don’t Shine” (Local Music)
5. Yelawolf – “Box Chevy V”
6. CyHi Da Prynce – “Napoleon”
7. Phife Dawg – “Dear Dilla”
8. Add-2 – “Bomber & A Fly Chick”
9. Joey Badass – “Pantie Raid, Pt. 2”
10. Jarell Perry – “Black Valentine”
11. Rashad – “First Move”
12. Miguel – “Simplethings”
13. Mar – “Man x Woman”
14. J. Pinder – “Orange Papers” (Local Music)
15. Isaiah Rashad – “Soliloquy”
16. Step Brothers (Evidence & Alchemist) – “More Wins”
17. OB Obrien – “Steve Nash”
18. Grieves – “Shreds” (Local Music)
19. Tech N9ne ft. Mayday, Kendrick Lamar, & Kendall Morgan – “Fragile”
20. Kanye West ft. Jay-Z & J. Ivy – “Never Let Me Down” (Throwback of the Week)
21. Sam Smith – “Nirvana (Harry Fraud Remix)”
22. Fabolous ft. Jeremih – “Thim Slick”
23. Major Lazer ft. Pharrell – “Aerosol Can”

Link to download/stream the mp3 of the show – http://www.solidfiles.com/d/2b48507905/DJ_Hyphen_and_J._Moore_-_Sunday_Night_Sound_Session%2C_Show_452%2C_2-9-14.mp3
(back up – http://www69.zippyshare.com/v/63999368/file.html)
(2nd back up – http://linkmixes.com/u98z3ledypgd)

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.

Elzhi’s manager, Jae Barber, teams up with Gerard Victor to create some nice visuals for El’s remake of Nas’ classic (and my favorite song off Illmatic).  You’ll recognize faces like Eminem, Royce Da 5’9″, J Dilla, Proof, T3, Baatin, and others in the footage of Detroit’s legendary Hip-Hop Shop, famously highlighted in 8 Mile.

Inspired by Slum Village’s “Climax,” of course.  Dilla told you later with “Won’t Do” as well.  Shout to all the homies in this one!

Watch this immediately.  There’s really nothing else that needs to be said.  RIP Dilla.

This week’s episode of SNSS celebrated birthdays from two of our favorite musical geniuses, Bob Marley and James Yancey.  While we certainly would have loved to dedicate more time to these two, we also maintained the tried and tested SNSS formula, rocking new joints from artists like Raekwon, Declaime, Lupe, Rittz, REKS, Shad, Pac Div, and Translee.  Plus, we were joined in studio by some talented artists from the town, The Good Sin, 10.4 Rog, and T.N.T., and had the opportunity to chop it up with the author of an incredible new book, The Big Payback: The History of the Business of Hip-Hop, Dan Charnas.  And since we talked Dilla all night, we had to have HouseShoes call in and say a few words on behalf of Detroit.

Before you download the show, some words of wisdom from Mr. Charnas:

“People, especially within hip-hop, need to control the institutions that distribute the music and their work into the world.  Without control, we can always slide back into a situation where expression of the youth is blocked by major corporations.”

And that’s why we’re here.  Bang.

Show #297 (2-6-11)

1. Killer Mike ft. T.I. – “Ready Set Go”
2. 50 Cent – “Old 2003 Ferrari”
3. Raekwon ft. Ghostface Killah, Jim Jones, & Kobe – “Rock N Roll”
4. Tyga ft. Snoop Dogg, Game, & Pharrell – “Really Raw”
5. Declaime – “Black Pick”
6. Kendrick Lamar ft. Gucci Mane – “Vanity Slave, Pt. 2”
7. **INTERVIEW WITH THE GOOD SIN & 10.4 ROG**
8. The Good Sin & 10.4 Rog – “Bad About You” (Local Music)
9. Lupe Fiasco ft. Skular Grey – “Words I Never Said”
10. Rittz – “High Five”
11. DJ Quik ft. Gift Reynolds – “Luv Of My Life”
12. Translee – “Get Off Me”
13. Pac Div – “Take Me High”
14. Scribes – “Pass You By” (Local Music)
15. **INTERVIEW WITH T.N.T.**
16. T.N.T. – “Rookie Of The Year” (Local Music)
17. REKS – “25th Hour”
18. **INTERVIEW WITH DAN CHARNAS**
19. Shad ft. Dallas Green – “Live Forever”
20. **INTERVIEW WITH HOUSESHOES**
21. J Dilla – “Won’t Do” (Throwback of the Week)
22. Bob Marley – “Could You Be Loved” (Bonus Throwback of the Week)

Link to download the mp3 of the show – http://www.mediafire.com/?u6bdedekcx8jf7o
(back up / streaming link – http://www.zshare.net/audio/8627867656c1b776/)
(2nd back up – http://www.usershare.net/jhyodvy72c4c)

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.

R.I.P. to Big Pun and the illest of all time, J Dilla.  Is there anything else that really needs to be said?

Show #245 (2-7-10)

1. Big Pun – “Dream Shatterer” (Throwback of the Week)
2. Memphis Bleek – “Still Ill”
3. Sean Price – “Figure Four”
4. Madlib & Guilty Simpson – “American Dream & Future (OJ Simpson Remix)
5. Marv Won – “The Way It Goes”
6. Emilio Rojas ft. Styles P & Asher Roth – “Bold & Arrogant (Remix)
7. B.o.B ft. Asher Roth – “F*ck The Money”
8. Kooley High ft. Median – “Solitude”
9. Nas & Damian Marley – “As We Enter”
10. Freeway & Jake One – “Throw Your Hands Up” (Local Music)
11. Consequence – “Sounds G.O.O.D. 2 Me”
12. David Banner – “Slow Down”
13. Cool-Aide (MiC K!NG & Chum) – “I’m All That 2009”
14. Chikaramanga ft. Dr. Oop – “A Life Like This”
15. D. Black ft. Fatal Lucciauno – “Special” (Local Music)
16. No Clue – “Ima Mash” (Local Music)
17. Erykah Badu – “Window Seat”
18. Raheem DeVaughn – “Ms. High Heels”
19. J Dilla – “Won’t Do” (Throwback of the Week)
20. DJ K.O. ft. East & MadKem – “Mister Senor Love Daddy”
21. C.H.A.Z.Z. – “No More Monday”
22. Nneka – “The Uncomfortable Truth”

Link to download the mp3 of the show – http://www.mediafire.com/?vjk2jmyjnny
(back up / streaming link – http://www.zshare.net/audio/72332521e668b3a3/)
(2nd back up – http://usershare.net/eeibaieki8l0)

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.

A few months ago, J. Moore and I held a quick informal poll on Sound Session with our listeners – Of the most well respected ‘big 3’ R&B singers of the last 15 years, who is your favorite – Maxwell, D’Angelo, or Bilal?  Despite only releasing one official album, Bilal battled it out with D’Angelo for the top spot and they ended up tying the vote.

Personally, after hearing 1st Born Second in 2001, my entire vision of R&B was shaken to the core.  On that one record, Bilal displayed a soulfulness in his music, songwriting, and most noticeably, his voice that hasn’t been topped since.  Simply put, it’s a flawless album and marks one of the crowning achievements of the Soulquarian collective.

When Bilal came through the SNSS studio, we jumped at the chance to ask him all about that album, his Love For Sale follow up that was unfortunately shelved by Interscope (Industry Rule #4,080), and his upcoming project, Air Tight’s Revenge.  We also discussed his upbringing, his first big break as D’Angelo’s back up singer (and his prompt firing), behind the scenes stories from the Soulquarian days, his favorite J Dilla memory, and much more.  Check out the full interview below to catch up with the legendary Bilal Oliver.

Bilal on Sound Session – http://www.mediafire.com/?limxqmnyonz
(back up / streaming link – http://www.zshare.net/audio/6388930225a66890/ )

If you’re a music lover and don’t own 1st Born Second, cop it immediately…

Damn, I slacked on posting this right after it happened, but better late than never right?  If you don’t know, Donuts Are Forever, is a great event honoring the legendary J Dilla that’s now in its third year in NYC.  DJ’s including Waajeed and Ge-ology spun some of Dilla’s classic joints and 2/3 of Tanya Morgan, Von Pea & Donwill, hosted.  Speaking of those fellas, I need to post up the interview we did a while back.  Cool ass dudes and some of my favorite artists doing it today.

But anyway, shout to Rare Form for throwing this event and Dee Phunk for sending over the recap video.  When is someone in Seattle going to launch something similar?  I might even come out of my live mixing retirement for that…since nobody ever rocks one of my favorite Dilla beats…