Truck North - Our American Cousin Mixtape

All I can say is, Truck North has a great ear for beats.  I haven't heard a lot of talk about this release, but it's definitely one of the best releases that I have heard in 2012.  It might only be 8 songs long, but he worked those 8 songs like a job.

Talib Kweli & Z-Trip - Attack The Block Mixtape

I don't know if anyone else had encoding/metadata problems with the files for this, but I did.  I had to download an encoder to fix this.  Apparently it's a Windows 7 issue, but both of these links are good to go.  Streaming available below as well.

The Roots - Undun (Cover Art, Track Listing & Interview)

Track Listing:

Guest Blog - Fledgling Fashionista Examines 'Late Night With The Roots'

Late Night with The Roots

Review by Athena Dixon-DeMary

I entered my listen of Late Night with The Roots with a bias. A long time ago I deemed Do You Want More?! to be their best work. Consequently, I compare everything else stamped with their name to it.  However, in recent years my ears have had to adjust to increasingly dark albums and collaborations. On this album I expected some new jazz infused hip-hop, a Black Thought verse here and there and perhaps a drum solo or two.  I thought that I would hear small soundbites meant to be sandwiched between commercial breaks and witty banter, but what I got was nothing I expected.  Despite my yearning for a Roots album, and my bias notwithstanding, I did appreciate the highs and find fault with the lows on Late Night with The Roots, but unfortunately most of the LP is fair to middlin'.

“How I Got Over” opens the album on a lukewarm note. I feel like I've heard this all before. It's a sped up, old soul sound that after a frenetic opening settles into a decent enough groove. What's missing is the grit, the urgency of the album version. Somehow the energy captured in the studio is more alive than an up close and personal rendition.

The Legendary: A Film About The Roots

J.Period, John Legend & The Roots - Wake Up! Radio Mixtape

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Money Making Jam Boys - The Prestige: Jam Boy Magic Mixtape

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or

Click Here To Download

Truck North On The Genesis Of Money Making Jam Boys

New: Money Making Jam Boys - Tear It Down (Audio)

Money Making Jam Boys - Tear It Down

Young Chris - Philly [Remix] (Featuring Eve, Meek Mill & Black Thought)

Young Chris - Philly [Remix] (Featuring Eve, Meek Mill & Black Thought)

J.Period & Black Thought Present The Live Mixtape (Illadelph Edition)

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Truelements + Lyrics to Go present the “J.Period Live Mixtape (Illadelph Edition)” EP — a first-of-its-kind J.Period mixtape RECORDED LIVE ONSTAGE at Toronto’s premiere hip hop festival, The Manifesto, Sept. 26, 2010. Starring legendary MC Black Thought (The Roots), the “J.Period Live Mixtape (Illadelph Edition)” EP features a 30-minute barrage of LIVE J.Period remixes with Black Thought ripping rhymes over new and classic hip hop hits, Roots fan favorites, plus a finale segment where Thought pays tribute to his favorite MCs by impersonating them (see: The Roots’ “Boom”).

Money Making Jam Boys - Sip The Juice

The Money Making Jam Boys rocking out to the classic Eric B. & Rakim track "Juice (Know The Ledge)" at the Highline Ballroom in NYC on June 15, 2010 during The Roots Jam Session.

Late Night With The Roots

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01 The Roots – How I Got Over

02 Ludacris – I Do It For Hip Hop / Last Of A Dying Breed

03 Mos Def – Casa Bey

04 Beastie Boys – So Whatcha Want

05 Black Star – History

06 Snoop Dogg – I Wanna Rock

07 Ghostface – Baby (Featuring Raheem DeVaughn)

08 Wale – Pretty Girls

09 Raekwon – Catalina

10 50 Cent – Baby By Me / Do You Think About Me

11 Clipse – Popular Demand (Featuring Black Thought)

12 Clipse – Grindin’ (Featuring Black Thought)

13 Rick Ross - Magnificent
14 Q-Tip – Barely In Love

15 Goodie Mob – Soul Food

16 Public Enemy – Bring The Noise
17 Blackroc - Dollaz & Sense / Tellin Me Things (Featuring RZA)

Black Thought - The Professional

Apparently this was from a mixtape of his that never was from 2004. The track is just more evidence of why Mr. Trotter's top 5, dead or alive.

Black Thought + Mos Def + Eminem = My Dream Cypher

Audio:

The Roots - How I Got Over (Music Video)

I love the fact that they made Black Thought the focus of the video. Sometimes he needs to get a little star treatment. Song's ridiculous, btw!

DJ Premier Talks Street Hop & Dream Cyphers

If you have talked to me about hip-hop or followed this blog to any degree, you know that I consider Primo the embodiment of hip-hop. What Jordan is to basketball he is to production! I make no effort to hide my Man Crush for him. Anyway I stumbled across this interview in which he discusses Street Hop, his upcoming collaboration with Royce Da 5'9" as well as a cypher with Mos Def, Eminem, Black Thought & Royce Da 5'9" and more!



Thanks to John Public & Kevin Nottingham

Black Thought - Brooklyn Go Hard [Live]

Click Here To Download Song

Wale & 9th Wonder - Back To The Feature

Jay $tay Paid Release Party w/ Album Art & Track List

Order CD Of Jay Stay Paid

Order Digital Download Of Jay Stay Paid

01. KJay FM Dedication
02. King
03. I Told Yall
04. Lazer Gunne Funke
05. In The Night (Owl N Out) – While You Slept (I Crept)
06. Smoke (Featuring Blu)
07. Blood Sport (Featuring Lil' Fame of M.O.P.)
08. caDILLAc
09. Expensive Whip
10. Kaklow (Jump On It)
11. Digi Dirt (Featuring Phat Kat)
12. Dilla Bot Vs. The Hybrid (Featuring Danny Brown & Constantine)
13. Milk Money
14. Spacecowboy vs. Bobble Head
15. Reality Check (Featuring Black Thought)
16. On Stilts
17. Fire Wood Drumstix (Featuring Doom)
18. Glamour Sho75 (09)
19. 10,000 Watts
20. 9th Caller
21. Make It Fast Mega Mix [Unadulterated Mix] (Featuring Diz Gibran)
22. 24K Rap (Featuring Havoc & Raekwon)
23. Big City
24. Pay Day (Featuring Frank Nitty of Frank N Dank)
25. See That Boy Fly (Featuring Illa J & Cue D)
26. Coming Back
27. Mythsysizer
28. KJay and We Out

You can listen to a preview of the album courtesy of MetalLungies.com.

Album Drops June 2nd