The Audacity of Dope

After dropping videos for almost every track off his excellent Layover EP, Ev is back with what I believe is the final clip for the project.  As expected, this one doesn’t disappoint either.  When has Decon ever steered you wrong on the visuals (or anywhere else for that matter)?

I recently mentioned that Shad was one of my favorite discoveries of the past year (watch this video to see why) and I should also add Fashawn to that list as well.  The MC from Fresno (what up Blake?) killed every appearance I heard from him this year and he’s dropped a new mixtape to help close out the year in style.  In conjunction with the homies at NahRight and OnSmash, check out Higher Learning:

1. Intro
2. Fortified Live (Remix)
3. Freedom
4. Let Me See Your ID (Skit)
5. Day ‘N’ Nite (Remix) (feat. KiD CuDi)
6. Sunday Morning (Remix) (feat. K-OS)
7. The Far Left (feat. Alchemist & Evidence)
8. Turf Rap (Remix)
9. Seize Power (Skit)
10. Politics (feat. Krondon)
11. Jimmy (Ratatat Remix)
12. Fake ID
13. Life Is Too Short
14. Buyers Guide
15. Cold Shoulder (Remix) (feat. Adele)
16. You Lookin At Me (Skit)
17. Something Special
18. Do You (Skit)
19. Still Gettin Mine “5-5-9″ (Remix) (feat. Rickochet)
20. Beautiful Day (Remix) (feat. Evidence, Big Pooh, Aloe Blacc, Mickey Factz, Theo & Kes Kaos)
21. Over When Its Done (Outro)

Download here.

(I was going to point out that it’s NSFW, but that’s obvious.  Besides, my European side was like “what’s the big deal?”)

I believe this is the 3rd to last video scheduled for Ev’s Layover EP, but I’m not sure what the next one will be.  The final (and only ‘big-budget’) clip will be “For Whom The Bell Tolls,” which will be shot at the start of December.  If you want to hear more info about Ev’s projects, be sure to peep that interview I did with him and Alchemist a few weeks back right here.

Video courtesy of OnSmash.

Yo.  Ev is killing it right now.  The latest video from his upcoming Layover EP features Defari and it’s yet another dope clip.  Be sure to listen to the interview I recorded with Ev and Alchemist about the whole project and why they’re releasing so many videos for it.  We also talked about how hungry he is these days, which is clearly evident, no pun, in these clips.  Cop the Layover on the 25th!

Swiped from OKP.

Like I mentioned a while back, I got a chance to catch up with the homies Evidence (of Dilated Peoples) and Alchemist when they came to Seattle at the start of the month for the “Still High” tour with Red & Meth.  We’ve had both dudes on Sound Session a few times before, but this was the first occasion where they came through together.  Every time I chop it up with Ev and Al, they’re cool as hell.

This time around, we talked all about their current projects, including Evidence’s Layover EP, Alchemist’s Alchemist Cookbook (which drops online today!), Al’s Gang Green album with Oh No, and their Stepbrothers group effort.  They also touched on how new media has affected their careers, the recent West Coast resurgence, who they list as dream collaborations, and much more.  Peep that:

Evidence & Alchemist on Sound Session – http://www.mediafire.com/?yzjtjgejieu
(back up / streaming link – http://www.zshare.net/audio/51481522ef6ce739/ )

Go grab Al’s Alchemist Cookbook at your favorite digital retailer and be sure to cop The Layover EP a week from today.  If you’ve been staying up to date on the videos so far, you know it’s crazy…

Another video from Ev’s Layover EP dropping on the 25th.  I’ll be posting up an interview later today that I did with the homies Ev and Al when they were in town a few weeks ago, where you can hear ‘em talk about all the dope projects they have coming up.  And no, we didn’t talk about what it’s like to look mildly similar. [jada] ah-HAAAA [/jada]

Damn, I like everything about this video:

• Dope rhymes from Fashawn and Ev.
• NorCal connecting with SoCal.
• Exile killing the beat.
• The homies U-N-I getting some cameo love.
• The message.
• The visuals.

Be on the lookout for Fashawn’s debut album, Boy Meets World, in spring of next year.  “Our Way” is the first peek off the project and judging by the quality here and on Fashawn’s One Shot, One Kill mixtape, you already know it’s gonna be fresh.

Cali’s on fire right now, but they also completely dropped the ball on the Prop. 8 ballot initiative banning gay marriage this past week.  With statistics showing that nearly 70% of black and hispanic voters supported the ban, it’s incredibly disheartening to see people vote for equality and discrimination in one fell swoop.  Hip-hop helped Obama win California (as if he needed any assistance), and then helped propagate homophobia and hatred.  Fail.

I just spent last night chilling with the homies Evidence and Alchemist during the Seattle stop of the “Still High” tour with Method Man, Redman, and Termanology (what up Term & Dan!).  We recorded a dope interview where they both broke down all the various projects their working on, but it may take a minute for me to toss that up online.  In the meantime, peep the new video for “The Far Left” featuring Al and Fashawn from Ev’s Layover EP , dropping on Nov. 25th.  Ev said they’ll be releasing videos for 7 of the 9 tracks on there, and so far we’re on #2 (if you missed #1, peep “The Layover”).  Fashawn will also be dropping visuals for his “Our Way” joint with Ev verrrrrrrry soon too.

Also, to tide you over, check out The Layover Mixtape that Ev put together with DJ Skee.  Guests include Defari, Chace Infinite, Fashawn, U-N-I, Big Pooh, Aloe Blacc, Theo, Crooked I, Strong Arm Steady, Bishop Lamont, Casual, Alchemist, and more.

Tracklisting and download link after the jump.

Read more »

What better place for Ev to shoot visuals for “The Layover” than at an airport?  I was waiting for that final scene to happen the entire time I was watching it hahah.  Ev’s EP drops on Nov. 25th and you already know it’s gonna be fire.  He’ll be in Seattle soon, so look for another appearance from the Weatherman on Sound Session in the coming weeks.

Swiped from the Dopehouse.

(i had the same look as Exile when I heard this)

Blu is the man and probably in my top 3 favorite MC’s right now.  Plus he’s a cool ass dude, so this pains me to do.  However, I heard a line in Evidence’s new track that just confused me:

“It’s the middle of ‘08, and I still ain’t heard Obama speak bout problems that we face”
–Blu, “For Whom The Bell Tolls”

Word? This reminds me of the criticism that many people tried to hit Barack with early in his campaign: that he was only preaching this esoteric “change” idea, without backing it up with substantive policy positions and strategies.  The problem with that is that if you actually make an effort to listen to more than a 30 second soundbite on the news, or go read any of the extensive issue pages of his website, you quickly learn what Obama’s all about.  Now, you don’t have to agree with his ideas, but to say that they aren’t there or he hasn’t addressed virtually everything is just false.  I hope Blu has found Barack’s statements that talk about the issues he’s concerned with, because I assure you, they’re there.

So forgive me homey, but I just disagree with that line.  Blu’s still possibly the illest MC in the game right now, so make sure y’all cop his new Johnson&Jonson project.  Easily one of the best albums of the year.  And here’s Ev’s new track if you haven’t grabbed it yet:

Evidence ft. Phonte, Blu, & Will.I.Am – “For Whom The Bell Tolls”