The Audacity of Dope

GregTheDude and Tunji took OkayplayerTV around Los Angeles to link up with Thes-One and Double K, better known as the People Under The Stairs.  The duo talked about how they originally linked up, their recording history, their new Fun DMC album, and their video for “The Wiz.”  That clip is one of my favorites from this past year, though I never would have guessed that the weather was awful when they shot it in Australia.  It always looked like the perfect summer joint to me:

Sidenote: it’s not smart to watch a video like that on a day when we’re snowed in here in Seattle.  Even if it was freezing down there, it makes me miss summer like craaaazy.

Silent Knight has been doing his thing for a minute and he’s currently one of 10 finalists in a contest for Loud.com.  Part of the competition entails shooting a video, so he linked up with  Court Dunn and Restless Films for this simple, but ill, clip for “Pop Culture Shock.”  Oh yeah…and it was produced by the big homey Jake One too, so you already know.

Be sure to download Silent Knight’s Holla Burton (The UnMixed Cassette) when it drops tomorrow (the 23rd) over at Elementality Productions.  You won’t want to miss this:

Side A:

1. “Holla Burton Intro”
2. “Regular Guy” (Produced by Illmind)
3. “Pop Culture Shock” (Produced by Jake One)
4. “Scarlet Fever” (Feat. East)  (Produced by Erv Ford)
5. “Where Is It Goin?” (Produced by DJ Vadim)
6. “Be Ok” (Produced by M-Phazes)
7. “The Journey Continues” (Produced by DJ Ings)
8. “The Wager” (Feat. 8thW1 & Fresh Daily as Charlie Brown’s Field Goal) (Produced by Illmind)
9. “What Makes U” (Produced by Erv Ford)
10. “Goin’ Get It” (Produced by Analogic)
11. “Block Justice” (Produced by M-Phazes)
12. “Siren Symphony” (Produced by Erv Ford)

Side B:

1. “Here We Go” (Feat. East) (Produced by 9^th Wonder)
2. “The Gathering” (Feat. Rashid Hadee, Emilio Rojas, Kaze & Oddisee)(Produced by Oddisee)
3. “What It Is” (Feat. Shabaam Sahdeeq & Fresh Daily) (Produced by Erv Ford)
4. “Get ‘Em” (Feat. Skyzoo, Emilio Rojas & East) (Produced by Illmind)
5. “Let It Be Known” (Feat. Kenn Starr & Hassaan Mackey) (Produced by Analogic)

Fresh.  Shout to Silent Knight, KO, and Court!

I would imagine that everyone prefers Sam Cooke’s original version, but of all the R&B singers out today, Hamilton is one of a few that could pull this off nicely.  The original is beyond classic, but Anthony does a pretty damn good job.

Swiped from 2DopeBoyz.

Have Royce and Premier ever combined for a bad, or even mediocre, song?  Nope!  This is another banger, though I think it might be the first collaboration of theirs without the signature Preem cuts in the hook.  No matter, it’s still a great beat and Royce kills it with some more introspective lyrics that remind me of his Death Is Certain days.  Shout to Rik Cordero for yet another dope video too.

I’ve been meaning to post up this joint for a while now, cause I’ve been playing it a ton over the past month.  I love this track.  Convinced is yet another dope MC from the new breed of Los Angeles artists, who are killing everything they touch these days.  Speaking of Cali, this joint really reminds me of my college days…for many reasons.  Peep it and then go download Convinced’s Refreshing project on his blog right here.

Shout to Eighties Baby as well!

The downside of being able to work from home due to the Seattle snow is that I’ve been firmly planted at the computer for the last 12 hours.  So when the homies are about their business and provide perfect descriptions for stuff to post, it makes one happy Hyphen.  Take it away fellas:

Follow a night in the life of new supergroup Idle Warship (Talib Kweli + Res + Graph Nobel) as they travel through NYC, hit the studio to record, DJ a set at a club, perform, and generally talk sh*t. You can also preview new songs from the group’s forthcoming mixtape and album. Shot/Edited by Court Dunn for Restless Films. Second camera Andrew Baxter.

Shout to young Tunj for sending this through and peace to the entire Blacksmith fam.  As a bonus, Tunj included the song featured heavily in this clip:

Idle Warship – “Steady”

Now all that said, minus 10K points for making me hear “Pop Champagne” at the end of the clip.  Blech.

Kardi hinted at this video at the end of the clip for “Numba 1,” and now the visuals for “Nina” are here.  When you have a song as good as this one, you don’t really need anything fancy for the video to turn out dope.  Plus, I’m not mad at that girl in the car at all.

Swiped from OnSmash.

Damn, the homey Ryan Lewis is insanely talented.  Not only does he take incredible photographs and make dope beats, but apparently he remixes and does video production too?  Here’s a little class project he recently created, mashing together some Franz Ferdinand and 2Pac.

If you’re looking for any sort of dope artistry, definitely holler at him.  Peep his new website here.  Oh, and he designed his own page as well…obviously. Leave some talent for the rest of us dude.

(word to the Gorillaz poster in the studio)

Hahahahahahahah.

Bobby Ray just ethered half the industry with this one, Wayne especially.  I’m sure he’ll have to be PC and downplay any controversy as just jokes, but remember: [Ms. Fischer] behind every joke is a little bit of truth [3rd grade teacher].  Glad someone dope in the industry isn’t afraid to say it…

Look out for B.o.B., Playboy Tre, and B-Rich on Sound Session soon.

B.o.B. – “Autotune”

Mp3 courtesy of Eskay.

This has been my jam for a minute, but it looks like Drea and Million $ Mano, better known as He Say She Say, are really starting to push this joint as a single of sorts.  Between this group, Hey Champ, Sarah Green, and Matthew Santos, Lupe is putting together a nice roster of non-hip-hop artists on 1st & 15th.  FNF Up!