The Audacity of Dope

Special shout to everyone who came through the studio for this week’s Sound Session.  First up, the legendary Kokane stopped by to catch up and pay some respects to Nate Dogg (RIP) and then Donnis hung out with us as we world premiered his new record, “Ford Mustang.”  We were also joined by our homies from the town, Steelo, as we talked about their upcoming project.

On top of it all, we played the dopest new records out right now, including tracks from Pac Div, Pusha T, Big K.R.I.T., Dom Kennedy, Jhene Aiko, Phil Ade, Fly.Union, Frank Ocean, Raphael Saadiq, and more.  Enjoy!

Show #305 (4-3-11)

1. Pac Div – “Anti-Freeze”
2. Pusha T – “Blow”
3. Big K.R.I.T. – “R4 Theme Song”
4. Snoop Dogg ft. Kanye West & John Legend – “Eyez Closed”
5. **INTERVIEW WITH KOKANE**
6. Dom Kennedy – “On The Way Home”
7. Elzhi – “Verbal Intercourse, Pt. 2”
8. Jhene Aiko ft. Miguel & Gucci Mane – “Hoe”
9. Logics ft. Geologic & Adrian Sims – “Focused” (Local Music)
10. Action Bronson – “Brunch”
11. Tyler, The Creator – “Yonkers”
12. Childish Gambino – “Freaks and Geeks”
13. Phil Ade – “The Letter”
14. **INTERVIEW WITH DONNIS, PT. 1**
15. **Donnis – “Ford Mustang” (WORLD PREMIERE)**
16. **INTERVIEW WITH DONNIS, PT. 2**
17. IAME – “Lame” (Local Music)
18. Pharoahe Monch ft. Styles P & Phonte – “Black Hand Side”
19. Pharrell – “The Game Has Changed”
20. Fly.Union – “Hard Sell”
21. Frank Ocean – “Songs For Women”
22. **INTERVIEW WITH STEELO**
23. Steelo ft. Izreal – “My Queen” (Local Music)
24. Mos Def – “Umi Says” (Throwback of the Week)
25. Raphael Saadiq – “Good Man”

Link to download the mp3 of the show – http://www.mediafire.com/?6zdutyt8s3ziwld
(back up / streaming link – http://www.zshare.net/audio/88640128131902a9/)
(2nd back up – http://www.usershare.net/b49eagx04crf/DJ Hyphen and J. Moore – Sunday Night Sound Session, Show 305, 4-3-11.mp3)

Link to download just the interview with Donnis – http://www.mediafire.com/?dm5xvs61cbi5g5p
(back up / streaming link – http://www.zshare.net/audio/886403956bcef7c8/)
(2nd back up – http://www.usershare.net/au9ntuapbr8f/DJ Hyphen and J. Moore – Interview With Donnis (Show 305, 4-3-11).mp3)

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.

Every now and then, GMail likes to bounce back our weekly newsletter and we’re unable to blast out the playlist and download links.  If you missed our show last week when Google hated like Silky Johnson, you can always check it out in the archives.  Here’s this week’s info as well:

Show #304 (3-27-11)

1. Pusha T ft. Kevin Cossom – “Feeling Myself”
2. Dom Kennedy – “Playa’s Punch”
3. MED ft. Kurupt & Aloe Blacc – “Where I’m From (Remix)”
4. Pac Div – “Let Loose”
5. Wiz Khalifa – “The Race”
6. Jhene Aiko ft. Miguel & Gucci Mane – “Hoe”
7. Frank Ocean – “Songs For Women”
8. Tyler, The Creator – “Yonkers”
9. Self Scientific – “God’s Language”
10. CunninLynguists ft. Tunji & BJ The Chicago Kid – “Dreams”
11. J. Bre ft. Grynch – “All Around The World” (Local Music)
12. Phil Ade – “The Letter”
13. Dela ft. Blu – “What U Wanna”
14. The Weeknd – “Wicked Games”
15. **INTERVIEW WITH GEORGIO BROWN, PT. 1**
16. State of The Artist – “I Think I Love You” (Local Music)
17. Recess – “Emperor Strikes Back”
18. Action Bronson ft. Maffew Ragazino – “Jerk Chicken”
19. Childish Gambino – “Freaks and Geeks”
20. The Knux – “She’s So Up”
21. A Tribe Called Quest – “Find A Way” (Throwback of the Week)
22. **INTERVIEW WITH GEORGIO BROWN, PT. 2**
23. Steelo ft. Izreal – “My Queen” (Local Music)
24. Big K.R.I.T. – “American Rapstar”
25. Lupe Fiasco – “All Black Everything”

Link to download the mp3 of the show – http://www.mediafire.com/?rpy36npdrek283i
(back up / streaming link – http://www.zshare.net/audio/883766283b5e920c/)
(2nd back up – http://www.usershare.net/7odxwc6emo91/DJ Hyphen and J. Moore – Sunday Night Sound Session, Show 304, 3-27-11.mp3)

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.

(hint: floating left is when I like to pull the most)

As I’ve mentioned on the blog and Twitter, I traveled down to Austin last week for SXSW.  In addition to all the incredible shows I saw and artists I chopped it up with, I had the privilege to play in the first annual HoopxHang 3 on 3 tournament.  John Gotty of the Smoking Section (my personal favorite blog because of the care they put in their write ups and their excellent musical taste), Nick Huff of Hard Knock TV, and Nike Basketball organized the event and invited about 50 artists, DJ’s, managers, bloggers, record label reps, and other industry folks to take their talents to Doris Miller Auditorium.

Anyone who knows me personally knows that as much as I live and breathe music, sports has always been 329318239128x the passion in my life.  I’ll go play any game, anytime, anywhere, so I was just excited to get a little run in during the trip.  Also, every time these rappers come through Sound Session, you should hear them go on and on about their skills on the court.  After all that talk, I finally got to play with a few of the homies!  Topping it all off, Nike came through with free gear from head to toe.  #winning!

Special shout to my two teammates:  Kenny, a friend of The Smoking Section’s John Gotty, and Chris (pictured below) from Hollyweerd.  We didn’t know what squad we would be on before we began, but we meshed pretty nicely.

After winning our first two games (yours truly with the game winners in each…#humblebrag), we were ousted in the semi-finals against the eventual champions…these guys:

That would be Push Montana (who turned into Khalid El-Amin against us), Brock (Diamond Supply), and Dutch (Smokers Club).  They had a solid mix of skill, size, and intensity that proved too much for the competition as they knocked off the Pac Div homies (below) in the Championship.

Despite what had to be a logistical nightmare, the event went off without a hitch and everyone had a great time.  Hats off to everyone who organized and participated and thanks again to Gotty and Nick for the invitation.  Looking forward to it being bigger and better next year…perhaps we could we see a little 5 on 5 action?  We need to get these rappers in shape!

Be sure to check out the official recap with more pictures and stories over at The Smoking Section.

If you follow me on Twitter (and if you don’t, you should…#humblebrag), you know that I was down at SXSW last week in lovely Austin, Texas. The first night that I arrived, the staff at MTV hooked up a pass for the MTVu Woodie Awards and I got my first experience on a red carpet. Aside from just enjoying the overall environment, I was able to chop it up with everyone who walked by. I grabbed a couple quick videos for y’all with Wiz, Yelawolf, Skylar Grey, and Lil B. Enjoy.

Honestly, I never really know how to wrap up SXSW.  For those of you who went, you already know how ridiculous it is.  For those who haven’t been to one, it’s everything you read about…but louder.

I’ve been to the last three, but I admit that 2010 was a bit of a bust for me.  I over-planned and tried to hit every event I was interested in, plus I met up with a TON of industry folks and had way too many meetings.  It resulted in an exhausting experience (even more than an average SXSW trip) and I wasn’t really looking forward to going back.  With that on my mind, I treated this year more like a vacation and took things 100x slower.  I still met with lots of people and enjoyed countless performances, but without a doubt, the highlight was just hanging out with friends old and new…and enjoying the 80 degree weather.  I’ll post up some footage on the blog soon.

Shout to everyone we ran into and especially all the other Seattle people that made the trek.  Special thanks to John Gotty from The Smoking Section for organizing the incredibly dope “HoopxHang” basketball tournament (your boy Hyph knocked down a few game winners but we were ousted in the semis to the eventual champions) and also my lodging pals, Shad, T-Lo, and G…the coolest homies you could ask for.  Also, thanks to JJ at Foundation, Jessica at Co-Sign, Jasmin at Cashmere, Ter’rece at MTV, and everyone at Decon, all of whom showed extra hospitality to a Hyphey.  Oh…and Zoe Kravitz…for the hug.  Second year in a row son, WHAT!

Show #303 (3-20-11)

1. Eminem ft. Slaughterhouse & Yelawolf – “2.0 Boys”
2. Thurzday – “Rodney King”
3. Fashawn ft. J. Cole – “Nothin’ For The Radio”
4. Pusha T ft. 50 Cent & Pharrell – “Raid”
5. XV ft. Pusha T – “Awesome (Remix)”
6. Grynch – “So Long” (Local Music)
7. Jean Grae – “You Don’t Like It (So What)”
8. Travis Barker ft. Lupe Fiasco & Pharrell – “If You Want To”
9. Nate Dogg ft. Warren G – “Nobody Does It Better” (Throwback of the Week)
10. Dom Kennedy – “Can’t Let Go”
11. The Weeknd – “What You Need”
12. Frank Ocean – “Novacane”
13. Childish Gambino – “Be Alone”
14. State Of The Artist – “I Think I Love You” (Local Music)
15. The Physics – “Fix You” (Local Music)
16. Big K.R.I.T. – “American Rapstar”
17. 80 Blocks From Tiffany’s (Camp Lo & Pete Rock) – “Mic Check”
18. Add-2 – “Chicago Blues”
19. Nitty Scott, MC – “Work (Grustlin’) (J. Period Remix)”
20. David Dallas – “Big Time”
21. Shad – “Rock 2.0 It”
22. CunninLynguists ft. Freddie Gibbs – “Hard As They Come (Act I)”

Link to download the mp3 of the show – http://www.mediafire.com/?kod4ow0z9zp0d0w
(back up / streaming link – http://www.zshare.net/audio/88099630dd4b8e93/)
(2nd back up – http://www.usershare.net/58x63g316frr/DJ Hyphen and J. Moore – Sunday Night Sound Session, Show 303, 3-20-11.mp3)

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.

Short on time this week as I’m frantically trying to wrap up any loose ends before making the annual trek down to SXSW in Texas.  If you’re going to be down in Austin, hit me with an email, text, call, comment, tweet, etc. so we can link up!

There are a million great events but be sure to come through the 1st annual Hoop & Hang basketball tournament on Saturday from 12pm – 4pm.  I’ll be out there breaking your favorite rapper’s ankles and dropping a few from Jimmer range.  More details will be revealed this week on The Smoking Section, who are hosting the event along with Hard Knock TV.  Should be a fun time…

Show #302 (3-13-11)

1. Killer Mike ft. Big Boi & T.I. – “Ready, Set, Go (Remix)”
2. Big K.R.I.T. – “Dreamin’”
3. Rittz ft. 8Ball – “Pie”
4. Frank Ocean – “Novacane”
5. The Physics – “Fix You” (Local Music)
6. Travis Barker ft. Lupe Fiasco & Pharrell – “If You Want To”
7. Shad – “The One In Front Of The Garage”
8. Dom Kennedy – “Goodbye”
9. Pusha T – “Cook It Down”
10. Pharoahe Monch ft. Styles P & Phonte – “Black Hand Side”
11. Raekwon ft. Nas – “Rich and Black”
12. Notorious B.I.G. ft. Method Man – “The What” (Throwback of the Week)
13. Grynch ft. Jon Hope & Language Arts – “Timeless” (Local Music)
14. Bambu – “Something”
15. J*Davey – “Smells Like Teen Spirit”
16. **INTERVIEW WITH PRECIZE**
17. Mickey Factz – “Paradise”
18. Thurzday – “Rodney King”
19. Sweatshop Union ft. D-Sisive – “Bring Back The Music” (Local Music)
20. Recess ft. Blu – “How Do You Sleep?”
21. The Weeknd – “Wicked Games”

Link to download the mp3 of the show – http://www.mediafire.com/?yqciwhqyfjm02f6
(back up / streaming link – http://www.zshare.net/audio/8780237842a73436/)
(2nd back up – http://www.usershare.net/7jb9t3ptu6lr/DJ Hyphen and J. Moore – Sunday Night Sound Session, Show 302, 3-13-11.mp3)

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.

After 300 consecutive weeks of SNSS, we experienced some massive technical problems in our new studio that prevented us from broadcasting over the airwaves for Show #301.  Amazingly, our first show in the new studio went off without a hitch last week, but apparently that was simply fool’s gold.  Despite our engineer’s best efforts, we were resigned to playing songs out of the station’s database (of course we selected dope records though) and couldn’t play any of the tracks we planned on debuting.  Also, since our mics weren’t working, we couldn’t interview our guests, Maseo of the legendary De La Soul and Mowii, Pee W33, and Bounc3 from a new Los Angeles group called The Rej3ctz.  Shout to those folks for coming through and hanging out despite the tech issues.

Since SNSS is here for the people, I just didn’t feel right leaving you all without anything to listen to this week.  I joked in the studio during the crisis that I would “fix it all in post,” then it hit me: why not?  With that in mind, I tossed together a quick collection of the records we wanted to play and put it up for y’all as if everything went down as usual.  I present to you…the Lost Episode of SNSS:

Show #301 (3-6-11)
**The Lost Episode of SNSS**

1. Shad – “The One In Front Of The Garage”
2. Fashawn ft. J. Cole – “Nothin’ For The Radio”
3. Lupe Fiasco ft. Matt Mahaffey – “State Run Radio”
4. Serge Severe ft. Braille – “Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop” (Local Music)
5. David Dallas – “Big Time”
6. Nas – “Memory Lane (Sittin’ In Da Park)” (Throwback of the Week)
7. Raekwon ft. Nas – “Rich and Black”
8. Big K.R.I.T. – “Dreamin’”
9. CunninLynguists ft. Freddie Gibbs – “Hard As They Come (Act I)”
10. Rittz ft. 8Ball – “Pie”
11. Eminem ft. Slaughterhouse & Yelawolf – “2.0 Boys”
12. Pusha T – “Cook It Down”
13. CyHi Da Prynce – “Sideways”
14. Rick Ross ft. Meek Mill – “Perfectionist”
15. Pharoahe Monch ft. Styles P & Phonte – “Black Hand Side”
16. Havi Blaze – “Don’t Worry” (Local Music)
17. J*Davey – “Smells Like Teen Spirit”
18. Frank Ocean – “Novacane”
19. The Physics – “Fix You” (Local Music)
20. Obie Trice – “Making Dough”
21. The Rej3ctz – “I’m Fitted”

Link to download the mp3 of the show – http://www.mediafire.com/?e4e92mmlm1p5hnm
(back up / streaming link – http://www.zshare.net/audio/875267663e9db361/)
(2nd back up – http://www.usershare.net/762sj8msgheb/DJ Hyphen and J. Moore – Sunday Night Sound Session, Show 301, 3-6-11, The Lost Episode.mp3)

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.

Shout to the homey Scribes, who has my vote for most underrated MC in Seattle, for coming through SNSS a few weeks back.  Here’s a little video recap of his visit in case you want the behind the scenes look.  You can check out the full show too.

Download his album NOW right here.

Half the time people congratulated us on our 300th episode of SNSS, they couldn’t help but toss in a reference to The 300 and, while trite, I chuckled every time.  What can I say?  I’m a fan of the movie…and the Spartans were my people, kinda (Dorians…read up, #realnamenogimmicks).  Perhaps I’m looking for parallels that don’t really exist, but when I thought about it further, Sound Session’s endurance for 6 years and 300 consecutive weeks does vaguely remind me of the Battle of Thermopylae.  Stick with me here.

Not to go overboard on a soapbox worthy rant, but in a sense, hip-hop and the arts have been under attack for years.  While there’s always been an interesting battle between art and commerce, and hip-hop’s been affected since the suburbs caught on in the late 80’s, many feel that we’re in our final hours.  I’d never go that far, especially with the way Web 2.0 has pumped new life into the culture, but in light of the media consolidation we’ve seen in the past 15 years, outlets for alternative/independent/”genuine” art are positioned with their backs firmly against “the Hot Gates.”  Have I lost you with the analogy yet?

Ok, let’s keep it simple.  Stations similar to KUBE exist in every city, often multiple times over.  Very few have the desire, ability, and guts to allow a show like Sound Session to use their platform, let alone thrive through it.  We are continually thankful for the support from all the departments at KUBE, particularly programming, where our PD and MD always look out for us.  Without their commitment to the art, we aren’t here.  Likewise, without the listeners, our attempts to support new music and groundbreaking artists go unheard.  We’re simply the middle men in the equation, pause, and we work hard to seek out joints every week for y’all.  Seeing as how we haven’t had a relaxing, low key Sunday in 6 years, I hope you enjoy the efforts!

And who are we kidding…even if you didn’t, we’d do it any way.

“We did what we were trained to do, what we were bred to do, what we were born to do!”

Peep the info below to check out the 300th show.  We celebrated the occasion by having our first broadcast in the brand new KUBE building, so you’ll have to bare with us as we get the recording levels straightened out.  Volume inconsistency aside, you can hear great records from artists you may not be familiar with…yet: Frank Ocean, Translee, Charlie Smarts, Ro Blvd, 14KT, Spree Wilson, and more.  Plus, the homey Fashawn joined us live in the studio on his stopover while headed up to Vancouver.  He’ll be back in Seattle on Wednesday night, performing at the Nectar Lounge alongside Evidence and CurT@!n$.  See y’all there…

Show #300 (2-27-11)

1. Kanye West – “Dark Fantasy”
2. Frank Ocean – “Novacane”
3. Translee – “Get Off Me”
4. Charlie Smarts – “The Skin”
5. Ro Blvd ft. Micah James & Chasiti – “SPIN”
6. Havi Blaze – “Don’t Worry” (Local Music)
7. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis – “My Oh My” (Local Music)
8. Outasight – “It’s Like That”
9. YC The Cynic ft. Soul Khan, Von Pea, & Sene – “More and More”
10. Obie Trice – “Making Dough”
11. Talib Kweli ft. Sean Price – “Palookas”
12. Kaimbr & Kev Brown ft. The Kid Daytona & Asher Roth – “More Gritz (Gritz Remix)”
13. Mac Miller – “She Said”
14. Lupe Fiasco – “All Black Everything”
15. REKS ft. Styles P – “Why Cry”
16. **INTERVIEW WITH FASHAWN #02, PT. 1**
17. Fashawn ft. J. Cole – “Nothin’ For The Radio”
18. Saigon ft. Devin The Dude – “What Lovers Do”
19. **INTERVIEW WITH FASHAWN #02, PT. 2**
20. 14KT ft. Aloe Blacc – “Fourteen”
21. Malice & Mario Sweet – “DateNite” (Local Music)
22. Slum Village – “Climax (Girl Sh*t)” (Throwback of the Week)
23. **INTERVIEW WITH FASHAWN #02, PT. 3**
24. Spree Wilson ft. Esthero – “Don’t Pass Me By”

Link to download the mp3 of the show – http://www.mediafire.com/?r44q5zgt07076g6
(back up / streaming link – http://www.zshare.net/audio/87226218aaf22949/)
(2nd back up – http://www.usershare.net/1bphslrs6sp1/DJ Hyphen and J. Moore – Sunday Night Sound Session, Show 300, 2-27-11.mp3)

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.

On episode #299 of SNSS, we celebrated our last night in KUBE 93’s current building/studio by playing new records from Wiz Khalifa, Blu, Coolroy, Fresh Daily, Pac Div, Lupe Fiasco, Pharoahe Monch, Kaimbr & Kev Brown, Miles Jones, and more.  Plus, the homey Black Milk checked in from Detroit to talk about his concert Wednesday at the Nectar Lounge in Seattle.  He’ll be rocking alongside local favorites Candidt, Grynch, and Sol.  It’s gonna be a great night, be there.

Next week, we’ll be celebrating our 300th show in a brand new, state of the art studio.  As J said at the end of the broadcast, “Hall Of Fame numbers…”

Show #299 (2-20-11)

1. Wiz Khalifa ft. Chevy Woods – “Middle Of You”
2. Malice & Mario Sweet ft. Choklate – “Happiness” (Local Music)
3. Blu – “Amnesia (Remind)”
4. Coolroy ft. Tunji – “Dreaming”
5. Kendrick Lamar – “Cut You Off”
6. Fresh Daily ft. Nicholas Ryan Gant – “Second Hand High”
7. Pac Div – “Take Me High”
8. Lupe Fiasco ft. Skylar Grey – “Words I Never Said”
9. Pharoahe Monch ft. Showtyme & DJ Boogie Blind – “Clap (One Day)”
10. J. Period ft. Black Thought, Rakim, & John Legend – “In The Ghetto (Wake Up!)”
11. Kaimbr & Kev Brown ft. The Kid Daytona & Asher Roth – “More Gritz (Gritz Remix)”
12. Saigon ft. Marsha Ambrosius – “It’s Alright”
13. Miles Jones ft. Shad – “Say What”
14. Raekwon ft. Ghostface Killah, Jim Jones, & Kobe – “Rock N Roll”
15. **INTERVIEW WITH BLACK MILK**
16. Black Milk – “Welcome (Gotta Go)”
17. Jaylib – “The Official” (Throwback of the Week)
18. Pusha T – “My God”
19. Serge Severe ft. Braille – “Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop” (Local Music)
20. Rick Ross ft. Meek Mill – “Perfectionist”
21. The Good Sin & 10.4 Rog – “Bad About You” (Local Music)
22. Kanye West ft. John Legend & Chris Rock – “Blame Game”

Link to download the mp3 of the show – http://www.mediafire.com/?i3n0naqqpbwi807
(back up / streaming link – http://www.zshare.net/audio/869108707d93385d/)
(2nd back up – http://www.usershare.net/yn8x00c97the)

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.