The Audacity of Dope

Aside from the realization that Drama Beats from Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory can actually make some slaps, the most surprising thing about this song/video is that Lamborghini’s actually require a key.  I thought we were all on team #pushtostart these days, no?

While I was down in Los Angeles this past week for E3, it made me remember my college days down there and I can’t front, I miss that SoCal vibe from time to time.  Thankfully, there are videos like this one from Dom’s upcoming West$ide II project to help me reminisce.

Not much time to chat this week as I’m packing my bags for E3 (huge video game trade show, get familiar!) so I have to make this quick.  Shout to Miss Casey Carter for sitting in with us and be sure to “Like” our new SNSS Facebook page right here.  If you’re in Los Angeles for the next few days, attending E3 or not, holler @ a Hyphen!

Show #314 (6-5-11)
**Co-Hosted by Miss Casey Carter**

1. The Hood Internet ft. Freddie Gibbs, Telli, & Elizabeth Harper – “VCR”
2. L.A.U.S.D. ft. U-N-I & Vida Jafari – “Ignite”
3. Fresh Daily ft. Cocoa Sarai – “Good Dude (Jinesis Remix)”
4. Helluvastate – “Brain Champagne” (Local Music)
5. Pill & Wale ft. CyHi Da Prynce, Curren$y, & Teedra Moses – “Rise”
6. J. Rawls ft. Casual – “Find A New”
7. Killer Mike – “That’s Life 2”
8. Big K.R.I.T. – “My Sub”
9. Shane Eli – “When We Were Kings”
10. XV ft. Kendrick Lamar – “Textbook Stuff”
11. Pete Rock & Smif-N-Wessun ft. Styles P & Sean Price – “That’s Hard”
12. MED – “Superman”
13. Co$$ – “Spaceman”
14. DJ Quik – “Dollaz + Sense” (Throwback of the Week)
15. Bad Meets Evil – “Fast Lane”
16. J. Cole – “Return Of Simba”
17. Damian Marley – “Just Ain’t The Same”
18. Miss Casey Carter ft. Avatar – “Losers” (Local Music)
19. Black Stax – “I Love My Life” (Local Music)
20. Mayer Hawthorne – “A Long Time”
21. Sleepy Brown – “You’re My Lady”

Link to download the mp3 of the show – http://hulkshare.com/loruqzru91ae
(back up / streaming link – http://www.zshare.net/audio/91068579ba1f3999/)
(2nd back up / streaming link – http://www.usershare.net/qo4kk9sjkg4g/DJ Hyphen and J. Moore – Sunday Night Sound Session, Show 314, 6-5-11.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.

Wow. We need more music from Casual (and Pep Love, for that matter) stat!

A few posts ago, I mentioned that Taysean is possibly the most underrated artist in the Seattle scene. Looking at the game from a national perspective, I might have to give that distinction to Laws. I’m continually surprised that more people aren’t up on one of the nicest and most versatile MC’s around. Hopefully that will change with the release of his Paul McCartney inspired Yesterday’s Future project this summer.

The homies Emilio and Court Dunn link up for the “FTW” video off Life Without Shame.  I’d love to play this one on Sound Session, but something tells me it wouldn’t go over that well with the FCC.  Haters.

Seattle’s hip-hop scene is starting to catch on outside the PacNW and while we’re on our way, I’m also wondering how long it’ll take for other talented cats to get recognized. Helluvastate, a group formed by Taysean (of Helladope) and Thaddeus (of State Of The Artist), is a prime example. I’m not sure if Taysean and Thaddeus view their collaboration as a side project of sorts, but it’s clear that it’s a great match and worthy of far more publicity/buzz than I’m seeing for the duo.

On the low, Taysean’s production and rhyme skills might make him the most underrated cat in the town right now. Guys like him, P-Smoov, Ryan Lewis, and Budo are so ridiculously talented musically that it’s almost not fair. When they link up with dope MC’s, it’s a wrap.

Download the entire Helluvastate project, Adventures In A Helluvastate, right here.

Pretty fresh and I’m a sucker for anything shot in Paris.  It’s also a great record as the weather finally starts to turn here in Seattle.  There’s not a city in the world that’s nicer than the 206 when the sun’s out…

Not too much to discuss this week, aside from the tempering of a holiday weekend with the sad news that Gil Scott-Heron passed away on Friday.  We’ve lost many influential figures over the past few years, but few, if any, meant more to hip-hop music and culture.  Gil was not only an incredibly talented and intelligent musician, but the themes he worked with and the social causes he fought for formed the foundation of hip-hop.  We felt it was only fitting to dedicate our throwback to GSH this week and we decided to spin an extra track of his as well to help further educate the youngsters that listen to SNSS.  RIP to Gil and shout to his daughter Gia, my freshman year R.A. in college.  Thoughts with their family.

As for the rest of the show, peep the archive to hear new records from J. Cole, Big K.R.I.T., Primeridian, Blu, Blue Scholars, U-N-I, Oddisee, Sleepy Brown, J. Rawls, and more.  Also, shout to Black Stax for coming through the studio to kick it and discuss their new album, Talking Buildings.

Show #313 (5-29-11)

1. Gil Scott-Heron – “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” (Throwback of the Week)
2. J. Cole – “Return Of Simba”
3. Big K.R.I.T. – “My Sub”
4. Primeridian – “Drop The Needle”
5. Maffew Ragazino – “Black Sheep”
6. Action Bronson ft. Lil Fame – “Time For Some”
7. Blu ft. Planet Asia & Killa Ben – “Doowhop+”
8. Asher Roth ft. Akon – “Last Man Standing”
9. Pusha T ft. Kevin Cossom – “Feelin’ Myself”
10. **INTERVIEW WITH BLACK STAX, PT. 1**
11. Black Stax – “They Want Me” (Local Music)
12. Blue Scholars – “Slick Watts” (Local Music)
13. **INTERVIEW WITH BLACK STAX, PT. 2**
14. Sene – “A Purple Life”
15. The Weeknd – “Rolling Stone”
16. H.O.P.E. ft. Jhene Aiko – “Body On Me”
17. L.A.U.S.D. ft. U-N-I & Vida Jafari – “Ignite”
18. The Hood Internet ft. Freddie Gibbs, Telli, & Elizabeth Harper – “VCR”
19. Oddisee – “You Don’t Close Your Eyes”
20. J. Rawls – “Why You Do”
21. Miss Casey Carter ft. Avatar – “Losers” (Local Music)
22. Sleepy Brown – “You’re My Lady”
23. Gil Scott-Heron – “We Almost Lost Detroit” (Throwback of the Week)
24. Kanye West ft. Bon Iver – “Lost In The World”
25. Kanye West – “Who Will Survive In America”

Link to download the mp3 of the show – http://www.mediafire.com/?l57o25r3hs5yqbx
(back up / streaming link – http://www.zshare.net/audio/908157318e6586e7/)
(2nd back up / streaming link – http://www.usershare.net/dfyt3qmg1gh0/DJ Hyphen and J. Moore – Sunday Night Sound Session, Show 313, 5-29-11.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.

As the hip-hop community, and all who love music, reel from the loss of the legendary Gil Scott-Heron, I thought to myself about the messages in his records.  Do today’s artists have the desire and ability to make music that elevates to the levels Gil effortlessly resided in? 

While mass media would certainly tell you otherwise, I think they can.  We certainly need music that offers us escape, but it’s vitally important that we continue to create good music with real purpose.

Shout to Kendrick for doing just that with one of the best songs of 2011 so far.