The Audacity of Dope

Generally speaking, we prefer to keep Sound Session focused upon what we’re here for: the music.  However, J. Moore and I have considerable interests in the non-hip-hop aspects of our community and we enjoy shining light on certain issues from time to time, particularly when we have the opportunity to bring in an expert in that field.  Along with all the great music on this week’s episode, we had the opportunity to chop it up with one such person, Nick Cain from a Seattle non-profit company called Vittana.

Without embarking on a long rant and getting too philosophical, I feel the two biggest issues negatively affecting the world are overpopulation and lack of education.  When you swim upstream from most other problems, they all seem to lead back to those two.

Seattle’s Vittana organization is a non-profit company that helps students around the world receive higher education for the first time, directly attacking the education issue and helping break the cycle.  For a more detailed explanation, please see their website here, but in short, the system depends on loans (not donations) from folks like you and me that go towards funding scholarships.  For a fraction of the cost of a college education in America, Vittana can help students attend school, graduate, secure a job, repay the loan, and begin providing a better future for themselves, their family, their country, and the world as a whole.

For more information, check out our interview with Nick Cain on this week’s show.  I’d also recommend you to look at their site for more information and even if their cause isn’t one that you choose to support, hopefully you remember the moral obligation you have to make the world a better place.  Give your time/attention/money to some sort of cause and you’ll be more fulfilled.

On a less serious note, we also welcomed the legendary Raphael Saadiq to Sound Session this past week.  We played a short snippet of our interview on the show, but you can download the entire discussion (or watch the video) through the links below and in this blog post.  Saadiq talked about everything from his new Stone Rollin’ album…to his days with Tony! Toni! Toné! and Lucy Pearl…to playing basketball with Prince.  Enjoy the interview and the show!

Show #307 (4-17-11)

1. Childish Gambino – “Freaks and Geeks”
2. Dom Kennedy – “Playa’s Punch”
3. Dyme Def – “Bring It In” (Local Music)
4. Kendrick Lamar – “Hiii Power”
5. Big K.R.I.T. – “King’s Blues”
6. Curren$y ft. Freddie Gibbs – “Scottie Pippen”
7. Sean Price ft. Mayhem Lauren & Roc Marciano – “How The Gods Chill (Remix)”
8. **INTERVIEW WITH NICK CAIN (of VITTANA), PT. 1**
9. Dice – “Things I Couldn’t Say” (Local Music)
10. Atmosphere – “Your Name Here”
11. MED ft. Blu – “This Is Your Life”
12. Soul Khan – “Soul Like Khan”
13. Busta Rhymes – “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See” (Throwback of the Week)
14. Luck-One – “Listening To The Rain” (Local Music)
15. Apollo Brown ft. Oddisee – “The Times”
16. **INTERVIEW WITH NICK CAIN (of VITTANA), PT. 1**
17. Sade ft. Jay-Z – “The Moon & The Sky (Remix)”
18. Frank Ocean – “Lovecrimes”
19. Little Dragon – “NightLight”
20. **INTERVIEW WITH RAPHAEL SAADIQ (SNIPPET)**
21. Raphael Saadiq ft. Little Dragon – “Just Don’t”
22. King – “Hey”
23. Wiz Khalifa ft. Curren$y – “Rooftops”
24. The Weeknd – “The Party & The After Party”

Link to download the mp3 of the show – http://www.mediafire.com/?3sase6eu4esb2m1
(back up / streaming link – http://www.zshare.net/audio/89167291a9e97cf6/)
(2nd back up – http://www.usershare.net/u3wgilk183iv/DJ Hyphen and J. Moore – Sunday Night Sound Session, Show 307, 4-17-11.mp3)

Link to download the full interview with Raphael Saadiq – http://www.mediafire.com/?97cxf19frx4o7r7
(back up / streaming link – http://www.zshare.net/audio/891679810db2ee03/)
(2nd back up – http://www.usershare.net/ryo63hezh7xk/DJ Hyphen and J. Moore – Interview With Raphael Saadiq, 4-13-11.mp3)

Link to watch the full interview with Raphael Saadiq – http://www.vimeo.com/22587703

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.

So yeah, it’s tax time.  Almost forgot about that, word to Wesley Snipes.  No write up this week, gotta crunch some numbers.  Enjoy the show!

Show #306 (4-10-11)

1. Beastie Boys – “Make Some Noise”
2. Snoop Dogg ft. Too Short, Daz, & Kokane – “Take U Home”
3. Donnis – “Ford Mustang”
4. Big K.R.I.T. ft. Ludacris & Bun B – “Country Sh*t (Remix)”
5. Curren$y – “Ventilation”
6. Dom Kennedy – “Goodbye”
7. Fly.Union – “Hard Sell”
8. Raphael Saadiq – “Good Man”
9. Charlie Smarts – “The Skin”
10. **INTERVIEW WITH J. BRE”
11. J. Bre ft. Grynch – “All Around The World” (Local Music)
12. David Dallas ft. Freddie Gibbs – “Caught In A Daze”
13. Tyler, The Creator – “Yonkers”
14. Shyne ft. Barrington Levy – “Bad Boyz” (Throwback of the Week)
15. Recess – “The Gentleman”
16. **INTERVIEW WITH TYPE (OF WUF TIX)**
17. Wuf Tix ft. Jonny October – “Nobody Wants To Hear Your Stupid Theories” (Local Music)
18. Pharoahe Monch – “Evolve”
19. Elzhi – “Verbal Intercourse, Pt. 2”
20. The Weeknd – “House Of Balloons / Glass Table Girls”
21. Steelo ft. Izreal – “My Queen” (Local Music)
22. Apollo Brown ft. Oddisee – “The Times”
23. Jhene Aiko – “Stranger”

Link to download the mp3 of the show – http://www.mediafire.com/?bhxa0byot515td6
(back up / streaming link – http://www.zshare.net/audio/88902815f61479e1/)
(2nd back up – http://www.usershare.net/u397bxq2psc0/DJ Hyphen and J. Moore – Sunday Night Sound Session, Show 306, 4-10-11.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.

I said this would be an incredible album before it dropped…then watched as many people overlooked it on their year end wrap up lists…and now we continue to see dope visuals drop for the Distant Relatives project.  I’m convinced that when people look back on it years later, they’ll finally give it the respect it deserves.

Damn, can’t front…this was a tough video to watch.  Bambu’s remake of Adele’s incredible “Someone Like You” record takes a strong look at domestic abuse, particularly that emanating from the hip-hop community, and the visuals pull no punches.

As someone who can’t fathom even arguing with a significant other, I don’t understand how anyone can let a situation get to that point.  At the same time, I realize that I’ve lived a lucky life and every aspect of the nature/nurture of my upbringing has been fairly privileged.  For those who haven’t been as lucky, I hope nothing in your life ever drives you to this type of violence.  If it happened in your family, break the cycle.

“In the 2 seater…me and 2 women”
— Rick Ross, “9 Piece (Remix)”

I know rappers like to stretch the truth on records, but I mean…

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.

The Pac Div homies will be in Seattle tomorrow night (Sunday, the 3rd), performing with Killer Mike, Young Dro, and Dee-1 at the Croc. Check ’em out!

The homey David Dallas is gearing up for his Duck Down assisted assault on the North American market after conquering his homeland, New Zealand, and he’s just released the visuals for “Caught In A Daze” with Freddie Gibbs. Shot in Los Angeles and Papatoetoe (how many videos can say that?) by Askew1, the track can also be downloaded here:

David Dallas ft. Freddie Gibbs – “Caught In A Daze”

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.

There are certain times when you just have to swear.  When using the “safe” words in the English language just aren’t enough.  When something hits you so right that anything less than vulgarity wouldn’t do it justice.  That’s the feeling I had when I finally got a chance to listen to the new project from mysterious Toronto based singer, The Weeknd.  This shit is sexy as fuck.

And no, the picture of Estella Warren above has nothing to do The Weeknd.  It’s just also sexy as fuck.

Download here.