The Audacity of Dope

Yes y’all, another dope edition of Sunday Night Sound Session for you to enjoy if you weren’t able to catch it live.  Or if you did, and you just want to relive the glorious night, you’re in luck.  Ok ok, perhaps it wasn’t a life changing event, but you know we had to hold you down as always with the best new music of the week.  We played great songs from artists like Black Milk, Evidence, Common, Jay-Z, Kanye West, and more, plus debuted new tracks from Nipsey Hussle, Blaq Poet, and the longtime homies, U-N-I.  Thurz & Y-O were even in town yesterday for a concert, so while they had to rock the stage while SNSS was on air, we did get a chance to record a nice interview that I’ll post up ASAP.

In the meantime, peep this episode for all that music, including a snippet of an interview we did a while back with West Coast legend Murs.  Again, I’ll post the entire interview (and video) soon.  We were also joined in studio by the local group Clockwork and some of Portland’s finest, Braille, Othello, and Ohmega Watts, collectively known as Lightheaded.  Braille even stuck around and dropped a dope (legit) freestyle off the dome to help us close the show.  You can watch it below.  Enjoy!

Show #184 (12-7-08)

1. Black Milk – “Try”
2. Evidence – “The Cold Weather”
3. Keelay & Zaire ft. Blu, Fortilive, & Nino Moschella – “The Times”
4. **INTERVIEW WITH BRAILLE, OTHELLO, & OHMEGA WATTS**
5. Braille – “Fill It In”
6. Common ft. Cee-Lo – “Make My Day”
7. Nipsey Hussle – “Hussle In The House”
8. Jay-Z ft. Santogold – “Brooklyn (We Go Hard)”
9. Grynch ft. Tunji (of Inverse) – “All Right” (Local Artist)
10. **INTERVIEW WITH MURS (SNIPPET)**
11. Murs – “Can It Be”
12. 1982 (Statik Selektah & Termanology) ft. Lil’ Fame (of M.O.P.) – “Thugathon”
13. Blaq Poet – “Ain’t Nuttin’ Changed”
14. The Knux – “Hush”
15. U-N-I – “Hollywood Hiatus”
16. Convinced – “Miss Memory”
17. **INTERVIEW WITH CLOCKWORK**
18. Clockwork – “Hold On” (Local Artist)
19. Fresh Espresso (Rik Rude & P-Smoov) – “Elegant” (Local Artist)
20. Don Cerino ft. Royce The 5’9” – “Missing Element” (WORLD PREMIERE)
21. Kid Cudi – “Dat New New”
22. **BRAILLE – LIVE FREESTYLE**
23. Kanye West – “Street Lights”

Link to download the mp3 of the show – http://www.mediafire.com/?ddyogjhymzi
(back up / streaming link – http://www.zshare.net/audio/524277280b292ccc/ )

Link to download just the parts with Braille – http://www.mediafire.com/?mmzmmkjwzjq
(back up / streaming link – http://www.zshare.net/audio/524711662323a585/ )

Braille’s freestyle:

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.

Ha, word to my first post.  But yeah, Invincible Summer Universal Mind Control is finally here and set to hit stores a week from today on the 9th.  Fresh.  If you’re on top of things, you can even cop it from Zune for 99 cents on release day.

If you missed my last interview with Common from Sound Session in September, peep game.  Also, we’re going to have a special event with Com down at KUBE on the 13th.  If you’re in Seattle and want a chance to attend the listening party for this album, click here for info on how to win.

We’ll also be interviewing him again during the party, so if you have something you want me to ask, drop a comment and I’ll see what I can do.

A few months back, J. Moore and the rest of the Red Bull Big Tune fam brought Elzhi (of Slum Village) and Black Milk to the town for the Seattle edition of the beat battle.  Before tearing it down at Neumo’s that night (I’ll toss some of that footage up if I get time), they came through Sound Session to record an interview with us.  Unfortunately, since we’ve had so many guests coming through lately, it’s taken a minute to get the audio up for y’all.  Better late than never though, especially when you’re dealing with two of the dopest artists in the industry right now.  I don’t think anyone is seeing Elzhi bar for bar, and with the release of Tronic, Black has staked his claim for the top MC/producer out there.  Seriously…do you hear how he’s spittin’ on that album?

Anyway, the interview was recorded in between the releases of Elzhi’s The Preface and Black’s Tronic, so there are a few occasions where it sounds dated.  Even still, I highly recommend checking out the full discussion to hear them break down both projects in detail.  They also talked about their inspirations both past and present, their creative processes, all things Detroit, what changes they hope Barack can bring to the people, their upcoming work, and much more.  Enjoy!

Elzhi & Black Milk on Sound Session – http://www.mediafire.com/?4nl20wo3wjy
(back up / streaming link – http://www.zshare.net/audio/52144263069bf0be/ )

Do yourself a favor and go cop The Preface and Tronic if you haven’t already.  Your “Best of 2008” list isn’t complete without both of ’em, trust me.

It’s been a while since I archived Sound Session immediately following the show, but I figured I’d toss the latest episode up for y’all before I crash.  That said, I’d prefer not to start off my week with no sleep, so I’ll keep this brief.

While J. Moore is in NYC to host the finals of the Red Bull Big Tune beat battle, I held it down solo (“so low they can’t hear you Carlton” © Will).  As usual, we played dope joints all night and I decided to switch it up for the last block and played some of my favorite ‘alternative’ type songs to close the show.  I’ll forever be a backpacker, but thankfully I’ve grown to understand that good music is good music, boom-bap or not.

Special note: the full interview with Elzhi & Black Milk (aka “40 minutes of dopeness with two of the illest in the industry”) will is posted below. I aired a few snippets last night, but trust me, you’ll want to listen to the entire thing.

Show #183 (11-30-08)

1. Ludacris – “M.V.P.”
2. Evidence ft. Alchemist – “So Fresh”
3. Convinced – “Miss Memory”
4. Dela ft. Talib Kweli – “Long Life”
5. Grynch – “Take A Trip (Local Artist)
6. GLC ft. Kanye West – “Big Screen”
7. B.o.B. – “I’ll Live In The Sky”
8. 88 Keys ft. Kid Cudi – “Ho Is Short For Honey”
9. Common – “Gladiator”
10. **INTERVIEW WITH ELZHI & BLACK MILK, SNIPPET #1**
11. Elzhi ft. Royce The 5’9” – “Motown 25”
12. **INTERVIEW WITH ELZHI & BLACK MILK, SNIPPET #2**
13. Black Milk – “Long Story Short”
14. Fresh Espresso (Rik Rude & P-Smoov) – “Diamond Pistols” (Local Artist)
15. Self Scientific ft. The Game, Talib Kweli, & Cobe – “Everywhere I Go”
16. Keelay & Zaire ft. Tunji (of Inverse) – “Addicts For Real”
17. Json – “M.O.B.” (Local Artist)
18. Kanye West ft. Kid Cudi – “Welcome To Heartbreak”
19. The Knux – “Hush”
20. He Say She Say – “Crash Dummie”
21. Colin Munroe ft. Wale – “Will I Stay (Remix)”
22. Robin Thicke – “Cry No More”

Link to download the mp3 of the show – http://www.mediafire.com/?qym2mje1k2m
(back up / streaming link – http://www.zshare.net/audio/521000594c2910a1/ )

Link to download the full interview with Elzhi & Black Milk – http://www.mediafire.com/?4nl20wo3wjy
(back up / streaming link – http://www.zshare.net/audio/52144263069bf0be/ )

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.

Ever have one of those times where everything is going great, and then something completely random goes wrong and tries to pull you down?  That’s pretty much how my weekend went.  Aside from my 6th grade basketball team crashing out of our tournament with the quickness, everything was busy, but still dope…until I drove in to the station for this week’s Sound Session and my car decided to blow up.  It took all day today to get things back up and running, but I swear, those Prius jawns look better by the minute.

Thankfully, this week’s show provided a little therapy through an hour and a half of good music and good people.  We ran a ton of great tracks and played two short snippets of our recent interview with Talib Kweli.  Be sure to check out the full version of that interview (and watch the video in HD) below.  Also, shout to the homegirl Jessica from Spectre for coming through to kick it!

Show #182 (11-23-08)

1. Alchemist ft. Evidence, Blu, & Kid Cudi – “Therapy”
2. Keelay & Zaire ft. Blu, Fortilive, & Nino Moschella – “The Times”
3. B.o.B. – “Left Field Lovely”
4. Grynch ft. Geologic (of Blue Scholars) & Thig Natural (of the Physics) – “I’m A Dreamer” (Local Artist)
5. Q-Tip – “Fever”
6. Black Milk – “Hold It Down”
7. Colin Munroe ft. Wale – “Will I Stay (Remix)”
8. Reef The Lost Cauze – “Home”
9. Ludacris ft. Nas & Jay-Z – “I Do It For Hip-Hop”
10. **INTERVIEW WITH TALIB KWELI #04 (SNIPPETS)**
11. Self Scientific ft. Talib Kweli & the Game – “Everywhere I Go”
12. Evidence – “Rain Or Shine”
13. GLC ft. Kanye West – “Big Screen”
14. Kanye West ft. Mr. Hudson & Kid Cudi – “Paranoid”
15. Foreign Exchange – “I Wanna Know”
16. 88 Keys ft. Phonte (of Little Brother) – “Close Call”
17. Fresh Espresso (Rik Rude & P-Smoov) – “Diamond Pistols” (Local Artist)
18. **INTERVIEW WITH JESSICA WEBER (of SPECTRE)**
19. Json – “M.O.B.” (Local Artist)
20. Statik Selektah ft. Jon Hope, Torae, & Sha Stimuli – “Destined To Shine (Obama Mix)”
21. Now On – “Unwind”
22. B-Real ft. Young De – “Don’t Ya Dare Laugh”

Link to download the mp3 of the show – http://www.mediafire.com/?koggndwnmqw
(back up / streaming link – http://www.zshare.net/audio/5182069911de45aa/ )

Link to download the full interview with Talib Kweli – http://www.mediafire.com/?2dmzymzi3jt
(back up / streaming link – http://www.zshare.net/audio/515797634df69ac9/ )

(watch in HD on HyphenTV)

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.

(watch it in HD on HyphenTV right here)

A few weeks ago, the big homies Talib Kweli and Corey Smyth stopped by KUBE to make their 4th appearance on Sound Session.  It’s always great to meet and interview people for the first time, but it’s even better once you get to know them and your ‘interviews’ just turn in to catching up with old friends.  It probably could have been under better circumstances though, cause right before we got up, this happened.  It shows you how cool Talib is that despite just finding out about the theft, he still took time for us before trying to find the laptop.  Booooooooo @ that “fan” who took Kwa’s MacBook.  Shame on you.

Anyway, if you missed any of the previous discussions, you can check ’em out on our podcast page right here.

This time around, we talked all about his current projects, including updates on the next Reflection Eternal album with Hi-Tek, his Idle Warship group with Res & Graph Nobel, and all things Blacksmith. We also discussed what it’s like to operate his own label, how new media has affected his career, a little politics, and more.  Be sure to watch it in high-def on the HyphenTV Vimeo page, or if you only want the audio, grab it below:

Talib Kweli on Sound Session – http://www.mediafire.com/?2dmzymzi3jt
(back up / streaming link – http://www.zshare.net/audio/515797634df69ac9/ )

Blacksmith is the movement.

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…

Even though life has been really hectic lately, there are certain episodes of Sound Session that just feel like the good ol’ days.  Every now and then, I’ll forget all the other stuff I have to do and just enjoy hanging out with good people, playing some dope music.  This past Sunday was definitely one of those nights.  We had the homies Grynch and The Parker Brothaz roll through to talk about recent projects they’re involved in and the jokes were flying all night.  I wish y’all could hear all the off air moments each week…they might even be more entertaining than the music we play.

Speaking of which, here are the playlist and download links for this week’s edition of SNSS.  Be sure to check out the full interview with Evidence (of Dilated Peoples) and Alchemist to hear about all the dope projects they’re working on.

Show #181 (11-16-8)

1. Chester French – “She Loves Everybody”
2. The Knux – “Life In A Cage (Electric)”
3. Q-Tip – “Move”
4. Black Milk – “Try”
5. **INTERVIEW WITH GRYNCH**
6. Grynch ft. Tunji (of Inverse) – “All Right” (Local Artist)
7. 88 Keys ft. Bilal – “M.I.L.F.”
8. Foreign Exchange – “Valediction”
9. Illa J – “All Good”
10. Ghostface Killah – “Computer Love”
11. **INTERVIEW WITH EVIDENCE & ALCHEMIST, PT. 1**
12. Evidence ft. Phonte (of Little Brother), Blu, & Will.I.Am – “For Whom The Bell Tolls”
13. **INTERVIEW WITH EVIDENCE & ALCHEMIST, PT. 2**
14. Jay Electronica – “Exhibit A (Transformations)”
15. B.o.B. – “Left Field Lovely”
16. Reef The Lost Cauze – “Home”
17. **INTERVIEW WITH THE PARKER BROTHAZ**
18. AD – “All That I Had” (Local Artist)
19. Fashawn ft. Evidence – “Our Way”
20. The Reallionaires – “Give It 2 U” (Local Artist)
21. Keelay & Zaire ft. Blu, Fortilive, & Nino Moschella – “The Times”
22. Kanye West ft. Kid Cudi – “Paranoid”
23. John Legend – “Cross The Line”

Link to download the mp3 of the show – http://www.mediafire.com/?tgntzjt3zlw
(back up / streaming link – http://www.zshare.net/audio/51862674c65d7d54/ )

Link to download the full interview with Evidence & Alchemist – http://www.mediafire.com/?yzjtjgejieu
(back up / streaming link – http://www.zshare.net/audio/51481522ef6ce739/ )

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.

^^poor Adam.

Even though we had 88 Keys call in to Sound Session a few months ago back in June (peep that interview here), with Death of Adam finally dropping today, we thought we’d remind y’all to cop it.  You can check the first interview for all sorts of information about the album and then check part two below.  This time around, Keys talked about what he wanted to do with DoA, how it affected his musical plans for the future, and even dispensed some important advice to men everywhere.  Check it out:

88 Keys on Sound Session #02 – http://www.mediafire.com/?gvyhtqz5zdn
(back up / streaming link – http://www.zshare.net/audio/51176379078607c9/ )

Cop Death of Adam in stores now!

I don’t know if you heard, but some dude named Barack Obama is our 44th President.  Pretty crazy, huh?

With this being our first Sound Session since the historic election, you know we had to celebrate.  We kicked off the show with a nice set of tracks dedicated to Barack’s victory, including new joints from Jay-Z, Common, Brother Ali, Q-Tip, and 3 of XXL’s Incoming Freshmen Class, B.o.B., Charles Hamilton, and Asher Roth.  After getting our celebration out the way, we got back into some of the best music out right now from people like Kanye, Devin The Dude, Black Milk, Evidence, and more.  Good music + good times recapping the past week.  Listen to the very beginning to hear how J. Moore watched the election results with WHO?!?!?!?! How crazy is that?

We also had 88 Keys call in (again…peep the interview from June here) to talk about his Death of Adam project that drops today, so make sure you cop that and support G.O.O.D. music…yes pun.  Also, shout to J. Pinder for swinging by the studio to fill us in, pause, on his new mixtape, No New Taxes.  Pinder may have lost his campaign for President, but at least he’s still one of Seattle’s best.  Cop that for a buck at OnlyGP.com.

Show #180 (11-9-08)

1. Jay-Z ft. Tony Williams – “History”
2. Novel ft. Joell Ortiz – “I Can Be President”
3. B.o.B. ft. Charles Hamilton & Asher Roth – “Change Gonna Come”
4. Brother Ali – “Mr. President (You’re The Man)”
5. Common – “Changes”
6. J. Period ft. Q-Tip – “Q-Tip For President”
7. Jake One ft. Kardinal Offishall & Pharoahe Monch – “Hurt U” (Local Artist)
8. **INTERVIEW WITH 88 KEYS #02**
9. 88 Keys ft. Kanye West & Malik Yusef – “Stay Up (Viagra)”
10. Kanye West – “Heartless”
11. Devin The Dude ft. 14K – “I Need A Song”
12. Illa J ft. Debi Nova – “Sounds Like Love”
13. Foreign Exchange ft. Darien Brockington – “Take Off The Blues”
14. The Reallionaires – “Call Me” (Local Artist)
15. Black Milk ft. Royce The 5’9” – “Losing Out”
16. **INTERVIEW WITH J. PINDER**
17. AD – “All That I Had” (Local Artist)
18. Keelay & Zaire ft. Tunji – “Addicts For Real”
19. Fashawn ft. Evidence – “Our Way”
20. Evidence – “The Layover”
21. John Legend – “If You’re Out There (Obama Mix)”

Link to download the mp3 of the show – http://www.mediafire.com/?mmdz21ovyja
(back up / streaming link – http://www.zshare.net/audio/5117608845439706/ )

Link to download the full interview with 88 Keys – http://www.mediafire.com/?gvyhtqz5zdn
(back up / streaming link – http://www.zshare.net/audio/51176379078607c9/ )

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.