Skillz wraps up another mad year.  ’09 is soon to be no more, here comes 2010.

Happy New Year!!

I’m always on the lookout for new artists on the Hip Hop scene, so I was happy when I stumbled across Drake.  This Canadian actor/singer/rapper signed to Lil Wayne’s Young Money Entertainment label earlier this year.  He has already released three singles, with a full album, Thank Me Later due out sometime in 2010.

Forever is the second single to be taken from the upcoming soundtrack for Lebron James’ documentary More Than a Game. I think it’s such a great concept, and the preview received positive reviews.  This single features verses from Drake, Kanyeezy, Lil Wayne and  Eminem (who absolutely kills it, in true Mathers style).

Check it out:

The first single from the highly anticipated Jay Z release Blueprint 3 has had it’s first airplay! The single is called D.O.A (Death of Autotune)

The Cool Kids upcoming release When Fish Ride Bicycles is one of the most anticipated albums of the year.  Prior to that major release, the duo have teamed up with Don Cannon to produce this brilliant 18-track mixtape.

Click here to download and get it now!

G.O.O.D. Music (Kanye West record label) is planning on releasing an independent compilation album called, ‘G.O.O.D. Morning, G.O.O.D. Night’.  Presented by Kanye West & Malik Yusef, the album will feature guest musicians and producers like, Pharrell WIlliams, Lupe Fiasco, KRS One, and John Legend.  The concept of the album will be Protagonist vs. Antagonist/Lower Self vs. Higher Self, exhibiting the poet’s struggle between his internal dualities.

The first single is right here, “Magic Man” features Kanye West, Common and John Legend.

Finally,  the first single to be taken from The Clipse‘s new album Till The Casket Drops is a collabo with Kanye West on this beautifully put together track, produced by the great DJ Khalil, check it out:

The Clipse feat Kanye West – Kinda Like a Big Deal

This is the third single to be leaked from Em’s highly anticipated Relapse album due out later this year.

’3 A.M’ is going back to classic dark Eminem, showcasing his excellent lyrical ability and Dr Dre’s high-grade production.

Eminem – 3 a.m.

Here is a track from the recently released Tech N9ne album Sickology 101. The track is called ‘Midwest Choppers 2′ and sees N9ne collaborating with K-Dean & Krayzie Bone.  Both  N9ne and Krayzie Bone really deliver on this track, and it will definitely please fans of break-neck rap with dark crazy beats.

Tech N9ne feat. K-Dean & Krayzie Bone – Midwest Choppers 2

Here is the new single from Eminem called ‘We Made You’.  This is the first track from his new album ‘Relapse’ due out in May this year.  Sounds alot like his D12 stuff..I expected something different, but it’s just good to hear Em on a track again.

Enjoy!

With the upcoming eagerly anticipated Cuban Linx II due for release…..sometime this year *fingers crossed*, this should hopefully give you a taster of what’s to come:

Raekwon – Wu Ooh feat. Ghostface Killah & Method Man

Here is the new single from The Cool Kids which is also featured on NBA 2K9 the video game. Pennies is from their upcoming album When Fish Ride Bicycles:

The Cool Kids – Pennies

From the UK, here are a couple of tracks I’m really feeling right now:

Tinchy Stryder is doing big things right now, and his is his latest effort.  A collabo with the soulful Taio Cruz, love this:

Tinchy Stryder – Take Me Back feat. Taio Cruz

This is the first release from the incredibly talented grime artist, 17 year old Chipmunk.  He is the youngest ever artist to win a MOBO award.  He is so talented, I”m sure we’ll be hearing more from him this year!  This beat is banging, he’s definitely coming up.

Chipmunk – Beast feat. Loick Essien

enjoy

“Rosa Parks sat so Martin Luther could walk,

Martin Luther walked so Barack Obama could run,

Barack Obama ran so all the children could fly..”

Nothing else to say about this….

Jay Z – My President is Black (Remix)

Peace!

Here is another year’s Rap Up from the great Mad Skillz!  I think he’s being a little polite in this one, but it’s still worth checking out:

Wrap%20Up%202008%20radio%20rough.mp3

Happy New Year

Peace!

These are two of my favourite MC’s here rapping over beats by the legendary J Dilla.  Now these tracks have been available since the summer, but I thought I’d share them anyway,for those who hadn’t copped it!

Description is from the Stones Throw site: In late 2005 Ghostface Killa as well as MF DOOM were both recording over tracks from J Dilla’s instrumental opus, Donuts, which saw release the following February. Some of these were released on Ghostface’s Fishscale in 2006, while others, including a Dilla-Doom project, were postponed indefinitely at the end of J Dilla’s passing. Two of these tracks, “Sniper Elite” as well as “Murder Goons,” are presented here on behalf of the first time. The two are taken from two sequential songs off Donuts, meant to mix together. We are presenting the two songs unmixed, plus the two mixed combined as a bonus track.

“Sniper Elite” featuring Doom: uses a brilliant beat from Dilla and Doom’s flow is on spot.  The only shortcoming being that Doom only comes in after 30 seconds and the track is only 1:59.

\”Sniper Elite\” featuring MF DOOM

“Murder Goons” featuring Ghostface: really demonstrates Ghost in his element, flow’s on spot, words tight, his energy is there, an awesome track.  Both tracks beautifully produced by Dilla.

\”Murder Goons\” featuring Ghostface Killah

Purchase the digital ep (including the bonus mix of the two tracks) here.

9th Wonder & Murs Present: Sweet Lord

This is the third helping of Murs and 9th Wonder released so far, and Sweet Lord sees them continue to develop their sound.  This was released as digital download before Murs For President, and is due to be released in physical format soon.

9th’s production is perfected as the album unfolds, and he integrates his incredible knowledge of soul records into each track, check the sample used in “Marry Me”.  Murs also steps up for this project, he lays down everything from lighthearted verses to personal experiences to inspirational raps for everyone.

This album shows a more grown up side to Murs and 9th, compared to some rappers more ignorant material being released.  Definitely go cop this here for free!

Enjoy

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Holla readers,
The new Kanye dropped a few days ago. I’m not going to talk about the album, I expect this would have been covered on every other hip-hop related blog on the Internet already. I’m intrigued about one thing though; On Kanye’s blog he says that he “did not leak” RoboCop (a track off his new LP 808s and Heartbreaks).

Now I’m pretty new to the way Kanye deals with the marketing of his self and product, but in saying that, to me implies that he’s purposefully leaked material before to generate hype. Can anyone clarify this? The whole Internet seems to be buzzing with Kanye, and I’m not surprised. Look at his blog, so much well targeted marketing. Love Lockdown dropped a while back and he’s since been slowly whetting our appetites in an expertly timed manner: video drops, shows, more leaks… I implore you, does it even matter that the album is a musical anti-climax?

RoboCop
RoboCop

New artist fresh off the Stones Throw block, James Pants is described on their site as,
“… a purveyor par excellence of that unmistakable “fresh beat”: 80’s Soul, Electro Boogie, Early Rap, New Wave, & Post-Punk Disco, all of which can be found on Welcome where James plays drums, keys, guitar and sings.”

I’ll have to think about this one. Check out his upcoming album, Welcome

James Pants – We’re Through

Bochum Welt
And now for something very unrelated, a small sample of a live electronic set Bochum Welt of Rephlex did with Thomas Dolby in 2006. Enjoy!

Bochum Welt live, San Francisco 2006