DOCUMENTARY----40 YEARS OF HIP HOP BY KRS-ONE

To coincide with Hip Hop reaching that 40-year threshold, we have Blastmaster KRS-One bringing us 40 Years Of Hip Hop.  Filmed in Amsterdam at the Bijlmer Parktheater for Hip Hop Appreciation Week, KRS-One took his teachings to an international stage.  He has been one of the most vocal proponents for Hip Hop culture since the Golden Era, and his lecture/documentary is proof-positive that he will continue on that path of Hip Hop enlightenment.  More than 102 minutes of footage, interspersed with video excerpts, gives the viewer a glimpse into the true tenets of the culture.  "I Am Hip Hop" is more than a slick saying, but a venerable truth for KRS-One.  Knowledge Reigns Supreme Over Nearly Everyone!

 

 

 

CAROLINA BLUE LYRICISM---AN INTERVIEW WITH DRIQUE LONDON

 

INTERVIEW BY:  WISDOM

The original plan was to meet up and coming NC lyricist Drique London at Triangle Town Center to chop it up at my favorite spot Barnes & Noble.  That didn't quite come to fruition, so Plan B went into effect.  Drique London so graciously spoke with me via phone for a good 30 minutes.  Very cool character.  Humble.  Intelligent.  These are qualities that are sometimes lacking in the swagged-out atmosphere of Hip Hop in the 21st Century.  I've been around enough entities within this unforgiving bloodsport to know when someone is the genuine article, and when someone is perpetrating a fraud.  Drique London is indeed the genuine article.



Photo acknowledgement:  katrinlaskowski.net

Talking with Drique London, it becomes apparent that he has multiple influences infused into his overall style.  "I was born in Selma, and moved to Queens at an early age.  I think that dual experience molded me into the artist that I've become."  You can hear both the Southern hospitality and direct Yankee musings during our conversation.  Being an up and coming artist in a swag-driven industry can be a difficult proposition, but he takes it all in stride.  "My mom really inspired me to do this, man.  I used to record little tapes when I was about 11, then around 16 I recorded my own project.  I went to Millbrook High School in Raleigh, had my own label in high school, World Face Entertainment.  It was cool, just being a kid in school, making music on my own terms."  Touching on his place in the North Carolina Hip Hop scene, Drique London made it quite clear that he has quite a ways to go, but he wants to leave his mark on the industry as a whole.  "Cats like 9th Wonder, Little Brother, they paved the way for me to do what I am trying to do today.  It's an honor to even be mentioned when their names are spoken.  I'm here just to do my part and advance this culture, in my own way bro."



Photo by Kali Rogers

Taking a look at the NC scene, there are quite a few like-minded artists that are walking that same path that Drique London is embarking on in 2013 and beyond.  Dope talent such as King Mez, Rapsody, Charlie Smarts and others have proven that there can be a flair of intelligence within the Southern realm of this Hip Hop culture.  "I've known King Mez a long time", says Drique, who was able to record the dope joint "The Cypher" with Mez and fellow Carolina representative and Kooley High member Tab-One.  "For 'The Cypher' I reached out to Mez, Mez put his verse down, then I reached out to Tab-One to add that finishing touch to the song". Looking at the video for "The Cypher", you can almost feel that synergy that these three distinct, yet like-minded, artists shared. Filmed in Raleigh by Kent Willard for Depth Of South Productions, it showed the solidarity and potential that NC has when it comes to Hip Hop music as a whole.  "It was produced by Majestic, who I've been down with for a good while."

Photo excerpt from Kent Willard on set for "The Cypher"

 

 

2013 has indeed been a busy year for Drique London.  He has been putting the finishing touches on A Hard Nights Day, which will most definitely bring more exposure in NC and beyond for his Dreams Of Children Music Group imprint (DOCMG), which includes London, Majestic, U'nique Music and Donovan McCray.  I asked the NC lyricist about where he sees his perpetual grind taking him, and his response was a resounding "everywhere".  "Keep working, thinking of ways to expand my craft.  I would love to be on 106 & Park spittin' in The Backroom.  But you know what...if I don't ever touch a Grammy, I'll still be content with who I am as an artist and person".  He indeed has other aspirations, be it fashion, sneakers, running a Hip-Hop site, in essence just branching out to fulfill his ultimate creative purpose.  Make no mistake about it though, the music is taking precedent for this year and for years to come.

 

 

 

"The Finale" is a recent offering from Drique London, but it is definitely not a final listening from this very talented, humble and grounded individual.  Even though we talked music and his career for a brief time, I feel that I have known him for a good while.  He is wise beyond his years, and dope beyond the average emcee spittin' nonsense.  Follow him on Twitter @DriqueLondon to catch a glimpse of what makes Drique London poised to make noise for a long time to come.  You can also go to his blog for further information and discography:  http://driquelondon.blogspot.com/.

 

Special thanks to Drique London for allowing me the opportunity to document this place and space for others to notice the talent that he is.  This interview has been a long time coming, since our original discussion took place months ago.  I hope and pray that this does a little justice for the artist that he is, and will become over the years. 

 

Peace and blessings!

 

 

 

 

  

NEW MUSIC: THE BEAUTY IN ALL (INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM)----ODDISEE

DMV Emcee/Producer extraordinaire Oddisee has just released his instrumental offering The Beauty In All via the very dope Mello Music Group imprint.  It's no secret that Oddisee is from that true school of Hip Hop production that I love and respect, and The Beauty In All brings that further to light.  Twelve cuts in all, you can feel the vibe that Oddisee was conjuring throughout the instrumental dopeness.  That dopeness is exhibited through the emotional rollercoaster that is life, with ebbs and flows, ups and downs.  This is nice joint to listen to while cruising the streets of DC, B-more, NY, Philly, ATL, Raleigh, Miami, Houston, Phoenix, LA, Oakland, or wherever you call home.



You can check out this offering, along with the accompanying mixtape Tangible Dream via Bandcamp.  Oddisee keeps bringing the heat to take us into the fall and winter months.  Enjoy!

LINKS:

https://soundcloud.com/mellomusicgroup/sets/oddisee-the-beauty-in-all
http://www.mellomusicgroup.com/pages/oddisee-1
http://www.okayplayer.com/news/oddisee-speaks-on-tangible-dreams-the-beauty-in-all-okayplayer-interview.html

MIXTAPE: A TRIBE CALLED KAST---THE LYRICS OF OUTKAST OVER BEATS BY A TRIBE CALLED QUEST

Nappy DJ Needles has blessed us with the ultimate mash-up with A Tribe Called Kast---The Lyrics Of Outkast Over Beats By A Tribe Called Quest.  Two of the most revered and beloved groups in Hip-Hop get the non-silent treatment, blending the dual entities into a seamless musical and lyrical gumbo.  Since I have the utmost respect for both Tribe and 'Kast, a mixtape of this caliber would have to bring the Hip-Hop noise, and it does.

MIXTAPE STREAM:  http://streaming.djdownloadz.com/stream-mixtape-new.php?mixtape=djneedles_atribecalledkast

You can download this dopeness from the DJ also known as Nodzilla at the following: 
http://www.djdownloadz.com/dj-needles-a-tribe-called-kast-mixtape. 

At a running time of 38:28 this 12-cut joint rocks from beginning to end.  Nappy DJ Needles is an entity to look out for the rest of '13 and beyond.  I love spreading the word about talented entities within Hip-Hop culture, and Nappy DJ Needles definitely fits the mold.  Follow him on Twitter:  @nappydjneedles. 

PEACE WISDOM SEEKERS!

VIDEO: "NOSETALGIA"----PUSHA-T FEAT. KENDRICK LAMAR

 

 

 

October 8th is the unveiling for the Pusha-T solo debut My Name Is My Name.  From the internet buzz and word on the street activity, we have the makings of a very combustible album.  Couple that with Mr. West almost having an aneurysm during the album release party, and one-half of The Clipse is slated to move into that stratosphere of Hip-Hop stardom (not saying that he isn't already a dope artist).  Joining forces with all-world lyrical wonderkind Kendrick Lamar to film the visuals for "Nosetalgia" in Compton, Pusha-T is letting the world know that he is ready, willing, and able to carry a portion of that proverbial Hip-Hop torch.

I'm looking forward to this album dropping next week.  An album review will be forthcoming.  I think that King Push has the ingredients in place to rival works from his group offerings.  We shall see!  In the meantime, check out the inner workings of King Push via his Tumblr:  http://kingpusha.tumblr.com/.

Special thanks to NPR Music and Okayplayer for showing that Pusha-T love and sharing this joint with the world.

BEAT MAKING LAB---TRUE BEATS, RHYMES AND LIFE

Beat Making Lab is a project very near and dear to my B-more to NC heart.  Entrenched in this thing we call Hip Hop from its earliest beginnings, I've witnessed the negative connotations associated with the culture.  It is a rare moment when Hip Hop is shown in a positive, uplifting light.  I have always felt that this artistic movement can be useful as a teaching tool, not only on a local level, but from a global standpoint.  Beat Making Lab is just that, the creative brainchild of Pierce Freelon and The Apple Juice Kid.  Starting as a course at UNC Chapel Hill (go Tar Heels), it has now taken on a new life through PBS (go Sesame Street).  Through this partnership, Beat Making Lab is reaching the masses, exposing the creative and artistic powers of Hip Hop.  It's a simple concept that is reaping benefits:  supply the tools for youth to express and create through beats and rhymes. 

I can go on and on, but I think the proper thing to do is to show the first two episodes of a five-episode where Freelon and The Apple Juice Kid travel to the Fiji archipelago in Melanesia.  PBS and Okayplayer are just some of the viewing venues that are sharing this with the world.  Add WISDOM SEEKER to that list.  Peace to my NC brethren Pierce Freelon and The Apple Juice Kid for sharing their efforts and time to expand Hip Hop on a global level.

Heartbeats In Fiji (Episode 1)

 

Trapped In Paradise (Episode 2)

 

 

 



SOURCES:

http://www.beatmakinglab.com/
http://www.okayplayer.com
http://piercefreelon.com/

PETE ROCK AND CAMP LO----80 BLOCKS FROM TIFFANY'S PART 2

Pete Rock and Camp Lo have teamed up again to bring us 80 Blocks From Tiffany's Part 2, the follow-up to the dope first installment.  Twenty-six prime cuts that read more full-length album than mixtape, Geechi Suede and Sonny Cheeba bring that vintage Lo flow to the ears of avid listeners.  With one of the very best to ever touch a MPC bringing sonic heat for the '13 summer, you have the makings of a dope collabo.

 

Since the debut of the critically-acclaimed Uptown Saturday Night, Camp Lo has been releasing dope, not of the norm hip hop, while Pete Rock has his place cemented in the hallowed, graffiti-sprayed walls of our culture.  So it came as no surprise that these titans linked for 80 Blocks From Tiffany's, and this current joint is a continuation on a common theme with the releases.  Follow along, as Suede, Cheeba, Rock, and cast of diverse characters (Mac Miller, M.O.P., Ab-Soul, Talib Kweli, Uncle Murda, Tyler Woods) take you on a neo-blackploitation journey.  Make certain to download and enjoy this next installment in the evolution of Camp Lo and Pete Rock:  http://www.datpiff.com/Pete-Rock-80-Blocks-From-Tiffanys-Pt-2-mixtape.512846.html

Follow Camp Lo and Pete Rock via Twitter:
@PeteRock
@OfficialCampLo
@Camplo

Download Mixtape | Free Mixtapes Powered by DatPiff.com