Eyedea – The Many Faces of Oliver Hart

The Minneapolis hip-hop scene unexpectedly lost an amazing talent on Sunday. Eyedea was the quickest MC I've ever seen in concert. Always interesting, he was a master of both lyrical delivery and wit. Without a doubt one of the best freestyle rappers to ever hold a mic. I've posted his second album, The Many Faces of Oliver Hart, for you to enjoy and remember this Saint Paul native.

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2010/10/18/eyedea-remembered/

Felt – Felt 3: A Tribute To Rosie Perez

The Felt boys are back and this time your boy Aes Rock is the drummer.



Slug and Murs are back with another Felt project for the backpackers to get giddy about. This time with the tantalizing addition of Aesop Rock on production. An interesting choice for sure, Aesop certain brings a different flavor to Felt. And I have to admit that I like his production. But this album is way too long and too serious at points. To me, a Felt record should be fun and a bit silly. It should be an opportunity for Slug and Murs to let go, show off and rap about women they'll never get.

Don't get me wrong, this album is worth a listen. It's just not the best Felt record, but Slug and Murs are both too good to sleep on this. Highlights for me include Protagonists, Felt Chewed Up, Henrietta Longbottom, and She Sonnet.

Enjoy.

Brother Ali – Us

Ali's fourth full-length album and his third with veteran Rhymesayers producer Ant. I haven't given this a proper listen yet so I can't give my full opinion. But you should already know this is worth downloading if not buying with your hard earned dollars. You can get it for just $7.49 over at LaLa. Support local Hip-Hop.

Enjoy.

Blue Scholars - Blue Scholars

Blue Scholars brand of smart, positive hip-hop first caught my ear with their song Fire for the People. This 2004 self-titled album shows the potential of this Seattle based crew. If you like this, check out their 2007 release, Bayani.

Enjoy.

Greenhouse Effect - Columbus or Bust

Greenhouse Effect was Blueprint's hip-hop outlet prior hooking up with RJD2 and putting Columbus on the scene. Columbus or Bust is the 2005 reinvention of this Weightless Records crew since loosing fellow emcee Inkwel to God. Check this out if you like Blueprint, Soul Position or underground hip-hop in general.

Enjoy.

Atmosphere – LEAK AT WILL

"hello party people.
as we approach the launch of our new digital online store anthony and myself have put together another project that we are giving away for free to any of you who sign up for a user account on our online store www.FifthElementOnline.com. the project is a 7 song ep called LEAK AT WILL, and it was a lot of fun to make. nothing too serious, just smiles and cries.
consider it another "thank you" for all of the support you have offered us over the years.

and again, thank you very much. have a good summer. s"

fifthelementonline.com/leakatwill

Enjoy.

Prof and St. Paul Slim – Recession Music

There is no lack of fresh hip-hop coming out of the Twin Cities these days. I'm not too familiar with Prof, but St. Paul Slim has been known to associate with both Rhymesayers and Doomtree. The influences in this album are apparent, from Mos Def to Jay-Z, but the style is unique. And true to Twin Cities form, there are plenty of guest MCs including P.O.S. and Slug. Of course, this if just the free download. You'll have to shell out $5 if you want the whole thing.

recessionmusic.com

Enjoy.

Brother Ali - The Truth is Here

I just got back from a Brother Ali in-store at Fifth Element. It's been 2 years since Ali's last album, The Undisputed Truth. This 9 song EP and DVD is meant to be the bridge between that and his next full length, Street Preacher, which is set to be released this Fall.

Nine tracks featuring two highly sought after b-sides and seven new and previously unreleased songs including “Philistine David”, which was featured in the Jonathan Demme directed documentary, Jimmy Carter Man From Plains and “The Believer” a collaboration with Slug of Atmosphere...

...The Truth Is Here captures a key period in the career of what many have called one of the most promising voices to emerge from the underground this century and will be a must have for any and every Brother Ali fan.

The in-store performance was great. Minnesota hip-hop is alive and well. Between this and the recent P.O.S. release, I'm glad I live in the Twin Cities. Ali was late, so Slug grabbed the mic to kill a couple minutes. He told some stories about being on the road with Brother Ali and got the crowd laughing. The store was packed by the time Ali made his way to the front. He played four or five songs off the new EP including "The Believers" featuring Slug. He told a few stories, did a great freestyle and a few songs by request. Then he stuck around to sign CDs for anyone who wanted an autograph. The great thing was how appreciative Ali was to everyone that was there. You can tell he's humbled to be in the position that he's in. It's refreshing to see such heart and gratitude towards fans.

Enjoy this record and support local music.

P.O.S. - Never Better

"P.O.S returns with Never Better, the follow up to 2006's critically acclaimed Audition. Written mostly in a moving car, P.O.S raps at full clip to ride rolling drums and revving distortion. There's an urgency that he keeps in careful check, and then unleashes for spring-loaded verses that represent his best work. Never Better enters a room like bombshell with a black eye, badass, noisy, and impossible to ignore. With an unlikely punk rock past and an ever growing loyal hip hop fan base, P.O.S proves he is a rapper with range, a real musician and an unstoppable performer."

Stef's third full-length album, Never Better, hits harder than anything else you're likely to hear this year. I'm a big fan of his first two albums and most of what I've heard from the Doomtree collective, but this album takes it all up a notch. To be honest, it took me a couple of listens to warm up to Never Better. It's more abrasive than most of the hip-hop I'm used to. But now that I'm hooked, I can't stop listening. There are so many layers to discover in this DIY hip-hop/punk genre blending album. Best listened to live, but a close second is while driving your car 50 MPH at night down Lyndale with your lights off. So, check out the album and be sure to check out the artwork. Amazing.

Jake One - White Van Music

Another Rhymesayers release, White Van Music is a collection of beats and collaborations from Jake One, a producer and DJ from Seattle, and some of the best MCs in the business. At 22 tracks, the album is a little long and hit-and-miss in some places. But there are some instant classics from MCs such as Freeway, Brother Ali, MF DOOM, and Blueprint. My favorite track is Trap Door (MF DOOM) for the bass line alone. Enjoy.

Murs - Murs for President

Not so much a political concept album as the title might suggest. It's more of a relationship/break-up album. Produced by 9th Wonder, it's not the best album Murs has put out but it's got some killer tracks. My favorite by far is track 4, The Science. If you only listen to one song from this album, listen to that one. Enjoy.

Doomtree

After numerous solo releases and pseudo-official compilations, the Doomtree collective has released their first official full length album. Self titled, this album features the best of the Twin Cities underground punk and hip-hop scene. If you are a fan of Atmosphere or P.O.S., then check this out.

Atmosphere - Strictly Leakage

A nice little Christmas present from our friends Sean and Anthony. Those Atmosphere boys must've had a busy year. Grab this free album while you can and sit tight while you wait for their next release.

http://rhymesayers.com/atmosphere/

Atmosphere - Sad Clown Bad Summer 9

"Just in time for some Summer fun Slug and Ant drop an Atmosphere appetizer while they put the finishing touches on their 6th studio album, When Life Gives You Lemons... due early next year. Until then enjoy 5 new sun filled summer inspired songs from Atmosphere, so get 'em while it's hot and this gem is still available..."

Number 9 in the Sad Clown Bad Dub series, this is great treat for Atmosphere fans and newcomers alike. Most of the songs feature piano and have a summer groove that is undeniably head noddin'. Put this on in your car and drive around the Lake Calhoun with the windows down, these 5 songs just taste like summer. For those of you that aren't hip-hop fans, give this a try. These songs rely on sweet melodies and the lyrics are easy to swallow. Enjoy with a glass of Tang.

Beastie Boys - The Mix Up

I'm a huge fan of the Beastie Boys. I have been ever since I ended up with a tape of License to Ill in my car one summer while in high school. I'm not sure where it came from, probably accquired while picking up Mr. Jackson in Baraboo or stolen from Kevin on one of his visits home from Minneapolis. None the less, that tape made many trips from Madison to Mauston and back worth the ride. Like many suburban white kids, it was my introduction to Hip-Hop. The B-Boys showed me that Hip-Hop could be fun and accessable to everyone.

Anyway, like most people, I'm surprised that the Beastie Boys have held on to their career for this long. I was sure that the six-year hiatious between Hello Nasty and To The 5 Boroughs would've killed any chance of another record. To The 5 Boroughs is not their best work, but it's got some good cuts. It cannot be denied that the Boys are old and don't have the spark that they used to. That's exactly why I'm so please that this new album is something completely different. Like the compilation, In Sounds from the Way Out, The Mix Up is an instrumental album. Deep funk grooves and tight drum breaks make this a fantastic album to just put on and drive around town on a hot summer day. If you like the instrumental tracks from Check Your Head and Ill Communication, then you'll like this.

Enjoy.