((Get Hip)) by PUTS / 1Track@aTime 7.5.2014

1Track@aTime 7.5.2014
((Get Hip))

PUTS.  People Under the Stairs.  This duo consist of Thes One and Double K.  I first heard of this group during our early years on KRUX from co-host and college radio DJs like Justin aka Kooch and the 12s people brought into the booth.  This group, PUTS... man.  One of the all time greatest.  The best.  They're a duo to reference anytime we're talking about HH legends, especially out of the state of California.  During the early part of the millennium right around 9-11, I started learning about a bunch of groups from out West, like Cali Agents, a lot of the Good Life artist, Madlib and the Lootpack... everything off Stones Throw including my favorite from Declaime AndSoItIsSaid... Emanon, the BLX crew, 4th Avenue Jones, one of my all time favorite MCs ever...OMNI (from BLX), of course J-5, Aceyalone, all the Heiro crew, Zion I, and the list goes on and on and on... radio rotation of music like this was well represented on 91.5 FM at the time.  

When it comes to People Under the Stairs... man... With 12 Step Program, this is their 9th record and I can't think of any disappointing PUTS albums...  It's not like some artist that experience sophomore slumps, or break up records, make up records, or those records that were caught in the creative lockdown of the "powers that try to be, but will never be" Hip Hop... PUTS music is simply dope.  When we talk about consistency... and the concept of creating from the core...that's what I hear when I'm listening to PUTS.  And if you've never heard of PUTS, you've got 9 albums to work with... so get familiar (doesn't count solo works/collabs, etc. when you start doing your research). 

You can hear rotation from the new record that ogsv brother Dune dropped on the Fresh Produce mixlr online radio program ((click here to listen)) ...peep the latest program Show#21 which broadcasted live July 6th.  You'll hear our 1Track@aTime rotation of ((Get Hip)) and what is the first single off the record ((1 Up Til Sun Up))...you can check out the video for the PUTS single on YouTube.

1Track@aTime's focus on PUTS was right on time for Dune to promote the upcoming event further North in Albuquerque, NM that will include PUTS, Lyrics Born, Afro Classics, and Scarub of the Living Legends... July 26, 2014 at Sister. 

Aside from that make sure to search the net, learn about PUTS through Google, YouTube the videos, interviews, and check the history...especially the PL70.net website to learn more about their mission and their approach to true independence from the corrupted music industry.  No other music has called to be independent from the traps of the music business like Hip Hop and I hope there is more to learn from Thes One's vision and artist that are connected to that mission.  I hope it lasts just as long as they have and that common fans out there come around to supporting these movements whether its through purchasing the music (whether hardcopy or digital), buying the merchandise, passing the word, checking for events, working the music into rotation somehow, TALKING about groups like PUTS and PL70.net, creating content around these ideas, etc.).

Set PUTS at no. 1 for the LHHS Charts this summer... the first time this has changed since Asheru dropped Sleepless in Soweto.

Peace.

Keywords + Tag = PUTS | People Under the Stairs | Thes One | Double K | California | Get Hip | 1 Up Til Sun Up | 12 Step Program | Michael Turner | Christopher Portugal | PeiceLock70 | PL70.net | Fresh Produce | B.Dune | Fresh Produce Show | Las Cruces | New Mexico | 1Track@aTime | classic Hip Hop | Los Angeles | eMusic | independent Hip Hop 

'The Good King' by Chris Rivers / 1Track@aTime 6.28.2014

1Track@aTime 6.28.2014
((Ain't Hard to Tell))

I signed up for DatPiff mixtapes last year to download the Busta Rhymes & Q-Tip, The Abstract & the Dragon mixtape.  I heard about DatPiff a while ago and most recently downloaded the app to my cell phone.  The app provides access to the audios that are available for download online (free) to stream through the phone which I've connected into an auxilary cable to the car stereo.  The app's first page opens with "Highlighted Mixtapes" and has other categories such as "Hot this Week", "Hot this Month", "Upcoming", and "All Stars".  For someone that spends at least 2 to 3 hours in their vehicle throughout the work week each day, its slowly becoming one of my first options when I'm looking for something to listen to either through Pandora, TuneIn Radio, Soundcloud, Slacker Radio, or The Combat Jack Show.

I've been listening to Chris Rivers' latest mixtape since mid-month June through the DatPiff app.  I accessed Wonderland of Misery last year after learning about Pun's son through one of the Hip Hop site's out there.  I learned of Big Pun's son through a clip on YouTube but these projects are my first introduction to the lyricism to the bloodline of a microphone master, Big Pun.   When I heard about the second installment I was looking forward to seeing what it was all about.  The first left a lasting impression... several tracks played like sparring match freestyles with a few tracks that demonstrated potential of the MC once referred to as Baby Pun.  Wonderland of Misery 2 has more structure, more depth, with several features from Chris River's camp, including feature by Hip Hop veteran MC  the Ghost, Styles P. 

Listening to Chris River's on tracks like ((My Ghetto)) and ((Toe 2 Toe)) with his partners and rhyme take me back to the lyrical exchange I recall from the early years of Terror Squad... just thinking back to the chemistry they had and getting the chance to hear the brilliance and power of a camp that was comprised of latinos & 100% Hip Hop.

In between the first mixtape and the second installment of the Wonderland of Misery, I started checking Chris River's on YouTube and the interviews to see what was next.  These two projects definitely set off what will hopefully produce an album, but as much as I've enjoyed these two mixtapes, I wouldn't mind a part 3, 4, and up.  As I mentioned to my brother B.Dune from the Fresh Produce Show, listening to Chris Rivers, one can only imagine the significance of being the child of someone as respected as Big Pun, and to be in a position where he can shape his own legacy for years to come.  In many ways, sons are an extension of what their fathers left behind, and with the way the music business is today, it's dope to listen to Chris Rivers as he continues to grow and create his own platform for himself, his team, and I would say what we remember about his father through the music.  I think he's the only one capable of carrying that from anyone else that was ever been affiliated with Big Pun.

For the 28th, for the first time on The Fresh Produce radio program through mixlr, I decided to submit a mixtape track.  From the Wonderland of Misery 2 we focused on my personal favorite ((Ain't Hard to Tell)) and added rotation of the mixtape's outro ((I Feel You)).  You can download the Wonderland of Misery 2 for free as well as his debut Wonderland of Misery.  I've included the download links below. 

Til' the next track, I want to leave you all with my all time favorite from Big Pun.  ((BOOMERANG))

Would be dope to hear Chris Rivers and Immortal Technique on the same track. 

Wonderland of Misery Download: click here

Wonderland of Misery 2 Download: click here

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