In the Lab with Pete Rock

Nahright Feature by Daniel Isenberg
Feature: click here

“My record collection started through my [father’s]. I got a lot of stuff for Mecca and the Soul Brother [from there]. I used a lot of his jazz stuff. He had Kool & the Gang 45s. Mounds of 45s, which are mine now. Rest In Peace. He had everything. Jazz, rock, soul, and especially reggae, because we’re Jamaican." - Pete Rock

((The World is Yours)) by Will Sessions / 1Track@aTime 03.21.2014

1Track@aTime 03.21.2014
((The World is Yours))

I consider Illmatic one of the most important records of my lifetime.  In the Nas video ((The World is Yours)), beat produced by Pete Rock, I compare myself at the time to the kid in the video watching the video.  I grew up on YO! MTV Raps beginnings to end, and BET's Rap City program with Big Lez & Joe Clair... One of the videos that hit me most early on other than Pete Rock & CL Smooth's ((T.R.O.Y.)), the Q-Tips produced Mobb Deep ((Give Up the Goods)), and countless others was the Illmatic videos.  Tracks like ((The World is Yours)), ((One Love)), ((It Ain't Hard to Tell))... I fell in love with those videos.  Especially the Large Professor produced ((It Ain't Hard to Tell)) considering the Michael Jackson sample who during my born days and upbringing as a child of the 80s I considered the music I called my own.  The Thriller LP is day 1 for me.  And so hearing MJ manifest itself into the ((It Ain't Hard to Tell)) track just took it there for me and by the time the 90s came around Hip Hop took over the space between my headphones.  

So for this week's 1Track@aTime broadcasting on KRUX 91.5 FM through the Fresh Produce show hosted by B.Dune, we stepped into the conversation about the 20th Anniversary of Nas's debut Illmatic and wanted to highlight what I feel is one of the best records to pay homeage to the classic by Elzhi and the Will Sessions band out of Detroit titled Elmatic.  As our brother Dune's show is all instrumental based, we wanted to focus on the instrumentals by Will Sessions.  Below, however, is the first video I checked out by Elzhi at the time this dropped.  It's ((It Ain't Hard to Tell)).  Before that I had heard the project was in the works but it wasn't til' the videos started poppin' up on YouTube that I knew it was time.

Introducing Rapsody

Introducing Rapsody

Been working my way towards the 2012 debut release from an MC out of North Carolina that goes by Rapsody.  I first heard of Rapsody a few years ago but slept on finding my way to access her music til' I stumbled across DatPiff, "the authority of free mixtapes"... It's a site for anybody out there that might not have change for new music, CDs and such, and that would like access to good quality product straight off the net.  You get 5 downloads max per registration a day leaving you with enough time til' you're ready for the next batch of listens.  The site is giving me a chance to work threw what I missed from Rapsody's past work chronologically up towards her first album in 2012 The Idea of Beautiful which I plan on purchasing soon as I get to that year from her mixtapeography.  Be sure to check out Rapsody representin' Jamla Records.

Can't rush through something this good. 

((Opponent)) by Kentyah, M1, Brian Jackson & The New Midnight Band / 1Track@aTime 03.14.2014

1Track@aTime 03.14.2014
((Opponent))

Thought I'd never get into the whole tweet thing til' my good friend mentioned getting the HHA site back on social media after quitting on what seemed like a useless Facebook.  Twitter's been cool and most recently was scrolling through the follows when I noticed a Chuck D tweet about the record above.  The cover of Evolutionary Minded took me back to the covers of Gil and Brian Jackson's Midnight Band First Minute of a New Day LP.  Was especially glad to see the names featured including the likes of my all time favorite duo dead prez, Martin Luther, Gregory Porter, Bobby Seale, Killah Priest, and many others including Chuck D...  And then of course it being an ode to the legendary and always on time Gil Scott-Heron plus the headline involvement of none other than Brian Jackson and what's being referred to as The New Midnight Band.  Had listened to the record a number of times before deciding on the track ((Opponent)) featuring dead prez for rotation.  Sending that one out to the families with close ones incarcerated, to the youth of the Voices Behind Walls program, and to the most recent release of Herman Wallace + Marshall Eddie Conway.  It's also important to note the name at the top of the list musician Kentyah Fraser as this is his debut to the world.  One for the collections and definitely one to further on the legacy of Gil Scott-Heron.  Make sure to check this record out.

Also the CD comes with a dope vinyl-cover-sized poster for the wall.  Got mine up at work!  I ordered a copy through Amazon.com.  Included below is Kentyah's link for more information on the project.

www.kentyah.com

Also motema.com

In addition to the ((Opponent)) track we also included rotation from one of my favorite producers out now and of all times... Damu the Fudgemunk and a track called "New Generation" from the Spare Time Re-inspired project. 

((Due To)) by i.deals / 1Track@aTime 03.07.2014

1Track@aTime 03.07.2014
((Due To))

Jumping off of the week's prior focus on IV the Polymath's production, for the first week of March we featured the latest from i.deals, a duo compromised if musician IV the Polymath and MC Jondis.  This is the first single for the new album titled i.deology that's set to drop in March off Polymath Records & digduyDIY.  One of the dopest current day HH collaborations, this is their follow up to their debut record Spill, which you could check out on Bandcamp click here.

Interesting how the cover for "Due To" fixes in with the radio show's name Fresh Produce.  Shout out to the radio DJ of the show B.Dune for working in the tracks and be sure to supports ideals by checking out the link above and putting their march release of i.deology on your radar for albums to purchase.  

For a rundown of other tracks rotated on March 7th by B.Dune and the Fresh Produce camp you can visit this Soundcloud page by clicking here.

1Track@aTime on 02.27.2014 featured the sounds of Aydee the Great, A.D. Carson the Term One Mixtape, track ((Yes, Today))... goin' out to Ali and the Writing the Wrongs program in Illinois!  More info on A.D Carson, visit blogs.aydeethegreat.com ...Much respect to Dune for also rotating the classic sounds of Madlib's Unseen Instrumentals!

((Watching the Clouds)) by K-Def / 1Track@aTime 02.20.2014

1Track@aTime 02.20.2014
((Watching the Clouds))

Rotation for February 20th's 1Track@aTime on KRUX 91.5 fm... "Watching the Clouds" dedicated to the memory of DJ Spanish Aztec.  I first met DJ SA during a phone call at the radio station when he called in to see about a spot on the rotation roster.  Shortly after, we met up and started the Tables & Crates show.  Heard of this K-Def record through Damu the Fudgemunk and the Redefinition Record label.  But I heard of Damu through SA back in the day who had gotten access to a Y Society album at the time, Travel at Your Own Pace.  Felt the return to KRUX needed a shout to our good brother, Troy Calendaria also known as SA, acronym for Spanish Aztec, aka "Still Alive" and other names.

Peep the video below on K-Def if you don't know and be sure to check out the One Man Band record.  It's an exceptional project and hopefully one of many future projects through the Redefinition Record label.  For more information peep redefinitionrecords.com

Music Is my Character by Gasface

In addition to the K-Def track for the 20th, we also prelude'd the track of the week with a track by IV the Polymath titled "Unique Individual" off the Mono EP.  A real dope track from one of our all time favorite producers.  The Mono EP is a dope project amongst others if you've yet to hear IV's production, which you can check out at Polymath Records ivthepolymath.com.  What's so dope about the Mono EP is IV's approach to its packaging having hand crafted the project into black C46 cassettes... His approach is reminiscent of the tape deck era that lives on as not only a collectible for today's Hip Hop, but something to rotate over and over again one side to the next.  To check out the project digitally you can visit IV's bandcamp by clicking here: Mono.    

To check out other artists featured on Dune's rotation for the 20th, be sure to check out the Soundcloud playlist by clicking here.  Peace to B.Dune and the Fresh Produce camp.

DJ Digumsmak

mixcrate.com/digumsmak

Check the link for the mixtape archive.  One of the best.

Representin' New Mexico.

Shout out to DJ Digumsmak.

((Falling)) by MC Melodee / 1Track@aTime 02.14.2014

1Track@aTime 02.14.2014
((Falling)) by MC Melodee

B.Dune debut his return to KRUX 91.5 fm, New Mexico State University on Valentines this year with the Fresh Produce program which will be broadcasting each Friday from 10PM to midnite.

91.5 FM is the only call letter in this region where nothing comes between a radio DJ and their playlist.  So when I heard our brother B.Dune would be back on the mic rotating the sounds, it brought that interest back to want to listen.  And nowhere else has the variety that defines Hip Hop been represented best in our area than on KRUX 91.5 fm.  There's no other dial in southern NM where you'll hear beats by producers from all all parts of the world, or where the rotation will make room for someone like MC Melodee. From 2000 to 2008 I got the chance to meet a lot of cool people at KRUX, got the chance to rotate a lot of the music I liked listening to, and every once in a while was able to interview artists I was learning about through my own collecting or promotional material we received at the station. 

B.Dune welcomed the idea of letting me send in a track each week for the Fresh Produce program for a segment called 1Track@aTime.  I spend a lot of time listening to music in the car or through mobile audio with the iPod, so often times I'll have something new to share.  On the 14th we set things off with one of MC Melodee's latest tracks off a project from Hot16 that's inspired by the time and sound of the 80s.  It's an ill track, especially as a gesture of love and the holiday broadcast for Fresh Produce radio on 91.5 fm February 14th. 

Much respect to B.Dune for the chance to share music again live through the Fresh Produce show.  To listen in each week you can live stream the show from kruxradio.com. If you're local the dial is 91.5 fm, if you're online, droids can listen through Tune in Radio, or laptop/CPU check out the KRUX main page. Fore more info on MC Melodee and to download the "Falling" track, click on the link below.  Let the Soundcloud tracks play on for more music from MC Melodee, including her work with producer INT through La Melodia.  Below is a download for the 1Track@aTime feature on the 14th of February. 

Peace to B.Dune and crew.  

Download ((Falling)) by MC Melodee feat. Hot 16 on the production: click here

02/14/2014 Playlist: click here to listen to the music!

1Track@aTime

Broadcasting on The Fresh Produce Show w/ B.Dune
KRUX 91.5 FM Fridays 10PM to Midnite
repshowdigital presents

1Track@aTime

The Fresh Produce Radio Show

The Fresh Produce Radio Show
KRUX 91.5 FM
10PM to 12midnite
College Radio

Big shout out to B.Dune and the Fresh Produce Radio Show broadcasting live from our old stomping grounds, KRUX 915. fm, New Mexico State University.  Rotating some of the freshest instrumentals out.  Homie was kind enough to open a segment of time for me to drop the 1Track@aTime on listeners which began broadcasting last week February 14th, 2014, Valentines Day.  I'll be posting notes on those releases on the blog once they broadcast.  Good to have something to look forward to on radio again.  Be sure to tune in every Friday 10PM to 12 midite Mountain Time by streaming live from the KRUX 91.5 FM link at the web kruxradio.com/stream.  Much love to the entire OGSv camp, Fire, Darkness, Thunder, Gravity, Dune, Ronin, and everyone out there.  From B.Chess aka repshowhost aka Lee.  Peace.

B.Chess*

Ceremony

Ceremony No. 1

Before the 13' closed out I got the chance to check out the latest from Raashan Ahmad Ceremony.  It currently sits at no. 1 of my favorite current listens.  Each record is just as great as the next.  Got familiar with the audio through an exchange online with a cpklla (Yahoo Messenger alias) who put me on to Crown City Rockers through a track called "Side Step" about a decade ago or so... I didn't realize it, but the Mission record I discovered at the KRUX 91.5 fm archives (and later lost) also featured the MC (Raashan Ahmad) who would eventually top my all times list as favorite MCs, next to Black Thought, Grimm, stic.man, etc.  If you missed Ceremony like I almost did, don't postpone any longer, check it out!

Hoping to prepare a year in review mixtape for 2013... so much music, so little time. 

Damu the Fudgemunk

Damu the Fudgemunk

One for the charts... always checking in on the latest from Damu.  First introduced to his work through my late big Homie DJ S.A. through a classic record by Y Society Travel At Your Own Pace.  As a big fan growing up of producers like Pete Rock, Large Pro, Q-Tip, Premier, Organized Noize, etc. Damu's sound is a standard on its own... a discography worth studying til' the next project.  Spur Momento Trailer For Extended Play set the tone for my drive out to New Mexico to visit the Olde Post.  This record is for the beats audience out there and anybody that can appreciate an instrumental masterpiece.

Good Morning Vietnam

Good Morning Vietnam Pt. 1 & 2

MF Grimm & Drasar Monumental

The only way I was able to get to the audio for the GMV2 audios was through wax.  The Good Morning Vietnam debut was available for download as an entire single track on eMusic, which is what I been listenin' to on the way to work for a good while now.  On vinyl it included all the records tracked along with the instrumentals.  I learned of the Golden Triangle release setting up a Twitter handle for the HHA page.  I couldn't find the record on eMusic where I found the download for the first so I ordered the vinyl and digitized the songs through what I call an audio scribe (transcription) process from wax to mp3 file.  Took shots of both LP covers with a camera (as seen above) to tag the mp3 files.  

Soon as I bought my first set of Numarks about 13 years ago, the sole purpose at the time was to collect beats since most of the instrumentals I wanted were being sold on wax (wasn't as familiar with downloading yet as this was around the time I got my first personal computer).  RZA & the Liquid Swords, the Unseen record by Madlib (Quasimoto), most Dilla records, Five Deez, Fat Jon, J Rawls, Pete Rock, Primo, Diamond D, tha Liks and E-Swift tracks were all available as instrumental from sites like Turntable Lab, Sandbox, UGHH, Dusty Groove, etc.  My first vinyl purchase was in Albuquerque, an Originators EP and Ras Kass's Anything Goes/Jack Frost 12'.  Without much regard for trying to learn how to use my set to mix, scratch, or blend, I first started looking for software to digitize the wax into the new CPU I got... I had no clue what I was doing, but as is the love for beats, I ended up figuring it out.  After trial and error, asking radio shack, friends, etc. and discovering the AIPL Singulator free software program, I figured out what I needed to do, from the RCA cables, adapters, the CPUs soundcard, etc.  Later on I'd switch to Adobe Audition's software to complete the process at a much better quality of sound, which for me includes keeping everything you'd typically hear listening to a record off the plate... on the mixer I increase the bass level.  That's how I like to hear it and how I want it transcribed into digital form.  Clear, heavy, and with the fire burning sound from the needle rotation. 

First listen for 2014 is gonna be MF Grimm and Drasar Monumental's Good Morning Vietnam 2, The Golden Triangle. Good Morning Vietnam Pt. 1, in my opinion, was the best album I'd heard from what I remember checking out in 2012.  A short, flawless record... twenty minutes sounding like a lifetime.    

Rashid Hadee

Rashid Hadee

During the time I heard of Neblina Records through a promotional K-Hill record that was sent to KRUX was when I got introduced to the duo Chapter 13 and the production of Rashid Hadee.  I don't remember being able to access much after the Chapter 13 Nevermore Asylum album and a compilation record but reconnected to Rashid Hadee's independent on MySpace with the It Ain't Hard to Tell project and the dope Dedication album... and then most recently on the Bandcamp page I was able to link back to more of his recent music (see the Bandcamp link on the right side of the blog page).  For the new year, Hadee released his Year in Music 2013 which you could download now by naming your own price at his Bandcamp site.  

Any of his projects is a good place to start if you've never heard of Hadee.  Of just about everything I've heard coming out of Chicago, including what the world got introduced to through MC's like Common, Kanye, Lupe, etc, over the course of time, I got Hadee up there as my favorite artist from Chicago, both as an MC and most definitely as one of my all time favorite producers.  I recently checked out the CNS Mixtape Volume 3, which you can also name your own price for download.  Checkin' out the YIM2013 soon. 

Bruce Lee

Lee Jun-Fan Tape Tao 1
Side A (Yin) / Side B (Yang)

In recognition of the life Bruce lived and the lives he continues to inspire.

Dedicated to Shannon Lee and the Bruce Lee Foundation.

1st set (7) sent to BLF, Jus, Pidi, Gorillasis, Thunder, Mr. Acosta, & Crossroads.

+ 1 copy for me, DJ Lee.

Ray Charles Stamps

Ray Charles Stamps 2013

"Lost Melodies"

"I often lay back in my garage room, listening to scratchy records of Willie Bobo, Thee Midniters, War, and Miles Davis.  Sometimes oldies; the "Eastside Sound" revues, old Stax and Atlantic rhythm & blues: Wilson Pickett, Rufus Thomas, Solomon Burke, and The Drifters.  And of course, Motown."

~Luis Rodriguez, Always Running, La Vida Loca Gang Days in L.A.
(p. 84, Chp.4)

My Tape Deck Worldwide (no. 1)

Its all about tape decks...  I first heard of MC Melodee searching the net many years ago when I dug up an old site that was no more than a couple pages, lil' bit of info, and a reference to "La Melodia".  It had two tracks uploaded in an embedded player... couldn't access the song on mp3 at the time.  The track was titled "Dough", and the other I can't remember, but was just as good.  I was in the dorm just listening to the track over and over again wishin' I could figure out how to pull the audio from the site and get it on air. Fast forward a few years and I finally get access to the track through an eMusic download of Vibing High, which I believe was the debut of La Melodia... it had a dope single on there, my favorite at the time called "Time"... I was also surprised to hear the record included the "Dough" track I'd heard a few years before.  Needless to say the record caught a lot rotation from that semester on.  Now in the 2013, out the blue I decided to drop in on the sites, and stumbled across MC Melodee's latest record with producer Cookin Soul titled My Tape Deck.  eMusic is real stingy with the credits you gotta pay for these days, but I took whatever credits I had and downloaded it for the HTC digital.  Been listenin' to it everyday since.  A no. 1 record right here for the LHHS charts.  One for the crates if you interested in purchasing the LP from the site.  Page linked on the side panel to the left below or click on the image above for more info on MC Melodee.   

"Now, Then, & Forever"

One of my all time favorite bands.  If someone referred to Earth Wind & Fire as the greatest, I would have no problem with that.  Caught the interview by chance on PBS with Tavis Smiley which is how I found out about the new record.  Picked it up next day at Best Buy.  The music display at Best Buy rivals that of a Goodwill.  But as long as I found the Now, Then & Forever, I was set.  This album is incredible.  Sounds right on time with everything I've always loved about all the records I have heard from Earth Wind & Fire.  Powerful elements.  Click on the image up above for the interview with Tavis Smiley.  

'Radio Free Dixie'

"The blues coming from "Miss Sis' Polk's juke joint captured Williams's imagination at an early age.  On hot summer nights, "barrel-house music engulfed the neighborhood like a dense fog," he recalled.  As a young teenager, Robert Williams used to steal from bed, pretend to be headed for the outhouse, and then keep going.  He "could hear the piano, hot and spicy, rolling out the blues."  The 1920s and 1930s were the heyday of the Piedmont blues, at once party music and deep lament, hammered out on piano, guitar, harmonica, banjo, and washboard, slow dragging and high stepping in juke joints that nuzzled the railroad tracks from Atlanta to Durham.  "The drawn home blues" pouring out of Miss Sis's Place "drew me like a magnet," he wrote in his unpublished autobiography more than fifty years later." (Pg. 23)

Tyson, Timothy B. Radio Free Dixie, Robert F. Williams & the Roots of Black Power. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1999.