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Sunday, March 30, 2008

Hip Hop on Another Tip



















After reading Hippo's latest post on some dope Japanese hip hop, I was reminded of lesser-known Japanese producer by the name of Nomak. Actually, when I say lesser-known, I mean I know nothing about him and can't find much additional information on him on the internet. In any case, what's important is the music, and if you like Nujabes or Japanese hip hop in general, I think you'll like Nomak. Like Jun Seba's production (of Nujabes), or actually, like a lot of Japanese hip hop, Nomak's beats feature slick production and a chilled out sound that's pretty distinct from what you'd hear in American hip hop. When you hear the beats, you'll know the difference, and that's something I like about Nujabes and Nomak - they're not trying to bite off American hip hop, but are more into creating a distinct and unique Japanese sound.

[MP3] Nomak :: Geishas in the Days (feat. Pismo)
[MP3] Nomak :: Rokkasho (feat. Shing02)
[MP3] Zion I :: Act Right (Nomak Remix)


ps. I know, I know, that's Shing02, not Nomak above, but I can't even find a picture of him.
|bruce banner|

Sunday, March 23, 2008

Cruisin' Round Town...

...Listenin' to my sound. While I'm movin', this is what's movin' me now:

[MP3] Big Boi feat. Raekwon & Andre 3000 :: Royal Lush
{Off the new Big Boi solo album. Andre continues to just kill.}
[MP3] Del The Funkee Homosapien :: Raw Sewage
{The Funkee one has jumped on the independent ship, El-P's Def Jux label, with his 11th Hour release. Overall, I don't really dig the album, but I do dig this song.}
[MP3] Jaime Lidell :: Another Day

{Sounds like Lidell is going for the ever popular "Motown/Ronson sound". I like.}
[MP3] Utada Hikaru :: Fight The Blues
{She just dropped her latest album, Heart Station, definitely worth picking up.}
[MP3] Chris Brown :: With You

{Since growing up in
listening and loving 90's R&B, I have to say I like the music that artists like Ne-Yo, Justin Timberlake and CB have been making.}

Easy Rider never had it so hard.
::MISTA HIPPO::

Saturday, March 22, 2008

Bow Down

Every once and a while a friend of mine from Japan will send me a "care package" of stuff. Usually it corresponds on a birthday, New Year's, etc. Lot's of snacks and sometimes a little something extra. Well this time, it came completely out of the blue and was packed full of goodness. Homeboy knows how much we love the Nujabes, so he really hooked it up this time! I can't bump this mix enough. And I guess this MC, Substantial, is making some big noise out in Japan, even though he's from Baltimore...go figure. He's got some crazy sh*t on Sacrifice. And finally, he hit me up some stuff to drive to...Snowden. Someone should use Anti-Anti for a movie. Anytime you're in town Killa Cowboy, holla!

[MP3] Nujabes :: RISTORANTE mix (Side A)
{If you dont' like this, something is terribly wrong with you. Side B.}
[MP3] Substantial :: Spaticus (Spit 4 Spat)
{If Too Short had a test tube baby with a young Timbaland & the baby was named Hyphy X.}
[MP3] Substantial :: QT (Quality Time)
{This beat is nice. I love the way it flips the horn. Substantial sounds like and Aesop Rock that I can understand without having to use Google.}
[MP3] Snowden :: Kill The Power


Arigato.
::MISTA HIPPO::

Friday, March 21, 2008

What's Next: Making Old New Again (The Knocks)

It seems to be the thing now, ever since Dangermouse set it off with his Grey Album, for aspiring and even well-known producers to remix Jay-Z albums. Needless to say, a lot of it just isn't for me. But The Knocks remix of the album American Gangster, American G-Funk, with DJ Benzi is so good that I think it's actually stronger overall than the original production. Especially the soulful remixes, it seems to fit the film better to me. It makes more sense to me that those songs were truly inspired by the film and not just some good marketing. If this first release is any indication, look for these guys to make some big noise in the future. At the very least, it's definitely worth downloading cause it's free. Get it here.

[MP3] Jay-Z :: American Dreaming (The Knocks Remix)
[MP3] Jay-Z :: Sweet (The Knocks Remix)
{This is just illness.}
[MP3] Jay-Z :: Say Hello (The Knocks Remix)
{Another one of those songs where I thought someone should sample it...these ol' skool music videos, like ol' skool pornos, is where it's at...always had to have a storyline. This time the love between a student and a teacher.}

Money back guarantee.
::MISTA HIPPO::

WE ARE ALL WAITING FOR JAY ELECTRONICA!!!

There's a buzz going around, been going around, and it's called Jay Electronica. Homeboy is redefining and defining the hip-hop music scene and beyond. Musically taking lyrics to another level, back to those days (a la De La Soul), when you had to sit down and study the songs and every time you did you got something new from it, at least for the next 50 listens. How many songs that come out now can you say that about? Changing even how we get the music, once his Myspace page blew up to much, Jay eliminated it, in other words, he wants you to dig for his music, to appreciate his music and he puts the time and effort in to it. And the work has paid off with high praises and collaborations by Erykah Badu, Just Blaze and Rashad Smith, just to name a few. There are a handful of podcasts that I subscribe to and Gilles Peterson Worldwide is on of them. Great interview with Jay and also a great scope of the music that the man has produced to date. Really looking forward to Jay's Act III, hopefully I can find it when it drops.

Flippin' the future of music.
::MISTA HIPPO::

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

The Heavyweights Weigh In




[A live "mashup" between two soul brothers, Luciano Pavarotti and James Brown.]

RIP, you are all missed.
::MH::

Monday, March 17, 2008

March Madness

This for all 5 of our loyal Getdownnn readers, who check us on a regular basis. So far, this month has been bananas. We've posted more than ever, so if you ever feel like you may have missed earlier posts from this month, just head over to the sidebar and click on the "March 2008" link under "ARCHIVES". That goes for this month and any other month when we feel like getting our Hunter S. on. For some reason, blogger will only allow a certain number of posts for the homepage and not for the entire month...they just can't keep up with us.

First to 101.
Getdownnn Crew

Sunday, March 16, 2008

You Keep Me Hanging On



















If you're like me, you might've come across Ann Peebles after browsing through Missy's liner notes to find out the break for "I Can't Stand the Rain." I was pretty surprised to hear that the original, which sounded so futuristically funky, came from Ann Peebles back in '73. After digging up the break, I had to hear more, and loved the warm arrangements and Memphis soul sound I found. These lush, layered grooves were really the signature of Hi Records' session musicians, the Hi Rhythm Section. Despite the sale of Hi Records in the late '70s, Peebles is one of the few artists who has been able to keep her career going from '69 all the way to her most recent retrospective re-recording release, "Brand New Classics" in 2006. Anyways, I'm sure most readers are pretty familiar with Peebles already, so I'll leave it at that and let you enjoy some of my favorites.

[MP3] Ann Peebles :: (You Keep Me) Hanging On
[MP3] Ann Peebles :: If We Can't Trust Each Other
[MP3] Ann Peebles :: Trouble, Heartache, and Sadness

|bruce banner|

Bloody Sunday





[Saul Williams cover of U2's "Bloody Sunday".]

Who's the bum?
::MH::

Saturday, March 15, 2008

Charlie Murphy's True Hip-Hop Stories



Like a silverback.
::MH::

Spend Your Saturday With Spike


[A friend of mine put me on to this. Spike Jonze is not only a great visionary of the visual arts, but he also seems to make people feel comfortable enough to open up in interviews (see this...N-Oh Shit). Vice magazine has been holding it down for a minute now. Find the rest & an interview with MIA here.]



[MPB this is for you homie. This isn't exactly what I was talking about, this is the earlier series (Thumbs Up!) of travels with artist/born again/Vegas whale David Choe. Vice representing again, series 2 here.]

::MH::

Thursday, March 13, 2008

More Crazy Asian Kids...



LOL, this is why I love to read missinfo's blog- not because I care if or when Game is released, or who Papoose is fighting with, but to see classic clips like this.

Sunday, March 09, 2008

DeNiro, Pacino &... FITY???


[New trailer for Righteous Kill. Not expecting The Godfather II or Heat or even this.]

::MH::

Friday, March 07, 2008

Salesmen Of The Year



When two of my favorite DJs get together, something magical usually happens. For example, Brainfreeze, Product Placement and now The Hard Sell. Of course I'm speaking of DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist with their latest mix effort. My first impressions of this mix (I missed out on the live show, which I heard was great) are just alright. My favorite is still Brainfreeze (the show I will never forgive myself for missing). But this mix does start off strong, (can somebody please tell me who that cover of Survivor's "Eye Of The Tiger" is by? That was one of my favorite songs as a kid, my pops even put it on both sides of a cassette tape so that I could listen to it nonstop...drove people crazy on the ride to Mammoth to go skiing), but then by Part 2, it just gets way too eclectic for me. I guess I just had to be there or get the DVD.

[MP3] DJ Shadow & Cut Chemist :: The Hard Sell (Part 1)
[MP3] DJ Shadow & Cut Chemist :: The Hard Sell (Part 2)


Hard Sell space


The hardest working man in blogs.
::MISTA HIPPO::

The "G" Stands For "Gettin' Old"



















I have to admit that the first time I saw this, I was worried, upset, etc. that Snoop had gone the way that many in hip-hop do...wack. Trying to relate dem youngin's can and often does backfire on artists, especially in the fickle hip-hop world. You try to grow as an artist and many times your older fans don't dig the changes (aka "he's sold his soul" or "What happened to Tribe's sound, what happened to Midnight Marauders?") and the young kids don't really dig the old sound or themes of getting older. Well, Snoop done good. With his latest effort, Ego Trippin' (officially drops March 11th), I was pleasantly surprised as Snoop was able to maintain this delicate balance. Sure, it's not "187 on and undercover cop" but if a man who's almost in his 40's is still talkin' that, then somethings terribly wrong. Snoop Dogg is still a 'G', there's just a different gangsta here, a more mature gangsta here.

[MP3] Snoop Dogg :: Press Play
{DJ Quik production. Another true West Coast 'G'.}
[MP3] Snoop Dogg :: Dez Hollywood Nights
[MP3] Snoop Dogg :: Those Gurlz
{Game recognize game.}
[MP3] Snoop Dogg :: Why Did You Leave Me
[MP3] Snoop Dogg feat. Uncle Charlie :: Can't Say Goodbye
{With production by Teddy Riley and Charlie Wilson from the Gap Band on the hook, you can't loose.}

Snoop's site

Even a 'G' gets old.
::MISTA HIPPO::

Thursday, March 06, 2008

Getdownnn Just Got Bettter



We here at GD are always looking for ways to make our blog more user friendly. That is why in the past we added the "Now In Rotation" sidebar to show our love for albums that we may not necessarily post on, but still love and bump. Same thing with the Artist Quilt. And now in the sidebar comes the Getdownnn Radio. We just added an imeem player for those of you who like to listen to music while your computer is on, reading some other blogs, books, mags or doing some laundry, cleaning or other things, etc. And for us this gives us an excuse to do some themed mixtapes, without the mixing, and/or if we are just too damn lazy and not creative enough to come up with a post. So check for it every once and while as we'll try change it up. The first installment of Getdownnn Radio is dedicated of course to, just that, getting down.

Getdownnn crew

Wednesday, March 05, 2008

U Got Me





If there was such thing as hip hop back in the 1930s, I imagine that this is what it might sound like - jazzy, full of brass, and with a touch of swing. P.I.C. is a 7-member band out of New York that kind of reminds me of a jazzier version of Ozomatli. If you like hip hop with live instruments, then no doubt you will be diggin' P.I.C. Surprisingly, they've been around for 10 years, and despite notable success in Canada (represent!!!), it seems like they haven't really been getting the same recognition in the states, which is a shame, because they bring a real fresh sound and energy to hip hop. Unfortunately, at this point I only have the youtube videos to share with you, but be sure to check out their site where you can hear more.

|bruce banner|

Tuesday, March 04, 2008

Suggestion Box


{Love this video. It goes right up there with Erykah Badu's new one (hope you're enjoying the album jos-b) for all of you who have dusty fingers.}

We hear at Getdownnn pride ourselves on listening. I mean, that's what we love to do, listen to music we like and share it with others and hopefully they dig it as well. We always love to discover new artists, albums and even genres. So when a comment came in from regular Getdownnner (& former GD writer...what's up with dat?) Muttpop Bob suggesting that we check Kutiman's funky sound, we listened. And are much obliged. Haven't gotten my hands on his album yet, but will for sure and in the meantime I checked out and liked all the grooves on his myspace.

One nation under a groove.
::MISTA HIPPO::

Sunday, March 02, 2008

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah

There are times, in my wannabe-producer mode, when I hear a song that I think should be sampled the hell out of. And when you see that come to fruition, it's like a little bit of confirmation that you aren't completely running on a low tank of gas. Well the first time I heard Shirley Ellis's "Clapping Song", I knew immediately that it was a bad mamma jamma that needed to be looped up. Well sure enough, Timbaland has sampled the goodness in Izza Kizza's "Walk The Dawg". Enjoy.

[MP3] Shirley Ellis :: Rubber Dolly (The Clapping Song)
[MP3] Izza Kizza feat. Missy Elliot :: Walk The Dawg


I heard Afrika Bambaataa used to spin "The Clapping Song" back in his South Bronx party days. Wish I could have seen that.
::MISTA HIPPO::

Saturday, March 01, 2008

Somebody's Watching Me



















I know that I'm always late to the party. So I finally get around to listening to the latest & greatest of concept albums, Rhymefest's Man In The Mirror, with production by his main man Mark Ronson using only Michael Jackson tracks as samples. It was just sitting around and I remembered that I wanted to post it, when I did my last post on MJ. For those who aren't familiar, Rhymefest has been holding it down in the underground freestyle scene for more than a minute and finally got his break and showing his shine with his work on Kanye West's "Jesus Walks", in which he came up with the concept, sample, and collaborated with Kanye on the lyrics. Since then, I really think that Rhymefest hasn't gotten his due, even a little disrespected by 'Ye for not signing with his GOOD Life label. Instead he ended up on his longtime friend, Mark Ronson's Allido Records. He finally got his time with his debut Blue Collar. The rest is HIStory. With this latest effort, I can really dig it, just wish the tracks were a little longer (even though it is a mixtape) and has some hilarious interludes with genius cut n' paste between MJ and Rhymefest.

[MP3] Rhymefest feat. Wale :: Get Up
[MP3] Rhymefest :: Mike The Mentor
[MP3] Rhymefest :: Man In The Mirror
[MP3] Rhymefest :: No Sunshine
{Produced by Emile.}
[MP3] Rhymefest :: Windbreaker Skit
[MP3] Rhymefest feat. Dres of Black Sheep :: Foolin' Around

{Love Rhymefest's flow in this.}

Rhymefest's space
{Be sure to watch the youtube "...In Studio" clips. Love looking at producer's lifestyles, reminds me of Jay-Z's Fade To Black DVD. Definitely making me look forward to El Che.}

Make that change.
::MISTA HIPPO::