Since their debut album, 1993's Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), Wu-Tang Clan has become synonymous with gritty, direct lyrics and beats that draw from classic soul, horn-blasted funk, cinematic curios, and dirty guitar licks (among many others.) With each successive album, the group solidifies their hold on hip-hop, watching over the years as rappers, trends and ephemeral styles come and go and become musical footnotes in the game.

As devoted fans clamor and salivate for anything Wu-related, Gold Dust  & Nature Sounds are proud to announce the release of Return of the Wu & Friends, produced and compiled by Wu-tang Clan producer/ DJ Mathematics and featuring some exclusive tracks, lost gems and old time favorites including all nine emcees.

The 16 tracks featured on Return of the Wu & Friends were compiled from songs recorded during the group's critically acclaimed 2000 album The W through 2008, including exclusive tracks like "Steppin 2 Me" featuring GZA, Inspectah Deck and Masta Killa. The producer also offers a slew of new remixes, including "Respect Mine" and "Clap". On the former, featuring Raekwon, Method Man and Cappadonna, the sprightly piano loop found on the original (from Mathematics' 2003 solo album Love, Hell or Right) gets flipped into a slower, more ominous track anchored by a funky slap bass line.

On Return of the Wu & Friends, every member gets their chance to shine, backed by Mathematics' acute ability to perfectly match each member's cadence and tone to the respective beat. Slower, more soulful tracks like "Da Way We Were" and "Strawberries & Cream" are balanced with classic Wu funk like "Iron God Chamber" and "It's What It Is" (the latter the new superhero anthem for the 21st century.) For anyone fiending for more Wu classics, Return of the Wu & Friends offers up an album's worth of tracks unavailable anywhere else.
Having known the Clan since the mid-80s and producing for them since 1996, Mathematics is no stranger to the group. Starting off as GZA's DJ during the emcee's Cold Chillin' days, the producer has since gone on to create a diverse and memorable production catalog with the group, contributing tracks to The W and 8 Diagrams, as well as Ghostface Killah's Supreme Clientele, GZA's Beneath The Surface, Method Man's Tical 2000: Judgement Day and Method Man & Redman's Blackout!

For more information visit: www.wutang-returnofthewu.com

Gold Dust is proud to present “Live”, the new live album by original Wu-Tang member Masta Killa and the first recorded concert effort from the group in over five years. “Live” culls together some of the best verses the versatile rapper has offered in his 17-year career, ranging from his 2004 solo debut No Said Date and classic Wu-Tang albums to memorable spots on GZA's Liquid Swords and Legend of the Liquid Sword. Featuring guest appearances by GZA and Inspectah Deck, among others, Live offers new spins on tracks long embedded in the consciousness of most hip-hop fans, including "Duel of the Iron Mic," "Guillotine" and "Mystery of Chessboxin'."

Hip-hop fans know that live performances are dicey at best, with late starts, no-shows, and 30 people on stage (for no apparent reason) commonplace. Wu-Tang, however, have always prided themselves on an unending amount of talent, energy and charisma, ensuring that every show they do leaves the crowd salivating for their next appearance. It's this heightened levels of excitement that permeate all of “Live”, kicking off with a blistering a acapella verse of "Mystery of Chessboxin" right down to the last dominant verses of "Triumph" (which sees the crowd, all in unison knowing every word, rhyming Killa's verse for him.)

No Said Date, making up half of “Live”, is one of the most critically acclaimed Wu projects in the group's history. Allmusic stressed that "[Killa's] aggressive but nimble flow is all over each of these songs." Stylus called it "a return to the Wu sound," impressed with the emcee's "energy, switches in cadence, speed and stress" and that "lyrically, [Killa] mixes up the styles of the premier Wu membership…into lines packed with thoughts and images that never sound crammed in, jam-packed or rushed." And Pitchfork called it "the most fully formed Wu solo effort," noting that "Masta is a rapper's rapper, forsaking high-flown gimmicks for Spartan flows and carefully considered rhymes."

All of these accolades are only enhanced and emboldened with one listen to “Live”, making this an essential addition to the canon and mandatory listening for any true Wu head.

For more infoand a free album track visit: www.mastakilla-liveonstage.com

“We’re gonna get you, cause you’re faking and our funk’s official”-Del, “Gaining Ground” It ain’t that competition is missing… it’s just that no one’s kicking it clever” -Tame One, “We Taking Over” Remember the old-school Marvel Team-Up comic book which paired, say, Spider-Man with Thor, Wolverine with the Human Torch, or the Hulk and Daredevil? In the spirit of those classic collaborations, Gold Dust announces Parallel Uni-Verse, a joint effort between Hieroglyphics founder Del The Funky Homosapien and original Artifacts emcee Tame One. Produced entirely by Parallel Thought, the album’s ten tracks return to a time when inventiveness, creativity, funky beats—and, above all, lyricism—ruled hip-hop. Oakland’s Del The Funky Homosapien is one of the creators of the alternative rap genre, a perennial fan favorite who, in addition to releasing four solo albums—including 1992’s seminal, gold-selling I Wish My Brother George Was Here--and two group albums with Hieroglyphics, was featured on the Gorillaz’ epononymous, platinum-selling debut and Dan the Automator’s sci-fi-themed concept album Deltron 3030. Newark’s Tame One is best known as one-half of the Artifacts, a graffiti-writing hip-hop duo active in the mid- and late-90s, whose output includes the classic singles “Wrong Side of Da Tracks” and “The Ultimate.” In recent years, Tame has been a member of two underground supergroups: the Weatherman (with Cage, Camu Tao, and Aesop Rock); and the Leak Brothers (with Cage). “I’ve known Tame for years,” Del says. “I always thought he was one of the dopest [MCs] out.” Del recalls first linking with Tame around 1993. “We both were kinda like party animals so that's kinda how I got to liking his personality. He has a good sense of humor, so that's probably the main reason I liked to be around him. We somewhat kept in touch throughout the years, back and forth, but I always would follow his career.”  “We just always remained cool,” Tame says of Del, adding, “I have ALWAYS been impressed by his wordplay and originality. Rap-wise, neither of us use words only because they rhyme; I believe we both utilize substance as opposed to nonsense.” This project came about, Tame says, out of a need to “showcase how things used to be done, without the politics of the day, greed and egos corrupting the hip-hop art form.” An unselfish creative process governed the recording process, with both emcees and the Parallel Thought production team focused on using the best of today’s technology, while still keeping an old-school formula. “It was done very James Brownish, if you can dig that,” Del says. “James did everything by feel. If it felt right, then that's what it was, and Tame is very much like that.”On Parallel Uni-Verses, East meets West and the results are fresh. Parallel Thought’s production offers low-end rumble and crisp highs, eschewing predictable clichés for a hard-hitting, underground funk sound. The two true-school veterans waste no time getting down to business, displaying vocal gymnastics which confirm Del and Tame’s stylistic mastery of rap. A perfect example of the pair’s above-average approach to rhyming is “Gaining Ground,” whose Afrofuturist blues beat forms a template for Del and Tame’s vicious verbalisms. “I got my own procedure/ a set of rules used for my interpretation of settling the elements/ get to wailing like a theremin on the arrogant,” Del says, making vocabulary-challenged emcees run for their thesauruses. Not to be outdone, Tame’s verse strikes with ninja-like precision: “From the Air Force Ones to the fitted/ on some where’d you get it shidit/ Ya dig it, admit it/ I follow the model of the Apollo audience.”  “We Taking Over” revives the African American oral tradition tactic of signifying, as Del and Tame give shout-outs to classic artists from hip-hop’s golden era and explain why their cultural frame of reference isn’t a passing trend: “We’ll never grow old/ but the fads will play out.”  The lack of originality in contemporary rap is also a theme on “Special”: Dudes is acting like Tame Two’s and crews is on it… I never heard of you, cuz/ I drop the top on you convertible thugs” Tame announces, while Del goes for the jugular: “you get the Thizz face/mistake/ my flow is too dynamic for you to imitate.” On “The Franchise,” fluttering fuzztone guitar riffs in the background as Tame announces he’s “the dirtiest, Jersey-est,” and Del responds with a funkin’ lesson, referencing his influences: Iceberg Slim, Malcolm X, and his parents: “pops had the jazz, moms had the soul.” Another track sure to get heads nodding is “Specifics,” on which Tame kicks street-level ballistics like a forensics investigator, his lyrics “sharp as the teeth of a shark,” before Del drops esoteric metaphors: “see my rhyme on a scroll/think of it as literature.” For Tame, the entire album is a testament to what he calls a “grassroots” hip-hop aesthetic, which stands out over other contemporary rap releases “because of the sonic quality and clarity of the samples and our vocal performances.” Asked to name his favorite tracks on the album, Del says, “man, you asking the wrong person. I don’t play favorites. I like each joint for different reasons and they all have they place. I'll let the public decide which ones they may favor, smell me?”    Parallel Uni-Verses is that rare rap album which transcends tired clichés and maintains traditional hip-hop values without seeming retro or passé. “Man, I ain't even gonna be egotistical like that and try to say that we are trying to usher in some new revival of whatever,” Del says. However, he adds, “I'm a say this: we ARE the element that is missing, not [just] because I said so. That's what's up; we didn't sell out for all the luxury and monetary gains. The original ways, we kept at and built upon those.” Proving that true lyricism is alive and well, Parallel Uni-Verse is another feather in the cap for Del and Tame, two prolific and highly-respected artists upholding the hip-hop art form at its best—and holding their own in 2009. For more info visit: www.parallel-universes.com

DOOM is one of the most original and uncompromising voices in hip-hop.  From his work in the 90’s with the seminal KMD to his legendary releases under a variety of aliases including MF Doom, Madvillain, King Geedorah, Viktor Vaughn, Dangerdoom & more, his prolific body of work has always valued artistic integrity and creativity over anything else.  As numerous and varied as his albums are, DOOM also has a thick catalog of guest appearances, remixes, non-album tracks, & vinyl only singles.  For the first time, Unexpected Guest presents many of these hard to find tracks as a mix CD, executed and overseen by the Super Villain himself.

With a list of co-conspirators which includes marquee level names such as Talib Kweli and Ghostface & GZA as well as underground heroes Vast Aire, Count Bass D & Kurius, the music on this disc highlights DOOM’s ever-present trademark wit and taste for raw and ominous beats.  On “Trap Door,” he spits couplets like “No curse words / DOOM the worst church nerd verse heard” over a plucked bass and guitar line from producer Jake One that sounds like the funkiest spy movie soundtrack imaginable.  “Sniper Elite” sees the emcee united with the late J Dilla, and is one of the many tracks featured that has yet to see an official CD release.

Peppered with his signature comic book dialogue and vintage sound clips, Unexpected Guests presents a treasure trove of DOOM obscurities which should shed light on material that even some hardcore fans may have missed.  It’s a frenetic, virtuosic look at a true hip-hop original.

For more info visit: www.doom-unexpectedguests.com

Jahdan Blakkamoore has teamed up with producers Matt Shadetek and DJ /rupture to produce his debut solo album, Buzzrock Warrior.  Jahdan hails from Guyana but moved to Brooklyn when he was young, soaking up all the music that city had on offer. Hip-hop heads might know him from his lyrical collaborations with DJ Premier, Afu Ra or Dead Prez.  Reggae and Roots fans might know him from his band, Noble Society or his recent collaboration with Diplo and Switch on their Major Lazer project.

This remarkable debut comes from months Jahdan, Matt, and Rupture spent listening to rap, dancehall, cumbia, dubstep, and R&B, then developing their own sound, honing material via live shows across NYC clubs. Jahdan’s intensity on the mic brings this palate of sounds together cohesively with thought- provoking lyrics and a pop sensibility that commands your attention.

“In live performances, Jahdan’s generosity is amazing. He gives and people feel it. In the studio, Jahdan Blakkamoore is such a monster because his sense of harmony and melody is deep. He could write these incredible choruses all day long. But most of all, at a daily level, Jahdan Blakkamoore is a humble dude with open ears.  He puts music before the ego, and this let’s his music become really special.”
    -Jace Clayton aka DJ /rupture

The Dutty Artz crew (Matt Shadetek, DJ /rupture, Jahdan and Geko Jones) have enlisted some  beatsmith friends including techno dons Modeselektor, grime superhero Jammer, the Zizek crew’s Chancha via Circuito and globetrotter Maga Bo. Dutty Artz extended family 77Klash appears twice on guest vocal duties and provides the infectious beat for ‘She Said’ while the UK's top grime MC Durrty Goodz goes in hard with Jahdan Blakkamoore on ‘Mesmerized’ and Abena Koomson adds soul to the uplifting closer ‘Rise Again’.  Almost the entire album was conceived and recorded in the home of Geko Jones in Brooklyn NY.

One of the Bay Area's best-kept secrets is no longer a secret. September 2009 brings the release of the Crown City Rockers' third album The Day After Forever, released domestically and internationally by Gold Dust. This five-piece hip-hop band from Oakland is truly ready for the world, and the world is MORE than ready for them.

On The Day After Forever, CCR incorporate the fluid vibrancy of their legendary live shows into a studio context, resulting in what is easily their best and most fully-realized album yet. Lead-off track "Break" resonates with boom-bap goodness; anchored by Headnodic's pulsating bass line and Max MacVeety's crashing cymbals, it offers emcee Raashan Ahmad a chance to get stupid fresh on the mic, firing lyrical salvos at breakneck cadences:

"Heed the one who keeps it funky and hot to boot.
While you're all watered down like some pea green soup.
take it back to my days in my pea green coupe and
skate, rock, bounce, move... BREAK!"

Keyboardist Kat O1O evokes mood-uplifting, swirling atmospheric textures on "Soul" whose chorus references both Bobby Byrd and Eric B. & Rakim. Silky, sophisticated, uptempo funk is the order of the day on "Kiss" (featuring guest vocalist Silya), which finds Ra ruminating on matters of the heart. "Go On" (featuring Solas B. Laigee) builds around a stomp-worthy soul clap and features a jazzy intro and coda by Ms. O1O. "Astroshocks" finds CCR taking a futuristic funk ride through the outer reaches of your mind, as Ra's inspired stream-of-consciousness flow rocks the planet organically:

"Freeze/secret life of plants and trees/if you feel it in the wind then breathe."

For anyone who ever dug Jonzun Crew and Soulsonic Force's space groove steelo, that's that ish. "Go Away" mashes up a Billy Squier/Run-DMC-esque big beat with Headnodic's subtle soul samples, as Ra seeks solace from urban hustle and bustle in blissful solitude.

But that's just the first half of the album. The second act keeps the momentum on blast with barely a pause for breath. "Cruisin'" draws inspiration from a top-down excursion along California's picturesque Pacific Coast Highway, with a soulful hook by guest vocalist Destani Wolf.  "Let's Love" references romance from Montana to Jamaica to Santa Monica over a percussion-heavy groove which is pure electric relaxation. "Clap Your Hands" brings back the classic crowd-moving call-and-response chant over a church-style organ and a secular bass line peppered with funky handclaps. "Make it Hotter" is somewhat self-explanatory, as Ra raises the room's Kelvin temperature by a couple thousand degrees-luckily, mellow flute samples provide air conditioning and some relief from the sweaty funk. "That's Life" is another soul-in-the-hole type of cut, featuring guest vocalist Jason Jasper, which might remind some of classic Stax/Volt R&B, updated with Ra's spirit-affirming rhymes. The album's closing track - "Forever Song" - seals this modern-day hip-hop classic's status with staccato syntax, moody keys, syncopated drumbeats, and a smooth bass line to ride out on.

Overflowing with inspired, passionately conscious hip-hop statements and highly-melodic musical creativity, The Day After Forever is easy listening material for b-boys and b-girls, soul flower power children, alt.groovesters, and indie rock refugees, which, unfortunately, might make it hard to listen to the other "stuff" passing for music these days.  Hip Hop is alive and well on the Day After Forever.

For more information go to: www.crowncityrockers-thedayafterforever.com

This album is an extension of Pen’s persona and a view into another side of his personality. He explains that with this album, “Some people know me from years of battling, this is me entertaining people.  I don’t want people to think that I’m the nicest rapper on the planet. I proved I was nice when I was 18. I’m just trying to bug out and entertain.” This album has a lighter tone and the colorful rhymes combined with odes to alcohol and drunken shenanigans will bring a smile to anyone’s face.  Songs, “Drunk and Don’t Care”, “One Drink, Two Drink” and “BK’s Fat Boy” showcase Pen’s wit and sense of humor.  

But it’s not all shots and giggles, as the music gets a little darker when it turns into a “Brooklyn Party” and Pen joins forces with M.O.P. on “Magnifique”.  This rowdy track features the double time feel of a down south beat mixed with the hydro bass and vibe of the west coast.  Pen wanted to join forces with them because, “People have been saying we should get on a track for years and I wanted to do a real collaboration.”  Continuing the walk on the wild side, Pen also worked with Silkk Da Shocker from New Orleans, “Shut Up” and the notorious Gille Da Kid, “Goons Are Us.”  Pen wanted to work with Gillie a kindred rhyme spirit. “Gillie’s been hot in the streets for a minute.  When I hear certain people that I think would make good music together I decide to pick them.”  He handpicked his producers and beats the same way.  “The beats have to knock, I don’t like soft beats.”  

The albums’ production goes from heavy samples to gritty jams that can move the block as easily as a boom box creating a specific sound that is equal parts, hardcore hip hop and whimsical cuts that provide a peek into the complicated mind of Poison Pen.  He still finds time to contribute to his journal on Hip Hop Game, tour around the world and continues making quality music. 

DJ Muggs is constantly in the lab; creating remixing and always making things happen as one of the most respected DJs in the game. He’s also put in more than his share of work as a producer with a resume that stretches from coast to coast. Muggs’ distinct love of west coast funk and heavy doses of hip hop have been responsible for multiplatinum sales and chart topping hits with Cypress Hill, House of Pain and many other artist.

In between being a part of one of the most successful hip hop groups to come from L.A., going on tour and discovering new talent, DJ Muggs has always found time to make music with his crew the Soul Assassins. As one of the founders of Soul Assassins, (a collective of artist, writers, musicians, producers, rappers, etc.) it wasn’t hard to assemble a stellar line up for their latest endeavor, Intermission.

This is their third album with a rotating cast of MCs with each of them bringing a different style to the album. As Executive Producer and Producer, Muggs is joined by long-time collaborators and friends for a series of impressive rhyme performances and unique, team ups. Bun-B and M1 (from Dead Prez) get into a heated verbal exchange on “Gangsta Sh*t,” Sick Jacken and Evidence have a rhyme duet on “Classical,” and Chace Infinite & Alchemist get together for “Gunshots.” La Costra Nostra provides one of the best cuts on the album with “Do It”, showcasing their legendary skills over an intoxicating, custom made track. There’s also “Rep Yo Sh*t” by new group PCP, “Good evening Los Angeles” with Self Scientific, “Meet Your Maker” with Reef The Lost Cause & Outer Space and then the excellent title track “Intermission” with O.G. Soul Assassin, RZA, Rev. William Burk and Planet Asia.

The second half of the album is a little different with, “Champions (Remix)” remixed especially for Intermission with Prodigy and Big Twin. “Let Go (My Life)” with Fashawn, “Like That Y’all” with Planet Asia, “World We’re In” with new comer Cynic is another stand out. “Call It Like I See It” with Chace Infinite & Krondon finishes out the album. Venturing into unfamiliar territory the surprise song, “Matchbox,” with Dust shows another side of Muggs’ production talents. The bonus track “Figure It Out” with Young De featuring Xzibit and Mykestro shows that even though Xzibit spends most of his time in front of the camera these days he can still rip the mic with the best of them.

In addition to recording together Soul Assassins is also a successful clothing company and a weekly radio show on Shade 45 Sirius FM. DJ Muggs is also releasing a 250 page retrospective on the crew that will give fans another look into the world of the Soul Assassins.

Scratch, the world famous beat boxer and former member of legendary hip-hop pioneers The Roots is extremely excited about his new album, Loss 4 Wordz.  For those that don’t know, Scratch is one of the most amazing DJs, producers, entertainers and of course, beat boxers in the world. Scratch is a Grammy Award winning artist who’s known all over the world.  He’s performed on stages with icons like Jay-Z, James Brown, Usher, Eminem and Ludacris and in addition to his appearances on The Roots albums, Scratch is also on numerous other hit albums such as Musiq’s Juslisen and Aijuswannasing, De La Soul’s Art Official Intelligence, Pink’s Missundaztood and Jay-Z’s Unplugged.Loss 4 Wordz includes singers, rappers, and traditional instruments infused with Scratch’s beat boxing that will have everyone wondering where the beat boxing stops and the traditional instruments begin.  All of the production was done by Scratch, creating everything from the crisp scratches, lush bass, melodic synth sounds by layering different vocal effects on top of each other for each track.  “I wanted the tracks to be as simple as possible but also to sound full.”  This philosophy is what raises the bar to new heights for beat boxing.  It’s much more than the early days when beat boxing was a highlight or small component to rap music.  With Loss 4 Wordz Scratch transforms beat boxing into rap music.  He called on personal favors, random connections and worked with artist he admired to make the collaborations happen. “Ready to Go” featuring Kanye West and Consequence is one of the most experimental tracks on the album; the album also features, Brooklyn’s Finest MOP and Showtime “Get The F… Outta Here.”  Moving across the pond Scratch recruited Damon Albarn (of Blur and Gorillaz) and hip hop hero, Talib Kweli on “Too Late.”  Elmore Judd with “Find My Way” based on a traditional Greek style of music. British songbirds, Estelle and Terri Walker are all about girl power on “The Man.”  German reggae star Gentleman contributes “Midnight Hour”.  Strong features on the album include Peedi Crakk, “Let’s Go,” Musiq Soulchild “Tonite,” and accomplished songwriter, Daniel Bedingfield “If Our Love Was A Song.” Finally, switching genres Scratch grabs Arthur Baker for the dance inspired “Girl I’m Gonna Find You.” For more check: www.scratch-loss4wordz.com

Revolucionando El Genero
Producer: Boy Wonder

As the first Reggaeton duet to feature both male and female vocalists, LDA is a group know for their versatility and style.  The two members of the group are Baby Psycho and Orquiedia Negra.  While collaborating with acclaimed Reggaeton producer Boy Wonder, LDA were the standouts on the hit-packed Reggaeton compilation project, Chosen Few, El Documental.  LDA's single, “Hoy”  reached Top 5 status on the R&R Latin Chart last summer and became a popular club banger! Since then, the duo has toured in the United States as well as internationally.

LDA offers to the public a new and evolved sound in the Reggaeton Genre, they have been at the forefront of a movement that is uniting the Latin American community.  Lead male vocalist Baby Psycho’s aggressive freestyle skills blends seamlessly with the smooth stylings of LDA’s female vocalist, Orquieda Negra.  She provides a nice, feminine touch to the groups hard edge.  Both members of LDA are of Dominican descent and were raised on the gritty streets of New York City.  It is no surprise that they carry the flavor and spice of Latin music in their veins, with their Dominican roots.

Their sound is a unique combination of Latin rhythms and east coast, hip hop edge.  Mainly Influenced by Rap, Rock and wistful hints of Electronica, their lyrics are inspired by contemporary, lyrical legends, 2Pac, Nas, and Busta Rhymes.  

Unlike traditional reggaeton they fuse all of these genres into one, which makes them stand out and redefine this emerging, music scene.  LDA’s first single is titled “Confesiones” featuring  Fuego.  Their album title is “Revolucianando El Genero”, which means Revolutionizing The Genre.  LDA is the fresh face of this exciting new movement, the voice of the youth and the sound of the next, Latino generation.

For more info check: www.lda-revolucionando-elgenero.com

Ten years after the release of their debut single, Oakland hip-hop duo Zion I return with The TakeOver, a filler-free new mix of jabs, roundhouses and uppercuts that continue their streak as one of hip-hop’s most diverse groups.

For TakeOver, which features guest spots by Houston legend Devin the Dude, UK emcee Ty and Rhymesayers’ Brother Ali, producer AmpLive and emcee Zumbi incorporate the best parts of their live show—perfected through nonstop touring—and bring that vibe to the studio.

“Zion I has a reputation of being very spiritual and serious,” notes Zumbi. “I think The TakeOver is a lot more fun than our past records. We still touch on serious subject matter, but this album shows the other sides of our personality.”

Over the course of five LPs and numerous EPs and mixtapes, the group has proven to be a welcome enigma in hip-hop. Lyrically, Zumbi runs the gamut on a range of issues both serious and frivolous, discussing problems and pleasures both spiritual and worldly. Throughout, his fanbase keeps coming back for his smooth delivery and ability to raise issues without sounding didactic. Musically, Amp draws from both the usual (funk, soul) and esoteric (house, drum'n'bass) to create soundscapes that work as well on an electronic music mixtape as it does hip-hop. An accomplished remixer as well, Amp has remixed everyone from Linkin Park to MGMT, and most recently released Rainydayz Remixes based on Radiohead’s In Rainbows. Every production and remix, though, always brings it back to his main job in Zion I. “I started using way more effects on this album,” says Amp. “So I was able to bring in more elements that I’ve been using for some of the dance and indie rock stuff.”

Despite living a few miles from each other, technology facilitated the making of TakeOver, as the duo would e-mail verses and beats back and forth, with each member continually making notes and suggestions on both parts of the song. This fully collaborative effort ensured that both Amp and Zumbi would have a say in the final product during the entire production process. “Our songs go through many different styles and iterations,” admits Amp.“ “'Caged Bird', for example went from an Electro R&B joint to a drum'n'bass track to its current version [as a soul-inflected, string-laden beat].”

While the final work is still Zumbi and AmpLive, the two are quick to point out how their writing process has changed this time out. “We have an inner core of people who we let listen to the album in different stages and got feedback on what they liked,” says Zumbi. “On other albums, it was generally us just making whatever we wanted and then they’d just say what songs they like. Our skin is thick enough and we’re honest enough with ourselves that we can take criticism.”

This new method of recording was essential to the finished product, but the group always has a definite idea in mind, looking at their tracks as fans as much as musicians. “We try to make music that falls into a crack and fills a void for us as fans of music,” says Zumbi. “We discuss what we want the album to feel like and then we just let the unconsciousness take over and let things go. We just allow that process to take on its own life.”

From the electro-rap homage “DJ DJ” to the spacey futuristic synths of “Antenna,” The TakeOver encapsulates the diversity and versatility that have made Zion I Bay Area stalwarts for over a decade. As with any Zion I album, there’ll never be any compromise away from deep thought, but as anyone who’s seen the pair live knows, that means nothing if the crowd ain’t entertained. One listen to the album, and you’ll know The TakeOver may be the most appropriate title of the year.

His birth certificate says William Paul Mitchell but you can call him Large Pro (Extra P for short), an architect and master of New York hip-hop who has produced for Nas, A Tribe Called Quest, Big Daddy Kane and too many others to fit in this bio. Now, the producers' producer hits you with Main Source, a brand new collection of 15 tracks that'll have you going, "Why can't they all make shit this good anymore?" Has a name ever been more fitting?

Large. As a founding member of revered New York hip-hop group Main Source, Large Pro put out a hip-hop classic straight out of the gate. Since then, Extra P's sound has given you Nas's "It Ain't Hard To Tell," Tribe's "Keep it Rollin'" and nearly all of Kool G Rap and DJ Polo's Wanted: Dead or Alive among others. Pro. Ask your favorite beatmaker to name his Top 5 producers and chances are good LP's name'll make the cut. Pro (on the Main Source cut "Live at the BBQ") introduced the world in 1991 to a then-unknown 18-year old emcee calling himself Nas, while at the same time mentoring DJ Premier in the art of production. When someone says the overused term "boom bap" to describe their preferred style of hip-hop, they're really saying, "Large Pro's production." But we know. In hip-hop, attention spans are short and you're only as good as your last song. As Pro bluntly puts it, "One day you hot. One day you not. Once the people are done with your music, you gotta get back to grindin'." But that's the thing. No one's ever been really "done" with the rapper and producer. And with Main Source, LP has enlisted legendary emcees Jeru the Damaja, Lil' Dap, Big Noyd, Styles P, AZ and more to flesh out his vision.

No skits. No songs based around dances. No forced collaborations sprung from the mind of an overeager and clueless A&R. Just Beats. Rhymes. And Life. The songs on Main Source have been brewing for more than two years, but LP has never been one to rush a product if it's not perfect, preferring to wait until all the ingredients are right before serving. And he knows something about waiting. In 1995, the producer recorded his debut album The LP, only to see Geffen permanently shelve the record due to classic "label politics." (The album would eventually be released by the artist himself in 2002.) Also in 2002, Nas, Q-Tip, Akinyele and Busta Rhymes contributed to LP's sophomore album 1st Class.

All the while, though, the in-demand producer continued to lend his sound to like-minded peers. So if Extra P is so revered, you might ask, how come he's not a household name? The producer will freely admit that throughout his storied career, the music has always come first ahead of anything else. "I really just wanted the music to speak for me," he recently said. "I might be a fool for saying this, but I'm a music dude. I'm not a hustler. And that's been my down point at some points in my career. I ain't a hustler which is the standard today because all the hustlers got in the industry. I grew up in New York-tradition hip-hop and that's just what I do." Growing up, the producer's ears were flooded with jazz (from pops), gospel and soul (from mom) & disco and early hip-hop (from sis). As he got older, the Queens native couldn't escape the hip-hop that dominated his borough. Starting off as a DJ (which he still does to this day), the budding producer graduated to pause tapes and, under the tutelage of famed producer Paul C (R.I.P.), drum machines. The rest is history. It's been two decades since those days, but Professor remains as current and versatile as ever. With Main Source, a legend of the game refuses to rest on his laurels, continuing to add to a canon of work that deserves to be heard by any true hip-hop head.

For more check: www.largeprofessor-mainsource.com

Celebrating a decade in the game, Los Angeles’ People Under the Stairs return September  - with Fun DMC, the 6th album by rapper/producers Thes One and Double K and their most fully-realized album to date.

As the title implies, the boys have a simple goal this time around:

“On our last album, Stepfather, we did a lot of thinking instead of just going in there and doing it,” says Double K. “Now we just going back to what we were doing on the first two albums, which was basically having fun and not caring about anything.”

After more than 18 months of near-constant touring, the pair hit Thes’ custom-built studio in February (more on that in a bit) to record Fun DMC and capture the spontaneous vibe of their live shows on wax. To accurately put the party back front and center, the duo went to the streets of South Central to record the sounds of weekend barbecues and parties, capturing a sound and atmosphere impossible to recreate in the studio.

“We wanted to get the ambience of the dudes playing dominoes, the meat sizzling on the grill, the planes flying by,” explains Thes One. “We just said, ‘Let’s try to get what our Saturday is like onto a record. Instead of making a record about Saturday, let’s actually go out and record Saturday.’ Our overlying goal on this record is to make sure that when you listen to it, there’s a geographical context for it like, ‘That’s a L.A. record.’”

As longtime fans know, though, when you hear a PUTS record, all the work, from the beats to the rhymes to the scratching to the artwork (Fun comes with a comic book written by the rappers themselves), is almost inevitably done strictly by the duo themselves. Instead of cashing in on hot outside producers or of-the-moment emcees, the pair has always been fiercely independent, with barbecue guests the only collaborators on the 20-track album.

“Wouldn’t no one like to work with us and we don’t like working with nobody else,” Double K bluntly says.

To that end, the duo holed up in Thes’s new home studio with no outside producers or engineers to work on Fun DMC. To achieve the sounds floating in their heads, Thes One designed and built a custom recording console to record and mix the album. (The console became so efficient that audio company Vintage King plans on selling versions of it console publicly.) Costing in excess of $50,000—“A lot of long talks with the wife,” he says, laughing—credit lines were maxed out, but the end result is the pair’s most intricate-sounding album to date.

One listen to Fun DMC and the musical growth is obvious. Sure, this is still a hip-hop album, but the productions and arrangements recall Phil Spector and Brian Wilson as much as Pete Rock and Dr. Dre. (Hell, Thes was bumping the Pet Sounds instrumental album nonstop on tour.) Credit a lot of that to Thes’s recent work on Street Dreams, a drama out this year on which he acted as music supervisor and worked with strings, horns and other live instruments extensively for the first time.

“The album’s still sample-based, but we used live musicians to augment what was there and implement more of a song structure to make it more accessible to everyone,” says Thes. “Before, we’d have these musical ideas in addition to samples and we just couldn’t do anything about it. Now, we have the understanding to sketch notes and melodies and everything available to us. It’s about looking at it more like an arrangement as opposed to just a beat.”

A major part of their longevity, Thes One and Double K have never tried to be anything they weren’t, choosing to rhyme about the realities of their lives over the fantasies some of their peers like to employ.

“A lot of these dudes is bullshit,” says Double K. “They’ll get on these albums and talk about stuff they’ve never done. When I tell ya I had to feed my dog and on this day, I ain’t got no money, I’m being real.”

Thes agrees. “Every record we’ve made, we’ve tried to be as real and age-appropriate about what’s happening in our lives. On our first album, we’re rapping about fake IDs and trying to get beer. We’re getting older now, so on this album, I’m rapping about anxiety about my wife being pregnant, but still keeping the overall vibe fun.”

Looking back on ten years—a lifetime—in the industry, Thes One succinctly sums up the group’s mentality:

“We’ve never been the darling of any era or publication,” he notes. “We were never the hot boys for any given period of time. We just roll with the punches and not get hung up in an era, cause those are the people that get dated and are gone.”

If that’s the criteria, People Under the Stairs should be around for a long time to come.

The duo would like to acknowledge Gary Shider as the major spiritual influence on this album.

When it comes to top drawer lyricism and neck snapping beats, the names Pumpkinhead, Mr. Metaphor, and Block McCloud ring out like a shot. From their head turning appearances at Lyricist Lounge to their performances on the international circuit to their much loved singles and mixtapes, the three emcees have built an army of fans hungry for authentic rap music. Together as Brooklyn Academy, the trio represent a return to the original aesthetics of hard core hip-hop. Bored of Education, the group’s full length debut, is the culmination of a career at the forefront of the lyric driven hip-hop movement. A collective of emcees who have been holding down the microphone for over a decade each, Brooklyn Ac approach their craft with a love of the fundamentals of rap music rarely seen in the age of million dollar ringtones. For the fans who have been following their career from the first drum hit, at long last, the wait is over.

Rap music was magical. Its practitioners defied any and all musical rules because rap was not bound by rules. It existed in its own space, where its only allegiances were to creativity, the drive to be the best and a desire to be cutting-edge. In its essence, rap was rebellious. That magical feeling -- largely lost once rappers started chasing hits rather than artistic greatness -- has been reclaimed by Pain Language, the collaboration of platinum producer DJ Muggs and revered rhyme assassin Planet Asia. On the duo’s eponymous debut album, the pair delivers a non-stop barrage of bone-crushing lyrical and sonic adventures that breathe energy and excitement into each cut. Simply put, Pain Language is brass knuckle rap. "It’s hard to find somebody who really comes from a place where they just want to make some rebellious music," DJ Muggs says. "People are worried about what they’re going to get on the radio, what’s the new sound. We’ve never been like that. I’ve always looked at the game and said, ‘The game is going this way. I’m gong that way.’" With Planet Asia holding down the lyrics and DJ Muggs manning the beats, Pain Language pummels from the start. The two demonstrate their respective brilliance on the kinetic "Lions In The Forest," an up-tempo cut on which Planet Asia raps rapid-fire battle-minded raps over DJ Muggs’ brassy horns and driving drums. "It reminded me of the era of fast-rapping, where everybody would rhyme up-tempo," Planet Asia says of DJ Muggs’ frenetic beats. "Everything’s a little slow now. Back then, it was all about rhyming fast and what kind of styles and patterns within that. It’s hard rhyming fast and doing a pattern. So, this song shows the art of MCing a lot. I don’t hear a lot of songs like that nowadays." Songs about spiritual subjects are also on the wane, but Pain Language’s eerie, piano-accented "Death Frees Every Soul" deals with what happens to your soul when you die. Also boasting an intense verse from longtime DJ Muggs collaborator Sick Jacken, this song hits close to home for Planet Asia. "I really wrote that rap in dedication to my mother-in-law," he says. "She had passed during that time from cancer. But I told Muggs that I really didn’t want to write too much on some death-type stuff. I don’t really deal with death. It seems that cats that rap about death, it just becomes them after a while." Planet Asia explores other parts of his background on the stark "All Hail The King." With crisp drums, chants and bells serving as his sonic background, the California rapper reflects on his upbringing. "The coming up part is always the best part of the learning process," he says. "If it wasn’t for certain people, I wouldn’t even be doing this. It takes little things to trigger something big. If you just get some applause at a young age, just that can send you so far. You’ll want that applause again and again and again after that first time -- especially if you’re broke or poor. That’s better than money. So, I always revisit those times." Moving on to his storytelling abilities, Planet Asia shifts gears on the crime caper "Drama." On the equally arresting "9mm," DJ Muggs flaunts his production prowess by altering Planet Asia’s voice, providing a wicked effect. "Remember how the Beastie Boys mics would be distorted all the time?" Muggs says. "I wanted to give it that without changing the music. I figured if just changed his vocal, it would be like a bridge, something that’s super drastic." In truth, DJ Muggs’ music has always been super drastic. After releasing an album with the woefully overlooked 7A3, DJ Muggs’ alternatively dusted and aggressive sound served as the foundation for Cypress Hill, one of the most successful and influential rap groups of all time whose lengthy list of hits include "Insane In The Brain." Cypress Hill’s pro-marijuana agenda was years ahead of its time, as was its willingness to tour with rock acts. As the producer for the overwhelming majority of Cypress Hill’s music, DJ Muggs learned how to create, develop and refine a sound, not chase someone else’s sound or success. "I came from a group, making whole albums," DJ Muggs says. "I never got into selling beats. Instead of selling beats to everybody, I made a Soul Assassins album and brought everybody into my world. To be able to go in and just be free creatively is fun." Like DJ Muggs, Planet Asia is a visionary. Raised in Fresno, California, Planet Asia eschewed the gangster rap stylings popular in his area and instead focused on developing his skill as a supreme lyricist. His work with likeminded rapper Rasco as the Cali Agents made Planet Asia one of the best of the new generation of Left Coast rappers, a distinction given more credence given his string of critically acclaimed albums and his Grammy nomination for his work with rapper Mystic on the song "W." Now, Planet Asia is relishing the opportunity to work with someone as accomplished and stylistically similar as DJ Muggs. "I’m with somebody that’s actually made platinum records and has had a successful career and he’s telling me to do it the real way, which is how I’ve always wanted to do it," Planet Asia says. "It’s a blessing. You don’t get these types of chances. You usually get with a big producer and he wants you to do what’s hot at that moment. A lot of these producers, they change with the times. DJ Muggs changes the times. There’s a difference." Now, as Pain Language, DJ Muggs and Planet Asia have changed the times yet again, delivering a record ahead of its time, yet classic in sound, feel, execution and attitude. "It’s a super highly-aggressive record," DJ Muggs says. "We’re saying fuck you, we’re not going to follow a format. It’s just us putting up a middle finger up to everybody. We’re coming from that N.W.A attitude. This is rebellious music."

Tupac protégés the Outlawz have written, produced & featured on over 60 million albums sold worldwide, yet have never released an album on a major label or enjoyed mainstream radio & video support. Although the group has worked with major artists from TI, Eminem, Young Buck & Keisha Cole to E-40, Snoop, Biggie & of course Pac, the Lawz are rarely invited to award shows or contacted by producers of TV specials dedicated to their mentor… NEW YORK, June 12, 2008--We Want In is the Outlawz declaration to music moguls, program directors, industry gatekeepers and hip hop bosses that with all due respect, they want in the game. Dubbed the street LP, 1 Nation Entertainment and Gold Dust Media will launch We Want In throughout North America, the UK , Japan , New Zealand and South Africa on August 5th. Battling barriers is the status quo when Operating Under Thug Laws As Warriors. The Outlawz; EDI, Young Noble and Kastro have toured all over the world, galvanized countless devotees, and although they get the utmost respect from their musical peers, they have theoretically been on the outside looking in for over a decade. "We've been knocking for a long time now," says Outlaw EDI "Now we're kicking in doors. We Want In is just another way of saying it's our turn." He continues. "A lot of these cats out here took pages from our books and were inspired by our rhymes…we don't want any of their money, we just want to do business." The Outlawz have labored tirelessly to be recognized as one of hip hop's most prominent groups. As independent artists they are constantly on the grind and in the lab. They have been featured in top music publications from XXL and Source to Murder Dog and Scratch, earning honors as underground legends and boasting a discography that includes some of the most successful rap albums including; All Eyez On Me, Still I Rise, 2 Pac & Outlawz, Better Dayz, and Makaveli. According to Young Noble, "We not begging to be accepted---come on, we're Outlawz…We've worked with all of these dudes, kept it real with our fans and have held our own, but our money definitely ain't matched our fame." He goes on to say, "Label heads and artists are always speaking on how they ride for Pac, but respect ain't being shown for what we helped create. We on over 100 songs with Pac and 60 mill sold, how much work we gotta put in to get the credit we deserve?" Even In the absence of a major label deal, the Outawz still consider themselves 'successful' and remain driven by their passion for making music, taking care of their families, building on the legacy of fallen Outlawz; Kadafi and Makaveli and staying true to ghetto gospel that they personify. The We Want In street LP speaks to the struggle for all the underground, independent hustlers forging their imprint in the game.

Years before the names Dipset and The Diplomats became synonymous with gritty New York hip-hop, there was Calvin Byrd, a young Harlem cat barely in his teens and enamored by the local battle emcees that chose the streets over the studio. Spurred on by indelible memories of street rappers getting their rep up, where the only prizes were pride and local fame, Byrd would eventually grow into 40 Cal, one of hip-hop's most promising emcees. "I used to see Big L battle people on the block," he recalls of the emcee who many call one of the greatest of all time. "If you ever saw a hood star, that's the only idols n***as got to look up to. [Michael] Jordan wasn't coming to the hood." Seeing the shine L and other rappers got, Cal started battling as a teenager for one simple reason: "I wanted to get my hood fame up." As the emcee slowly built his name up as one of the fiercest on the block, he graduated from the street to the ring, winning eight straight Fight Klubs, the prestigious battle rap competition. The event proved so popular that MTV2 picked it up, showcasing Cal's triumph over emcee Cardi in the pilot episode. It's around this time the rapper hooked up with NYC hip-hop collective Dipset, led by his neighbor and fellow rapper Cam'ron, and made his recorded debut with the song "40 Cal" on 2004's Diplomatic Immunity, Vol. 2. It's here we should probably address the elephant in the room given the group's much-publicized squabbles. No, Dipset have not broken up. Yes, Cal is still very much a member. While the rapper is understandably reluctant to delve into details, he addresses any issues on the opening lines of Mooga, his debut full-length due out this July. "Dear Dipset, the G's not eatin'/Somebody tell Cam and Jim to please stop beefin'," refers to an ongoing alleged dispute between Cam and fellow Dipset member Jim Jones. One listen to Mooga and you'll immediately recognize Cal's ability to flip creative verses regardless of the beat. To get such a varied sound on Mooga, the emcee and his crew solicited beats through Myspace and other social networking sites. After receiving thousands of submissions from producers around the globe, 18 tracks made the final cut. "My Gmail was full of producers that sent me beats," says Cal. "My team and I went through peoples' beats like an American Idol panel. I just wanted everything different and when you hear all that versatility, it's crazy." From the cold, hard beat of "Shooters on Deck," (Which samples a gun getting cocked as the anchor for the beat,) to the horn-drenched strut-funk of "Grown Man Bills" to the reggaeton influence on "Cuarenta," Cal lives up to his idol Big L in his ability to rhyme over anything and kill it. Lyrically, the emcee splits the difference between his battling days and his studio role, creating song concepts and hooks while incorporating some of his more classic battle rhymes (On "Rewind That," he boasts, "I'm spellin Iverson when the beef all done/'Cause you'll be on I.V. in the E.R., son.") 40 Cal has long held his "hood star" status through countless battles and mixtapes. Now it's time for Mooga, the debut full-length and natural progression for this gifted emcee. And don't be surprised if in the future, you hear about an up-and-coming emcee inspired by seeing 40 Cal do his thing on the street, on the track and on the stage.