Asheru & Blue Black - Soon Come (2001)

Some great jazz/soul/funk influenced rap for your ears. Asheru and Blue Black are the two emcees of the group "Unspoken Heard", and they created this musical masterpiece after meeting each other. It's truly one of the best album's I've heard in a while. I can't exactly describe it too well, but I strongly recommend a listen. It's guaranteed to get many replays.

Tracklist:

1. Welcome
2. Meals to Dinner Time Prelude
3. Truly Unique
4. Live At Home
5. B-Boy
6. Theme Music
7. Soul
8. This Is Me
9. Jamboree
10. Dear You
11. Smiley
12. Soon Come
13. Think About
14. Elevator Music

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People Under The Stairs - The Next Step (1998)

Back from my hiatus. The People Under the Stairs is an underground, LA-Based hip hop duo who have been doing their thing since the late 90's. The group is made up of Thes-One and Double K, both DJs, MCees, and producers. This is one of the few groups who have, unlike many other mainstream and underground acts, managed to stay consistent throughout nearly all of their albums. This one, like the others, is funky and dope, and yet it manages to keep each track sounding a bit different from each other. If you're a fan of that ol' boom bap, you should definitely cop this and the rest of PUTS' discography. Check the previews.

Tracklist:

1. Intro/4 Everybody
2. Death of a Salesman [Definitely the worst on the album]
3. Hardcore (ft. Smile-Oak)
4. Wannabes
5. Ten Tough Guys
6. Mid-City Fiesta
7. Slow Bullet
8. San Francisco Knights
9. The Turndown (ft. Assault)
10. Time To Rock Our Shit
11. The Tamburo 5 (ft. Namad, Assault, & Shine 5)
12. Los Angeles Daze
13. The Next Step II
14. Dare
15. Asshole (ft. Assault)
16. Play It Again/Outro

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Reggae Friday - Black Uhuru - Sinsemillia (1980)

Black Uhuru is Swahili for Black Freedom so all of their songs are about uprising for black people in some way or another. This is also the remastered edition with a couple bonus tracks not listed.

1. Happiness
2. World Is Africa
3. Push Push
4. There Is Fire
5. No Loafing (Sit And Wonder)
6. Sinsemilla
7. Every Dreadlocks
8. Vampire

Amazon

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Reggae Friday - Black Uhuru - Guess Who's Coming To Dinner (1987)

Classic reggae from the legendary Black Uhuru. They have Sly and Robbie on bass and drums so you get some pretty dubbed out roots reggae.

1. Shine Eye Gal
2. Leaving to Zion
3. General Penitentiary
4. Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
5. Abortion
6. Natural Reggae Beat
7. Plastic Smile

Amazon

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Tiron - A: Handshakes & Pounds (2008)

Tiron is a new emcee from Los Angeles that's been getting some buzz lately. This project is the follow-up to his debut mixtape Ketchup, and he's already showing the potential to be one of Hip-Hop's torchbearers. He kinda reminds me of Danny!, and a Kanye comparison wouldn't be far off either. The subject matter is fairly typical. You've got a bunch of tracks about women, money, weed, and Hip-Hop; but his songwriting ability is uncanny. This whole tape is ridiculously consistent and if it weren't for a few recycled beats, you could really mistake it for an album. Keep your eye on Tiron.

1. Never Happy

2. The Product

3. P.I.C.K.Y.

4. Bagger Vance

5. Vacay

6. The La La

7. Next

8. Young Adults

9. Slap Braclets

10. I Give To You (R.I.P.)

11. Boys & Girls

12. Just Because (Featuring Tunji)

13. If

14. Shine On

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Lateef Dameer - Diary of a Ballad Drummer vol. 1 (2009)

Some nice loops from up and coming producer Lateef Dameer. The project is called "Diary of a Ballad Drummer vol. 1", its 20 tracks and it clocks in at 36 minutes, its mostly hip hop, but at points ranges a little bit on the electronic side. There are four tracks where he did his take on a few of his favorite musicians (madlib, dabrye, pete rock, elvin jones). Check it out.


1. This Morning 01:44
2. Al Falaq 113 01:43
3. Windows 01:30
4. What Kema Said 02:05
5. Peter Phillips 01:10
6. The Flight Plan 01:39
7. Helvetica 01:50
8. First Lifetime 02:08
9. Lingua Franca 02:09
10. Otis Jackson Jr. 01:07
11. Fiat Gravity 02:04
12. Elvin Jones 01:19
13. Radio Flyer 02:31
14. Peeled Oranges 02:18
15. The Mirror 01:39
16. Sick Without Benefits 01:42
17. No Change For Amerika 02:01
18. Tadd Mullinix 01:39
19. Lateef's Revenge 02:25
20. Nordhessen 02:10

For direct download from his site

Link MP3 at 320k

myspace

Reggae Friday - Hugh Mundell - Blackman's Foundation

Hugh Mundell's short career was highlighted by a few very bright albums with Blackman's Foundation being another standout for this incredible artist. Roots reggae at its finest.

1. Blackman's Foundation
2. Great Tribulation
3. Time Has Come
4. Stop 'em Jah
5. Time And Place
6. Don't Stay Away
7. Can't Pop No Style
8. Rastafari's Call
9. One Jah One Aim One Destiny

Amazon

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Reggae Friday - Johnny Osbourne - Water Pumping (1983)

Some roots reggae straight from Channel One studios with a good mix of classic dancehall.

1. Water Pumping
2. Fire Down Below
3. Trouble Maker
4. Dance With You
5. Rolling Reggae
6. Love You Tonight
7. Na Look Nobody
8. Purify Your Heart
9. Get Up
10. Angel In My Arms

Link

El Michels Affair - Sounding Out The City (2005)

The El Michels Affair are a band that make "cinematic soul." This album goes to all sorts of strange places you don't see coming. Some tracks have a strong Hip-Hop vibe, others have more ska or jazz. This music is thoroughly funky so appreciate.

1. Detroit Twice

2. Musings Myself

3. Too Late To Turn Back

4. El Pueblo Unido

5. Behind The Blue Curtains

6. Ocho Rios

7. Yennicita

8. Creation

9. This Songs For You

10. Slide Show

11. Hung Up On My Baby

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Reggae Friday - Johnny Clarke - Rock With Me Baby (1975)

Originally titled Moving On this is the reissue entitled Rock With Me Baby. 70's cover aside this album is a marvelous mix of love songs and roots music.


1. No Hiding Place
2. Stop Them Jah
3. I'm The One Who Loves You
4. My Darling
5. Since I Met You Baby
6. Massachussettes
7. Rock With Me Baby
8. I Don't Want To Be A Rude Boy
9. Close To Me
10. The Tide Is High
11. Since I Fell For You

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Reggae Friday - Johnny Clarke - Originally Mr. Clarke (1980)

Classic reggae from Johnny Clarke, his music is the full package of roots reggae.


1. Bad Days Are Going (Disco Cut)
2. Jah Jah We Are Waiting
3. Every Knee Shall Bow
4. Fittest Of The Fittest
5. Our Father In Zion
6. Can’t Keep A Good Man Down
7. Moving On To Zion
8. It’s A Disgrace
9. It A Go Rough
10. Blood Dunza (Different Style)


Link

Buckshot LeFonque - Buckshot LeFonque (1994)

Buckshot LeFonque was a musical group project of Branford Marsalis, jazz musician. The best way to describe this album is "broad musical landscape", as every song brings something different to the album. DJ Premier lends some help on production (particularly the Scratch Opera). This album ranges from jazz, soul, R&B, hip hop and some rock while still being an impressive cohesive effort.

1. Ladies & gentlemen, presenting...
2. The blackwidow blues
3. I know why the caged bird sings
4. Mona lisas (and mad hatters)
5. Wonders & signs
6. Ain´t it funny
7. Some cow fonque (more tea, vicar)
8. some shit @ 78 bpm (the scratch opera)
9. Hotter than hot
10. Breakfast @ denny´s
11. Shoot the piano player
12. No pain, no gain
13. Sorry, elton
14. ...and we out



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emancipator - soon it will be cold enough (2006)

This is the 2006 original release of this amazing instrumental album. It was re released in Japan in 2008 with a different tracklisting but this is the one I have so that's what y'all are gonna get. This is some downtempo electronica with drums that are likened to hip hop in style. This album is top notch and is a must listen for any fan of instrumental music.

1. lionheart
2. wolf drawn
3. when i go
4. with rainy eyes
5. the darkest evening of the year
6. eve
7. smoke signals
8. periscope up
9. first snow
10. good knight
11. soon it will be cold enough to build fires
12. anthem

Link

K-Otix - Universal

Bronx Science Records (2001)

If I didn't tell you this trio is from Texas you would have never guessed it. The production is all done by The Are who supposedly was taught by DJ Premier when they were in school together and you can hear it in the beats. With real clever thought out lyrics on top this album is worth listening to and shows a different side of Houston Hip Hop.

1. Intro
2. Legendary
3. U Know the Name
4. Untitled
5. Take a Breather
6. Take My Life
7. C.P.R.
8. My Life (Alter Ego) Parts 1, 2, & 3
9. Frequencies
10. The World
11. Looking Glass
12. Mind Over Matter
13. Front Row
14. The Club
15. Love Song
16. World Renown
17. Outro

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Reggae Friday - Mystic Eyes - Mysterious (1979)

Created and produced by Linval Thompson, this is the Mystic Eyes only album. Reggae doesn't get much better than this and I guarantee you will be playing it on repeat. Absolutely classic.

1. Must Eat Bread
2. Judgement Time
3. Linger A While
4. I'm Drifting
5. Born To Love Rastafari
6. Free Up The Ghetto Children
7. One Jah Love For I
8. Life Is Not Easy
9. I Hold The Handle

Link

Reggae Friday - Sly & The Revolutionaries - Don't Underestimate The Force, The Force Is Within You (1977)

Amazing limited release dub album by Sly (the drummer) and The Revolutionaries (the band). This is dub done biblical style.

1. Genesis
2. John
3. Romans
4. Malachi
5. Ezekiel
6. James
7. Exodus
8. Song Of Solomon
9. Proverbs
10. Peter
11. Psalm
12. Revelation

Link

Jazz Liberatorz - Fruit of the Past (2009)

Sophomore album from french producers Jazz Liberatorz and this time around its a little different from Clin d'oeil. Gone are the interviews at the end of songs and in come interludes with jazzy loops. The guests are awesome (from Mos Def to Emanon) and while a long effort (26 tracks spanning an hour and 20 minutes) its executed very well and remains easy on the ears throughout.

1. Music In My Mind Part 1
2. Loop Prisoner
3. What’s Real (feat. Emanon)
4. Always Something
5. What’s Next On The Menu
6. Music Makes The World Go Round (20syl Remix, feat. Declaime)
7. Force Be With You (feat. T-Love)
8. Diggin Sound
9. It Was Only A Song
10. Dark Keys (feat. M’Selem)
11. My Style Is Fly (feat. Fatlip)
12. Capture Your Mind
13. A Paris
14. After Party (Jazz Lib Remix, feat. Wildchild)
15. That’s Right
16. Mountain Sunlight (feat. Mos Def)
17. Breathing Pleasure (feat. Rico)
18. Music In My Mind Part 2
19. That’s Reality
20. Blue Avenue
21. Back Packers (feat. Fatlip)
22. Slow Down
23. Force Be With You (Drum Brothers Remix)
24. My Style Is Fly (Dela Remix)
25. Music Makes The World Go Round (feat. Declaime)
26. What’s Next


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Blac Monks - No Mercy

Rap-A-Lot Records (1998)

Self proclaimed Jungle Funk, or southern g-funk with a unique twist. This is the Texas trios second album, which is more a little less dark and more funky than their first. Both are very nice albums and contain the same for lack of a better word, concept; gangsters who are also monks and rap about temples, buddah and living in the jungle.

1. Intro
2. Caged in Gorillas (Produced by John Bido)
3. Steppin' With Your Weapon (Produced by John Bido & Pedewestra)
4. Paper Chase (Produced by Itche) (feat. Papa Reu)
5. Enemy Within (Produced by John Bido)
6. Marked For Death (Produced by John Bido)
7. Monk Mentality (Produced by Wendell Springer)
8. Jungle Funk (Produced by John Bido & Scarface)
9. Natural Herbs & Spices (Produced by Wendell Springer)
10. God Complex (Produced by John Bido)
11. No Mercy (Produced by Jerry Muhammad)
12. Young Gunz (Produced by John Bido & Mike Dean) (feat. Endo & Makeisha)
13. Grim Reaper (Produced by John Bido, David Forrest & Mike Dean)


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