VIDEO: Jarren Benton's "Life in the Jungle"

VIDEO: Jarren Benton's "Life In The Jungle"

When you're trolling through a long list of emails from hip hop artists and promoters, you never know what you'll get when you click the link of an artist who's known to you.

But Audio Treats almost never fails to deliver and that's the case with Jarren Benton's video for "Life in the Jungle." He's new to me, but apparently he's got some experience under his belt at least it sounds like it.

After a few seconds into the vid, I almost dumped out of it. I thought that it was another hood vid about gang bangers - and in a way it's a little bit about that. I won't give it all away.

Oh, and for the hip hoppers who can remember: "...it's like a jungle sometimes it makes me wonder how I keep from going under." kfox.

Mumbls "Spellbound"

Mumbls "Spellbound"

I'm in a bit of a dilemma as it relates to Mumbls' "Spellbound." I digs mostly everything that comes to my inbox from Audible Treats. But this Mumbls was and is a bit of good and bad thing, in my opinion. So instead to brushing it off, I thought, why not say what rubbed me the wrong way about this track.

But first let me say, that the tempo of the track is nice; laidback. His flow works for the track too: he sounds comfortable and experienced. In some ways he's crafty; in some ways he's immature.

The lyrics, though, caught my attention. Interestingly, I don't consider myself a prude - or maybe I am - but there's some language on the song that just jumped out at me. Immediately reminded me of the early days of Too Short; who, mind you, I listened to w/out cringing. So why did I cringe when Mumbls says the raw version of breasts? Who knows? I just ask myself: what does he gain by using those words? Does it make him appear to be more of a man. Again,who knows? And it should be noted that I can and do use my fair share of profanity at any given moment, so again, why did his lyrics strike me on this track?

At the end of the day, I'll give Mumbls "Spellbound" a pass simply because it's a good track. There's more that I like about it than what I don't like about it.

• Go directly to Mumbls "Spellbound"
• Check out Mumbls on Twitter too

Go ahead hip hoppers, get "Spellbound." kfox.

VIDEO: ‪REL "On My Way"

‪REL - "On My Way"

Checked out this very short vid and loved it. The music is nice, but the video is very cool. Can't wait to see and hear the entire project.

Another pleasant surprise from the folks at Audible Treats.

So here it is hip hoppers - some inspiration. kfox.

VIDEO: Moe Green "Top Turnbuckle Lifestyle"

I love getting put on to new music; good, new music. Lucky me that I have access to Audible Treats. They are constantly pushing out the good ish. So much so that sometimes I can't keep up. Good thing that I took a minute to click the email about Moe Green.

This dude has one cool vid in "Top Turnbuckle Lifestyle". The cool factor is the way the video is shot and how laid back it it. Couple that w/the track itself. When it starts out, you have no idea that it's a hip hop joint. Love that. Moe Green's delivery is not too pushy, not too boastful ... doesn't seem like an attention getter, but that's exactly why it is.

You be the judge hip hoppers. kfox.

Moe Green's "Top Turnbuckle Lifestyle" video

Hip Hop @ SXSW

South by Southwest is mostly commonly known and written as SXSW. I've never attended, but I am seriously considering it in the near future. Let me tell you why.

If you like music, cool. You will like this. Especially if you like live performances because there are lots of music showcases. If you like movies, cool. They have a section of the conference dedicated to films. Check. And if you are a techie or a gamer, there is an interactive component as well. Now all you have to do is get time off from the j-o-b to enjoy the madness. If you haven't made plans by now, then you aren't going this year. But as we say about the Cleveland Browns, there's always next year ... love my Browns.

Anyway, SXSW is an annual event that takes place in Austin. This year it began on March 13. It will wrap up on Sunday, March 22, 2009.

Nice to know that hip hop is filtered through the SXSW festivities. Especially with this year's Audible Treats SXSW Round Up. There's a pretty good line up of performances from Thursday through Sunday featuring a variety of hip hop artists:

• J*DaVey
• Keelay & Zaire
• Jern Eye
• Fortilive
• Truthlive
• Tanya Morgan
  

I hope to get around to reviewing the Keelay & Zaire as well as the Tanya Morgan. I hope to do that sooner rather than later.

Meanwhile, if you can't take part in the event hip hoppers, pop open your music player and get down wit the get down ... kfox

The Metermaids Don't Need Your Change

The Metermaids have been together for roughly two years. But you'd never really know it. They do have a chemistry. When I say they, I mean the two of them Swell and Sentence; a couple of guys from N-Y-C.

Their first full length project is "Nightlife". I only had a chance to listen to two tracks. And unfortunately their style left me desiring something different, something more at least that's how I felt listening to "Feel Alive". I like it, it just seemed kind of ho hum. "Nightlife" was cool too, but it did not come off as original. I kept thinking 'I know that I've heard that sound before ... '.

They've even gone out and done a mash up of "Nightlife" and Sufjan Stevens "Illinoise" called "Nightlife in Illinoise". I did not get a chance to listen to this one. But it is on my short list.

And you too can check out the Metermaids:

• The Metermaids "Nightlife" review on Okayplayer
• Here's the title track "Nightlife" from Audible Treats
• "Feel Alive", another track from "Nightlife"
• Download "Nightlife in Illinoise"
  

So keep your change hip hoppers, and remember that you heard the Metermaids when ... ? kfox.

Spotlighting Black Milk - Yes, Again!

So when a good thing is good, I just can't get enough.

I tried to put you on to Black Milk a few weeks ago, but I'm not certain that the message came through loud and clear.

So here are a few more convincing options:

• Black Milk interview on Okayplayer
• Link to Black Milk's "Bounce"
• You Tube video of "Give the Drummer Some"
  

It's just nice to hear him do his thing w/out the assistance of ten other emcees. Nice loop on the beats too. Nothing fancy, so the focus is on the lyrics and his delivery. Me thinks you will like it. Especially the funky beats at the end of the track.

So go for it hip hoppers ... add some milk to your rotation. kfox.

Illa J + J Dilla = Yancey Boys

I listened to a couple of tracks from Illa J before I went and read his bio. Interesting. But first I'll talk about the music.

Got a heads up on this one from the folks at Audible Treats. I'm on that list and it is all good. I don't know what made me listen to this particular artist, but it was a good choice. The first track from Illa J's "Yancey Boys" disk that I listened to was "Strugglin". Seems we could all make a track w/this title, right? But I like the slow beats on this one. Reminded me of The Roots.

I also checked out "R U Listenin" f/Guilty Simpson. A little singin on this one. Just a nice jam. More uptempo. And the other track that I listened to was "We Here"; I'm diggin this one too. No corny rhymes and the beat reminds me of Kraftwerk's "TransEurope Express". There's some singing on this one too and it fits in nicely.

Now, let me address this Yancey Boys connection. For those of you who recall J Dilla, you already know ... and if you don't know, then you suspected that w/a name like Illa J and Yancey, that this guy might be a blood relative of J Dilla. Well, he's Dilla's little brother to be exact. A little brother who looked up to his older and extremely talented brother, a legendary producer whose life ended way too soon. Nice that the younger Yancey has a chance to continue the family legacy.

This is a nice project; the music and beats flow nicely. The one downfall is that it is somewhat annoying to keep hearing the "Yancey Boys" shout out on each track and in some case several times on a track - it's not necessary. But if you are so inclined to make a purchase, check out Illa J's "Yancey Boys" @ iTunes..

Oh and hip hoppers, this is a Delicious Vinyl project and you know how they roll. You can be down now ... or jump on the bandwagon in the weeks, months, years to come. kfox.

More good music - Shaya

Audible Treats sent me a link to another goodie. They hipped me to K'naan and now it's Shaya. You can check out his flow on his MySpace page.

The one that I am diggin is "Thinking Cap". It starts off as the bonafide classic by Teddy Pendergrass - almost lost me there since I am not a fan of slow jams. But I was multitasking and could not immediately dump the track ... about 20 seconds or so in, they switched up the beat, still the "Turn off the Lights" music, but w/a twist. Nice storytellin too.

Get down wit it hip hoppers - it's a nice laid back flow, just like the summer. kfox.