This is How Music is Made

I know that not every artist can afford to get musicians to accompany them on their music. But that element of live musicianship is huge.

Check out this short vid from a Black Milk/Slum Village studio session w/Will Sessions (Detroit, do your thang).

Time for a rehearsal hip hoppers. kfox.

You Can Bounce to This!

So I've stumbled up on SoulBounce. It's a webbie w/a focus on music. Not just hip hop, but it's all good because good music is just that. What's not to like about a website that has a picture of Richard Roundtree aka Shaft in the banner... oh, and Foxy Brown too?

There are some music reviews as well as some music and mixtapes that you can listen to and/or download. Very cool. I listened to one mixtape of Amerie. I don't know why I gravitated in that direction because I am not a super duper fan of Amerie, but I don't dislike her either. Anyway, it was okay. Not fabulous or awesome, just okay.

But the one thing I'm diggin on time and time again is SoulBounce Blended & Beat vol. 3. I did not think this one would be my speed. Meaning I thought that it would be a slow to mid-tempo joint. But surprise me why dontcha ... there was some mid-tempo, but they kicked up a notch as well. Got me all anxious for the next round.

I do likes the SoulBounce Sniff Test too : take four artists, provide a lil background and a track to see who passes the sniff test. If all else fails, you get put on to an artist you were otherwise unfamiliar with ... that was the case for me. Sort of took notice of Colin Munroe "Piano Lessons"; produced by Black Milk.

I could go on, but you need to check it for yourself. Just sharing the love hip hoppers. kfox.

My Best of 2008 List :: Hip Hop

Every year I, like you, troll through tons of music. So much so, that by the end of the year I've sort of forgotten about what was hot and happenin in, say, January or February. That is pretty much the case for the list that I've assembled here. Most of the releases are from the later part of 2008.

I was late on The Mighty Underdogs, so don't you sleep on them. I hope to get around to posting about "Droppin Science Fiction" in the next week or so. As the old schoolers used to say "it is dope".

Best artists and cds:

• Illa J :: "Yancey Boys"
• Roots Manuva :: "Slime & Reason"
• The Knux :: "Remind Me in 3 Days"
• The Roots :: "Rising Down"
• Black Milk :: "Tronic"
• The Mighty Underdogs :: "Droppin Science Fiction"

This short list is taken from my larger list of the Best of 2008.

So hip hoppers, let's toast to a hearty and musically fulfilling 2009! 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.

Oooh, Black Milk

What's not to like about an artist named Black Milk? Love that. Well, what we got here is some bumpin beats, strong lyrics and just a heavy dose of talent. But when you are from the Big 'D' you gotta rep, right?

Here's the short back story on Black Milk ... he's down w/Slum Village and has done production on many of their past projects. His new disk is called "Tronic" and it only has a handful of high rollers thus giving Black Milk more time to shine. Get more scoop on him here. I got a heads up on this one from the good folks over at Audible Treats.

Wanna check out a couple of the hot tracks? Try:

Give the Drummer Sum
and
The Matrix f/Pharoahe Monch, Sean Price and DJ Premier

Now you know I'm not one to let you down hip hoppers, so get w/the program. kfox.