F.Y.I. - "Clap Clap"

What do you get when you take an uptempo party song that lyrically warns of all the dangers involved in the party scene? You get F.Y.I.'s "Clap Clap." While this may sound counterproductive, it actually makes for intriguing work.

F.Y.I. is super nice with the pen. Really showcasing the poetry involved in writing raps, he puts together 3 verses that really play well over the driving "four to the floor" Afro-Cuban rhythm. He touches on street violence, sex and drugs and cleverly works them into a rapid fire delivery. It's so stylized that it's easy to miss the lyrics just listening to the flow. When you do tune in though, the content is strong.

This is a really creative and daring track. I mess wit' it heavy. Free stream and download below...

Hippie Sabotage - "Riding Solo" Instrumental Music Video

The west coast production duo (sometimes trio) known as Hippie Sabotage has consistently kept it fresh and original. Not only with their sound, but also with their promotion. Not content to just throw their work out there to sit in a pool of unknowns waiting for something to happen, they've taken a much more creative approach.

In addition to releasing now 4 instrumental albums, they have a signature visual element that accompanies their work. The latest showcase of their artistic vision is "Riding Solo" a very well done music video starring model Giza Lagarce. The production is top notch as usual. Heavy 808 drums and 303 snares drive the groove behind an eerie screwed Njomza sample. The joint knocks so crazy... it's ridiculous.

Hit that play button...

Shane Eli - "Die Alone" Music Video

This will without a doubt be the best 4 minutes of your Monday. Meet Shane Eli. Cali based MC, producer, and songwriter among other things. While the other things are important to his backstory, for now, just sit with this new track and music video "Die Alone."

"Die Alone" is a truly standout work. The songwriting is fantastic, the groove is perfect, Jason Caesar is spot on on the hook and the video treatment and execution... flawless. Shane Eli is a shocker and I'm mad that I'm just learning about his music.

Embryo put together a gripping cinematic experience for the song that tells the story of a chance million dollar windfall, deception and murder. The track is pulled from the upcoming release 'Enough Love' which as of right now has no street date. (In the meantime check out previous releases here.)

You will LOVE this joint...

KaliRaps - "Can I Live"

"Can I Live" is the first single from the mixtape "Who I Am" which hit the web just over a day ago. Obviously repping California, KaliRaps talks to his listeners about his personal truth as seen and experienced in his lifetime. He briefly touches on some socio-economic issues but primarily harps on his abilities being better than the rest.

KaliRaps is a talented MC. His style is easy to digest but I'm sitting here going through his catalog and it's clear that he has genuine range and lyrical skill. While "Who I Am" may be a bit dated in places it doesn't take much away from the project as a whole. This mixtape is pretty much a short history lesson on KaliRaps' career. Fans new and old alike should be looking forward to the upcoming debut album 'Mr. Misunderstood.'

Check the stream and free download below...

Mistah F.A.B. - "This Is What's Cool?" Music Video

image via XXL

Social responsibility. A seemingly entirely lost idea in Rap music. The content is out there but online outlets, program directors and record labels don't give it any play. Instead we're constantly bombarded with sex, drugs and violence. A host of variations on the same exact theme. Every time. Without fail. Yet, for all of the repetitive garbage, people buy it. These labels spend millions promoting it and we give it all back to them plus some.

The art of Rap was replaced by the business of Rap. 

Mistah F.A.B. is a very interesting artist to me because he was a part of the problem and then made the conscious decision to become part of the solution. I couldn't tolerate the music that made him famous but I'm completely behind his new material. The Bay Area staple has pointed his lyricism to more socially responsible content in spite of knowing it won't spread the way his earlier music did. That's the mark of a real man, a God inspired soul and an exemplary father. 

In "This Is What's Cool?" he tackles the ridiculousness of the fascination with death and destruction in his hometown of Oakland (and every neighborhood like it.) It's an important message that used to have a much more prominent place in Hip-Hop. Rap music should uplift up more people than the very few who profit from selling sex, drugs and death. But "that's the type of shit niggas really think is cool..."

I'm 100% here for this effort, Mistah F.A.B. Thank you for doing what is just and exemplary for your children and others! 

Check out the video below and SUPPORT THIS MAN! The game needs it.

Noah - "Namaste" Music Video

The young California king Noah is back with a visual for his previously released single "Namaste." The track is given a whole new life through this super cool technicolored music video that he shot and edited himself. I already thoroughly enjoyed this track and the video upped the ante significantly for me. I haven't seen a video this refreshing in a long time!

The video gives the feeling of a precursor to a digitized insurgence. The calm before the storm. "Namaste" translates, literally, to a bow to thee. You can't help but imagine martial artists bowing to each other before trying to tear their opponent's head off. The idea is further emphasized by the closing sounds of automatic rifles. Signaling that Noah's assault has begun. Brilliantly done, Noah. I see you.

Ch-ch-check it...

Malkovich - 'Great Expectations'

Would you give up everything for a dream? I mean everything. All of your possessions? Even your home? That's what Iranian American MC Malkovich did to clear the path for his desire to travel and craft great music.

'Great Expectations' is a very lofty title for an album. Probably especially so for a Rap album. Any artist that has the intelligence to allude to Charles Dickens' work certainly grabs my attention though. Malkovich did just that and I'm thoroughly enjoying the sound.

The blurb read, "Great Expectations is an album about the gap between our dreams and our lives." This is a chasm that I'm sure many of us have known. Some built a bridge and crossed and others just stood at the edge on the wrong side.

The album is authentic Boom Bap material with a host of new producers creating the soundscape. Malkovich is a capable lyricist with a sometimes "slumped" delivery that took a little getting used to. If you don't know what "slump" is I don't know what to tell you other than to get your Parliament/Funkadelic game up. Anyway, it's solid material and will certainly be added to my playlist.

Check the limited time free stream and download below.

Noah - "Namaste"

YES!! The West Coast has their own thing going on with Hip-Hop. It's always been that way. They keep it closer to the roots than the East Coast, to be honest. All elements of Hip-Hop culture thrive in a more robust way over there. Maybe it's the sunshine?

Noah came out of nowhere and quickly earned a place on the RoxFontaine.com watchlist. He even took a place on my Top 5 indie albums >/= Watch the Throne with 'The Wonderful Struggle.' I had a blast with that project and was looking forward to new material.

This is the first I've heard since "Supernova" and that was a long time ago. The up and comer has been working though. No doubt about that. He stated, "(I'm) withholding a lot of music right now, taking my time with this next project and visuals." I've always heard that good things come to those who wait. Not a thing wrong with getting your product right.

Check out this new release called "Namaste" that was dropped in my box. Signature Noah music and feels good all around. Free stream and download. Breathe easy y'all...

Public Radio - "T.R.A.N.S."

Public Radio is Paulie Rhyme and producer Deedot. I'm apparently 5 years late to the pairing but the duo has been working the indie and college radio scene with international acclaim and even charting on CMJ. It's pretty much written in stone to go with what works, so Public Radio is back with the first single, titled "T.R.A.N.S." from a not yet named upcoming EP.

They put together a straight Hip-Hop "backpacker" delight with a super dope crunched out Fender Rhodes driven track that's a little bit spacey and a little bit alternative. I'm definitely intrigued by their sound and looking forward to hearing more from them.

Check out the free stream and download. All positive energy, sharp lyricism and quality sound.

Hippie Sabotage - 'Vacant' Instrumentals

Reinvention is the key to sustained relevance in the music world. Especially when it comes to the ever changing sound and feel of Hip-Hop. West Coast producers Hippie Sabotage are giving fans a listen to their first metamorphosis. The result? A much more radio ready selection of instrumentals for MCs to trap and rap to.

I'm a big fan of Hippie Sabotage's instrumental albums and 'Vacant', while sonically very different, is still on par for what I expect from the team. It's official head nod material from start to finish. The beats are far more aggressive in nature this time around and that theme spreads across all 7 instrumentals.

Check the free stream and download below. If you're an MC and you think you have bars of note, I challenge you to record to "You Still Don't Get It" and submit it to submissions@roxfontaine.com. Legitimate work will be posted.

Enjoy!

Real J Wallace - "The Diz" Music Video

The Jahfather of Soul Cal is back with another visual from the perfectly curated project I introduced you to here. Now working on a full length documentary, Real J Wallace gave me this early visual that will be included in the project which will also have a complete soundtrack.

I'm thoroughly diggin' everything he's dropped so far. The Diz isn't his sharpest video release but the music is all groove sauce. Check it out below...


(8th & G) Real J Wallace- The Diz (Official New Music Video) from Real J. Wallace on Vimeo.

Planet Asia - "Golden State" Music Video

Sweet! We have the first video on deck from the upcoming 'Black Belt Theatre' project. As one would expect, it's got classic Blaxploitation flair with 35mm effects mixed in with the latest crisp HD look. The single broke at the top of January and I was wondering when we'd see a video. Well, here it is...

Salute to Planet Asia on this one.

Tia London - "All That I Dreamed Of" Music Video

More fiyah! More fiyah!

Ok, I admit it. I'm entirely smitten with Tia London. Talent, drive and ambition; dopeness on a stick. Just released is the 3rd video single from her critically acclaimed "Love Junkie" EP titled "All That I Dreamed Of." This is Tia's love song to herself and her journey to/through stardom. Ups, downs, achievements, disappointments, pluses and minuses - Tia is all in.

The video is in black and white but this is quite the vivid dream. Super fly all around. Dig in....

P.S. Is that denim vest ridiculous or what?

Carbin DiBiasi - "Addiction"

"Bangin'!" I assume that most heads here on the east coast don't know what SLAB is. For the uninitiated, that's slow low and BANGIN'! Producer Rufio showed his ass on this one and left coast spitter Carbin DiBiasi Cali swagged it to death. This is some ol' loud, obnoxious, blow a speaker, hearing aid at 40 music. How can you not love that?

This reminds me of my Mom's Sharp VZ2000 when I was just 8 years old. The boombox that had a vertical record player in it! I used to blast tapes and Michael Jackson records from it and my Grandmother would yell out, "Cut that mess down! Runnin' up my lightbill!" These days, it's my son who seems to be Mr. Sensitive Ears. Thank goodness for these $280 headphones. I'm about to go dumb! Do they still say that?

Stream and download below.

Carbin on Twitter 

Carbin DiBiasi - "Addiction" by RoxFontaine

Exclusive: Real J. Wallace - 'The J∆hFather of So(u)l Cal'

"History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people." – Martin Luther King Jr.


MLK Freeway from Joe Black on Vimeo.

Talk about a strong concept! Real J. Wallace's 'The JahFather of So(u)l Cal' is one of the dopest, most well thought out and executed concepts for an album I've seen/heard in a long time. Watching the video above will explain it all. I'll reiterate that the album was crafted to compliment the 94 West (MLK) Freeway in San Diego. The album plays to match the length of the artist's frequent drives on the freeway to various events in the heart of the city. Brilliant!

Now, that's cool and all but does the music work? Absolutely! As the album title implies, it's a treasure trove of largely unaffected soul samples backing Real J's super sharp Cali swag lyricism. As "Regular Joe" as Real is, there's nothing regular about his rhyme style and delivery. It's intelligent without being pretentious and playful without being lightweight. I had issue with some of the engineer's mixing choices but this is otherwise a great start for the newcomer.

I had a couple of tracks from this project several months ago and hearing the growth from then to now is awesome. Dude is working! So. Cal (and everywhere else) needs to be on alert. The Jahfather of Soul Cal is coming to a speaker near you.

Check the full stream/download below and remember where you heard it first!

Real J. Wallace on Twitter

Planet Asia - "Golden State"

"Everybahdy wuz Kun-Fooo Fye-teeeng!" Sorry. I couldn't resist.

You can't talk underground and West coast without talking about Planet Asia. For the last 15 years he's been a staple in underground Hip-Hop. Moving from indie labels to majors and back again, he's now set to release his biggest project to date. 'Black Belt Theatre' will hit stores on the last day of February. The album is absolutely loaded with old school players to new school fools. To go through the entire list of guest spots would overwhelm this post so I'm not doing it. To name a few: Talib Kweli, Raekwon and Camp Lo are some reps for the old and Paul Wall, Fashawn and Torae hold it down for the new.

This fresh leak from the project titled "Golden State" just went public and it's a great look into what to expect from the full project. Obviously, the theme is Kung-Fu and Blaxploitation films. Planet Asia says, "I wanted to make the album like a movie - something you would see in a theater. That's why it has so many features. All the guests feel like different characters in the movie."

Free from the constraints of stuffy suits and deadlines at major labels he was able to produce the project exactly as he envisioned it. "Golden State" is a blaring 70s soul sample fit for a thorough Afro-power-leather-jacket-epic-mustache-ass-kicking-fest. Dirtydiggs handles the production on the track and 9 others on the album for a total 50% of the production load. Sweet deal.

Check the audio and check for PA on the web at the links below.

Planet Asia on Twitter

Planet Asia - "Golden State" by RoxFontaine

Mistah F.A.B. - "Bring the Classics Back"

I thought Mistah F.A.B. was a dumb Hyphy rapper. Not Hyphy dumb, but unintelligent dumb. All of his recent releases have spoken to the contrary however. This latest release is an ode to the music that led up to and defined the "Golden Era" of Hip-Hop. From the corner freestyle opening he transitions to the music video for "Bring the Classics Back."

It's standard fare as far as roll call songs go, but it's still enjoyable and worth sharing. F.A.B. has turned me 180 on his music and I'm glad. Music shouldn't be stationary. I'll be checking for him going forward and you should too. Click below to check out a little Hip-Hop history.

Kokayi - 'Pacific Coast Highway' Instrumental Album

Grammy award nominated singer/songwriter/producer Kokayi released one of my absolute favorite albums of 2010. Though it was late in the year, it trumped everything I heard prior in both depth and scope. A truly incredible independent release that Hip-Hop heads need to hear.

I've had the pleasure of sitting in on a couple of Kokayi's Ustream sessions where he goes through his ridiculous catalog of music. When I tell you this guy has beats on deck, I mean he has more tracks than you can imagine.

Today, Kokayi gives us 'Pacific Coast Highway'. This 19 track instrumental album is yet another testament to his musical genius. It's yet another two middle fingers in the air to self imposed limitations, stereotypes and the status quo.

You can stream the album for free right here or purchase it by clicking the link.

"This is the soundtrack to the journey from San Diego to Washington State (Seattle to be specific). I’ve driven across these United States 6 times mostly in minivans and station wagons. Seen the Canyon up close and the Cheyenne frontier days at day break. The PCH has always been a different thingy, a rite of passage for gigging musicians. The sea at your side, the rolling hills, a falling rock. So buckle up for safety, watch for careening deer and don’t forget to get gas or electricity..however you ride.” – KOKAYI



source: QN5.com

Hippie Sabotage & Chase Moore - In Studio

Ooooooh weeeeee! Check out this video of one half of Hippie Sabotage, So Crates, working on an instrumental with Chase Moore. Out on the west coast, the spirit of collaboration is still strong and this video shows just how much teamwork changes things. So Crates sequences and layers the drums and Chase Moore chops the sample up.

The result is some hypnotic sh...HUSH YO' MOUTH! What? I was only talkin' 'bout this beat. Click and listen.

Find the crew on twitter:

So Crates

Sour Beats

Chase Moore

West Coastin' pt. II

 Shy Maria (l.) and Fred (r.)

After two very full days of ripping and running, it was down to my last few hours to take in a few more sights and then pack my things up to head back to New York. I woke up at 10am, which was a miracle considering I was at Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles until 4am. I got ready for my day quickly and called my fellow Team L.A.R.K. member Fred to come pick me up. Fred has been down with me for many years now but this was our first face to face meeting. He brought his lovely girlfriend along too and we took off to Santa Monica to see how much we could squeeze in before my 3:35pm flight.

On the boulevard.

We hit the 3rd Street Promenade and there were people everywhere! Street performers were doing their respective things and the cool ocean breeze was perfect. I popped in and out of a few stores looking for a gifts to bring back to NY, but I didn't find anything of interest. With shopping not working out we set our sights on the pier to take some pictures.

Give the drummer some.

 African drumming and dance. No Africans included.

Santa Monica Pier

At this point, we had just enough time to grab some food before I had to head to LAX to catch my ride home. We climbed back into Fred's car and went to nearby Santa Monica Place Shopping Center. We opted for semi-Chinese food. Yes, "semi". It surely was not real Chinese food, but it was close enough. After half a plate of food and 2 orange juices, I was....umm....40 minutes away from boarding time!

We took off for LAX with speed and thank goodness there was no traffic on the way. I grabbed my bag from Fred's trunk and quick stepped my way to the self check-in counter. I swiped my credit card and zipped through the prompts. When I hit the menu for checked bags I got a pop-up message:

"You're too late, Biaaaatch! The baggage check is closed. Hahahahaha! #FAIL"

Well, it didn't really say that but it might as well have. This is the part where MTV speeds up the cargo loading, boarding, taxi and takeoff.....

I knew this picture would be good for something!

I immediately called up Fred and told him, "Yo. I missed it." The good thing is that all I had to do was hop on the next flight 6 hours later. No charge. We chuckled at my stupidity and he offered to swing back around and pick me up if I didn't want to sit in the airport for 6 hours. Of course, I did not and so it was; a bonus 6 hours in Cali with Fred.

We went to a really cool graffiti art exhibition at MOCA. The exhibition is called "Art in the Streets" and is a look at graffiti art from it's roots in the '70s to present day. I had an amazing time looking at early work from artists like Lee, Dondi, Blade, Basquiat and other huge names in graffiti.

Andre has to pee.

Spray everything but the doors!

After our fill of styles, colors and photos we went over to Little Tokyo and had some snacks. Then it was that time again. I was on my way back to LAX. This time with PLENTY of time to spare. I sat and reflected on my time in LA and I just smiled. I'm so thankful for life and all of it's blessings. Major props and respect to Fred and Maria for taking care of me. You two are awesome!

Here are a couple more pics from MOCA that I like. Thanks for reading!

Rammellzee, Baby!

What the....?

Who's going to have the first graffiti fleet plane?

The legendary Mr. Cartoon.