Kiah Victoria - "Lover's Anthem"

It's Valentine's Day, one of my absolute favorite holidays, and as expected there are a bunch of new tracks and projects releasing today to join in on the love parade. It is my job to find and showcase the best of the indie group and I am of the mind that I am very good at what I do.

Kiah Victoria kicks off today's posts with "Lover's Anthem." It's a minimalist rhythm based track that really shines with Kiah's silky smooth harmonies. She's masterful at that and it's propelling her into superstardom. As a matter of fact, she's currently vying for an mtvU Woodie Award. Please listen to this track and support her by voting. It's free and you'll score good karma and she's dope as all hell!

Anyway, jump into the track and free download below. Happy Valentine's Day, y'all!

XOXO,

Rox

Click Here to Download

Vanessa Elisha - "Blur"

I'm amazed at how music permeates the soul. It spreads from place to place and culture to culture taking on different shapes and sounds. I've listened to a lot of music in my lifetime and there is so much more to hear and explore. It's always a great feeling when something sneaks up on me from a place I didn't expect.

This is the case with "Blur" from Australian singer/songwriter Vanessa Elisha. Yes, AUSTRALIA! Listen, I know that everything is everywhere for the most part but still... The R&B game is like this in Aussie land?

Vanessa reminds me of Tynisha Keli who made her biggest splash in Japan singing songs seemingly tailor made for the US. I hope she makes the transition to stateside appeal. This girl is pretty damn dope and "Blur" is very current material. The production is spot on too. This is an instant download and burn to CD!

Stream/rip and video teaser below...

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!

Triple Threat - 'C.L.U.T.C.H.'

Let me give you a recipe for disaster:

1/2 cup of Sean Price
1/2 cup of Jean Grae
2 cups of Estrogen
Crushed Ice
A dash of beat yo' ass
Fresh beats
Mix with sit down and shut up to taste

Straight up disaster for weak rappers! 

Triple Threat first popped up on my radar with the Koontown project. I was immediately intrigued by her ability, both as an MC and as a producer. You just don't really hear about female artists this hard on both sides of the boards so I was excited to hear what was next. Well, my instincts were correct. 'C.L.U.T.C.H.' is next and Triple is cuttin' heads outchea!

I promise you this is special. Triple Threat is in a rare space reserved for the truly singular. The 12 track "mixtape" is a lyrical barrage from start to finish and all but 2 of the tracks are self produced. A consistent theme is extremely important to me and 'C.L.U.T.C.H.' delivers in every way on that front. It's a mighty impressive first effort for the 24 year old DC native.

If you appreciate pure unadulterated Hip-Hop, you must download this album. It's well worth a thorough listen. It's outstanding lyrically and sonically perfect as far as I'm concerned. Standout tracks for me were "Goin' Off", "Straight Spittin' 2" and "Maybe Someone to Uhh." I found no weak points on the project though. Those 3 just really speak to my sensibilities.

SHEZUS!

Check the stream and free if you insist download below. SUPPORT INDEPENDENTS!

Villa - 'Pack Light, Travel Far'

'Pack Light, Travel Far' is a brilliant mantra. I've always aimed to live my life this way even though I didn't know what to call it. It's so easy for people to get lost in the shuffle of living in America. We often plant our feet firm and cross our arms and refuse to open ourselves up to greater possibilities due to fear of the unknown. Villa's newest album explores those possibilities but how does it stack up to the previous 'Inertia' LP?

If I had to describe it in a word, it would just be ... different. Villa obviously found a comfortable creative space with producer Brandon Rossi. 'Pack Light, Travel Far' is entirely produced by the long time collaborator and the pairing works perfectly. They've both found their "it" thing and sharpened that skill into a complete theme. The project is dope! No two ways about that. I love Villa's work and this project is no exception.

For all that is right with this album though, there was still something missing for me: variety. Where 'Inertia' gave me different landscapes this project fell short of that. Villa and Rossi's "it" thing is so sharp and precise that it's almost sterile and that's not a good thing. The content is there. The craftsmanship is there. It's just too much of the same. I'd equate it to visiting Giza, Egypt. After the first couple of pyramids, you'll be kind of over it. That doesn't take away from their beauty or the effort given to craft them but there isn't much else to see after the first couple. They were all built the same. Most of 'Pack Light, Travel Far' is pyramids. Great structures on their own but less impressive standing next to each other.

The Sphinx among them is "Polos With No Logos." This was the track that gave me the most excited energy. Brandon Rossi leaves the boards to drop his own brand of delivery on it and it is the most standout moment for me.

Check the free download below, complete with album art and a 12 page booklet in .pdf format. Enjoy!

Click Here to Download

Baiyu - 'Hunter'

Primal. That is how I'd sum up this 3rd effort from Chinese born Soul singer Baiyu.

'Hunter' is a large departure from the wildly successful 'Fan Fair.' It's far more ambitious and incredibly bold. On this release, you really experience Baiyu pushing herself and the envelope from the album's open to its almost too brief close. Producer KQuick handles a large chunk of the album's production and he and Baiyu did a phenomenal job of keeping the main theme tied in across the whole project. Listeners truly get the feeling of being barefoot and sexy in the jungle.

'Fan Fair' was Baiyu's "testing the waters" release, 'Hunter' is the "I've arrived" release. The clear concept, stellar production and strong features all contribute to the brilliant flow of the album. I was all in from the opening 8 bars but "Make Believe" featuring American Idol season six contestant Paul Kim was my instant repeat track. While her duet with Boss star Rotimi is doing insane numbers around the web, "Make Believe" is the stronger offering in my book. There's a heft to it and striking melody/harmony component that is unmatched on the project. The rest of the album is a great blend of up and down tempo tracks.

The only gripe I had with the album was with some of the mixes. The sonic balance was off at times. A minor thing on an album good in a major way. Baiyu truly nailed the performances and writing for 'Hunter.' You already know this is Rox Fontaine approved or else you wouldn't be reading this.

Free stream and download link below and a brief recap of her album release party down bottom. Enjoy!

Download Mixtape | Free Mixtapes Powered by DatPiff.com

Baiyu's album release party was held at Custo Barcelona in SOHO. The store was packed from wall to wall with tastemakers from all corners of the entertainment industry and I was fortunate enough to be on the scene taking in the sights and sounds. The event was hosted by Power 105.1 late night hostess Cherry Martinez and DJ Boof of The Wendy Williams Show. Sponsors included Vitamin Water, Ty Ku and Sprayground among a host of others. Check out these select photos from the night....

Baiyu making her entrance.

Par-City and Baiyu

Baiyu blows a kiss to ThisIs50's Jack Thriller.

DJ Boof and Baiyu give a B-Boy stance.

Spag-Lo (c.) and friends.

 Kelly Harper

Cherry Martinez and Baiyu

Glamo

Neak - "Can't Stop" (I Don't Quit) Audio

There's something to be said about the way Chi town rappers hold on to the classic soul sound of Hip-Hop. Break beats and cleverly reworked samples run through all sorts of filters is a winning formula for what we've come to love about the sound of Chicago. Following in the footsteps of Common, Rhymefest, Kanye and Lupe, Neak is carving his own lane on the independent scene.

This previously unreleased track was recorded during the "Love Greater // The Prequel" sessions. The story is of Neak's drive and resilience as an upcoming MC. Nothing new there but the production is clean and Neak delivers a great performance as usual. Check the stream and download below.

Livewire - "Theraflu" IMS Remix

Payola is nothing new. We all know that if you want to get spins from the top working DJs, not even talking radio play, you need to come up with some money. Long gone are the days of DJs just playing a record because they like it. Long gone are the days of DJs wanting to break a record. They just want to be the first to play a record.

Livewire addresses the issue in his IMS DJs remix of "Theraflu." The instrumental is about as simple as it gets musically but Livewire gives a master class in lyricism over it. With the emphatic, "Tell DJs to stop actin' like bitches in New York" the Brooklyn MC makes it very clear that he's unafraid to challenge any and everyone necessary to gain the exposure he's due.

Check the stream and free download below...

STORi - "Just Another Day"

image via artists facebook

I'm taking a late pass on this one as I'm just hearing of New Jersey singer/songwriter STORi. Recently signed to Motown/Universal this emerging talent dropped this reworking of Queen Latifah's "Just Another Day" to a self propelled 16k+ listens and counting.

STORi is an interesting talent. Flipping through her online catalog I gather that she hasn't truly defined herself as an artist but she's got a "laurynhill-ish" appeal. She hops back and forth between rapping and singing with ease and is quite smooth at both. I can't wait to hear her on a full project.

In the meantime, I'll be vibing to "Just Another Day." Check the stream and download below.

STORi on twitter

Reggiimental - "Like You" Music Video

image via artist's facebook page

This nice little gem was dropped on me yesterday. A special delivery all the way from the UK. Reggiimental is totally new to me but I'm digging the Euro spin on the classic Boom Bap sound.

"Like You" is a love like letter to a lady that the artist has his eyes and heart set on. Very smooth and soulful production by Wizard and straight and honest lyricism from Reggiimental. Definitely appreciating Rusty Jay for putting me on to this one.

Check the video below and free download and stream below that.

Rugz D. Bewler - "By Any Means Necessary" Music Video/Album

If you been keeping your ear pointed towards the DD172 movement, then you know at least a little bit about Rugz D. Bewler. I'm just getting hip to his music and the album is for sure one of those download, burn and throw in the whip immediately joints.

'By Any Means Necessary' is by far one of the most complete independent projects I've ever heard. Clearly conceptual from start to finish is how I like an album to sound and Rugz executed perfectly. I feel like this is what an Isaac Hayes record would have sounded like if he were a rapper. It's sharp on soul samples, heavy on the beats and bass and I'm going to dare say revolutionary rappin'.

It is crystal clear that Rugz D. Bewler is up to more than "Divas & Doobies" and the sequential follow-up "Red Bull & Guinness/The Hangover." Super dope tracks but clearly of the, I'm-not-all-serious-all-the-time variety. The rest of 'By Any Means Necessary' is about rappin' ass rappin' and progression. Is he hinting at the idea that he's the next Malcolm X? Absolute not. What he he is saying is that he's Harlem's next big deal. He's saying I have something you need to hear. He's saying he's going to achieve. I agree wholeheartedly with all of that.

With a double feature I bring you the music video for the title track as well as the entire project for download. The video, directed by Anthony Sylvester, is a fantastic visual. I absolutely love the transitions, warmth in color in juxtaposition to the obviously cold temperature and location scouting. Check the video and hit the download link below that.

Click to Download 'By Any Means Necessary'

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

Tia London - "Love Junkie" FreEP

Babyface and Toni Braxton. Aaliyah and Timbaland. Brandy and Rodney Jerkins. Pharrell Williams and Kelis. Will.I.Am and Fergie. Ryan Leslie and Cassie. Okay, that last one might be stretching it a bit but you get the point. There is a new singer and producer combo on the rise that you need to be aware of:

Tia London and Traxster. 

The above ladies figured out their signature sound early and had very successful careers. Tia London seems to have called dibs on next. Her debut FreEP album "Love Junkie" is, in a word, fantastic. Produced entirely by Grammy nominated The Legendary Traxster. ("My Chick Bad" for Ludacris, "I Do It" for Big Sean) These two understand the importance of crafting a complete idea.

"Love Junkie" just became my favorite current R&B album. Even though it's not a straight R&B album. Tia is the perfect mix of street edge, soul, class and sexy. She has a soft seductive voice and in between belting out melodies and harmonies she'll drop a "hot 16" on you. It's entirely natural too. Most singers that I hear rapping make me cringe. Not Tia. It's just what she does and she does it extremely well.

All I want to know now is when she's playing in New York.

Check the stream below to listen to the album in its entirety and hit up her website to download the project. You're going to love this one!

www.IamTiaLondon.com

Tia London - Love Junkie (Produced Entirely By The Legendary Traxster) by thelegendarytraxster

D-Why - "Kate Upton is the Motto"

A lot of rappers are trying to be D-Why. He's just being who he is. Funny how that works out.

I enjoy D-Why's music. There's plenty of posturing and braggadocio just as any other rapper but D-Why is, for me, the equivalent to walking into a NYC bar full of "Hipsters" and tapping someone at random with a magical wand of rap mastery. The WVU grad is as legit as they come in both honesty and ability. That's just dope ... because it's different. Different without effort.

On "Kate Upton is the Motto" he gives a little mack game to the lady listeners over "I Save Strippers'" "The Motto" and then segues into a "freestyle" over the infectious "Rack City" instrumental. Check it out and enjoy.

D-WHY - "Kate Upton Is The Motto" by RoxFontaine

Fev - Voted Most Likely to Succeed

The wait is over! Eastside Fev has finally put out another mixtape to hold us over until 'Propaganda'. I couldn't be happier as Fev is one of my favorite indy artists and this project release coincides with my birthday.

I was put on to Fev early in his career. Hearing him on this project, as well as the leaks up to this point, I can clearly hear the growth. This Fev is sharper, wittier and more aggressive. He's truly locked in to who he is as an artist. He's matured and it is made apparent on tracks like "Buddha & Grandz Musik", "So Tired" and "Friday Morning."

As usual, Fev put together a complete experience on #VMLS. I can only imagine what Propaganda will be. The leaks I've heard so far and the art direction have been phenomenal. Until we get an official date, I'll be rockin' out to #VMLS. Click the download link below and catch the Feva.

Download #VMLS

Fev on Twitter



L.O.C.K. - "Krazy" Audio

I smell corpses. Limp MC carcasses left and right. Smoldering microphones and burning booths. Beat bomb residue on buildings. This is molotov music!

L.O.C.K. is a problem. He's an infidel rebelling against those who believe in weak rhymes and pop disguised as Hip-Hop over techno beats. He's armed to the teeth with weaponry and skilled beyond human norms. MCs would be "Krazy" to test him. Get ready...

Krazy by L.O.C.K by L.O.C.K

Tiffany Monique - "Anytime"

Since the release of her 'Nemesis' EP, Tiffany Monique fans have been itching for more material. While we haven't been so lucky as to get a full new project, we have been blessed with a new song titled "Anytime". I personally have heard a snippet of this song before. It's great to hear the finished product finally! It's so comforting to hear true soul singing like this. The Kwiz Ryan produced track is just buttery and Tiffany lays an incredible vocal on top as she always does. Her range and creativity is simply stunning.

If this is your first time hearing about Tiffany, then you definitely need to check out my exclusive interview with her at her private studio. She's a phenomenal talent and an inspiration in many ways. 

Top 5 Independent Albums >/= "Watch the Throne"

First and foremost, I'm not hating on Jay and 'Ye! Get your collective panties unbunched and open your mind for a second. I love the work of both artists. Hell, I was singing Kanye's praises when most
of you were still screaming, "He can't rap! He should stick to production." I've followed both careers and I think they are both incredible artists.

However, this "Watch The Throne" hype isn't warranted as far as I'm concerned. The album is good. It is enjoyable. It is not as awe inspiring as people are making it seem. I've heard better from both artists and I'm confused as to why people are so bent out of shape over "Sophisticated ignorance; I write my curses in cursive."

So for those of you who also don't get what all the fuss is about, I have for you my top 5 albums that you've probably never heard that are greater than or equal to "Watch The Throne". I also have links for you to download them. I can assure these 5 selections are bangin' from start to finish.

5. Noah - "The Wonderful Struggle"

Download "The Wonderful Struggle"

Coming in at number 5 is Noah. This west coast new jack is serious with the pen and has great musical taste. He's very current. I can play this disc from start to finish without skipping anything. It's solid from top to bottom. I considered a couple of other options for this 5 spot but Noah is so right now.

4. Live Wire - "No Label"

 

Download "No Label"

At number 4 is Brooklyn boy Live Wire. If you want to talk about flow, this is a master class in flow. Delivery is just as important as content and Live certainly has both well under foot. Tracks like "Ribbon" and "Clap Your Hands" show you how he can run the gamut of topics all the while rappin' the cot damn brakes off you.

3. Ghostwridah - "American Alien"

Download "American Alien"

In the middle of the pack at number 3 is Ghostwridah's "American Alien". Beats and rhymes on this release are top notch. This is coupe music. Ghost is now living in Miami and this is the new Miami sound. This record is so good that it shouldn't be free. The production value is just bonkers. If you don't love this album, something is wrong with you.

2. Siya - "Elevator Dreams"

Just out of reach of the number 1 slot is Siya. She just beat out Ghostwridah because she's the baddest female spittin' right now. If this girl is not next on the hotlist, I don't know what the hell is wrong with Hip-Hop. She has an incredible story, sharp lyrics and her production also places her in the "Why is this free?" category. This record is a must own.

1. Skyzoo - "The Great Debater"

Download "The Great Debater"

In the top spot is Skyzoo. This is the hardest record on the streets bar none. If "Complicated Rhythm" doesn't make you want to slap the spit out of somebody when the beat drops, you're probably deaf. Sky is one of the top 5 lyricists alive. Period. When you really sink your teeth into his, as he rightfully coins it, literature....you will not be the same.On top of that, he has one of the best producers in Hip-Hop's history in his corner in 9th Wonder. I shouldn't have to tell you what that sounds like. Get this album now and try to pop a woofer.

Fev - "One Way" feat. Red Inf

 

I've been waiting for Propaganda to release since I retired Flight 115 from my car. That was months ago but Fev has kept me at the edge of my seat with audio and/or video releases here and there. This new track just hit the web featuring Queens MC Red Inf. I'm hoping this is an official leak from Propaganda.

Far too many NY based artists are afraid to sound like NY these days. This song gives me the same feeling that I had when Nas released "Nasty". I just want to put on some all black Timberland boots and a ski mask and go intimidate somebody.

Check it out. Play it loud!

Skotch Davis - "Skotchtastic" Audio

Skotch Davis has a new project in the bag and though a release date has not yet been set, it's dropping, "relatively soon" quoth the promo e-mail from Shameless Management. "Skotchtastic" is the first single from the project, titled 'On My Grizzly: Skotch Tape 2', with production from M. Will the Shogun.  This is my first time hearing Skotch and I have to say that it's damn enjoyable. The production was a surprise to me as well.  I do know M. Will's work and this is not his usual sound. Good to hear him stretching himself.

Check out the audio and let me know what you think in the comments.

  Skotch Davis - "Skotchtastic" (prod by M.Will the Shogun) by RoxFontaine