When you listen to the top 40 rap hits nowadays, sometimes you hear lyrics so ridiculous that you wonder if the mc really believes his own hype, or if it’s just an act to gain exposure. Eminem reached superstar status with his raw humor and shock factor. Outkast has shown enough overall depth in their music so that their playful tracks don’t come off so shallow. But putting a positive message in hip-hop has gone out of style, and few are able to pull it off in a balanced way.
In 2009 the purpose of music is entertainment, but leave it up to this subversive mc from Alabama to bring the ruckus and rock a message. Thed Weller is like a good guy pro wrestler: he’s trying to do the right thing, but ain’t afraid to kick a little ass along the way. With battle raps like this, you’ll think about joining the good guys.
I’ve been rappin since Nissans was Datsuns / my rhymes connect like Al Graham Bell pagin Watson
I’m from a whole other world / it is my space that you lost in / wack mcs set their soul for sale, that’s what it’s costin
I’m like frosting over any cake track / I’ll take the dopest mc and make him think he can’t rap / In fact
That’s what Thed Weller thrives on / I’ll rap your ears to death and won’t stop until I rap your eyes gone…
- Better Than I Can Tell You
Don’t get it twisted though, Thed Weller’s Better Than I Can Tell You LP isn’t the typical ego-driven chant-down-babylon manifesto against the mainstream. The track Grown Man Music expresses his music’s maturity, while Hold it in the Road (some serious production on this track by Constantine the Emcee) speaks on walking the straight path in a world that rewards shortcuts. The album weaves together organic instruments and raw sampling, ranging from melodic hip-hop ballad to old school banger. Thed also sprinkles in some soul, featuring several guest singers who add to the musical possibilities and keep the album from stagnating.
The full album is available for free mp3 download at ThedWeller.com until Jan. 20. All proceeds from this album go to benefit the Hip-Hop is Music Foundation (HHIM) so if you download the free album, think about kicking down a couple bucks to promote the art form.
With over 50 thousand downloads and still going strong Asoka is arguably one of the fastest rising stars on the underground scene. Unlike other underground artists, Asoka has already worked with numerous multi-platinum stars some of which include: 50 Cent and G-Unit, Juelz Santana, 2Pac’s legendary group The Outlawz, and Eminem & Dr Dre’s protégé Stat Quo.
In 2006 Asoka appeared on an official 2Pac Shakur CD sponsored by Shakur’s company Makaveli-Branded. As always Asoka continued making his way around the mixtape circuit while working on his new album. 17 months in the making, with over a hundred songs in the vault, Asoka stepped out of the studio with “The Underground Artist.” Picking only his favorite records from the period, the album is packed with 21 songs and has a running time of 79 minutes and 56 seconds.
Artists featured on the album include:
- Stat Quo from Shady/Aftermath
- Young Noble from Young Buck’s Ca$hVille Ent.
- Hussein Fatal from The Outlawz
- Sonjay Dutt from SPIKE TV’s TNA Wrestling
Citrus Sessions, Vol. 1, the new full-length album featuring MYKA NYNE (formerly Mikah 9) is in stores NOW! Citrus Sessions, Vol. 1 is a juicy collection of “Grown Folk” hip-hop from one of L.A.’s most pre-eminent emcees. Grown Folk hip-hop is a blend of sophisticated instrumental music combined with thought-provoking lyrics, enhanced with bouncy beats and delivered with a sexy swagger.
As a founding member of the legendary L.A. hip-hop group, Freestyle Fellowship, Myka Nyne was an integral part in the freestyle movement of spitting lyrics. Being a west-coast hip-hop pioneer and a classically trained jazz trumpet player, Myka Nyne invokes the same sense of uniqueness and musical appreciation to Citrus Sessions, Vol. 1. The album features hard-core beats to laid back grooves that highlight Myka Nyne’s signature style of chop delivery. Myka Nyne succinctly sums up his work on Citrus Sessions, Vol. 1, “Metaphorically speaking it is a musical flavor in my mind and technically speaking it is the quintessential statement of my career.”
Citrus Sessions, Vol. 1 also features production by heavy-hitters such as Josef Leimberg (Snoop), Headnodic (Crown City Rockers), Jeff Bhasker (The Game) and Erick Krasno (Talib Kweli.) The guest appearances on the album include Abstract Rude, P.E.A.C.E. and Tracy Lane.
Since 2000, Particle has emerged as one of the hottest up-and-coming acts on the jam-band circuit, playing their techno-flavored instrumental jams at sold-out shows across the country.
In late 2005, their guitar player left, and while auditioning new ones, they realized that they couldn’t decide between the two finalists, each of whom would take them in a different, new direction. After much soul searching, they chose both, and instantly expanded their range to include not only a more-organic rock sound, but also vocals, a first for them.
The Transformations Live DVD captures Particle as they introduce their new sound to their fans for the first time, at the Henry Fonda Theater in Hollywood on February 24, 2006.
If you feel it, then check out this groovin beat:
W (with Joe Satriani and DJ Logic) Windows Media | Quicktime
Don’t get it twisted though, Thed Weller’s Better Than I Can Tell You LP isn’t the typical ego-driven chant-down-babylon manifesto against the mainstream. The track Grown Man Music expresses his music’s maturity, while Hold it in the Road (some serious production on this track by Constantine the Emcee) speaks on walking the straight path in a world that rewards shortcuts. The album weaves together organic instruments and raw sampling, ranging from melodic hip-hop ballad to old school banger. Thed also sprinkles in some soul, featuring several guest singers who add to the musical possibilities and keep the album from stagnating.
