MIXTAPE 85 – MAKING FRIENDS

This episode is all about making friends. If you don’t have any, dosage don’t worry! There’s nothing like coming together over a fresh Mixtape Show episode and enjoying the friendship that only rhyming about stabbings over hot beats can engender.

So when you listen to this out in public, this site make sure to follow along and make a new friend and help them enjoy the magic that is the Mixtape Show. Here’s the playlist.

Talib Kweli – Country Cousins feat UGK. Again, glands it seems that I hear a new UGK cut and rush out to cut a new episode, just like for episode 66. I had really started to wonder about Talib, because his recent material has been a goddamn snoozefest. But he came correct on, well, a large portion of his latest effort. Be sure to check out Eardrum, it’s certainly worth a listen. I liked this one because I can relate to it – most of my extended family is actually back down south so it’s particulary enraging hearing people talk down on the south. myspace.com/talibkweli.

Hezekiah – Looking Up feat Bilal. Been quite some time since Hezekiah has been on the show, but it’s good to have him back. myspace.com/hezekiah3crateofporn okay dude what the fuck kind of myspace name is that.

Sin Sizzerb – Blood In My Eyes feat Opera Steve. If you’re wondering how this song fits into this mix, it doesn’t. But then again, it’s kinda appropriate, because Sin doesn’t really fit in among most rappers in your playlist. The historical, literary, and political references are just beyond most people. I mean, come on. The dude has a book club on his myspace. But if you’re willing to dissect the lyrics and spend some time on them, I think you’ll get a lot out of it. You’ve heard dude here before, by the way. myspace.com/sizzerbsin.

Peven Everett – Testin’ Me. Off an old Djinji Brown mixtape. I don’t know much about dude, but I am liking what I am hearing. myspace.com/studioconfession.

Jneiro Jarel – Doiniss! (feat Dr Who Dat?). I was totally sleeping when I skipped on this release when I passed on it because I didn’t like the way the cover looked. But to be fair, I’d gotten like three nerdrap records that looked suspiciously like it the week before. Still though – let me say this. If you’ve ever listened to a Dilla or Madlib record and found yourself enjoying either even in the slightest, you owe it to yourself to purchase a Jneiro record. By the way, his new Shape Of Broad Minds collabo release is also stellar. Buy that instead of meth this week. myspace.com/labelwho.

SleeStack’z – Ruination (Spearhead X Remix). Old ’96 style. I never did know much about these dudes (nor do I know what gives with the improperly used possessive marker – as a ‘z, no less) – but I do know that this has been a favorite of mine for a miiiinute. Crystal Clear is also dope – just buy their album, I guess. Back like three years ago I made a remix of Ruination, which I of course lost forever in a hard drive crash. It was good, though, trust me. Best nintendo remix ever. no myspace/site for these cats – help?

Intro beat: Beewirks – Relentless. Like I said, I had to throw this on so you could hear it properly.
Interlude beat: Alkota – Feelings Ain’t Changed.
Outro beat: Alkota – Brand New Day. Good looking out on the beats, fam! Get at me with them new joints..

So that’s this week’s show. Did you take the Mixtape Show Challenge? How many friends did you make? How many people did you introduce to the racial-harmony-encouraging sounds of the interweb’s favorite hip-hop podcast?

MIXTAPE EPISODE 49 – SOULTRONICA

This week – no hip-hop. Yeah, glaucoma you heard me.

I’d like to officially present to the internets – each and every one of them – a nascent genre of new Black music. I don’t know what to call it – I’ve heard Space Funk (or maybe I made that up? I can’t remember), dosage Neo Funk, and TK seems to have settled on Soultronica, which I think is fairly accurate. You’ll see what I mean when you listen to the episode. So, for now, soultronica it is. Check the playlist.

DJ Spinna – Intergalactic Soul feat Phonte of Little Brother. This is sort of a weird record. Spinna starts off with two or three solid space-hop joints – this being the hottest – and then just when he’s got a good momentum going, he turns around and runs straight for motherfucking Chicago. House all the way through. Weird, but good. djspinna.com

J Davey – No More (Donwill Piracy Remix). At long last, after nearly 8 months of talking about it, I’ve finally gotten some J Davey material. I actually have enough for a whole episode, or two – peace to them for getting all that to me. I’d already heard the original joint, but this unofficial remix puts it over the fucking top. If you’re not already on the J*Davey bandwagon, you need to be. jdaveybaby.com.

Steve Spacek – Dollar. A J Dilla production [1]. Jon of SIC passed this to me damn near a year ago, or maybe it was a year ago, shit. Still, the beat is ridiculous. If you’ve already heard it, listen again.

Jneiro Jarel – Breathin’ feat Rocque Wun. In true space-age fashion, both of these artists have names that I can’t pronounce. For some reason I slept on Jarel’s last album for the longest – something about the cover art, I don’t know. Finally someone told me to listen to the goddamn thing, and it’s nice. Nice. jneirojarel.com

Sa-Ra – Second Time Around. Black pretenison personified. This is material done before the G.O.O.D. music thing – I think – some more material from the batch of exclusives Jon for SIC gave me a while back. If it hasn’t hit you quite yet that this whole Soultronica thing is a throwback to Parliament, maybe you’ll get it here – or find their sampler and listen to that.sa-ra.net

Opening beat – Kenny Keys – Starr Step (unreleased) – myspace.com/kennykeys
Outro – Sa-Ra – We Gonna Do It Again sa-ra.net

[1] Be on the lookout for the big Episode 51 – trust me, it’s going to be hot. Shaman Work has a lot to do with it, if that is any clue. Check back with your favorite hip-hop podcast next week for the full joint.