If you are reading this, you probably know the story of Slum Village. Or at least know enough to realize that they have been through a lot of shit. Despite everything that has been thrown their way, they always seem to persevere and continuously work towards keeping their legacy going. But as they start their press junket for their latest album, Villa Manifesto, their future remains unclear.
There has been much speculation about what’s next for one of Hip Hop’s most resilient groups. Fans witnessed what seemed to be inside turmoil erupt throughout various media outlets as well as Twitter. But no matter what might be going on behind the scenes, their sixth studio album is sure to add to their phenomenal catalog of music.
KN.com caught up with T3 of Slum Village to speak about the new album and why it serves as a memorial and a reunion, how the SV brand was born, where they stand as a group, and what’s up next.
I think we may be the only ones who haven’t posted this yet. Dropped last night on XXL. I’ve been behind though. If you haven’t grabbed it already, here it is. The Str8 Killa EP drops on Tuesday.
Third leak from the new album dropping soon… shit’s sounding nice!
Throughout the beginning of writing Marvelous World Of Color, I was really frustrated with Hip Hop. Both as an artist and a fan of the culture I was, and still am to a degree, feeling like maybe my time with Hip Hop was coming to an end. Most people don’t have any idea what we go through as artists continuously being “on the verge” of achieving the dream of being able to make a living wage off of what we do. When Rodney first gave me the beat for “Go” I was looking for a way to vent and find some direction in my uncertain future and this beat was the perfect platform for that. Marvelous World Of Color drops August 11th, 2010.
Been so busy this week, almost missed out on the new K.O. EP.
DJ K.O. & the Elementality family are back at it again with the 9th installment in his year long EP series, Living Out A State of Mind. LOASOM Vol. 9 shakes things up a little and is all instrumental. Showcasing the EMP production team, this months releases features all new bangers from Analogic, DaveNotti, Laudz, SeeMore & DJ K.O. himself. Whether your an aspiring emcee looking for dope beats to rock or a hip hop enthusiast looking for tracks to vibe to, this EP has something for everyone.
Back on November 10, 2009, DJ K.O. embarked on a year long campaign to release 12 EP’s in 12 months. Living Out A State of Mind Vol. 9 is certain to pick up right where Vol. 1 through 8 left off. If you happened to miss any of the LOASOM releases, please feel free to head on over to Elementality Productions right now to check it out. Can’t forget to shout out the homie Objektiv One on the artwork.
E Major and Under Sound Music in conjunction with lifestyle blog Better Than Yours release the first single from the forthcoming EP E Major is… Better Than Yours.
As E Major preps to release his second mixtape of the year he enlists North Carolina rapper King Mez and Washington, DC crooner J Hill to assist him with his first single “Where You Came From.” The songs features a jazzy piano beat produced by E Major himself and with cuts by True School member DJ Face.
Here’s a little gem that showed up in the inbox… good shit right here. Off Hezekiah’s new album Conscious Porn dropping October 12th, 2010 on Soulspazm Records. Above is the official album artwork. Hit the jump for the album’s tracklisting, as well.
In promotion for M-Phazes’ recently released producer compilation album Good Gracious, which features a who’s who of Australia’s hip-hop scene, we’re pleased to present you with this promotional video shot during his release party in Melbourne, Australia. Shot using four high definition cameras, this video takes you everywhere from backstage to the front row, showcasing several of the evening’s marquis performances. The remainder of 2010 is going to be a big year the Gold Coast beat-smith, who’s production will be featured on Pharoahe Monch’s upcoming W.A.R. LP, as well as Slaughterhouse’s forthcoming EP, dropping late August/early Sept. Also, stay tuned for Phazed Out, which is a remix LP of Coalmine Records single catalog, remixed by M-Phazes and mixed by DJ Rhettmatic. Phazed Out is scheduled to be released early in the 1st quarter of 2011.
I’m having a hard time keeping track of LMNO this year. I think he’s released a new album every single month so far. One would say strong work ethic, another would say overkill. At any rate, here’s his latest video off his last project, Determined To Fly, his 5th full length album this year. Slow down, my dude!
Had a long day at the daily 9-5, so I’m sittin here with a glass of Flor de Cana going through the inbox looking for some good hip hop to post. Unfortunately about 80% of the 200 emails sitting in the inbox is straight trash (sorry, real talk). If you send music to KN.com, pay attention to what we post. I don’t really wanna hear a song called, “In Love Wit Yo Booty”.
Anyway, I’m in straight hip hop haven right now as I’m sittin here chilling to this album from Forbidden Dialect. Boom Bap Hip Hop at it’s finest… just what the doctor ordered.
The Forbidden Dialect is a Columbus, Georgia-based hip-hop collective composed of 6 artists from a diversity of backgrounds. Over 10 years ago the Dialect first impacted (or shall we say, created) the local hip-hop scene; becoming an influential act within backpacker, intellectual, b-boy, and even skater social circles. Each emcee holds his own, being a skilled lyricist in the most technical of ways. Their rich story telling, rhythmatic poetry, and urgent social commentary go hand and hand with refreshing and unique beats, influenced by bebop jazz, drum & bass, classic break beats, and Latin music. The Dialect’s sound is completed by occasional turntablism and invited live musicians, all with a deep respect for the creative and cultural aspect of hip-hop music.
Third installment from The ILLZ’s In Between Video Series, which can be downloaded on August 17th. Really excited to hear the full project… I’m really diggin what The ILLZ has been putting out lately and the visuals that accompany the songs have been nothing less than stellar. Aside from that, the chick in this video is absolutely smokin… wow.
Synopsis by filmmaker Kristopher Rey-Talley: Round 3: don’t have a ton to say this time. Beauty of this video is what it become in contrast to what we set out to do. What was supposed to be a simple picnic vid became a sensual and romantic ode to French New Wave Films. I wanted it pretty, so I shot long lensed, and to give it that easy, nice flow, would give them topics to talk about and just let them interact as I shot. It was almost like I was staging a documentary and then capturing it. Of all our collabs, this may be the one I’m most proud of. I figured out how to rig a new lens system (my own secret) to give it a very cinematic feel. There’s something effortless and earnest about the video and that’s what I love. Even the performance shot was nailed in one take and I have no qualms about it, as it looks damn great.
Here’s some live video from The Atlanta Stargazing Tour @ Midtown Tavern (July 17th) presented by SMKA & Whynatte. If you’re in the area, there are 4 more dates left on the tour. The first being this Saturday at Star Bar. Background music in this video provided by Aleon Craft & Nappy Roots [download].
