Kanye West: "Say You Will" + "Good Life" + "Amazing" (VH1 Storytellers Performance)

Kanye's VH1 Storytellers episode airs tonight at 8PM Central Time. Last time I dropped the video/audio for his performance of "Stronger." Here are a couple more videos, to "Say You Will," "Good Life," and "Amazing." To see video of other songs such as "Flashing Lights," "See You In My Nightmares," "Touch The Sky," and more , follow this link.

8 Minutes with Big Sean (Directed by Pugs Atomz) (Video)

Big Sean spends 8 minutes on the CTA Radio Show with Pugs Atomz. He kicks a quick 16 and speaks about his upcoming album and life in Detroit.

Freeway Announces The Stimulus Package (Jake One Collaboration Album) (Video)

Freeway will be teaming up for an entire album with Rhymesayers producer Jake One. I second NahRight in saying I am completely cool with this, as long as they bring more heaters like 'The Truth" (live performance) and "How We Ride."

P.O.S.: Concert Coverage in Madison, WI (Video)

Just as P.O.S. apologized at the start of Never Better, "Sorry it took so long." I've been busy and the YouTube uploader was giving me some problems at times. But, here are a few songs captured from P.O.S.'s excellent performance in Madison, WI. If you're in the Twin Cities this weekend, hit up First Ave on Saturday to catch the Never Better tour — you won't be disappointed. Following are videos for "Half-Cocked Concepts," "Goodbye," "Drumroll (We're All Thirsty)," "P.O.S. Is Ruining My Life," and "Let It Rattle." Although the entire show was great, and P.O.S. did some Doomtree songs with Sims and Mictlan, my personal favorite was "Let It Rattle," so much energy and passion.

Previously:
Doomtree Dance Party
Concert Recap and Photos
Mike Mictlan & Lazerbeak Concert Footage
Sims Concert Footage

P.O.S.'s Never Better Tour: Video From The Road, Pt.2

Even though the video just came out, I'm posting this below my own coverage of the show, because I can.

Blueprint: "Numb"

Yesterday I posted about Blueprint's upcoming instrumental album, Sign Language. Well here's a first leak from that project, titled "Numb." Only 500 copies of the album are being pressed, so it would be a good idea to go ahead and pre-order it non, as opposed to later. You can make the pre-order at the Weightless Recordings website.

Update: There was some funky business going on with the link so I fixed it up. Should be good to download now.

Blueprint: "Numb"

Kanye West on the Wake Up Show, Pt. 2 (Video)

Previously: Kanye on The Wake Up Show, Pt. 1

Dialek: Last of the Record Buyers Footage

While we're on the topic, let's get another Last Of The Record Buyers post out there. Near the beginning of this month, I posted about Dialek, because he would be hosting LRB. Here is some footage of him playing a beat during the show.

Last Of The Record Buyers: Lazerbeak vs. Medium Zach Beat Battle (Round 2 of 2) (Video)

Previously: Lazerbeak vs. Medium Zach, Round 1

So, I previously had a little something else written about how Lazerbeak cooked up "Legend Recognize Legend" right now the spot, but as Medium Zach himself just pointed out in the c-section below, they had two weeks to prepare for Round 2. It wasn't an impromptu, on-the-spot beat making session like Round 1 was. Either way, these videos were a chance to see two of the Twin Cities' most talented producers share the spotlight and promote good local hip-hop. As Brother Ali sarcastically pointed out, in true Minnesota fashion the battle ended in a tie. Everyone wins (especially the fans), haha.

Muja Messiah: B96 Interview + "Fish Freestyle" (Video)

Now this is the episode of Homegrown Heatrocks I was waiting for. 'Nuff said.

P.S. Muja just befriended me on Facebook, haha. How cool is that? Become a fan of him by clicking to his page here.

Last Of The Record Buyers: Lazerbeak vs. Medium Zach Beat Battle (Round 1 of 2) (Video)

Brother Ali hosted a Last Of The Record Buyers installment a while back, which featured a impromptu beat battle between two of the Twin Cities' finest producers, Lazerbeak and Medium Zach. I have gone on record before claiming Lazerbeak is one of hip-hop's most underrated producers, but they both cooked up some absolute fire right on the spot. Producers, take note. Round 2 from this show coming soon!

Mac Lethal: "At Least There's Twitter"

I gave this song one listen and immediately loved it. Mac Lethal not only makes several relevant points, but is hilarious in doing so. This track is so full of punchlines I won't even bother quoting one here. Just hit the download link and listen to it. It will appear on Mac's Special Reserve 4.

Mac Lethal: "At Least There's Twitter"

M.anifest Hits Fifth Element to Buy K'Naan's Troubadour (Video)

Cecil Otter: "1999...The Curse Of Gab" (Video)

Cecil Otter of Doomtree recently signed to Strange Famous Records for his solo career. He will be re-releasing his album Rebel Yellow from the Strange Famous camp to wider distribution. Meanwhile, he is also his follow-up album, Porcelain Revolver. In celebration of all these events, they just dropped a video of his for "1999...The Curse Of Gab," off of Rebel Yellow.

Blueprint: Sign Language CD (Promotional Video)

Stumbled upon this at the Weightless Recordings website. Here's the scoop:

In 2004 Blueprint released an instrumental/downtempo album called Chamber Music on Weightless Recordings. In 2009 he will be releasing the follow-up to that album, titled Sign Language. There will only be 500 copies of this album pressed, which will be sold exclusively at weightless.net and will come with a free poster.

Blueprint is super ill on the mic and the beats. You already know what to do with this one.

Kanye West: "Stronger" (Live on VH1 Storytellers) + Download

Here's a sneak peak to Kanye's performance for VH1 Storytellers. The full episode premiers on this Saturday. Download the audio at the end of the post.



Kanye West: "Stronger (Live on VH1 Storytellers)"

K'Naan: iHipHop Interview (Video)

Grabbed from Meka.

Illuminous 3: Upcoming Projects Promo (Video)

If you're not up on I3, a wildly underrated Twin Cities rap crew, then go buy their latest album, Room. Here they give you an update on their current group/solo proceedings. Mavin MC and Freez will both have some free solo albums that I'll be posting soon, while Franz Diego already dropped his FranzDiego.com EP, which can be found here.

Kid Cudi: "'09 Freestyle"

Kid Cudi goes in over Rich Boy's "Drop" instrumental for a little freestyle session. G.O.O.D. Music is in for a very big year. Shouts to On Smash for the leakage.

Kid Cudi: "'09 Freestyle"

Concert Announcement: Brother Ali Fifth Element In-Store (3/10/09)

In promotion of his The Truth Is Here EP. Ali will be there to sign posters and greet the fans. Hit it up to see a dope show and get some SWAG (Stuff We All Get) (© The Office).

Illogic: "I Know You" (Prod. Ill Poetic)

Ya'll already know about Illogic. The Columbus, OH emcee drops his upcoming LP Diabolical Fun on March 24, so mark that date on your calender.

Illogic: "I Know You" (Prod. Ill Poetic)

Common: Interview & Freestyle at Hip-Hop 101 Festival (Video)

Via FSD.

Finale: Super Finale Video Game + "One Man Show"

Now this is cool. Detroit rapper Finale is releasing A Pipe Dream and a Promise on April 7 (which I got a promotional copy of about a month ago — and it's dope); in promotion he provides you with the debut of Super Finale, a Mario-based video game. If you beat the first level, you get a download of his track "One Man Show," which was produced by Black Milk and will appear on the album. Gone are the days of bloggers giving music out for free. You've got to earn it now!

Kanye West & T-Pain: "Flight School"

The NMC dropped this a while ago, but tagged it all up so I wasn't going to post until they re-released the track without drops all over it, but shout out to them I suppose. This song is presumably supposed to be a GLC track, so if he adds his verse, I'll be sure to repost. Kanye's rap is pretty good, too.

Kanye West & T-Pain: "Flight School"

Peter Parker of B96 Calls Out Twin Cities Hip-Hop

B96's resident DJ Peter Parker got a little frustrated on air the other day. Give the following clip a listen, as his rant is really worthwhile. He speaks on the inadequate work ethics of many local Twin Cities artists. Peter Parker is putting kids on the map with his Homegrown Heatrocks segment, local artists need to send him some records!

Peter Parker Calls Out Twin Cities Hip-Hop

Twinkie Jiggles Rap Project (Video)

Sean McPherson (aka Twinkie Jiggles aka Heiruspecs' bassist) kicks knowledge, son.

Muja Messiah: "We Survived The Bush Era" (Video)

More Muja captured at Dre Day. Jon Jon dropped this off in the inbox earlier, and said:

Still celebratin....another highlight from the Dre Day event at The Varsity in Minneapolis last week again captured by One Dynamic Broad aka Saucy Dame Delux. The new, controversial track from Muja Messiah -" I Survived The Bush Era" is produced by Che Vicious (Dr.Dre/ Nas/Eminem), picks up where "The Patriot Act" left off, this time Muja gets patriotic.

Blueprint: "1988" (Video)

Rhymesayers just posted this photo slideshow to go along with the title track to Blueprint's classic (yeah, I said it) album 1988. The album came out in 2005, though, so it's honestly a little odd that they're reupping on promotion for the must-have album. Still, I can't complain.

"You need to understand I'm not new to this / You rhyme for two bars and I know all your influences"

Lupe Fiasco: "Go Go Gadget Flow/Dumb It Down" + "Everybody Nose (Remix)" + "Superstar" (Live)

It's been a while since I've had a good Lupe Fiasco post on Midwest Broadcast; nice to get an update from him. The Lup-END blog just dug up some footage of Lupe performing at a recent concert at the University of San Francisco. Here he does a medley of "Go Go Gadget Flow" and "Dumb It Down," his verse from "Everybody Nose (Remix)," and "Superstar."

P.O.S.'s Never Better Tour: Video From The Road

Things I like about this video: 1.) The Saint Pauli Girl in the trunk; 2.)Sims rocking the Francisco Liriano Twins t-shirt; 3.) The last six seconds.

I'm in the process of uploading my footage of P.O.S. performing in Madison on my YouTube page. So far I have video of "Goodbye" and "Half-Cocked Concepts." I'll be sure to post everything on Midwest Broadcast once it's finished. In the meantime go ahead and subscribe to the account so you know when the videos are up!

The Dream: "Walking On The Moon ft. Kanye West"

I've never heard anything by The Dream before, but he gets a lot of praise as a good pop singer. Plus, this song is incredibly catchy. It also featuring a guest verse from, and was produced by Mr. West. Shouts to NMC.

The Dream: "Walking On The Moon ft. Kanye West"

P.O.S.: "Goodbye" + "Optimist" + "Savion Glover" (Live on Radio K, 2/3/09)

Don't thank me, thank Culture Bully.
P.O.S. stopped by Radio K a couple weeks ago to perform these tracks in promotion of Never Better, which I sure hope you have bought by now. Those nasty scratches on "Savion Glover" are the work of Plain Ole Bill.

P.O.S.: "Goodbye (Live on Radio K)"
P.O.S.: "Optimist (Live on Radio K)"
P.O.S.: "Savion Glover (Live on Radio K)"

Rhymesayers Announces SXSW Lineup

Rhymesayers just posted the lineup for the SXSW label showcase:

3/19/2009 — Rhymesayers Label Showcase
Venue: Habana Bar Patio / Backyard
Address: 708 East 6th Street
City: Austin
State: TX
Doors: 8:00PM
Ages: All Ages
Cost: SXSW Wristband

8:00 - 9:00 - Plain Ole Bill
9:00 - 9:30 - Toki Wright
9:30 - 10:00 - I Self Devine
10:00 - 10:30 - Abstract Rude
10:30 - 11:15 - Eyedea & Abilities
11:15 - 12:00 - P.O.S
12:00 - 12:45 - Brother Ali
12:45 - 1:30 - Freeway & Jake One
1:30 - 2:00 - BK One

Myspace Music Presents: Who New? P.O.S. (Video)

Sims: "Pop Gun War" + "Slow Burn ft. Mike Mictlan" (Concert Footage)

Previously:
Doomtree Dance Party
Concert Recap and Photos
Mike Mictlan & Lazerbeak Concert Footage

Kanye West & Kid Cudi: 106 & Park Freestyle (Video)

Kid Cudi: "Day N Nite" (Video)

K'Naan: "The Great Depression" (Video) + "ABCs" (Jimmy Kimmel Live Performance)

Thanks to NahRight.

Kanye West On The Wake Up Show, Pt. 1 (Video)

Here's the extended version of Kanye's interview on the Wake Up Show that I posted a day or two ago. Shout to 2DopeBoyz.

SP Style All Stars & Most Official: B96 Freestyle (Video)

Peter Parker continues his Homegrown Heatrocks series on Minneapolis' B96. It's great to see a mainstream DJ showing love to the local scene like Peter Parker has been lately. This time the SP Style All Stars and Most Official stop through to drop some bars. On a side note, Peter Parker must love that beat, remember when he used it for Slug?

Additionally, I posed Most Official's I'm Ya Guy EP back in late December, if you haven't checked that out yet, hit this link. The EP features guest appearances from Muja Messiah and Termanology.

Muja Messiah: "High Notes/The Watcher" (Video)

More Muja material from Dre Day. Here he spits his verses from "High Notes" over the "The Watcher" instrumental.

Previously:
Muja Messiah: "Red Rover" (Mp3 - Live at Dre Day 2/14/09)
Muja Messiah: "Red Rover" (Video - Live At Dre Day 2009)

Mike Mictlan & Lazerbeak: "Hand Over Fist" + "Clam Casino" + "Game Over" (Concert Footage)

As promised, here's the first round of videos from the Never Better Tour's stop in Madison. Mike Mictlan & Lazerbeak were the first to perform, so their videos get posted first. Next will be Sims, and then finally P.O.S. Keep checking back for the updates.

Previously: Doomtree Dance Party, Concert Recap and Photos

Naledge: "I'm In Chicago Bitch"

Let's keep this thing going. This song is hillarious. I really want to go to Chicago now. Hello Ruby Hornet.

Naledge: "I'm In Chicago Bitch"

Muja Messiah: "Red Rover (Live at Dre Day 2/14/09)"

Earlier I posted the video to this track, now Culture Bully posts the mp3 of the Dre Day performance. This has been a hell of a day for posts already, and it's not even noon yet!

Muja Messiah: "Red Rover (Live at Dre Day 2/14/09)"

Brother Ali: "2nd Time Around" + "The Trap" (Live Acapella)

Is it alright if I drop a couple gems from Brother Ali? All The Way Live posted these two high-quality live recordings from past Brother Ali performances. For those who have seen Ali in concert before, you undoubtedly know he is one of the best live rappers in the world, and consistently puts on jaw-dropping performances. The first track is "The Trap," which appeared on the Brother Ali & BK-One compilation album, Off The Record. It was recorded on October 20, 2007, during a performance at First Ave in Minneapolis. The second track is his verse from the Brother Ali-Wale collaboration "2nd Time Around," heralded by numerous bloggers as the best single verse of 2008. The truth that Ali preaches in that rap only resonates more strongly in this acapella version. It was recorded on October 20, 2008, and features the Rhythm Roots All-Stars on the backup.

Brother Ali: "The Trap (Live Acapella)"
Brother Ali: "2nd Time Around (Live Acapella)"

Mike Posner: "Halo (Remix)" (Video)

Spotted this at DJ ZJ's Nerd-Hop blog. Mike Posner of Michigan will have a mixtape, titled A Matter Of Time, dropping on March 1, 2009. This video is his interesting take on the Beyonce track, "Halo." Mike Posner was also featured on Big Sean's track, "Who Knows?" So if you haven't heard that yet, hit the link.



Bonus: Following is the video of Mike Posner producing this remix. Clearly, he's a multi-talented artist to look out for in the future.

Mike Mictlan & Lazerbeak, Sims, & P.O.S. in Madison, WI (Concert Recap + Photos)

Following the release of Never Better, P.O.S. immediately hit the road to tour the country with a few members of the Doomtree collective. I attended the tour stop in Madison, WI yesterday. This post is a general recap of the show, I'll be following this up with video footage from each of the artists over the next couple of days.

I arrived for the show at Madison's High Noon Saloon, a no-nonsense kind of venue that is usually successful hosting hip-hop shows (good acoustics, stage visibility, etc.). I had to deal with some minor fuckery, for lack of a better word, upon my entrance. Despite being asked to cover the event, I ended up not being on the guest list (likely due to some irresponsible and poor communication on my part). I ended up paying the twelve dollars to get in, and at the risk of ruining any suspense, I'll go ahead and say it was well worth my money.

When I showed up, the opening act, F. Stokes, was on the stage. The venue was unusually full for an opening act, which I credit to Doomtree's strong following in the Midwest (and college towns, at that), and the large Minnesotan population of students attending UW-Madison. Still, F. Stokes got a warm reception from the crowd, and deservedly so — he is a talented performer. Mike Mictlan and P.O.S. were hanging out amongst the crowd during his set; it was nice to see all the performers enjoying the music and conversing with fans.

In between sets, Rhymesayers' house DJ, Plain Ole Bill, was spinning records and keeping an uptempo party vibe alive. In one set, he played Lazerbeak's "Legend Recognize Legend," (in my opinion one of 2008's best beats) and the crowd got pretty excited. Soon enough, Mike Mictlan and Lazerbeak took the stage to perform several tracks from their recent album, Hand Over Fist. Mictlan is a furious performer. His set was concise, with Mictlan quickly transitioning from one song to the next. Yet it was also energy packed – while Mictlan barely had time to catch is breath, he jumped around stage during every track while rarely missing a single lyric. Lazerbeak did his thing, as well. He was working his MPC during all the songs, either banging out samples, or performing the bass drum kicks and snare hits himself, which allowed for some improvisation in each track. They did songs such as "Hand Over Fist," "Suicide Jimmy Snuffa," "Clam Casino," and "Game Over (Go Big Or Go Home Boy)," from the Doomtree album. But no song was more passionately performed than the terrific "Prizefighter," as Mictlan closed his set with his spirited track dedicated to his love and devotion for hip-hop.

Sims performed next, once again accompanied by Lazerbeak rocking the MPC. Sims' performance featured more crowd involvement, as he regularly stopped in between songs to talk to the audience, often with a mix of sarcasm, humor, and seriousness. Still, his songs were full of vigor and deft lyricism (I'm starting to notice a pattern). Many of Sims' older tracks from Lights Out Paris received warm welcomes; but his best material came from the Doomtree album, as well. Sims kicked off the excellent "Pop Gun War" with an acapella, and it only got better when Lazerbeak's thumping beat (reminiscent of Jay-Z's "PSA," to me at least) dropped. Near the end of the set, Mictlan joined Sims for a riveting performance of "Slow Burn." The crew, producers and emcees alike, all have unmatched chemistry together, which reflected through their show.

Lastly, P.O.S.'s set was a truely versatile performance. In promotion for his tour, P.O.S. claimed that he would be doing "a little bit of everything" during the show; he couldn't have been more right. He started out his set with a guitar solo, jumped right into the punk/hip-hop anti-Bush anthem, "Half-Cocked Concepts," despite the fact that we have a new president. P.O.S. wasted no time moving on to songs from his latest album, Never Better. P.O.S. gave gripping renditions of "Graves (We Wrote The Book)," "Never Better," and "Drumroll." He brought out Sims and Mictlan for the collaboration tracks "Accident" and "Savion Glover." In between songs, P.O.S. would play his guitar or freestyle on his MPC with Plain Ole Bill scratching a record. P.O.S. really established himself as a jack of all trades, able to keep the crowd engaged in countless ways. He also has an uncanny ability to relate with his fans, constantly talking and asking questions; at one point he even had an old school thumb war a drunk challenger in the first row (and won twice in a row, naturally). The absolute highlight of his set, though, was his extended emotional performance of "Let It Rattle," which I was able to capture on video and will be posting soon. In true humble fashion, though, P.O.S. declared his fan athem "Optimist (We Are Not For Them)" his last song of the night. He lied — P.O.S. actually closed by trudging two feet deep into the crowd and letting it rip with "Stand Up (Let's Get Murdered)" — but it was a fitting near-ending to a spectacular show.

Throughout the entire night, these Doomtree members only furthered their reuptation as being a relatable, fan-friendly set of performers. Not to mention, they can rap, play guitar, make great beats, and put on one hell of a performance.

Muja Messiah: "Red Rover" (At Dre Day 2009)

Above The Fold just posted this video of Muja Messiah putting down his newish track "Red Rover" during his headlining performance at the recent Dre Day 2009 concert/celebration. I'm loving the fridge on stage. Completely full of 40s, I presume. The only way to celebrate Dre Day, another event in Minneapolis I wish I could have attended. And today marks Dr. Dre's 44th birthday, so I hope you're all bumping The Chronic in your iPods today.

Heiruspecs Announce Spring 2009 Tour

Heiruspecs just announced their upcoming tour in promotion of Heiruspecs, which cracked my best of albums 2008 list. Here's their press release:

Twin Cities legends Heiruspecs are hitting the road again behind their first studio record in four years. After selling out First Avenue for their CD release party Heiruspecs will be hitting those Midwest weekend runs during the spring. Heiruspecs’ new self-titled record was self-released in December and is available at good record stores on iTunes, Amazon and on fifthelementonline.com. City Pages called the record “their best album yet”. City Pages also featured Heiruspecs for their cover article on December 3. The Star Tribune called it “the band’s funkiest masterpiece”. Now it’s time for Heiruspecs to go tell the rest of the country about it.

2/27/09 - Fargo, ND *
2/28/09 - Duluth, MN *
3/6/09 - Eau Claire, WI
3/7/09 - Menomonie, WI
3/14/09 - Minneapolis, MN (@ Triple Rock) **
3/27/09 - Iowa City, IA
3/28/09 - Rock Island, IL
4/3/09 - Chicago, IL
4/4/09 - Madison, WI
4/10/09 - Sioux Falls, SD *
4/11/09 - Omaha, NE *
4/24/09 - Fargo, ND
5/23/09 - Clarks Grove, MN (Bella Music Fest)

* w/ Dessa of Doomtree
** w/ Muja Messiah, Mayda, and Jimmy 2 Times

Big Quarters: "Dynamite" (BQ Direct Promotional Video)

Pretty self-explanatory. Hit up the Big Quarters blog and subscribe to get five new songs a month for only $5.

Kanye West: "Welcome To Heartbreak ft. Kid Cudi" (Video)

I had no idea this song was coming. It's a pleasant surprise, though, as this was one of my favorite songs off of 808s and Heartbreak (Review).

Tree City: F.O.K.U.S. Radio Show Feature (Video)

The Ann Arbor, Michigan hip-hop group Tree City was featured on the F.O.K.U.S. Radio show. Here's the press excerpt:

Tree City on F.O.K.U.S. Radio, Sunday, February 15th, 2009. They talk about Black Trees, discuss art and Disney movies, promote an upcoming show , and spit a little freestyle.

I haven't posted about Tree City before, and although this video may run a little long, it's a good introduction to a promising hip-hop group. For those that aren't aware, their project Black Trees features them rhyming over the beats from fellow Michigan artist Black Milk's Purple Tape instrumental album. The download link is posted below the following video.



Download: Tree City: Black Trees Mixtape

Kanye West Talks Blueprint 3, Freestyles, and More (Video)

On Sway's 'Wake Up Show' on MTV.

Naledge: Vimby Interview (Video)

K'Naan: "America ft. Mos Def & Chali 2Na"

Troubadour in stores February 24.

K'Naan: "America ft. Mos Def & Chali 2Na"

Doomtree Dance Party (Video)

Mike Mictlan, Sims, and P.O.S. cutting up a rug. The rest of the videos will be up within two days maximum.

F. Stokes: "So Into U" (Prod. Lazerbeak) (Video)

I just got back from the Mike Mictlan/Lazerbeak/Sims/Plain Ole Bill/P.O.S. show in Madison, and it was amazing. Believe me, I've got a very nice post coming up shortly with some footage/pictures/recap of that amazing show. But first, I wanted to drop off this video from F. Stokes, who opened up for all of the aforementioned artists, and also delivered with an excellent set. This particular track was produced by Lazerbeak.

Royce Da 5'9": "Part Of Me" (Video)

Oh, the things you miss when you're sleeping. First the song was leaked, then the trailer for the video. Finally Rik Cordero and Nickel Nine hook up again for the second video off Street Hop.

Brother Ali: 'Making Music' In-Depth Interview (Videos)

Alright, this isn't going to be a very user friendly or aesthetically pleasing post, but FUCK IT!

So the University of Minnesota's Whole Music Club puts on a regular artist spotlight series called Making Music where certain Twin Cities musical figures (past guests include Slug, P.O.S., and Dessa) sit down for an extended-format interview and discuss, well, just about anything. A while back, Brother Ali was their guest, and the committee just posted a slew of videos from the interview on their YouTube page. Here's all of the videos from the interview, I tried to put them in a somewhat logical order. Thankfully, YouTube began embedding the titles for each video in their windows, so I don't have to provide descriptions for each one. Still, topics include his early influences, performing, his relationships with Slug and Ant, touring with Rakim, and meeting BK-One. He also performs his latest single, "Good Lord," in the first video in the list. There you have it. These are all highly recommended by yours truly, so take a break and dedicate some time to listen what the Street Preacher has to say.

St. Paul Slim: B96 Interview/Freestyle (Video)

St. Paul Slim absolutely blacks out during his B96 freestyle with Peter Parker, which earns his a track on Peter Parker's upcoming Loud.com mixtape, Get Loud, Vol. 1. St. Paul Slim also briefly discusses Soundset 2008, which was his "greatest day in hip-hop ever." Amen, brother.

GLC: "Take It Off" (Video)

I posted the trailer on Monday, here's the whole video.

GLC: "Born & Raised in Chi-Town"

Uh oh — Andrew tapped in to his secret stash again.

GLC: "Born & Raised in Chi-Town"

Black Milk: "Losing Out ft. Royce Da 5'9"" (Video)

This could be my only post of the day and I'd be satisfied. Here's the video to one of the best tracks of 2008, off of one of the best albums of 2008 (List) (Tronic Review).

Brother Ali: Truth Is Here EP (Fifth Element Pre-Order)

I'm not sayin' you need to order this NOW. I'm just sayin'. Hit up Fifth Element for Ali's Truth Is Here EP pre-order.

Rhymefest: "Exodus 5.1"

The image above is Rhymefest's new logo. The song below is Rhymefest's newly released song. It will apear on his upcoming mixtape, The Manual, as well as the upcoming FakeShoreDrive mixtape, FSD Presents: The Chicagorilla Ape Tape, Vol. 1. All of this was provided by Andrew, your neighborhood Chicago hip-hop provider.

Rhymefest: "Exodus 5.1"

Ruby Hornet TV: 10 Minutes with K'Naan

K'Naan the Toronto via Minneapolis via New York City via Somali rapper, sat down with Ruby Hornet TV for an interview. I haven't posted about K'Naan before, but I strongly recommend you check out his music. His upcoming album, Troubadour, will be released on February 24.

C-Rayz Walz: "In Your Soul ft. Slug, Samuel, & Sum in 16"

C-Tayz Walz dropped his latest album Who The Fuck Are You? a little bit ago. Here's the joint with Slug on it. I see you 2DB.

C-Rayz Walz: "In Your Soul ft. Slug, Samuel, & Sum in 16"

Muja Messiah: "Swing First ft. Graph Nobel"

Muja Messiah posted this track up on his Myspace a couple of days ago, so naturally I asked the homie JonJon what the deal was with the song; he came through and it to me. This "new" Muja joint was actually recorded a few years ago, to the best of my understanding. It was originally featured only on the Playstation 2 video game, The Con (yeah, me neither). The track also has some guest vocals/rhymes from Graph Nobel, who you might recognize from her Talib Kweli-associated group Idle Warship. Either way, it's good to see some older Muja projects find the light of day.

Muja Messiah: "Swing First ft. Graph Nobel"

Focus: "Homage To Dilla ft. Slum Village, Frank Nitti & Illa J"

Last time I dropped the Focus-produced joint "Homage to Premier," but I didn't know too much about the track. Turns out Focus is working on a project paying homage to some of his favorite artists. This track is dedicated to the late great James Yancey, as three years ago today was the tragic day that Dilla passed away. Slum Village, Frank Nitti, and Illa J (J Dilla's younger brother) hop on this track to pay their respects.

Focus: "Homage To Dilla ft. Slum Village, Frank Nitti & Illa J" (via 2DB)

Previous: Focus: "Homage To Premier ft. Royce Da 5'9", Phonte, & Stat Quo"

Ink: The Mixtape (Free Download)

Ink, an innovative and emerging producer , currently based out of Chicago, just dropped his first official mixtape. This 10-song compilation features all original beats from Ink, mashed up against acapellas from the likes of Talib Kweli, Busta Rhymes, and more. Ink's extreme versatility shines on this release, as he can flip a track in countless ways. Hit the download link below to get the fresh mixtape. Then make sure to hit Ink up on Myspace and let him know what you think, or drop him an email if you're an artist interested in working with him. Lastly, check back in the future for an Ink/J.Loonz collaboration project, as they both go to Northwestern University together.

Ink: The Mixtape (Free Download)

St. Paul Slim: "Is This Mic On?" (Video)

Kanye West Speaks About His Style and Freestyles

The always entertaining Kanye West speaks on accusations that he dresses "gay," and he spontaneously jumps in to an impromptu freestyle. Once Kanye finishes freestyling, a quick commercial interrupts the interview, but there's more dialogue between Ye and Sway after the commercial. Via Herfection.

Atmosphere: "You" (Alternate Video)

Rhymesayers just shot a second video (Click here for version #1) for "You." This video was directed by Christian Hansen, whose website you can hit up to see another video of the track "Glass House," also on Lemons (Review).

Detroit Love Dilla (Video)

RIP James Yancey. Check out this Hip-Hop Official special feature on the legendary producer, featuring commentary from some prominent Detroit emcees and producers.

Grammy Recap: "American Boy" + "Swagger Like Us" (Downloads)

Last Grammys post, I promise. Just wanted to throw these mp3s out there. I snatched the picture above from NahRight. Songs via Culture Bully. If you haven't yet checked the videos, and missed the show last night, hit these links: "American Boy," "Swagger Like Us."

Kanye West & Estelle: "American Boy (Live at Grammys 2/8/09)"
MIA, Kanye West, Jay-Z, Lil' Wayne, & T.I.: "Swagger Like Us (Live at Grammys 2/8/09)"

GLC: "Take It Off" (Video Trailer)

Via FSD. Full video drops this Friday.

Mac Lethal Gets Drunk and Shows You 1/4 Of His Crib

Sometimes I wonder why I post these videos. But Mac has his moments, plus you hear a few snippets from his upcoming Love Potion 5 mixtape.

Estelle: "American Boy ft. Kanye West" (Grammy Performance)

I can still picture all the little children I worked with in London singing this song.

Big Quarters: "Grab Hands ft. P.O.S."

This collaboration between two of Minneapolis' finest artists appeared on P.O.S.' Meat Tape, Vol. 2, as well as the Big Quarters Direct: December release. Hit up Big Quarters website to sign up to get five new tracks from Medium Zach and Brandon Allday every month for only five dollars.

Big Quarters: "Grab Hands ft. P.O.S."

O.G. Rat Pack: "Swagga Like Us" (Video)

I'm just glad MIA made it through the performance without bursting. Mark my words, no one has more swagger than MIA.

The Mighty Underdogs In Madison, WI (Concert Coverage)

The Mighty Underdogs are a hip-hop "supergroup" composed of Lateef The Truth Speaker, Gift of Gab (from Blackaliscious), and producer Headnodic. Their tour made a stop in Madison, WI last week on February 2; naturally, I was there to cover the event.

The Might Underdogs' debut album, Droppin' Science Fiction, is a funky, fun, and relaxed album from start to finish. Many of the tracks have a chilled-out party vibe, and save plenty of room for Lateef and gift of Gab to kick some socially conscious lyrics. Their concert was pretty much what you would expect, after hearing the album once or twice — energetic, free-wheeling, consistent.

After a terrific opening act from the local hip-hop band Dumate, the crowd was surprisingly hyped for The Mighty Underdogs. Madison is a city that, from my past experience, has a pretty sketchy attendance record for hip-hop shows, yet the concert venue was packed for this show — on a Tuesday night, at that. After a brief wait, The Mighty Underdogs took the stage for their performance.

The set started out lively, with a dynamic performance of their track "Gunfight." The Mighty Underdogs proceeded to shuffle through various songs on their latest album, such as "Hands In The Air," "ILL Vacation," and "Want You Back." But with only one release to the group's name, their options were limited for group songs to play. This ended up being an asset to the performance, as Gift of Gab and Lateef, both veteran performers, delved into solo tracks they have done in the past. The two emcees also launched into multiple extended freestyle sessions, which kept the crowd actively involved in the show.

Overall, the concert was a solid one. The artists' many combined years of experience allowed them to put on a polished act, despite having only one album in release. The Madison crowd was clearly enjoying the show — particularly Gift of Gab's rapidfire lyricism. With this show, The Mighty Underdogs lived up to the hype of their supergroup status, and delivered with a enjoyable and entertaining performance. Check out a few videos I shot during the show below.

The Mighty Underdogs: "Gunfight"


The Mighty Underdogs: Freestyle Session


Lateef The Truth Speaker: "Wonderful Night"

Big Sean Update (Video)

Big Sean talks about his upcoming album and explains why his mixtape has been significantly delayed.

Concert Announcement: Rhymesayers' "Artists Meets Artists" Show

On March 9, Rhymesayers will be presenting a special event, the "Artist Meets Artist" night at the Fine Line. Some of the Twin Cities' most talented artists will be sharing the stage for combined sets, as follows:

• Atmosphere meets Brother Ali (Similar to their great "3 The Hard Way" tour performance I covered in London)
• Muja Messiah meets M.anifest
• Toki Wright meets St. Paul Slim
• Plain Ole Bill meets Jimmy 2 Times

This should be a spectacular show, that I unfortunately will not be in the Twin Cities for. Who wants to get some footage for me? Shouts to Jon Jon & Mojo for the flyer.

Behind The Beats, Vol. 5: Consequence's "The Good, The Bad, The Ugly ft. Kanye West"

I realized it had been a pretty long time since I dropped one of these off for you all. Here's the sample used in the Kanye-produced, Kanye-featuring track from Consequence's 2007 debut album, Don't Quit Your Day Job! Ye nicely flipped "I Wish You Were Here," a typically smooth cut from The Reverend Al Green's 1975 album, Al Green Is Love. And make sure to check back in a few days for my next Behind The Beats post, it'll be a doozy.

Al Green: "I Wish You Were Here"

Lil' Buddy Mclain: "Get It Right ft. Muja Messiah & Slug"

So Muja Messiah threw this track up on his Myspace account a few days ago. I was ready to post it at about noon today but held off to get the go ahead from the homie Jon Jon. There was talk about having this be a Midwest Broadcast world premier (whatever that means), but I was away from my computer for various reasons since about 4, and upon return it was up on some other sites. Whatever. No one apparently seems to know who Lil' Buddy is, though, judging by the lack on commentary on the blogs who posted this track. The Minneapolis rapper has been on hiatus for a few years now, but is clearly coming back strong. Not a bad pair of guest artists for your first big track in years, huh?

Lil' Buddy Mclain: "Get It Right ft. Muja Messiah & Slug"

Dialek: Studio Tour (Video) / Last Of The Record Buyers Promo

St. Paul rapper/producer Dialek will be at Last Of The Record Buyers at the Dinkeytowner on February 19. I've never been able to make it to one, but these shows sound like a real fun, collaborative experience. Below is a video where Dialek gives a tour of his studio, so all you aspiring producers can know what to possibly be working with. Below the video is the promo (electronic) flyer for the event, and if you want more, check my previous post featuring the Last Of The Record Buyers EPK.

Verbal Kent & Kaz One: "Remove The Gag ft. Ill Bill & Wordsworth"

Man, I missed a few updates since I've been gone for the past 5 hours. This is me playing catch up. Verbal Kent, a longtime Chicago rap veteran, will be dropping a collaboration album with fellow Chicago producer Kaz One, titled Brave New Rap, on April 1. This is the first leak from that album, featuring guest spots Ill Bill and Wordsworth. Also, if you're not familiar with Verbal Kent, be sure to read my review of his 2008 album, Fist Shaking.

Verbal Kent & Kaz One: "Remove The Gag ft. Ill Bill & Wordsworth"

Rhymefest: Loud.com Interview, Pt. 2 (Video)

To follow up from part one, which I posted a couple days ago.

Brother Ali: "Good Lord" (Promo Videos 1 & 2)

I don't think much needs to be said. Rik Cordero on the cinematography. Brother Ali EP/DVD on March 10; full-length LP titled Street Preacher in Fall 2009.

P.O.S.: B96 Interview (Video)

P.O.S. continues his quest for world — or at least blog — domination, this time sitting down with the Mr. Peter Parker for his weekly Homegrown Heatrocks segment. Never Better is crazy. My iPod is growing tired of it.

Mick Luter & Mic Terror: "Here We Go" (Video + Download)

Here's another SC-produced track, like the Mikkey Halsted joint I posed yesterday. Download link is below the video, shout out (once again) to RubyHornet. I know I haven't posted anything by Mick Luter before, but please get familiar with the man ASAP.



Mick Luter & Mic Terror: "Here We Go"

Loud.com Finalists: Freestyle Cipher (Video)

Minneapolis rapper Knonam spits bars along with the other Loud.com finalists.

Cecil Otter & P.O.S.: "Traveling Dunk Tank" (Video)

Doomtree is running this right now.

To be honest I'm not sure why this video is circulating various blogs right now. The "Traveling Dunk Tank" video was released back in early August, but I neglected to throw it up then, so here it is now.

P.O.S.: Never Better Tour Announcement

I hope you have bought Never Better already; my review will be up as soon as I have time to sit down and write it. Check out dates for his Never Better Tour, with guests Sims, as well as Mike Mictlan and Lazerbeak (whose latest album, Hand Over Fist, cracked the top 10 for my best albums of 2008 list). This tour should be exciting, full of energy, and most of all very loud. If they're coming to your hometown, make sure to get your ass to the show. You know I'm already on the guest list for when they come to Madison! Might even go to the First Ave show in Minneapolis, too.

Add-2, Bullet, & Ptoda: Freestyle In The Park (Video)

Here's the new RubyHornet Freestyle In The Park video, featuring Add-2, Bullet, & Ptoda. I actually was not planning on posting this video, but Add-2 really went in.

Soulcrate Music: "A Soulcrate Valentine"

Around every major holiday those at Black Clover Records like to release a holiday-themed track. Last time it was Grieves, with his Christmas anthem, "Mother Fucker." One this occasion, Soulcrate Music put out the official anti-Valentine's Day Valentine's Day theme song, "A Soulcrate Valentine." Feel the love.

Soulcrate Music: "A Soulcrate Valentine"

Rhymefest: Loud.com Interview (Video)

MIkkey Halsted: "I'm A Ryder" (Video + Download)

From the upcoming RTCxSC mixtape (RTC is a DJ; SC produced this track). Download link after the video, via RubyHornet. Here's what they had to say about it:

This is the official first video from the soon-to-be released mixtape Guns’N'Doe hosted by Just Blaze. Mikkey has been creating a serious buzz for himself through his mixtapes and videos. Through this collaboration, he gets to spit over one of the most underrated producers in the game’s masterpiece. Guns’N'Doe, featuring tracks from Diddy,Mary J. Blige, The Game, Mobb Deep, Young Buck, Mikkey Halsted, Naledge and Mick Luter, is set to drop this Wednesday Feb. 4th! You can download a copy exclusively on RubyHornet.com!

MIkkey Halsted: "I'm A Ryder"

P.O.S.: Peter Parker B96 Interview (Video Teaser)

Just a little snippit. Still digesting that Super Bowl/new episode of The Office.