Lipset's 'Level Heads LP' (Trailer)

I've been posting on this site semi-regularly with tracks from Lipset's Level Heads LP. Well, the extensive project is coming to a close this weekend, when the entire album will be made available for free online. Above is a trailer for the release, check back on Sunday to download the album.

Toki Wright: "25/8/366 ft. Oskar Ly" (Prod. Lazerbeak)

Funny story about this song: back in 2009 when I compiled tracks from artists all over the Midwest for the Flyover Land, Vol. 1 mixtape, I got an overwhelmingly positive response from artists. In fact, I had a stash of leftover songs that I chose to hold out for a second installment of the mixtape series. One of those songs was "25/8/366", a Toki Wright track produced by Lazerbeak. So, while Flyover Land, Vol. 2 never came to fruition — mostly due to my poor work ethic and getting sidetracked by life in general — I've had this song in my iTunes library for a couple of years. Fast forward to one hour ago, Toki sends me an email to release (rerelease?) it. It's stream only on Midwest Broadcast, hit the link below to visit the SoulTools Bandcamp site if you want to download it. You know you can't go wrong when you've got Toki and Lazerbeak on the same track, two of the finest artists in the Twin Cities rap scene. Enjoy.

Toki Wright: "25/8/366 ft. Oskar Ly" (Prod. Lazerbeak)

Status Reign: "Leave Me This Way" (Music Video)

This one come's from Background Noise Crew member Status Reign's latest album Brutally Honest.

BK-One: 'Rádio Do Canibal' Extras

BK-One and Benzilla collaborated to create Rádio Do Canibal back in 2009, one of the year's most creative and brilliant hip-hop albums. It remains one of my top-5 Rhymesayers-released albums in recent memory. Now it's 2011, and BK-One has decided to gradually release some extras from the original Rádio Do Canibal studio sessions. Included are instrumentals that didn't make the cut, and original or demo versions of album tracks. BK-One is releasing these songs via his Soundcloud page, and who knows how many more he'll let loose, so I strongly recommend subscribing so you don't miss any exclusive releases. I'll link below to his entire page, where (so far) you can find Slug's original demo of "Gittit," two unreleaed instrumentals, the demo of "Love Like That," and the original version of "Here I Am." I'll try to keep up and post the new additions to the playlist.

BK-One: Rádio Do Canibal Extras

Sims & Lazerbeak: Interview at Radio K + Live Songs

Sims and Lazerbeak are playing a FREE show at Northrop Plaza on the U of M campus tomorrow night at 7pm. To get hyped for the show, you should watch them visit the Radio K studio to do an interview and perform "Future Shock" plus some other cuts from Bad Time Zoo ("Radio Opaque" and "Good Times"). The album is still my favorite hip-hop release of 2011 — what's your favorite song on the record?

Sims & Lazerbeak: "Future Shock"

Sims & Lazerbeak: "Radio Opaque"

Sims & Lazerbeak: "Good Times"

Jay-Z & Kanye West: "Otis"

"Otis" is the new Watch The Throne single inspired from the work of my favorite singer of all time. The two superstars trade bars over a sample from "Try A Little Tenderness." It sounds so soulful, don't you agree? Stream this YouTube link below while it lasts, or head over to Jay-Z's Life + Times website to check it out.

Jay-Z & Kanye West: "Otis"

T.Q.D.: The Appetizer EP, Vol. 3

The Quiet Dude releases the third installment in his Appetizer EP series. This one is another assortment of tracks he's been working on while he prepares to release two solo LPs this year.

T.Q.D.: The Appetizer EP, Vol. 3

TR0N D1AZ 8510 (aka Franz Diego): FUTUR3 PAST TR0NICLES

Franz Diego sent this through my way. I'm sure if you've hit up one of the parties he's hosted this will make a lot more sense to you. You can stream the track "Can't Fuck M3" below, or download the entire project.

Over the past year Franz Diego has continued to host and throw his high energy rap dance parties all over the city and through doing this he has developed his own entity based in the world of the party. That entity is TR0N D1AZ 8510. Much of this music has already been played by DJs throughout the Minneapolis and now these songs are available to you!

For this project Franz teamed up with 2% Muck to provide vocal effects, manipulation, editing and mixing of vocals over industry instrumentals, the outcome is an instant party.

TR0N D1AZ 8510: "Can't Fuck M3"

TR0N D1AZ 8510: FUTUR3 PAST TR0NICLES

Trama: "Nod Ya Head"

Here's some more music from Trama. If you didn't catch "One Day At A Time" from a couple of weeks ago then go check that out.

Trama: "Nod Ya Head"

Atmosphere: "The Last To Say" (Music Video)

Kanye West & G.O.O.D. Music at SXSW 2011 (Videos)

Kanye and his crew closed out SXSW 2011 in Austin, Texas by throwing a surprise concert in an abandoned power plant. It was a fairly exclusive event, in that thousands of people tried desperately to get in, but only a fortunate portion of those people got admitted to the show. Back during SXSW Kanye still hadn't performed much since releasing MBDTF, making the show an extra hot ticket. Months later, Vevo, who sponsored the show, released some hi-def video from the show.

Above is Kanye's "Dark Fantasy." Below is Kid Cudi’s “Pursuit of Happiness”, Big Sean’s “My Last”, followed by more Kanye with “Blame Game” (one of the few times he's ever performed it thus far), and surprise guest Jay-Z joining in the show-closer, “H.A.M.”

Vevo needs to release video of Kanye doing "All Of The Lights" with that high school marching band though.

Black Milk: "Brain ft. Jack White"

Jack White's Third Man Records has been releasing a lot of one-off singles with various artists lately. The label dipped into hip-hop for the for the first time, and recruited Black Milk to collaborate with none other than Jack White himself.

Now if you'll excuse me for a moment, I'm just going to be a fan for a moment. The White Stripes are without a doubt one of my favorite bands ever, and I'm quite a big Black Milk fan on top of that. With White's Detroit upbringing and Black Milk's knack for hard-hitting production, this is pretty much a great pairing. I can only hope the two work together more in the future. Or at least Jack will work on more hip-hop tracks (my head will explode when "Ray Bans" comes out, remember that one?).

Anyway, the tracks are being released on July 12 digitally and on 7" vinyl. Jack Whitco-produced the singles with Black Milk, as well as played guitar on the A-side, "Brain" and drums on the B-side, "Royal Mega." You can follow the link below to listen to "Brain" through the Third Man Records Soundcloud website. Enjoy.

Black Milk: "Brain ft. Jack White"

The Tribe & Big Cats!: "We Gone ft. MaLLy & Claire Taubenhaus" (Music Video)

Above is the new video from The Tribe & Big Cats!, featuring MaLLy and singer Claire Taubenhaus. This song marks the first release in a four-part series of monthly singles featuring special guests. All of this leads up to the release of their next project, titled Make Good. Grab the mp3 of this song below, via Swim Agency.

The Tribe & Big Cats!: "We Gone ft. MaLLy & Claire Taubenhaus" (Music Video)

Greg Grease: "Got Till It's Gone" (Music Video)

This music video if for "Got Till It's Gone" off Greg Grease's The Giving Tree. Download that tape now if you don't have it yet. The video also features Alicia Steele wearing some new River Life goods, which will be debuting in stores this fall. Learn more at the River Life Tumblr.

Jordan Looney: "We're Here" (Music Video)

Lipset: "Trusty Battle Gear ft. DYC, MaLLy and Initial MC"

Here's another one off the Level Heads Project. Track 14 from the Level Heads LP is "Trusty Battle Gear" and features DYC, MaLLY, and Initial MC of Duenday.

Lipset: "Trusty Battle Gear ft. DYC, MaLLy and Initial MC"

Psalm One: "Juke Me" (Music Video)

Here's the music video for Psalm One's lead single off Get In The Van, Vol. 3. Get the track below via iTunes.

Psalm One: "Juke Me"

Trama: "One Day At A Time"

Good to hear from Trama again. After a proposed retirement, it seems as if he's back in action again. No word on if this is just a freebie or from a upcoming project.

Trama: "One Day At A Time"

Common: "Ghetto Dreams ft. Nas"

No description necessary. Common's The Dreamer, The Believer, is due sometime in November, and if this is any indication it'll be great.

Common: "Ghetto Dreams ft. Nas"

I.B.E.: "YOURS ft. Alicia Steele"

New Intelligent Black Enterprise.

I.B.E.: "YOURS ft. Alicia Steele"

Trey Lane: "King Hustler ft. V The Noble One & Blitz" (Music Video)

This song is set to be featured on Trey's upcoming Here Goes Nothing EP set to be released August 23.