Big Jess Presents: Honorable Mention, Volume 1

If you've been following Big Jess on Twitter over the past several months, you should be aware by now that he's been actively working on a compilation project featuring tons of local artists. The concept seemed simple enough. Jess produces a bunch of original beats, and gets his friends to hop on and do their thing. I'm not sure if there's much more to it than that, but looking at the roster on the album, I'm excited to give it a few spins. For those of you who are still curious, I included the tracklist after the jump. You can download and stream Honorable Mention, Volume 1 over at DJBooth.net.

Big Jess Presents: Honorable Mention, Volume 1

"Shameless," ft. Slug, MaLLy, Mike the Martyr and Haphduzn (Prod. Dimitry Killstorm)

Check the Blog just premiered "Shameless," the first track from Flood Watch, an upcoming compilation album put together by That Dude Reeg and Tek. The track features Slug, MaLLy, Mike the Martyr and Haphduzn trading verses over some Dimitry Killstorm production. I don't know if the four Minneapolis rappers were together when composing their verses, but you can feel the spirit of competition in this track. Everyone knew they had to bring their best work, and they all definitely showed up for this track. Listen to it below.

Haphduzn & Dimitry Killstorm: "Brand New Nostalgia" (Music Video)

Back in March Haphduzn and Dimitry Killstorm released the song and video for "Lost in Translation," off their upcoming Whittier Alliance album. It was a fantastic piece of straightforward braggadocio that also served as a great introduction of Haphduzn if you hadn't heard of him before. Now, here is another song and video from that album, "Brand New Nostalgia." The track opts for a more analytical lane than "Lost in Translation." This song discusses the evolution and fusion of musical genres and our cyclical relationship with past trends. The lighthearted video also features cameos from tons of local musicians. Check it out above, and keep Whittier Alliance on your radar for summer releases.

Haphduzn & Dimitry Killstorm: "Lost in Translation" (Music Video)

Last Saturday night at the Nomad, Be Scene, CrowdNoize TC and others sponsored a local hip-hop music video showcase. The night was a chance for several local artists to premier new music videos and projects. Be Scene just posted this particular video, which debuted at that event, from local rapper Haphduzn and producer Dimitry Killstorm (also of Wide Eyes). The hard-hitting "Lost in Translation" will be on their upcoming collaborative effort, Whittier Alliance (artwork below), due out sometime this summer.