Culture Cry Wolf: "Second Wind" ft. Sims (Music Video)

Here's another video from Culture Cry Wolf's Día De Los Muertos album. The video was directed by Adam Dunn.

Sims & Lazerbeak: Daytrotter Session

As if rocking shows damn near every night on the No Kings tour alone wasn't enough, Sims and Lazerbeak stopped by the Daytrotter studios to record a brief session featuring heaters from both Bad Time Zoo and the accompanying Wildlife EP. Head over to Daytrotter to listen or download the set.

Sims & Lazerbeak: Daytrotter Session

Sims: Wildlife EP (Prod. Lazerbeak)

Wildlife is an EP of songs that Sims and Lazerbeak recorded in 2009 and 2010. Sims is releasing it to thank his fans for supporting him through the release of Bad Time Zoo (still one of the year's best hip-hop albums) and his first headlining national tour. Make sure to attend one of his shows if he comes through your town; Sims and Lazerbeak together are a great live act to see. Stream the Wildlife EP below, or click through to Bandcamp to download the project.

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"

Sims: Bad Time Zoo Unplugged (Video)

Can't wait for Bad Time Zoo Unplugged: The Best Time Zoo. Sexy. Enjoy your weekend.

Sims: "One Dimensional Man" (Video)

Here's another video for a song off Sims' fabulous Bad Time Zoo, which is available now. Apparently he shot a ton of videos, so hopefully we've got more coming soon.

Sims: "Hey You" (Video)

Sims stopped by The Current studios to promote his new album Bad Time Zoo, which you should purchase if you don't own it yet. Video up above, and you can stream the entire session down below.

Sims: "Bad Time Zoo" + "Burn It Down" (Videos)

Sims' new album Bad Time Zoo is now available at your local record store, online, and via iTunes. The album is produced entirely by Lazerbeak and is fantastic, start to finish. Anyway, here are two very cool videos featuring Sims. Up above, Sims stars in the latest episode of MPLS.TV's City of Music video series. Below, MPLS.TV, again, was able to get some footage of Sims performing at Fifth Element to celebrate the release of his album. But remember, his official album release party is this Saturday, 2/19/11, at The Fine Line Music Cafe in downtown Minneapolis.

Unboxing Sims' 'Bad Time Zoo' (Video)

Here is a look at what you'll receive if you order the physical copy of Sims' upcoming album Bad Time Zoo, set to be released on February 15 via Doomtree. The regular edition comes with the album and a nifty custom box cutter that you can use to make nifty origami animals from the album art. The deluxe edition comes with all of the above, plus — deep breath — a signed copy of Bad Time Zoo, signed poster, two exclusive extra songs, the password to a live, streaming webcast with Sims and friends, a chance to win a mask worn in the "Burn It Down" music video, and an exclusive Bad Time Zoo t-shirt.

Sims: 'Bad Time Zoo' Album Release Party (Video)

I'm very excited for this album to be released. Should be one of 2011's local highlights. But here's the real issue, Sims' Bad Time Zoo, album release party is on Saturday, February 19 at The Fine Line Music Cafe. Guess what else is also that day? Dre Day 2011, with a headlining performance by Heiruspecs, at the Triple Rock. This is extremely unfortunate planning. What's a local hip-hop fan to do?

In related Sims news, he is streaming another new song off his album, "Radio Opaque", at his AbsolutePunk profile. Check it out.

Sims: "Burn It Down" (Music Video)

I posted once already about Sims' upcoming album Bad Time Zoo, another local album creating much anticipation already in 2011. The single for "Burn It Down" was leaked when the album preorder was announced, and now here is the music video. Remember, the album can be ordered in both normal and the deluxe packages.

Sims: "Burn It Down" + 'Bad Time Zoo' Album Preorder

I'm still playing catch up from my brief vacation, but here is one of the most exciting upcoming local projects, already on my shortlist for favorite records of 2011. Sims will be releasing his sophomore solo LP Bad Time Zoo, entirely produced by the esteemed Lazerbeak, in early February. Preorders are now available on the Doomtree website, both in normal and deluxe packages. The deluxe package comes with all kinds of goodies:

• Signed copy of the Bad Time Zoo CD
• Signed poster
• Two exclusive extra songs
• Password to a live, streaming webcast with Sims and friends. [Questions will be answered. Secrets will be shared.]
• Chance to win a mask worn in the Burn It Down music video
• Exclusive BTZ t-shirt (available only to the pre-ordering crowd)
• A Sims-brand box cutter to be used to cut the origami-style album art which folds into a dioramic mini zoo. [A blade! In the mail! Dangerous and fun!]
• The entire package arrives in a silk-screened box, rendering the recipient the coolest kid on the boulevard.

Preorders help support local and independent musicians, so jump on this opportunity now. Buy two, in fact! Also, check out the lead single from the project, "Burn It Down". If the rest of the album sounds this good, we're in for something special.

Sims: "Here I Stand" (Prod. Lazerbeak) + Doomtree Daytrotter Session

Sims and Lazerbeak are working on a collaborative album, which jumps to the top of my list of anticipated albums. If this teaser track, "Here I Stand," is any indication, it should be an amazing release. Check it out below.

Sims: "Here I Stand" (Prod. Lazerbeak)

Furthermore, a few members of Doomtree were able to drop in on the Daytrotter folks and perform some of their solo tracks live in the studio. Dessa, Sims, Cecil Otter, and Mike Mictlan were all able to lay a few cuts down, and I highly recommend you check them out.

Doomtree Daytrotter Session

Sims, Toki Wright, & Danami: Feb. 13 Concert Announcement (Video)

The Prof & Rahzwell Show (Episode 2)

Featuring guest appearances from Sims and Lazerbeak. I mistakenly neglected to post episode 1, which you can view here.

Doomtree: "Coup For The King" (Prod. Lazerbeak)

Lots of exciting news on Midwest Broadcast today! To cap it all off, here's a new track from Doomtree (Sims and P.O.S. on the lyrics, 'Beak on production), commemorating the announcement of False Hopes 15. The project is eight tracks long with features from all five Doomtree emcees (P.O.S, Sims, Dessa, Cecil Otter, Mike Mictlan) and production from Cecil Otter, Lazerbeak, Paper Tiger, P.O.S, and guest Rich Roc (Mictlan's older brother). It will officially be released on December 6, and can be preordered at Doomtree.net. Or, if you want it a day early, you can attend Doomtree Blowout 5 (digital flyer provided at the bottom of the post).

Doomtree: "Coup For The King" (Prod. Lazerbeak)

P.O.S., Sims, & Dessa: "Low Light Low Life" (Live at Soundset 2009)

I found this while doing a little YouTube searching for Soundset 2009 footage. I'll continue to post videos when they're of relatively high quality. Feel free to forward videos on to me, too. Particularly if they're of the Fifth Element stage, which I was not able to check out.

In this video, a few members of the Doomtree collective get down to "Low Light Low Life," off P.O.S.'s Never Better. The crowd went nuts when Dessa started rapping. Got it from Mind Inversion.

Doomtree: "The Wren" (Live at McNally Smith) + Thoughts on Music Videos

A few of the members of Doomtree recently visited McNally Smith, a college for the performing arts in downtown Saint Paul. In the first clip, Sims and Dessa perform their song, "The Wren," off of the collective's self titled album, Doomtree. The second clip features the crew showing their video for "Drumsticks" to a class, and the speaking on the logistical details of making a music video.

Concert Announcement: Doomtree Party

To celebrate the release of Sims' False Hopes 14.

In other news, it appears that Cecil Otter and Dessa teamed up for some sort of collaboration project, until the name Otter Darling. Lastly, F Stokes, the event's opening performer, is someone who you may not have heard of. He's a rapper from Chicago, and has an upcoming album produced entirely by Lazerbeak. He will also be contributing a song to the upcoming Midwest Broadcast mixtape.

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.