Lil Wayne Producer Bangladesh Speaks on “A Milli”
June 19, 2008
With every rapper under the sun jumping on the instrumental to Lil Wayne’s “A Milli” the producer of the track Shondre “Bangladesh” Crawford put out a video discussing his rise to prominence. Peep it.
Some folks will probably known the man as Shondrae who has been putting down beats for Ludacris and DTP for years. But “A Milli” is clearly the beat he’s known for right now.
Mixtape Review: 88 Keys’ Adam Case Files
June 19, 2008
88-Keys is a versatile producer who has worked with a diverse selection of artists ranging from Black Star to Beanie Sigel to Musiq Soulchild. Adam’s Case Files is a mixtape intended as a prelude to The Death of Adam, his upcoming concept album about relationships. The songs explore the ups and downs of relationships from a man’s point of view. Keys narrates the mixtape and explains what happened to his friend Adam before his untimely passing. The tape sounds cohesive, as the songs are connected by the dusty, sped-up samples that start each track. Rappers featured on Files include Guilty Simpson, Mr. Bentley, Izza Kizza, Serius Jones, the group Tanya Morgan & 88-Keys himself.
The beats are appealingly soulful, often built on stuttered samples chopped 9th Wonder style.
A few of the emcees work well with Keys’ sound and effectively play off the themes that the tape is structured around. These pairings result in the best tracks. On “Cuddle Bums,” the three emcees in Tanya Morgan kick verses about their girls, accompanied by gentle keys and a warm guitar loop. Simpson’s gravely venting of his girl problems on “Just LIKE A Man” is another highlight. On the entertaining “Wasting My Minutes,” Kid Cudi rap-sings about an airhead girlfriend over 88-Keys’ bouncy keyboards and claps.
Unfortunately for the most part, the quality beats are wasted on the lacklustre raps kicked by the guests. Hopefully The Death Of Adam will fare better with features from Redman, Kanye West, Bilal and Phonte of Little Brother, among others. -Aaron Matthews
Download a free copy HERE
DJ JustDizle: French Connection
June 16, 2008
For some less worldly hip-hop fans France’s presence in the culture began with A Tribe Called Quest’s “Luck of Lucien.” Thankfully, today we know that Europe contributes infinitely to the continuation of hip-hop as a global force and Paris is a leader in that movement. One of the native sons of France, DJ Just Dizle, has spent the last few years making the world a little smaller with globe trotting mixes and tireless hustle. Several years after profiling him in Scratch magazine I caught up with Dizle to see how he’s come so much closer to becoming “Le Champion,” the most requested DJ in Paris, France.
Darrell “Digga” Branch Launches Video Sharing Site To Help Beat Makers
June 13, 2008
(June 13, 2008 New York, New York) Veteran music producer Darrell “Digga” Branch, known and respected in the industry for hits like 50 Cents “Many Men,” “Dopeman” by Jay-Z, and smash single, “Can’t Stop Won’t Stop” by the Young Gunz launches a new website, OnlineBeatTutor.com.
OnlineBeatTutor.com is the first of its kind. It’s a video sharing website for music producers. Here, beat makers and producers can learn, teach and discover everything about making beats! This site will teach aspiring producers how to improve their skills on techniques such as sampling, sequencing, programming, song structure and more.
OnlineBeatTutor.com is similar to YouTube but exclusively for producers. OnlineBeatTutor.com will become the most effective tool available for beatmakers who need instant solutions and answers. They can log on and search a wide array of topics including sampling, software, equipment and or music production. OnlineBeatTutor.com will provide a tutorial of your problem instantly. This site is for you if you’re interested in sharing and gaining knowledge about making beats. OnlineBeatTutor.com is for basic, intermediate and advanced users.
“I wanted to create a central place where beatmakers and producers could get useful tips immediately on their problems instead of searching through a gigantic database of videos, waiting for an email response from me or technical support, said Digga.”
In addition to video tutorials, music producers and beatmakers will have access to channels specifically related to sampling, sequencing, programming and more. They will be able to upload their own tutorial videos or view instructional videos from other members. Users can create their own profiles, peer groups and save their favorite videos and communicate with other users online.
Darrell “Digga” Branch started his professional career in 1995. He executive produced rapper Camron’s first two major releases. He has also provided production work for industry heavyweights like Jay-Z, 50 Cent, Jennifer Lopez, Busta Rhymes, Ghostface, Big L and Young Gunz to name a few. He has contributed to over 30 million records sold. In 2008 Digga formed Producers Skill Inc. the parent company of OnlineBeatTutor.com
For additional information about OnlineBeatTutor.com or its parent company, Producers Skill, Inc, contact:
Sidney Roman-Chase at BeatTutor@gmail.com or visit http://www.onlinebeattutor.com
OnlineBeatTutor.com is a registered trademark of Producers Skill, Inc.
Timbaland Marries Music Exec
June 12, 2008
According to USWeekly, Timbaland and his girlfriend, music exec Monique Idlett got married on Tuesday June 10th in Virginia. They stood before a family pastor in their sweats and exchanged “I do’s.”
Seems they were eager to make it official quickly since they are doing a formal ceremony in Aruba later this month.The power music couple had a baby girl named Reign last year.
Timbaland has been a busy man on the music front as well. After producing much of Madonna’s Hard Candy he is preparing an album for Verizon wireless as their first “Mobile Producer in Residence” and is working with Rockstar games on a music mixing game for the PSP called Beaterator.
Bloggin 4 Beats: The Love Rain Remix
June 12, 2008
A few weeks ago I made a remix of Mary J Blige’s “Be Happy” using music from Jill Scott’s “Love Rain.” This time I revisited one of my favorite Jill Scott songs giving it a different spin with help from The Dell’s “In The Rain” and New Edition’s “Can You Stand The Rain.” It’s not nearly as corny as it sounds, trust me. [Read more]
CD Review: N.E.R.D’s Seeing Sounds
June 11, 2008
From the jump N.E.R.D’s new CD Seeing Sounds smacks me over the head with nostalgia. The cinematic intro to “Time for Some Action” borrows from the score to the movie “Psycho,” a little trick that Busta Rhymes pulled for the video to “Gimme Some More” almost ten years ago. And then after about a minute this rumbling bass and drum combo stirs up memories of the Dismasters’ “Small Time Hustler” from the recesses of my subconscious. By the time its over I’m still not sure what I’ve listened to, which is how I feel throughout much of this CD.
Chuckling is involuntary during “Everyone Nose” with its chant of “all the girls standing in the line for the bathroom,” but “Windows” sounds like it was trying too hard to be Gnarles Barkley and its cheesy guitar and claps sound more like Toni Basil’s “Mickey” chopped and screwed.
On “Anti Matter” Pharrell exploits the lowered bar of lyricism in hip-hop and has developed into a more than tolerable MC, but N.E.R.D is at their best when they aren’t trying too hard. “Yeah You” has great replay value with a stripped down bass line and saxophone melody meshed with a quirky love/hate message tailor-made for internet age love affairs. “Sooner or Later” is just screaming for a cameo from EPMD or Biz Markie with its use of that vintage Joe Tex “Papa Was Too” drum loop but it remains distinctly N.E.R.D with its soothing piano melody and quirky hook.
Unfortunately, “Happy” and “Kill Joy” are straight fast-forward material and the only thing salvageable from the conceptual mess of “Love Bomb” is the beat that they should have given to Common or one of their regulars. The aptly titled “Laugh About It” is what some listeners will do when they reach the end of this collection depending on how many hallucinogens they’ve ingested to get through it.
Overall, Seeing Sounds has flashes of goodness but feels like the Neptunes put it together with their eyes wide shut.
Hydrosonics-Emmanuel Nyei
June 11, 2008
Name: Emmanuel Nyei
From: The Sudan
Contact: www.myspace.com/nuelmusic1
1) You were born in the Sudan, how has your culture influenced your creation of music?
My culture influenced my music creation because it was the first type of music i heard. At 6 or 7 years of age, our tribe, every now and then has tribal ceremonies or dances called “Nugara”, where they played bongo drums, ashikos, that can be heard from 3 miles away, and they danced all night long. So I would go home and make my own bongos and ashikos, from animal skin, and try to play that same rhythm.
2)In your profile you say “I learned so much, as far as mixing, mastering, track arrangments to name a few.” What exactly have you learned? Can you provide examples?
Well, when I first started I didnt know much, nothing at all. I didn’t know what mixing, mastering, or anything like that. I just looped many sounds together, played and recorded them, period. But then when I go back to listen and compare my tracks to those of the professionals, I’m like “damn, something doesn’t sound right”. Thats when I learned that tracks have to be broken down, correctly arranged, and mixed properly in order to give a whole “feel” to it.
3) So many people pick up Fruity Loops and just go in. Did you ever stop to read the manuals?
Honestly, I was just so eager to create something that reading the manuals never crossed my mind. I’m more of a “hands-on” learner. I just picked up and taught myself everything I know now. For those who read the manuals, it might be seen as an advantage but, those that didn’t read the manuals establish their own way of creating music.
4) Where do you get your sounds? Do you play any instruments?
The sounds in Fruity Loops was all I used at first. But as time went by, I started realizing that their sounds [don't] really sound professional. Thats when I bought sounds from ebay and downloaded some as well. I dont play any instruments, however, I’ll be attending music classes in college this fall. They teach piano and many other instruments, so maybe by next year I’ll be playing something.
5) Have you recorded any of your songs with artists?
I have worked with some local artists, and some upcoming artists in other states, no one who’s really out there.
Nas and DJ Green Lantern Release N*gger Mixtape
June 9, 2008
That man Eskay over at Nahright.com doesn’t sleep. He posted this link of Nas and Green Lantern’s The N*gger Tape. It’s all one long MP3 but should be worth a listen. Cuts like “Black President” and “Hero” have been leaking for the past few days so I guess this will feed the wolves until the album drops. Download it here.
1. Intro
2. Gangsta Rap rmx.(Prod by Dj Greenlantern)
3. Cops Keep Firing (Prod. By Dj Greenlantern)
4. Hero (Prod by Polow Da Don)
5. Black President (Prod. By Dj Greenlantern)
6.Association (feat. and Prod. by Stic Man of Dead Prez)
7. Legendary (Mike Tyson)..(Prod by Salaam Remi)
8. Ghetto rmx feat. Joell Ortiz (Prod by Dj Greenlantern.
9. Seen it All (Green Mix)
10. Esco Let’s Go (Full Song).(Prod by Dj Khallil)
11. N.I.G.G.E.R. (Slave and Master). (Prod by Dj Toomp)
12 “Be a Nigger too” rmx feat. Dante Hawkins (Prod. by Dj Greenlantern)
13. Surviving the times (Original Cool and Dre Version)
14. Nas Timeline mixed by Statik Selektah (Nararated by Nas)
15. Outro feat. Richard Pryor
Polow Da Don produces new Nas single, “Hero”
June 8, 2008
Fresh off of Usher’s “Love In The Club” Polow Da Don scores the next single off of Nas’ upcoming CD, “Hero.” From the sounds of it Nas is trying to get some love up in the club his damn self. Though the lyrics continue to go against the grain with a revolutionary narrative this beat will have folks shaking their drunk asses before they realize what he’s talking about.
