Alchemist Dropping a “Cook Book” November 18th
October 31, 2008
(October 31, 2008-New York, NY) KOCH Records is thrilled to announce the long-awaited musical return of producer extraordinaire, The Alchemist. A new Digital EP, The Alchemist’s Cookbook is set to be released on iTunes on November 18th 2008. As one of today’s most in-demand hip-hop producers, The Alchemist has finally re-emerged with 6 new tracks to give fans a sneak-peek into what he has in store on his forthcoming full length album Chemical Warfare due out February 2009 The forthcoming new album will be the long-awaited follow-up to 1st Infantry. [Read more]
Bloggin 4 Beats: Common’s “Come Close” Remix
October 30, 2008
I few days ago I was lucky enough to hear Common’s new CD, Universal Mind Control, and in the conversation to the room full of journalists he said “People keep wondering if I’m doing Electric Circus over,” because of the left field direction of the new CD, produced by The Neptunes and Mr. DJ. I don’t know what it is but I LIKED Electric Circus, I still play “Soul Power” and “Between You Me and Liberation” quite often. I told him that if EC had come out today after the Gnarles Barkleys of the world people would be more accepting. But what was more frustrating about EC to me was that he was still paying tribute to the roots of hip-hop (as he does often on this new CD as well) and it went over people’s heads. The Tribe influence of “Come Close” was so obvious that they just went all the way to the house and re-sampled Roy Ayers’ “Daylight” from “Bonita Applebum” for the remix. So it got me to thinking; why not put my own Tribe twist on my Come Close remix? With some help from the folks at the Hip-Hop Sample Archive I grabbed the Grant Green drums from “Vibes and Stuff” and stacked them on top of the Shades of Brown joints from “Excursions.” At certain parts I put those ethereal moans from Al. B Sure’s “Ooh This Love” and then I used Bobby Womack’s “Woman Gotta Have It” on the hook. The tricky part was making sure that Common’s verses dropped in-between the snares to keep the original time of the his Q-Tip flow.
I know this is a little out of sorts with the horrific climate of both the holiday and the economy but if you’ve got somebody to weather this storm with, hold them close.
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BLACK MILK: The Nodfactor Interview
October 26, 2008
By Jerry L. Barrow
To steal or not to steal, that is one of the questions I got into with Black Milk, Detroit’s rising star behind the boards and on the mic. For the past few years he’s been turning heads with beats he’s done for Slum Village, Elzhi, Pharoahe Monch, GZA, Torae, Skyzoo, Guilty Simpson, Fat Ray, Royce Da 5’9 and his own solo projects like Sound of the City and Popular Demand.
On October 28th his new CD, Tronic, drops on Fatbeats Records and Nodfactor.com talked to the man who has been compared to the late J-Dilla about his beats vs. his verses, sampling Prince and under what circumstances is it ok to steal drums from another producer. [Read more]
Nicolay Tells Kanye To Leave It All Behind
October 25, 2008
By Jerry L. Barrow
In an up-coming interview with TheUrbandDaily.com Phonte and Nicolay of The Foreign Exchange give a track-by-track breakdown of their sophomore LP, Leave It All Behind. During the convo Nicolay was asked if any “additives” were put on Phonte’s voice (the prolific MC is singing for a majority of the disc) and the Dutch producer gave his opinion on the “auto-tune” phenomenon as it relates to one Mr. West.
Gamble & Huff Speak On Sampling (Video)
October 21, 2008
Ladies and Gentleman, start your engines…I mean samplers. Philadelphia International Records Presents Love Train: The Sound of Philadelphia will be in stores on October 21, 2008. Soul hits from The Intruders, The Delfonics, Wilson Pickett, Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes and many more produced by the legendary Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff will be available in one 4-disc Box set.
Gamble & Huff’s PIR songs and productions have truly permeated the musical DNA of contemporary culture. They have been covered or sampled by a vast array of artists including Jay-Z, Babyface, Nelly, OutKast, Angie Stone, Simply Red (whose #1 version of “If You Don’t Know Me By Now” in 1989 earned Gamble & Huff the Best R&B Song Grammy), Bette Midler, Mary J. Blige, Michael Bublé, Kanye West, 50 Cent, and T.I., among many others.
Earlier this year Gamble & Huff were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. After the induction Nodfactor had Shady Goliath A&R Riggs Morales speak with them about being sampled by today’s artists. Here is a part of that interview…
Tech Tips
October 20, 2008
Engineer Jared Robson of Asthma Attack Studios has been recording and mixing for seven years and answers some of our basic mixing questions about truncation, compression and the best monitors for a home studio.
In The Mix With DJ Nice
October 20, 2008
You know DJ Nice from mixtapes like Joel Ortiz’s “Brooklyn Bomber,” Joe Budden’s “Lost Sessions” and Juelz Santana’s “Presidential Dope.” The 20 year old from New Haven, CT kicked it with Nodfactor for a minute to discuss his rise through the ranks as a DJ and Producer in the digital age.
Interview By Aaron Matthews
And Then What Happened…Freddie Foxxx’s Industry Shakedown
October 20, 2008
Battle MC Freddie Foxxx recalls making Industry Shakedown with Pete Rock and DJ Premier…
DJ DUSK SOUNDCLASH DVD IN STORES NOW
October 17, 2008
DJ DUSK’S ROOT DOWN SOUNDCLASH IS NOW AVAILABLE AT THE STONESTHROW STORE
The DVD features performances from MADLIB, CUT CHEMIST, WILL.I.AM, THES ONE, OH NO, EXILE and DJ DUSK. DIRECTED BY B+ AND COLEMAN. [Read more]
Black Milk, Tanya Morgan, Jake One & More Rocking CMJ
October 17, 2008
Tues 10/21
Brooklyn Bodega presents Tanya Morgan, Platinum Pied Pipers, Fresh Daily
Drom
85 Avenue A, between 5th & 6th- L.E.S.
6:00-10:30
$10, First 100 CMJ badges free
Tues 10/21
The Embedded Music CMJ Showcase featuring Junk Science, Iller Than Theirs, Bisc1, Loer Velocity
Knitting Factory Tap Bar 74 Leonard St.
Doors open at 8pm
$8 CMJ badges honored
Thu 10/23
DJ Meet n’ Greet ( DJs: Revolution, Babu, Large Professor, Jake One, Protege)
Santos Party House 100 Lafayette St.
5-9pm
Fri 10/24
Black Milk TRONIC Album Release Party with guests U-N-I, Diz Gibran, Skyzoo, Charles Hamilton, Torae, Folk & Stress
Southpaw 125 5th Avenue, Park Slope, Brooklyn
9:00 pm
18 and up $15 at Ticketweb.com
Fri 10/24
Delicious Gutter Party Including performances from Aaron LaCrate, Mr Vegas, Illa J, Masta Ace, and DJ’s Debonair Samir, Mike Mumblez, and K-Spin
Webster Hall 125 E. 11th Street
Advanced tickets $10 FREE before midnight (excluding guys under 21) 19 to enter, 21 to drink
Sat 10/25
Josh Martinez brings the SEX TO NEW YORK CITY
National Underground
159 E. Houston St.
11pm
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