Crown City ROCKERS!

Whatch'all know about this crew?

Formerly known as Mission, this quintet is one of the West Coast's finest Hip-Hop bands. There's really nothing to say...just watch the video.



Since the video two things have changed.

One, there used to be two MC's--Raashan Ahmad and Moe Pope. Moe had left the group in order to stay in Bos
ton (where the group originated from) and raise his daughter. However since his stay in Boston, he's joined two groups: Electric and Project Move (an offshoot group from Electric...like how Souls of Mischief is to Hieroglyphics) and they are both dope hip-hop groups in their own right.

Two, Kitundu is no longer their DJ.


Crown City's upcoming album for 2008 is entitled "5 Gold Stars," and they've been hard at work crafting a gem. This 2008 offering is different in that they are no longer midi sequencing their work.

What does that mean? Traditionally, the staple of hip-hop production is an Akai Midi Production Center or MPC (note: the MPC will not make you a dope beat maker). With the MPC, one is able to trigger samples through midi enabled pads and allow you to put together (or "sequence") sounds. Basically, with the MPC you're trying to create a musical collage of sounds you've discovered.--the MPC is the glue while your samples (in layman's terms known as sound snippets) are the paper.

Since Crown City is no longer creating their music off of rhythm based machines, this new album will have a total organic feel ala The Roots with "Phrenology." So for you, the listener, you get to experience something not many hip-hop groups are doing these days...playing music. So be sure to look out for "5 Gold Stars" in 2008!





UPCOMING RELEASES:
Raashan Ahmad - The Push
The Mighty Underdogs - Dropping Science Fiction
Crown City Rockers - 5 Gold Stars

Out now from the Crown City Rockers:
Mission - One
Mission - Everything But The Album
Headnodic - Headnodic Beats v. 1
Crown City Rockers - Weekend Soul EP
Crown City Rockers - Earthtones
Plate Fork Knife Spoon (Headnodic, Kat, Max, Eric Krasno of Soulive, Charlie Roberts and David Boyce) - Plate Fork Knife Spoon
Raashan Ahmad - B-Sides, Bootlegs & Rarities: The Official Mix Tape
Kat 010 - Natural Phenomenon

Other releases you'll find them on:
OM Records - Deep Concentration 4
HVW8 Presents: Music Is My Art
Kajmere Sound Recordings Presents - Impeach The Precedent
J-Boogie - J-Boogie's Dubtronic Science
Descry - Experiences In Full Duplex
The Mighty Underdogs - The Prelude EP
Moe Pope & Headnodic - Megaphone










Tracks:
Kat 010 - Natural Phenomenon Snippets


Crown City Rockers - Sidestep ft. Destani Wolf

What they're listening to v.1

Today I asked some of the homies for their top5's. Check it out.




Descry:
1. Ghostface Killah - The Big Doe Rehab
2. Choice37 - Diligence
3. Dela - Atmosphere Airlines
4. Johnson & Jonson - Powders & Oils
5. The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band - Together


G-Koop:
1. Joe Cocker - Mad Dogs & Englishmen
2. Miles Davis - The Cellar Door Sessions 1970
3. Public Enemy - Apocalypse 91...The Enemy Strikes Back
4. Freeway - Free At Last
5. Bilal - Love For Sale


Tunji:
1. CunninLynguists - Dirty Acres
2. Freeway - Free At Last
3. Blu & Exile - Below The Heavens In Hell Happy With Your New Imaginary Friend
4. Saigon - The Moral Of The Story
5. Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings - 100 Days, 100 Nights



Toby:
1. CunninLynguists - Dirty Acres
2. Jay-Z - American Gangster
3. Brother Ali - The Undisputed Truth
4. John Legend - Once Again
5. Melee - Devils & Angels

Flying Lotus:
1. Burial - Untrue
2. Radiohead - In Rainbows
3. Daedelus - Live At Low End Theory
4. Broadcast - Ha Ha Sound
5. Flying Lotus - Los Angeles


John Robinson:
1. Ghostface Killah - The Big Doe Rehab
2. Jill Scott - The Real Thing
3. Herbie Hancock - Fat Albert Rotunda
4. Archie Schepp - Attica Blues
5. Dwight Trible - Living Water


Incise:
1. Radiohead - In Rainbows
2. Daft Punk - Alive 2007
3. Mylo - Destroy Rock & Roll
4. Kraftwerk - Autobahn
5. Pat Metheny - Bright Size Life


DJ Benzi:
1. Kid Sister - Switchboard (off of the Kid Sister's "Pro Nails" single)
2. Kid Cui - Day 'n' Nite (Joker's On The Scene Remix)
3. Estelle - Wait A Minute (Sinden Remix)
4. Kid Sister - Pro Nails (Benzi Remix)
5. Freeway and Rick Ross - Criminal Opera (off of Freeway's "Free At Last" album)


Mr. Rath:
1. Ice Cube - AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted
2. Curtis Mayfield - People Get Ready (Live)
3. Isley Brothers- Harvest For The World
4. Diamond D - Stunts, Blunts and Hip-Hop
5. Ghostface Killah - Ironman

INVERSE!

Inverse--two emcees (Tunji & Toby) straight from the westside. CA...ALL DAY! They're related to the QN5 family (Cunninlynguists, Extended Famm, etc.), but these dudes make GREAT music in a style all their own.

"Honest music.Soulful production. Straightforward lyrics. Hip hop...that pushes forward. Something new." -myspace.com/inversehiphop



I recently had the pleasure of interviewing these two fine gentlemen.


Descry: What's up guys? Introduce yourselves to the world.

Tunji: I'm Tunji, representing Inverse, from Cali. I grew up in the bay, but I live in LA now...I've lived all over, though - Oakland, Nigeria, Massachusetts for high school, then I went to Pomona College in southern Cali and moved out to LA afterwards.

Toby: I'm Toby...I grew up in LA pretty much my entire life...except for about half a year when I lived in Ecuador. Pretty simple answer.

Descry: When did you guys figure out music was something you wanted to do professionally?

Tunji: When I was about 17, and really maturing as a writer, I knew I either wanted to be a rapper or work in the music industry. I'm doing both now.

Toby: Well, I loved music from the time I was little. I was always singing and dancing, albeit poorly.

Descry: Word, word. How did you both get together to form Inverse?

Tunji: We actually met on a hip hop messageboard in like 2000...We were both just starting to write songs and get better as MCs, so we just would show each other verses and what not, and we just kept in touch...then when I came to southern Cali for college, we eventually met up at a show - Atmosphere I believe. We made a song the very same day over a Soul Supreme beat, and then came up with the name a few weeks later.

Toby: We liked a lot of the same music and I had some beats that I was working with at the time from a producer named Soul Supreme...so we ended up writing our first song together the day we met.

Descry: Do you guys have certain themes carried out in your songs? Have you developed the Inverse sound since that early beginning?

Tunji: Umm...I think, first and foremost, we're both songwriters and really focused on lyrics...so you're always gonna get some well written and thought out words from us...But overall, we just try to make really honest music with a soulful vibe. The songs are usually pretty personal too, but we try to keep the hooks real catchy and memorable as well.

Toby: I would say that I don't think we particularly try to carry any specific themes in our sound....there's some combination of the music mixed with our life experience that leads us in one direction or another....so that can carry us in a lot of different directions...as long as we're being honest and it's done well...then I think we're doing what needs to be done.

Tunji: Our songs are about life...and we try to make soulful, honest hip hop.

Descry: Honest hip-hop...hmm. What artists inspires the "Inverse sound" as a group?

Tunji: Waaaaaay too many to name....I mean, all the people you would expect...OutKast, Jay-Z, Nas, Common, etc. But also, all the really dope artists around us who we are friends with and learning from like Brother Ali, CunninLynguists, OneBeLo and whatnot. I'm also inspired by great songwriters like the Beatles, Bob Marley...all the Motown era soul groups, Sly Stone, Stevie, I could go on forever. Music is like oxygen to me, I'm listening 24/7.

Toby: I loved Michael Jackson! My dad listened to country and blues while my mom listened to more classic rock, Beatles, etc. I listened to radio rap growing up, until i was about 12--some kid from my school (he was 17 so i looked up to him) made a copy for me of Resurrection by Common and Illmatic by Nas...and man that shit blew my mind. I was always a fan of words and writing stories and poems and shit like that...but it wasn't until I heard that stuff then it all came together. Those two albums opened the door to a LOT of dope stuff...94 was a great year for discovering hip hop....Nas, Common, Outkast, Wu-Tang, Dr. Dre, Goodie Mob, etc. All kinds of stuff came out that year and I was obsessed. You know, I actually started trying to write like Common.

Descry: Haha, I bet those early tapes are dope. Your inspirations have taken you both a long way. Now, you're a part of the new reformed LA Hip-Hop scene--how do you feel about all the new talent emerging out of LA?

Tunji: It's amazing, man. I feel lucky, because there is so much talent here...I feel like we're in the middle of something huge. The world is gonna see in the next few years, and it's already starting to happen. I feel like a lot of the people around us are really going to be a part of hip hop's future. You've got artists like Blu, Exile, Aloe Blacc, Pacific Division, TiRon, U-N-I, J Davey, Noah King...all young, hungry and creative. All making honest music, and unafraid to have fun with it. Also, there are lots of transplants from Detroit [Ta'raach...House Shoes...etc.] who are really putting some life into the local scene as well. Then you've got the new generation of Project Blowed cats who are ridiculous [Nocando...Dumbfoundead...etc.]. LA is too dope right now.

Toby: It's a beautiful thing really....it feels like everyone is fairly conscious and respectful of what everyone else is doing....there's a whole lot of really dope music being made that's been absent from the LA scene for a long time.....everyone Tunj said...Blu, Pacific Division, Tiron, Noah King, and i'm sure some others i'm unaware of or forgetting right now....most of us are friends or at least acquintances...and we work together....out of respect for each other's talent..and with the understanding that we can all come up together.

Descry: Being musicians, did either of you play any instruments growing up?

Tunji: I played the clarinet and the trumpet a little bit...but I was fucking terrible at it. I gave it up by the 7th grade. But I always loved music and I've been writing lyrics as long as I can remember. I definitely wish I knew more music theory...I had a chance to take a class in college, but I think I took an art class instead.

Toby: I did play the guitar for about 3 years when I was younger...probably around age 7-10 or so.. I really loved it. My parents would force me to practice for an hour every night. Sometimes I would want to play for 3 hours, but sometimes I wouldn't want to play more than a half hour if anything at all. I would tinker around and come up with my own melodies. I doubt any of them were good, but I thought they were dopest shit in the world at the time. I had a lot of activities going on when I was younger, so I was just stubborn and being told what to do sort of took away from my passion for it..and eventually I just said screw it. I regret doing it now, but ah well..c'est la vie. I'm thinking of learning how to play the piano now...if I could only afford to buy a keyboard or something.

Descry: Tunji, you seem to emphasize your education. With mainstream artists like Kanye West proudly admitting that he was a college dropout, do you feel as if your college education has inspired you musically?

Tunji: Well, I was making music all through college, and it was great because it was always easy to get people to come see us perform, or spread new music around. Plus, I met a lot of folks in college who are helping out when it comes to my music these days. I was a Media Studies major, so that helped me get a music industry job when I graduated and make most of the connections I have today. I'm glad I went, although paying back these loans is a bitch. As far as what I learned in the classroom making me a better artist, I wouldn't really say that's the case. The other great thing about college was it was my first time with high speed internet. My freshman year was the year Napster blew up and I learned how to find music online, and I learned so much about hip hop and other music that way...I never would have heard a lot of my favorite music if I hadn't had that high speed connection, haha.

Descry: On that note, do you advocate piracy as an artist? Do you see it becoming this virus the RIAA claims it to be?

Tunji: At this stage in our career, it's a huge benefit. Most people who hear our music are going to find out about it on the internet or download it randomly. I think if you make great music, it's not going to matter in the end whether people download it or not. I hope that people support artists in other ways if they really love them. If you're gonna download an album and you end up loving it, go see the show when the artist comes through town, or buy a t-shirt, or at least tell a bunch of people about the great music you heard.

Descry: Speaking of which, that's actually how I heard your music the first time. I downloaded the Cunninlynguists' "Sloppy Seconds 2 mixtape, and was impressed by the lyricism you guys brought to the table. How were you guys able to hook up with the QN5 team?

Tunji: I think Kno used to steal music from me when I was in college...And we started talking around the time the first CunninLynguists album dropped in '01. Then in '03 I got a bunch of money from my college and threw a show with CunninLynguists, Little Brother and Cee-Lo, so we all became better friends after that. That show lead to them getting Cee-Lo on A Piece of Strange, and as they started to get bigger and come do more shows in LA, we were always there and helping out behind the scenes. Everytime QN5 is in LA, we're there.

Toby: Well...I got some beats from Kno over 7 years ago actually. They never ended up anything, but we stayed talking from time to time. When Tunji put together the hip hop for charity show at the school... Cee-Lo, Little Brother, and Cunninlynguists came through and slept on my floor. We helped transport them around....Tunji being the show promoter and me just trying to help. We just sort of built with them from there. We gave them a place to stay when they were out here, and help them get around when we could. We just built a real friendship from there, and after doing lots of shows with them (and them having heard some of the stuff we were working on)....Kno allowed us to be on Sloppy Seconds 2. That seemed to be well received so we did a song for Asterisk 4 as well.

Tunji: Those guys are really our hip hop big brothers, and they really looked out by letting us appear on Sloppy Seconds 2 and Asterisk 4 - a lot of people know of us off those two songs alone. Not to mention they're making some of the best hip hop around. Plus, they give us good advice and are helping us out with our music and decisions we make. Deacon and Kno are executive producing the Inverse album, actually.

Descry: Wow, speaking of the Inverse album...when are you going to introduce the world to a proper full length?

Tunji: We're putting out a project called So Far on January 1st...It's not quite an album, but it's not a mixtape either. It's all original songs and beats, and collaborations, some older stuff and a little bit of new stuff. Kind of like a sample of what we've done and where we're at now, just to let people catch up and give them a glimpse of who we are before we drop the album Long Day's Journey later in '08. But yeah, So Far...we're definitely proud of it. We put it together like an album. Some of our close friends are on it and we've got production from Kno, M-Phazes, Styalz Fuego and our boys Oren Yoel and Cook Classics.

Toby: Yeah, So Far is a project that consists of a few songs that had been released, a few songs that we had made in the process of working on Long Day's Journey and we felt didn't fit in musically with the flow of that album, and then most of it is new songs that we made specifically for this project. Though it will have, I believe, 14 tracks...it's not the real album. It's basically a way for us to introduce ourselves to the audience, and letting them see what we're about and what we're capable of doing. Basically, something tangible for people to take home from shows so that people are ready and excited for Long Day's Journey when it comes out.

Descry: Dope! Besides music what else do you guys do?

Tunji: Even when I'm not making music, most of my social activity revolves around music...most of my friends are rappers, DJs and producers, or involved in music somehow. So I'm usually doing something music related. I spend a lot of time going to shows, chillin with the homeys and writing non-music stuff. We just started a blog that I'm kind of obssessed with too. Oh, and I puff mad trees.

Toby: I work...I teach kids gymnastics...my free time is pretty minimal these days.....if i'm not recording music...and i'm not occupied by work or exercise....I'm usually thinking about music....or writing it in my head.....I guess my only nerdy hobby is that I love languages....and I'm always trying to learn new languages or get better at the ones I speak. I got crazy respect for people that can speak like 5, 6,7, 8, + languages fluently...shit is awesome and I'm jealous. I speak 2 fluently...and 2 more conversationally, and then just a bunch of random words in a whole bunch more.

Descry: Fresh, my pops is like that. He knows almost 7 languages, it trips me out. Asides from all that, any last plugs, shouts or things we should be on the look out for?

Tunji: Ummm....look out for the Spitkicker mixtape that I'm helping put together with my boy Fizz and DJ Lowkey from Colorado. Look out for the new DJ Hyphen mixtape that I'm featured on. Look out for the new album from DJ Incise that we're working on. Look out for the new CunninLynguists album Dirty Acres, and Substantial's new album Sacrifice. Look out for the next generation of cats from LA. Definitely look out for Inverse, and check the blog to see what we're up to. Good lookin out.

Toby: I did a verse on a song on the Mudluscious album that came out last year. I think I'll be doing some guest spots on some of our friend's projects when those come out, but other than that it's just Inverse. Trying to get stuff done is time consuming when you have to get everyone together at the same time when myself, Tunji, and the studio engineer all have full time jobs. I would love to do more song writing for singers. That's something I really enjoy, but for no getting this Inverse stuff done is numero uno.

Descry: Thanks alot guys, we'll for sure be on the look out for ya'll in the near future!

Tunji: Fasho!

Toby: Yeah, no problem.






Inverse - Constellation feat. A-Dub & Nieve (produced by M-Phazes) [Download here!]



Inverse - 'Til The End (C.A.L.I.) ft. Trek Life and Deacon the Villain

Albums you're sleepin' on!

A-Love - Ace of Hearts. [Crookneck Records.2007]

Female MC's are lacking as of late, but this debut album from Melbourne's queen of hip hop is a refreshing reminder that girls can rap too. Released on November 24, 2007, this is definitely something you should try to get your hands on. Single handedly produced by BVA while A-Love gives that beautiful female touch.


A-Love - Love Is


Choice37 - Choice37 [Untapped Sounds.2007]

Beautiful debut album from Captions (formerly Longevity Crew) member Choice37. The album was titled "Diligence" overseas, but the US release features ALL NEW tracks and a brand new cover! The sounds...beautiful, soulful, introspective, and thought-provoking. Definitely one album you NEED to pick up this year.


Choice37 - Back To Cuba ft. The Earl & Lauren Santiago



Hyde Out Productions - 2nd Collection [Hyde Out Recordings. 2007]

The Hyde Out production team returns with another masterpiece, and a new beat crew member--Emancipator. The album holds true to the Hyde Out sound (which is Japanese influenced), and features the usual suspects--Nujabes, Apani B, Substantial, Uyama Hiroto, Pase Rock, and more! If you're looking for smooth jazz hip-hop styling, this is a something you need.

Nujabes - Sky Is Falling ft. C.L. Smooth


Ohmega Watts - Watts Happening [Ubiquity Records.2007]

Ohmega Watts is one of my favorite DJ/Producer/MC's to date. This triple threat is a member of the west coast's Lightheaded crew, and returns with straight heat. This time around Ohmega flexes his talent to put live jams together, and it works! Reminiscent of Madlib on the boards, this multi-talented musician offers something special to those that are more than fans of Hip-Hop.


Ohmega Watts - Triple Double ft. Theory Hazit


Y Society - Travel At Your Own Pace [Tres Records. 2007]

Insight and newcomer Damu the Fudgemunk unite to form the Y Society. Insight is definitely a beast on the mic, but what most of you didn't know was that he was one of my earliest mentors in the rap game. I owe a lot to this guy putting me on, and this album reminds me why.


Y Society - What's Next?

G-Koop!

There's a buzz on the streets, and it's all coming from the name G Koop. Hailing from Boston, and residing in Oakland, G Koop is a producer/musician that molds classic sounds with live instrumentation.

His music is forward looking, while embracing the sounds of the past; combining styles into a sound that is only his own. As a result, Koop's production is quickly gaining him recognition among those in the know.

"I try to keep my sound evolving. There's a lot of amazing cats out there that I have to compete with and fuel what I'm doing. "

The last year has seen Koop working with Fiber, Prozack Turner, Foreign Legion, Sub Krew, Nerve, Oh No, Roc C, Shania D, and Damariz Pairo. In addition his playing has graced the recordings of Jake One, Young Buck, Lil Scrappy, Nelly, 2Pac, Venison, Emile, and Veterano. The future is looking bright for G Koop.

"Even though time has shown that there's gonna be a lot of ups and downs in this industry, I try to rest easy knowing that no matter what, I'm just gonna keep doing what I'm doing!"

Today, I got the privilege to speak with G-Koop

G-Koop: SUP MAN!

Descry: Wassup man, what’s crackin’?

G-Koop: How you been?

Descry: Pretty good, how bout you?

G-Koop: Can’t complain.

Descry: To start it off, what’s your name and background?

G-Koop: I’m a musician, come producer, come engineer, come…music scholar.

Descry: Did you play any instruments when you were younger?

G-Koop: I started playing music when I was eight years old. I picked up the flute. I always to play guitar, but moms wanted me to try flute for some reason. It did not last. It lasted for about a month, and then I got my first guitar—it was off from there. I started off with guitar, went to bass, keys, harmonica, what else…synthesizers.

Descry: What equipment are you working with?

G-Koop: Production-wise, I use Protools, Recycle, and Reason. [I don’t sample from records], but I use Recycle to loop my own audio recordings. I play all the instruments myself, so I’m basically sampling myself and using Recycle to input the sounds into a sampler in Reason. I also have a large selection of vintage equipment—old synthesizers, guitars and amps, classic mic preamps, and microphones that help me achieve that vintage sound. I do a lot of sample interpolation work for a lot of other producers.

Descry: Sample interpolation? What is that exactly?

G-Koop: Basically, other producers come to me when they have a sample they want to work with, but they want a particular element of the sample. For instance, they might just want the keys, bass, or guitar sound in the sample and be able to have more freedom to work with it. On the other hand if they can’t clear the samples (maybe because they don’t have rights to use the master recordings) and they still want to use it, they’ll come to me and I’ll replay all the parts for them here in the studio.

Descry: How did you first get started on interpolation work?

G-Koop: Um…really, I guess the first guy that used me for sample replays was Jake One (G-Unit/De La Soul). He came over to the studio, saw that I had crazy equipment, and said “I’m about to put you to work man.” So it started like that, and from there the word just spread out…through referrals…the internet…stuff like that.

Descry: Who are some of the artists you’ve done interpolation work for?

G-Koop: I’ve done replays for 50 Cent, Lil’ Scrappy, The Mighty Underdogs (Gift of Gab, Lateef the Truthsayer, and Headnodic), Lanz a new artist on Interscope, and various other artists whether they be on indie or major labels.

Descry: If a producer wanted to hire you for sample interpolation work, how would they go on about doing that?

G-Koop: They can get to me on the website: http://gkoop.com/. My email’s rob[at]gkoop.com, and I’m also on Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/gkoopmusic)

Descry: Aside from the sample interpolation work, do you do any other production work for artists?

G-Koop: I just did some work for Nelly on his new album called “Brass Knuckles” called Self Esteem featuring Chuck D (Public Enemy). Got some production work on the new Foreign Legion album called “Night Moves.” Fellow Subkrew member Nerve is about to release his debut album “Deliberate Thoughts.” Jake One has a record coming out as well called “White Van Music,” I’ve also got some stuff on there.

Descry: Is there anything we, as listeners, should be looking out for next year?

G-Koop: I’m working on a record right now with Marc Stretch from Foreign Legion called the “Handclap Technicians.” It’s gonna be all original stuff, collaboration with me and him and other cats in the fam. Look for that maybe Summer ’08. I’m trying to get a new G-Koop mixtape out, but I’m so busy working with all of these other artists. Also look for Mista Town’s new record, it should be dropping mid ’08 as well.

Descry: What are your songs mostly about? Do you cover any specific themes?

G-Koop: Unless I’m working with a specific artist, I go off of music that inspires me. I try to pull influence from different directions and mold it into my own sound somehow. It all comes back to the live instrumentation that I work with, and what kind of sound I can pull out of the equipment.

Descry: Who are your inspirations musically, and what do you have banging in your box?

G-Koop: Definitely Miles Davis. I’ve got to give my respects to him, and listen to ANYTHING he’s done and all the cats that worked with him—Herbie Hancock, Tony Williams, Wayne Shorter, John Coltrane. You know…that heavy jazz influence. As far as Hip-Hop goes, I listen to J-Dilla, Madlib and Jake One…um…Prozack Turner, Marc Stretch, Mr. Rath, Nerve, Mista Town, and DJ D-Sharp.

Descry: Do you do anything else besides play music on your freetime?

G-Koop: I like to watch movies…tv…cook and eat good food. I try to work out when I can to put my body in shape, but overall music keeps me pretty tied up.

Descry: Word, any last plugs or things we should know about?

G-Koop: Hmm, I dunno. Don’t think I can think of anything at this point.

Descry: Word, it’s all good. Thanks so much for taking the time to talk.

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Oh No & Foreign Legion - Kali Distortion (Prod. G-Koop)


Lil Scrappy ft. 50 Cent - Ni**a, What's Up? (Prod. Jake One, Sample Interpolation. G-Koop)


Mr. Rath ft. Nerve - Knight Life (Prod. G-Koop)

GHOSTFACE

Ghostface. You know him--member of the legendary Wu-Tang Clan... but did you know he's releasing a new album though? Did you also know wanted to bring rap and Wu-Tang back on the map? His answer, the "Big Doe Rehab." The album is set to arrive on December 4th (a week before the slated new Wu-Tang Album "8 Diagrams")

My review? It ain't no Supreme Clientele (of course), but for 2007...it's mighty solid. Granted MF DOOM is nowhere to be found on this record, he is fairly substituted by Grind Music producers Sean C and LV (aka Bad Boy's reformed production team, The Hitmen--SEE: Jay-Z - "Roc Boys"). Yeah, the same dudes who produced six tracks on Jay-Z's "American Gangster" have produced six tracks for Ghost on the "Big Doe Rehab" ("Toney Sigel," "I'll Die For You," "We Celebrate," "Paisley Dart," "Shakey Dog," and *...see the credits) Although the bulk of the album is produced by The Hitmen, this is not to say that the other tracks aren't smokin' hot. Mixtape king Scram Jones, produces a beautiful...yet eerie, string piece (see Yapp City" below) perfected for that Wu sound. Another veteran, Anthony "Acid" Caputo [Ghostface's engineer], contributes three bangers as well ("Walk Around," "Supa GFK," and "Killa Lipstick") . Though the veteran's def got some nice play, that's not to say the newbies didn't get to shine. Up and comers Frequency ("White Linen Affair"....check out his DOPE joint on Snoop's last album, the Blue Carpet Treatment), Ant-Live (Yolanda's House) and Baby Grand ("Rec-Room Therapy") help Ghost extend that soul sound to the masses.


All that aside, here are a few previews of the record. If you're feelin' it, go buy it cause dude deserves our support! The Big Doe Rehab. 2007. Def Jam Records.



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Yapp City ft. Trife & Sun god



Yolanda's House ft. Raekwon and Method Man

The First Post

Welcome to the new blog by Descry of the Beatcrafters. New music will be introduced shortly.