Futuristic - Flow Sessions v. 2

I met Futuristic, 2/10/2010, when he opened for Binary Star at the Terrace in Pasadena. I was pretty impressed at his ability to command a crowd and really brought the art of MCing alive that night.

Since then, I've helped him rock a show and lent a helping hand on his newest FREE offering--Flow Sessions vol.2.

The tape is hosted by DJ Kris Stylez of Black Wallstreet and you can find me on two tracks, "Letter Man" and "Plauge Mics."

Check it (click image for download):

We're going international!

Yep, right to the motherland--Korea.

Korea's an interesting place for me because my heritage is rooted there. Not many people know, but there's an almost eerie, parallel past to what certain Africans experienced in the early days of the United States' history. Not in the sense of specifics as it was "yellow on yellow" crime, but the Japanese-Korean struggle is something that is very much along the lines of enslavement and cultural erasement.

These kinds of issues can be further discussed privately or on a college campus, so what I want to focus on specifically is Korean Hip-Hop. The Korean Hip-Hop scene has exploded since the early nineties and a lot of great MC's have emerged from the industry boom. Artists like 3534, Seotaiji, Tiger JK of Drunken Tiger, Jinusean, 1Tym, and DJ Doc, have all pioneered Hip-Hop's integration into Korean pop music. Those early industry leaders spawned what I would tag the "new generation" of Korean MC's. At the forefront of this "new generation" you would have the The Quiett, Tablo of Epik High, Dynamic Duo, Verbal Jint, Palo Alto, and many others.

However, one artist in particular intrigued me--a gentleman known as The Quiett.

I was hipped to The Quiett in 2007 while I was vacationing in Korea. I was on a personal journey to find a record store that had wax so I could craft new beats...and I have to say, trying to find records in Korea was like mining for gold--near impossible. The records that I did find were mostly turds, so after a day of searching I got fed up and wandered into a tiny little CD store that was about to close. I still remember that day, the weather was terrible...I was soaked from the rain...and bummed out that I didn't have any music to bring back with me to California. I walked up to the register, and in my terrible Korean I asked..."Do you have any good Hip-Hop? Not like hip-pop, but...that boom-bap stuff." The guy at the register looked at me so confused, and thinking about it...if someone asked me that I would have just said "eh, I don't know."

Anyway, the gentleman at the register was kind enough to direct me to The Quiett's Music (2006 Re-issue). I checked it out on the listening station and I was blown away.

Did Korea just really bring that boom-bap?! This record had everything I love about underground Hip-Hop back home...scratching, hard thumping drums, samples...my face lit up with a huge smile. It hit me. Though it took me a while to understand what he was saying (the rapid fire delivery was faster than any Korean I was used to), I could relate to the music.

Recently, I was exited to hear about his upcoming 4th album (man, has it really been that long?), Quiet Storm: a Night Record. With production from heavyweights Jake One, Slakah the Beatchild, Kev Brown, and DJ Mitsu...The Quiett is poised to once again create some facemelting, true Hip-Hop. Check it out.

The Quiett - Quiet Storm: a Night Record
01 Welcome To The Show
02 Never Q.U.I.T.T.
03 Be My Luv
04 Stars (feat. Verbal Jint & Swings)
05 Lonely One
06 Q's Way (feat. 샛별)
07 Game Theory
08 Airplane Music (feat. Basick, Rimi, Beenzino, Fana & San E)
09 시간이 왔나봐 (feat. Dead'P)
10 Old Records
11 Love/Hate (feat. Jinbo)
12 Shine 'Em
13 Be My Luv Remix (feat. B-Free, 'NUCK'넋업샨, Paloalto & junggigo)

Releases: 3.11.10

What they're listening to v.2

I felt as if it was time to do a new version of what people are listening to. The last one I did featured Flying Lotus, DJ Benzi...was almost 2.5 years ago! So, here we go...


Descry:
1. One Be Lo - B.A.B.Y. (Being A Black Youth)
2. Kidkanevil - Basho Basho
3. Sonnymoon - Golden Age
4. Broken Bells - Broken Bells
5. Alicia Keys - Un-thinkable (I'm Ready)


Outasight:
1. Janelle Monae - Cold War/Tightrope
2. Vampire Weekend - Contra
3. The New Morning Benders - Excuses
4. Erykah Badu - Window Seat ft. ?uestlove
5. Freeway and Jake One - The Stimulus Package


Kevin Robinson (Uncovered 3rd):
1. Ayomari - PB&J Solution
2. Cam'ron - Boss of All Bosses 2
3. Bloc Party - Intimacy
4. Empire of the Sun - Walking on a Dream
5. J. Futuristic & Yung L.A. - Batman & Robin



Keelay:
1. The Jaspects - The Polkadotted Stripe
2. Johnny Polygon - Rebel Without Applause
3. Hudson Mowhawke - Room Mist EP/Butter
4. Emilio Rojas - Bold and Arrogant Remix
5. Robert Glasper - Double Booked

Daniel Chae (Feats in Inches/
The Nehemiah Band):
1. Kanye West - Graduation
2. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
3. Tegan and Sara - Sainthood
4. Andrew Bird - Noble Beast
5. Death Cab For Cutie - Transatlanticism


Aspect 1:
1. DJ Khalil - Chinatown Wars
2. Darkleaf - Beneath the Surface compilation
3. Afta 1 - unreleased LP
4. J.Bizness and Aiyro - Cali Fire Commission
5. Bobby Hutcherson - Dialogue


TOKiMONSTA:
1. Jimmi Hendrix - Purple Haze
2. Flying Lotus - Computer Face/Pure Being
3. Damfunk - Hood Pass Intact
4. Big L - Lifestylez Ov Da Poor and Dangerous
5. DJ Krush - Krush


Jackson Perry (A-Side Worldwide/Now On):
1. Miike Snow – Miike Snow
2. Empire of The Sun – Walking On A Dream
3. Yeasayer – Odd Blood
4. After The Smoke – Under The Influence EP (coming soon)
5. Denny Dreutron (Mayer Hawthorne + 14KT) – Black Future/People Change (coming soon on Stones Throw)


Incise:
1. Apparat - Fractales pt I
2. Shapeshifter - When I Return
3. Koushik - Nothings The Same
4. Apparat - Headup
5. Cranberries - Ode To My Family



Cook Classics:
1. Miike Snow - Miike Snow
2. The Beatles - Abbey Road
3. Common - Electric Circus
4. Jimmy Cliff - The Harder they Come
5. The XX - XX

Paved Paths f. Von Pea, MED, aDaD & Danny Brown

Illustrated by Jane Choi Design

I present to you "Paved Paths" off of my upcoming album "As Serenity Approaches."

The song was programmed by DJ Incise and features Von Pea of Tanya Morgan, Stones Throw's MED, Chicago MC ADaD, and Detroit MC Danny "The Hybrid" Brown.

My sophomore LP titled "As Serenity Approaches" will feature Oddisee, Dumbfoundead, Donwill, Ohmega Watts, Substantial, Raashan Ahmad, John Robinson, TiRon, Theo Martins, Nieve and more....Illustrated by Vanessa Maynard of No Heart

Check out the track HERE

Ninja Starz

Almost 9 months ago (6/14/2009, when the Lakers won the championship), I threw a concert featuring some of my friends/colleagues under the guise "Ninja Starz."

Being Asian-American, it was only natural that I would have called it Ninja Starz seeing as I'm a part of a crew called Shinobeats.

Anyhow, the show featured Rathmatixx, TOKiMONSTA, U-N-I, Tiron, Ayomari, Tunji, Diz Gibran, Dom Kennedy, El Prez, H.O.P.E., and 2dopeboy's own Meka. Each of whom I respect and am a huge fan of. I'm proud that Los Angeles is starting to make its comeback and as a part of LA's next generation, I wanted to share this night with you. Enjoy.

H.O.P.E.

H.O.P.E - H-O-P-E (Live @ Mountain Bar in Los Angeles, 6/14/09) from AlwaysHustle.com on Vimeo.

H.O.P.E - The Girlfriend Song (Live @ Mountain Bar in Los Angeles, 6/14/09) from AlwaysHustle.com on Vimeo.

El Prez

El Prez & Basicali - Revolutionary Cali Muzik (Live @ Mountain Bar, Los Angles 6/14/09) from AlwaysHustle.com on Vimeo.

Dom Kennedy

Dom Kennedy Live @ Mountain Bar, Los Angeles 6/14/09 from AlwaysHustle.com on Vimeo.

Tunji (True Greatness programmed by Incise/recorded & cuts by Descry.)

Tunji - True Greatness (Live @ Mountain Bar, Los Angeles 6/14/09) from AlwaysHustle.com on Vimeo.

Diz Gibran

Diz Gibran - Run Around (Live @ Mountain Bar, Los Angles 6/14/09 from AlwaysHustle.com on Vimeo.

Diz Gibran - Capital D (Live @ Mountain Bar, Los Angeles 6/14/09) from AlwaysHustle.com on Vimeo.

TiRon & Ayomari

Tiron - Sydney feat Ayomari (Live @ Mountain Bar, Los Angeles 6/14/09) from AlwaysHustle.com on Vimeo.

U-N-I

U-N-I - Voltron (Live @ Mountain Bar, Los Angeles 6/14/09) from AlwaysHustle.com on Vimeo.

U-N-I - Castle Vee (Live @ Mountain Bar, Los Angeles 6/14/09) from AlwaysHustle.com on Vimeo.

U-N-I - Land Of The Kings (Live @ Mountain Bar, Los Angeles 6/14/09) from AlwaysHustle.com on Vimeo.

Cookie's are Classics

Meet one of dopest producers this side of the west coast--Cook Classics.

Born and raised in NYC, this LA transplant has already made huge moves producing tracks for artists like Diamond D, Pacific Division, Amanda Diva, Buff1, TiRon, Outasight, 6th Sense, and a whole slew of other DOPE lyricists.

I met Cook when I was chillin' with Tunji and we rolled to Cook's crib trying to finalize a track on Inverse's So Far tape...the track was "Sunnycalifornia." The beat came on and it was what I like to call...instavibe. Drums were knockin'...bass was thumpin'...I wanted to quit making beats if this dude was my competition. Wow.

Since then, I've been checking for his work and if you' haven't heard any of it...time to get up because the tracks are incredible!

You can find more of his work on these releases:
Diamond D - The Huge Hefner Chronicles (I Getz It In)
Nieve & Cook - Away With Words

Get to know him a little bit better with this past Hip-Hop Official feature:

Check, @olatunji

Earlier in the week I had a chance to interview one of my favorite MC's....Tunji. I interviewed him back in 2007-08 when Inverse was just starting to make some noise...what more do I need to say?

me: Last time I interviewed you was the end of 2007, tell us what's been goin’ on with you and your crew?
Tunji: Well, a lot has changed since then...My group Inverse put out two projects - So Far (The Collection) in early '08 and and So True EP in early '09 - and a music video this summer that won a big contest on MTVU. But we're actually working separately now, on solo projects. So I'm pretty much just focusing on getting my solo stuff out there in the near future and building the Tunji name and brand.

me: Solo project? Is that what you've got on deck next? Tell us about that!
Tunji: Well, I can't really tell you too much about it because I'm still very much in the beginning stages of planning and writing, but it feels really good right now. I'm working with a lot of the same people who we worked with for Inverse, and a bunch of new faces as well. I'll probably actually end up releasing a free project first, with some stuff people have heard and some new exclusive music, and then follow it up with a more official EP or album soon after. I'm still figuring it all out, but I'm pretty sure I'll put a project out before '09 is over.

me: Definitely excited about that. We've seen you feature on a few prominent LP's such as Keelay & Zaire's debut...what is the process you take for making collaborations happen?
Tunji: Man, honestly, I just work with my friends...I'm a pretty social person, and I actually work in the industry, so I just meet a lot of people who make music and end up becoming cool with them. Then they might hear some of my stuff and think its dope, and a collaboration comes out of it. I'm not the type to collab with people I don't know. There has to be some sort of personal connection with who I'm working with or it just doesn't feel right.

me: On that note, what kind of advice can you give to a fledgling rapper who's trying to make it in the business these days?
Tunji: Basically, work hard as hell. Both at your craft and your promotion of the music you're making. Meet every single person you can in your city, on every level of music. That's producers, promoters, other rappers, other musicians who don't even make hip hop...just meet EVERYBODY. Make connections, and get online. The internet is the greatest marketing tool in the history of indie music, but you have to take advantage of the tools provided and present yourself in a unique and professional way

me: Definitely. What are some of your highlighted albums of 2009?
Tunji: This has been the year of the mixtape. Drake, J. Cole, TiRon Pac Div and Diz Gibran all put out incredible mixtapes. Drake's is easily my most played and favorite hip hop record of the year... Some of the veterans came back with good stuff too. I liked Em's album, Rae's album is insane. I enjoyed the Slaughterhouse and Fabolous albums a lot too. Jay's album really disappointed me. But yeah, as far as my favorites...it's all those mixtapes from rookies. I know I'm forgetting something... Oh, I forgot about Brother Ali's EP. That was great too. and Mos Def's The Ecstatic. Right now I love this group from Sweden called Little Dragon...it's like really quirky trip hop, but superdope. Maxwell's new album is really dope. Mayer Hawthorne's album is absolutely wonderful.and I'm late, but The Wire is the greatest show.....EVER

me: I tried w/ the wire, but couldn't do it.
Tunji: :-o
me: Slept through the first few eps!
Tunji: :-o!!!!!!!!!!! :-/
me: I heard it picks up around s.3?
Tunji: Dude, season one is the ish...Season 2 was the boring one.
me: Forreal? Everyone was saying it was dope so I copped the whole series…couldn't get past ep 3
Tunji: man, are we talking about the same show?
me: The wire, right?
Tunji: cops drug dealers? in baltimore? hahaha
me: I have to recheck then
Tunji: You like Entourage, right?
me: Yeah, only show I'm following
Tunji: okay, we agree there then. haha
me: lol. Nah, i thought something was wrong ‘cause I was the only dude who didn't feel the first few eps…and I really like gangster flicks AND drug dealer entertainment. Anyway, thanks for the interview fam! Always fun.
Tunji: indeed