Keeley and zaire video

Here's take two for Keelay & Zaire's "Alright With Me" video featuring Dminor and Phonte, complete with an updated opening sequence and perfected editing. The original version of the video is currently running on MTV's Hot Seat feature along with an interview with the duo. It is also slated to run regularly in MTV's video rotation. The new version opens in the studio of the world famous "Wake Up Show," where we see Phonte, Dminor, Keelay and Zaire speaking to DJ King Tech about the LA rooftop party they have planned for later on that night. The claims of being an underground Nate dogg i struggle with but thats me...

Poet....Hate the leak?

In an exclusive interview with Audible Treats, Blaq Poet and DJ Premier opened up about the state of hip-hop and the music industry.


AT: How did you link up with N.O.R.E. on this track?

Blaq Poet: "Me and N.O.R.E. been tight since way before he popped off, you know, so it was only a matter of time before we got together for a track like this."
Premo: "N.O.R.E. Has been a longtime friend in the industry, and the talk of doing a song one day finally came to light with a quick phone call. Plus he is from the Lefrak Projects and both from Queens... AUTOMATIC YES !!!!"

AT: What is your take on leaking songs?

Blaq Poet: Nowadays, leaking your track is a form of promotion. If your track leaks, it's all good, you have to get it out there. What it comes down to is if your track don't leak, it's not hot!"
Premo: "I think that leaking songs depends on who understands the knowledge of WHEN a leak should go out, and to what DJ's they are leaking out to. The majority of the DJ's on my personal list started at 36 and has now increased to 200 DJ's. I communicate with the ones that are not handcuffed to play what they think is a HOT record, not a playlist from the Program Director; that kills the progress of a good record's set up for more anticipation from the supporters to want to spend money on an album that they can trust will be worth their investment."

AT: Do you think leaking tracks helps or hurts your career?

Blaq Poet: "Before it blew up it used to be seen as hurting. Once it started getting big though, and the labels started seeing it happening it became a tool, they saw they could use it to promote your music. You want your tracks to get leaked."
Premo: "Hip-hop has ALWAYS based on leaking new shit early. It was all originated from what real DJ's call MIXSHOW (cutting, scratching, mixing) and being the tastemaker of breaking new records. If the hip-hop culture had a union of some sort, there would not be so many problems within its structure. My timing of leaking records is great because I have an outlet such as my weekly radio show that is dedicated to sticking to that script."

AT: What do you think about the current status of the music industry?

Blaq Poet: It's poppin! Hip-hop and RnB are still thriving and mixing, you've seen what people like Rick Ross and 50 (Cent) have been doing using the RnB influence in their music. Everything is healthy, hip-hop is good, and the recession didn’t even effect the industry; people are always going to want to eat and listen to their music."
Premo: "The current status of the music industry is very bad for major labels (they stopped caring about the quality of the product and the A&R's at hip hop labels have lost their minds on picking the next good artist to sign). Independent labels have a lot more to offer since hip-hop started from here. Majors were so late signing rap labels to joint ventures after they saw dollar signs. It was good for a while until majors started to kill our culture off by telling us that we are too old to do this after the age of 30. I saw it coming and went right back to independence. We truly care about our customers and we can make what we want, when we want; any indie label that puts out quality product will totally survive.Year Round=QUALITY !"

AT: Where do you think the music industry and hip-hop are heading? What's next for the industry?

Blaq Poet: "With hip-hop, the sky is the limit, you can't say which way its gonna go. Who knows, maybe country hip-hop is going to be the next big thing, I have no idea, I'm waiting to see, too."
Premo: "With the Internet, we are working on a website that will deliver all of the interesting things that I feel that my audience would love to see and buy, from T-shirts, to mix CD's, to rare footage that NO ONE HAS, DVD's,etc. I have been a music junkie since my birth, and I am following in the footsteps of the ones that came before me by making valuable availability of all sorts to the masses and thinking like they think. Just because I am of celebrity status, does not mean that I can't come down from my throne and be amongst the little people, they make the world go round. I never take that "I am above you" approach and stay humble throughout. Only when I'm on stage live is when I flip out, and rightfully so. The supporters spent their money to come out and see a great show. After the last song is played, I'm right back to humble, I win regardless."

check the Hate track feat N O R E below....shouts to michelle for the preem and poet interview
Hate...

Damn i miss YO!!!!

enjoy nerks here is some nice bits from YO....R I P

Finale...issues

The latest track from Finale's debut album A Pipe Dream & A Promise, "Issues," traces the difficulties of growing up in a less than ideal situation and doing what you have to do to make the best of it. Supported by the electronic beat of Swiss producer Dimlite, Finale spits verses of true stories about those who have had to face adversity in their life. Finale offered this explanation of the track: "When I got the beat, Dimlite just sent me the drums and I wrote it within an hour. I thought of the craziest and most real stories. I think rappers forget to show the moral of the story. I think they are so used to telling the outlandish, most gangsteriffic crap, they forget to tell the stories that people can relate to, like teen pregnancy, like my mom was 15 when she had me."

The song wraps up with a monologue by Prince Whip-A-Whip, a Bronx native rapper and former member of the Cold Crush Brothers, who reminds us of the underlying passion, substance, and self-expression that marked the experience of the early days of hip-hop in the Bronx.




issues

people getting hurt

i just love some funny shit caught on tape.

sand people....

"Money Is On Their Minds"
"Hate Aside"

Being part of a hip-hop crew comes with benefits - never get lonely on the road, never run out of song ideas, the more the merrier, right? Sure, right up until show money and royalty checks need to get split. So Sandpeople, a 10-member hip-hop collective repping Portland, Oregon, have a lot of mouths to feed, and just like Wu needed C.R.E.A.M. back in '93, in 2009, Sandpeople are in pursuit of that almighty greenback with "Money On Their Minds," from Long Story, Short... the Pacific Northwest collective's new studio EP. The money on their mind beat was nice i like the vocal used, check it out millers.

Del Boy...get it

States side Del is still on tour...check his free album its dope.

Remaining Tour Dates:
5/22/2009 Bella Music Fest Harmony Park 11:00 PM Clarks Grove, MN
6/5/2009 The Fillmore 8:00 PM San Francisco, CA
6/6/2009 The Catalyst 9:00 PM Santa Cruz, CA
6/9/2009 Fat Cat Music House tba Modesto, CA
6/10/2009 The Babylon Club tba Fresno, CA
6/11/2009 Fishlips tba Bakersfield, CA
6/12/2009 House of Blues 9:00 PM West Hollywood, CA


love this track off his album...check it millers.
"Get It Right Now"