Friday 31 December 2010
End of the Year: 2010
I swear that the older you get, the quicker time passes you by; it's quite scary if you think about it. It doesn't seem that long ago I was writing last year's round up!
Normally I'd end up doing a long, drawn out post about important events which have happened this year, alongside any musical and personal highlights. This year, I'll keep it brief and to the point, as I have to leave the house to go DJ in a little while...
In short, the UK "Urban" scene is on top form at the moment. Whilst I don't necessarily agree with this tried and tested formula of making 125-130bpm Electro pop tunes, artists such as Tinie Tempah, Plan B broke the mould and did something different, whilst Skepta made Grime history by making a tune with Diddy. JME put out the best UK album of 2010, Elijah & Skilliam created one of the most exciting records labels, whilst Spooky, Teddy, Rude Kid, Swindle & Terror Danjah all put out some amazing tunes. 2011 definitely looks promising, with artists such as Wretch 32, Jessie J and Yasmin all set to blow.
Speaking of Yasmin, I also want to give her a massive thanks for bringing me on board as her DJ. Recording at Maida Vale was an incredible experience, and has definitely been one of the highlights of my DJ career so far. I also want to thank CJ Beatz & Mistajam for giving me the opportunities to produce guest mixes for their shows on 1Xtra, and also Marco Del Horno for inviting me on his Rinse FM show earlier this year. Watch out for him in 2011.
Other highlights include winning the Dogs On Acid x Urban Art Forms DJ comp, and achieving 3rd place (again) at the DMC World Team Championships with Bionic Stylus. Considering we had even less time than last year, I was really happy with the routine we put together. Whilst I've officially retired from solo battles, I'll still be keeping an eye on the DMCs, especially now that they've introduced DVS into the competition. Props to Sally DMC and Tony Prince for keeping the art of turntablism alive.
We also saw Dubstep became the "cool" thing to like, with students all over the UK pestering me for Mt Eden, or any of the tracks that they hear on Radio 1. In turn, most of the Urban DJs who had jumped on Funky in the same way became Dubstep DJs all of a sudden. I've been playing this music for a good few years now, and once the mainstream hype is over, and those £50 DJs who will play anything to get a booking jump on to the next fad, I'll still be championing my style of Hip Hop, Dubstep, Grime and Experimental/Electronic music. Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere :)
Once again, I've the had opportunities to play at some of the best club nights around the UK (Goonies, Murkage, Bigger Than Barry, Bad Intentions, etc), play at the Urban Art Forms festival in Austria, get booked to play in China (even if the volcano ruined it!), and continue to meet some amazing producers, DJs, and some interesting characters along the way. Whilst some months have been quiet, and whilst there was the odd setback here and there, I'm still grateful that I can continue to do what I love and get paid...and with a digital label on the horizon, potential tours, and continued support from you guys online (Shouts to Khal and DJ Nappy), 2011 can only be bigger and better.
There are too many people who I'd like to thank, so I won't make this long post even more unreadable by writing a massive list; so to everyone who's worked with me, booked me, supported my tunes, bumped my mixtapes, or taken the time to say hello to me this year, thank you. Have an awesome new year and I'll see you all in 2011, fully refreshed and ready to go!
Monday 27 December 2010
More Dubstep & Grime freebies...
Being the season of goodwill, more producers and artists have put up a bunch of tunes for free download. On the Dubstep tip, here's some freeness from Mensah, Jack Sparrow, Quest & DJ Madd.
Mensah Xmas Pack
Jack Sparrow Xmas Pack
Quest Xmas Pack
DJ Madd Xmas Pack
Now for some Grime...
Ghetts has also released a free EP. Packed full of new heat, they're well worth checking out...
DOWNLOAD: Ghetts "Merry Christmas EP"
Lastly, Newham Generals' Footsie has put up a 4 track EP, consisting of 4 instrumentals and 1 vocal tune.
DOWNLOAD: Footsie "Rastaman Pickney EP"
Plenty of quality music to keep you occupied this festive season.
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Saturday 25 December 2010
Merry Christmas - Dubstep Edition
It's that time of year again... Merry Christmas to all the blog readers!
As a seasonal bonus, here are some Dubstep/UKG freebies that have put up by various producers... Skream has been a roll with his Freeizm EPs this year, and top off what's been an amazing year for both him and Magnetic Man, he's released a Freeizm LP, containing a selection of sought-after dubs.
DOWNLOAD
Tracklisting:
01. Intro
02. No Ready
03. Cold Outside
04. 10 Bit Dreamz
05. Minor
06. Back From The Zoo
07. Krazy Snares
08. Lightnin VIP
09. Left The Room
10. Commercial SellOut
11. CTO
12. Skwelcha
13. Emotional Shizzle
And if that wasn't good enough, Headhunter aka Addison Groove has decided to give away Footcrab VIP for free as well... The original brought something new to the table with its Juke-influenced 808 drums and chopped vocal samples, and the VIP will be a most welcome addition to DJs' sets.
Download it HERE
Last but not least, legendary UK Garage and House producer Zed Bias has recently liberated a load of lost tracks after stumbling across the DAT tapes.
Zed Bias - 'LOST DATS ARCHIVE' volume 1 (Xmas Giveaway) by zedbias
In his words:
To celebrate a great year I've decided to share a selection of 20 Zed Bias and Phuturistix remixes, rare bootlegs and instrumentals from between 1998 and 2000. About 6 years ago I had lost a box of DAT tapes and randomly found them again this year... these DATs contain all my early recordings and here I've selected some cuts that are unavailable digitally anywhere and I've had them remastered so they are ready for bangin, in the car, in the club or on your ipod.... Enjoy!
Enjoy the rest of your day!
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Friday 24 December 2010
Yasmin "Santa Loves R&B" Mix
Unfortunately, I don't have the time this year to put together a random Christmas DJ tool (remember these two?) or a mix, but luckily Yasmin has come through with this great mix of R&B, with a couple of Xmas-themed tunes at the start.
Props for including the Santa Baby edit!
Sunday 19 December 2010
Ghostface Feat. Black Thought "In Tha Park"
Here's one of the tunes from Ghostface’s "Apollo Kids" album, which is due out 21st December on Def Jam. Featuring appearances from Joell Ortiz, Busta Rhymes, Redman, Method Man, GZA, Raekwon and more, this looks like it'll be a solid album. Ghostface rarely disappoints.
DOWNLOAD
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StayFresh "Game Over Remix" (Music Video)
The West Midands-based crew go in over Tinchy's club banger.
I'm a big supporter of the 0121 scene; more DJs need to wake up and take note of this lot... 2010 has been a great year for people such as Macca and S-X. I'm looking forward to seeing what bring to the UK music scene in 2011.
P.S. Not yet copped the "Wooooo" Mixtape? Download it here
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Saturday 18 December 2010
True Tiger Feat. P Money, Blacks & Newham Generals "Slang Like This Remix"
Out on Monday... I suggest you go purchase a copy.
Previously: Slang Like This Music Video & "Behind The Scenes"
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True Tiger,
uk music
Red Cafe "Certified" (Music Video)
Gotta love that Simple Minds sample...
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hip hop,
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red cafe,
Simple Minds
Nicki Minaj "Your Love (Silent Dust Remix)" (Video)
Just spotted this over at Rock The Dub. I was never a fan of the original version of "Your Love"; that Annie Lennox sample really got on my nerves...and just when I thought it'd be near impossible to make a decent remix, Silent Dust (aka Hobzee & Zyon Base) come through with this little gem.
I love how through the use of minimal drums, a few guitar samples, and some lush synths, they've added a more emotive feeling to the track. According to Khal they also produce D&B, and have a debut album due for release on Soul:R, which I'm looking forward to checking out.
*sigh* If only that ass was real....
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Caspa "Marmite (Cable VIP Re-edit)"
Seeing as the snow has fucked up another one of my bookings this weekend, I thought I'd get back on the blogging...
Some of you may remember I made this back in 2009 as a DJ tool. After featuring it in my Discobelle and BBC 1Xtra mixes, and months of requests - here it is. Caspa's banger gets flipped into a breaks/booty bass number.
Feel free to leave feedback/comments on the soundcloud page. More VIPs to come soon!
Thursday 16 December 2010
Wednesday 15 December 2010
Pete Rock flipping "Love Is a Battlefield" (Video)
Randomly stumbled upon this video earlier today. It's always interesting to see how people like Pete Rock flip samples on the MPC...
In case you haven't heard the actual track, which is from C.L. Smooth's 2007 album "The Outsider", here it is:
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Yasmin Interview with Mitch and Suave (Video)
Mitch and Suave recently caught up with Singer/Songwriter Yasmin for a Christmas themed interview. She speaks about her debut single 'On My Own' (which is now available to pre-order from iTunes), and working with N.E.R.D and Devlin. They also set her a Christmas challenge of wrapping a present in under 60 seconds...
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Monday 13 December 2010
DJ Cable "House Of Billiam Mix"
So I guess I've got time for another mix before the 2010 draws to an end.... This time, I've teamed up with ultra dope clothing company House Of Billiam, who specialise in tailored streetwear. They've got a range of high profile UK artists rocking their garms - check out their website for full pics, and details on their collection (varsity jackets ftw!).
Anyhow, they recently enlisted me to contribute to their series of promo mixes up on Mixcloud, and as it's been a while since I rocked an all-Hip Hop mixtape, I thought I'd go in with some recent cuts that I've been feeling from the likes of Big Sean, El-P, Waka Flocka, Rick Ross, French Montana, Fat Joe, Freddie Gibbs and more... As usual, expect a healthy dose of that scratching and juggling nonsense :)
If you want to download the mix, you'll have to subscribe to my podcast HERE, which is now available on iTunes! You can also grab the rest of this year's mixes from there too... It's free, it's easy, and it means you'll be able keep up to date without having to stress about download links, etc...
Once again, in case you missed the link - It's here!
Tracklisting:
01. Big Sean Feat. Pat Piff - I Go Hard
02. Joell Ortiz - Sing Like Bilal
03. Sheek Louch Feat. Joell Ortiz & Termanology - This Hip Hop
04. Freddie Gibbs - Born To Roll Freestyle
05. Fat Joe Feat. Rico Love - No Problems
06. Raaka - Assault & Battery
07. El-P - Whores: The Movie
08. French Montana Feat. Fat Joe - We Run NY
09. Cali Swag District - Teach Me How To Dougie
10. Lloyd Banks Feat. Swizz Beatz, Kanye West - Start It Up
11. Pusha T - Start It Up (Lost Verse)
12. Red Cafe Feat. Fabolous & Diddy - Money, Money, Money
13. Closed Sessions Feat. Freddie Gibbs & YP - Something New
14. DJ Ayres Feat. GLC - Got Me Gone
15. Rick Ross - MC Hammer
16. Waka Flocka Flame - Hard In Da Paint
17. Waka Flocka Flame - Bustin' At Em
18. CyHi Da Prynce - Sidewayz
Enjoy!
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Another BAPE fail...
BAPE brogues? Really? Really?!
I hate to sound rude, but if I see you walking down down the street you're wearing these monstrosities, I will laugh at you...
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Classic Tracks: Calibre "Drop It Down"
It's been a long while since I hit you with a "Classic Tracks" post, and after recently realising this is available for digital download I thought I'd dedicate this one to Calibre's faultless "Drop It Down".
A little bit about this tune: This came out around late 2004. I was in my final year of university, and had just taken a part time job at Chemical Records. I used to sort out the mail orders in the warehouse and occasionally help out in the store out front, as well as unpacking the deliveries. Upon discovering this tune, it got rinsed in the store all day....until the management eventually reclaimed the store's sound system and changed the playlist...
Anyhow, "Drop It Down" itself is a perfect combination of deep bass, piano stabs and rolling drums; and with MC Fats on the vocals, you've got one soulful roller...
This tune reminds me of the good times I had at countless house parties and club nights during that final period of University. I miss those Drive By nights at Level, Creation, and the numerous other raves at venues such as Bristol Academy.
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The Cool Kids "Big Talk" (Music Video)
It's been a minute since I posted some Hip Hop on the blog, sere's some brand new heat from The Cool Kids. Turn this one up loud... The bass is heavy.
Download the track here
Thursday 9 December 2010
Weather Forecasts for Sneakerheads
Ever looked outside your window of a morning and thought "hmmmm, I wonder what sneakers are best suited for today's weather?" Well, thanks to Sneaker Weather.com you no longer have to worry about getting your precious Jordans, Dunks or Air Maxes ruined.
Utilising weather forecasts for a number of cities, it provides you with a list of suggested models and colourways, and even goes as far as providing links to purchase the suggested sneakers, as well as the ability link with your Facebook & Twitter profiles. All in all, it's a pretty good design.
Related: Sneakerpedia Trailer (Video)
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Transformers: Dark Of The Moon (Trailer)
Let's hope this doesn't fall foul to the shite dialogue and comedy that made up practically all of "Revenge Of The Fallen".
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Sneakerpedia Trailer (Video)
Sneakerpedia Trailer from Sneakerpedia on Vimeo.
This looks awesome. Shouts to Jenny Bang for the heads up!
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fashion,
information,
Sneakerpedia,
sneakers
Wednesday 8 December 2010
Rinse FM gets official FM frequency
Good news for Rinse FM, who recently got awarded a community licence. The station announced that they will shortly be available on Londoners’ FM dials again, broadcasting on 106.8. They’ve taken to the streets to advertise the news, as you can see by the above picture.
Good work lads!
Saturday 4 December 2010
Yasmin "On My Own" (Official Video)
Directed by Luke Monaghan and Emil Nava. This is a sick debut video!
You can also read the full story behind the video on her blog, which is pretty interesting. Make sure you cop it on 30th January, 2011.
Previously Yasmin "On My Own" (Preview) & Maida Vale Pics
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Friday 3 December 2010
Lloyd Banks Feat. Sway, Giggs, Kanye, Swizz Beatz & Ryan Leslie "Start It Up" (UK Remix)
Lloyd Banks was in town this week and hooked up with Sway & Giggs for the official UK remix. This is fire.
Via DJ Motive
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Thursday 2 December 2010
Just Blaze talks about Jay Electronica (Video)
Just Blaze on how he feels about Jay Elect signing to Roc Nation (refusing to comment). He goes on to speak about Diddy’s attempt at capitalizing on Jay’s talent/fanbase, and how he’s been offered a slew of shady offers in the past.
Via 2dopeboyz
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Wednesday 1 December 2010
Remix Mr Mitch's "Skittles"
Elijah and Skilliam aka Butterz are on a roll. With the recent resurgence of Grime instrumentals, they've been at the forefront of the scene, pushing new music and in turn, pushing new artists such as Swindle and Royal T.
Fresh from recently releasing the stems to Terror Danjah's "Air Bubble", Elijah has just liberated the stems to Mr. Mitch's new joint, "Skittles".
In his words:
Everyone in England is snowed in. I just finished a bag of Skittles and I thought I would upload the stems for all the producers that want something to do while we are stuck inside. Big up Mr Mitch each and every time. The original is still on iTunes or here on vinyl if you want in.
Download the stems here To submit your remixes, and to also sign up to the Butterz newsletter email Elijah here
If you want to cop some Butterz records, purchase them here
Mishka Fall/Winter 2010 Promo Video by Human Tree
MISHKA 2010 HOLIDAY COLLECTION / PROMOTION VIDEO from humantree on Vimeo.
Mishka's Korean distributor, Human Tree went and created this stylish little promotional clip, showcasing a few of the pieces from the brand's Holiday and Fall 2010 collections.
Streetwear video lookbooks with a jazz soundtrack? Win.
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