New Music: “Assassin”

New joint from M.E. favorite John Mayer entitled “Assassin” – link via.

Battle Studies drops November 17th!

Mp3: “Assassin”

“You’re Still Here?”

Well…I have some explaining to do.

No matter, new posts are coming, and that’s all that matters.

Better late than never, right?

Does anyone still read this site?

New Music: “Escaping Arkham”

Well, I think I’ve hit that point. Which point is that, you might ask?
The point of absolute STANNERY. In my mind, Sabzi, R.A. Scion, and/or Geologic can do no wrong. I’m seeing Common Market in Providence at Jerky’s on March 26th, so if anyone’s going to be there – let me know! I don’t care about Digable Planets, I’m going just for the opening act!

Anyhow, this is called “Escaping Arkham”, and it’s from their new EP entitled “The Winter’s End EP”, which will be released on March 24th, digitally. I might have to talk to some people – I’m not trying to buy digital files. I’d fork over a pretty penny for a physical copy, but I never really understood the buying of digital media. Anyway though, I’ll get off my soapbox, and let you listen to the track. It’s on repeat over here. (obviously!)

Common Market – “Escaping Arkham”
DIRECT MP3 LINK

Free Music Sundays: Kavemura

This beat-maker from Italy drops the hot shit for your free consumption. I’d easily recommend giving this one a spin or five. Let me know what you think!

(Cover image wasn’t working properly, but it’s right here.)

Anyway, check this guy out, it’s absolutely worth it – and then let him know you appreciate his work.

Download “Overlook” for free.

Interview Session: Sabzi

Producer frrom Seattle-based groups Blue Scholars and Common Market. Real good dude, and you already know he makes incredible beats. This will actually be printed in the next issue of The Find Magazine, but I couldn’t keep this hidden for long! Enjoy!

1. First of all, thanks for taking the time to do this. It’s really appreciated! So, let’s pretend I had no idea who you were. Introduce yourself, if you don’t mind.
My name is Saba.  People also know me as Sabzi.  DJ/Producer, one half of Blue Scholars, and one half of Common Market.

2. Have you ever thought about creating an instrumental album under your own name?
I have absolutely thought about doing a solo record, or at least simply putting out more instrumentals that people can just bump in the ride.  I might just start making them available for download and not even limit them to only being on a record.

3. Will MassLine stay indie, or are you looking to move major?
Massline is a brand more than anything else.  It’s an identity that serves as a base for a handful of records, as well as events and community efforts.  As each of us develop as individual artists, we may find that we might want to do more in addition to all things “massline” related.  If that means being on a major, starting another label, giving up music and making movies instead… whatever, then so be it.

4. This question is really cliched, and I’m sorry – but how do you feel about downloading music?
I think it’s great.  The more the music gets out there, the better.  At this point it’s really up to the listener if they want to pay for music or not.  Either way, as long as the music is out there, bootlegged or bought, I’m for it.

5. Outside of BS / CM, who would you most like to craft a beat for?
Anybody who makes really good music.

6. Do you see yourself eventually working with other people? (Not that Geo/RA aren’t dope)
Of course.  I already have some projects in the works. =)

7. How do you go about finding and utilizing samples?
That’s like asking a skateboarder how they skate.  I dunno… I just do it? hahahaha.  I take whatever sounds dope and try to make a song out of it.  Really simple.

8. The Sylvers song used for “Loyalty” was also used in Foreign Exchange’s “All That You Are” a couple years prior. I love when people flip the same sample, others hate it – but did you know that the sample had been used, or did you only find out afterwards?
Good question!  I had that Foreign Exchange album when it came out and best believe I bumped it hard.  As for loyalty, honestly I don’t think I was conscious of it at the time I made the beat like “Oh this is the sylvers joint that FE used.  Cool, I’m gonna do it to.”  It was more like “hey that’s an ill sample, sounds familiar” and then later on I hear the FE joint again and I’m like “oh duh, that’s where it was from.”
I think Nicolay’s version is dope, definitely chopped it up more. It’s cool when two beatmakers flip the same sample but usually only when one does it different than how it was done before.  If somebody uses the same sample the same way in which it was used before, then that’s more on the lame side.

9. How long does it take you to craft a beat?
1 to 6 hours I guess, depending on what’s going into it.  1 hour for a beat, 6 for a real “song.”  And then of course there’s minor tweaking and stuff that happens later after further listening.

10. The piano solo at the end of “Tobacco Road” really ties everything on the great album together. Will you be doing things like that more often?
Absoluuuuutely.

11. I’ve noticed your brother Zia does plenty of video work with you guys. Is your whole family as creative as you two?
I dunno.  Time will tell.  I’m real hyped to see what kind of projects Zia finishes this year.  He’s got a few big things in the works… way bigger than Blue Scholars videos hahaha.

12.  What’s your favorite song?
Of all time or that we’ve made?  I can’t really answer the “of all time” angle; too many songs to list. As for what I’ve had the opportunity to work on, I think Loyalty, Bayani, Tobacco Road, and a couple other joints usually are battling for the number 1 spot.

13. Will you be doing more impromptu songs – similar to “Coffee and Snow” and RA’s sequel? That seemed like a lot of fun, and I know I enjoyed it.
100% absolutely yes.  This is the future of music.

14. In music, what is your ultimate goal? For you personally, what would you have to accomplish for you to sit back and say “This is the pinnacle.”?
Honestly man, I feel like I’ve learned that if I try to decide what the pinnacle of success is for me now, then I’ll only be limiting myself to just that. Regardless of your career, who you are or what you do, you never know what life has in store for you. It might be something far greater than the best thing you could have imagined for yourself. I love music and I’m really enjoying this music/entrepreneur lifestyle. My plan is to just enjoy it more every day. All I can tell you is that the pinnacle has yet to be reached.

15. If someone picks up an album that you were involved with in some way (production, etc), what would you say to make sure they bought it?
Ha, I dunno.  How about “I like it, maybe you will too.”

16. Do you think you have musical limits?
Sure I do.  I just try not to think about those hahaha.

17. Do you want to be a musical legend?
Lol.  John Legend is a musical Legend.

18. Thanks for stopping by! I, as well as everyone else, really appreciates your time! Best of luck to you and your team, any last words? Maybe any future projects you’d like to announce?
Just stay posted to bluescholars.com and you’ll hear about anything interesting we got goin’ on!  Thank you for the interview.

Free Music Sundays: Inverse

Direct swipe from QN5 BLOG.

I know this has been making rounds on the internet, but it’s dope, so here you go anyhow.
“

Tunji & Toby of Inverse are back with a another collection of tracks to cook your cranium Cali-style this winter. As promised, here’s the latest EP by QN5’s L.A.-cousins entitled So True.

With lush production by Kno, Decap and Cook Classics as well as guest appearances from Deacon The Villain and Substantial of QN5, this is a definite must have for Blue Schoolers & fans of soulful Hip Hop worldwide. Be sure to ride with them before their forthcoming debut album, Long Day’s Journey, drops later this year.

Inverse – So True [EP]
01. Rise and Shine – [Produced By Cook Classics]
02. So True (f/ Deacon The Villian) – [Produced By Decapbeats]
03. Sunnycalifornia Part 2 – [Produced By Adam Berg & Cook Classics]
04. Spark My Soul (f/ Substantial) – [Produced By Kno]
05. Beautiful City – [Produced By Cook Classics]
06. Goodnight Goodnight – [Produced By Kno]

CREDITS
Additional Production, Engineering & Mastering: Adam Berg
Asst. Engineer: Kyle Draper @ Manifest Music Productions
Photography: Nick Amrhein @ 3byOne.com
Artwork: DeChazier P. Johnson-Stokes @ Black Marmalade

Download.

Free Music Sunday: Dan Johns b/w GOOD NEWS!

A quality mixtape (but plays like an album…) from Dan Johns, teaming up with DJ Forge for this one. Plenty of tracks for you to find some you like. It’s a recommended listen just based on the guest spots!

Tracklisting:
01. Top Rhymes
02.  How You Gon’ School Me!
03. The Hoax (ft. Akshun)
04. See The Edge
05. Think Twice (ft. K-Hill)
06. No Rewinds
07. Hall of Fame
08. Scavengers of Hip Hop (ft. iCON The Mic King)
09. We Make The Rules (ft. Supastition)
10. Can’t Kill Me (ft. K-Hill)
11. Hopefully (ft. Fat Rat Da Czar)
12. Why Don’t You Hear Me (ft. Brian Connor)
13. Same Page ‘08 (ft. Chaundon)
14. Front Line (ft. Saga Cash)
15. Now I Know
16. Midnight Express (ft. Amen and Akshun)
17. Rest In Peace (ft. Vahid)
Couldn’t find a cover online – but here’s the download link.

And, as promised, some good news. The RIAA has switched up their strategy as far as attacking file sharers. While lowering the number of crazy lawsuits, the strategy is to work with certain ISP’s (Internet Service Providers: Verizon, Road Runner, for example) and simply send letters asking the offender to stop. If compliant, there seems to be no further penalty. If not compliant, the ISP can severly slow the bandwith and even cut off the offender from the internet. To me, it seems much more civil and reasonable. I’m glad that the RIAA has developed a strategy so they won’t be as hated.

“Depending on the agreement, the ISP will either forward the note to customers, or alert customers that they appear to be uploading music illegally, and ask them to stop. If the customers continue the file-sharing, they will get one or two more emails, perhaps accompanied by slower service from the provider. Finally, the ISP may cut off their access altogether.”

Read the full article here (WALL ST. JOURNAL)

Free Music Sundays: Jelani

New England-area emcee delivers a solid release, for the free.99 of course.

Make sure you check it out! Highly recommended.

1. Wait, You Can Rap?!?! (Intro)
2. Spotlight
3. The Proposal (f. 6th Sense & Wildabeast)
4. Do What You Love
5. Supernova (f. Mike Maven)
6. Let’s Dance!
7. Jelani The MC
8. Movers & Shakers (f. 6th Sense)
9. U4Got4U
10. Pain
11. The Feeling
12. Living My Dream

Download.

The Find Magazine – Issue Two

Heaps from Musical Schizophrenia along with a few others put a lot of work in putting this together. Includes interviews with Mr. J. Mederios, Nicolay, Praverb, reviews of albums and songs by Q-Tip, Common Market, Panacea, and Foreign Exchange, among others!

You can either download it as a .pdf file from:

Rapidshare

Mediafire

Or read it online through Issuu (no need to download anything, it works right in your browser).

It’s got a review written by me, so make sure you check it out! (Shameless plug)
Support good music please.

Free Music Sundays: Prince Ali

No relation to one of Musical Essence favorites Brother Ali, but this guy is still dope.

He came and blessed us last year with his free album I Miss 1994, (which deserves at least some of your spins), and now he’s back again to share some goodness with all of us. This is a quality EP, and as I’m building my year-end list this definetely deserves some consideration. Highly recommended – and plus – it’s free!

Tracklisting: Featuring appearances from: AZ, Keisha Shontelle, F.T. [Fuc That], ASN, Baby Blak and others.
1. Introduction
2. Rhythmicism Blvd.
3. Can’t Break
4. On The Road
5. Still That Dude
6. Intermission
7. Flow Ave
8. The Mental
9. Outro
FREE DOWNLOAD – “RHYTHMICISM BLVD. EP”
Head on over to his myspace and show some love for the dude, he certainly deserves it!

And finally, I apologize for my incredibly sporadic posting schedule. I’m trying to implement a set time each day to write some stuff, and things aren’t working out the way I’d like them. School is done for the semester a week from Wednesday, and Im using the month off to put the finishing touches on about 25 posts I have drafts for…So, even though I say this all the time, this won’t be a habit. Therefore, I will avidly try to post more often.
Musical Essence is for the children…and the females too, of course.