Consider yourself invited...

Attention all UK MC's...

I am currently putting together a remix project featuring UK MC's over beats made by me sampling a band whom i will not mention until it's finished.

Think 'The Grey Album' but instead of Jay-Z there will be lots of different artists and instead of The Beatles it's...a different band.

Currently signed up are Ben Black of The Delusionists, recently featured & amazingly sick female MC Jai, Wordsmith, Genesis Elijah, Mystro, Asaviour and a few others that aren't confirmed yet.

If you would like to be a part of this, e-mail me as many acapellas of you as you want with the BPM of the original track and i'll let you know if you'll be featured, as well as bring you into the loop with a few more details about the project.

As i said - unfortunately, this applies to just UK MC's but if you're not from the UK and you play an instrument, you know what your doing with mixing tracks down or you have something else that you think you could bring to the table - get at me still. I want this to be a hugely collaborative effort and hopefully we'll all get some new fans out of it.

Please send all acapellas to mashupfigment@hotmail.co.uk

Delusionists Interview

I can't take the credit for this interview as i didn't conduct it but you should read it all the same. It was featured on the rather excellent hip hop blog Certified Banger. you may remember me posting their EP - 'The Prolusion' in May. If you missed it, Check it out HERE. It's THE SHIT.

Certified Banger: Can you tell us your necessary background details so we can build on basics for the rest of the interview? For example: who you are, projects you have worked on, people you have worked with.

Ben Black: Ben Black aka Beanz aka that rapper/producer out of Delusionists. We dropped our debut EP 'The Prolusion' earlier this year, which was a strictly in-house production. Off the strength of that we're starting to link with some other heads so we've got a few remixes and collabos bubbling beneath the surface... Some of it has come off the back of being on On The Radar 4 so big up to Certified Banger for that!

CB: What are your current or upcoming projects? ie albums, singles, tours, guest spots…

BB: At the moment we're still pushing 'The Prolusion'. We're pressing hard copies of it and trying to get 'em in people's hands at shows and when we're out and about. There'll be a few bonus cuts on there too - remixes and a couple of other things we've been working on lately, like 'The Movement' which we dropped a couple of weeks back. Oh, and a remix of 'Parallel Worldz'.

The album is also well and truly in the works and I'm enjoying writing it and piecing it all together. I've produced all of our stuff myself so far but I'm taking a bit of a backseat this time and my boy Slim Pickens (UK All Day) has stepped up to handle a lot of the beats. He did The Movement and it instantly just seemed to fit, so we're using that as the blueprint for the way forward. We're also trying to hook up a few suprise collabos for the project, which should get people excited if it comes to fruition...

CB: How would you describe your sound? Is there any one track that would best define your style?

BB: Difficult to say, man! 'The Prolusion' was all about finding our sound really so you'll find a mix of styles on there. Fast, slow, happy, sad, clever, ignorant... It kind of shows the full repetoire of what we could do at the time.

I suppose 'The Evil' sums us up best though, because it deals with two sides of a coin. It's like a message to females saying "Look, I am a twat, I will do twattish things. But I KNOW I'm a twat and I intend to change'. A lot of hip hop deals with the first part, in that it puts a spotlight on the negative behaviour but doesn't always acheive a balance by showing the other side. I suppose we're coming from a similar angle to someone like Common - he's said some pretty ignorant s**t in his time, particularly in his early career, but it's always tempered with the conscious, insightful stuff. Some people would say that's contradictory but humans aren't one dimensional, so music should reflect that.

But yeah, you'll hear a lot of cocky, bragging stuff from us because that's what we enjoy, but you might just hear some deeper stuff if you listen close enough. I like the type of Hip Hop where you won't necessarily pick up on things until you've had a few listens, so we try to make stuff that has a little something beneath the surface.

CB: Who have been your biggest musical influences and which Hip Hop artists have inspired you? Which are your favourite albums? What music were you brought up on?

BB: I was chatting about this to DBF (fellow Delusionists MC) the other day and we agreed that pound-for-pound Jay-Z has probably been our biggest influence over the years. Can't say I'm too impressed with BP3 though...

Other than him, I'd say De La, Tribe, DOOM and Jehst have all been massive influences at various points in my development as an emcee. De La and Tribe because they showed that you don't have to be "hard" to make proper Hip Hop. DOOM because I love the way he just seems to be having a laugh without being a corny punchline rapper. And Billy Brimstone because he's consistently proved that a Brit can be up there with the best in the world, and that gives you belief!

I could write a huge list of my favourite albums but the ones that spring to mind? 'The Score', 'ATLiens', 'The Chronic', 'Midnight Marauders' and more recently Q-tips' 'The Renaissance'. And now I feel bad because I've left out loads of classic albums... '36 Chambers'! Oh, and just to avoid being a complete cliche, 'Illmatic' probably isn't in my top ten.

CB: What is your earliest memory of anything Hip Hop related? First rap track heard? First time you rapped?

BB: My earliest Hip Hop memory was my brother playing 'The Show' in the mid-80s. Inspector Gadget was my s**t at the time and when I heard that theme music mixed with that beat I was hooked from then on. I've got to thank my big bro really, for letting me watch them breakdancing movies with him and letting me 'borrow' his Eric B and Rakim records. Yep, I've still got 'em and no, you ain't gettin' 'em back!

I did fanny about with poetry for a bit but I wrote my 1st rap when I was about 10. It was for a school project about tbe Tudors. Henry VIII was the original gangsta! "F**k a pimp slap, cut that bitch's head off!" Me and a few others performed it to the class and when i realised that I could get away with doing that instead of proper work there was no stopping me. Our next one was about Ancient Egypt and I've been writing gradually less educational rhymes ever since.

CB: Where are you from? Can you tell us a bit more about the Hip Hop scene there?

BB: Well, I've lived in West London for the last few years but I was brought up in Lowestoft (Google it). There wasn't any sort of Hip Hop scene, other than a few of us who used to play basketball and listen to whatever The Source told us to. It was good though because it made me go out and seek Hip Hop culture and allowed me to have a fairly unique take on it without being influenced by friends or whoever saying this or that is what i should be into. I didn't really feel that peer pressure to be into any acts in particular, because nobody else really had a f**king clue about Hip Hop. I think you also value stuff more if it's hard to come by, y'know? Which is probably what's up with things at the moment - you don't even have to walk to the shop to get an album now, let alone pay for it! I can remember saving up for weeks just so I could go and get the Dogg Pound album when it eventually came out in the local record shop (about a year after it was released).

CB: What about the Hip Hop scene in general, UK or worldwide – where do you think it’s headed? Are things good/bad? What are your current philosophical thoughts on the current trends in rap music?

BB: Arrrgghhh! The current trends... Well, there is a lot of shit out there. That's my philosophical insight! But nah, there's always been rubbish out there, it's just that now the rubbish is getting some exposure. I'm a bit suspicious of big name DJs getting behind acts that have their ads all over telly and the internet, like "You really like that? Really!?!". Maybe I'm just being cynical but it's a bit strange that you want to co-sign something with a big marketing budget but you don't say f**k all about something of real quality like 'The A-loop Theory'. That's not supporting the scene, it's damaging it by making the general public think "oh, so this is what British Hip Hop sounds like...".

But I've gotta say, although it hurts to see hip hop bastardised and repackaged to suit the teeny boppers you can't be that mad. I can't lie, I liked Kriss Kross and MC Hammer as a kid - who didn't? As long as there's some balance I think Hip Hop will be okay, but if Gang Starr came back sampling 2 Unlimited I'd be worried. What's reassuring is that hip hop will always rebel against itself. For example, there's a lot of people trying to 'Push the boundaries' production wise and neglecting the lyrics a bit. But I think there's a lot of fans who just want to hear some no-nonsense music and entertaining lyrics, which hopefully is where we come in.

CB: What process do you go through when writing a track? Do you start with a beat, a concept, a lyric that you thought of in the shower? What happens next?

BB: It's any and all of those things! Quite often i'll just hear a word or phrase and think "I've never heard that on a record" and I'll think of something that rhymes with it and take it from there. That's one way to stay original I suppose. More concept-heavy songs can take ages to write though. Sometimes a beat conjures a certain emotion and you want to do it justice so you have to choose your words carefully. I've just started writing to other people's beats and that's much easier coz you're not thinking 'That bassline's a bit muffled" or whatever. You can just concentrate on the lyrics and let the producer take the blame if people don't like the beat!

CB: Where do you hope to see yourself in 5 years, 10 years time? Is it an achievable goal?

BB: I want to be in a position where we can put out music from ourselves and others and have a fanbase that trust us to consistently put out strong product. If I can sort out the business side of things so i can do my bit for the artform and support my family, i'll be happy. I know it's gonna be a long, hard road but If I didn't think it was achievable I wouldn't bother.

CB: Any last words?

BB: Yeah, I haven't had a chance to do the whole cliched shout out thing yet so... Big up all the people that have got behind Delusionists so far; Certified Banger (obviously), Disorda, HHC, HipHopHypeDog and all the bloggers, DJs and heads who have let us know we're doing something right.

Also, shout out to the crew - DBF, Chantelle, Zombie Killer, PITMO, Mr Baker, Slim Pickens and King Hektah. Oh, and go cop 'The Prolusion' and keep in touch on Facebook or Twitter and check out the blog, Beats Laying About - it's not exactly Certified Banger but we do our thing!

Organix - GET INVOLVED!!!

How it Works:

1) They provide a beat

2) They set topic for you to write 16 bars to.. (Topics so far have been 'Summer Holidays' Where Ya From?' 'The Wilderness' 'Punchlines' 'Pet Hates' 'Halloween' etc.)

3) You get roughly two weeks to write and record your bars and get them back to them.

4) They will mix them all together, and put a fitting video behind them, showing who is curretly spitting, and all other relevant info. Video Footage of yourself doin your thing is also very welcome and will be used in the vid.

When they first started off they had Just 8 people on the first episode, now with the word getting out the record has been 16 people, resulting in a two part video.

In their own words;

"We have already worked with 35 + rappers and beatmakers and are looking to carry on expanding, believing that this is beneficial to the movement. We do it purely out of the love for doing it (often means a lot of late nights and sacrificing free time but hey!) I Hope to see some new faces on this one, we are currently half way towards the deadline for Organix Part 10 - The Movement. Be sure to check the myspace for more info."

Bottom line is, they are always looking for for fresh heads to get involved

Check out www.myspace.com/organixhiphop (some vids are up there for you to see)

All other vids can be found on youtube (search for organix hip hop) or subscribe to the user 'simplesamples'

All updates can also be found on www.organix.ukhhf.co.uk (official Organix forum)

HHC Digital 005

Available now for free download, HHC Digital 005 is headed up by Rakim. Inside, the god emcee talks about Dr Dre’s studio antics, his first meetings with Nas and Jay-Z, Large Professor’s sample game, the day KRS-One put the blame for gangsta rap on him, the original 50 Cent and Killer Ben, the legend of The Rooftop, plus details the exact price of a pair of Timberland boots with Louis Vuitton patches from Dapper Dan back in the ’80s!

Elsewhere in the issue, Brother Ali talks about his independent streak, Esoteric looks back on the time he almost recorded a track with Eminem, Partners In Kryme go back in the vault for some Turtle power, we big up the Home Grown UK hip-hop exhibition, plus spotlight essential new albums and free MP3s from BlakRoc, Souls Of Mischief, Shafiq, Ralph Rip Shit and more.

Get it HERE

Beat Makers

Beat Makers is a documentary "that takes a look at the never-ending hustle of young producers trying to make it in the intensely competitive music business. The film taps into trackmasters at various stages of their careers, as they struggle to make (and keep) a name for themselves.It's a cool window into the birth of the beats that get our heads bobbing.” – Bside.com

"We want to make people aware of this documentary, that it is out there and available, however, we don’t have the kind of funding to finance a traditional marketing blitz. We hope that indie film sites will take the time to consider and review a true indie film.” - Producer; Eddie Singleton.

Directed by Laron Austin whose short film “B.A.M.” won audience awards and other accolades in 2008 on the festival circuit, the film covers an unhearalded segment of the Hip-Hop community - the independant, unsigned beatmakers who are doing what they love with the hope of one day being paid for the privilege.

The film opens by introducing us to several producers by name, who break down their names, how long they've been making beats for and these sequences really illustrate just how many of us do what we do.

The film then splits into several chapters that deal with topics such as equipment, ideas & concepts, inspiration and their opinions on sampling to name a few and at 1 hour 32 minutes in length - there's alot of ground covered.

The section where the beatmakers list their various equipment is my favourite. It could really change alot of peoples perceptions of what makes a beatmaker as i've seen alot of conversations along the lines of "if you don't own a ____ then you aint hip hop" and most of the time it's the MPC. But, here's a list of SOME of the equipment used by the beatmakers featured;

Fruity Loops
MPC
Logic
ASR10
Korg Triton
SP1200
Ableton Live
MPD16
Technics SL1200
Yamaha Motif
Reason
Recycle

The best thing about the documentary is the sheer scope of topics covered and questions answered. i also felt it they spent a rather equal amount of time speaking with each beatmaker which i imagine can often be difficult to monitor with a project like this.

It's a must for established BeatMakers and newcomers looking for an insight into the working lives of like minded individuals.

You can watch the video below in full screen at a higher resolution at YouTube

Melodiq - Straight From The Soul (Beats by Terem)

Straight From The Soul features Enz, Nelace, Kohndo, Stacy Vickroy, Dj Atom, Elodie Rama, and Just Brea (of Deep Rooted) and is available now at Melodiq.com and Amazon and is coming soon to Itunes and Rapsody, or River City if your in Japan.

Before we get to my thoughts on the album, check out the preview below;



You may also recognise the following track which resulted from a beatmaking video by Hocus Pocus producer 20syl*



*Please note that this track is not featured on this album.

The first track after the intro 'This Is What We Do' opens with some rising and falling horns before the drums and bass drop along with melodiqs voice;

"Un-phased by any competition that presents itself."

It is this sentiment that you should keep in mind while listening to the album because the style that comes across is relaxed, comfortable and effortless. I couldn't imagine hearing any of this album on the radio - not because it's bad, contrarily because it is good and as we all know - good music just doesn't get played on radio! Melodiq's voice sits on Terem's beats perfectly and on 'Worldwide" it's refreshing to hear some international flavour in the form of French MC Kohndo, staying fully true to his roots by spitting the entire verse in French (personally i love French hip-hop, even if i can't understand a f*cking word of it!) The beat is one of my favourites on the album - some really nice flutes, strings and bass.

"The Overseers Ft Nelace" is easily my overall favourite on the album, a really nicely flowing loop of a sample and the flow exhibited by Melodiq and guest MC Nelace is perfect with some nice lyrics like;

"Me, Melodiq and Terem, look at the hole that we tear em' - they got guns, they got power; still we don't even fear em - why? We got heart all the way from the start, so if they breakin ya heart we gotta take em apart."

Possibly my only criticism would be the choice of sample for "Brand New" - in my opinion, a Stylistics track that shouldn't be sampled. But that being said - Terem flipped it in a way that is much better than i would have expected prior to hearing it and it's a nice concept track with some beautiful vocals from Elodie Rama.

That aside - there is nothing i can fault with this album. Take my word for it - you need this in your life.

Head to Melodiq's website to buy the full album from Itunes, Amazon or Rhapsody.

In the meantime, feel free to download one of the following tracks as a freebie courtesy of Melodiq and Terem being such nice chaps!

This Is What We Do

Searching (ft Just Brea)

Soul Patrol (ft Enz)

The Overseers (ft Nelace)

Jai - On My Jais, The Prelude

On My Jais - The Prelude is a 14 track precursor to Jai's upcoming album, too good to be called a mixtape though.

From South West London, Jai insists that it was her inquisitive nature and challenging childhood that brought about her passion for hip hop, as well as an evident love for a wide range of music.

"I grew up listening to anything from Tracy Chapman to The Pogues to Bob Marley, I loved it all!"

She began writing at a young age, moving on from poetry to rhymes, culminating in her participating in ciphers at the Deal Real record shop in London. The respect she gained from here led to her presenting her own show on Invincible Radio called 'The Sicka Selektion,' showing that her talents can stretch even further.

After an intro type track to start with, Stop, look Listen - sampling a version of the well known Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye track of the same name sees Jai on fine form - the flow is on point, lyrics are nice and it's a perfect way to introduce this young lady's obvious talent.

The only thing putting this in the mixtape category as opposed to it being an album - as it could easily be, in terms of content and quality. is that there are a few used beats here, most notably track 7 - "Brother From Another" which uses Jay-Z's "Soon You'll Understand" beat. As i said though, content wise - this could be an album track, the lyrics go deep such as -

"4 days in ICU, 4 angels surround you/ lost your fight and you rejected life - tell me why?"

Track number 4 - "Movin" shows Jai's versatility as she switches up the flow over a quicker beat - a good idea on Jai's part to put this track on the first half of the album and keep listener's guessing for what's to come.

Track 11 had me laughing - "Swagger Jacker skit" takin the piss out of Lil' Wayne which is always welcome on my speakers!

i'm looking forward to seeing what Jai does in the future - will be keeping my eyes and ears sharp for when the album drops but i was very, very impressed with 'The Prelude,' with such a lack of promising talent in hip hop at the moment, and new artists that are actually deserving of hype and attention - it's really refreshing to hear something to get excited about, and not to sound sexist but even more so when it's a female MC! Not only that, but she's reppin' U.K. What more do i need to say?

You can buy 'On My Jai's' from ITunes and i strongly suggest you do. At £8 it's more than worth it.

For info, bookings, media appointments and other enquiries, please contact flyfirlproductions@live.co.uk

J.R - “Get Gully” / “Major League”

London based recording artist J.R will be releasing a series of exclusive material, and hints over an upcoming project in the forthcoming weeks. To kick-start the campaign, the double single “Get Gully” / “Major League” is available for free download with immediate effect.

J.R is currently signed to “Class A Entertainment”, which has been the breeding ground for various musicians over the past couple of years. Unquestionably the label’s most prolific artist, J.R has been identified as an upcoming talent amongst the ears of Wandsworth, and interest has been growing from the likes of radio, and online publications.

“Get Gully” / “Major League” is the brand-new double sided single which will showcase J.R’s commercial viability, along with his tongue for lyricism. After spending months of fine-tuning his style, J.R has not only written and recorded the singles, but entirely produced the track as well. It’s clear to see why the nineteen-year old artist is clearly talented.

J.R’s previous mixtape “A Stroke of Genius” was well received amongst critiques, and was hosted on various websites including Hip-HopKings.Com. With countless downloads and physical copies distributed around South West London, fans have been itching for new material, which is promised to be J.R’s best work to date.

Get Gully
Major League

Catch J.R on MySpace HERE

Jay-Z at The Roundhouse Camden - 17.09.09

See below for some pictures and a video i took of Jay live back in September;

Jadakiss live at the 02 + Skinnyman, Stig, Alias, Lakeside and more!

On Tuesday 22nd September, see the legendary U.S. Hip Hop star LIVE, supported by none other than Skinnyman, Stig, Syntax, Alias, Lakeside & Darnel Swallow, Clement Marfo and the front liners, Makeida and KHY

Hosted by The Hott2Deff Squad of 89.1FM Big City Radio - Birmingham.

Tickets are available now from TicketMaster priced from £25 upwards and there is a £5 discount available for all tickets purchased before September 11th