SWV - NPR's Tiny Desk Performance (Video)

SWV: LeLee, Coko & Taj

NPR wrap up 2024's Black Music Month and their all female line up with the much anticipated Tiny Desk performance from SWV. With a career spanning more than three decades, Sisters With Voices display how talented they still are and why their name is so apt. I've been looking forward to this one all month.

Watch their performance below and be sure to check the many other Tiny Desk videos too.

 

Essa & Pitch 92 - That's The One (Video)

Essa & Pitch 92

 In the build up to the release of their upcoming album "Resonance", Essa and Pitch 92 drop the latest single "That's The One". Accompanying the track is a video/visualizer that you can watch below.

Tap on the Youtube page for more insight to the song and its genesis. The single is out via First Word records and available now on streaming services. "Resonance" is due on August 2nd

 

Durand Bernarr - Fist Bump feat. The Free Nationals (From The Block Performance Video)

Durand Bernarr (Image: From The Block video)

Durand Bernarr is the latest artist to guest on From The Block's live performance series, with his song "Fist Bump". One of the best live performers and artists working today, Bernarr showcases it effortlessly here with a little help from The Free Nationals.

"Fist Bump" is taken from his current EP "En Route", which is available to stream/buy now. Watch the video below.

"Fist Bump"

"En Route" available now

 

Common & Pete Rock - All Kind Of Ideas (Video)

Common & Pete Rock

Common and Pete Rock continue their roll out of visuals for the upcoming album. This new video is for the single "All Kind Of Ideas". On this track we hear a verse from the Chocolate Boy Wonder for the first time. So far, the duo haven't missed with the singles and snippets released, only building anticipation for the LP coming soon.

Check the video below and look out for their project, "The Auditorium Vol.1" due for release on July 12th. 

"All Kind Of Ideas"

 

The Foreign Exchange - The Grey b/w I Couldn't Love You More (Dub)

 

The Foreign Exchange

Phonte and Nicolay have reconnected.

The Grammy-nominated duo of The Foreign Exchange will release a new 12" single commemorating 20 years of their debut album, "Connected". 

"The Grey" feat. BeMyFiasco and "I Couldn't Love You More (Dub)" will be released to streaming platforms from June 25th and the pre-order for vinyl is already live at Pour House Pressing

Daniel Son - The World Is Yours (Video)

Daniel Son - The World Is Yours

 Daniel Son drops his new video for his self produced single "The World Is Yours".

Embedded over an instrumental reminiscent of the good old days of 90's Hip Hop, Daniel Son also displays a flow which wouldn't have sounded out of place in the UK's own golden era in the late 90's/early 2000's. That's definitely a good thing.

Watch the video below and follow @danielsonmusic for more more music.

Dubbul O & Cutterz - Better Days (Single)

Dubbul O x Cutterz - "Better Days"

Cutterz and Dubbul O have released a new single via Village Live Records called "Better Days". Yemi Bolatiwa lends her vocals to the down tempo Hip Hop track and will appear on the forthcoming EP "Stay Gold".

The single is streaming now and is available to buy directly via Bandcamp also.
Follow @djcutterz @dubbul_o @yemi_bolatiwasoul

Your Old Droog - Movie (Album) & Videos

Your Old Droog - Movie

 Brooklyn rapper and producer Your Old Droog returns after an extended hiatus by his standards. Usually one to drop new material consistently, he says, "My new album #Movie is Out Now. Waited 2 years for y'all to hear it. Thanks to everyone who contributed".

You can expect to hear these contributions in the form of Conductor Williams, Just Blaze, Madlib and Yasiin Bey among others.

Over the past month Droog released two videos that landed on the album with "DBZ" featuring Method Man and Denzel Curry and also "I Think I Love Her". You can find both of them below.

"Movie" is available on streaming services from today.

Your Old Droog - "I Think I Love Her" (Video)

Your Old Droog - "DBZ" featuring Method Man and Denzel Curry (Video)

Maeta - Endless Night (Video)

Endless Night

Maeta, currently signed to a global publishing deal with Roc Nation, today releases her highly anticipated project "Endless Night". The EP is fully produced by KAYTRANADA and follows the single "DJ Got Me" that dropped a couple of weeks back.

"Endless Night" is available now on all streaming platforms and a video of the title track has been released also. Watch that and find the track list below.

Endless Night (Music Video)

Method Man at 50

 Today Johnny Blaze, the Ticallion Stallion, the Iron Lung, Mr. Mef, Hot Nikkels or commonly known as Method Man turns 50 years old.

Although you wouldn't think it to look at him, the Wu-Tang artist and actor has been making music and appearing in movies for 28 years. Often seen as the breakthrough solo artist from the Wu, Mef today celebrates his 50th birthday and below are a collection of some of his music videos as well as a mix by Brooklyn Radio's DJ Stikmand.

100% Method Man Mix by DJ Stikmand on Brooklyn Radio

Juga-Naut - Been Away ft. Liam Bailey (Music Video)

Image taken from @juganaut on Twitter

A year after the release of his album "BEM", Notts emcee Juga-Naut releases the visuals to a standout track from the set, with "Been Away".

Joining him on the track and in the video is fellow Nottingham son Liam Bailey, adding his soulful vocals over a self produced Jugz beat, reminiscent of early Wu-Tang soundscapes that wouldn't be out of place circa '94-'96. However, this is very much of its time and showcases why Juga-Naut is held in high regard amongst his peers and is one of the most consistent and hardworking artists this country has to offer. 

Please check the Michael Holyk directed video below and be sure to follow Juga-Naut on his social accounts @juganaut. "BEM" is streaming on your platform of choice and Bandcamp.

Youtube link

 @juganaut 

@Liambailey.music

@Michaelholyk

J-Zone's Give The Drummer Some: Questlove (audio)

J-Zone and Questlove at RedBull Music Academy
Photo credit: Charles Ludeke

Last night (Feb. 5th) Red Bull Radio debuted their new show "Give The Drummer Some" with host J-Zone. The series kicked off with arguably the most well known drummer working today; Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson. 

The show is basically a hub for some of the greatest drummers to come through and tell stories, techniques and maybe some unknown secrets along the way.

This episode didn't disappoint with Questlove talking about his own band The Roots' nod to drum 'n' bass from their time based in London, working with D'Angelo on Voodoo and off beat drum patterns from the J-Dilla era, among other topics. A really enjoyable talk.

The show is available for the next month. Check the Red Bull page here with tracklist or click on the stream below. There's also an archival Soundcloud link that J-Zone recently added. Enjoy below.

More Bounce presents Homeboy Sandman & Edan (Live in Manchester)

More Bounce come through once again with the ill live Hip-Hop! On Thursday 7th February, Joshua Brooks in Manchester host the duo of Homeboy Sandman and Edan. Both no stranger to touring, with each having previous appearances solo in Manchester, the pair join forces in support of their Stone's Throw released album "Humble Pi".

Catch them very soon with support from local group The Bluntskins. Early bird tickets have sold out, but additional tickets are still available at Skiddle. Find full information on the Facebook event page here.

Check out a couple of videos from "Humble Pi" below.

For The Record with Ice Cube (Video)

Ice Cube

Genius continue their excellent interview series, "For The Record", with host Rob Markman and latest guest Ice Cube. 

Not many more superlatives can be used when talking about Cube, his body of work and his influence on Hip-Hop for the last three decades. Looming large on the West Coast after his exit from the legendary NWA, Cube went on to release four solo albums in consecutive years, including Death Certificate and Lethal Injection. 

Starring, writing and directing films also started around the same time he dropped his albums with his breakout role as Doughboy in Boyz N The Hood. He went on to become a regular face on the silver screen following the massive success of his movie Friday, which he co-wrote.

In this interview, Rob Markman talks to Cube about his new album Everythang's Corrupt, as well as his favourite diss tracks and the inspiration for his movie Friday. Check the interview below and listen/buy his new album on your preferred app.

Horse Power: Hip-Hop's Impact On Polo Ralph Lauren

Complex continue with their relentless release of visual content with the long form video "Horse Power: Hip-Hop's Impact On Polo Ralph Lauren".

The sports and lifestyle clothing line, which was adopted by Hip-Hop in the early 90's, has gone on to be one of the most popular labels on the planet. This is probably due, in no small part, to the Hip-Hop aesthetic. 

Complex talks to a number of Hip-Hop artists such as Thirstin Howl III, Raekwon, A$AP Ferg and Timeless Truth, as well Tyson Beckford, who modeled for the brand, as well as the infamous Lo-Life crew. 

Check the documentary below.