Step Brothers (Evidence & Alchemist) - Step Masters (Video)

We finally get a taste of the upcoming album from Evidence and Alchemist AKA Step Brothers in their new video. The track "Step Masters" will appear on their new album "Lord Steppington" due at the top of the year. The single can be acquired instantly with pre-orders of the album here (UK) or here (US).

Eminem Interview with Zane Lowe (Video)

After two impressive interviews with both Jay Z and Kanye West this year, Zane Lowe's next big sit down was with Eminem. In the first of a four part interview, Slim Shady/Marshall Mathers/Eminem discusses the beginning stages of his latest album "The Marshall Mathers LP 2" plus meeting and working with legendary producer Rick Rubin.

Watch part 1 below and check back for the remaining parts throughout the week.

*All 4 parts now added*

The Black Album's 10 Year Anniversary

The last ten years have absolutely flown by. You know you're getting old when you use albums to measure time periods. Well Jay Z's "last album" is ten years old this weekend, so I thought I'd post a few videos and featurettes on the making of it. I've even posted the full movie "Fade To Black", which was meant to be his swan song performance. No, he's still putting out music today.

Big Boi - Tremendous Damage (Live)

OutKast's Big Boi treats us to a live version of "Tremendous Damage" from his album "Vicious Rumors & Dangerous Lies". This live set was for The Grammys "ReImagined" series but seems to have gone unnoticed since its early October upload. Anyway, here it is. Enjoy.

Rare Notorious B.I.G. Documentary from 1995

Rare is probably the wrong word to use now that it's had nearly 25,000 views on YouTube but it was certainly new to me. A short documentary with Biggie Smalls aired on Channel 4's "Passengers" back in 1995. It shows Big back in his neighborhood and even shows him recording.

The video has been on YouTube since August but only caught my attention today over at Complex. Check the video below.

The Authentic Series with Jon B

Next month sees the return of Jon B to London's Jazz Cafe with two live shows and an exclusive Q&A brought to you by ill Will. Check the official press release below.

The Authentic Series #001 ill Will Interviews Jon B
19 December 2013
Doors - 4:30pm
Jazz Cafe, 5 Parkway, London, NW1 7PG

Interviewing legendary R&B artist Jon B in front of an intimate live audience at London’s famous Jazz Cafe, Hip Hop music and lifestyle specialist Will “ill Will” Lavin offers fans the opportunity to take a trip down memory lane with one of California’s favourite sons.
Often regarded as the original blue-eyed soul singer, Jon B entered the music scene long before the likes of Justin Timberlake, Robin Thicke, and Daley, and quite evidently influenced them all. Himself inspired by names such as Duran Duran, Inxs, Marvin Gaye, Michael Jackson, and Prince, it was as a student of Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds that Jon earned his stripes, writing and producing alongside the iconic singer until it was time to step in to the spotlight himself.

With an array of platinum and gold albums, as well as various award nominations (including a Grammy nod for “Someone To Love”, his 1995 collaboration with Babyface), eight albums on and the singer is stronger than ever before. Having this year released his new B-Sides Collection LP, an album featuring unreleased material recorded between the years of 2001 and 2012, this past month also saw Jon take to the stage at the 2013 Soul Train Awards.

Sitting down with ill Will as the first guest on the newly created The Authentic Series, Jon will be discussing everything from his move in to music performance, his time spent working with Babyface, and being the last artist to record with the legendary rapper Tupac Shakur. Jon will also tell the story of the time he met Michael Jackson and go through the tragedy of losing his home studio to a fire. There will also be time allocated for audience questions.
A Hip Hop Actors Studio, The Authentic Series is a live Q&A show hosted by journalist ill Will. Interviewing various musicians and industry folk in front of a live audience, the show's recording takes place in various venues across the globe. Filmed exclusively for illwill.co.uk (which launches January 1st 2014) in association with Noel Mack Films, each episode of The Authentic Series will offer an in-depth look in to the life and times of the featured guest.
Tickets are available at mamaco.com and ticketmaster.co.uk priced at £15. Jon B will also be performing a live show with full band on the same evening (tickets can be found as above).

For more information please contact: theauthenticseries@illwill.co.uk

Please follow: @officialjonb @333illwill333 @illwillMIL @authenticseries @noelmack_

More Bounce Presents Smif N Wessun

Manchester's More Bounce has done it again. Not content with bringing Large Professor, Cormega, Blu & Exile, Tanya Morgan and many more to Manchester for the first time in their careers, they're set to welcome Bucktown's own Smif N Wessun next Saturday (23rd November). The term "real hip hop" get thrown around too casually these days and are played out for the most part but this act embodies the description.

More Bounce -

"WE HAD TO DO IT… WE HAD TO!!! … IT'S ABOUT TO BE A SOUNDBWOY BURIAL!!!
AFTER BRINGING SOME OF OUR FAVOURITE ARTISTS THROUGH TO MANCHESTER THIS PAST YEAR (THE PHARCYDE, SLUM VILLAGE, LORD FINESSE, LARGE PROFESSOR, CORMEGA, BLU & EXILE, MASTA ACE, CAMP LO…) OUR EXCITEMENT TO ANNOUNCE YET ANOTHER ACT THAT HAS IMPACTED SO HEAVILY IN THE RAP WORLD… AND OUR WORLD… SMIF N WESSUN… IT'S FUCKIN TOP RANKIN!!!

TEK & STEELE EMERGED FROM THE GRIMY NEW YORK STREETS TO BLOW UP BLACK MOON'S CLASSIC DEBUT ALBUM 'ENTA DA STAGE' AND SOON FOLLOWED UP WITH A CLASSIC OF THEIR OWN IN 'DAH SHININ'… FEATURING THE ANTHEMS 'BUCKTOWN', 'WONTIME', 'LET'S GIT IT ON' AND WHOLE HEAP MORE ON THEIR FLAWLESS DEBUT SET…

BOOMBAP RAP LACED WITH THE SOUND OF REGGAE COURTESY OF DA BEATMINERZ… SMIF N WESSUN CONTINUED TO CARVE OUT A LEGACY FOR YEEEAAARS WITH THEIR LATEST ALBUM PRODUCED ENTIRELY BY PETE ROCK AND A FORTHCOMING EP FEATURING JAMAICAN MUSIC LEGEND JUNIOR REID.

ALONG THEIR JOURNEY SMIF N WESSUN HAVE WORKED WITH EVERYONE FROM MARY J. BLIGE, 2PAC, AALIYAH... TO RAEKWON, TALIB KWELI, PHAROAHE MONCH, STYLES P, FREEWAY AND OF COURSE THE MIGHTY BOOT CAMP CLIK…

SMIF N WESSUN TIE UP THEIR TIMZ AND STEP ON STAGE AT THE ROADHOUSE FOR A HIP HOP & DANCEHALL SPECIAL COURTESY OF MORE BOUNCE WITH RESIDENT DJ'S DIDJIT & LEE MAJORS… AND SPECIAL GUEST SELECTORS TO BE ANNOUNCED…"

Check the event page on Facebook and Skiddle for more details and remind yourself of Tek and Steele below.

RA The Rugged Man Interview with Dead End Hip Hop (Video)

The guys over at Dead End Hip Hop recently caught up with RA The Rugged Man at this years A3C Festival in Atlanta. As is the standard, RA gives an entertaining interview and speaks a lot of truth about current Hip Hop, his own album(s) and the infamous rumours that have followed him throughout his career.

View the interview below and be sure to check out the video reviews that Dead End Hip Hop frequently do too.

Run The Jewels - Banana Clipper feat. Big Boi (Video)

With a little guest spot from Big Boi, El-P and Killer Mike proceed to drop the video for "Banana Clipper". This can be found on their "Run The Jewels" project.

Video courtesy of Complex.

SZA - Ice Moon (Video)

The recently signed to Top Dawg Entertainment singer, SZA, drops her first video to her now wider audience. The track "Ice Moon" is lifted from her second independently released EP "S". Expect her to make noise in the near future. She now has a machine behind her (no Florence).

Ka - You Know It's About (Video)

Ka delivers another self directed video for the dark and sinister track "You Know It's About". This can be found on his current album "The Night's Gambit".

The Wu Reflect on 20 Years (Video)

Wu members and extended fam reflect on the last 20 years of the impact the Wu-Tang Clan have had and the legacy they'll leave. Courtesy of Revolt TV.

Black Sound Series Cyphers: Voodoo Black (Video)

As part of Contact's Black Sound Series, Manchester's Voodoo Black take the stage for the latest episode. With Cutterz on the 1's and 2's, listen to Sparkz, Dubbul O and Ellis Meade get busy on the mic.

Check the video below and be sure to check the Voodoo Black EP over on Bandcamp.

The Beat Down by Jony Fraze (Mixtape)

Clothing company PRIVILEGE are set to release their Fall collection and to celebrate have released a free instrumental mix for download. The set, mixed by Jony Fraze, features music from !llmind, J57, M-Phazes, Keelay and many more.

You can check the collection at PRIVILEGE and download or stream the mix below.

Wu-Tang and ATCQ Albums Turn 20

20 Years

On November 9th 1993, arguably two of Hip Hop's most loved and classic albums were released by A Tribe Called Quest and the Wu-Tang Clan. There shouldn't be a discussion over which is the better body of work as the two are completely different but they both still hold a sound that we yearn to hear today. Everyone has their favourite albums and these will almost always be brought in to the conversation.

Check below for a selection of videos from both albums.