Freebie | Atmosphere, “Free Fallin”

On September 9th, Minneapolis’ Atmosphere will be performing live at The Riverside Theater in Milwaukee.  It will be their second stop on their “To All My Friends Tour”.  The guys recently dropped a free track called “To All My Friends” a couple of weeks ago. Yesterday they dropped another track and it will be part of an double EP  full of new songs called To All My Friends, Blood Made The Blade Holy: The Atmosphere EPs. They sure know how to give names to albums and EPs.  You can listen and download the “Free Fallin” below. The EP will be available digitally  via iTunes and Amazon and at their show on September 9th.

Atmosphere – Free Fallin’ (download)

Rhythm Lab Radio Presents: Soundset 2010 Mix

Last night, Rhythm Lab Radio presented a speical mix in honor of one of the most premiere hip hop festivals of the year – Soundset.  The mix features artists performing at this year’s festival and after party.  Soundset kicks off on Sunday, May 30th at Cantebury Park outside of Minneapolis. Later that night, there will be an after party featuring BK-One, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble and DJ Z-Trip.  Morning show host Jordan and myself will be in attendance and hopefully getting some interviews. In the meantime enjoy this special mix.

Event | Soundset Lineup Announced

Rhymesayers, voted label of the decade by Urb Magazine, just announce the lineup for one of the country’s premiere Hip Hop festival Soundset.  Soundset will be held at Cantebury Park in Minnesota (south of the Twin Cities) on May 30, 2010.  This year’s line-up is crazy. Check it:

Confirmed artists for Soundset 2010 include: Atmosphere, Method Man & Redman, Brother Ali, Hieroglyphics featuring Del The Funky Homosapien, Souls of Mischief, Casual and Pep Love, P.O.S, Murs, Freeway & Jake One, Eyedea & Abilities, Wiz Khalifa, Cage, DJ Rob Swift, Grieves & Budo, 45 King, People Under The Stairs, BK One, DJ Revolution, Dessa, Yelawolf, Fashawn, Themselves, Busdriver, Toki Wright, Solillaquists of Sound, Prof & Rhazwell, Cecil Otter, Dark Time Sunshine, Ernest Rhodes, A.R.M (M.anifest & Krukid), Mike Dreams, I.B.E, Ice Rod, Plain Ole Bill, Mike 2600, Kid Cut Up, DJ Pratt and DJ Anton. Hosted by Peter Parker, Kevin Beacham and DJ Snuggles.

With options of two stages delivering over 40 artists performing nine hours of diverse music, an expanded B-Boy/B-Girl DJ tent, live painting exhibit, skate demo area, Slow and Low custom car show and a special Last of the Record Buyers production showcase, Soundset 2010 is guaranteed to bring the fun for the whole family!

I would love to see Redman and Method Man again.

Freebie | Toki Wright, “Blackmale” EP

For most, Minneapolis has been know as the home of bands such as The Replacements and artists such as Prince.  Minneapolis has always been known as a “Rock” city, but within the last 5-8 years, Minneapolis has been known has a Hip Hop city thanks to the crew and label known as Rhymesayers.  Home to acts such as Atmosphere and Brother Ali, Rhymesayers helped put Twin Cities hip hop on the international map. Recently,Urb Magazine awarded them record label of the decade. They recently signed and released an album from Philadelphia based MC Freeway called The Stimulus Package.  The one thing that makes this label special is their committment to their community.  This includes putting on one of the premiere Hip Hop festivals in the country, Soundset.  There is also a committment to the local music scene, which not only includes hip hop but other genres as well.  One of the artists, who I know well, that they support is the talented Toki Wright.  Not only Toki Wright is an amazing artist, he is an activist who has been heavliy committed to the Twin Cities community.  He is now part of the Rhymesayers camp and just released an EP called “BlackMale”, which you can download for free.  Check out the video below on the idea behind this EP.

Download: Toki Wright, “Blackmale” EP

Ant takes Brother Ali to Baltimore

It’s Tuesday….
Time again for a SEVEN O CLOCK SAMPLE!
Yesterday I was listening to a little Brother Ali and said to myself; “Let’s explore this sample on Tuesday!”
Here’s FREEDOM AIN’T FREE from Brother Ali’s Undisputed Truth album.

So I went to the crates and busted out Nina Simone’s Baltimore album. The title cut “Baltimore” was the sample used by ANT for the above Brother Ali track.

Funny story about this record, I made a beat using this track back in 1999 on my old Roland DR. Sample. However you will NEVER hear that beat, because it was whack!
LOL!

Freebie: New P.O.S, “Goodbye”

Doomtree member and founder and Rhymesayer artist P.O.S. has a new album coming out on February 3rd on Rhymesayers. We have been playing the Doomtree song “Dots and Dashes” feat. P.O.S and Dessa here on 88Nine RadioMilwaukee.  Check out the new song “Goodbye” and let me know what you think.

P.O.S – Goodbye from his forthcoming album “Never Better” (download)
 

He will be going on tour to support “Never  Better” here are the tour dates.

Interview: Brother Ali

I got a change to interview Rhymesayers artist Brother Ali before his show in Milwaukee this Saturday at Turner Hall Ballroom.  We talked about how he got started in Hip Hop, his muslim faith and how it plays a role in his music, his involvement in this year’s election, race and about his song Mr. President.  You can listen and download the entire interview right here.

Brother Ali Interview Pt. 1 (download)

Brother Ali Interview Pt. 2 (download)

Brother Ali – Mr. President (You’re the Man)

Freebie: Doomtree, “Game Over”

Some of you might heard of the Minneapolis label and hip hop crew Rhymesayers. However, there is another crew that has been creating a noise for the past few years. The crew goes by Doomtree. Rhymesayer artist P.O.S. is one of the founding member of this 11 member crew consisting of MCs, DJs, and producers. Here at RadioMilwaukee, we recently added the song “Sadie Hawkins” by Dessa of Doomtree. Even though the crew is all about hip hop, they definitely has a punk d.i.y. ethos to their sound. They just dropped their official crew record this past week and it is sonically impressive.

The self-titled album, DOOMTREE, is a landmark for the group and a self-proclaimed beast. With 21 tracks, not only does the record build the momentum of the crew, but it also highlights their talents as solo artists. With an already outstanding catalog including fans of punk and indie rock, and rap purists, this release is sure to rally an even bigger audience with the call for independent thought. As Doomtree says, “The anthems are victorious, the storysongs are full of dream and intrigue, and the bangers reset pacemakers.”

Download: Doomtree – “Game Over feat. Mictlan, Paper Tiger & Turbo Nemesis”

Also check out their video for Drumsticks from the crew record (via Sound Verite)

Rhymesayers Soundset ’08 only A Few Days Away

If you got nothing to do this Memorial Day Weekend, why don’t you get in car for a little road trip and head west to the land of 10,000 Lakes.  Why?  One of the most successful independent hip hop label Rhymesayers are throwing a little party called Soundset ’08. It will be held at the Metrodome’s parking lot. Who is going to be there? Well check this little video out for a preview. Tickets are $30, and $35 day of the festival. What a bargain.

And once you got your full of fun in sun, why don’t you get down with DJ Z-Trip for the official after party at First Avenue.  Speaking of Atmosphere, don’t forget to catch him on Conan O’Brien on May 21st.

MTV Loves Atmosphere

Minneapolis’ Atmosphere has the #2 independent record and the #5 Rap Album and #6 in the Top 200 charts on Billboard.  It is cool thing to see Atmosphere “grow up”. I saw them for the first time over 9 years ago at 7th Street Entry in Minneapolis. It was just a few months after I just moved to the Twin Cities. Atmosphere and the rest of the Rhymesayers really created something special for the Twin Cities. And now, MTV has made them an artist of the week.  You know it must be true when they say, “When Life Gives You Lemons, Paint that Sh#t Gold” 

p.s.: Make sure check out the #8: Rap Battle in the video. You won’t regret it.

Click the picture to see all of the videos
 

Also check out this UW Milwaukee student interview Sean aka Slug of Atmosphere in Minneapolis.

From the DVD (you can get only with the Deluxe Edition of Atmosphere’s latest album)