What Feelings Sound Like | A Blog By Beatwize

Mos Def, Black Thought, & Eminem - "The Cypher"

2009-10-27T23:20:00.002-04:00

Whoa..all I have to say. Three lyrical juggernauts within a 3-minute span? Goddammit man, it's one next level ishh right here. All three kill it, but Eminem definitely takes the trophy on this one. Okay, enough - just listen now. It really speaks for itself. Let's go!

Grandpa-J & Youngs - "The Jenerational Gap" EP

2009-10-22T23:40:00.002-04:00

DOWNLOAD HERE

Here's the much awaited EP from the duo Grandpa-J & Youngs. Mixing styles of the West and Midwest, these two have created a sound of their own and brought great hip-hop to the table. Together, the both Grandpa and Youngs drop hard on their side of the music. A definite must-listen EP if you like great music. This gets a strong WFSL stamp of approval. Check it out for yourself!

Aceyalone - "Can't Hold Back" (Feat. Treasure Davis) Video

2009-10-22T23:31:00.007-04:00

One word for this song & video - DOPE. This is off Aceyalone's latest album "The Lonely Ones". Such a sick track, I can't stop listening to it. Give it a quick run-through and I bet you won't stop playing it all night. I love funky drops, and this hear DEFINES funky. Not to mention the great lyrics attached to that incredible beat. Give it a shot and let me know if you agree! And if you like it, check out if you want to buy the album!

810 - "I Hate OPBs" EP [Hosted by Jaques Morel]

2009-10-21T23:00:00.005-04:00

DOWNLOAD HERE

As I said before, 810 stays grinding. Yesterday (late pass by me!) he dropped the prelude to his upcoming mixtape "Glass Half Full" in a form of an EP. In this disc 810 takes jacks other people's beats (OPBs) and makes his own version of the songs. Really dope tracks on this, so it's a must-download. Check it out and let us know what you think!! "Glass Half Full" coming soon!

R.A. the Rugged Man - "3 Kings" Video

2009-10-20T23:13:00.003-04:00

R.A. caught my ears when I first heard the Jedi Mind Tricks album "Servants in Heaven, Kings in Hell" on the track "Uncommon Valor". I had checked out his past two album immediately, one of which blew me away (can't remember which one). Now the Rugged Man is back with another album, "Legendary Classics, Vol. 1", and he's given us a teaser - and it's definitely something I'm going to keep track of. This drop is ridiculously lyrical and the beat bangs hard. I can't wait to hear more from the dude - stay tuned!

Amor Jones - "And More" (Prod. by know:Jaunder)

2009-10-19T22:44:00.002-04:00

I've been following this dude Jones for a little while. Nefarious! put me on to his last mixtape, which was incredible. But that was just before I head out into my dream world and completely forgot about the kid. Today I got this track slipped into my inbox. Here's a track from Amor off his upcoming tape "The Wake Up Show". The beat is crafted by someone who'll sound familiar if you follow the blog - know:Jaunder of the Cosmic Souls Collective. In fact, the whole CSC (Nefarious!, know:Jaunder, Time Travel, & Juno Complex) will handle the production on this tape! Excited? I definitely am. Ill lyrics and no-doubt amazing beats? Sign me up for a copy! For now, here's a quick flavour test of what's to come. Check it out!

DOWNLOAD/STREAM

Sene - "WonLover" (Prod. by Blu) - Video

2009-10-17T14:22:00.003-04:00

Another video I'm a few days late on, but a must-listen track. A song off Sene's upcoming album entitled "ADayLate&ADollarShort". This track is about that feeling and connection we get towards that one person in life fine that makes us always feel like we've "won". Something very deep and strong from my dude right here - a definite listen. Check it out!

Fundament - "Headshots" & "Bring it Back"

2009-10-17T13:57:00.008-04:00

Here's two new tracks from my boy Tim Stuart a.k.a Fundament. I'm telling you, he's the next big thing out of Toronto; this dude's got crazy skill and his beat choice is awesome. The single pack includes the tracks and both of their acapellas and instrumentals. Definitely check this out, some real Canadian hip-hop right here.

DOWNLOAD HERE

810 - "I Don't Have A Chain"

2009-10-17T12:39:00.004-04:00

810 has been steadily dropping tracks in my email since I disappeared. I would like to drop all them at once and overwhelm you all, but instead I'll just drop the newest track he sent up to me. This one is off yet ANOTHER mixtape he's working on called "I Hate OPB's (Other People's Beats)". This kid stays steady grinding and all of his tracks deliver fire. This mixtape drops Oct. 20th. His other tape "Glass Half Full" is on the way as well! Anyways, here's this track for now..enjoy!

DOWNLOAD HERE

People Under the Stairs - "Trippin' at the Disco" Video

2009-10-17T12:30:00.005-04:00

I'm a huge fan of these guys. Unfortunately I've been pretty off-the-map lately and completely missed the release of this video off their new album "Carried Away". Better late than never, I guess. I usually don't drop stuff I missed, but this song/video is too good to pass up. Check it out!

Youngs & Grandpa J - "On The Road" Feat. Red Fox

2009-10-12T12:20:00.013-04:00

Meet this great rapper/producer duo. Rapper Youngs comes from the Midwest of the US while producer Grandpa J hails from California. Currently working on their disc "The Jenerational Gap EP", which releases Oct. 20th, the two have dropped a single to prepare ourselves for the final release. I'm really feeling this!

DOWNLOAD HERE

Empire - "Boom 'n' Pound (Return of The Boom Bap)" Video

2009-10-11T14:56:00.003-04:00

Meet 'Empire', a group out of Toronto. They've been working hard on their debut album "Get It" and it comes out THIS Tuesday digitally on all mp3 buying platforms. You can get a sneak peek at the album here, and definitely check it out! It's some dope stuff! So don't forget to cop that this week. Here's the official single & video - a back-track to classic hip-hop! Boom-Bap is in the house!

So..yeahh.. [Updates, Changes, & More]

2009-10-11T13:09:00.002-04:00

UPDATES
First and foremost, my apologies for the sudden disappearance. I got numerous emails and tweets asking me where I ran off to. Truth is, I ran off nowhere. I've been here - not around - HERE. ON my laptop. Doing homework and work-related business. Blogging, and even music, was so packed behind all the other work that got piled up that I had to disappear from both WFSL and Twitter, and even two forums I'm on (one of which that died; coincidence - I think not! lol, nah).

Also, about my albums. "Classical State of Mind" is still in the making. I'm a couple tracks into that; I expect to be done that sometime mid-next year. Those blendstapes will drop in by surprise - you know I had to finish up the Blank Tapes. I didn't forget, don't worry! As for other projects, I'll let you know. Things are moving quick, so I can't promise anything.

CHANGES
But on a bright note, I've figured out a way to turn things around and make this blog more active during my busy days. NO, I have not hired extra staff, but rather there will be a change in the "weekly" business that won't keep me tied down on focusing on one artist. In the last little while I've gotten so many emails from artists that definitely deserve the promotion.

Instead of racking them behind numerous others for dozens of weeks, there will now only be "Featured Artists". No more weekly artists; whenever I receive something really nice in the mail, you'll not only hear what I got but a whole set of music and all of that.

Another change you'll see is that I will only be doing INDIE & CANADIAN music from now on. No more mainstream drops. Fresh-cut, underground, unknown music that I know everyone will love. This is the new direction of the blog and the way the site looks will reflect that soon as well.

MORE
Now I'd like to apologize to the sites that held me down and I had to leave'em for a little while. Shouts to aboveGround Mag and The Find Mag. You already knew I work with AGM with my opinionated blogs, and may or may not have noticed my disappearance on that set. I'll be posting something for this week, so look out for it! TFG is a newer site that spanned off of my boy Heaps's website MusicalSchizophrenia. That site began an e-mag called The Find which is now an online-website-mag. It's really dope and I urge you to check it out. It's REALLY dope and brings out REALLY nice music. In fact, a lot of artists I listen to came from the man Heaps himself; he's a great guy and has an amazing ear for music. Don't miss out! I'll be doing work with them in the near future as well, so watch out!

What's more? Some surprise interviews, guests, and a whole lot of indie promotion. I'm back and I'm ready to take this to the next level. I'll be giving you more details of that many changes coming to you on WFSL. Excited? Probably not..I am though..so yeahhhhhh...

Peacepeace & much love for sticking around,

- Beatwize

Professa (Young Maestro) - "Simple" (Instrumental)

2009-09-07T14:42:00.005-04:00

I'd like to introduce to you the Professa, a producer coming out of NC. I got a couple beats from him a few days back and I felt'em so I decided to share my favorite of the set with you guys. His style reminds me a bit of Dre's, doesn't it? It's got that same flow to it. Well, anyways, check it out and let us know what you think!

DOWNLOAD/STREAM

Artist of the Week: 810

2009-09-07T14:11:00.003-04:00

Meet 810, a 19-year-old, up-and-coming artist out of Baltimore. He describes himself as a "community college student who often neglects other things to do music". At first when I read this I had a bad feeling, but then I checked out his tracks. Song after song of his melodic flow, interesting delivery, and great beat choices - I knew he belonged in the feature. But then it struck me - I've heard this guy before!

A while back I was just checking on other blogs downloading anything that came out with a new name. I'd heard 810's "Supply & Demand" and had loved it. But unfortunately, in the wake of many new projects - all of which were great - I had forgotten about my dude 810. But now I listen to his tape very often, making sure not to miss a line. This kid is going to make himself something substantial in the industry very soon.

This week you'll see new tracks of his coming out from his upcoming mixtape "Glass Half Full" which is slated for late October. Can't wait for WFSL to give you 810 music? Hit up these sites to stay in tune with his upcoming releases:
Blog: http://810muzik.blogspot.com/
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/810musik
Twitter: http://twitter.com/810musik
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/810/17752821162

Would you like to be featured as Artist of the Week? Get at me! -- beatwize@gmail.com

Nefarious!: Time to Shine [WFSL Interview]

2009-09-06T16:01:00.012-04:00

So now you've heard of Nefarious!, heard his songs, and gotten to know him a little better. But there's still so much you don't know about the kid. He's talented, intelligent, and definitely has a bright future. Hell, he's been featured on more than 4 sites this week! Keep an eye on the name, you'll definitely hear a lot of it soon. Here's my chance to let you learn more about my boy Nef. Check it out!

Beatwize: What's good Nefarious! Let's start with a quick bio of you..
Nefarious!: My name is Nefarious! from Hayward, California. I'm 18 years old and one of many Bay Area beat makers representing the new generation of producers. I enjoy long walks on the beach and...

Beatwize: Lmao, yea good place to stop. Tell us about you're newest album "More Than Music" and what went behind it? (inspirations, people etc.)
Nefarious!: I was inspired to make More Than Music by people that dont understand that music is very serious to some of us. Especially beats to me. Someone who isn't a producer might see a beat as just a beat and wonder where the rapping is, and others appreciate it for what it is. So this album was for those people.

Beatwize: It seems that it has given you some great exposure, you've been getting features left and right. How does it feel to get this sudden rise in recognition?
Nefarious!: It feels good, like people are finally getting onto my shit. If no one hears your music it doesn't matter if it sounds good or not because you are just another tree falling in the forrest. Before I knew how much blogs make a difference I used to drop everything just on MySpace, but making connections with blogs and shit increased the download numbers drastically.

Beatwize: You run with a crew by the name of "Cosmic Souls Collective". How did you guys meet and how did this group come together?
Nefarious!: We basically met on the internet, know:juander sent me songs to post on my site The Soul Dojo and I liked it. Me and Juno Complex go way back to when I was still making beats on FL Studio, and Time Travel is just dope... Actually it probably didn't even go down like that. But somehow we just all decided to make a production collective.

Beatwize: Are you guys in constant competition or do you guys just appreciate each others music and success as a group?
Nefarious!: We all help promote each others music and respect what we make. I guess we all are in competition because no one wants to have the weakest beat on the beat tape or myspace or whatever. We all keep each other in check because with everyone trying to outdo each other, we will all improve.

Beatwize: Who do you like to work with at the moment? Who would you like to work with in the future?
Nefarious!: I like working with Amor Jones because our styles go great together. That dude be beggin me for beats callin me crying and shit *laughs*. In the future I'd like to work with more producers and maybe some already-established emcees.

Beatwize: You seem to have a very long catalogue. What beat that you've made is you're favorite?
Nefarious!: Man, I have a new favorite beat of mine every day. Right now it would probably be Take My Love which was also the single for More Than Music.

Beatwize: What new projects are you helping out with? It seems a lot of people are looking for that Nefarious! seal nowadays.
Nefarious!: Right now I will be dropping a project with Kris Kasanova hosted by MTRoots thanks to KNOWxONE from ManifestTheRhyme.com Hallway Jay at illRoots.com. I also am going to have production on Amor Jones's next 2 projects, and my album The Soul Dojo that seems like it will never be finished.

Beatwize: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Nefarious!: Hopefully making a living with music. I'd be happier just getting by with a job I love than be rich and bored and shit. Taking a big chance with music right now. Ain't no Plan-B on some Tanya Morgan shit.
Beatwize: You've mentioned in the past that you used to rap? What made you stop? Will you be coming back to it anytime soon?
Nefarious!: I stopped because I wasn't really good (laughs). I took up producing full time and got better at producing than I was rapping. I do plan on making a come back, but don't expect to hear anything too soon.

Beatwize: Who's you're favorite producer? Why?
Nefarious!: J Dilla would be my favorite producer because he has made beats that are just IMPOSSIBLE to remake. I could remake a Pete Rock or 9th Wonder beat with ease, not saying they aren't dope. But listen to the sample to A Tribe Called Quest's "Find A Way" or Black Star's "Little Brother" and see what I'm talking about. Madlib is my favorite producer alive because he also composes if you are familiar with Yesterday's New Quintet. Shit's dope.

Beatwize: Thanks for your time and looking forward to more work from you!
Nefarious!: No problem man. New music soon! Be on the look out!

Drex Inkredible - "Pilot Project" Mixtape + "Rise to the Top" Video

2009-09-03T11:33:00.006-04:00

If you are interested in aiding a charitable foundation, please read the blurb below the download link. Thanks! Also, there is a video at the end of the blurb for an album preview.

DOWNLOAD HERE

Meet Drex Inkredible, an artist from Canada. He began creating quite the local star but recently has begun boasting some international exposure; and why not? Drex has an original, undeniable style that makes you want more. But if you think that's where it ends, you're very wrong.

"Pilot Project" is just a pre-cursor to the real album. This real album will not only be undoubtedly great, but will also be a charitable action by Drex. All proceeds will go to a Media Arts Center in Rio which will help kids get careers in areas concerning video, photography, music, radio, and the list goes on. The album, entitled "City to City", will be coming out in the late Fall of this year and is definitely something you should go and get. If the name "Drex" sounds familiar, it's because he is also the founder of TheRemixProject, a charitable foundation. Keep following WFSL if you want more Drex as there is a lot more coming in the near future!

"Rise to the Top" Video..

"Hip-Hop Ain't Dead. It Lives In The North." Mixtape

2009-09-03T10:58:00.005-04:00

DOWNLOAD HERE

The brand that has sold numerous shirts creates a mixtape filled with Canadian artists. Unfortunately this misses some vitals like k-os, K'naan, Shad, Fundament, and numerous others but it's still really dope. Some really great artists on this list that I haven't even heard of, so this was a big eye-opener. If you're from Canada, get to meet some diamonds in the rough and check it out. Some really ill stuff in this.

Brought to you by:
HipHopCanada | ItLivesInTheNorth

A.R.M. - "Heaven Only Knows" (Feat. Brother Ali) Video

2009-09-02T21:18:00.001-04:00

New drop from A.R.M. with that dude Bro Ali. First time I've heard of A.R.M. but I'm going to look more into him for sure - this track goes hard. Really good work by both of them, check it out and give it a few listens!

Fresh Daily - "Untucked Nunchucks" Video

2009-09-02T21:06:00.002-04:00

New video from Fresh Daily off of his mixtape "The Gorgeous Killer in Crimes of Passion". Pretty dope, check it out!

Stoney Jackson (Strong Arm Steady & Madlib) - "Get Ya Money Right"

2009-09-02T10:06:00.003-04:00

I woke up this morning with a pleasant surprise in my inbox. It seems that Strong Arm Steady and Madlib are joining forces as Stoney Jackson under StonesThrow Records. A 16-track LP is in the making which will include the likes of Talib Kweli, Guilty Simpson, Phonte, & Planet Asia. For now all we have is this free leak they've given us throught a podcast. Since it's not a full CDQ, the quality isn't mint, but it's still a good listen. The link jumps to iTunes. Hope you enjoy it! I sure did!

DOWNLOAD HERE

Kublakai - "Lights for the Dark Nights" EP

2009-09-01T21:21:00.008-04:00

DOWNLOAD HERE

Here's a freEP from a dude named Kublakai. This was deemed a "masterpiece" by aboveGround magazine, and I agree completely. Full production is by Slouch and he does a great job at the back-end of the project. Short and sweet, this disc is definitely a multi-repeat listen; so check it out and let us know what you think!

Internet Promotion for the Indie Artist [Wize Thoughts]

2009-09-01T14:31:00.002-04:00

This week I go over a few thoughts on how indie artists can use the internet to their advantage. There are numerous sites and techniques to do this, but I focus on "branding" yourself. More inside!

CLICK HERE TO READ IT!

Nefarious! on uStream with HiTekFX

2009-09-01T13:57:00.003-04:00

My dude Nefarious! sits down with HiTekFX on his Monday Night Mixshow. I caught the beginning of the live stream yesterday but wasn't able to finish it up. But I checked out a bit more in the morning and it's a good watch. Nef is doing big things, getting featured everywhere. He's finally getting the recognition deserved. So, here it is - Nef on uStream with HiTekFX..

Jay-Z Rhapsody Commercial

2009-09-01T13:39:00.003-04:00

This is a really cool commercial with an awesome concept. It's to promote Jay's upcoming (already leaked) album "Bluprint 3". "Jay-Z fans get it."

Props to Dmack of SoundSociety for finding this!

KRS-One, Buckshot, & K'naan in the Studio

2009-08-31T18:54:00.007-04:00

K'naan joins KRS and Buckshot in the making of the duo's upcoming album "Survival Skills". The track they're working on is called "Think of All the Things". Can't wait for the album! Big ups to K'naan and his grind, really paid off!

Artist of the Week: Nefarious!

2009-08-31T09:27:00.002-04:00

You've seen him before on the blog. His name is Nefarious!, yes with the exclamation. Nef is a producer from a crew known as the Cosmic Souls Collection which consists of him, know:Jaunder, Time Travel, and Juno Complex. His and his accomplices' styles really fulfill the name with their soulful, jazzy, mellow, spacey beats. But back to Nefarious!..

Nef has produced for artists like SLik d, J. Nolan, Amor Jones, and numerous others; this doesn't even include his instrumental albums. This is one of the examples of steady grind. He never stops, stays on top of things, and always gets his ishh done. He's got some heavy indie artists getting at him recently to do work as well; the dude obviously has a bright future.

This week you'll see exactly what I'm talking about if you haven't already yet. Nefarious! just dropped his latest instrumental album on Friday entitled "More Than Music". If you want a good look at his style you should definitely check it out. A lot more coming this week!

If you want more already, catch Nef on the net:
Twitter: http://twitter.com/NefTheDamaja
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/nefariousprod

Would you like to be featured as Artist of the Week? Get at me! -- beatwize@gmail.com

Indy Sparks - "Circa '09" EP

2009-08-30T14:16:00.005-04:00

DOWNLOAD HERE

Here's a freEP from a dude named Indy Sparks. I was introduced to him just today with this 20-minute project and his myspace - both of which I felt were worth putting out there for you. Dude's a soulful, carefree artist; this EP is deff a good summer listen. Very relaxing and surprisingly keeps you listening intently. Although short, it sure it sweet. Peep it and let us know what you think!

Wordspit - "The Coolest BBoi Stance" Mixtape

2009-08-29T12:36:00.010-04:00

DOWNLOAD HERE

Late pass on this one. I got it when it came out, listened to it, and just completely forgot to hook you guys up with it. If you guys have been following the blog, you already know I'm a huge fan of the kid. Dope and original lyrics and style that'll make you want more. I haven't had a chance to hear the tape in concentration, but I did drop "Joystick Madness" and "Poet's Haiku" and from what I've heard of the tape otherwise, this is a solid tape. So check it out and let us know what you think!

Felt 3 is really a tribute to Rosie Perez [w/ Cover]

2009-08-28T19:12:00.005-04:00

Well..WFSL & the rest of the interwebz was wrong. Felt 3 is NOT a tribute to Sarah Palin. It is a tribute to D's, muh-effer, D's..Rosie Perez"..sorry, I had to. Here's the cover & a link for proof. Can't wait!

Nefarious! - "More Than Music" Mixtape

2009-08-27T21:12:00.004-04:00

DOWNLOAD HERE

It's finally here! The very-much anticipated Nefarious! instrumental tape was accidentally leaked on another blog early (FAIL!) and so I've been given the green light to drop it early as well. "More Than Music" consists of some amazingly constructed beats by the Cosmic Souls Collection member. After you hear this, you'll know why they call him The Soul Dojo. Kid has skills and then some. Now peep this tape, it's short but it'll stay on repeat for a very long time - it did for me. Let us know what you think!

As a side note: Nef is WFSL AOTW starting Monday, so if you like this - stay tuned for a lot more!

Hollywood F.L.O.S.S. - "All My Love"

2009-08-27T11:34:00.008-04:00

New FLOSS! Got this a couple days back but completely slipped my mind to drop it; really busy nowadays. But better late th...well, you know. This time he flips up the classic Led Zeppelin track of the same name. This kid is bringing fresh new hip-hop on a regular basis and it's all something that stays on repeat for days. His new tape is coming out soon and WFSL will be helping out with the project! Here's something straight outta that...

DOWNLOAD/STREAM

Nefarious! - Take My Love

2009-08-25T20:53:00.010-04:00

Nefarious! is probably one of my favorite producers coming out of the underground right now, and this just gives you all the reasons why. This one right here is off of his upcoming realease (not a typo) "More Than Music"which comes out THIS Friday! I'm listening to the tape as I type this and trust me..it's heat! Nef is going to be AOTW next week, so if you like this and the tape, there's much more coming come Monday! And this is WFSL on an OFF week!

DOWNLOAD/STREAM

Canadian Hip-Hop: The Vicious Cycle Author [Wize Thoughts]

2009-08-25T12:00:00.001-04:00

My newest of weekly articles at aboveGround Magazine. This week I discuss an article where K'naan talks about Canadian hip-hop. You can find that article here. Are we really inconsistent or is it just a result of our lack of fans? Maybe we're just making excuses as Canadian hip-hop artists. What do you think?

CLICK HERE TO READ IT

Taking the Week Off - Changes Coming!

2009-08-24T11:18:00.004-04:00

If you follow me on Twitter [@Beatwize] then you already know that this week is going to be a break-week for WFSL. Things are getting busy for me and I just need a little time away from blogging to focus on work and some music (!) as well. However, I will be dropping one or two things a day to keep you guys kinda posted.

When I come back next week I'll be dropping another track off my 'Classical State of Mind' release and a few other little bits of info. As for your emails - don't worry! I'm checking them out still and I might even drop one or two of 'em for you all.

BUT. During this week I'll be making slight changes to the site. You've probably already noticed the new 3-column layout. This was only one of the many changes WFSL will be going through in this week. So don't call it a week off, call it a renovation week. We'll be back newer and improved!

Feevaleo - "S.T.S.O.T."

2009-08-22T15:28:00.003-04:00

Here's a track from my boy Feev off his latest tape "Don't Sweat the Cool". Dude reminds me a bit of Mickey Factz with his flow/delivery. Give me a shout if you want more from 'leo and I'll drop some other tracks for everyone. But I think you probably will after hearing this. Really nice track right here, you guys should deff give it a listen.

DOWNLOAD/STREAM

CJ the Genesis - "Tomorrow"

2009-08-21T14:32:00.004-04:00

Here's a WFSL exclusive for all of you guys feeling our current AOTW. CJ spits over "El Manana" by The Gorillaz on this one and goes hard over it. This is not on any projects or anything, just a courtesy track Genesis did for WFSL fans, so give it a listen! Tomorrow I'll be re-dropping CJ's latest mixtape and Sunday we'll have a wrap-up of the great week we've had with him. But keep in touch with dude, he's the future! Check out the track..

DOWNLOAD/STREAM

Quite Nyce - "Hello, My Name is Quite Nyce" Mixtape

2009-08-21T12:21:00.004-04:00

DOWNLOAD HERE

Meet Quite Nyce, a rapper straight outta Massachusetts. If you're into the jazz/smooth hip-hop like me, you will absolutely love this. Quite is an everything man - lyrics, flow, delivery, beat choice - the works. I can't say anything but good things about this mixtape, so just cop it without hesitation. You'll hear a lot more from the dude on this blog soon, so keep your eyes open. He's Quite Nyce.

Major props to my people over at aboveGround Mag for pointing me to this!

Jay-Z - "Run This Town" (Feat. Rihanna & Kanye West) Video

2009-08-20T15:54:00.003-04:00

Amazing video, amazing song. Jay really knows how to entertain, great work by everyone over at RocNation for this one. Check it out!

Backtrack: CJ the Genesis - "Spaceship" Mixtape

2009-08-20T15:18:00.005-04:00

DOWNLOAD HERE | STREAM HERE

This is CJ's best mixtape in my eyes. I love the way he flow over these beats, and the best part is the fact that the beat choice itself is amazing. CJ really knows how to pick'em and spit it well too. If there's a mixtape you should hear from him, it should be this one. Give it a shot and let us know what you think!

CJ the Genesis: The Beginning [WFSL Interview]

2009-08-19T12:29:00.009-04:00

CJ the Genesis is many things, a lot of them self-proclaimed. Not to say that the things he says aren't true, what he says is what he does. He's an intelligent, focused, hard-working individual who has nothing but a bright future. I usually wouldn't sugar-coat the background, but it's kind of hard not to. It didn't even feel like I was speaking with someone so young. Mature for his age, true to his roots, and eyes on the prize - Genesis can be described as all these and more. WFSL (http://beatwizemusic.blogspot.com) is proud to present another artist that makes the future of hip-hop a hell of a lot brighter.

Beatwize: Watup CJ! Before we start, hit us up with a quick introduction of yourself..
CJ the Genesis: What up Beatwize! Umm..To make a long intro short, I'm an up and coming artist out of the DMV who's trying to bring something new to the game! I rap, produce, a little singing here and there, and I'm very versatile. Thats about it, haha.

Beatwize: Versatile is right - you're 4 mixtapes in now. Do you feel like you've accomplished as much as you think you would have or did you expect more at this point in time?
CJ the Genesis: Honestly, I never thought that I'd have 4 mixtapes out within a year. Maybe 2 and a progressive third, but not 4! And you know, maybe its just my impatience but I did kinda expect more going for me at this point, but things are different now, so I'm trying to adjust for lack of a better word.

Beatwize: Good to hear you're ahead of schedule. You seem to like to switch things up a bit and try different things, so you obviously have numerous inspirations while writing. What are they and where do you inherit them?
CJ the Genesis: Good question! Well, I only really write about what I know and go through, and although its a cliche answer its true. The only time you'll hear me making a song about something that has nothing to do with me is when I'm telling a story, but I grab general inspirations from anything, whether its a TV show, video games, something my parents talked about, something dumb my dogs did outside lol ANYWHERE.

Beatwize: That imagination really shows in the tracks. Being an 18-year-old rapper who's getting decent fanbase must be something you're proud of. What do you expect for yourself in the next few years?
CJ the Genesis: Ahh being labeled 18 is gonna take some getting used to cause my birthday was on Sunday haha but within the next few years I expect to be doing some bigger shows and actually getting paid for it! I also wanna do more mixtapes of course, and then actually put out an album and work with people and all kinds of cool stuff like that. Im about to be a freshman in college (I actually move out tomorrow lol) and I wont be recording on campus, but I'm still going to produce and get my name out there more as a producer. Hopefully some opportunities (and money haha) open up during that time period.

Beatwize: Now, 'Genesis' means 'begining'. I'm assuming your name suggests the start of something?
CJ the Genesis: You know, you're actually the first one to just pick it up off the bat. Yes it does mean that. I am the 'Genesis' to a new era in hip hop. Stop comparing me people lol

Beatwize: That name struck me from the first time I heard it, so I had to find out, haha. What artists do you love to work with? What artists do you hope to work with in the future?
CJ the Genesis: I love to work with anybody with a creative mind. There are only a few specifics in mind such as M-Trey, Criss Chords, Kevin Abstract, The Rezon, Vulcan Vocab who share the same mindstate I have with this music. If I have a track with those 5, its gonna be good. No questions. As far as the future is concerned, I'd love to work with people I meet on campus this year (who are good haha) and some of the dream artists Id love to work with are people like Kanye, Nas, Common, Jay-Z, a lot of those people. But you know, I'm liking this new class of artists too and out of them I'd love to work with Mickey Factz, Asher, Cudi, Curren$y, XV, J. Cole, Big Sean and etcetera etcetera etcetera haha The list goes on with them.

Beatwize: A lot of good names on that list. Tell us what's currently on CJ's playlist.
CJ the Genesis: Pshhhhh...that XV "Everybody's Nobody", Big Sean's "U Know Big Sean Vol. 2" Pac Div "Church League Champions", Kanye's "Late Registration" SLAUGHTERHOUSE of course, and lately Ive been listening to some more Crystal Castles than I usually do haha More electro and techno stuff in general. I NEED that new Calvin Harris CD in my life ASAP lol

Beatwize: Again, great names. You just recently dropped "Yea...I'm A Nerd" and are already hard at work on your next EP. What switch-up can we expect on this project?
CJ the Genesis: Well, this EP is gonna be called, "EuPhoria" and what Im gonna do on that is make songs that make people feel good and euphoric in general. That was my main goal on "Yea, I'm A Nerd" because nostalgia brings a GREAT feeling to people. Artists these days make too many of these emo and depressing songs, and they dont really do too much good for their listeners (at times) Granted, Ive made my share of depressing songs, but whenever I do, I try to give it a better outlook, such as my song "Start Of Something New" which will be on the EP as well. Anyways, this will be happy music in general, and I'm sure that everyone that listens to it will get a good feeling out of it. I promise you that.

Beatwize: Interesting; any other projects other than yours that you'll be participating in?
CJ the Genesis: Me and a friend and producer 5th Element are working on a project titled, "Open Mic" which will comes out Lord knows when. I wouldve been done by now and it would've came out in September, but I had to get ready for that big move. Besides that, I'm only gonna be a production credit on artist's mixtapes. Not so many features without a mic on campus. Im gonna write like crazy up there and record when I get the time, but for now, its only production.

Beatwize: I'm definitely excited for all of that. Thanks for coming in! It was nice speaking with you.
CJ the Genesis: Haha anytime Beatwize!!!

Troy - "(We All Move) to the Beat" Mixtape

2009-08-19T10:42:00.004-04:00

01) Intro
02) Mortal Thought - KRS-One
03) Purple Nostaljack - Camp-Lo
04) Work In Progress - Kev Brown
05) Sexual Healing - Marvin Gaye
06) How You Get A Record Deal - Big Daddy Kane
07) Like This - iLLiad
08) Game Over - J Dilla & Phat Kat
09) Justify My Thug - Jay-Z
10) Hey Nas - Nas
11) Always - Kev Brown
12) Spaceship - Nero
13) Nu Style - Nero
14) Effortless (Get The Job Done) - TreaZon
15) Radioactive - Large Pro
16) More Than You Know - De La Soul
17) Devotion - Illanova

DOWNLOAD HERE

Here's a remix tape by producer Troy of BoomBoxUnion. The thing I've always liked about this guy is his beats are always something different; not only amongst other producers, but even himself. He never drops two beats that sound too similar, it's always something fresh and original. On this mixtape we see that same Troy, bringing heat in his own way. If you're big on remixes then this the right project to listen to. Check it out and let us know what you think.

The Indie Mindstate: Make a Change [Wize Thoughts]

2009-08-18T16:05:00.004-04:00

I'm going to be writing a weekly guest blog for my friends over at aboveGround Magazine called 'Wize Thoughts'. It'll be just my thoughts on hip-hop issues, music, etc. Some weeks it'll be an original article, some weeks I'll discuss another article, and other times I'll just rant and rave about something hip-hop related. This week I spoke about the "indie mindstate" on hip-hop music and how it isn't necessarily correct. Take a look..

CLICK HERE TO READ IT

Backtrack: CJ the Genesis - "World Premier" Mixtape

2009-08-18T15:13:00.007-04:00

DOWNLOAD HERE | STREAM HERE

I heard this after all the other tapes and it was definitely stacked up with the rest of them. Take note that everything he does on this tape is over a DJ Premier beat (hence World Premier), but trust me the beats aren't the only thing that carries the tape. Genesis's ill lyrics along with his easing flow really gave proof of skill in this introduction. I think by this time everyone knew that CJ was something to look out for. Take a look and tell us what you think!

Apathy - "True Love" (Feat. Phonte)

2009-08-18T11:06:00.003-04:00

A new track off of Apathy's upcoming album "Wanna Snuggle?". Great track, Ap never fails from the way it seems. The Connecticut rapper joins forces with Little Brother Phonte to drop off his first single to the world. Can't wait for the full LP, should be dope! Check this out for now...

DOWNLOAD HERE

14KT - "Nowalataz" LP

2009-08-18T10:53:00.003-04:00

This is what happens when you wake up late. You miss out on an amazing release. Regardless, like I always say - better late than never right? Right.

14KT is a producer/rapper who I had heard of just a couple days back. I heard the single off this album from Nefarious!'s blog and I loved it. Why I didn't drop it is still a confusion in my head, but maybe I just forgot to drop it; although I'm pretty sure I did. But it is what it is, at least I have the album to share with my dear readers. Now check out this crazy album by the dude 14KT. Peep & enjoy!

DOWNLOAD HERE

Brother Ali - "Fresh Air"

2009-08-17T19:18:00.002-04:00

New from Brother Ali off his upcoming album entitled "Us". So sick, I can't wait for his album; seems to never fail me. Rhymesayers is always dropping such amazing stuff, always impressive. Anyways, this is not a leak, so you can download it on iTunes by clicking here. Sample it below...

You can pre-order "Us" here and you can buy "Fresh Air Tour" tickets here.

K. Sparks - "Stolen"

2009-08-17T19:02:00.004-04:00

A heartfelt and absolutely amazing, eye-opening track. This song is definitely something special, and also on an original and very important topic. K. Sparks speaks on child pornography and the issues some deal with for the rest of their lives because of abuse in their past. Trust me, listen to this if you listen to anything today.

DOWNLOAD HERE

Saukrates - "Ms. Yesterday" Video & Download

2009-08-17T18:50:00.003-04:00

New from Toronto's own Saukrates. Such an ill track, this is definitely going to be on repeat for a minute. Great work, man! Keep it up! Video is below the download.

DOWNLOAD HERE

Wordspit - "Poet's Haiku"

2009-08-17T15:38:00.005-04:00

My man Wordspit just dropped another single off his upcoming tape "The Coolest BBoi Stance". Some really good stuff, as always. I'm pretty excited for this drop, I smell something epic. It's coming soon, so stay tuned. A lot coming our way from Wordspit, including that video/single he dropped for us a little while back. If you're not excited yet, then you need to be. So peep the track yourself and tell me what you think!

DOWNLOAD/STREAM

Kid Cudi - "Man on the Moon: The End of the Day" Tracklist Released!

2009-08-17T13:12:00.008-04:00

The tracklist to Cudi's much anticipated debut has been released today. I love how he broke it down into acts. Check it out below!

ACT 1: THE END OF THE DAY
1. In My Dreams (Cudder Anthem)
2. Soundtrack 2 My Life
3. Simple As…

ACT 2: RISE OF THE NIGHT TERRORS
4. Mr. Solo Dolo (Nightmare)
5. Heart of a Lion (KiD CuDi Theme Music)
6. My World ft. Billy Cravens

ACT 3: TAKING A TRIP
7. Day N Nite (Nightmare)
8. Sky Might Fall
9. Enter Galactic (Love Connection Part 1)

ACT 4: STUCK
10. Alive (Nightmare) ft. RATATAT
11. CuDi Zone
12. Make Her Say ft. Kanye West & Common
13. Pursuit of Happiness (Nightmare) ft. MGMT & RATATAT

ACT 5: A NEW BEGINNING
14. Hyyerrr ft. Chip Tha Ripper
15. Up, Up & Away (The Wake & Bake Song)

Artist of the Week: CJ the Genesis

2009-08-17T10:18:00.002-04:00

Meet CJ the Genesis, a young rapper/producer coming out of Maryland. A unique flow, voice, and style make him not only an interesting listen, but also a very enjoyable one. He's four mixtapes in, all of which are different from each other. In his latest, and I believe biggest release, "Yea..I'm a Nerd", CJ uses beats sampling video game tunes and raps over them with ease. And that's just ONE of the many interesting things he's done.

The first time I'd heard him was on that mixtape. I knew he was something special, and by the second listen in I contacted him. I peeped another one of his mixtapes and by that time I grated his name into the AOTW upcoming list and tried to get him featured on here asap. Well, he's finally here and we're going to have a great week! As a side note: we also dropped his "Run This Town" remix with M-Trey as well!

Throughout his ATOW time, we'll be dropping all four of his mixtapes, one of which I had dropped before. Along with this, I'll be chilling with him for an interview and WFSL will even be dropping one (or more) never before heard song off his upcoming EP! Big things coming up this week, so stay tuned.

So here's the schedule for you all..
Monday: Introduction (this)
Tuesday: Mixtape Drop - World Domination
Wednesday: An Interview with CJ the Genesis & brand new track
Thursday: Mixtape Drop - Spaceship
Friday: Mixtape Drop - World Premier
Saturday: Mixtape Re-Drop - Yea..I'm a Nerd
Sunday: Wrap-up

Want more CJ the Genesis? Catch him on these sites..
Twitter: http://twitter.com/CJTheGenesis
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/cjdagenesis
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/CJ-The-Genesis/98734953302

Would you like to be featured as Artist of the Week? Get at me! -- beatwize@gmail.com

Cayoz - "For the Love" (Feat. Praverb)

2009-08-17T09:43:00.004-04:00

My dude Praverb hit me with this a while back and it slipped my mind to post it up. Better late than never though! A dope track off of Cayoz's upcoming mixtape entitled "Mixed Vibes". Both these monsters spit over Little Brother's "We Got Now". Really great work, guys! Can't wait to listen to the tape! Check it out:

DOWNLOAD/STREAM

Hollywood FLOSS - "Art or Fi$cal Intelligence" Mixtape

2009-08-17T07:49:00.006-04:00

DOWNLOAD HERE | STREAM HERE

Meet Hollywood FLOSS, a rapper coming out of Houston, Texas. I got this sent to my email yesterday morning and I listened to it a couple times and I was pretty impressed. Hollywood gives us an original flow along with great beats and a lyrical base that's undeniable. Very intelligently made, FLOSS drops us a few bombs about society and how we idolize ignorance and stupidty. A must-have mixtape, check it out!

The Story Behind "Day & Nite"

2009-08-16T17:01:00.003-04:00

It's funny how in the worst of times we always seem to have an artsy side of us that bursts through and makes us realize who we truly are. Almost like a light that's been waiting to get turned on and when everything is dark, that light finally has a time to shine. Happens to many great artists. One of these greats is Kid Cudi. His hit song "Day & Night" was made in this kind of environment and he decided to share his dark story behind everything we hear today. Check it out... [Side Note: "Man on the Moon: The End of the Day" comes out Sept. 15!]

Really Doe - "RPS (Rock, Paper, Scissors)"

2009-08-16T15:31:00.003-04:00

Dope new Really Doe off his album "First Impressions" that comes out this Tuesday. I'm thinking this album is going to be a must-have considering all I've heard from this is good music so far. If you aren't convinced yet, this track will definitely help you. Check it out! Props to [1N|2C] & FSD for the find!

DOWNLOAD/STREAM

810 - "Supply & Demand" Mixtape

2009-08-16T15:10:00.005-04:00

DOWNLOAD HERE

Allow me to introduce you to 810, a 19-year-old rapper from Baltimore. I received this tape a while back from the dude but I don't know what happened. Maybe I just forgot to drop it; regardless, I was listening to my iPhone last night and I randomly came across a track off his mixtape after a long time. Then I decided to listen to the rest of the tape. Dope, dope, dope. Did I mention dope? Realizing my stupidity, I woke up today morning and decided to drop it on the blog asap. 810 mixes lyrical goodness with intrumental heat, something that's very rare in today's hip-hop environment. You'll be seeing a lot more 810 in a little while, so keep your eyes open for that! But for now, here's some 'Supply & Demand' for your listening enjoyment. Let me know what you think!

The Undergodz - "Show & Prove" (Feat. Crooked I)

2009-08-16T14:09:00.005-04:00

The Undergodz = Keith Murray & Canibus. That's right, the duo is dropping a collabo album together under that name. I couldn't stop smiling when I heard about this, such a dope idea. I love how so many artists are joining forces to do albums now, it makes things so much more interesting. And this duo? Too dope. Check out the track..

DOWNLOAD/STREAM

The Fray - "Heartless" Cover

2009-08-15T16:13:00.002-04:00

Oh man. Absolutely amazing. I liked this band before, but now I think they could easily go in the riding as one my top-10 favorite rock bands. Check this out, I saw this like 10 times already..

Felt 3 is a Tribute to...Sarah Palin?

2009-08-15T08:11:00.004-04:00

So this is Felt 3 post #2 in a row. What can I do? Things are getting exciting. Some people are speculating that the third Felt album is a tribute to Sarah Palin. We were told that in the image below, the left is the producer of the album (which was revealed as Aesop Rock last night) and on the right is the person who it is a tribute to. Now compare these pictures:

THE PRODUCER/TRIBUTE PICTURE VS PHOTO OF SARAH PALIN
VS

The riddle has been finally solved! FELT 3 is "A Tribute to Sarah Palin" and will be produced by Aesop Rock. Can't wait!

Felt - "Protagonists" + Producer = Aesop?

2009-08-15T00:11:00.005-04:00

Felt dropped a track from their upcoming album "A Tribute to...". Still not solved about who it's a tribute to. BUT, listen close - MURS says "this time the drummer is Ace Rock". Ace Rock? Nah, AES Rock..as in AESOP Rock? Posssibly. It's very possible and it judging from this track, I wouldn't mind. Thoughts?

DOWNLOAD/STREAM

Swollen Members - "Red Dragon"

2009-08-14T23:24:00.002-04:00

Long time since I heard something from these guys. I used to love them back in the day, glad to see they're back working hard. This is off their upcoming 2-CD album entitled "Armed to the Teeth" which drops October 13th of this year. It will have guest appearances from Talib Kweli, Tech N9NE, and Phil Tha Agony amongst others. Very excited for some more Canadian hip-hop! Check this out, it's really good!

DOWNLOAD/STREAM

SLik d - "Summer Vibes" Mixtape

2009-08-14T08:12:00.009-04:00

DOWNLOAD HERE | STREAM HERE

So it's finally here! SLik d's newest mixtape entitled "Summer Vibes", a smooth & relaxing listen that'll have you playing it over and over. From track one till the end you'll feel the summer theme SLik is trying to make you feel and it'll feel like you're sitting outside on a hot day drinking up some cold iced tea. Here it is, finally - SLik d - "Summer Vibes" ..

Enjoy it, guys! And let us know what you think!

Amanda Diva - "Neon" (Feat. Johnny Polygon) Video

2009-08-13T13:53:00.001-04:00

Possibly one of the most creative videos I've ever seen. And the track is bomb as well, Diva has some serious skills! Check it out!

SLik d: Dreams of Success [WFSL Interview]

2009-08-13T11:19:00.011-04:00

So for the past few days on WFSL (http://beatwizemusic.blogspot.com), the readers have gotten to know SLik d's music and background pretty well. I'm sure a lot of you really like his style and are looking forward to his tape dropping tomorrow. But there's much more to SLik than the music. He's a young guy reaching for his dreams; someone who sees the struggle and takes it as enjoyment. A striving artist who won't stop until his dreams are fullfilled. In the music, D seems like a pretty cool dude; outside of the music he's pretty much the same. But enough of me talking, see what he is for yourself..

Beatwize: Hey, what's good SLik? Let's start off by introducing yourself to the readers..
SLik d: What up yo, I go by SLik d and I was born in Long Beach,then moved to Carson, California; then out to Las Vegas, Nevada were I now live. I been doing spittin' and beatboxin' since I was a little kid but started taking it really serious once I won my first freestyle battle freshman year at Carson High. Im a fan of the marijuana and proud of it.I think my music shows it a lot. Haha. But besides that, I'm just a guy with a lot of thoughts.

Beatwize: You've been working hard on that "Summer Vibes" tape. How does it feel to be finally done? What can we expect?
SLik d: It feels good to finally put out something for people to listen to. I think of of so many projects and start them but dont finish them, like most people do. But I was extra determined this time because im not a fan of procrastination. The tape is short and sweet so what I'm expecting are reactions to want more. Like eating half of a burger, haha.

Beatwize: Word, I can feel that. What were your main inspirations during the making of the mixtape?
SLik d: Summer man...everyone had memories during summer at least once. And I tryed to mention some of my moments within song.

Beatwize: Who helped you in the making of the tape? Are we going to see any guest appearances on it?
SLik d: Yes..There are plenty of features on this tape. Almost every track now that i think about it. Haha. I did that because during summer your not alone chillin, you're with homies and friends that create the good times with you.So I let my homies hop on the tape to make it even more legit.
Beatwize: That's an interesting concept. Who would you like to work with in the future - reality and dreams? Who is your favorite artist to work with currently?
SLik d: Seeing that I got a vision of what I want my next project to be, I would really like to work with new people. Elaquent is a main one, Bagir is my homie and he always throws heat my way. Many others but thats who im thinking of now. Oh and I cant forget Kanye, I know he has a beat thats perfect for me in his vault. I just need to reach out to him and find it. I really like working with my main man Nefarious! just because we have a good history together from when I started recording and if I ever find something wrong with the track, he will fix it with no problem making the track even more how I visioned it, making him a producer fasho creating a hit song (Ex:Summer Heat).

Beatwize: Where does your name come from?
SLik d: My name was made very randomly, haha. I was in San Pedro a few years back making dance videos to Chris Brown "Run It" and recording tracks with a computer eye camera with my nephew and a friend. When it came time to save the recordings, I needed a nickname. So we sat there untill "Slick D" was created and from there on I told myself I will make this name famous.

Beatwize: What made you want to pursue music professionally? And what made you fall into hip-hop?
SLik d: I really wanted to do this professionally when I realized its a possibility and there is money that can come my way for just making good music. I dont know about you, but I want to grow up to wake up and have fun everyday as my life long job. Then I can die happy like everyone else who is living their goals. And I fell into hip hop when I moved out here to Vegas and a homie of mine now added me on MySpace. At the time i had no tracks out and I was listening to his music everyday thinking this could be me on the remix. Soon after I stumbled across more artists on his top and found Audio Ink. I downloaded "The Madbhonism Vol.1" and after that i told myself this where I belong. But it doesnt stop me from going into different genres. I'm a guy of good music that appreciates most art forms.

Beatwize: You're still pretty young, do you think that holds you back from the industry a bit more or is it just a small obstacle in the bigger picture?
SLik d: Funny thing is im turning 18 on the 14th and people still say i look 16. Haha. It doesnt phase me at all. If Bow Wow can do it then why in the world cant I. If anything age shouldnt matter now because im out of high school basically becoming a man. So I should be viewed as one,or at least a young man. Music is timeless, so dont trip about my age.

Beatwize: Good to hear you don't let it phase you. Any other projects you'll be working on? As in a main role or guest role?
SLik d: As of now, I have no projects going on; but I got a view of what i want my next project to be. I would speak about it but I like to do it first then let people know about it so I'm not letting anyone down. Actions over words, man. But I do want to feature on a lot of tracks for now while I'm still in the zone. But these people have to be of a equal or greater value of me. Not sayin I wont collab with people who just started, but I would just have to see if they want it as much as me first. I'm trying to be on everyones Ipods and Zunes so hopefully people understand my reasons.

Beatwize: What can we expect from SLik d in the next few years? What are your goals for the future?
SLik d: Album. Full tracks of nothing but slikity goodness. Pressed and released by a strong label or supporter. More shows. And hopefully my own blogspot and short clips in HD. I like to make little movies. They inspire me so i might as well give back to the people.

Beatwize: Thanks and good luck to you in the future. I'm sure we'll be hearing a lot more from you soon enough!
SLik d: Thanks, Beatwize! Good look on the interview and everyone reading this make sure to check out other posts on this page. Good shit. Lets make it happen. Haha!

Slum Village - "Actin' Normal" Video

2009-08-13T09:20:00.001-04:00

R.I.P. Baatin..

Jay Smooth on Joe Budden/Raekwon Incident

2009-08-12T12:42:00.003-04:00

So if you're following me on Twitter and saw my little one-post rant, then you know why I haven't posted up anything on this incident before. To sum it up - I just don't care. But when Jay Smooth talks, I care. His view on this is fresh, original, and intelligent. I've been wanting to give my view on this for a while, but I just can't say it like him; so I'll just let him speak. So hear him out! IllDoc!

Jabee - "Must Be Nice" Mixtape

2009-08-12T11:00:00.002-04:00

The much-awaited for Jabee mixtape is finally here! Includes features from Blu, XV, El Prez, Oddisee, L.E.G.A.C.Y., Mac Lethal, Theory Hazit, aDDLib, and so many more. Even has must-hear producers like Green Lantern, 9th Wonder, and Black Spade. I can't wait to pop this into my car, I know for a fact that this tape is going to be bananas. Check out the Jabee track we dropped a couple days back from SoundSociety's upcoming mixtape "The Wake Up Call". If you like that, then you'll most probably like this. And you'll most probably like that. So check this out! Tracklist is below the cover.

DOWNLOAD HERE

Tracklist:
1.A blessing (Produced by Joe Sway)
2. LITTLEearth ft. L.E.G.A.C.Y and OBone (Produced by Kadence)
3.Go Tell em (Produced by Hannibal King)
4. Dumb Musica ft. Black Spade (Produced by Black Spade)
5. Money ft. EL Prez (Produced by Savio is Dead)
6.Thats Good ft. Oddisee & Jumakae (Produced by Rob Viktum)
7. Don’t Forget about me (Produced by D/Will)
8. Car pool ft. Jumakae (Produced by Ronnie Harris)
9.I am (Produced by Darkness)
10. Funky She (Produced by Moral one)
11. Sunny Day ft. Picnic Tyme (Produced by Picnic Tyme)
12.1983 ft. Chris McCain (produced by scootbeatz)
13. Virtues ft. Theory Hazit & aDDLib (Prod. by Theory Hazit)
14. Big Bad Wolf ft. Johnny Polygon (Prod. by DJ Green Lantern)
15. Anywhere ft. LMNO & Dawg Wonder (Prod. by Darkness)
16. Triumph Hanni fresh remix ft. Blu (Prod. by Hannibal King)
17. Taxi Ride ft. Chris McCain (prod. by Scootbeatz)
18. Laced to the heart (Prod. by Sabastian OH!)
19. Boombox (Prod. by DJ alibi)
20. Live Like a dream ft. Mac Lethal (Prod by Rob Viktum)
21. Hip Hop Prayer ft. Chuy (prod. by Darkness)
22.Vip in heaven ft. XV (Prod. by 9th Wonder)
23. One
24. Evaporation (Prod. Mes the Jive Turkey)
Bonus: Story II tell (Produced by DJ SemaJ)

Kid Cudi - "Man on the Moon: The End of the Day" Album Covers

2009-08-12T07:42:00.005-04:00

Kid Cudi finally released the (very cool) album covers for his debut album. They're looking pretty epic, def deff. The first is the standard version and the second is the deluxe version. Which one are you feeling more?

Wordspit - "Joystick Madness" Video & Download

2009-08-11T18:37:00.003-04:00

Allow me to introduce you to Wordspit, an emcee from Brooklyn. This dude is really good! Check out his myspace and I'm sure you'll think the same. Here's a single off his "The Coolest BBOI Stance". Peep!

DOWNLOAD HERE

Crown City Rockers - "The Day After Forever" Album Preview

2009-08-11T17:40:00.002-04:00

Crown City Rockers' new album drops Sept. 29th. They were kind enough to hook us up with a quick preview of what's to come on this album. I'm pretty excited about this, they've never seemed to let me down on their stuff; this should definitely be something I'll be listening to for a long period of time. So, check it out...a preview of "The Day After Forever"!

Spotted by Dmack from SoundSociety, props!

MURS + ? + Slug = Felt 3: A Tribute to..?

2009-08-11T16:36:00.003-04:00

Finally MURS and Slug are back for the third installment as Felt. But apparently this time they're coming back as a trio. Who that person is, we don't know. From their Facebook page we've been told he's a producer. Now to add to the speculation, they haven't mentioned who's going to be Tributed this time around. The first album was a tribute to Christina Ricci and the second was Lisa Bonet.

Felt will be dropping clues throughout the week on their Facebook to let us guess who both the producer and the tribute are, but I'd like to see what you think. So..who are these two going to be? Here's the YouTube video that kinda sparked it all..

D-Sisive - "Four"

2009-08-11T14:30:00.003-04:00

Really dope new D-Sisive. Here's some background..

"Alternative hip-hop recording artist, D-Sisive, has just released 'Four': the first installment in a serious of pre-release singles in anticipation of his November LP, Jonestown. 'Four' features the instrumental 'Alley Spying', hijacked from Slim Twig's critically acclaimed album 'Contempt!'. Watch out for D-Sisive's forthcoming digital only release entitled 'Jonestown', available on November 18th, 2009 - The 31st anniversary of the Jonestown Massacre."

Sounds cool! Check it out!

DOWNLOAD/STREAM

Greenspan - "When the Sky Turns Green" Mixtape

2009-08-11T12:41:00.007-04:00

Two mixtapes in one day? Then we got Jabee tomorrow and SLik d the next day, and who knows who else. Anyways, I almost forgot about this one. Greenspan dropped a pretty dope track a while back and I posted it on the blog. Now we have a full-fledged mixtape from the dude and I'm definitely looking foward to hearing it. Check it out, I'm just about to!

DOWNLOAD HERE

SLik d - "Good V!bes" Mixtape

2009-08-11T10:26:00.005-04:00

Here's an older tape by the dude SLik d. It consists of tracks with SLik along with his "Good V!bes" crew. I had to listen to this a couples times yesterday 'cause I just couldn't put it down. And from what he claims, it's just songs he made thrown together into a tape. So just think about how amazing a tape with songs specially made for the project would be. At that, here it is..Good V!bes.

DOWNLOAD HERE

Jabee - "Soular System"

2009-08-10T23:31:00.007-04:00

Last leak off the upcoming SoundSociety mixtape "Wake Up Call". This one's with Jabee, a dope emcee you'll be hearing a lot more about soon enough. I like this track as well, really ill stuff. Check it out!

DOWNLOAD/STREAM

Shouts to ArJay for the GFX!

Keelay & Zaire – "Pimp Dreams" (feat. Slo Mo)

2009-08-10T22:36:00.005-04:00

Here's a leak off the upcoming Keelay & Zaire from "Potholes in my Blog". Really dope track here, you're definitely going to like this and probably the tape as well. Props to Dmack of SoundSociety for pointing this out for me! Check out this list of artists that follows the download link...

DOWNLOAD/STREAM

Here's the artists hopping on this tape..damnnn..this is going to be dopppe:
Keelay & Zaire, Panacea, K-Murdock, Blu, IMAKEMADBEATS, Buff1, M-Phazes, Damu the Fudgemunk, Sene, Jon Hope, Objektiv One, The Tones, Trek Life, 9th Wonder, Arts the Beatdoctor, Muneshine, D-Sisive, Fundament, Blame One, Dujeous, Animate Objects, Dela, dumHi, King Magnetic, Elucid, TAIS, Jern Eye, J Freedome, Midaz, Slo Mo, The Regiment, The Red Giants (Jermiside & Brickbeats), Big Tone, Debaser (Sapient & Ethic), Descry, ESEMDEE, Joe Kickass, Ritchcraft, Kayo, Killing Skills, Nichelle Brown, Alternate Reality (Dumi RIGHT & Cadence) and many more!

Wale Gives A Written Preview of "Attention: Deficit"

2009-08-10T16:22:00.005-04:00

Wale sat down with a pick few people to listen to his new album and he gave a quick explanation to each track. This is just a written version of it so you don't really get a good feel for the music, just mostly the background of it. Anyways, here's what Wale said..

1. “Triumph”
Produced by Dave Sitek

On Dave’s first foray into hip-hop production, he crafts a jazzy tune, replete with big horns, to support Wale’s lyrical celebrity hotbed. The rapper shouts out Hollywood staples like Lily Allen, Slumdog Millionaire, and, most importantly, a man that taught him to do for himself—Kanye West: “I asked Mr. West for some help/ But I realized us new ni**as gotta do for ourselves.”

2. “Pretty Girls” featuring Gucci Mane
Produced by Best Kept Secret

The title pretty much sums up the type of woman Wale has his eye on. A tune that blatantly speaks to his female fan base, this is the only record on the album that features the signature go-go sound. A sample from the 1970s track “Girls” by The Moments & The Whatnauts, Gucci Mane’s Southern flavor, and incessant hand-clapping on the chorus (reminding Ugly Bettys to “be quiet”) are key standouts.

3. “Mirrors” featuring Bun B
Produced by Mark Ronson

Both Wale and Bun B spar with the ominous tune—a mix of gothic guitars, soulful crooning from Phantom Planet’s Alex Greenwald, and heavy drums—to contend for the title of “who’s real.” The D.C. native lyrically jabs at his doubtful opponents on the chorus, rhyming, “Mirror, mirror on the wall/ Who’s the realest of them all/ Is it right, is it wrong/ They ain’t hard, swear to God/ These ni**as ain’t real at all,” while Bun plays no games, “… I’m gon’ keep it G/ If you can’t look up at yourself, how you gon’ look at me.”

4. “Contemplate” featuring Rihanna
Produced by Syience

The first question that comes to mind upon listening to this dark, thought-provoking record: is that Rihanna on the chorus? Producer Syience sampled the pop chanteuse’s voice from her Good Girl Gone Bad album cut “Question Existing.” She sings (with some added tweaks) over a grandiose rhythm, shedding light on inner turmoil with lines such as “Who am I living for?” while the rapper questions his place on the hip-hop radar, spitting quick brain buzzers like, “Am I doing this for them or me?” and “Play this shit while you contemplate.”

5. “90210”
Produced by Mark Ronson

“The Perez Hilton angle,” according to Ronson, don’t expect to find silicone and Botox applauded anywhere over the Mario Bros.-sounding beat. Beginning with a sea of electronic pulses that scream “high on life,” Wale raps about the stereotypical L.A. girl hoping to achieve celebrity by any means necessary. One verse through, and the chorus sticks: “She throws up whatever she eats/ She leaves the bathroom with a nose bleed/ Regular girl, celebrity dreams/ She’s 90210.”

6. “World Tour” featuring Jazmine Sullivan
Produced by Cool & Dre

When Jazmine Sullivan’s name is read, one hopes to hear the R&B singer bang out a stellar chorus to support Wale’s stories of leaving his D.C. ghetto behind. But high hopes are extinguished once all Sullivan belts out are a few short “oohh oohhs.” The cherry on this hip-hop sundae is the triumphant beat, which opens with a piano solo and immediately hits a heavy drum and bass pattern, and Wale’s no-holds-barred chorus, where he rhymes, “We on a world tour, Wale ya man/ Hustling each and every ghetto with a mic in my hand/ New York, VA, D.C., get paid.”

7. “TV in the Radio” featuring K’naan
Produced by Dave Sitek

Wale puts forth a braggadocio vibe over a rocking beat featuring a hint of an electric guitar and classic horns. The rapper wants to punctuate the fact that, like Lil Wayne, motherfucker, he’s ill. Lines like, “Everybody’s on me like the ‘A Milli’ beat,” show and prove his point. Supporter K’naan overshadowed his hip-hop friend, delivering a frenzied verse, replete with pompous attitude: “If we wasn’t so original, we’d be criminal.”

8. “Diary” featuring Marsha Ambrosius
Produced by The Sleepwalkers

This one has “soundtrack to a hip-hop fairytale” written all over it. The beat twists and cascades underneath Marsha Ambrosius’ troubled lyrics, which feature sentiments of a girl having a hard time holding her own. Wale opens the pages of his hip-hop diary to help soothe her soul: “Wife, you deserve the label/ But you’ve been hurt before so you don’t think you’re able.”

9. “Beautiful Bliss” featuring Melanie Fiona & J. Cole
Produced by DJ Green Lantern & Mark Ronson

Remember the Folgers coffee slogan? Well, the best part of waking up will be playing this record. Begin the day with this uptempo slice of soulful delight, brought in part by Melanie Fiona, who gleefully belts out, “It’s a beautiful day,” at its opening. A big beat backed by horns and a rampant piano, listeners are directed by Wale to focus on the prize at the end of each day. The pièce de résistance is rap newcomer J. Cole, who, expectedly, name checks the man filling up his bank account, rhyming, “I’m in a class of my own, at dinner with Hov/ Hoping he’ll pass the baton/ All he pass is the Patrón.”

10. “O.G.”
Produced by Sean C & LV

Who better to thwack the drums and make a record sound right than Travis Barker? The Blink-182 dude showcased his skills on the track in an opening drum solo, quickly supported by a horn section played by funk soul band the Dap-Kings. The unique rhythm created by the two powerhouses creates a hip-hop jazz bed for Wale’s vocals, as he raps about the life of an O.G.

11. “Prescription”
Produced by Best Kept Secret

Announced as the album’s closing track, any other place for it wouldn’t have worked. Its name is synonymous with the entire effort’s title, summing up the 10 tracks prior as the sonic pill to heal listeners’ auditory ailments. While Wale writes out the doctor’s orders (“Language, I provide like a Percocet”), flutes, bongos, and a tinkling of piano keys are celebrated on this jazz-inspired beat. A welcomed surprise (and personal favorite) at the record’s finale came in the form of the D.C. native’s spoken word talents, where he expressed a certainly debatable statement in an unorthodox manner: “I am hip-hop, past, present, and future.”

Sounds interesting. Only 11 tracks? Illmatic was only 9 tracks and a skit. But let's not compare anyone to that and get people's hope up. Looking forward to this album! Can't wait! "Attention: Deficit" on October 20th!

Blue Scholars - "HI-808" Video

2009-08-10T12:22:00.002-04:00

The Scholars dropped a visual to their new single off their "OOF!" EP that comes out August 25th. You can download the track here. Check it out!

Artist of the Week: SLik d

2009-08-10T09:52:00.003-04:00

Allow me to introduce to you SLik d, an young rapper from Carson/Las Vegas, California. I dropped a track from his upcoming mixtape "Summer Vibes" a few days back. Straight off the bat you can see that D is a very soulful lyricist.

There isn't much to say about this artist simply because his music speaks for him. After going through his MySpace, I knew I had to feature him on the site for the week he's dropping his mixtape. It was something special that sparked track after track, and it was pretty obvious that SLik D is part of hip-hop's very bright future.

The first time I'd heard SLik was on that same track you probably heard him on, "Summer Heat". I love smooth beats along with intelligent rhyming, and SLik had the perfect combination of that. And it didn't hurt to have a Nefarious! beat on the track, I'm a huge fan of him. There was absolutely no doubt that I would like D's music. And I was right.

After months of hard work, we're going to get to hear D on his own tape with his own style. His focus on this project has been complete and from what I've heard so far, it's going to be on some next level. We'll be dropping tracks from that and other SLik D tracks during the week.

What to hear/see more from SLik D, or just want to contact him? Check out these sites:

Twitter: http://twitter.com/SLikd
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/slikdizzle
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/s.php?q=slik+d&init=quick#/pages/SLik-d/65261380505?ref=search

A playlist is coming soon, so stay tuned! Check out his MySpace to hear some songs in the meantime!

Would you like to be featured as Artist of the Week? Get at me! -- beatwize@gmail.com

Curren$y & Wiz Khalifa - How Fly

2009-08-09T23:37:00.006-04:00

The much anticipated mixtape from Curren$y and Wiz Khalifa is finally out. I'm popping this into my iPhone and listening like right now. You guys should download and do the same. Check it out!
DOWNLOAD HERE

Lennon - Deck Tales V2

2009-08-09T13:26:00.006-04:00

So on Friday was a great day for Tweeting. I met up with some great artists and bloggers that you'll hear a lot about soon enough. Lennon is one of those artists, and we even got to talking after tweeting. Seems like we're quite similar in our hip-hop aims, not to mention this guy has crazy talent. His beats follow the boom-bap bible and are beyond creative. I know the majority of hip-hop fans aren't big on pure instrumental albums, but this album right here is something crazy. Props to my dude Dmack down at SoundSociety for dropping this! Check it out.

DOWNLOAD HERE

1. Service Annoucement
2. The Changing
3. Commercial Break
4. Mind Rain
5. Our Fascination
6. Work
7. Down
8. Right and Wrong
9.Pretzels (Reprise)
10. Forgetful
11. FourIn
12. Exodus
13. The Storm
14. Eternity
15. Odyssey
16. Elements

Erik Flowchild - "Over Here" Video

2009-08-08T12:01:00.003-04:00

Erik Flowchild is an up-and-coming and made-to-be-famous emcee out of my hometown of Toronto. I've known about him for a little while and have been waiting on this video for a decent amount of time. He's currently working hard on his mixtape "The Delivery Boy" which, from what I know, is nearly done. This is his first single off the tape and it's incredibly dope. You'll be hearing a lot more about Flowchild on this blog as his mixtape draws closer, so keep yours eyes & ears open for him. The future!

Classified - "Up All Night" Video

2009-08-07T09:43:00.003-04:00

Class drops a video for his newest single off his latest album "Self Explanatory". This was my favorite track off the album, so I'm glad I got a visual from the man himself. Sick song, sick video. If you haven't heard the song yet, take a look - I'm sure you'll love it! For all you other Class-heads, enjoy!

Barack Obama on Rolling Stones Cover

2009-08-07T07:57:00.004-04:00

Rolling Stones put America's fearless leader onto their cover along with a full article about his life & career. Article is called "Obama So Far". Check it, really interesting story.

ARTICLE HERE

L.O.X. - "Move" (Prod. by J. Cardim)

2009-08-07T07:46:00.003-04:00

Remember these guys? Well, they have a new track, surprisingly with their classic name. Anyone know why they changed it back from D-Block to L.O.X.? Regardless, really dope track and a must listen. I remember when I used to listen to these guys hardcore, now we don't get much from them. Glad I have something new to add to my collection of classic L.O.X.

DOWNLOAD/STREAM

Meet Biggie Jr. & Diddy Jr.

2009-08-07T07:31:00.002-04:00

Took a little break from blogging yesterday 'cause I had a few things to get done. Not like yesterday was a big day, I just missed a few things so the next few posts is catch-up. So let's start with this video of Diddy introducing us to his son Christian, and Biggie's son CJ. Don't they look exactly like their fathers? Crazy ishh right there. Both are aspiring rappers; Christian is only writing right now, but CJ has a mixtape coming out soon. It'll be interesting to see what the son of a beastly lyricist has in him. But he's still young, so I have a feeling we'll have to wait for him to mature a lot more before we get his full potential. Now enough of me rambling, here's the video...

SLik d - "Summer Heat" (Feat. Jarell Perry) (Prod. by Nefarious!)

2009-08-06T11:46:00.005-04:00

Really dope track by the dude SLik d for his upcoming free-tape "Summer Vibes" which comes out Aug. 14th - coincidentally his birthday. Beat is by Nefarious!, know:Jaunder's crew-mate from the Cosmic Souls Collective. Jarell Perry sings his ishh on the hook as well, really smooth. I'm feeling it! Check it out!

DOWNLOAD HERE

Two Crown King: A New Sound [WFSL Interview]

2009-08-05T12:51:00.013-04:00

It's always nice to find a new group that you love to listen to. It's even that much better when they come to you! If you've been following WFSL (beatwizemusic.blogspot.com) for a while, you've heard this name come up a few times. Two Crown King is a two-man rapping & singing duo from London, Ontario, Canada. After going back and forth with emails for the past few weeks, me and the band got to speak to each other about their development, inspirations, and much more! They seem to be a down-to-Earth, fun-loving crew who love music and literally live for it. A great Q&A if I do say so myself. Check it out!

Beatwize: Hey guys, it's good to finally have you on the blog. To start off, tell our readers a little about yourselves.
Two Crown King: We met at Fanshawe College in London, Ontario while studying Music Industry Arts. Sean originally hails from the most radio active city in Canada. Dick is from Baden-Baden, Germany which, apparently in english means "heaven on earth". Ok, not really, but man it's a nice place.

Beatwize: Cool stuff. You guys seem to be working very hard on your debut. How's that going?
Two Crown King: The album is coming along well. We're working very closely with our producer Dan Weston. This is our first time working with him and we could not be happier. The record is being recorded guerilla style in our basement, completely independently. This gives us the freedom to create when the time is right without financial pressure or time constraints. The album is still untitled and we are actively accepting suggestions.

Beatwize: For sure, your sound is definitely something new, or at least very rare. How did this whole idea of rapper and soul-singer along with a rock-ish theme come about? Were there any other artists that gave you inspiration in the process?
Two Crown King: Sean started fronting bands at 13, playing in blues bars and other dives. Dick started writing songs in high school after his friends (who did way too many drugs) couldn't remember the good times they were having. This actually led to his love for storytelling. After meeting in college we ended up sharing stages together. Eventually, we made the decision to write together full time. Both of us pull from a wide range of influences such as; Brother Ali, Raphael Saadiq, the Band, Phish, Atmosphere, Rise Against, Amy Winehouse and Talking Heads. Our biggest influence on the album would have to be Dan Weston though. He has such a great focus when he creates. For him it has to be real, organic and drenched in soul.

Beatwize: It’s everyone’s dream to do what they love for a living. What made you want to pursue music professionally?
Sean: Ha! You think it was a choice? I've tried to leave this horrible mistress many times, but she won't let me.
Dick: It wasn't so much a choice as it was a last resort. After I realized the Redskins would never draft me, I immediately decided that I needed to learn another skill. Sean already knew how to sing and I'm not good looking enough to just stand there.

Beatwize: Being from Canada can sometimes be a hurdle to get into the industry. Why do you think it's so tough to get recognition, even in our own country?
Dick: I disagree. It's easier now, more than ever. New media outlets such as social networking sites and music blogs allow new acts to reach thousands of new listeners over night. The hurdle isn't necessarily being from Canada as much as it is being an independent group looking for major exposure.
Sean: Times have definitely changed. I remember spending hours back in the day cold calling labels, mailing out press kits and driving for hours to play some in some hole just for the opportunity to reach a few new ears. Thank god for modern conveniences.

Beatwize: I guess that’s true, Canadian hip-hop really has been booming lately. So, what fellow Canadian artists are you currently feeling?
Dick: Shad, Okay City, Hey! Ocean, Billy Talent, Alexisonfire.
Sean: There are a lot these days. K-Os for sure. Sweet Thing. I miss Big Sugar, and my all time favorite...the Band.

Beatwize: Looks pretty similar to my list! Any artists you guys dream of working with in the future?
Sean: Norman Cook, David Byrne, Brother Ali, Atmosphere.
Dick: Hannah Montana

Beatwize: Haha, I’m sure, Adam. Will we be seeing any collaborations on the album at all?
Two Crown King: We're working on one but we don't wanna jinx it. YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!

Beatwize: So have you guys been locked up in the studio working on that album or are you guys doing shows? If so, where at?
Two Crown King: Actually, we have yet to play a show as Two Crown King. We're excited for some upcoming dates and have recently put together some of the dirtiest musicians to back us up. Believe it, the live show will be bananas! B-A-N-A-N-A-S, right Gwen?

Beatwize: Let me know when you're reaching Toronto! Where do you see yourself in five years?
Sean: Five Junos deep, completely covered in gold wearing and velvet capes.
Dick: Hannah Montana

Beatwize: Lmao, glad to see you guys agree on things! Anything else you'd like to say?
Two Crown King: In case our last threat fell upon deaf ears: Billy Mitchell, beware. It's time to bring the tough kids to justice!

Beatwize: Thanks and good luck!
Two Crown King: Semper fi.

Check out they're music in the following places:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TwoCrownKing
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/twocrownking
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/TwoCrownKing

Eyedea & Abilities - "Junk" Video

2009-08-05T12:42:00.003-04:00

New video from Rhymesayers group Eyedea & Abilties. Sounds really good! Off their upcoming project entitled "By the Throat"

Blue Scholars - "HI-808" x Info on the OOF! EP

2009-08-05T11:23:00.016-04:00

I've always been a big fan of the Blue Scholars so I was excited to see this in my Inbox today! "HI-808" is a fresh drop for their upcoming 10-track EP "OOF!" Starts off a little odd, but right after that it's mad dope. Can't wait for this new EP - comes out AUGUST 25TH!

DOWNLOAD/STREAM

DESCRIPTION OF "OOF!":
"OOF! is the story about the Hawaii that you don't see on TV: fish-fry BBQs in Waianae, native Hawaiians struggling for sovereignty, house parties on the Leeward side, uncles playing mah-jong on a lanai in Waipahu, a thriving independent hip-hop and fashion scene, on-air ciphers at KTUH, a room full of folks vibin' to a mean reggae song, young poets spitting fire into mics, grubbing on poke in the Foodland parking lot, whole neighborhoods leveled by the ice epidemic.
...
Along with its digital release, the OOF! EP will also be pressed into a limited-edition run of 808 CDs which will be available exclusively from the Blue Scholars’ and other project partners’ websites and at the IN4MATION Ward location in Honolulu, HI. The whole project is part of Blue Scholars’ artist owned label MassLine, underwritten through a strategic marketing partnership with Seattle’s independent coffee company Caffè Vita, distributed digitally by Tunecore, and marketed in collaboration with Duck Down Records."

MORE INFO HERE

TRACKLISTING
01 Bananas
02 HI-808
03 Coo?
04 New People
05 Hello
06 Cruz
07 Ahi Riddim (Bananas Instrumental)
08 HI Riddim (HI-808 Instrumental)
09 Cudo Riddim (Coo? Instrumental)
10 Tako Riddim (New People Instrumental)
11 Postal Riddim (Hello Instrumental)
12 Havva Riddim (Cruz Instrumental)

"Hey, Beatwize! What happened the Blank Tapes?!"

2009-08-04T13:16:00.007-04:00

Five emails later, I've decided to make a PSA. The "Blank Tapes" series is not canceled, just delayed for numerous personal and professional reasons. Yes, Vol. 1 came out with promises for Vol. 2 (which I dropped a single for), and a followup ending-of-series Vol. 3. A lot has been going on the background in terms of development in my musical promotion and much more than that. And to answer another common question - yes, another reason is "Classical State of Mind", which too is going to be pushed foward.

"Classical State of Mind" has now been pushed indefinitely, mainly because of work and school coming up - I can but won't compromise the potential excellency that can come out of this project. I want this to be even more perfect than X, Y, J-Z was in terms of sound, promotion, following and much more. Remember how I pushed X, Y, J-Z over and over and when it dropped it seemed worth the wait (for most people)? Time makes a project grow and mature, and I want that for this album. But not to worry, I will be releasing 2 more tracks other than that Nas Is Like drop before the album comes out. As for Blank Tapes Vol. 2 & 3, expect them both before the end of September.

Thanks for the patience, guys! I appreciate the ongoing support! Peacepeace!
Yours with much gratidude,
Beatwize

Happy 48th Birthday to Pres. Obama!

2009-08-04T12:04:00.005-04:00

WFSL wishes Barack Obama a very Happy 48th Birthday!

A man who has accomplished so much in 48 years and is probably the most internationally loved American president in a very long time. A proclaimed visionary and excellent leader, we were given hope since day one of his campaign trail. When he won the presidential race, the world rejoiced; a change finally came in the west. It was this man who changed the world in a positive way.

Would you like to wish him personally? Do it on Twitter!

XV - Gobstopper (Live)

2009-08-04T07:56:00.001-04:00

XV performs one of my favorite tracks off of "Everybody's Nobody". He really knows how to put on a show! Check it out below! If you missed it, you can catch the mixtape here.

Wordsmith - Half Bar, Half Amazing (Prod. by Strada)

2009-08-04T07:31:00.004-04:00

New Wordsmith off his upcoming mixtape "Overdue & Underrated" which drops August/September. His collaborative album with Chubb Rock entitled "Bridging the Gap" is coming out in August as well, so look out for that too. This track is really dope too. Feeling this one for sure. Check it out for yourself!

DOWNLOAD/STREAM

Oh No - "Ethiopium" Snippets Mix

2009-08-03T23:56:00.006-04:00

Madlib's brother Oh No has been hard at work on his upcoming instrumental album "Ethiopium", a follow up to his "Dr. No's Oxperiment" which dropped in 2007. StonesThrow just dropped a snippet mix of the new album at hand. It sounds really dope! I can't wait to hear this when it's complete! So here's the mix to whet your appetite till the real thing comes out.

DOWNLOAD/STREAM

Hope you enjoy it!

Blueprint 3 Album Cover Released! + Tracklist Added

2009-08-03T14:04:00.008-04:00

Here's the cover for Jay-Z's upcoming album. It looks cool, but I kinda expected more..y'know..blue? I like the imagery though, seems very interesting. Regardless, "Blueprint 3" comes out September 11th! Can't wait!

EDIT: Here's the tracklist! Mostly Kanye, so this should be something crazy!
1. What We Talking About (Produced by Kanye West)
2. D.O.A. (Produced by No I.D.)
3. Weigh Me Down Feat. Kid Cudi (Produced by Kanye West)
4. Unforgiven (Produced by Kanye West, Additional Production: MGMT)
5. Run This Town Feat. Rihanna & Kanye West (Produced by Kanye West)
6. Empire State Of Mind Feat. Nas (Produced by Kanye West & No I.D.)
7. When It Comes To This (Produced by Timbaland)
8. Always Feat. Drake (Produced by Kanye West)
9. Scenes From The Past (Produced by No I.D., Co-produced by Kanye West)
10. Everyday A Star Is Born Feat. Mr. Hudson (Produced by Kanye West)
11. Already Home (Produced by Kanye West)
12. Forever Young Feat. Mr. Hudson (Produced by Kanye West)
13. Thank You (Produced by No I.D.)
Bonus Tracks:
14. Sound Of The 70s (Produced by Kanye West)
15. We Made History (Produced by Kanye West)

Kidz in the Hall - Flickin'

2009-08-03T13:38:00.005-04:00

New track from Kidz in the Hall off their upcoming album "Land of Make Belief". Really dope track, I've been waiting for this new album for a long time so glad to finally hear something. I like how they've kinda switched up their flow a little, sounds fresh. Something different is usually good when it comes from talented artists like the Kidz. But enought of that, check it out for yourself!

DOWNLOAD/STREAM

Artist of the Week: Two Crown King

2009-08-03T12:06:00.006-04:00

Everyday I get numerous emails from artists that want exposure. In all honesty, most aren't too great or at least need substantial improvement; it's rare to find a gem in a list of many. This one day I logged in and saw an email that looked extremely familiar to every other email I get. I'm always a little skeptical, but I still always give these guys a chance. Call me stupid, but I knew that one day I'd find a couple of artists that truly deserve my time and promotion. Boy, was I right.

Allow me to introduce a duo from London, Ontario (Canada) that are soon to be one of your favorite bands. That's right, Two Crown King is a band. But not a Roots type of band; TCK consists of a rapper, Adam Dick, and soul/funk singer Sean Goodchild. This combination along with a couple of instruments creates a unique sound that gets you hooked pretty quickly.

Still pretty pre-mature to the industry, TCK has one single out entitled "One Man Mess" that I dropped on the blog a little while back. Currently they have three songs out on their myspace and are hard at work on their debut album. Since they want the songs to be perfect (which as you'll see the three are) they don't want to release the others out to the public just yet, so all we have for now is the trio of tracks.

But trust me, for now that's enough. I found myself staying on their MySpace page on for hours listening to just those three tracks. You can find them on the AOTW playlist on the right sidebar for now and the same playlist will remain below even after that. And there's much more coming, including an interview with the band! Not to mention we'll be dropping updates on the band even after the week is done. So stay tuned!

Here's a couple sites to keep you posted on Two Crown King...
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TwoCrownKing
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/twocrownking
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/TwoCrownKing
kt8Merch: https://www.kt8merch.com/store/pages/9583/Two_Crown_King.htm

Would you like to be featured as Artist of the Week? Get at me! -- beatwize@gmail.com

Charles Hamilton - All Alone

2009-08-03T11:56:00.004-04:00

Sonic has been pretty M.I.A. lately after that whole Dilla fiasco he got himself into. I feel kinda bad for him, but I guess it was coming at him. This here is a leak from his upcoming album "The Perfect Life". I don't know about this one, man. It's a bit too much for me, but maybe you might like it. So here's something for all the Hamilton fans.

DOWNLOAD/STREAM