Hexsagon Presents- The Charlie Parker Beat Tape

915-- stand up!

El Paso, Texas born producer, Hexsagon, has channeled the infamous 'Yardbird' Charlie Parker to construct one of better tribute beat tapes to come out in 2010. The Charlie Parker Beat Tape features various loops and samples of Parker's most influential work as one of the greatest jazz saxophonists to ever live. The 14-track beat tape flows seamlessly with beautiful song sequencing, blends, and interview clips with Dizzy Gillespie, Jay McShann, and Chan Parker, making Hexsagon's beat tape a well constructed, cohesive piece of work, rather than a haphazard compilation. 

The free download is available to you below via Bandcamp.

Brooklyn beatsmith Bagir-Ba is also featured on the tape. You can peep his free EP Yello-21 that we posted earlier this year here.

Download: Hexsagon Presents- The Charlie Parker Beat Tape

Video: Moe Pope- Foolish ft. Reks

Official video for Moe Pope's "Foolish" off of his slept on 2010 album Life After God (available now on Brick Records). Directed by John Graziano.

Video: Homeboy Sandman- Strange Planet

More visuals off of Homeboy's 2010 release, The Good Sun.

Video: People Under the Stairs- Beer

Los Angeles hip-hop duo People Under The Stairs (Thes One & Double K) present "BEER" the official Music Video off the album Carried Away. Piecelock 70 in conjunction with Vital Films, directed by Matt Hobbs (www.vital-films.com) and written by PUTS. Video graciously filmed on location in the Odell Brewing Company of Fort Collins Colorado,with live party filmed around the corner from the Fox Theater in Boulder Colorado.

Real Reid- Elevators Up + Thug Motivation Get Comfortable

Swim Team MC Sahtyre introduced Real Reid to me earlier this year via his Comin' Up video series. Originally from Detroit, Michigan, Reid made his journey to Los Angeles in 2010 where he immediately began to flourish in the battle scene and make noise in various independent circles. Recently, Reid has been working on his internet presence and has dropped a few loosies for the internet to feast on.

"Elevator Up" is a fun and infectious hip hop spaceship flight to a penthouse in the sky featuring guest vocals from Bianca G; "Thug Motivation Get Comfortable" showcases Real Reid's oddball style over Mainframe's (Johnson & Jonson) alien transmissions; and "Bounce Hydraulics" shows Los Angeles' influence on the Detroit MC, as he bounces over a vintage West Coast beat that will make you want to bump DMX while on your BMX.

Real Reid= The West Coast Homeboy Sandman?


Download: Real Reid- Thug Motivation Get Comfortable

Download: Real Reid- Elevator Up ft. Bianca G

Download: Real Reid- Bounce Hydraulics

Hit the flip side to see Comin' Up with Sahtyre & Real Reid. Fast Forward to 1:33 for the heat.

Stalley- Hercules

"Hercules" is the first single introducing the sound of Stalley's forthcoming LP Lincoln Way Nights (Intelligent Trunk Music).

Produced by Rashad Thomas of Columbus, Ohio's the 3rd, ITM finds Stalley returning to his Ohio roots - American muscle cars and hard 808 kicks. Stalley, who was born and raised in the working class city of Massillon, says of the project, "This is Midwest music, with a New York mentality."


Download: Stalley- Hercules

RoQ'y TyRaiD- Year Round School

I first came across Phoenix, Arizona MC RoQ'y TyRaiD about a month ago and was immediately hooked on his cynical sense of humor and snake-like flow. After dropping The New Millennium Man earlier this year, RoQ'y is hard at work on his next release and has already begun to release free singles for us to feast on.

Here is his latest single, Year Round School, where RoQ'Y floats through the clouds in a moment of clarity over a Dn3 beat.


Download: RoQ'y TyRaiD- Year Round School // Bandcamp

J. Cole- Bun B for President (Chuuwee Remix)

Chuuwee takes advantage of the open space on J. Cole's Bun B for President and adds some of his own Third Coast flavor.

I still have never listened to a J. Cole project-- maybe it's time?


Download: J. Cole- Bun B for President (Chuuwee Remix)

Muneshine- Grown Man Rap

Muneshine slides you jazzy hip hop heads yet another free single as he readies the release of his upcoming EP, Larger Than Life, with Holland's Vinyl Frontiers. 

Grown Man Rap is a self produced track and the download below has the MP3, art, and instrumental version. You can also listen and purchase the track on Muneshine's bandcamp page.


Download: Muneshine- Grown Man Rap

Blog Buzz [Nov. 14th- 21st] ft. AZ, Talib Kweli, Royce da 5'9", Eminem and more!

Check back during the week for more...

At one of my old sites I used to do a weekly post called Blog Buzz, where I post my favorite independent hip hop tracks that were posted around the blogosphere over the week (that I didn't post myself). Think of it as the Brita of blogs, filtering out the toxic mess. Below are some of the hottest tracks to be released this past week:


Download: Evidence- Outta My Mind ft. Murs
Notes: Unreleased Ev and Murs loosie over a Laws instrumental.

Download: Eminem & Royce da 5'9"- Living Proof

Notes: Bad meets evil and we like that.

Download: Talib Kweli- Cold Rain

Notes: First leak from Talib's forthcoming album, Gutter Rainbows, set to release January 25th. The album will be available in digital format only in the US but available in all formats abroad. "Cold Rain" features production from 2010's producer of the year candidate, Ski Beatz.

Download: AZ- Gimme Yours ft. Josh Xantus (produced by Statik Selektah)
Notes: Whyyyyyyyyyy?! But I still got love for AZ.

Distrakt- Daddy No + More

I mentioned about a month ago being put onto a Colorado MC by the name of Distrakt and immediately falling in love with his creative visuals and oddball flow. I've been meaning to keep better track of his newer material, but totally forgot about the freebies being dropped via his SoundCloud account-- until tonight.

Here are 3 new(ish) tracks from Distrakt. I highly recommend checking out his video collection that I have in this post. How is this dude not a viral sensation yet?

Hit the flip side for the streams/free downloads.



DADDY NO by DISTRAKT

BILLIONS OF MILES by DISTRAKT

Do You Know by DISTRAKT

Video: Fashawn- Ride & Smokin'

Another video off of Fashawn's Grizzly City 3 mix tape.

Mally & The Sundance Kid- The Renaissance

When we hear discussion about rhyming talent from the North Star State, we immediately think of Atmosphere, Brother Ali, Doomtree, and various other artists that fall under the Rhymesayers umbrella. But what about Big Quarters, Heiruspecs, Unknown Prophets, Kanser, Mally & The Sundance Kid--

Mally & The Sundance Kid?

I had this reaction because in such a small mid-western scene it's not easy to slip through the cracks in the blogosphere and before today I had never heard of Mally & The Sundance Kid-- an impressive MC/Producer duo that have been releasing their collaborative singles for free to prepare hip hop fans for Mally's 2011 EP.

Since September, Mally has been giving out tracks on the 15th of every month, which he calls the Free on the 15th Series. Three bangers have been released so far, each highlighting Mally's immaculate flow and the undeniable chemistry that he shares with his producer. My immediate reaction after listening to the trio of leaks below was: where the hell have I been? And I believe new listeners will have the same reaction and begin to celebrate the emergence of a duo, outside of the Rhymesayers/Doomtree camp, that truly have what it takes to continue to carry the torch for Minnesota and mid-western hip hop.

Starting with the latest leak, here are the freebies from the Free on the 15th Series:


Download: Mally & The Sundance Kid- The Renaissance

Download: Mally & The Sundance Kid- Heir Time

Download: Mally & The Sundance Kid- Lights Off

Jéan P- Rise & Shine

With a flawless ear for production and a deep admiration for storytelling, Ohio MC Jéan P is a blue-collar artist on the rise. Instead of spitting lyrics behind a gauze of gimmicks and glam, Jéan straps on his work boots and lets his blood, sweat, and tears splash on stage.

On his latest release, Rise & Shine, P showcases his grind heavy ethos over a collection of jazzy laced production from NO I.D., Ski Beatz, Jaye Jeffers, Raw Stiles, Thelonious Martin, DJ iShine, Nefarious!, and Chase Williams.

The full album download is below, as well as my favorite track from the record.


Download: Jéan P- U Know How We Do ft. GAT & Briana Brandy
Album Download: Jéan P- Rise & Shine

Quincy Vidal- I See You (Still Weavens Remix)

My favorite track off of Quincy Vidal's debut album, Cookin' in Brooklyn, has received a Still Weavens remix treatment, making me fall in love with the record all over again. After you peep the remix, check out Le'Asha Julius and Caleb Eberhardt's brainchild in its entirety. It remains one of the more refreshing and interesting free releases to drop this year!


Download: Quincy Vidal- I See You (Still Weavens Remix)
Download Album: Quincy Vidal- Cookin' in Brooklyn (Bandcamp)