A monthly assortment of reviews dedicated to art, culture,
and abiding the law to enjoy oneself!
Sunday, July 31, 2011 at 11:19PM 
New joint for those soft summer evenings by Anthony
Hamilton...there's a slow, easy feel to this track and
he doesn't let loose with his vocal strength until near
the end. A good song for those BBQ's!
Anthony Hamilton - All Day I Dream
http://www.sharebeast.com/bst68zkr5ayo
Monday, February 7, 2011 at 9:49PM
1995. The Pharcyde were at a crossroads as they
released their second album, Labcabincalifornia.
Infighting had led to the group's split with J-Swift,
producer of the first album. That moment brought
about another step in the rise of a brand new
producer out of Detroit...Jay Dee. It would be a
couple of years before he took on the moniker of
J Dilla, but the same pristine production was there.
'Drop' itself is both an ode to the irreverance that
made The Pharcyde famous but also new ground
that further showcased each member's lyricism.
Clever insertion of a Beastie Boys sample within
the hook balanced out with a deceptively simple
but catchy boom bap makes the track all the more
magnetic, so much that when Spike Jonze did the
now famous music video, it made 'Drop' one of the
more memorable songs that year. Think about that
the next time you see the standard rap video these
days.
Thursday, February 3, 2011 at 10:40PM 
(Released February 2010)
When word got around that Freeway was going to basically
re-emerge with a new album late in 2009, the jokes began.
Freeway? Aint that the dude who went full out Islam? Did he
lose that nasal drip in his voice? Freeway has had his share
of ups and downs as an MC. The ‘Philly Freezer’ who rocked
a full beard way before Rick Ross got his 22nd tat and his first
verses had been established with his first appearance on the
classic Roc-A-Fella jam ‘Roc The Mic’. The problem for Beanie
Siegel’s main man was consistency. He had two albums,
Philadelphia Freeway and Free At Last which got mixed reviews
across the board. Getting dusted like a kitchen sideboard by
fellow Philly MC Cassidy on air in a freestyle battle didn’t help
matters either. Then Freeway got conflicted between being a
Muslim and being an MC who spoke about pushing weight and
letting off shots. All of which led some to question whether he
really could rise to meet his potential.
The Stimulus Package is an eye-opener on many levels. First off,
this got a great deal of acclaim despite the fact that it was an
independent release on the Rhymesayers label. Secondly, the
pairing of Jake One and Freeway is quite possibly one of hip-hop’s
best new collaborations. The Seattle producer had already turned
heads with his first release, White Van Music as well as doing
De La Soul’s ‘Rock Co.Kane Flow’, but this album made a LOT of
heads spin like Linda Blair. As for Freeway, this is the album that
has made him not only relevant again, but has possibly given us
a lot at how much more he can grow. The same flow is there, but
more determined with enough steel in it for a few switchblades.
Each verse he spits on this album carries serious wisdom and
experience…and you connect to it that much more.
The album is smooth even with all of the asphalt-like grittiness of
Jake One’s production. It’s a throwback to those days when hip-hop
did nothing but churn out albums made for cruising the block in
the whip no matter the season. That gets hammered home on the
introduction where Freeway and Beanie go in on a beat that would
have made TSOP proud. On his own, Freeway lyrically slaughters
tracks. “Know What I Mean” deserves to be mentioned in the same
breath as Biggie’s ‘Ten Crack Commandments’ for its matter-of-fact
do’s and don’ts of the game delivered in a manner so slick you’d
think you were right there on the corner with him. “The Product” is
a chilling track, full of haunting piano licks and Free’s vigorous
wordplay where he takes on the properties of drugs. Another
outstanding element of this album are the collaborations. Each one
adds luster, from Bun B’s twang on ‘Sho Nuff’ to Raekwon’s vicious
verse on ‘One Thing’. The Stimulus Package and its success proves
that for 2010, Freeway finally had the last laugh.
Thursday, February 3, 2011 at 1:17AM
(released April 4th, 2010)
If you needed any real indication that The Roots were
undoubtedly the hardest working hip-hop band, their
output over this past year should’ve proven that in spades.
Being the official house band for ‘Late Night with Jimmy
Fallon’ hasn’t slowed them down one bit, to the point where
they released FOUR albums. Let that marinate for a second,
and add this to the pot: outside of mixtapes, who else had
that same level of production? Sadly, this album got a few
moments of glory upon its release, overshadowed by the
impending albums by Little Brother and Nas and Damian
Marley’s efforts. It’s all the more astounding when you sit
and break down ‘Dilla Joints’ in its entirety.
The album itself is a tribute to the late great James ‘J Dilla’
Yancey, a close friend and collaborator. From Questlove’s
opening vocals on the first track, ‘Donuts Outro’ you get this
real studio feeling, almost like you’re sitting in on one of those
famous jazz sessions that took place at Atlantic Records. Each
track on this album is, in a word, lush. The instrumentals each
have this richness that envelops you with each note, one song
more notable than the next but all of them blending together
beautifully enough to let you hit play on your iPod and stroll,
jog or whatever else you might want to do in a mellow mood.
‘Hot S**t(I’m Back)’ is a hard-driving funky tune, something
that would’ve stood tall on any Blaxploitation soundtrack if
composed in the 1970’s. The drum work alone is classic Questlove,
supported with light accents of bass guitar. ‘Stereolab’ is arguably
the best track here, no mean feat. The song is both a soothing
mixture of subdued melancholy and reflective hope. It makes
you wonder if this tune came to mind the moment they heard of
Dilla’s passing, especially with the almost Benedictine monk-like
vocals at the end. ‘Make Em NV’ is another standout track, full of
chimes and Detroit style drum beat funk reminiscent of Dilla’s work
with Slum Village. And if you don’t nod your head to the upbeat
rhythm of ‘Hall & Oates’, you may be suffering from pop culture
rap overload. If there is a flaw to be had on this album, ‘Stars’
would be it if only because it seemed a bit too convoluted in
composition in comparison to the other songs. All in all though,
‘Dilla Joints’ is a great ode to a great producer and yet another
feather in the cap of Illadelph’s finest.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011 at 12:18AM 
Strong Arm Steady - In Search Of Stoney Jackson
With approximately several thousand albums and mixtapes released during the
summer, fall and the oh-so-precious fourth quarter of any given year (most of
which eventually serve as a beer coaster or weed tray the following year), it’s
become much too easy to dismiss or even forget about a disc released shortly
after the New Year’s confetti ends up in the landfill. While the same thing can be
said for films released before Memorial Day, hip-hop albums tend to fall victim to
an already fickle audience whose short-term memory rivals that of Leonard Shelby’s.
Such is the case with Strong Arm Steady’s “In Search Of Stoney Jackson.” It seems
like every journalist and blogger was ready to submit their “Best of 2010” lists as
soon as ‘Ye unleashed his Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, so perhaps it was an
innocent, unintentional omission - after all, Freeway x Jake One’s “The Stimulus Package”
and Roc Marciano’s “Marcberg,” released in March and May 2010 respectively, were
excellent albums that received a few mentions. However, “Stoney Jackson” was
noticeably absent across the board. Allhiphop.com entered it as #19 on their Top 40
Best Hip-Hop Albums of 2010 and the GOD DJ Premier considered it to be one of the
top 3 albums of the year, but for the most part, no one invited Strong Arm Steady to the
big dance. And that’s an injustice.
If there was a labor union for West Coast MC’s, Phil Da Agony, Krondon, and Mitchy
Slick would be the de facto delegates, the epitome of “no days off.” Madlib, the diabolical
“Beat Konduckta,” is an enigma; he’s as comfortable dabbling with hip-hop and R&B as
he is with dub, jazz, and Brazilian bossa nova, and every composition is a testament to
his eclectic and diverse style. It was fellow Cali representer DJ Babu (of the World Famous
Beat Junkies) who conceived what would become a collaborative effort partnering SAS’s
spit game with Madlib’s chop-heavy, psychedelic lo-fi distortion.
From the moment the LP begins with the sublime “Best of Times,” the influence of the
Jaylib sessions (Madlib and the late, great J Dilla) is evident, with Madlib reworking the
same sample Dilla flipped for Common’s “Love Is …” Phil Da Agony’s free-association,
almost conversational flow sets off the track, while Krondon’s urgent search for peace of
mind sounds right at home, allowing Phontè (of Little Brother) to preach the gospel via
hook and verse. ‘Lib uses the same formula on “Chittlins & Pepsi,” tweaking the sample
Dilla utilized on “Airworks” to let Phil and frequent SAS collaborator Planet Asia promote
the virtues of healthy living via nutrition. “Stoney Jackson” covers a range of topics, from
upward mobility, true love, and even dental hygiene. The album is a family affair, with guests
including Fashawn, Evidence, Talib Kweli, Guilty Simpson, and Madlib’s Stones Throw
labelmates Oh No and Roc C, among others.
There’s not a second of dead air on the whole disc; each track segues into the next as
seamlessly as one would expect a Madlib collage to do. Of course, there is some filler
- tracks like “Ambassadors” are a slight drag, and some interludes require steady nerves
and may deafen most iPod users - but overall, the CD bangs. “True Champs” featuring
Montage One, Evidence, Oh No & Roc C, lives up to its name as each MC goes for broke
like its the October pennant season. “Needle In The Haystack” doesn’t even have any
members of SAS, instead allowing Roscoe and Guilty Simpson to handle the job, which
they do admirably.
“In Search of Stoney Jackson” may be too unique or subterranean for casual listeners,
but it definitely deserved greater consideration as one of 2010’s finest offerings. Very
rare is an album that allows one to hit play and let it ride sans the fast forward button.
As cool as the brothers of Strong Arm Steady seem to be, I’m almost positive that they
would actually appreciate having some Cali medicinal crushed up on their jewel case;
just pay homage to dopeness, pop the CD in the deck and bump that while twistin’ up.
Strong Arm Steady w/Phonte - Best of Times
String Arm Steady feat. Planet Asia - Chitlins and Pepsi
Strong Arm Steady feat. Slick Jacken and Mitchy Slick - Pressure
Thursday, August 26, 2010 at 9:34PM Carlitta Durand - Lost love feat. Jabee from BECAUSEUS on Vimeo.
Get familiar with Carlitta Durand ‘cause she’s going to
be real big. Soon.
This is off the ‘Doug and Patty’ EP that came out earlier
this year featuring Ms.Durand and this song is so smooth
yet bittersweet that you kind of wish this was in the back
for your last awkward love moment. Well, not really but
you know what I mean. The video was directed by
Napoleon Wright III.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010 at 11:43PM 
As summer winds its way towards the fall, we here at Manifesto
want to hip you to a couple of tracks this month that might not
have been on your playlist these past months but should have
been. One of them actually dropped earlier this year from the
premier Wu-Tang songstress herself, Tekitha.
‘Ridin’ is absolutely PERFECT for those lazy drives under a
blazing sun or if you’re out on your front step with nothing to
do. Or fire escape, whatever. The best thing about this track is
that each element blends so well with Tekitha’s voice and the
song illustrates her capacity to handle any genre. If you’re hip,
make sure this gets on your playlist for that next August outing.
Thursday, July 16, 2009 at 11:46PM 
You need an uptempo, light and airy addition to your
summer soundtrack? We here at Manifesto have got
you covered. We’ve had this song on repeat admittedly
since spring but there’s no time like the present for
you to let your ears be soothed by Sparro’s mellow
voice and the lush music of ‘Black and Gold’, the first
single from the Austrailian born LA native. Hearing
this song kind of makes you want to sit at an outdoor
cafe, drink in hand and the sun at your back and revel
in the joys of the season. Check it out for yourself.
Sam Sparro ‘Black and Gold’ live on ‘De Sorte Spejdere’ (Denmark)
Sunday, May 24, 2009 at 11:07PM ;)
El Michels Affair - Sounding Out The City (2005)
Truth & Soul Records
http://www.truthandsoulrecords.com
Sometimes, you get the feeling that a metropolis like any other living
entity needs to have its own rhythm in order to connect with its
inhabitants. A rhythm that can spring forth in any mood or tone. El
Michels Affair has managed to capture that idea and express it in an
impressive first album release on funk/soul label Truth&Soul Records.
The collective essentially stems from the union of Leon Michels and
Nick Movshon, two former band mates who paired up creating music
with a Tascam 388 eight track machine. The gritty, soulful sound
began to take shape with the addition of more members until the
group became nine in total. Keep that in mind. They gained notoriety
in 2005 with the release of Sounding Out The City. The critical acclaim
brought them a deal with Scion and led them to collaborate extensively
with none other than the Wu-Tang Clan, who also were nine in number
before ODB’s untimely passing. Coincidence? Not hardly.
This album is a soulful masterpiece, working with a heavy banter
between horns and drums with slight touches of bass that never
overpower the flow of the track. “Detroit Twice” is a funk-laden
groove that evokes rooftop parties and slow drives in an Eldorado. They surprise with a cover of Issac Hayes’ oft-sampled classic, ‘Hung Up On My Baby’ that lays the bass on thick. ‘Musings to Myself’
is such an introspective and magnetic track with its trumpet chorus that Ghostface Killah used it as a backdrop for a song on ‘The Big Doe Rehab’. For this summer, do yourself a favor and get this album to get a feel for how El Michels Affair demonstrates how a city can have a distinct rhythm.
‘Detroit Twice’ by El Michels Affair
