Apathy - Check To Check Video!!!

Check out the new video for Apathy's new Single " Check To Check" off his new upcoming album "Honkey Kong".  The hook samples an Old School Andre 3000 line, I absolutly love this joint and its a refreshing antidote to 75% of all the bullshit Radio songs that out now.  Definitly loving the relaxed vibe to this and cant wait to hear the new album when its released.  Oh yeah, shoutout to Evidence of Dilated Peoples for Producing the joint...

D-Dot of Bad Boy's In House Production Team Hitmen Reflects on Biggie!!!

The Mad Rapper recalls the studio sessions for some of Bad Boy's biggest hits.

Producer Deric “D-Dot” Angelettie served as a member of Diddy’s in-house production team The Hitmen, helming some of the biggest hits from Bad Boy Records. Speaking with XXLMag.com, the beatsmith recalled the studio session for Notorious B.I.G.’s “Hypnotize” and how the fallen rapper immediately gravitated towards the track.  “I walked in the room and Big said, ‘Yo, my nigga’ and told the engineer to press play on the DAT. He pressed play, it was the ‘Hypnotize’ instrumental and Big said, ‘Yo, this is my first single’ and he told me to come next to him,” he recalled. “I lean next to him and he just sang the chorus to me: ‘Biggie, Biggie, Biggie, cant you see. Sometimes your words just hypnotize me.’  I went across the hall, told Pam from Total get ready ’cause as soon as he lays it, she gotta go and lay it right on top of him.”

D-Dot, who raps under the alias The Mad Rapper, also reflected on the session for Diddy’s “All About the Benjamins” featuring The LOX, Lil’ Kim and Biggie.  “When we went to Trinidad I just sat in this little ass room with just me, a keyboard, my drums, my discs, an MPC 62, a turntable and a mixer,” he said. ”I found a loop going through records, it was the Barry White ‘Love Unlimited’ loop. I played it for Puff and he just went crazy. Because I wasn’t signed at the time, I didn’t let him do nothing to the beat.  And as soon as Jadakiss and The LOX heard it, they went crazy. And when B.I.G. heard it, he went crazy.”

New Apathy Single "Check To Check" Taken From Upcoming Album!!!

Taken from Ap's new album "Honkey Kong" slated to drop on August 23rd, the new single called "Check To Check" is Produced by Evidence of Dilated Peoples and samples Outkasts Andre 3000. Am making an early prediction on this album and will go so far as to say and quote me PLEASE... "This will be the best Album of 2011", Production on the Album is handled by DJ Premier, DJ Muggs, Statik Selektah, Da Beatminerz, Teddy Roxpin and Apathy himself.  Features include ATOP, Xzibit, Vinnie Paz, Celph Titled and the rest of the Demigodz crew, expect a few others aswell.  Also check the cover out below...

Crooked I "Everyday" Video!!!

Taken from his new album that is about to drop "Million Dollar $tory", expect the album to be fire with alot of lyrical heat coming from the Westcoast Rapper...

Is There A DJ Premier/Nas Collab In Store For Hip Hop???

Ever since Preemo and Nas hooked on Nas's debut LP "iLLMatic" fans of the two have been screaming for more Preemo produced Nas tracks.  Having not worked with each other for years, there has always been speculation but thats were it stop.  However after both were signed up for the huge "Rock The Bells" tour, things maybe starting to come to fruitation, check it out...

All info taken from "Rap Is Outta Control"...

Primo explains that he spoke with Nasty Nas about a few surprises that they have in store.  In anticipation of backing up Nas to perform Illmatic in its entirety at the upcoming Rock the Bells festival, DJ Premier hints that the two might get back to work for the rapper's upcoming tenth album Life is Good.
Speaking with "Rap is Outta Control," the veteran producer explained that the Queens, New York lyricist is in a classic mindset for his final LP for Def Jam.  "We spoke about the album that he’s about to drop on Def Jam, this is actually going to be his last album on Def Jam," he said. "We spoke about a lot of things, we’re very, very happy now. That’s all I can say because the rest of it will come to light soon."

He emphasized that Nas is taking it back to the earlier days by channeling a grittier rhyme style, as heard on his new single "Nasty."  "First of all, I didn’t even speak to Nas, I spoke to Nasty Nas. Chip tooth, ‘Halftime,’ ‘Back to the Grill’ again, ‘Live at the BBQ’ Nas. We spoke for almost two hours and we caught up on everything that needs to be said about each other and what needs to be done with each other. First of all, we will be doing Rock the Bells. I’m actually helping him put the show together. We already talked about the surprises, which is going to be a fun thing when we do New York."

Speaking of Nas new album, here is the first track off the album...

2Pac Quad Studio Shooter Confesses!!!

The day before ‘Pac’s 40th birthday, a new revelation has emerged. Though his murder remains unsolved, AllHipHop reports that Dexter Isaac, an associate of music exec Jimmy Henchmen, has confessed to shooting 2Pac in the lobby of Quad Studios on November 7, 1994.  He says Henchman paid him $2,500 for the hit.

Initial reports stated that two men dressed in army fatigues robbed Pac at gun point for his jewellry. On the song “Against All Odds”, Pac accused Henchmen of setting him up.  Due to statue of limitations, Issac will not be prosecuted for the crime. He’s currently serving a life sentence and also admits to currently possessing Pac’s jewelery.  Meanwhile, Henchmen is currently on the run from federal agents.

Check out the full story and add a comment and tell Underground-Dope your thoughts & opinions on the subject matter http://www.allhiphop.com/stories/news/archive/2011/06/15/22790289.aspx

Royce Da 5'9 Exclusive Interview

Royce recently gave a short Telephone Interview with Bootleg Kev. He talks briefly about his new "Success Is Certain" album, the Slaughterhouse new album and also the possibility of Eminem Rhyming over some DJ Premier production, Check it out below...

H.U.B. Volume 3: The Tipping Point Cover Revealed!!!

Remember I told you all that I've been reading that Book series called H.U.B. by Author Benjamin Jones, well the Cover to the latest book H.U.B. Volume 3: The Tipping Point has just been leaked, Check it out...

Also go and check the website, it tells you all about the world of H.U.B.

Eminem & Royce Da 5'9 - Fastlane Video

Here it is for all you Em & Royce fans, the new video to the "Fastlane" track taken off their new "Bad Meets Evil: The Sequel" EP. Watch and comment on the video...

Wu-Tang Clan Compilation "Legendary Weapons" Tracklisting Revealed!!!

Cappadonna, Action Bronson, Termanology, AZ, M.O.P., Roc Marciano and Sean Price are among the guests on the follow-up to the 2009 "Wu Chamber Music."
Fans of the legendary Wu-Tang Clan got a taste of what the group’s upcoming project titled Legendary Weapons will be like when the first single from the album was released earlier today.
The album’s first single, “Only The Rugged Survive,” features just RZA and is produced by Noah Rubin. Rubin produced several tracks for Legendary Weapons and also produced the majority of songs on Chamber Music.

A follow-up to 2009’s Chamber Music, Legendary Weapons will include appearances from Ghostface Killah, RZA, Method Man, Cappadonna, Inspectah Deck, U God, and several special guests.
The album will also feature production from Fizzy Womack (more commonly known as Lil Fame of M.O.P.) and Andrew Kelley.

Weapons will be released on Tuesday, June 28.
With features from Sean Price, Termanology, M.O.P., Action Bronson and longtime Wu affiliate Cappadonna, the tracklisting to Legendary Weapons is as follows:

1.  Start the Show (feat. Raekwon and RZA)
2.  Laced Cheeba (feat. Ghostface, Sean Price and Trife Diesel)
3.  Diesel Fluid (feat. Method Man, Trife Diesel and Cappadonna)
4.  Played By The Game
5.  The Black Diamonds (feat. Ghostface, Roc Marciano and Killa Sin)
6.  Legendary Weapons (Ghostface, AZ and M.O.P.)
7.  Never Feel This Pain (feat. Inspectah Deck, U-God and Tre Williams)
8.  Angels Got Wings
9.  Drunk Tongue (feat. Killa Sin)
10.  225 Rounds (feat. U-God, Cappadonna, Bronze Nazareth and RZA)
11.  Meteor Hammer (feat. Ghostface, Action Bronson and Termanology)
12.  Live Through Death
13.  Only the Rugged Survive (feat. RZA)
14.  Outro

Wu-Tang/D-Block "Wu-Block" Album Nearly Finished!!!

He reveals that the album is nearing completion and that a single will be dropping within the week.
Sheek Louch has revealed details surrounding the upcoming Wu-Block album. The Lox member explained that the album, a collaboration between D-Block and Wu-Tang Clan, is nearing completion, and that the first single features Ghostface Killah, Styles P, Jadakiss, Cappadonna, Raekwon and Louch.
“We got the me and Ghostface, Wu-Block. That’s me and Ghostface presents The Wu-Block,” he told Hard Body TV. “Far as D-Block and Wu coming together and mashing on these niggas. As far as the 18 songs we got done, 19 or 20 songs we got done, it’s nothing like that shit out there.”
The single, which will be released soon, also features Jadakiss and Styles P doing their signature back-and-forth rhyming alongside fellow collaborators. “The first song we ‘bout to put out next week, it’s me, Ghost, Styles and Kiss going in and out, and you’ve got Cappadonna and Raekwon. This shit is monstrous.”

Jay-Z & Kanye West's "Watch The Throne" Album Tracklist Confirmed!!!

Check out the Tracklist for the new Collab album by Jay-Z & Kanye West called "Watch The Throne", a close source to the project confirmed the tracklist is true BUT also said there will be a few more tracks added. Also Producers have been confirmed for the project BUT cant be revealed to the public yet...

1. Lift Off (Feat. Beyonce & Bruno Mars)
2. Murder To Excellence
3. Illest Motherfucker Alive
4. Why I Love You So (Guilt Trip)
5. That Shit Crazy
6. Living So Italian
7. Who Gonna Stop Me
8. Whole Lifetime
9. We Are Young
10. Anthem

At this point the tracks "H.A.M." & "That's My Bitch" are not included on the album due to the Negative feedback from the fans. Underground-Dope will be first on the scene when the album cover drops, STAY TUNED... 

Royce Da 5'9 - Second Place (Produced By DJ Premier)

Latest Track that Royce leaked himself, this cut is taken off his new album "Success Is Certain", check it out..

The Dayton Family "Charges Of Indictment" Cover Revealed!!!

Them Boys from Flint, Michigan who brought you the Classic albums "What's On My Mind" & "F.B.I."along with two other albums "Welcome To The Dopehouse & "Family Feud" are back.  After a long hiatus in the rap game they are about to release their new album "Charges Of Indictment" on June 21st. They recently signed with one of the biggest Independent Record Companys out right now "Psychopathic Records", so expect them to make a big bang on the Hip Hop scene once again, it will be good to hear them ferocious voices scream Flint Town!!! Check out the album cover cover below...

The Dayton Family music:

Producer Teddy Roxpin (Video)

Came across a nice lil video of Producer Teddy Roxpin (Mac Miller, Apathy, Esoteric), there's not a lot of young producers comin up doin it like Teddy, u kno with the samples and everything.  Check it out...

Action Bronson HipHopDX Feature!!!

Check out the new Feature Interview Action Bronson did with HipHopDX recently, a must read for fans of his...

One of the illest new emcees on the scene talks about his culinary influences in his raps, idolizing Kool G Rap, and his gem of an animal "Dr. Lecter."

“Hip-Hop, it started out in the park, we used to do it to avoid the narcs."  That is exactly where our new DXnext feature Action Bronson started.
A culinary master, the Queens, New York native bases his throwback-sounding lyrics in a definitively east coast style; Action Bronson even makes rapping about food gangster. Just check out his Dr. Lecter album. Speaking about his influences, his childhood experiences and his stance on conscious Hip Hop, one of the best new artists of the last year comes forward to serve it to you raw and marinated.

Dr. Lecter: "This is my first album I put together. The concept is that Dr. Lecter is a wild individual but very educated. He also has a ridiculous and crazy side to him. My man Tommy Motz  made the beats and I rapped my ass off. The whole album took about six months to put together to perfect and shit like that. I am very proud of it, it’s my first project."

Conscious Rappers: "Conscious rappers are cool and all that but I can only take so much of it. You need to stick to what you are all about and that is what I do. If you are a conscious rapper then you do that, but I am just here to have fun some and throw some old school things that you may not have heard in Rap before - like throw some metaphors about food in there because of my culinary background. I just have fun with it, whatever flows. I am not one of these rappers that talk about being good because I am not good. I can’t talk about being righteous if I am not righteous so I would rather not."

Favorite Food: "I am all about the Mediterranean and food of that area. My background is Albanian and a bunch of other eastern European countries. I also know a lot of Mexican cuisine from working in the kitchen with Mexicans and Dominican cuisine from all bitches I had sex with that were Dominican. I cook everything I am not just a one trick pony."

Food and Music: "I like to use food in metaphors in ways you would not actually think about food. You can use certain terminology that is used in the culinary word that can be used to say some fly and tough shit. People don't usually think that way but I do. I don't do it all the time but definitely when it is necessary. Unless there is a song all about a recipe which is what I might do, giving someone a full recipe in a rap, that will be some next shit."

Flashy Swagness in New York: "That is definitely not New York. That is New York biting from everybody else. I bring that New York sound back because that is what I grew up on. I don't know anything else but that sound. I can use all different genres of music but in the end you need that raw sound at least in my opinion. New York Rap as a whole does have some good faces. I feel that I am bringing a brand new face but that old sound that everyone loves."

Old School: "That first album that hit home was Wu-Tang Clan's 36 Chambers. It brought everything to a different light. We all found out about it when we were eight or nine years old and my boy had a sleepover for his birthday and his mom got him 36 Chambers, and we just bumped it at the sleepover. All the old Wu shit, all the old Nas and Mobb Deep, I would listen that constantly."

“You sound like Ghostace”:  "Yeah, I mean at the end of the day, it’s all good because Ghostface Killah is one of the best rappers alive, so if I sound similar to the best rapper alive then that is fine. To me there is no comparison; he is a legend and I am a newcomer. If I would try and emulate with anyone it would be Kool G Rap, he is the person I look up to the most. In the end, I am not upset but at the end of the day I am my own person and no one can take that away from me."

Precautions of The Business: "Signing paperwork and being that we are from the streets and all this other shit. That is what I am the most hesitant about. I don't want to end up catching a case over some lost money. I just don't want problems in regards to the business. That is what I am the most hesitant about and dealing with all these people that want a piece of me now that I am getting a little hot. At the end of the day, that is not a bad thing because I am getting much respected people co-signing me."

Best Video: "The 'Shiraz' video was the most fun. We just went wild in the park. When we got to the park there was a crackhead meeting and it wound up being something amazing. That park scene could be a video on its own with no music, just a comedy skit. That woman that gave me the number would have sucked me right there in the park. She was a straight crack fiend with a pooch. She did not have sex in 21 years and the Newport was burning all the way down to the filter and she aced it. I may bring her out on stage at a show, you never know....."

Speaking of Shows: "I did a show recently and it was funny and everything but I feel it went a bit too fast. I should have paused a bit, should have brought some people out on stage. I need to do something to get the crowd laughing and stuff, like intermissions between the songs. Maybe have some dancers, some crack heads on stage.  Just some shit that people want to see."

The Future: "My next project is with Statik Selektah that will be coming out in the summer time. It's straight killa shit. There is more in-depth shit. There are some stories and some life shit. I am switching it up on them the second time around."

Eminem & Royce Da 5'9 "Bad Meets Evil: The Sequel" Tracklist Revealed!!!

Here it is, the tracklists to the new Emnem & Royce Da 5'9 EP titled "Bad Meets Evil: The Sequel.  Ever since this EP was announced, fans have been anticipating the release...

Tracklist:
1.  Welcome 2 Hell (Produced by Havoc)
2.  Fastlane (Produced by Supa Dups)
3.  The Reunion (Produced by Sid Roams)
4.  Above the Law (Produced by Mr. Porter)
5. I’m On Everything Feat. Mike Epps (Produced by Mr. Porter)
6. A Kiss (Produced by Bangladesh)
7. Lighters Feat. Bruno Mars (Produced by Eminem, The SmeeZingtons & Battle Roy)
8. Take from Me (Produced by Mr. Porter)
9. Loud Noises Feat. Slaughterhouse (Produced by Mr. Porter)

** Royce has also stated on his Twitter that the tracks "Echo" and "Living Proof" will be Bonus Tracks**

Thoughts and Opinions, Please leave a comment...

Detroit & G.O.O.D. Music Rapper Big Sean Reveals Cover Art For New Album!!!

Check out the Cover for the new Album by Big Sean of Kanye West's Record label G.O.O.D. Music...

Snoop Dogg Speaks His Mind On Dr.Dre's Detox Records!!!

Rapper Snoop Dogg recently shed some light on why he believes that Dr. Dre's 'Detox' album has seen so many lengthy delays.

During an interview with Tim Westwood, rapper Snoop Dogg gave some interesting insight on why he believes there’s been such a delay in releasing Dr. Dre’s Detox album.
Snoop explained that the main problem is the type of environment Dre’s creating his music in.  “It’s a formula. Like I was trying to explain to you earlier when we made records in the past it was an environment, an atmosphere. It was always girls,” Snoop explained. “It was always parties. It was always the right atmosphere to create that kind of album that sounds like the albums that you’ve heard in the past. If there’s not that atmosphere you can’t create that kind of album. So that’s what’s happening right now. The songs don’t match the atmosphere and the atmosphere don’t match the songs.”

Snoop went on to explain that due to his perfectionist side Dr. Dre is unlikely to release anything until he feels that it’s close to perfect.

“What we’re accustomed to hearing from Dr. Dre is the brand new, next best everything and from right now people not getting that. He knows that,” said Snoop. “So he’s a perfectionist and until he gets that he’s not gonna release it cause he doesn’t want the scrutiny of people saying ‘I waited this long for that?’ It’s like when I wait this long I better get that and that.”
Snoop also shed some light on the fact that Dr. Dre may not be surrounding himself with the right people when it comes to making his album. He also shared that he feels like he and D.O.C. need to be a part of Detox in order for it to work.

“I’mma say this and I don’t know if it’s gonna ruffle any feathers. I just think the wrong people is in the environment. When he made records that were hit records in the past: D.O.C., Snoop Dogg, RBX, Kurupt,” said the rapper. “It’s like it’s pieces that’s not there that need to be there. And I’ll say D.O.C. and Snoop Dogg is the backbone. When you take those two equations and you take them out of the equation it’s not gonna work. You need to put them two back into the situation and let us mastermind and head the project like we did The Chronic in 2001. That’s what’s missing.”

Mobb Deep & Nas To Collab For New LP!!!

Interview Held By HipHopDX -

One of the surprises announced during last night's Rock the Bells press conference was that Havoc and Prodigy would be performing Mobb Deep's The Infamous album in its entirety, joining a list of acts that includes Nas, Lauryn Hill and Souls of Mischief, to name a few. This news broke as Mobb Deep continues to work on new material after Prodigy's recent release from prison. Havoc sat down with us to talk about joining the Rock the Bells lineup and broke exclusive news to HipHopDX by saying, "We're going to do a Mobb Deep and Nas album."

When asked what fans can expect from Mobb Deep's renewed relationship with Nas, following their "Dog Shit" release, Havoc said that fans can expect, "an album from it."
"We’re gonna do a Mobb Deep and Nas album. It hasn’t begun but we tipped the iceberg a little bit with the 'Dog Shit.' I think as we was working, doing songs back and forth with Nas recently, I think it was just a mutual thought, like, 'Yo, let’s make a fucking album.' Everybody was like, 'Yeah, that would be dope. Fuck it, what we waiting for? Let’s do it.'"

The trio will have time to record over the summer as all three have decided to join the Rock the Bells tour. Like Mobb Deep, Nas will also perform an album in its entirety. He is scheduled to perform Illmatic. For Mobb Deep, this tour will bring about some exciting new challenges, as Havoc explained.

"We’re going to be performing the whole Infamous album, which is new for us. It’s going to be a challenge at the same time. We’re really looking forward to that and to seeing what the fans have to say about that."
While Mobb Deep could have selected to perform without doing an album in its entirety, Havoc explained that they selected to perform Infamous for a specific reason.

"We really wanted to perform something that got us to where we are today. We wanted people to experience what we went through at that time while making it. We want the whole crowd to experience what we went through so they can be like, 'Wow, that’s why they’re here now.'

Whats your thoughts/Opinions n this? Remember Nas has said many of times in the past he would be doing a Collab album with many Rappers, but they have never seen the light of day or even been started on.

Here is the Cover to the long awaited and overdue album by Westcoast Rapper Jay Rock.  Jay Rock who was originaly signed to Warner Bros. has been handed many release dates for this album over the last year or so but the label never seemed to be happy with what he was turning in.  Well Jay Rock took it upon himself to get off Warner Bros. and signed with Independent Rapper Tech N9ne's own label "Strange Music".  "Strange Music" is currently one of, if not the most successful Independent Record Label right now, so this should be good news for fans of the Westcoast Rapper, album is slated for a June 26th Release!!!

Reef The Lost Cauze & King Magnetic Announce East Coast Tour!!!

Reef The Lost Cauze and King Magnetic are joining forces for their upcoming East Coast “King & The Cauze” Tour, featuring additional acts including Celph Titled, Esoteric, Slaine, Virtuoso, DC The Midi Alien, Adlib, The Closers, Paten Locke and G.Q.

The seven-date venture kicks off on May 26^th at Allentown, Pennsylvania’s Pitchers Sports Bar & Grille. While on the road, the crew plans on making pit stops in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Dover, New Hampshire, Brooklyn, New York, Greenville, North Carolina and Jacksonville, Florida.

The brief trek wraps up at Orlando, Florida’s The Peacock Room on June 4^th.
More information can be found on the tour’s Facebook page. Check below for tour dates.

5-26 - Pitchers Sports Bar & Grille - Allentown, Pennsylvania
5-27 - Western Front - Cambridge, Massachusetts
5-28 - Fury’s Publick House - Dover, New Hampshire
5-29 - Red Star - Brooklyn, New York
6-2 - The Tipsy Teapot - Greenville, North Carolina
6-3 - Burro Bar - Jacksonville, Florida
6-4 - The Peacock Room - Orlando, Florida

Mac Miller Talks Choosing Beats!!!

Interview Held By HipHopDX 

Mac Miller discusses the process behind selecting beats and what it was like to work with DJ Premier.
iLLVibes recently chopped it up with DX Next alum Mac Miller at a recent show at the 9:30 Club in Washington D.C. During the interview, Mac discussed the process that goes into choosing beats for projects. He explains that a producer's popularity isn't as important to him as the quality of the beat.
"When I first starting making a name for myself, what I really wanted to do was just work with as many people as possible," he said. "I'm just an excited fan, so as a fan, I want to work with everybody, like, I want to work with all of my favorite [artists]...but what it comes down to is, the people who I really want to work with are the people who really support my movement and who really support what I do and who really want to see me succeed...but as far as picking beats and everything, it really doesn't matter what the name is to me; I'ma pick the dopest beats. When I did K.I.D.S., a lot of those beats were straight up off of an email...that shit happens now, too."

Mac also revealed that he recently linked up with the legendary DJ Premier to work on music together. He said that  the experience of recording in the same place as greats like Nas, Jay-Z and his personal favorite Big L was the best part of the experience.

"I did a jam with DJ Premier, which was a life changing experience for me because that's like the top producer of all time," he said. "It was cool, like, because the one I like about working with people, especially [people] like Premo, is that my favorite rapper is Big L...and Premo was able to tell me all these stories about L. I actually stood in the same booth that Big L stood in to record and that so many other people like Jay-Z and Nas stood in. Premo has the same booth; he keeps it 100% traditional."

Mystikal Preps New Mixtape & Talks Comeback!!!

A year after his release from prison, the Tarantula is ready to get back on the hip-hop horse.

Released from prison in January 2010 after serving six years, Mystikal has been taking his time returning to the spotlight. Now, the New Orleans, Louisiana rapper will release his comeback mixtape in June or July, with a studio album to follow shortly after.

“The mixtape. I’ve gotta do it one step at a time. The first step is to let ‘em know that I am home. I’ma drop this mixtape,” he told KPRS’ Brooklyn Martino. “I really didn’t drop anything when I first came home. I put a couple little singles out just to let ‘em know I’m here, but now, I’m finna drop the mixtape. Since I’ve been performing for a year and people know I’m home, I’ll get a big buzz with the mixtape and after that, here come the album.”

The gravel-voiced MC is pleased with how fans have welcomed him home. “It’s been humbling, first of all, just to come home after six years. And when I left six years ago, the hands were in the air,” he continued. “Kind of left abruptly in a disarray. So to come home six years later and the hands still in the air, that’s pretty awesome.

He also hinted at a Tech N9ne collaboration. “I think so,” he said of a potential duet. “Once again, it’s an art form. Tech N9ne, he is definitely a true artist. He’s one of the pioneers of what he do. It’s unique, it’s eclectic. He’s in his own lane.”

And though he’s still signed to Jive Records, he’s unsure if his next album will be released on the label. “It’s yet to be seen,” he added. “We’ll see. But whatever’s gonna come out of it, it’s going to be awesome. It’s going to be powerful.”

Ex No Limit Records Rapper Fiend Interview

Ok so peeps who \are fans of the No-Limit Records days are gonna be interested to read this. Fiend aka Mr. Whomp Whomp aka International Jones who was with the camp back in the late 90's early 00's and recorded two albums with the camp and after that a few Independent albums, sat down with HipHopDX recently to discussed his recent success on the Mixtape circuit and hooking up with laid back Spitta Currensy also a few others things, Check It out...


“Whoa there big timer, big timer.”

If you instantly shouted out “I got money to the ceiling!” after reading the above then no introduction is needed for Fiend. For the uninformed, back in the late ‘90s the New Orleans native, who appropriated his emcee moniker from Eric B. & Rakim’s classic “Microphone Fiend,” was arguably “The Baddest Muthafucka Alive.” The rugged rhymer, and off-kilter-crooning hook provider for the then mighty No Limit Records, helped to legitimize a label littered with largely dismissible voices via his back-to-back #1 albums, "There’s One in Every Family" and "Street Life". But before the dawn of the new millennium, internal strife at No Limit, reportedly due to bad business practices on the part of “The Colonel” Master P, forced Fiend and several of his label-mates (along with No Limit’s in-house sound squad, Beats By The Pound) to jump off of “The Tank.”

A string of modestly successful solo releases on his own Fiend Entertainment followed through the ‘00s (capped off in ’09 by his stellar street album The Bail Out). But it’s been International Jones’ work in the shadows of the music business that’s kept his creative fires lit for the better part of the past decade. The rapper/producer/songwriter has worked behind the scenes with several major labels as a creative consultant/“Street A&R,” penning hooks and helping arrange tracks for the likes of Lil Wayne (“DontGetIt”), Jadakiss (“What You Ride For?,” “Something Else” featuring Young Jeezy), and several other notable names. 

While post-No Limit prospects for Fiend to resume his own major label recording career via Ruff Ryders and Roc Nation failed to fully materialize, Sleepy Eyes looks to be on the verge of a possible return to the majors thanks to a fellow former No Limit signee, Curren$y. The gruff-voiced verbalist recently chopped it up with HipHopDX about his current work with Spitta, and if his newly adopted Jets sound signals the demise of “Mr. Whomp Whomp.” Lastly, the Iron Gang leader disclosed some rather revealing information regarding Dr. Dre’s fondness for Fiend.

HipHopDX: I know it’s ancient history at this point, but when I spoke to you last, in late ’08, it seemed like you joining Jay-Z’s label was a done deal. So what happened with Fiend and Roc Nation?
Fiend: My lawyer never confirmed anything. And I haven’t received no calls from Jay-Z to confirm anything. 


DX: Who were you dealing with?
Fiend: It was just reps for Jay-Z. I was hearing through people that was there at the time, at the Def Jam office, It wasn’t like a Lyor Cohen, or a direct phone call from Shawn Carter himself, it was more like reps were calling me, I don’t really wanna say the rep's name. Me signing to Roc Nation was something that they were rooting for.  


DX: You’re officially singed to Warner Brothers now?
Fiend: I’m putting out projects through Jet Life Recordings/Warner Brothers; I haven’t officially signed.       


DX: Three mixtapes "Tennis Shoes & Tuxedos", "The Sweetest Hangover", and "Life Behind Limo Glass", from you just so far in 2011. So what is this building to?
Fiend: I’m just having fun, loving Hip Hop all over again. And I just wanna share it with the world. If I’m able to make a living off of this, that’d be a blessing. But until then I’m just gonna express myself, and try to do more good for Hip Hop than hurt it.     


DX: You plan on keeping the mixtapes coming?
Fiend: Yes sir. Every 14th of every other month you can look forward to another mixtape, almost like a mix-album I guess you can call it, ‘cause I try to put one or two on there that are probably tracks people are familiar with, and then the rest of the album … I get with producers that share the same passion I have.


DX: I love that “Baby” joint, and its metaphor for kush. (Laughs)
Fiend: (Laughs) I appreciate that.

DX: But with this smoother, more soulful sound you’ve adopted from Spitta, you know I gotta ask if you’re ever going back to your rowdy O.G. sound? Has “Mr. Whomp Whomp” mellowed out for good?
Fiend: Nah, man. I’m just making music. And if cats do just a little research they’ll see I was on this vibe on my independents and also during the No Limit Records days, on songs like Silkk the Shocker’s “If I Don’t Gotta”, I collaborate with my brother Spitta. Him and Mousa just kinda reinforced this thing. They like, “Homie, you gotta let his happen. You can’t fight this sound. You need to embrace this sound.” I make music, and I hate to put myself in a box and restrict myself, ‘cause I love making it all. So I’ma say that I make the music for the time. And I feel like right now this is the music, this is the sound, this is the perspective that’s needed from me.  


DX: But if KLC drops off a “Talk It Like I Bring It 2011,” you gonna bang it out? (Laughs)
Fiend: (Laughs) If that’s what the people want, well by damn’t, that’s what the people gon’ get.

DX: I mentioned KL, you still fuckin’ with The Medicine Men (a/k/a Beats By The Pound)?
Fiend: Yes, my brother. Is water wet? (Laughs)

DX: (Laughs) I just didn’t know if your focus was completely Jets International right now, or you’re still keeping some ties to them.  
Fiend: I don’t know how people still view cats that kinda like almost get along with everybody, but I fucks with everybody. My allegiance is to my friendships. It’s not just to labels, it’s to my friendships, because I don’t want things like that to divide friendships, me and Master P still cool, Silkk the Shocker, Mia X, KLC, C-Murder and Mac my prayers for them to get an early release out of jail. We mess with everybody Cash Money, Baby, Lil Wayne, we love everybody. 

DX: Let’s take it back to the Jets movement real quick. How much of that has been your design, and how much has been Curren$y’s design?
Fiend: That’s officially Spitta. I just embraced our brotherhood. Spitta laid down the foundation, and he allowed me to come and put my perspective into place, along with Mousa’s, along with Smoke DZA’s, Trademark Da Skydiver’s, Roddy’s, Street Wiz. He allowed me to be who I am under this umbrella that they created.

DX: (Starts singing) “I just wanna float, and never come down.” (Laughs)
Fiend: (Laughs and then starts singing) “And never come down. I just wanna float, float.”

DX: I stopped smoking years ago, but I love how I can still vibe with the music. It ain’t like you gotta be high to feel it.
Fiend: I’m so happy you mentioned that. You don’t necessarily have to indulge in everything I indulge in for you to have a good time. And that’s what the music is supposed to be about. It starts from one thing, but the rest of the world can get it. And that’s what I do appreciate about that genre of Hip Hop I’ve been doing lately, I can unite color, I can unite race, I can unite genders. We about partying and enjoying ourselves. Nobody leaves injured, no problems, no fights, no negativity, no gunshots. I love it!

DX: Before we wrap up this quick Q&A, I wanted to see if Fiend4DaMoney is still on his Street A&R grizzly; are you exclusive to Jets International now or are you still producing and penning songs for Lil Wayne, Jadakiss, etc.?
Fiend: I’m open minded. My writing, producing isn’t exclusive, so anybody out there who wants to jam and put out some new music (can reach me via FiendDigital.com). I’m just happy to be creating this new music and that I can still be able to do it.

You know what I can tell you though? I can tell you that, I don’t know if the world know about, we did get invited to Dr. Dre’s house when we were out there in L.A., to do something for Detox. But, it didn’t happen. It was a conflict of schedules, but we did get invited.

DX: Dr. Dre was up on "There’s One in Every Family"?
Fiend: Believe it or not, Snoop Dogg introduced me to Dre during the "Up in Smoke Tour" in 2000, and I said who I was, and he looked at me and said, “I know who you are, man.” I was trippin’. To this day, I’m still overwhelmed. I’m a Hip Hop baby, so I’m a fan first, then I’m an artist.

DX: Well, this new music, like I said, it’s a change of pace, I’m adjusting, but "The Sweetest Hangover" stuff, I’m loving it. I’m getting used to laidback Fiend.
Fiend: Hey, but I got you. We got a "There’s One in Every Family Pt. II" album we just sitting on. So I don’t want you to think like … people that went to high school, middle school when No Limit was at its peak, that they [have been] forgotten about. I have this project done, it’s just that I was doing so much of die-hard Fiend, “Mr. Whomp Whomp,” that I don’t think that it was getting the recognition that it should’ve gotten. And then I was getting comparisons to this artist and this artist and that artist. And deejays telling me, “If you want me to play your record, take it to the street.” And I felt like that ain’t the way it’s supposed to go if you genuinely dig my stuff.

I’m a Hip Hop kid first so I decided I’ma just go here. Mousa and Spitta and them was like, “Express yourself how you wanna express yourself on another spectrum, because you can do it all. The world may know you just for this, but you do it all.”

Eminem & Royce Da 5'9 Interview From Back In The Day!!!

Now as all Hip Hop fans are eagerly anticipating the new Bad Meets Evil EP, Underground-Dope found a rare Interview from back in the day floating around on YouTube.  The interview is only short and it is from when they were originally recording the EP back in the late 90's early 00's.  Check it out, its vintage Em and Royce...

Throwback Friday - 3 Classic Cuts!!!

Ok, because Underground Dope didn't bring you a Throwback Joint last week were making up for it this week with 3 CLASSIC cuts from the vault enjoy...

Pete Rock & CL Smooth - T.R.O.Y.

A Tribe Called Quest - Scenario

Gang Starr - Just To Get A Rep

Cover Art For Eminem & Royce Da 5'9 EP Revealed!!!

Check out the Front Cover Art for the new EP that Slim Shady & Nickel 9 will be releasing in June, this EP has the making to be a CLASSIC...



E-40 Ft. Slim Thug & Bun-B - Candy Paint (Video)

Westcoast Legend E-40 has a new video out called "Candy Paint" and it features Houston hard hitters Slim Thug & Bun-B, it has a nice old school vibe to it. Check out the banger right now...

Game Ft. Lil Wayne - Red Nation Video

Here is the new Game single, this has just been banned from B.E.T. & MTV. Apparently its to "Gang Related", what are your thoughts & opinions?!





Elzhi New Mixtape "Elmatic" Download...

1. The Genesis
2. Detroit State of Mind
3. Halftime
4. Memory Lane
5. The World Is Yours
6. Represent
7. Life’s A !! Ft. Royce da 5’9 & Stokley Williams
8. One Love
9. It Ain’t Hard To Tell (Pete Rock Shout)
10. Pete Rock Shout

Download Link - http://www.usershare.net/tomas937/1xwfgt2xmkwm/Elzhi%20-%20Elmatic%20tomas937_RRT.zip

Detriot Hip Hop been droppin heat for a min now, check the new Mixtape from Elzhi!!!



Joe Budden - Mood Muzik 4.5 (Album Trailer)

Album trailer for the Re-Release of Buddens "Mood Muzik 4" titled "Mood Muzik 4.5". The Album has the same previous tracks but has 7 new tracks added to it!!!

Freddie Gibbs - Way 2 Fast (Exclusive)

Check this banger out from Gibbs, the track tells a story about a Woman going down the wrong path!!!

http://www.usershare.net/ppply8ahfl2w

**Throwback Friday** KRS-One - Sound Of Da Police

Throwback Friday this week comes from the treacher himself KRS-One, peep the old school flavour!!! Woop Woop



Tracklist To Random Axe (Black Milk, Guilty Simpson & Sean Price) Album Revealed!!!

As confirm by Duck Down Records the tracklisting for Random Axe by Sean Price, Black Milk and Guilty Simpson as follows:

1) Zoo Drugs
2) Random Call
3) Black Ops feat. Fat Ray
4) Chewbacca feat. Roc Marciano
5) The Hex
6) Understand This
7) Everybody, Nobody, Somebody
8) Jahphy Joe feat. Melanie Rutherford & Danny Brown
9) The Karate Kid
10) Never Back Down
11) Monster Babies
12) Shirley C feat. Fatt Father
13) Another One feat. Rock & Trick Trick
14) 4 In The Box
15) Outro Smoutro

Expect this to drop sometime in June, Underground-Dope will keep you posted!!!

** Exclusive ** D.K. Featuring... Slaughterhouse & D12 - Beat Goes On





Check out this Posse Cut & tell me D.K. doesnt sound abit like your favourite White MC (Nowhere near as dope though)...



http://www.usershare.net/0zfgjfmi3ha6 <---- D.K. Featuring... Slaughterhouse & D12

Vinnie Paz Of Jedi Mind Tricks Enlists DJ Premier & Alchemist For New Solo LP

The Jedi Mind Tricks member also gives an update on his group's upcoming album "Violence Begets Violence," dropping September 13th.



Vinnie Paz has some heavy hitters in store for his upcoming sophomore album. The Jedi Mind Tricks member has revealed some of the producers and guest features for God of the Serengeti.
For the follow-up to 2010’s Season of the Assassin, the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania native has production from DJ Premier, DJ Muggs, Lord Finesse, The Alchemist, Gem Crates and more. Additionally, he’s got guest appearances from Kool G. Rap, F.T. Jojo Pellegrino, R.A. the Rugged Man and Ill Bill. Fans will also get a special treat on the LP, with plans for Vin Laden to record his first collaboration with Planet Asia for the release.
“I think for the first time, we’re going to see myself and Planet Asia on the same track,” he told HipHopSite.com. “Good guy, great MC. We’ve known each other a few years, been overseas and toured together, but we just never linked. We’ve been talking a lot lately, and we respect what each other do. I respect him immensely as an artist and a person.”
Vinnie, who just released his collaboration album Heavy Metal Kings with Ill Bill, has also finished recording Jedi Mind Tricks’ seventh album Violence Begets Violence, tentatively dropping September 13. The offering features an untitled track produced by The Beatnuts featuring Psycho Les, as well as additional cuts with Tha Outsidaz members Young Zee and Pace Won

"End Of Days" taken from his Solo Debut album "Season Of The Assassin"...

Leviathan (The Spell Of Kingu) taken from the recently released Collaboration album with ILL Bill "Heavy Metal Kings"...



Da Beatminerz Talk Eminem & Their Current Relationship With Duck Down Records!!!

Evil Dee and Mr. Walt discuss first impressions of Slim Shady, the triumphant track KRS-One swiped from them, and their absence from recent Duck Down projects.

celebrated creators of grimey, gritty, dark and dingy boom-bap beats, but blood brothers Mr. Walt and DJ Evil Dee, better known as Da Beatminerz, actually scored arguably the biggest credit of their career for crafting the fairly lighthearted track that helped introduce a future superstar to the world.

“Well, the story was this,” began Mr. Walt this past Tuesday (April 26th) as he proceeded to recall the events that led to Eminem’s “Any Man,” track “before we was on Rawkus I was a big fan of Rawkus Records, and I told Jarret Myer, who was the owner of Rawkus, I said, ‘Listen man, I like the stuff that you’re puttin’ out, you guys are really doin’ it, whatever you need from me I got you.’ He was like, ‘Well Walt, I got this new kid, I want you to make a beat for him ….’”

"So, I walk into D&D Studios,” he continued, “and Eminem is sittin’ in the lounge – doesn’t look like a rapper, regular guy. And I’m like, "Hey, what’s up?" I met his manager, Paul Rosenberg - cool dude. So, I play beats for Eminem, and he picks the beat for "Any Man" I never heard this guy rhyme before, I didn’t hear the stuff he did with Royce Da 5'9… all the stuff they did on Game Records as Bad Meets Evil, never heard none of that stuff. So, he gets in the vocal booth and the first thing he says in a high-pitched nasally tone is ‘Hi!’ I look at my engineer like, ‘Oh my God, what did I just get myself into?’ (Laughs) And then the rest is history.” 

 Slim Shady proceeded to hit Walt “with some ill flows that don’t even make sense, like dykes using dildos” for the second installment in Rawkus Records groundbreaking compilation series, "SoundBombing".

“I couldn’t laugh,” replied Walt when asked about his reaction to Em’s gut-busting rhymes. “I couldn’t really laugh because Paul and Jarret was in the room with me. But I looked at my engineer and I was like, "Yo, what just happened?"

Six years before helping Slim Shady certify his Hip Hop credentials, the beat-mining brothers from Bushwick, Brooklyn helped save their native New York from being relegated to irrelevance as west coast artists came to dominate the Hip Hop landscape. Walt and Dee’s work crafting the hardcore Hip Hop classics “How Many MC’s,” “Who Got Da Props,” “Buck Em Down” and the remainder of the game-changing Enta Da Stage for Dee and his groupmates Buckshot and 5 ft of Black Moon set the stage, no pun intended, for the Wu-Tang Clan, Nas, The Notorious B.I.G. and others to return the rotten apple to prominence.

 But even with all of their boom-bap bona fides, in recent years the “Bucktown” beatmakers have seen their musical “Toolz of the Trade” put to work sparingly within the Boot Camp Clik they originally supplied the signature sound for. 

“With Buckshot and them, they wanted to try something new,” replied Evil Dee when asked about Da Beatminerz absence from recent releases on Buckshot’s Duck Down label. “And it’s like, you can’t get mad at somebody for trying something, trying something else.”

“We still come back together for a Black Moon record or a Smif-N-Wessun record,” added Walt. “So really the connection is still there.”

A new Black Moon album - the group’s first studio effort since 2003’s "Total Eclipse" - has long been bantered about, but apparently talk is finally turning into action.

“We supposed to have meetings this week about it,” Walt revealed.

“I put some beats aside,” added Dee, “but we didn’t go full throttle yet.”

Contrary to Evil Dee’s claim, Da Beatminerz have been going full throttle for nearly 20 years. And so with a long list of classic credits for Rass Kass “Oral Sex”, O.C. “It’s Only Right” and “Dangerous” featuring Big L, Black Star “Astronomy”, and even D’Angelo (the Beatminerz remix to “Brown Sugar” featuring Kool G. Rap), it can be hard to pick a favorite Walt and Dee creation. Ironically, one clear standout came about completely by chance.

“It wasn’t even separated; it was just a two-track,” explained Walt of the thunderous backdrop to KRS-One's “Ova Here”, “He took that straight off of our beat CD. How I found out about it was, one day I turned on Kid Capri and he played it. Then I got the phone call from – first I got the phone call from D&D, because they was the ones who gave him the beat. Then I got the phone call from Kris, and Kris was apologizing. I mean listen, without ‘Ova Here’ we wouldn’t be making records with Kris to this day. Like, Kris is one of the best people to work with.”

Da Beatminerz are also fans of working with the "King of Connecticut" Rapper Apathy. "Apathy is part of the team" revealed Walt, of the rapper/producer “So that’s a given”. Torae and Jean Grae, the latter two are being blessed with full projects produced by Walt and Dee. Also on deck for the trackmasters is a remix album for Rah Digga, overseeing new music from the Mood Doctors, and producing a project to showcase the deejays heard online at Beatminerz Radio.

While checking out their Internet radio broadcast at DaBeatminerz.com, any aspiring emcees can click on the “Beatz” link and obtain some of that special brand of Beatminerz boom-bap for themselves. 

“We’re negotiable,” replied Walt when asked about their fees for mining those beats. “We work with everybody’s budget.”

“It’s surprising to me the cats that hit us up and want beats,” added Dee regarding the diverse backgrounds of their clientele. “I’m thinkin it’s like a strictly east coast thing, but it’s like … global”.

Props to HipHopDx for carrying out this interview!!!

   

Freddie Gibbs Feat. Young Jeezy - Stripes (Run DMC)



Check out Freddie Gibbs first track since signing with Young Jeezy's CTE Label, it features Jeezy himself...



Download Link - http://hulkshare.com/23zd44rocnwe

Verbal Threat - Reality Check (Prod. By DJ Premier) Video

Keepin on the Premo vibe here is a cut he produced back in 2006 for a group called Verbal Threat, Check it out, comment & rate it!!!