When Zion I released their first full-length album, Mind Over Matter In 2000, hip-hop was still in the middle of its creative and cultural dominance of popular music. 10 years later Zion I has continued to release music and perform, leaving this humble Oakland group as the creative and cultural springboard of hip-hop. “Turn it Up” is another Zion I production with originality and attitude that shows why MC Zion and Amp Live Amp are making music that’s 3 steps ahead of the rest.

Get more free music and some knowledge over at the Zion I crew website.

Was reminded of K’Naan (who, if ya don’t know already, is the new next) while watching World Cup – since his brilliant “Waving Flag” is the official song of the 2010 FIFA tournament. Last year when I first discovered K’Naan’s music I was properly stunned. He writes beautiful, brave, inspiring songs, which bring together elements of hip-hop, reggae, rock and the kitchen sink in novel ways, creating work that is original yet instantly accessible. This live recording is more on the hip-hop / poetry side, and it tells you more about the man’s background than a bio can, really. If a guy who took the last commercial flight out of Somalia with his mom as a young kid as his country descended into chaos asks “What’s Hardcore?” how do you answer?

K’Naan
“Whats Hardcore?” (mp3)
from “The Dusty Foot on the Road”
(Interdependent Media)

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In the former site of one of the world’s greatest ever industrial booms – The American auto industry – You will currently find one of the most desolate urban landscapes in the western hemisphere. As it happens, Detroit has also long been a MAJOR music hotbed, giving us gr8s from blues giant John Lee Hooker, to Motown Records, to the car factory noise inspired Stooges, all of whom left immeasurable marks on popular music worldwide. It is therefor NO surprise that some of the hip-hop coming from the motor city today would also be significant. Taking us around the streets he knows, here is Apollo Brown assisted by The Left, representing the NEW sound of Detroit.

Apollo Brown
“Real Detroit (feat. The Left)” (mp3)
from “The Reset”
(Mello Music Group)

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In the vast and ever changing world of hip-hop, an original concept, a dope beat, and well-oiled lyric spittin’ chops are hard things to find all in one place. Intelligent and cre8ive, yet still street wise, Dokument delivers the goods. A healthy hip-hop snack for your balanced diet.

Dokument
“Heavy Wait (feat. Sojourn and Propaganda)” (mp3)
from “Planet Dok”
(End Of Earth Records)

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A dumb interview filled with inane questions takes a turn for the hilarious in this hip-hop broadside against, well, dumb interviews with inane questions. J-Zone makes a complete ass of himself and the dingbat who peppers him with Q’s. Très entertaining.

J-Zone
“Q & A” (mp3)
from “The Real Deal – Revised”
(Bomb Hip Hop)

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There was this thing about the 90s that I remember…. and can only really post-conceptualize today: the film and music industry took a turn for the violent and vulgar in a very mainstream way, i.e. Tarantino dialogue, movies about strippers and junkies. There were endless crappy nu-metal bands that had to rely on cussing as a means of selling plastic jewel cases to their target demographic: twelve-year olds. So here’s some bay area hip hop from ’94 that reflects said mentality (aside from how vulgar that whole west coast ‘thug life’ philosophy was getting in that same year).

Homeliss Derelix
“Fuck You” (mp3)
from “Bomb Hip-Hop Compilation”
(Bomb Hip Hop)

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No other producer over the last 15 years has hit on all levels like Dj Vadim. No other producer over the 5 years has made a bigger impact on the bass-music scene then Bassnectar. And ill. Gates is currently building up a catalogue that’s building on Vadim and Bassnectar’s visceral sonic output. With players like these in the game the evolution of bass music feels unstoppable. Basslines move and slap your body into a frenzied motion. Before you know it your sweaty, your neck is soar from bobbing your head, and there is a huge grin across your face.

Check out Vadim’s official website for all things beat related.

Ok this one is huge. Let’s first talk about the production. Freakin’ mighty. The sounds in this track are indelible on a purely audio geek level, ominously arranged into a soundtrack of impending cataclysm. There’s also some an unusually unusually ferocious turntablist vibes sprinkled throughout. On to the lyrics. OMG. Tight, hilarious ensemble spittin’ on a par with the best of the genre. Underground hip-hop is alive and well, and its new name is Taiyamo Denku. Their “Mona Lisa” is an instant classic.

Taiyamo Denku
“Mona Lisa” (mp3)
from “Mona Lisa”
(Uncommon Records)

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Hartford, CT. Blacastan spent the ’90s in jail, and spent the ’00s rapping. This is some savage prime cut East Coast styled lyricism. Less slap, more brutality, cold feel, not warm. Now, note Blacastan’s affinity for Sabbath. Sick isn’t it? He probably has an inner-hesher layer to his psyche that he can only speak to behind the screens, in the backstage area, because the idea of an East Coast hesher hip-hopper just sounds too sick.

Blacastan
“The Dice Life” (mp3)
from “Blac Sabbath”
(Brick Records)

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Nuff respect to The Living Legends but everyone knows that Casual’s crew Hieroglyphics is the dopest rap crew in Oakland. Casual spits with authority as he runs the line snapping on all them ghetto-ass East Oakland rappers who are doing nothing more then setting themselves up to get locked up.

Casual
“Say That Then” (mp3)
from “Casual Presents: Smash Rockwell”
(Hieroglyphics Imperium)

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