Smooth beats, dope emcees...a magical combination. I am halfway through this record, but so far I am thoroughly impressed with the production, the collaboration choices - in fact, I feel safe putting my approval stamp on it even before I finish listening to the whole thing. How can it be that this came out in January of 2008 and I haven't heard it? I was sleeping...
Anyone else just now waking up can check this album out on Amazon HERE.
Other artists include the lovely and talented Stacy Epps, Asheru, Buckshot, Fat Lip and Tre Hardson from Pharcyde, and more. This is my kind of hip hop.
Their latest effort released in April of this year is called Fruit of the Past and is available to peep on Amazon HERE.
Don't sleep...
Showing posts with label Jazz Liberatorz. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jazz Liberatorz. Show all posts
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Sunday, April 5, 2009
First Post...
So I'm getting this blog started as a way for me to keep track of what keeps me motivated: music, family, friends, art, food, poetry, life. I am intending to post at least once a week or so, but it will probably be more like once a month, so while I am here doing this, let's get started, shall we?
I have been listening to a lot of instrumentals lately (mostly Collective Efforts beats that still need hooks to be written), but also some soothing sounds of Gotan Project, Bobobo, and this group the Jazz Liberatorz that I stumbled across on Pandora. They are a group of French producers that have worked with a bunch of dope artists like Aloe Blacc, Stacy Epps, Asheru, Fat Lip, etc. Check out some tracks on their Myspace page. Here is a little tasty instrumental I found on the "tube":
I also seem to be getting pickier in terms of who I can actually sit and listen to as an MC, often finding that rappers these days are sounding like they are trying way too hard to come across as these "mad lyrical" giants, their words just zipping straight over most of our heads. I mean, we can sit and dissect the rhymes if we take the time, and maybe if I had a walk man, some headphones, and was in 9th grade, that might be something I would consider doing, but as I get older the non sequitur stream of consciousness raps start to bore me. Maybe it's just me getting old. I would rather hear someone speak to me on a human level, rather than lifted up on a pedestal in the usual high and mighty hip-hop god position (which most of us as rappers are guilty of at some time or another). That's why this particular track by B.O.B (an ATL producer, guitarist, rapper, songwriter that T.I. signed to Grand Hustle) really spoke to me when I saw the video. He came across with that simplicity I was looking for, and although the song could have been developed more as a whole, it is a great introduction to an artist I am looking to hear a lot more from.
Until next time, stay searching for that new and true.
- Ben Hameen
I have been listening to a lot of instrumentals lately (mostly Collective Efforts beats that still need hooks to be written), but also some soothing sounds of Gotan Project, Bobobo, and this group the Jazz Liberatorz that I stumbled across on Pandora. They are a group of French producers that have worked with a bunch of dope artists like Aloe Blacc, Stacy Epps, Asheru, Fat Lip, etc. Check out some tracks on their Myspace page. Here is a little tasty instrumental I found on the "tube":
I also seem to be getting pickier in terms of who I can actually sit and listen to as an MC, often finding that rappers these days are sounding like they are trying way too hard to come across as these "mad lyrical" giants, their words just zipping straight over most of our heads. I mean, we can sit and dissect the rhymes if we take the time, and maybe if I had a walk man, some headphones, and was in 9th grade, that might be something I would consider doing, but as I get older the non sequitur stream of consciousness raps start to bore me. Maybe it's just me getting old. I would rather hear someone speak to me on a human level, rather than lifted up on a pedestal in the usual high and mighty hip-hop god position (which most of us as rappers are guilty of at some time or another). That's why this particular track by B.O.B (an ATL producer, guitarist, rapper, songwriter that T.I. signed to Grand Hustle) really spoke to me when I saw the video. He came across with that simplicity I was looking for, and although the song could have been developed more as a whole, it is a great introduction to an artist I am looking to hear a lot more from.
Until next time, stay searching for that new and true.
- Ben Hameen
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