[Hip-Hop] XV – Madness Begins EP

There was a time period between 2011 and 2012 when it seemed as if XV was right on the cusp of stardom. After signing a deal with Warner Bros. Records, and a string of successful mixtape releases (Zero HeroesPopular CultureSquarians Vol. 1) that saw his star rise higher than ever, it seemed as if all the right pieces were in place for the Kansas native to finally make that giant leap from Smallville to the big stage. Then 2013 came and went without much of a peep from the talented rapper, and the momentum he’d been steadily building just kind of fizzled out into a blip on the radar.

That’s not to say we’re not excited for new material from the gifted emcee, but it’s going to take a tremendous effort to get back to the stage he was at in his career. Madness Begins is definitely a step in the right direction. Composed of 8 tracks of new material, the EP serves as a refresher of what Vizzy can really accomplish when he puts pen to paper. We won’t go so far as to say that this is one of his best projects, but it solidifies his standing in the game, and lets us know that despite his brief sabbatical, XV hasn’t lost a step.

Madness Begins is just the first effort in a five volume #MarchMadness Free-Play series that’ll see new releases to coincide with different legs of the college basketball tournament. If it all goes to plan, this could be just the boost Vizzy needs to get his career back on track, as we all anticipate his long-awaited The Kid With The Green Backpack album.

DOWNLOAD: XV – Madness Begins EP

’XV – Melrose Refresher (prod. by Childish Gambino)’
’XV – My Town (prod. by Zuki & Jay Beatz)’
’XV – Everyday Life (prod. by The Awesome Sound)’
’XV – What’s New (prod. by Big Jerm)’
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The Hip-Hop Dojo [Vol. 5]

You know what time it is, folks. The Hip-Hop Dojo is back for its fifth installment. Typically, we try to separate the playlist based on certain themes or sounds, but this week’s crop is our largest and most unique ever, making it tough to group everything together, but we tried our best. There is one pervasive idea that seems to shine throughout a majority of this playlist though, which is “keeping it real.”

This week’s edition is a revival of sorts, featuring plenty of industry veterans, and a few names you probably haven’t heard in quite awhile. We start things off with De La Soul, fresh off a 10 year hiatus to provide the game with some toughness once again. Channeling the “Spirit of the Wu,” the trio show us they haven’t lost a step as they go in over a sample of the “Intro” from Wu-Tang Forever. While De La Soul represents the Wu in spirit, Raekwon represents them for real on Statik Selektah‘s new single, “Bird’s Eye View.” Along with fast-rising youngster Joey Bada$$, and the criminally underrated Black Thought, the Chef and crew absolutely merk the soulful instrumental as they give us an idea of the view from above. Next up, we listen as another holdover from the 90’s, DJ Premier, pays homage to his Gang Starr running mate, Guru, alongside the great Talib Kweli and producer Marco Polo. Our next few songs carry on with the 90’s vibes. Honestly, the only way you can tell these piano-backed tracks are from 2013 is by their pop culture references.

Now, our next track might seem a bit controversial to some of you out there. I don’t normally endorse rappers spitting over classic instrumentals, but XXL Freshman, Logic, shows us he’s more than worthy of his new title over Outkast‘s “Ms. Jackson.” I’m still having a hard time trying to resist belting out the chorus whenever I listen to it though. Moving on, we have a previously unreleased joint from the late, great J Dilla, set to be featured on his posthumous album, The Diary. Dilla takes a sample of 80’s record cars “Cars” by Gary Numan, and completely flips on its head, glorifying “big ass trucks and big ass rims.”

Our next three tracks feature pairs of emcees trading bars back and forth. While The MyNORS kick it old school, MMG’s Rockie Fresh and Rick Ross give us a little taste for “Panera Bread” over some stellar production from Lunice of TNGHT. Following those acts up are MAHD and JD Era, two emcees who absolutely shred the beats given to them. Linking up on our next number are two former G-Unit labelmates, Havoc and Lloyd Banks, who give us some insight on the life they chose for themselves.

Coming to you for his second appearance in the Dojo is Texan spitter, M.I who brings along a new friend you may already be familiar with, Chamillionaire. Although the Houston native hasn’t been entirely relevant in recent years, he reminds us all why we fell in love with his music years ago, delivering a killer verse on what may be the standout track on this playlist. We then shift things over to Dade County to visit talented young emcee, Denzel Curry. While the title “N64” makes it sound like it should be a fun track, Curry is doing anything but playing around here. Over some dusky, ominous production, Denzel “Aquarius’Killa” Curry tackles the issue of gun violence, and sheds the spotlight back on the tragic death of Trayvon Martin. On a related note, Doley Bernays also dedicates his newest single to the subject of violence, but chooses to enlighten us from a different perspective. Sampling the Deadmau5 single of the same name, Bernays and running mate Denzil Porter discuss the difficulties of choosing between a life on the streets and pursuing their dreams as emcees. Check out the recently released visuals for the track to garner the full effect.

As we approach the finish line, we decided to cool things down a bit. While none of these are quite 4/20 worthy material, they’ll definitely help you mellow out after some of those more serious numbers. The first joint comes to us from across the “Ocean,” as UK spitter Paper Plates shows that he certainly can hold his own against the American boys. The next track I’d like to highlight is Sound FX‘s “Apathy,” a song which is guaranteed to lift all your worries away as the California natives spit over a light, airy backdrop. Now, before you Charles Hamilton fans get too excited about a comeback (I know there’s still some of you lingering out there), I’d like to warn you that this final track is actually an unreleased collaboration from a few years back. XV recently decided to remaster and re-release his previous four mixtapes, including four new unheard tracks from each recording session. If you’re a fan of Vizzy and want to polish up your library, it’s definitely worth at least a look.

We hope you guys enjoyed our fifth edition of The Hip-Hop Dojo as much as we did. As always, send all submissions/suggestions to baseer@themusicninja.com.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD ALL THE FREE TRACKS

’De La Soul – Get Away (feat. The Spirit Of The Wu)’
’Statik Selektah – Bird’s Eye View (feat. Raekwon, Joey Bada$$ & Black Thought)’
’Marco Polo – G.U.R.U. f/ Talib Kweli & DJ Premier’
’Raiza Biza – 7th Floor (Prod By SoulChef)’
’JusThoughtZ – I’m Okay’
’Reks – Caged Bird ft. Ezdread’
’Co$$ – Blasphemy in Babylon (prod. by DJ Mentos)’
’Joey Purp & Tokyo Shawn – World Turning (prod. Caleb James)’
’Jon Connor – All 4 U’
’Logic – Roll Call’
’J Dilla – Trucks’
’The MyNORS – Mr Mista feat Nottz Raw ( prod by DP)’
’Kourvioisier – Write Brothers (Feat. Thee Tom Hardy) (Produced By K
Hill)’
’Rockie Fresh – Panera Bread (Feat. Rick Ross & Lunice)’
’MAHD – “Doors Up”‘
’JD Era
Marz Barz (Freestyle)’
’Havoc – Life We Chose Feat. Lloyd Banks’
’Ti’Jean – Fast/Slow feat. Pusha T’
’M.I – Nothing You Can Do (ft. Chamillionaire & Corbett) (prod by Tyler Keyes)’
’Denzel Aquarius’Killa Curry – N64 (Prod. By N/P)’
’Doley Bernays – Raise Your Weapon Feat. Denzil Porter’
’Paper Plates – Ocean (Prod. Juna Cosmos)’
’Bas – Stronger (Prod. by Jii Amadehuss)’
’Kevin Abstract – Ian Mad’
’Sound FX – Apathy’
’XV – Nevermind (Remix) ft. Charles Hamilton’
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The Hip-Hop Dojo [Vol. 4]

It’s hard to believe we’re already a month into this process as we present to you the fourth volume of The Hip-Hop Dojo. We’re really excited to bring you possibly our most unique lineup to date. We start things off with three talented femcees whose names should be familiar to loyal listeners out there, B Mac The QueenRapsody, and Nitty Scott MC. Last time we heard from B Mac, she was doing her thing alongside names like Rick RossRaekwon and Redman for HS87’s “Cypher.” Now she’s out to prove that she can hold a song down on her own, with her harrowing new single, “Always Knew.” Meanwhile, Jamla representative, Rapsody, hopes to make an “Everlasting” impression over some smooth Khrysis production. Nitty Scott wraps things up for the trio, demonstrating her flair for the “Language Arts,” over some whistling flutes (shout out to Kendrick).

We step into some old school territory with our next few tracks. Chicago’s Jarred A.G. proves he can rap circles around everyone else on “VerbalCursive,” just one standout from his recent Luxury Tax EP. Next, we move on to underground veterans, Massinfluence, who bring us the self-titled single, “Massinfluential.” Produced by Circa 94, the track actually feels like it was pulled straight out of that era, save for a few tweaks that give it a more modern flair. On “Live From Kissena Blvd,” Action “Bam Bam” Bronson lays down some lick bars over some blaring, boom bap grooves, courtesy of Statik Selektah.

Our next group features a few stories that really tug at your heartstrings. Two of the most powerful tracks deal with the theme of death. Emilio Rojas reflects on the untimely passing of his dear friend and hip-hop visionary, Chris Lighty. The most impactful song of them all, comes in the form of Mike Stud‘s “Past Gone” which deals with his relationship with a fan on the brink of suicide. It’s a truly touching story that reveals how Mike was able to help save her life, and recover from her insecurities. You’ll have to watch the video to get the full effect. Lorenzo Asher‘s “The Color of Ignorance” discusses the challenges of maintaining an interracial relationship, especially when coming from two very different cultures. It definitely does a much better job of approaching race relations than that LL Cool J and Brad Paisley track that dropped earlier this week. Rounding things out, we have “Long Day” from Phil The Thrill. Utilizing an appropriate sample of Maroon 5‘s “Sad,” Phil sheds light on some of the stresses involved with being an independent rapper.

The last batch of tracks doesn’t really have a recurring theme, but they feature a talented group of young emcees flaunting their skills. “24K” features rap duo Square Off, sons of rap legend Doug E. Fresh, spitting some dope bars alongside A$AP Rocky over a chopped up sample of MGMT‘s “Electric Feel.” Neako’s “Hot Boys 3000” will have you nodding your head from start to finish, with the pauses in the beat really emphasizing each and every lyric. Finally, the most unique track comes in the form of Smokey Robotic‘s rim shattering “Gandhi.” We’re not sure the legendary leader would ever approve of the track, but we’d love to see his reaction to this bizarre dedication.

We hope you guys enjoyed our fourth edition of The Hip-Hop Dojo as much as we did. As always, send all submissions/suggestions to baseer@themusicninja.com.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD ALL THE FREE TRACKS

’B Mac The Queen – Always Knew’
’Rapsody – Everlasting (Produced by Khrysis)’
’Nitty Scott MC  – Language Arts (Produced by Good Reverend Dr.)’
’Jarred A.G. – VerbalCursive (prod. Samiyam)’
’Mass Influence – Massinfluential’
’Action Bronson – Live From Kissena Blvd (Prod. Statik Selektah)’
’Corner Boy P – 1997 (feat. Curren$y)’
’GrandeMarshall – Mugga Man (Feat Mugga Mar the 1st Lady of The Petty Boyz)’
’Rittz
Switch Lanes feat. Mike Posner’
’Zilla Rocca & The Shadowboxers – Stormy Monday (feat. The Kid Daytona & Has Lo)’
Emilio Rojas – Can’t Sleep’
’Lorenzo Asher – The Color Of Ignorance feat. XV’
’Mike Stud – Past Gone (prod. by Judge & Swedes)’
’Phil The Thrill – Long Day’
’Square Off – 24K (Feat. A$AP Rocky)’
’Von P – Address’
’Marcè Reazon
Rain (feat. Euro League)’
’Airline Jay – Let Her Choose (feat. Dao Jones) (Prod. Kyle Powis)’
’Neako – Hot Boys 3000 ft. Nasa & Fresh Moss’
’Smokey Robotic – Gandhi’
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The Hip-Hop Dojo [Vol. 2]

Welcome back to the Hip-Hop Dojo! It seems just like yesterday we put up the first edition of this humble playlist, but we have all this awesome music to remind of us the time that’s passed. This week’s lineup features some true lyrical wordsmiths, from veterans like Talib Kweli and Ras Kass, to youngsters like Kendrick Lamar and Joey Purp. Although we’re only in our second week, a few artists are already making reappearances like the aforementioned Joey Purp, as well as STSSahtyre, King Chip, and Termanology. Since last week’s post ran a little lengthy, we’ve tried to shorten things by highlighting some of the standout material.

We start things off this week with a more conscious vibe. While up-and-comer Eddy B sheds light on some of his harsh realities growing up, Talib and R.A. The Rugged Man take us for a tour around the globe, exploring atrocities many of us may not have been aware of. Meanwhile, ¡Mayday! frontman Wrekonize also provides us with some insight to personal struggles of his own, and the reasons for his “Anxiety Attacks.”

Toning things down in the next section, we’ve assembled a nice collection of songs to share with your other half. One of the most notable items is “Natural Spring Water” from 2AM Club, who flaunt their roots in multiple genres alongside Wichita native, XV. We also have a few recognizable faces in here too. With Tyga & Chris Brown‘s “Fuck For The Road” comes a story of redemption and renewal, while The World Famous Tony Williams and his (arguably more famous) crew of Kanye WestKing Chip, and Freddie Gibbs, assemble together for a remix of his ode to that special someone. Lastly, we have a new cut from some TMN favorites, THEBLKHANDS, who utilize a brilliant sample of The xx‘s “Angels” to introduce us to the darker side of love.

The next section just features some good old-fashioned trash talking, a language that’s clearly spoken worldwide as evidenced by our inclusion of London-based ItsNate on the remix of his hit record, “WSLTA” which stands for “Where She Learnt That At.” We also get some outstanding verses from the likes of Joey Purp, GQ, Rapsody, Rocki Evans, Blu, and Smoke DZA along with his new R.F.C. crew. Old-fashioned wasn’t just a figure of speech either, as just about all of these tracks have some ill, old-school vibes to them.

As always, we also have a few cuts ideal for listening between 4:19 and 4:21. B.I.C.‘s spaced-out “DOPM” is definitely a standout in that category. Credit is definitely due to Chuk Le Garcon, who creates a trippy, ethereal beat for the boys to spit on. We can’t forget to give props to Ras Kass for coming up with the possible line of the week on Termanology’s “We Stay High,” spitting, “I’ll put a rapper in a wheelchair like Degrassi.” Sahtyre‘s got a real banger for the second week in a row, with his powerful new single, “Gettin High.”

Speaking of bangers, we’ve got a real treat for you with our next two songs, both featuring prominent samples. While STS definitely does his thing over Kavinsky‘s “Odd Look,” Zak Downtown and Murda Mook absolutely tear apart TNGHT‘s “Higher Ground.” Finally, we decided we’d wrap things up with some uplifting music. “Jordan vs Bird” is a triumphant song from Puck, a unique rapper, who proves he won’t let being resigned to a wheelchair prevent him from taking the court.

I hope you guys enjoyed our second edition of The Hip-Hop Dojo. As always, if you have any suggestions or submissions, feel free to send them over to baseer@themusicninja.com.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD ALL THE FREE TRACKS

’Eddy B – Hope’
’Gee Watts – Watts R.I.O.T. Ft. Kendrick Lamar (Prod. by Sounwave)’
’R.A. The Rugged Man – Learn Truth (ft. Talib Kweli)’
’Wrekonize – Anxiety Attacks’
’2AM Club – Natural Spring Water feat. XV’
’Tyga – Fuck For The Road ft. Chris Brown’
’Tony Williams – Another You (Remix) ft. Kanye West, King Chip & Freddie Gibbs’
’THEBLKHANDS – In Love (Feat. Kembe X)’
’Joey Purp – Don’t Stop (Prod. Thelonious Martin)’
’GQ – I Know Feat. Rapsody & Rocki Evans (Produced by Khrysis)’
’Smoke DZA – Ghost Of Dipset (Prod. Thelonious Martin)’
’R.F.C. (NYMLo, Den10 & Smoke DZA) – Slave To The Wave (Prod. By 183rd)’
’ItsNate – WSLTA (Remix) Feat. G FrSH, Catch’Em x Phaze One’
’Blu & Bombay – Dre Day’
’Termanology – We Stay High (Feat. Ras Kass & Wais P) (Prod. Statik Selektah)’
’B.I.C. – DOPM (Prod. By Chuk Le Garcon)’
’Sahtyre – Gettin’ High’
’Zak Downtown – Don’t Blow My High ft. Murda Mook’
’STS – Odd Look’
’Puck – Jordan Vs Bird’
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[Hip-Hop] Emilio Rojas – Nobody Fucking With Me (Feat. XV & Chris Webby) (Prod. DJ Green Lantern)

Emilio Rojas gathers a conglomerate of some of the more slept on rappers in the game right now with XV and Chris Webby lacing up their shoes for his new single, “Nobody Fucking With Me.” Despite the title, the trio reminds everyone exactly why you should be “fucking” with their music, as they all bring their A-game on this joint. Emilio Rojas is set to remind all of us exactly what he’s capable of with upcoming project No Shame, No Regrets, dropping later this year.

’Emilio Rojas  – Nobody Fucking With Me Feat. XV & Chris Webby’
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XV – Be There, Be Square (prod. by Xaphoon Jones)

XV, from Wichita, Kansas drops another track from his upcoming mixtape Popular Culture this week. For old school hip-hop heads, this should be a rather refreshing track with multiple references to some of rap’s most famous faces. Produced by Xaphoon Jones, the mixtape is set to drop on June 15th.

’XV
Be There, Be Square (prod. by Xaphoon Jones)’
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XV- Swervin’ (Clams Casino Remix) [Instrumental]

There is an air of excitement surrounding Clams Casino, especially after releasing a remix of ‘Swervin’, off Kansas rapper XV’s Zero Heroes mixtape Wichita last year. In a cloud of lightly polished notes with long extended electronic sounds that echo for tranquility, Clams Casino has released the instrumental for this very track. It is calming, soothing and without the original vocals from XV. Not the typical song for a friday night, but just perfect for waking up Saturday morning.

XV – Swervin’ (Clams Casino Remix)

’Clams Casino – Swervin (Remix) (Instrumental).mp3′

via stereogum.com

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