Three part documentary focusing on J Dilla’s time in LA with B+, Egon, Peanut Butter Wolf, J.Rocc and associates of the legendary producer.
Part One:
Occasionally Barry Healy pops up to recommend three albums that may be under your radar. Here are his latest selections.
Tu-Ki – Pre: Seed
Tu-ki’s pedigree as a DJ is pretty formidable. His achievements and reputation as a turntablist DJ speak for themselves. He’s a four time Irish DMC champion, winner of the 2007 Molvida World Mixing Championships, which makes it all the more embarrassing that this chump hadn’t been aware of him until now. All that aside, this is one hell of a mixtape which pays particular homage to old skool electro and hip-hop which are also represented on this 80 minute jaunt.
The age of mixtapes (albeit on CD) is certainly alive and kicking and it’s all the more valuable today as we have such easy access to a lot of mixes and podcasts etc. which are often pretty lacking in skill and record collection depth. This mixtape doesn’t suffer from the aforementioned afflictions. It sounds organic and natural managing to keep an astonishing flow and continuity while drawing from a vast vault of tunes from decades with apparent effortless ease.
It’s difficult to single out any one of the many high points on here but ‘Inspection Dirt’, Leftfield mixed with Wu-Tang gets the thumb’s up every time. The sheer brilliance of this turntable mastery will either inspire you to DJ in a hope of reaching this level or on the other hand like me, leave it to the masters and just enjoy their work.
Today would have been the legendary hip-hop producer 
With the news that Def Jux, home to Aesop Rock, Cage, El-P, Rob Sonic, Cannibal Ox, Mr. Lif and more is winding down as a traditional label, The Crypt posted a 62 tune 350MB mixtape by Vega of Def Jux tunes to mark the occasion. Tracklisting after the jump.
ZIP: Def Jux Mixtape (Alternative link)
Before Def Jux disappears in its current form they’ve scheduled some releases including a posthumous album from Camu Tao, a remix compilation, a 10th year anniversary and other goodies. Hopefully, as detailed in El-P’s statement, they can “turn this hoopty in to a hovercraft”. Here are some of my own personal favourite tunes from the label:
MP3: RJD2 – The Horror
MP3: El-P – Poisenville Kids No Win (feat. Cat Power)
MP3: Cannibal Ox – Vein
MP3: Mr. Lif – Brothaz
And a related classic:
Erykah Badu is finally following up her New Amerykah Part One: 4th World War with Part Two or specifically New Amerykah Part II: Return of the Ankh. The album is due out at the end of March and features production by Badu and people like Madlib, J Dilla, Shafiq Husayn of SA-RA Creative Partners and Georgia Anne Muldrow.
Last week, ‘Jump In The Air’ featuring Lil Wayne a track that was purported to feature on the album but now is only a web-only cut leaked in high quality. If this is a bonus cut, Part II is now even more anticipated.
If the videos disappears from Youtube, there’s a Flash video with the song on Badu’s site.
The label (and shop) that brought you the fantastic 7×7 series last year with tunes from and Onra reveals its plans for 2010 with this 30 minute preview mix by OmUnit.
Taking in beats from Take, Hud Mo, Dimlite, Onra, Snowman, Pudgem, Mweslee and more, it’s a great taster of what’s to come from them.
Mos Def and Talib Kweli reunited on The Ecstatic last year over this J Dilla-beat. Here is the official video drected by Coodie & Chike.
“It’s got more words than a Mos Def CD!” – 30 Rock
My favourite track from The Blueprint III gets the much-deserved video treatment. Swizz Beats produced (and can be heard) in the tune and which also features a familiar sample via Justice’s D.A.N.C.E.
MADVILLAINZ is a beat crew not to be confused with Madvillian apparently but still involving the same people (call it something less confusing then lads).
Here’s another ‘Gazillion Ear’ remix with Kanye West babbling at the start on the phone. Pity, he didn’t actually drop a verse on this. You can get the Gazzillion Ear EP featuring remixes from Thom Yorke, Dr Who Dat? and Dave Sitek from loads of places like Amazon, iTunes, Beatport and 7Digital.
Adult Swim and Rockstar Games have teamed up to release ATL RMX a mixtape of remixes of Atlanta rappers like Young Jeezy, Lil Jon, Gucci Mane, Cee-Lo, Pill and more from the likes of El-P, Mad Decent, Dabrye, Memory Tapes, XXXChange, Flying Lotus, Phaseone, Hudson Mohawke, SALEM, HEALTH, Dam Funk and more.
Big props to whomever put this one together.
MP3: Gucci Mane – Photoshoot (Flying Lotus remix)
Was it really April when we heard Thom Yorke remix DOOM for the first time? Well a remix EP is finally ready and the tracklisting includes the original ‘Gazzillion Ear’ with remixes from Dr Who Dat?, a Jneiro Jnel/Dave Sitek combo remix and the aforementioned Yorkeypoos rework. The 12″ vinyl with instrumentals, acapellas and bonus DJ scratch is out on January 11th 2010. Pre-ordering.
Most interesting, sign up to the mailing list and get an exclusive Madvillain (Madlib and DOOM) remix.
