Album Review: Saigon- The Greatest Story Never Told Chapter 2: Bread And Circuses

Album Review: Saigon- The Greatest Story Never Told Chapter 2: Bread And Circuses

Artist- Saigon

Year- 2012

Rating- 8/10

In 2011 New York rapper Saigon released the critically acclaimed album The Greatest Story Never Told. The album was well received and praised for it's conscious content all throughout sky rocketing Saigon to the ranks of the top current artists in Hip-Hop. A year later Saigon releases his sophomore album bringing the listener that same social awareness with the right mix of grittiness Saigon is known for.

The entire album has original production with not a single sample anywhere on it which is extremely rare for rap in these time, it actually may be the only album to do so this year. As expected Just Blaze lends his talents holding a few producer credits, but DJ Corbett produced the majority of the album. Sonically the beats have a more accessible mainstream feel to them, but wouldn't exactly be categorized as “pop”. The sequel has far more features than the first album with Styles P, Chamillionaire, Sticman from Dead Prez, and the returning Marsha Ambrosius providing vocals alongside others.

The intro “Plant The Seed” sets the tone for the album nicely. It touches on how if you were to listen to the music being promoted at this time to try to get a gauge on what is going on in real life at the time you would be completely misguided, a recurring theme throughout the album. The subject of the illusions Hip-Hop gives the listeners is further delved into with the second track and my personal favorite “Rap vs Real” in which Saigon examines the lines between entertainment and real life. “Let Me Run” is one of the aforementioned mainstream accessible songs that I can see being a hate or love song. Somehow the transition from this song to the more street orientated “Not Like Them” feat Styles P, an artist Saigon shares many parallels just feels natural which I find a welcome change from the last song.

Saigon goes back to depicting a portrait in the world we live in today with the following song “Brownsville Girl” which explores scenarios of black on black violence that is all too common in today's youth. Saigon then takes the time to reflect on his musical career with “The Game Changer” stating his purpose as an artist and how the direction he chooses to take with his music has hindered his progress as an artist on the way to stardom. He takes it a step further with his next song “Blown Away” about how influential people in life have their lives stolen from them and alludes to his fear of sharing the same fate. His thoughts culminate to speculation of whether in his death he will find the appreciation he deserves in the first verse of the song “When Will You Love Me”. Saigon trades bars with Lecrae over the topic of finding salvation and appreciation in religion on probably the best produced track on the album “Best Thing I Found”.

The flaws of the album are Saigon's attempts at singing that he should really leave to his features and the fact that a few of these same features add very little to the song in some cases. Saigon's attempts at crossing over also leave a bit to be desired on more than one occasion, but even with these problems the album still manages to be one of the better releases in an already stacked 2012.

The topics on the album are all very diverse ranging from religion, addiction, black-on-black crime, to child care. Pretty much everything that needs to be said right now, but no one puts in their music. If you're one of those people that is looking for an album that could be considered a reflection of the times we live in now, Bread And Circuses is exactly what you're looking for. Some people may criticize Saigon for being simplistic lyrically, but there is more to bars than your syllable count or your punchlines. When you can make a song with a clear message, and make it a good song at that, you're doing something right lyrically. Saigon holds a mirror up to our lives and shows us how things really are past all of the illusions and misdirections other artists try to feed us. There aren't many albums that I would call a classic, but I would go as far as to say that this should be remembered as a classic if only because of how well Saigon depicts life in the black community for this generation. Years from if you wanted to show someone what we had to show for this generation, pop in The Greatest Story Never Told Chapter 2 and use it as an audio movie.

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Album Review: Diabolic- A Liar And A Thief

Album review: Diabolic A Liar And A Thief

Artist- Diabolic

Year :2009

Rating: 8/10

Diabolic was first heard on record with underground staple Immortal Technique and instantly gained recognition from the hidden track on the album. Diabolic made a name for himself in the battling community by locking horns with the likes of legend Iron Soloman. Diabolic even tried his hand at the mixtape circuit with the Foul Play project, but an album was the missing piece to the puzzle that eluded his fans. This changed in 2009 when Diabolic released the highly anticipated debut “A Liar And A Thief”

With the exception of the song “Riot” the entire album is produced by Engineer. Despite the fact the bulk of the album is produced by the same person because of Engineer's diverse sounds none of the sounds blend together. The production is top notch, but at the same time hard to categorize. The album features an ensemble cast of underground icons by the likes of Canibus, Ill Bill, Vinnie Paz, and Immortal Technique to complete the cipher. The most impressive thing is that Diabolic outraps every single person on the album and makes it sound easy. The best way to describe Diabolic's lyricism is a hybrid of Eminem in his prime and Immortal Technique. He perfectly exemplifies how to create polysyllabic rhyme schemes while staying on topic. How to rap politically without coming off as preachy. All throughout the album he opens up a clinic of multis in one of the most technical releases of the year.

In the opening song “Stand By” Diabolic bombards the listener with a blitzkrieg of clever wordplay with punchlines and rhyme schemes setting the tone for what he's all about as a rapper. Early in the album the song “Riot” hits with rock production and Diabolic's social commentary to show that he isn't just witty lines, but that he comes with a message. The song is followed by “Reasons”, a song with darker, grimier production and more introspective lyrics all while touching on Diabolic's gripes with his current situation in the music industry. Diabolic seamlessly switches between the two different styles of rapping giving the album a more balanced sound than if he approached it in just one direction.

The major flaws in the album come from a few of the features where the artist clearly just phones his verse in. Luckily Diabolic is there to come in and salvage the song so it isn't a total loss. Also, the hook on “12 Shots” can be grating and the production doesn't help it much. Definitely the most skippable song on the album.

A Liar And A Thief is a hip-hop purists dream album. If you care about the technical aspects of rap, the rhyme schemes and the original wordplay then this is just the album for you.

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New Album: Marz the Superior - Rise and Downfall

Malcolm X. Martin Luther King, Jr. Muhammad Ali. Bob Marley. Jimi Hendrix. Tupac Shakur. Christopher Wallace. Marz the Superior graces the cover to his newest release, Rise and Downfall, with some of the greatest company anybody can ever wish to be around. They all had their rise to the highest plateau that anybody can aspire for...and then had their quick downfall, respectively. He's trying to send a message: he belongs within this crowd and will do what it takes for that to happen. Marz is part of the Louisiana-based buzzmaking group The Kingmakers, and look out for more music from that camp in 2012 and beyond.

You can stream the album below or download it here.

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A (brief) Retrospect of Hip-Hop in Seattle

Yesterday I posted up the new album from the very talented KnowMads crew from Seattle. At first I was going to go off on the state of hip-hop in Seattle, but I decided to save the thought for a brief retrospective look at the living, breathing hip-hop scene that is striving in Seattle.

Our beloved culture broke out in Seattle in 1981. "Nasty-Nes" Rodriguez started the city's first rap radio show, Fresh Tracks. The program featured music from the likes of Sir Mix-A-Lot, Emerald Street Boys, MC LeRap, PDQ, and Andy Hamlin. 4 years after the integral foundation was set, Seattle's first rap label was founded. Rodriguez gave birth to Nastymix Records. Seemingly the second coming of Egyptian Lover, Sir Mix-A-Lot was the first artist signed to the groundbreaking label and was easily the most successful.

Mix-A-Lot left Nastymix and became a brief nation-wide phenomenon with his lament about his love of big butts in the Grammy Award winning single "Baby Got Back". After that, Sir Mix-A-Lot, like the Seattle scene, fizzled into obscurity in the mainstream for a while. Soon after, the Jasiri Media Group movement went into full effect. Influenced by Saharan African fashions and its heritage, the collective was started by legendary local group Source of Labor. Even though Nastymix was over, the scene was still producing quality; Criminal Nation, Blind Council, Insane Poetry, and Source of Labor, among many others, held the city down but time became a factor and eventually washed them all away into the abyss that holds most local acts.

Something seemingly lit a fire under the Emerald City after the turn of the millennium. The city saw a huge burst of new emcees taking over the limelight. Groups like Boom Bap Project, Blue Scholars, Grayskul, Dyme Def, and Abyssinian Creole rose from the underground and, in the words of Kno, "released all classic discs". Source of Labor member Jonathan Moore now manages a handful of local acts like Vitamin D, Bean One, Grayskul, Boom Bap Project,and Byrdie. Moore is seen as an integral part of the recent flourish that the city has seen.

Seattle is well-known as one of the more diverse cities in Washington, and it's evident by the ever growing minority population throughout the years. The unique hip-hop that now pours from the city is obviously influenced by this diversity. Take the acclaimed MC-producer duo Blue Scholars for instance. Consisting of Filipino emcee Geologic and Iranian producer Sabzi, the group has released very successful independent albums, toured nationally, and has had no problem getting booked for festivals. Geologic has gone on record saying that the combination of cultures in Blue Scholars has been "a factor" in their overwhelming success.

The hip-hop that spouts from Seattle is just as diverse as the city's demographics itself. Sabzi, the producer half for  both Blue Scholars and Common Market, is well known for implementing a countless number of styles into his very highly regarded production for both equally regarded groups. Echoing classic boom-bap with influences from his and Geo's respective cultures, Sabzi beautifully arranges the perfect instrumentation to back Geologic's often political, often personal, but always poetic lyrics. The same goes for his work with RA Scion for Common Market; all of their releases are laced with the unique and seemingly natural production that Sabzi has trademarked in his young and already illustrious career.

Natural is always a keyword when describing Seatown hip-hop and it's an applicable description; artists hailing from the area take what we know and love about our favorite genre, strip it to its roots, and add their own very unique flavor to the melting pot. The KnowMads are one of the biggest examples of this, and it's why they are known as one of the premier groups out of Seattle. Experimental duo Shabazz Palaces are currently making waves for just that. Ex-Digable Planets emcee Ishmael "Palaceer Lazaro" (then simply known as "Butterfly") teamed up with Tendai "Baba" Maraire to create some of the most alternative (in the best way possible) releases in a while with their African-influenced 2009 EPs Eagles Soar, Oil Flows and The Seven New along with their 2011 debut Black Up which topped many "Best Of" lists. Technical skill extraordinaire Sadistik (who we interviewed) has also been a huge figure in the experimental side of things, releasing collaboration projects with forward thinking producers Emancipator and Kid Called Computer.

Minnesota-based independent label juggernaut Rhymesayers has played a large part in the growing buzz around Seattle. Grieves, Grayskul, and Jake One are currently signed to label and Boom Bap Project and Vitamin D used to call the label home. Grieves's brand of self-conscious and honest rap blended right in with the rest of the Rhymesayers. His first Rhymesayers release, 2011's Together/Apart, was very well received in the independent hip-hop community. Grayskul lives up to the diverse reputation of their roots and it is very hard to miss it when listening to their Cannibal Ox-unfluenced music. Jake One and Vitamin D both broke out after both co-producing The Gift of Gab's classic solo debut 4th Dimensional Rocketships Going Up in 2004.

As with every local scene for any genre of music, it's impossible to cover every meaningful act in a few paragraphs, no matter how hard you try. All I can say is that Seattle's local hip-hop scene is one of the best right now and deserves a wider limelight and more attention towards it.

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New Mixtape: Just S.T.R.E.S.S. - Bouncing Hi-Hat and Spoken Words

As you probably know based off of some of our past features, I'm a sucker for sweet beat tapes. I stumbled upon this gold nugget while looking up beats that sampled the late great Gil Scott-Heron. Just S.T.R.E.S.S. samples the legendary voice in all 8 tracks of this short but sweet little tape. Gil Scott-Heron and hip-hop goes hand in hand so a project like this was long overdue. Plus, it's got an awesome cover. Who doesn't like a creative cover? Give it a listen and drop a comment below.

You can stream the tape below or download it here.

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New Music: Nino Bless - Get Ready Freestyle (Lyrics)

Freestyle Nino drops over Hell Rell's "Get Ready" beat. This one isn't going to be on his upcoming album A Bitch Named Karma, but instead one of his new mixtapes, both will be released shortly. If this is any indication as to what he's been working on then the music that follows will be fucking fantastic.

http://soundcloud.com/ninobless/nino-bless-get-ready-freestyle



(Lyrics)
Who the fuck am I, Ni No
I will never ever fall, real niggaz know my M.O
Heads up, look out, the kid  is back oh oh,
Somebody done did it , admit it, i am pissing off my critics, listen

The kids a cynic with lyrics most consider quick witted
I don't scratch a  bitches back, while others is itching to get it
So who am I? You fuckers know that Nino's sick
I am to the underground what Drake is to an emo chick
"Don't do it, please don't do it"
Whatever's in my way I'll blow a hole right thru it (Blaow)
Move out my way, come on get some pep on ya step
An internet message could get ya whole crib Virgina Tech'd in a sec
Cyber threat me I'll see you wit a gat thats chrome
Act like I'ma clap ya dome & film it wit a my camera holmes
But I don't dry snitch on myself, so bitch this ain't going on no website, like Chris Brown snatching phones Fuck a crew I stand alone, I'm my own anchor, I'm in my ghangis zone
I'm Sugar Ray with hands of stone
Nino is not the one to  fuck with, leave that man alone
If not, this cannon's blown like when Mariah's man's at home
Now that's a dome shot, on top
Shit, some say I deliver the flow, illler than hov, where's hov's gwop?
When son drop, no filler, shit every songs hot
I get to the fucking point,  like skipping through a porn's plot (yeah)
I'm always on beat like an armed cop
The one man army, like I'm camping and  tubing non stop
That's for my gamers, know,  my aim, defines range
try u die, its Michael Meyers, running around with lightweight
I played, it my way, so why hate
I just drop that shit for the streets, no bridesmaids
the tri-state, knows I'm great when I take
Beats, and apply rape, it hits  ya chest like a wild ape
Fuck ham i go Tarzan its Arkham
City in the heartland of the hood where we starving
You know that marksman reps
Ya buzz? I don't care for that Holmes like Mark Sanchez, look
The boss soldier is back, my break is all over
Sorry that I disappeared like Lebron in the 4th quarter
I came, I saw, and conquered, never sold out a concert
Flowing bonkers got me features and promo with no dough or sponsors
I hate to shoot, look what u made me do
Silencer with the potato, don't worry for ya wake I'll get a tailored suit
Witness the onslaught,  now u could say its a fluke
I'm like a tarheel that's  amped for my rival now  but I ain't playing duke
I got this Onsmash, spit shit these blogs like
flow is 2dopeboy, should i switch it Nah, Right
MrExclusives here, i got that shit I'm making records
That'll take a second to get, but literally it'll Shake the Meka
I'm playing reckless, run into a DJBooth
Like "Play that HotNewHipHop, Nino is the savior & the truth
its game time Okay Player, I'm lighting ether near the Smoking Section
Blow this up with no discretion

http://soundcloud.com/ninobless/nino-bless-get-ready-freestyle

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New Mixtape: Lil B - God's Father

The very highly anticipated follow up to White Flame has arrived. Lil B has been promoting this one more than usual, so it's gotta be good. This is now his 2nd release in 2012 and Lil B is living up to his reputation as the biggest workhorse in hip-hop today.

You can download the mixtape for free here or stream it here:

Download Mixtape | Free Mixtapes Powered by DatPiff.com

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Sam's Dream Collab: Typical Cats and Jehst

     I have been thinking about what artists would go together better than any others.  I spent a lot of time going back and forth between artists, albums, and songs, and for my first dream collaboration I picked Jehst and the Typical Cats.  There are obvious similarities between Typical Cats and Jehst in the majority of their music.  Beyond cleverness, or wit, they both have real intelligence.  They know what they are talking about and their music has purpose.  When I listen to them I think of poets, and artists.  Not all rappers make me think of art, or poetry.  It isn't only their musical talent that would make them a great collective team, but the way they flow, and the way they speak.  There is real beauty inside of their music, beauty that goes past lyrics and beats, and even goes past intelligence.  Not something I say lightly.  They both have the same jazz feel, and they also can break off and be unique.  Putting all of these guys together could create real art, possibly some of the greatest music of all time.  They would make an amazing collaborative sound, and through their similarities, and their differences maybe a sound we have never heard before.  Basically, I am saying that these guys would make an amazing work of art if they were to collaborate.  That is why I would want them to work together.

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New Album: Grynch - Perspective

Seattle rapper, Grynch, just released his new album Perspective.  This is the first time I have heard of the guy, but he has great lyrics filled with memorable and truthful rhymes.  My favorite track on the album is "Drowning" because it shows weakness.  It proves he is honest, and that is a rare thing in rap these days.  Grynch is very clever with his lyrics, and he had great production on this album.  The producers who participated are Budo, Jake One, ATG, Jester, and more.  For features on the album he has Brother Ali, Shaprece, Sol, and quite a few others.  The last track "Final Bow" ties the whole album together, and gives you good closure.  Grynch has been pretty quiet for a couple years, but now he is back and his album is definitely worth checking out.

You can buy the album off Grynch's Bandcamp here or stream it here:

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New Mash-Up: Through The Wire (A Kanye West Mega Mashup Master Mix)

This is a bit different from what we've been featuring on Oh.Globe lately. I came across this monster of a mix by Soundcloud user JUSTENVISION that blends all of Kanye West's songs together. Needless to say, this is incredibly well done. Acapellas from Ye tracks backed by instrumentals from other Ye tracks with sick transitions from even more Ye tracks. If you're a fan of Kanye West, you're going to love this, to say the least.

Listen to it here:

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Artist Interview: Chaundon

I am very grateful to have been able to get an interview with Chaundon, an artist with a new album, The Jammington, coming out on March 6th.  Chaundon already released a single from his album called "Possesion" ft. Craig G and Skillz the DJ.  It sounds like he will be very active in 2012, so get excited.

Me: How has growing up in the Bronx influenced your music?

Chaundon: Being in the center of it all, the influence was inevitable. Every where you looked, Hip Hop was there. It was the soundtrack of my life and my music is the reflection of it. 

Me: Who were your favorite rappers growing up? 

Chaundon: My favorite rappers growing up were the local hero's in my neighborhood, Mike Smooth (R.I.P) & Fred Black. Incredible rappers like Kane, G. Rap, Craig G, Slick Rick, were my favorites as well. 

Me: To get a feel for what the album is going to be like, what was some of the inspiration for The Jammington?

Chaundon: The inspiration for The Jammington was simply recording the album in New York. This was the 1st time I ever recorded an album in my city. The pulse of the city was the driving force behind the creation of my album.

Me: If there was one thing you would want everyone to take away from the album, what would it be?

Chaundon: I just want everyone to enjoy the album period!

Me: Are there any other projects we can be expecting from you?

Chaundon: I am currently working on The Freshington produced by Kuddie Fresh, & The Dopington produced by Family Biz Ent.  I also have an album produced by Shuko which is almost complete. Plus there are 3 more albums already in the works!

Me: It has been a couple years since the last time you released an album, do you think that there has been any life experience in the past two years that seperates "The Jammington" from your other albums.

Chaundon: I don't feel there is a time span needed to separate the albums I create. So much happens everyday and those experiences are put to music.  Plus the sound of music I choose from the producers I work with separate the sounds of each album. I plan on releasing 3 albums this year and they all sound different even while I'm recording them in the same time period. 

Me: Who do you have planned for collaborations on the new album?

Chaundon: On the album I have collaborated with Craig G, VonPea of Tanya Morgan, and YC The Cynic. They each brought the perfect elements to the album.

Me: Who's on the boards for The Jammington?

Chaundon: On the boards of The Jammington are ATG and myself, Chaundon of The Gemstones. 

Me: What's up with the Justus League? Is there anything new planned as far as a new project for the collective?

Chaundon: I have no clue about the Justus League.

Me: Do you get approached often by artists for collaborations?

Chaundon: I get a ton of collaboration requests! I am honored that people reach out to want to work with me. I must be doing something right.

Me: What do you bring to the table that deserves the ears of hip-hop listeners out there?

Chaundon: I bring dope beats, dope rhymes, what more do y'all want?!!

 Listen to Chaundon's first single off The Jammington, "Possession", here:

Chaundon's Bandcamp: http://chaundon.bandcamp.com/

Follow Chaundon's Twitter: @CHAUNDON 

 

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New Mixtape: Curren$y & Styles P - #The1st28

We are only on the 28th of Febuary and Curren$y has already released 3 new projects. Joining his Here EP and Muscle Car Chronicles is his collaboration mixtape with Styles P, #The1st28. The tape dubs the artists as Spitta Andretti and SP the Ghost, but make no mistake; this is legit, vintage Spitta and Styles lacing 5 tracks with their incredible chemistry and unique styles.

Download the free mixtape off Datpiff here or stream it here:

Download Mixtape | Free Mixtapes Powered by DatPiff.com

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Artist Interview: Qwazaar (of Typical Cats)

 Yesterday I was blessed with some time with Chicago legend Qwazaar, foot soldier for Chicago giant Galapagos4 and member of the legendary Typical Cats crew. He gave some info about future collaborations with his current partner, Batsauce, and the timetable for a brand new Typical Cats album. Check it out.

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Artist Interview: CASTLE

Last week, Greensboro, NC producer and rapper CASTLE and his new EP Tasting was featured on Oh.Globe. You can check out the article here. I had a chance to get to know the artist a little better, seeing how he is collaborating with some pretty big names. We talked his up bringing, his future collaborations, and even his thoughts of quitting. Check it out.


Me: You listed a bunch of East Coast artists as influences to your music. Being from NC, have any Southern artists influenced you?

CASTLE: No Limit and Outkast were big influences on me when I was a kid. Outkast satisfied my need for complexity, and No Limit was just live.

Me: What was your favorite No Limit release?

CASTLE: As far as albums? Good Girl Gone Bad by Mia X. she was hands down the best MC in that crew to me.

Me: What was it like to grow up in a household full of musicians?

CASTLE: Loud. Haha. Music was played constantly in my house, from blues to rap to hard rock.

Me: Did that wide range of genres played influence your sample choices for your beats in the future?

CASTLE: Definitely. There's a good number of beat makers that stick to soul records, which is cool...but there's so many different sounds you can play with in genres like blues or psych rock. I say about 80% of records I sample are from foreign musicians.

Me: When you told me about yourself for the Artist Spotlight, you mentioned that your dad put you on a track when you were a kid. What happened to that track?

CASTLE: In cassette tape heaven more than likely. Haha. If i could find it again, I would release it in a second. It'd be a good laugh.

Me: What did you do?

CASTLE: To the tape?

Me: On the song.

CASTLE: Ah, yes. I blessed the track with one bar. It was a song about how bratty me and my sister was.

Me: I first heard about you through a wall post from producer Small Professor's Facebook. Apparently you two are working together. How did you meet him?

CASTLE: Okayplayer.com, but we actually didn't start talking until I got the balls to create a Twitter account. I reached out to him, told him I was a big fan of the music he shared on the boards, and we've been linked up ever since. Smalls is a cool ass dude.

Me: What kinda stuff do you guys have planned?

CASTLE: We've toyed with this idea called N*ggas with Physics Books or N.W.P.B., since me and smalls are science geeks. If all goes according to plan, we'll have an album's worth of material before the year ends. All we really have to do is decide how it's ultimately going to sound.

Me: That would be really sick. Would you rap over his beats or would you add production too?

CASTLE: A mixture of both, which was his idea. I actually had no intention of rapping on it at first. I'm excited to get to work though.

Me: Besides Small Pro, who else are you in the lab with?

CASTLE: Right now I'm working with the members of a crew that Smalls is a part of: The Wrecking Crew. Has-Lo, Zilla Rocca, and Curly Castro. Crazy MC's. I'm also working with a producer named Why?Arcka. That guy is incredible on the beats. Then there's a group called Loud Gang that I've been producing for. They have some stuff coming pretty soon. There's more, but the list is too long. Collaborating is my mission this year.

Me: You also mentioned thoughts about quitting. Why is that?

CASTLE: Talking out of my ass for the most part. Every time I tell myself that music isn't worth it and "quit", I end up coming right back. Unfortunately they don't have clinics for recovering hip hop junkies. I did have to take a short hiatus though. Needed to find my bearings; start resting more, eating healthier, et cetera.

Me: If someone was to ask you "Who the hell is CASTLE and why should I listen to him?", what would you respond with?

CASTLE: I'd tell them "because CASTLE 'creates art so that life elevates.' you want those groceries in plastic or paper bags?"

Me: Haha, well your music backs up the talk. Good luck to everything you do with your music man and just know that Oh.Globe has your back with any of your future releases and collabs.

CASTLE: Word 'em up. I 'preciate you taking time out to listen and getting to know me.

Me: Fasho, the world needs a sneek peak at CASTLE before he blows up.

CASTLE: Haha, good shit!

You can download CASTLE's new free EP off his Bandcamp here or stream it here:

CASTLE's Bandcamp: http://castle.bandcamp.com/

CASTLE's Twitter: @cstlnova

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New Mixtape: LP da Original - No Organization No Progress

Canada has turned into quite the hotbed for the newest raw hip-hop. Straight outta Rexdale comes LP da Original, an El Salvadoian-Canadian rapper who is taking the Canadian scene by storm. With a co-sign from Canadian hip-hop legend Kwajo Cinqo (member of Ghetto Concept), LP has dropped his newest free mixtape, No Organization No Progress on G7 Records and presented by Trap-A-Holics. The mixtape takes young the 19-year old's life experiences and fuses them into some of the most honest and hardest trap you will hear. With features from French Montana, Reema Major, JJ Money, amongst others, LP has crafted a nice tape that serves as a prelude to whatever big debut project he has planned. Look out for a Q&A with LP to be featured on Oh.Globe really soon!

Watch the music video the first single off No Organization No Progress, "Big Dreams" here:

Download the free mixtape here or stream it here:

Download Mixtape | Free Mixtapes Powered by DatPiff.com
  
LP Da Original's Website: http://g7records.com/lpdaoriginal/

Follow LP Da Original on Twitter: @LPdaOriginal

LP Da Original's Bandcamp page: http://g7records.bandcamp.com/

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Artist Interview: Loe Pesci (of OG Hindu Kush)

I was recently blessed with some time to chat with OG Hindu Kush's Loe Pesci. The Montreal rapper recently dropped his new album GOOD X 2 which was featured here. OG Hindu Kush's debut album In 3D was released to a huge amount of critical acclaim and topped a lot of "best of" lists for 2011, including mine. Watch the new video to the first single off GOOD X 2 "DMT With Joe Rogan" here:

Me: Who were your favorite rappers growing up?

Loe Pesci: I came up and started listening to rap , rapping in the same period of time , when The Chronic and Doggystyle and all that was going on. I was brought up on that Eazy-E and I learned about east coast artists and started diggin' that more. Someone I always say changed the way I saw rap was Big L.

Me: Was Big L a big influence on your decision to become a battle rapper?

Loe Pesci: No, I started rapping when I was 12. I don't think Big L was really known back then.

Me: Who were the most notable local Canadian rappers when you were coming up?

Loe Pesci: Shades of Culture, Rascalz, Ghetto Concept, Saukrates, and Choclair.

Me: I'm familiar of Saukrates, he's pretty dope. How do you feel about the current Canadian hip-hop scene?

Loe Pesci: There's a lot more going on now.

Me: Who do you feel are the elite Canadian hip-hop artists of today?

Loe Pesci: Out of Toronto you got so many great artists...too many to name to be honest. Montreal has Magnum, Iblast, Ceasrock, and The Narcicyst just to name a few.

Me: Montreal and Toronto are the 2 major hotbeds for hip-hop in Canada?

Loe Pesci: Don't get me wrong, you got a whole scene in Halifax. You got people making music everywhere in Canada. It's just about getting it to the right places...making good music isn't enough. I,f you want any type of success, you're gona have to either sign with a lable or do everything yourself and surround yourself with a good team.

Me: And that's what you've done with OG Hindu Kush and the rest of the AGL family.

Loe Pesci: Yeah man.

Me: Were you and the rest of OG Hindu Kus surprised by the huge amount of critical acclaim that was recieved by In 3D?

Loe Pesci: Well not really, cause we know we make good music. If anything, I'm disappointed that we didn't reach further but being independent and being your own manager/Publicist/etc.. means you learn along the way and hopefully reach a bigger demographic every time.
 
Me: Believe me, when people ask for a 2011 album, In 3D is always among the first albums I rec. What's the timeline for new OG Hindu Kush material?

Loe Pesci: We are looking to drop the Small Coffins EP in a few months. However, Os is busy with work and his own life game. I am busy promoting my solo album GOOD X 2 and working on getting a few videos out for that project which I just released.

Me: Being a solo album, was GOOD X 2 made with a different approach compared to In 3D? How do you feel about the project on a personal level?

Loe Pesci: This album was made in a short period of time. "Headbangers" and "My Sampler" were made in '09. The rest was made in the past 3 or 4 months, so its really just what I was going through at that point. A lot of shit was going on that made me just blurt out my thoughts on these songs.

Unfortunately, we had to cut the interview a little short because Loe had some business to take care of. Still, big thanks to the dude for lending us a little bit of his time and we hope for the best for him and the rest of the AGL family.

Download Loe Pesci's new album GOOD X 2 here or listen to it here:



OG Hindu Kush's Bandcamp: http://oghindukush.bandcamp.com/

Follow Loe Pesci on Twitter: @LoePesci

Join the AGL movement:http://aglisagoodlook.com/

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New Free Album: Sapient - Gunwings

The workhorse Sandpeople crew member (and half of Debaser) Sapient  dropped his latest free album, Gunwings. The album is tagged with "A Barrels for Feathers Redux" because, accoridng to Sapient, he was not thrilled with the campaign that the original got. Gunwings is a "revisit" to the 2010 offering and features new beats, new choruses, and new features. This is his first free album, and you can bet to expect the insane production that Sapient has been widely re-known for.

You can download the album here or stream it here:

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New Album: Loe Pesci - GOOD X 2

Montreal's Loe Pesci of OG Hindu Kush has officially dropped his solo debut GOOD X 2. He goes over very dope production from DJ Fatsak and is joined by The Narcicyst, Justice McFly, and Borden throughout. OG Hindu Kush's 2011 debut offering In 3D was among my favorites of the year and this project does not dissapoint. Pesci brings his signature wit and charm better than ever on GOOD X 2 and this is guaranteed to be getting spins for a very long time. Now if we can get a new Osa solo...

You can buy the tape off Loe Pesci's Bandcamp here or stream it here:

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New Mixtape: I-20 - Celebrity Rehab

Unlike many of the recent features that Oh.Globe has had lately, I-20 is not much of a newcomer. The Decatur, Georgia representative has 2 studio albums under his belt, both released under Ludacris's Disturbing tha Peace label. He comes back from a very busy 2011 with Celebrity Rehab. The tape drops the day after Valentines Day and is a calling out to everyone that I-20 is indeed still going to be putting in heavy work and can indeed hang with the best of them in the Southern rap game. I-20's energetic delivery infused with his natural Southern twang is backed by perfectly chosen trap production to accommodate the Southern vet. He doesn't do it by himself, however, as he recruits Ludacris, Killa Kyleon, and Fat Ray, among others, to join in on a celebration of a respected vet enjoying his run. It'd be nice to see I-20 receive a burst of late-career popularity and cult following like his Southern contemporary 2 Chainz has seen recently...only time and a whole lot of buzz will tell.

You can download the tape off DJ Booth here or stream it here:

Download Mixtape | Free Mixtapes Powered by DatPiff.com

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New Music: Loe Pesci - Girl in My Life (feat. Uness)

Montrael's Loe Pesci (a third of OG Hindu Kush) drops a new track with Uness on Valentines Day as part of Uness & Crime in the City's newest EP, Paperflowers. The song drops just 2 days before the scheduled release date of his latest project GOOD X 2. Pesci and Uness trade verses, rap for singing, on the ode to that special someone in their lives. If this and OG Hindu Kush's 2011 album In 3D is any indication at all, then look for GOOD X 2 to be one of the most worthwhile releases in early 2012.

You can download the song off Loe Pesci's Bandcamp here or stream it here:




You can download Uness & Crime in the City's EP off their Bandcamp here or stream it here:

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