Plug Research Compilation FREE DOWNLOAD

I came across this compilation a couple days ago and have been listening pretty steadily. Plug Research is a label home for a really diverse array of artists, ranging from Sonnymoon and Bilal to Hawthorne Headhunters (a dope-ass group featuring St. Louis artist Black Spade).

“This is a free compilation that we wanted to share with everyone. All brand new musiccoming out on plug during the spring quarter of 2012. We have been at this for the last 15 years and at some point this year, we will have had our 200th release. This is the year of letting go. Opening the flood gates of Plug Research for all to enjoy all of the wonders we have in our vaults.”

DOWNLOAD HERE

Tags: bilal, black spade, compilation, free download, hawthorne headhunters, mp3, plug research, sonnymoon

EL-P “The Full Retard”

I love the shit out of El-P’s music. Finally, a follow up to ISWYD (which was his masterpiece to me). Dude has been sorely missed in hip-hop these past few years. I posted about his insane joint “Drones over Brooklyn” a few months ago. Now, “Full Retard”.

New Album “Cancer for Cure” on deck.
Download the song HERE. Peep the change up at 2:42. This dude is so on some other shit.

Peep the Camu Tao/PRZM  “Lil Bitch/Count These Bars/On the Floor” Reference. Boom.

Tags: Camu Tao, Cancer for Cure, DJ PRZM, el-p, Full Retard, Hold the Floor, ISWYD

Big KRIT “Forever N a Day”

I usually don’t like posting about things everyone else has already posted about but….every once in a while something of genuine quality actual gets the attention it deserves. “Forever-N-a-Day” is the genuinely amazing record that is actually garnering this attention. I honestly didn’t expect to like this record as much as “Return To 4eva”, but I think I may like it even more (which is saying A LOT). Plus, I got to hear KRIT soundcheck “My Sub”  at the show a couple weeks back in Athens and I got all pumped and shit, so I’ve been in a big KRIT mood anyway.

KRIT’s writing keeps getting better and better. There are points in this record where I genuinely feel like I’m losing my breath at some of these verses (see “Red Eye“). KRIT’s (self-built) production is always on point. He’s diving into live instrumentation which is only adding to the lushness of the music behind him. Dude is EVERYTHING I love about Southern Hip-Hop. He gets it. I love his mind frame and where he’s headed. I don’t see him folding for much of anything to complete his sound and vision. That alone deserves attention in this day and age.

Oh yeah, and it’s FREE.

Tags: Athens, BIG KRIT, Forever-N-a-Day, ohio takeover 2012, OU, Return to 4eva

Aloe Blacc “You Make Me Smile”

This Made me Smile.

Tags: aloe blacc, stones throw, video, you make me smile

New Interview up at PaulMeara.com

Our show at Athens a couple weeks ago was pretty epic. We’ll have tons of footage en route.

After the show, we all took interviews. I specifically spoke w/ Paul Meara of PaulMeara.com. First interview I’ve done  in a while, so there are lots of new little updates for folks waiting on any album updates or people who may care as to why I haven’t been releasing albums for a while. All your questions will soon be answered.

CLICK HERE to hit up Paul’s site, or keep reading.

Also, catch his first installment of the “Ohio Takeover Tour” Interview Series w/ Stalley.

(PS – The pic above is a quick screenshot from the “Numb” video shoot – I’m excited about this one)

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Tags: arris productions, Athens OH, BIG KRIT, Dom Kennedy, ill poetic, lxe for the uncool, ohio takeover 2012 tour, OU, Paul Meara, paulmeara.com, Stalley

Ohio Takeover 2012 Tour featuring Stalley, Ill Poetic & LxE for the Uncool

It’s that time of year again.

Last year, VoiceOfRzn worked our asses off to bring you guys the OhioTakeover Tour, featuring myself, J. Rawls, LxE for the Uncool & Illogic. It was an amazing experience and overall one of my favorite tours ever. You guys really showed out to these shows, which gave us enough confidence and momentum to try this again.

So this year we’ve decided to re-up for a second season. The new cast consists of myself, LxE for the Uncool & recent MMG signee  and Massilon, OH-nativce Stalley. Needless to say, we’re very excited about this line-up and this tour in general. We’ve never approached a tour quite like this, and I’ve never approached performing a set like this (more on this in a later post, though if you saw the SLAM Festival show in Cinci this past August you caught a preview). For now, enjoy our Tour Trailer, courtesy our friends at Arris Productions. Keep reading to get details on our jump-off show next weekend @ OU.

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Tags: BIG KRIT, Dom Kennedy, ill poetic, illogic, j. rawls, lxe for the uncool, Ohio, Ohio Takeover, ohio takeover tour, OU, Shows, Stalley, Tour, VoiceOfRzn

Stalley “Savage Journey to the American Dream”

I first saw Stalley at 6AM on MTV2 a couple years back featured on Curren$y’s “Address” video.

But I didn’t officially start checking for him until “Lincoln Way Nights” dropped. Rashad (LWN Producer) had just produced “The Measure” by LxE for the Uncool, which I still think is one of the best hip-hop records to EVER come out of Ohio. Off the strength of that, I assumed “LWN” would be just as fresh. And it was. I’m really a fan of the one emcee/one producer set-up. Needless to say, this record didn’t disappoint. Most of all, it just sounds like such an Ohio-ass record. Everything about it is Ohio. If you live here you know, if you don’t you should get a pretty good idea.

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Tags: lincoln way nights, lxe for the uncool, Ohio, Rashad, savage journey to the american dream, Stalley

M.I.A. “Bad Girls” Video

I’ve been watching this video all weekend and I can’ t stop. No one is touching this at the moment. #NoCGI
I love M.I.A. and you should too. I hear she flipped the bird to everyone at the halftime show too. So that’s cool. I could give a shit either way.

Tags: bad girls, m.i.a., video

Hypnotic Brass Ensemble Cover one of the Greatest Songs ever created by man

“…Me? Well..I’ve never been there…well, perhaps once…”

Hypnotic Brass Ensemble covers “SpottieOttieDopaliscious”, one of the greatest songs I’ve ever heard (peep how they flip Sleepy Brown’s verse)

PS – I can’t wait to cover this song live again (coming soon).

Tags: aquemeni, cover, hynotic brass ensemble, Outkast, spottieottiedopaliscious

Schoolboy Q “Habits & Contradictions”

I usually don’t have the time and energy to find new music on the internet. Specifically hip-hop. After a while the blogs all start running together. Every couple of months, a new rapper comes along that everyone buzzes about and over-hypes to be the most amazing dude on the planet since the last most amazing dude on the planet three months ago.

So I had heard about the Black Hippy group for a while. And I thought Kendrick Lamar was dope and everything just like everyone told me I was supposed to. But last week I was intrigued by this new Schoolboy Q record “Habits & Contradictions”. I don’t know why. Then I listened to it and watched the “Hands on the Wheel” video. Now I like it. And him. And his record. And his videos. This dude is really creative and I like that he could give two shits about anything except what he’s on. I miss this energy in hip-hop right now. This vibe is sorely lacking. These dudes have picked it up and put a nice twist on it. I fuck with it. I love discovering artists at this moment in their careers. It’s like a small layover of time where they’re discovering their potential, style and sound in front of the world before the industry folks try to market it. It’s still raw as shit, but not unpolished.

Hit the jump for a couple videos:

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Tags: Black Hippy, habits & contradictions, hands on the wheel, kendrick lamar, schoolboy q