The New Classics Mixtape [April 2009]: Download

05.03.09

A few days late, but here it is. No artwork again, but I’m pretty sure most of you don’t care so I’m not going to bother unless I get complaints. It’s all about the music anyway, here’s April’s top 20. It’s springtime, people.

Download> The.New.Classics.Mixtape_april.2009

New Music: Reflection Eternal, Back Again

04.30.09

Song: Back Again
Artist: Reflection Eternal
Album: unknown
Label: Rawkus Records
Producer: Hi-Tek
Notes: none
Analysis: ‘That’s right, we back again / you can like rap again‘.

New Music: Statik Selektah, The Thrill is Gone [ft. Styles P & Talib Kweli]

04.30.09

Song: The Thrill is Gone [ft. Styles P & Talib Kweli]
Artist: Statik Selektah
Album: The Hangover
Label: Showoff Records
Producer: Statik Selektah
Notes: 1st single from LP
Analysis: Anyone who’s been following this site since January knows that Statik Selektah is one of my favorite hip hop producers of today. He’s put out two dope, underrated albums since 2007 with the help of dozens of talented contributers and is readying his junior year LP entitled The Hangover. Speaking of talented contributers you couldn’t ask for much better help than Styles P & Talib Kweli. Statik prepares the beat with some jazz lounge pianos for the two NY-bred emcees to spit over. ‘The Thrill is Gone’ refers to the hip hop genre itself, and what it’s become.

New Music: U-N-I, Return [ft. Talib Kweli]

01.27.09

Song: Return [ft. Talib Kweli]
Artist: U-N-I
Album: Before There Was Love (mixtape)
Label: Honor Roll Records
Producer: Lee Bannon
Notes: none
Analysis: U-N-I already leaked the excellent ‘Cali Soul’ from their upcoming mixtape, and now here is the final leak before it’s release, ‘Return’, featuring the incomparable Talib Kweli.

Mixtape Review / Download: Blu, (So)ul Amazing Part 2

01.17.09

If you were going to take Lil Wayne’s work ethic, mix it with Mos Def’s lyrical abilities, and jazzy modernized A Tribe Called Quest-like beats, you’d be creating Blu. He puts out material almost constantly, if we were looking at his 2008 discography: Below the Heavens as part of Blu & Exile, The Piece Talks as part of C.R.A.C. with T’Raach, Johnson&Jonson with Mainframe, and part one of his mixtape series (So)ul Amazing. It’s hard enough for rappers to put out one good album, but to put out 4 quality releases in the span of one year is a testament to how talented this kid is. So here we are in 2009 and (unofficially), Blu is putting out some new and unreleased material for consumption, and it is every bit as exceptional as anything else that bears his name.

Mixtape Review / Download: Strong Arm Steady, Gang Mentality

01.02.09

Any artist who gets the co-sign from Talib Kweli deserves some attention. Strong Arm Steady comes from Kweli’s own Blacksmith Records with this mixtape to prepare us for their upcoming album, Arms & Hammers.