2Mex "Back" Music Video

2Mex is starting his 2010 push for his new album with this Holiday treat...A new music video! Taking place at the Los Alamitos race track, the video is very well done with a back story to go along with the video. It's more like a short story than a music video.

So take a couple minutes out of your day, hug your loved ones, and check out this video.

New 2MEX album gearing up for an early 2010 release!!!

"Back" by 2Mex. Directed by Ryan Spencer from Ryan Spencer on Vimeo.

LVX Collective "Love d'lvx"

LVX Collective have just released a brand new album titled "Love d'lvx" on iTunes, Amazon and all other digital outlets. I believe the album title name is supposed to be pronounced as "Love Deluxe".

If you aren't familiar with the LVX Collective, the group consists of Lord Zen of Visionaries & Writer's Block, as well as producer extraordinary Dave Harrow. Their sound is unique and unlike anything out there right now. I don't even feel like I should pigeonhole it as a certain genre but it has a mixture of dub step, hip-hop, reggae, electro and more...it's just super dope. Lord Zen is a super underrated emcee and controls the whole album from front to back. I highly recommend this to anyone who has an appreciation for real, authentic, non-commercialized music, period.

LVX Collective featuring zen r.el.z.m. production by Dave Harrow

1st Album: 50.5.10.

featuring Dannu of Writer's Block/Visionaries, Goddess Azul, and Jah C
iTunes | Amazon | Rhapsody

2nd Album: Love d'lvx

featuring Goddess Azul & KeyKool of Visionaries
iTunes | Amazon | Rhapsody

Up Above Records at The Beat Swap Meet

Up Above Records will have a booth at this years Beat Swap Meet in Los Angeles, CA. We usually have a warehouse sale every Christmas so people can come out and get cheap vinyl, exclusives from Japan, CD's, shirts, and stuff you just normally don't find in stores.

This year, Utmos at The Beat Swap Meet hit us up to have our Christmas Sale at The Beat Swap Meet and we all agreed it would be a great time. I mean, we ARE the vinyl specialists, right!?!?!

So please come out to the Beat Swap Meet, this Sunday, December 20th in Los Angeles, CA. Not only us, but dozens of vendors will be out and about so bring your cash and let's make a deal!

LMNO at The Bakery in Pomona, CA: 12/19/09

LMNO continues to promote his new album DEVILISH DANDRUFF WITH HOLY SHAMPOO (in stores now!) by heading to Pomona, CA this Saturday to perform at The Bakery! I know a lot of people have been asking for an all ages show, so here it is. But, get there early because I heard tickets are selling out quick.

Also performing is Scarub & Very aka Afro Classics!


Right around the corner, the good people at Globe Clothing Store have organized a little in-store for LMNO at 7pm. He'll do a few songs, sign some autographs and take some pictures. So bring or cop that new CD kids!

2Mex 4th Annual Christmas Party: 12/19/09

This Saturday is 2Mex's 4th Annual Christmas Party with performances by the Shapeshifters, Busdriver, Xololanxinxo, 2Mex, Human Beings and more!!!

If you've ever been to one of 2Mex's Christmas Parties, you know you're in for a treat!

Alcazaba
1105 S. Fremont Ave.
Alhambra CA 91803

DJ Rhettmatic Shows in So. Cal: 12/17-12/18

As we all know, DJ Rhettmatic of the World Famous Beat Junkies and Visionaries continues to do groundbreaking stuff not only in the studio, but up in the club as well. From San Diego to Long Beach, DJ Rhettmatic will be getting it cracking this week.


Thursday, December 17th will forever be known as the Beat Junkie Takeover in San Diego as Rhettmatic, Babu & J.Rocc will be heading to SD to rock U-31. Get there before 10:30pm and cover is only $5. That's $5 for 3 Beat Junkies...you do the math.



Even more awesome, the next day in Long Beach, DJ Rhettmatic will be the guest DJ at Abstract Workshops "The Mixup!" This party is FREE before 10:30pm so make sure to get there on time. Check the flier for details.

LMNO & Yann Kesz "Faith Is Fact" [Music Video]

FAITH IS FACT from the full-length LP "Devilish Dandruff With Holy Shampoo" by LMNO & Yann Kesz. In stores now.

The track is actually at the very end of "Never Stop" on the album. It was dubbed "Innerlude" but later given a name which is "Faith Is Fact". Although the track is not labeled on the track list, it was one of LMNO's favorite and he really wanted to put a visual to the song.

We filmed the video in two parts. One while up in Humboldt County when LMNO had a show in Eureka a few weeks back and we also filmed on the way home in some desolate areas we found. We wanted to capture the nature, isolation, and most importantly, the beauty of Earth.

Cop the new album in stores now:
iTunes: http://bit.ly/T4pnr
UPABOVE.COM: http://bit.ly/2Kqtxv

LMNO Album Release Party Review

I guess I forgot to do a review on LMNO's Album Release Party. Here we go.

The night started off great, LMNO & Kev Brown got to the venue to make sure sound check went great, and it did. LD set up his tables and DJ Orator was there to start off the night. There was a good vibe in the air, kind of like a family reunion or when you see old friends you haven't seen in a while. Mike Nardone was chatting it up with Kev, Kev was chatting it up with Orator, everyone was in great spirits.


Doors opened at about 8:30pm. Thanks to LRG we had 50 gift bags full of LRG shirts, towels, lighters, pencils, CDs and more to give away and the people were psyched. Needless to say, people were getting their monies worth just by walking through the door. Thanks to Albert and Ryan for the hook up!


Kev Brown was the first performer and his start is constantly rising. His debut album I Do What I Do is now a classic, his collaboration with LMNO Selective Hearing is full of bangers, and Kev just released Random Joints independently - INCREDIBLE. Kev's performance was sick. A mix of old, new and unheard joints, accompanied by his laid back swagger mixed, in with the subtle comedian in him made for a memorable performance. He was my friends favorite.


Near the end of Kev's performance I started to panic. DJ Babu was up next and he was nowhere to be found. Running all over the place I found him outside with a huge crew which consisted of Rhettmatic, J.Rocc, Declaime, MED, 2Mex, Dannu, Deeskee, Dubs-One and more. What an entrance, right? Well, Babu knew what was up, HIM! So, he b-lined toward the stage and immediately played banger after banger, Dilated Junkie style. The crowd was going nuts.


Who knows Dudley Perkins? If you don't, let me tell you, he is quite a character.
Me: "Uhhh, you ready Dudley? You're supposed to be on"
Dudley: "Naw, let me smoke this, give me five minutes"
Five minutes later, I walk into the green room and he has his sunglasses on with a huge grin nodding his head, he is ready. To be honest, I didn't catch too much of Dudley's performance because I was making sure LMNO knew what time he was going on and we were both making sure the show was going well. But from what I heard and from what I saw through pictures and video, I don't even need to worry about it.

By this time, the venue was packed. I really didn't know how it happened so quickly, but it was like I blinked and hundreds of people were drunk, dancing, hands in the air...you know the drill. Lots of family and friends I haven't seen in a while were there and it was a good feeling having everyone under one roof.


Our legendary host Mike Nardone did an incredible job on the mic. With over 20 years experience under his belt he knew every little thing about every performer and proceeded to school the crowd on background information I didn't even know of. With a huge smile and one of the most recognizable laughs in radio, it was an honor to have Mike host our show.


J.Rocc needs no introduction. He's been waving the Dilla flag for so long you know he's going to play some exclusives and the hits. Amazing. Something about his style, the way he nods his head, gets the crowd involved...J is the best DJ alive and he controlled the crowd like no other.

DJ Rhettmatic made his way to the stage and hyped up the crowd with Mike Nardone and the two went back and forth talking about the history of J.Rocc, LMNO and their history as individuals. It was a special moment with so much family and friends altogether sharing this night. Finally, Rhett and Mike introduced LMNO together, and it was on.


If you've ever seen an LMNO set, you know he's got some hits under his belt. LMNO rifled through his set with so much energy and emotion, even though I've seen him a million times, it felt like he was floating for this one. Performing new tracks off his album like "Just Want You" and "Creation Of The Gun" was incredible - you can feel the beats on those tracks in your heart. To cap it off, Kev Brown made his way to the stage and performed "James Brown" with LMNO to a crowd that was going crazy!

With the night over, I thought about the events of that night, and it was apparent. Besides having a lot of people there, those people had fun, and that's all that mattered.

LMNO Devilish Dandruff With Holy Shampoo T-Shirts

The LMNO "Devilish Dandruff With Holy Shampoo" t-shirts are here! As with all our t-shirts, we only make a limited number and once they're gone, they're gone!

This specific design was conceptualized by LMNO. He wanted the go off the "Devilish Dandruff" theme and make the writing in what would (I guess) be cocaine being split up forming the words of his album title. KeyKool turned the idea into a visual and we all liked it a lot but LMNO wanted the "Holy Shampoo" a little different. Kind of a "good meets evil" theme.

Enter Dudley Perkins. If you didn't know, LMNO and Dudley are good friends and the two have been recording up a storm lately over some Georgia Anne Muldrow beats. LMNO asked Dudley if he could create a "Holy Shampoo" for him. I was lucky enough to tag along to Dudley's house and watch the magic happen right before my eyes. In less than an hour, we have the "Holy Shampoo". I can't even go into how entertaining it was watching two grown men talk about bubbles. "I want more bubbles!!!" Comedy!

Get it while its hot:
http://bit.ly/7AsIg2

LMNO "Invigorating" 12" Vinyl

LMNO found a few copies of his Invigorating 12" vinyl single from his groundbreaking debut album "Leave My Name Out". Were my vinyl collectors at?

This is an original press, brand new 12" vinyl in mint condition. You will not find these anywhere anymore...trust me, I've looked around. We only have 5 available so get them before their picked up!

Get the vinyl here: http://bit.ly/8wR4su

Invigorating (produced by Rob The Viking)
Souldier (produced by LMNO)
W/ Meaning (produced by Rob The Viking) featuring Madchild and J.Rocc on the cuts!

DJ Rhettmatic at Soundlessons: 11/27/09

DJ Rhettmatic of the World Famous Beat Junkies & Visionaries will be over at Soundlessons this Friday. Come out and celebrate the beginning of the holiday season the right way, the Beat Junkie way!

2Mex in Montebello, CA: 11/25/09

2Mex will be in Montebello, CA tonight doing a little electro soundclash of some sorts (from what I hear). Anytime I hear an artist is experimenting or trying something new outside of their comfort zone, I know it's going to be off the chain. Support!

LMNO "The Brunt" Live on HipHopOfficial

LMNO "The Brunt" Live on HipHopOfficial from the album Devilish Dandruff With Holy Shampoo available now on Up Above Records!!!

Cop it here:
iTunes | UPABOVE.COM | Access Music

LMNO & Yann Kesz: URB Magazine Album Review

URB Magazine gave the LMNO & Yann Kesz album a solid 3.5 stars. Only one way to go, right James? UP!!!!

Here's the article in full:

LMNO (Leave My Name Out) has been a consistent rapper since the day he spit his first verse, yet remains grossly underrated. A member of the legendary Visionaries group, collaborator with Madlib and other prominent artists in the underground Los Angeles hip-hop scene such as Ras Kass and label-mate 2Mex, LMNO’s clinical style is a soothing and head nodding pleasure to listen. This time around, LMNO pairs up with France’s up-and-comer beat composer Yann Kesz in a laid-back and foundation-shattering album Devilish Dandruff and Holy Shampoo. Laced for precision, LMNO and Yann Kesz develop a great combination on the majority of the tracks on this album that lead to a diabolical complex of texture and illumination.

Never missing a beat, LMNO rhymes his way through this one with creative ease. Of particular significance in this album is “Creation of a Gun,” paramount to the creativity and catchiness of the surprisingly heavy spiritual underground sound. All over clean and wholesome, LMNO’s raps come through with an unexpected yet welcome conscious force. A street poet, LMNO makes reference to the many social ills affecting our world civilization, providing a thorough diagnosis to which he presents a radical religious awakening as its remedy. Featuring guest emcees JFK of Grayskul, producer Kev Brown (which he has worked with before on 2008’s Selective Hearing) among others, LMNO’s latest release provides a clear and strong presence of his emceeing skills—and of the great need for a positive direction among the “Many Options.”

Although pretty well known in underground circles, LMNO’s appeal should be much wider. His sound is infectious, his style is impenetrable, and his mic skills are ridiculously on point. LMNO is coming up in the game—guaran-expletive-teed. LMNO’s collaboration with Yann Kesz is just another entry on his rap résumé, and a welcome entry into the world of hip-hop music. Although the album is far from perfect, it’s a solid one from LMNO’s catalogue and a good introduction to his older more rugged releases. From the synthetic mass produced sounds of the present, LMNO’s work brings you back to the fibers without the excess—providing a thoughtful and effective elixir for the Devilish Dandruff with the one and only Holy Shampoo.

LMNO: Hip-Hop Official Artist Of The Week

LMNO is the Hip-Hop Official Artist Of The Week. Just in time for his latest album "Devilish Dandruff With Holy Shampoo" to be released, the good folks at Hip-Hop Official sat down with LMNO to discuss just about everything from how he got his one of a kind name, to his recent collaboration with Yann Kesz for this album. Check the video:

The Props Collective Podcast: The LMNO Episode

These guys from The Props Collective drove all the way from Las Vegas to Long Beach for the LMNO Album Release Party. That's all the introduction I need to do. Their entire podcast was dedicated to the three performers; LMNO, Kev Brown and Declaime. Enjoy and spread the word!

Download and/or listen: http://bit.ly/2RsdwB

Potholes In My Blog: LMNO Album Review

LMNO's latest album, "Devilish Dandruff With Holy Shampoo" was recently reviewed by the good folks at Potholes In My Blog. The album received a very positive write-up with a 3 out of 5 Pothole rating. Like my man @law_of_gravity said, it deserved at least one more...but hey.

Here's the link, or read it in its entirety below: http://bit.ly/3dRjU8

When you come to a conclusion on how many peoples projects LMNO has graced, it’s like you are reading through a who’s who of hip-hop: Madlib, Pete Rock, J.Rocc, OhNo, Jay Dee, Evidence, DJ Khalil, OH MY! But needless to say, LMNO has more than held his own with these heavyweights and held it down on his own with five full lengths! Yann Kesz is a producer from the land of Eiffel Tower and the Louvre whose production is subtle, eerie and well-accented. Combine the two and you get Devilish Dandruff With Holy Shampoo, the first effort from the duo.

Starting off the project is “The Brunt” which includes punchy drums and a haunting three-note organ, as LMNO busts through with his accented annunciation and stern words, while “Never Stop,” features a dizzying and whimsical burst of scratches and reversed pianos abound. JFK of Grayskul/Oldominion fame busts in on the dome-cracking “Fashion Show”, while Kev Brown appears on the anthem of doom “Too Strong”.

There’s also the horrific laser guided synths which strike on “Creation of the Gun,” while the haunting piano stabs are displayed on “Just Want You.” However both Yann Kesz and LMNO make this LP entirely worth the ride-along. Yann Kesz provides a wonderful thrillride of production and effective scratches, while LMNO brings about a punctual and stark take on a lot of subjects And both of these aren’t as evident as when “Many Options” hits, where LMNO lambasts religious folks for misusing the texts they’ve been given. “Peace of Art” and “1974″ are LMNO at his most personal, the former showcasing a very whimsical vocalist while LMNO bursts through talking about finding the love of his life. And Yann provides a rather organic and romantic hip-hop tune that is sure to soothe the soul and say everything you’d want it to say.

Bottom line, the only thing Devilish about this release is the genuine chemistry between LMNO and Yann Kesz. Both have an affinity to create worthwhile joints that not only make you nod your head. But they cause you to be in a relaxed, albeit attentive, state of mind. Here’s to hoping the pair can continue to create the same magic.

LMNO & Yann Kesz "Devilish Dandruff With Holy Shampoo"

LMNO's latest album, Devilish Dandruff With Holy Shampoo, completely produced by Yann Kesz, is right around the corner. We are now taking pre-orders.

Click the link below and pre-order LMNO's newest album at a discounted price, and as an added incentive, all pre-orders are signed by LMNO!

Spanning 12 tracks (and a few hidden interludes?), the album features guests Kev Brown, Lorett Fleur, Karim Nazem, JFK of Grayskul, and LD on all the scratches. Arguably LMNO's best work to date.

Pre-Order DEVILISH DANDRUFF WITH HOLY SHAMPOO for only $9.99 (click)

LMNO 562 City Life & The District Weekly Interviews

Representing Long Beach to the max, LMNO took time to chat it up with the people over at 562 City Life and The District Weekly.

Check out the interviews here:

562 City Life: http://bit.ly/1cGHJ2

The District: http://bit.ly/1vHb4T

LMNO Album Release Party: November 12, 2009

The LMNO Album Release Party is finally going down tomorrow night! The moment we've all been working towards is upon us and we have a few surprises for you.

The first 50 people through the doors tomorrow night will receive a free gift bag of goodies courtesy of our sponsors LRG Clothing and Prequel Magazine. So get there early or you'll be missing out.

8-9: DJ Orator
9-10:30: J.Rocc & Babu
10:40-11:10: Kev Brown
11:15-11:45: Declaime
11:50- end: LMNO



LMNO & YANN KESZ
DEVILISH DANDRUFF WITH HOLY SHAMPOO
full-length album in stores 11.17.09

LMNO Interview w/ OC Weekly

LMNO was recently interviewed by the good people over at OC Weekly. The interview on the web is only a portion of the entire interview - you're going to have to cop the print magazine when it hits the streets next week!

Read the interview and let LMNO tell you why his new album isn't classic. What?!?!

Check it out here:
http://bit.ly/285Btw

And don't forget! LMNO Album Release Party this coming week! tell a friend!

Lord Zen (of Visionaries) in Pomona, CA: 11/7/09

Lord Zen of Visionaries will be in Pomona, CA this Saturday blowing minds with his distinct sound, unique flow and that Visionary swagger.

Check out his latest album with his group LVX Collective as well - incredible!

LMNO & The Six Foot Trolls in Long Beach: 11/5/09

Tonight! LMNO & The Six Foot Trolls will be performing at The Shore in Long Beach, CA. This new project features LMNO on vocals, Jon Tomlinson on guitar, Marshall Goodman (Long Beach Dub All-Stars/Sublime) on drums and LD on the cuts.

The show is only $5 and is sure to be a banger. The Six Foot Trolls go on around 10:30pm.

LMNO Interview With HipHopDX

LMNO just sat down with the good people over at HipHopDX.com and was interviewed about a handful of topics include his earlier days in the music industry, how his new album DEVILISH DANDRUFF WITH HOLY SHAMPOO came about out of nowhere, and his future plans to make more music with Kev Brown.

Check out the entire interview here:
http://bit.ly/4D7Vme

And don't miss out on LMNO's album release party in two weeks: November 12th!

LOOK AT THAT LINE-UP!

2Mex, Awol One, The A-Team: Halloween Masquerade

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. Every year there's a dope hip-hop show going on with all the artists dressed up killing the MIC. This year is no different. head out to Stanton, CA to see one of the illest line-ups repping the Los Anegeles underground.

LMNO Album Release Party: 11.12.09

On November 12th, 2009, LMNO will be celebrating the release of his latest and greatest album, Devilish Dandruff With Holy Shampoo (in stores 11.17.09). With live performances by LMNO, Kev Brown, Declaime and DJ's J.Rocc, Babu and Orator, this is bound to be one for the history books.

The night will be hosted by none other than Mike Nardone of the world famous We Came From Beyond radio show!

Please help spread the word and re-post, retweet, and re-blog about the event. It's going down!

$10 before 10pm // 21+

LMNO, Dannu & Zen of Visionaries in San Diego, CA: 10.24.09

LMNO, Dannu & Zen of Visionaries will be performing live in San Diego, CA tomorrow night, October 24th at Cane's bar & Grill.

Also performing will be Lyrics Born!

Check the flyer for info.

LMNO Free Podcast Download

In anticipation for his new album DEVILISH DANDRUFF WITH HOLY SHAMPOO in stores worldwide November 17th, 2009. LMNO has graciously let the cat out of the bag and released a 20-minute podcast/mixtape for FREE.


When LMNO came to us with this idea, I had no idea it would turn into this. Unreleased exclusives produced by Kev Brown (can you say JAMES BROWN?!?!), DJ Babu the Dilated Junkie, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Mr. Brady of Deep Rooted and so much more!

I almost forgot to mention that the lead off track on the Podcast is the exclusive non-album track Goodlums which can only be found on the LMNO & Yann Kesz THE BRUNT 12" which should be available by the time you read this.

Get the FREE PODCAST HERE (CLICK ME!)

Kev Brown Music Video Premiere

Kev Brown's heater of a single "Another Random Joint" is hitting the big screen as the music video is done and premiering this Thursday, October 15th in Washington DC at Bourbon. Check the info below:

Bourbon
2321 18th St. NW Washington DC
Doors at 9pm
Free till 10pm

LMNO/LRG 12" Pack

The LMNO/LRG collaboration t-shirt is now available in a special pack which comes with your choice of one or two copies of the new LMNO & Yann Kesz 12" vinyl single of "The Brunt"

The LRG t-shirt was only available for a limited time on LMNO's website and has since been only available at his shows. We only have a limited number of t-shirts left so don't sleep.

This "pack" is for pre-orders only, so once the 12" release date comes around on October 20th, the deal is no longer available and you'll have to cross your fingers and hope LMNO will have some left when he comes to your town.

Click the link below and pre-order now!

UPABOVE.COM

2Mex LOVE FIGHTS BACK Europe Tour

2MEX is in Europe right now doing what he does best: Touring. Along with a bunch of DJ's and Ceschi (of Fake Four/Toca), 2Mex will be hitting up over 15 shows in just about the same amount of days.

Posted below are the dates and please check out our previous blog for a mini-interview with 2Mex filmed right before he headed out to Europe!


10.10. CH Luzern @ Sedel
11.10. CH Bern @ Reitschule
12.10. CH Zurich @ BOSCHbar
13.10. CH Geneve @ Le Kab w/ Galapagos 4
14.10. GER Munich @ Sunny Red
15.10. GER Würzburg @ Cairo
16.10. GER Berlin @ Clash
17.10. CH St. Gallen @ Palace w/ Oddateee & Göldin
18.10. AU Linz @ Kapu w/ Galapagos 4
19.10. GER Offday Munich
20.10. GER Cologne @ Blue Shell w/ Huss und Hodon
21.10. FRA Strasbourg @ Koma Kino
22.10. FRA Nantes @ L’Altercafé
23.10. FRA Tours @ Donald’s Pub
24.10. FRA Nancy @ Barsi Barla
25.10. GER Frankfurt @ IvI

2Mex Interview (10.6.09)

2Mex came through the Up Above office yesterday and we got a chance to do a mini-interview with him. I want to talk about what he was interviewed about but that would defeat the whole purpose. So check it out below!

Digital Releases: Jurassic 5 / Sadat X / Que D

The digital re-issues keep on coming. This batch of brand new digital re-issues is full of CLASSIC exclusives that you HAVE to pick up.

JURASSIC 5
Linguistics
Amazon


Classic Jurassic 5 boom-bap style. Previously a Japan-only exclusive 12" is now available for you digitally.

SADAT X (Brand Nubian)
Minneapolis
iTunes | Amazon


Sadat X of Brand Nubian laced us with this heater of a single w/ an insane B-side produced by DJ Spinna!

QUE D
Still Bangin
Amazon


Jay Dee aka J Dilla produced B-side. Need I say more?

Kev Brown: A3C Hip-Hop Festival

Kev Brown will be heading to East Atlanta, Georgia for this year's A3C Hip-Hop Festival. The Mello Music Group Showcase will be held at The East Atlanta Icehouse on Friday, October 2nd. Check the flyer for all the details.



On a seprate note, Kev just uploaded a bunch of unedited beat making videos on his blog. You can check out all the videos on Kev's site here:

KEVBROWN.BLOGSPOT.COM

24hrs with LMNO

24hrs with LMNO. A short but sweet video of our quick trip to Vegas - a trip we all know too well.

On Friday, September 4th of this year, I was invited to tag along on LMNO's journey to Las Vegas where he had a show at the Bunkhouse. We were only going to be gone for 24hrs, but that's all it took for us to leave a lasting impression on the Las Vegas hip-hop scene.



The pictures I took were horrible so I'm only putting up a few that came out okay.

This guy had an original Battle Axe copy of LMNO's Grin & Bear It - if you have one, consider yourself lucky, you CAN NOT find that in the LA area anymore.


And of course, the limited LRG "LEAVE MY NAME OUT" t-shirts. Only sold at shows.


This had nothing to do with the show, but on the way home we saw this cloud...or was it cloud? What does it look like to you?






LMNO & YANN KESZ
DEVILISH DANDRUFF WITH HOLY SHAMPOO
new album in stores 11.17.09