Check out this dope video from Oddisee about his time at SXSW this past year featuring Kev Brown, Diamond District, Trek Life and the rest of the Low Budget Crew.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Georgia Anne Muldrow & Declaime - Out Da Box Interview
Georgia Anne Muldrow & Declaime aka G&D were interviewed for a segment for Out Da Box TV. Check it out in full below:
LMNO's Georgia Anne Muldrow produced "fOnk garden" LP is out now!
LMNO
fOnk garden
iTunes | Amazon
Out Da Box TV (Georgia Anne Muldrow & Dudley Perkins) from Cril on Vimeo.
LMNO's Georgia Anne Muldrow produced "fOnk garden" LP is out now!
LMNO
fOnk garden
iTunes | Amazon
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
LMNO - fOnk garden - In Stores Now
For the second in a series of 10 albums to be released in 2010, Visionaries member LMNO teams up with SomeOthaShip connector Georgia Anne Muldrow for "fOnk garden," an audible journey through a imaginary organic wonderland. Guest appearance by Declaime.
IN DIGITAL STORES NOW!
LMNO
fOnk garden
iTunes | Amazon
IN DIGITAL STORES NOW!
LMNO
fOnk garden
iTunes | Amazon
Kev Brown at SXSW - 3.18.2010
Kev Brown is making his rounds at SXSW performing at Peter Rosenberg's "Noisemakers" showcase with heavy hitters Reflection Eternal, Jean Grae, Diamond District, Rakaa Iriscience and more!
If you're in Austin, TX for this music conference, this is a no brainer.
If you're in Austin, TX for this music conference, this is a no brainer.
LMNO - psychOmicrOcOsmic (Music Video)
LMNO continues his epic 10 albums in 2010 run with fOnk garden produced by Georgia Anne Muldrow which is in all digital stores now!
Check out the music video for the single "psychOmicrOcOsmic" and post a comment with your interpretation of the images and in the inner meaning in the video.
LMNO
fOnk garden
iTunes | Amazon
Check out the music video for the single "psychOmicrOcOsmic" and post a comment with your interpretation of the images and in the inner meaning in the video.
LMNO
fOnk garden
iTunes | Amazon
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
LMNO "fOnk garden" - Album Review
The Hype: Anyone who's been following LMNO's unprecedented album release campaign, Push That Work, knows that this Long Beach MC is on track to issue 10 albums in the span of a single year. His second PTW release, fOnk Garden (emphasis on the "O") was produced by the eclectic (and popular) Georgia Anne Muldrow--known for her work with Mos Def, Madlib and Erykah Badu. The album will be released March 16 on Long Beach hip-hop label Up Above Records.
The Judgement: It's one thing for LMNO to drop 10 albums-worth of piercing, staccato flows and sage wisdom. But the fact that he's attempted a concept album--albeit a loose concept--on fOnk Garden raises his level of ambition up one more notch.
Opening with tranquil salutations to nature on the title track, LMNO materializes his love for hip-hop by acknowledging the fruits (and vegetables) of his labor.
The ending pulls you into his imaginary garden with numerous skits at the end of his tracks that sound like one of those talking animal Nickelodeon cartoons, adding some levity to his deep-rooted rhymes.
The whole hip-hop garden theme kinda falls off in the middle of the album, with songs like "Twisted" and "Us Against Us," which are more recognizable to avid LMNO fans--innovative, minimalist beats and his ability to make heady thesis material out of life's everyday bullshit. If that doesn't sound like a talent, try it sometime. The album is at it's funkiest--sorry, fOnkiest--on songs like "Get Gone" and "psychOmicrOcOsmic," which are laced with surging West Coast synths and spacey, Parliament-esque snare snaps courtesy of innovative producer Muldrow who also adds some soothing R&B background vocals to songs like "All in All." Overall, the ideas are well cultivated and manage to stave off any sort of sophomore jinx that might have threatened the second installment of LMNOs hefty, 10-album undertaking. The question is: will the rest of them be this good?
Download These: "fOnk Garden," "Get Gone," "psychOmicrOcOsmic"
Grade: A-
The Judgement: It's one thing for LMNO to drop 10 albums-worth of piercing, staccato flows and sage wisdom. But the fact that he's attempted a concept album--albeit a loose concept--on fOnk Garden raises his level of ambition up one more notch.
Opening with tranquil salutations to nature on the title track, LMNO materializes his love for hip-hop by acknowledging the fruits (and vegetables) of his labor.
The ending pulls you into his imaginary garden with numerous skits at the end of his tracks that sound like one of those talking animal Nickelodeon cartoons, adding some levity to his deep-rooted rhymes.
The whole hip-hop garden theme kinda falls off in the middle of the album, with songs like "Twisted" and "Us Against Us," which are more recognizable to avid LMNO fans--innovative, minimalist beats and his ability to make heady thesis material out of life's everyday bullshit. If that doesn't sound like a talent, try it sometime. The album is at it's funkiest--sorry, fOnkiest--on songs like "Get Gone" and "psychOmicrOcOsmic," which are laced with surging West Coast synths and spacey, Parliament-esque snare snaps courtesy of innovative producer Muldrow who also adds some soothing R&B background vocals to songs like "All in All." Overall, the ideas are well cultivated and manage to stave off any sort of sophomore jinx that might have threatened the second installment of LMNOs hefty, 10-album undertaking. The question is: will the rest of them be this good?
Download These: "fOnk Garden," "Get Gone," "psychOmicrOcOsmic"
Grade: A-
Friday, March 5, 2010
2Mex Performs New Song
2Mex recently started his 40 city "Serve & Protect" Tour which is going around the entire nation. At the first stop in Pomona, CA, 2Mex unveiled a new Ikey Owens (Look Daggers/The Mars Volta) produced track.
Check the "Serve & Protect" tour dates in a previous post.
Check the "Serve & Protect" tour dates in a previous post.
Georgia Anne Muldrow: Centric TV Interview
Georgia Anne Muldrow was recently interviewed about all the music she's released in the past year. Next up, LMNO's Georgia Anne Muldrow produced album, fOnk garden.
fOnk garden in digital stores 3.16.2010
The 2nd of 10 new LMNO albums to be released in 2010.
CentricTV Interviews Georgia Anne Muldrow from Centric TV on Vimeo.
fOnk garden in digital stores 3.16.2010
The 2nd of 10 new LMNO albums to be released in 2010.
Monday, March 1, 2010
2Mex - Serve & Protect Tour
2Mex starts his nationwide "Serve & Protect" tour tomorrow in Pomona, CA at The Glasshouse. You do not want to miss this show! And be sure to bring a few bucks for all the 2Mex merch in the world including a limited tour CD with over 20 new, unreleased, and exclusive tracks.
Tour dates below:
Mar 2 2010 // The Glass House, Pomona, CA
Mar 3 2010 // Red Owl, Tempe, AZ
Mar 4 2010 // Boomers, Las Vegas, NV
Mar 5 2010 // Warehouse 508, Albuquerque, NM
Mar 6 2010 // Hideaway Lounge, El Paso, TX
Mar 7 2010 // Flamingo Cantina, Austin, TX
Mar 8 2010 // Triple Crown, San Marcos, TX
Mar 9 2010 // The Reggae Bar, San Antonio, TX
Mar 10 2010 // Ridglea Theatre, Fort Worth, TX
Mar 11 2010 // The Gramophone, St. Louis, MO
Mar 13 2010 // Nomad World Pub, Minneapolis, MN
Mar 15 2010 // Rapture, Charlottesville, VA
Mar 16 2010 // The Western Front, Cambridge, MA
Mar 17 2010 // The Big Easy, Portland, ME
Mar 18 2010 // KC’s Tap, Pawtucket, RI
Mar 19 2010 // Southpaw, Brooklyn, NYC
Mar 20 2010 // Fairfax, VA
Mar 22 2010 // Shadow Lounge, Pittsburgh, PA
Mar 23 2010 // Peabody’s Concert Club, Cleveland, OH
Mar 24 2010 // Abbey Pub, Chicago, IL
Mar 25 2010 // Record Bar, Kansas City, MO
Mar 26 2010 // The Walnut Room, Denver, CO
Mar 27 2010 // Smitty’s Greenlight Tavern, Pueblo, CO
Mar 28 2010 // Black Sheep, Colorado Springs, CO
Mar 30 2010 // The Royal Lounge, Olympia, WA
Mar 31 2010 // Club Motor, Seattle, WA
Apr 1 2010 // Ash Street Saloon, Portland, OR
Apr 2 2010 // Old Princeton Landing, Half Moon Bay, CA
Apr 3 2010 // NOS Events Center, San Bernardino, CA
Apr 4 2010 // Se7ens West Street Market, Reno, NV
Apr 5 2010 // Cypress Lounge, Santa Cruz, CA
Apr 6 2010 // Blue Lamp, Sacramento, CA
Apr 7 2010 // Club 6, San Francisco, CA
Apr 8 2010 // Empire Theatre, Stockton, CA
Apr 9 2010 // Self Help Graphics, East Los Angeles, CA
Apr 10 2010 // Portugalia, San Diego, CA
Tour dates below:
Mar 2 2010 // The Glass House, Pomona, CA
Mar 3 2010 // Red Owl, Tempe, AZ
Mar 4 2010 // Boomers, Las Vegas, NV
Mar 5 2010 // Warehouse 508, Albuquerque, NM
Mar 6 2010 // Hideaway Lounge, El Paso, TX
Mar 7 2010 // Flamingo Cantina, Austin, TX
Mar 8 2010 // Triple Crown, San Marcos, TX
Mar 9 2010 // The Reggae Bar, San Antonio, TX
Mar 10 2010 // Ridglea Theatre, Fort Worth, TX
Mar 11 2010 // The Gramophone, St. Louis, MO
Mar 13 2010 // Nomad World Pub, Minneapolis, MN
Mar 15 2010 // Rapture, Charlottesville, VA
Mar 16 2010 // The Western Front, Cambridge, MA
Mar 17 2010 // The Big Easy, Portland, ME
Mar 18 2010 // KC’s Tap, Pawtucket, RI
Mar 19 2010 // Southpaw, Brooklyn, NYC
Mar 20 2010 // Fairfax, VA
Mar 22 2010 // Shadow Lounge, Pittsburgh, PA
Mar 23 2010 // Peabody’s Concert Club, Cleveland, OH
Mar 24 2010 // Abbey Pub, Chicago, IL
Mar 25 2010 // Record Bar, Kansas City, MO
Mar 26 2010 // The Walnut Room, Denver, CO
Mar 27 2010 // Smitty’s Greenlight Tavern, Pueblo, CO
Mar 28 2010 // Black Sheep, Colorado Springs, CO
Mar 30 2010 // The Royal Lounge, Olympia, WA
Mar 31 2010 // Club Motor, Seattle, WA
Apr 1 2010 // Ash Street Saloon, Portland, OR
Apr 2 2010 // Old Princeton Landing, Half Moon Bay, CA
Apr 3 2010 // NOS Events Center, San Bernardino, CA
Apr 4 2010 // Se7ens West Street Market, Reno, NV
Apr 5 2010 // Cypress Lounge, Santa Cruz, CA
Apr 6 2010 // Blue Lamp, Sacramento, CA
Apr 7 2010 // Club 6, San Francisco, CA
Apr 8 2010 // Empire Theatre, Stockton, CA
Apr 9 2010 // Self Help Graphics, East Los Angeles, CA
Apr 10 2010 // Portugalia, San Diego, CA
Kev Brown Interview - Spinner.com
Landover, Md. producer Kev Brown has laid down his melodically soulful touch for the likes of DJ Jazzy Jeff, Biz Markie, and Busta Rhymes. His production work, meticulous by nature, is inspired by producers who, like Brown, found their stride in the '90s: DJ Premier, J Dilla and most of all, Pete Rock. And while they used to greatly contrast Brown's easygoing flow as an emcee, Brown's beats are now more likely to showcase fellow D.C. talents, as heard in 2009's 'Random Joints.' Brown recently caught up with Spinner to discuss why he no longer considers himself an old soul, uses an alias or raps.
Describe your sound in your own words.
It's soulful. People mostly know for hip hop, and most of the stuff I do is based in hip hop. People also say that I put my personality into the beats, and they can feel whatever mood I was feeling at the time.
Who are your musical influences?
One of my favorites is Pete Rock. Pete Rock, as far as hip hop. As far as beats and things like that. DJ Premier, J Dilla -- lot of influences. I listened to Diamond D and that whole crew. A lot of different types of music were playing in the house, from gospel to jazz to some rock music, soul music.
How did you come to being an emcee and a producer?
I started off as an emcee first, and I just always wanted original tracks to rhyme over. So I started getting some equipment to make tracks, and once I got into the production side of things, it was actually more fun for me to make beats than it was to rap. I hold the production up a little higher than emceeing, and I don't really consider myself an emcee anymore. I think Rakim is an emcee, and Mos Def is an emcee.
What was the turning point?
It was around ten years ago. I got my first credit card, and I ordered a beat machine called an MPC2000XL by Akai. Once I got that machine, I was like, "This machine is really expensive, I gotta use it." I would let people hear stuff, and it got to the point where people were like, "This is really good. Who did the beat?" Writing rhymes is like homework almost, but I like to push buttons and put the track together.
Why don't you have an alias?
Groups like EPMD and Keith Murray were coming up just using their regular name, and it seemed cool. There was Erick Sermon and and even Redman – people knew his name was Reggie Noble. I was like, alright, let me just use my regular name. I needed something to fit my personality, and some crazy, comic-book name wouldn't really fit me.
How would you describe the DMV [District-Maryland-Virginia] rap scene to those who only know of Wale?
You've got the street, the soulful, your intellectual, "Fight the Power" rappers down here. It's the nation's capital, and there's people from all over the country, so the diversity and things of that nature come into play. Wale and the DMV movement, it's putting more of the spotlight on the area, with the fact that Wale is the first rapper from the area who actually got a major record deal. There's been cats throwing it down for a long time and I guess that's the culmination of that, of those years of not getting the spotlight. Finally a little bit of spotlight is on us, and that's a good thing.
To some, you come across as more old school than new school. How do you see yourself?
You can hear the influence of Pete Rock, Dilla and Premier maybe, all of the stuff I grew up listening to. The soul music, Stevie Wonder -- but there's still a modern twist to it. Sometimes I think I look at myself a little older than everybody else, because there's a whole younger generation that's checking out my music, and I didn't really realize that until last year.
What made you realize that younger people were listening to your music?
What really woke me up was when I did my release party for my last album, 'Random Joints.' People started to hit me on Twitter and MySpace and text messages, like, "Yo, is it 18 and up?" I didn't really realize that til last summer, that it's younger kids looking up, actually studying. The way I listened to Pete Rock, people are listening to me like that.
What do you mean by that?
Pete Rock put out an album called 'Soul Survivor.' This was 1998, and it was the blueprint of how to make beats to me, how to do production. When people hear my stuff, they answer like that.
When and why did you start making videos that show how you make your beats?
The first video I did, straight-up, was just promotion towards my first album. I realized, just from the comments on YouTube, that people were really interested in it. There's clips from shows, when I would go overseas and in the States. At the end of the show I would make a beat, and have cats come up and rhyme on it. It's strange to me that some people are so nerdy that they would actually want to sit there and know. But I guess I wouldn't mind sitting in on a session if I could, back in the day with Marvin Gaye or the Beatles, just to see their process of how they do stuff.
What's the craziest thing you've experienced while on tour?
Three years ago it was me, Oddisee, LMNO, DJ LD on tour. We drove from Paris to Spain, which is some crazy number of hours, like 17 hours. Oddisee did an audit of the whole tour and was like, "We could save money if we don't have a tour manager. If we don't have a tour bus, a tour van and a tour manager, we can make money." We were so broke. The first couple of days we were out there, we didn't have any soap, and I was mentally preparing not to eat. The show was the next day. We pull up at the venue where the promoter was supposed to meet us, and the club is crackin'. We just came on a 17-hour road trip with pajamas and slippers on, outside the club, and the owner of the club brings us drinks from inside. They showed us so much love after such a long trip, it was crazy.
Describe your sound in your own words.
It's soulful. People mostly know for hip hop, and most of the stuff I do is based in hip hop. People also say that I put my personality into the beats, and they can feel whatever mood I was feeling at the time.
Who are your musical influences?
One of my favorites is Pete Rock. Pete Rock, as far as hip hop. As far as beats and things like that. DJ Premier, J Dilla -- lot of influences. I listened to Diamond D and that whole crew. A lot of different types of music were playing in the house, from gospel to jazz to some rock music, soul music.
How did you come to being an emcee and a producer?
I started off as an emcee first, and I just always wanted original tracks to rhyme over. So I started getting some equipment to make tracks, and once I got into the production side of things, it was actually more fun for me to make beats than it was to rap. I hold the production up a little higher than emceeing, and I don't really consider myself an emcee anymore. I think Rakim is an emcee, and Mos Def is an emcee.
What was the turning point?
It was around ten years ago. I got my first credit card, and I ordered a beat machine called an MPC2000XL by Akai. Once I got that machine, I was like, "This machine is really expensive, I gotta use it." I would let people hear stuff, and it got to the point where people were like, "This is really good. Who did the beat?" Writing rhymes is like homework almost, but I like to push buttons and put the track together.
Why don't you have an alias?
Groups like EPMD and Keith Murray were coming up just using their regular name, and it seemed cool. There was Erick Sermon and and even Redman – people knew his name was Reggie Noble. I was like, alright, let me just use my regular name. I needed something to fit my personality, and some crazy, comic-book name wouldn't really fit me.
How would you describe the DMV [District-Maryland-Virginia] rap scene to those who only know of Wale?
You've got the street, the soulful, your intellectual, "Fight the Power" rappers down here. It's the nation's capital, and there's people from all over the country, so the diversity and things of that nature come into play. Wale and the DMV movement, it's putting more of the spotlight on the area, with the fact that Wale is the first rapper from the area who actually got a major record deal. There's been cats throwing it down for a long time and I guess that's the culmination of that, of those years of not getting the spotlight. Finally a little bit of spotlight is on us, and that's a good thing.
To some, you come across as more old school than new school. How do you see yourself?
You can hear the influence of Pete Rock, Dilla and Premier maybe, all of the stuff I grew up listening to. The soul music, Stevie Wonder -- but there's still a modern twist to it. Sometimes I think I look at myself a little older than everybody else, because there's a whole younger generation that's checking out my music, and I didn't really realize that until last year.
What made you realize that younger people were listening to your music?
What really woke me up was when I did my release party for my last album, 'Random Joints.' People started to hit me on Twitter and MySpace and text messages, like, "Yo, is it 18 and up?" I didn't really realize that til last summer, that it's younger kids looking up, actually studying. The way I listened to Pete Rock, people are listening to me like that.
What do you mean by that?
Pete Rock put out an album called 'Soul Survivor.' This was 1998, and it was the blueprint of how to make beats to me, how to do production. When people hear my stuff, they answer like that.
When and why did you start making videos that show how you make your beats?
The first video I did, straight-up, was just promotion towards my first album. I realized, just from the comments on YouTube, that people were really interested in it. There's clips from shows, when I would go overseas and in the States. At the end of the show I would make a beat, and have cats come up and rhyme on it. It's strange to me that some people are so nerdy that they would actually want to sit there and know. But I guess I wouldn't mind sitting in on a session if I could, back in the day with Marvin Gaye or the Beatles, just to see their process of how they do stuff.
What's the craziest thing you've experienced while on tour?
Three years ago it was me, Oddisee, LMNO, DJ LD on tour. We drove from Paris to Spain, which is some crazy number of hours, like 17 hours. Oddisee did an audit of the whole tour and was like, "We could save money if we don't have a tour manager. If we don't have a tour bus, a tour van and a tour manager, we can make money." We were so broke. The first couple of days we were out there, we didn't have any soap, and I was mentally preparing not to eat. The show was the next day. We pull up at the venue where the promoter was supposed to meet us, and the club is crackin'. We just came on a 17-hour road trip with pajamas and slippers on, outside the club, and the owner of the club brings us drinks from inside. They showed us so much love after such a long trip, it was crazy.
Awol One feat. LMNO - Monitor Scream (Music Video)
You heard the track debut a few weeks ago, now check out the video
And don't forget to cop the track on iTunes!
And don't forget to cop the track on iTunes!
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