The Cleansing: Goodies From The Inbox

Ever since I posted the email link on the blog, I've received lots of random things. There's the usual porno spam, some hip hop newsletters, occasional questions and comments on the blog (feel free to keep those coming, my two readers), and, most frequently, music.

The music I receive falls into one of three categories: songs from established artists (usually promotional singles), music from established artists that aren't really hip hop (those usually puzzle me, since the mail isn't from any of the New Wave or other non-hip hop artists that I frequently comment on for no reason), and songs from up and coming acts, looking for their time to shine.

Well, Hip Hop Isn't Dead is all about helping music fans sift through the garbage, and I just now decided that one way to guarantee the future of the genre is to give exposure to artists that need it the most, because these newcomers of today may actually be the folks that save the genre from its almost-certain death that Lil Wayne will bring upon it. (And yes, I realize that if I ever review Tha Carter III, it will be extremely hard to remain unbiased, but it could happen.) So, the following links are for some artists that are looking for a break, and who knows? Maybe my site will actually help them.

GTA - Wanna Be Myself (clean version) - I have to be honest (because when haven't I been?): I'm not feeling this track at all. But maybe you will.

MLEG - Larry Davis - My email screamed out that this was produced by Illmind, which I suppose is a good thing, maybe? If the beat is any indication, it might just be.

Omar Musa - Hemingway - An Australian rapper, living in London, who recorded his debut album in Seattle. Yeah, that makes sense. Anyway, I'm not feeling the hook, but then again, I'm not feeling most of the hooks on any rap song these days. This isn't bad, though. Omar Musa's MySpace

Rahim Samad - What's So Wrong (Wishing) (feat Mic Deluxx) - This also isn't bad. This guy already has music videos posted online and probably doesn't need my help, but I'm posting it anyway, since he seems like a good guy. Rahim Samad's MySpace

Here's a trifecta from Chicago's own Lungz, all of which are produced by Swift. Lungz's MySpace

Powerful Music

Truth

Hater Music (featuring Swift)

Producer Alexander The Great (ATG) and rapper L. Maze have a mixtape that is dropping on July 1, 2008 (and may even find its way into actual stores, from what I gather in the e-mail). It's called Illuminati: The Prequel, and it's hosted by DJ Rated R and DJ Diggz. The entire tape is a showcase for L. Maze, and not being one to waste the opportunity, he raps alongside hip hop veterans such as Kool G. Rap, Agallah, and more. Here's the first song released from the project, which sounds pretty good (but, then again, I'm a sucker for Wu-Tang vocal samples):

L. Maze - NY Timez (feat Kool G Rap & Godfather Part III (from Infamous Mobb))

California rapper (by way of Baltimore) Wax is recording an album with Virginia producer Elements of Music. According to the email, the two have never actually met, but are collaborating via MySpace and email. Normally, I would be wary of albums recorded in this fashion (read: all hip hop albums recorded after 2000), but Foreign Exchange's Connected was brought to us by two guys who were on completely different continents, so there is hope for this art form yet. Of the tracks they sent to me, this one is my favorite:

Wax - It's All Love (produced by Elements of Music)

Speaking of which, Jaboy Fry, from West Virginia, and producer Bone 40, who hails from the Netherlands, have recorded an EP, Bone 40 Presents Jaboy Fry (gotta love that title), which is available for free download over on Jaboy's website. On there, you can check out the video for "Crazy Gurl", and support indie artists doing it for themselves. Their track "VIP" has a nice jazzy feel to it.

Also, a couple of guys wanted me to post their mixtapes for mass consumption:

DJ ZedVantz - Turntable Jazz (link provided by artist)
GrimySuspect - The Concept (link provided by artist)

Unfortunately, I haven't had the opportunity to sit down with these two tapes yet, so if you download them, please let me know in the comments how they are.

If you're an aspiring artist and wants some much-needed exposure, or just like sending free music through the Interweb, shoot me an email and I'll give it a listen. Submissions of this nature will only be accepted through email, though. So give it a shot.

PROMOTIONAL STUFF

Newbie record label Amalgam Digital has also been kind enough to shoot me some promo material, so I'll unload all of them on you at once. Will they garner the street cred of a Babygrande or Nature Sounds, or will they turn into the next Koch? Only time will tell, but a couple of their signees have garnered my interest:

Joe Budden - Touch & Go (Clean)

Tame One - Catch Me (feat Del the Funky Homosapien) (Clean)

Kurious - From Up Under (feat Max B) (Clean)

Peedi Crakk - Dey Know Freestyle - Seriously, Peedi Peedi must have recorded this ten years ago, since everyone and my grandmother seems to have moved on to the beat for "A Milli". I'm not impressed at all with this freestyle (his verse on The Roots's "Get Busy" is much better), but the fact that his upcoming album is entitled Camel Face Hunting Season is pretty amusing. Isn't dissing Shawn Carter soooo 2006?

Leave some comments if this is something that you'd want to see continue on Hip Hop Isn't Dead. (You shouldn't waste your time requesting full album downloads, though. Just thought you should know.) And, once again, if you want some much-needed exposure an dhave the talent to back up your boasts, drop me a line and I'll help out as best I can.

-Max