Phonte Coleman – The Good Fight (Video)

Manifest Fam Phonte Coleman dropped the video forThe Good Fight lifted from Charity Starts at Home, his amazing 2011 LP. The video for The Good Fight goes from the cubicle to the condo to what looks like some vacant properties in downtown Raleigh. The stark reality is that foreclosures are rampant anywhere from Michigan to around ‘Te’s way in NC- and these visuals compliment the substantive nature of Phonte’s work very well. Peep the video and let the track sink in.. and please don’t give up if you’re fighting the good fight. – Skylar Woodman

Tags: Charity Starts at Home, Phonte Coleman

Common – Celebrate (Video)

In an album stacked up to the neck with incredible cuts by No ID & Common, I thought Celebrate was one of the best of the entire LP. Common recently wrapped the visual component to Celebrate, and celebration is certainly the order of the day in this video. I thought the concept for the video was unique and Com sure rocks the hell out of a tux. Peep the video and if you didn’t cop The Dreamer, The Believer, please get ahold of it. Definitely some of Common and No ID’s best work. – Skylar Woodman

Busta Rhymes, Layzie Bone, Twista, and Jaz-O – 60 second Assassins (Kayslay

The video for DJ Kayslay’s rogues’ gallery of speedrappers 60 Second Assassins dropped today and while the cut is from nearly two years ago judging by Twista’s “2010″ proclamation- it’s a dope cut nonetheless and the new video serves as a solid intro to the track if you missed out on it. While the Araabmusik production is mediocre at best, we do get some solid micwork from some Manifest favorites. Peep the video out and keep an eye peeled for Kayslay’s forthcoming Rhyme or Die LP in 2012. – Skylar Woodman

Tags: 60 second assassins, Busta Rhymes, DJ Kayslay, Jaz-O, Layzie Bone, Speedrap

No I.D. sits down with XXL

“I’m VP but I’m also a producer, so I’m always working on music. I’m in the office when necessary for A&R meetings and trying to bring my spirit, which is super hip-hop purist at heart, who understands how to make it in business cause I’ve seen all sides of it.” – NO I.D.

One of rap’s greatest producers and current Def Jam Records Vice President No I.D. sat down with venerable rap magazine XXL to reminisce on his beginnings, evaulate the present, and provide a glimpse into the future of Hip Hop as he sees it. It’s a short, but sweet interview- but Dion (NoID backwards) tells us about everything from cutting his teeth as a teenager on mixers to provide his fledgling rap group CDR with childhood friend Lonnie Rashid “Common” Lynn to later on passing up offers from rappers like The Notorious B.I.G., Ghostface Killah, and Big Pun to focus on strengthening Common & No I.D. as a “like Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth” as he puts it.

Absolutely worth a read not only for the early-90s retrospective, but really sheds some light on where No I.D. was for that quiet stretch in the early-2000s and gives you an idea of what’s really motivating him in the new millenium. Follow the link over to XXL and give it a read. – Skylar Woodman

http://www.xxlmag.com/features/2012/01/no-i-d-rise-and-shine/1/

Tags: No I.D. Interview

DrewK’s 2 hours and 25 years of Prince Paul radio mix from MIT’s WMBR 88.1 FM

Today I’m excited to present an incredible live radio tribute to DJ Prince Paul, OG Producer extraordinaire. This was recorded at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology‘s WMBR 88.1 FM from thanksgiving of this year.

The two hour call-in show/mix session includes everything from Prinse Pawl’s 3rd Bass collaborations, The Handsome Boy Modeling School LPs, his Big Daddy Kane beats, his early work cutting his producing teeth with Stetsasonic and his legendary career as one of the masterminds behind De La Soul. They even delve into how Parliament influenced Paul’s use of skits and Paul’s own son producer P Forreal calls in. The WMBR 88.1 Mix is truly an ill tribute to one of my all-time favorite hip hop personalities and a guy who gave up producing beats way too soon. Clear your schedule for a couple hours, paste the link, and reminisce…Crocka! – Skylar Woodman

http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/29138580

Tags: DJ DrewK, Prince Paul mixtape, Prince Paul retrospective, WMBR 88.1

Chill Moody, Charlie K & Truck North – Deep Shadows (Produced by Joe Logic)

Illadelph is rolling thick on this all-Phila cut from MCs Chill Moody, Writtenhouse’s Charlie K, & Roots Collaborator/Money Makin’ Jam Boys’ Truck North over a classically-built, soul-driven cut produced by Joe Logic- this is Deep Shadows. This is a standout joint lifted from Logic’s latest Sunshine Philadelphia Vol 3- available at writtenhouse.bandcamp.com. Peep the whole project there and decide what the music is worth to you. Support that quality hip hop. – Skylar Woodman

Chill Moody featuring Charlie K, Truck North – Deep Shadows (produced by Joe Logic)

Tags: Charlie K, Charlie K Writtenhouse, Chill Moody, Deep Shadows, Joe Logic, money makin' jam boys, Truck North

Wyclef Jean accused of running corrupt Haiti relief charity – and pocketing millions

One third (I’m being kind to Pras) of New Jersey’s long defunct The Fugees’ Wyclef Jean‘s name is once again making the rounds on the ‘net and print media- not for his sniping at former Fugees band mates, his Tax Evasion, or whether or not he was stabbed or shot in a Limousine in Haiti, however. Wyclef’s coming under fire again for running a corrupt business under the auspices of a charity for his birthplace of Haiti. The “charity” is Yele, and these are the charges :

• More than $1,000,000 of donations rerouted to a company that does not exist.
• Of the more than $16,000,000 donated expressly for “emergency relief” Less than $5,200,000 (Not even a third!) has actually been given to Haitians in need of emergency relief.
• Using part of the missing money to purchase Telecommunications firms in Haiti, in his own name.
• Paid his mistress more than $105,000- using donated funds.
• Bankrolled lavish travel expenses with donated funds.
• Paid himself more than $100,000 per appearance to perform under the guise of being part of a charity showbill. (That’s like Watch the Throne money right there.)
• Also paid himself $31,000 a year to rent a corner of the kitchen in his Manhattan studio.

In December 8th, 2011′s USA Today, Mr. Jean offered this in his defense :

The percentage of funds used is consistent with NGOs and Not For Profits operating in Haiti at the time

– WYCLEF JEAN, USA Today, December 8th, 2011 –

In short- Wyclef turned out to be far more of a hustler than John Forte. The only difference is, John got busted for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and conspiracy to distribute and did time. Wyclef’s profiting far more than Forte ever did, and is still skating. Stealing money intended to go to a decimated, impoverished, ineptly-run nation like Haiti? Wyclef Jean, you are in all likelyhood categorically a dirtbag fraud. “You’re gonna get yours!” – Public Enemy, 1986. – Skylar Woodman

(Cited: USA Today, New York Post, Mother Jones. I couldn’t make this stuff up if I tried.)

Tags: Wyclef Corrupt, Wyclef corruption, Wyclef jean, Yele Charity fraud

The Roots – One Time featuring Phonte & Dice Raw

The Roots – One Time ft. Phonte & Dice Raw

Pretty much the pride & joy of modern rap music Illadelph PA’s The Roots have wrapped their 13th LP entitled Undun dropping December 6th- and a couple tracks have been leaked to pique the listening public’s interest for the album. This is One Time, and it features longtime Roots Crew collaborator Dice Raw and one of the greatest things ever to come out of Manifest Worldwide’s homebase of Greensboro, North Carolina- Phonte Coleman. The track does not disappoint. I’m really excited to buy the full length album in a week. Don’t sleep on Undun. – Skylar Woodman

Tags: Dice Raw, New Roots LP, One Time Roots, Phonte, Phonte Coleman, Undun

Pill, I-20 & Killa Kyleon – King Hustler (Produced by Trakk Sounds)

PilI / I-20 / Killa Kyleon – King Hustler (Produced by Trakk Sounds)

It’s strictly south on this new joint as Atlanta’s Pill, & I-20, link up with Houston Texas’ Killa Kyleon on King Hustler, produced by Trakk Sounds. A nice little Southern posse cut laced with twangy electric guitars and that trademark dirty south double time 808. Peep the joint and keep the box turnt up. – Skylar Woodman

Common & No I.D. – Celebrate

Common – Celebrate (Prod. No I.D.)

The latest leak off Common & No I.D.’s joint LP The Dreamer, The Believer just dropped and it’s called Celebrate. Another banger from the very best of what Chicago Hip Hop has to offer. Check the joint and think for a minute about how dope the album has been so far- and support that real rap music in 2011. Get The Dreamer, The Believer when it drops December 20th. – Skylar Woodman

Tags: Common & No I.D., Common Celebrate, The Believer, The Dreamer