When they reminisce – Incredible Pete Rock & Premier interview

This video is almost 20 days old but these two cats are indeed timeless- Mount Vernon’s most venerable DJ Pete Rock and Houston TX born & raised but BKLYN transplant The legendary DJ Premier kick back and reflect on what else? The music that defined their careers, 1990s-golden era east coast. This is just a piece of the forthcoming DJ Premier vs. Pete Rock Japanese DVD, and this interview is an hour long, so grab a beverage and prepare to be enthralled; as Primo tells us Guru discovered both Premier and Lord Finesse.. (!) Pete Rock discusses his first credited remix, and so much more. We don’t have to say anything more- This is Pete Rock & Preem. If you want the full length, visit djpremierblog.com for purchase information. Shout out to pipomixes.blogspot.com for the find, for the Professor is Manifest family and host to some of the illest mixtapes on the planet. Salute. -Skylar Woodman

Summer Madness has officially begun…

Yelawolf… Wu Members

My man Radar hit me off to this video with southern rapper Yelawolf repping the Manifest “wu members” crewneck in his video “I Wish”.  always good to see the brand represented well and the grungy heavy bass line makes it that much better.  this track will rattle your filings for sure.  and having raekwon join up on your track has to mean he’s on to something right?  click the link below to see for yourself:   http://vimeo.com/9365855

Yo!Mtv Raps – Pete Rock & CL Smooth • T.R.O.Y – The Creator – Live 1992

When we reminisce over you, my god…

Tags: "Pete Rock & CL Smooth"

DJ Crazy Toones & Kurupt • 2 turntables and a microphone

For those who are unfamiliar- DJ Crazy Toones hails from Watts California, is W.C.‘s younger brother and has had a hand in some of the illest production from Gangsta Rap legends Ice Cube, W.C. and the Maad Circle, and handles much of the production for one of the new generation of California’s microphone murderers- Young MayLay.

C.Toones never crossed over to the Macbook style of beatmaking and track production- The man still pulls dusty old funk records out year after year to sample from and uses that vinyl in live studio sessions. One of his new joints with one half of The Dogg Pound, Kurupt- Embodies that same spirit of freestyling over funky beats and nasty horn loops and if it’s any good (as it usually is) CT presses record…there’s not too many dudes in the game that are better at this style of live rap than C.Toones & Kurupt.

We’ve been showing much love to the East Coast here at the Manifest blog lately so I figured we’d chuck that W in the air for LA and give a much deserved pound to DJ Crazy Toones and Kurupt. Westside!

Tags: Crazy Toones, Kurupt, W.C. and the Maad Circle

Hip Hop History with Dante Ross • Paul’s Boutique 20 years later

Dante Ross takes us to Brooklyn to look at the Beastie Boys’ roots, the former location of Paul’s Boutique,  their first three albums, and Check Your Head’s influence on Dante and MC Whitey Ford aka Everlast.

A special shout out to MCAdam Yauch, still battling salivary gland cancer. Get well soon to a legend!

Tags: Beastie Boys, Dante Ross, Hip Hop History 101, Paul's Boutique

Raekwon the Chef speaks on new Wu Project, OB4CL2

Peep this tour video from Shallah Chef Raekwon backstage in Los Angeles- he discusses the Purple Tape 2′s sales, the Clan mentality, an idea for a new Wu-Tang Clan album, and pushing back his album with Ghostface & Method Man.

Tags: raekwon

Dres of Black Sheep – Forever LuvLee – Video and mp3

Dres of Black Sheep – Forever LuvLee

Last time we saw Dres he was being interviewed by D-Nice, and dropping an ill joint in tribute to Q-Tip on the J Period joint. This is the first single from his 2010 return LP The Black Pool of Genius.

Watch the man do his thing on the streets of NYC, then download the track. Look for Dres’ album in spring 2010.

Tags: black sheep, dres black sheep, forever luvlee

The Wu-Massacre: Part 1&2 – Ghostface/Raekwon/Method Man LP promo videos

Tony Starks, Lex Diamonds & Johnny Blaze are wasting no time recording and promoting their December 22 Triple Threat LP (Which I believe is still unnamed as of today) by dropping a couple promo teasers inspired by the Movie Se7en. While there’s no musical content, them kids from staten appear to be very serious about the 4th quarter project.

These are “The Wu-Massacre” Parts 1 & 2, with a third video set to hit the ‘net before one of the illest tuesdays of 2009, December 22.

With Ghost & Rae putting in so much work this year, Method Man is nobody to rest on his laurels, this is one definite LP purchase, putting the wrap on a decent year for hip hop.

Tags: Wu-Massacre

1992: YO!Mtv Raps – Gangstarr • Take it personal

“One more time- observe the scratch”

Tags: Gangstarr

Phonte showing some love…

Yes yes, Phonte of Little Brother fame has a been spotted in the newly released Foreign Exchange video, “I Wanna Know”.  This album is a departure from classic Little Brother sounds but it’s just as good on an R&B tip.  Lot’s of good music on here and it’s a must have to hear Phonte and Nicolay make a classic album like this together.

Here’s the album review so you get all the good details:

“Four years after the release of their critically acclaimed debut “Connected,” The Foreign Exchange returns with their sophomore set, “Leave It All Behind.”

Consisting of singer/songwriter Phonte and producer Nicolay, The Foreign Exchange came together via the online hip-hop community Okayplayer.com in 2002. After trading files through Instant Messenger for over a year, Nicolay (living in his native Holland at the time) and Phonte (a Raleigh, NC resident) completed their debut album before they ever met each other in person. The album, “Connected,” was released in 2004 to positive reviews, and was praised by legendary DJ’s such as Jazzy Jeff, King Britt, and DJ Spinna for its inventive mix of hip-hop, R&B, and electronica.

“Leave It All Behind” finds The Foreign Exchange much closer in geography (Nicolay has since become a resident of Wilmington, NC), but located much further from their hip-hop origins. The duo’s second full-length is a dark, multilayered affair that features Phonte showcasing his abilities as an exceptional lead and harmony vocalist, while Nicolay extends his musical palette to include sprinklings of jazz, downtempo, and house. The lush, Darien Brockington-assisted “Take Off the Blues” picks up where Connected’s sleeper hit “Come Around” left off, while the complex polyrhythms and dreamy synthesizers of “Sweeter Than You” are described by Phonte as “swing jazz for the next century.” Marc Mac (of legendary UK production team 4hero), also contributes a string arrangement to the duo’s glorious cover of Stevie Wonder’s oft-forgotten 1991 gem, “If She Breaks Your Heart.”

In addition to appearances from longtime FE affiliates Darien Brockington and Yahzarah, the album also features guest shots from producer/keyboardist Zo! and vocalist Muhsinah.”

buy the album here.

De La Soul in concert

This is a great great De La Soul concert to watch, listen to, or burn to a cd.  20 years later and they sound as good today as then if not better!  Thanks to Grandcrew for putting these shows out there for the fans.  Just getting to hear De La sing Rock Box is all i need to say.  Enjoy.

http://www.grandcrew.com/videos/171