Blu » CheckTheRhime
New look, same ol' CTR. Trying something new for financial reasons, so bear with us for the love of hip-hop.
Jun 19

Myspace

Some of you may remember I did an interview last year with this up and comer who represents both Brooklyn and Bridgetown. The friend of Blu (they’re released an EP last year and are said to have a full LP in the works to be titled A Day Late and a Dollar Short) is one the nicest cats I’ve personally come across in years (gotta love his mellow/melancholy flow over his mainly jazz influenced production) so I’m thrilled for this new joint (which is produced by EmAy). To all of you who haven’t peeped cat before you all def need to peep his album Pavement Special and check up on some of his mixtapes as well. Dude is nice (don’t the let the pretty boy looks fool you).

Download

written by Breezilla \\ tags: , , , , , ,

Jun 09

New single released from Blu & Mainframe’s Johnson&Jonson. One of the best tracks off of the album IMO.

Myspace
Buy

written by Breezilla \\ tags: , , , ,

Jun 05

Myspace
Buy

Never heard of these guys until now, but I’m very impressed. The Waxolutionists (I believe a production trio) hails from Vienna, Austria and is described on their Myspace page as a mix of Down Tempo, Hip-Hop, Eletronica mix. From that description alone I was expecting something more along the lines of Prefuse 73, but I instead found a nice mix of RJD2 & The Jazz Liberatorz. The album includes guest spots from Blu, Dave Ghetto, DJ Vadim, Frank Nitty, Hezekiah and more. Favorite track so far is def Flashlight (feat. Hygher Baby), and although I haven’t been all the way through it yet, I haven’t really found a track that hasn’t proven to be listen worthy yet.

written by Breezilla \\ tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

May 28

Myspace
Buy

Before renowned hip-hop producer J Dilla passed away in 2006, due to complications from Lupus, he had already set to tape a multitude of unreleased tracks. Jay Stay Paid or J$P, features music culled from the Dilla’s old floppy disks and DATs and tracks laid down during his time spent in the hospital. More than three years after his passing, Dilla’s mother Maureen Yancey, better known as “Ma Dukes,” and esteemed producer Pete Rock decided to compile Dilla’s unreleased beats and samples into a cohesive LP. The format of the project runs like a radio program with Pete Rock acting as the DJ. While primarily instrumental, J$P also features guest vocals from Black Thought of The Roots, MF DOOM, and M.O.P.

Props go to Claw over at 5vemics. I’ll be listening to this as soon as the Cavs game is over.

written by Chesbomb \\ tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Apr 19

sayge

The long awaited album from The Grouch & Eligh has arrived. Make sure you pick this up when it hits stores the 21st. My pre-ordered copy can’t get here soon enough.

Continue reading »

written by Chesbomb \\ tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Mar 31

Blame’s 2009 album promises to be his best ever. He says “the concept is about us all forming routines and patterns in our life and trying to go outside of that to accomplish something near to our own hearts.

Anybody have input on this joint?
More info after the jump. Continue reading »

written by Breezilla \\ tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Mar 31

Havent peeped this yet, and not sure I will, But if you guys give it the ok I will def check it out, Im just against anything that uses that font lol. Im sick of seeing it on everything, like wtf??? But regardless get at me, let me know.

Continue reading »

written by Whtetrashwarrior \\ tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Mar 16

Versatility is the only constant in today’s music movement, which is the prized calling card for up-and-coming production duo Kyle ‘Keelay’ Pierce & Tim ‘Zaire’ Lewis. The potent team operates with only one concrete rule; creating music with unlimited range. Complementing each others stylewith precision,Kee & Zee work as a sole production machine that spawns gritty classic h ip hop, soulful R&B, and any other sounds that fill their soul. Kee & Zee have completed their debut LP, Ridin High, an uncensored look into the music and lifestyle of the dynamic team. Along for the smoke filled journey is an extraordinary supporting cast of passengers such as Sole Vibe representatives Slo-Mo, Mario Dones, The A.V.E., J. Fish, Phonte of Little Brother, Blu, Cali Agents, Darien Brockington, Tash of Tha Liks, Saafir,
Fortilive, as well as many others.

Continue reading »

written by TheDude \\ tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Feb 10

So a huge album just dropped from one of my favorite groups. I havent listened to it yet, but I thought I would share the love with you guys first. When Im done listening to it ill write more.

Deep Rooted third album (self-titled this time). Featured artists include Blu, Killah Priest and Sha Dula

Production by Mr. Brady, Exile, Rhettmatic, DJ Artistic, Moka Only, G Rocka and more.

x6h0nn.jpg picture by rapidsharewarrior

More info after the jump.

Continue reading »

written by Whtetrashwarrior \\ tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Jan 14

So, assuming you all have heard  Blu & Exile’s 2007 masterpiece, Below The Heavens, then you’re as excited about this drop as I am. As good of an album as BTH was, people lack to realize Exile was puttin’ in work before his tour de force dropped. For years DJ Exiled worked with cali crooner/MC Aloe Blacc under the name Emanon releasing a handful of solid projects (most notably Imaginary Friends & The Waiting Room) and dropping the well crafted Dirty Science in 2006 all the while producing joints for other artists on the side. I honestly haven’t had a chance to peep this joint myself ’cause it’s 6:18am and I don’t have the ability to focus right now, but his work ethic and the finesse of his previous joints are at all telling this album is most plausibly solid if not excellent.

More info after the jump. Continue reading »

written by Breezilla \\ tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Dec 13

I really don’t think this cat needs any introduction so I’ll get down to the music. Blu’s debut album with SoCal producer Exile dropped in 2007 and was instantly hailed a classic by man heads (and yours truly). The album includes is critically acclaimed for Exile’s usage of obscure late 60s to early 70s samples as well as his twisting of more well known 90s & early 2ks hip-hop tracks into completely different, yet incredibly beautiful new tracks. It is on this first full length LP that we are introduced to a extremely introspective kind of griot in Blu who fully delivers over Exile’s production with his own brand of average nigga type storytelling which paints panoramic visions in the unworldliest of minds.

Onto C.R.A.C. Knuckles. The Piece Talk is Blu’s second full length album released under the moniker C.R.A.C. Knuckles with Detroit native Ta’Raach. A lot of cats were feeling 50/50 on this one, but I personally think it was quite good. If you listen to a lot of hip-hop acts like Arrested Development, The Pharcyde, Gnarls Barkley and PM Dawn or acts of other genres (particular Afrobeat like Fela Kuti or Brazilian Samba/Funk like Azymuth) then you’ll love it.  On this album you’ll catch a more expiramental spontaneous Blu. The production isn’t completely hip-hop and the music isn’t either, but you’ll find a nice mesh of several different genres in here (no electric circus).

As far as full length releases go, the Johnson&Jonson joint is Blu’s last full length joint (thus far). Again Blu revisits his Bridgetown stomping grounds to find a producer for this work in the little known Mainframe. A lot of people don’t realize it, but this Johnson&Jonson joint was actually put together before Below the Heavens and thus considering he was probably on a different wavelength at the time and the album has a different producer we get another completely original sound from Blu which is by no means a bad thing. When I initially heard this album (I got it in late ‘07 ’cause I got it like dat =D) I wasn’t a fan and I let it sit in my unsorted downloads folder for ages. Finally, about three months later I listened to it again ’cause I lost most of my music and it was one of the only things I still had left and I was more than a little impressed. Word, it’s not like Below the Heavens, but it’s almost just as good. The way Blu proved to be an amazing storyteller on BTH is the way he proves to be an amazing wordsmith on J&J. This album is packed with crazy punchlines, wordplay and metaphors and unlike his major label counterparts, his shit also makes sense… no random punchlines here and there (ahm, weezy). BTH or J&J… which album is better? Too close to call…

This drop also includes The Lifted EP, an EP released before BTH, The BeSene EP released earlier this year by Blu & Sene under the moniker Patch Adams (predecessor to an upcoming full length to be titled A Day Late & A Dollar Short), The Narrow Path & Buy Me Lunch VLSs (the only two current VLS avaiable to my knowledge). Purchase information available on Blu’s myspace page (all are worth buying… support the trueschool) and keep looking out for Blu’s upcoming debut Solo album.

Blu LPs
Blu_And_Exile-Below_The_Heavens-Retail-2007-I*T
C.R.A.C._Knuckles-The_Piece_Talks-2008-C*
Blu_And_Mainframe_Are-Johnson_And_Jonson-2008-C*

Blu EPs
Blu-Lifted-EP-2006-C*S
Patch_Adams-BeSene_EP-(WEB)-2008-CTR

Blu VLSs
Blu-The_Narrow_Path-VLS-2006-F*D
C.R.A.C._Knuckles-Buy_Me_Lunch_(WEB)-2008-F*H

*BeSene EP isn’t a scenerip.
*The DJ Heat & Blu So(ul) Amazing mixtape wasn’t include as it’s not official, but can be copped here via our affiliates at SpeakerBoxxx.
*The C.O.R.E. mixtape can be downloaded here.

More info after the jump. Continue reading »

written by Breezilla \\ tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Nov 25

Dirty!

“The Layover” idea came about while I was on tour with Little Brother last year. It was supposed to be a side project that Khrysis and I were going to do – him on the beats me on the mic, 5 songs, free download. I strayed from the “side project” idea and moved towards making,”The Layover” an Official EP.

Pete Rock & CL Smooth’s All Souled Out or Ice Cube’s Kill At Will are big inspirations and examples of EP’s that were really quality & served as the perfect vehicle to make me get the next album to drop shortly there after. This is my intention with The Layover EP. It was important to me that even though Khrysis and I didn’t do the whole project together he still be a major part of it, and he gladly accepted.

This is THE FIRST banger off of my upcoming EP – “THE LAYOVER” title track. Khrysis on the boards with the heat, Dj Revolution On the Cut, and me on the mic, painting a picture about my best friend, FREK ONE who I lost in 1993. This is really taking my career WORLDWIDE, and some classic E-V Word Play to get this project kicked off on the right note ! So much more to come…Stay Tuned !”

(Via HipHopGalaxy.com)

Tracklist after the jump. Cop this hotness here.

Continue reading »

written by TheDude \\ tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Nov 21

Looked and looked and looked some more, but I haven’t been able to find this anywhere on the internet since it dropped earlier this year (outside of iTunes and Boomkat stores) so I bought it. Info after the jump, but it here. BTW if you don’t know who either Blu or Sene are GTFO! Can’t wait for the full length Patch Adams LP. You best check it while it’s here ’cause like I said I can’t find it anywhere else, fuck my life if I’m lying.

Bonus: Sene ft. Blu – KingMe.mp3

Continue reading »

written by Breezilla \\ tags: , , ,

Nov 21

Looked and looked and looked some more, but I haven’t been able to find this anywhere on the internet since it dropped earlier this year (outside of iTunes and Boomkat stores) so I bought it. Info after the jump, but it here. BTW if you don’t know who either Blu or Sene are GTFO! Can’t wait for the full length Patch Adams LP. You best check it while it’s here ’cause like I said I can’t find it anywhere else, fuck my life if I’m lying.

Bonus: Sene ft. Blu – KingMe.mp3

Continue reading »

written by Breezilla \\ tags: , , ,

Nov 20

I’m sure we’ve all been waiting for this one to drop for a minute. 

“The Layover” idea came about while I was on tour with Little Brother last year. It was supposed to be a side project that Khrysis and I were going to do – him on the beats me on the mic, 5 songs, free download. I strayed from the “side project” idea and moved towards making,”The Layover” an Official EP.

Pete Rock & CL Smooth’s All Souled Out or Ice Cube’s Kill At Will are big inspirations and examples of EP’s that were really quality & served as the perfect vehicle to make me get the next album to drop shortly there after. This is my intention with The Layover EP. It was important to me that even though Khrysis and I didn’t do the whole project together he still be a major part of it, and he gladly accepted.

This is THE FIRST banger off of my upcoming EP – “THE LAYOVER” title track. Khrysis on the boards with the heat, Dj Revolution On the Cut, and me on the mic, painting a picture about my best friend, FREK ONE who I lost in 1993. This is really taking my career WORLDWIDE, and some classic E-V Word Play to get this project kicked off on the right note ! So much more to come…Stay Tuned !”

(Via HipHopGalaxy.com)

Tracklist after the jump. Cop this hotness here.

Continue reading »

written by TheDude \\ tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Nov 18

New EP from The Alchemist, the DJ Revolution prodigy and man behind the boards for artists including (but not limited to) Nas, Evidence, Dilated Peoples, Mobb Deep, Capone-N-Noreaga, The LOX, Everlast and Eminem. I hear he’s planning on putting out 6 new joints along with Evidence in the upcoming year so expect more hot ish. 1st Infantry was a classic, so I know this is probably worth the peep. At least check the tracklist.

Whether you’re familiar with Alchemist’s [click to read] work by virtue of Mobb Deep, Dilated Peoples, Evidence or countless other artists, it becomes immediately apparent from listening to his beats that Alc is a damn good producer. The most recent example has been his consistently excellent work on Prodigy’s [click to read] releases, Return of the Mac [click to read] and H.N.I.C. Pt. 2  [click to read] – making a latter-day P not merely listenable, but enjoyable. With a body of work spanning a decade, Alchemist has produced for countless artists, which is a testament to his range and abilities. Want proof? Take a look at the guest list for The Alchemist’s Cookbook: Aside from the expected Prodigy and Evidence appearances, you’ve got Snoop Dogg, Jadakiss [click to read], Pusha T [click to read] (on one song!), Styles P [click to read], Blu [click to read] and more. Keeping in mind that this is just a six-track EP, one might think things would probably get too crowded with so many artists – but that’s simply not the case.

Prodigy is assisted by Nina Sky on the opening track, “Key to the City.” P addresses the haters nicely on the song, showing a rare moment of self-awareness for today’s Hip Hop artist: “They want me to get on my grizzly, and rap like I’m sixteen/They say ‘P got lazy, lately he gets busy’/Ya heard the Mac is back, the H-N-I-Cizzy.” The soulful hook and beat coupled with tough talk from P eases the listener into the heavier tracks ahead.

Alchemist
brings the posse cut back with “Lose Your Life,” which features Jadakiss, Snoop Dogg and Pusha T. Easily the most high profile song on the album, all of the artists contribute a ferocious verse, each riding the eerie beat flawlessly. Nineties favorites Capone-N-Noreaga find themselves on the following track, “Follow the Dollar.” Though not delivering nearly as impressive an emceeing performance as the previous track, CNN fit perfectly with the aggressive beat. “Calmly Smoke” is a bit of a reprieve from the heavy tracks as Styles P and Evidence offer an ode to the green over an ethereal backdrop.

Evidence is featured on the next cut, “Therapy,” and is this time joined by Blu and Kid Cudi. This is another light song, and all emcees deliver over the guitar loop. The same cannot be said for Keak Da Sneak [click to read], whose trademark delivery is simply out of place on “Al Capone.” This, coupled with a weak hook and verse from Prodigy and an uninspired beat makes the EP’s closer a very disappointing way to close out an otherwise solid effort. One weak track may sound like a minor gripe, but on an album with only six of them, it is a glaring blunder.

The Alchemist’s Cookbook is definitely worth checking out. It’s an extremely solid release, and aside from one instance, there isn’t much to complain about. As with all EPs, there’s little room for error. Alc seems to be aware of this; forgoing the obvious cooking reference, The Alchemist’s Cookbook is a compilation of a mostly stellar group of emcees and beats.

(Via HipHopDX.com)

Continue reading »

written by Breezilla \\ tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Nov 18

New EP from The Alchemist, the DJ Revolution prodigy and man behind the boards for artists including (but not limited to) Nas, Evidence, Dilated Peoples, Mobb Deep, Capone-N-Noreaga, The LOX, Everlast and Eminem. I hear he’s planning on putting out 6 new joints along with Evidence in the upcoming year so expect more hot ish. 1st Infantry was a classic, so I know this is probably worth the peep. At least check the tracklist.

Whether you’re familiar with Alchemist’s [click to read] work by virtue of Mobb Deep, Dilated Peoples, Evidence or countless other artists, it becomes immediately apparent from listening to his beats that Alc is a damn good producer. The most recent example has been his consistently excellent work on Prodigy’s [click to read] releases, Return of the Mac [click to read] and H.N.I.C. Pt. 2  [click to read] – making a latter-day P not merely listenable, but enjoyable. With a body of work spanning a decade, Alchemist has produced for countless artists, which is a testament to his range and abilities. Want proof? Take a look at the guest list for The Alchemist’s Cookbook: Aside from the expected Prodigy and Evidence appearances, you’ve got Snoop Dogg, Jadakiss [click to read], Pusha T [click to read] (on one song!), Styles P [click to read], Blu [click to read] and more. Keeping in mind that this is just a six-track EP, one might think things would probably get too crowded with so many artists – but that’s simply not the case.

Prodigy is assisted by Nina Sky on the opening track, “Key to the City.” P addresses the haters nicely on the song, showing a rare moment of self-awareness for today’s Hip Hop artist: “They want me to get on my grizzly, and rap like I’m sixteen/They say ‘P got lazy, lately he gets busy’/Ya heard the Mac is back, the H-N-I-Cizzy.” The soulful hook and beat coupled with tough talk from P eases the listener into the heavier tracks ahead.

Alchemist
brings the posse cut back with “Lose Your Life,” which features Jadakiss, Snoop Dogg and Pusha T. Easily the most high profile song on the album, all of the artists contribute a ferocious verse, each riding the eerie beat flawlessly. Nineties favorites Capone-N-Noreaga find themselves on the following track, “Follow the Dollar.” Though not delivering nearly as impressive an emceeing performance as the previous track, CNN fit perfectly with the aggressive beat. “Calmly Smoke” is a bit of a reprieve from the heavy tracks as Styles P and Evidence offer an ode to the green over an ethereal backdrop.

Evidence is featured on the next cut, “Therapy,” and is this time joined by Blu and Kid Cudi. This is another light song, and all emcees deliver over the guitar loop. The same cannot be said for Keak Da Sneak [click to read], whose trademark delivery is simply out of place on “Al Capone.” This, coupled with a weak hook and verse from Prodigy and an uninspired beat makes the EP’s closer a very disappointing way to close out an otherwise solid effort. One weak track may sound like a minor gripe, but on an album with only six of them, it is a glaring blunder.

The Alchemist’s Cookbook is definitely worth checking out. It’s an extremely solid release, and aside from one instance, there isn’t much to complain about. As with all EPs, there’s little room for error. Alc seems to be aware of this; forgoing the obvious cooking reference, The Alchemist’s Cookbook is a compilation of a mostly stellar group of emcees and beats.

(Via HipHopDX.com)

Continue reading »

written by Breezilla \\ tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Oct 28

Requested by my boy Ant, here low on the official mixtape series for the critically acclaimed anime series, Aaron McGruder’s The Boondocks. Anybody who’s seen a few episodes of the show has probably caught onto many of the social undertones and themes of the show (many which have carried over from McGruder’s comic strip by the same title), and his same anti-mainstream society motif shows up in the majority of the musical features on the tapes. Skyzoo, Talib Kweli, Tanya Morgan, Pacific Division, Jean Grae, Mos Def, Little Brother, Blu, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Tribe, Cunninlynguists, AZ, Rakim, Quasimoto, Bishop Lamonot and so many more. Do yourself a favor and at least peep one of these.

Continue reading »

written by Breezilla \\ tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Oct 21

Hot new track off Evidence’s upcoming Layover EP. Shouts to 1Liefde over at MuzikSupremacy for this one.

Download: For Whom The Bell Tolls.mp3

written by Breezilla \\ tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Sep 24

So I’ve been talking about the release of this compilation for sometime now and it’s finally here along with two new members of the CTR team. As those who frequent the site know I did a search for somebody to help with the site since the original members (all of who are still affiliated with the site) have become rather busy with… well, life. Based on responses to several questions we sent out to everyone who showed interest in contributing, the two who’ve been chosen (as of right now) are LedD and Thedude… not familiar names now, but you’ll become accquainted with them in during the next few days, weeks, months and maybe years (If you were not chosen, but opted to participate in the new blog we’re planning on starting, you’ll recieve an email in the next few days… thanks to everyone else). Welcome them here and check the mixtape (pass it around if you like). Tracklist after the jump…

Continue reading »

written by Breezilla \\ tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,