Metal Lungies

New X-Clan, a lot of piano on the beat. Directed by Wraithe for Kinetik Cinematix.

Looks like another “street” album is on the way from Ras Kass, dude’s career really got messed up by Priority. Was I the only one that didn’t know he was locked up right now?

RAS KASS PREPS "INSTITUTIONALIZED VOL. II" FOR AUGUST 5th RELEASE ON BABYGRANDE RECORDS
One of the most critically acclaimed West Coast emcees of all time, Ras Kass is renowned for his complex lyricism, sharp battle rhymes and witty punchlines.
1996’s debut "Soul On Ice" established Ras as one of the front-runners of the post West Coast gangsta rap movement pioneered by seminal acts such as N.W.A. and nationally popularized by modern day icons Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg & more.
Marrying a hardcore street sensibility with his signature witty wordplay, Ras built a loyal underground core with subsequent albums including 1998’s "Rasassination," featuring guest appearances by Dr. Dre, Xzibit, Twista & RZA (of Wu-Tang) as well as multiple mixtape releases.
Currently serving time, Ras Kass’ ambition in the face of adversity is on full display with the August 5th bow of "Institutionalized Vol. II."
Sure to satisfy Ras’ loyal constituency and beyond, "Institutionalized Vol. 2" is a testament to both Ras’ resilience and the raw skill that underlies his longevity within the ever-changing hip-hop landscape.
For more information and to sample some tracks, please visit:
www.crackspace.com/raskass

Damn, Jacob the Jeweler got 2 1/2 from the Feds looks like we were wrong about him not being held down.   The thing I’m wondering is, will there be ‘Free Jacob’ (in a diamond encrusted font) t-shirt made ? maybe a pendent? Note to self when ML gets raided for all of the zshares (coming soon!): don’t lie to the feds.

(Click to view/download)

The last Wayne wallpaper we posted continues to be a popular entry, so here is another one I came across today. Artistically speaking this one is equally as good the previous one. if not better.

Cool Kids meet up with some Dj named Klever for some random dancing, turntablism, and some rhymes.

“Searching” is a 1995 single by Pete Rock & CL Smooth, released just prior to the duo’s breakup . It was remixed and re-released in ’96 as a promotional 12′.

The original version can be found on the group’s second album, The Main Ingredient, but the remix was only made available in CD format on the import-only Rare Tracks compilation.

Both versions are produced by Pete Rock. The lyrics are the same in both versions, with the exception of a new chorus added to the remix.  Pete does a call-and-response, reciting the following lyrics with CL’s sampled vocals  answering the first two lines. After that, a female vocalist answers Pete’s lines.

Let me break the chorus down, just so I have an excuse to type the word “sextafied.”

PR: Searching to find the one and have fun

CL: I’m thirsty for your love, sugar can I get a sip?

PR: Sextafied women who rank from 10 to 1, honey

CL: You know what it takes and you know how I want it

PR: Do you like it? (Yeah…)

Do you want it? (Yeah…)

Well, if you got it, why not flaunt it? (Hell yeah!)

Searching…

The original instrumental is butter smooth, with sultry female backing vocals and warm vibes. Sample vocals chant “searching” on the chorus and the backing vocalist plays off the samples. Pete adlibs all over the track, as he is wont to do.

The remix will please hard-rocks who thought the original was too soft, flipping the summery feel of the original into a much darker sounding instrumental. Pete employs an eerie string loop that should sound familiar to any 90s rap scholar and dark sounding vibes. He utilizes crisper, harder drums than he did on the OG and brings in muted horns every few bars. Pete drops the sampled “searching” vocals at the end as the beat fades out.

I respect that Pete & CL could pull off a credible ballad in such a hardcore-minded period of hip hop, and both versions of “Searching” are gems.

Download:

Pete Rock & CL Smooth – “Searching” (The Main Ingredient, 1994)

Pete Rock & CL Smooth – “Searching (Remix)” (Rare Tracks, 1999)

Special thanks goes to Buhizzle who held down Remix Tuesdays last week with an exemplary post about Cormega.

I just visited the Fat Beats online store and saw this on the frontpage. The distributor is listed as Geffen, and the site describes it as:

“Never heard before, heat from Large Professor. This album was shelved in 1993 and includes unreleased and rare joints.”

It seems to be a repackaging of the version of The LP that was packaged with preorders of 1st Class, with a slightly altered track listing that adds the song “Have Fun”.

Track listing on this version is listed below:

1 Sunrise

2 One Plus One

3 Hard

4 Spacey

5 For My People

6 Hungry

7 Get Off The Bullshit

8 Funky 2 Listen 2

9 Dancing Girl

10 Have Fun

11 Ijuswannachill

12 The Mad Scientist

It’s missing some of the tracks that have been circulating on bootleg pressings of the record, but I do like the cover more than the Dune inspired original, pictured below next to the cover that inspired it.

Is this legit? Could someone ask the Mad Scientist for me? If you’re interested, take a look at the FatBeats listing and tell me what you think.

While you’re at it, visit Robbie’s spot to pick up a few of the tracks omitted from the release

RJD2 should probably be the “featured” video in this entry (musically, RJD2>Tyga), but that interview has been floating in my mailbox for way too long (better late than never right?). Anyway, Tyga is a “hotter” name at the moment that’s signed to Lil Wayne’s Young Money.

Part 2 & RJD2 after the break.

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Haven’t seen this posted at the usual spots so..

Enjoy (Swiped from OKP).

Download (Mp3) : Busta Rhymes – Blackout

Edit: Awesome old video of Timbaland & Busta in the studio that I just spotted, (late pass please) after the jump.

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The only rapper I really can’t get enough of right now is Cali’s Blu. I dig him so much that when I heard an unfamiliar (new?) Blu joint on Mark Ronson’s Authentic Shit radio show, I had to snatch it. Not only is Blu consistently dope, he’s always changing up his sound. This song has him sounding darker than usual over some spacey synths.

Blu – That’s One in a Row (CDQ/Drops)
Blu’s anti-spacebar MySpace says he’s prepping something called JayJay and doesn’t give any other details. He’s also steady touring and hitting up New York with everybody’s other favorite rapper, Wale.