In November 2011, DJ Muggs came to Europe on tour in support of his new album “Bass For your Face”
He visited London to perform at Brixton Jamm, and we arranged for some affiliated press to coincide with the visit.
For those familiar with DJ Muggs and his involvement with Soul Assassins and Cypress Hill, it was a surprise to some that he appeared to have a musical departure into the world of dubstep, a sound which first emerged from Croydon in South London.
Dubstep has transferred across the Atlantic recently, with more clubs & events particularly in Canada and the United States’ west coast jumpin on the sound.
In the interview with Han O’Connor for MTV UK’s online MTV Wrap Up, Muggs explains that this isnt necessarily a major departure for him personally. Quoting the early influence of German electronic techno legends Kraftwerk, and working with Goldie and Grooverider on previous jungle / drum & bass collaborations, he explains the heavy 808 kicks were standard back seat furniture in LA cars, so the heavier, deeper the sound, the better the impact!
He touches upon his days with Cypress Hill and his work within various genres, obviously keen to look at how they can develop hybrid sounds and move in new directions.
He recorded the track Snap Ur Neck Back with London’s Dizzee Rascal, and it was premiered on Zane Lowe’s BBC Radio 1 show during Muggs’ short stay.
New Hip Hop Single & Video – Entertainment is Personal ft Awol One
This is the first single from a new album “The Swashbuckler Vol 1 : The Viking Wars”
The album is the brainchild of Man Bites Dog Records CEO RML and producer Kount Fif, and has been nearly 6 years in the making.
Using Wu Tang’s “36 Chambers”, Mobb Deep’s “Infamous” and Heltah Skeltah’s “Nocturnal” as the blueprint, they were inspired to create an album which would reflect their own influences over the years and stand up to the classics over time.
The methodical approach has been worth the wait. The mainstay of the album has been produced by Kount Fif, credited with production on Killah Priest’s “I Believe”, Heltah Skeltah’s “Never Ending” & Gun 4 Gun ft Killah Priest & Nas. He is joined by fellow MBD labelmates Jason Rose & RML with further contributions from Bronze Nazareth, Brinknam, Melodious Monk and on the debut single “Entertainment is Personal” by Brycon ft Awol One.
The album, out on 27th March on Man Bites Dog Records, includes features from Royce da 5 9, Planet Asia, Heltah Skeltah, C Rayz Walz, Karniege, Cappadonna, Roc Marciano, Copywrite and many more well respected in the hip hop world.
FULL TRACKLIST
1. Early 90’s ft Double A.B., Karniege & Torae (Prod.By Kount Fif)
2. Dead End Street ft Killah Priest, Steven King & Sunny Seeza
(of Onyx) (Prod. By Jason Rose)
3. Year of the Hustle ft NINE & Planet Asia (Prod.By Kount Fif)
4. Year of the Gun ft Gillie Da Kid, Inspectah Deck, Royce 5’9
& Bronze Nazareth (Prod. by Bronze Nazareth)
5. The Crusaders ft Killah Priest & Empuls (Prod.By Kount Fif)
6. Six ft Redd Mudd & Copywrite (Prod.By Kount Fif)
7. Out of the Darkness and Into the Light ft Akrobatik
(Prod.By Kount Fif)
8. Entertainment is Personal ft Awol One (Prod. by Brycon)
9. Media ft Louis Logic, C Rayz Walz & Jason Rose (Prod. by Brinknam)
10. The War Chant ft Killah Priest, Lord Basis, Jason Rose and
Diabolic (Prod. by Brinknam)
11. Reality Wrap ft Copywrite (Prod.By Kount Fif, Jason Rose)
12. Change My Fate ft Cappadonna, Killah Priest & Jason Rose
(Prod.By Kount Fif)
13. Crocodile Smile ft Copywrite, U-God & Planet Asia (Prod.By
Kount Fif, Jason Rose)
14. Arkansas Toothpick ft Copywrite, Planet (of Outerspace),
Roc Marciano & Jason Rose (Prod.By Kount Fif)
15. Berserker (Hard Body) ft Outerspace (Prod.By Kount Fif)
16. Never Ending ft Heltah Skeltah (Prod.By Kount Fif)
17. Light on Time ft Planet Asia & Vast Aire (Prod.By Kount
Fif, Melodious Monk)
New UK Single & Video – Jamieson – Ways To Get Ahead
Kilburn’s Jamieson, now based in the South Bronx, NYC, follows up his tribute to his hometown “London Freestyle” with the new single & video “Ways to Get Ahead”.
Taken from the final instalment of his Mixtape Trilogy “I Came I Saw”, the track chronicles the journey he’s taken from his days as part of UK hip hop duo Twisted Thoughts with K.I.L.L.A.G.R.A.M. to his move over to the States and the work he’s been putting in since arriving there in 2007.
From the launch of his Foreign Exchange mixtape hosted by DJ Whoo Kid, he’s enjoyed regular support from DJ Booth, XXL, 2 Dope Boys, This Is 50, Hip Hop Dx and a wide range of other key tastemakers across the country. Working with artists Joell Ortiz, Sean Price, Skyzoo and receiving co:signs from Yelawolf, RZA and B-Real, there’s little doubt this London born & bred MC has been packing in a mountain of work, and “Ways To Get Ahead” documents the grind.
The mixtape launches soon ahead of his brand new single “I Get Busy”, set for international release in the
Spring
Been a year in the making, but now Ohio’s Copywrite gets set to release one of the biggest international albums of the year, God Save The King on 30th April 2012.
The Columbus based MC first came to prominence as part of the group Megahertz. His work with producers RJD2, J-Dilla, Cool & Dre, Illmind and collaborations with artists such as Royce da 5 9, Killah Priest, Sean Price, and Dilated Peoples soon established his position on the international hip hop scene through a series of releases including The High Exhaulted, Ultrasound and The Life and Times of Peter Nelson.
Earning a reputation as a battle – hardened MC with punchlines for days, and having just picked up “Best Lyricist” at the Ohio Hip Hop Awards 2011, Copywrite has created an exceptional album. The title is part inspired by the features on this record with some of the best that the UK and US have to offer, and follows previous collaborations with the UK’s Rhyme Asylum, Loudmouth Melvin, Skillit and Sam Khan.
The release includes contributions from some of the most respected MC’s in the UK game, including recently Radio 1 playlisted Context, Mystro, Genesis Elijah, Iron Braydz, Melanin 9, Eurogang’s S.A.S. and Bigz Flygerian, Akala, and USG’s Don Jaga. Standing shoulder to shoulder with them are US heavyweights Royce da 5 9, Killah Priest, Illogic, Crooked I, Sean Price, Casual, Evidence, Roc Marciano and Sonny Seeza (Onyx).
Also look out for a special guest appearance by the 1st Lady of Hip Hop, DJ Sarah Love.
Copywrite is on top of his game throughout with his unique flow and rhyme skills, complimented by production from Kount Fif, Stu Bangas, Jaguar Skills, Marco Polo, RJD2, Bronze Nazareth, Surock and Illogic.
This is an album for fans of the real deal – lyricists and MC’s of the highest calibre spittin’ fire over bangin’ beats. Copywrite reinforces his position as one of the most skilled wordsmiths around today while producing a record which showcases the true essence of hip hop from both sides of the Atlantic.
First out the block is the title track G$K, produced by Stu Bangas and featuring Jason Rose and Lewisham’s Dru Blu, currently making huge moves on the UK scene right now with his new single “Living the Dream”.
The video was shot in the United States and in London, the latter courtesy of Dirty Media and Despa of Stay Fresh Digital. Stu Bangas also produced last year’s “English Troops” with Dru Blu and English Frank. Both Copywrite & Dru Blu go in hard on this joint with some choice cutting provided courtesy of DJ Drastik.
The album God Save The King releases in the UK on 30th April 2012 on Man Bites Dog Records, also home to Megahertz, Vast Aire, Kount Fif, Dub Sonata and more. Look out for much more news on this release over the coming months including plans for a future UK & European tour later in the year.
Its that time of year again, Xmas and the holiday season
And that can mean only one thing – truly woeful tv scheduling, family dramas & gifts which were clearly designed to be a thinly veiled insult !
So if…and lets face it you will…reach the point of total pyschosis, hopefully this 8 Track Classic hip hop mix will help soothe the nerves & bring you back into the land of the living. Some tasty treats from the UK & USA spanning several decades
All at Urbanelite PR (UK) wish you the best for 2012
Tracklisting
Kingpin – North West Riders
Proof of D12 (prod by J Dilla) – Fizzo
Verbal Kent – Barcode
Cyclonious ft Utopia – Warriors
Public Enemy – Black Steel In The Hour Of Chaos
Pharoahe Monch – Fuck You
Redman – Let’s Get Dirty
Flipmode Squad – Set It On Fire
URBANELITE PROMOTIONS
on Twitter @urbanelitepr & Facebook “Urbanelite Smith”
With only a couple of weeks to go before London’s DJ Sarah Love provides tour support for Aloe Blacc in the UK during December, she gave this extensive video interview to online publication Kix Magazine
Earning his reputation initially in the Australian homegrown scene with artists such as Bliss & Eso, producer M-Phazes went on to produce for internationally renowned stars such as Talib Kweli on Gutter Rainbows, the tracks Clap, Assassins and One Day ft Jill Scott for Pharoahe Monch, and Back on the Scene for Shady’s supergroup Slaughterhouse.
In 2010 he released his debut album “Good Gracious” featuring the cream of Australian hiphop which received global recognition
In October this year it was announced that he was collaborating with DJ Rhettmatic on a new remix album, to be called “Phazed Out” which will feature Big Noyd, Inspectah Deck, Termanology, Heltah Skeltah, Sadat X and many more, due for a 2012 release on Coalmine Records. Emilio Rojas current single Middle Finger was also produced by him
He has worked with several UK artists over the years, most recently Sonnyjim, and was in the UK for a few days recently where he gave this interview to well regarded online Hip Hop Kings.
Ed Andrews of Huck Magazine has also started an excellent new online quarterly magazine dedicated to stories of hip hop “Take The Stage”
The publication, obviously dedicated to hip hop, looks to get the views, news and stories from key figures on the scene who have developed over the years or have just come up, for a better understanding of how they developed their careers and an insight to what’s happening in the scene generally.
Its a departure from the usual reviews and guest features for a more in depth look behind the scenes, and can act as a useful reference point for new aspiring artists to learn from those who have achieved recognition
Issue 2 has just been released to the internet and features Scroobius Pip, DJ Sarah Love, Dr Syntax, Slug and The Last Skeptik
London’s 1st Lady of Hiphop & “One Woman Worldwide Wrecking Machine” DJ Sarah Love came fresh from her support of Cypress Hill’s DJ Muggs at Brixton Jamm on Wednesday to give this interview to the UK’s street tastemaker online magazine Streets On Demand.
She talks about her experience deejaying, touring, life after MTV Base and BBC 1Xtra, and how she’s preparing for being the official UK tour dj for Aloe Blacc in December
In September 2011, UK hiphop artists Mystro, Genesis Elijah and Iron Braydz were in west London filming scenes for a new video to be released for a posse cut which will also feature artists from Oakland’s legendary Hiero Imperium.
The full video will be completed in the next couple of months.
While together, UK’s online Niji Magazine caught up with them to see what was happening behind the scenes, find out what they had coming up in their own right, and also interviewed the video cameraman Despa from the Birmingham based Stay Fresh label and the video director from Dirty Media London
Follow these guys on twitter @GenesisElijah @Braydz @Mystrogen @DespaStayFresh @DirtyMediaLDN @NijiMagazine
