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RPL-UKHHreview

Having already performed an exclusive freestyle video for leading British online hip hop site UKHH.COM some weeks ago, their contributor Ethan Everton has also now reviewed the album Reality Provoking Liberation which released on 28th October.

The article is yet another endorsement among many publications who have covered the release in the past couple of months, opening “Potentially the rawest truths that you’ll hear on record for the remainder of the year, the philosophies behind the wordplay in Apex Zero’s almost entirely self-produced début album Reality Provoking Liberation is if anything a reflective experience for any listener.”

It is in fact a very in depth appraisal of the album, delving into the finer points of the tracks and is summarized “As stated at the beginning, this is more than an just album to muse too. It’s intention is to bring about a new mentally aware consciousness that’s being prohibited in ways unimaginable.”

Read the whole feature HERE

This latest coverage comes at the beginning of the week which finally leads up to the long awaited album launch party event. It takes place this Saturday, 7th December, from 8pm – 1am upstairs at The Vibe Bar, 91 Brick Lane, Shoreditch, London E1 6QL.

Apex has been busy in recent weeks fine tuning his set which will be performed with a live band. Also performing on the night will be Caxton Press & Triple Darkness member Iron Braydz. Itch FM’s DJ A. Gee will be on the 1’s & 2’s with Peaches the regular Hoochinoo host. Entry is £5.00 on the door with the nearest tube station being Aldgate East, around a 5 minute walk from the venue. It’s advised to bring photographic I.D. for the event in line with most venues’ entrance policy.

It’s sure to be one of the London’s hip hop events of the month, so definitely not one to miss for all hip hop heads in the area

Also look out for the release this week of a brand new track “Transcendental Emcee”, not on the album but especially recorded to mark the event.

Meantime, check out the video of his freestyle which was featured on UKHH.Com earlier in the autumn

Any further media enquiries about the album or the launch event can be addressed to UrbanElite PR HERE

The album can be bought in digital and CD formats direct from http://firstandlast.bandcamp.com and you can also reach Apex on twitter @ApexZero00 or the site @UKHHcom

UrbanElite PR
www.urbanelitepr.com
T : @urbanelitepr

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SoulonFire-WordisBond

Los Angeles Cali, Greensboro NC & Camden NJ….theyve all been or are home to hip hop veteran Emcee ethemadassassin who has just released his 3rd solo album “Soul on Fire” today

Starting out in the rap battle scene during what’s often referred to as the Golden Era of hip hop in the 90’s, E’s music has always reflected his life in an open an honest way. Growing up in tough times, he got educated, travelled and developed both personally and musically.

The current album is a snapshot autobiography reflecting back on the early days and updating on the here& now. Tracks such as “80’s & 90’s” and “Can’t Get Enough” have that classic soul and era vibe, whereas he lets loose with his renowned verbal assaults over the rockier joints like “Elements”, “Sparta” and “Fight Music”. The skills are in full effect on “Tiger Blade” and many props have been afforded to the deep sentiment portrayed in “Letter To Mommy”

He describes the album as just “the latest chapter in my book of life“, but this album is full of true street stories – he’s lived and seen it, there’s no fantasy rap goin on here

He took time out recently to speak with Chase March from The Word is Bond’s Rap Radio Hour. Hear the entire audio interview online HERE

You can check out all the tracks and buy the album on iTunes at http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/soul-on-fire/id685226091

As a taster, check out the videos for What It’s Supposed to Be produced by Kyo Itachi, Can’t Get Enough and the single 80’s & 90’s produced by Sci Fi Stu

You can also follow E on twitter @ethemadassassin and the guys at the magazine @ChaseMarch & @TheWordisBond Thanks also to Teckzilla for his help on that feature.

Any further media & press inquiries about ethemadassassin can be addressed to UrbanElite PR HERE

It’s a brilliant album in the best traditions of classic rap & hip hop. Check it out & support

UrbanElite PR
www.urbanelitepr.com
T : @urbanelitepr

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MagnaCarta-Huck

Melanin 9 took time out recently to speak with London’s Huck Magazine on the 5 rhymes & verses that stand out for him over the past decades

Part of a regular feature for the publication, the London emcee has picked lines from Nas “Take in Blood”, Ras Kass “Reelishymn”, The Roots “No Alibi”, Cannibal Ox “Iron Galaxy” and Jesht “ESP” and explains why he rates them and the meaning for him as an artist.

You can read this feature in the magazine which is in stores now, and can also be bought online HERE

With Christmas only around the corner, you can buy Melanin 9’s Magna Carta, easily one of the hottest UK hip hop albums of 2012 at iTunes digital store HERE or order the physical version via http://m9ether.bandcamp.com

Look out for new interviews and videos coming in January 2013

Meantime keep up to speed with them on twitter @Melanin_9 and @HUCKmagazine

All media, press & radio handled internationally by UrbanElite PR. Any further magazine or club/event booking enquiries can be sent via the CONTACT page on this site

UrbanElite Promotions
www.urbanelitepr.com
T : @urbanelitepr

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MagnaCarta-SabotageTimes

UK’s online magazine Sabotage Times cover a wide range of content including music, sport, fashion, politics, food & drink, travel…a full lifestyle publication with the leader “We Can’t Concentrate So Why Should You”

Contributor Tobi Oke has just reviewed Melanin 9’s new album “Magna Carta” for them introducing the release as “an exploration into the facets of the mind”

Touching on the influence of the 90’s era of hip hop, or Golden Era, the acknowledgement is there that the album takes it to a contemporary level, and not just a slavish re-enactment:

“M9 is heavily informed by supreme mathematics, righteous teachings and the general imparting of knowledge using hip-hop as his medium. Regardless of this, the music above all is what truly separates one MC from another and whilst being a very capable lyricist, M9 has wisely aligned himself with some of the premier beat makers this country has to offer to sculpt his sound.”

The review is a thoughtful look at this record in context of the various directions the genre has taken generally, and the artist’s approach specifically in terms of subject matter and lyricism

Read the whole review HERE

The album can be bought via iTunes now HERE while CD versions can be purchased by mail order from http://m9ether.bandcamp.com

You can follow him on twitter @Melanin_9 and the guys at the magazine @Teflontobz & @Sabotagetimes

There’s been a fantastic international media response to the release over the past couple of months, and you can expect to see more press coverage and video features into 2013.

Any further press and media enquiries about this release can be directed to UrbanElite Promotions HERE Any club and event promoters looking to book Melanin 9 can also contact us via that link or at the artist’s Bandcamp

UrbanElite Promotions
www.urbanelitepr.com
T : @urbanelitepr

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MagnaCarta-Bonafide

MagnaCarta-SurvivingTheGoldenAge

The UK’s Bonafide Magazine has today exclusively streamed album snippets of Melanin 9’s “Magna Carta”

The magazine, who will also include the album in their Top 50 releases of 2012, introduces the feature “Melanin 9 is a true UK hip-hop talent….and the LP tackles real issues such as human rights, social cohesion and self worth”

The 18 minute long stream includes all of the tracks in order of the tracklist:

1) Gene of Isis (prod by Anatomy)
2) Magna Carta (prod by Anatomy)
3) Landslide (prod by Anatomy – scratches by Evil Ed)
4) The 7 Blues (ft Madame Pepper) (prod by Hey!Zues)
5) Cosmos (prod by Parental – scratches by DJ LOD)
6) 11:08 (prod by Option Command)
7) Love’s Stencil (ft Madame Pepper) (prod by OhBliv)
8 ) Heartless Island (ft Triple Darkness) (prod by Jehst)
9) White Russian (ft Roc Marciano) (prod by Anatomy)
10) Red Snow (prod by Anatomy)
11) Organised Democracy (prod by Tony Mahony – scratches by DJ Madhandz)
12) No Man’s Land (ft Triple Darkness) (prod by 7th Dan)
13) Colour Blind (ft Madame Pepper) (prod by Anatomy)
14) Marble (prod by Tony Mahoney)

Check the full feature HERE

Meanwhile, Stateside online magazine Surviving The Golden Age has reviewed the album, again picking up on the strong influence of the Golden Era of 90’s hip hop contained within the release.

Comparing his “raw, hard hitting hip hop beats” to that found on Nas’ “Illmatic” (not the first time the comparison has been made), and like Nas & Biggie “his lyrical content deals with his city….North London” the magazine cites the track “Heartless Island” and credits Melanin 9 as “a highly literate rapper as he references House of Flying Daggers in the same breath as soliloquies”

Read the whole review HERE

There has been extensive international media coverage on this release, with more on the way, and once you check out the album stream on Bonafide you’ll hear why

You can buy the album on iTunes now HERE

You can also purchase the CD physical format direct by mail order from http://m9ether.bandcamp.com

You can follow him on twitter @Melanin_9 and the magazines @BonafideZine & @StGAdam

All press, radio and other media promotions has been handled by UrbanElite PR, and any other enquiries regarding the release can be sent HERE

Urbanelite Promotions
www.urbanelitepr.com
T : @urbanelitepr

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MagnaCarta-GuestlistInterview

London’s monthly music newspaper and online platform The Guestlist Network had already given Melanin 9’s new release “Magna Carta” their full endorsement by naming it their “Album of the Month” at the beginning of November.

They have just followed that up with a new interview courtesy of Janine Francois

He speaks on his new album and how it was put together, the universal nature of hip hop culture compared to the more insular outlook of others, his thoughts on the Golden Era and the influence that has played in his writing style and his earlier days coming up through the scene

Read the whole interview HERE

The album was released on iTunes on 3rd December, and you can buy that HERE

If you prefer physical CD copies and the 12″ vinyl of his single featuring Roc Marciano “White Russian”, these can be purchased via http://m9ether.bandcamp.com

Follow him on twitter @Melanin_9 and the magazine @GuestlistDotNet

Any further media enquiries about this release can be addressed to UrbanElite PR HERE

UrbanElite Promotions
www.urbanelitepr.com
T : @urbanelitepr

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MagnaCarta-AudioCred

MagnaCarta-Sampleface

Two more international reviews for Melanin 9’s album “Magna Carta” which released today on iTunes. You can buy it HERE

AudioCred is a multi genre online magazine covering “Music with Insight”.

Most of their content would focus on all forms of “urban” music, but they also report on other styles such as blues, rock, dance and pop, with many internationally renowned artists having had their releases reviewed.

All the more impressive that Melanin 9’s debut album is afforded a 4.5 / 5 rating, and the analysis provided by Bryan Hahn is in depth, addressing the concept behind the name “Magna Carta”, the subject matter delivered in a style reminiscent of ATCQ, Mobb Deep, DOOM and Aesop Rock, and his contemporary take on the undoubted influences from the Golden Era of hip hop.

“M9’s style and word choice is impressive and captivating. He has definitely done his fair share of homework on history and various ideologies and then masterfully breaks them down with finesse. Take note America, we could learn a thing or two from the Brits” he concludes

Read the whole review HERE

Second up is a review by Blaise for the UK’s online Sampleface

The name of the blog taken by their own definition “a facial expression made when a piece of music is deemed worthy of sampling” inspired by DOOM !

Another informed 4 star review where some background information is provided about Melanin 9, and again comparisons in approach and delivery are made not for the first time with artists of the calibre of Nas, Lord Finesse, Wu Tang and Mobb Deep.

Blaise himself is a hip hop artist and can appreciate the wordplay, lyricism and subject matter displayed by Melanin 9, in his own words, “there is a wonderful balance of lyrical artistry on a canvas of exceptionally produced beats”

Read the entire review HERE

The scale of media coverage on this release so far, with more to come, isn’t just hype. This is an appreciation of a lyricist and hip hop artist drawing from the best of the Tru Skool Golden Era generation and giving it a different flava for 2012. Not only for himself, this can only be a promising sign of things to come for all similar international artists and fans of the genre.

Follow Melanin 9 on twitter @Melanin_9 and if you prefer the album in CD format, it can be “mail ordered” via http://m9ether.bandcamp.com You can also purchase the 12″ vinyl of his single “White Russian” featuring Roc Marciano from his Bandcamp. Meanwhile, you can connect with both magazines on twitter @AudioCred & @SampleFace

Any further press, radio or other media enquiries about this release can be sent HERE

UrbanElite Promotions
www.urbanelitepr.com
T : @urbanelitepr