Classic Material: Framework "Hello World"

Street rap, gangsta rap, call it what you will, is not a seller in Seattle. Sure their are shows with huge lineups and assorted cats claiming they keep it thorough out here but who knows what’s just talk and who might actually be active in another way of life. Telling stories about this way of life has been a part of rap since it’s inception, yet what’s remained most popular here in Seattle has been anything more conscious leaning and positive.

Positivity is great but their needs to be a balance and it’s an untruth to portray Seattle as an always happy place with no crime or suspect characters. Framework’s debut from 2005 Hello World could have been that wake up call but the street life wouldn’t let him go.

Seemingly always in and out of prison Frame has never really been introduced to the local Hip Hop community. I’ve seen his name on some flyer's for shows in the south end and have found a second album released by him - missing any Bean One production.

The pairing of one emcee with one producer is always an awesome experience. You hear cohesion that can’t be matched by any other system. Bean’s been steadily making his name off a diverse sound that is less boom bap inspired than his peers Jake One and Vitamin D but still knocks. He uses an assortment of drums, his samples are always crisp. Nothing is minimal with Bean, he makes productions of serious magnitude.

Frame tackles these tracks with ease. His flow is impeccable. It’s a reminder why listening to a dude flowing can be so enjoyable. He just does it. Perhaps it’s something he has spent hour after hour on the corners doing, maybe he is just a gifted individual. Throughout Hello World you will be met with images of life and death, violence and crime, hope and stress, prosperity and utter despair. It’s all real and it’s all from one man’s mind.

Framework captures a lot here. His verses are verbose, even when he writes a hook saying “you’ll see me in the club/you’ll see me in the whip” he will spend the duration of his 16 taking you deeper than you ever wanted to be in the mind of a criminal. Food for thought.

Despite the heavy subject matter this record will not stop playing in your head. It doesn’t get old. Bean’s beats are incredible and do not bore. Frame is a captivating individual with a story to tell, and it’s a story Seattle seems to wish it could hide.

Bean One has been nice enough to share this record free of charge on his Bandcamp page, if you have never heard this 206 classic get it now!

Camp Lo "Luchini"

Camp Lo - Luchini (AKA This Is It) from Dundy on Vimeo.

I've never seen this before... I remember my boy David picking this up at Face The Music (RIP) in Eugene and listening to it on the drive back to the coast. We were late to it, but it was dope none the less. It's still dope.

Andre Benjamin Is...

What more can really be said about Andre Benjamin? Everyone has sung his praise the man he is one of the best and still relevant emcees and he hasn't dropped an album in four years. But every track that has come has been ridiculous.

So while his slick talking, pimp walking partner gets his much deserved shine I'm just gonna slide this little gem into the mix.

Produced by DJ Ideal (the website included in the comments is no longer active and I can't find any info on DJideal.com to make me think it's the same person? Someone solve this mystery!) this 42 track mixtape features a laundry list of classic Outkast jawns from their entire discography along with mixed in snippets of interviews Andre has conducted, giving you a peak into the man just a little more.

On top of the awesome mix here you also get these dope pictures produced I'm assuming for the album. By whom I once again can't confirm.

Download the mixtape and images here!

Teebs & Jackhigh "Rains"

Pretty fucking weird. Thoughts, comments on these visuals? Teebs & Jackhigh Tropics EP out now on Svetlana Industries.

Mount Kimbie "Crooks & Lovers"

Getting away from Hip Hop and the town for a moment, I’ve been playing this debut full length from Mount Kimbie heavily as of late. Crooks & Lovers is a dope record that I hear influences from 2 of my favorite records of the last half decade, Bibio’s Ambivilance Avenue and Burial’s Untrue.

The duo constructs a wide range of soundscapes for you to wrap your mind around. They chop things to bits and make you nod your head to the tiniest of snippets of funky swing. “Before I Move Off” starts with a dope chopped guitar sample and sparse drums before bringing an A Capella vocal chop that adds a whole new dimension to the depth of the song. Before it is all over the guitar disappears and the vocals play with the drums brilliantly.



Elsewhere they play with a more techno feel, but what I truly dig about them is their constant ability to keep the tracks moving forward, progressing to something new. Nothing ever stays the same. Elements come into play, and fade out. Perhaps they remain in the background at a lower decibel level. New samples are triggered and new heights are reached.

The album is short, but it keeps you coming back. It can play beautifully in order, the closing track is amazing. Featuring just a repeating drum hit and some guitar plucks along with random mumbled vocals - it’s totally haunting. Overall these guys deliver a record that doesn’t get old and is much more versatile than most full lengths that are released in the genre tag of “electronic.”

Freddie Gibbs "Oil Money"

Dope song. Gangsta Gibbs stays rocking it!

Wiz Khalifa "Damn it Feels Good To Be A Taylor"

I've been riding for Wiz for a long time and while I'm not certain signing to Atlantic was the best move he could of made, I do think it was all very strategically played by all parties involved considering Warner Bros. is the parent company.

Anyway I haven't been into the recent leaks that have come out but this captures exactly what I've always loved about the Khalifa man!

Lace Cadence x Isabella Du Graf - Moonlight (Video)

Wowzers! Big up to our homie Lace Cadence for dropping an amazing mixtape and this top notch vid to accompany it. Lace has been a good friend of Members Only for a long while, and we've always though his talent needed to be fully appreciated by the widest possible audience. This video goes a long way towards accomplishing that.

The man Jon Augustavo handles directing duties and once again delivers a video that brings the song to whole new level. This is probably my favorite joint on the mixtape, and the concept and execution here is damn near flawless. Speaking of flawless... Joining Lace is the incredibly talented Isabella du Graf, whose sultry voice is only matched by her beauty. You get a nice glimpse of both in the video and, sorry homie, she kinda steals the show!

Long story short: great video, great vocals and great visuals. Get that Launchpad Mixtape like yesterday.

The Physics @ Jet Set, 5.31.10

I was real excited to hear The Physics rock the one year anniversay of Jet Set. They were fresh of the release of the best three song EP ever, Three Piece and I had long heard their rep for destroying stages. I was never a fan of Future Talk but High Society kept them relevant in my ears.

For their short set The Physics kept the selections varied, giving us things from throughout the discography. "Ready For We" was the single from their debut and it's rolling piano keys keep your head nodding while Thig and Monk's bars will keep you thinking. The Capitol Club was cracking that night and there was no better way to celebrate one year of dope local hip hop than with one of the brightest out here rocking the mic.

Bop Alloy "prePAIRED" (Free Download)

I remember hearing Substantial's QN5 record and hating it. Then while working at Seattle U last winter I met a student who goes by Marcus D. We chopped it up and he brought in a project he had done with - Substantial. Needless to say I was suspicious but I popped it in the player at work and let it ride.

Not only did I find myself nodding my head but I had a couple students come ask who it was, and Marcus D was strategically placed close enough to hear and come give her a flyer for their upcoming show.

Marcus D won the Big Tune last year for a reason and while work kept me away this year the video I've seen of his knockout round it was a pretty close call. But the beat battle is not the place for the type of beats you'll hear on the Bop Alloy tape prePAIRED. Instead we are treated to awesome jazzy tunes that will have you in the mood to kick back and relax. Substantial rides them well and doesn't bore me at all.

This collection of tracks dropped recently to help get attention for their official full length which has been repackaged as a "deluxe edition." Head over to their bandcamp to check it out, stream some of the songs from prePAIRED below - the five Marcus D instrumentals at the end are pretty impressive.

Nappy Roots "The People" (Video)

Nappy Roots - The People from AVJ Records on Vimeo.

I'm a big Nappy Roots fan. They do their own thing and it's dope. Their live show is incredibly on point, you will be entertained and partying with them all night long. At the end of the day though they are just some humble dudes from small communities. And it's their songs, such as this one, that resonate with me the most.

Get hip to Pursuit of Nappyness if you ain't!

Eighty4 Fly "The Eighty4 Fly Project"

Eighty4 Fly has a song on his new EP called “Sunset Blvd.” It features a slow beat that reminds me of Nelly’s “Dilemma” for some reason. On it he tells a story about kicking it with a chick, you can guess where. Eighty4 Fly is from Seattle but you wouldn’t know it. And it might just be the secret to coming success for another talented rapper out of the 206.

While everyone is making a big deal out of Pinder’s move to Atlanta, DJ’s and producers from the town have been leaving for greener pastures for years. But it’s not really about moving away but expanding your brand to new markets. You can have a home base in one city and connections to make other major markets feel like home. Eighty4 Fly seems to be working towards this goal.

His music is smooth, slick and refreshing. It sounds like commercial radio in some respects. Certainly seems to me like it could break the Clear Channel playlist before your favorite Champagne Champagne or Mash Hall track. His beat selection is in favor of airy knockers that float along, epitomized by “So Cool” a lead off track that features a great video courtesy of Jon Augustavo.



The EP opens with a thumper more directed at a harder audience but doesn’t push to far. “Hello Future” seems like his manifesto of sorts talking about what’s coming next (him) and he spits some braggadocios lines to make you believe he is just that bad ass. It works, his cockiness is conveyed with a dope flow over this beat that just begs to be blasted.

He closes The Eighty4 Fly Project out with a joint that features Nipsey Hussle. At first listen I didn’t dig the cut too much. I’m still a little disappointed by the beat. It’s cool but I want more bombast, within the context of the EP however it fits well and I can’t be mad at a dude making sure he has a complete package. As far as who gets who? Nipsey is a very talented rapper and technically I like his flow more, but I think Fly might have got him lyrically. Both of em are spitting bars - you’ll be playing this song for a minute.

In between there are six more cuts most of which posses synth heavy beats with serious bass knocks ready to set the club off. Eighty4 Fly spends most of the album talking about trying to scoop chicks and making money.

The Chemist cooks up half of the EP and you can’t be mad at any of his tracks. “The Flyest” might be his best, with its celebratory keys and stuttering drums it’s a cross between dirty south and Swizz Beatz style east coast club banger. This is Fly’s greatest asset, he can play to a lot of markets. His appeal is broad.

A lot of groups have tried to make a more accessible style of music in the town and few have really seen the kind of success the music implies. I have no crystal ball, but Eighty4 Fly is doing things the right way and if he keeps creating product like this he will do what he wants in his musical career.

Download the Eighty4 Fly Project here!

Shabazz Palaces "Barksdale Corners"

I wasn't thinking this song was moving me but when I saw myself starting it over and over, time after time I decided there must be something going on that my mind likes. It's got this grimey synth in the background that hypnotizes you and a pulsating yet faint bass thump keeps you in a trance while Ish spits some dope lines that sometimes I get and sometimes I don't. But you gotta just keep on listening.



Thanks to I Want You Magazine for liberating this track out of the Palaceer's lab and to Andrew Matson over at the Times for keeping people hip to all things related to Seattle Hip Hop.

Lace Cadence "Launchpad"

In the past Seattle has been notorious for motherfuckers who don't posse up. You look at Atlanta or all these other places where if you are from here I'm fucking with you period. That's not the case here but it's becoming the case here. You are seeing hella other artists at other artists shows, that didn’t used to happen."
-Lace Cadence. March 2, 2010

Cats are gonna hate and say people are riding for this cause it’s from the town. They are right. And it doesn’t matter. I’m not listening to anything that sounds like Launchpad right now and probably won’t be picking up anything in it’s vein after rocking the tape, but hey someone from my town makes something like this and it sounds dope? Why the hell wouldn’t I bump it.

Musically it’s pop R&B to me. I’m not hip to the genre today but it reminds me of Marques Houston, Omarion, The Dream, etc. The beats are all synths and lush keys, thumping drums and heavy bass lines. Vocally Lace occupies a space in between what’s been his method of delivery, rapping, and displaying a voice that has always been hinted at on his records but never fully flushed out.

On a track like “Moonlight” he really shows us his range and makes me believe that he can really sing. Content wise he is talking about love and relationships. A lot of different thoughts are expressed. Sex is often times the goal and I can just see the girls eating up a song like “Wet,” each and every one of them thinking they are being privately serenaded as they listen.

Lace is a hip hop head at the end of the day and he makes sure to give us them head nodding jams and I challenge even the hardest of your crew to not smile and nod his head to something here. It’s relate-able, it’s fun, it’s pop! And it was made in the Central District - watch for part two of my conversation.

The only guest on the project is Eighty4Fly and he might be the perfect rapper to be paired with Lace here. Fly is a rapper that is aiming to please a market larger than Seattle and that’s what Launchpad will hopefully do for Lace. KUBE DJ’s Hyphen and Mayor John Moore hosting and B-Mello mixing it are big endorsements that few in the town get.

Lace Cadence has recorded underground rap in Macklemore’s parents house and sat in the lab with DJ Quik. He’s made albums filled with talent that has never been heard. He’s made music his life and never looked back. Now he is on his “grown man shit” both musically and on the business front. Download the Launchpad and have some fun before summer is completely gone and everyone is dancing to these tunes inside the warm club.

Kendrick Lamar "Monster (Freestyle)"

Kendrick Lamar - "Monster" from CALMATIC on Vimeo.

Waking up with an hour to post something before work means I got time to post one thing for yall in the morn. Well Lamar is a captivating dude! This had to get out. I love how he spits the verse hella aggressive but yet is smiling and laughing throughout, letting you know this black hippie is just having fun with it. KILLS the beat!

"I'm the best rapper alive tell Lil Wayne to swallow his pride"

Download his tape when it drops and grab his first project on the bandcamp!

House Shoes "Newports"

I guess you could say I've been on my D shit lately! When can you not be though, the town stays coming with some of the most consistent quality tracks all the time. House Shoes is the quintessential DJ from the town and has been doing beats on the low for awhile. All City Records has been doing a 10" vinyl series featuring an assortment of cats, you can catch this song on the 4th volume.

Now if only "The Makings" could get some visuals! Stay up world.

Big Boi ft. Yelawolf - You Ain't No DJ (Video)

One of my favorite songs of the year on the Album of the Year gets a proper vid. Fuck the haters, Yelawolf is the truth.

Diezel P @ Jet Set, 5.24.10

I first heard Diezel P last year at the charity even in Portland Cold Nights War Coats which saw over 20 of the city's emcees come out and rock to a crowd that gained admittance either with a 10 dollar donation or they brought in coats to be distributed to the homeless and needy in the area. It was a great event and showed me a wide array of talent that the Bridgetown possess.

When Swerve told me he had booked Diezel P for Jet Set I was excited and he didn't disappoint that evening. This video captures his energetic presence and serious delivery and the crowd totally seems to be into it. He gave me a copy of his album that night and I never did make it through it unfortunately but this video has me on the hunt to dig it out and give it another go.

See you on Monday when we got DV One and The Mayor holding down with your resident DJs 100Proof and Swervewon!

SOTA @ High Dive Sat 9/11/10

This should be a fantastic evening of choons in Fremont. I believe the free Love Fest is going on all day long and this will be a perfect nightcap. Hope to see y'all out.

The Roots & John Legend doing Mr. Withers

This is epic! Over 11 minute in studio performance of the Bill Withers classic "I Can't Write Left Handed" from the collaborative album Wake Up! out September 21st.

From the bluesy intro of the song, to it's up beat and groovy break and all the way to the end when Quest, Kirk and company do their best to channel some psychedelic soul a la Dennis Coffey and Norman Whitfield this song is awesome! They capture the spirit and sound of a different time.

Shouts to the dopehouse for gettin a kid hip!