Search "monokle+saints" 469 Items

Hailing from Massilon, Ohio, rapper Stalley has a well-deserved reputation for being a potent on-stage presence, and a force of hip-hop lyrical acumen. Throughout his career he has lent his distinctly Midwestern take on Dirty South-style rap to collaborations with veterans like Scarface, Curren$y, Ski Beatz, Paul Wall, and Rick Ross, with whom he has had a longtime association with, from his time as a signee of Ross' own Maybach Music Group label.
Now in 2018, Stalley finds himself riding solo once again, and unrestrained by a label, and creatively free. This lack of inhibitions comes out in full force on his new EP Tell The Truth Shame The Devil. Produced largely by Supah Mario (Drake, Young Thug, 2 Chainz), Tell The Truth takes an emotional detour from the familiar club anthems of his previous works, touching on issues of vulnerability, suicidal thoughts, artistic freedom, and more intense lyrical fare. (Which is not to say the album is completely free of freewheeling, boastful party rap goodness.)
Featuring guest spots from the hip-hop rapscallions of Migos, and freestyle aficionado Young Scooter, Tell The Truth Shame The Devil is uncompromising, filled equally with starkness and bare honesty as it is with revelry and ostentation.

Ohio rapper Stalley burst onto the scene in 2010 with his breakthrough mixtape “Lincoln Way Nights”. In the years since, he's seen his stock rise further after signing with Rick Ross and Maybach Music Group, contributing to chart-topping albums, and releasing acclaimed solo projects featuring artists like Scarface, Nipsey Hussle, Migos, 2Chainz, Ty Dolla $ign, Meek Mill, Curren$y, and more. Now going the independent route, Stalley is back with the new project “Reflection Of Self: The Head Trip”. The collection is entirely produced by Jansport J, the California beatsmith responsible for tracks by Snoop Dogg, Ab-Soul, Dom Kennedy, Freddie Gibbs, Kool G Rap, Planet Asia, and many more. With Jansport’s raw, soulful instrumentals setting the tone, "Reflection Of Self: The Head Trip" is Stalley’s most introspective project to date. "With this music it’s more spiritual - it’s my story," he explains. "By being independent and having total control of my career, I now have the freedom to create freely and bare my whole self to my true supporters."

Soundsci returns with two new remixes off their "Soundsational" album on a limited 7in single!

Fresh from the success of the "Soundsational" album, Soundsci are back with the instrumentals from their album, which will also include instrumental versions of two new remixes from their upcoming "Soundsci Styles b/w Coastin’" remixes 45 single.

Now that's what we call a remix treatment! Soul Supreme enlists a dream line-up for the official remix of "Taking The Stand." The intro line is all there is to say that this 45 is a no-brainer to cop:"Thes Oneis on the beat,Soul Supremecomposed the suite,the Fudgemunkis about to speak."

As a long-time fan of People Under The Stairs and Damu The Fudgemunk, this is a full-circle moment for Soul Supreme. He deejayed alongside Damu in the past, and he has shown his appreciation to both P.U.T.S. and Damu with various tribute mixes. Matter of fact, this release is a full-circle moment for any hip-hop head: this 45 marks the very first time Thes One and Damu can be heard on one record together.

In typical crate-digging fashion, Thes One flips key elements from Soul Supreme's "Taking The Stand" into a neck-snapping beat. The instrumental album version of "Taking The Stand" can be found on the B-side of this 45. The original is a beautifully melodic jazz-funk head-nodder featuring drums by Tamuz Dolev and a spirited guitar solo by Radiohop's Johnny Biner.

"Taking The Stand" originally appeared on Soul Supreme's highly acclaimed instrumental albumPoetic Justice. Released last year, the album channeled his ongoing legal battle with a Norwegian label that stole his music. Fresh off his latest collaborations withRaw Poetic, Damu The Fudgemunk hopped back on the mic for this remix to voice his displeasure about shifty record labels. Damu also laid down cuts for the outro of the track, serving as a tribute to the lateDouble K.

"While you hadMadlib,DOOM, andQuas doing all kinds of esoteric stuff in this beautiful wave of underground hip-hop in the late '90s and early 2000s, these were legends but not people you actually knew.People Under the Stairs were like your friends, kind of, even though you don't know them,"Soul Supreme toldWax Poetics in 2022."They are more like everyday people who make amazing music. (...) Thes OneandDouble K were really honest about who they are. That's something, for me, that I consider one of the most important things in music."The 45 release of "Taking The Stand (Thes One Remix)" shows just that: three like-minded music heads at their most honest and passionate.

Limited edition of 300 copies on CD in jewel case.

"Ya Oughta Know" should have been the title of the debut album of Sons Of Sam, the Philly-based duo comprised of The Xav and PA-Kid. Here we have a collection of 12 tracks recorded between 1993 to 1994 plus the bonus track "Glass Eyes" from 1996.

Going back in time, Xav says "The Sons Of Sam title is not what it seems. Everybody thought we were modeling ourselves after Charles Manson the mass murderer of the 70's. Actually, the truth is that we are brothers who have a father named Sam. Easy as that. But we do manage to murder the mic from time to time and an appropriate name would have been the Mic Manglers. We did our own tracks when we worked as individuals but when we were both on tracks together PA-Kid originally did the tracks. He could make any track fit both of our styles and if it didn't fit I would usually adapt to the style of the track. PA-Kid's original name was Samson and i was called Xay. That was given to my by a fellow MC named Manifest in 1986 when i was his DJ. I started writing more and began recording my own tracks."

Available in a limited run on 2LP, CD in jewel case, cassette and digitally on all major platforms.

Limited edition of 100 copies on cassette.

"Ya Oughta Know" should have been the title of the debut album of Sons Of Sam, the Philly-based duo comprised of The Xav and PA-Kid. Here we have a collection of 12 tracks recorded between 1993 to 1994 plus the bonus track "Glass Eyes" from 1996.

Going back in time, Xav says "The Sons Of Sam title is not what it seems. Everybody thought we were modeling ourselves after Charles Manson the mass murderer of the 70's. Actually, the truth is that we are brothers who have a father named Sam. Easy as that. But we do manage to murder the mic from time to time and an appropriate name would have been the Mic Manglers. We did our own tracks when we worked as individuals but when we were both on tracks together PA-Kid originally did the tracks. He could make any track fit both of our styles and if it didn't fit I would usually adapt to the style of the track. PA-Kid's original name was Samson and i was called Xay. That was given to my by a fellow MC named Manifest in 1986 when i was his DJ. I started writing more and began recording my own tracks."

Available in a limited run on 2LP, CD in jewel case, cassette and digitally on all major platforms.

Limited edition of 500 copies on 2LP in gatefold sleeve incl. inlay card.

"Ya Oughta Know" should have been the title of the debut album of Sons Of Sam, the Philly-based duo comprised of The Xav and PA-Kid. Here we have a collection of 12 tracks recorded between 1993 and 1994 plus the bonus track "Glass Eyes" from 1996.

Going back in time, Xav says, "The Sons Of Sam title is not what it seems. Everybody thought we were modeling ourselves after Charles Manson, the mass murderer of the 70s. Actually, the truth is that we are brothers who have a father named Sam. Easy as that. But we do manage to murder the mic from time to time, and an appropriate name would have been the Mic Manglers. We did our own tracks when we worked as individuals but when we were both on tracks together PA-Kid originally did the tracks. He could make any track fit both of our styles and if it didn't fit I would usually adapt to the style of the track. PA-Kid's original name was Samson, and I was called Xay. That was given to my by a fellow MC named Manifest in 1986 when I was his DJ. I started writing more and began recording my own tracks."

Available in a limited run on 2LP, CD in jewel case, cassette and digitally on all major platforms.

Solemn Brigham is 1/2 of the group Marlowe. His music has been featured on Gatorade's G is for Greatness ad campaign, 7-Eleven's Harmony Korine (Kids, Gummo, Spring Breakers) directed low rider bike campaign, and NBA2K22. South Sinner Street is his debut solo album coming Sept 24th.

About the Album:
It is no secret that things are getting worse. By virtually any metric––economic or medical, or ones more abstract and spiritual––American society is in decay. The feeling permeates daily life in innumerable ways, giving the present a gnawing, ambient dread.

Solemn Brigham is not content to leave this at a low hum. On his dazzling new album, South Sinner Street, Solemn examines this decay through the prism of his hometown: Albemarle, North Carolina, where the blocks he grew up on are crumbling like everything else. “What was once a vibrant area now survives as a reminder that the only thing eternal is change,” Solemn says when describing the project’s genesis. “Trash and debris flood the streets, relics of the many lives lived––each piece with a story to tell.” South Sinner Street not only traces the degradation of the world around us, but documents the way communities can come together to stave off that slow death, lifting its members up in the process.

Solemn is uniquely equipped to animate the relics of a once-thriving neighborhood with the specificity they deserve. The rapper, whose work with his fellow North Carolinian, L’Orange, as the duo Marlowe has been critically acclaimed, is one of the most vocally acrobatic working today, able to contort himself into a dizzying array of different flows and inflections, accomplishing alone the sort of musical variety that sprawling collectives try and fail to achieve. Take “Couple Towns,” where Solemn moves from a seesaw pocket into a flow that cascades over the ends of bars; contrast this with the bonus track “Relax,” where each bar sounds as if it’s the final thought spilling out of his mind at the end of an impassioned phrase. The end of “Vice North” even recalls the technically stunning runs of One Be Lo, the Michigan rapper who in the 2000s became one of the genre’s chief chroniclers of a similar country-wide disintegration.

But this is not merely a showcase for verbal acrobatics. South Sinner Street is deeply personal, juxtaposing personal growth with the decay that surrounds it. “This is no rags to riches story,” Solemn warns. Of course––it’s more complicated than that. When, on “Vantablack,” of a toddler cradled in his mother’s arms while that mother nurses a cigarette, he is not asking the listener to imagine a tragic end or a harrowing origin story. The point is that we are all, perpetually, the child and the mother: doing our best to cope, even against our better judgment; persevering despite the circumstances that surround us.

And yet South Sinner Street is buoyed by a sense of playfulness that lights up even the pitch-black corners of Albemarle. “Nothing Left” succeeds in turning end-of-your-rope sorry into something like an in joke. When, on “Vice North,” Solemn raps about putting his hands together in prayer only to find “the line still busy,” his voice bakes something amusing in the complaint––maybe the sense that a young man in a small city is irked at God the way he might be at a flaky friend from the gym. And then, speaking of gyms, comes the laugh-out-loud moment on “Dirty Whip,” when Solemn concedes that he didn’t make the basketball team “‘cause I’m me-first.’”

Across its 14 songs, South Sinner Street argues for Solemn Brigham as one of the most exciting artists in underground hip-hop, a technical virtuoso who also happens to be one of the genre’s most surprising, most deeply personal songwriters. The album evokes the feeling of climbing onto a house’s roof to survey the nearly-burning city around you, with all the peril that entails––but also all the possibility.

Solemn Brigham is 1/2 of the group Marlowe. His music has been featured on Gatorade's G is for Greatness ad campaign, 7-Eleven's Harmony Korine (Kids, Gummo, Spring Breakers) directed low rider bike campaign, and NBA2K22. South Sinner Street is his debut solo album coming Sept 24th.

About the Album:
It is no secret that things are getting worse. By virtually any metric––economic or medical, or ones more abstract and spiritual––American society is in decay. The feeling permeates daily life in innumerable ways, giving the present a gnawing, ambient dread.

Solemn Brigham is not content to leave this at a low hum. On his dazzling new album, South Sinner Street, Solemn examines this decay through the prism of his hometown: Albemarle, North Carolina, where the blocks he grew up on are crumbling like everything else. “What was once a vibrant area now survives as a reminder that the only thing eternal is change,” Solemn says when describing the project’s genesis. “Trash and debris flood the streets, relics of the many lives lived––each piece with a story to tell.” South Sinner Street not only traces the degradation of the world around us, but documents the way communities can come together to stave off that slow death, lifting its members up in the process.

Solemn is uniquely equipped to animate the relics of a once-thriving neighborhood with the specificity they deserve. The rapper, whose work with his fellow North Carolinian, L’Orange, as the duo Marlowe has been critically acclaimed, is one of the most vocally acrobatic working today, able to contort himself into a dizzying array of different flows and inflections, accomplishing alone the sort of musical variety that sprawling collectives try and fail to achieve. Take “Couple Towns,” where Solemn moves from a seesaw pocket into a flow that cascades over the ends of bars; contrast this with the bonus track “Relax,” where each bar sounds as if it’s the final thought spilling out of his mind at the end of an impassioned phrase. The end of “Vice North” even recalls the technically stunning runs of One Be Lo, the Michigan rapper who in the 2000s became one of the genre’s chief chroniclers of a similar country-wide disintegration.

But this is not merely a showcase for verbal acrobatics. South Sinner Street is deeply personal, juxtaposing personal growth with the decay that surrounds it. “This is no rags to riches story,” Solemn warns. Of course––it’s more complicated than that. When, on “Vantablack,” of a toddler cradled in his mother’s arms while that mother nurses a cigarette, he is not asking the listener to imagine a tragic end or a harrowing origin story. The point is that we are all, perpetually, the child and the mother: doing our best to cope, even against our better judgment; persevering despite the circumstances that surround us.

And yet South Sinner Street is buoyed by a sense of playfulness that lights up even the pitch-black corners of Albemarle. “Nothing Left” succeeds in turning end-of-your-rope sorry into something like an in joke. When, on “Vice North,” Solemn raps about putting his hands together in prayer only to find “the line still busy,” his voice bakes something amusing in the complaint––maybe the sense that a young man in a small city is irked at God the way he might be at a flaky friend from the gym. And then, speaking of gyms, comes the laugh-out-loud moment on “Dirty Whip,” when Solemn concedes that he didn’t make the basketball team “‘cause I’m me-first.’”

Across its 14 songs, South Sinner Street argues for Solemn Brigham as one of the most exciting artists in underground hip-hop, a technical virtuoso who also happens to be one of the genre’s most surprising, most deeply personal songwriters. The album evokes the feeling of climbing onto a house’s roof to survey the nearly-burning city around you, with all the peril that entails––but also all the possibility.

Solemn Brigham is 1/2 of the group Marlowe. His music has been featured on Gatorade's G is for Greatness ad campaign, 7-Eleven's Harmony Korine (Kids, Gummo, Spring Breakers) directed low rider bike campaign, and NBA2K22. South Sinner Street is his debut solo album coming Sept 24th.

About the Album:
It is no secret that things are getting worse. By virtually any metric––economic or medical, or ones more abstract and spiritual––American society is in decay. The feeling permeates daily life in innumerable ways, giving the present a gnawing, ambient dread.

Solemn Brigham is not content to leave this at a low hum. On his dazzling new album, South Sinner Street, Solemn examines this decay through the prism of his hometown: Albemarle, North Carolina, where the blocks he grew up on are crumbling like everything else. “What was once a vibrant area now survives as a reminder that the only thing eternal is change,” Solemn says when describing the project’s genesis. “Trash and debris flood the streets, relics of the many lives lived––each piece with a story to tell.” South Sinner Street not only traces the degradation of the world around us, but documents the way communities can come together to stave off that slow death, lifting its members up in the process.

Solemn is uniquely equipped to animate the relics of a once-thriving neighborhood with the specificity they deserve. The rapper, whose work with his fellow North Carolinian, L’Orange, as the duo Marlowe has been critically acclaimed, is one of the most vocally acrobatic working today, able to contort himself into a dizzying array of different flows and inflections, accomplishing alone the sort of musical variety that sprawling collectives try and fail to achieve. Take “Couple Towns,” where Solemn moves from a seesaw pocket into a flow that cascades over the ends of bars; contrast this with the bonus track “Relax,” where each bar sounds as if it’s the final thought spilling out of his mind at the end of an impassioned phrase. The end of “Vice North” even recalls the technically stunning runs of One Be Lo, the Michigan rapper who in the 2000s became one of the genre’s chief chroniclers of a similar country-wide disintegration.

But this is not merely a showcase for verbal acrobatics. South Sinner Street is deeply personal, juxtaposing personal growth with the decay that surrounds it. “This is no rags to riches story,” Solemn warns. Of course––it’s more complicated than that. When, on “Vantablack,” of a toddler cradled in his mother’s arms while that mother nurses a cigarette, he is not asking the listener to imagine a tragic end or a harrowing origin story. The point is that we are all, perpetually, the child and the mother: doing our best to cope, even against our better judgment; persevering despite the circumstances that surround us.

And yet South Sinner Street is buoyed by a sense of playfulness that lights up even the pitch-black corners of Albemarle. “Nothing Left” succeeds in turning end-of-your-rope sorry into something like an in joke. When, on “Vice North,” Solemn raps about putting his hands together in prayer only to find “the line still busy,” his voice bakes something amusing in the complaint––maybe the sense that a young man in a small city is irked at God the way he might be at a flaky friend from the gym. And then, speaking of gyms, comes the laugh-out-loud moment on “Dirty Whip,” when Solemn concedes that he didn’t make the basketball team “‘cause I’m me-first.’”

Across its 14 songs, South Sinner Street argues for Solemn Brigham as one of the most exciting artists in underground hip-hop, a technical virtuoso who also happens to be one of the genre’s most surprising, most deeply personal songwriters. The album evokes the feeling of climbing onto a house’s roof to survey the nearly-burning city around you, with all the peril that entails––but also all the possibility.

Australian hip-hop/neo soul duo SO.Crates are a boom-bap prayer sent live and direct from the heart of two of the culture's most committed students. The group features Melbourne based beatmaker and DJ Skomes alongside California-via-Adelaide MC & poet Cazeaux O.S.L.O, not to mention the MUSE, a forever changing third party who completes the creative trinity of the Crates. With a legacy built on releasing a steady flow of cold-crush records and delivering uplifting live performances to the party people, SO.Crates prove that hip-hop's golden era is not a lost date in time, but a foundational state of mind. Functioning as a considered preview of what to expect from the album to follow, the hypnotic first release 'Stars' is an auditory exploration of what happens when two opposing charges collide; the joyful and the melancholy. Here, layers of instrumentation, samples and vocals sit atop a foundation of grounding beats - the track's roots from which piano samples, live trumpet and vocal embellishments spring. "When Skomes gets in his stride, it's always a bit of a happy/sad feeling. It can go either way, like a mood ring", says Cazeaux O.S.L.O. "I guess you could say we make mood ring beats, and 'Stars' is no exception".

The contributions of the late Detroit producer James DeWitt Yancey - better known to the world as J Dilla- to the world of hip-hop can’t be overstated, and nowhere is his legacy more apparent than his work as a member of Slum Village. A founding member of the trio, (Alongside rappers T3 and Baatin) Dilla provided the groups distinctly esoteric, free-wheeling sound, built around winding basslines, quirky drumbeats, subtle low-end frequencies, and classic jazz & soul samples. After the success of Slum’s 1997 studio debut, Fan-Tas-Tic Vol. 1, the group went to work on their follow up. Though the project was completed in ‘98, label turmoil kept the project on ice until 2000. By the time Fantastic Volume II hit, Dilla was well on his way to his status as a hip hop legend having produced cuts for Common, Busta Rhymes, Erykah Badu, A Tribe Called Quest and many more. Later works from Slum Village may have had more of an impact sales-wise (in the immediate) but Fantastic Volume II had fans and many critics saying that Slum Village, and Dilla in particular, may single-handedly save rap music. Perhaps that statement is hyperbole but many consider Fantastic Volume II to be Slum Village’s, and J Dilla’s, finest work ever. Ne’Astra now presents the complete Dilla instrumentals from this landmark release.

The contributions of the late Detroit producer James DeWitt Yancey –better known to the world as J Dilla- to the world of hip-hop can't be overstated, and nowhere is his legacy more apparent than his work as a member of Slum Village. A founding member of the trio, (Alongside rappers T3 and Baatin) Dilla provided the group's distinctly esoteric, free-wheeling sound, built around winding basslines, quirky drumbeats, subtle low-end frequencies, and classic jazz & soul samples. Against the backdrop of Dilla's rich production, T3 and Baatin's free-flowing style of rhyming would also earn wide critical praise, leading to comparisons as the successors to A Tribe Called Quest. (A label they themselves have rejected.) After the success of Slum’s 1997 studio debut, Fan-Tas-Tic Vol. 1, the group went to work on their follow up. Though the project was completed in ’98, label turmoil kept the project on ice until 2000. By the time Fantastic Volume II hit Dilla was well on his way to his status as a hip hop legend having produced cuts for Common, Busta Rhymes, Erykah Badu, A Tribe Called Quest and many more. Later works from Slum Village may have had more of an impact sales-wise (in the immediate) but Fantastic Vol. 2 had fans and many critics saying that Slum Village, and Dilla in particular, may “single-handedly save rap music.” Perhaps that statement is hyperbole but many consider Fantastic Volume II to be Slum Village’s finest work ever to this day. Ne'Astra Media Group now presents the album reissued on vinyl, for the first time in several years. Every wobbling bass note of J Dilla's production has been preserved to maintain the legacy of this hip hop rap classic and maintain the legend of one of hip-hop's greatest beatsmiths

The contributions of the late Detroit producer James DeWitt Yancey –better known
to the world as J Dilla- to the world of hip-hop can't be overstated, and nowhere
is his legacy more apparent than his work as a member of Slum Village. A founding member of the trio, (Alongside rappers T3 and Baatin) Dilla provided the group's distinctly esoteric, free-wheeling sound, built around winding basslines, quirky drumbeats, subtle low-end frequencies, and classic jazz & soul samples. Against the backdrop of Dilla's rich production, T3 and Baatin's free-flowing style of rhyming would also earn wide critical praise, leading to comparisons as the successors to A Tribe Called Quest. (A label they themselves have rejected.)

After the success of Slum’s 1997 studio debut, Fan-Tas-Tic Vol. 1, the group went
to work on their follow up. Though the project was completed in ’98, label turmoil kept the project on ice until 2000. By the time Fantastic Volume II hit Dilla was well on his way to his status as a hip hop legend having produced cuts for Common,
Busta Rhymes, Erykah Badu, A Tribe Called Quest and many more. Later works from Slum Village may have had more of an impact sales-wise (in the immediate)but Fantastic Vol. 2 had fans and many critics saying that Slum Village, and Dilla
in particular, may “single-handedly save rap music.” Perhaps that statement is
hyperbole but many consider Fantastic Volume II to be Slum Village’s finest work
ever to this day.

Ne'Astra Media Group now presents the album reissued on vinyl, for the first time
in several years. Every wobbling bass note of J Dilla's production has been
preserved to maintain the legacy of this hip hop rap classic and maintain the
legend of one of hip-hop's greatest beatsmiths.

"The latest full length album from Detroit mainstays Slum Village, F.U.N., has now made its way to vinyl. The 12-track project is their first album in nearly ten years and includes fresh collaborations with Larry June, Cordae, Eric Roberson, Robert Glasper , Karriem Riggins, Abstract Orchestra, Sango, Phat Kat, Daru Jones, Earlly Mac, The Dramatics and more. 2015's critically acclaimed Yes! further cemented T3 and Young RJ's ability to effectively carry on the legacy of the seminal rap group, retaining its essence while evolving its sound with fresh new energy. However, with last year's sold out tour in Europe, and the release of the Larry June and The Dramatics- assisted ""Just Like You"", it was revealed that the duo was back in the lab together working on a new Slum Village album. F.U.N. finds Slum Village expanding on their signature certain sound, but still staying close to their hometown roots: Young RJ explains- “We wanted to just try something new, so we focused on making Disco-inspired music,” and T3 notes that the recording process all “began with collecting old Disco records.” For fans who wonder why the sonic shift, and why the long hiatus between proper albums, T3 says “Slum is still here. We’re still relevant and we’re still trying to push the envelope. Sometimes people put too many rules on music, and without sounding cliche, we wanted to just have fun with [this album].” F.U.N., indeed."

Slick Walk strike again with another 45 release for 2022.

This time Merse and DJ Robert Smith (Slick Walk) team up with QNC aka Q-Ball & Curt Cazal from “Strong Island” N.Y.C. and North Carolina ́s legendary Supastition for the A-Side.

Searching for the perfect flipside DJ RS reached out to Curt Cazal (J.V.C. F.O.R.C.E.) once more on the production tip. Needless to say he came up with the goods!

Dusty Donuts affiliate Jim Dunloop added his funky basslines and guitar licks to the A side cut and the final polish and push of the meters on both tracks done by DJ Goce.

Okayplayer is quoted as saying "Sleep Sinatra delivers sharp observations across Brainstormz" and they were correct. The flow appears effortless, yet complicated. The beats are stellar. The features are heavy. As of this writing this album has surpassed 50,000 streams and seems to be a favorite among Sleep Sinatra fans. This album is rap music at its finest; banger from start to end.

Okayplayer is quoted as saying "Sleep Sinatra delivers sharp observations across Brainstormz" and they were correct. The flow appears effortless, yet complicated. The beats are stellar. The features are heavy. As of this writing this album has surpassed 50,000 streams and seems to be a favorite among Sleep Sinatra fans. This album is rap music at its finest; banger from start to end.

Following the success of the initial release, Skyzoo and The Other Guys present their sequel of sorts with the deluxe edition of "The Mind of a Saint", their critically acclaimed concept album which debuted at number 1 on the hip hop charts in the country upon release week. The album, which sees the fictional character Franklin Saint of the heralded FX series "Snowfall" step into a vocal booth and tell his story as an early 80's drug kingpin, suffering from the grief and stresses that come with the title. The original release saw members of the television series speak openly about the project, including the show's lead character, actor Damson Idris, who spoke glowingly of the album in Rolling Stone. After the series wrapped, Skyzoo and The Other Guys went back into the studio to let Franklin wrap up his story to align with the show's finale. A darker turn than its predecessor, this deluxe edition adds 7 extra songs, clocking in at 40+ minutes of new music, with Skyzoo once again channeling his inner Franklin Saint and letting the heartache pour one final time before the book is closed.

Following the success of the initial release, Skyzoo and The Other Guys present their sequel of sorts with the deluxe edition of "The Mind of a Saint", their critically acclaimed concept album which debuted at number 1 on the hip hop charts in the country upon release week. The album, which sees the fictional character Franklin Saint of the heralded FX series "Snowfall" step into a vocal booth and tell his story as an early 80's drug kingpin, suffering from the grief and stresses that come with the title. The original release saw members of the television series speak openly about the project, including the show's lead character, actor Damson Idris, who spoke glowingly of the album in Rolling Stone. After the series wrapped, Skyzoo and The Other Guys went back into the studio to let Franklin wrap up his story to align with the show's finale. A darker turn than its predecessor, this deluxe edition adds 7 extra songs, clocking in at 40+ minutes of new music, with Skyzoo once again channeling his inner Franklin Saint and letting the heartache pour one final time before the book is closed.

this is my latest's album Kuroi Yume (Black Dreams). It is my love and culture blended with my love for asian culture. Cover work by the amazing Kidchan aka cyanparade

At the same time Hip Hop MCs like Run DMC and Kurtis Blow were helping Hip Hop evolve lyrically in the formative years of producing hip-hop albums, producers like Davey D and Vincent Davis were defining the sound of instrumental hip-hop. Four decades later, Rob Swift and Shawnecicontinue to push the boundaries of what an instrumental Hip Hop project can sound like on For Heads That Break. Rob Swift says, "It's not like instrumental Hip Hop albums haven't existed. Respect to J Dilla and all that. But I feel as thoughFor Heads That Break is more of a tribute to the originators of instrumental hip-hop. I'm talkin' dudes like Malcolm McClaren and the Supreme Team. A lot of people may not know that Duck Rock was the first EP to feature scratches and the majority of the EP's songs were instrumental. So when Shawneci and I linked up on this project, we knew scratches would play an integral role in the music." For Heads That Break serves up the kind of hip-hop that stays true to the genre's most influential and diverse era.

Shane Christakis, aka Shane Sounds (name bestowed upon him by the bay area legend DJ Fresh), is primed to explode. The up and coming producer/DJ from the California Bay Area, has been a devout disciple of the golden era of hip hop through and through. Honoring the craft and the ones that came before him through undeniably infectious beats that brace the weight of his choice samples and original layers. Getting his chops up through his younger days, Shane spent his time developing instrumental obstacle courses for local emcees to dance around including Gift Of Gab (Blackalicious),Spills (ny) Kinetic Source (Ozomatli) and Cashus King (LA.) By the age of 21 Shane threw himself into the ring of the Stones Throw beat making contest. To only the surprise of himself, Shane walked away twice as a weekly winner of the battles. After a small hiatus due to the birth of his daughter Clementine, Shane jumped back on the pads and began crafting the instrumentals for what would become Apostolos.

With the instrumentals in flux Shane reached out via Instagram to an upcoming emcee out of the Duck Down Camp, a prodigy of the late, great Sean Price, Rim. After chatting back and forth for a small time, making sure Rim knew Shane was in this project for the right reasons, Rim jumped on board and even helped land other up and coming NY emcees like Eddie Kaine & Spills. From there everything snowballed. One feature led to another and soon enough the album was taking shape with features from not only Rim and Eddie Kaine, but hip hop heroes such as Masta Ace, Planet Asia, A.G. of D.I.T.C. and Geechi Suede. With a few more instrumentals and spaces to fill Shane reached out to long-time bay area engineer/producer Deegan Mack Adams to help with the mixing and mastering and overall release of the project.

Apostolos gets its namesake and back cover imagery from Shane Sounds' great great Grandfather, Apostolos Christakis who immigrated to the United States from Greece at the turn of the 20th century. The documents you see on the back cover are Apostolos’s army registration documents only a week after coming to the United States. We pay our respects to the ones who came before us and allowed us to be here to create this project. Salute!

Shane Christakis, aka Shane Sounds (name bestowed upon him by the bay area legend DJ Fresh), is primed to explode. The up and coming producer/DJ from the California Bay Area, has been a devout disciple of the golden era of hip hop through and through. Honoring the craft and the ones that came before him through undeniably infectious beats that brace the weight of his choice samples and original layers. Getting his chops up through his younger days, Shane spent his time developing instrumental obstacle courses for local emcees to dance around including Gift Of Gab (Blackalicious),Spills (ny) Kinetic Source (Ozomatli) and Cashus King (LA.) By the age of 21 Shane threw himself into the ring of the Stones Throw beat making contest. To only the surprise of himself, Shane walked away twice as a weekly winner of the battles. After a small hiatus due to the birth of his daughter Clementine, Shane jumped back on the pads and began crafting the instrumentals for what would become Apostolos.

With the instrumentals in flux Shane reached out via Instagram to an upcoming emcee out of the Duck Down Camp, a prodigy of the late, great Sean Price, Rim. After chatting back and forth for a small time, making sure Rim knew Shane was in this project for the right reasons, Rim jumped on board and even helped land other up and coming NY emcees like Eddie Kaine & Spills. From there everything snowballed. One feature led to another and soon enough the album was taking shape with features from not only Rim and Eddie Kaine, but hip hop heroes such as Masta Ace, Planet Asia, A.G. of D.I.T.C. and Geechi Suede. With a few more instrumentals and spaces to fill Shane reached out to long-time bay area engineer/producer Deegan Mack Adams to help with the mixing and mastering and overall release of the project.

Apostolos gets its namesake and back cover imagery from Shane Sounds' great great Grandfather, Apostolos Christakis who immigrated to the United States from Greece at the turn of the 20th century. The documents you see on the back cover are Apostolos’s army registration documents only a week after coming to the United States. We pay our respects to the ones who came before us and allowed us to be here to create this project. Salute!

Honoring the craft and the ones that came before him through undeniably infectious beats that brace the weight of his choice samples and original layers. Getting his chops up through his younger days, Shane spent his time developing instrumental obstacle courses for local emcees to dance around including Gift Of Gab (Blackalicious),Spills (ny) Kinetic Source (Ozomatli) and Cashus King (LA.) By the age of 21 Shane threw himself into the ring of the Stones Throw beat making contest. To only the surprise of himself, Shane walked away twice as a weekly winner of the battles. After a small hiatus due to the birth of his daughter Clementine, Shane jumped back on the pads and began crafting the instrumentals for what would become Apostolos. With the instrumentals in flux Shane reached out via Instagram to an upcoming emcee out of the Duck Down Camp, a prodigy of the late, great Sean Price, Rim. After chatting back and forth for a small time, making sure Rim knew Shane was in this project for the right reasons, Rim jumped on board and even helped land other up and coming NY emcees like Eddie Kaine & Spills. From there everything snowballed. One feature led to another and soon enough the album was taking shape with features from not only Rim and Eddie Kaine, but hip hop heroes such as Masta Ace, Planet Asia, A.G. of D.I.T.C. and Geechi Suede. With a few more instrumentals and spaces to fill Shane reached out to long-time bay area engineer/producer Deegan Mack Adams to help with the mixing and mastering and overall release of the project. Apostolos gets its namesake and back cover imagery from Shane Sounds' great great Grandfather, Apostolos Christakis who immigrated to the United States from Greece at the turn of the 20th century. The documents you see on the back cover are Apostolos’s army registration documents only a week after coming to the United States. We pay our respects to the ones who came before us and allowed us to be here to create this project. Salute!

Acclaimed producer, songwriter, and vocalist Shafiq Husayn has been a vital force on the Los Angeles music scene for decades. A member of trendsetting trio Sa-Ra Creative Partners, Shafiq has produced tracks for a staggering spectrum of talent, including Erykah Badu, Ty Dolla $ign, Pharoahe Monch, Robert Glasper, Ice T, Bilal, Jurassic 5, and many more. Over the last few years, the Grammy winner has also become the leader of The Dove Society, an expansive L.A. musical collective. Now, Shafiq Husayn and The Dove Society are debuting the new album So Gold, an eclectic masterpiece emerging from sessions Shafiq describes as “pure love, magic, inspiration!” A worthy follow-up to Shafiq’s acclaimed 2018 opus The Loop, the album features contributions from Anderson .Paak, Syd (of The Internet), Peyton, Thurz, Jimetta Rose, Speed Walton, and many more. Bursting with the kinetic energy of vibrant creative collaboration, the album synthesizes disparate styles into a cohesive tapestry of lush cosmic soul. “It’s new age everything and above,” Shafiq explains. “Focused and direct in the songwriting and production, but still adventurous and refreshing.”

Acclaimed producer, songwriter, and vocalist Shafiq Husayn has been a vital force on the Los Angeles music scene for decades. A member of trendsetting trio Sa-Ra Creative Partners, Shafiq has produced tracks for a staggering spectrum of talent, including Erykah Badu, Ty Dolla $ign, Pharoahe Monch, Robert Glasper, Ice T, Bilal, Jurassic 5, and many more. Over the last few years, the Grammy winner has also become the leader of The Dove Society, an expansive L.A. musical collective. Now, Shafiq Husayn and The Dove Society are debuting the new album So Gold, an eclectic masterpiece emerging from sessions Shafiq describes as “pure love, magic, inspiration!” A worthy follow-up to Shafiq’s acclaimed 2018 opus The Loop, the album features contributions from Anderson .Paak, Syd (of The Internet), Peyton, Thurz, Jimetta Rose, Speed Walton, and many more. Bursting with the kinetic energy of vibrant creative collaboration, the album synthesizes disparate styles into a cohesive tapestry of lush cosmic soul. “It’s new age everything and above,” Shafiq explains. “Focused and direct in the songwriting and production, but still adventurous and refreshing.”

Strictly limited edition of 500 copies on colored vinyl in a gatefold set incl. inlay card and sticker.

Here it is, one of THE lost albums from the golden era of Hip Hop: Science Of Sound's "Kaleidoscope Phonetics" from the Tribe Called Quest-sphere. With productions and cameos by A Tribe Called Quest and Phife Dawg, Godfather Don, Grandmaster Melle Mel and more. This is true-school rap at its finest and should not be missed by any fan of the classic 90's vibe.

Here's what Ali Shaheed Muhammad is saying about it:

"Science Of Sound, a group established during the 90's "golden era" of Hip Hop. These guys are my family. We were very excited when they signed their record deal and greatly disappointed their label mishandled them. This is the lost album that was recorded in the time I was working on "Beats, Rhymes & Life". There was a lot of back in forth between Tribe's sessions and S.O.S.'s sessions. You can hear the levels they were on and it's as fresh as 20+ years later as it was when it was recorded. Any proponent of golden era Hip Hop will appreciate this find of a lost album." - Ali Shaheed Muhammad, September 3rd, 2020

Available on limited 2LP vinyl, CD and cassette as well as digitally!

2 copies max. per customer.

Limited edition of 100 bundles consisting of a black Science Of Sound logo tee plus the orange 2LP vinyl (limited to 500 copies in total) in a gatefold set incl. inlay card and sticker.

Here it is, one of THE lost albums from the golden era of Hip Hop: Science Of Sound's "Kaleidoscope Phonetics" from the Tribe Called Quest-sphere. With productions and cameos by A Tribe Called Quest and Phife Dawg, Godfather Don, Grandmaster Melle Mel and more. This is true-school rap at its finest and should not be missed by any fan of the classic 90's vibe.

Here's what Ali Shaheed Muhammad is saying about it:

"Science Of Sound, a group established during the 90's "golden era" of Hip Hop. These guys are my family. We were very excited when they signed their record deal and greatly disappointed their label mishandled them. This is the lost album that was recorded in the time I was working on "Beats, Rhymes & Life". There was a lot of back in forth between Tribe's sessions and S.O.S.'s sessions. You can hear the levels they were on and it's as fresh as 20+ years later as it was when it was recorded. Any proponent of golden era Hip Hop will appreciate this find of a lost album." - Ali Shaheed Muhammad, September 3rd, 2020

Available on limited 2LP vinyl, CD and cassette as well as digitally!

1 copy max. per customer.

Here it is, one of THE lost albums from the golden era of Hip Hop: Science Of Sound's "Kaleidoscope Phonetics" from the Tribe Called Quest-sphere. With productions and cameos by A Tribe Called Quest and Phife Dawg, Godfather Don, Grandmaster Melle Mel and more. This is true-school rap at its finest and should not be missed by any fan of the classic 90's vibe.

Here's what Ali Shaheed Muhammad is saying about it:

"Science Of Sound, a group established during the 90's "golden era" of Hip Hop. These guys are my family. We were very excited when they signed their record deal and greatly disappointed their label mishandled them. This is the lost album that was recorded in the time I was working on "Beats, Rhymes & Life". There was a lot of back in forth between Tribe's sessions and S.O.S.'s sessions. You can hear the levels they were on and it's as fresh as 20+ years later as it was when it was recorded. Any proponent of golden era Hip Hop will appreciate this find of a lost album." - Ali Shaheed Muhammad, September 3rd, 2020

Available on limited 2LP vinyl, CD and cassette as well as digitally!

Regular black vinyl edition in a gatefold set.

Here it is, one of THE lost albums from the golden era of Hip Hop: Science Of Sound's "Kaleidoscope Phonetics" from the Tribe Called Quest-sphere. With productions and cameos by A Tribe Called Quest and Phife Dawg, Godfather Don, Grandmaster Melle Mel and more. This is true-school rap at its finest and should not be missed by any fan of the classic 90's vibe.

Here's what Ali Shaheed Muhammad is saying about it:

"Science Of Sound, a group established during the 90's "golden era" of Hip Hop. These guys are my family. We were very excited when they signed their record deal and greatly disappointed their label mishandled them. This is the lost album that was recorded in the time I was working on "Beats, Rhymes & Life". There was a lot of back in forth between Tribe's sessions and S.O.S.'s sessions. You can hear the levels they were on and it's as fresh as 20+ years later as it was when it was recorded. Any proponent of golden era Hip Hop will appreciate this find of a lost album." - Ali Shaheed Muhammad, September 3rd, 2020

Available on limited 2LP vinyl, CD and cassette as well as digitally!

Strictly limited edition of 300 copies on CD.

Here it is, one of THE lost albums from the golden era of Hip Hop: Science Of Sound's "Kaleidoscope Phonetics" from the Tribe Called Quest-sphere. With productions and cameos by A Tribe Called Quest and Phife Dawg, Godfather Don, Grandmaster Melle Mel and more. This is true-school rap at its finest and should not be missed by any fan of the classic 90's vibe.

Here's what Ali Shaheed Muhammad is saying about it:

"Science Of Sound, a group established during the 90's "golden era" of Hip Hop. These guys are my family. We were very excited when they signed their record deal and greatly disappointed their label mishandled them. This is the lost album that was recorded in the time I was working on "Beats, Rhymes & Life". There was a lot of back in forth between Tribe's sessions and S.O.S.'s sessions. You can hear the levels they were on and it's as fresh as 20+ years later as it was when it was recorded. Any proponent of golden era Hip Hop will appreciate this find of a lost album." - Ali Shaheed Muhammad, September 3rd, 2020

Available on limited 2LP vinyl, CD and cassette as well as digitally!