Filet-o-Mix 17: Catharsis - The Breakup Mix

Catharsis - The Breakup Mix

DOWNLOAD HERE

So here's another addition to the Filet-o-Mix series for y'all. This is the first Filet-o-Mix sequel though, a follow up to the first mix I ever did in 2009, Filet-o-Mix 01: Love - The Most Dangerous Game. It seems that I'm obsessed with hip hop songs about heartbreak. They're so honest and I'm able to relate to the artists' emotions. I made both of these mixes in true cliché breakup fashion... after two of my own breakups. I realize that I make these mixes after breakups for cathartic purposes, so I can listen to them and empathize, expressing and sharing my sorrow with the artists through their music. Both or these mixes are very personal and I hope you enjoy them or know someone who can use them as I did.

Download Here

Tracklist

01 Now On - I'm Sayin (14KT Random Horns Remix) Ft. Aloe Blacc

02 Macklemore - Love Song

03 Donwill - Want You To Want Me Reprise Ft. Tanya Morgan

04 Devin The Dude - Thinkin' Boutchu

05 Sway - Look After My Girl Ft. Darren B (Prod. by Emile)

06 14KT - Miss U (For Lost Loved Ones)

07 Blue Collar - It's Over (Prod. Deacon The Villain)

08 JR & PH7 - I Keep On Movin' (Ft. Kaze & Edgard Allen Floe)

09 Eminem - Space Bound

10 Mickey Factz - Ashes

11 Mr. J. Medeiros - Pink Light (PR0FiLR Remix)

12 Z-Trip - Everything Changes (Ft. Aceyalone & Mystic)

13 Yelawolf - Love Is Not Enough

14 Chuuwee – Slow Down

15 BlakRoc - Why Can't I Forget Him (Ft. Nicole Wray)

16 J Dilla - Stop

17 Donwill - Laura's Song

18 Miguel - All I Want Is You Ft. J. Cole

19 Lauryn Hill - Ex Factor

Filet-o-Mix 16 - The State of Hip Hop

Download "The State of Hip Hop" HERE

Here is a Filet-o-Mix dedicated to all (well most of) the states and cities that breed hip hop and the rappers that represent them. Believe it or not, there really aren't that many places in this vast country that hip hop originates from (just check the map above). The idea for this mix came from the fact that there are so many songs with rappers representing their city / state that I had to make a mix with one song dedicated to each spot. I only regret that I could not include them all. California and New York should get their own mixes at some point, or maybe I'll just do an East vs. West mixtape. Hope you enjoy this and don't forget to rep your hood.

Download

Tracklist

01 Jay-Z - Brooklyn (Go Hard)

02 Ransom - Jersey

03 Reef The Lost Cauze - Sound Of Philadelphia

04 Apathy - Peace Connecticut

05 Termanology - My Boston (Ft. Big Shug & Singapore Kane)

06 Little Brother - Welcome To Durham (Ft. Big Daddy Kane)

07 CyHi The Prynce - Historian

08 Celph Titled - Fahrenheit 813 (Ft. DutchMassive & Majik Most)

09 Y. Luck - Walking Thru New Orleans

10 C.Stone - Reppin’ Texas (Ft. Paul Wall & Trae)

11 8 Ball & MJG - Memphis (Ft. Al Kapone)

12 The Left - Real Detroit (Ft. MarvWon)

13 Kanye West - Homecoming (Ft. Chris Martin)

14 Atmosphere - Say Shhh

15 Grynch - Home (Ft. Speedy Gonzalez)

16 Richie Cunning - The City

17 People Under The Stairs - The L.A. Song

Big ups to Philly. I miss that city...

Got a recommendation? Hit the comments section.

Filet-o-Mix 15: Pete's Extremely Bootleg Essentials

Download "Pete's Extremely Bootleg Essentials" HERE 

I have a mixtape to share with you that is extremely personal and dear to my heart. The above is a picture of the actual cassette tape on which this mix resides and the paper below is the handwritten tracklist given to me for my 14th birthday by one of my best friends at the time, Pete. I can just imagine it now; Pete recording this mix in his room hitting pause-record on his boombox transferring each song individually from CD to blank cassette tape. This was around the last time cassette's were used for making mixtapes.

Pete was WAYYY ahead of the curve with his taste in hip hop at the age of 14. He was listening to the classics and yet, back then, many weren't even considered classics yet. You can thank Pete for being my musical mentor over a decade ago, shaping me to be the obsessed hip hop junkie that I am today. His influence drips through every track that I post on HeadPhoneHome and his two Technics 1200 turntables now reside in my basement and serve as a reminder that hip hop lives through those that keep it alive. The phenomenal mixtape below has not been taken off the cassette, but rather I have compiled all the digital versions for your enhanced listening pleasure.

Download "Pete's Extremely Bootleg Essentials" HERE

Tracklist

01 De La Soul - D.A.I.S.Y. Age
02 Eric B. & Rakim - Move The Crowd
03 De La Soul - Oodles Of O's
04 Gang Starr - Above The Clouds Ft. Inspectah Deck
05 Notorious B.I.G. - Unbelievable
06 Common - I Used To Love H.E.R.
07 The Pharcyde - Return Of The B-Boy
08 Eric B. & Rakim - Let The Rhythm Hit 'em
09 High & Mighty - BBoy Document '99 Ft. Skillz & Mos Def
10 Dr. Octagon - Earth People
11 Company Flow - Bad Touch Example
12 Public Enemy - Bring The Noise
13 Organized Konfusion - Sin
14 Nas - N.Y. State Of Mind
15 Dr. Dooom - I Run Rap
16 Thirstin Howl III - Brooklyn Hard Rock Ft. Unique London
17 Dr. Octagon - Dr. Octagon
18 Company Flow - Info Kill II
19 Eric B. & Rakim - Lyrics Of Fury
20 Company Flow - Tragedy Of War

Share it. Don't be selfish.

-Filet Of Sole

Filet-o-Mix 14: The Pump UP

Being in the music industry sometimes blinds you to the reason why you got into it in the first place. It's all about the music and the people united by it. Today I asked on Facebook, "Anyone want some new hip hop?". The first response was from one of my best friends that I haven't spoken to in a while. He requested, "Something that'll pump me up". So here you go: a 20 track mix of all relatively new songs entitled "The Pump UP". This is sure to keep you going from the A.M. through the P.M. Use this music to help push yourself at the gym or to run red lights while cruising down the block.

Download "The Pump UP" HERE

01 Kanye West - Power (Feat. Dwele)

02 Drake - Over (Prod. Boi-1da)

03 Wiz Khalifa - Black & Yellow (Prod. Stargate)

04 Cambatta - So Good Feat. Nino Bless, Crooked I, Sha Stimuli & Big Moss

05 Young Jeezy - Put On Remix Feat. Jay-Z

06 Reks - This Or That (Prod. Statik Selektah)

07 Muneshine - Gotta Feeling (Feat. D-Sisive & Shad)

08 Playboy Tre & Joell Ortiz - Work

09 Reek Da Villian - Mechanics (Feat. Busta Rhymes & Swizz Beatz)

10 Statik Selektah - Rollin Down The Freeway Feat. Glasses Malone, Termanology & Kali

11 Kanye West - Good Friday (Feat. Common Pusha T, KiD CuDi, Big Sean, Charlie Wilson

12 Big K.R.I.T. - Country Shit

13 Shad - A Good Name
14 Styles P - Sometimes

15 Ghostface Killah - In Tha Park Feat. Black Thought

16 The Left - Desperation

17 Eminem -  Session One Feat. Slaughterhouse

18 Glasses Malone - Haters Feat. Lil Wayne & Baby

19 Statik Selektah - For The City (Feat. M.O.P. & Jadakiss)

20 H.O.P.E. - I Do It

Share the music if you like it.

-Filet Of Sole

Filet-o-Mix 13: Recapturing That Feeling

"Recapturing That Feeling"

DOWNLOAD HERE
This is a MUST download!! 

Tracklist

01 Hilltop Hoods - Recapturing The Vibe

02 Masta Ace - Nostalgia

03 De La Soul - Much More (Ft. Yummy)

04 Blue Scholars - Joe Metro

05 Common - Be

06 The Roots - Can't Stop This

07 Slum Village - Time Has Come

08 People Under The Stairs - Keepin It Live

09 Shad - Get Up

10 Reks - Dear Winter

11 Rashid Hadee - Set In Stone (Street Lights)

12 Common Market - Connect For

13 Joell Ortiz - Hip Hop

14 Termanology - Watch How It Go Down

15 Reks - Self Titled

16 Jay-Z - Encore

17 Hilltop Hoods - Chase That Feeling

This Filet-o-Mix is a VERY SPECIAL ONE - one that I could only put out on the 1 year anniversary of the creation of my hip hop blog (and incidentally our country's independence day). This is a mixtape that truly embodies the soul of hip hop down to its very core. One that exudes not only passion for the craft, but respect for the history of the genre. The concept for this mix was to "recapture that feeling" in hip hop that has steadily dwindled in the last 15 years. What "feeling" you may ask? I'm talking about the raw energy, the pure vibe, the prolific talent, the battling, the respect, and the love that was present in hip hop's infancy up all the way through the death of two of it's greatest orators, Biggie & 2Pac in '96. These 17 songs that I've chosen (all of which came out after the year 2002) should make you feel like your listening to hip hop back in '94 (around the height of the golden era of hip hop). To me, this is what hip hop sounds like when its created out of love and necessity rather than for money or fame. These songs don't have high paid producers or any guest rapping features - they are unadulterated yet refined. To learn more about why I chose these specific songs, read the liner notes for the mixtape below.

Liner Notes
-The title of this mix comes from the first word of the first track "Recapturing The Vibe" and the last two words of the last track "Chase That Feeling", both songs by the group Hilltop Hoods. The mixtape artwork is made from a photo that I took at a Jay-Z concert in Paris, where I started a "HOVA" chant to make Jay-Z come back on stage and perform the song "Encore" (track 16 on this mix). Everyone in the crowd threw up the ROC diamond.

01 Hilltop Hoods - Recapturing The Vibe (Music Video)
This song is a perfect example of that energy that I was talking about above. Appropriately titled, "Recapturing The Vibe" perfectly blends sampling, scratching, and a building beat with poignant lyrics that pack a punch, line after line. Paying homage to the struggle while spitting flames of braggadocio. Now that's real hip hop for ya!

02 Masta Ace - Nostalgia (Music Video)
Who better than to throw down a nostalgic history of hip hop track than Masta Ace, a man who has stayed underground and true to the roots of hip hop for his entire career starting around 1988. By painting a mental portrait of the environment in which hip hop was birthed, Masta Ace drops knowledge about the foundation upon which the blueprint of hip hop was designed created.


03 De La Soul - Much More (Ft. Yummy)
Turn it up loud. No... LOUDER!! DJ Premier opens the song by invoking the question "Y'all care anymore about this hip hop man!?" as if to say to any person listening that if they don't start respecting hip hop's roots then the whole culture will die and fade away. Yet De La Soul set out to prove in this track that they will never let hip hop go belly-up, by spitting loveliness over this triumphant and soulful J Dilla beat.

04 Blue Scholars - Joe Metro (Music Video)
One of the most beautiful pieces of poetry to ever describe a simple bus ride, Geologic (the MC from Blue Scholars) gives you a glimpse through his eyes gazing upon his hometown of Seattle, the place that fueled his creativity and involvement with hip hop. You actually see the environment as his words bring the city to life and the anonymous people he speaks about become characters on the stage of life. We've all taken this bus ride before, so I'm sure you can relate.

05 Common - Be (Music Video)
The energy, the passion, the charizma - it's all there on Common's intro track to his 2005 album "Be". The lyrics are as rejuvenating as the layered jazzy beat with an improvising keyboardist throughout the whole track. Common makes you feel life's struggle in his lyrics, but reassures you that triumph is right around the corner. Go ahead, I dare you not to memorize the words. "The present is a gift, and I just wanna be".


06 The Roots - Can't Stop This

Arguably my favorite beat of all time, J Dilla's - Time (Donut Of The Heart), was appropriated by The Roots to do a tribute track to the late J Dilla. Yet this is no ordinary tribute track. Black Thought (the MC of the Roots) takes "the struggle" of his people and makes it palpable. More of an ode to hip hop, Black Thought uses his prowess on the mic to uplift, reciting "They can't stop this, I want my peoples to rock this. Bang this music in your speakers and boxes. Langston Hughes is 'bout as deep as my thoughts is, sit back and I'ma paint you a portrait". How can you not get engulfed by this track on all sides?

07 Slum Village - Time Has Come
When it comes to lyricism, flow, and imagery it probably doesn't get much better than Elzhi of Slum Village (the 1st and 3rd verses). Proclaiming "My words is just emotional, spoken from the bottom of the totem poll", Elzhi states his formula very eloquently by explaining that the culture of hip hop was originally built by those with nothing solely as a product of needing to have an outlet for their creativity, energy, and emotions. The lyrics in this song arouse a sense of urgency, as time keeps on slipping...


08 People Under The Stairs - Keepin It Live
A testament to staying true to self and the hip hop culture, the People Under The Stairs have never sacrificed their integrity or became something they were not in order to gain success. To quote KRS One, "rap is something we do and hip hop is something you live". PUTS live, eat, breathe, and sleep hip hop culture. The song chronicles their struggle: coming to grips with following their passion, devoting their lives to hip hop, and having the courage to stand up and shout "I'm bboy for life, so fuck the suit and the tie". PUTS embody what it is to "live" hip hop culture.


09 Shad - Get Up
Open your ears and your mind when Shad speaks. Truly speaking for the people, the Toronto-based rapper gives strong and empowering words to the downtrodden and brings light to social issues that keep those folks down. "Get up, even if they knock us down they can't stop us, smile right back at 'em, laugh and then get up! Actions speak louder than a thousand talkers, so make 'em blast that in they walkmans". This song recaptures the social activism portion of hip hop by inspiring people to get involved to solve problems instead of just playing the sidelines. The world needs more songs like this that inspire action.


10 Reks - Dear Winter
Plight is all around us, yet we often don't see it because it's not right in front of our eyes. All you have to do is listen to songs like "Dear Winter" to understand the serious need for reform and change of the status quo sometimes. Reks asks earnestly "Dear winter, how am I supposed to sympathize with recession? We been in a great depression all our lives". Hip hop has taught me a countless number of lessons in my lifetime, but one of the most important ones is to know that many people in this world have it a lot worse than you do, so just be thankful for what you have and be humble about it. Songs like this are great because they bring awareness to the plight of others.

11 Rashid Hadee - Set In Stone (Street Lights)
Conviction. This song has it. Knowing what you want, taking a chance, facing your fears, and pursuing it - "do or die" is how Rahid Hadee explains his conviction to hip hop music. Hadee passionately states, "I don't give a fuck, you could give me nothing, 'cause even if it's nothing at all it's still something. Trust it, believe it, give it, and receive it. They say if you can dream it, then you can achieve it." If your not inspired by the intensity with which he believes in his own optimism, then I'm not sure what will get you going.

12 Common Market - Connect For
Another one of my favorite beats, masterfully created by Sabzi (of Blue Scholars and Common Market), "Connect For" is an anthem that gives you the feeling that you can overcome whatever is holding you back. With boundless optimism and strength, chanting "bring the rain, we remain faithful", RA Scion (the MC of Common Market) explains that through connection and collaboration with our fellow brethren we can make it through whatever storm comes our way.

13 Joell Ortiz - Hip Hop (Music Video)
One of the realest portrayals of what hip hop really IS - it's a feeling, it's a style, it's a dance, it's a gesture, it's an energy, it's a lifestyle that you "wake up hip hop and go to sleep hip hop". Joell Ortiz has the fiery passion that only someone with hip hop injected deep in their veins could display. The emotion overcomes him as he boasts the self-confidence that only the hip hop culture could breed. "Yup I'm feeling myself, that sound right. You gotta step in that ring like "listen I'll pound Mike". You gotta step on that court like "I could hold down Mike". The way I step on that stage and have the whole crowd like, AWW MAN". Joell lets the culture live through him as he proclaims "I dream 'bout hip hop, 'cause I am hip hop!".

14 Termanology - Watch How It Go Down (Music Video)
If anyone could set a vocal both on fire, it's Termanology, with his omnipotent lyrical presence on "Watch How It Go Down" spitting some socially conscious raging vigilante rap. Term brings the issues of the hood to light and then says "fuck it" because his anger gets the best of him like a new age 2Pac spitting in the lens of the video camera. On the track he boasts, "But I shall never hold my tongue, before that, I roll my blunt and load my gun", showing that freedom of speech is one of the most powerful rights we have as Americans and to defend the first amendment Termanology will gladly support the second. You can feel the flames building in his heart as he raps word after word without pause for chorus continuously adding to the urgency of his message.

15 Reks - Self Titled
As soon as the beat drops with the scratched samples in the chorus, you can tell this one has the elements all right. When the storytelling Reks drops his verse laying out his struggle as a child and the dreams that guided his young mind as an aspiring artist. This is a story about triumph, hope, and nostalgia as he remembers the days of old and the inspiration that made him the man who he is today. Who doesn't love an underdog story?! Tell me that doesn't give you the chills? And it was all a dream...

16 Jay-Z - Encore
The song is basically perfect - the supposed "outro" to Jay-Z's career in rap as he threatened retirement after The Black Album. The story of the meteroric rise to the apogee of hip hop music in less than a decade. A underdog kid from the projects threatens to leave the profession that he helped turn hip hop into a billion dollar industry. Piano fades out into black with applause. FUCKING EPIC!!!

17 Hilltop Hoods - Chase That Feeling (Music Video)
We all "chase that feeling". What is life about besides trying to get that next "high"? That next accomplishment? Reaching, striving, scratching, fighting, hitting the ground running as fast as you can and hoping you don't slip. Hilltop Hoods crafted a song that you can use to inspire you to keep chasing whatever feeling that makes your life worth living. For them, it was hip hop music, and their success was the best revenge through all the obstacles that they encountered.

"And I’ma chase that feeling,
Take that pain and replace that feeling,
And I’ma take that healing then,
Stand so tall they’ll have to raise that ceiling man" 

Filet-o-Mix 12: Songs With Swagger

Download HERE

Tracklist

01 Termanology - So Amazing

02 Fort Minor - In Stereo

03 Busta Rhymes - Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See

04 DMX - Who We Be

05 Jay-Z - Renegade (Ft. Eminem)

06 Nas - Street Dreams

07 Kanye West - Two Words (Ft. Mos Def & Freeway)

08 Clipse - Mr. Me Too (Ft. Pharrell Williams)

09 The Roots - You Got Me (Ft. Erykah Badu & Eve)

10 Wu-Tang Clan - C.R.E.A.M.

11 Fabolous - Damn

12 Mos Def - Ms. Fat Booty

13 Lupe Fiasco - Kick, Push

14 Jay-Z - Can't Knock The Hustle (Ft. Mary J. Blige)

15 Blackalicious - Alphabet Aerobics

16 Missy Elliott - The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)

17 Dr. Dre - Nuthin' But A G Thang

The concept and the 17 tracks for this new Filet-o-Mix were chosen by my friend Kate who describes the concept behind the mix "Songs With Swagger" below in her own words.

"So my theme with this group is 'swagger'. They are the types of songs that come up on your iPod when you're walking down the street, and immediately cause you to change your stride, walk confidently, bob your head. So much of hip hop revolves around that swagger, that ego and self-assurance, so I thought it deserved a mixtape at the very least."

I think Kate has picked a great bunch of songs here that really bring out the swagger in all of us, yet the term 'swagger' should not be thrown around willy nilly. I encourage you to watch this awesome video interview that I saw 2 years ago (HERE) where one of my favorite hardcore yet conscious rappers Styles P dismissed the overuse of the term swagger as a trend in hip hop (Probably since swagger is one of those things that if you have to tell people you have it, then you probably don't have it). To me, 'swagger' is defined by being so original in style and downright cool that it makes others want to emulate you. These songs embody that 'swagger' in musical form. Sometimes you can just tell those who have swagger from those who don't. For example, Ghostface Killah, who I have selected for this mixtape's artwork (above), defines the term to me. I mean just do a google image search of him and you'll know why immediately.

As always, these tracks were officially approved and arranged by me (Filet of Sole) for your listening and swag inducing pleasure. Be sure to let everyone know you're bumping that good good hip hop wherever you go by bobbing your head to the beat and letting your friends know where you got it (HeadPhoneHome.com). Keep the tunes flowing and hit me up with your mixtape concepts at headphonehome@gmail.com and we'll collab. Now some visuals below of two tracks on the mix to go along with the aural pleasure.

Track 10: Wu-Tang Clan - C.R.E.A.M.


Track 1: Termanology - So Amazing


Peace.

Filet-o-Mix 11: Bitches Ain't Shit

Download "Bitches Ain't Shit"

Tracklist

01 Dr Dre - Bitches Ain't Shit (Ft. Daz Dillinger, Kurupt, Snoop Dogg & Jewell)

02 Outkast - We Luv Deez Hoez (Ft. Backbone & Big Gipp)

03 N.W.A. - Findum, Fuckum, & Flee

04 Jay-Z - Big Pimpin' (Ft. UGK)

05 50 Cent - Get Out The Club

06 Ghostface Killah - Greedy Bitches (Ft. Redman & Shawn Wigs)

07 Dr. Dre - Fuck You (Ft. Devin The Dude & Snoop Dogg)

08 L.O.X. - Brains... (Take 1)

09 Notorious B.I.G. - Big Booty Hoes (Ft. Too Short)

10 Devin The Dude - Would Ya

11 Sporty Thieves - No Pigeons

12 Eminem - Superman

13 Ghostface Killah - Wildflower

14 Too Short - Ain't Nothin' But A Word To Me (Ft. Ice Cube)

15 Big L - No Endz, No Skinz

16 Champagne Champagne - Champagne Loves Your Brain

17 2 Live Crew - Hoochie Mama

18 N.W.A. - A Bitch Iz A Bitch

19 Mobb Deep - Let A Ho Be A Ho

20 Snoop Dogg - Ain't No Fun (If The Homies Can't Have None) (Ft. Warren G, Nate Dogg & Kurupt)

This Filet-o-Mix entitled "Bitches Ain't Shit" (inspired by my boy Andrew) is about, as you can probably guess, knocking bitches down a few notches (as opposed to bringing ladies up a few notches with the previous mix Empowering 'Em). These songs were picked not based on explicit content, but based on showing you what a bitch is (this is NOT all ladies) and why they should not be respected.

Watch the video for track 11 below by Sporty Thieves entitled "No Pigeons" as a parody and rebuttal to the TLC song "No Scrubs".

Now I know what you're thinking. This mix is a bit sexist, misogynistic, and objectifies women. Why yes that's true. How perceptive of you. But you have to remember, these are not my words. These are the words of the above rappers and this is hip hop music, a creative form of self-expression and a social barometer during the life and times of these artists. If you are offended by this, you should take a good look at our society and ask yourself, what exactly made these rappers write these songs? In many cases, the artists tell you right in their song. So listen in. The Filet-o-Mix series is meant to bring you ALL the themes of hip hop. This theme is just one of its many sides, so don't generalize it to the whole.

P.S. To all the bitches out there, you probably don't know who you are, but if men don't respect you, then you just might be one. And you ain't shit! This mix is dedicated to you.

Signing off,

Filet Of Sole

Filet-o-Mix 10: Empowering 'Em

 Download "Empowering 'Em" HERE 

[Note: The songs and theme for this Filet-o-Mix were chosen by my friend, Em, as a source of inspiration to those seeking empowerment. If you have an interest in submitting your own themed hip hop Filet-o-Mix, hit me at HeadPhoneHome@gmail.com so we can build]

Tracklist
01 Dilated Peoples - Marathon
02 T.I. - No Matter What
03 Q-Tip - Do It, See It, Be It
04 2Pac & Outlawz - Still I Rise
05 Krayzie Bone - Hard Time Hustling
06 Drake - Successful (Ft. Lil Wayne)
07 Gang Starr - In This Life... (Ft. Snoop Dogg)
08 The Roots - What They Do
09 Pigeon John - Weight Of The World
10 Kanye West - Through The Wire
11 Mary J. Blige - Work That
12 Lords Of The Underground - What I'm After
13 50 Cent - Hate It Or Love It Remix (Ft. G-Unit)
14 YoungBloodZ - I'mma Shine
15 Lauryn Hill - Water Remix (Ft. Common & Black Thought)
16 Rakaa & Self Scientific - Do For Self
17 Likwit Junkies - Keep Doin' It

And now, what this mix is about in Em's own words...

"Underground. Coming up. Growing up. Studying. Learning. Working hard. Struggling. Uncertainty. Figuring things out. Competition. Giving it you're all. Making deals. Hour after hour. Finding your way. Another day. Marathon of trials. Temptations. Bullshit. Overcoming. Perseverance. Being yourself. Having faith. Doing your thing. Being proud. Reaching goals. Fame. Success. Love of self. Do for self.

And I did this mix for myself. Hip hop is often my motivation, and my spiritual backbone. If they can do it, I can do it. Just gotta keep pushing. So I included an extra "Em" at the end of the title. Empowering myself. Empowering you and me."

-Em aka The Mos Ill Lil Youngin'

P.S. Listen to the lyrics!! The music speaks for itself.

Filet-o-Mix 09: Dedicated To The Struggle

Download "Dedicated To The Struggle" HERE

Tracklist

01 2Pac - Me Against The World

02 Scarface - On My Block

03 Big L - Street Struck

04 Styles P - Listen

05 2Pac - Keep Ya Head Up

06 The Notorious B.I.G. - Miss U

07 2Pac - Changes

08 The Notorious B.I.G. - Everyday Struggle

09 Nappy Roots - Po' Folks

10 2Pac - Keep Ya Head Up (Ft. Ann Nesby)

11 Styles P - My Brother

12 Ja Rule  - So Much Pain (Ft. 2Pac)

13 DMX - Slippin'

14 2Pac - Dear Mama

15 The Notorious B.I.G. - Juicy

16 Trick Daddy - Thug Holiday

17 Dr. Dre - The Message

I've been making hip hop mixtapes since pressing the record button on my tape deck to catch some 2Pac on the radio. Ah, those were the days. I remember it like it was yesterday. Fast forward about 5 years. Now computers have CD burners and I'm downloading mp3's and turning out mixes for myself and friends (Remember Napster in its heyday and how good it was?). What am I getting at? Well now it's 2010 and downloading singles seems to be the most popular way that we consume music these days (No more satisfaction of sifting through the shitty tracks on an album just to find the few true gems). But seriously, don't you miss the mix CD's you used to share with friends? In my eyes, the mix CD is still king even though the compact disc is essentially a dead format. Why you may ask then do I care so much about making Filet-o-Mix CD's if I know that the format is dead? Several reasons:

1) It's about the nostalgia factor that a mixtape evokes (Who doesn't love a good throwback?)
2) It's about creating a memorable, replayable, and permanent body of work
3) It's about taking the listener on an hour long journey instead of a 4 minute one. It's about me being able to convey my thoughts and feelings to you through the songs I pick and the order I put them in.

I feel that the next generation of iPod shufflers will lose touch with this last concept because the album is becoming less and less important as the technology shifts to an all digital format. Thus, since we no longer consume albums like we used to because much of albums these days is just filler, I have decided to put together no-filler mixtapes to acomplish what the "album" can no longer do. I'm taking a personal stand to keep the mixtape format alive by bringing back the feel of the old fashioned CD burner mixtape...

 This picture defines an era to me

In honor of this concept, it's time to take you back to the good old days. Back to the time when I was just hitting my mixtape stride. It was 2004 in my senior year of high school when I decided to make my very first themed mix entitled "Dedicated To The Struggle", which I have put here on my hip hop blog for download six years later. This single mixtape essentially birthed the entire concept for my current series of "themed" Filet-o-Mixes (I have about 30 more in the works right now). This Filet-o-Mix might be #9 in the series, but it will always be the first one I ever created and the songs on it definitely stand the test of time (all classics). Now what's the mix about?

As you could probably guess, this mix is about the artists' hardships/struggles in life and the will it takes to overcome them with central themes such as death, drugs, violence, poverty, and other social issues. You don't have to personally relate to the content of these songs to appreciate their universal themes and the feelings they evoke. Songs like these are filled with emotion and wisdom and beg for you to question the deeper meaning of life. Ultimately, that's why I love hip hop so much and appreciate the artform as much as I do. Please listen to these songs with your whole mind, body, and soul. I guarantee you will see a different side of hip hop then the one you're used to. Keep good hip hop alive my headphone-homies and spread this gift of music on your social networks. You never know whose day it will make or life it will change...

Peace & Love,
Filet Of Sole

2Pac - "Keep Ya Head Up" --> This song is beyond classic

Filet-o-Mix 08: J Dilla - Live Forever Vol. 1

"J Dilla - Live Forever Vol. 1"
Download HERE

Tracklist
01 A Tribe Called Quest - Get A Hold
02 Skyzoo - Hooded Angels
03 Little Brother - Hiding Place (Ft. Elzhi)
04 Common - The Light
05 De La Soul - Much More (Ft. Yummy)
06 Slum Village - I Don't Know (Ft. Jazzy Jeff)
07 The Pharcyde - Runnin'
08 Finale - Heat
09 MED - So Real
10 J Dilla - Make 'em NV
11 JayLib - The Red
12 Common - E=MC2
13 Oh No - Move (Ft. Roc C)
14 Common - The Movement
15 J Dilla - Won't Do
16 Raekwon - Ason Jones
17 Common - So Far To Go (Ft. D'Angelo)
18 The Roots - Can't Stop This
Leave a comment below if I left your favorite J Dilla produced tracks off here so I can include them in Vol. 2!

J Dilla (aka Jay Dee) is/was/will always be one of the greatest hip hop producers of all time, period, no questions asked. Here I have compiled my absolute favorite 18 Dilla produced songs. There are no straight up instrumentals on this mixtape since Dilla did so many amazing beats that it would be nearly impossible to choose his best ones without having a rapper on there to help discriminate (Although I will attempt to put out my favorite Dilla instrumentals mix later). Most of the time in hip hop music it's the MC that gets all the credit even though half of the track is clearly the producer's work. It almost feels like the rapping is the artwork and the beat is just the frame that surrounds it - well in the case of Dilla's beats, the frame is often the masterpiece. The documentary below on J Dilla reveals just how talented of a musician he was.



Dilla's beats have inspired the greatest hip hop visionaries from Common to Busta Rhymes to Questlove to A Tribe Called Quest. His work is extremely unique, yet he has a signature sound that can be identified by the trained hip hop ear. Dilla had the ability to make tracks that would inevitably make your head nod, whether it be a chill track like "Get A Hold" or an upbeat track like "E=MC2". Once described by a musical friend of mine, Dilla tracks often have something that many other producers can't capture in a song - Movement. A Dilla track often feels like it's propelling you forward with the mixture of its drums, chopped samples, deliberate pauses, and unique timing of layered sounds. It's like the track has a soul and its stirring. Jay Dee beats just seem to have more soul than other producers' beats. He had a superb ear for sampling, but what's more impressive is the way he arranged his samples to bring a track to life. If you like what you here on the mix, I highly recommend you buy J Dilla's beat tape Donuts (talked about in the documentary above), which he painstakingly edited in the hospital before his death from the autoimmune disease lupus in 2006. Honestly, his work could change your life. I know it changed mine.

You can order a "J Dilla Changed My Life" t-shirt HERE

{All proceeds go to Dilla's family}

Now I don't claim to own or have heard every J Dilla produced track/collab (frankly that's nearly impossible), but from the TON of Dilla songs that I do have, the tracks above are real standouts to me. And if you like these tracks, there will be a Vol. 2 lurking sometime in the future. Enjoy fellow hip hop heads.

Track 15. J Dilla - "Won't Do" --> btw Dilla was a great rapper too!
The video is just as futuristic as the beat.

Filet-o-Mix 07: 23 'til Infinity EP

Download HERE: "23 'til Infinity EP"

Mixtape Themes: Love, Breakups, Perseverance, Money, Business, Friends, Dreams, Adversity, Girls, & Reminiscing on the simpler times

Tracklist
01 Sway - Still On My Own
02 Scribe - Dreaming
03 DJ Quik - Summer Breeze
04 Celph Titled - Me and My Friends (Ft. Apathy & One Two)
05 Showbiz & AG - Fat Pockets (Off Beat Dance)
06 Looptroop - Business & Pleasure
07 Macklemore - Love Song
08 Skyzoo - Comeback

The ripe age of twenty-three is such a pivotal time in the human life cycle that I would say that it's the fulcrum on the seesaw of life (yes, pun intended) - It's the point in the maturation process when you can finally peek over the edge into the future and realize the immense possibilities in life while you look back at your past and reflect on how you got where you are.

This EP is about the themes and struggles of the 23 year old. I put this EP together because I realized that a few of my favorite songs are about what it's like to be my current age. Each song has a line about being 23 and this simple fact means that many of these songs are introspective and self-reflective, which you'll see after you listen to them. Some of them are extremely relevant in my life and some might be more relevant in yours. As an MC or musician, it's important to have your fans identify with your music. One of my favorite MC's, Macklemore, put it best in his song Kings by saying "be a mirror to the people when they're searching for truth". Ultimately, I made this EP because I connect with the songs and my hopes are that the other 23 year olds of the world will connect with them too.

Now let's get into the music shall we.
Sway - Still On My Own
"I'm only 23, but I feel like I'm older. Developed a hunchback from carrying the world on my shoulders. In a world full of motives in the land of Tony Blair, it's hard to BBC (see) my dreams and stay focused. And I've always been a loner in the form of a trio, the three amigos with me, myself, and I - uno mio."

Scribe - Dreaming
"I'm 23 and I just want to be me. Want to be free. Want to be everything I can be. But I don't have many choices, can't afford to be wrong. All I do is try to stay true to the words of my song. Just don't hesitate and wait too long cause like a dream when you wake up its gone...its gone."

DJ Quik - Summer Breeze
"Now I'm 23 and I remember the times when we was chillin' like villains and didn't have no nines. Like when we used to mob to beaches to kick it and swim, now I hang around and watch the tides come in. And I'm thinking how many funerals I've been to, watching all my homies get buried in them boxes they put 'em into."

Celph Titled Ft. Apathy & One Two - Me and My Friends
"Yo, the crew I roll with - cold as hell. We own the streets like OG's own the jails. Mack college bitches, they know us well, but now that I'm 23 I feel old as hell."

Showbiz & A.G. - Fat Pockets
"My pockets stay fat, and they always like that. Not only in my pocket in my bank there's stacks and stacks - of dough, cause I move slow. I get my cash flow. Then I go and brother's don't know I'm on the down low. Some get mad 'cause they can't understand, that I'm 23 years old. I'm in command!"

Looptroop - Business & Pleasure
"They say don't mix business with pleasure, you know what that means? Ain’t a rapper with a deal that's pleased. Some don't see where they run, so they run to the sea like lemmings. Drown in despair 'cause they depending. All dressed in designer underwear, but most rhymers are unaware - lyrically impaired. And not prepared to battle me. Been doing this since Karate Kid and Police Academy. A twenty-three years young man, with no suntan, always was a KRS-One fan."

Macklemore - Love Song
"I'm getting older now, 23 years old and half of me just wants to make the move and go and settle down. The other half's like 'hell no you better mess around, don't let me down, especially when you got an album coming out'. When I first saw you I'm like 'awww shit, goddamnit look what God did, Hail Mary Jesus'."

Skyzoo - Comeback
"You a hot one girl, believe I'm a fan, but I don't want you running round like you got a man. I'm only 23 with a lot of life in front of me, and there's a lot of types I wanna see. And I can't give you my all, when part of me still wanna answer my calls."

Enjoy.

Filet-o-Mix 06 / The Monti Mash 01 - "Coming Of Age"

Download "Coming Of Age" HERE

Note: This exclusive Filet-o-Mix, write-up, and cover art were created by my friend John-Carlo Monti. If you would like to submit your own Filet-o-Mix, hit me up at HeadPhoneHome(at)gmail.com.

 

Preview Tracks 8, 11, & 17

Mix the phrase coming-of-age with hip-hop and the visual most people will get will be something straight out of Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood. However, one can grow up on hip-hop never having to hold a gun, deal with an accidental pregnancy, or ever having to cruise down the street in a '64. This Filet-O-Mix contains elements in the minds of those coming-of-age. Themes of first loves, friendship, self doubt, self acceptance, and other themes are apparent throughout this mix. Enjoy.

-Mix Master Monti

Tracklist

01 Atmosphere - Me

02 Kid Cudi - Man On The Moon (The Anthem)

03 Kanye West - Everything I Am

04 Fatlip - What's Up Fatlip?

05 Brother Ali - Forest Whitiker

06 Macklemore - I Said Hey

07 Common Market - Re-Fresh

08 Atmosphere - The Number One

09 Rhymefest - Build Me Up (Feat. O.D.B.)

10 Murs - Freak These Tales

11 Blu & Exile - In Remembrance Of Me

12 Kanye West - My Way Home (Feat. Common)

13 Murs - H-U-S-T-L-E

14 Atmosphere - Don't Forget

15 People Under The Stairs - Time To Rock Our Shit

16 Teenage Fanclub & De La Soul - Fallin'

17 Dyme Def - LetitBe

18 Brother Ali - Self Taught

19 Dyme Def - ForTheWorld

Filet-o-Mix 05 - This DJ Kno's Best

Download Filet-o-Mix HERE

Preview the first 3 tracks HERE

01 CunninLynguists Ft. Natti & Versatile - Diamond Sky

02 Mr. SOS Ft. Deacon The Villain, Flip Flop & Juicy - Stay High 

03 Celph Titled Ft. Cashmere The PRO & Oktober - Clap

04 CunninLynguists - Beautiful Girl

05 CunninLynguists - Never Come Down (The Brownie Song)

06 CunninLynguists - Lynguistics

07 CunninLynguists - Since When

08 Tonedeff Ft. Deacon The Villain - Love Ain't (Remix)

09 Mr. SOS - Time (What Is It)

10 CunninLynguists - To Be For Real

11 CunninLynguists - Move

12 CunninLynguists - K.K.K.Y.

13 CunninLynguists Ft. Substantial & J. Bully - Nasty Filthy (Remix)

14 CunninLynguists - Hellfire

15 CunninLynguists Ft. Tonedeff - The Gates

16 CunninLynguists - Halfanimal, Halfman

17 Tonedeff Ft. Deacon The Villain - No Hope

18 CunninLynguists - The South

19 Inverse Ft. Substantial - Spark My Soul

20 Inverse Ft. Trek Life & Deacon The Villain - Til' The End (C.A.L.I.)

For the theme of this Filet-o-Mix, I decided to turn to the music of an influential and visionary hip hop producer, DJ Kno. Kno has created some of the most unique and interesting beats out in the hip hop underground since 2001 when he debuted his skills by producing the majority of the CunninLynguists first album Will Rap For Food. This mix is meant to give you an introduction to some of Kno's best work. You will find that he has a very signature sound of huge bass, crazy soulful vocal samples, and snares that slap you across the face. You shouldn't even play this music unless its loud enough to annoy your neighbors. 

There is no other producer who can copy Kno's style because it is ever changing with his projects. Each project has a concept behind it as Kno explains below in an interview about his group the CunninLynguists,

"We're a shining representation of the fact you have to have an angle to sell records, because people honestly don't know what to make of us.  Horrible name.  Too white for black people, too black for white people, too mainstream for backpackers, too underground for mainstream rap fans, too southern for people outside of the south, too "hip-hop" for southerners.  Too many rock samples for Common fans, too much soul for Sage Francis fans.  I've witnessed it with my own eyes and ears over 6 years. People we reach are people who simply love good music and don't give a shit what anyone else says about their tastes."

This is truly some GOOD music. If you have been following my Filet-o-Mix series, you will notice that at least one track of Kno's appears on each of my four previous Filet-o-Mixtapes. 

Filet-o-Mix 1: CunninLynguists - Love Ain't (Remix)

Filet-o-Mix 2: Jay-Z - Dirt Off Your Shoulder [Kno vs. HOV: The White Al-bu-lum]

Filet-o-Mix 3: Cunninlynguists - Never Come Down (The Brownie Song), Mr. SOS - Stay High Ft. Deacon The Villain, Flip Flop, & Juicy

Filet-o-Mix 4: Tonedeff - No Hope Ft. Deacon The Villain

Now go download the mix and discover why Kno is one of my favorite hip hop producers to date.

Filet-o-Mix 04: Mind Travel - An Introspective Mix

Download HERE 
And Let Your Mind Travel...

This is the fourth CD in the Filet-o-Mix series - where I present you with carefully selected and themed hip hop mixtapes. The theme for this mix is "Mind Travel" by which I mean the process that the mind goes through upon heavy introspection. Each of these songs has a real thought provoking quality to them; whether it's soul-touching lyrics like those in "Rise And Shine", "Some Of The People", "No Hope", and "Father" or trance-inducing beats such as those of "Bottle Rocket", "Sky Might Fall", "It Lives", and "Mars Remix". Needless to say, this is a mix best appreciated with headphones and a chill place to think/relax. If you're interested in knowing what goes into the "making of" these Filet-o-Mixes, continue reading below the video.

Preview The Mix HERE

Tracklist
01 Lushlife - Bottle Rocket
02 Keelay & Zaire - The Times Ft. Blu, Fortilive & Nino Moschella
03 Inverse - Rise And Shine
04 Khizman - That's Life Ft. Skyzoo
05 Gift Of Gab - Some Of The People
06 Blue Scholars - Southbound
07 Statik_Selektah - Do What I Believe Ft. Bahamadia
08 PUSH - This Place
09 Tonedeff - No Hope Ft. Deacon The Villain
10 Kid Cudi - Sky Might Fall
11 Dark Time Sunshine - It Lives
12 Mos Def - History Ft. Talib Kweli
13 Inverse - Spark My Soul Ft. Substantial
14 Blu - Mars (Remix)
15 Fashawn - Father
16 Sol - Never D.I.E.
17 People Under The Stairs - Carried Away

Here is the video for track 2 off the mix called "The Times" produced by Keelay & Zaire and rapping by Blu, Fortilive, & Nino Moschella


The "making of" Mind Travel:
Sometimes theme's for CD's just emerge as the songs are compiled. In this case, I was making this mixtape as a Christmas present by going through about 30 recently downloaded albums (hence the majority of songs are from 2009). As I picked songs based on snippets of beats, I noticed that I was picking them based on my mood at the time (hence the introspective feel). So really the mixtape can be seen as a reflection of one night's musical journey through my frantic yet thoughtful mind (it takes "frantic" to go through nearly 500 new songs in a night over the course of about 5 focused hours). And that's just picking the songs. The process to create the finished product involves cutting out the songs that either aren't good enough or don't fit the theme. Then comes properly ordering the tracks, which believe it or not is extremely important for the flow of a project like this and usually takes me over an hour to get right. However, the end result of this hard work is a mixtape for everyone to enjoy. Now go listen!

Filet-o-Mix 3: Weed: The Chronic 2009 - Best Hip Hop Weed Songs (Vol. 1)

Download HERE

Preview A Few Tracks on The Chronic 2009

01 Cypress Hill - Hits From The Bong

02 Redman - Smoke Buddah

03 People Under The Stairs - Come On, Let's Get High

04 Krayzie Bone - Smokin Budda

05 Scarface - Mary Jane

06 Cunninlynguists - Never Come Down (The Brownie Song)

07 Styles P - Blow Ya Mind (Ft. Swizz Beatz)

08 Redman - Jersey Yo!

09 J Dilla - Smoke (Ft. Blu)

10 Memphis Bleek - I Get High

11 Outkast - Crumblin' Erb

12 Mr. SOS - Stay High Ft. Deacon The Villain, Flip Flop, & Juicy

13 Qwel - The Highest Commitment

14 Bizzy Bone Ft. Blulight - Weedman

15 Mr. SOS - Lets Go Get Stoned

16 Proof - High Rollers Ft. B-Real & Method Man

17 Copywrite - He Burns Trees

18 Cypress Hill - High Times

19 The Pharcyde - Pack The Pipe

20 Devin The Dude - To Tha X-Treme

Continuing on with my themes of Hip Hop mix series comes one of the most timeless, the Weed mix (first of several). In this mix titled The Chronic 2009 I have compiled (in my opinion) some of the best rap songs specifically dedicated to the love of Ms. Mary Jane herself. Even if smoking is not your thing, this CD might make you reconsider... and if it is your thing, be a good smoker and PASS the mix along to your friends (on the left hand side of course).

If your favorite track didn't make it, suggest a song in the comments below and I'll consider it for the next mix. I had to narrow down a list of over 100 songs to 20 tracks so obviously I had some criteria for selecting these few. All rap songs that made the cut have tight beats, are nearly 100% about marijuana, and don't lose their appeal after multiple listens. There are some classic songs in there mixed with some of my new favorites (especially track 12). Check out the video for The Brownie Song below and a few lyrics (track 6).

"Rigormortis higher than a lion's chin, If this was symphonies I'm way up there with violins, If this a choir then soprano octaves, in an opera where God lives, Look I know I'm sounding like a liar but, The brownie's was angel sex - got a nigga high as fuck, I smoke trees'n through all four seasons, but I'm like gas prices - high for no reason. Call the nurse your boy's higher than Google Earth, and if I fell the impact would put me through the dirt, So let me zoom in and get my zoom on, This weed's Neil Armstrong - I'm on the moon blown" - Deacon The Villain

CunninLynguists - Never Come Down (The Brownie Song) - Video

And now for some personal insights about marijuana and hip hop...

Everyone knows that hip hop is laced with drug references, but hold on don't be so quick to judge. There is quite a difference between the drugs they talk about for sale and those for personal consumption. Hip Hop as a culture does not embrace hard drugs such as crack, cocaine, and heroin. In fact, the music makes it quite clear that although selling hard drugs is glorified, using them is NOT. Selling hard drugs is glorified because it is seen as one of the few ways to make fast money and get out of poverty. However, there is a huge negative stigma in hip hop music towards the addicts or "fiends" that buy these drugs. They are looked down upon and disrespected by same bragging rappers who made their money off them.

It seems that the only drug that hip hop embraces (besides for alcohol) is marijuana. In fact, on many occasions I find it downright strange that the same drug can be adored by both the most hardcore rapper and the most free-spirited hippie (seemingly opposite ends of the spectrum). Even though the drug means different things to different cultures, ultimately weed has the same effects on the mood and behavior of most people. My point is that marijuana is a drug enjoyed and celebrated universally and should not be looked at in such a negative light (let's try to put illegality aside). After all, weed is conducive to musician/artist creativity, which is clearly shown in the works of these hip hop artists.

Enjoy the music. And just like weed, this mix is better when you share it with friends.

Filet-o-Mix 02 - Jay-Z - The BLACK[EST] Album

Download

1. Intro [Pete Rock – The Black Album (Pete Rock Remixes) – 1:48]
2. December 4th [9th Wonder – Black is Back – 4:14]
3. What More Can I Say [9th Wonder – Black is Back – 3:39]
4. Encore [Jay-Z – The Black Album – 4:15] *Produced by Kanye West*
5. Change Clothes [Hasan Insane - The Pink Album – 4:21]
6. Dirt Off Your Shoulder [Kno – Kno vs. HOV: The White Al-bu-lum - 3:33]
7. Threat [Jay-Z – The Black Album – 4:07] *Produced by 9th Wonder*
8. Moment of Clarity [Hasan Insane - The Pink Album – 4:31]
9. 99 Problems [DJ Roli Fingaz: Fire Blends Pt. 7: Best of Jay-Z – 2:14]
10. Public Service Announcement [Jay-Z – The Black Album – 2:53] *Produced by Just Blaze*
11. Justify [Bach Logic – The Red Album – 3:56]
12. Lucifer [Danger Mouse – The Purple Album – 3:08]
13. Allure [Jay-Z – S. Carter The Re-Mix – 5:49]
14. My First Song [Jay-Z – The Black Album – 4:44] *Produced by Aqua & Joe “3H” Weinberger*
15. No More To Say (Bonus) [Bach Logic – The Red Album - 2:27]

This Filet-o-Mix is a special one because it was created through the work of a team. With the help of my two junior year college roommates, Wes and Antoine, the three of us put together what we feel is the ultimate compilation of remixes of Jay-Z's The Black Album. But before we get too much into the mix, you first need some background on this classic album. This will give you an idea about why The Black Album spawned a unique proliferation of remix albums that spans almost every color in the visual spectrum.

Jay-Z released arguably one of his best CD’s, The Black Album, in 2003 and separately released an A Cappella version of the album later that year. This turned out to be a masterful decision on his part because it sparked a whole movement of producers (some famous / some not) who tried their hand at remixing the hell out of Jay-Z’s phenomenal lyrics…and remix they did. Even well respected producers such as Kno of the CunninLynguists and 9th Wonder, formerly of Little Brother, released their own remix albums (The White Al-bu-lum & Black is Back, respectively) creating beats specifically for the project. Other DJ’s made “mash-ups” out of Jay-Z’s work, which are combinations of other people’s beats with lyrics from The Black Album A Cappella. Two noteworthy mash-ups are The Silver Album remixed by Bazooka Joe using RJD2 beats and The Black Album Pete Rock Remixes mixed by Quo. Of course, the most famous mash-up to date (that ended up putting DJ Danger Mouse on the map) is The Grey Album, which mixed The White Album by The Beatles with Jay-Z’s The Black Album (hence Grey). What was planned to be Jay-Z’s final album before retiring from rap music turned out to be more than HOV could have even imagined.

Getting back to MY remix album. After I had downloaded approximately 10+ remix albums, I was finally ready to do what I do best and sort through all of these songs to bring you the best of each Jay-Z track and compile them all into what I have dubbed The BLACK[EST] Album.

This is a public service announcement sponsored by Mike Fileti and the good folks formerly at room 1512…

Contributions
Antoine: The Red Album (JPN Import)
Wes: The Pink Album & The Purple Album