Artists: Brown Bag AllStars are having the best month ever!

Album Cover: Soul Like Khan (2010)

In the past three weeks, I have independently arrived at the name Brown Bag AllStars four separate times (1 album, 2 EP's, and 1 incredibly produced track - all of which are great). So how is it possible that I had never heard of this underground hip hop group before?! I have absolutely no idea, but lucky for us, these guys have been keeping real hip hop alive in 2010 with their newest releases below. Don't sleep on any of this music!

Downloads
Soul Khan - Soul Like Khan (2010)
Preview: Soul Khan - Soul Like Khan

Koncept - Playing Life EP (2010)
Preview: Koncept - Keeping On (Prod. Maticulous)

Sene & J57 (of Brown Bag AllStars) – Eye Don’t Dream…But I Do EP (2010)
Preview: Sene - 4U (Prod. J57 of Brown Bag AllStars)

Joell Ortiz - Battle Cry (Prod. by Audible Doctor of Brown Bag AllStars) [Download]

The Brown Bag AllStars consist of Soul Khan, The Audible Doctor, J57, Koncept, DJ Goo Punch, DJ E Holla, and Deejay Element who all met each other while working at the legendary hip hop record store Fat Beats NYC (now R.I.P.)

My introduction to the Brown Bag AllStars started with a battle rapper named Soul Khan. If you have never seen a hip hop battle, then today is your lucky day. The below is one hell of an introduction to both Soul Khan and the important (yet dying) tradition of the MC battle. His delivery and punchlines are INSANE. Stand back or you might get a black eye.

Soul Khan VS. Madness (Battle starts at 1:15)

Peace and enjoy hip hop responsibly.

-Filet Of Sole

#NewMusicFriday - 12/10/10 Edition

#NewMusicFriday - 12/10/10 Edition

Download the 12 new songs here!!

So it's my favorite day of the week, and hopefully yours too... #NewMusicFriday! The fact that I can provide you about 10 new incredible hip hop songs a week should give you an idea that the hip hop genre that was claimed to be dead by Nas is actually alive and well. Actually, the term "dead" really is inaccurate and oversimplified and I'm surprised that a rapper as "conscious" as Nas would make that claim. It might even be somewhat inaccurate to say that hip hop has been "misguided" and wrongly portrayed by the media. I'm starting to believe there's something even bigger happening here. Never before has there been a musical genre so bifurcated amongst its own that it's beginning to feel as though mainstream hip hop and underground hip hop are two giant land masses slowly separating from continental drift. I'm really advocating for this separation, but it's not happening fast enough. I'm tired of calling what's played on the radio these days "Hip Hop". I want there to be a CIVIL WAR and get this split over with. Consider this a post a declaration of a "Hip Hop House Divided". If you are with me then fucking take a stand and lead your friends on a journey to discovering what real hip hop means by sharing this post and turn off the damn radio. Thanks and I look forward to having you back next week. Until then, enjoy the fantastic music from the past week below.

Songs This Week - (Full download link above!)
Fashawn - Going Home
Grynch Ft. Sol - All I Wanna Do (Prod. Jester)
Jay Electronica - Jazzmatazz
Joell Ortiz - Battle Cry (Just Blaze Mix)
Malcolm & Martin – Movement Music (Prod. Marco Polo)
Promise - Awake (Prod. Algarythyms)
Rapsody - Win Ft. Rah Digga
Smokey Robotic - SuperVicious
Snowgoons - Cant Go On Like That (Ft. Torae & Skyzoo)
Statik Selektah - No Shame (Ft. Termanology, Easy Money & Wais P)
T.Calmese - Call My Name
The Los Angeles Leakers - Purp & Yellow Ft. Wiz Khalifa, Kendrick Lamar, The Game, Thurzday, Snoop Dogg, YG & Joe Moses

Video You Must See
Joell Ortiz - Battle Cry (Video)


Albums I've Copped This Week (and you should too)
Buff1 & DJ Rhettmatic - Crown Royale (2010)
Kooley High – Kooley is High (2010)
JR & PH7 - The Update (2010)
Soul Khan - Soul Like Khan (2010)
Bun B - Trill O.G. (2010)
Rapsody - Return Of The B-Girl (2010)
Koncept - Playing Life (2010)
Sha Stimuli - My Soul To Keep (2009)
B.o.B – No Genre Mixtape (2010)

Don't be lazy when it comes to your music selection. It's too damn important. Share it!

Much Love,
-Filet Of Sole

#NewMusicFriday - 12/3/10 Edition

#NewMusicFriday - 12/3/10 Edition
Download "New Songs" Here

Another #NewMusicFriday for my few, but dedicated followers. Just hit play on the songs below and get acquainted with some underground gems. There's a lot of new talent on the scene these days so you best get with the times. Here are my highlights from this past week in Hip Hop. Use these songs to impress friends who have absolutely no knowledge of decent hip hop music. Oh yeah, and check out last week's #NewMusicFriday - 11/26/10 edition here in case you missed it. Download the 9 songs below at the link up top and also check out the video and album sections for new items that I've found in the past week. You might just find something you like and your iPod will definitely thank you.

New Songs
Big KRIT - Can't Be All
[Original beat used by Outkast on classic song "Jazzy Belle"]
Big Sean - Big Nut Bust [Original] (Prod. The Monsters)
Elite - Sing My Song
JR&PH7 - The City Ft. Elzhi & Frank-N-Dank
Koncept - Day Dreaming
Kooley High - POGO
Spice1 - Rollin And Smokin (Ft. Scarface & Devin The Dude)
Strong Arm Steady - Makings Of You (Prod. Pete Rock)
[Beat used for Kanye West's "The Joy" G.O.O.D. Friday release]
Talib Kweli - Palookas (Prod. Marco Polo)

Videos
Rapsody – Imaginaton (Prod. Oh No) (Video)
*Gotta love the Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory sample


Scheme - Chicano (Video)


Albums
AZ - Do Or Die 15th Anniversary (2010)
Chuuwee & Cookin Soul - The Date Tape (2010)
Deacon The Villain & Justme - Tragedy & Dope (2010)
Deacon The Villain & Sheisty Khrist - Niggaz With Latitude (2010)
DJ Muggs & Bambu - LA to Phillipines Mixtape (2010)
Joell Ortiz - Pre Agent (2010)
Joell Ortiz And Novel - Defying The Predictable (2010)
Kali - Timeless (Hosted by Clinton Sparks & Statik Selektah) (2010)
Khingz - Khake & Khool-Aid (2010)
Redman - Pancake N Syrup Mixtape (2010)
Scheme - Same Rebel, New Cause (2010)
Stik Figa & Oddisee - From The Top EP (2010)
The Lyricists - Constructicons Mixtape (2010)
Various Artists (Mello Music Group) - Helpless Dreamer (2010)

Don't forget to catch all the updates by following on Twitter and Facebook. Until next time...

Artist Spotlight: Joell Ortiz - Free Agent?

Joell Ortiz on stage: Where's The After Party?

I wanna talk to you about a rapper who has been on my radar for over two years now. This man would be Joell Ortiz who released his first studio album in 2007 called The Brick: Bodega Chronicles. Although the album didn't scream classic, it was a solid album and it had what I believe to be one of the best odes to the golden age of hip hop ever. This song titled "Hip Hop" (video below), that I featured on my most recent Filet-o-Mix CD: Recapturing That Feeling, seeps with passion from every line. Although lyrically it might not focus exclusively on the golden era, Joell gives you the "feeling" of what it was like back in the good ol' days. No corny gimmicks, no fake gangsters - just real talk. If you want to understand the soul of what hip hop really means, you'll digest the song below in all of it's reminiscing braggadocio. It truly captures the spirit of that time period (early to mid 90's).

Joell Ortiz - Hip Hop (Video)


When I first heard this song, I was sure Joell would be an underground star. His passion is incredible, his delivery is top notch, and his heart is in it. I'm telling you, 90% of rappers these days don't have any of those three qualities. They just rhyme over a beat and no one could care less about what they're saying. However, I see Joell being able to crossover and have more mass appeal by hybridizing mainstream and underground hip hop. For example, check his newest video below which is a story about the average man's struggle with a beautiful R&B chorus by his sometimes partner-in-music, Novel. I'm really in love with this damn song.

Joell Ortiz Ft. Novel - Night Train (Video)


By listening to the last two songs, you can tell that Joell's style is extremely versatile, yet manages to remain sincere even when switching between being both pompous and humble. Recently, Joell has made headlines as 1/4th of the hip hop supergroup Slaughterhouse, which also includes lyrical powerhouses Royce Da 5'9", Joe Budden, & Crooked I. They are in talks right now to sign to Eminem's label Shady Records, which would be an awesome move for the group.

If you are loving these two songs, I suggest you pick up a copy of Joell Ortiz's new album Free Agent, which drops sometime in 2011. The album was slated to be released today and the songs used to be up for preview on Amazon.com, but were taken down this morning (and I must say they sounded good!). Both the song "Night Train" (above) and the song below "Sing Like Bilal" are on Free Agent so you know it's gonna be a hot one. And if you already know Joell Ortiz then this is for you... YAOOOOOOWA!!

Joell Ortiz - Sing Like Bilal (Prod. DJ Premier)

Free Agent (Coming Soon)