Check out the new free download from "Mr. Impossible" from Swollen Members upcoming album "Daggermouth " dropping April 12th.
After going through one of the darkest periods of their musical career, Swollen Members are back and sounding more revitalized than ever. The Vancouver based hip-hop trio has somehow managed to persevere through drug addiction, label collapses, and legal troubles to create their 2009 release "Armed To The Teeth". While writing the album was necessary to empty the skeletons that have been piling up in the group’s closet, the album was a departure from Swollen Members trademark sound.
“'Armed to the Teeth is a dope record, but looking back now some of the lyrical content glorifies negativity a little too much for my liking," commented Madchild. "Along with Dilated Peoples and Hieroglyphics, we come from an era of hip-hop that was a raw and pure art form and just a lot more fun!So when we started the creative process for this record our goal was to record something that feels right and that's exactly what happened.”
Over the course of their decade long career, Swollen Members has managed to develop some of the most electrifying hip-hop chemistry. From the release of their debut album “Balance” in 1999, Swollen Members captivated the underground hip-hop world with live shows that took the raw explosive energy of rock music and powered it with the group’s jaw dropping lyrical abilities. The group’s universal appeal caught the attention of both underground and mainstream audiences and while earning accolades, as well as Juno Awards (the Canadian version of a Grammy), and Video awards.
Swollen Members had developed such a powerful fanbase they were touring the world opening for everyone from Black Eyed Peas to Tech N9ne and collaborating with the likes of Nelly Furtado, Everlast, and Chali 2na (Jurassic 5).
“The past few years have taught me a lot about myself and my music,” closes Mad Child. “Swollen Members’ success has taken us around the world and while I’m thankful for all we’ve accomplished, I’ve learned that everything is secondary to making good music.”
Boston emcee Elemental Zazen presents the second single from his new album Nothing To Lose But Change, also featuring Jean Grae and Canibus. "This might be my favorite track on the record," Zazen says of "Kill 'Em With The Beat". "Fashawn is one of the most naturally gifted emcees in the game. He's blowing up right now, and with good reason. Joe Beats has always been one of my favorite producers, and this beat represents him at the top of his game. Make sure you listen to the end of the track...DJ Slipwax absolutely MURDERS the cuts."
Big week in Miami! I'm opening for GOOD Music MC and one half of the legendary Clipse Pusha T at Bardot Miami THIS Saturday. Please find the flyer attached.
Also, the release of my songs Black Superhero & You Like Me got coverage along with the Pusha T show in the Miami New Times. Check it out:
Vallejo Emcee Moe Green Puts New Spin On Favorite From Nostalgia, Ultra
Critical Praise for Moe Green:
"With a prize like Rocky Maivia: Non-Title Match under his belt, be prepared to see Green go the distance." - PopMatters.com
Selected as a member of 106 KMEL's (the biggest Bay Area hip-hop station) Freshmen Class of 2010.
The Song:
With the Lion Heart EP nearing completion and the full length LP To Whom It May Concern slotted for release later this year, to say the Vallejo, CA representative Moe Green is keeping busy is an understatement. More fittingly, Green is swimming in a sea of ambition trying to keep his head above water. Hence the reason the young emcee felt the urge to remix “Swim Good,” a song from Frank Ocean’s recently released Nostalgia, Ultra album. “Man, the original was so powerful because to me it sounded like he was facing some problems that he wasn’t ready to handle” say’s Green on why he picked the track to remix. “I been through that and am still in that position in life.”
Flipping the track, Moe keeps the original beat and chorus in tact for "Swim Great," crafting his own similarly-themed and introspective verses, matching Ocean's turbulent crooning in an ode to endurance for those in need of encouragement. Reflecting on turmoil as he makes progress and faces setbacks in music and life, Moe raps, "To be honest, the man in the mirror scaring me/ Can't say my parents did a bad job preparing me... Real life struck to hard, I couldn't even blink/ Felt I had no other choice but to sink in ink/ Describe my life minus the pride, ni**a, this is me."
The rap game is overflowing with aspiring new MCs, all crammed into a single ring fighting for that lone heavyweight title. One particular competitor who has fully dedicated himself to the good fight is 22-year old Moe Green from Vallejo, California. His forthcoming debut album, Rocky Maivia: Non Title Match, is titled after Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's first professional ring name and perfectly embodies Moe place in today's hip-hop circuit - the newcomer who is one day going to hold the championship belt. Like any fighter, years of training, dedication, and discipline are required to claim the top spot. Moe has been training for this his entire life. Having competed in speech and poetry meets growing up, Moe found himself genuinely attracted to the creative freedom music imparts early in his life, even writing rhymes in kindergarten with his childhood best friend and E-40's son, Droop-E. Listeners of Rocky Maiva can expect to hear tales from a young man from a hard hit city trying to find his way in the world the best he can. On growing from Rocky Maivia to one day standing amongst the greats, Moe says, "I need to win a couple belts first. I have to prove that I have the skill to do that and this album is like my wrestling debut." And so, the journey begins.
About Interdependent Media:
Founded in 2006 in the Bay Area by Evan Phillips, Interdependent Media has built unique strengths in the development, production, and marketing of recorded music via new methods of marketing and promotion. Armed with a comprehensive understanding of both traditional and emerging methods of marketing, iM has successfully created multi-faceted methods of raising awareness and interest in their projects. Industry veterans Ian "ID" Davis and Dominic Del Bene head operations at iM and are credited with discovering and/or developing artists such as 9th Wonder, Little Brother, Tanya Morgan, Blackalicious, Del the Funky Homosapien, the Hieroglyphics and more. In 2010, iM will be releasing multi-media projects from artists Donwill, TRUTHLiVE, Canibus, Von Pea, Moe Green, A-Plus, and more. For more information, please visit http://www.imculture.com .
Moke & Tone, the two man hip-hop consortium consisting of the Cali-born, Bronx-bred Mokeout of Hardtimes Records and the MA-based Tone of The Problemaddicts, get set to release their debut lp Shot Heard Round The World next Tuesday (4.12) through their Mystika Music imprint. In promotion of next week's release, the duo is pleased to present the album's second single, "Destiny", produced by !llmind.
Long Beach, CA - To watch Monsta's latest video, "Wesperado's ft. Yukmouth and Ganxsta Ridd" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAiwLeQmQy4&feature=related (41, 859 plays on YouTube) is to be transported back to the West Coast's rap hay days of the 90's - and it's a wild trip. Truth be told, Monsta has been rhyming with Yuk and fellow Regime members since the early 2000's - just watch Yuk tell it in this introduction video clip - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3SGT2M4iNY&feature=channel_video_title - but that is not his only Hip Hop legacy; he is also nephew to the infamous Boo Yaa Tribe. Anyone unfamiliar should pick up his recently released EP "Allow Me To Re-Introduce Myself" which features some of his best material with Yukmouth and Techn9ne from back in their Rap-A-Lot days.
If you are thinking, "why all the re-hashing?", well, Monsta will be releasing his debut solo album, "Pacific Coast Highway" on April 12th on Dawn Raid/SMC Recordings/Fontana with brand new material featuring Jacka, Huslah, Masspike Miles, Hell Rell and of course, Yukmouth and Boo Yaa Tribe.
Gangsta, right? Well, Monsta does have a softer side too, believe it or not. Just watch this ode to his Mother, "This Is Love ft. J Boog", a single that was recently certified RIANZ Gold, if you don't believe me - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTCqNRcIxQE&feature=relmfu (227, 624 plays on YouTube)
"Pacific Coast Highway" is anything but a rehash. It is the culmination of the past 10 years on Monsta's musical journey beginning as a Mexican/Samoan child growing up in the church, to growing up as a teenager in the violent streets of Carson City and Long Beach, CA.
Take a roadtrip with Monsta along the Pacific Coast Highway - April 12th, 2011!
This is the first single off the Ritchie Valens project titled "La Bamba: The Ritchie Valens EP" comin out May 13th. Project is produced entirely by Mute out of Phoenix, AZ and the name of this song is "Ritchie's View". Here is the bandcamp link for it man! http://mrmiranda.bandcamp.com/
Rhyming over industry beats is too easy for Gees Extortion so he decided to take it back a little and take a flow not many emcees can duplicate. That said, check out his freestyle over Eric B. & Rakim's "Know the Ledge" from the cult classic movie Juice.
![[In Transit]](coverart/muneshine-Transit.jpg)
Constantly moving forward!
so
we can bring you new material every week. This week we have
TEN NEW ITEMS for your enjoyment:
Adam Bernard's