Happy Birthday, Curtis Mayfield: June 3, 1942 – December 26, 1999

Not knowing about Curtis Mayfield? Then CLICK HERE although for you young’uns, you’re probably at least familiar with this Curtis-powered track (I hope!)

MP3 Download: Curtis Mayfield – Superfly | Alt. download link: MP3

MP3 Download: Curtis Mayfield – Future Shock | Alt. down link: MP3

MP3 Download: Bran Van 3000 – Astounded (Feat. Curtis Mayfield) | Alt. download link: MP3

Thanks, 546inthemorning for the heads up on Curtis’ birthday though! Wanna hear more from this soul icon and music legend? Go to Rdio to hear his work with his first group, R&B Hall of Famers, The Impressions and then as a solo artist.

[MP3] Big Kish – Clutch Pop featuring Sadat X

New track from the homie, Kish with the Wild Cowboy, Sadat X from the legendary Brand Nubian. Hip-hop, like your older brother told you about….

Follow Big Kish – twitter | ReverbNation | BUY “Clutch Pop” on iTunes

[Audio] Wordburglar – 3rdburglar (FULL album stream)

Check out the third studio album from Halifax-bred/Toronto-based rapper, Wordburglar that dropped a couple weeks ago on Hand’Solo Records. Not strictly my thing but Thomas at Hand’Solo is the homie and the opening skit/track is hilarious. Recommended if you dig that nerd style, backpack rap:

[Music Video] Cadence Weapon – Conditioning from the Hope in Dirt City album

Friends of mine who know me well from this blogging hustle will probably be shocked as sh-t to see this post but I felt like I needed to speak on this album. First, some background:

I’ve actually known Rollie Pemberton aka Cadence Weapon, at least virtually, for a good few years from the early days of the hip hop blogging scene when he was doing his own blog (which may have been called Cadence Weapon too maybe [update: nope, was actually called Razorblade Runner and was still on my old blgoroll], writing hip-hop reviews for Pitchfork and just starting to do remixes. In fact, I might still have a CD of his early remixes he mailed to my old Brooklyn PO Box for the blog somewhere in my parents’ house. Will have to go look for it some time.

But while I’m a fan of his writing (even if I didn’t always agree with his reviews), I’m not so much of that writing when it’s shared via his music as a rapper. One of the great mysteries of modern music to me is why cats dig this dude so much? I’m sure many of you are aware that, as eclectic as I can be on this site (it’s been a long minute since you could credibly call The Kitchen a straight hip hop blog), I can be pretty dismissive of much so-called underground and alternative hip hop that gets online nerds moist. My dislike of Cadence Weapon’s music goes deeper than that though: partially I think it’s a function of just how much people seem to like him. I’ve heard him called the MC with best flow in Canada (!) and compared to sundry acclaimed MC’s as varied as Nas, Rakim, Guru and even MF Doom (!) which is beyond bewildering to me when my feelings on his music alternate between ‘Rollie’s a crushingly average MC’ and me thinking he’s borderline incompetent and questioning whether he actually knows how to rap. It just depends on the time of the day, mood I’m in or which of his songs I’m listening to at the time where I fall on the scale between those two extremes. Very rarely, if at all, have I felt anything more positive than that for his music.

So if you’re out there and read this blog and happen to be part of the CW fan club, drop a comment and help me understand what I’m missing here because, even though I’ve now had a few in depth and heated discussions with people who dig him on his appeal to them, I’ve yet to reach a point where I understand it, but I’m open to hearing more opinions on the matter. And for those of you not familiar with Cadence Weapon (that’d be most of you who don’t learn about your hip hop via decidedly non-hip hop media outlets), take a listen to his latest album, Hope in Dirt City too and drop a comment as to whether you agree with me, love the album and think I’m an idiot or fall somewhere in between.

[stream via Exclaim]

[New Music] TALWST – Alien Tentacle Sex (produced by Illangelo)

New T.dot project could be this year’s version of The Weeknd, especially with the Illangelo connection. DOPE!

Credits:

Executive Producers Talwst & Carlo “Illangelo” Montagenese

This project would not have been possible without the support of those who truly love and ride for me #SoTall you know who you are.

[via Cityonmyback.com]