Droppin’ Knowledge: Golden Age Icon Jeru The Damaja To Release New Single – Power
Hip hop icon Jeru The Damaja announces the release of a new single, “Power,” on July 10th. The song, written before the current upheaval in the United States, is a prescient look at the systemic inequalities facing that country that have been left unaddressed since its founding. Jeru debuted a live performance of the song …
Droppin’ Knowledge: Nazamba x O.B.F. Share New Single Hot Beer – Watch
Nazamba, the gravely voiced Jamaican dub poet has teamed up with France’s O.B.F. Sound System for the single “Hot Beer.” In 2019, the Clarendon, Jamaica toaster Nazamba released his very fine self-titled LP on Dub Quake Records. With a kind of hybrid style, somewhere between Linton Kwesi Johnson and U-Roy, Nazamba’s ground-shaking record, with its …
Droppin’ Knowledge: Behind The Boards With maticulous (That’s All Lower Case!)
Welcome to this week’s edition of Behind The Boards. Today, the marvelous maticulous sits behind the boards and in the hot seat. The Brooklyn producer and crafter of sound, is, well, meticulous in his attention to detail and the construction of intricate, symphony collages. maticulous leans toward the funky, and he assembles soundscapes that can …
Droppin’ Knowledge: On Jabee’s Stunning New LP, The OKC MC Hopes for the Best & Prepares For the Worst
When I spoke to hip hop artist Jabee, via Zoom last week, the Oklahoma City native seemed tired, but at peace. In the past several weeks, he had attended rallies in his city against police brutality, completed three music videos for songs from his new album and readied their physical releases. He also greeted the …
Droppin’ Knowledge: One On One With Rising Atlanta Rapper RodThaGreat
Atlanta rap artist RodThaGreat recently dropped his first EP, the fine Dark Nights of the Soul. The unsigned artist has a dreamy, stream of consciousness flow and a laid back delivery, that borrows stylistically from the place where he now lives, Atlanta, but also retains the flavor of New York City, his place of origin. …
Droppin’ Knowledge: One On One With Renaissance Man Kahlil Blu
Harlem-based artist Kahlil Blu recently dropped his second full length album, DOG, a sparkling, pop confection, with bright, imaginative beats that pulsate with life. Blu has also created a musical style all his own, in which he raps, sings and chants over breezy instrumentals that he also crafted. Blu’s style is eclectic; he has a …
Droppin’ Knowledge: Ramz Shares New Single “Underneath” – Watch & Listen
South London-based emcee Ramz has shared a new song, “Underneath.” The BRIT Award-nominated artist describes the new single as his ode to black women. It is a stripped down performance, filmed in London, with the video directed by Kirx Diaz. According to the press release accompanying the track, Ramz says that the song is “also …
Droppin’ Knowledge: Behind The Boards With Futurewave
Welcome to today’s edition of Behind The Boards, the series in which Backseat Mafia sits down with a producer or musician who works primarily in the hip hop or beat tape world to find out what makes them tick. We head over the Canadian border again, to the great city of Toronto, where there is …
Droppin’ Knowledge: PE Back In The Building – Drops New Single Featuring DJ Premier – Watch & Listen
Public Enemy is back in the building! The legendary hip hop crew shares a new single, featuring DJ Premier, “State Of The Union (STFU).” Chuck D and Flavor Flav tell it like it is, and offer up their assessment of the current state of the United States, and what needs to be done to fix …
Droppin’ Knowledge: Singapore Kane Shares New Single Produced By DJ Premier – Listen
Boston rhyme-master Singapore Kane teams up with one of the greatest in the game, DJ Premier, for his new single, “Dreams & Visions.” Singapore Kane has shared the mike with fellow Boston wordsmith Big Shug, a Gang Starr affiliated rapper, and now he spits bars over a classic-sounding Premo beat. Kane’s gritty voice blends well …