Magic Heart Genies - Good Energy Posted 07 / 01 / 08
This week's exclusive music download is a gem. Magic Heart Genies - Good Energy. The members of Magic Heart Genies are Myka Nyne and J The Sarge. The beat for Good Energy combines a Wes Montgomery sample with new live instruments and vocals provided by Shannon Ivey, Kmiko, Matty, and Justin Schwartzman.
Good Energy will appear on the Hip Hop For Obama Volume One compilation CD as well as the Magic Heart Genies' own album Heartifact. More available on the MHG myspace page.
Winner of The First Always Urban Tee Battle Posted 06 / 26 / 08
Voting in the first Tee Battle ended yesterday, and the winner with 56% of the votes was Julio's design Snap Dat SH@#$*%#!. We started talking to our screen printers today, and the shirt will be available for order quicker than two shakes of a ham hock.
The second Tee Battle starts July 8th, so get your entry in before July 3rd. Entry Form.
Chicago graffiti hero Solve was stabbed fatally Saturday morning in Logan Square. Solve and I had mutual friends, and met in passing at the Chicago Round Table. I can't say I knew the cat well, but I was impressed by his work. He will be missed, but his ubiquitous art won't fade from the Chicago landscape anytime soon. Say a little prayer every time you see a SOLVE.
Pens & Needles - When The Bomb Drops Posted 06 / 17 / 08
This week's free music download is When The Bomb Drops by Pens & Needles, and it comes courtesy of the Hip Hop for Obama Volume One compilation CD. The CD will be available for purchase soon on AlwaysUrban.
The track will also be part of Pens & Needles' upcoming album Free Lunch. They'll be out on tour in July as part of the Risk It For a Biscuit hip hop tour (more details on that coming soon).
Our good friend Rabbi Darkside is going to be featured this Saturday on the MTV
show MADE. He's teaching a girl to beatbox! According to the info he sent us,
we'll also be treated to cameos by Rahzel, DJ Js-1 and Baba Isreal!
Check it this saturday at 9:30am EST. This might be the only time we tell you to watch MTV, and its because Rabbi D is the man.
Check out the video of his track Just What To Do, Live in Praque
nOBLE sAVAGE is dOOLEY nOTED, cLEVER oNE & dEEjAY sMUT - the hip hop group hailing for Rogers & Clark in the Windy City, Illinois. Their track Hatin The Truth comes free with any order you make from AlwaysUrban. You can see nOBLE sAVAGE live in Chicago on Thursday June 12th at Morseland where they'll be performing with Ramsey Judson.
Album Release Party - May 17th Posted 05 / 06 / 08
The Butcher's Boy started with a question: "What would it sound like if Jeremy Miller's songs were put to a full band?" Miller put together a group of friends and off they were. Within six months, the group was recording their first full-length album at Chicago's Engine Studios. The self-proclaimed kings of "Hell-Fire Honky-Tonk" are finally releasing the album via Grape Juice Records. Look for the release party on May 17th at the Horseshoe in Chicago and the official release on May 20th.
Free music when you make an order from AlwaysUrban! Its from one of our favorite Chicago-local bands, The Minneapolis Henrys. We have their new single Ice Storms, which just premiered on myspace and will debut officially on June 4th when the Henrys perform at The Beat Kitchen.
"A day of activities, workshops, panel discussions, live art, vendors, live music, a large variety of art on display, puppet show, performances, and festivities. This unique, all ages, outdoor/indoor event will present the virtues of those who leave their mark on Chicago's community through various points of impact."
Release Party - May, 10 2008 at Morseland Posted 04 / 29 / 08
If you have the memory of a goldfish, you might have forgotten that two weeks ago, AlwaysUrban sponsored an amazing concert here in Chicago at The Note. It was an amazing show, and one of the big reasons was Rashid Hadee. His performance was nothing short of electric, and he really showed everyone why he's one of Chicago's indispensible MCs.
Rashid's new mixtape A Change Gon' Come is coming out May 13th. The release party is happening at Morseland on Saturday May 10th, with a line that would made a suburban rap-nerd without transportation cry to his momma.
May, 10 2008 at Morseland
1218 W Morse Ave, Chicago, IL
Cost : $10
The official release party for Rashid Hadee’s new mixtape entitled A Change Is Gonna Come. Featuring performances by Pugs Atomz, Decay, Astonish, All Natural and of course Rashid Hadee!!! Cosm Roks and Roper on the tables!!
In Stores Tuesday May 13th, "A Change Gon' Come: The Official Rashid Hadee Mixtape". Mixed by Cosm Roks & Hosted by Rapper Pooh of Little Brother, the 80 minute mix features new & classic material from one of Chicago's hottest up and coming talents, Rashid Hadee.
The mix features cameos from:
Little Brother, Cap D of All Natural, Donwill of Tanya Morgan, Pugs Atomz, Primeridian, Chapter 13, Iomos Marad, O Type Star, Abstract Mindstate, Visual, Decay & Selfish, Rita J, Astonish, Furlee of The Landlords, KING, Jay Vega & More!
With Additional Beats By:
Rashid Hadee, Pete Rock, J Dilla, Madlib, Analogic, Dj PHD, & More!
Come out to the release party and see why Rashid Hadee was picked as XXL's chairman's choice.
From the album Broken Cycle - Available May 6th Posted 04 / 22 / 08
Missin Link's album Broken Cycle comes out May 6th, and is available for preorder through Sun-Rise Records. Break N Binge is the first single off of the album. Break N Binge is one of the ten beats I produced for Broken Cycle. The other two beats are the work of Kasio Arkestra. Kasio's contributions, and a few of mine, were produced over three years ago. Kasio's new music has evolved to amazing heights, check out the new tunes on myspace.
You can download Break N Binge for free when you make an order from AlwaysUrban. Just check your email receipt for your unique download link.
Preview more tracks and listen to some of the rough cuts from Broken Cycle on Missin Link's myspace.
Tuff Soul / Emerson B / Thousands of One Posted 04 / 22 / 08
Its been two weeks since our trip back to ITown. We just had one more note we wanted to leave for everyone. Go get ahold of some refursbished, recycled and repurposed gear from Tuff Soul. They just got done celebrating their one year anniversery. Since this was our first trip to Ithaca in over a year, it was out first chance to check out the store. It really looks fantastic and we wish the best to everyone at Tuff Soul.
Filfy and I performed with our long time friend Emerson B while we were in Ithaca. We found out yesterday that he's going to be opening for Jedi Mind Tricks at Ithaca College on April 27th. Vinnie Paz Daddy!
Our old buddies Thousands of One recently did a track with Speech from Arrested Development. Its called Slaveship Mentality, and apart from dropping science, its just a really enjoyable song. You can download it for free on the Thousands of One myspace page, and purchase their album Soul Force on iTunes.
