El Mac's premium picture perfect

Mac and Retna Miami

Autodidact Miles Mac MacGregor(1980) has been studying art as if it were a religion. When growing up, the art that spoke to him was the art which looked real.

El Mac started painting with acrylics in the mid ’90s, realistically rendering human faces and figures.  After being blown away by the Subway Art book he started experimenting with graffiti(1994). A perfectionist at heart, he always desired to create perfect, super tight works of art. Having to paint quickly in the dark was a fruitful lesson for this portraitist. 

Painting from photographs and from life, El Mac has been described as a photorealistic painter. His detailed representations of a large variety of individuals look perfect, meticulously lifelike, moving your inner sensations in each and every way.

This technical master who uses iced spray cans to create an energetic rippled effect, desires to affect people in the same way he's inspired by paintings, to connect with the public and to change how others think.

His aesthetic preferences have evolved over the years, growing more appreciation for abstraction.

El Mac often collaborates with Retna, who's in charge of the typography while Mac paints the figures. Interacting with another artist balances Mac's introverted and extroverted sides. The duo painted an enormous mural for Primary Flight Art Basel Miami Beach(2007- 2009), held an exhibition at the Robert Berman Gallery(2009) and released a book entitled Alianza: Mac & Retna which documents their individual and collaborative works in three sections.

Mac's classical influences were illustrated by his interpretation of the Flemish Primitives at the Groeningen Museum in Bruges(2003).
With solo shows in San Francisco (2009, Fifty24SF Gallery), New York(2010, Joshua Liner Gallery) and sponsored murals for the Pasadena Museum(2011), the MARCO(2010) and the Cisneros-Fontanals Art Foundation(2012, Havana Biennial), more canvases and public work are to be looked forward to.

There’s always more to learn, more to discover, and MacGregor will definitely do it in his own unique way.

http://elmac.net

Publication:
Alianza: Mac & Retna, 2009, Upper Playground/Gingko Press, 
ISBN: 978-1-58423-359-6 

C2C's funkiness

French turntable crew C2C (Coups2Cross) was formed in 1998 by high school friends 20SYL, Atom, Pfel and Greem. This incredibly funky DJ collective from Nantes won the DMC World Team Championship four times in a row.(from 2003 to 2006)

Founder 20Syl and Greem joined forces in the Hocus Pocus project while Atom and Pfel created Beat Torrent.

After a break C2C’s first six-track Down The Road EP (2012, Casablanca Records) and their album Tetra(2012) were released, accompanied by a live tour. 

This turntablist quartet enthusiastically mixes jazzy, soul, blues  electro, pop and hip hop with self recorded vocal and instrumental samples. No wonder they recently won the 2013 European Border Breakers Awards. 

http://www.c2cmusic.fr

Jean Grae's Dust Ruffle

South African-born rapper Jean Grae released Dust Ruffle, an album consisting of ten unreleased songs recorded between 2004 and 2010. 

She calls it an interesting retrospective project. Indeed the album does once more illustrate her lyrical gift, soul-searching and artistic growth. 

The album, featuring Planet Asia and Sadat X on Haters Anthem, can be found on Grae’s Bandcamp page. 

Snapshots of one of the most genuine female emcees' life journey!

Tracklist:

 1 - Neckface
  2 - Mean Jean (B Day edition)
  3 - What Cha Gonna Do
  4 - What The Hell
  5 - Admire Quagmire
  6 - Haters Anthem Remix ft Planet Asia and Sadat X
  7 - The Setup
  8 - Lights Off
  9 - The Climb
  10 - SupaLuv (Acoustic Rehearsal)

Uptown XO Colour de Grey

Diamond District member Uptown XO's album Colour de Grey album will be available from January 29th 2013.

Two very musical parents gave birth to Jamaal Walton, who experienced a life struggle against poverty. He first sang in a church choir, played the piano and trumpet to continue his musical expression with open mics where he met Oddisee, YU, Slimcat and Gadget.

The self-made MC worked together with several mc's and created diverse projects and mix tapes. When Oddisee formed Diamond District with XO and YU, the In The Ruff album(2009) and a tour soon followed. In 2011 this DC native released his 8th project entitled Monumental vol.2.  

Uptown XO's debut was produced by A.B. The Pro and is packed with introspective reflections.

Tracklist
1. Grey Poupon (feat. Messiah)
2. Spread Love 
3. Everyday (feat. A.B. the Pro)
4. Finding My Way
5. Salaam
6. Soul Value
7. Reflection Eternal (feat. Doe Cigapom & Benji)
8. Poor Man’s Copyright
9. They Say
10. XO Skeleton
11. Evolution (feat. A.B. the Pro)
12. Needs and Wants
13. If I Should Die (feat. Danni)
14. Grey Area (feat. U St. Face)

Nosaj Thing Home

LA producer and DJ Jason Chung made a therapeutic second album, more quiet, symphonic, melodramatic and somber than his 2009 electronic debut Drift.

Blonde Redhead vocalist Kazu Makino lent his voice to the Eclipse/ Blue track whilst Toro Y Moi produced his most angel like sound in Try.

Tracklist:

1. Home
2. Eclipse/Blue
3. Safe
4. Glue
5. Distance
6. Tell
7. Snap
8. Prelude
9. Try
10. Phase III
11. Light 3

http://www.nosajthing.com

The Trevor Nelson Collection

Trevor Nelson presents his selection of sixty Rand B classics, recorded between 1979 and 2010.

The Soul Show host shares his passion for tracks as Lucy Pearl's Don’t Mess With My Man, Luther Vandross’ Never Too Much,  Mary J Blige's Real Love,  TLC's Ain't 2 Proud 2 Beg, Aloe Blacc’s I Need a Dollar  and  Montell Jordan’s This Is How We Do It.

Three discs of sing-along party music!

http://trevornelson.com

Oh No Disrupted Ads

The Michael Jackson(1979) who's known as producer Oh No and Madlib's younger brother, is enlightening us with another hip hop release. He enlisted Blu, Gangrene, Souls of Mischief, MED, Rapsody, Psalm One, Ron Artiste, Tristate, Midaz, Declaime, Georgia Anne Muldrow to provide lyrics on previously unreleased instrumentals. 

Disrupted Ads is his fourth solo album after Exodus Into Unheard Rhythms(2006), Dr. No's Oxperiment(2007), Dr. No's Ethiopium(2009).

Oh No's new album Disrupted Ads will be released on January 29th via Kash Roc Entertainment.

Tracklist:
1. Intro Doctor Visit
2. Creepers
3. Jones's ft. Blu and MED
4. Wet Em Up
5. Same Shit ft. Rapsody and Psalm One
6. Boom
7. The Difference
8. Punchdrunkpatterns ft. Tristate and Midaz
9. Perfect Cylinders
10. Cleansing
11. Animals ft. Ron Artiste' (Chali2na & Roc C)
12. The Magmas
13. Rollin Up ft. Gangrene (Oh No & Alchemist)
14. Drifters
15. Improvement ft. Declaime and Georgia Anne Muldrow)
16. Outro
17. Controlled Riots ft. Souls of Mischief (BONUS TRACK)

Ill Bill The Grimy Awards

Ill Bill's new album The Grimy Awards will be available on January 29th 2013.  An impressive list of collaborators such as H.R., A-Trak, El-P, Jedi Mind Tricks, O.C., Cormega, Meyhem Lauren, Q-Unique, Shabazz the Disciple and Lil Fame in combination with productions by DJ Premier, DJ Muggs, Pete Rock, Large Professor, Psycho Les, El-P, Ayatollah and MoSS are bound to prick up the ears.

Brooklyn MC William Braunstein(1972)'s third turned out to be a personal, provocative album. 

Tracklist:

1. What Does It All Mean? Prod. by Ill Bill
2. Paul Baloff prod. by Moss
3. I Don’t Know How Long It’s Gonna Last (Interlude)
4. Acceptance Speech ft. A-Trak prod. by Junior Makhno
5. Truth prod. by Pete Rock
6. Exploding Octopus prod. by Ill Bill
7. Forty Deuce Hebrew ft. HR of Bad Brains prod. By Ill Bill
8. How To Survive The Apocalypse prod. by Psycho Les
9. Vio-Lence ft. Shabazz The Disciple & Lil Fame Of M.O.P. prod. by DJ Skizz
10. Acid Reflux prod. by Large Professor
11. L’amour East ft. Meyhem Lauren & Q-Unique prod. by Ayatollah
12. Power Ft. OC & Cormega prod. By DJ Muggs
13. When I Die Ft. Tia Thomas prod. by Pete Rock
14. Severed Heads Of State Ft. El-P prod. by El-P
15. 120% Darkside Justice ft. Jedi Mind Tricks prod. by C-Lance
16. Canarsie High prod. by Large Professor
17. World Premier prod. by DJ Premier

www.illbill.com

Opposites attract: Miranda Donovan

Copyright Miranda Donovan 2012

Miranda Donovan(1979) grew up in The Netherlands, followed art courses in London and France and is currently residing in London. 

Whilst living near Marseille she met a graffiti artist who contaminated her with those addictive graffiti germs. Back in London Donovan began experimenting with graffiti.

While her earlier work was mainly marked by textured brickwork, obtained by applying a cement mixture on board to build a carved out brick wall relief, a tactile surface for the contrasting painting, nowadays urban and homely symbols are omnipresent.  

Donovan has been known for her bright color palette, transforming meticulously painted traditional interiors or Ruisdael-like landscapes with neon paint dashes. 

One of Donovan’s artistic ideas seems to be that opposites as decay and poverty versus wealth, luxury and magnificence attract each other. Her gallery work illustrates her personal social beliefs in a humorous way.

Nothing’s what it seems, reality and fiction can easily be confused when not thinking critically...

http://www.mirandadonovan.com

The social work of Haas & Hahn

Dutchmen Jeroen Koolhaas(1977) and Dre Urhahn(1973) are known as the artistic duo Haas & Hahn. 

Graphic designer Koolhaas previously worked as an illustrator for the New Yorker while Urhahn worked as a journalist, copywriter and art-director. 

Since working together on Firmeza Total(2005), a documentary about hip hop in Brazilian favelas, they have been joining artistic forces in social art projects. 

Haas & Hahn's Firmeza Foundation(2007) organizes inspiring community art projects to encourage crime news manipulated citizens to deal with their negative perceptions of certain deprived neighborhoods. With the help of local youth enormous murals are created to improve the look of a slum village and enhance it's inhabitants sense of pride. 

In 2008 the duo worked eight months on Rio Cruzeiro, a 2000m² carp-filled river painting in Vila Cruzeiro and one day on a fantasy wall with the help of fifty Brazilian children in Terra Encantada. Their Brazilian quest continued with the painting on Praca Cantao, a 7000m² square.

At Art Basel Miami 2010 they created an installation with eighty painted canvasses.

A 2011 Knight Arts grant allowed them to reside in Philadelphia for a year to reinvent the Germantown Avenue blocks with bright colors and patterns to provoke a sense of unity. The same year they participated in a group exhibition held at the Smithsonian.

Lectures, documentaries, video clips, audio and photo installations complete the urban concept of these two social workers.

www.jeruniverse.com
http://www.favelapainting.com/haas-hahn

Ruff Sqwad White Label Classics

No Hats No Hoods released Ruff Sqwad‘s White Label Classics, featuring previously unreleased instrumentals.

This well known East London grime initiating crew arose in 2001, composed of founder Tinchy Stryder(1986), accredited grime producer and sound engineer Rapid(1983), producers Dirty Danger(1984)and Dizzee Rascal's cousin Slix(1982), Shifty Rydos and Mad Max. In 2006 Mad Max was replaced by Fuda Guy. From 2004 until 2010 DJ Scholar joined the group, whose place was taken in by Tinchy Stryder's personal DJ Sir Spyro(1984). 

Thanks to their mix tapes grime became a new genre. Other early grime contributions came from N.A.S.T.Y. Crew, More Fire Crew and Aftershock. 

Ruff Sqwad's first studio album Guns and Roses Volume. 1(2005) was a success upon its release. Both the independently released debut album and their second full length Guns and Roses Volume. 2(2006) have been cited to be the best full-length grime albums of all time. 

The grime rap record production team split up in 2010, after which only crew leader Tinchy Stryder continued his mainstream success.

An urban album which simply needs to be bought!

Tracks

1.Anna
2.Misty Cold
3.Lethal Injection
4.Pied Piper
5.Functions on the Low
6.Together
7.Your Love Feels
8.Tings in Boots
9.Down
10.Move 2 Dis
11.Knight Rider
12.An Ting
13.Underground
14.Burial
15.Top 3 Selected
16.Cheque
17.Clio
18.Xtra
19.Good Old Days
20.I'm From a Place
21.No Bass
22.Clio (remix)

Kendrick Lamar shares his personal stories in Good kid, m.A.A.d city

Kendrick Lamar Duckworth's(1987) father was a member of Chicago's Gangster Disciples. The boy lost relatives in the Crips' and Bloods' battle and saw others go to prison. 

The album's cover shows a Polaroid of him as a youngster with his father holding a gun. His entire family tried to protect the Good kid from the wild street life. Lamar chose to feed his mind with book knowledge and reflected on the world with masterful storytelling.

Letting it all out in music, growing into a technical lyricist, Dr Dre signed the young MC. His 2011 Section.80 EP was a rousing success.

The result of Lamar's dedication is a genuine self-portrait, a brilliant hip hop album based on honest storytelling about Lamar's living conditions, the Compton crime scene, social anomalies and love.

Not afraid to show his vulnerability, he takes up a victim's fear and emotions. 

Human, empathic, responsible, .... 

Who's keeping it real? This Good kid!

Tracklist: 

1. Sherane a.k.a Master Splinter’s Daughter (Prod. By Tha Bizness)
2. Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe (Prod. By Sounwave)
3. Backseat Freestyle (Prod. By Hit-Boy)
4. The Art of Peer Pressure (Prod. By Tabu)
5. Money Trees (Ft. Jay Rock) (Prod. By DJ Dahi)
6. Poetic Justice (Ft. Drake) (Prod. By Scoop DeVille)
7. good kid [Prod. By Pharrell]
8. m.A.A.d city (Ft. MC Eiht) (Prod. By Sounwave & Terrace Martin)
9. Swimming Pools (Drank) *Extended Version* (Prod. By T-Minus)
10. Sing About Me (Prod. By Skhye Hutch + Sounwave) / I’m Dying Of Thirst (Prod. By Like of Pac Div)
11. Real (Ft. Anna Wise) (Prod. By Terrace Martin)
12. Compton (Ft. Dr. Dre) (Prod. By Just Blaze)

Deluxe:

13. The Recipe (Ft. Dr. Dre) (Prod. By Scoop DeVille)
14. Black Boy Fly (Prod. By Rahki & Dawaun Parker)
15. Now Or Never (Ft. Mary J. Blige) (Prod. By Jack Splash)
16. Collect Calls
17. Swimming Pools (Drank) (Prod. By T-Minus)

http://www.kendricklamar.com

Dels' Black salad

Three years ago Ipswich master of ceremonies Kieren Dickins(1984 ) signed a three album Big Dada deal.

His debut album entitled Gob(2011) was mainly produced by Kwes.
Black Salad, his 2012 five track counting follow-up, also features productions  by Kwes, Eli-T, Raisa Kahn and Coby Sey( Kwes' brother). 

With a third album to be expected this year, graphic designer Dickins is working hard to succeed in this creative career switch.

Slowly surely his serious sound has become appreciated in the British hip hop scene. 

Tracks

1.Black Salad
2.Bird Milk(ft Bila,  Kwes production)
3.Not Today(Micachu & Raisa Khan production) 
4.Sell by Date
5.You Live in My Head

Bossalinis and Fooliyones

Young one records released Main Attraktionz' debut album Bossalinis and Fooliyones. The beats, made by over a dozen producers, are more enchanting than the rhymes. 

However MondreM.A.N. and Squadda B do sound like they are having a blast, leading to an entertaining première.

Tracks

1.Green on Sight
2.Liquor Runs
3.La Piñata
4.LFK
5.Take U There
6.Cloud Life
7.On Tour
8.Sex in the City
9.Do It for the Bay
10.Superstitious
11.24th Hour
12.Wings
13.Rainy Days
14.Love Is Life
15.Bury Me a Millionaire
16.Zoney Nights
17.Cloud Body

Sten & Lex

Italian street artists Sten(Rome, 1982) and Lex(Taranto, 1982) have been working together since 2001. They have often been referred to as the Italian stencil pioneers. 

Their halftone stencil portraits are based on personal photographs and can be admired in metro poles such as Rome, London, Paris, Barcelona and New York. 

In 2008 the duo participated in the Banksy Cans Festival and the Power and Currency show at the Factory Fresh Gallery in New York. 

In 2009 Sten Lex started to develop a new durable technique to produce Stencil Posters. They inventively combine collage, painting and stencils, resulting in highly original linear works. 

Since 2011, the artists have shown their pieces at MACRO, Magda Danysz Gallery and the Carandente Museum. They were invited to the Living Walls show in Atlanta and the Open walls in Baltimore. 

More information: 
Eleanor Mathieson and Xavier A. Tàpies, Street Artists, the complete guide, London, Graffito Books, 2009, ISBN-13: 978-0956028419 

http://stenlex.net

Murs and 9th Wonder The Final Adventure

American MC Murs (1978, Making Underground Raw Shit) mostly rhymes about relationships, faith and beliefs on his final collaborative album with 9th Wonder.

Their fifth LP The Final Adventure after Murs 3:16: The 9th Edition(2004), Murray's Revenge(2006), Sweet Lord(2008) and Fornever(2010) features ten tracks. 

Tracklist

1. Get Together ft Rapsody
2. Dance with Me
3. Whatuptho
4. Holding Hands
5. Walk Like a Woman
6. Tale of Two Cities
7. Funeral for a Killer
8. Better Way
9. Wherever You Are
10. It’s Over

http://mursworld.com

9th wonder & Buckshot The Solution

Brooklyn emcee Buckshot and grammy - award winning producer 9th Wonder previously released Chemistry (2005) and The Formula (2008). 

Their third joint album The Solution(Duck Down Records) explores the concept of self-determination, the solution to all success and problems to be found within oneself. Their newest creation includes guest appearances from DyMe-A-DuZin and Rapsody. 

Buckshot Shorty began rapping in 1992. The leader of Boot Camp Clik released a solo album entitled The BDI Thug (1999) and led the gritty Black Moon crew.

Both gentlemen are most fond of the nostalgic old-school vibe, complete with soulful samples and memorable lyricism.

Tracklist:
01 – The Big Bang
02 – What I Gotta Say
03 – Stop Rapping
04 – Crazy
05 – The Feeling
06 – SAM
07 – Pat Em Down
08 – Keep It Going
09 – The Change Up
10 – Shorty Left Ft. Rapsody
11 – You Ft. Dyme-A-Duzin
12 – The Solution

Apollo Brown and Guilty Simpson Dice Game

Mello Music Group released another Detroit production: sixteen track Dice Game, featuring Torae and Planet Asia.

Tracklist

1. Freezing Dice (0:21)
2. Reputation (3:11)
3. Let’s Play (3:13)
4. One Man (3:28)
5. I Can Do No Wrong (3:21)
6. Potatoes (2:51) Ft Torae
7. Change (3:14)
8. Dear Jane (3:17)
9. Lose You (3:02)
10. Ink Blotches (3:04)
11. Never ending Story (3:15)
12. The Cook Up (3:46)
13. Truth Be Told (3:26)
14. Nasty (3:44)ft Planet Asia
15. Wrong Hand (3:18)
16. How Will I Go (3:58)

The non conformist way of Haring's walk

Copyright Charles Dolfi- Michels

After passing through the New York School of Visual Arts American visual artist Keith Haring became a prominent subculture figure, leaving his spray painted mark on subway walls. 

Born in Reading and raised in Kutztown, Keith Haring(1958-1990)  grew a passion for drawing at an early age, learning basic cartooning skills from his creative father. While attending the Ivy School of Professional Art in Pittsburgh, he realized he had no interest in becoming a commercial graphic artist. 

In 1978 Keith Haring moved to bustling New York, where he developed his own style of abstracted figures. While attending the SVA he experimented with performance, video, installation, collage, painted plastic, metal and found objects and exhibited in Club 57. 

In 1980 Haring decided to draw cartoon-like pictures on the large amounts of unused black subway billboards. These recognizable white chalk Subway Drawings allowed direct communication with the public, whose attention he very much enjoyed while performing. 

His black outlined pictures of vital human and animal figures expressed powerful social messages of life, birth, drugs, AIDS, death, sex, war and unity. Vividly colored stereotype imagery of dices, dollar bills, barking dogs, wormlike babies, flying saucers, Mickey Mouse were successfully used in his 1980’s graffiti creations which soon caught art handlers' attention. 

Following his neon drawing on Times Square(1982) and a popular one-man exhibition at Tony Shafrazi’s gallery Haring’s intense worldwide career took form with shows at Documenta 7, the Paris, Whitney and São Paulo Biennial, ... 

An urban artist at heart, he continued to paint public murals: in Melbourne(1984), New York(Crack is Wack), Amsterdam, Paris, Phoenix, on the western side of the Berlin wall(1986).

Although the elite paid towering prizes for his works, Haring still believed art should be for every one. His hand painted Soho Pop Shop, the ultimate example of the artist as a brand image, sold affordable merchandising such as T-shirts, caps, toys, magnets, buttons and posters.

Embracing advertising as a medium, Haring designed for Swatch, Château Mouton Rotschild and Absolut Vodka. He furthermore painted in Grace Jones' I’m not perfect video clip, created a jacket for Madonna, theatre sets, posters, logos, held art workshops for children and generously painted to benefit health centers.

Diagnosed with AIDS in 1988, the artist established the Keith Haring Foundation which provides education to children in addition to the prevention of AIDS. This virtuoso pioneer of contemporary mass culture died at the age of thirty one. 

www.haring.com
www.haring.com/kh_foundation

Zevs is brought to light

Parisian street artist Aguirre Schwarz (1977) named himself Zevs after almost being hit by a Parisian regional train line coded ZEUS. 

When he was twelve years old, he already enjoyed expressing himself by tagging on his way to school. The artist befriended Invader and André, with whom he often collaborated in the 90's. 

During the late 1990's Zevs developed a project based on street objects' shadows. His enchanting Urban Shadows series drew attention to objects in urban space by outlining their shadows to make them more visible at night. The silhouettes of city fixtures such as traffic lights, mailboxes, benches and bins were detoured with white paint. 
( Public Bench 2000, Paris; Subway, Electric Shadows series, Paris )
Around that time Zevs also started working in the reverse graffiti technique. 

His Liquidated Logowork, a unique treatment of advertising logos of corporations such as Nike, McDonald's, Chanel, Google and Louis Vuitton, spread his name. By dripping the logos with paint, he creates the illusion that they are dissolving or liquidating. He visually assaults corporate culture by showing that the power of the logo can be reversed against the company. Following a liquidated Chanel logo on a Hong Kong Armani store, Zevs ended up in jail for a couple of days because the authorities didn't believe the paint could be easily washed off.

His Visual Attacks series(2001) targeted advertising boards and light boxes with dripping bullet-wound style spots of red paint between the models' eyes. 

Another one of his provocative projects was his Visual Kidnapping of a Lavazza poster in Germany, with demand for a ransom of 500.000 euros ... Another reverse strategy: he kidnaps an advertisement which is meant to kidnap the public's attention. The ransom money was given to a good cause: Palais de Tokyo in Paris.

Experimental and inventive, the artist creates Invisible Graffiti with a self created paint, invisible during the day but visible at night. This invisible ink technique is a method he also uses for his gallery work, in addition to UV printing.

Signs and the light remain Zevs' trademarks, be it graffiti illumination, a spray painted lightning strike or a shadow effect. This prominent French street art figure simply loves playing around in the street.

http://www.debuckgallery.com

http://www.patriciadorfmann.com

Karriem Riggins Alone Together Stones Throw Records

Karriem Riggins' debut album Alone Together has just been released by Stones Throw Records. The producer's thirty four track instrumental hip hop project was recorded in Los Angeles.

Detroit native Riggins grew up in a jazzy family: his mum collected records and  his father played the piano and organ.

A man of great talent... no wonder Riggins was asked to complete Dilla's last album The Shining, worked with Madlib and produced tracks for The Roots, Common, Erykah Badu, Slum Village, Dwele, among many others.

Riggins is trying to be the best he can be. 

Fantastic Flying Lotus' Latest Until The Quiet Comes

Experimental producer Steven Ellison, known as Flying Lotus has been known for exploring the wide array of musical genres be it hip hop, jazz, electronics, ... The Los Angeles native stemming from the Coltrane jazz musicians family has often been compared to Jay Dilla.

His debut album entitled 1983(2006) was followed by Los Angeles in 2008. Whereas his previous jazz inspired Grammy award winning(Dance/Electronica Album category ) Cosmogramma(2010) record sounded restless and hard to access, Until The Quiet Comes sounds quite the opposite. Although his busy tour schedule made it hard to find the right creativity enhancing mindset, he easily succeeded in producing an ambient fourth album.

The new course in the underground hip hop scene inspired him to create Until The Quiet Comes, a delightful cosmic journey towards unconscious dreamlike states. Enchanting female voices invite the tribal drum intoxicated listener to enter an atmospheric nocturnal universe. 

Dazing streamlined break beat hip hop, dreamy soul and down tempo electronics to loose yourself in and day-dream upon. 

Tracklist
1 - All In
02 - Getting There feat. Niki Randa
03 - Until the Colours Come
04 - Heave(n)
05 - Tiny Tortures
06 - All the Secrets
07 - Sultan's Request
08 - Putty Boy Strut
09 - See Thru to U feat. Erykah Badu
10 - Until the Quiet Comes
11 - DMT Song feat. Thundercat
12 - The Nightcaller
13 - Only if You Wanna
14 - Electric Candyman feat. Thom Yorke
15 - Hunger feat. Niki Randa
16 - Phantasm feat. Laura Darlington
17 - me Yesterday//Corded
18 - Dream to Me

First of a Living Breed Homeboy Sandman's fourth

New Yorker Homeboy Sandman(born Angel Del Villar II, 1980) released his fourth album "First of a Living Breed " on Stones Throw. 

Sandman deserved his solid non conformist reputation with debut full length album Nourishment(2007), second album Actual Factual Pterodactyl (2008) and The Good Sun(2010).

Former law student Sandman uses wit to convey thoughtful messages. He clearly wants to be a plausible role model, lectures about right and wrong as a true teacher. However the song lyrics of "For the Kids" might be perceived as tritely annoying.

Still... listen closely to Oddisee-produced "Watchu Want From Me?".

No-nonsense Homeboy Sandman is capable of writing clever rhymes, delivers them in a nice flow on soulful beats. Let's hope his entire next album will refrain from clichéd moral advice. 

Tracklist

1. Rain 
2. Watchu Want From Me 
3. Couple Bars (Honey, Sugar, Darling, Sweetie, Baby, Boo) 
4. Sputnik 
5. Illuminati 
6. 4 Corners 
7. For the Kids 
8. Cedar and Sedgwick 
9. Mine All Mine 
10. Not Really 
11. The Ancient 
12. Eclipsed 
13. First of a Living Breed 
14. Let's Get 'em

www.stonesthrow.com/homeboysandman 
http://newpro.homeboysandman.com/
www.homeboysandman.com

Talib Kweli and DJ Z-Trip Attack The Block mixtape

Talib Kweli's album Prisoner Of Conscious is on its way but the man is already enlightening us with a mix tape entitled Attack The Block, released on the third of September 2012. The old school MC collaborated with DJ Z-Trip on Don Cannon, Boi-1da and fabulous 9th Wonder beats.

The sensational sound, delightful beats and underground artists are bound to take you on cloud 9 .

Tracklist: 

1.Attack The Block!!!
2.Letter From The Government (Prod by Vohn Beatz)
3.That’s Enough ft John Forte, Skyzoo, Posdnous, Rubix Fashawn (Prod by OhNo)
4.Numerology (Prod by Symbolic One)
5.Congregation ft Black Thought, Ab-Soul (Prod by J Rhodes)
6.Outstanding ft Ryan Leslie (Prod by Boi 1nda)
7.Earning Potential ft Mac Miller (Prod by Amadeus)
8.The Corner ft Jay Rock (Prod by Charlemagne)
9.Getting To The Money- Cory Mo ft Talib Kweli, Killa Mike (Prod by Don Cannon)
10.NY Shining ft Greg Nice, Styles P (Prod by Symbolic One)
11.Mack Maine ft Talib Kweli Lil Wayne – Celebrate
12.Make It Classy
13.So Fresh
14.To The Music ft Maino (Prod by 9th Wonder)
15.I Like It ft Das Racist (Prod by OhNo)
16.Mr. E ft Talib Kweli Ace Hood – Let Em In
17.Solid Gold ft Grafh and Planet Asia
18.Fly Away

Broken hearted hip hop preacher Lupe Fiasco says goodbye to hip hop by means of Food & Liquor 2: Great American Rap Album Pt. 1.

Fiasco's fourth and sequel to his debut album "Food & Liquor 2: Great American Rap Album Pt. 1." with additional vocals of Bilal, Guy Sebastian, Casey Benjamin and Poo Bear is available in the store.

Unfortunately the rapper announced that he will quit making commercial music after the release of part 2.  

This retirement was provoked by rapper Chief Keef, a gangster rapper who was recently offered a record deal and a Kanye West remix following his abusive and violent "I don't like" track.  

Both artists are inhabitants of Chicago, a city terrorized by an explosive number of homicides.  Sick of gangster rap's glorification of violence Lupe frankly shared his concern about Keef's representation of aggressive lifestyle: “Chief Keef scares me… Not him specifically, but just the culture that he represents…The murder rate in Chicago is skyrocketing and you see who’s doing it and perpetrating it, they all look like Chief Keef.”

“My first true love was literature, so I will return to that… Lupe Fiasco ends here…” he wrote after his attempt to spread peace.

Tracklist 
1. Ayesha Says (Intro)
2. Strange Fruition Ft. Casey Benjamin
3. ITAL (Roses)v4. Around My Way (Freedom Ain’t Free)
5. Audubon Ballroom
6. B*tch Bad
7. Lamborghini Angels
8. Put ‘Em Up
9. Heart Donor Ft. Poo Bear
10. How Dare You Ft. Bilal
11. Battle Scars ft Guy Sebastian
12. Brave Heart Ft. Poo Bear
13. Form Follows Function
14. Cold War Ft. Jane $$$
15. Unforgivable Youth Ft. Jason Evigian
16. Hood Now (Outro)
17. Things We Must Do For Others

Brother Ali Mourning In America and Dreaming In Color

Inspired by a recent trip to Mecca, American rapper Jason Newman(1977) decided to create his fifth full length album during a two-month exile. Brother Ali's Mourning in America and Dreaming in Color, produced by  Jack One( De La Soul, Snoop Dogg, ...), was released on September 18. 

Known for using music as a therapeutic expression of personal experiences and ideas, the MC raps about his son's mother(All You Need), drugs( Need a Knot), the music industry( Won More Hit), violence and murder( Mourning in America) and social issues as unemployment, poverty and the economic crisis ( Work Everyday and Only Life I know). 

This brother's philosophical record is all about cultural criticism, American consciousness, genuine hope and idealism. 

Tracklist:
1. Letter to My Countrymen (4:04) ft Dr. Cornel West
2. Only Life I Know (4:01)
3. Stop the Press (4:01)
4. Mourning in America (4:08)
5. Gather Round (4:39) ft Amir Sulaiman
6. Work Everyday (3:45)
7. Need a Knot (2:46)
8. Won More Hit (3:43)
9. Say Amen (2:59)
10. Fajr (3:51)
11. Namesake (2:10)
12. All You Need (3:14)
13. My Beloved (3:58) ft Choklate & Tone Trezure
14. Singing This Song (4:22)

http://brotherali.com

DMC World Champion

Master in Media Lady Aiko's soul stretches out into urban space

copyright Lady Aiko

Which aspects of urban art attracted you to hit the streets of NY after your successful studies in graphic design and filmmaking at Tokyo Zokei University and media studies at the New School?

At college I was into documentary filmmaking. Urban art is similar to documentary film in some characteristics: both are non-fiction, rough and real. Urban art is performing arts, it is a spontaneous happening on the street, a communicative art form that is meant for everyone, for random people in random situations .
When following media studies, Canadian philosopher Marshall McLuhan once said "the medium is the message, an extension of our body".  Urban art became my medium and my large-scale murals and installations became extensions of my body. My stencils beautify the cityscape, leave prints of my positive soul here and there. I enjoy the feeling that the city becomes an extension of myself, allowing my body to become bigger and bolder.

You worked for Takashi Murakami, whose work is also inspired by Japanese pop culture, anime and manga imagery. What did you learn from this unforgettable co-operation?

When I was assisting Takashi Murakami, he wasn't the superstar artist he is now. Back then he rented a tiny space in Brooklyn to prepare for his solo exhibition at Marianne Boesky Gallery in Soho. Murakami and a few assistants worked at the one small table in the room, it was an intimate co- operation. 
This was right after my arrival in NY. I was very interested in the artist's life style, more than in what he created or in his artistic techniques. I was observing him, this middle aged Japanese artist beginning his world-wide career. 

What was your role in the artists' collective Faile?

My role was from A-Z, I was a creative part of Faile. 

As a solo artist you have been known to utilize a large scale of materials and techniques: acrylics, spray paint, collage, pigments, coffee stains, film, screen printing, stencils on spray cans, designing sculptures and toys, ...
Which are the main messages you are aiming to convey by means of your bright street and gallery work?

By experimenting with several techniques and materials I seek the beauty of human life. The world of today is filled with sad stories, therefore I want to focus on the positive moments of everyday life, on making things better ... The Japanese tragedy that took place last year filled me with concern. I also feel deeply for my heritage, I like talking about my roots in order to preserve our beautiful culture and tradition.

What's your view on the position of female artists in the male dominated art world?

It can be very difficult, but I enjoy my position as a very unique individual most of the time.

 Can you tell us more about your collaboration with Martha Cooper?

She's a very good friend of mine. We travel together, organize shows and mural events, lecture on the history of graffiti and street art. We simply inspire each other. It's really nice to work with a different generation's talent. 
Based on the photographs Martha took in Tokyo during the 1960's, a book called Tokyo Tattoo was published. The Tokyo Tattoo project consists of Martha's book publication, an art exhibition of images I designed, and a spray paint mural project in Europe and the US. 

Could you tell us more about your future projects?

Soon I will do a mural project in Las Vegas. This fall Martha Cooper and I will be working on the Tokyo Tattoo show in Soho NYC. In Japan I will be working on a new version of the Lady Butterfly sculpture, which is to be released this winter. A fashion project, new prints and a book will be out by the end of this year so please stay tuned on www.ladyaiko.com. 

Many thanks , Lady Aiko Nakagawa!

Martha Cooper

American documentary photographer Martha Cooper is best known for documenting the 1970-1980's NY graffiti scene. 

Her father was a photographer who went out on shooting adventures with his little girl. Later in life she earned degrees in art and anthropology.

In the 60's Cooper worked as a photography intern for National Geographic magazine.

In the 1970's she was a photojournalist for the New York Post. When she was photographing unsupervised children's play in the Lower East Side, a boy called HE3 showed her his sketchbook and asked her why she didn't photograph graffiti.  The boy introduced her to Dondi White, who was so interesting that she became obsessed with graffiti just because of him. Dondi was the first artist she accompanied on a writing tour. Later on she followed Lady Pink, Shy 147 and Seen UA on their lay ups, rewarding them with pictures of their masterpieces.

Subway graffiti perfectly combined her interests in art and anthropology. In the 80's Henry Chalfant and Martha Cooper published Subway Art, the classic groundbreaking book illustrating the graffiti subculture.  Their pictures show the pieces in different contexts.

This lady was one of the first to follow the intriguing secretive urban art scene. No wonder her work has been published in books, journals and magazines as Vibe, Smithsonian, National History and National Geographic magazine and have been exhibited in museums and galleries.

Specialized in art and anthropology, her photos breathe her passion....

Publications:

Subway Art, Martha Cooper and Henry Chalfant, 1984, Thames and Hudson London

Subway Art, the 25th anniversary edition, ISBN 13 978-050051452

RIP: New York Spray can Memorials, Thames and Hudson, 1994, 
ISBN 13 978-0500277768

Hip Hop files: photographs 1979-1984, From here to Fame, 2004, ISBN 3-937946055

Street Play, From Here to fame, 2005, ISBN 978-3937946160

We B*Girlz, Powerhouse cultural entertainment books, 2005, ISBN 13- 978-1576872697

Going Postal, Mark Batty Publisher, 2009, ISBN 13 978-0979966651

Name tagging, Mark Batty Publisher, 2010, ISBN 13 978-098190067

Tokyo Tattoo 1970, Dokument Press 2012, ISBN 13 978-9185639274

Links:

http://www.12ozprophet.com/index.php/martha_cooper/ 
http://www.bgirlz.com/ 
http://www.kodakgirl.com/ 
http://www.nycitysnaps.com/ 

Public Enemy releases 2 albums this year

To commemorate their anniversary, Public Enemy drops two albums this year. Their eleventh album entitled " Most of My Heroes still don't appear on no Stamp" was released in June 2012 with the help of Gary G-Wiz.  Follow-up "The Evil Empire of Everything" will be available from the 4th of September.

Chuck D described the albums as "two concise statements connected in the same breath". Those who are fond of that groovy 80's sound mixed with politically charged lyrics know what to listen to...

The Evil Empire of Everything:

1. The Evil Empire of
2. Don't give up the fight
3. 1(Peace)
4. 2(Respect)
5. Beyond Trayvon
6. Everything
7. Fame
8. Icebreaker
9. Notice(Know this)
10. Say it like it really is
11. Riot started
12. Broke Diva

www.publicenemy.com