R.A.P. Ferreira - Respectdue (Video)

Check the new Video from R.A.P. Ferreira aka milo. The beat is produced by the Jefferson Park Boys aka Kenny Segal, Mr. Carmack and Mike Parvizi. Freestyle Fellowships 'Respect Due' was sampled in the beat ;)

Video

Freestyle Fellowship 'Respect Due'

Freestyle Fellowship - Sick

Listen to on Soundcloud

Beneath The Surface...

This is one of the few albums that still amazes me after rotating it since 1998.

It casts LA's most prolific rappers paired with Omid's deep going beats leading you to a 82 minutes lasting journey. You just have to enter the bus and to enjoy the ride...

Additional note:
The compilation was first self released by Omid himself in a limited run in form of a 3xLP and a CD in 1998. In 1999 came a 12" EP, a 3xLP and CD on Celestial Recordings. The full length Celestial Recordings releases have a different track listing than Omid's self released ones. On the first release there are the tracks "Surveillance", "What Up" and "Outsider" which aren't on the second release while on the 2nd there are "Subterranean Service" and "To The Turn Of The Earth" which aren't on the first release. Furthermore the second press vinyl consists of 3 records where only 2 records contain the vocal versions while the third has some instrumentals! Some people say that there was also a repress of the 2nd 3xLP. Later on, there also came a CDr and a 2xLP with the instrumentals and a re-release of the first CD.
Taking the instrumentals from the 2nd 3xLP version and the Instrumental CDr there are only 3 instrumentals missing: "You are in my clutches", "What Up?" and "Outsider" which is the same beat as on "Line Postin' in Pedro". For "You are in my clutches" I can remember that I once read that Omid doesn't know where his original ADAT recording is, so we probably will never see this one :(

Beneath The Surface ( all tracks )
Beneath The Surface (OG release)
Beneath The Surface (Celestial Release) 
Instrumentals

Constant Elevation

Constant Elevation is a small compilation with at least 11 tracks containing only two vocal tracks. One with the Freestyle Fellowship that is called "Crazy" and was produced by Omid. The beat was also on Omid's "Afterwords" like the Instrumental that is called "Schrödinger's Cat". There is also another nice beat by Omid together with Nobody! The other vocal track comes from Antipop Consortium. Enjoy.......

Constant Elevation

Freestyle Fellowship - Innercity Griots Instrumentals Re-Rip

Very good quality now!

Instrumentals

Nobody - Soulmates

Nobody? Soulmates! Is it weird? No, it isn't. It is very relaxing with its smooth instrumentals and just some fine vocal tracks. Was it on vinyl? Yeah, there are two different vinyl versions of it. And there is also a CD version with one extra track plus 2 EPs and one 12". Just now I'm also listening to this while Soulmates is running. Fits nicely!

Soulmates

Myka 9 - A Work In Progress

To speak honestly, it was hard for meeee to like that album for a very long time. It has solid beats but on some tracks I would have expected Myka to be more serious and more skilled like he used to be on It's All Love. Some tracks stand out from the average but then there is for example a track that is called "This ain't the shit". I think that it must have been the reason why I always underestimated this album but I'm happy that I haven't sold it! Besides some tracks its really a hidden treasure and a nice treat for fans of Myka. Be sure to peep The THIRDMAN's Blog where you can find the vinyl version with selected tracks from this album that was released by 247 records from Sweden.

A Work In Progress

Tags Of The Times III

Hello, today I wanted to listen to this fine compilation again that I haven't heard in years and  I thought by myself: "Why not sharing it with the other guys?". I can remember buying the CD on a trip to Paris, mais oui!
Again there are so much artists on this release that all their names can't make it into the tags list :(

Tags Of The Times III

Freestyle Fellowhip - Hot Potato 12"

2day I have recorded this Freestyle Fellowship promo record that is the only one except the test press that contains the instrumental of Hot Potato. Hot Potato comes in 3 different vocal versions were all Fellowship members appear on. Additionally, Ganjah K has an uncredited appearance.

Freestyle Fellowhip - Hot Potato 12"

Freestyle Fellowship - Guerilla Kingz EP

I received this one from someone who bought this CD on a show some month ago. This EP seems to have some tracks from the new album that is going to drop soon. Check it out.

Guerilla Kingz EP

Freestyle Fellowship - Temptations

Temptations

Instrumentals

Freestyle Fellowship - Shockadoom

Shockadoom

Freestyle Fellowship - To Whom It May Concern

To make the time short between now and the release of the new FF album, you'll find all 3 albums and one EP within the next days starting with their first release 2day. Innercity Griots their second release is already available here btw.

For all who haven't heard this album, let me tell ya that some peepz think that it was groundbreaking in the rap history for its styles. In the movie "This is the life" it was told that they thought: "Oh shit, I can't do it the old way anymore, I have to change my style of rapping". You can check their styles even better by listening to the Accapellas. In my opinion "Physical Form" by P.E.A.C.E is very interesting cause he raps about McBeth from Hamlet in a funny way for example. I have also added the Mix version which was done by J-Sumbi.

Freestyle Fellowship - To Whom It May Concern

Freestyle Fellowship - To Whom It May Concern Accapellas

Freestyle Fellowship - To Whom It May Concern 2.0

It's All Love

Nanana, i'ts all love...ohh. You are reading. Yeah, this is absolutely my favorite Hip-Hop record to date. As I heard it the first time, it totally blew me away. I heard stuff from the Fellowship before but this one was totally different cause of it's 80's style flair and of course Mikah 9 flowing over it in a soulful way. Additionally, he lays down some really dope lines. Especially on "Rise and shine" there is a part where it is hard to tell when he is taking a breath. But not only Mikah's skills shine on this album. It's also the production of Joseph Leimberg. This cat is so fucking talented, he is able to give Mikah a platform that is on the same level and allows him to flow freely and show his love for Hip-Hop.
Not long ago I found out that this album was also meant to be released on Capitul Recordings back in da day, when Acey let's them balls bouncing. And I can't really understand why they didn't push the album. Probably it was too far ahead of all the other stuff from '95 or they weren't able to realize what they held in their hands. Nah, I don't really want to think about it any longer. Fact is, there have been multiple versions of this album. First there was the Pure HipHop Inc version. The sound quality isn't best but it seems to be the most complete version. You can hear that a lot of them tracks haven't been finished completely. Some tracks end abruptly but "Rise and Shine" goes about 1 minute longer if you forget the intro to the track that was added on the other versions. I don't really understand why they took off the rest it really sounds better with the long ending in my opinion. The Pure HipHop Inc version also has 2 versions of "Come Up Off Of My Love", one produced by Joseph Leimberg and the other one produced by Fat Jack. You can only find "Homegirl" on this version while you can find the track "On the line" only on the other ones. The following version was from Mary Joy Recordings from 2001 while the other one followed in 2002 on Basement Records. That's were the re-mastering came from. Last but not least there is also an EP out there from the former Swedish record store 24/7 Records which followed in 2003.

It's All Love (HipHop Inc Version)

It's All Love (Basement Version)

Mikah 9 - Timetable

For all the Fellowship lovers Mikah 9 released this fine CD in 2001 with material that was unreleased before. You can find excerpts from freestyles of Mikah 9 from Radio sessions and from Good Life sessions. Additionally there is a live recording of "American Nightmare" and there are some tracks that were previously unreleased, for example "Sand To The Beach" and "Fruit Don't Fall". To complete 23 tracks plus one bonus track, Daddy Kev provided some beats to also offer newer works and not only stuff from the past.
Some of the tracks are like a mystery to me. Especially the track "What You See Is What You Get" where it is stated, that it is Produced by Mikah and Sinatra. Frank Sinatra? I dont' know but nearly everything is possible!

Timetable

Project Blowed

Being originally released on tape in 1994, I think, there is also a vinyl and a CD version. It sets the land mark between the shutdown of the Good Life sessions and the introduction to the upcoming open-mic sessions at the Project Blowed.
The album contains the second Heavyweights track out of four and a lot more to explore. On Philaflava you can find some tracks flying around which were on the original release and left out on this release for whatever reason. There is also a difference between the vinyl and the CD version because the vinyl version also contains the monumental "Mix Tapes" song from the Nonce.

The tracks are all very dope starting with the track "Jurassick" having a word play by the track name which implies the sick styles of the featured rappers which have lots of experience by being long in the game(jurassic). Followed by a "knock, knock, who's there?" from Self Jupiter introducing the "Strength Of ATU" with a dope-ass beat and having the CVE said "What a pity, I'm living in New York City" and am not able to watch these cats. Figures Of Speech speak out a warning that you better "Don't get it twisted" because it's "Hot", maybe too hot! Tray Loc is followed by Dolla Holla who really sounds like he is Snupe who raps about a "Beautiful day in the neighborhood" and who is followed by "Solo is so low" from DK Toon and B/Cartoon and you know the track, I do it and I think everybody does who is old enough! "This evening" introduces the "Heavyweights Round 2" featuring PEACE, Aceyalone, Nefertiti, Self Jupiter, BJ, Ganjah K, Medusa, Ko Ko, Mikah 9 and Volume 10 interrupted by a "Funky Commercial Break" and followed by some more dope tracks featuring Aceyalone, Ab Rude, CVE and Ellay Khule. Pure Hip-Hop history that's all I can say!

Project Blowed Compilation

Freestyle Fellowship - Innercity Griots

The Fellowships second installment featuring a bunch of interesting people dropped in '93 one year before the Good Life Café closed the doors and a new era began with the Project Blowed. Like Volume 10's "HipHopera", "Innercity Griots" was released on a major label which was a good thing for the popularity but probably it also was a reason for the end of the Good Life. The movie "This Is The Life" dealt with the growing popularity and the impact on the Good Life sessions. If you haven't seen it for now, I can recommend you to watch this movie because it presents a part of HipHop history.
This album contains the first Heavyweights track featuring high level MCs Ganjah K, Big Arch, Spoon,  Volume 10 and Cockney'O'Dire besides the Fellowship. BTW, Mikah 9 has a really crazy appearance on this one! Most of the production is handled by the Earthquake Brothers, a crew of producers, which consists of Jamm Messenger Devine aka JMD, Mathmattics, DJ Kiilu and Mighty O-Roc. They also join creative forces on the Project Blowed compilation!

Freestyle Fellowship - Innercity Griots

Volume 10 - Pawn Shop

This is Volume 10's latest release from 2007, it has 2 features of P.E.A.C.E. and one of Black Silver. On the last track P.E.A.C.E. is also taking care of the hooks. I have no info on the production credits but it sounds like Bionik took care of it. Track 6, the title track, probably isn't because the elements used are more organic and airy in contrary to the progressive and more electronic sounding ones Bionik is using in general. This track is also the smoothest one on the album.

Volume 10 - Pawn Shop

Painting A New Picture

Next stop P.A.I.N.T.     ATU doesn't exist anymore in the way we knew it from before. Abstract Rude, Fat Jack and Zulu remained while DJ Drez joined in. Abstract Rude got more dominant in the group as you can see on the cover, that the group isn't stated as Abstract Tribe Unique anymore but Abstract Rude + Tribe Unique. You can also realize this fact in the album itself, it is not solely produced by Fat Jack, but also Daddy Kev, Rob The Viking and Kenny Segal. Vocally there are also a lot of features on the album of rappers that didn't belong to the Tribe, for example Awol One, the Heavyweights, Slug, G&E, Moka Only, LMNO, Busdriver, 2Mex, Xololanxinxo, Eyedea and some fine female artists. The overall sound got more clean and is probably meant to address the masses and not only the headz but maybe it was necessary to get a record deal on Battle Axe, the label of the Swollen Members who partly  serve a different audience. It is more clearer on this album than it was on the South Central Thynk Taynk, there the sound also got more clean and lost a bit of its roughness. You can say that ATU switched the station (oh what a coincidence!) to target a greater audience by reinventing themselves and painting a new picture with this album...

P.A.I.N.T.

Instrumentals

Magic Heart Genies - Cardiac Arrest

This is the Magic Heart Genies second effort. For those who never heard of the Magic Heart Genies, they are Myka 9 aka Mikah9 of the Freestyle Fellowship, J The Sarge and DJ Drez.

Cardiac Arrest