I finally got around to checking out “Scratch Nerds 2” by Craze & Klever the other night…..Some of the production gets on my nerves at points, but these two keep the cuts on point throughout…

DOWNLOAD……

*HIP HOP BATTLEFIELD will return to regular posting regimen on Monday..In honor of the release of “GMV-2” and the Zulu Nation 40th Anniversary, it’s only right that I let this interview rock out for the rest of the week.

Alright folks here we go, here is a interview with MF GRIMM breaking down the science of “GMV-2”..We didn’t include linear notes for the album so this is the next best thing…

Keep in mind that I already know the answer to many of these questions, but I felt it was mandatory to ask him certain things so you could get a better understanding of the thought process behind the recordings….

So walk with us as we drop heavy conversation troopers…

HHB-1…In your opinion what’s the main difference between “GMV 1” compared to “GMV 2” ?

GOOD MORNING VIETNAM Was the introduction to the world of hip hop through a rare perspective from those out on the frontline fighting for what we believe in whether there’s an strategic advantage or not, sometimes you have to fight back and hip hop has been taken hostage by conglomerates who don’t honor it, nor have respect for the POW’s involved; so it puts us in a situation where our existence is on the line. There will be no surrender and losing is not an option for us, so that means we must fight to the death. It doesn’t matter if we’re out numbered, or if our adversaries have fancy technology and special effects. Hip Hop is at war and we’re coming to take you out, and if we can’t win we will force a stalemate. If we don’t win then no one wins.

Goodmorning VIETNAM 2: The Golden Triangle shows you the by product of the first and clarifies that music is a drug and the drug that caused an epidemic during Vietnam War was Heroin so if music is a drug and we make music then ours is pure HEROIN not stepped on plain and simple. GMV1 was the initial war, GMV2 is the effect of the war and GMV3 is about.?? All great sagas are trilogies. beginning, middle and End. ACT I ACT II ACT III all three combine will be historic.

HHB-2..I’m quite sure dudes are smart enough to know we aren’t heroin junkies or anything like that, but can you explain to the readers why we would use KHUN SA in our imagery and song titles ?

If music is a drug then I claim myself as KHUN SA. In hip hop many claimed the names of dealers and drug lords from movies and reality so I claimed KHUN SA it’s a comparison, he did things in a manner that no matter what one might thought morally or personally, he fed his people and help those who turned around and betrayed him as well. He was loved by many but hated by those who couldn’t control him and they couldn’t stop him and they can’t stop me. I own all of my publishing, and all of my masters. I started in distribution and pressed up cassette tapes, wax, cd comics, I have distro in multiple countries and executive produced legendary albums for myself and for others, and no one still knows who I am… I’m KHUN SA and I love it. Once again music is a drug and the only drug i will sell, and if you use it…It can take the pain away.

HHB-3..Unlike a lot music coming out these days, we were in the studio together for both projects which enabled us to develop a chemistry while recording…..How do you feel about the rise in “email recording sessions” in 2013 ?

It’s a smash and grab and it’s not good when people have no chemistry. The best way to make an album is in the studio together. Now if you can’t because your in two different countries and you can’t get a visa, then hey do what you have to do. But if you’re in America do your best to get together and make a record. You might find out you and the other person have things in common.

HHB-4..Over the years you have heard hundreds of my productions….What was it about the beats you picked for “GMV2” that grabbed your attention ?

Each track is like a movie, and each movie is a different genre you always mix it up.

HHB-5..What’s your favorite song on GMV-2?

“KHUN SA”…

HHB-6..What’s your favorite cut on GMV 1 ?

“How It Should Be”….

HHB-7..Even though I did all the production for both projects you had a hand in the vocal samples,mixing, segues, structure and overall composition of the albums……Did you play this role in your past recordings ?

Yes but you’re the only one who listened lol.

HHB-8..Your extremely meticulous with your bars…,I believe that your songs have a tremendous amount of poetic value that would translate well on paper……Next time we have to do a lyric sheet…Do you agree ?

Yes, I think we should…

HHB-9..We spent countless hours in the creation of GMV-2 – everything from finding certain frequencies, scouring over movies, building, mixing, remixing, etc…..What do you want the listeners to know about this album before it’s unleashed to the world ?

That we’re not fucking around, we love hip hop and we are protectors of the purest form of it. We’re not fake revolutionaries wearing camouflage skinny jeans with flip flops on, bullet proof vest with glitter on it with high heel combat boots on. You’re fucking with real warriors remember when it comes to the beginning of this…I WAS THERE!

HHB-10..After building with you for a number of years I have noticed that you do not listen to any Hip Hop while recording……Can you please explain why ?

I don’t want to sound like them, and their bullshit might be contagious so I stay away from it. Yep, only you and those who are close know I never listen to the majority of the shit people talk about. My only competition is Mozart, I’m battling him in compositions and music life expectancy. I am focused on 200-300 years from now, I plan on being embedded and studied in universities around the world for my appreciation of the craft and respect of the craft, not how many chains I had on my neck or what type of liqueur I preferred when I’m in the club. I want my music to be taught at YALE.

HHB-11..Since you are the one that came up with the whole GOOD MORNING VIETNAM concept – can you elaborate on what GMV means to you ?

It’s stands for a part of California that has adopted me as one of their own and I will not negatively exploit so it means family to me.

HHB-12..You rock a different flow on every song (they don’t call you MF for nothing) do you come up with the flow before you pen your lyrics ?

I can but I don’t, I wait to hear the beat because the beats speak and I just translate what it wants said and how. I respect the beat.

HHB-13..You have so many quotables on GMV1 & 2 that it’s fucking ridiculous man…..It’s obvious that you have spent many years developing song writing techniques, do you prefer writing to beats or writing without them ?

I can do both but I prefer beats, otherwise I might as well be on Def Poetry Jam waiting for Russell Simmons to say “god bless and good night”.

HHB-14..WORD ASSOCIATION….VIETNAM

Love.

HHB-15..WORD ASSOCIATION..GOLDEN TRIANGLE.

Home..

HHB-16…WORD ASSOCIATION…NO JUGAMOS..

Historic.

HHB-17…WORD ASSOCIATION…BURNING DAYLIGHT.

Time…

HHB-18….Any final words – shout outs, upcoming projects ?

SHOUT OUT TO AFRIKA BAMBAATTAA AND THE MIGHTY ZULU NATION this one is for YOU. Enjoy the anniversary
My brothers and sisters. And to my Arch Enemy Entertainment Family

“GOOD MORNING VIETNAM – 2 – THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE” is out today at VENDETTA VINYL, I-Tunes, Amazon, E-music and all other digital spots….Make sure you go give it a thorough listen, but please strap on your combat helmets before doing so….

SALUTE-
D

.

*GMV-2 shipping date November, 7th 2013…

Before I even get started their are a couple things that I should break down….

1..GRIMM & I were in the lab together when we created GMV-1 & 2…This isn’t some “email session type shit”, we spent a tremendous amount of time crafting this project to ensure that no stone was left unturned….

2..Even though I have been a fan of GRIMM for a number of years, I am still in awe at how meticulous he is with his bars….I promise you that this album will further solidify his status as a “DON” in this Hip Hop shit…

3..GMV-2 is straight up raw…..PERIOD…

Alright folks, enough of the extras, here is the sampler for everyone out there that know what time it is….Hardcore Hip Hop is alive and well in 2013, so tell all those suckers out there to run for cover – it’s our turn!!!

* Feel free to post the sampler & spread the word (ORDER THE VINYL HERE) LINK FIXED.

CLICK HERE FOR SAMPLER DOWNLOAD

Do yourself a favor and watch this 54 minute clip of turntable wrecking balls D-STYLES & MELLO-D tearing shit up live on the Mikidz Show…

FRESH IS THE WORD…

Monday’s MikiDz Show will go down as one of the best ever. Legendary DJs D-Styles and Melo D from the Beat Junkies teamed up for a rare 2×4 and showed us again why they’re two of the best turntablists ever. No controllers, synths or other fancy devices: just two mixers, four turntables and a bunch of nasty beats. There’s not many DJs that can throw down like D-Styles and Melo D so we’re happy to share their full set and interview with the world.
Shouts to DJ Babu, Shiftee, Four Color Zack, Rhettmatic, DJ Dynamix, DJ Damage (Revolt TV), Byze One, Mark Kelliher (Serato), WordLyfe and everyone else who attended and watched online!

PEEP…

If your a puzzled by the current commercialization of DJ culture like myself, this article by DJ REVOLUTION should hold your attention (Instant DJ)….

I knew it wouldn’t t be long before something presented itself to me as inspiration to write in this space. A random walk through BestBuy today proved to be a little more than a search for some extra gear we needed for a location shoot. Passing though the endless maze of aisles and endcaps Rod Gee spotted a particular display that blew my mind. Topped by a row of “Beats by Dre” headphones, were three shelves of computer based DJ hardware for the general consumer. Various types of digital turntables and gadgets that came with their own software were stacked upon each other like the board games in the display across the aisle. Prices of these things ranged from $79 to $299. Clever slogans and flashy boxes tried to disguise the fact that they were junk. Basically, this was the instant DJ section.

Obviously having to be on the cutting edge of all things DJ, I’ve known things like this have existed for quite some time. I must say though, seeing them all laid out in one display like this did take me by suprise. It made me think of how hard it was for me to get some of the things that are easily and cheaply available at your local BestBuy. Working ridiculous hours at crap jobs and saving up was how I was able to get my gear after using junk for years. $425 for each Technics SL1200. $200 for my 1st Gemini mixer. Speakers, amps, cables, needles and the most expensive and addictive thing of all…records. The ongoing process of aquiring these things was a struggle and a long journey but it was fun and added to the value of who I was as a DJ. If all of a sudden I got some cheap digital turntables, some software to mix on and a laptop with the capacity to hold tens of thousands of songs I would know absolutely nothing, accept how to run software on my computer. My point is, you can’t be a DJ “out of a box”. Being a DJ is about the love of music and the passion for exposing what you love about it to other people in your own unique way. BestBuy doesn’t sell that on any shelf.

Maybe I can put it in perspective so that you might understand why I am disturbed and borderline insulted by this display. What would you do if you were walking through BestBuy and you came across a big display of Violins and Cello’s? Then, in the next aisle over you could buy paintbrushes and canvases. You would think to yourself “…why are these things on sale here?” wouldn’t you? Why is that? Because when you want to buy or find out about musical instruments you go somewhere known for selling them. A place that has a knowledgeable staff that can offer insight and perhaps even lessons. If you wanted to be painter would you go to BestBuy? No.You would go to an art store that will have what you need, or a bookstore to find out more about the history of art. You wouldn’t buy your 15 year old son or daughter a plastic Saxophone in a box and send them on their way to be a musician without giving them the means of learning to play properly. They would be laughed and taken for a joke. The same logic applies for things that relate to DJ’ing. Turntables are considered instruments.

DJ’ing is without a doubt considered a profession and in fact most who know about it in it’s true form would call it art. By putting items in the pictures I took on the shelves at a store like BestBuy, it makes the general consumer take them a little more seriously than if they saw them on the shelves at “Toys ‘R’ Us”. What I mean by that is these are in fact just expensive toys that shouldnt be taken seriously. If you want to inspire someone to be a DJ please do us all a favor and research the subject. Point yourself or someone else in the right direction. Otherwise the unprepared, inexperienced, know nothing phony that learned to DJ from a box they got at BestBuy might actually do damage to a respected craft instead of contributing to it.

Gave Phill Most Chill & DJ Format latest release (The Foremost) a thorough listen last night….

Uptempo, fast raps with a heavy sprinkling of floor rocker breaks is the modus operandi on this one….

HIP HOP BATTLEFIELD TOP PICKS….

“THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME” Phill manages to style all over this with the greatest of ease…Two thumbs up!!

“THE FOREMOST”….

WOW- The intro is just straight up monstrous…If Format would have left out all the quirky stabs that accompany Phill’s verse, this beat would have been a perfect 10…

I suggest you go out and cop the wax while supplies last trooper….

The VINYL REANIMATORS (Sean C, Joe Mansfield, and DJ Shame) were a very active production outfit in the mid – late 90’s…They produced for a slew of artist such as ED O.G., Criminal Scientifik, Virtuoso, 7L & Esoteric, L Da Headtoucha, Tim Dog, and many more…

Many are aware of them because of their heavy duty remixes….Here a couple that might have slipped past your radar when it initially dropped (Mobb Deep – “Drop A Gem On Em”, Jeru The Damaja – “Your Playing Yourself”, & Ghostface Killah – “Daytona 500″…..

DOWNLOAD….

Take a listen to this new Calibro 35 project (Traditori Di Tutti) and transport yourself back to a scene from a dramatic 1970’s Italian flick…

CHECK IN…

It’s been awhile since I heard anything from underrated GREEN LLAMA producer “Vincent Price”, so it was a nice surprise to spot this new joint with TONE LIV (Late Nights With The Mayor)….

I’m only four songs in but I’m digging the way it’s going down so far…
*UPDATE – HIP HOP BATTLEFIELD TOP PICK, “Llama Breath”…

DOWNLOAD….

I’m going to transport you back to 1978 with this critical dub session with the heavily slept on unit the “REVOLUTIONARIES”…

On “Earthquake Dub” they keep the tremors popping off….DONT SLEEP..

“Ossie Hibbert is an unsung hero if ever there was, here producing his first dub album with Channel one’s Revolutionaries in deep rockers’ congress, Sly Dunbar’s rightfully celebrated flying sound to the fore. Priceless dub cuts to some bona fide classics too, Dennis brown’s “Whip them jah”, used by Tappa Zukie for ‘Pick up the rockers”, Junior Ross’ “So jah jah say” and “Judgement Time”, Ken Boothe’s “Girl I left behind”, “Rainy Night”, Abyssinians “Declaration of Rights” versioned here across three full pieces, U Brown’s “Heavier Than Lead” and a recut of Mad Lads’ “Ten to one”.

DOWNLOAD…

Australian beatsmith DEBONAIR-P is back on the set with a new high powered release..He is offering a free download, but I highly suggest snatching up a copy of the vinyl while supplies last (I definitely put my order in)..

DOWNLOAD…

TRACKLIST-
Remixes 2
01. Philly Dot – Straight Like Dat (Debonair P Remix)
02. Street Connect – All Up In The Game (Debonair P Remix)
03. Souljerz Of Fortune – Two Of A Kind (Debonair P Remix)
04. A.O.D. – Finally (Debonair P Remix)
05. No Doe Network – Next Stop (Debonair P Remix)
06. All Knew Program – Respect (Debonair P Remix)
07. Dutchmin – Surrounded (Debonair P Remix)
08. Norm Skola – Half Man (Debonair P Remix)
09. Derelect Camp – Love Or Fame (Debonair P Remix)
10. Cozmic Ray – Danger (Debonair P Remix)
Instrumentals
01. 24/7
02. Finally
03. Time To Shine
04. Surrounded
05. Shmoov Wit Da Ruffness
06. Next Stop
07. All Up In The Game
08. Half Man
09. Keep It Real
10. Love Or Fame
11. Cranium
12. Two Of A Kind
13. R.O.W.Y.C.P.
14. Respect
15. Down Like That
16. Straight Like Dat
17. Danger
18. Money

I’m far from a hater, matter of fact HATE is not even in my personal vocabulary, but their are certain things that I will never rock with regardless of popular opinion, massive dickriding, or fear of being the odd man out….

So with that being said, walk with me as I unveil some personal Hip hop pet peeves…

1…“ANYWHERE THE WIND BLOWS”

One day your a B-Boy, the next day your a D-Boy, next week your a fashionista type, the following week your a trap DJ, next month your a EDM partygoer, and after all that I heard you were a rock-a-billy disciple as well…

What you are is a opportunist that will gravitate towards any current trend if you feel it will give you some type of shines…GTFOH.

2..“LIVE AID”.

“I’m tired of rappers with live instruments on the stage / save that shit for parades”….MC REN “KISS MY BLACK ASS”.

When it comes to Hip Hop I could give a fuck about a live band…Hip Hop started from DJ’s cutting up breaks, so why are you on stage with a 5 piece band playing all that racket?..

Maybe I’m traditional, you can even call me old fashioned, but I’m not messing with all these dudes that sound like a Bon Jovi cover band with someone spitting weirdo rhymes on top of it..

3..“SWEET AS ALIZE”.

Wow……Hip Hop is alive and well in 2013, but some of these producers are crafting the softest shit imaginable….

Whatever happened to aggressive chops, or drum programming so angry that it forced you to hit the panic button?….

4..“WAX SUPPORT”.

I recently heard someone complaining about the recent influx of niche record labels that have popped up….

Are you serious ?

Thank goodness cats have taken it upon themselves to keep vinyl alive when others attempted to ride a strictly digital wave….Make sure you support CHOPPED HERRING, DOPE FOLKS, ILL ADRENALINE, DIGGERS WITH GRATITUDE, VENDETTA VINYL and the many others that supply us with vinyl treats..

5..“INVASION OF THE BEAT BITERS”.

Where do I begin with this one…..It’s seems like very other day I hear someone rock a sample source that was flipped before (ODDISEE recently hijacked CRU’s “Just Another Case” for his newest single)..

Sure Guru stated that “Rap is an art you don’t own no loops”, but some of this straight up beat biting is getting out of hand, don’t you agree ?

6..“DIGITAL MOBSTERS”..

On Twitter & Facebook your a hardcore villain, but in real life your a cornball weasel that has never experienced any REAL LIVE drama…..Some of these clowns need to knock it off with all the fake digital tough talk – it might save you from a real life fiasco…

7..”HIP HOP HUSTLERS”..

Hip Hop is NOT a hustle, a grind, or work – it IS a artform that should be taken very seriously and not misused by cats that are only in it for a quick dollar….

I’m tired of hearing about your “BRAND” and your “GRINDING” when you don’t even spend a decent amount of time practicing to keep your skills sharp…

“It’s not about what Hip Hop can do for you, it’s about what can you do for Hip Hop”…

With the release of “CHEESE STEAKS & BEATBREAKS” earlier this year, The Booze Brothers continue their streak of dropping heavyweight boulevard bully rap…

Do yourself a favor and go cop the vinyl over & CHOPPED HERRING..

Ever since they were young boys these blood brothers (Him Lo and Clever One) repped the culture. MC’ing was the last element of Hip Hop that they took their hands to and Philly was always a major city for B-Boy culture. As well as cats like Steady B, Schooly D and Cool C doin music, the graf and breaking scene went as hard as anywhere. Him-Lo remembers that you could feel Hip Hop “in the air” back in the late 70s and early 80s. Even goin out for a ride in his parents’ car he was in awe of the throw-ups and pieces which coated the inner city walls. As a kid he always knew he’d never be able to shake it – he’d be livin Hip Hop for the whole of his life. Ha, and that’s been a while – Him-Lo is now 39 and his younger brother Clev One is 35 – and this is the first time they have released a physical product. Why?
The boys have been droppin rhymes since around 1992, when they started to become more serious about the craft. They were involved in a part-time crew called Bermuda Triangle. It was hard gettin stuff done cause members were in and out of jail or dealing with various addictions. The brothers too had been naughty boys!! Typically, they were both thrown out of their respective high schools for writing on the walls and before long they were jackin’ cars. They were introduced to Lo-Life B-Bill through a chick they knew called Big Shirley who used to go out boostin’ and would hide the gear in her fat rolls (!!). B-Bill AKA Michael Culley, one of the founding fathers of the Lo-Life movement, had moved from Brooklyn New York and the boys started to hang out around 1993 and that’s when their Lo boostin addiction began. Cats didn’t have money to cop Lo, so boostin’ was the only way to look dipped. The brothers would be out on the daily destroying racks. I asked Him-Lo about any particular boostin adventures he’d been on. He told me about one mission that always made him laugh when he looks back. He’d been boostin for most of the day, in and out of different stores in Philly. In one store that afternoon they noticed some store workers talkin on walkie talkies, so they bustin out and Him’s homie Ant jacked a Cutlass Ciera. They drove the stolen vehicle down some back streets and got caught up in (of all things) a police block party. Appropriately Lo, they found themselves swervin between police horses and cars, while carryin mad garms and ridin in a stolen vehicle. Him remembers just jumpin out the car while it was still rolling and sneakin’ off down the subway stairs and gettin the hell out. They always had a lot of fun and always ended up with ill GEAR. Welcome to Da Buze Bruvaz…

“TAG TEAM TACTICS”..

“CHAMPION SWEATERS”

Back in 1989 TONY ROCK responded to L.L. Cool J’s hilarious song “I’m That Type Of Guy”…

On “I’m That Type Of Nigga” Tony made death threats to anyone brave enough to push up on one of his females..”I’m the type of nigga that waits for you to arrive / so when you frown up in the grill, I got a uzi by my side”….HAHA..

I’m not sure what Tony is up to in 2013, but you will go down in the history books as a funny ass motherfucker…

*Taken from the 1989 release “LET ME TAKE YOU TO THE ROCK HOUSE”..Luke Skywalker Records..

DOWNLOAD…

As promised last week, PRITT KALSI delivers the last segment of his Paul C documentary….

Appearances from Dr. Butcher,CJ Moore, Jeru The Damaja, Rakim, Ced G, Moe Love, Mikey D, etc…

RIP Paul C.Mckasty…

Here is the Third and final part of the film about Queens Legendary Producer and Engineer Paul C McKasty. A man that contributed a great deal to the Golden Era of Hip Hop Music. As in the Article on the previous Post this is no way the definitive story or Film. There is still a few key people missing.

I hope that after watching this that they may want to contribute some footage that would make it the definitive film. I would really like to thank all those that took part and believed in me from the get go. Lindley Farley and CJ Moore who where the driving force behind me who’s words in previous conversations I cherished and kept in my heart and soul, this film as I always said is a film made for you.

PEEP..