Kidulthood is a cult classic movie in the UK, detailing in gritty fashion the lives of London’s teenaged yoof. Drugs, sex, violence and paryting are the order of the day, delivered in a stylized and powerful way by BIFA Award winning director, Menhaj Huda.The movie just got its Stateside release on DVD and in celebration, producer/composer The Angel, who scored the film has made available a remix to the movie’s grime-inspired opening theme.
Download Kidulthood ‘08 Remix

The Angel recently posted some insight about her creative process for this track on her blog.  Follow her on Twitter.

The film score itself is worthy of note. In tandem with the movie, it brilliantly underlines the guts and drama of the storyline, heightening the atmosphere as any good score should. But as an album in itself there are plenty of great tracks - tough, grimey breaks alongside edgy hip-hop, touches of drum n bass, and plenty of moody soundscapes.
The Angel is currently working on a new artist album, so stay tuned for more news on that.
Buy the Kidulthood score at iTunes
Buy the Kidulthood movie at iTunes

What Would You Do?

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Raashan Ahmad always comes with a nice, jazzy hip-hop vibe and a thought-provoking message. This video for “Peace”, taken from his recent album The Push is well-executed with a combination of live action interacting with animation. Here’s the official blurb from Om Records’ main hip-hop dude Jonathan McDonald:

“I couldn’t be more juiced to announce that Raashan Ahmad’s new video for his track ‘Peace’ (produced by Stro of the Procussions) has finally dropped and is ready and waiting to be consumed by the hip-hop loving public. Throughout his new album, “The Push,” Raashan echoes the themes and sounds of the roots of hip-hop music, intertwining social and political trials and tribulations with personal struggles and discovery. The ‘Peace’ video’s vintage vibe runs smoothly together with Raashan Ahmad’s thoughtful lyrics and classic beats. With the world in a current state of panic, Raashan is preaching peace on an individual and a global level. Combining the creative forces of director Eric A. Leppo and the passion behind Raashan’s lyrics leads to the creation of this dope video. When describing the collaboration process Leppo has said, “We realized we were both independently trying to get some similar messages across so it made a lot sense to combine forces through this project. To do justice to the topic of peace in our war- filled times, I could see from the start this would need to be a dense four minutes of animation visually and ideologically. After listening to the song and talking with Raashan about it, I came to see the song as an appeal for peace to the world, and at the same time as also a huge thought provoker, doing everything from prodding us to think about why someone might say “Peace!” instead of “bye,” to making us consider the general concepts of peace and conflict in and among different countries, classes, religions, time periods, races, species and beliefs.” There is no doubt that the song and video do the message of ‘Peace’  justice!”

Raashan Ahmad ‘Peace’ Video from Om Records on Vimeo.

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Todd Kelley has put together another solid installment of his mix series “Prototype of Nu-Soul.” The tracklisting below speaks for itself.
Download it here and visit Todd’s site to check out his many other mixes, all of which are available for download.

01. Take Off The Blues - The Foreign Exchange
02. Pantyhose - Jesse Boykins III
03. Sticks & Stones - Morgan Zarate
04. Girlfriend - Jay Electronica
05. ASOR - W. Ellington Felton f/ Sy Smith
06. Everyday - Lina
07. Workin’ On It - Dwele
08. Try - Samon Kawamura f/ Aloe Blacc
09. I’m Only Human Zo! And Tigallo
10. One More Drink - Ludacris f/ T-Pain
11. Find My Way - Ayah
12. Search In - Chester Gregory
13. Break My Little Heart - Jazmine Sullivan
14. Phone Call - Kissey Asplund
15. Picture - Kreme

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I love me some Zion I so today was a double-whammy day for me. New video in the email Inbox, and a promo of the new album The Takeover in my real-life mailbox. Haven’t had a chance to check that out yet, but in the meanwhile you can take a look at the first single from it below.

For more info, check out:
http://www.myspace.com/zioni
http://www.golddust-media.com

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Two of my faves, Ohmega Watts and Jneiro Jarel team up for this video “Eyes and Ears” taken from the former’s album Watts Happening. The album came out last year on Ubiquity, but this is just now being released as a digital single, which features an additional mix from Clutchy Hopkins. You can get a wee taste of that mix on Ubiquity’s site.

Ohmega Watts Feat. Jneiro Jarel - Eyes And Ears from Ubiquity Records on Vimeo.

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*Ok, hipsters, blipsters and all you cool kids, cover your eyes, you’re not gonna like what I’m about to say.* I’m a little ambivalent about these Proton dudes. They’re on the come-up out of the ATL scene and definitely making some noise. They have some hot tracks but their lyrical content is just a little, well, eh, and while that can be overlooked pretty easily by a nice flow on a dope track, after a few too many tracks of it, it just gets a little stale.

*K, you can continue reading….*
That said, my picks from this mixtape are the tracks with Janelle Monae, Jessica Tonder and Amanda Diva.
DOWNLOAD HERE

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I’m on a bit of a Replife roll at the moment, so I thought I’d give y’all a little taste of the man’s music in case you happen to still be sleeping. “Change 4 A Dolla” is taken from his album The Unclosed Mind which was recently released via Futuristica and can be copped at MobileUnderground.com.

Download “Change 4 A Dolla”.

You may also have heard Rep on tracks with The Politik. He’s also part of the Strictly Social fam, having performed at both Strictly Social: NY Edition, and October’s LA Strictly Social at Little Temple Bar - check the coverage here. Replife is a true original, blending broken beats with his hip-hop sensibilities and blazing intellect. You can hear a couple more tracks in the player below. And “Change 4 A Dolla” is kicking off our new feature - the Beatlife Featured Download.

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Zion I’s Amplive has been on a remixing bender as of late. Starting with his reworking of Radiohead’s In Rainbows album, and continuing with a spree of remixes of the likes of Santogold, Jamie Lidell, Public Enemy, Tokyo Police Club, MGMT and more.

Here’s a couple of my personal faves to check out. You can find more at his Myspace.

Amplive remix of Jamie Lidell “Out Of My System”:

DOWNLOAD HERE

Amplive/Zion I remix of Santogold’s “One” ft. The Grouch:

DOWNLOAD HERE

Zion I will be releasing a long-awaited new album, The Takeover, in January via Gold Dust Records. In the meantime they will be releasing a mixtape - and by mixtape, I mean an actual cassette tape, called The Search & The Seizure mixtape which sees the duo re-working and re-interpreting a range of hip-hop classics on the A-Side, with the B-Side focusing on electro and indie-rock favorites.  The Santogold track above is taken from this release. Also from this release is Zion I’s version of “Gotsta Chill” feat. Talib Kweli.Grab that one HERE

http://www.myspace.com/amplive
http://www.myspace.com/zioni

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Los Angelenos know DJ Anthony Valadez as one of the hardest working DJs in town. He holds down several residencies at spots like Little Temple and Zanzibar. He has opened for the likes of Les Nubians, Ben Harper, Nikka Costa, Talib Kweli, Meshell Ndegeocello, Eric Roberson, Van Hunt, Sa Ra Creative Partners, Aloe Blacc, Platinum Pied Pipers, Doug E Fresh and much more. He can also now be found on the tastemaking radio station KCRW.

In addition to his vinyl-juggling schedule, Vala also finds time to produce some dope tracks. He has remixed projects for Ammon Contact,  Build an Ark, and was featured on Mochilla’s Keepintime Soundtrack alongside Daedelus,Nobody, Cut Chemist, J Rocc and much more. Now, in conjunction with the homie DJ Junior, he has just released a single on Record Breakin’ Music entitled “Go” featuring Wendisue and John Robinson. You can cop the limited edition 7″ single here. Oh yea, and he did the cover art for it as well. Take a listen:
Anthony Valadez ft. Wendisue & John Robinson “Go”

Here’s some other tracks to wrap your ears around that the man laced us with.
B Side for Philly:

Daru Remix:

Firefly, w. Kissey Asplund:

Galore:

Roommate Remix:

She Walked Away:

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Strictly Social brings you LA’s only night of truly eclectic and progressive live soul music. In case you happen not to live in LA, the Strictly Social mix series brings you a little taste of what the night offers. Volume 2 comes courtesy of DJ Myxzlplix. Check the tracklist below, then stream or download.

Track Listing
1. Dial 7-Digable Planets
2. If I Fall-Naked Music
3. Pray Together-Amp Fiddler
4. Actioneer (Wajeed Remix)-Black Spade
5. Massage Situation-Flying Lotus
6. Could It Be-Noel Zancarella f. Baatin
7. My First Love (K2wizzle Rmx)-DJ Syren
8. We All Want The Same Thing-Kevin Michael F. Lupe Fiasco
9. Sweet-The Politik F. Replife
10. Me And Armini-Emiliana Torrini
11. The Duck-Belleruche
12. Crucify-Milez Benjiman
13. Inhale Exhale-J Rawls, Venus Malone & Wordsworth
14. What Do You Know-Beatphreak
15. Northern Girls-Belleruche
About DJ Myxzlplix
myspace.com/djmyxzlplix
myxmanifest.blogspot.com
djmyx.com

About Strictly Social

Strictly Social is fast becoming one of Los Angeles’ most unique monthly events incorporating listening parties for major releases, guest DJs, visual artist exhibitions and intimate performances from rising stars in the soul community. Organized by DJ Destroyer of Soul Union, Norman Mayers of Nu-Soul Magazine, and Lucy Beer of Elemental Consulting, this night if “Eclectic Soul Fusion” aims to provide a non-traditional perspective on soul by fusing genres and styles. With recent events in New York City and Atlanta, the brand has begun to spread beyond its original home. Artists that have performed at Strictly Social include Sy Smith, Anthony David, Lina, Peter Hadar, Jimi James, Maya Azucena, and Kissey Asplund.

www.myspace.com/lastrictlysocial

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