Caffiends

I was completely unaware of The Paxtons until I inadvertently came across their video for “Theme Music” off their album Work, released last year. A quick Google and I found out that these guys were dropping a mixtape named The Manhattan Project very soon. Very soon has become today and it only seems right that I tell you about these guys, if you don’t already know them.

The Paxtons are essentially two rappers by the names of Chris and Dave, raised in southside Chicago but now spending their days in New York. Their first release came in 2008 named Members Only, which soon led to their debut album Work in 2009, with the help of Ubiq, Atmos and The Smoking Section. The Manhattan Project comes as their third release and is their second free mixtape.

Here’s what they have to say about The Manhattan Project…

Hip Hop was built on the foundation of double meanings. While the title of The Paxtons’ new mixtape, The Manhattan Project, is an obvious reference to their relocation to NYC and adoption of the New York state-of-mind, there is a deeper inspiration driving it.

The Manhattan Project is also the codename for a WWII project whose mission was to develop the first atomic bomb. In musical terms, The Paxtons are taking the same approach by building a mixtape that will annihilate the competition with beats and rhymes that clearly show an unseen hunger and level of progression and creativity from the Chicago-bred MC and production team.

If their last opus, Work, was safe and constrained, The Manhattan Project is its freer and riskier big brother. Featuring their own production as well as beats from Diplo, Chuck Inglish & Dam Funk and guest appearances from X.O. of Diamond District (Living a Movie) and Chicago’s Sulaiman and Skech185 (Bang With Us), The Manhattan Project is guaranteed to make music lovers take notice.

If you build it they will come? It’s been built and it impacts on September 7.

LISTEN / DOWNLOAD: The Paxtons – The Manhattan Project

Beatrock Music, the imprint created by San Fran producer Fatgums, is putting out a collective album of Fatgums instrumentals on the 7th September. Gumstrumentals Volume 1 brings together 25 hip hop beats, used by the likes of Power Struggle, The CounterParts and longtime collaborator with Fatgums, Bambu. There are also a couple of unreleased beats on there. Despite the fact there are a good 2 days left before you can actually get your hands on a copy of this album, you have the opportunity to stream it in all its entirety…

The tracklisting is below and the link to which you can stream and/or pre-order the album is below that.

TRACKLIST:
1) Box Beat Intro (Unreleased)
2) Air Out My Lungs Inst. (Power Struggle)
3) What We Do Inst. (The CounterParts)
4) Words From JOMA Inst. (FATGUMS X BAMBU)
5) Wash It Away Inst. (Power Struggle)
6) The Queen Is Dead Inst. (Bambu)
7) Good Clothes Inst. (FATGUMS X BAMBU)
New LB Sound Inst. (Niko Pag-Asa)
9) Childhood Inst. (The Committee)
10) Novel Scratching Inst. (Novelists)
11) The Rundown Inst. (Rocky Rivera)
12) Breaking Point Inst. (The CounterParts)
13) Re: Act Inst. (The CounterParts)
14) Strapped Inst. (FATGUMS X BAMBU)
15) Kill The Vultures Inst. (Power Struggle)
16) Until Inst. (The CounterParts)
17) Seven Months Inst. (Bambu)
18) Blood Of My Heart Inst. (Power Struggle)
19) Never There Inst. (Novelists)
20) Pilgrimage Song Inst. (Bambu)
21) Gunslinger II Inst. (FATGUMS X BAMBU)
22) Iron Bam Inst. (Bambu)
23) Lyricist Saga Beat (Unreleased)
24) Exact Change (Original) Inst. (Bambu)
25) The Queen Is Dead (CA Remix) Inst. (Bambu)

BUY / STREAM: Fatgums – Gumstrumentals Volume 1

For various reasons, I didn’t post the Kanye track “Monster”, with the main reason being I didn’t like it. However, the beat was hot and it seems to be in demand all over the internet. The S.A.S boys have been hooked up with it though and it hasn’t taken them long to jump on it.

DOWNLOAD: S.A.S – Munstars

Sway, Lowkey and Black The Ripper joined Akala at the Kentish Town HMV Forum to perform the remix of Akala‘s new single “Yours & My Children” last night. It’s a shame the crowd sounded so dead but it’s great to watch still.

Another one of the UK’s most under-rated rappers has released a free EP to the public this week. This has been in the works for some time and the hype around it has been considerable, so I do feel guilty for posting this 2 days late!

Starman EP is a 10 track release from Bigz, who has been working in the UK hip hop scene for many years now. It all looked so promising for him when he was featured on Sway’s debut album along with releasing his own highly successful debut single “Cor Blimey”. However, family tragedies and other events knocked things back. He’s now spent a lot of time producing new music, establishing new contacts and strengthening his foundations in the industry.

With features from old friends such as Sway and Baby Blue, as well as the likes of the Wretch 32, this is a free download you can’t say no to.

LISTEN/ DOWNLOAD: Bigz – Starman EP

The much awaited free release from duo Actual Proof finally landed today over on 9th Wonder’s website. Simply named The Free EP, this download serves more as an album. It officially has 11 tracks but the beedy eyed amongst you will realise there’s actually two extra tracks within the download package by the names of “Dig It” and “Buzz Lightyear”. Production comes from the legendary 9th Wonder as well as AMP and Mo Heat.

It’s a very promising drop by the guys, setting the foundations for more quality work from them and the rest of the It’s A Wonderful World Music Group.

Tracklisting:

1. INTRODUCING ACTUAL PROOF

2. MOVES OVER HERE

3. COMPETITORS

4. PEACE FROM THE RIDDLER (ENIGMA)

5. SKATE KIDS

6. THE NOTCH

7. SANDBOX

8. LETS GO FT. RAPSODY

9. THE LOOK FT. HEATHER VICTORIA

10. IT’S COOL (WORD TO A. GILLIAM) FT. RAPSODY

11. I JUST WANNA BE FT. KING MEZ & TP

Plus “Dig It” and “Buzz Lightyear”.

DOWNLOAD: Actual Proof – The Free EP

The 14th September sees the release of the Album of the Year. No, I’m not being crudely biased here, but that’s the name of the new album from Black Milk. This video is the first from the album and sees Black Milk join forces with Royce Da 5’9″ and Elzhi. The video was directed by Gerard Victor Atillo.

As promised, the first bit from Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album dropped last night and here it is for you to download. We’ve got the clean CDQ version, but I’ll post the original version when it lands. Seriously loving this…

DOWNLOAD: Lupe Fiasco – Go To Sleep (Clean)

In the times of the internet and Kanye West, I am slow. But I don’t care. And I don’t care that this post won’t be in the first 50 Google pages of search results when you search for this song, I just want to add my own little bit to the show.

In such a short amount of time, an incredible amount of hype has been generated for this remix. Rumours circulated like wildfire about who was going to feature on the remix to “Power”, with Jay-Z hotly being tipped to be the one who would step up to the mic. We all expected the remix to drop earlier but it wasn’t finished, but finally it is and I speak for myself when I say it was worth the wait. This collaboration between Jay, Kanye and Swizz Beatz is exactly what hip hop is about and I am firmly of the belief that Kanye West is the only person truly pushing hip hop forward at the moment.

Jay-Z continues his lyrical masterclass, Kanye delivers so much more energy than the original and shows more personality than the original and Swizz’s contribution adds a whole new dimension to it. He completely flips the beat and Kanye just eats it like this was all for fun (well it is, I guess). Aaaaaaahhh, this is the SHIT!

DOWNLOAD: Kanye West – Power (Remix) ft. Jay-Z & Swizz Beatz