Fresh Like Green Tea

Puttin In That Work

2009-08-28T09:45:00.000-07:00

Two Franks n Two Dranks

2009-08-24T10:06:00.000-07:00

Pimplegionär

2009-08-21T11:51:00.000-07:00

Blood Sweat Tears

2009-08-15T09:27:00.001-07:00

Inna Money Makin Mood

2009-08-14T12:09:00.000-07:00

Sharin the Love...

2009-08-08T17:29:00.000-07:00

"This is track #6 on Dwele's "Sketches of A Man". This song is a remake of a Bobby Caldwell song by the same name, with the essence of Common's "The Light". While it may borrow from both Common and Bobby Caldwell, Dwele fully owns the song as if it were all his. I'll let you all judge which you think is the best, I personally love all three."

:)

A little D&B Jungle Flava in ya Ear!

2009-08-06T13:11:00.000-07:00

BOOM WAH DIS!!!

2009-08-05T13:56:00.000-07:00

QUALITY MUSIC...

Nordisch by Nature

2009-07-21T20:10:00.000-07:00

Anyone who doesn't know - Hamburg is the nicest city in all of Germany. I love my Mainz girls and Berlin might be full of funky broke artists, but Hamburg gets it in since way back when. Sternenbrücken, Schanze, Kiez and of course all those sunrise spots down by the harbor - all these let passerbys ride out on an authentic nightlife flavor flight. BigUp to my fam up north!

I love that authentic Eastern European flavor in this video... its hiphop served raw... still feel a little rush when I hear this song today...

"Ahriginal!!" good old hiphop bubbelin in Fettes Brot original sauce.

Muraculous Urban Art

2009-07-21T14:37:00.000-07:00

Living in Brooklyn there are murals upon murals to marvel at - like ODB's famous welfare ID in commemoration of him rolling up to collect food stamps in a limousine... very controversial to say the least.

Lotsa history, lotsa art, and when I get to it I will begin some quality photojournalism with stories and snaps from all the five boroughs ...

But for now just cool back and enjoy this - a little Banksy clip from our friends the Huss and the Hodn

2009-07-21T10:20:00.000-07:00

Tectonics - except with a smile on the face. Love the shorty with the bangs. And DAMN Tahiry! Tryna watch some ball and all I can see is cheeks!

" I Never Sleep, Cuz Sleep Is The Cousin Of Death"

2009-07-13T15:03:00.000-07:00

Word up! Here's the mega Rock The Bells Washington DC 09 post i promised y'all on yesterday's all day" hip-hop festivities. Had such a great time and saw so much shit that i don't even know how to start...i guess ill do it chronologically for y'all. Here we go!

Rolled there with my homegirls Sona and Anna, as well as with the homies Dave and Atain (the Nigerian connection!). The first show I hit up was the Knux on the main stage (there were two stages, which ended up making me miss Raekwon's set...decisions decisions...). Short set, but enjoyed seeing "Capuccino" live, always enjoyed that track a lot.

The Knux - "I need a fresh capuccino with a mocha twist..."

Next was Chali2Na. J5 isn't really my cup of tea, but the dude can really rap, and he was mad funny on stage doing robot dances and looked like he was having a great time. Pete Rock was at the main stage all day DJing between sets, a true legend in the building.

Chali2Na

Watched K'Naan for a few minutes on the main stage (didn't hit the songs i really wanted to hear, but did the last cut featuring Mos Def off the last album. Then rushed over to the smaller stage to see Evidence & Alchemist, one of the sets i was looking forward to the most.

K'Naan the Dusty Foot Philosopher

Got to the outdoor stage right as the set was beginning, they opened with "Let Yourself Go". They got it poppin with both some solo Evicence material and some Alc tracks as well, including "Chase The Clouds Away". Evidence brought Fashawn on stage to peform "The Far Left" with him. Ev then closed with my personal fave, "Mr. Slow Flow - I slow flow yall'z to DEATH! Great set, great energy and crowd response was impressive.

Evidence & Alchemist - Step Brothers!

Evidence & Fashawn

Managed to make it much closer to the stage for Buckshot, who was INCREDIBLE. So much charsima, so much energy, and a hip-hop resume that few can fuck with. He did solo stuff, 9th wonder collabs, Black Moon joints (including "How Many Emcees") and even did "Crookyln Dodgers". Had heard a rumor that KRS was gonna join the set to do tracks off their upcoming collaboration (which happened in Chicago) but that didn't happen. Nevertheless, Buckshot was the real deal.

Buckshot!

Back to the main stage of the Reflection Eternal set. 5th time I've seen Talib, but the first time with Hi-Tek. Supernatural warmed up the crowd before they came out with some amazing freestyling. The performance was good, but not really any different from other Talib shows I've been to, though i was really happy to be able to finally see Tekzilla spit his flow from "The Blast".

Talib Kweli

Hi-Tek

Common was up next on the same stage, and he TORE IT UP. I saw Common open for Kanye a few years back, and i knew he was hype, but i wan't really expecting him to be jumping all over the stage the way he was. He performed the two tracks i wanted to hear most, "Be" (the intro off the album Be, my favorite Common track!) and "The People", as well as a host of classics (though i was extremely surprised that he didn't play "The Light"). He even brought out Trugoy The Dove of De La Soul and Talib Kweli to perform "Respiration". Truly great performance.

Common

Trugoy The Dove of De La Soul

Common & Trugoy

Common & Talib

I then RAN (pausing to buy a bottle of water, the only thing i purchased that day after my Ga(ha?)terade at the beggining of the day) to the other stage to catch another one of my favorites, Slaughterhouse. Slugged that sweet sweet H20 down and made it in the nick of time. They definitely did not disappoint, it was a pleasure to see Royce, Crooked I, Joell and Joey onstage together. The closed with some dope acapella verses, i liked Crook's the most, his verse off "Slaughterhouse".

"I don’t write I kill a pen leak his blood on the page
I breathe bars, like oxygen locked my lungs in a cage
Instrumentals get fucked on the stage, a pedophile
Unless i dig in the crates, and fuck with somethin’ my age"

SLAUGHTERHOUSE!

Murs

It was right back to the main stage following that, after running into the homie B-Ride and his boys, drunk as skunks, as they rode a "Kegbus" ( I'm sure no explanation is necessary) to the event. I ended up stayign there for the rest of night, missing both (Raekwon and RZA in the process...i'll catch em at the next Wu show...). The Roots were on next. As always, they were excellent live, a real band performance, including a French horn player. I couldn't help but be a little disappointed, as when I've seen The Roots in the past, they play for like 2-3 hours and show keeps gettin better and better. Prolly woulda been better if it had been longer, though it was in no way bad, just short. They did manage to hit "Proceed" and "The Seed", as well as a few tribute tracks. Black Thought is a beast on the mic.

The Roots!

Black Thought

Busta Rhymes was the next to hit the stage, he did the entire performance with his Flipmode Street Colonel Spliff Star. The opening of his set was a serious surprise, as he brought M.O.P on stage for "Ante Up Remix", which as you can imagine, made the entire crowd go bananaaaaas. The very out of shape looking (serious gut...but i guess all the diamonds distract from that, haha) Busta put on a crazy show, hitting all the classics including his verse from Tribe's "Scenario", "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See", "Woo-Ha" and more recent tracks like "Arab Money" and "Respect My Conglomerate".

Billy Danze of M.O.P

Spliff Star & Busta Rhymes

Raekwon Da Chef!

Bussa Bussss!

Last, but DEFINITELY not least, was the main event, my favorite rapper of all time: NaS. He was supposed to have a joint performance with Damian Marley, as they have an album coming out together sometime late in the summer called Distant Relatives, but Damian couldn't make it due to some family illness. No matter, i sort of just wanted to see a long NaS set instead, but there were many surprises throughout. Before his entry, KRS-One and Supernatural warmed up the crowd with some freestyles and witty banter. After coming on and hopping straight into Illmatic joints (the show was sort of chronological actually) and It Was Written songs, he invited AZ to the stage, and they performed "Life's A Bitch" and "Affirmative Action" (one of my faaavorite tracks of all time, never thought id see it live!). Nas then brough Styles P on, who performed a few tracks ("Locked Up", "I Get High"), who was joined by Pharoahe Monch for "My Life". Pharoahe then delighted all of us with one of hypest songs of all time, "Simon Says". Prince Nasir came back on and worked his way through God's Son, played his verse off Jeezy's "My President Is Black", "Hate Me Now. He then spat some rhymes off the upcoming Damian project, and closed with "One Mic", backed by two female vocalists and two bongos.

That's The Sound of Da Police!

Supernatural

Pete Rock

"N to the A to the S I R, if I wasn't, i musta been Escobar"

DJ Green Lantern the Evil Genius

AZ

Styles P

Pharoahe Monch

N-A-S, NASSSSSSSS

All in all, GREAT FUCKING day, legs were so damn tired i slept till like 1 today. I highly recommend attending any of the upcoming stops of the Rock The Bells tour if you are able to, and i will DEFINITELY be going next year. It stops at Jones Beach in NYC next weekend, if i can i just may go again...

Drop it like its Fresh*

2009-07-13T11:45:00.000-07:00

Was walkin down Marcy Ave the other day with this tune fillin the street. Sun was settin, few ladies coolin out on the stoop, winin dem hot boddies - felt good to be in Brooklyn.

Haha - Mad corny tune yo! Lovin this shit though!

Gitta Dan! Killa! Gitta Dan Di Baddest! LOL!

"Why'd you have to go and do that love huh?"

2009-07-09T18:31:00.000-07:00

WOO HA! GOT YOU ALLLLLL IN CHECK! Whatup fam? Hope all my peoples are doing well, I've been on a super extended staycation in the Big Apple, it looks like i have found a PLACE TO LIVE! Should be resising in Willyburgh BK, in a phat loft with a giant roof with Dr. Nightmare and two other people. You will be hearing about this elusive Dr. Nightmare in the near future...so last night went to the Third Annual J Dilla Tribute. Lots of local artists performed over famous Dilla cuts. Ma Dukes made an appearance on stage and thanked the hip-hop community for all the love they've shown her son. Then none other than Phife Dawg came onstage, and played some Dilla produced Tribe tracks like "Electric Relaxation", "Check The Rhyme, "Butter", and my personal favorite; "Find A Way". Ended up missing the little brother Illa J cuz my homegirl had to get home at a decent hour for work the next day, but it was a great event with amazing energy. Everyone there was gathered to celebrate the life of James "J Dilla" Yancey and kick it to some of his immortal music. Phife said it best: "NO ONE FUCKS WITH J DILLA!" R.I.P brotha.

p.s- Next post will be a MEGA post, as I'm goin to motherfuckin ROCK THE BELLS on Sunaaaaaaay! Will finally get to see my G.O.A.T. NaS!

"Ma Dukes" Yancey

ATCQ Legend Phife Dawg rockin the motor city cap in honor of Dilla

Drop from the Hart

2009-07-07T13:00:00.000-07:00

Oldschool Summer Spragga Tune - Lovin Dem Ladies "valuable item, priceless treasaahh"

"capleton at 1:23 before him rasta,bounty killer at 5:07,beenie man in back in full blue shirt at 6:36 before him hair long,cant see elephant man."

Jay's pic lookin mad golumish yo haha... still killin it though, no doubt!

ScandalNavia Part 1

2009-07-04T01:14:00.000-07:00

I really enjoyed Knut's (what up man!) post earlier with the various german rappers. Raw shit! And since we are tuning you into some of the germanic language group rap we might as well mention the vikings too..

There's a lot! But I'll make a small selection. First out is the collabo track ScandalNavia (produced and arranged by legendary Norwegian producer Tommy Tee). The track has Swedes on the first verse, Danes and one Fin on the second, and Norwegians on the third.

Together these rappers represent the older, finer generation of rappers in Scandinavia but they are far from the only guys that are ill! I also wanna say that one of the problems with rap in scandinavia is for it to find its own unique identity instead of trying to copy or recreate American hip-hop culture. But hold on, in stead of saying a whole bunch of cheesy shit (i'm to lazy to do journalistic hard labor right now) I'll just post a bunch of other vids from more recent guys that I like that do their own thing..

("his crew tight like the anus of a nun..." haha.. new group out of westcoast of norway. nice organic feel!!)

(grand old swede ken ring with beatmaker tommy tee.. they did a whole album together and called it 2 Legends Without Money.. That should be said: Hip-hop in Scandinavia is not really something you can get rinch on (like in the states). Or you can but very few do. In that case you have to be pretty commercial and drop some soft radio shit.. In other words, if you do this shit you do it out of love for the genre. fuck, i'm getting cheesy again...)

(Great song about being on drugs and being paranoid.. Dope video, especialy the ending..)

(Preppie westside of Oslo meets dirty east...Funny and pro made Fresh Prince remake!!)

(older song from another Swedish legend Petter.he was in the scandalnavia vid as well. Like this minimalistic video..)

I know there is no LoopTroop here but you guys know them already, right??? I'll put one on just in case.

To be continued...

TearDrop* with a Star on It

2009-06-29T13:36:00.000-07:00

Its beautifully crazy - Every Club i went to last weekend was playing Michael Jackson. Guys dressed in fly Gold Jackets where doing his dance at Union Square and on 125th street in Harlem, in front of the Apollo, people were dancing and singing in the street. Not only in the US, but around the world, I can guarantee every club played at least one Michael Jackson hit last weekend. I don't think a single death of any Musician has ever caused such a wave of commemoration around the world like the passing of MJ.

Some may say, that sometimes great people need to pass away for us to show our appreciation, and I guess such was the case with Michael. We all know he was struggling in recent years and received many low blows comedians and the media, most for things which he was responsible for himself. But truthfully I think we all felt sorry. It was sad to see such a compassionate, soft soul person such as Michael crumble under the immense surreal weight of a lifetime of stardom. Yet Wyclef certainly wasn't singing about him when he said "Some seek stardom - but they forget Harlem..." As BET CEO Debra Lee pointed out last night, Michael is not only number 1 in selling records world wide, but also the largest philanthropic giver EVER in the community of performing artists and musicians...

So, in the light of recent events I want to post some special videos/songs for the one MJ. Much love to the world, through Michael, and back again. We all truly love you Michael.

My favorite Michael Track

Harlem Tears

Harlem Joy

REST IN PEACE MICHAEL JACKSON

2009-06-25T15:30:00.001-07:00

A legend has passed away today. Despite all the legal battles and bizzareness of the past few years, your music will live on in time. So much music today would never have been around if it weren't for you. God bless. Today is a very sad day for music.

love,

H.

The Drop

2009-06-24T11:23:00.000-07:00

Trentemøller - Moan (to me these are early morning Hamburg harbor sounds just before the sun comes up...)

The Young Punx - Never Die ("when you see all the ladies goin up in the club here - its because there dancin goin on up in here")

Bill Clinton - Celebrate (haha this track had me rollin yo... extra rare track though - only 50 copies pressed on vinyl world wide...)

"Black Suburban with the tint on it, FRESHER than a pillow with a mint on it"

2009-06-22T16:16:00.000-07:00

Its that time again people! Here comes the latest cut, episode 4 of FRESH LIKE GREEN TEA RADIO! H-Man is on a bit of a staycation in NY right now, wreaking havoc and ruining lives. Hope this episode brightens your night a little bit. Im gonna go get fucked up now. PEACE!

Fresh Like Green Tea Episode 4!

"Fresh und Unbekannt" - der Huss und der Hodn

2009-06-19T11:05:00.000-07:00

As you all know I don't ever write all that much but this shit is so crispy that I simply gotta spill some sybbalyls on it. So it goes about an Entourage from Germany making beats videos music, cuts and rhymes in their basement, for them - by them. Explicitly, they shit on the industry and make sure you know so. To singelingual haters it may seem like some whiteboys doing the 90's hippie backpack rap thing, but the truth is their music is more like a new era beam of tribute across the ocean to US HipHop inspirations like Madlib, Dilla and Big L - definitely not some US suburbia phenomenon. Not Gangster Rap either, the intelligence of these artists far surpasses some dumbass from the street in and out of jail, or wannabe ruff raw and hardcore German gangster rapper thinkin every high-rise project youth is straight outta compton. "Gangster Rappers can't fight, so they rap about guns"

Now taste is something subjective, and if you only understand the sample cuts in between its half the fun, but these tracks from the Rheinland are jellyjuicejam-packed with lyrical cunning, spunk and fervor.

"Our music is like an epic theater - we like to step out of the box and speak to the listener, waking him up to what he is actually listening too."

"Music in itself is timeless - you hear it one minute and the next its gone - you can't put music in a time capsule - its fun and all to categorize music - some might even make a science out of it - but as an artist you don't think about that - you just do what you do"

"I rip it - Hardcore - like pornoflick bitches"

Interview on Mixery Raw Deluxe
More English Press

2Trackboy und Echomann - Wieeinhurensohn

Huss und Hodn - Hurensohnologie, Pornofilmkaese

2trackboy & Echomann - Esmusssosein

Noy Riches feat. Kurt Hustle von Huss & Hodn und Stef the Crashtest - Drauf geschissen!

"Crooks and Castles on his back Maybach-er, exotic lady eye-catcher,Holla at'cha, call me the chiropractor..."

2009-06-18T07:56:00.000-07:00

Rollin Hard in the Chopped off RR!

YOOOOO. Must be insane for y'all to hear me, been seriously M.I.A and simcerely apologize for that. Been workin on this project for work, and been NYCing (can't seem to stay away, the move is so soon!) on the weekend (another imminent departure tomorrow). I also wanted to welcome two of my favorite people, Mr. Morty McFly and Alicia to the Fresh Like Green Tea Family. Morty and I go way back doing Cuts and Rhymez Radio Show in Paris for two years. He will now be keepin us updated from Oslo. Alicia throws the MEANEST parties on a regular basis ( i can't even tell you how much crazy shit has gone down at all these Electrochic events over the years) and will be corresponding from Paris. So give them all a FRESH welcome and I can't wait to see what they have in store for us. FLGT is international, and as Khaled would say (or rather scream...) "WE GLOBAL NOW!"

As for this video beneath, i will explain. I stumbled across this and was surprised. This hilarious "rap" is about the place i currently reside in, and even though i can't stop laughing, the truth is that everything he says is pretty much completely accurate. So this depresses me as much as it makes me laugh, as I think even without knowing me personally you would all agree that it don't quite look like the H-Man's scene...but al n all the video's pretty fuckin funny. Let's give an ironic two up and two down to Arlington son!

BigUp To the New Editors!

2009-06-16T14:00:00.000-07:00

Lovin the input from our new our new Chief Exec Editors ALICIA and MORTY MCFLY !!

Just poppin by to drop tree videos/songs i've been feelin lately...

Moby - I Love To Move In Here

Dirty Vegas - Days Go By

Way Out West - Killa

Big Shout to OSLO and PARIiii!

One of Paris' popular DJs- Teki Latex

2009-06-16T06:38:00.000-07:00

OK first, intro…. I am Alicia and I’m American living in Paris for the past seven years. I met Hadrien in Paris and he used to dress like those preppy east coasters (am I allowed to say that??) so I guess that’s going way back. I am a photographer and as well event promoter for numerous clubs. I enjoy the night life and the music! So basically I’ll be writing a lot about Paris night life and it’s DJs. So here goes…. Teki Latex!

Teki Latex or Julien Pradeyrol was born in Paris in 1978. He was a member of French rap group, TTC as well as the co-founder of hip hop/independent electro label, Institubes.

TTC was formed in Paris around the 1990's and consisted of three members. After the 2007 tour, the group decided to break and go their own ways. Institubes was founded in 2003. Under Institubes, there is Sound Pellegrino Label which Julien is in charge of.

Teki Latex spins all around the world (London, Oslo, Stockholm, Paris, etc). Not only Parisians have fallen in love with this amazing DJ. He's able to mix hip hop with electronic music in major clubs (such as Le Baron and Showcase in Paris) and has everyone dance their asses off on the dance floor. TTC was very popular back in the day but Julien was able to make a name for himself.

Julien is definitely a character. Not only is his appearance completely bad ass but so is his personality. Every time I see him, he first makes a entrance, always bringing his posse with him. He makes sure to greet everyone with a huge smile. I've had the pleasure of hearing him spin on numerous occasions and even partying with him backstage. He's super fun to party with yet he's very chill and not arrogant at all. When he spins, he’s always got a crew right by him, he’s not a sucker for the spotlight, he shares his DJ set with his friends and allows fans to come up on stage. He knows how to get the crowd going!!

Look for Teki Latex fan page on facebook so you can follow where he plays, news, and updates.

Blonds reunited

2009-06-15T04:56:00.000-07:00

What up people? Before I even start this post, allow me to reintroduce myself, my name is Morty McFly. H-Man was my ”partner in crime” (read: fellow hip-hop geek) back in Paris and we started and hosted the weekly hip-hop radio show Cuts&Rhymes. Now, H is back in DC/NYC and I’m back in Oslo, Norway, where I’m from. But the show must go on, so here we are.

I wanna use my first post to shine some light on the relatively recent documentary Copyright Criminals. The film features many hip-hop legends such as Public Enemy, De La Soul, the Beastie Boys, and Digital Underground as well as emerging artists from record labels Definitive Jux, Rhymesayers and Ninja Tune. Check this film out! Among other topics it discusses how Copyright Law restricts creativity in music, especially in the hip-hop genre because beats often are built on sampling former music. The sampling technique has given us masterpieces before and should be celebrated, not harshly restricted with unreasonable fines for people that attempt to use it. I just wrote my senior thesis on Copyright Law and I have multiple other reasons for why it’s time to rewrite it into our century.

"Got this dance that's more than real, drink brass monkey - here's how you feel..."

2009-06-09T19:19:00.000-07:00

WHAT WHAAAAAT. First things first...big up to Knutz (who is now calling himself Sonnenbank Flavor...) Even though hip-hop originated in the 80s, the 90s truly are the GOLDEN age of hip-hop. As for this post, big up to Knowledge and Olivier for comin through and gettin me this. This is the first single off Brass's (a.k.a - Breece-lu, from the banlieue of Paris)first album; "Etrange Partie". I actually started shooting a video for him a few years ago with my boy JJ (things sorta fell through somehow). Since then the album has been completely redone, with production mostly by a group of Belgian beatmakers. Im feelin the single, have sampled a few of the other tracks, and they're sounding really good as well. Check out a freestyle by him below, as well as the single off the album. And if you're in France, then go to FNAC and pick it up, shit drops TODAY! A plus les amis!

Brass - Question de Temps (ft. Lalcko & Ade)

BONUS!

(FRESH LIKE) Green Tea Shea Soap! I bought that shit, now my skin feels fresh and delicious. I highly recommend it.

(FRESH LIKE) Green Tea Ice Cream! Yum!

The 90's - HipHop Era

2009-06-05T13:51:00.000-07:00

Now I know everyone is all in love with the 80’s, even if you were 2 years old by the time the 90’s rolled in, but me - I rep the 90’s. That’s where its at. Bought my first album, Balled in the park, Kissed my girl, and Puffed that sweet dutch cush.

So somewhat along those lines let me take you back - waaaay back. The tracks featured here aren't the best of the 90's, but more of a timeline featuring the decade of real HipHop.

1990 – A Tribe Called Quest – People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm - Can I Kick It?

We all know it – We all love it

1991 – Brand Nubian – B-Side to the single To the Right - Slow Down (Pete Rock Newromix)

Summer BackPack Hustlin

1992 – The Pharcyde – Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde - Ya Mama

Pharcyde - Clownin

1993 – Wu-Tang Clan – Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) – M.E.T.H.O.D. Man

The Meth at his finest!

1994 – NAS – Illmatic - NY State of Mind

That Raw NY Feel

1995 – Big L Featuring Y.U., Lord Finesse, Microphone Nut, Party Arty & Jay-Z] - Lifestylez ov da Poor and Dangerous – Da Graveyard

Watch out for original young Jay-Z!

1996 – 2Pac – B-Side to the single How Do U Want It – Hit ‘Em Up

Hate Hate Hate – Good thing HipHop got that hatred out its system

1997 - The Notorius B.I.G. - Life After Death - I Got a Story to Tell

True story time - I know H-Man is excited!

1998 – DMX - It's Dark and Hell Is Hot - Ruff Ryders' Anthem

Ah Yeah! - HaHa

1999 – Mos Def – Black On Both Sides - Brooklyn

BigUp BK!

"Reluctantly, cuz MOST of this press don't fuck with me..."

2009-05-30T12:32:00.000-07:00

Great news! Fresh Like Green Tea officially got its first press yesterday! Big up to Tara Chez Briton and her site Big Monster Lover for showign us some love. Check out her site on the regular its on our Fresh Links. I also want to mention that this blog would not be possible without my main man Knutz, and Fresh Like Green Tea radio would not exist without the indispensable help of KD Supier for production, and MJ for production, recording and editing. We got some big plans for this thing, so get ready to hear PLENTY more from us! And remember, THIS SHIT AIN"T CAFFEINE FREE!

For the article, click HERE, and leave a comment and shot TC and FLGT some love! And once again, THANK YOU!

H-Man and Knutz as young'uns a few years back!

TROPA DE ELITE (ELITE SQUAD)

2009-05-29T12:35:00.000-07:00

Intense and Real

With some of the crew from the prison chronicle CARANDIRU - Tropa De Elite follows the final days of a BOPE officer starting a family and looking for a replacement in the force. BOPE is Rio's SWAT equivalent, only difference, they look down the barrel of AR-15's, Pist-UZI's and AK-47's every single day.

Heres the unofficial tailor

Here is the 1999 produced documentary - the inspiration for the feature film (watch out for lyrics at min 2:55!)

"Don't Pass On The Dream"

2009-05-29T11:38:00.000-07:00

Been off the scene for a while - working on the oil rigs in Congo and Germany - quit that unhealthyness and now I'm back in the US for some good old BROOKLYN summer L*O*V*E*

Sittin here in that grand New York public library on 42nd street with some dope free fast internet Ima come straight to ya'll about a real issue: Getting the Dream Act 2009 passed!!! in congress, this year.

Keep Reading.

Fact is, we have young adults who have lived 19 years out of their 20 year young life in the US and still do not have the right to work or even go to college. They cannot go back to a country they never really knew, and no matter what their passport says, there they will always be considered an American. Why? Because they are American. Just not on paper.

The Dream Act "would extend to those who have stayed out of trouble, graduated from high school and either finished two years of college or two years of military service, and there would be a six-year conditional status period." (New York Times, http://roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/22/immigrant-children-in-legal-limbo/#more-4889)

In essence you are giving patriotic or scholarly young individuals, who are in every way American, except on paper, the right to become positive members of society.

Reform needs to happen and why not start with the most desirable part of the immigrant population.

I will be working all summer to do something about this and if you feel compelled to help on a real issue for the civil rights of these young talented peers, give me a shout, make a comment, ask a question.

ONE

"THis here'll fuck you up, go ahead and take a shot you ain't drunk enough..."

2009-05-28T18:39:00.000-07:00

Wassssssup? I am no presenting you with The Reawakening, the new mixtape by Alex Ludovico, who is managed by my man Eric Wallace (a.k.a DJ King Midas! KING SHIT!) out in the Chi. I think that this is Alex's best work to date, he's found the instrumentals that truly fit his flow and vocal style. I played "The Asphalt Jungle" on Fresh Like Green Tea radio a little while back. I'm really diggin the track "Roaring 20s", got a very jazzy feel to it. Alex also spits over one of my favorite beats in the past year, the Cunninlynguists's (produced by Kno) "Never Come Down (The Brownie Song)". So, get this mixtape, give it a good listen and show Mr. Ludovico some love for making some dope music.

Alex Ludovico - The Awakening

Alex Ludovico Myspace

"Special Ed got head from a girl in special ed, ya know the pretty ones in that dumb class, but she got that dumb ass..."

2009-05-27T16:42:00.000-07:00

So FIRST, if you haven't done so already, go the post below and download EPISODE THREE OF FRESH LIKE GREEN TEA RADIO. Next, Hot off the Web, here's the video for "Paranoid" one of my favorite tracks off 808s & Heartbreak (though i love pretty much the whole album), featuring a FINE lookin Rihanna. If this had come out a month ago, her provocative outfit (or lack thereof altogether, haha) would have left SOME room to the imagination, but ever since THOSE PICTURES came out, im like "already seen it and more!"...I wonder why Mr. Hudson doesn't make an appearance in it since he's featured in the song...to make up for that here's his new track featuring Mr. West that I've really been diggin lately, "Supernova"...

UPDATE: The "Paranoid" video has been removed from everywhere, the reason being, directly from Martin Louis The King Jr.'s blog:

"IT HURTS ME TO SEE THE OLD AND VERY WRONG VERSION OF THE PARANOID VIDEO GET LEAKED ALL OVER THE NET WHILE I WAS ON AN 11 HR FLIGHT AND COULDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. IT'S JUST FRUSTRATING WHEN THIS STUFF HAPPENS BECAUSE I REALLY CARE ABOUT THE PRODUCT AND SINCE VIDEOS NEVER GET PLAYED ANY WAY YOU MIGHT AS WELL TWEAK THEM AND MAKE THEM AS SPECIAL AS POSSIBLE. THE VERSION THAT GOT LEAKED FROM THE CAMERA PHONE LAST WEEK IS AT LEAST A LITTLE CLOSER TO THE FINAL PRODUCT. THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR YOUR SUPPORT BUT THAT VIDEO WAS NOT UP TO MY STANDARDS."

Its all in caps lock, you know its him, haha. Will post the FINAL video when it hits the Web fo sho.

"Sittin By The Radio, Hand On The Dial..."

2009-05-26T15:47:00.000-07:00

IT'S THAT TIME AGAIN! Epiosode 3 of FRESH LIKE GREEN TEA RADIO! I apologize for a few tracks being a little outdated, as the playlist was made back in November or so, took a LONG time to get this show out, as it switched producers and other setbacks. But, the music is still fire, so get it and enjoy!

Fresh Like Green Tea Epiosde 3!

PLAYLIST

1. Kool G Rap & DJ Polo - Streets of New York

2. Wale - Warwick Avenue (Remix- ft. Duffy)

3. Kid Cudi - The Prayer

4. Mos Def - Life In Marvelous Times

5. Dead Prez - PolitriKKKs

6. Ludacris - Last of a Dying Breed (ft. Lil' Wayne)

7. Statik Selektah -For The City(ft. M.O.P & Jadakiss)

8. Kanye West - Reckoner Lockdown (DJ Earworm)

9. Natti - When I Ruled The World

10. Evidence - Hush Now

11. People Under The Stairs - Days Like This

12. Foreign Beggars - Reach Out

13. The Foreign Exchange - Let's Move

14. The Clipse- Momma I'm So Sorry

15. Brother Ali - Mr. President

"Que sera,sera, whatever will be... Oh you're divine!

2009-05-24T22:00:00.000-07:00

RAAAAAAR! Que pasa compadres? H-Man comin to ya from Maryland, been chillin poolside all weekend with my homie Pearson. Much needed calm after the most unhealthy and insane New York and Montreal trip. My homegirl Katia just hit me with the trailer for her film that i acted in 2 years ago, "One of a Kind"...It traces the story of a compulsive unlucky gambler, Jimmy K (played by moi) and how he puts everything he loves on the line to feed his habit. Trailer is super well cut, image is superb (and not even HD!), and its just altogether...badass. Unfortunately the final cut of the film has been plagued by some sound problems, but hopefully that'll be resolved someday soon. The movie was a PLEASURE to work on, so many laughs, and i swear i had to smoke so many cigarettes for scenes (even though I was a heavy smoker anyways then) that i thought i was literally going to stop breathing. Working on that also taught me how to play poker well enough that i was able to wipe Dave (who played Farah, and quite the seasoned poker payer) off the fuckin table on poker night just a week later! This was written and directed by my good friend Katia Spivakova, one of the most talented people i've been able to work with (remember "The Life and Times of Arthur Penn" for LP? haha), she gave me a chance to act (plus in a COOL fuckin role) in front of the camera. Remember her name cause one day you're gonna be sitting at the cinema, and you're gonna read HER name on the screen, directly underneath "Directed by"...also, big ups to Dominique Hess, Dave Schalm, Chigba Njokanma, Caroline Combs, and, who all played in or worked on "One of A Kind", and all did a beautiful job. Below is the magnificent trailer and a few shots from the set!

H. and Dom

Smokin on the sly...

Group Hug! The H-Man, Dave and Katia

"Aiyo, We Got Five Bouroughs Of Ghettos With Many Places To Meet, You Get Lost In City Streets, The City That Never Sleeps..."

2009-05-22T14:35:00.000-07:00

IM BAAAAAACK! AHHHHHHH! Whatup whatup, back on my bullshit for all my peoples out there. Just got back from a little staycation in New York and Montreal. Went to MAD concerts in NY, as you can see in the posts below, shit was goddamn epic. Saw lil' sis in Montreal, which was great, wanna send a shout out to her and all her friends, they showed me a ridiculously great time. As usual, the entire 12 days trip was rideariffic, i am currently in detox mode, trying to purge all the Ciroc and Makers Mark out of my system. So, all in all, big up to everyone that i got to see. There was a LOT of Fresh Like Green Tea work done at the studio, you will be hearing from me on that VERY soon...for real this time i promise, haha. Peace to my man MJ, Kd Supier, Knutz and Will Motherfuckin Hensley, y'all some ridahs! H-Man out! (but not for too long)

I was about as excited as Pusha THE WHOLE TIME!

"My Climate Is Way Higher Than Lindsay Lohan's Nostrils On Powder..."

2009-05-22T12:59:00.000-07:00

First night in NY, first concert. WALE! Had seen him (as you may have seen) about 3 weeks earlier in Richmond, but as that show was great it was definitely worth the 15 bucks to see him again in Nueva York. Was supposed to go with MJ, KD and Knutz, but unfortunately the ticket situation was not good for Knutz and MJ, so they did their thang and i went with KD. It was the same tour, but HOLY SHIT was this show different. The show started with an unannounced Big Sean, which was cool (though i wouldn't mind if he changed what he raps about a little...it all seems to be about making "a million", awfully repetitive). Then J. Cole came on and tore it up again, look out for his upcoming Mixtape, The Warm Up, and if you haven't copped The Come Up then do so immediately. There's a reason he's the first Roc Nation signing...Hova don't fuck around... Next up was Colin Munroe, whom I personally like a great deal, his singing wasn't completely on point, as he was having some throat issues. However, we were treated to Joell Ortiz on stage performing the track "Piano Lessons" with Colin, cool shit. Tanya Morgan came on afterwards, opening with the the awesome "Cuddle Bums" off the 88 Keys Adam's Case Files Mixtape. Their set was good, their album Brooklynati is now out.

The Ambassador of Rap for the Capita(o?)l came on soon after, and he was NO disappointment. Wale came onstage with a bottle of Patron, performing with the celebrated go-go band UCB (Tre is great at choruses..boy can saaaaang). Wale hit all the good tracks, and then as a surprise brough Young Christ on stage, and then MOTHERFUCKIN KID CUDI! He performed an "impromptu" (as he called it himself, as he was in his own words "toasted") "Day-N-Nite". Wale closed with "W.A.L.E.D.A.N.C.E" and of course the D.C. anthem Nike Boots. By the time we got out, MJ was WASTED ("That looks like a delicious sandwich", haha) and Knutz had somehow passed out on a corner. All this didn't stop the ridahs,as Will (whom a post dedicated to is coming soon!)met up with us and we headed out for more alcohol induced rambunctiousness!

Big Sean

J. Cole

Colin Munroe

One of the dudes from Tanya Morgan

Joell Ortiz

Wale!

Mr. Forlarin

Mr. Solo Dolo

Young Chris

CUDI!

Stocked Stage!

"Well She Craves Affection, So I Use Protection, And I Know She Loves Me, She Loves Everybody..."

2009-05-22T12:43:00.000-07:00

Who's the REAL D.A? Hmmmmmm...

Concert and Night # 2 in NYC. Mj, KD and I all headed to Santos Party House in SoHo, for a Chester French performance before Q-Tip's regular "Open" party there every Friday. I posted a while back about the place, if you haven't been i HIGHLY recommend it, banging music, and you never know who you might run into...the concert itself was great, vwasn't TOO into Chester French before, but they put on a great live performance, show was great. D.A and Max have a hell of a stage presence. KD was in front losing his goddamn mind. Amanda Diva and Lupe were in the house too, which was hella exciting, i mean Lupe's one of my top 5,and Amanda Diva is just TOO fine...After the show, it was time to get to some serious drinkin. Funny ass story, about an hour later, i go out to smoke a cigarette with MJ and KD, and some girl comes up and says "You guys were really great onstage"...as you may see fromt he picture above, there is a slight resemblance between D.A and myself, and he'll forgive me if I say that i ROLLED WITH THAT SHIT. I kept up a convo for at least 15 minutes, lying through my teeth about everything. Twas hilarious and I'm surprised that inebriated as I was that I was able to keep a straight face. MJ was just staring at me the entire time, silent, in awe. HA.

CHESTER FREEEEENCH!

TAMBOURININ

TIIIIIP

THE ABSTRACT

RIDAHS!

"Sorry Heavenly Father, Once Again I Hate To Bother It's P, The Evil Creeper, Send Some To The Grim Reaper "

2009-05-22T12:21:00.000-07:00

Concert #3 of the craze filled weekend, the FREE (via text message RSVP, limited room!) Clipse show at The Studio at Webster Hall. Nice, small venue, and the show was FIRE! To me the Clipse always sound cool and composed when you listen to to their albums, but thosse motherfuckers are CRAZY live. The energy was insane, the second they stepped off stage they were shouting, jumping, Malice was rocking the massive blinged out Re-Up Gang chain, and Pusha's eyes literally looked like they were about to pop out of his skull. KD and I had a dope time, KAWS (who did the cover art for their last single) was in the crowd, a fairly short but intense show, they covered all the tracks i wanted to hear, opening with the intro from the last mixtape. They did all the classics, "Keys Open Doors", "Momma I'm So Sorry", "Grindin", "Mr. Me Too", "We Got It For Cheap", "Chinese New Year", their verses from "What Happened To That Boy", and then closed with "Kinda Like A Big Deal". VA represent! Two up, two down!

"My back is killin' me, I got New York on it, only right that I give it to 'em, New York want it, know the game'll change in a New York moment..."

2009-05-06T16:27:00.000-07:00

AHHHHHHHHH! That's right! H-Man is takin New York City by storm once again tomorrow. READY TO RIIIIIDE! Meetin up with the homies Knutz. KD Supier and MJ..there will definitely be some recording taking place (including re-recording the show i did last time i was there...i was so shitfaced when i did it that it honestly sounds TURRIBLE) Going to a Wale show tomorrow night (with the release party for the mixtape with 9th Wonder, "Back To The Feature", been waiting on that shit for a hot minute...) a Chester French performance at Santos Part House on Friday, and a free Clipse show at Webster Hall on Monday. Get ready for some photos of destruction, debauchery, and of course, some great hip-hop moments. Peace and Love y'all. H-Man OUT.

"Jah Jah city, Jah Jah town, dem waan fi turn it in a cow bwoy town now...."

2009-05-05T17:29:00.000-07:00

Yooooooooooooo. No negative rant like yesterday (still feel it was needed...), chillin in my BASSment (thats right, that how is spells it!) watchin the Cavs battle the Hawks. Still can't believe the Magic beat Boston at home last night, AND that Houston pulled one over L.A...So, just thought id hit you up with some photos that the homie Knutz took about three weeks ago in both D.C. and New York, at the Wizrds and Cavs game (the one that the Wizards won!), at this dope graffiti spot in BK, and at the Moma PS One. Hope y'all enjoy em!

How the fuck i get outta here?

Made just for me!

Hate, Hate, Hate!

"Y'alls a bunch of rotten motherfuckas...i hope the bad things in life happen to you...and noone but you..."

HHHHHHH!

"Climb the ladder to success escalator style..."

"Thats why you drink tanqueray; so you can reminisce and wish, you wasnt livin so devilish, ssshit..."

"The Air Yeez, she never seen these, so the moment i might seize..."

2009-05-04T18:46:00.000-07:00

Alright. First off, I'not saying i hate these kicks. In fact, i really really like him. Enough so in fact, that i would have been willing to pay the astronomically high $215 price (which is definitely really steep for a pair of Nikes...) to cop these.

What i WILL hate on, however, is the super "exclusive" release that they treated these sneakers to. These Yeezy's (in case you don't know, they were designed by Kanye himself) have been building hype ever since he wore a black and white colorway at the Grammys LAST YEAR, and finally released in the first colorway (Zen Grey/Light Charcoal) on April 4th. The above pictured Black/Pink colorway released this past weekend. As expected, some people had been lined up for 4 to 5 days. Camping out is nothing new to the sneaker game, but usually, if one does so they are almost guaranteed to get a pair of what they have spent several nights in the street for. This time, as if the small amount of shops that received the Yeezys wasn't enough, each store only received ONE PAIR OF EACH SIZE (9.5 -12), definitely not even satisfying the demand of the few brave enough to camp out for them.

This is super fucked up. They build hype by putting up articles on webistes like Hypebeast and NiceKicks for almost a year, and then the release is so goddamn limited that almost noone can get them. This high demand and extremely low supply has prompted some shops to do some ridiculous things. Where I live, in DC, the Yeezys were available in two different shops, Cmonwealth and Major. Cmonwealth held a raffle (where one received one raffle ticket for every $25 spent in the store...if you win you are then granted the "privilege" of being able to purchase a pair of the coveted shoes). The other shop, did an even worse thing; they straight up auctioned them off. The highest bid was able to purchase the sneakers.

To me, this release shows how fuckin ridiculous this sneaker craze is all getting. I love footwear, ask anyone who knows me (or has seen my giant shoe rack),I'm a daily visitor of all the major sneaker blogs. I would personally never actually wait in line for several days for a pair of kicks, but at least the die-hard collectors that were willing to do that would be able to get what they were there for. It seems like even this no longer guaranteed. And honestly, Kanye shoulda put more pressure on Nike to get these more widely distributed, he's been shamelessly self promoting them and knew how popular they would be...and then he has the nerve to post this video on his own blog...

"Victorious, Yeah We Warriors, We Make History, Strive Off Victory..."

2009-04-29T09:36:00.000-07:00

I'm back in a flash! Or not...once again the H-Man went and disappeared and left y'all out to dry...there's a perfectly valid reason for this however, THE 2009 NBA MOTHERFUCKIN PLAYOFFS! AHHHHHHHHHH! I have been completely unable to unglue myself from the television every night for the length of 3 games, as i have been utterly and totally obsessed with watching every game i can possibly watch, at the detriment of every other responsibility, including that of ridin. Even though I'm from and reside in D.C (fuckin Wizards...don't you miss them being called The Bullets, way more bad ass and honestly much more representative...when's the last time anyone saw a Wizard?), my pops is from Denver and have always been a fan of The Broncos and The Nuggets. So now you know who im rootin for...I am predicting a Cavaliers and Lakers final (am not willing to bet on who will win that yet, need to see how they perform in the second round...), a King James vs. Kobe repeat, but this time The Chosen One is more grown up (and stronger..."kid" is 6'8", 2% body fat, and weighs almost 275 pounds...) The Mavericks have surprised me by eliminating the Spurs in 5 games, but i think that the Nuggets (who will get to the second round after tonight, that 58 point blowout was craaaaaaazy...give it up for the boy Meloooooooo! Iverson was my favorite player for yeaaaars, but i still think tradin him for Chauncey has made the Nugs a way better team) and honestly, the Bulls Vs. Celtics matchup is the most entertaining 1st round series that I have ever witnessed. Can't wait to see what Game 6 will bring, but I have a feeling that despite the injuries, Boston will end up taking it, Pierce and Allen have been CLUTCH. The other series have not been too interesting to me, though i do hope the Magic (Howard was a beast last night), the Blazers (although they are up against tremendous odds now down 3-1...) and the Heat (hope Wade's back spasms heal up) all go through to the next round. So, there will be LESS games, when the week is over, but believe me i will be watching every single one i can. WHERE AMAZING HAPPENS!

Also, there have been a number of great ads that i have seen in between, three of which are my favorites. Still cannot watch the Patrick Ewing one without laughing my ass off, so awkward and hilarious. Ch-ch-check em out!

AHHHHHHHHHH!

Would be the best Taxi ride eva --- MJ: "Je peux toucher la radio? Pourquoi pas?"

I wish i could be THAT happy about anything...haha

Cleavand Cavalier spoof of Heineken commercial! Perfect, especially for a sneaker freaker like me...

"I'm the boss, I'm the mayor, make it rain, on these haters!"

2009-04-24T08:55:00.000-07:00

Bawse! I'll be the first to admit that i havent exactly been a fan of Ricky Ross, in fact I rather hated on the dude for a long time (some might say with good reason, the only decent thing he really put out before was "Hustlin", and that shit got old REALLLLL quick...) However, i don't know, whether he just stepped his game up or if Curtis lit a fire under his ass with all the attempted bullying, but Rick Ross has released a great album, Deeper Than Rap. There are only 2 tracks I'm not crazy about, the rest is dooooooooope. The production is IMPECCABLE (most of it by J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, and one fantastic Toomp track), his flow and lyrics got better, and for once Miami Rick is surpassing all expectations, smooth as I always hoped he could be. Just yesterday, he was on the FRONT PAGE OF THE ARTS SECTION OF THE NEW YORK TIMES. Kanye even bestowed him his highest honor, saying that he can listen to it in his apartment (whatever the fuck that means, i guess it's a big deal to him and others...)Since I copped it, i haven't been able to stop listening to it. This album is by far Officer Rawse's finest work, i love being pleasantly surprised like this! Triple C's!

here are my two favorite tracks:

"Valley of Death"

"Usual Suspects" ft. NaS

"Lock yourself in a room, doin 5 beats a day for 3 summers..."

2009-04-23T09:31:00.000-07:00

Take that, take that, take that...whatup whatup, here's the thirsty Thursday update for all my faithful followers and beat junkies. A little while back i mentioned my boy KD Supier (Supierior Productions), well this is a post dedicated to him, cuz one day he's gonna be LEGEN- wait for it - DARY. Fresh outta Berlin and now residing in Beantown, KD and i first bonded in New York city during Haloween last year over some drunken shouting "WE THE BEST!" DJ Khaled impersonations. Since then, we have kept in touch, and are starting some Fresh Like Green Tea collabs...We have also become "Ciroc-Stars", due to our mutual love of vodka of the P-Diddy persuasion (i swear, it's better than the Goose...) Just a day ago my man did a remix to Common's Neptune produced "Gladiator", and i shit you not, its better than the original. So, give some love to the European connection KD Supier, and download all his hot fire underneath! Ciroc Stars in the building tonight!

Common - "Gladiator" (Supierior Remix)

UGK - "Da Game's Been Good To Me" (Supierior Remix)

Bun-B - "Gangsta" (Supierior Remix)

Jay-Z ft. Pharell - "I Know" (Supierior Remix)

Supierior Gangster Mixtape

Pimpin Ain't Dead Mixtape

“Foreign Beggars oh no make you sound so so, slapping wack MCs just for chatting out their blow holes”

2009-04-21T19:17:00.000-07:00

Fresh from London, Foreign Beggar's DJ Nonames new mixtape, Strictly Grizzness. Featuring all the Dented Records fam, its a definite must cop! You can download it for free here, or visit dentedrecords.com and buy the hard copy (which i highly recommend, these boys need your support!). It's "a fresh pinched loaf of grime and dubstep", and is bound to get your mind and body movin, so check out this uniquely British sound! Peep the Foreign Beggar's Myspace and Reverbnation sites for some more guaranteed fresh sound. And, as always, big up Pavan!

Download Link and Tracklist Below! Grizzle!

DJ Nonames - Strictly Grizzness Mixtape

1.Vista- Dysekta (3.5 records) into Tes La Rok- Bass 31 (3.5 records)

2. Ed Strong (from IRS) - untitled (white) into Vista- Gameboy (3.5 records)

3. Frisco ft Chipmunk and Double S - Skengman Mode (Always recordings)

4. Benga- 26 basslines ft. Orifice Vulgatron and Kyza (Tempa)

5. Skream- Oscillator ft Metropolis (white)

6. Virus Syndicate - Infected (planet mu) w/ Dhruva & Sharmaji- koli stance (white)

7. Coti ft. Doctor- Calm Down (Minus 30 recordings)

8. Mala-Left Leg Out (DMZ)

9. Wiley prod. by rapid -Flyboy (Big Dada)

10. Ghetto prod. by Lewi White- Top 3 Selected (J Clarke enterprises)

11. Devlin prod. by Lewi White- Nothing New (white)

12. Coki - The End (DMZ) into JME - A little insight (Boy Better Know)

13. Durrty Doogz, prod. by Scratcha DVA - Keep Up (Axiom recordings)

14. Lofah - Disko Rekah (Deep Medi Musik)

15. Skepta, prod. by Plastician- Intensive Snare (Terrorhythm recordings)

16. Caspa- Rubber Chicken ft Abstract Rude (Tempa records)

17. Matty G - West coast rocks ‘Caspa rmx’ (Argon recordings)

18. Ghetto, prod. by Lewi White - Mountain (J Clarke enterprises)

19. Loudmouth - Suck Out (inst) into Loudmouth ft. Badness- Cut Out

20. Badness, D.E.velopment, Bruza, DJ Spiro and Terror Danjah – Hardcast rip

21. Planas and Ruckspin ft Virus Syndicate, Foreign Beggars and Dr. Syntax - Nature of It (Ranking records)

22. Thunderclaps ft. Orifice Vulgatron, Ghetto, Shameless and Deadly Hunta - Judgement day (Ejector Seat records)

"Pyrex stirs, turned into Cavalli furs, the full length cat, when i wave the kitty purrs..."

2009-04-20T15:58:00.000-07:00

Its finally here peoples! Haven't been very good about posting since last week, but my Mac has been sent in for repair (just fucked up on me for apparently no reason, fuck you Steve Jobs!) and the brotha from anotha motha Knutz was in DC this weekend. We were quite occupied with ridin and being ganjaweed warriors. So, the Clipse X Kanye West collaboration is finally here (been waiting on that shit for monnnnths), with a nice single cover art by Kaws. It definitely doesn't disappoint, and is DEFINITELY a big deal! Check it out, and give some mad love to VA all day! Happy 4/20, hope y'all get baked like a chicken pot pie!

Download - "Kinda Like A Big Deal" - The Clipse ft. Kanye West

"I used to give a fuck, now I give a fuck less, what do I think of succes? It sucks, too much stress..."

2009-04-15T17:02:00.000-07:00

Harlem Holla to all my peoples! First things first, just checked out Media Fire and broke the 100 DOWNLOADS of Fresh Like Green Tea Radio Volume 2! Thanks so much for the support! So, re-watched American Gangster today, and goddamn do i love that movie. Denzel is superb, i can't believe he got snubbed at the Oscars and didn't even get a nomination...Something so cool about Mr. Washington playing a bad mufucka like Frank Lucas (and of course Alonzo in Training Day), a sort of unpredictability about his character, no matter how calm he seems on the surface you can actually SEE him scheming. Crazy how much rap related it is in the end, as it does feature Common, T.I. and RZA in the cast, and of course the Jay-Z side project. Anyways, just wanted to share with you guys how much i dig that movie, if you haven't seen it, GET ON IT> Below if my favorite song off the soundtrack (beautiful) as well as my favorite scene (you might recognize a certain "Stringer Bell" for all you Wire lovers). the last link is my homie KD Supier's remix project of Jay-Z's American Gangster album. He's a dope producer, look forward to a collaboration between him and Fresh...wait for it, wait for it...Like Green Tea Radio in the very near future, that shit will be as pure as "Blue Magic"...

Anthony Hamilton - "Do You Feel Me?"

KD Supier - Supierior Gangster Download

“You rappers are Neanderthal, it’s hard to catch what you’re saying, with your primitive grunts and groans it’s like I’m chatting with cavemen...”

2009-04-14T13:14:00.000-07:00

What's poppin kids (that reminds me of some Statik and Jada..."left homes with half his dome in a napkin, for asking what's poppin when i asked what's crackin...ahaaaaa!") Thank you so much for the love i been getting on my last episode of Fresh Like Green Tea radio, it's been getting a great reception (except Facebook threatened me, they seem to think I'm running a business or some shit...). Today i present you an awesome performance courtesy of BBC (the real one, not Pharell's, haha) from my boys, The Foreign Beggars (word up Pavan!), in collaboration with Engine-Earz. It's a mashup of "Stay Seated" by the Foreign Beggars and "Hydroactive" by Engine-EarZ. Check it out, and stay tuned for the new Foreign Beggars album United Colours of Begattron , featuring Guilty Simpson, Noisia, Phatkat,Jehst,DJ 2Tall and more. Dem boys is grizzle!

"Pump up the volume, pump up the volume..."

2009-04-12T14:49:00.001-07:00

Aight, aight, its that time again! FRESH LIKE GREEN TEA RADIO VOLUME 2! A special delivery by the Easter Bunny, hope all y'all get it. Recorded this two weekends ago in NYC, the sound quality is doooope. The intro is produced by none other than my main man MJ I'll try to get a streaming version up a.s.a.p, but im feeling a little stuffed and slightly drunk right now, so ill take care of that tomorrooooow. So, download the show, and please, let me know what you think, holla at me via email, facebook or twitter! So, happy day off tomorrow ( I know I ain't workin) and happy eastaaaaaaa.

Fresh Like Green Tea Radio Vol.2

"I am only a fighter, in the form of a writer, in the form of a poet, potency in the mic..."

2009-04-10T13:26:00.000-07:00

Please allow me, to introduce me, my name's H-Man, and I'm back godDAMN! So yeah, as you can all imagine, New York trip once again this past weekend(last one for a little while i SWEAR, haha) which explains my non presence since last week...i did do some more work however that i KNOW all y'all will love, you'll find out just what that is soon enough...Went to the Wale & UCB concert yesterday in Richmond with Ride or Die and Jada, totally worth the 5 hours or so of combined drivin/ridin. This cat named J.Cole opened (after this local Richmond band that i wasn't too much of a fan of) who was surprisingly good, who is the newest signing to Jay-Z's label...(check out his MySpace page HERE) Then Colin Munroe opened, who I've been a fan of for a quite a while now, his mixtape (The Unsung Hero) is pretty dope and has a lot of really awesome guest featurings. He definitely closed with my favorite song of his, a Yeezy cover called "I Want Those Flashing Lights". So after about 3 hours, it was finally time for Wale to hit the stage, and it CERTAINLY was not disappointing in the least. It was amazing to see him with a live go-go act like UCB, and Richmond is the closest that he'll be touring to DC the entire length of his tour, meaning that people like myself did come down from Northern VA and DC to see him, he even said that this show was at "home". The energy was insane, he had the crowd in some sort of trance (and the mufucka was wearing some Air Yeezys, and YES, when the lights were off towards the end they DID glow in the fucking dark...shoulda copped em last week!!!). He played some new joints, as well as some old school go-go, and it was an all around high energy night, he did my 4 favorite joints, "Good Girls", "W.A.L.E.D.A.N.C.E.", "The Artistic Integrity" and of course the anthemic "Nike Boots". Wale really is about to blow the fuck up, so all of you please support him and buy his album Attention Deficit when it drops in June. Help make him the first rapper EVER to truly make it from the D.M.V!
Wale!

Wale doin some go-go-ness

"Nike Boots" Part 1

"Nike Boots" Part 2

Wale Ovechkin!

J. Cole

Colin Munroe

Tre from UCB

Flyer Than The Rest of Them! "My name's Wale but they know me out in Wales..."

"So I take another loss, wondering why I fucked with you, knowing I got stuff to do”

2009-04-03T07:35:00.000-07:00

AHHHHH. So, told y'all last time around i was going to the Blu & Exile show on Wednesday...Well i DID and it was doooooope. Damu the Fudgemunk and DJ Underdog were spinnin, the Flex Mathews played a dope set along with a surprise one song performance by DC supergroup Diamond District. Blu was just chillin in the crowd (smellin like mad reefer) until it was time for him to go on stage. His live performance is very comparable to the way he sounds in his songs, very laid back and relaxed. He played mostly Below the Heavens material, and a little bit of Johnson&Johnson. Much to my delight, he did do "Blu Collar Worker","No Greater Love", and "Dancing In The Rain". Exile was absolutely amazing, did not know how much of a master he was on the MPC, and how fast he can make beats from scratch. Woulda loved to stick around the venue more and kicked it with Blu a little, but Ride Or Die, Jada and I had to leave quite a abruptly to find our friend BKJ, who had been thrown out about 15 minutes before the end of the show, as he somehow got so wasted that he fell onto the stage...this is where it gets good. Somehow, in 15 minutes, he managed to make it 6 blocks, borrow a skateboard from someone and fuck his ankle up, piss on an apartment building, try to get in to that same apartment building, and pass out until the Police arrived. Thankfully the cops didn't charge him (who woulda ever thought right?) and just handed him over to me. Upon entering the car, he promptly passed the fuck out and I hear (from extremely reliable sources) that he was un-wakeable in the car until about 6 in the a.m...Anywyas, here are a few pics and a few vids, make sure you peep em all! Also, will be in NYC until Tuesday, will try to write a few quick posts, but that will all depend my hand eye coordination, which i have a feeling is gonna take a beating this weekend. So, til next time, goodnight and good ride.

"Who the hell gonna stop us? Not a GODDAMN one of ya..."

2009-04-01T13:22:00.000-07:00

Aiiiiiight. Gettin ready to leave for this Blu & Exile show (and it turns out that Damu the Fudgemunk is opening for him too, peep his MySpace HERE) but wanted to leave y'all with a little sumthin sumthin before i hit the road. This is a mix that my boy EQ that i used to do Cuts and Rhymez with back in Paris (if you never copped the old episodes i posted it ain't too late! Get em HERE!) For my birthday a couple weeks ago he made me an hour and 20 minute mix, very inspired by Glitch Mob. It fucking DOPE, drive with this and you're sure to get places happy and fast! So, big up to man EQ who now resides in LA, miss you brotha, keep droppin (and recording, haha) them phat sounds. Don't let that goofy smile fool ya! This cat is for real!

DOWLOAD EQ - H-MAN BIRFDAY FRESH LIKE GREEN TEA GLITCH MIX

EQ with the H-Man graduhatin!

"Buggin Out For The City"

2009-03-31T15:58:00.000-07:00

Ahaaaaaaaaa (imagine it sounding like that oh so memorable Jadakiss laugh)! What's good my peoples? Just got back last night from NY, which explains my slight lapse in my posting for the past 4 days...had a HELL of a weekend. Original purpose of the trip was business, the H-Man is now actually WORKING if you can believe it! So Friday was an all day boozefest for real, started in Lower East, moved to Williamsburg, BK, out to Soho, out to 129th street (still don't know how the fuck i ended up so far uptown) and finally back in Lower East side after about 14 hours of binge drinking. Got to see some friends, and ended up going to Santos Party House to see Q-Tip spin. I happened to be with my homie Sonny, who somehow knows Tip. Once we got to Santos it was off the chain, ended up being up the booth with Q-Tip, drinking patron out the bottle. To make things even crazier, as if kickin it and meeting a living legend like Tip wasn't enough, we were graced with a visit by Ali Shaheed Muhammad! I still can't wrap my head around the fact that i met 2/3 of A Tribe Called Quest in one night ( i don't really count Jarobi, as he was basically MIA from after the first album ...) As if this still isn't completely ridiculous, Statik Selektah was in the house too, he gave me a copy of his joint he did with Saigon Recently (All in a Day's Work , all recorded in 24 hours, i recommend you cop it, its dope). We were chatting and I told him that I happened to follow him on Twitter. He immediately asked what my twitter name was (SwervinIrvin , follow me!) and upon returning to MJ's crib where was staying, discovered what you see at the top of this post. WOW. That was my only hip-hop related activity that weekend, besides for the constant iPoding anywhere and everywhere. I'm back in NYC on Friday, going to the Blu & Exile show tomorrow, seeing Lebron prolly demolish the Wizards on Thursday (maybe Agent Zero can help us?) and gonna see the man reppin my city, WALE, in Richmond next week. Can i get an amen?

Oh. And i almost forgot...I did a little bit of work that y'all should thoroughly appreciate, it'll be up real soon. In the meanwhile, try not to piss in your pants from anticipation!

Ridah out!

2009-03-27T17:18:00.000-07:00

"La Rime Qui Te Braque"

2009-03-26T13:05:00.001-07:00

Heyaaaaa. Wanted to hit you with a little project that i participated in during the summer of 2007. My friend Emily happened to be with a guy that was in this small Parisian rap crew, known as Tout Pour Tuer (TPT in short, check their Myspace right HERE), the group actually consists of 5 rappers, Provok,Oxad, Nord1, HDI and Mooka. Being aspiring filmmakers, Zack (the haterest hater of them all, haha) and I decided to make a music video for them. We worked on an almost nonexistent budget (less than 100 euros, all spent on water basically, it was steaaaaaaming hot), shot for two days, and below is the end result. A 35mm adapter was used to give the image a "film" look. Besides for the blistering heat, the other challenge was being able to control a 40 plus person pot smokin, graffiti sprayin and 40 drinkin crew, but we managed in teh end after an exhausting 14 or so hours. It was an awesome couple of days, and even if the video ain't exactly professional. it ain't shabby neither. Directed by Zack Spiger, produced my moi, and great photos by Alicia Karpetsky. Below is the vid, as well as couple of tracks off their Tout Pour Tuer mixtape. Big thanks to Zack, Em-dog, SoLo (you know who you are!), Alicia, Jonathan, and Ruby for making it happen. Big up to Mooka, Nord1, Oxad, HDI, Provok, Krazy Man, Tryce, Ruby, Sheron, Skunk, Frank and all the rest of the TPT crew.

DOWNLOAD

Tout Pour Tuer - "C'est Du Deuss"
Tout Pour Tuer - "Sonne L'Alarme"
Tout Pour Tuer - "A Coeur Ouvert"

TPT Crew

Young H-Man, "flyer than the rest of them..."

Emilyyyyyyyy

Oxad lighting his spliff in style

Zack, Solo and H-Man being serious nerds.

"Shoes of Gooooooooooooooold..."

2009-03-25T13:09:00.000-07:00

Aight aight! Hot off the press, here's dat new new. This one holds a special place in my heart (however small it may be haha), cuz the vocals are by none other than ALIXE TURNER. That's right, H-Man's little sistaaaa! She lives up in cold ass Montreal, and just recorded with with DJ Kid Legit (check out his Myspace right HERE and his mixtape download right HERE ). Really excited that my sis is gettin back into singing, so please give her all the support you got! Anyways, id think it was a phat cut even if i didn't happen to be related to 1/2 of the artists performing this. Below is the track, as well as the download link! Cop it!

p.s. Much love Alixe. Keep doing your thang.

DOWNLOAD - Kid Legit ft. Alixe Turner

2009-03-24T11:58:00.001-07:00

"When i start rhymin' bare breddahs a start hidin, my dark writing strikes many like charge lightnin'"

2009-03-23T17:39:00.000-07:00

Whats poppin' fresh peoples? My boy Pavan (a.k.a Orifice Vulgatron from The Foreign Beggars) hit me with this a few days ago. Signed to Dented Records , Kyza Smirnoff (a.k.a Mr. Sayso) is due to release his eagely anticipated project S.H.O.T.S. O.F. S.M.I.R.N.O.F.F. in the near future, these two track below are the first singles off of, entitled "Dirty", and "Love N Music". He is also currently working on a full LP entitled Brand New Same Old Me. I'm really feelin this guy's flow, and it definitely feels good to be posting some UK shit for a change. Especially lovin "Love N Music", totally summin up how love and music truly do go hand in hand, and how much a love of music is something to cherish. To hear more of his music check out his myspace page right HERE. Best of luck to Kyza with the projects, and to all of the Dented Records family out in London. Cheers!

"This thing we call rhyming's no different from coal mining, we both on assignment to unearth the diamond..."

2009-03-20T13:45:00.001-07:00

Better late than never, here are the pics and the recap of the Mos Def concert that i attended about a month ago, at the 9:30 club in D.C. Just got my sis to send me the pics from Montreal, forgot her camera cord last time she came round... Hadn't been to that venue since i saw Kweli there over 4 years ago. So, it started out sorta negatively... Mos had a double bill at the place, one performance at 6:30 and one at 9:30, we arrived (with lil'sis and Sona a.k.a "Ride Or Die") at 8:30 thinking that after a short wait we would have no problem going right on in. It was BALLS TO THE WALL cold, and upon arriving, a long line informs us that he had not arrived yet for the 6:30 show. This lasted til 9:30, so after a few beers at DC9, we returned and waited at least an hour in the blistering cold. Needless to say, by the time we got let it at 11:15 everyone was sort of mildly ill tempered, but Mos made it ALL go away. He played a mind blowing 2 and a half hour set that was more like a jam session than a concert. I was stunned at how much onstage presence, charisma and humor the Boogeyman has. He played the old (closing with my personal favorite "Memories") going through such classics as "Umi Says", "Brooklyn" and "Ms. Fat Booty" along the way. He played a few new songs, including the powerfully raw "Quiet Dog" and unreleased (and unleaked in studio version...) "Casa Forte". At one point the two stage DJ's battled for supremacy, going toe to toe with classic reggae jams. The concert really was a treat, I had been dying to see Mighty Mos for YEARS, and it truly was worth every goddamn penny of those 44 dollars. I am now looking ever more forward to the new album, The Ecstatic. Thanks and Cheers Dante!

Mos Def - Words - The Ecstatic - in stores Spring 2009

Mos Def - Life In Marvelous Times

Mos Def - Quiet Dog

Mos Def - Casa Forte (Live)

"Dans mon quartier mon gars. J'ai vu des gosses qui se bousillent en bas..."

2009-03-19T18:04:00.000-07:00

Whatup whatup, i return to you after a couple days of rest and recovery from the dreaded (and most celebrated) St. Patrick's day outing. As promised, i wanna hook you guys up with the music of on the DOPEST (tied for first in my books with the legendary IAM) French hip-hop groups of all time, Supreme NTM. Think of them as the French version of Public Enemy politically, with their anti law enforcement lyrics, and of course their name itself, as "NTM" is the acronym for "Nique Ta Mere" (literally meaning "Fuck your mother"), a popular vulgar expression in street slang (basically the equivalent of "motherfucker", a term no stranger to U.S. hip-hop). They consist of two emcees, Joey Starr and Kool Shen, both hailing from the suburbs of Paris (specifically Seine-St.Denis), started rapping in the mid 80's and had a successful (and legally tumultuous, especially in the case of Joey...) career until they split up in 2000. Both emcees have deeply contrasting flows, Kool Shen having a funky, melodic one and Joey an energetic, deep and raucous flow. They were the first to truly have a transcontinental collaboration with an American artist, it resulting in the phenomenal "Affirmative Action Remix" with Nas, AZ and Foxy Brown. Both have pursued solo careers since then, i personally prefer Joey's (even though he is the "watered down" version of what he used to be) but they have both done quite alright for themselves. In October of 2008, NTM reunited for a series of 3 concerts in Paris, their first performance in 9 years. Shit sold out in 30 MINUTES. Damn i wish i hadn't moved, haha... Anyways, here are my favorite of their tracks, and one solo Joey Starr cut that i think is vicious. "Seine St. Denis! Seine St. Denis! Funky Funky Fresh!"

La Fievre

Le Monde de Demain

That's my People

Pose ton gun
by Akira_s_back

Pose Ton Gun

[Rare] NTM Live - Seine St Denis Style
by sAdCiTy

Seine St. Denis Style Live

CLIP-NTM - Laisse Pas Trainer Ton Fils
by greg81000

Laisse Pas Trainer Ton Fils

The Firm & NTM - Affirmative Action Remix

Joey Starr - métèque
by Vincent8Z

Joey Star - Meteque

2009-03-18T13:49:00.000-07:00

"I know you missin all the - FAAAAAAAME! But along with celebrity comes bout seventy shots to your frame..."

2009-03-17T13:32:00.000-07:00

Alright, I AM back. I know I've been completely M.I.A (paper planin'...) for the past week, and for that i do apologize, its been an eventful/blur (in more ways than one) week. Last Wednesday is when it all started, it was my birthday, and evening was MOST HONORABLE. Some delicious dinner in Alexandria, some surrious drinking at Marvin (including with a white guy whose REAL name is Martin King Jr., aint that some shit?), strip club, and waking up the next morning at 11 am, shirtless on the carpet in my boy B-Ride's basement wondering where the fuck i was... Big up to Ride Or Die, Dave a.k.a Jada, Sally, Bob and Nadizzle for making my B-day memorable. Since then the going out had been pretty much nonstop, but since then i have gotten a job in NYC, and BEEN ACCEPTED TO NYU GRAD FOR NEXT FALL! Looks like the H-Man will be relocating soon to the Rotten Apple, and will be able to kick it with Knutz, Hman and Pantera a lot more often. So, ill be posting a legit post tomorrow, as today is St. Paddy's and i do NOT expect to be home before tomorrow. Happy Rideday!

2009-03-11T08:16:00.000-07:00

"Late nights on the corner crooked had him a dream to drive a maroon 5 call him Adam Levine..."

2009-03-09T18:42:00.000-07:00

Beef. In todays rap world, you can't go a day without someone starting to "beef" (though i agree more with Biggies definition "Beef is when i see you, guaranteed to be in ICU...) with someone else over no particularly good reason. In even more recent times, no talent artists like Curtis (YES, i mean none other than "Fitty") have used it solely as a means of promotion, then "squashing" it right after. Today was the first time that i saw an article on some kind of altercation between rappers that made me smile. It would appear that former Mobb Deep head honcho turned jailbird (on yet another weapons charge...) Prodigy wrote a "letter" (though it looks like a 4 year old wrote it, and not a very bright one at that...) naming his top 40 MCs, and called out up and coming Left Coast rapper Crooked I as not being talented.

Instead of running his mouth like a bitch, Crooked posted a public short response, which read a little something like this:

"I read your letter and you disrespectfully mentioned my name. If you don’t know why Vibe magazine chose to put me in the Best Rapper Alive issue maybe you should have researched me before you wrote what you wrote. Since you have time on your hands, you should check out week 1 thru 52 of my historical Hip Hop Weekly series. Week 33 was a freestyle over your song ‘Get Away’ (one of my favorite Mobb Deep songs). All things considered, there is a price for speaking on a real nigga sideways. Out west we call this price a ‘fade’. I need you to catch my fade, in other words, fight me 1 on 1. Nobody else, just you and me. I’ll wait for your release date since I don’t forget about shit."

"P.S. Do some push ups."

Now ain't that some real shit? Crooked I is in my opinion one of the best lyricists right now, and to top things off, is somewhat picking up the West Coast resurgence where the Game left off (who is apparently retiring...too bad, gotta say i really like that dude) with a little help from other artists like U-N-I, Zion I and of course the one and only Evidence. Additionally, the supergroup that Crooked formed with Joell Ortiz, Joe Budden and Royce Da 5'9" is seriously sick, there are rumors of an album...(peep the Rik Cordero directed "Move On" when it comes out). Prodigy was a legend in his day, Infamous is definitely one of the best albums of all time, but in the past few years (save for some track that he did with Alchemist) it's mostly been a lot of garbage. Rappers need to stop talking shit and contribute positively to hip-hop instead. P should be scared, word on the streets is that Crook got shot a few weeks back...better watch who you mess with sometimes...

"I realize i got the same wings angel fly with, but with Louis Vuitton feathers now that's some fly shit..."

2009-03-08T18:29:00.000-07:00

Just watched this gem of a movie again, it does occupy a space in my rather extensive DVD collection (the perk of being a film major, you only OWN dope shit). Given terrible reviews by the French press, i saw this in theaters in Paris when it came out (mostly becasue of the director whom i am quite a fan of, Luc Besson, and Jamel Debouze is a funny dude too). I didn't expect the movie to make me feel the way it did, it truly is a beautiful. I won't spoil it, but basically its about a guy learning to be able to love himself, with a little help from above (in the form of a BANGIN Danish model). I love that Rie Rassmussen (who is a professional model by profession) has an accent, makes her basically irresistible (i guess i have a thing for accents...) The cinematography in this film is beautiful too, all shot in black and white in Paris durng the month of August (when all the residents leave the city on vacation). So, get your ass to Blockbuster or Netflix of whatever the fuck you use and watch this, i guarantee you won't regret it.

TRAILER

Anja Garbarek - Can I keep Him ?
by Pigasus_Power

This woman (Anja Garbarek) did most of the soundtrack, she's Icelandic, like the chilled-out version of Bjork sans the swan dress...this is the "single" from the soundtrack...

CRAZY BITCH SIGHTING! SHE'S BACK!

2009-03-06T10:01:00.000-08:00

I’m sure all of you remember the immensely popular and insane story of the crazy eyed/pilled-out/falling down stairs nightmare of a girl that accompanied my crew and I on a night out on the town in the not so distant past…if not then scroll down a few posts and check out the madness. Well, my boy Bob (the one who had to forcibly had to shove her into a cab after she viciously and intoxicatedly assaulted Sally, happened to go the bank a make a little deposit in his checking account (get that scrilla son!) and saw some girl that appeared to be checking him out. After feeling good about himself and doing a little double take, he realized that it was HER…panic flooded his system and he began to wonder what on earth he had done to deserve this kind of karma. Their eyes met, and she apparent RAN OUT of the place and drove away…Considering he still has her jacket in his automobile, and that she still owes him a lump sum of cash for the long taxi ride home that she doesn’t remember, he texted her and they are supposed to meet up on Saturday at a to be determined location and time…so the story continues....

Weekend Recap - New York City Itty Gritty Committee

2009-03-06T09:52:00.000-08:00

So, once again, a little impromptu trip to the gigantic Apple (though somehow I always end up never leaving Manhattan…) The purpose of the trip was straight business, had an interview for an internship and for a little translating gig for some media blog. Arrived in NY around 12, then rushed between the homie MJ’s (a.k.a Falcor – for a better description peep THIS VID, haha) crib and across town for the interviews. They both went very well, I locked the translating one and am still waiting to hear about the internship. Having said that the purpose of the trip was business, this obviously means that I definitely mixed some pleasure into it for the next 4 DAYS. Upon coming back to MJ’, met up with Patti (like that?) and proceeded to a small birthday get together that was most conveniently a bock and a half away in Alphabet City. I proceeded to get extremely inebriated and somehow was able to stay up until the sun came up.

Saturday started with some hangover food at my usual recovery spot, good old Café Habana for some delicious cheese, lime and chili powder sprinkled corn on the cob, a Cuban sandwich with French fries, and of course a fresh mango frozen Margarita (just to take the edge off…) After a long and cold walk back with a belly full of food, MJ and I proceeded start drinking some beers and calling up the missing member of the Trifecta, Dom Dom, before we were set to attend an open mic session at Paddy O’Reilly’s. The open mic of course turned into a shit show, followed by a continuation of the shit show at some place called BLVD (drinking Sparks in the cab along the way…Jesus). Somehow Mike disappeared afterwards, so having his keys I cabbed it back to the apartment. He came back about and hour and half later, having no idea where he had been, carrying a pink balloon…

MJ headed to work on Sunday, starting his day off by sitting in the shower for about 30 minutes, a routine that i am no stranger to on those "fuck-i-feel-like-shit-and-have-to-go-to-work" days. I slept a little while, watched a movie, and went to finally meet up with none other than my Fresh Like Green Tea collaborator KNUTZ. We met up in SoHo and went to the central library to pick up a book that wasn’t there, and then headed to the Lower East Side for some chicken noodle soup and some youtubing/drinking/hatin. Pantera was there as well, though she retired early back to BK, and Knutz and I caught up over a couple of Olde Englishs and a pack of American Spirits.

Got snowed in on Monday, all buses cancelled, so I LITERALLY watched about 10 movies and rode back to the District in the A.M. In the thick of it all, was unable to record Fresh Like Green Tea Radio episode 2, as MJ’s computer “mysteriously” crashed…sorry big guy… ☹ May be going back up there this weekend, trying to move there if I get this internship, ill keep you posted people. H-Man out!

Here is some German shit that I was exposed to by Knutz that I’m definitely feelin, thought I should be a little more like the multicultural citizen that I am, I will be posting some fresh French shit shortly…

KC Da Rookee - Buffalo Soldier

Peter Fox (lead singer of Seeed) - Alles Neu!

2009-03-04T13:01:00.000-08:00

"I'll chill like Pacino, kill like DeNiro Black Gambino, die like a hero..."

2009-02-26T15:13:00.000-08:00

Hey Hey, hope y'all enjoyed my last post, still recovering from how crazy that shit was...apparently she hasn't tried to contact Bob since the "what happened last night?" message...shes gone and lets hope she stays gone.

I finally saw the film Juice last night for the first time, picked it up at Target (which i pronounce Tarjay like a snooty muthafucka) for 5 dollas a few days ago. I know its most dishonorable and disgraceful of me to not have seen it before considering it features the almighty Pac and was directed by Ernest Dickerson, who happens to be my favorite director's (SPIKE!) director of photography on such illustrious projects as Do The Right Thing and Malcolm X. I remember wanting to see that movie when i saw at the video store when i first disocered 2pac back in the 6th grade, but my rents wouldn't let me rent it on grounds that it was "too violent"... Better later than never...

I honestly really dug the film a lot. the beginning had a true Spike Lee feel to it, it was energetic, amusing and light. Then one event changes the entire feel of the film ,and it becomes a lot darker than i had imagined or felt it would. Loved Mr. Shakur's performance, he always does play a good crazy dude (which probably stems from his real life "fuck the world" personality). A young Omar Epps plays a good role too, as aspiring scratch DJ Gee Q. The film had to great early 90's black film feel to it without delving into the cliche. And of course the cinematography was dope (thanks Ernie!).

The music is off the heezy, what is probably my favorite Eric B. and Rakim song of all time graces the soundtrack, as well as a healthy dose of such classics as Big Daddy Kane and EPMD, strictly New York. Anyways, below im hittin y'all with a short clip from the movie, as well as the music video for "Know The Ledge".

I will be travelin to NYC in the AM, so don't expect any posts for a couple days. Got an interview with a media company for an internship (wish me luck!). Will be stayin with my boy MJ and of course there will be lots of RIDIN! Will also be recording the new episode of Fresh Like Green Tea Radio, so expect a delicious audio treat in the very near future. On the subject of movies, make sure you check out my boy JJ in Pari's movie review blog Lightness of Being (which is also on my side links permanently). He was my "partner in crime" (thanks for the shout out homie!) for 3 years in the City of Light, we made movies together, watched movies together (a lot...remember summer school dog? HA) and of course, drank and partied a LOT together. So, check out my aspiring Jewrab director's site for some quality insight on some films. He looks at movies the same way i compulsively check sites like Nah Right and 2 Dopeboyz all day...So, ill be back with you after what is looking to be a promising weekend, TOPPED OFF BY THE POSSIBLE 6 MONTh REUNION OF KNUTZ AND H-MAN! Knutz be flyin in at 7 p.m tomorrow evening, being picked up at La Guardia with his lady friend Pantera. So, until then, take it easy peezy lemon squeezy peoples.

Storytime With H-Man!

2009-02-25T09:21:00.001-08:00

Yoooo. I know i promised y'all Mos Def pics, but unfortunately thats gonna have to be put on hold for a lil bit, took all the pics with my sisters camera and she forgot the cord in Montreal...so gimme about a week andi promise they'll be up. In other news, finally broke and joined Twitter, dunno why i was so reluctant to join, its actually really dope. Check me out my profile right HURRRR, my screen name is SwervinIrvin (H-Man was already taken...blah).

So, storytime begins...this is a recollection of events that transpired last Saturday night. After reluctantly agreeing to a night on the town due to peer pressurer Sona's implorations, we headed to this spot we go to regularly called Marvin (14th and U St., check it out sometime, large heated patio!). We were meeting up with some friends outside the place, (names have been changed for reasons that will seem obvious later!). So Bob and Sally met up with us, along with a female "client" of Bob's (HAHA!) that none of us had met, let's just call her Lauren. Let's also just say that Bob was interested in this client, which is why she was there, though they had never been out together before. She was dressed in a very California casual way, with a slightly obscene amount of glitter pixie dust powder around her eyes, and had sorta crazy eyes (you know what i mean? Hinting at instability?) Sally, who had made her acquaintance on the ride over (as Bob and Sally has picked her up on the way out) had already made up her mind about her and told me that she sucked, apparently partly based on the fact that the first thing this girl had told then upon entering their vehicule was that her father had locked her out last time because he thought she was a prostitute...which seems like a reasonable reason for some hate. Me, attempting to not be the judgmental haterade sippin mothafucka that I usually am decided to give her a chance, and despite definitely catching a very weird vibe from her had not made my mind up about what i thought just quite yet.

Crazy Eyes!

After a couple minutes and hollerin at the homie Collins workin the door, we made our way inside, and proceeded to get some dranks. I happened to not be drinking that night. I got annihilated the night before and somehow had gotten a huge nosebleed earlier that day (i think i might have a problem? MJ and SoS know what im talkin' bout...), so i wasn't about to thin my blood and risk another nasal incident. We're standing in a huddle smokin some Newports (not my cig of choice, those things tear my dman throat out)and I felt sorta bad for Lauren cuz everyone was talkin about things that she obviously wasn't it on. I initiated a conversation with her, and she was way too strange to maintain the conversation with, she had very odd switches been high and low pitched voices and was just too intense for my sober ass to deal with. I somehow publicly admitted that the reson i wasn't drinking wasn't because i wanted to detox, but becasue i didn't want to bleed. Upon hearing this information ,the at-this-point-im-starting-to-think-is-completley CRAZY girl starts cackling and yelling "BLEED BITCH! BLEED", at least 5 times, making me feel extremely comfortable and honestly kind of scared...

Next was a re-up on the drinks, and even by trying to put some distance between Lauren and myself, she somehow always ends up right close, and seems to be losing her motor skills at an alarming rate considering that she's only one drink deep, bumping into people rigth and left with apparently no realization of what she was doing. It all finally got to be to much when after disappearing for a few minutes, she returns with a stunned look on her face and tells me that i should go "kick his ass" vaguely pointing to a table behind me. When i asked her what happened, all she did was stare blankly ahead and lightly sway from side to side. At this point, I'm basically just stepping away, and everyone is saying the same thing ; "This bitch needs to leave." After refusing to give up her drink to any of us and looking as if she was about to fall over, we get one of the security guards to escort her away, at which point she actually FALLS on the deck.

At thsi point, Bob decides that he has to get a handle on the situation, and brings Sally with him to help. It turns out she has not been kicked out, she is being watched over by security. Sally brings her to the bathroom to attempt to have her throw up, but instead Laurel tries to get into a fight a smashes a bunch of glasses. At this point, the executive decision has been made that shes outta there. She proceeds to FALL DOWN THE STAIRS. Bob and Sally get her not a cab (apparently she doesn't even know her dress..haha), but not before she get out of it and SLAPS SALLY ACROSS THE FACE. Eventually she is forced into the cab by Bob and drives away into the night...the next day, Bob gets a text message; "What happened last night? I blacked out" and "I forgot, mixing medication and alcohol = bad news"...all I can say is that SHE is bad news, and for all our sakes hope Bob never replied.

AHHHH!

So what is the moral of this story you might ask? Its ever so simple. Never bring a girl you don't know around your friends without testing the waters out first. You never know when someone might drink on medication, start fights, and be an all around crazy bitch. As for the moral for me, stick to judging people! Look what happened when i tried to be "open-minded"... So this concludes story time with H-Man. H-Man swervin' out!

THE END

2009-02-25T06:32:00.000-08:00

"Call me a hipster, as long as you're a listener..."

2009-02-19T16:20:00.000-08:00

Fuckin FINALLY! Been waiting for a MINUTE for this video to drop, glad that it's not disturbing like Royce's last video (which is an understatement...click HERE to see it...at your own risk!) and i KNOW its my second Cudi post in like...3 days, BUT I can't help but love that dude...Man on the Moon: The Guardian coming soon...

UPDATE- This seemed relevant...

"Blame it one the black star..."

2009-02-18T17:14:00.000-08:00

In case you all haven't been paying attention to the music industry as a whole (byond the scope of rap, which I know for some of you is UNIMAGINABLE, it almost is to me sometimes...) Radiohead has long been a MONSTER on the global scene. Kanye is a self admitted fan, and much of their production and stage performing has influenced a number of hip-hop artists and producers. So..i'm gonna skip to the chase, and hook you up with some Radiohead remixes (or songs where a Radiohaed song has been used as a sample that I have been compiling for quite some time, theyre all really dope and really different from each other, o i suggest you get ALL OF THEM. I swear...you wont regret it. There a little of everything, some Pac, Kanye, Amp Live (Zion I's producer), Jus Ske/Pharell, Foreign Beggars, and Jaydiohead (you should be able to figure that one out...)

Wrong Prayer - Jaydiohead
Video Tapez (ft. Del The Funk Homosapien) - Amp Live
Reckoner Lockdown - Dj Earworm vs. Kanye West
Fucked UP (Hurricane Mix ft. Thom Yorke)- 2Pac
Scratch Perverts vs. Foreign Beggars
Reckonerz (ft. Charli2na) - Amp Live
An Airbag Saved My Best Friend (ft. Pharell) - Jus Ske
Us Placers - CRS (Kanye West, Pharell and Lupe Fiasco)

"Have you ever heard of some shit so real ? Beyond from the heart, from the soul you can feel?"

2009-02-17T16:37:00.001-08:00

I know Cudi's been gettin some serious hype for a WHILE now. I had decided that A Kid Named Cudi, his critically acclaimed mixtape presented by streetwear label 10 Deep which featured arguably one of the biggest songs of last year ( "Day N Nite"), was on my top 5 mixtapes of 2008. Friday night however, driving back from Baltimore to DC after the Talib and Jean Grae show, it moved STRAIGHT to NUMBER 1. Listening to it early early in the a.m in a mellower mood than i usually am in made me appreciate it even more. There have been some reports that Cudi may have been tasered and arrested by the police this weekend in Phoenix (get the full report HERE), all because of a scuffle erupting due to his refusal to take off his Jordans for a Reebok sponsored performance (which i congratulate!). His unique blend of electro influenced hip-hop and "sing songy" rap makes his album, tentatively titled Man on the Moon the release i am looking forward to the most in 2009 (Wale's is a close second though...). His album is supposed to drop this summer, and he has plans to release a collaboration album with fellow Cleveland artist Chip The Ripper. Cudi is the hottest thing to come out of Ohio since Bone Thugs,and in celebration of my rediscovery of what a true gem this tape is, COP HIS MIXTAPE BELOW IF YOU DON"T HAVE IT! I also attached a few songs on other people's mixtapes featuring Cudi that are hot as hellfire, so make H-Man happy and cop them too!

Kid Cudi Mixtape - A Kid Named Cudi

BONUS TRACKS

Buggin Out 2009 Tribute - J. Period ft. Consequence & Kid Cudi

Sky High - The Kickdrums ft. Kid Cudi

Wasting My Minutes - 88 Keys ft. Kid Cudi

Can I Be - Kid Cudi (Prod. by Ryan Leslie)

Rollin (Remix) - Jackie Chain ft. Kid Cudi

UPDATE - NEW KANYE WEST "WELCOME TO HEARTBREAK" VIDEO FT. KID CUDI!

KANYE WEST "Welcome To Heartbreak" Directed by Nabil from nabil elderkin on Vimeo.

"What's with the melodrama? Fellas wanna hover in my cypher like a helicopter..."

2009-02-16T16:15:00.001-08:00

And he's back...I know i promised photos on Saturday but much ridin has been done this weekdend, as well as a little frender bender (4 days after i got my fuckin license...but I wasn't at fault, THANK GOD). The Talib show on Friday at Sonar in Baltimore was dope, as i knew it would be of course. It was a very pleasant surprise that instead of having Jean open for him (though he didn't show up until 12:30, doors opened at 9, may have not even been an option anymore...) he did a joint show with him. Got to hear a few tracks i had never heard before live, including "Say Something". Got to hear a little preview of some new Talib and Hi-Tek track, seriously holding my breath with anticipation for that one, as Train of Thought is my favorite of his albums. Got to hear some classics, including "Get By", "Respiration", "Move Somethin", and "Re-Definition". Jean was a hella good, had so much attitude and was difintely enjoying interacting with the crowd. Much less manly than she used to be too...Will be going to see might Mos next monday, so stay tuned for pictures of that as well. Peace ladies and gentlemen!

"Dance Motherfucker!"

H-Man and Sona

Talib

Miss Jean

A Kwelity Performer

"You mean Talib, lyrics stick to your ribs?"

2009-02-12T17:59:00.000-08:00

Whatuuup. So tomorrow is a big day for H-Man, gonna see Kweli live for the 4TH TIME in as many years in Baltimore with my homegirl Sona . Saw him twice in Paris and once in the District until Bodymore in the manana. I'm super psyched, Jean Grae is opening for him as well, heard shes real intense live. Always been a huge fan of the man (Talib, not Jean, though i could understand if there's some confusion, haha), ill hit y'all up with pictures when i upload them with a massive hangover on Saturday (hopefully!). In the meanwhile, I'll hit you with a few of my favorites of his songs ( had to pick a few, after all its so hard to choose...), most of which are on mixtapes, but ALL of you should know one of them... I know I run the risk of offending all you Black Star lovers (not that i don't LOVE Black Star) out there, but i think he did his best work with Hi-Tek...personal opinion so don't hate on me too much!

" Cuz no one knows for whose shell toes the bell tolls for..."

2009-02-11T17:27:00.000-08:00

Its finally here! After making a video for nearly all the videos on the Layover EP, Evidence has finally graced us with the vid for my favrite cut off the album, "For Whom the Bell Tolls", ft. Phonte, Blu and Will.i.am. Unfortunately, i cannot embed the fuckin tihg on this page as it has only appeard on MTV U and im ont technically proficient enough to figure out how to do it (it aint easy like Youtube vids!). However, you can watch it HERE. It's a really great video too, simply but well directed with some nice visuals and cinematography. Goes very well with the theme and messages of the song. Here are also two videos shot behind the scene of this shoot. EV talks about he's known Will forever and a day, something i already knew from the wonderful freestyle over Kanye's "Let the Beat Build" instrumental he did for Weezy called "Celeb Reality". I highly recommend it, as Mr. Slow Flow's flow fits the beat perfectly, and it's mad funny to find out some the big names that he went to high school with. Im get nostalgic over this post! As you can remember, my FIRST post on Fresh Like Green Tea was about Evidence! Hope you all have been enjoying this as much as I have.

DOWNLOAD - Evidence - Celeb Reality

"When I raise 'em in the sky, shine so bright, it'll blind your eyes"...R.I.P J Dilla!

2009-02-10T18:28:00.000-08:00

Today is the 3rd anniversary of the death of the beloved J. Dilla, who died tragically from complications of lupus. Originally a member of Slum Village, Jay Dee is almost singlehandedly responsible for the emergence of neo-soul sound in hip-hop, through his buttery deceptively simple beats. The Detroit native is known as a producer's producer (much like NaS is "your favorite rapper's rapper"), and influenced the way that people view hip-hop production, mostly through his work with prestigious MCs such as Common (he produced the classic "The Light") ,?uestlove, and Busta Rhymes. I highly recommend you pick up Donuts and The Shining, as well as his collab album with Madlib, Jaylib. Appropriately, today was the drop date of the Dilla X Busta Rhymes mixtape, Dillagence, so click on the title to acquire this gem! Based on the article I read in Vibe last month (the Yeezy cover one), there have been some serious disputes regarding the late J. Dilla's estate, and apparently somehow his mother and children are not allowed to use him for any commercial purposes only. To support his fam, and help them get by, you can pick up this t-shirt . I ordered one yesterday, it's only 30 bucks, and it looks dooooope. From everyone at Fresh Like Green Tea, REST IN PEACE J DILLA! YOU CONTINUE TO LIVE ON THROUGH YOUR MUSIC!

Hudson Highway

2009-02-10T13:11:00.000-08:00

I was mad impressed by the release of these audio tapes... On the one hand we got traffic control sounding like Peter Griffin getting a bit nervous down there vs. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger of Danville, Cali. A true G down all the way down to the water... Respekt.

(There are many versions out there... I thought this one was kinda cool.)

"Oh it can't be G.O.O.D music my Grammy family..."

2009-02-08T18:42:00.000-08:00

You knew it was comin...H-Man's take on the Grammys this year... I Know the photo is from last year's awards, but i wanted to gt this shit hot off the press and that picture is my favorite Grammy picture ever ( i mean, does it get any better? A damn shame the album title finally got changed...) SO, all that being said, let me get to some ranting. First off, M.I.A got GYPPED! As much as I love and respect Robert Plant, how one earth did it beat out Paper Planes for record of the year?! And HOW THE FUCK did "Raising Sand" get best album?!!! BIG UP to MIA for even being there, massively pregnant as she is, as apparently here due date was TODAY! Really enjoyed the performance of "Swagger Like Us" (which did pick up a Grammy for best rap collab), seein all four of those dudes on stage at the same time is crazy. Kanye killed it in his silver suit with Estelle. Coldplay picked up a few awards and it was nice to see Jay-Z join Chris Martin for the "Lost" remix Thank God the Jonas Brothers didn't win anything, i have no patience or love for those no talent ass clown Mickey Mouse "musicians". Loved the Wayne performance and New Orleans homage, "Tie My Hands" was one of my favorite track off Carter 3. Weezy picked up best rap album and best rap song (there were a few other worthy contestants for rap album, including Lupe and NaS) and i gotta say he deserved it. He made us wait for Carter III, but it was damn well worth the wait. So...overall...a pretty mediocre Grammy night (aren't they always), let's wish T.I. the best of luck in prison, though let's hope that his last performance before he starts his bid wasn't with Justin Timberlake...

"It ain't hard to tell, we can't all be NaS, the truth really is, we can't all be stars, but I'll be goddamned if I settle for Pras...EVER!"

2009-02-06T16:34:00.000-08:00

Clipse x Kaws-ReUp Gang Blog 4 from ReUpGangRecords.net on Vimeo.

Maybe it's cuz I'm from Virginia (VA reprezeeent), but every time i see one of these little Clipse webisodes i get more and more excited for the album! The last mixtape year was definitely on my top 5 mixtapes of 2008. In this video Pusha does all the talking (Malice is in the background fuckin with the piano and making funny faces...) and sounds and looks about as strung out as he was when i met him back in December. Good news that street artist KAWS will be ding the cover art. There's some heavy hitter producers lined up for the album, including Cool & Dre and DJ Khalil. There is also a mystery big name collab on a track supposedly called "Kind of A Big Deal". I have a sneaking suspicion that it may be Mr. West himself, as the title of the track is an Anchorman reference, and Ye happens to be an enormous self-admitted Will Ferrell fan...Re-Up gang have had an amount of record releasing, so let's hope the casker DOESN'T drop on this record... And in case you guys missed it, here's the link to the aforementioned mixtape.

The Clipse - Road To Til The Casket Drop Mixtape

Swirvin' Irvin Caught On TAPE!!!

2009-02-06T09:04:00.000-08:00

haha I was laughing so hard on this... H-man on tape lol

but in the end man... this shit is ridiculous... these cops are like machines, unpersonal, unhuman, simply a joke. And I know that B**** lady cop in the end was thinking "Ha! I gotcha..." fuckin wack typical US cops bullshit. BULLSHIT! Should be puttin this on Attakk!

" I'm a gangsta...gangstas don't ask questions."

2009-02-05T20:07:00.000-08:00

I know every other blog on the planet has this posted today but this was too good to pass up on. I have watched this at least 4 times today, all i can say is WOW. I dunno whether to laugh or cry, all i can say is that Weezy has LOST HIS FUCKIN MIND. Definitely one of the oddest and most entertaining interviews i have seen in my time. I am excited that it looks like he'll be performing "Tie My Hands" at the Grammys (K West on the beaaaaaat) Hopefully seeing this may prompt him to reexamine the particular musical direction he appears to be taking and that Rebirth will never come out...

"Check the Rhyme..."

2009-02-04T19:04:00.001-08:00

Yoooo. If y'all weren't aware, before your (and my!) beloved Fresh Like Green Tea, H-Man was residing in Paris, and had a different online radio show there, Cuts and Rhymez. Thought I'd hook you guys up with a few of the shows from last year (2007 and 2008). You wil notice that i have been ALL ABOUT Wale for while now, didn't just hop the bandwagon after that Source cover hit...hope you guys pump this shit, and i wanna give a shout out to my partners in crime who are just as responsible for these past shows as i was. They're still keeping the show goin on a streaming capacity every week, tune in at aupradio.org . Big up and love to Morty McFly, Dj Bis, and EQ, miss you guys like Wu-Tang misses Meth on tour...

Cuts and Rhymez Vol.1

1. Pete Rock and CL Smooth – T.R.O.Y
2. Swollen Members – Long Way Down
3. Talib Kweli ft. Justin Timberlake – The Nature
4. Lupe Fiasco – Superstar
5. Living Legends – Never Falling Down
6. Jay-Z – ROC Boys
7. People Under The Stairs – Keepin’ It Live
8. Lil’ Wayne – Something You Forgot
9. Murs – Yesterday
10. T.I. – Tell Em I Said That
11. Wale – Nike Boots
12. Kanye West – Hey Mama

Cuts and Rhymez Vol.2

1. Eric B and Rakim – Don’t Sweat the Technique
2. Gangstarr fr. Big Shug and Freddie Foxxx – The Militia
3. Looptroop- Get Ready
4. Common ft. Kanye West – Start the Show
5. Dilated Peoples ft. Kanye West – This Way
6. Nas – Can’t Forget About You
7. Outkast ft. Goodie Mob – Slump
8. Zion I –Let Me Holla
9. NTM – Seine St. Denis Style
10. Zedbazi – Tabestoon Kootahe
11. The Roots – Guns Are Drawn
12. Wale – W.A.L.E.D.A.N.C.E
13. Ill Eagle – I am Jack’s Destroyed Liver

Cuts and Rhymez Vol.3

1. Hieroglyphics –Miles to the Sun
2. Blue Scholars – The Inkwell (Crashed Cop Car Remix)
3. Heiruspecs – Heartsprings
4. Ghostface Killah – Be Easy
5. Comfortable – Lil’ Wayne
6. Hi Tek ft. Raekwon and Ghostface Killah – My Piano
7. 9th Wonder – Almost Genuine ft. Phonte
8. Beastie Boys – Paul Revere
9. Jedi Mind Tricks – Into The Arms of Angels
10. The Game – The Documentary
11. Cunninlynguists ft. Tonedeff – The Gates
12. Lupe Fiasco – The Cool
13. Jay-Z – Pray
14. Papoose – Victory Freestyle

Cuts and Rhymez Vol.4
1. De La Soul – Ring Ring
2. Foreign Beggars – Beatflow Freakshow
3. Big Boi ft. Andre 3000 and Raekwon – Royal Flush
4. Skyzoo ft. Wale – Lyrically Inclined
5. The Roots ft. Wale and Chrisette Michelle – Rising Up
6. Wu-Tang Clan ft. George Clinton – Wolves
7. Atmosphere- Always Coming Back Home To You
8. Talib Kweli – More or Less
9. Zion I – Breathin Slow
10. Looptroop – The Building
11. Fat Joe ft. Lil’ Wayne – Crackhouse
12. Kanye West – A Million and One Questions
13. Tonedeff – Porcelain

H-Man and Morty Mc Fly

H-Man and DJ Bis

H-Man and EQ

"Le Plus Important C'est Pa La Chute, C'est L'Atterrissage..."

2009-02-03T16:42:00.000-08:00

Bonjour friends and fam. So since my last post happened to be on a film pertaining to hip-hop, ill hit you with another film. Just to start off, this film is one of my favorites of all time. Relseased in 1995, "La Haine" (translated from French means "The Hate"), is shot entirely in black and white, directed my Mathieu Kassovitz. The only famous actor (who wasn't so at the time) is Vincent Cassel, who you might know as the LUCKY man married to that beautiful and voluptuous Monica Bellucci. The film's title comes from a French expression ,where if one is pissed off at the world or overly aggressive one says that he has "la haine". The film follows a day in the life of three friends from the Paris suburbs (the equivalent of inner cities there) during some serious riots in the early 90's. The reason its so incredible (besides for the stunning 35 mm cinematography) is that it really captures the reality that these disadvantaged surburban youth (consisting of mostly minorities) that they live and the pitfalls that they attempt to navigate away from, often unseuccessfully. Here are two scenes, one of which gives you a feel for the movie, and another featuring legendary Paris DJ Cut Killer, who used to roll with French hip-hop gods NTM. Its a doooope scene with an amazing helicopter traveling shot. I have also attached the mp3 of the track that hes mixing in the scene, short but oh so sweet. You gotta see this film (and YES, it is available with subtitles...)

Cut Killer - La Haine Mix

"Hey Yo I'm slippin, I'm fallin, I can't get up..."

2009-01-31T16:21:00.000-08:00

Yooo, just watched this again (didn't really like it that much the first time i saw it about 10 years ago) and i was feeeeeeeelin it. Although the plot may have had a few loose ends, the style and the cinematography blew me away. There was also some interesting Marcus Garvey/Nation of Islam discussion within it, really didn't expect the film to attempt to delve that deeply intellectually. Loved how darkly a lot of it was shot, especially in contrast with the super bright whites. Hype Williams defintiely managed to cross over from music videos successfully. On top of that, how could a hip-hop head not like a movie starring DMX (who unfortunately has had a rough couple of years...), NaS, Method Man, and T-Boz (from long lost TLC!)...the soundtrack is also really dope, i highly recommmend if if you miss some old school Earl Simmons and late 90's hip-hop. Check out a few of them below!

Opening scene of the movie, siiiiiiick. The song is PERFECT for the scene.

Probably my favorite D'Angelo song of all time, gotta love the Premo beat. Mr. "How Does it Feel" has not graced us with an album for 9 years now, what happened?

Brownsville!!!

Check the flava...

2009-01-30T08:11:00.000-08:00

Lil somethin bout Toddla T - "Weaned on the teat of bashment from a young age Mr T rolled through his early years on his hands and knees with ears glued to the speakers of his folks’ hi fi. Making beats, bass, blunts and girls filled his adolescence until he was crowned as inhouse studio boff at Sheffield’s Kenwood Studios at the grand old age of 19." -Last.FM

Seeed - Rise and Shine

2009-01-29T13:04:00.000-08:00

Another slow flow impeccable track by those Dubby Conquerers Seeed straight outta Berlin. Its the English version, enjoy C-Low, peace to all from icy cold Jahmeny.

"Sign of the times, her Emilio Pucci sneakers, ghetto literature..."

2009-01-28T16:35:00.000-08:00

What's good peoples? H-Man presentin y'all with a little post, after this last two very looong ones. Hope you guys enjoyed the show, been gettin really positive responses and im already preparing the next one... Props to Knutz on comin back to postin game, he's hittin y'all up from Germany right now after a brief stint in the Congo (post them pics KNUTZZZZZ!). So, in case y'all had no idea, I've had a wee bit of a sneaker fever since 6th grade, and it's no secret that a lot of rapper seem be afflicted with the same conditions. The publicity Kanye's been gettin for his Air Yeezy's with Nike and his line with LV (I'm a huge fan of both...) got me thinking about my favorite songs about sneakers. Here they are, and i appeal to all of you with nice sneakers that i wish i had, PLEASE take care of them. Saw a dude with Jordan V Laney Highs the other day that were TRASHED, fuckin made me sick...

Wale - Kicks

The Cool Kids - Colors

Oddisee- Propa

Seeed - Double Soul

2009-01-26T13:02:00.000-08:00

First off Big it UP !!! to my man H for bumpin the radio show #1 out there. Hiphop on the pulse! (That Stunntastic sample ... takes me back to the sunrise in Human Traffic... fresh!)

This one hear is going out to my Lady LéLaLuv. Goin through a lot of struggle and trife right now, but we a make it!

one love

"Guerilla Radio, turn that shit up!"

2009-01-25T12:59:00.000-08:00

YOOOOOO. The time has finally arrived! I Introduce you the first episode of Fresh Like Green Tea Radio! I've been working on this project for a little while, this is the surprise i had promised for you guys for the new year. Had some problems with distance as my sound engineer, none other than Dragon himself (whom I highly recommend contacting if you are looking for an engineer for a project, michael.freyer@gmail.com) who lives in NYC, my other engineer is in LA, so as you can imagine its hard to get shit done fast. Just as a precursor to your imminent listening pleasure, this show was recorded around 5 a.m on January 19th, hours before the inauguration, and you should be able to tell at some point, but i happened to be pretty smashed...Soo now i'll cut the chit-chat and let you download this baby!

Fresh Like Green Tea Radio Episode 1 - 1/25/09

PLAYLIST

1. Blaqstarr - Stuntastic (Diplo Mix)

2. Alchemist - Therapy (ft. Kid Cudi & Blu)

3. Mr. Hudson - There Will be Tears

3. Kanye West - Welcome to Heartbreak (ft. Kid Cudi

4. Jake One - The Truth (ft. Brother Ali & Freeway)

5. Geto Boys - Mind Playin Tricks

6. Lil' Wayne - What Else Is There to Do (skit)

7. Icon The Mic King - Love is Love

8. Booba - Nouvelle Ecole (ft. Mobb Deep)

9. Wale - Pot of Gold (ft. Daniel Merriweather)

10. Jedi Mind Tricks - Heavy Metal Kings (remix. ft. Ill Bill)

11. Busta Rhymes - No War (ft. Barrington Levy & Kardinal Offishall)

12. Foreign Beggars vs. Rouge a Levres - Hit That Gash

LATE INAUGURATION (Wake up Mr. Turner?)

2009-01-24T19:40:00.000-08:00

Hey hey my fellow children of the beat, H-Man somehow made it back into the building after yet another eave of absence...i promise to try to stop doing this, but sometimes i feel like my life gets a little out of hand, when left to my own devices and alcohol i seem to shirk away from my responisibiities a bit. In case y'all don't know, i do live in Washington D.C, and last weekend was a great weekend indeed (hence the no H-Man entries...) so i thought id give you the inauguration play by play from Sunday onwards...

SUNDAY

After a day of rest preparing for the festivities, Sona and I headed for the URB Magazine Pharoahe Monch Inauguration concert. After some venue location confusion (which did allow us to meet Chuck Brown, the godfather of go-go!) be finally made it to Bohemian Caverns. The first surprise was the Charles Hamilton was in the building, and he gave us a few track to open for the main event, looooooved hearing "Brooklyn Girls" live from about a foot away (you knooooow I was front row baby!). Pharoahe came onstage around 1 am, he ROCKED THAT SHIT. He played everything i wanted to hear, my favorite song "Desire", his chorus from his collaboration with Styles P ('The Life") and even his verse from "Oh No" featuring Mos and Nate Dogg. Of course he closed with "Simon Says", which sent the crowd into a complete frenzy. Ended up chatting with him a bit at the end and i have to say that the man is truly a hip-hop God (or perhaps a "poetical pastor"?) My partner in crime and fellow RIDAH Mike a.k.a MJ a.k.a Dragon made it to DC that night from NYC, so the night definitely ended up extremely drunkenly after some serious drinking at Marvin ,so much so that an impromptu dance party between Mike and I defintely happened in front of Rashizzle's apartment complex. By dance party i mean that we pumped the system in the car as loud as it would go and opened all the doors and danced outside it...woooo...

MONDAY

After some well deserved sleep and home-cooked omelet, i headed to the city to attend the Stussy x Commonwealth inauguration party at the Stussy flagship store with special guests Wale and Bun-B. OPen bar, 9th Wonder ended up spinning for the whole event, and David Banner and Sonic the Hamilton made brief appearances. After 6 or 7 red bull vodkas, Sona and I and our new homie Bryan decided to head out drinkin, before meeting up with Mike and Rashizzle. We ended up bar hopping our way to the rendezvous and meeting up at this place called the Russia House, which lived up to its name cuz i got tanked on vodka. ended up back at Rashid's, recording a little surprise for y'all that will be dropping tomorrow night and drinking whiskey. Went to sleep facedown on the caret around 5:45...

TUESDAY

Wake up facedown on the carpet to people's alarms going off about the room at 6:15...grand totaly of MAYBE 30 minutes of alchol induced sleep. The first thing i did was try to pull myself off the floor to get going to inauguration, which i failed to do miserably, as my arms somehow failed me and i smashed my face on the coffee table in front of everyone. Then we headed out, me, still wasted wearing sunglasses even though it was dark. We tried to take the metro, but it was too full, so we WALKED 5 MILES to the national mall, separating ourselves from the group. We stayed throgh Obama's speech at which point the partying and drining and no sleeping finally caught up, so Mike and i hiked back to VA, where we went to sleep and ate Thai food, and wondered where everyone else was. Ridin has its toll my friends...big ups to Mike, who I will be going back to NYC to ride with in the very near future...

HipHop from the Rhyme Main

2009-01-18T11:34:00.000-08:00

"Its the, N-O, T-O, R-I, O U-S, you just, lay down, slow..."

2009-01-17T16:34:00.000-08:00

Yo yo, wuzzup peoples? Just walked through my door, went and saw "Notorious", just walked through the door, and all i can say is that Biggie is already BUMPIN from my speakers right now. I really enjoyed the film. I went prepared (and sort of expecting) to walk out really disappointed, but it wasn't the case at all. Despite the overglossed look of the film ( i would have preferred a much rawer and grainier style), they stayed true to his story (although the Pac element coulda been a bit more developped, as well as his North Carolina connect...) MAJOR ups to Jamal Woolard for playing Biggie TO A T. Facial expressions, swagger, and changes in intonation were perfect. Even though we ALL know the end of the story, the end still had me almost choking up, the scene really brought the emotion out. I advise any Biggie fan to go the a movie theater immediately and check it out. Peace y'all...and Biggie; we miss you.

Sound of Istanbul - Crossing the Bridge

2009-01-17T07:27:00.000-08:00

This is one of my favorite scenes from the movie Sound of Istanbul, by the acclaimed director Fatih Akin. The movie contains hiphop punk classic gypsy and all the other sounds that fill the streets of the city on the Bosporus, the border between the Asian and European continent. These are real street musicians, and the voice of the city street, just like biggie in the heyday.
Speakin of which:

"Straight up weed no angel dust, label us NOTORIOUS"

2009-01-14T19:19:00.001-08:00

As many of you hip-hop fanatics already know, it is now officially t minus 2 days until the release of the long awaited Biggie biopic. Though it will in no way be as gritty as the subject, whom we all love and miss so dearly, it is definitely showing some signs of promise. I personally am going to see it on release day, and urge all of you to do the same. Let's just hope it lives up to the lofty expectations we all have...Anywhose, heres an interesting article my homegirl Pantera sent me, about finding the REAL Brooklyn that remains from BIGs time.

Biggie's Brooklyn

"N.Y State of Mind" (or lack thereof...)

2009-01-12T16:03:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year my faithful followers (like all 6 of you...ha)! I apologize that I had to take a leave of absence for such an extended time, but its been a hell of an almost month. Got back from New York last Tuesday after a full 6 days of serious drunken and disorderly behavior. Somehow got 3 nose bleeds in the last 2 days i was there, despite not having snorted anything up my nasal cavity. I guess too much drinking makes the blood seriously thin! My visit to the MoMa was the only cultural event of my stay, a most enjoyable afternoon (Pashy!), especially the Miro exhibit. I was supposed to have been spending the entire holiday in sunny Miami, but after some heartbreak (sans the 808s...) ended up in mile high Colorado for Christmas, and in NYC for New Years. Notice that this time there is some photo documentation of me (though i do look rather like i belong to some kind of terrorist cell...) so no Ghostface pic needed as adornment. I also post the short recap of my trip on Fresh Like Green Tea instead of on Attack The Wakk because even though i definitely ingested a minimum of 20 drinks a day, a sum far superior to my last visit, there were no embarrassing misuses of the Spanish language or rat chasing in the streets (though i do recall kicking trash bins over for a couple blocks...) Even went to a brunch place called the Sunburnt Cow, and Australian joint where one pays $18 for one choice of dish and ALL YOU CAN DRINK. Let's just say that i ended up being there for over 5 hours. So, now the H-Man is back, and the surprise he promised for the new year will be comin soon...) Big thanks to my Fam for flying me out for holidays, and to Dragon, Pantera, and Cok De Ridah for ridin so hard! And lastly, my three albums for 2009 that i am awaiting with impatience: Wale, Kid Cudi, and of course the return (relapse?) of Eminem!

Eric Sermon feat. Marvin Gaye

2009-01-11T04:40:00.000-08:00

druff druff druff

2009-01-10T04:02:00.000-08:00

Swoon Units

2009-01-10T00:32:00.000-08:00

just a lil somethin to keep you lyricly warm during these crispy cold days