Posts Tagged ‘Mass Appeal’
Dave East x Jay Electronica x 070 Phi – “No Hoodie” (Nothin’ To Lose)
January 10, 2020
DOPE!
Been a minute since I’ve been able to share some Hip-Hop for a cause. And this one is really worthy… and timely. Y’all know how cold it can get out there. Lyrically & poetically. But Hip-Hop cares. Showing and proving here. For the culture AND for those out in the cold. Read on.
Mass Appeal and non-profit organization, Hoodies For The Homeless, recruit Harlem rising star, Dave East and Hip-Hop heavyweight, Jay Electronica to release their first ever collaboration, “No Hoodie†(Nothin’ To Lose) ft. 070 Phi — now available on all streaming platforms. Together, the three artists join forces to create a compelling and passionate track as part of the ongoing initiative to tackle one of NYC’s greatest issues: homelessness.
http://www.hoodiesforthehomeless.com/
– Mass Appeal Records
DAVE EAST X JAY ELECTRONICA X 070 PHI – NO HOODIE (NOTHIN’ TO LOSE) [ITUNES]
– @ojones1
Posted in Activism, Hip-Hop, Music | 
Tags: 070 Phi, Dave East, Hoodies For The Homeless, Jay Electronica, Mass Appeal, Mass Appeal Records, No Hoodie, Nothin' To Lose | 
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Rhythm Roulette With Rockwilder (Video)
September 25, 2019
You know Rockwilder. You certainly know his work: Jay-Z’s “Do It Again”… 50 Cent’s “Do You Think About Me”. But now, see how Rockwilder met the blindfolded beatmaking challenge.
Mass Appeal’s #RhythmRoulette returns with a bang, as this special, Tracklib edition of the show stars none other than the producer Rockwilder, who has been crafting face-melters behind the boards for the better part of the last three decades.
– @ojones1
Posted in Hip-Hop, Producers, Series, Videos | Tags: Mass Appeal, Rhythm Roulette, Rockwilder, Tracklib Edition | No Comments »
Rhythm Roulette With Hit-Boy (Video)
June 26, 2019
Damn right they start this off with “Racks In The Middle” (produced by Hit Boy) playing. RIP Nipsey Hussle.
When Hit-Boy graced the stage of the legendary Watch The Throne World Tour in 2011, Jay-Z famously announced that Hit, producer of the Throne duo’s classic “N****s In Paris” record, was the only guest artist to do so to that point. It was a hell of an honor, especially for a non-vocalist, which Hit still was at the time.
Since then, the IE Inland Empire native has gone on a massive tear, producing arena-rocking anthems for the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Big Sean, Drake, the late, great Nipsey Hussle and more. And he’s done it all without making the same beat twice.
On this Guitar Center edition of ‘Rhythm Roulette,’ Hit-Boy brings that dexterity to the proving grounds.
Enjoy.
– Mass Appeal
– @ojones1
Posted in Hip-Hop, Producers, Series, Videos | Tags: Guitar Center Edition, Hit-Boy, Mass Appeal, Rhythm Roulette | No Comments »
Presenting Danny Clinch, One Of The Architects of “Illmatic†(Video)
May 15, 2019
When even the photographer knows it’s a classic… it’s a classic, son. Danny Clinch, visual storyteller, speaks on another storyteller, Nas, and his seminal work “Illmatic.”
The day of Nas’ “Illmatic” shoot, photographer Danny Clinch was given a simple run of show by the teenage emcee. “Let’s just walk around my neighborhood. My friends are gonna be there. We’re gonna sit in the park, drink gin and juice and smoke blunts. And you’ll photograph it.” The resulting images are nearly as iconic as the music itself. As #IllmaticXXV approaches, Clinch himself recalls the moment.
– Mass Appeal
– @ojones1
Posted in Hip-Hop, History, Interview, Series, Videos | Tags: Architects of Illmatic, Danny Clinch, Mass Appeal, The Architects of Illmatic | No Comments »
Presenting Miss Info, One Of The Architects of “Illmatic†(Video)
May 1, 2019
The 5 mics was right… There’s no person that this can’t touch.
YES! Speak on it, Shortie.
“It did not feel like something that was created in a boardroom. It felt like it was happening… like a storm.” The legendary Miss Info remembers penning her storied “5 mic” Illmatic review for ‘The Source’ under her “Shortie” moniker before the album was out in ’94. That moment changed two industries forever: Hip-Hop and Hip-Hop journalism.
– Mass Appeal
You did not think she was just a blogger, did you? Naaaah, son. Miss Info was Miss ‘It Thang’ in several circles back in the day. And she called it on “Illmatic,” declaring the LP worthy of a rare rating of 5 (out of 5) mics in THE Hip-Hop magazine of the era. Shortie aka Miss Info had the ear, demonstrating that early on, and earned the juice going forward. With such stripes in the game, you need to listen to her speak on this. Kind of ‘made’ a career for herself and Nassir.
– @ojones1
Posted in Hip-Hop, History, Interview, Series, Videos | Tags: Architects of Illmatic, Mass Appeal, Miss Info, Shortie, The Architects of Illmatic | No Comments »
Presenting L.E.S., One Of The Architects of “Illmatic†(Video)
April 30, 2019
Yeah, Nassir doing a live performance of singles from the Hip-Hop classic LP he birthed goes way beyond ‘Mass Appeal’… but the channel has it covered. Especially with post-event commentary from one the “Illmatic” LP’s architects, L.E.S.
“Man, when I heard he was performing it… I was actually like, ‘What is going on?’†L.E.S. remembers the night Nas immortalized ‘Illmatic’ in the annals of live music when he played the album at The Kennedy Center with the National Symphony Orchestra as his backing band.
– Mass Appeal
– @ojones1
Posted in Hip-Hop, History, Interview, Producers, Series, Videos | Tags: Architects of Illmatic, L.E.S., LES, Mass Appeal, The Architects of Illmatic | No Comments »
Presenting Jungle, One Of The Architects of “Illmatic†(Video)
April 25, 2019
He was like Frank Sinatra… a modern-day Frank Sinatra… I was in awe the whole time.
Up next, we hear from another of The Architects of Illmatic – Jungle. We’ve heard Nas actually shout his brother Jungle out on a record or two. Very interesting to hear what he has to say regarding the 25th birthday of the classic “Illmatic” LP.
Nas lost a backpack full of Illmatic rhymes in the midst of the recording process on the way to DJ Premier’s studio. His biological brother and collaborator, Jungle, remembers the bizarre sequence of events that followed—and much more…
– Mass Appeal
– @ojones1
Posted in Hip-Hop, History, Interview, Producers, Series, Videos | Tags: Architects of Illmatic, Jungle, Mass Appeal, The Architects of Illmatic | No Comments »
Presenting Faith Newman, One Of The Architects of “Illmatic†(Video)
April 24, 2019
We certainly felt that this was a classic in the making…
Wow. An actual A&R. You see kids ‘A&R’ stands for ‘Artist & Repertoire’… a term from a bygone era of the music business when there were folks (called A&R) whose jobs were to find talent, make them commercially viable (e.g. transform raw talent into something that makes cash registers ring), and act as liaison between the label and the artist all the while. Make no mistake, A&Rs work for the music label. So, while Faith was likely enamored with Nas’ talent from the jump, she had to see DOLLAR SIGNS when she thought of his potential back in the day. She had to BELIEVE in Nas as someone who the Hip-Hop world would willing to spend money – for labels to develop as an artist and marketable ‘product’ AND for fans to buy music and tickets.
How much did she believe in Nas, even BEFORE “Illmatic” was made? Well, she went to Queensbridge to get him back in the day. And… um… you can bet she ‘stood out’ when she did. Moreover, she put herself out there and took on high risk based on her belief in the future G.O.D.M.C.
And here she is, 25 years later, talking about how glad she was that she did.
Faith Newman signed Nas to Columbia Records in the fall of 1991, but even she couldn’t predict the heights he’d be taken to after the release of “Illmatic.” Heights that “probably none of us could imagine.”
– Mass Appeal
Indeed. But the streets knew, especially the bootleggers. Turns out Faith has spoken on that before… at length (see link here).
EARLIER POST: THE MASSIVE BOOTLEGGING OF NAS’ CLASSIC “ILLMATIC” ALBUM
Posted in Business, Hip-Hop, History, Interview, Producers, Series, Videos | Tags: Architects of Illmatic, Faith Newman, Mass Appeal, The Architects of Illmatic | No Comments »
Presenting Pete Rock, One Of The Architects of “Illmatic†(Video)
April 23, 2019
We all prayed that this would do well for him… We didn’t know… until it just hit people.
Pete Rock HAD to be part of “Illmatic” (because Hip-Hop history could NOT have unfolded any other way)! And fascinating to learn that Nas had to PUSH Pete to get vocals out of him for the project. Whose world is this? OURS! A Wonderfule Wide World Of Hip-Hop.
…paying homage to “The Architects of Illmatic” with exclusive interviews featuring photographers, producers, writers and members of Nas’ inner circle, including Pete Rock, the subject of today’s clip and the producer of one of the LP’s “signature” songs, “The World Is Yours.” The legendary producer remembers back to when he first heard the lyrics of the classic record. “Your heart just… you just feel it for him. This guy is ahead of his time.” Welcome to #IllmaticXXV Week.
– Mass Appeal
Posted in Hip-Hop, History, Interview, Producers, Series, Videos | Tags: Architects of Illmatic, Mass Appeal, Pete Rock, The Architects of Illmatic | No Comments »
Presenting Large Professor, One Of The Architects of “Illmatic†(Video)
April 19, 2019
Yes, Large Professor is right: “Illmatic†has stood the test of time AND Nas is that god on the mic. Nas is nice!
“We’re rocking off the same energy, and it stood the test of time.”
Large Professor reflects on God’s Son’s transformation from rugged youth to internationally renowned writer… and how the two aren’t mutually exclusive.
– Mass Appeal
– @ojones1
Posted in Hip-Hop, History, Interview, Producers, Series, Videos | Tags: Architects of Illmatic, Large Professor, Mass Appeal, The Architects of Illmatic | No Comments »
Presenting DJ Premier, One Of The Architects of “Illmatic” (Video)
April 18, 2019
Wow. “Illmatic” turns 25 years old on April 19th. When I realized that, at first, I was like, “Damn. I’m old.” But that seminal Nas project is a classic. Therefore, I’m not old… I’m a classic! Now I can enjoy watching Preemo speak on Nas’ classic LP as one of its architects.
(Don’t come for me. That’s just how it’s gonna be. End of beef. The tips are cooked!)
“Not the one that’s on the album. The one on the album is a remix.” During the making of Illmatic, DJ Premier made one version of “Represent,” then he heard what L.E.S. and Q-Tip did on “Life’s a B*tch” and “One Love” respectively. It sent him right back into the lab.
– Mass Appeal
– @ojones1
Posted in Hip-Hop, History, Interview, Producers, Series, Videos | Tags: Architects of Illmatic, DJ Premier, Mass Appeal, The Architects of Illmatic | No Comments »
Cantrell x Ezri x 070 Phi – “6 Rings” (Video)
April 5, 2019
Got three of the runners off Mass Appeal’s Starting 5 on the fast break; going in like they’re going for their championship rings! Shout to Chi-Town on this “6 Rings.”
Cantrell, Ezri, and 070 Phi stop the show yet again with the release of the “6 Rings†video from the Starting 5: Vol. 1 compilation. The trio hit the United Center in Chicago to pay homage to — and channel the greatness of — Michael Jordan during the Mass Appeal Starting 5 tour.
FASHAWN X STRO X EZRI X CANTRELL X 070 PHI – STARTING 5: VOL. 1 (ALBUM)
– @ojones1
Posted in Album, Hip-Hop, Videos | Tags: 070 Phi, 6 Rings, Cantrell, Ezri, Mass Appeal, Starting 5, Starting 5: Vol. 1 | No Comments »
Cantrell – “Know It’s Wrong” (Prod. By MiSCHiEFBOY x Lophiile x OPN SZN) [Video]
March 22, 2019
Cantrell doing the do, repping for Mass Appeal and Starting 5! And I like the visual treatment here; understated but powerful. “Know It’s Wrong” is alright with me.
CANTRELL – DEVIL NEVER EVEN LIVED
– @ojones1
Posted in Album, Hip-Hop, Videos | Tags: Cantrell, Devil Never Even Lied, DNEL, Know It's Wrong, Lophiile, Mass Appeal, MiSCHiEFBOY, OPN SZN, Starting 5 | No Comments »
Mass Appeal’s Starting 5 Cypher (Video)
March 5, 2019
Word? Sway tryna push up a crew on crew emcee battle in this? Any of these other labels wanna see these hyenas?? Hope so. I’d LOVE to see something like that for the citizens!
If you haven’t already RSVP’d (here) for that Starting 5 tour show tonight (in Atlanta)… this ought to do it!!
(Oh, Stro SNAPPED on this! Like always. All the dudes did the do.)
– @ojones1
Posted in Hip-Hop, Performance, Radio, Videos | Tags: 5 fingers of Death, Freestyle, Friday Fire Cypher, Mass Appeal, Mass Appeal’s Starting 5 Cypher, Starting 5, Starting 5 Cypher, Sway Calloway, Sway In The Morning, Sway In The Morning Show, Sway's Universe, SwaysUniverse, The 5 Fingers of Death, The Friday Fire Cypher, Tracy G | No Comments »
Event: See Starting 5 (Fashawn x Stro x Ezri x Cantrell x 070 Phi) Tomorrow For FREE. RSVP Now!
March 4, 2019
Dope! What a hookup!
The ‘new blood’ on Mass Appeal’s roster (you know, Nas’ label)… They have been touring the U.S. as the Starting 5, and the tour’s last stop is at Vinyl (Atlanta, Georgia) this Tuesday, March 5th. AND you can see Fashawn, Stro, Ezri, Cantrell, AND 070 Phi for the FREE.99!
All you gotta do is follow the link and RSVP. Go. NOW!
MASS APPEAL PRESENTS: STARTING 5 NORTH AMERICAN TOUR (RSVP FOR FREE ADMITTANCE TO MARCH 5TH SHOW)
Posted in EVENTS, Hip-Hop | Tags: 070 Phi, Cantrell, Ezri, Fashawn, FREE Show, Mass Appeal, RSVP, Starting 5, Stro | No Comments »
Rhythm Roulette With Maaly Raw (Video)
February 6, 2019
Maaly scored huge with so many source sounds to pick from as a result of his blindfolded wax pull. Albums though? I’m not mad, because he definitely made use of his gift given the gift of all those tracks to work with to make this beat. Really digging that last beat he made.
“I can kinda hear anyone rapping on this one right here.â€
Maaly Raw tried his hand at Mass Appeal’s famed #RhythmRoulette challenge. After strolling through New York City’s Good Records and selecting three albums at random, the Philly trap producer behind Lil Uzi Vert’s “Do What I Want†chops up a few beats on the spot. Utilizing the soundtrack to 1983’s ‘The Big Chill,’ John Cougar Mellencamp’s ‘Scarecrow,’ and Oscar Peterson’s ‘Put On A Happy Face’ the young producer locks in and delivers three unique beats.
– Mass Appeal
– @ojones1
Posted in Hip-Hop, Producers, Series, Videos | Tags: Maaly Raw, Mass Appeal, Rhythm Roulette | No Comments »
Cantrell – “Fo Five” (Prod. By MiSCHIEF BOY x Rahki) [Video]
January 31, 2019
Sh!t get scary like Freddy, no Fab 5.
Riding out to a nice beat, we get more of Cantrell to help bring in 2019 the right way with this one.
Following the release of his debut EP Stardust 2 Angels, Cantrell returns with a brand new video for “Fo Five†to kick off the year.
Directed by OPN SZN, “Fo Five†begins with a young man that is ostracized by his peers on the basketball court due to his ragged appearance. After a chance encounter, the Albany-native finds himself providing a helping hand and some much-needed guidance. The video is reflective of a culture dominated by material possessions rather than the person who sports them.
– Mass Appeal
– @ojones1
Posted in EP, Hip-Hop, Music, Videos | Tags: Cantrell, Fo Five, Mass Appeal, Mass Appeal Media, MiSCHIEF BOY, Rahki | No Comments »
Rhythm Roulette With Joji (Video)
December 26, 2018
Hmmm… Some weird elements to start. But when you hear Joji yell, “Game over!” you somehow know it’s all gonna turn out alright… for the most part.
“This sh*t goes hard, right?†Joji stepped into NYC’s Good Records with one goal, select three records at random and create a beat on the spot, adding his name to the long list of producers to have taken the #RhythmRoulette challenge. Equipped with The Moody Blues’ ‘Seventh Sojourn’ and two other albums from deep in the crates, the 88Rising artist and producer got really weird using Jimmy Castor Bunch’s “The Last Olé†to create a trumpet-driven beat that is certainly one-of-a-kind. Peep the video above and let us know how he did.
– Mass Appeal
– @ojones1
Posted in Alternative, Dance, Hip-Hop, Producers, Series, Videos | Tags: Joji, Mass Appeal, Rhythm Roulette | No Comments »
Rhythm Roulette With Sango (Video)
December 13, 2018
You know how this goes: Sango puts on the blindfold, picks three disks and ‘tries’ to make some musical magic happen. So…okay, he ain’t really ‘trying’ because Sango is a Jedi at this. There is no try… only do!
After selecting three albums at random from Seattle’s Holy Cow Records, the versatile producer enters the lab and crafted two beats just for us. Chopping up the soundtrack to Richard Pryor’s ‘Blue Collar,’ and even creating hi-hats from vocals on Countess Cathleen, Sango makes it look easy.
– Mass Appeal
Got a couple of ‘cheat codes’ for this round of the game, but we’ll let it pass because the finished product bangs!
Posted in Hip-Hop, Producers, Series, Videos | Tags: Mass Appeal, Rhythm Roulette, Sango | No Comments »
Styles P And Adjua Styles Sip The Juice With Dave East (Video)
November 5, 2018
Knowledge and health. True wealth. On this ep of ‘Juice Appeal’ they speak on things like that with “Beloved” bredren Dave East.
This week on Juice Appeal, it’s the ‘BELOVED’ duo! New York rappers extraordinaire Dave East and Styles P head to Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn to sit down at P’s juice shop with the honorable Adjua Styles for a casual convo on the heels of the release of Dave & Styles’ well-regarded joint album, ‘Beloved,’ the first dual effort between the two. Expect nothing but gems as they discuss their eating habits, the general direction the “game†is heading in & much more.
– Mass Appeal
DAVE EAST X STYLES P – BELOVED (ALBUM)
– @ojones1
Posted in Business, Food, Hip-Hop, Human Interest, Instrumental, Product, Series, Videos | Tags: Adjua, Adjua Styles, Dave East, Health, JUICE APPEAL, Juices, Mass Appeal, Styles P | No Comments »
