Producer Derek Smith of Pretty Lights

Calling all Sound Tribe fans…

Check out DJ and drummer duo Pretty Lights. Based out of Fort Collins, Colorado, Pretty Lights bring beats that will get both jam band addicts and electro freaks to their feet.

If you’re expecting to see them at your local club, make sure you get tix ahead of time. Their shows usually sell out, regardless of location.

Common Market is a Seattle based hip hop group. Its comprised of MC RA Scion and DJ/Producer Sabzi. Sabzi gained some notoriety with his previous and current group Blue Scholars (more of that coming on this blog soon). Both Scion and Sabzi began recording tracks in 2002, but they formed Common Market in 2005.

This track comes off the album Tobacco Road, which they then stated on a Seattle radio station was going to be released on ‘Your Mom’s 50th Birthday’

I wish I was listening to that radio show…

One of the most relaxing hip hop tracks I can ever remember listening to.

People Under The Stairs, often referred to as PUTS, are an underground Hip Hop group from LA. They were formed in the late 90s, but their style is a tribute to many of the early 90s Hip Hop groups, such as Tribe, Pharcyde, De La Soul, and Digable Planets.

They’ve released four albums to date. Let’s hope they’ve got more coming.

As to what they’re doing under the stairs… let’s leave that one open to interpretations..

One of the most influential Hip Hop groups of all time, A Tribe Called Quest was one of the first Hip Hop groups to start experimenting with fusing Jazz and Hip Hop in the late 80s and early 90s. In regards to this style, they’re often in the same sentence as De La Soul and the Digable Planets.

Formed in 1988, Tribe consists of three core members, plus a fourth who left the band after their first album, but has since rejoined the group in 2006.

Give it up for Q-Tip, Phife Dawg, and Ali Shaheed who have been the three guys behind Tribe since their first tracks. Jarobi White has been the fourth member of the group.

This track was also featured on the Boiler Room soundtrack (one of my favorite movie soundtracks of all time)

If I don’t find some remix of this song soon, I might just take up DJing on my own.

Pase Rock blends electro and hip hop. Check him out especially if you are an M.I.A. fan. Not sure if he brings as much spandex to his shows though.

I haven’t listened to any feel-good Sudanese Hip Hop in a while.

Emmanuel Jal blends socially conscious lyrics, catchy rock licks, and some complex African style drum beats to create a unique sound.

What makes his accomplishments even more impressive is his personal background. Born in Sudan, Emmanuel’s mom was killed by civil war fighting at the age of 7, and his dad joined one of the ‘people’s’ armies. He was then forced into becoming a child soldier in Ethiopia before running away, and then found by a British aid worker who smuggled him into Kenya.

In Kenya, Emmanuel discovered music.

Learn more about Emmanuel Jal here.

He’s also the focus of a new documentary War Child which tells the story of his life.

A song about Sunday that can be listened to pretty much any day of the week, Sunday Morning is a popular track by singer/MC/rapper K-OS.

Pronounced ‘chaos,’ K-OS can stand for either ‘Knowledge of Self’ or ‘Kheaven’s Original Sound.’ K-OS has offered both explanations in interviews, such as this one.

Born in Toronto, Canada in 1972, K-OS was the son of Trinidadian Jehovah’s Witnesses, and spent some of his childhood on that Island.

Jams Similar to K-OS Sunday Morning:

Rhymefest- Bullet
Pigeon John – The Last Sunshine

This is a YoCheckThisJam classic. It comes off their album Very Mercenary released in 1999.

One of the premier Trip Hop groups ever, Herbaliser takes old school hip hop beats from such acts as Sugar Hill Gang and The Jungle Brothers, and fuse them with funk and jazz tracks. I wouldn’t be surprised if they had sampled a Topaz saxophone track at some point. Some lucky MCs get to showoff their lyrical prowess on select tracks by Herbaliser as well. For this jam Road of Many Signs Herbaliser samples The Dream Warriors, a Toronto based Hip Hop group.

Recommended places to listen to this song: Driving (especially as a change of pace from metal bands like The Black Tide) hanging out at a lounge or coffee shop, or while watching a Guy Richie movie.

From their latest album, From the Corner of the Block, Think Back also features the charismatic Chali 2na on vocals, formerly of Jurassic 5 fame.

The featured artists on Galactic’s latest record reads like an all-star lineup of Hip Hop greats, including Mr. Lif, Gift of Gab, Lyrics Born, Ladybug Mecca, Boots Riley, and Juvenile. These artists were and are currently members of The Roots, Blackilicious, Jurassic 5, and Digable Planets, not to mention their solo efforts.

Since their inception in 1994, Galactic has been bridging the gap between jazz and funk and more contemporary styles of music such as hip hop and electronic. Drummer Stanton Moore often loops his drum tracks, while the rest of the six piece band lays down the perfect jams for lyrical work on top.

Originally from the Washington DC area, Galactic’s founding members, bassist Robert Mercurio and guitarist Jeff Raines, were heavily influenced by the New Orleans Jazz and Funk scenes while attending Tulane College. Thus was the inspiration for Galactic.

Seeing this band live is a must for any funk or hip hop fan too.

For More Soul:

Listen to Madcon – Beggin

For a More Relaxing Feel:

Listen to Rhymefest – Bullet

Mike Skinner is back and this is the title track off of his upcoming album Everything is Borrowed.

Its nice to listen to new tracks by The Streets who have seen their relaxed wordplay copied by many recent artists, such as Just Jack.

This is a new style of Hip Hop that has emerged over the last couple of years. Run DMC must be turning over in their graves somewhere – possibly at their lawyer’s office, wondering why all of their loans are defaulting and why their once trophy wives have half of all of their earnings.