Doing what I do.

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Pump It Up.
November 1, 2009 – 1:01 pm | No Comment | submitted by Omar Ellis

I’m not gonna front and act like i was thirst for pumps when they dropped 20 (Really? Has it really been that long? I’m getting old man…) but I definably respect the fact that they’ve been apple to keep their legacy going for so long.

I’m obviously not the only who who recognizes this, as Reebok as teamed up with some of today’s biggest names to celebrate their iconic brand’s birth and London’s Spine TV produced and directed a short film that chronicles the anniversary.

The feature film drops at the end of this month. In the meantime here is the first of four short clips, this one featuring Boston’s own Bodega

I’ll get the others up as soon as they’re available. In the meantime, check out more info at Spine TV or Pump20.com.


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Brother, Brother.
September 23, 2009 – 11:26 am | One Comment | submitted by Omar Ellis

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I knew that two brothers started Adidas & Puma, but had no idea that there was a 60-year family feud behind that whole story. Now, after all this time, the two companies have squashed the beef, in the name of world peace. Check the details below, Courtesy of NYT

A war that began one day in 1948, with a bitter falling out that divided a community into two rival camps, finally came to an end this week after six decades with a symbolic handshake on a day devoted to world peace.

We are not, unfortunately, talking about this handshake, or the Arab-Israeli conflict, but about the mysterious falling out between two German brothers, Adi and Rudolf Dassler, who dissolved their successful family sneaker business 61 years ago, set up rival sneaker companies, Adidas and Puma, on opposite sides of a river in the small Bavarian town of Herzogenaurach, and refused to speak to one another for the rest of their lives. …

Check out a video on the whole story and the full NYT article here: Truce in Six-Decade Sneaker War.


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Well Cot Damn.
August 24, 2009 – 7:33 pm | Comments Off | submitted by Omar Ellis

Nothing more to say than that, really.

Props to Ian on this one.


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A Little Soul…
August 21, 2009 – 5:03 am | One Comment | submitted by Omar Ellis

…to take you into the weekend…

…enjoy it.


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Support.
August 12, 2009 – 5:13 am | Comments Off | submitted by Omar Ellis

I told you Anjulie’s story a few months back, and now with her album in stores, it’s only right that I let folks know.

To purchase the album on Amazon click here.

Check out the write up the NYT did on her album: Critics’ Choice – New CDs by Anjulie, Mindy Smith and the John Patitucci Trio – Review - NYTimes.com.

Also, the video for her debut single, “Boom,” was recently nomiated for breakthrough video at the VMAs. Check it out after the jump…

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True Hip-Hop Stories: Big Daddy Kane.
August 10, 2009 – 6:16 pm | Comments Off | submitted by Omar Ellis

I’m kind of kicking myself for not making it out to this show and kicking it at the crib instead. At least D was nice enough to bring his camera along to capture to moment. Check out the details…


Big Daddy Kane breaks down the making of Ain’t No Half Steppin.

The NYT was there to. Check out what they had to say: Returning Home, Big Daddy Kane Finds a Much-Changed Brooklyn – NYTimes.com.

And check out the other True Hip-Hop Stories here.


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Better Late Than Never: Another Part of MJ.
August 8, 2009 – 11:36 am | Comments Off | submitted by Omar Ellis
Another Part Of MJ, by LIl Dave

Another Part Of MJ, by LIl' Dave

Of my friends, the one of the best ears for music is probably DJ Junior, out of Philly. That being the case, it make perfect sense that his PNC, Lil’ Dave, is behind this MJ mix Another Part of MJ. I’ve been crazy busy lately, so I didn’t get a chance to check this out until today, but I’m glad I did. Check out the info below…

Ok. I know there a million Michael Jackson tributes out here right now. As much as I hate to be trendy, I felt the need to put something together anyway. I hope this mix stands out from everything else people are hitting you with. Instead of playing all the obvious classics we all know and love, I pulled together all the remixes, remakes, re-redits, b-sides, and demos I could find. The result is a mix of hiphop, reggae, house, samba, boogie, and of course soul…

Listen to it here…

Another Part of MJ

Or download it here: Another Part Of MJ, Mixed by Lil Dave.

For more music from Lil’ Dave & Junior, check out their podcast. Check out the tracklisting after the jump…

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The Emancipation of Dion (aka NO .I.D.).
July 18, 2009 – 9:07 am | Comments Off | submitted by Omar Ellis

Yes, I’m alive…

I think one of the most underated hip-hop producer’s today, and has been for a while, is Chicago’s NO I.D.  He’s been putting it down for YEARS, having come into the game with Common Sense, to mentoring Kanye West, to most reecently putting in work with Jay-Z on American Gangster and Blueprint 3 and it’s first single, “D.O.A.”  

That all said, I’m glad to see him starting get some mainstream shine. Check out a video below where he speaks on the making of “D.O.A.”…

Also, check out a link to a ‘greatest hits,’ compiled by yours truly, below….

Download: NO I.D. – A Sampler.

video via RapRadar.


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Been A Minute.
June 2, 2009 – 5:30 pm | Comments Off | submitted by Omar Ellis

It’s been a while since I’ve posted here last only cause I’ve been dealing with some stuff. It’s basically too long of a story, so I’ll leave it at that. Anyway, I figured I’d welcome myself back by bringing you the latest from Sparkle Motion. I haven’t listened to it yet, so I can’t fully cosign it, but based of the last two joints I think this one will do the trick. Check out the info below…

Ladies and gentlemen, prepare yourselves for the ultimate quiet storm: Sparkle Motion (DJ Yoda & TOBE$) are back with their latest mix “Slow Jamz Vol. 1″.

Sip on some Evelyn Champagne, take your pants off to Luther Vandross and get your sheets wet with some Keith Sweat – this mix is all about that classic-ass 80s Soul and R&B, carefully compiled to ensure your skip button takes a well-needed vacation.

Check out a link to download and the tracklisting after the jump. Also, be on the lookout for their next mixes Miracle Blendz Vol. 1 & Flight School Vol. 2….

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Wu-Tang Design Remix Project, Pt.1
May 8, 2009 – 3:52 am | Comments Off | submitted by Omar Ellis
OBD, Return To The 36 Chambers

OBD, Return To The 36 Chambers

I came across this the other day and felt it only right to share. Artist Logan Walters took on the task of redesigning some classic W-Tang Artwork and giving it the Blue Note Records feel. Peep the words from the man himself…

A little while ago I put a bunch of Wu-Tang (both group and solo) albums on my computer. 21 of them, in fact. I inherited some mild OCD from my mom, and as anyone who has seen my iTunes can attest to, it manifests itself in weird ways. I need to have decent-quality album art for every album on my computer, which currently equals over 90 gigs. The problem was that almost all of the Wu-Tang album art was horrible (ODB’s two albums being the only real exceptions) — no offense to the original designers, but as iconic as they might be they’re looking pretty dated these days. So, armed with inspiration from what Olly Moss and others are doing (as written about by me here, and later by Kottke here) and a book of Blue Note Records covers, I set out to remake all 21.

Check out all the artwork here or check out a few more designs after the jump…

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