Don’t get too excited — the acclaimed trio from North Carolina are unfortunately not reuniting. This track is from the vaults of Toronto-based producer and songwriter Bird, who became acquainted with 9th Wonder years ago. Bird so blown away by The Listening that he reached out to the 9th, resulting in Phone and Big Pooh linking up with Bird to record this track in Toronto.
This song will appear on Bird’s upcoming album La Notte (July 9).
When the trust is gone, everything falls else falls apart. Rapper Big Pooh details his issues with the whole “female friends” dynamic with a short video for his single off the Fat Boy Fresh Vol. 2 project.
Since Rapper Big Pooh missed Halloween by a mere 24 hours, the video for “They Say” brings the morbid storyline you’d expect for that macabre holiday. Justus League fam Joe Scudda and Chuandon also make appearances. Pooh’s Dirty Pretty Things album is available now on iTunes.
“Fat boy, look at all these niggas I have outrun…”
There was a time when remixes were a complete reworking of the original. Rapper Big Pooh brings that classic approach to his Dirty Pretty Things lead single “They Say.” While the original’s production had a more urgent, slightly ominous feel, this remix is smoothed out soul. Dirty Pretty Things drops on November 1.
I wanted to do a remix that felt like when Pete Rock or DJ Premier used to remix records, give it a whole new feel. As I was listening to the track and thinking about the message, I reached out to two legends from legendary groups who’s contributions and skills may have also been overlooked.
RAPPER BIG POOH X PHIFE DAWG X T3 “THEY SAY (LEGENDARY REMIX)”
DOWNLOAD LINK (RIGHT CLICK, SAVE TARGET AS)
Rapper Big Pooh and DJ Skillz have put together a 10 minute sampler of Pooh’s upcoming Dirty Pretty Things (November 1). There’s not much to complain about from what you hear; producers like Nottz and Focus supply good beats, the guests (Torae, Novel) are straight and the concepts (brotherhood, love) engaging. We’ll see if this is the project that gets Pooh out of the shadow of his former LB fam.
RAPPER BIG POOH “DIRTY PRETTY THINGS SAMPLER”
DOWNLOAD LINK (RIGHT CLICK, ‘SAVE TARGET AS’ SAVE)
D12 member Denaun Porter (Kon Artis) has built a solid brand through his production work under the name Mr. Porter. Over the years, his crafted joints for 50 Cent (“P.I.M.P.”), Eminem (Infinite album, “On Fire”), D12 (“Good Die Young”), Keyshia Cole (“Trifflin’”), Little Brother (“Extra Hard”), and others . But what fans didn’t know is back in 2008, he submitted a full tape’s worth of beats to Nas, in hopes of landing a placement on the Queensbridge emcee’s controversial Nigger album, which was later released as Untitled.
Yesterday (January 11), Porter dropped the nine tracks he submitted, complete with themes he felt would tie into Nas’s social commentary. Porter delved deeply into the project in hopes of rebounding from the painful losses he felt from the deaths of Proof and J Dilla.
How many people got a problem with the word NIGGA? So the reason I asked is, ’round the time Nas album was titled, I was submitting beats for it,” Porter wrote on Twitter. “This was also a good start to jump back into the game because after the tragedy of Proof and Dilla I wasn’t fucking with music. So while coming outta depression I made a beat cd for the Nigga album.”
“When I submit music to artist, I do an album worth of songs the way I hear the album and they pick what they like (yea it’s my OCD way of submitting music). Anyway, I’m gonna share that album with my fans and friends this morning. God sent snow today so since u niggas aint goin’ no where. Enjoy these beats that never saw the Nigga album.”
The tracklist and download link are listed below. On some joints I can hear why Nas would pass on them. But there’s definitely some heat that Nas could have used over a track like “World Go Round.” Case in point, check this sample beat.
MR. PORTER “EMOTIONS”
1. N*gga Intro
2. Beautiful Thang
3. Emotions 1
4. How Can I Leave Her
5. Emotions 2
6. Money
7. Smoking Gun
8. What Can I
9. N*gga Outro
Phonte shocked many fans this morning by posting the above Twit picture of himself and former Little Brother band mate 9th Wonder.
9th left the group over creative differences several years ago. After initially appearing like an amicable breakup, the facade soon ended after each side took to interviews to reveal the split had been less than civil. Just last year, Phonte and 9th Wonder engaged in a terse exchange of words on Twitter over comments 9th made about the breakup.
This reconciliation comes just a few short months after Little Brother did their “last” official show, held in Atlanta. Phonte and Rapper Big Pooh proclaimed they’ve taken the Little Brother brand as far as it can go, and will now focus on solo music and other collaborative projects. Debuting in 2003 to much critical acclaim, Little Brother recorded four albums: The Listening, The Minstrel Show, The Getback, and Leftback. The last two were released without 9th Wonder as a member.
With many feeling Little Brother created their best music with 9th in the group, some fans are now clamoring for a reunion project. But Phonte quickly played down the speculation, stating amends made with 9th focused solely on rebuilding their friendship.
“I appreciate the love for me and @9thwondermusic, but us mending our rift had nothing to do with music and everything to do with manhood,” Phonte Tweeted.
However, the Foreign Exchange frontman did not completely rule out future work.
“We may collaborate in time, but this is not the start of a LB reunion, as neither of us have interest in doing so. Sorry to disappoint,” Phonte clarified. “Our friendship began as Phonte Coleman and Patrick Douthit, long before a ‘LB’ or ’9th Wonder’ existed. This was about rebuilding that bond.”
At press time, 9th Wonder and Rapper Big Pooh have not publicly commented on the reconciliation.
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Great to see these brothers starting 2011 off correctly. This was a sad split, just as it was for Hip-Hop a decade previous when EPMD and Pete Rock & CL Smooth called in quits amidst controversy.
What is cool about this “reunion” is that it wasn’t over music. Too often, groups just get back together not because they miss their old friends, but simply because they can’t cut it solo. You can look at the recent Dipset reunion as a clear example. With 9th and Phonte, you can tell this was about getting right with each other. Musically, they’re both good and will continue having fine careers.
Now, that doesn’t mean we won’t ever see another Little Brother project. When they start hanging out again, they’ll inevitably start stopping by each other’s studio sessions. And when creatives get together in the studio, great things happen, and they’ll start feeling that old Little Brother magic.
Happy New Year, indeed.
We’re roughly 24 hours away from the 2010 edition of the A3C (All 3 Coasts) Hip-Hop festival. For years, the event draws the most talented emcees from all over the country, ranging from the established to those bubbling just under the surface. For only $33, you get three days worth of events with over 200 Hip-Hop artists gracing various stages. This year, the A3C has emcees like Big Sean, Killer Mike, Camp Lo, Rhymefest, 9th Wonder, Big Pooh, Jean Grae, Murs, and Kidz In the Hall.
Unlike most festivals this size, A3C places these rappers in very intimate settings. Fans are able to mingle with artists after their sets, and many emcees get to network with each other and watch their personal favorites. It’s a festival that was created for the Hip-Hop fan, and one that focuses prominently on the music. Also, the A3C has industry panels on journalism, beat-making, and music publishing with veterans who’ve excelled in their fields for years.
The A3C was a personal turning point for me. I attended my first one in 2008, and it literally changed my life. I had just begun my writing career, and still viewed it as just a hobby to supplement my income. But at A3C, I spent time with emcees like Wale, Jeru the Damaja, Roxanne Shante, Little Brother and the Clipse. I got to pick their brains and later be on stage with them. It was then that I realized what I wanted to dedicate my life to. And that was documenting the art I love and making sure the culture of Hip-Hop was written about with integrity.
And I haven’t looked back since.
So tomorrow, I’ll be back at the Masquerade reliving fond old memories, and creating some new ones. I hope that all of you around ATL come and join me. For tickets, detailed artist info and performance schedules, visit www.a3cfestival.com.
A3C FESTIVAL MIXTAPE PARTS 1 & 2
Download Part 1 of the Official 2010 A3C Mixtape here:
http://usershare.net/rs8wqqmorkr5
Track Listing:
1. 1982 (Statik Selektah & Termanology) ft. Bun B & Masspike Miles – “You Should Go Home”
2. Chaundon – “Y’all Don’t Want It”
3. Diamond District – “I Mean Business”
4. Aleon Craft – “Yoga Flame”
5. Mistah FAB ft. Lil Boosie & Yo Gotti – “Done It All”
6. Sha Stimuli – “Am I Different pt. 2″
7. Soul Khan ft. Akie Bermiss – “Fahrenheit”
8. Crooked I – “Everythang Dirty”
9. Cymarshall Law & Skit Slam (Everliven Sound) ft. El da Sensei – “Elements”
10. Punchline ft. Wordsworth – “Don’t Get Married”
11. Jean Grae ft. Styles P & Talib Kweli – “R.I.P.”
12. Killer Mike & T.I.P – “Ready Set Go”
13. RE ft. Short Dawg – “Feelin’ Some Kinda Way”
14. The Jacka ft. Andre Nickatina – “Glamorous Lifestyle”
15. Spectac & Amiri – “As If”
16. Senor Kaos ft. Fresh Daily – “You Couldn’t Relate”
17. Young Scolla – “Stare”
18. Thee Tom Hardy – “I’m Grinnin’”
19. Joe Scudda – “Open For Business”
20. Cloudeater – “Decade”
Download Part 2 of the Official 2010 A3C Mixtape here:
http://usershare.net/oudqatlz8dte
Track Listing:
1. Murs – “Are You Ready” (prod. 9th Wonder)
2. Homeboy Sandman – “The Carpenter”
3. J-Live – “Home Or Away”
4. Lyrics Born – “Something Better”
5. The Cool Kids – “I’m Mikey”
6. Boog Brown ft. Kenn Starr – “Play The Game” (prod. Apollo Brown)
7. Pac Div ft. Marz Lovejoy – “Shine”
8. Rapper Big Pooh & Roc C [The Young Americans] – “Set It Off”
9. Nappy Roots – “P.O.N” (prod. SMKA)
10. Rhymefest – “Mermaid”
11. Skyzoo & illmind – “Speakers On Blast”
12. STS – “Is You Wit Me”
13. FKi ft. Aleon Craft – “About Me”
14. Erk Tha Jerk – “Perfect Mistake”
15. Tanya Morgan – “So Damn Down”
16. Tomorrow, Yesterday – “Ladies Say”
17. TRUTHLiVE ft. Moe Green – “Ready Set Go”
18. Hezekiah ft. D.R.E.S. tha BEATnik – “Corn Bread”
19. Bobby Creekwater – “Shades On My Face”
20. El Prez ft. Shawn Chrystopher – “Push The Date Up” (prod. Shawn Chrystopher)
FESTIVAL 2009 (Rakim, Curren$y, Black Sheep)
A3C FESTIVAL 2008 (Wale, Little Brother, The Clipse)
“How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard…”
It’s no secret that Little Brother would be closing up shop this year. The critically acclaimed duo won’t stop making music, but Rapper Big Pooh and Phonte feel they have exhausted their musical spectrums within the confines of the group, and are now ready to explore new avenues of creative expression. So with that in mind, Friday night’s (September 3) Little Brother concert took on new meaning, as it was the final appearance of the click from North Carolina under the name that made them famous.
One of the realities for Hip-Hop fans is that these shows almost never start “on time.” Even with doors opening around 8pm, the show didn’t kick off until after 10pm. The openers featured a good mix of local ATL talent in 4IZE, Dillon, Binkis Recs and Senor Kaos, who also split his time as host to substitute for a sick Fort Knox. For about a good hour and a half the crowd was attentive and gave good energy to the strong boom bap centered performances. But once the time started to push towards midnight, the crowd became understandably restless. This was unfortunate for veterans Binkis Recs, who had to contend with a listless audience by the time they hit their stage for the last opening set.
The delay was mostly due to LB having to contend with the taxing road trip from North Carolina’s Raleigh-Durham area to Atlanta. On a good day, the trip can be about 7 hours if there’s no traffic. But that’s rarely the case. Many times commuters get locked in traffic around Charlotte, and despite leaving at 2pm the group found themselves hampered by traffic and didn’t make it to the venue until around 11pm.
But being stuck in a van for hours on end didn’t sap their energy. In fact, it had the opposite effect of making LB crash the stage with unleashed vigor and potency. They kicked off with “The Listening” and “For You” off their throwback debut The Listening. Because these songs were the offerings that introduced nearly everyone to Little Brother, they would consistently get the biggest crowd responses the entire night.
That didn’t mean you wouldn’t hear one of your favorites from their later albums. Little Brother did an exceptional job of giving a strong overview of their creative output over the last seven years. One second you could be vibing to “Tigallo for Dolo” off this year’s Leftback, or The Minstrel Show’s “Watch Me.” And the next minute you’ll be rocking to “Dreams” off 2007′s Getback. What also worked well was LB’s technique of mixing portions of their songs with other well-known Hip-Hop beats like B.IG.’s “Mo’ Money, Mo’ Problems.” This insured everyone remained engaged, as your expectations were heightened regarding how the duo would improvise their next selections.
“ATL from the bottom of my heart we love all of you,” Phonte said before signing his hat to give to the crowd and shaking every fan hand possible. “We did this venue in 2003 and were in the little room downstairs. Tonight we’re here and sold this motherfucker out! I thank each and every one of you for rocking with us all these years.”
When many of us begin our adult lives, we have ambitions to conquer the world. As the years mount along with life’s curve balls, some of us lose that vision but continue to try and live our lives honorably. In the end, we all hope our fleeting existence has made the world better on some level. Little Brother’s time as a collective had its controversy, as can be physically seen today by the absence of one its founding members. But they all can hold their heads high and know that Hip-Hop music was significantly strengthened by their presence . There would have been a significant void in the 2000s without them, and they’ve shown how far you can go in Hip-Hop culture with a genuine love of this music coupled with belief and dedication to your art.
Salutations to Phonte and Rapper Big Pooh. You’ve done yourselves proud and gave ATL an unforgettable sendoff.
Representatives for Atlanta’s A3C (All 3 Coasts) festival have confirmed over several artists for the upcoming three-day concert.
Earlier today the A3C Festival announced Camp Lo, Erick Sermon, Rhymefest, Homeboy Sandman, Diamond District and Da Beatminerz as main performers.
Their “Perfect Attendance” stage, which focuses on buzz-heavy artists from around the country, will have sets from Pac Div, Mickey Factz, Black Space, Jackie Chain, Skewby. In all, the stage expects to feature over 50 rising artists from around the country.
The concert performances will be accompanied by a producer battle, DJ competition, Pro-Audio demonstrations, a national break-dance competition and industry panels.
The A3C festival is entering its sixth year and has been the largest Hip-Hop festival in the southeast. Last year, the event hosted performances from Rakim, Killer Mike, Duck Down, Black Sheep, B.o.B., Curren$y, El da Sensei, and 9th Wonder.
In 2008, the event showcased the Clipse, Wale, Little Brother, Jeru the Damaja, and the Juice Crew.
The 2010 A3C event will run from October 7-9 at Atlanta’s Masquerade venue.
Three day passes for $33 are on sale now at www.a3cfestival.com. Special travel and ticket packages are available HERE.
Stay tuned to Beats, Boxing and Mayhem for more details as they become available.
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This will be my third year attending A3C. In 2008, I was a rookie journalist and interacting with the artists, promoters and fellow writers there inspired me to pursue this field full-time. And last year I had the pleasure of meeting the legend Rakim and building with Killer Mike.
To see all these artists for $33 is a steal! And if my memory serves me right this is actually a lower price than what it was the last two years.
For every Hip-Hop fan in Atlanta, this event is mandatory. For others, it’s well worth the trip if it’s in the budget.
