25 Joints to Get U Through the Day #3

On this episode of 25 Joints we wanted to show not only the diversity but the soulfulness within Hip Hop. So many people think that Hip Hop is only hard-boom bap type beats and nothing else. And while the boom and bap is dope, so is the soulful side of the music. What I particualary like is the fact that cats can drop insightful and even revalutionary messages while keeping things melodic.

Stand out cuts for me this week include new music from Truth Universal who holds it down in the Big Easy. Dude comes with some firey lyrics, has a booming voice but can dig deep into his soul.. His song 'Gotta Luv' bears me out.

Soul Vibrations the new album from San Francisco dj/producer J-Boogie is incredible. Cuts like 'Together' featuring Oakland songstress Jennifer Johns and 'For Your Love' featuring Zumi of Zion I make you fall in love with Hip Hop all over again.

We went digging in the crates and pulled out some blasts from the past in the form of Midnight Voices featuring Muhammad Bilal from MTV's 'Real World SF' and his partner spoken word/playwright Will Power. We also rocked Tech 9ine's heartfelt song 'Rain' where he has his kids rapping. They do a damn good job.. we also rock Clever jeff who uses the name of his singing alter ego Lloyd Jones and comes across sounding like Al Green. Lastly we found an old Holy Hip Hop cut from Marky
J. The cut is called 'Right Revolution'.

A few more folks to check for are Indian Bambaataa. His song 'Broken promises' is nice as he drops a Native American perspective on Hip Hop and life in his neck of the woods. Ras Ceylon teams up with Intelligent Hoodlum aka Tragedy and shows us some East-West Coast unity on the song 'Damage' as they drop some political gems on social issues impacting the hood. Its off the new album 'Scientific Non-Fiction' which is masterpiece. We also have straight outta Seattle a trio of women who rep pretty hard on the song ' Life'. Its off the album put out by DJ B-Girl Chillz and features vocals from Laura 'Piece' Kelly and Toni Hill.

lastly we have some cool remixes to check including J-Dilla Meets Malcolm X by yours truly, Public Enemy Shut 'Em Down by the Functionist and Paris' escape From babylon (the Stokley Carmichael rmx)

01-KRS-One 'Hip Hop Has Yet to Speak'
02-Midnight Voices-'Heaven'
03-Mark J 'Right Revolution'
04-Indian Bambaataa 'Broken Promises'
05-J-Dilla 'J-Dilla Meets Malcolm X' (Anti American Grafitti)
06-Paris 'Escape From Babylon' (Stokley Carmichael remix)
07-Jazzy Jeff w/ Raheem DeVaughn 'My People'
08-J-Boogie w/ Zion I 'For Your Love'
09-Jessica Celious 'Doors'
10-Forgotten Sol 'The Stink'
11-Divine Styler 'Word Power'
12-Marco Polo w/ Masta Ace 'Nostalgia'
13-J-Boogie w/ Jennifer Johns 'Together'
14-DJ B-Girl w/ Laura 'Piece' Kelly & Toni Hill
15-Goapele 'It takes More'
16-Ras Ceylon w/ Tragedy 'Damage'
17-Public Enemy 'Shut 'Em Down' (Functionist rmx)
18-Tech 9ine 'The Rain Welcome Back'
19-Dahlak 'Rainbow on My Ceiling'
20-Tragedy Khadefy w/ Iman Thug 'I'd Rather Hustle'
21-Lloyd Jones 'Shining Star'
22-Laurena 'Keep Your Head Up'
23-Kellee Maize 'Hawk'
24-Truth Universal 'Gotta Luv'
25-Rico Pabon 'b4 My Time's Up'