Diggin' In These Crates For A Phat Remix

In a random act of genuine kindness, the man JT recently asked me to offer a contribution to Retrospectives Month at Feed Me Good Tunes. After a bit of discussion, he and I decided that I would cover the music of Madlib for my part in the series. I dropped a little bit of knowledge, and we incorporated a generous number of mp3s into the post. Things turned out rather well, if I do say so myself. Take a second to check out the final result of our collaborative efforts...

My Mental State's More Great Than The Lakes...

..."I'm Superior, it's Erie how I breaks."

Today's title and quote come to you courtesy of none other than Masta Ace. To hear my friend Boogs at The Sole Life tell it, this man is one of the most criminally underrated MCs in the history of hip-hop. Read his argument here, and download the two mp3s he presents as evidence---"Sittin' On Chrome (Rockaway Ave Mix)" and "4 Da Mind" (w/ The Cella Dwellas).

Berkeley Place also recently posted several tracks by Masta Ace as part of a series of posts paying tribute to "conscious" hip-hop artists. Other artists featured include The Coup, Lupe Fiasco, and Saigon.

Download "Angel of the Morning" by Nina Simone at Keep The Coffee Coming.

Ratatat remixes of songs by Jay-Z ( The Rich Girls Are Weeping), Ghostface (callmeMICKEY), and Kanye West (disco-not-disco)are available at various locations on the internets.

Visit Looking at Them to download a few quality mp3s---"What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)?" (Junior Walker & The All Stars), "Bring It on Home to Me" (Sam Cooke), and "The Blues Had A Baby and They Named It Rock and Roll" (Muddy Waters).

If you like soul, gospel, and/or the blues, you can't be without "Trouble" by Dorothy Love Coates. Fortunately, all you need to do is Get On Down With The Stepfather Of Soul!.

An abundance of sites are offering tracks from Game Theory, the upcoming LP by The Roots. Spine Magazine posted "In the Music" and "Clock With No Hands". I'm On Next is featuring their tribute to J Dilla---"Can't Stop This". Lastly, head over to Straight Bangin' to cop the album's title track. This record will be coming out next month---buy the damn thing!!!

Hear this---an audio interview with Boots Riley of The Coup via Minnesota Public Radio.

Yet another great post is up at Chasing Red. Download tracks by John Coltrane, RZA, Charlie Parker, Jaylib, ATCQ, BT Express, Digable Planets, The Jackson 5, and more.

This has to be one of the best online museums I've ever seen: Blue Note: Over 1000 Great Jazz Album Covers.

A few Talib Kweli mp3s are available by way of Metro Distortion. Download "Around My Way" (w/ John Legend), "I Try" (w/Mary J Blige), "A Game", and "Ghetto Show" (w/ Common and Anthony Hamilton).

Cop "Raspy Shit" by Pharrell, "Money Maker" by Ludacris (w/ Pharrell) and "What It Do (Wamp Wamp)" by The Clipse (w/Slim Thug) at Am I High?.

At disco-not-disco you can download "Are You My Woman (Tell Me So)" by The Chi-Lites. This song should be familiar to everyone and their llama, thanks (?) to Beyonce/Jay-Z's "Crazy in Love".

I felt favorably towards John Legend's song "Save Room" when I first copped it at Analog Giant. However, after reading Mr. Wang's perspective on the track, my listening experience has been...well...tainted.

DJ Premier Planet is featuring Bahamadia's joint
"True Honey Buns (Dat Freak Shit)".

This week's Sample Wednesday at Palms Out Sounds featured songs sampled in joints by Redman and Method Man. Download mp3s by James Brown, The Dramatics, Silver Connection, Jerry Butler, Gloria Gaynor, Keni Burke, The Emotions, and more.

I wasn't familiar with Carmel until this post at The Number One Songs In Heaven, but I've been listening to "Bad Day" ever since.

Al Green's "Love and Happiness" has been sampled on countless hip-hop joints. You can currently download it at Miblog Weighs A Ton, along with several tracks that it inspired---"Painkillers" (Cannibal Ox), "The Bush" (Special Ed), and "Go Out and Get It" by (De La Soul).

Props to Fletch at Rebel To America for blessing us with Large Professor's "Out All Night". Perfection.

Ben at The Mark Out impressed the hell out of me by posting those live Wu-Tang Clan/El Michels Affair tracks. Do not be to stupid to cop these...please.

Finally, Ian at Notes from a Different Kitchen proposes the question of the hour: "Holy smokes...have we in fact entered the beginning of World War III ?".

Reality Used To Be A Friend Of Mine

People who know me on a personal level already know how I am about my record collection. You could pee on one of my relatives, and I probably wouldn't give a damn, but if you handle one of my albums carelessly, I might just have to cut you. I have music in every format you can possibly imagine, but I'm especially partial to my vinyl for a couple of reasons. For one thing, I love the warm scratchy sound of an old record, while the crisp, clean sound of compact discs doesn't even begin to touch that emotion. When you play an album bearing scratches and grooves, it often generates a sense of nostalgia. When a disc has a scratch, on the other hand, it's usually time to throw it out the window. Additionally, I'm inexplicably drawn to the cover art on many of my favorite records. When I was short and unimportant (i.e. childhood), I sometimes used to pull all of my records off the shelf, and just sit and stare at them for hours. Some would consider this a hallmark of insanity, and I can't say for sure that it's not. Regardless, I feel much more connected to the covers of my albums than I ever have my CDs. I partially attribute this to the somewhat sterile and mass-produced packaging of compact discs, but I also think part of my opinion is related to my age. If you haven't gotten there already, there will come a time in your life when you reminisce on "the good old days", and everything happening today will appear to be shit. I guess I've finally reached that pivotal point in the cycle of my existence. Is it just me, or did Kentucky Fried Chicken used to taste good?

Anyway, don't get it twisted---I'm not too senile to recognize that a lot of old school records had atrocious covers, while some contemporary musical artists and groups continue to put a lot of time, thought, effort, and creativity into the outward appearance of their recordings. However, if one is to speak generally, it's relatively safe to say that cover art today is largely boring and uninspired. Back in the day, when Millie Jackson put a picture of herself on a toilet on the cover of her album, the visual was arguably hideous, but it was considerably entertaining, nonetheless. On the other hand let's assess the appearance of 50 Cent's Get Rich Or Die Trying. Unless you're a teenage girl, is there really any reason to look at the cover of that LP any longer than necessary? Probably not. And what about the damn No Limit army? I hate to single those artists out, but I remember thinking that their records somehow epitomized and symbolized the death of an art form.

{If your name is 50 Cent, please don't take this to mean that I'm encouraging any photo sessions in the little boys' room---I'm definitely not}.

Unlike the majority of my rambling, stream-of-consciousness "essays", this one actually has somewhat of a point---or two. I actually started thinking about this subject the other day when I was organizing some of the stuff in my collection, and I was checkin' out some of my Funkadelic records. They employed some genuinely dope cover art to match the funkiness of the music within---don't you agree? Once I started that thought process, my "maggot brain" just kinda started flowin' with the rest. I found a few links that seemed relevant enough to support the concept---and the rest is history,so to speak:

All funk fans in da house should head over to short term mp3 loss, where you can acquire mp3s by Funkadelic, Ann Sexton, Brass Construction, Tony Alvon & The Belairs, The People's Choice, and James Young & The House Wreckers.

Random is featuring a stellar selection of tracks by artists such as Bootsy Collins, The Delfonics, The Stylistics, Isaac Hayes, The Dramatics, and more.

A list of the 100 worst album covers ever. As always, Millie Jackson's "pot shot" makes the grade.

Speaking of Ms. Jackson, you can download her song "It Hurts So Good" courtesy of to die by your side.

Before I venture too far away from the mothership, let me drop a few Funkadelic videos on your dome:

Live MTV performance footage. Few things are as amusing as a grown man playing a musical instrument in a diaper.

Some vintage advertising for Parliament and Funkadelic-related albums/items.

Mary J Blige performing "One Nation Under A Groove" and "Atomic Dog" live with the group. This one's for my friend Kim.

Head over to The Funk Store to satiate even more of your audio/visual desires.

Now for some things relevant to Planet Earth:

At The Sole Life, you can download two classic joints by the Roots---"It's Comin'", as well as their remix of Sweetback's "Au Natural", featuring Bahamadia.

At Funky 16 Corners , you can download quite a few mp3s by a variety of "soul sisters" in one compressed file. It's an impressive collection of tracks, including songs by Erma Franklin, Thelma Houston, Lyn Collins, Tina Turner, Gladys Knight, and many other other fine musical artists of the female persuasion.

Cop a few Nas freestyles (representin' various points in his career) at Rebel To America.

I realize this may completely demolish my nonexistent street cred, but I can't help the fact that I genuinely liked both this song by Baz Lurhmann, and this one by P.M. Dawn. At least I know I'm wack...

...But not quite as wack as Ice-T saying he's going to astonish us with David Hasselhoff's rhyming skills , and expecting us to believe it. Somebody needs a pink slip and a hospital gown, but I'm not sayin' who.

Cop "Older Gods" by Wu-Tang Clan via disco-not-disco.

And while we're on a religious tip, this Big Religion Comparison Chart guarantees to make your spiritual awareness levels rise within a matter of seconds.

Two classic joints by Charizma and Peanut Butter Wolf are available at just like music.

If you like Leon Thomas, or you still need to get familiar, hit up Ear Fuzz to download "L-O-V-E" and "Let's Go Down To Lucy".

Cop "Biggie Got the Hype Shit (Demo)" at The Mark Out.

As if having HIV wasn't harsh enough, Gil Scott Heron is currently facing 2-4 years in prison for leaving a rehab facility that wouldn't supply his meds.

For all your rollerblading/rollerskating needs---jams by De La Soul and Vaughan Mason and Crew are available at Banana Nutrament.

Gasoline prices just hit their highest point this year. Too bad I sold my stupid moped for about 50 bucks fifteen years ago.

Download "Funky Rhymin'" by Edan at sneakmove .

In case you ain't heard, Rhymefest is the dude who co-wrote "Jesus Walks" with Kanye West. Check out his joint "Devil's Pie" at stereogum.

If I forgot anything, I'm sincerely and terribly fuckin' sorry. I have to get up in several hours to do the whole day job thing, so I'm ghost for now. Be easy, peoples...

"Conservatives are not necessarily stupid people, but most stupid people are conservatives."---John Stuart Mill

"Truth is powerful and it prevails"---Sojourner Truth

"Reality can be beaten with enough imagination"---author unknown

"I have forced myself to contradict myself in order to avoid conforming to my own taste."---Marcel Duchamp

Everybody Move To The Back Of The Bus

If you're a hip-hop fan who spends a lot of time cruisin' around the internets, then you probably already noticed that two new Outkast mp3s ("Idlewild Blues" and "Morris Brown") have appeared on quite a few sites/blogs this past week. In reading comments posted by other visitors, I was marginally surprised by the high volume of negative feedback on the musical direction that the group has taken in recent years. A lot of people remarked that they had hated Outkast since Stankonia, while others expressed the sentiment that "they've sucked since Andre 3000 went all Prince and shit". I'm familiar with this mentality, because for example, most of my friends who like Goodie Mob would rather put a chainsaw in their ass than listen to Gnarls Barkley.

There are obvious reasons why Outkast may be pushing a lot of rap fans past their collective comfort zone, but hopefully that fact alone isn't the overriding reason why so many people are dissing them now. If hip-hop is to survive as a viable art form, it definitely needs room to breathe outside of the parameters and constraints that many heads seek to impose on it. Too narrow of a vision of hip-hop will enslave its future possibilities, and literally, will leave it permanently seated at the very back of the musical bus. As much as I have disliked the direction that some of my favorite artists and groups have gone (can I get a Black Eyed Peas up in here?), I still accept that change is a necessary part of music's evolution. I might end up using some of Madlib's more abstract side project CDs as coasters, but I respect the man's right to go with the flow of his creative process. If artists aren't allowed this freedom, the possiblity of encountering anything wonderfully original is all but erased.

It's usually much more annoying to me when musicians turn their success into a formula that they recycle into infinity for the sake of guaranteed sales. That concept has seriously injured pop music in general, and to say that commercial rap is in jeopardy of becoming just as generic is a magnificent understatement.

Admittedly, I don't prefer either of of these joints to most of the material on Aquemini or ATLiens. I'm still working on a final verdict, but it doesn't really matter, because you should form a conclusion of your own. You may genuinely hate these songs, but if you do, hate them because you think they suck, and not because they just ain't "Rosa Parks".
"Idlewild Blues" and "Morris Brown" are both currently available for download at Nah Right.

At Dj Premier Planet, you can currently download the Gang Starr joint "DJ Premier in Deep Concentration".

A handful of Gang Starr videos to help you pass the time:
"Manifest"
"Dwyck"
"You Know My Steez"
"Step in the Arena"
"Code of the Streets"
"Jazz Thing"
Yo! MTV Raps appearance w/ Nice & Smooth

Mars Needs Guitars is featuring an extensive collection of classic reggae tracks by the likes of Bob Marley, The Upsetters, Slim Smith, Junior Bytes, The Untouchables, and more.

A lot of people hate mash-ups, and at least as many people are tired of hearing Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy" get rehashed in all sorts of unspeakable ways. Despite this fact, when Dave Nada blended the most-talked-about-song-so-far-this-year with Angie Stone's "Wish I Didn't Miss You", the end result was reasonably satisfying. Cop it via Analog Giant.

Ever heard of Rashid Hadee? If not, you aren't alone in your ignorance. Briefly, he's one-half of the hip-hop duo Chapter 13, and he's produced tracks for artists like Common and Special Ed. He names several A-list producers as his primary influences---Dr. Dre, Pete Rock, Madlib, and DJ Premier, just to name a few. Son may not quite be at that level quite yet, but he definitely has some gems in his discography. You can score several free joints (featuring his beats and rhymes) at Download.com.

If you've never heard "Souvenirs" by Bettye LaVette, you need to Get On Down With The Stepfather of Soul!

Nordy just did a great post over at Miblog Weighs A Ton, featuring a track from De La Soul's new Mission Impossible mixtape---"Freestyle (Dat Shit) 2006". The joint is a remake of Diamond D's hip-hop cult classic "Freestyle (Yo, That's That Shit)", which is included in the post along with the George Benson song ("Footin' It") that provided the foundation for both of these joints.

In another recent post at MWAT, you can cop yet another Mission Impossible gem---"What the Fuck #3 (De La Slow)". This one is accompanied by The Beastie Boys' "Flute Loop", as well the original song that both groups sampled---"Flute Thing" by Blues Project. Link up with these joints here.

If you like Eddie Bo half as much as I do, be sure to check out "Hook and Sling" at Soul Sides.

Once again, Sample Wednesday at Palms Out Sounds offered a generous selection of mp3s. The featured artists this week were Raekwon and Ghostface. Download mp3s by Luther Ingram, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Syl Johnson, O.V. Wright, The Emotions, Teddy Pendergrass, and Black Ivory.

More sample goodness is available at Recidivism. This particular post includes "Cold Sweat" and "There Was A Time" by James Brown, as well as Chubb Rock's "Treat 'Em Right", which featured a sample of the latter track.

Download "Long Time" by The Roots (feat. Peedi Peedi) at The Rap Up. By the way, the whole Peedi Peedi thing isn't nearly as bad as it seems.

I can't urge you strongly enough not to sleep on these two tracks---cop "Drunk Man" (Eddie Harris) and "Loose Booty" (Sly & The Family Stone) at short term MP3 loss.

Download "Hot Pants (I'm Coming, Coming, I'm Coming)" by Bobby Byrd via disco-not-disco.

A few things in honor of Independence Day:

Don't sleep on the holiday post over at Trees Lounge, including over 700 songs about 23 of the 50 states. Download tracks by Louis Armstrong, Outkast, Alicia Keys, Solomon Burke, Ray Charles, Kool & The Gang, Public Enemy, Muddy Waters, Dr. Dre, The Jackson 5, Ella Fitzgerald, Irma Thomas, James Brown, The Meters, and many, many, many, many more.

Marvin Gaye's rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner" is available at Living In Stereo.

While it's not for the easily offended, I still find my own post from July 4, 2005 to be relatively amusing. I think I may have only had about 3.4 readers back then, and one of them was my goldfish, Killer. Ego's a bitch, kids...

Making Nature Against The Law

If you've never had the pleasure, I would highly recommend smokin' a tree in a tree. I can only hang out here for a short while, because otherwise, the natural enemy of the marijuana plant (conservative Republicans) will eventually force me out of my state of euphoria. They are extraordinarily talented at fuckin' up my fun---and I think they know it.

In the meantime, I'm leaving you with some exemplary linkage to occupy and satisfy---at least until my ass can move up off of this here branch:

From the polo fleece to the jesus piece is featuring a couple of joints from J Dilla's pending release, The Shining. Cop "E=MC2" (w/Common) and "Baby" (w/Madlib and Guilty Simpson): http://jesuspiece.blogspot.com/2006/06/ez-like-mathematics.html.

My friend Havas at A Three Minute Record just posted a noteworthy selection of hip-hop mp3s the other day. Download tracks by The Beatnuts, Pep Love, Black Moon, The Roots, NWA, Del, J-Live, OC, Pharoah Monch, J-Zone, Doug E. Fresh, and probably one or two others I forgot to mention: http://athreeminuterecord.com/2006/06/perfect.html.

For some quality soul/gospel recordings, head over to The Daily Growl, where you can download songs by Aretha Franklin ("Lee Cross"), Clarence Smith ("Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child"), and Voices of East Harlem ("New York Lightning"): http://thedailygrowl.blogspot.com/2006/06/soul-gospel-sunday.html.

Download yet another fine Primo-laced track, Brand Nubian's 'The Return" at DJ Premier Planet: http://djpremierplanet.blogspot.com/2006/06/track-tastebrand-nubian.html.

FPSA is offering two politically-charged tracks by Immortal Technique---"Harlem Streets" and "One (remix)", feat. Akir:
http://fpsa.blogspot.com/2006/06/uproot-you-with-evil.html.

At Lil Mike's Last Known Thoughts & Random Revelations, you can cop a few Ghostface instrumentals---"Assassination Day", "Camay", and "Wildflower". Also, download the instrumental of 9th Wonder's mix of "December 4th" (Jay-Z):
http://lilmikesf.blogspot.com/2006/06/blogospheric-high-pressure-front.html.

Download "Summer Madness" by Kool & the Gang, courtesy of my dude Obi at Soul on Ice. Those Terri Walker tracks he posted are pretty damn nice, too: http://obifromsouthlondon.blogspot.com/2006/06/akwaaba.html.

Do you think it would be difficult to distinguish the ridiculous shit that Ann Coulter says from the ridiculous shit that Adolf Hitler used to say? Take this quiz to see how adept you are at separating quotations by the two: Coulter vs. Hitler .

I don't know about you, but "Solitude" has always been one of my favorite Billie Holiday songs. Luckily, you can download it at Chasing Red, along with other tracks by Miles Davis, Jimmy Cliff, Fats Waller, De La Soul, Sam Cooke, Ahmad Jamal, and more;
http://chasingred.livejournal.com/162008.html?mode=reply.

Diddy Wah often posts some stellar song choices, and right now, one of them is Wilson Pickett's version of "Hey Joe": http://diddywah.blogspot.com/2006/06/way-it-was.html.

At Eric's Archives, you can currently cop quite a few joints blessed by
legendary production crew Da Beatminerz:
http://ericsarchives.blogspot.com/2006/06/brothers-and-beatminerz.html.

In related news, The Broke BBoys are featuring a couple of joints from Boot Camp Clik's upcoming release, The Last Stand---"Yeah" and "Trading Places":
http://brokebboys.wordpress.com/2006/06/20/boot-camp-clik-takes-the-last-stand/.

The Stepfather of Soul recently posted two quality tracks by Bobby Blue Bland ("Farther On Up the Road" and "God Bless the Child That's Got His Own"), as well as Little Milton's "More and More":
http://stepfatherofsoul.blogspot.com/2006/06/get-on-down-with-bobby-bland-from.html.

You can cop a couple of Nas joints at Rebel to America right now---"Hardest Thing to Do Is Stay Alive" and "You Don't Know". Musically speaking, these tracks are incredibly similar, but Escobar made both songs unique by spitting different rhymes on each of them : http://escobartheory.blogspot.com/2006/06/escobar-season-pt-iii.html

If you've ever taken acid (or any other psychedelic drug, for that matter), you may have a special appreciation for this particular link. Check out "The Surreal, Fantastic Realism, Psychedelic & Visionary Artists of the 21st Century Gallery of Links:
http://surrealartforum.com/artlinks.htm.
Some of these works of art are amazing, while some of them may have you sleeping in your mommy's bed for a few nights, until the bad dreams and the closet monster finally disappear. Since I have no way of knowing how thuggish you are, you have to enter at your own risk...

Another soul song I have much love for is "Four Walls" by Eddie Holman, which is currently available at The Number One Songs In Heaven. You may also want to give "Keeper of the Castle" (The Four Tops) a spin, as well as Maurice & Mac's "You Left the Water Running": http://www.londonlee.com/2006/06/keep-on-moving.html.

Download "Oh No" by Chuck D at short term MP3 loss:
http://cousincreep.com/shorttermmp3loss/?p=66.

Cop "Lonely Avenue" by Ray Charles and "I Want to Be Your Mother's Son-in-Law" by Macy Gray at The Late Greats:
http://staergetaleht.blogspot.com/2006/06/saturday-spotlight-on-soundtracks-from_24.html.

I've said it before---I'm not a huge fan of the whole rapper beef bullshit. However, I still kinda like "War with God", which is three minutes and nine seconds of Ludacris talkin' much shit about T.I. I don't really give a damn who "wins" this one, but this track is pretty dope regardless---cop it at The Rap Up: http://therapup.blogspot.com/2006/06/shots-fired-ludacris-vs-ti.html.

Since I'm up here in the Tree of Life philosophizing, I figured that I'd go out on a limb, and drop a little knowledge on your head:

"Bush is a natural-born loser with a filthy-rich daddy who pimped his son out to rich oil-mongers. He hates music, football, and sex, in no particular order, and he is no fun at all."---Hunter S. Thompson

"There are two people in the world that are not likeable: a master and a slave."---Nikki Giovanni

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards."
---Soren Kirkegaard

"For every prohibition you create, you also create an underground."
---Jello Biafra

"The status quo sucks."---George Carlin

"Free nations are peaceful nations. Free nations don't attack each other. Free nations don't develop weapons of mass destruction."
---George W. Bush

I Remixed A Remix...It Was Back To Normal

I just posted the last phase in my trilogy of contributions over at Miblog Weighs A Ton. This time my focus was on handing over a few dope remixes that my headphones seem to particularly appreciate. Fans of Digital Underground, Run-DMC, DJ Numark and Pomo, Hall & Oates, Pete Rock, Public Enemy, and De La Soul are strongly encouraged not to sleep:
http://miblogweighsaton.blogspot.com/2006/06/i-remixed-remixit-was-back-to-normal.html.

Enjoy...

Let The Music Diffuse All The Tension

What's up, peoples? Although I didn't have a whole lot of spare time this past week, I still managed to find quite a few things that I thought you might find entertaining. Peace, and enjoy...

If ya ain't heard already, the Chocolate Swim EP is available for free download on the [adult swim] website. If you're a fan of MF Doom, Vast Aire, Edan, DJ Mitsu, Diverse, Kovas, Spank Rock, DJ Collage, Kut Masta Kurt, Ghislain Poirier, and/or Lady Sovereign, you will definitely want to check this out:
http://www.adultswim.com/promos/chocolateswim/index.html.

Speaking of free (and legal) albums, I just realized that Waterworld and Masters of the Universe by Binary Star are available for download at the Subterraneous Records website. If you aren't familiar with them, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that they were one of the best things that ever happened to independent hip-hop. For the uninitiated, Waterworld was Binary Star's first LP, released in 1999 on their own label, Terrorist Records. Evidently, the effort was recorded on a meager $500 budget, and only 1000 copies of the LP were pressed. After later hooking up with a larger distributor, the same album (with a few changes made) was re-released as Masters of the Universe late in the year 2000. By that point the duo had already parted ways, leaving many to speculate on what their future might have been, had this unfortunate turn of events not transpired. As you can see, I'm still not quite over the grieving process...
Download Waterworld here: http://www.subterraneousrecords.com/ww.html,
and Masters of the Universe here:
http://www.subterraneousrecords.com/motu.html.

The Isley Brothers' cover version of "Summer Breeze" (originally by Seals & Croft) is available at Some Velvet Blog:
http://somevelvetblog.blogspot.com/2006/06/sunday-covers_18.html.

The most popular hip-hop joint to post this week appears to be "Where Y'all At?", a fresh track from Nas' upcoming LP. Numerous blogs posted the song, but I think that O-Dub's take on the track may have been the most insightful: http://soul-sides.com/2006/06/nas-where-hes-at.html.

While we're on the subject of Nasty Nas, no one holds things down for fans of Escobar quite like Fletch at Rebel to America. His most recent post includes Nas' track "The Rise and the Fall", as well as "Desperados II", a joint he did with The Firm and Canibus:
http://escobartheory.blogspot.com/2006/06/escobar-season-pt-iii.html.

Before leaving the "Land of Nas", I also wanted to mention that he and AZ were the featured artists this week for Sample Wednesday at Palms Out Sounds. Download mp3s by The Gap Band, Minnie Ripperton, Teena Marie, The Mary Jane Girls, Marley Marl, and more: http://palmsout.blogspot.com/2006/06/sample-wednesday-12-dynamic-duo-series.html.

"The Daily Show" offers further proof of what an incredibly idiotic ass George Bush truly is. If someone wanted to torture me until I reached the brink of insanity, they would only need to replay Dubya's evil, goofy laugh over, and over, and over...This clip is also great because calling George a "Flag Hag" is absolutely fuckin' hilarious on so many different levels:
http://www.devilducky.com/media/47236/.

Download "Time is Tight" by Booker T & the MG's at Ick Music:
http://ickmusic.com/index.php/2006/06/18/time-is-tight/.
Additionally, you don't want to miss this video of the group performing their classic cut "Green Onions" from the Stax Volt tour in 1967:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaG51yBK30U&search=booker%20t%20mgs.

Some great mp3s were recently posted at Moistworks. Download "Be Thankful for What You've Got" (William DeVaughn), "Every Ghetto, Every City" (Lauryn Hill), "Everybody Loves the Sunshine" (Roy Ayers), and "A Great Day (In the Neighborhood)" (Marvin Tate's D-Settlement): http://www.moistworks.com/2006/06/be-thankful-for-what-youve-got-william.html.

At Ear Fuzz, you can cop a couple of nice joints by Showbiz & AG---"40 Acres and My Props" and "More Than One Way Out of the Ghetto":
http://www.earfuzz.com/2006/06/street-rap-fables.html.
For the sake of nostalgia, here are two classic videos by the duo:
"Soul Clap": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1ONvKejsxQ&search=showbiz%20ag.
"Next Level (Nyte Time Mix)": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmdf8-TsMLU&search=showbiz%20ag.

Metro Distortion has some hot songs available for download---literally. Included in the post are mp3s by Common ("Heat"), 50 Cent ("Heat"...again), and The Roots ("Rolling With Heat"):
http://metrodistortion.blogspot.com/2006/06/heat.html.

Visit Kwaya Na Kisser to pick up some great tracks by Otis Redding ("I Love You More Than Words"), Prince ("If I Was Your Girlfriend"), Roberta Flack ("The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face"), and more:
http://knkisser.blogspot.com/2006/06/love-requited-mix.html.

1-800-Sassbucket is currently featuring "Closer" (Quasimoto/MF Doom), 2 remixes of "Hustlin'" (Rick Ross), and both the instrumental and vocal versions of "Allright" (Blockhead/Cage):
http://sassbucket.blogspot.com/2006/06/hitz-for-that-ass.html.

The Late Greats recently posted a few tracks by Erykah Badu---"On & On", "Kiss Me On My Neck", "Rimshot (intro)", "Woo", and "Rimshot (outro)": http://staergetaleht.blogspot.com/2006/06/guilty-pleasures-of-humpday-badu-bone.html.

Analog Giant is currently offering a generous number of instrumental joints by The Roots, RZA, Ghislain Poirier, Aesop Rock, etc:
http://analoggiant.blogspot.com/2006/06/no-words-just-music.html.

Chasing Red just posted some fantastic mp3s by Bohannon, O.V. Wright, James Brown, Muddy Waters, Ruby Andrews, and more: http://chasingred.livejournal.com/161586.html?mode=reply.

If you haven't come across Dabrye's song "Air" (w/MF Doom), you can cop it at KRLX Music, along with tracks by Daedelus and Nomo:
http://krlx.org/b/music/?p=145.

Freemotion is featuring three joints from the latest Madlib LP---The Beat Konducta Vol. 1-2: Movie Scenes:
http://www.freemotionhiphop.com/freemotion/?p=186.

Cop "Victory" by Mos Def and Sizzla at Mp3 4U:
http://www.mp34u.com/songCard.php?posting=3783.

Another great soul joint is up at Funky 16 Corners---"Lover and a Friend" by Eddie Bo and Inez Cheatham: http://funky16corners.wordpress.com/2006/06/21/eddie-bo-inez-cheatham-lover-and-a-friend/.

My favorite Styles of Beyond track is "Winnetka Exit", which is currently available at FPSA, along with a few other worthy hip-hop joints: http://fpsa.blogspot.com/2006/06/all-those-who-came-before-i-just.html.

I don't particularly care for Nelly Furtado or Lil' Wayne, but somehow the whole "Maneater (remix)" thing appeals to me in a warped way. Download the joint courtesy of Checkerboard Chimes: http://checkerboardchimes.blogspot.com/2006/06/i-be-diddy-you-be-mase.html.

Check out "The Format" by AZ at DJ Premier Planet:
http://djpremierplanet.blogspot.com/2006/06/track-tasteaz.html.

JT at Feed Me Good Tunes made my week by offering a ridiculous number of quality beats within a single post. If I had more time, I'd be glad to explain more, but let me just drop a few names on ya---MF Doom, Diplo, J Dilla, 9th Wonder, ATCQ, and GZA. Don't sleep:
http://feedmegoodtunes.blogspot.com/2006/06/beats-beats-beats-serious-double-post.html.

Somethin' silly to finish things off for the day---Flavor Flav reading an interactive story to some crazy-ass children on "Wonder Showzen". No matter how cynical you are, this is at least worth a chuckle:
http://www.devilducky.com/media/47202/.

A'ight then...be easy.

More Rhyme Than Reason

I've been gettin' dusty diggin' through my crates again. I was trying to find some quality tracks to post over at Miblog Weighs A Ton, and although the songs I ended up choosing were selected somewhat arbitrarily, I am pleased with the results. This time around, I gave up some MF Doom, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, James Brown, Aceyalone, and Chief Xcel (of Blackalicious). Go get you some of dat: http://miblogweighsaton.blogspot.com/2006/06/no-reasonjust-rhymes.html.

I Be Spreadin' Knowledge...Keepin' My Third Eye Polished

Four out of 5 dentists surveyed recommended that I make this post short and artificially sweet...

At Moistworks, you can currently download a few worthy hip-hop joints--"It Must Be Bobby" (RZA aka Bobby Digital), "Flatline" (Peedi Crack w/ Beanie Sigel), and "Roll With The Winners" (Clinton Sparks & The Clipse/Re-up Gang): http://www.moistworks.com/2006/06/roll-with-winners-clinton-sparks-that.html.

While RZA frequently gets due props for his production skills, I haven't encountered many hip-hop fans who think that he's particularly nice on the mic. I may not be able to influence your collective mind on this subject, but I offer this video of him freestylin' on BET as evidence that son can spit with the best (and worst) of them: http://youtube.com/watch?v=VRP3O9AI9_M&search=rza.

If you visited my post over at Miblog Weighs A Ton, you know that I'm a big fan of The Meters. At Afterbirth of the Cool, you can download yet another excellent track by them---"What'cha Say":
http://www.afterbirthofthecool.com/061106.html.

Visit FoeWeel !!! ??? to acquire a couple of great mp3s---"Blue in Green" by Miles Davis and "Uptight (Everything's Alright)" by Stevie Wonder: http://foeweel.com/2006/06/happy-birthday-foeweel.html.

Fans of old school "turntablism" are undoubtedly familiar with the three-part opus by Double Dee and Steinski currently being featured at Lost in the '80s. Cop "Lesson One: The Payoff", "Lesson Two: The James Brown Mix", and "Lesson Three: A History of Hip-Hop":
http://lostinthe80s.blogspot.com/2006/06/ya-played-it-for-her-you-can-play-it.html.

Analog Giant recently posted a powerful selection of political hip-hop joints by a variety of "conscious" artists. Download tracks by dead prez, Immortal Technique, Sage Francis, Mr. Lif, Saul Williams and more: http://analoggiant.blogspot.com/2006/06/free-breakfast-for-children.html.

"Fight the Power (Pt. 2)" by The Isley Brothers is available at I Am Fuel, You Are Friends: http://fuelfriends.blogspot.com/2006/06/out-of-sight.html.

Download "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" by Marvin Gaye at Funtime OK: http://www.funtimeok.com/?p=334.

I can't think of a regular blog feature that I like more than Sample Wednesday at Palms Out Sounds. This week, it's all about original songs that were flipped by Freestyle Fellowship. Download mp3s of tracks by The O'Jays, Donny Hathaway, Run-DMC, Bootsy Collins, Sly & The Family Stone, The Delfonics, and more:
http://palmsout.blogspot.com/2006/06/sample-wednesday-11-freestyle.html.

Download Laura Lee's "I Need It Just As Bad As You" at The Stepfather of Soul. Funky, soulful, and simply amazing...
http://stepfatherofsoul.blogspot.com/2006/06/laura-lee.html.

Entertainment Weekly's list of the 25 most controversial movies ever:
http://www.ew.com/ew/article/commentary/0,6115,1202224_1_0_,00.html.
Make your next trip to the video store a revolutionary adventure...

Freemotion posted a few more tracks from the latest People Under The Stairs LP (Stepfather). Download "Tuxedo Rap", "Jamboree Part 1", and "LA9X": http://www.freemotionhiphop.com/freemotion/?p=184.

Also at Freemotion, you can pick up a handful of Kool Keith joints. Cop "Ants", "Aliens", "Al Green", and "Trees": http://www.freemotionhiphop.com/freemotion/?p=185.

Does the term "net neutrality" mean anything to you? It should if you enjoy exercising your right to freedom on the internet. Scenestars recently did an excellent post explaining why "the Internet as we know it is facing a serious threat". Come on---even my readers who are permanently glued to their couches should be able to take some form of action this time: http://scenestars.net/2006/06/note-from-google-on-net-neutrality.php.

Cop the instrumental version of "Come on Feet" (Madlib/Quasimoto) at Spliff Huxtable: http://www.spliffhuxtable.com/?p=210.

If you slept on Gnarls Barkley's performance at the MTV Movie Awards, you can see it here:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VCWJVvE0Fk&search=gnarls.

Keep The Coffee Coming recently posted Nina Simone's "Baubles, Bangles, and Beads": http://katry.blogspot.com/2006/06/baubles-bangles-and-beads-nina-simone.html.

Apparently, Americans think it's cool to like George Bush again. Now I'm definitely moving to Canada: http://msnbc.msn.com/id/13324919/.

Bobby Blue Bland's classic song "Ain't No Love in the Heart of The City" is available for download at Badminton Stamps:
http://www.badmintonstamps.com/zarchive0606.html#559.

Several more noteworthy versions of "Summertime" are available at Shake Your Fist. Download renditions by Billie Holiday, Janis Joplin, Miles Davis, Sam Cooke, and more:
http://shakeyourfist.blogspot.com/2006/06/summertime-part-4-holiday-and-others.html.

Perhaps the best mp3 post I found this week came courtesy of random. Download an impressive number of tracks by artists such as Lenny Williams, Isaac Hayes, Johnny "Guitar" Watson, The Deele, Quincy Jones, Les McCann & Eddie Harris, Bobby Byrd, Willie Hutch, and The Stylistics. Hip-hop fans may appreciate these songs as well, since most of these tracks have been scrambled, sampled, and flipped on famous rap joints: http://wreck-noble.blogspot.com/2006/06/week-29-i-know-you-got-soul-part-one.html.

Before I go, thought I'd let you know that tomorrow, I'll be blazin' blunts and gettin' lifted in honor of the first anniversary of this blog. Truth be told, Souled On was never supposed to last longer than one day. There wasn't an ounce of premeditated thought involved---can you tell??? I got trashed one day, and started something that I evidently haven't finished yet.

Much gratitude to all of the wonderful sites and blogs who have supported Souled On this past year (you know who you are). To my loyal readers, I appreciate each and every one of you---especially those who take the time to occasionally drop me a line or two. If it weren't for you, I'd have been ghost a long time ago.

Okay---enough theatrics. Peace, fam...

Pimpin' Ain't Easy...

Just thought I'd mention that I'm pimpin' myself out over at Miblog Weighs A Ton...tryin' to get that paper, and make this Souled On thing a franchise and shit. Actually, my boy Nordy was kind enough to ask me to post some music over there while he's away. My readers already know that I'm the dumbest kid on the short bus when it comes to technology, but I still managed to fumble my way through my first post at MWAT today, despite my obvious lack of knowledge and skill. Anyway, relax...nothing here is going to change a bit. I'll be back like crack with some linkage for all of you fiends...way before you can say, "pimpin' ain't easy." Meanwhile, check me out:
http://miblogweighsaton.blogspot.com/2006/06/let-me-get-this-straight.html

My Cipher Keeps Movin' Like A Rollin' Stone

I apologize in advance for what is destined to be one of the skinniest posts I've served up in quite a while. The last few times I've tried to do an update, Blogger has been experiencing "technical difficulties", so this time the delay had nothing to do with Jesus, procrastination, or marijuana intoxication. Regardless, what follows is an abridged version of my original intentions:

The latest Sample Wednesday at Palms Out Sounds featured songs sampled in tracks by Erykah Badu. Haldan posted a nice selection of mp3s, so quit sleepin' if you haven't checked this out yet: http://palmsout.blogspot.com/2006/06/sample-wednesday-10-erykah-badu.html.

Two excellent song choices have been posted recently at Dilated Choonz. Download "So I Can Love You" by The Emotions: http://dilate.choonz.com/index.php?id=361
and "Just Like A Baby" by Sly & The Family Stone:
http://dilate.choonz.com/index.php?id=371.

Sly fans should also check this video of the group performing live on "The Ed Sullivan Show" in 1968: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzE9KWz89B4&search=sly%20family%20stone.

At Breath of Life, you can currently download one of my favorite Gang Starr joints---"Check the Technique", in addition to a couple of musical gems by Marlena Shaw ("Feel Like Makin' Love" and "California Soul"): http://www.kalamu.com/bol/.

Billy Preston (R.I.P.) will certainly be missed by many. Here are links to a few of the blogs who paid tribute to his legacy:
Cable and Tweed:http://cableandtweed.blogspot.com/2006/06/rip-billy-preston-1946-2006_06.html.
MP3 Enema: http://mp3enema.weblogs.us/archives/534.
Soul Shower: http://soulshower.blogspot.com/2006/06/discouraging-words-billy-preston.html.
The "B" Side: http://redkelly.blogspot.com/2006/06/billy-preston-he-brought-me-out-myrrh.html.
Lil Mike's Last Known Thoughts & Random Revelations:
http://lilmikesf.blogspot.com/2006/06/billy-preston-r.html.

Also, you can visit Home of the Groove to download "Sho' Nuff" by Merry Clayton, a song that was co-written by Billy Preston:
http://homeofthegroove.blogspot.com/2006/06/sho-nuff-gonna-miss-billy-preston.html.

Download a few more joints by Pete Philly & Perquisite at Freemotion: http://www.freemotionhiphop.com/freemotion/?p=183.

By now I'm sure that most of you are aware that the U.S. Senate has rejected the proposed constitutional amendment banning gay marriage:
http://www.shortnews.com/shownews.cfm?id=54859&CFID=3332126&CFTOKEN=53055815.
I'll bet that Dubya is somewhere right now, listening to his ABBA CDs and shedding a tear or two...wishing that he could get those scenes from "Brokeback Mountain" to stop replaying in his mind ;)

Jay Dee's mix of "Me and Those Dreamin' Eyes of Mine" by D'Angelo
is available at i'm on next: http://imonnext.blogspot.com/2006/06/not-just-letter.html.

Catch the final installment of the A-Z of MF Doom over at Berkeley Place: http://berkeleyplace.blogspot.com/2006/06/mf-doom-to-z-post-three-of-three.html.

Moistworks has recently done a few posts featuring songs by James Brown and some of his musical affiliates, as well as tracks by artists whose work he's covered:
Part I: http://www.moistworks.com/2006/06/baby-dont-do-it-five-royals-smash-1964.html.
Part II: http://www.moistworks.com/2006/06/honky-tonk-part-2-bill-doggett.html.
Part III: http://www.moistworks.com/2006/06/living-legend-part-1-florence-farmer.html.

Speaking of James Brown's associates, you can download "Back From the Dead" by Bobby Byrd at Feel It: http://darcysfeelit.blogspot.com/2006/06/what-goes-round.html.

Several quality mp3s were included in the most recent post at Feed Me Good Tunes. Cop Aloe Blacc's "One Imma" (prod. by Madlib), "Floor Rock" by Ohmega Watts, as well as many other fine musical selections: http://feedmegoodtunes.blogspot.com/2006/06/pop-rocks-for-your-ears.html.

Achtung, Baby! is featuring "I'm A Fool to Want You" by Billie Holiday: http://luna.typepad.com/weblog/2006/06/_im_a_fool_to_w.html.

Cop "Hollow Bones" by The Wu-Tang Clan at Clever Titles Are So Last Summer: http://clevertitlesaresolastsummer.blogspot.com/2006/06/short-dissertation-on-literary-merits.html.

For my peoples in the house who love Nina Simone, you can download her version of "Summertime" at Shake Your Fist: http://shakeyourfist.blogspot.com/2006/06/summertime-part-1-simone.html.
Additionally, here is a short anti-Bush administration video that used her song "Sinnerman" for its soundtrack: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1220399099254663913&q=nina+simone.

Remember when Malik B was part of the legendary Roots crew? Apparently he's going to reappear on their upcoming Game Theory LP. Meanwhile, he's released an EP of his own, and you can cop a couple of the tracks via Mental Combat: http://mentalcombat.blogspot.com/2006/06/new-roots-single-dont-feel-right-1st.html.
For those of you who have no memory of this cat before his mysterious disappearance, here are a couple of reference points:

The classic Roots/Roy Ayers video for "Proceed II": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsLveGqrPz0&search=malik%20b.

Malik B's Wikipedia page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malik_B.

Download "Stir It Up" by Bob Marley at out the other:
http://outtheother.typepad.com/blog/2006/06/three_things_i_.html.

To Die By Your Side is featuring Ike & Tina Turner's live cover version of "I've Been Lovin' You Too Long":
http://todiebyyourside.blogspot.com/2006/06/as-you-become-habit-to-me.html.

Finally---DJs, historians, and/or dorks like me may be interested in the historical sounds in mp3 format available at The Free Information Society. Check out sound clips and speeches by JFK, MLK, Nelson Mandela, Che Guevara, Stokely Carmichael, Albert Einstein, and many more: http://www.freeinfosociety.com/site.php?postnum=460.

As promised, that's all for now, bitches. Hopefully this strikes you as better late than never...

I'm A Real Rebel With A Cause

It goes without saying that Jesus is a tough act to follow. No one I can potentially write a post about today could possibly compare to his iconic status, overall influence on Western culture, and/or omnipresence in the majority of our lives. Despite, or perhaps because of, this acknowledgement on my part, I realized that I'd better center this post around someone pretty fuckin' outstanding. The person I chose to fill those extraordinarily large shoes is the amazing presence who called herself Nina Simone.

When I first started really listening to Nina, it was about fifteen years ago, and her music immediately became an integral part of the sountrack to my life. I ravenously pursued every one of her recordings, and tried to encourage my clueless friends that there was more to life than Paula Abdul. I also took an interest in her personal history, seeking out whatever biographical information I was able to acquire. Most of what I read seemed to indicate that Nina was difficult, demanding, and even somewhat obsessive. As a loyal fan, I never once gave a shit. Her talent was so phenomenal as to render these implications insignificant, and I reasoned that in our society, creative types are often viewed as relatively insane. Additionally, I thought it was quite possible that she was at least partially misunderstood. She was involved in the civil rights and feminist movements, and never hid her contempt for the evils of America's capitalistic greed. In her day, espousing such viewpoints was perhaps even more dangerous and isolating than having a dissenting opinion is today.

However, one of the few things I disagreed with her about was her rather unfavorable impression of rap music. Don't get me wrong---I can relate to her distate for the overabundance of booties, bitches, and bling. My only wish is that she would have had more appreciation for the roots of the genre, and seen it as the avenue for celebration, self-expression and social protest that hip-hop was in its original state. Of all people, she should have understood why rap changed drastically when it got hijacked by corporate America, and seen how the intrusion of greed ultimately weakened and diluted the essence of a completely viable art form.

That said, when we love someone or something, we often have to be willing to overlook certain flaws. I feel her in my soul to this very day. When Nina died, I lost a very dear friend. Whether or not you share my enthusiasm for her work, I am hopeful that I can foster some appreciation for her magnificence through my unabashed admiration and respect. Here are some links that can assist you in becoming better acquainted/annointed:

Nina Simone's official website: http://www.ninasimone.com/.

Download her song "Lilac Wine", and the Masters at Work remix of "See-Line Woman" at The Rich Girls Are Weeping:
http://therichgirlsareweeping.blogspot.com/2006/05/these-are-few-of-our-favorite-things.html.

Most of us never had the opportunity to see her perform live, so these videos may be the closest we'll ever come. All three of these performances are incredible, so please don't pass any of them by:
"If You Knew": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAv1FDpdnmE&search=nina%20simone.
"For a While": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2M-zRMqCX7w&search=nina%20simone.
"I Put A Spell on You": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klIcu7r46Ig&search=nina%20simone.

A few Nina quotes to serve as some mental sustenance for the day:

"I think the rich are too rich and the poor are too poor. I don't think the black people are going to rise at all; I think most of them are going to die."

"I think the rich will eventually have to cave in, too, because the economic situation around the world is not gonna tolerate the United States being on top forever."

"Slavery has never been abolished from America's 'way of thinking'."

As I transition into the rest of the links for this post, I feel that Nina's strong social and political views flow directly into the spirit of the following video. Peep "Abolish The N Word", and see what you think:
http://www.abolishthenword.com/.

Download a couple of songs with a political/anti-war theme at The Stepfather of Soul---"And They Say Don't Worry" (Clarence Carter) and "We're on the Road to Hell" (Ron C): http://stepfatherofsoul.blogspot.com/2006/05/things-are-getting-better.html.

From the Polo Fleece to the Jesus Piece has some of that Busta Rhymes crack that people have been fiendin' for lately. Cop "You Can't Hold the Torch" (produced by J Dilla, ft. Q-Tip), as well as Jaylib's "Smootherness":
http://jesuspiece.blogspot.com/2006/05/ignore-last-post-doggies_30.html.

The Fleece also recently posted another new Busta offering---"Get You Some" (w/Q-Tip again, this time produced by Dr.Dre). Although this post credits the track's production to Dilla, more recent intelligence strongly implies that it's actually a Dre joint:
http://jesuspiece.blogspot.com/2006/05/and-only-good-thing-to-come-out-of.html.

However, my personal favorite from the new album (so far) is "Goldmine" (w/ Raekwon), which you can cop right now via Spine Magazine: http://www.spinemagazine.com/index.php?task=.

Download "Fire" by The Ohio Players, just because it's fun, damn it:
http://staergetaleht.blogspot.com/2006/05/saturday-spotlight-on-soundtracks-from_27.html.
And why the hell not?---a YouTube video of the group playing this song live: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LPcYJaGxNU&search=ohio%20players.

Berkeley Place is planning to feature three different posts on the "A to Z" of MF Doom. Two of them are already available (as of this writing), and both feature an eclectic variety of his joints in mp3 format:
Post One: http://berkeleyplace.blogspot.com/2006/05/mf-doom-to-z-post-one-of-three-updated.html.

Post Two: http://berkeleyplace.blogspot.com/2006/05/mf-doom-to-z-post-two-of-three.html.

MF fans may also want to head over to Gorilla vs. Bear, where you can download DangerDoom's Occult Hymn EP:
http://gorillavsbear.net/.

Good Hodgekins recently posted an array of cover songs, most notably "Take Me to the River" (Al Green) and "We Can Work It Out" (Stevie Wonder): http://www.goodhodgkins.com/2006/05/30/the-music-blogosphere-presents-exceptional-cover-songs/.

Cop "Why Wouldn't I?" by Beanie Sigel at Nah Right:
http://nahright.com/news/2006/05/30/beanie-sigel-why-wouldnt-i/.

I'm 100% for the interracial love thang, but this couple that Obi posted at Soul On Ice looks absolutely rifuckindiculous: http://obifromsouthlondon.blogspot.com/2006/05/joke-right-get-outta-here.html. These two make Flavor Flav and that big white wildebeest he dated seem compatible by comparison.

"Africa Dream" by Talib Kweli and Hi-Tek is available at disco-not-disco: http://speedrail.blogspot.com/2006/05/you-dont-need-weather-man.html.

You can score quite a few classic mp3s at Lil Mike's Last Known Thoughts & Random Revelations. Download tracks by The Dells, The Dramatics, The O'Jays, Bobby Womack, The Whispers, and more: http://lilmikesf.blogspot.com/2006/05/tales-of-stone-sould-out-picnics-iraqi.html.

I realize that I just mentioned Zion I recently, but new tracks from their upcoming LP are now available at I Guess I'm Floating---"Yes Yes" (w/ Gift of Gab and Lyrics Born), as well as "Live 4 Today":
http://iguessimfloating.blogspot.com/2006/05/but-wait-theres-more.html.

If you missed Gnarls Barkley's performance on Conan O' Brien's show, here you go, peoples---the video and the mp3 are up at Culture Bully: http://culturebully.blogspot.com/2006/05/gnarls-barkley-crazy-on-late-night.html.

Download Donny Hathaway's "Jealous Guy" at Funky 16 Corners:
http://funky16corners.blogspot.com/2006/05/donny-hathaway-jealous-guy.html.

Cop DJ Screw's mix of hip-hop classic "You're All I Need" (Method Man & Mary J Blige) at U Mean Competitor: http://www.umeancompetitor.blogspot.com/.

Remember when Common still had Sense? Cop a couple of joints from Resurrection at Oh, Sweet Nothing:
http://sweetnothing025.blogspot.com/2006/05/common-sense-resurrection.html.

Download "Last Blunt" by The Coup at disco-not-disco:
http://speedrail.blogspot.com/2006/05/like-some-enormous-music.html.

Several Pete Rock joints are available at Eric's Archives---"Meccalicious", "Beats & Rhymes", "Collector's Item", "The PJs", and "War": http://ericsarchives.blogspot.com/2006/05/1-soul-brother.html.

I have less time than links at this point, so I'm gonna have to shorten this post a bit. However, I can't leave without posting a couple of Etta James mp3s---(these are for you, little bird):
"At Last" (via Mars Needs Guitars): http://marsneedsguitars.blogspot.com/2006/05/contest-black-heart-procession.html.
"Sunday Kind of Love" (courtesy of Soul Sides): http://soul-sides.com/2006/05/king-pleasure-betty-hutton-etta-james.html.
(I highly recommend checking out the other two songs included in this post as well).

A couple of shouts, and then I'm out:

To my good friend Cakes, who just recently started reading my crazed ramblings. Much love, sister girl...

Peace to random (http://wreck-noble.blogspot.com/), Feed Me Good Tunes (http://feedmegoodtunes.blogspot.com/), and Brown Eyed Handsome Man (http://browneyedhandsomeman.blogspot.com/) for recently linking Souled On...much gratitude. These are all really excellent mp3 blogs, so be sure to pay your respects..

Until the next episode, be easy, fam...

No Jesus, No Peace...Know Jesus, Know Peace

Earlier this week, Jesus and I went on another one of our infamous road trips. This time, however, our quest was not for vinyl, but for unbiased knowledge and absolute truths (neither of which we found, by the way). For those of you who don't know Jesus, you'll have to read some earlier posts...or consult a priest---I'll leave that to your discretion.

At any rate, whenever we go on these little expeditions, Jesus always sits in the driver's seat. I guess it's some kind of control thing. He usually lets me do all the talking, as Jesus only speaks when he has something meaningful to say. On this latest excursion, however, it was evident that Jesus had some things to get off of his chest. He casually mentioned that I ought to interview him for a post on Souled On, because after all, he is the most famous person I know. When I explained that I would rather wait until I had some time to prepare the questions, it became evident that it was going to be Jesus' way, or the highway. The dialogue that ensued went something like this:

Scholar: Umm...so what do you make of this whole idea that Christians in America are being terribly persecuted?
Jesus: Well, you can't really believe anything that Tom DeLay says, now can you? I think the whole notion is somewhat of an insult to people who've actually been killed, tortured, imprisoned, and raped for what they believe.

Scholar: Do you plan on watching "The Da Vinci Code"?
Jesus: Eh...I don't know. I genuinely wanted to see that flick, until I found out that Forrest Gump was playing the lead.

Scholar: What do you make of the Intelligent Design Theory?
Jesus: My dad calls it the Ignorant Dummy Theory. I have an aunt who looks sort of like a baboon, so the thought that we evolved from apes has always seemed somewhat more conceivable.

Scholar: Is anyone in modern times truly possessed by the devil?
Jesus: My first inclination would be to say no, but then you have cases like Bill O'Reilly, Dick Cheney, and Rush Limbaugh, all of whom could potentially use a good old-fashioned exorcism.

Scholar: Are you and George W Bush really as close as he seems to think you are?
Jesus: Nah. That brotha acts too damn crazy. I had to cut him loose.

Scholar: Do you seriously hate gay people?
Jesus: Nope...I actually have a lot of gay friends. Elton John, Ellen DeGeneres, and Tom Cruise are all really nice people.

Scholar: What color are you?
Jesus: Well, I take on many different shades, but mostly I am gray. That's what you get when you mix all of the colors together, right?

Scholar: Does the fact that Isaac Hayes quit "South Park" for religious reasons ensure him a place in heaven?
Jesus: Umm...nah. Black Moses brought him closer to salvation than that...don't you agree?

Scholar: Any parting words for my readers?
Jesus: Yeah. I like wine, but not the cheap stuff...

With that, Jesus said, "Let there be linkage"---and there was linkage...

At 33/45, you can download "Peace Pipe" by B.T. Express. Damn...that shit is funky: http://threethreefourfive.blogspot.com/2006/05/get-on-funk-train.html.

I Guess I'm Floating is featuring a few mp3s from Zion I's True & Livin' LP: http://iguessimfloating.blogspot.com/2006/05/you-kids-and-your-hippity-hop.html.

A few joints for reggae fans to check out:
Lee "Scratch" Perry's "Space Dub" at disco-not-disco:
http://speedrail.blogspot.com/2006/05/please-please-please-in-america.html.
"All Wi Doin' Is Defendin'" by Poet And The Roots at Mars Needs Guitars: http://marsneedsguitars.blogspot.com/2006/05/mojos-greatest-50-british-tracks-ever.html.
"No Burial" by Michael Rose at Breath of Life:
http://www.kalamu.com/bol/. Included in the same post this week at BOL are two other tracks you shouldn't miss---"Tryin' Times" by Roberta Flack and "Yu-Ma/ Go Away Little Boy" by Marlena Shaw. Due to my negligence, this post will probably only be up for about 24 more hours, but you'll still be able to access it through their archives.

A couple of joints from Dan the Automator's Lovage project (as Nathaniel Merriweather) are available at work for it---"Sex (I'm A)" and "Strangers on Train":
http://benlovesmusic.blogspot.com/2006/05/stroke-that.html.

Al Green and Billie Holiday each recorded a song called "Guilty". They are two entirely different tracks, but you can currently download them both at WFMU's Beware of the Blog: http://blog.wfmu.org/freeform/2006/05/guilty.html.

By now, you must know how I love Irma Thomas. Peace to No Frontin' for posting another fine example of her indisputable excellence---"It's Raining": http://songz.blogspot.com/2006/05/all-my-exs-live-in-texas.html.

I could be in the minority with this, but I've always counted "Lyrical Tactics" by Natural Elements as one of the best joints on DJ Premier's New York Reality Check 101 LP. You can currently download the mp3 at Chasing Red, along with several other worthy tracks, such as "The Message" (Cymande), "I Get Lifted" (George McCrae), "Criminology" (Raekwon), "For Once in My Life" (Stevie Wonder), etc: http://chasingred.livejournal.com/160228.html?mode=reply.

Ear Fuzz recently posted a few solo songs by members of The Temptations. Download "It's So Hard for Me to Say Goodbye" and "If You Let Me" by Eddie Kendricks, as well as "Feel Like Givin' Up" by Paul Williams. Sadly (and somewhat ironically), Williams shot himself before the latter track had even been released:
http://www.earfuzz.com/2006/05/friends-since-grade-school_21.html.

Have you heard "Ping" by Busta Rhymes yet? This joint is only recommended for those who are intrigued by the concept of him rapping over the theme song to "Three's Company". Cop it at Think Tank:
http://leafhouse.blogspot.com/2006/05/busta-rhymes-samples-threes-company.html.

At Silence Is A Rhythm, Too, you can download Candi Staton's "You Don't Have Far To Go", a cover of a Merle Haggard song that appears on her latest LP, His Hands:
http://siart.blogspot.com/2006/05/handful-of-covers-here-are-some-tasty.html.

Speaking of Candi Staton, you can download her version of Elvis' song "Suspicious Minds" at My Old Kentucky Blog. There are several covers of this song included in the same post---just don't sleep on the one by Dee Dee Warwick: http://myoldkyhome.blogspot.com/2006/05/suspicious-minds.html.

Also at MOKB, you can download Betty Everett's rendition of The Beach Boys' song "God Only Knows", along with a wide assortment of other versions: http://myoldkyhome.blogspot.com/2006/05/god-only-knows.html.

More Lupe Fiasco mixtape joints are up at Palms Out Sounds. Download "The Pen & The Needlz", "Sittin' Sideways Freestyle", "1st & 15th Is Back", and "Absolute Fiasco": http://palmsout.blogspot.com/2006/05/extra-fly-pt-2.html.

Cop "Little Renee" by Digable Planets at Underneathica:
http://underneathica.blogspot.com/2006/05/heat-up-chrome-jammy.html.

By now, most heads are aware that Beanie Sigel got shot the other day. In case you only come out of your cave to read Souled On, let me assure you that Beans survived the attack.
Read more details about the incident here: http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/entertainment/14665770.htm.
Download two of his joints ("Feel It in the Air" and "Roc the Mic") at callmeMICKEY: http://callmemickey.blogspot.com/2006/05/being-beanie-sigel-sucks-part-891252.html.

An incredible post over at Feed Me Good Tunes includes tracks by C Rayz Walz ("Buck 80"), Mobb Deep ("Win or Lose"), Darondo ("How I Got Over"), Edgar Allen Floe ("The Torch", produced by 9th Wonder), Sixtoo ("Sidewinder"), DJ J Period & CL Smooth ("Win or Lose"), Kool Keith & Kutmasta Kurt ("Takin' It Back"), and Declaime & J. Rawls ("Revolution"):
http://feedmegoodtunes.blogspot.com/2006/05/25-minutes-and-45-seconds-for.html.

Download Otis Redding's "Wonderful World" at Cacophony and Coffee: http://cacophonyandcoffee.blogspot.com/2006/05/dont-know-what-slide-rulers-for.html.

The Rawking Refuses To Stop posted a couple of "eccentric soul" songs---"I'll Be on My Way" by Bob & Fred and Soul President's "Got to Have It": http://rawkblog.blogspot.com/2006/05/eccentric-soul.html.

I know that the thought of Gnarls Barkley being mashed with The Shirelles could be kinky, nauseating, or both. However, I have to give props to DJ Schmolli---this is a trillion times better than I would have imagined. Download the mp3 at Between Thought And Expression: http://djmonstermo.blogspot.com/2006/05/tom-verlaine-mp3-sonic-youth-mp3.html.

If you aren't familiar with Ammoncontact, all that I can say by way of a description is that it's jazz/hip-hop/funk/electronica music. Download a couple of their joints ("Beautiful Flowers" and "Elevation") at sabas.jud.as: http://sabas.jud.as/node/167.

Fans of gospel and soul need to know about Barbara & The Browns if they don't already. Feel It recently posted the mp3 of Barbara Brown's song "Watchdog". From there, you can also catch a link to Deep Soul Heaven, where you can download numerous recordings by the entire group. Don't sleep on "I Don't Want to Have to Wait", no matter what you do: http://darcysfeelit.blogspot.com/2006/05/grrrrrrrrr.html.

Analog Giant has kindly posted several Pharoahe Monch mp3s, including a few remixes: http://analoggiant.blogspot.com/2006/05/tuesday-dig-bring-back-monch.html.

Visit Music Is Art to download "Rosa Parks" (Outkast), "Running Away" (Bob Marley), and "We Need A Resolution" (Aaliyah):
http://musicisart.blogspot.com/2006/05/watch-weather-change.html.

Before I go, I have to express my appreciation to The Broke BBoys for blessing Souled On with a link. No bullshit---I've admired what these guys do for quite some time, so I'm honored:
http://www.brokebboys.com/.

You know, if I ever quit fuckin' with Mary Jane, I might actually update my permanent links list one day. Jesus said he'll help me get on my game, and he's a man of his word.

Know Jesus, Know Peace, bitches...