Fine Art Friday: Natalie Almanza

I have always been fascinated by the visual texture of pen and ink drawings and I recently met an artist who has been experimenting with the rendering of hair, a longtime nemesis of visual artists everywhere, and doing an incredible job at using stippling and watercolor to create her work. She has recently been drawing custom hairdos detached from the body of the person, but using the unique patterns that are often the result of heavy product use and styling/primping. The examples below are some of the posts she shares of work in progress and other stages of development and can be seen on her Instagram feed at http://instagram.com/lumiere_sale. Check them out below and on her site here be impressed!

Listen: q​.​w​.​e​.​s​.​t. the visionary - "Whatever Man"

Futro is a multimedia collective of musicians, photographers, inventors, designers, and more hailing from Portland (OR) and a very active part of the PDX hip hop scene. Making up 1/18th of the collective is emcee q.w.e.s.t. the visionary, whose rare feature - a track called "Whatever Man" - is included on the recent Futro album "Futro Kit 3.0". Taking a break from the hustle of everyday life, q.w.e.s.t. takes a moody musical backdrop and talks about life in the modern world like the struggles, the anger, the decisions and how we all process those emotions. Use this track as an entry point to get familiar with the entire Futro collective and see what they are all about.

DOWNLOAD LINK
http://futro.bandcamp.com/track/side-a-whatever-man

Video: The 1978ers (yU & SlimKat) - "Without A Clue"

Keeping the ball rolling on the heals of dropping the Diamond District album, yU drops the long awaited debut album with longtime partner SlimKat78 entitled "People of Today". They just dropped the visuals for one of my favorite tracks off the album, "Without A Clue", a super chilled out cut showing yU at this best - waxing intelligent about his community, his concerns for living right, and grown man perspective on being a citizen of this modern world. Slimkat's jazzy backdrop works perfectly for the always on-point and heavily quotable lyrics from yU. Check the album out and support some talented cats from the DMV!

DOWNLOAD LINK
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/people-of-today/id910333824

Listen: Koncept - "Getting Off The Ground"

Brown Bag Allstar emcee Koncept recently dropped a chill track he recorded during his residency on the West Coast within the Red Bull house in Cali. Linking with the unlikely team of David Faustino (aka Bud Bundy aka Grandmaster B) and producer Mark "Keitel" Lowe, Kon tells tales of being on the verge of a breakout year and holds it down for his squad. Check it out and keep your ears peeled for a new project from Kon and J57 in 2015!

DOWNLOAD LINK
https://soundcloud.com/iamkoncept/koncept-getting-off-the-ground

Listen: Von Pea X The Other Guys - "To: You" Album

Von Pea of Tanya Morgan, in conjunction with The Other Guys, recently released the album "To: You" featuring the singles "So East Coast" and "Chasing Amy aka In Your Heart". The new album from Von Pea, fully produced by DMV bred producers The Other Guys, has been in the works for a while and both parties have been featured here on The Double Truth before - a nod to the quality music they produce. Check it out and support quality music collaborations from BKNY to the DMV.

DOWNLOAD LINK
https://hipnottrecords.bandcamp.com/album/to-you

Video: Diamond District (Oddisee, XO, yU) - "A Part Of It All"

One of the more chill tracks on the "March On Washington" album from Diamond District gets the video treatment showcasing group members Oddisee, Uptown XO and yU as the stomp the DMV area for each verse. Though some folks get lost in the DMV slang, I am proud of these dudes who rep their corner of the country so hard and still aim to keep their true school sounds current.

DOWNLOAD LINK
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/march-on-washington/id909818240

Interview: Maze Koroma (of The Renaissance Coalition)

I recently had a chance to interview Maze Koroma, one of the few Portland (OR) based emcee's who continue to make noise as both a soloist and as a member of a crew, The Renaissance Coalition. Myself coming from NYC, I wasn't sure what to expect of the PDX hip hop scene, but was impressed at the range of material and the overall live show put on by Maze Koroma and his RenCo crew at one of the first venues I checked in town (The Know). In the following interview, Maze shared his inspiration, some family history, and plans for the future. Check it out here:

Video: Apollo Brown X Ras Kass - "How To Kill God"

Though it is not my favorite track off the album, the most recent dynamic pairing of Apollo Brown with Ras Kass resulted in some quality tracks that make up the new album "Blasphemy" . The video for "How To Kill God" gives us a walk-through of the much mangled city of Detroit and the ruins of its Masonic Temple and inside a since closed cathedral.

Always down to support any Apollo Brown project and his recent efforts to breath new life into emcee's like OC and now Ras Kass earns a thumbs up from me.

DOWNLOAD LINK
http://www.undergroundhiphop.com/apollo-brown-ras-kass-blasphemy/MMG058CD/

Video: Miami Marine Stadium and Art History Mural Project

Excited to post this finished short film about the Miami Marine Stadium graffiti art project that I had the privilege of supplying the entire soundtrack for. Honoring the generations of these artists that breathed new life and energy into it, the Art History Mural Project invited Logan Hicks, Crash, Ron English, Tristan Eaton, The London Police, Jose Mertz and Reinier Gamboa to create murals to honor the stadium. For the back story, the Miami Marine Stadium was initially abandoned after the impact of Hurricane Andrew blew through the city of Miami in 1992. Once it was discovered by graffiti artists, they found it an inspirational canvas and have been creating/destroying/building murals and artwork all around the structure ever since.

SOUNDTRACK LINK
https://luvjonez.bandcamp.com/album/art-history-mural-project-soundtrack

Video: Von Pea - "SO EAST COAST"

After teaming up with The Other Guys on their hit summer single “Blow My Mind”, Von Pea (of Tanya Morgan) enlisted the DMV duo to produce his latest solo album, "To:You".

Laced with the soulful, smooth production of The Other Guys, "To:You" lay the soundtrack for one half of one of my personally favorite groups, Von Pea, while he drops his usual mix of humor, honesty and storytelling. Features on the album include Substantial, Kooley High, and the whole Lessondary Crew on the posse cut “Connect Four aka Lessondary”.

Preview the "So East Coast" track below and check for the album when it drops Nov. 25.

DOWNLOAD LINK
https://soundcloud.com/hipnott-records/von-pea-so-east-coast-prod-by-the-other-guys

Halloween: DJ P - "Hell On Wheels 2"

DJP HELL ON WHEELS PART 2 (HORROR MIX) by Djp Rock Steady Crew on Mixcloud

A classic Halloween playlist for the hip hop crowd from the Rock Steady Crew mixmaster DJ P! Enjoy! See you guys next week!

Video: Planet Asia X Tzarizm - "Mystique" (feat. Purple Kloud)

Underground Cali legend Planet Asia recetly teamed with singer Tzarizm and Purple Kloud for the single "Mystique" and video from the album "Via Satellite". Rocking a very Halloween vibe for the video, the visuals find Planet Asia chilling in a mansion of vampires and a setting that looks like the Django Unchained backdrop. The beat is off-kilter and times, but compliments PA's lyrics and flow well. Hoping the rest of the project stays consistent with the ease of this collabo. Check it out and support one of the most productive emcee's from the Left Coast.

DOWNLOAD LINK
http://bit.ly/ViaSatellite

Listen: EL-P X Killer Mike - "Run The Jewels 2" LP

There are very few albums that combine the sonic madness of Bomb Squad era production with battle rhyme heavy, somehow brutally honest lyrics like the Run The Jewels projects from EL-P and Killer Mike. Originally, on paper, these two dudes coming together seemed like an odd pairing, but it turned out to be the perfect soundtrack for Killer Mike's aggressive, often political, left field words on both his "RAP Music" album and other features with EL-P.  They bring a balance of crazy, perverted, anthem-heavy, riot music that always makes me want to start a hip hop mosh pit. This combo of frenetic beats and humorous, angry verses is a great combo for my eardrums and if you don't know by now, you need this music in your life. Download the album for free here, go watch the live show and prepare to break something!

DOWNLOAD LINK
http://www.runthejewels.net/

Video: @peace - "Matter"

Auckland, New Zealand based emcee @peace recently dropped a beautiful music video for his track "Matter" where he addresses the fact that we all die and even the most hip hopper folks will grow old and feeble. Peace linked with Battersby Funeral Services and Purewa Cemetery for a well-crafted illustration of his single and an ode to his friends. Check it out and if you make videos, and they aren't as crisp as this, you may need to step your game up.

DOWNLOAD LINK
at-peace.bandcamp.com

Video: uMaNg - "Accomplices"

Another true school emcee from the Ill Adrenaline camp, uMaNg recently dropped the video for the track "Accomplices" from the upcoming "The Black Rose Certificate" album. New Jersey rep uMaNg, reunites with Swedish producer B.B.Z. Darney ("The Boom Bappin' Zombie"), to complete their trilogy of albums with the mission to produce a "black rose" album, which stands for purest devotion, to the craft and sharing the personal stories of their journey.

DOWNLOAD LINK
http://bit.ly/UmangAccomplices

Listen: J57 - "The Analog Tape 2" LP

The always consistent double Truth alum J57 (of Brown Bag Allstars) recently dropped just released a new beat tape, for sale only on his site www.J57MUSIC.com, and showcasing his depth as a producer. Featuring "some dusty but funky beat tape shit" to vibe out with during this often cloudy Fall weather. Check it out and support one of the hardest working peeps I've ever had the pleasure to meet.

DOWNLOAD LINK
http://j57music.com/track/the-analog-tape-2

Listen: Rapsody - "Beauty and the Beast" EP

Whatever you think about Rapsody, you're wrong, cause she's better than that! For every let-down of a female emcee like Nicki Minaj and the like, there appears to be only Rapsody to counter that these days. She linked with the true school producer and educator 9th Wonder for many outstanding tracks on previous projects and continues the streak of quality with "Beauty and the Beat". Teamed with Jamla teammates like Eric G, Khrysis, and some limited guest vocals, Rapsody holds it down for another solid album of honest songs and confident content. Check it out and vibe out to one of the rare things in hip hop, a quality emcee with unlikely North Carolina roots and a female to boot.

DOWNLOAD LINK
http://tinyurl.com/ljl437f

Listen: Diamond District - "March on Washington" Album

When Diamond District dropped "In the Ruff" on Mello Music Group in 2009, the gritty drums and grimy raps combined as elementally as hydrogen and oxygen. The D.C. Voltron of Oddisee, yU, and X.O. dusted off and revitalized a sound once consigned to the catacombs.

Hailed as an instant classic, its impact reverberated throughout the underground and mainstream. The Washington D.C. City Paper called it the city’s best album in many years. During an era when lyricism was deemed too intellectual and samples too dated, Diamond District overturned conventional logic. They preserved the raw and made it righteous.

A half-decade later, the holy trinity has returned with March on Washington. The truths remain timeless. Wisdom over rhythm. Slang turned into testament.

DOWNLOAD LINK
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/march-on-washington/id909818240

Video: Mark Steele - "Letter To Carolina"

Mark Steele releases the visual to his "Letter To Carolina" piece. Produced by Japan native Scratch Nice, the track is the first single off his debut independent album "Sumthin For The Wait". Always glad to see some younger cats help build on the classic sound of Golden Era hip hop and still paying homage to their roots. Here's hoping for more of this in the future from Mark Steele and his team.

Listen: Tranzformer - "Creative Unprofessionals" LP

The West Coast instrumentalist Tranzformer recently dropped a new instrumental album with a few guest production spots featuring Double Truth alumni J57 of Brown Bag Allstars. The album titled  "Creative Unprofessionals" is 27 tracks deep and shows Tranzformer collaborating with fellow beat heads and marking some new territory in the area of soundscapes that most MCs avoid. Check it out and support one of Cali's more inventive beatmakers.

DOWNLOAD LINK

https://tranzformer.bandcamp.com/album/creative-unprofessionals