If there is one thing to be said about the current era of rap music, it’s that artists are more willing to collaborate than ever before. There was a time when rap crews stayed to themselves and never crossed family lines to work with other camps. Back then, if you were Ruff Ryder, you only rocked with the double-R, and if you were Wu-Tang, you only broke bread with your Shaolin army. It’s all different now. DJ Khaled can do a remix have damn near everyone that’s buzzing in every region of the country dropping a verse and showing major love for a common cause. It’s in that spirit of connecting forces that we present to you a new project from two legends in the game: the Bootcamp Duo of Tek and General Steele (a.k.a. Smif N’ Wessun) and iconic Mt. Vernon producer Pete Rock. The individual stats of these two entities are too long to list, but together, their soon-to-be-released project is nothing short of its namesake. ChinaShop caught up with General Steele to get the raw information about Monumental, his colossal new endeavor.

First off, why did you name album Monumental?
General Steele: Whenever me and my partner Tek do an album, we always have an idea of what the next album will be. When we did Dah Shinin, we already had the title Rude Awakening. After that, we already had the idea for Still Shinin. For this next album, we had the idea that it had to be something grand and really huge, and the name Monumental just fit.

So with you getting together with Pete Rock, who approached who?
General Steele: Well, we approached Pete–me, Tek, and Dru Ha [CEO of Duck Down]. We have a very good relationship and we build on everything and we are always on the same page. When it came to the producers, the only other name that came to mind was the Beatminerz because they created that classic Smif N’ Wessun sound for the first album. We wanted something interesting and new, and we kept bumping into Pete Rock, and it was like, “Wow, Eureka! Let’s do this.” He was with it too, and honestly, no other word can describe it but Monumental.

What’s the theme and mood for the album?
General Steele: It’s more of a feel thing for us. Everything that we do is based on a particular vibe of me and Tek being friends and building on different concepts. Let’s say for example, if cops rolled up on us, and we had to run and do our thing, that’s what we’d talk about. For example, we have a song called “Night Time” and it’s all about the things that go on in the night, and Buckshot is on the hook talking about “The D’s and the Night Schemes,” and Pete Rock displays his Chocolate Boy Wonder flow on this too. We also have another song called “Roses” and it’s all about life and death, and why we only [give] roses when people are dead. Why not give them roses when they are alive? On the whole, it’s very cohesive. It sounds like Pete Rock, it sounds like Smif N’ Wessun. It’s a beautiful project.

How many tracks are on the album?
General Steele: Right now we have 12 tracks, because we lost a few due to sample clearances. But you never know, some of those tracks might pop up somewhere when you least expect it.

So a little bit of a philosophical question. What is the biggest thing you’ve learned about being in the industry since the early ’90s?
General Steele: I was just thinking about this the other day, and it’s this: even without money, you can be as rich as any Pharaoh or King. It’s all about your legacy and what you mean to the people around you and how you treat them. You know, the Twin Towers are not physically here, but the legacy of them will live on forever, just because of the people who were affected forever by them.

Pete Rock & Smif N Wessun “Prevail” feat. Raekwon

To wrap up, what does this album mean to you, and why should the fans check for it?
General Steele: Monumental is a meeting of legends, and we’re creating something to add to the legacy of the ones who came before us like Kool Herc, Afrika Bambaataa and Zulu Nation. When you have cats like us who came from nothing and made something from ourselves with our craft and creativity, it’s like going in to the mind and finding that diamond and revealing it to the world. That’s the mental process we went through for this album, and I’m really excited for all the fans and listeners out there to hear this eventually. It’s marvelous to be on a record label like Duck Down, and it’s a good time for Tek and Steele and it’s a great time to put out our fifth album. We have features from Raekwon, Bun B, Hurricane G, Memphis Bleek so it’s certainly a Monumental project. The first single right now is looking like it’s going to be the title track, “Monumental,” but that might change. I just hope the people enjoy it, and they can add it to other classics like Dah Shinin’ or Enta Da Stage.

Album drops June 28th – for more info visit: www.duckdown.com

Words by Geo Hagan

Workaholics: Not so much

What’s a perfect remedy to a less than stellar start to a morning when one is woken up at 5am to a ludicrously loud garbage truck that beeps incessantly for (no joke) 30 minutes? Discovering the full album stream for Kings of Leon’s Come Around Sundown a full week before it’s release! I have been looking forward to this for months and totes did a little (okay major) happy dance upon said discovery.

As a whole, the album doesn’t sound all that different from Only By The Night, but that doesn’t bother me in the slightest as I loved OBTN. It really frustrates me when people complain how their new stuff sounds so different from albums past and they refuse to like it purely on that basis alone. It’s a good thing that it sounds different. Their first EP, Holly Roller Novocaine came out in 2003, and frankly, if their sound hadn’t grown and changed, they wouldn’t be as successful and people would be complaining that every song sounded the same, and to be honest, their music hasn’t changed that dramatically – which is one of the great things about KoL, in my opinion – they continue to grow and try new things, yet are still able to maintain a distinctive sound. 

Eliza Doolittle, not to be mistaken with Audrey Hepburn’s character in “My Fair Lady”, is an up and coming Pop singer from the UK who sounds similar to, well, most of the other Pop girls out there. I don’t mean any disservice by saying that, the girl is definitely talented, it just seems as though this particular brand of “Pop Girl” is becoming fairly redundant. So, what’s a perfect way to spice things up? Bring in Jamie(xx) for a little remix action. Check it out here, massively digging this one.

Totally, totally excited over “Maniac”, the Kid Cudi + Cage collaboration. Cage (real name Chris Palko) is one of my favorite rappers. His music, incredibly dark and poetic, often reflects his troubled past – his father was a heroin addict (who forced him to assist his injections via pulling the tourniquets when Palko was at the ripe old age of eight) honorably discharged from the military for selling and using, Palko’s mother remarried (twice) and he was beaten by his step-father, he had multiple stints in psychiatric hospitals, numerous suicide attempts and was “…illegally restrained over twenty times for periods up to thirteen hours at a time by straightjacket and ten point bed restraints”.

Cudi, similarly comes from a troubled past and has been rather outspoken about it; the death of his father when he was young left a deep void in his life and he too attempted suicide and battled drug use and depression.

The track doesn’t feel entirely finished yet and no word on whether it’ll be on Cudi’s upcoming album Man on the Moon: The Legend of Mr. Rager, but check it out below.

In other Cudi news: here’s the video for “Mr. Rager”. I wrote about this song back in the summer (when this was but a mere weekly email circulating through the Red Bull offices) after I saw him perform it at the Converse All Summer gig; have to say, I’m still massively enjoying this tune.

The video’s fairly amusing, a satirical take on the “rock star lifestyle” with Cudi channeling some Jimi Hendrix action and a cameo by Christopher Mintz-Plasse rocking an epic ginger wig and asking the “interviewer” what magazine she’s from and if she’s ever had sex with him. Punchy. I like it.

Even though it’s only in it’s second week, I’m completely loving Wu Tang Clan’s “Wu Wednesdays.”  This week’s song is “2 Left Shoes” and here’s what RZA had to say about it: “’2 Left Shoes” features R n B singer “Truth Hurts” and Rev. William Burk, it’s a demo we did this summer I want to share with you Wu-Disciples before it gets into final form.  Verse one is about fake friends who I showed love to throughout the years yet they continue to stab me in the back and take my love and kindness for a weakness. Verse 2 explains how the true and living god put love above all things for love conquers all.  The hook states ‘loving you is like wearing two left shoes’.  I choose it because I am a man who loves unconditionally yet that love sometimes is difficult to handle or live with or simple wear.”

As most of you are aware of by now, and for those of you who (are privileged enough to) know me personally, I love Taylor Swift. I’m sure said love comes as a bit of a surprise (particularly to the aforementioned luck folks) – I’m not exactly your quintessential Swift fan (read: I’m not a teenage girl). My day to day “uniform,” so to speak, consists of skinny jeans, boots, a t-shirt, and in the cooler months, one of the many jumpers (that’s sweaters for those of you not fluent in British) I’ve stolen from a certain English boy I’m rather fond of. My drink of choice is Jonnie Walker Black on the rocks, I have the sense of humor of a 16 year old boy, not too mention the fact that I grew up with two older brothers, a younger step-brother, currently live with my best guy friend and my all time favorite songs are Jay Z’s “Intro” and The Band’s “It Makes No Difference.”  In essence, I’m probably one of the last people you’d expect to listen (let alone love) any sort of teeny-bopper music. That being said, my God do I love Taylor Swift (she just sings what’s in my heart!). I just want to have a slumber party with her and stay up late eating junk food, talking about boys and, I don’t know, doing each other’s hair or something. So, needless to say, I was totes excited to give her latest single “Back to December” a listen. It’s no “You Belong With Me” or “Love Story” (frankly, what is? I ask you?) but I’m digging it. Another wonderful thing about Miss Swift? Apparently her dream collaboration is with my future BFF Jay Z! I honestly don’t know if I could handle it if that were to come to fruition, my panda-brain might explode from all the magicness.

I’ve always had an affection for Eminem. I remember my eldest brother playing me some underground stuff of his when I was about 10 and, quite passionately, saying to me how he (Eminem) was going to be the next big thing in Hip Hop. Low and behold, two years later and everyone was singing “My Name Is.” This summer I was lucky enough to be apart of Red Bull’s EmSee event in NYC where Eminem did a surprise set; I was well aware of the boy’s talent but seeing him live completely blew my mind and my appreciation of him grew exponentially. Last Sunday he was on “60 Minutes” and if you haven’t watched it yet, I highly recommend doing so.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFGVXtwc-Ak

In the last bit of music news for this week: check out this ridiculously awesome freestyle with Big L & Jay Z from the “Stretch & Bobbito Show” which was first recorded February 23, 1995. HypeTrak summarizes it best: In terms of New York City hip-hop, this may very well be one of the finest hip-hop gems ever found. Filled with classic Hip Hop quotables, many have heard this freestyle before, but never in it’s entirety with dialogue between Bobbito, Big L and a young Jay-Z.

Once it gets to about the 8 minute mark you can really hear Jaz O’s influence on Jay Z.

That’s it for this week!

Hope everyone has an awesome-sauce weekend.

Mandy

Words by Amanda Boyd.

- Madlib goes to Africa. Play

- Def Jam wouldn’t let Method Man record Wu-Massacre on “hip-hop time.” HipHopDX

- Amy Winehouse to design line of Fred Perry crack stained wife-beaters. Billboard

- Buy Michael Jackson’s (RIP) sunglasses given to living Corey. Julien’s Auction

- James Brown’s body has been snatched!!! New York Post

- 160 arrested at Metallica concert riot. Spin

As mainstream rappers continue to spew couplets about how much swag they’ve accrued and how many shiny gems they can fit into their Franck Muller watches, the reclusive and prolific Doom has gone ahead and dropped the best hip-hop album this year – the aptly titled Born Like This. The new LP is a masterpiece any way you look at it; from the selection of exceptional producers (J Dilla, Jake One, Thom Yorke) to the sharp collection of wordsmiths assembled (Wu-Tang’s Raekwon and Ghostface, Freddie Foxxx, Kurious Jorge). But above all, it’s the Metal-Faced Villain’s amazing, choppy delivery, Ginsu-sharp diction and unrivaled imagination that make his latest opus a certified classic.

Doom’s last two collaboration albums – 2004’s Madvillainy project with producer MadLib and 2005’s The Mouse and The Mask with Danger Mouse – were both heralded as masterworks – but Born Like This stands on a different plateau. “Gazillion Ear” is a fast-moving sonic vehicle that switches instrumentals midstream and boasts vintage-Doom, braggadocio wordplay. “Cellz” conjures thoughts of post-apocalyptic, paranoia with deceased writer/poet Dan Bukowski reading off haunting lines from his poem, “Dinosauria, We.”  And on the spectacular “More Rhymin’” he unleashes a dizzying lyrical barrage that starts off with: “More rhymin’, pure diamonds, poor timin’, tore hymen, Paul Simon tourin’….” – you could take two weeks out of your schedule to decipher what he’s getting at and still be dumbfounded, but therein lies the magic of Doom.

Through 15-plus tracks of creative eccentricity, the forty-something Doom proves that no other emcee/group can match him in the realm of art-hop. And quite honestly, no one even comes close.

Words by Geo Hagan, photos by Cara Pasture

It seems like Eastern Europe is finally starting to get some respect from Americans. Nico Bellic and the GTA giant made thick accents cool. Gogol Bordello has been able to take his mustachioed gypsy punk to a mainstream audience while smaller acts like Golem and The Sway Machinery are putting a fresh spin on ancient sounds.

The Sway Machinery’s Hidden Melodies Revealed: “Anim Zemiros”

The Machinery boasts an incredible lineup of musicians who’ve played with Arcade Fire, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Tom Waits and the Wu Tang. “People ask all the time what kind of music do you play, and I say ‘New York music,” says saxophonist Jordan McLean. The rollicking blend of music is nearly impossible to define. Inspired by Cantorial music and guided by the warped mind of Balkan Beat Box maestro Jeremiah Lockwood, The Sway Machinery are an organic mashup of world styles from Mali blues to Polish dances.

Playing such a selection basically dictates the band understand musical theory, world cultures and history, so it’s not a surprise that the five band members can be cerebral and mystical. “We’re moving beyond style and into idea,” says McLean, “because we’re creating our own myth with this music. We invite the audience to explore and create their own myths along with us—and kick their fucking asses at the same time.”

The underlying party rhythms of dance music is a huge influence for JDub labelmates Golem, a six-piece also out of New York. Golem began years ago covering klezmer traditionals, and has slowly evolved a hybrid rock version of the ancient songs. “It was originally party music so it’s not an academic pursuit for us,” says singer and accordionist Annette Ezekiel Kogan.  “The energy in the music is party energy,” she says. The new album, Citizen Boris, spins together accordion, horns, fiddle and feedback into dance rock that stands out for its creativity. History never sounded so fun.

By Jacob Cottingham

The Sway Machinery’s Hidden Melodies Revealed “Tell it All to Me”

Golem’s Citizen Boris: “Tucheses & Nenes”

Golem’s Citizen Boris: “Mirror Mirror”