DILLA.GHOST.DOOM.

In late 2005 Ghostface & MF DOOM were both recording over tracks from Dilla's instrumental opus, Donuts, which saw release the following February.



Some of these were released on Ghostface's Fishscale in 2006, while others, including a Dilla-Doom project, were postponed indefinitely after Dilla's passing. Two of these tracks, “Sniperlite” and “Murder Goons,” will be released digitally, exclusively through Stones Throw's webstore, due to launch very soon.

NoDoz: METAFORM

It's been a minute since my last NoDoz profile so allow me to introduce one of my favorite new artists for 2008, instrumental hip-hop beat maker Metaform.



Metaform's debut full length Standing On the Shoulders of Giants is the closest thing to Dj Shadow's seminal Endtroducing... since Rjd2 released Deadringer.

Metaform harkens back to 1995 with his soulful sample-based beats and moody atmospheric backdrops. Check out "Crush" below for a preview. The track utilizes a familiar sample from "Private Number" by William Bell & Judy Clay (see "Playaz Club" by Rappin' 4-Tay) but Metaform does a nice job of putting his own personal spin on it.

EXPLOSIVE...

Two Diverse videos in the same week? I realize it's a bit much but I'm hoping the more I post the sooner he'll deliver the much anticipated and heavily delayed Round About. Here's "Explosive" featuring Rjd2 & Lyrics Born from his debut full length One A.M., released back in 2003 on Chocolate Industries.

HALF OF WHAT...

Those who know me are well aware that I'm a big Prefuse 73 fan. Here's "Half Of What" from Warp Vision: The Videos from back in 2004. Vintage Vocal Studies era P73.

RUNNING MAN...

Today marks the release of Running Man: Nike+ Original Run, the 45 minute continuous mix of original material from A-Trak. Trizzy brings the heat with plenty of electro/house/hip-hop bangers to fuel your next rendezvous with the treadmill. Sample the flavor after the jump.

ESCAPE EARTH...

My favorite track from the Wordwide Renewal Program compilation. This is Diverse with "Escape Earth". Video directed by Bran Dougherty-Johnson. Illustrations by Damien Correll.

ISWYD INSTRUMENTALS...

More instrumentals from the Definitive Jux crew. This time it's head jukie El-P showcasing the beats from 2007's I'll Sleep When You're Dead. El-Producto instrumentals always deliver and ISWYD is no exception. "The Overly Dramatic Truth" translates particularly well sans lyrics. Take a spin below.

SPANK ROCK: EATS NEW YORK

Baltimore electro-sleaze-rap duo Spank Rock roam the streets of NYC in search of quality cheap eats and booze a'plenty. Good times. Courtesy of Pitchfork TV.

KEITH HUFNAGEL...

Interview with Keith Hufnagel, skate legend and creator of HUF, San Francisco's finest destination for hard to find kicks (courtesy of Hypebeast).

I LIKE IT, I LOVE IT...

The Bay Area's own Lyrics Born unleashes a wacky video treatment for "I Like It, I Love It", the lead single from Everywhere At Once. Straight silly.

$FREE.99: 88 KEYS

88 Keys, producer extraordinaire, is set to drop his first solo full length later this year on Decon Records called The Death of Adam (executive produced by KanYe West). Until then, download Adam's Case Files, the free mixtape featuring guest spots from KiD CuDi, Tanya Morgan, & Guilty Simpson. Click here to download.

BLUE: THE WORLD'S FAVORITE COLOR

NSP INSTRUMENTALS...

The instrumentals, a capellas, and lyrics from Aesop Rock's None Shall Pass are now available for download at the newly relaunched Def Jux website. Sizzling headphone beats from Blockhead, Aesop Rock, El-P, & Rob Sonic.

KEYBOARD PANTS...

Keyboard pants designed by Dutch student Erik De Nijs. Taking nerd fashion to a whole new level.

LOS ANGELES...

The highly anticipated new record from Flying Lotus, Los Angeles, finally drops today courtesy of Warp. To help promote the record, the good folks at LCP United (the same team responsible for the "Tea Leaf Dancers" video) put together a quick video promo. It's the hotness. Check it out below.

$FREE.99: WORLDWIDE RENEWAL PROGRAM

Can't stop, won't stop. [Adult Swim] is back with more free music for the people. Worldwide Renewal Program sees them teaming up with Chocolate Industries for the second time in two years (see Chocolate Swim from 2006).

WWRP contains a mix of new and previously released music from the likes of The Cool Kids, Diverse, Ghislain Poirier, Proton, and Push Button Objects. Click here to download.

TEA LEAF DANCERS...

Here is Flying Lotus with "Tea Leaf Dancers" from last years Reset EP. Dope video from the LCP United team. Be sure to cop the new FL record Los Angeles. It drop this coming Tuesday, June 10th and is guaranteed to be major.

THE SLB 23 IS HERE...

The Sal 23 (brought to you by Etnies & In4mation) is set to drop this Saturday, June 7th. But here's the rub, you'll need to be in Hawaii to cop them because they're only available at the two In4mation locations in Honolulu. Say it ain't so!

INSOMNIAC OLYMPICS...

Taking it back to 2004, this is NY beatsmith Blockhead with "Insomniac Olympics". Taken from his Ninja Tune debut Music by Cavelight.

THINGS ARE LOOKING UP...

Speculator & stay puft favorite Eliot Lipp join forces as Galaxy Toobin'. Here they present "Things Are Looking Up" from their forthcoming release Entering Snake Pass on Crème Organization. Oodles of ambient electro goodness.

ExitingARM...

The Oakland collective known to the world as Subtle returns with ExitingARM, the third chapter in the story of middle-class rapper Hour Hero Yes.



Like their previous two releases this album is densely layered with live instrumentation, electronic flourishes and Doseone's insane lyrical dexterity. I'd be fooling myself if I said I understand what he's talking about, but the delivery alone is worth the price of admission. Check out lead single "Unlikely Rock Shock" below. Courtesy of Lex Records.

$FREE.99: THE MIXTAPE ABOUT NOTHING

DC resident Wale is back with The Mixtape About Nothing, a Seinfeld inspired collection presented by 10.Deep and mixed by Nick Catchdubs. Filled with go-go influenced hip-hop tracks and peppered with Wale's clever wordplay the collection is solid from start to finish. Download the entire mixtape here.