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.