DJ Stylus – The Vibe Conductor

Despite the fact that this record was held in limbo indefinitely, folks still check for us old guys who do the rappity-rap stuff. In gratitude for that, this is the album that you always knew we could make. We actually made it! But we never put it out. Eventually we put out a mixtape instead, so you can check for that too. A lot has changed between when we first started working on it and today, so there’s really no reason to sit on it anymore. Go free, formerly imprisoned album! Emphasis on ‘free’, because we’re not charging for it.

So yes, the homies are rapping like you remember us rapping. You’ll also recognize some of our good friends including Roddy Rod, Tamara Wellons, Wayna, Raheem Devaughn, Kokayi, Oddisee, Darien, Bilal Salaam, Storm the Unpredictable, Priest da Nomad and Asheru.

POEM-CEES* – Everything You’ve Always Wanted

*For those who are like, “what the kcuf is a POEM-CEE?”

We’ve been described as Run-De la Soul, although we did have a band for a long time. We’ve been on Def Poetry Jam. Rocked 9:30 Club a few times. We were born in State Of The Union. If you were there, then you know. We made a few records, including a weird one.

naturalaw-DP can be found rapping less and playing guitar a lot more. For Thaylobleu, Kokayi, Lady Pcoq and The Plumes and Melo-D and the Rados. Black Picasso still slams. And y’all know what I be doing.

There you go, all caught up now.

As the days have gotten shorter and the breezes cooler, I dusted off the lab and cooked up something to bid adieu to hot days and nights.

Jehro – Master Blaster (DJ Stylus Batá Skank Edit) by DJStylus

I didn’t mean to be flippant in the post title, as Jehro is someone I dig and whom you should get to know.

Got ‘em.

loosies by DJStylus

I don’t do resolutions, but part of the “better me” program is to generate more fruits of the lab. So here’s a Merry New Year to you all, courtesy of Beantown and Chocolate City.

Take one Rod Temperton produced, Timmy Regisford remixed (!!) New Edition rarity and stir in some early ’80s crank via the “upper crest of NW” and this could have easily been rocking in the brick sized Walkman of a young DJ Stylus living off of Florida Ave. at the time.

New Edition vs. Petworth Band – Once In A Lifetime Groove by DJStylus

And the original, to bring it full circle.

I still do the rappity-rap music with those other two guys. I forgive you if maybe you forgot. Some young fans actually took to a sort of bizarre hunger strike where they attempted to live solely on nutrition provided by our previous releases to pressure us to give them new songs.

They win.

Here’s an actual album cover:

And tracklisting:

And here’s a song with some R&B guy you may have heard before.

[POEM-CEES - "Honor" feat. Smokey Temptation]
Everything You’ve Always Wanted… 2010

Since Tami is dropping heat rocks left, right and all over the place, it seemed like a good time to take it back.

We did this project in ’05 after we did an EP in 2003. She wanted something to hustle at WMC that year and it worked better than we could have anticipated.

The Alice in Wonderland theme was Kat‘s idea. Ed handled the interlude segments (lady on the Metro = Ed’s mama, Metro conductor = Ed) and I recorded all of the re-envisioned takes on some of our favorite beats at the time then assembled it in mix form. Listen for early versions of the big records that Tami is now known for.

Tamara Wellons – Tamara in Wonderland

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1. Ferry Ride (reprise) feat. Naima Jamal
2. Caught Up
3. Hold Me
4. Don’t Change
5. Can’t Be Found
6. Blue Skies
7. All This Time
8. Oh Well
9. Free
10. Moonwalk (acapella)
11. Like Rain feat. K’Alyn & Black Picasso
12. And So….

I know there’s a flood of artists paying their respects to Michael Jackson right now, ranging from touching to creative to regrettable. That flood will only increase to a tsunami as time goes on, but seriously, this one right here is among the best I’ve heard. Nick’s vocal study of some of MJ’s most beloved melodies and harmonies is elegant, poignant and expertly executed.

If you’re not hip to young Nicholas, you can play catch-up here and here.

Nicholas Ryan Gant – MJ Medley

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From the days of Champion sweatshirts, backpacks and ciphers that went for hours comes this blast from the past straight out of the WMUC archives of the Soul Controller wayback machine.

O.G. Soul Controller “The J” conducts this interview with a young, personable and eager to rhyme emerging emcee by the name of Mad Skillz. Super Friends associate Kalonji the Immortal gets a piece with his own super-scientifical flow.

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Some months after I first felt moved to spread the word about Nicholas Ryan Gant, he asked me to add some flourishes to a mixtape project he was working on with a west coast hip-hop theme.

It was probably just in time because homie’s becoming a hot property along with the talented company he keeps. You’ll find a few rising nu-soul favorites in the tracklisting below along with some familiar names.

This project also marks the milestone of 50 mixes now available for download on VibeConductor.com. (w00t!)

And even though Nick might not find it as amusing as I do, I’m posting the gag cover that was replaced by the official cover above. Maybe he can be convinced that it’s a good look.

There’s an unmixed version for DJ’s and iPod shufflers. Otherwise, enjoy it mixtape style, where mixing actually takes place, which is not guaranteed in this modern lazily assembled compilation mixtape era.

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1.Hittin Switches intro
2.What?
3.Good Thing
4.Incantory Tranquility ft. Labtekwon
5.Make It Right
6.Ode to Nate Dogg
7.Miss the light
8.My Switch ft. Muhsinah
9.Livin Life ft. Queen Godis
10.I Ain’t Ready ft. Amma
11.West Coast Connect
12.I’m Willin’
13.Gangsta Defined ft. Bilal Salaam
14.Unknown ft. Jesse Boykins III
15.Do What You Want
16.Don’t Call Me
17.The Past Outro

I’m still looking for my sound. But isn’t that the point?