• Download Blazo Colors Of Jazz 2 Rarest Star

Globetrotting muralist Alexis Diaz continues to travel the world and paint his large scale hybrid creatures on walls and surfaces of all kinds. Diaz is Puerto Rican born and his native culture has influenced the artist's work by creating colorful and heavily textured images that combine human forms and animal forms into mind bending and fascinating creations. In addition to his solo work, Alexis often works collectively with his friend and fellow artist Juan Fernandez, under the name 'La Pandilla' (The Gang). Both artists are know for intricate line detail, splashes of vibrant color and the melding of fantastical animal imagery.ARTIST WEBSITE. For those of you that may be new to this blog, aside from supporting my favorite acts, I also drop an album of my own from time to time under the moniker and this latest effort is a 35 track instrumental collection for the end of 2013. The title 'Mish Mash' is a reference to the catalog of sounds I used on the record. The foundation of this album is a mix of some of my favorite quotes from radio, movies, interviews, things I hear on the subway and in the streets of NYC, dusty vinyl, old cassette tapes, demo CDs that I pick up in my travels, my own unused beats, things that make me laugh, favorite jazz samples and many other sounds that I am always inspired.

I wanted to create an audio collage of instrumentals for the last days of 2013 that reflect many of the elements that inspire me during my daily grind, even in the rawest form, in hopes of connecting with global citizens of the hip hop universe. Download it, support it, remix it, rhyme over it or just zone out with it.DOWNLOAD LINK.

Brown Bag All-Star and Brooklyn resident continues to drop EPs with producers from all soundbeds and just dropped the collaborative effort known as Course Company with LA-based producer. The two have collaborated on various songs in the past but decided it was time to do a project and they knocked it out in one week.

The album 'Same Page' features guest appearances from J57, Natalie Andrea, and Shi Dog and serves as a nice winter treat from the busy BBAS crew and their ever growing catalog of projects and collabs. Check it out and see how quality and quantity can be one in the same.DOWNLOAD LINK. Brooklyn native and current Atlanta emcee recently dropped a video for 'Close But No Cigar' as the lead track from his album 'Exercise In Tuition' out now. Though I admit I don't know much about Ed, I appreciate the quality of his lyrics and sound, as it reminds me a bit of NC's Supastition at times, and never tries to cater to the trap sound that ATL is known for these days.

If this track is any indication of the type of thinking mans hip hop that Rowe is bringing to the table, then I am all aboard. Always glad to see a young emcee staying true to self and message despite the current trends happening all around him.DOWNLOAD LINK. Sculpture artist Francesco Albano recently previewed his series of work that explores the elasticity and mortality of the human flesh.

Building scenes that seem like the aftermath of a toxic waste disaster, Albano's work uses beautiful and horrific piles of flesh that are stretched, skinned, melted and folding in on itself to emphasize the fragile state of our 'mortal coil'. Check it out and see some masterful execution of a sculpture artist who wants you to confront your cellulite and wrinkles and appreciate what you have.ARTIST WEBSITE.

Unspoken Heard member and DC area hip hop emcee, artist, and educator continues to add to his solid discography with positive and mellow, thinking mans hip hop. After spending years in South Africa, he has prepared a new album entitled 'Sleepless In Soweto' and serves as an introduction to some live instrumentation hip hop with elements of African house, afrobeat and other African influences throughout the album. Always staying true to his interests and reflecting an authentic and educated approach to his own cultural and musical history, Asheru delivers on another album that you can safely play for a crowd of any age.DOWNLOAD LINK. German true school hip hop production team continues to build an impressive catalog with many of underground hip hops veterans and resident tough guys. Showcasing their recent collabo with and for the track 'Suckaz Behind Screens, the track addresses the unfortunate but true nature of hip hop in the internet age, where haters leaving overtly racist and insulting comments and feedback simply because they can remain anonymous.

The video is a clever ode to the internet downloading, sharing and copying of files that is commonly attributed to hurting lesser known artists bottom line, but the concept is well executed and should help build some hype for the rest of the album dropping 'Black Snow 2' on Dec 13th.DOWNLOAD LINK. Fat Boy Fresh 3.5 by Rapper Big PoohCriminally slept on since the debut of Little Brother, has been adding quality tracks and guest appearances to many albums and mixtapes since the group disbanded years ago.

The recent remastered version of Augusts 'Fat Boy Bresh 3', now includes more songs and some new mixes that help round out a slept-on but quality project that frames the tracks around the concept of people telling embarrassing birthday stories between the tracks and makes the albums personal stories and songs more relevant the second time around. Check it out and support the other half of Little Brother.

Though he certainly doesn't need any more press about him in terms of movies, very few people have ever seen (or know about) movie director and his body of artwork with printmaking and painting. Recently hosting a show of his work in Los Angeles, Lynch displays a body of work that is equally unsettling as his movies, but with dark humor injected in them.

I am a fan of the scribbled text, aged textures and general gritty quality of most of his work and enjoy seeing an artist explore different mediums with equal quality. It looks like the mad scribbles of a mental patient which makes them the more charming for me. Check some of it out below and enjoy the nightmares.

Blazo - Colors of Jazz 2 - The Mash Ups by DJ Hazey 82Though the interest of mash-up collections seems to have waned over the years, every once in a while an artist breathes some fresh breath into classic tracks and lost verses lost in the ocean of great music. For a recent nod to the mix of jazz and hip hop underground classics, Dj Hazey and Blazo linked up for a free mixtape of such examples. Check it out and hear some of hip hops unsung heroes get a mdoern retooling by the consistent DJ Hazey and Blazo.DOWNLOAD LINK. I recently came across the work of Slovakian-born artist Stefan Zsaitsits and his mixture of cartoony, but moody drawings. He layers lots of simple but effective pencil drawings of fantastic, detailed, notebook-esque characters with some elements of fever-dream scenarios floating around each persons head. They look like sketches from a crazed childrens book, but I like the balance of serious moods and basic character drawings that communicate a deeper emotion than most line drawings.ARTIST WEBSITE. Before he was prone to crazed rants and declaring himself a modern messiah and genius, Kanye was only mildly cocky and made honest endearing songs that followed in the footsteps of fellow Chitown natives Common and NO ID with tracks like 'Family Business' from his major label debut.

Download Blazo Colors Of Jazz 2 Rarest Star

With the rare hip hop track that discusses family get togethers and seeing old friends, Kanye showed flashes of what made people like him in the first place but is now so far removed from his musical output that it is hard to believe it is the same dude. Listen to this track and reminisce about the days of old, in 2004!? Club 27 Reservations by Booda FrenchUK hip hop squad Booda French recently dropped the 'Club 27 Reservations' EP featuring guest spots from the Brown Bag Allstars (J57, Koncept), Travii (Bodega Brovas), Chrome (Def Tex) and many more emcees and producers. Showing a dedication to the true school craft and linking with some of the undergrounds unsung heroes, Booda French shows a good range of moods and tracks for the project and shines a light on a crew slowly building their name across the pond.

Check it out and support the worldwide hip hop legacy.DOWNLOAD LINK. On the eve of the upcoming project here in Queens (NY), I had a chance to meet several of the artists working on the project. Many of the artists I was familiar with, but one whose work I was not, but had the chance to talk to for a while during his set up was. Only knowing his recent work for the ‘Home Sweet Home’ benefit with Hour Children (above), which helps incarcerated/formerly incarcerated mothers and their children successfully rejoin their families and communities, I had a chance to see him doing a 'freestyle' background for his paper cut-out designs and talk shop for a moment.

Check out the colorful and honest artwork of the now-New Jersey based artist and help shine a light on a multi-talented and heavily hip hop influenced artist who benefits from having legendary b-boy and artist Doze Green as a mentor.ARTIST WEBSITE. F recently featured Atlanta hip hop duo for a live version of the track 'Summer Dog Days' showcasing their collaborative, throwback style of hip hop. Following in the tradition of groups like the Native Tongues movement, The Remnant exhibit an anti-trap style of hip hop based in the root elements of the culture and based in the often party-centric and crunked out hometown of Atlanta. Expressing the art of rhyme patterns and word play over braggadocio, The Remnant shows that not every rap crew in the south follows the same trends.DOWNLOAD LINK.

The always impressive one-man-army out of Brownsville (BK), continues to drop his impressive, creative, grimy poems over his own production, while also directing his own videos with an artists eye. I like that he does almost everything for himself and that there is an honesty to his singular approach to the rap game. He doesn't try to give off any indication of fake glamour to life and peppers his verses with nuggets of wisdom that stand up to repeated listens. Check it out and support one of the most slept-on emcee's doing it right now. New Zealand producer SoulChef recently dropped the lead single 'You Too' from his new album 'Food For Thought' and features Need Not Worry and Carla Waye on the track as well. Taking for a more mellow ride through his mind, SoulChef created tracks that address everyday life and the struggles we all face as musicians and people in general. Lots of solid tracks on the album featuring his network of lesser known but quality artists to help take you on the journey.

Check it out and support some hip hop from 'down under'.DOWNLOAD LINK. Brown Bag Allstar J57 just dropped an instrumental project as a memorial to Bryan 'Ports' Coyle, a lifelong friend and the person he cites as being responsible for 'putting me on to my favorite hip hop artists/influences, taught me how to rhyme, and also taught me that you 'only get one first impression', who passed away a year ago today. To honor Ports, and instead of focusing on the negative of the loss, J57 and Ports family members decided to celebrate his life each birthday - as he would definitely have wanted and this project is part of that celebration.

Listen and enjoy 'Requiem For Ports' and help the BBAS crew pay homage to a fallen comrade.DOWNLOAD LINK. Perttu Saksa is a visual artist and photographer whose recent series called 'A Kind of You' exhibits monkeys in masks in dramatic lighting that is both expertly done and depressing in a good way (to me anyway). It is amazing to me how much emotion Saksu can pull from the animals in their various poses. Check it out and realize that your concepts of how we interact with nature as humans can transform with a single photograph. He graduated in fine arts from the Finnish Academy of Fine Arts and from photography from the Lahti University of Applied Science.

Currently Perttu is working on his PhD in fine arts at Aalto University in Helsinki.DOWNLOAD LINK. Producer Exile and his Dirty Science crew recently previewed the work of collaborative duo Denmark Vessey (Detroit) and Scud One (Chicago)and their video and single entitled 'HoeininDaGaddaDaVida' from the album. The overall project is quoted from the crew as wanting the listener 'to make a classic imaginative journey through the minds of controlling powers of religion, music and Government in this grimey, psychedic Hip Hop album 'Cult Classic.' Check out the video above and the album below and support some talented cats from the American MidwestDOWNLOAD LINK. In honor of celebrating the release of their 2013 fall collection, just released a new exclusive instrumental collection inspired by the brand, mixed from Jony Fraze and featuring production from Double Truth alumni, and many more and mixed by Jony Fraze. Fraze describes the project like this: “Extremely proud of this project!

Privilege gave me the opportunity to create and mix the ultimate beat tape of my dreams.Shouts to all the talented and amazing producers who I featured on this project. Make sure to check these guys out and keep em in mind for your next project.' DOWNLOAD LINK. I happened upon the work of the UK beatsmith by chance, but was impressed at the obvious Dilla influence on his work, particularly this remake of the Slum Village track 'Players' titled 'One for Dilla'.

Always glad to see the next generation of beatmakers paying homage to one of the greats. Many of R-Kays beats are chilled out and float between RnB and hip hop, so check out his work with the UK based UK Based Collective Rhythm x Reason and help a slept-on talent from across the pond get some shine for his crew The Academy Collection.DOWNLOAD LINK. Among the many reasons I wanted to post the new single by is the fact that he drops the phrase 'The Double Truth' in his first verse, but mostly because it is a simple but dope beat produced by Evidence with Fash flowing confidently as he always does. Dropping the visuals for this latest single, entitled 'The Beginning', Fash teamed up with Ev on the lo-fi creeper that sounds similar to his work with LMNO a few months back. Featuring graf artist TravMSK in the background of the video, Fashawn flexes his skills as a preview for 'The Ecology' album dropping soon. Stay tuned for more from one of my favorite left coast emcees.DOWNLOAD LINK.

Swan&Simpson by Rasco & Guilty SimspsonAfter years of bouncing around with underground labels and lesser known albums, I was glad to see former Cali Agents emcee Rasco pop back up on the hip hop radar with a collabo album with Guilty Simpson. They recently teamed up for a short EP that showcases their unique flows over fairly mellow production. Hopefully, there is more to come from both of these cats, but this new project entitled 'Swam and Simpson' will do for now.DOWNLOAD LINK. Recently dropped a proper dedication video for his tribute track 'G.U.R.U.'

Off the upcoming Port Authority 2: Directors Cut album. Teaming with Talib Kweli and GURUs Gangstarr brethren DJ Premier, MP and Kweli created a celebration of the life, legacy and 'all of the vast accomplishments and great music Guru and DJ Premier gave us'. Despite all the weirdness surrounding Gurus passing, the impact of Gangstarr and the respect they earned as a group, and as individuals, will always be what the hip hop community remembers. Check out the video for some lost footage of Guru and friends during their heyday and help honor of the mist respected emcees to ever touch the mic.DOWNLOAD LINK. The artist duo and Italian crew of have been populating the streets of Italy and the rest of the world for quite some time.

From books, to murals, to street art and print editions, the duo continue to produce simple yet creative work in many mediums. Some of the first work I saw by them continues to be my favorite so far, but check out the website below and study the range of subject matter and material that they work in for a good sample of their skills. More images after the jump.ARTIST WEBSITE. South Central emcee and Johannesburg-based beatsmith recently teamed up to drop the collaborative album entitled 'Expectations' via The DJ Booth.

Itv iplayer download. The show may have expired Most of our shows that have been on the telly are available to watch on the ITV Hub for 30 days, but occasionally a show will be available for a limited time (under the usual 30 days) so you'll need to be quick!

Showing many areas of growth since the last album, Curtessy also linked some guest spots from notable emcee's like Khrysis, MidaZ The Beast, Pro Logik, Rome Clientel and Wally Left with all production duties handled entirely by The Militia. Glad to see Cali emcee's diversifying their sound and concentrating on making good music instead of relying on club tracks to show their skills. Check it out and support some slept-on Left Coast talent.DOWNLOAD LINK. I recently met the instrumental producer Valhalla Beats at a producer showcase in NYC and was impressed with his work and wanted to share it here. His work reminds me of Nicolay (of Foreign Exchange) and a bit of Amp Live (of ZION I).

Valhalla Beats is based out of Astoria Queens and relocated to NY from New Hampshire where he got his start making more focused music in college. Originally, he started making albums of original music for friends and handing them out under made up band names when he was 16 and later played in different bands at the University of New Hampshire to mild success on campus.Valhalla moved to NYC 4 months ago with the hopes of owning a studio in the next 6 years or to be producing/running sessions/recording bands or vocalists or rappers full time. Currently, he promotes his work for free through various online sites in hopes to show his range of production and quality of material. He uses live instruments coupled with software like Protools 10, Reason 7, Komplete 9 Ultimate, AKG 414, and Shure SM7b to mix/master/record everything by himself. Check out his Soundclodu page below and help shine a light on some slept-on talent outta Queens.DOWNLOAD LINK. Well-traveled photographer recently published the book 'Houston Rap' which documents his time following the Houston (Texas) rap scene and the culture of the often ignored music scene that birthed notable figures in rap history The Geto Boys, DJ Screw, UGK and many others.

According to Beste, he spent nine years with 'full immersion into the everyday life of the Houston Hip Hop community'. Because of the old school-esque cover of the album, I clicked on the latest project form for the album 'The Appetizer' and was pleasantly surprised at the jazzy and more laid-back songs on the album. Originally from Houston, Iso is a bit of a curveball from the Suave House sound that H-town is known for, but I appreciate cats who go a new direction and aim for a more mellow and personal vibe. With a few features from his NWTHGHTMVMNT crew, My'Key holds down the bulk of the album with honest lyrics and stories. Check it out and help shine a light on a slept-on talent from Texas.DOWNLOAD LINK. Though I had not heard of the Dusty Platter Guest Mix Series by the UKs own DJ PINGS until the 4th installment posted here, I enjoy the selections he gathered for the newest mix and will check for the rest soon. Known as a producer and record label owner, DJ Pings runs an independent record label called that has worked with notable acts like Lewis Parker, Cappo and Nappa, Planet Asia, Mr Brown and many more.

For this fourth mix, he mixed a blend of his personal favorite underground tracks from the last few years for a solid 47 minute playlist. Check it out and catch some slept-on tracks from around the globe.DOWNLOAD LINK. Fair Use, Girl Talk, and Digital Sampling:An Empirical Study of Music Sampling's Effect on the Market for Copyrighted WorksTo switch speeds a bit here,I wanted to share a recent paper published by W. Michael Schuster II, which digs into the concept of sampling in hip hop and how it can often boost sales for both the artist and the sampled artist as well. It can be a bit of a heavy read at 74 pages, but the paper uses the famed sample-based and mash up artist GIRL TALK to frame the argument. Though it can read like an academic paper, there are interesting points about the argument of 'fair use' and 'copyright' in music that may help pave the way for improved laws that favor both parties.

Download the paper below and get your learn on. It may help you argue with the purists of the world that think sampling has no merit and educate a proven, creative resource that many artist, including myself, continue to use as a muse.DOWNLOAD LINKARTWORK CREDIT: Dutch illustrator and fellow crate digger. Uni-Fi Records crew members and SPEAK Easy recently dropped the video for 'Da City' from their upcoming collaborative album. The track features an appearance from fellow emcee SYND and production from noted beat Midwest beat battle champ who created a more chilled out soundtrack for the emcee team. Rolling through the streets of Milwaukee, the duo shows that you can have fun and still be taken serious about your craft. Check out the single below and stay tuned for the album coming soon.DOWNLOAD LINK.

Jamal Science and Panik (of the legendary Chicago production squad and record label ), recently teamed up for the new single 'Simply Amazin' from the upcoming EP of the same name. The Molemen have quietly built one of the midwest's most respected labels and criminally slept-on talents over the last decade working with battle legend Juice, Vakill, Clew Rock and others. By signing some of the Chi-town areas more-talented young cats, who show an appreciation for the true school hip hop sound, the Molemen have increased their visibility and show that there is still plenty of limelight for the city. Check out the video above and research the Molemen catalog for some lesser known rap gems from the middle of the country.DOWNLOAD LINK. I realize that I feature a lot of DMV artists, but truth be told, of all the places I have lived, the DC area had the most true school group of cats I have ever seen. They all support each other and continue to produce quality 'grown man' music for the hip hop generation. Recently dropped a 10' collection dedicated to his time in Brazil.

He seemed to be overwhelmed with the response to his tunes down there and must have had a great experience which he pays tribute to with beats and tracks on this album. To wuote the man himself 'I was making beats in hotel rooms, at different people's houses.

Goin' hard, sampling straight in from whatever source was available at the time. Most places I was at didn't have turntables.' This show that he was feeling inspired and made due with whatever he could use. Check it out and see what the audio tour of Brazil is all about.DOWNLOAD LINK.

I know there was never an official video for this track, but someone out in the internets built this black and white edit of the 1995 film 'La Haine' that fits the vibe just nicely. This post is mostly about how this track 'Lifes a Btch' (Illmatic, 1994) has continued to stay in rotation in my ipod as a way to de-stress from a hard day. AZ and Nas both snapped on this and the muted trumpet at the end by Olu Dara makes this a timeless gem in my collection. At the end of a hard day and rough week, tracks like this always help to remind you that things could be worse.

I don't normally get caught up in tattoo culture, as I have seen way too much cornball tattooing on peoples arms and legs in my life. However, every once in a while you will see some incredible artwork on someones body and recognize that there are masters out there who know how to create unique and captivating ink drawings on human flesh. I recently came across the artwork and subsequent tattoos of Thomas Hooper, a Brooklyn tattoo artist who is classically trained and a master craftsmen.The bulk of his work is based in 'the sanctum of nature and natural forms, the unconscious, mathematical and geometric patterns, cosmology, and eastern religious images.' He uses classic printmaking and mark-making techniques to render these forms and the results often call for lots of staring or meditation to appreciate.ARTIST WEBSITESIGN UP FOR A TATTOO IF YOU ARE NEAR NYCSaved Tattoo426 Union AvenueBrooklyn, NY(718) 486-0850DETAILED IMAGES OF HIS WORK AFTER THE JUMP.

Florida emcee Kap Kallous recently teamed up with fellow Florida favorites Midaz The Beast and Shinobi Stalin to wax posetic about a life of 'Bad Decisions' over a track of the same name. Despite the murderous look on the cover, the Orlando emcee tries to channel Houston rap lord Scarface's famous track 'The Diary' over some laid back, hypnotic production provided by his long-time collaborator Optiks as a preview for the upcoming release 'Grandeur' with Doxside Music Group.I made my own artwork for the single, so if you want the original artwork download it on Soundcloud at the link above. Repping the middle of the country, literally, Kansas emcee linked up with beatsmith L'Orange for the collabo album 'The City Under The City'. As part of the Mello Music crew, Stik Figa doesn't shy away from the fact that he lives in a neglected part of the U.S. And instead embraces his stance of someone who is making successful strides despite his geography. Weaving stories about the struggle to be heard, life in general and the human spirit of overcoming adversity, TCUTC seems like a telling project for the times we live in.

Check it out and support quality music from all corners of the map.DOWNLOAD LINKhttps://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-city-under-the-city/id687402217. I honestly checked this crew out because of the similarity to my own LuvJonez moniker and was pleasantly surprised at the chill vibe and jazzy track and video. I am not going to front like I know much about this crew, but and as CM JONES made a solid track here and if this is any indication of the rest of the album, they are someone to keep an eye on.

Reppin New Jersey on a much more chill tip than most East Coast rap, check out the debut album 'Perfect Hand Off' below and support some slept-on talent from the garden state.DOWNLOAD LINK. Maybe it's because I have been following these cats for years, SmoovTH and Hus Kingpin are known together as Tha Connection, and even having had done some artwork layouts for some of their albums, I tend to support them in their many ventures both as a team and soloists. Recently dropped the video for the single 'There goes the Neighborhood' which shows him stomping around a rundown house and talking about the general public's continued 'evil eye' for everything rap. The beat sounds like some old school Too Short mixed with early 90's NYC production but gives SmoovTH plenty of room to drop knowledge on the listener without overpowering it.DOWNLOAD LINK. Mixing what reminds me of the vibe of Cali underground legend Dr. Oop and a bit of The Pharcyde, Clem Beatz and Racecar recently teamed up for the jazzy track 'S.T.N.B' as part of the upcoming album 'ITINERAIRE'.

I had never heard of either of these cats until yesterday, but if the jazzy, laid back feel of thsi track is a good preview for the rest of the album, I will certainly check it out. Funny that it takes european cats to re-introduce us to our own jazz legacy.CONTACT INFO BELOWClem Beat'z:Racecar:DOWNLOAD LINK. In the build up to dropping his new album 'PA2: The Director’s Cut', previews the lead single for the album featuring the reunited Organized Konfusion (Prince Po and Pharoahe Monch). While this may not be news to some, but not since the duo disbanded in 1997 has there been any new music from the OK crew. Marco Polo has a knack for creating bangers and the guest list alone on this album is enough to check out. Pharoahe is personally one of my favorite emcee's, so I am glad to see him team up with one of the torch bearers of true school hip hop in 2013. Check out the rest of the album on November 12th and helps shine a light on some of hip hops vets (Talib Kweli, DJ Premier, Posdnuos, Masta Ace, MC Eiht, King Tee, Inspectah Deck, Rah Digga, and many more) plus some newer cats like the Doppelgangaz all doing what they do best.

DMV torch-bearers of the true school hip hop sound, and recently dropped an EP entitled 'ORGANIC' featuring 8 tracks of quality music that can appeal to your more 'grown man' sensibilities. Never obsessed with trying to mimic the mainstream trap or die mentality, both of these cats bring a solid reputation to the table and show a good range of topics that speak on the concept of bringing the freshest 'produce' possible. Aiming to be the soundtrack of your everyday life, from struggle to successes, so listen up and digest some quality music from the nations capital.DOWNLOAD LINK. Homegrown Brooklyn emcee recently dropped the official video for the track 'Beat The Beat Up' from his mixtape entitled 'Beats Bodied By Bars'.

Borrowing the instrumental track from the 2012 LuvJonez album ', Mar-q flipped it into an entire song filled with battle ready rhymes and clever wordplay. 'Beat The Beat Up' serves up a good preview of the type of flow he brings to the table on the rest of the mixtape, so check out the video above, filmed in Coney Island, Flatbush, and downtown Brooklyn by Mar-q himself, and go to for more info on the up and coming emcee from BK. On September 21st, Peace Day, British artists Jamie Wardley and Andy Moss collaborated on a mass stencil project that utilized teams of volunteers with rakes and stencils to etch 9,000 silhouettes into the beaches of Normandy to represent the Civilians, Germans and Allied forces who died on June 6th, 1944, better known as D-Day. The simple concept helps folks realize the body count of all of not just this historic battle, but all of the conflicts in the world on any given day. If someone could do this in Iraq or Afghanistan or Chicago or any other city and country currently experiencing genocide, violence and civil unrest, maybe people would think twice about the sacrifice of human life for the so-called 'greater good'. In the day and age of drones and guided missiles, why do we still need soldiers at all?More detailed images after the jump.

Always down to support the great producers and beats from the Golden Era of hip hop, the first time I heard this mix by was in the background of a and was moved at the compilation of all these great tracks. Had a knack for making some solid hits but always seemed to create the album tracks that people grew to love but never got videos too. Some of these tracks you might know but not who produced them and like Jay-Z said 'the strong move in silence' and Easy Moe built a solid list of productions for heavy hitters all thorough the 90s and beyond while not acting like Kanye to get peoples attention. Listen up and pay homage to one of the greats who is still doing it.

Props to DJ Franchise for recognizing the illness of Easy Moe's catalog. This track is certainly not to be called 'old' but since it is from 2011, I have to call it a throwback. Either way, this track is a great song for a chilly Fall day. Flexes his lyrical skills over a triumphant DJ Premier track for a perfect pairing of tough talk and anthem-like verses to make me proud to pound the pavement in NYC everyday, and Brooklyn to be exact. This is a track I use to motivate me on the long ass train ride to the city every morning and maybe it can do the same for you, even on a Sunday.

Classic beat and classic verse from on of BK's proud sons. One common theme in most of the work I post here for Fine Art Friday is darker subject matter. I al always drawn to the rich blacks and confrontational style of many artists who choose to explore what I consider more 'human' qualities of mortality. On that note, I recently discovered the work of photographer and was blown away by the imagery he creates. Mostly because it is photographs and not an oil painting of charcoal drawing, he uses the endless capabilities of digital manipulation, Devaux's series entitled 'Attrition' is a reinterpretation of art history and a slight nod to its destruction and trying to get past the fact that it is used to compare everything after. The most recent video from Canadian crew is a creative, grmiey, hazy ode to the ice cold surroundings of their home country.

The emcee's all seem to have a good approach to the mic and remind me of Slum Village or Hieroglyphics in terms of the crew dynamic. I don't know much about these guys, but the vibe of the track and video makes for a good introduction to their new album 'They Told Me' which is out now! Check out some brothers from up north and support quality music from around the globe.DOWNLOAD LINK.

As a lead in to the new album 'Rubber Souls', Tonya Morgan just dropped the visuals for the single 'Pick it up'. Marking the first time that both emcee's worked in the studio at the same time and using the musical direction of producer 6th Sense and a live band, TM tries something new this time out and the results are an eclectic mix of mellow sounds and more playful beats and rhymes. Personally, my favorite tracks are the Spec Boogie feature 'The Vehicle' and the track 'All Em' but there are other clever rhymes and godo vibes throughout so check it out and support some under-rated underground MCs.DOWNLOAD LINK.

I see a lot of album art on a daily basis and only once in a while do I stop to see who designed or illustrated some of these designs. The she works within a music genre that I do not actively listen to, the work of stood out to me, specifically her work with the group Harm Wulf. She uses hand drawn elements and eerie imagery to illustrate the music and I like the mix of skulls, children and beetles.

Sometimes the art doesn't have to 'mean' anything, but the more organic forms and effort is often enough to make me consider listening. If only hip hop artists would try this sometimes, instead of relying on mixtape graphics to create their image.More images below. Hip hop everyman Homeboy Sandman has been promoting his new album with snippets of tracks around the web, but his latest track from said album 'All That I Hold Dear' entitled “Musician” drives home why he is so critically acclaimed. From the little intro about reporters asking irrelevant questions, he sets off on a mission to justify why hip hoppers are musicians and not 'just rappers'. Repping Queens from the Cali headquarters of Stones Throw Records, Homeboy Sandman drops knowledge over a catchy, soulful beat to wake up the 'sleeping' public to the art of hip hop. Check it out and support quality music from across the map.DOWNLOAD LINK. Though he has slowly been building his Mello Music Group empire like an underground Barry Gordy, and typically features heavy on the rapping, it is nice to see take a break from the norm and drop an instrumental project for the world like some stuff from RJD2 or DJ Shadow.

I am always curious to see how his production styles have grown from the Jazzy Jeff days, the first time I heard him and Kev Brown, and he never disappoints with his mellow vibes. If this new video for the track 'After Thoughts' is any indication of the vibe of the entire upcoming 'The Beauty In All' instrumental project, then we are all in for a new soundtrack to life. Check out the video and support the album when it drops. Quality non-trap, non-techno beats are hard to come by these days, so appreciate it when it happens.DOWNLOAD LINK. As a preview for his latest project, Low Budget emcee linked up with Brooklyn native for a super chilled out track entitled 'Trust In Me', speaking on making hard life decisions and facing hard situations like a man.

The soulful chops are brought to you courtesy of DC Beat Grinder alumni and contributor to all things Mello Music, Dunc of DTMD. Check it out and support the true school cats from the nations capital who are willing to be honest about life.Trust In Me feat. Maffew Ragazino (Prod. By Dunc) by Sean BornDOWNLOAD LINK. On the eve of dropping his new album 'After the Fact', which is produced entirely by Evidence (of Dilated Peoples), Cali emcee, Visionairies crew member and Up Above Records affiliate recently posted the video for the lead single entitled 'Dyslexic'. The video is filmed backwards and shows the before and after of a day of imagined criminal episode with LMNO trying to disguise himself in plain view with the buzz of clippers running in the background.Though LMNOs style is hard to digest for some, his clever lines and sometimes off-beat flow match the mood of Evidences beats well.

Further proving that few can match his prolific output, he gets some support for his 14th album in 3 years from some of Cali's elite hip hop faction. Featuring guest spots from OHNO, MED, and Rakaa (Dilated Peoples), along with scratches by J Rocc (Beat Junkies), DJ Babu (Beat Junkies Dilated Peoples), LD, and DJ Romes (Lootpack), the album features plenty of variety for your ears. Check it out and realize that being different can work out sometimes.DOWNLOAD LINK. Among constant headlines of impending war and civil unrest, I am always intrigued by artists willing to explore these themes without resorting to stereotypes of bloodshed or protest.

Italian sculptor and his recent series of images and sculptures rendering completely from burning or burnt charcoal are great examples of this concept, at least to me. Imitating the remains of a battlefield and the lumpy vegetation that occurs when human flesh is scorched is much more powerful than just showing exploded bodies.

He also comes up with more subtle compositions that look less like people dying and more like people caught off guard a doomed fate. It makes me think of Giacometti and the bodies at Pompeii and the potential for more destruction by the human race in Syria and other places. Happy Friday! More images below. Proverbial torch carrier for the boom bap sound of Pete Rock and Golden Era production, continues to drop little heat rocks on his frequent projects for REDEF records, and the 'Spur Momento Trailer' does more of the same. Always dropping classic samples in the background of his work, he breathes new life into classic drums and sounds from the history of rap.

Damu is one of the many talents from the DMV/DC area that stay loyal to the roots of hip hop and chopping samples on an MPC or SP1200 and I always appreciate hearing new stuff from him and the REDEF crew. Check it out and chill out to some classy material that constantly inspires me to get back in the lab myself. Washington, DC production duo The Other Guys recently teamed up with one of my favorite DMV emcee's and Mello Music Group affiliate yU (of Diamond District) and Substantial, for the first single from their upcoming EP ' The Opposite of Sex', due out September 10. Always bringing a solid mix of new school boom bap flavor and lyricism to the table, all of the emcee's take a moment to reminiscence about past relations over a card game and flex their wordplay skills with the humble video treatment.DOWNLOAD LINK. London-based eccentric producer recently dropped an instrumental opus of sci-fi samples and jazzy, boom bappish beats for you to zone out with entitled 'Music Capsule Vol.1 - THE NUMBER STATION'. Described by the man himself as being discovered 'From deep within the Echo Base studio located on H.O.T.H - comes a rare transmission.' This should give you an idea of the type of spacey, dusty and experimental vibes on the project.

'The Number Station serves as a message of hope and a warning of imminent armageddon to those who are lucky enough to stumble upon its frequency.' Is yet another unique description of the sounds you can use to inspire your blurry upcoming holiday adventures. Dust off some dystopian tracks and stare into space.DOWNLOAD LINK. Though his voice sounds very close to Jay Electronica in tone, Doxside Music Group affiliate is much more productive in terms of dropping albums and recently dropped the 'Champion Of The Block'video to flex his lyrical skills and preview his album 'AU:Another Universe' out now on. MidaZ teamed up with for the anthem-esque track and the creative video shows MidaZ mimicking political podium speeches to spread the word about his place in the rap game and drop knowledge about the struggles quality emcees face these days.DOWNLOAD LINK.

I recently came across the original sample (Stylistics - One Night Affair) that 9th Wonder flipped for their one and only hit that was turned into a music video during their time on Atlantic Records. It made me go back and study how 9th chopped the beat, but also revisit what was to be the second coming of True School artists lead by then-backbacker Kanye West and the likes of Little Brother and Dilated Peoples. This track still has power with the spirit of underground hip hop and shows a group too talented not to have made a bigger mark with the MTV crowd. The concept for 'The Minstrel Show' was lost on the general public, but those who recognized the talent in the group and the message that consumers generally only buy what they know fits in a 'box' stuck with the group even after they flirted with major label success. Combat Jack Radio Show affiliate and beat-digger extraordinaire just dropped another mix of classic original samples from hip hops golden era and other gems from his crates in the latest installment of his 'Summer Madness' series entitled 'Summer Madness - Volume 3: Night And Daze'. Quoting the man himself 'Summer Madness is more than just a series of mixtapes, it's an exploration into everything that makes the summer season one of the greatest times to be alive.' This volume 3 edition concludes the trilogy that started with Sunset Seduction & Dawn Delights and is filled with songs that either inspired your favorite Hip-Hop hits or tracks that just feel like the best parts of the season.Download the mix above and get your learn on.

<a href='MASH by Luv Jonez</a&gt.