EXCLUSIVE!!! Hezekiah f. Bilal - Keep Looking Up (Remix)

Handed down from the man himself. RE-mix by Ted Kenny.

Get ready for a fresh pot of coughee. The Brothaz are back!!

More to come soon. Get ready for some fresh coughee.

Natalie Stewart of Floetry SPEAKS!! The Return of "Super Heroine"

After more than a few complaints and very vocal cries of where's Natalie??, Floetry's "floacist" Natalie Stewart has finally surfaced to speak on why she's not with Marsha Ambrosius on the road. As many of you know, Marsh is currently hitting venues around the U.S. with Amanda Diva on the complaint-ridden tour "Floetry Remixed". The shows have not been going as well as previously expected as fans have voiced their displeasure at being sold on the Floetry brand for a show and then getting only half of the original group. Many have speculated that Marsha Ambrosius (lead singer of the Philly-based group) thought Natalie's position may have been interchangeable since she handled most of the songwriting and most of the vocal work. But it now seems that fans of the group vehemently disagree. Well, it appears there may be a reconciliation of sorts for Marsh and Nat as Natalie has granted an interview to NY's "How You Doin'?" queen Wendy Williams. Among the interview highlights:

-Wendy accuses Marsh and Nat of a romantic relationship
-Nat admits to switch hitting
-Claims Marsha is as straight as a Lindsey Lohan coke line
-Nat says the fans may see her join the "Remixed" tour

Here's the audio of the interview. Dope Joints, bitches!!!

Eric Roberson Kills It in Houston!!

This year's annual Houston International Jazz Festival was headlined by two very non-jazz but very dope artists, Eric Roberson and Anthony David. First of all, on a grading scale, this year festival gets a big, fat, red "F" just on scheduling alone. Here's why. The festival website said the concert would begin at 7pm. So, I get there a few minutes after 7 and Terisa Griffin was already onstage doing her thing. Let me tell you, that gal can SANG!!! She sang her natural ass off. Seriously, it was so hot in this Texas heat that we all lost a few pounds. Really though, Terisa was excellent. Her voice was flawless and she completed an excellent set that included some of her original songs like 'Cigarette In The Rain' and some great covers as well like Phyllis Hyman's 'Living All Alone'. It was also great to see one of Houston's premier musicians and guitarist extraordinaire Corey "FunkaFangaz" Stoot performing with her. When her set finished sometime after 8pm, the announcer then says that the headliner Eric Roberson was coming up next. Well, I'll be damned!!! It turns out that the concert actually started at 5pm and by the time 7pm came, Anthony David had done his thing and was long gone! (Florida Evans - "Damn, damn, DAMN!!!!") That really, really sucked. I've been waiting to see A.D. for a while now and to know that I could have shown up earlier but was mislead, although unintentially, is just bad policy and straight up foul. Fuck it. At least I didn't miss Erro.

About 8:45, Roberson hits the stage opening with 'Evening' from his latest cd "Left". Dude's voice was well-churned butta and he ripped through a super combo of old and new joints like 'Please, Don't Leave Me', 'Softest Lips', 'Rock Wit U', 'Only For You', 'Pretty Girl', and alot more. This cat puts on a great show. He even finished his set singing MiJac's 'Beat It'! That was crazy! All in all, it was a great concert (the part I saw anyway.) I really can't complain, seeing as I didn't have to buy a ticket. But that's not the freaking point! It's principalities involved. I would've started a damn riot if I had purchased a ticket. Them joints were a smooth $50 bucks a piece!! I got in free and I was STILL ready to kick some ass! Anyway, I've posted a few pics below along with a short video clip of Erro's opening song 'Evening'. The audio on it is kind of shitty because I was taping right next to the huge speaker on the stage, so, my bad for that. Still a cool lil' clip for true Eric Roberson fans, though. Enjoy.

Terisa Griffin tore it up! She was a pleasant surprise.





Eric Roberson took the stage and proceeded to kill it like usual.





Here's a short clip of Erro's 'Evening' -

The True Underground Kingz: DVD Preview

Back To The Docks: The Boondocks - Fall 2007

Huey and the gang are back for Fall 2007. Peep the preview.

Dope Downloads For The Weekend

Roy Hargrove f. D'Angelo - Bullshit

J'Davey f. Georgia Anne Muldrow - Might As Well

Don-E f. Omar - No Reason

Michael Jackson - PYT (demo version)

Jodeci f. Raekwon and Ghostface - Freakin' You (rmx)

Quan - Turn Off The Lights

UGK - Swishas and Dosha (from Underground Kingz)

Tingsek f. Emmi - Good Way Of Life

Mishal Moore - Today

Uncle Crizzle Takes Over The Groove

Craig D. Lindsey. Fat Greezy. Uncle Crizzle. CDL. Whatever name you decide to call him you'll still be talking about the coolest, jive ass negro walking God's green earth. For years, Craig has been pimping his pen writing columns, reviews, and articles for a ton of media publications. These days he's holding down two consistent gigs with the Durham, NC based News and Observer as its film critic and with Philadelphia Weekly writing the bi-weekly music column Power Of Soul. You'll also catch him penning articles for other rags and mags such as Vibe, Giant, Houston Press and others. Like all great writers, he's fiercely loved and passionately hated (see Jessica Alba fans.) You never know what your gonna get with Crizzle and it's almost always a surprise when you find out if he loves or hates something. No matter where his opinion falls, it's always entertaining. You don't just get self-masturbatory, analytical pontification with this dude. He actually gives you a slice of himself in everything he writes, which really makes reading his articles a full-fledged adventure. Whether it's his man-crush on UK soulster Omar or his disturbing, ritualistic cyberstalking of Helen Mirren, this cat will have your full attention for (insert however long it takes you to read 150-200 words) minutes. In other words, Craig D. Lindsey is a damn fool! And I mean the good kind.

Fat Greezy came home to H-Town this week for the Houston International Jazz Festival where he'll be checking out the two shining stars of this year's event - Eric Roberson (depicted in the cartoon above with Craig - peep the Omar tat on his hand- LMAO) and Anthony David. As always, whenever he comes to town he stops by my radio show The Groove and straight up takes the motherfucker over. Having dug through the proverbial crates, Craig spun a collection of dusty soul classics from the likes of Willie Hutch and some ottoman humping jive from Christina Aguilera (that boy knows I don't play no damn Aguilera!) I almost climbed the radio tower and pulled the plug when he played Warren Zevon's suicide inducing 80's track "Leave My Monkey Alone". Holy Geebus! All-in-all, it was a dope set as usual. For the few of you that actually tuned in (thanks by the way), you know we had a blast. It got pretty lively as Craig, putting on his film critic hat, discussed his intense disdain for the Transformers movie. I opined that for all it's plot issues and racist overtones (see Anthony Anderson, Bernie Mac and the "black" Transformer 'Jazz' who of course gets turned into scrap metal), the action is fucking awesome.

Anyhither...I took a couple of pics in the studio of Greezy and you'll also see my co-host Gem Hat chillin' in the cut. Be sure to check out Craig D. Lindsey's Power Of Soul column and catch him talking to and about your favorite beat crafters, lyricists, and sangers like Madlib, Omar, Raphael Saadiq, Lupe Fiasco, Musiq, and more.

Craig D. works the phones while Gem Hat barely contains his enthusiasm.


Uncle Crizzle himself!


Dat boy Gem Hat.

A Genius Among Us

Sheila E.
Tamar
Frank McComb
The Time
and Prince

Geebus. If you don't feel this one, you're dead inside. Because they all ripped it.

Say it ain't so, Flo...etry...

WTF??? Dammit! You might as well blame this one on Bush, too. I figure he is as good a suspect as any that must be responsible for splitting up two of our favorite UK imports. Apparently, Marsh and Nat haven't done much talking since their last tour stretch that ended overseas some 8-9 months ago. But the public rumors began a few months back with Natalie Stewart's MySpace postings of "life after Floetry" as well as her transformation into "Super Heroine". (BTW...besides the "Life After Floetry" thing, you wont find any other mention of the group or Marsha. Wow.) Marsha has been doing her solo thing as well, signing with Dr. Dre's Aftermath label and popping up on some very hot joints including collabos with The Game, Nas, and DJ Hi-Tek - all of the tracks get the Dope Joints Seal of Approval (as if that means a damn.)

It now appears that the nail may be in the coffin for the Floetry you remember. Marsha has teamed up with MTV's poet laureate/mc Amanda Diva for a tour billed as "Floetry Remixed". Of course, Marsha says that Diva is not replacing Stewart. Well, it definitely seems like one hell of a test run! They will tour through the States extensively, primarily in venues like House of Blues. I'll let you read Marsha's words for yourself, posted on her MySpace blog 7.28.07. Judge for yourself and decide whether we'll ever see Marsh and Nat rockin' again. Damn. It's like Wham all over again. Well, not really...but y'all know what I mean.

From Marsha's MySpace Blog:

Disclaimer: there are two sides to every story (yeah right) middle men and chinese whispers make the truth all crazy... I can say that this is my side... no characters, dates, times or places have been changed to protect nobody... this is what it is... without putting anybody on front street of course, the subject of this blog will probably be questioned and due to parties involved, i may not be able to answer them directly, I'd advise when you can, go to the source.... thanx... :)


1st of all, Natalie Stewart was never replaced... However, at the end of the Flo'ology tour December 5th 2006 in Birmingham, UK, right after the show, Natalie wished me safe travels and we hadn't spoken since.. well until a few weeks ago... of course there are things that happened between us and will remain on my part between us yet there was evidence of a separation in the group way b4 these rumors came to light...

you see, myspace.com tells you what you need to know about a person, or what you want them to know about you... whilst Nat nor myself were communicating, I took the easy road and I went to check out her page coz a fan hit me with the link like wtf!!! this was early this year... so i see on Nat's personal page "Life After Floetry... Natalie Stewart is... Super Heroine..." and I'm like OK, she got her Code Records poppin, she was doin her... grown woman, had to respect the M.O... so I'm back in Philly, she's in the UK, we're not talking, I see "Life After Floetry..." to me, she left...

so, I'm getting calls from label people, management, etc... they let me know what was being said and done and I'm like damn... what to do now... coz its all personal, but Nat has been like my sister and I'll back her 100... but at some point, I gotta say or/and do somethin... I had to do me, I just want to make music... personal shyt aside... I've put blood sweat and tears into Floetry, when people see me out anywhere, I'm the chick from Floetry, its my aka, my ID... so, I'm continuing a brand that I sure as helped build and I'm creating opportunities for projects that I believe in... I believe in the Floetry brand and I am continuing and chose to do so with Amanda Diva on the "Floetry Remixed Tour"

"Floetry Remixed" came about very suddenly...I met Amanda Diva thru a friend and we creatively clicked instantly... I can't control promoters, i can't control gossip sites, what I can give you is my word.... not one of them sites had a quote from me saying nothing... every promoter of the Floetry Remixed tour knew what it was going in... I'm about the music... I'm about being on the road and giving the music to the people... I respect that everyone is so passionate and concerned about music... makes me wanna be better at what I do... but, as always, I respect other people's moves... I'll let you do you... I'm a friend till the end... but when it gets all crazy, at some point I have to see things for what they really are... if its not working, its not working... i can't please everybody... I can't, i tried that... got me in a whole bunch of shyt... guess if I'd a grown up sooner, things woulda been different but I can't live like that, I just gotta LIVE... and let LIVE...

Natalie Stewart: you are my sister... blood... an important part of me being here doing what I dreamed about for the longest and you know that... I support you 100... you know how we get when its all personal and emotional and so very separate... we are different, and that's OK... you know me... I wish you well... all my luv...

at the end of the day, its all luv and music... if only it was that simple... :)

In full bloom

Those of us who appreciate indie music and "indie soul" in particular are easily agitated when surveying what the mainstream powers that be choose to put its full influence behind. Our anger and frustration is righteous and worth our focus when considered in the proper context. It's mainly due to our continuous discovery of acts that truly deserve everyone's attention, not just our own. And although we sometimes, albeit selfishly, revel in the knowledge that we are somehow cooler for being hip to a particular artist that many others are not, that self-righteous feeling fades when we realize that we would prefer to enjoy the bonefied artists we love on radio and t.v. the same way other music fans get to frequently indulge in the cookie cutter one-hit wonders that will soon fade. Sometimes it really sucks when you realize there is so much more that seems to be intentionally hidden from us.

Well, get ready to get pissed again, my friends. Because Kevin Sandbloom is another one of those artists you should know. This So-Cal singer/songwriter has been quietly building an ever-growing worldwide fan base. Pairing with Melany Bell to form his name sake band Sandbloom, Kevin has been relentlessly touring and recording- and his hard work is paying off. After a brief stint with Virgin via a demo deal in 1999, Kevin Sandbloom has been producing his acoustic driven songs as an independent and hasn't looked back. His 2005 album From A Bird yielded the much-favored track 'Is It A Crime'; a beautiful acoustic version of the Sade classic. No easy feat to take a song that Ms. Adu so clearly left her indelible stamp on and transform it into something so uniquely refreshing.

On the newly released MadLoveActivate, Kevin Sandbloom may have created his first, true masterpiece in 'Viva Los Angeles'. Destined to be as definitively California as Randy Newman's 'I Love L.A.', 'Viva' represents the darker side of the city of dreams. Where pursuit of your goals may cause you to gradually lose yourself and make you question why you ever went in the first place. Sandbloom's cautionary tale of life in the big city and fulfilling your dreams is spun in a particularly dark and honest way as he sings lines such as, "...gotta get down or lay down." "Am I myself or does this place define me?" And, "Even you're children know, this is where the hustlers go to get it. I hope that you find whatever you're looking for." The listener is draw into the struggles that sometimes envelope those that hop off the bus, ready to become a star; but often get lost in a living nightmare on the "Boulevard of Broken Dreams". Also apparent in the song is the deep love for L.A. often expressed by its long time residents. This is one of those great songs you fall in love with on the very first listen.

Be sure to stop by Sandbloom's MySpace page here. The 2 songs offered below are always within my reach. They stay in my personal listening rotation, and once you listen to them, you'll understand why. The new album MadLoveActivate is available now.

Kevin Sandbloom - Is It A Crime

Sandbloom - Viva Los Angeles

Jimmy stay down...

Though mainly known nowadays for hyphy and "ghost riding", the Bay Area has always produced great musical talents. The latest "next to blow" artist is Jimmie Reign. Entering into the already cluttered world of r&b will be no easy task. Right now, there are plenty of established artists fighting for spins on commercial stations. But, if she doesn't get heard, it won't be because she lacks the talent. This woman is a tour de force of talent. Looks: check. Singing ability: check. Fire tracks: check. Songwriting: got that, too. She's ready to make herself known to the world. I'm just hoping that the industry will make room for her. If for some awful reason she doesn't make it as an artist, she'll be just fine penning her great songs for others. She's that good. Hopefully, she won't have to worry about that. Stop by Jimmie's MySpace page here, and check these tasty mid-tempo goodies from Jimmie Reign. You wont be disappointed.

Ring My Bell

Something You Just Can't Hide

Superstar

Watch "Scratch" Now. Streaming Vid -

Director Doug Pray (Hype) pays tribute to the innovative art of DJing in the electrifying documentary Scratch. Featuring the most legendary figures in the DJ scene, Pray's film is at once a deeply insightful historical document and a highly entertaining glimpse into the world of underground hip-hop. Modern luminaries such as DJ Shadow, Mix Master Mike (of the Beastie Boys), DJ Q-bert, Rob Swift, and DJ Swamp are interviewed alongside living legends like Afrika Bambaataa, Jazzy Jay, and Grand Mixer DXT, in order to paint a broad, comprehensive picture of how DJing has evolved over the years.

Seamlessly cutting between interviews and actual footage filmed at several high-profile DJing contests including Skratchcon 2000 and the DMC U.S. Finals, Pray's film is a must-see for both seasoned fans and the uninitiated, a celebration of one of the late-20th century's most thrilling, original musical movements.

NEW!!! Hezekiah f. Bilal - Keep Looking Up vid

Hezekiah and Bilal make a lethal combo. This track is without a doubt one of the dopest of the year so far. Visit Hezekiah's MySpace page here.

Old School Progressive Soul Videos!

Just a few favorites here. Hopefully it will be something you haven't seen in a while or haven't seen at all. Enjoy.

Incognito - Still A Friend Of Mine


Christion - Full Of Smoke


D'Angelo and the Soulquarians (live) - Send It On


Unless you're from Atlanta, you probably haven't seen this one...

Dionne Farris and Van Hunt - Hopeless (live)


Lynden David Hall - Sexy Cinderella