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The Atlanta hip-hop duo Outkast rose to prominence in 1994 with the release of their seminal debut album “Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik”, they have since changed the musical landscape of hip-hop and beyond on countless occasions. From the ethereal feel of “Elevators” to the drum-n-bass gospel “B.O.B.”, Outkast has never fit inside a box, a genre, or an era. They just kind of exist on their own plane. For 10 years, they’ve held on to their souls and were rewarded with hip-hop’s first ever “album of the year” grammy win for the diamond-selling “Speakerboxxx/Love Below”. Outkast continues to be a huge and deserved influence on multiple genres of music, as well as a reminder to just be yourself, (“fuck bein’ anything else”).

Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails follows this same philosophy. After ditching New Wave Bands in the 80’s, Trent ventured out to form his own band, comprised of…himself (though others are always in the line-up for assistance). Beginning with his debut album “Pretty Hate Machine”, and leading up to his recent free download “The Slip”, Trent has made a career pushing the boundaries of sound, distortion, and atypical instrumentation. Who else can make piano keys sound like water trickling down over distorted frequencies of a toaster being thrown into a bathtub (that’s what it sounds like to me).

Ill Poetic would harvest organs (preferably not his own) to work with any of these people. This is the closest he’ll get for now. Ill Po is best known his 2007 LP “The World is Ours”, as well as the successful release “ill poetic presents Budden Meets Portishead: Mood Muzik’sThird”, which garnered extremely favorable press at rollingstone.com, allhiphop.com, hiphopdx.com, and quite possibly the very place you’re reading this right now.

Why cross NIN and Outkast? Fuck it, that’s why. Take two artists who threw away all their boundaries, and write your name in the snow of another boundary by crossing them together. Ill poetic still writes his own press-releases, but I’m sure you couldn’t tell. So without further ado, ill po gives you the free download “Nine Inch Naliens”, a record that sounds like something Otis Redding would mosh to in Phil Spector’s living room.

P.S. Trust me, if you loved Ill Po’s Portishead/Joe Budden mash-up “MM3rd”, “Naliens” will blow your gotdamn mind!! I listened to it for the first time on my two hour trek home from work today and…well, if you thought Joey and ‘Head worked out quite nicely wait ’til you hear this goodness. Ill Po’s remix of “Elevators” nearly trumps the original classic. However, can we get another solo joint Ill????

Click to DL Ill Poetic presents: “Nine Inch Naliens”

Damn Yo!! It’s been the year of the “EP” and the “free download”, to say the least!! Whether it’s been Donwill & SuhBurb’s “Suhburban Sprawl” or…well, hell there’s nearly too many quaility joints to mention. Let’s say that we, the listeners, have been blessed with a boatload of “free sh*t” in ’08 (keep em’ comin’!). Next on the list is Tha Connection’s “Universal Dominance”, a collection of remixes and sort of a “best of” that entails their brief but promising recording careers. For those that “don’t be knowin” Tha Connection is comprised of two “freestyle ready” emcees who go by Hus Tha KingPin and SmooVth Dude who hail from Hempstead, New York. Some of you may even remember this duo from their 2007 release “Connect”, which looking back I DL’ed from HHB sometime last year (you already know the deal son!!) and for those that really dove into the whole “Rawkus 50″ phenomenon, Tha Connection appeared on 12 Bits’ digital release “Stranded On Planet Rock”.  Since then, they have released and appeared on the “Cosmic Bounce” EP by SmooVth and Drums, the Hus The KingPin appearance on “Love Song” from Fella Vaughn’s “Do My Thing” single (Melting Pot Music) and a few promo EP’s. Their hard work and consistency is just now beginning to come to fruition, most recently inking a deal with Goontrax in Japan for their first retail release that will be in stores December of this year.  To continue on, they are now preparing another release with Domination Recordings (also home to the Jazz Addixx, whaddup Ragz!!!!!!).

My first exposure to Tha Connection came in the form of “Sentido” (click to preview) via the crew’s myspace page. Let’s just say that I’m feelin’ this sh*t so much right now that if you also peep my myspace page you’ll see just how much. The buildup of this track is crazy ill thanks to slick production from AGQ and the consistent lyricism paired with fluid deliveries of Tha Connection make this cut one of my favorites of ’08. The bumrush doesn’t stop there with this 12 track album, “Hibernation” is fueled by ill production as Vans Cal laces Tha Connect with a sick filter and an elegant horn loop that SmooVth and Hus verbally murder. “Supa” (prod. by Max I Million) f. Prolifical almost possesses a more “West Coast” feel as the true art of “sh*t talkin” is mastered to pleasing results over “G-Funkish” production. Also of note, is the appropriately titled “Tunnel” a dark, grimey freestyle joint that flips the Nas mixtape cut that didn’t make “Hip Hop Is Dead” (for Christ sakes, I can’t think of the title of that track to save my life!!).

I hear (and don’t hear) alot of bullsh*t that floods my inbox nowadays, you really have to “pick and choose” what you get yourself into. Needless to say, Tha Connection’s “Universal Dominance” was a good choice as it will more than likely find itself amongst my “surprises” of 2008. Not to say that “Universal Dominance” is an instant classic…yes, there is indeed room for improvement in certain spots on the album. However, I’m anxious to see what the future holds for this talented duo from N.Y. ’cause these cats are definitely worth following! Click HERE to download “World Dominance”.