Bloggerhouse Hip Hop

If you have yet to witness the production wizardry of Slimkat78 you’re truly missing out. Whether it be his ridiculous selections that can be found on the yU classic, “Before Taxes” Diamond District’s “In The Ruff” or his eclectic productions as a member of OP Swamp81, dude truly has an ear for sample selection and chops.  With forthcoming contributions to Asheru’s new LP and yU’s official follow-up, it’s safe to say, that Slimkat is just gettin’ started.  Recently we had the chance to politic with Slim for a few, hit the jump for the interview…
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LeBanlieuzart.com Mixtape Exclusive Part.2 mix by Dj LOW CUT

Preview the Mix HERE

Dowload the Mix HERE

Featuring tracks from:

Diamond Distrct, NYG’z, Reks, Smiley The Ghetto Child, Brown Bag Allstars, ARES, Cris Prolific, Method Man, Ghostface & Raekwon, Marco Polo & Rustee Juxx, Big Noyd, Kida, Freeway & Jake One, Statik Selektah, Self Scientific, Mr. J. Mederios, Cypress Hill, Obie Trice, Empire, Redlight Boogie, Sean Price, The Closers, Outerspace…
EXCLUSIVE – SMILEY THE GHETTO CHILD “DOWN” produced by DJ LOW CUT

To celebrate the release of his new album, The Reset, which drops today, Apollo Brown is excited to give fans another treat from the album, this time the “Streets Won’t Let Me Chill Remix.” For the track, Apollo Brown remixed Diamond District’s “Streets Won’t Let Me Chill,” originally produced by Oddisee and featured on the group’s debut In The Ruff, and provides a darker perspective on the song when compared to the original’s brass-lined soul beat. The James Brown drum break, which Apollo uses along with an eerie guitar riff, creatively compliments vocals from Oddisee, yU, and X.O. “I wanted the remix to have the same gritty feel to it. The original is drum heavy to me so I wanted to keep that going with a classic drum break. You can’t go wrong with ‘funky drummer’”, says Apollo. “I picked something that I know I could have done a lot of justice to. The lyrics on that song are ill as hell.”

Apollo Brown’s The Reset is now available via Mello Music Group.

In further celebration of today’s release, Apollo Brown is inviting all of his fans out tonight for a special meet-and-greet in-store at the legendary Fat Beats New York. Joining Apollo Brown at the in-store will be Hasaan Mackey. Come out, grab a CD, get it signed, and chop it up with Apollo and Hasaan tonight from 7pm – 9pm EST.

Check out “Streets Won’t Let Me Chill Remix” feat. Diamond District HERE

Purchase “The Reset” HERE

Cop “Real Detroit” feat. The Left HERE

There is something wonderful about coming to the office in the morning, opening the e-mail, and the first e-mail you open is golden.

Well one thing for sure ill be jamming this track all day and will probably buy the album when I get home.

Enjoy

yU “Brainwash” featuring Grap Luva, Finale & Op Swamp81

Here is another slice of dopeness from yU’s “Before Taxes” LP!  “Brainwash” is a D.C., Detroit & Mt. Vernon connection featuring  Grap Luva, Finale & the soul vocals of Op Swamp 81.  Over superior production courtesy of Slimkat78, all three emcees represent that classic vibe lovely!  DJ’s bang this one…

http://www.mediafire.com/?z5t1jhgiiiz

The Song:

Diamond District’s debut In The Ruff made huge waves last year – ending up on countless year-end lists including heavyweight websites KevinNottingham.com, PopMatters.com, and more, and also continued the avalanche of well-deserved attention to the previously underrated DMV hip-hop scene. Considering the impact that the album made, remixes of some of the cuts were inevitable. A reworking of “I Mean Business” by yU (1/3 of Diamond District) surfaced in late December, and now, Canadian producer Marco Polo, who contributed tracks to Masta Ace’s A Long Hot Summer, Sadat X’s Black October and various Boot Camp Clik projects, including his own Double Barrel project with Torae, is the latest to add new flavor to one of the tracks – reworking one of the album’s top songs, “Who I Be.”
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Diamond District is the latest group to receive the official interview treatment from The Stand (Twitter.com/StandOnDemand). For those who want to delve deeper into the people behind the music, the video features Oddisee and yU talking about what it’s like to be a part of the talented trio that is Diamond District. Personal and deep, Oddisee and yU describe the process of making the album In The Ruff and working together alongside X.O. Despite the different talents and styles of the three members, Oddisee states how important it was for “like-minded individuals” to come together to create a Diamond District sound that is greater than the sum of its parts.
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To celebrate the release of the instrumental version of the already highly acclaimed debut album In The Ruff, DMV triumvirate Diamond District is proud to release the first of a small handful of remixes for the new project. The first one up is “Make It Clear” (Getcha Break On Remix) produced by SlimKat78, who also produced the track “Off The Late Night” from In The Ruff.

“Make It Clear” is definitely one of the more up-tempo tracks off the album, and SlimKat didn’t stray too far from that formula. When asked about the track and how he went about creating it Slim had this to say, “I was just going through the acapellas and trying to see if certain drum patterns I made would fit to the vocals… I started to play drum sounds out live for ‘Make It Clear’ and told myself I wanted to take the challenge and the rest was history.” The remix builds up from horns and thumping drums to a funky guitar lick with a steady bass line, carrying the energy from the original over to the remix. The first remix is here; stay tuned for new tracks that will be dropping soon.

With all of the recent praise and accolade that Diamond District has been receiving for In The Ruff, the group has decided to drop an instrumental version available in digital foramt. Oddisee’s production was nothing short of stellar on their debut album and the instrumental version will be a great way to vibe out to that D.C. boom-bap flavor that is In The Ruff. Buy link is below.

“Make It Clear” (Getcha Break On Remix): http://media.audibletreats.com/Diamond_District-Make_It_Clear-Slims_Getchabreakon_Remix.mp3

In The Ruff:
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=333950536&s=143441
In The Ruff Instrumentals:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/in-ruff-instrumentals/id332728107
“Who I Be” single:
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=327515629&s=143441
“I Mean Business” single:
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=327517072&s=143441

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Celebrating their recent release, the members of DMV’s luminary hip-hop trio Diamond District take fans back to their birth, re-introducing the track “Gully” off of emcee/producer Oddisee’s album Foot in the Door. This percussive, up-tempo track marks the first time that Oddissee, YU, and X.O. ever came together to create the signature sound that now defines this dynamic threesome. Oddissee’s grooving drum track and dragging, behind-the-beat melody underlie the three emcees as they take turns spitting their respective verses, creating the effortless chemistry that now is Diamond District. This track, released in 2006, was the beginning; the cornerstone to this group’s development. YU’s lyric says it all. “In a cocoon like a butterfly, before the wings, never thinking like a peasant, I was born a king.”

In addition to “Gully,” Diamond District recently recorded a video with all three showing their lyrical dexterity a cappella style, like true emcees do. XO and YU set off the cipher with strong deliveries and tongue twisting punch lines while Oddisee ends the session off with a scorcher, “I doubt they’ll ever cross over to the rap game so they rootin’ for me yellin’ cuz get a plaque mang, done and I don’t even want the rap fame, it’s a by-product when you always give a track flames, One.”

Check out “Gully” and all other tracks off Diamond District’s newest release, In The Ruff, available now on CD and digital download via Mello Music Group.

“Gully”: http://media.audibletreats.com/Diamond_District-Gully.mp3
Freestyle Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxX6vz7xyf0

To Purchase:
In The Ruff:
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=333950536&s=143441
“Who I Be” single:
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=327515629&s=143441
“I Mean Business” single:
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=327517072&s=143441

Please contact Michelle or Dan if interested in talking with Diamond District

The Background:

The group Diamond District is comprised of emcee/producer Oddisee, and emcees X.O. and YU. Greatly influenced by their surroundings and love for 90′s east coast hip-hop, Diamond District is on a mission to bring back the sounds of old with a new twist and represent for the DMV. X.O. who was born & raised in the North West quarter of D.C. defines what it is to be a black male raised in the district. With lyrics that depict street life and harsh surroundings, X.O. has a way of philosophizing that raw, gutter reality of DC life that is rarely looked at or spoken about when we discuss our nation’s capitol. Oddisee defines the experience of growing up in black middle class Maryland. Bordering the poverty that his and many other families fled to escape, they found out over time that the troubles of the inner city came along with them. Oddisee’s soulful, haunting samples over bass-heavy beat breaks create the perfect instrumentals for Diamond District to match the street savvy, politically conscious lyrics that capture the dynamic of being from the DMV. Y.U., having been raised in the district, Maryland & Virginia, brings that extra variety to the group and shows that D.C. culture has a huge influence beyond its 10 mile radius. Being that YU has lived in all areas of the DMV, his lyrics and stories compliment the rest of the group and define what it means to be from the DMV. In The Ruff, is available now via Mello Music Group.

About Mello Music Group:

Like Lao Tzu in hip-hop, Mello Music Group provides music for the soul, from the heart of American culture, opening the realm of the intelligent hip-hop experience through melodic evocations, beats that corroborate the truth, and voices that roar above the rising void and impose order on the terrible & triumphant moments of everyday life. This is the compelling sound of Mello Music Group. Industry newcomer Michael Tolle founded MMG in 2007 and is acting Director of Operations. MMG will be releasing projects from Oddisee, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Kenn Starr, Finale, Trek Life, Dudley Perkins, Sareem Poems, and YU in 2010.

http://www.myspace.com/mellomusicgroup

Streams:

“Gully”:
http://media.audibletreats.com/Diamond_District-Gully.mp3

Diamond District Freestyle Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxX6vz7xyf0

“Something For Y’all”:
http://media.audibletreats.com/Diamond_District-Something_For_Yall.mp3

Nodfactor Interview:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9jd5MgZRD0

“Hologram”
http://media.audibletreats.com/Diamond_District-Hologram.mp3

Diamond Exchange Mixtape:
http://www.zshare.net/download/6698815408afb719

“I Mean Business”:
http://media.audibletreats.com/Diamond_District-I_Mean_Business.mp3

Mini Documentary:
http://vimeo.com/3707381

Bio, pictures, and streams available here:
http://www.audibletreats.com/download/diamond_district/

Twitter:
http://twitter.com/oddisee
http://twitter.com/yuthe78er
http://twitter.com/uptownxo
http://twitter.com/MelloMusicGroup

Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Oddisee/23639062981

Official Site:
http://diamonddistrictdmv.com/
http://www.oddiseemusic.blogspot.com/

MySpace:
http://www.myspace.com/diamonddistrictdmv

Label Site:
http://www.myspace.com/mellomusicgroup

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