Zion I

One of my all-time favorite hip-hop groups, Zion I caters to all types of hip-hop fans. From those who like laid back old school rhymes, to those who favor slick production and electro-hop, they've got it all. AmpLive's beats are crazy, and he's one of the most divers producers out there right now. The other half of the group, rapper Zumbi, complements Amp's beats perfectly; he knows when to spit fire, and when to just stick with a nice, laid-back flow. The two songs here are largely unheard songs off The Search & The Seizure Mixtape (click the link for a free download of the whole tape), which came out a little before their latest album The Takeover hit shelves last year. In a throwback to the golden age of hip-hop, the mixtape is actually created to sound like a tape, with just an A & B side, not single tracks. Side A is more your typical hip-hop, and side B is a little more electro-y, with, using samples from newer artists like Muse and Santogold. These tracks are fire, get 'em NOW.

One (Santogold Starstruck Remix) [Feat. The Grouch] - Zion I /Mediafire
Fight For Your Right (Muse Remix) - Zion I / Mediafire

Enter The Dubstep

Last November Wu-Tang Clan took a step away from hip-hop and released Enter the Dubstep, a mind-bending album full of dubstep remixes of many of their songs. The album features every member of Wu-Tang, as well as a ridiculous amount of guest features, from Busta Rhymes to MF Doom. These next two songs are two of my favorite cuts off the album, but you can get the whole thing here.

Love Don't Cost a Thing / Still Grimey (Nebulla & Dore Remixes] [Feat. Icewater, Method Man, U-God & Prodigal Sunn] - Wu-Tang Clan / Mediafire

Knuckle Up (Matt U Remix) [Feat. Raekwon, Pimp C & Icewater] - Wu-Tang Clan / Mediafire

503

Born and raised in Portland, Oregon, I always get excited when I hear songs that rep the 503. Gotta love PDX...

The Kid Espi

Oregon Homeboy - The Kid Espi / Mediafire

The Rose (Feat. Doc Vaporz, Cool Nutz & IAME) - DJ Green / Mediafire

This song is by DJ Green, a local Portland artist who I mentioned in my The White Boys Are Back post. It features regional favorite Cool Nutz and IAME, a member of one of the city's premier hip-hop groups, Sandpeople.

Mayer Hawthorne

Mayer Hawthorne - In keeping with the theme of my last post, here's a young white guy who thinks he's a soul singer. And a pretty damn good one at that. I hadn't heard of Mayer until a few months ago, and when I originally heard his track Just Ain't Gonna Work Out, I wasn't too impressed. After some repeated listening, and a viewing of the great music video that accompanies the song (watch it below!), I changed my mind. Mayer has a great voice, and the his music/voice are highly original (how many other white soul singers came out with albums last year? [Robin Thicke not included]). If you don't like him the first time through, give it a couple more listens, I guarantee you'll change your mind.

Just Ain't Gonna Work Out - Mayer Hawthorne / Mediafire
When I Said Goodbye - Mayer Hawthorne / Mediafire
Thin Moon (Remix) [Feat. Mayer Hawthorne] - James Pants / Mediafire

The White Boys Are Back

Who says white guys can't make hip-hop music.... 

Mike Posner - I saw this guy at the Roxy in LA on New Years, and him and Big Sean rocked the house. My roommate introduced me to Mike's music at the beginning of the school year, and he's been rocking my speakers ever since. His hooks are irresistibly catchy, and there's a very hip-hop sound behind each of his songs, as much as they may seem like pop songs. Even though he's a full time student at Duke university, he still finds the time to tour, record, and get his name out there. His major label debut will be out sometime this year, and I can't wait.


You Don't Have To Leave - Mike Posner / Mediafire
Speed of Sound (Feat. Big Sean) - Mike Posner / Mediafire

DJ Green - A local from my hometown of Portland, Oregon, he's released his first album for free, and it's fire. On his Myspace he says he "...tried to capture the feeling of a Portland summer day and put it into audio" and he's done just that. Need Your Love and This Shit is my favorite of his songs, but the entire tape is dope. He's a DJ/Producer, so he's not the one doing the singing/rapping on his songs, he just handles the beats, but his list of guests include some of my favorite Northwest artists. If you like this, check out his Myspace for the link to the full album.

Need Your Love (Feat. Eskimo and Sons & Sol) - DJ Green / Mediafire
This Shit (Feat. Sol) - DJ Green / Mediafire

Sol - A suburban Jewish boy from Seattle turned rapper? Not surprising. That same suburban Jewish boy being a GOOD rapper? Now that is surprising. If you hadn't noticed, Sol is featured on both of the DJ Green songs I posted, and deservingly so. You can't go wrong with these next two songs, especially Spliff, since it features PhilHarmonic, another local Seattle guy who I've known since my freshman year in high school. Check out Sol's Myspace for a link to his newest EP for a great price...AKA FREE.


Spliff (Feat. PhilHarmonic) - Sol / Mediafire
Road Is Rough - Sol / Mediafire

LoveJones & Phys Edison - Don't know to much about these guys, I actually got their album as a free download from my music sharing platform of choice, Frostwire. The album is called Sunday Drive, and it really is the perfect Sunday afternoon music. My favorite cut off the album is called Sit on the Moon, an ode to a beautiful girl named Mary Jane. All you need to do now is sit back, relax, and roll up a fatty. Check out Flawless Hustle for the full album.


Sit on the Moon - LoveJones & Phys Edison / Mediafire

Hova

Hov is the greatest rapper alive... don't try and deny it. He is the most commercially successful rapper of our time, as well as being continually creative and constantly thinking outside the box. I think of all the entertainers in the world, if I could be any one for a day, I'd be Jay. He really has this game on lock, and as an added bonus, he IS married to Beyonce.

Some new(er) bangers:

Brooklyn Go Hard (Feat. Santogold) - Jay-Z / Mediafire
Jockin' Jay-Z (Dope Boy Fresh) - Jay-Z / Mediafire
Death Of Auto-Tune (Chase & Status Remix) - Jay-Z / Mediafire

Now a couple classics:
Feelin' It - Jay-Z / Mediafire
Dead Presidents II - Jay-Z / Mediafire


Oh and don't expect exactly two posts a day from now on... I'm going to post at whatever rate I find stuff I think should be shared with the world.... that may be once a day, 4 times a week, or 3 times in a day. It'll come as it comes, but I'm going to try and have at least 5 posts per week to start out

Slow Jamz

Gotta start it off with a tribute to the the namesake of the blog. The sultry sounds of John Legend assuage your ears, begging you to listen again and again... and again... and again. Oh, and maybe one more time.

Let's Get Lifted - John Legend / Mediafire

Stay With You (Live) - John Legend / Mediafire

Annnnd a few extra slow jams for your listening / baby-making pleasure:

Slow Jamz (Feat. Kanye West & Jamie Foxx) - Twista / Mediafire

Just Came Here To Chill (Feat. Ronald Isley) - Isley Brothers / Mediafire

Put That Woman First - Jaheim / Mediafire