Fresh Selects » Nick Tha 1da

FRESHclusive: Low Budget & Mello Music Group present Kenn Starr – It’s Still Real…

Kenny Fresh — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 13:01:38 +0000

Following up on the premiere of last week’s Budget Is Low Mixtape, today brings us yet another full-length free download from the Low Budget Crew – this time from rapper, Kenn Starr. Entitled It’s Still Real…, the unmixed non-tape is a discography update of sorts – collecting the guest appearances and collaborations Kenn has done his 2006 debut, Starr Status. Included are production & appearances by the likes of 9th Wonder, Kev Brown, Marco Polo, Oddisee, Raheem DeVaughn, Wale, and more.

The download also serves as a prelude to an upcoming mixtape of all new material with Hot 97’s Peter Rosenberg. All of this is in preparation for the release of Kenn Starr’s upcoming album, Two Track Mind – a double EP produced by Black Milk, with remixes by Kev Brown, M-Phazes, Mr. Porter, DaveNotti and more. Two Track Mind is slated for release this fall through Mello Music Group – so look out for much more on that in the coming months.

Check the tracklisting here and get your download below. Be on the look out for yet another Low Budget-related free download coming here this weekend. Also, shout out to Heinz of HNZ Designs on the artwork.

1. Let It Be Known (feat. Hassaan Mackey & Silent Knight) (prod. Analogic)
2. The Truth (feat. Kaimbr) (prod. RODDYROD & Kev Brown)
3. In Check (feat. Oddisee & Supastition) (prod. Oddisee)
4. DJ Flexx Freestyle (‘01 Throwback) (Live on WPGC Washington, D.C.)
5. It’s Time (feat. Soulstice, Eternia & Tiffany Paige) (prod. M-Phazes)
6. Low Budget All Stars (feat. Kev Brown, Oddisee, Cy Young & Kaimbr) (prod. Marco Polo)
7. Represent (feat. Akir & Oddisee) (prod. Oddisee)
8. That’s How We Kick It (feat. J. Sands) (prod. Chief)
9. Price 2 Pay (feat. Asheru, Oddisee & Darien Brockington) (prod. Oddisee)
10. DJ Eclipse Freestyle (‘04 Throwback) (Live on WNYU New York, NY)
11. Wonder Why (feat. Wale, Big Sean & Mike Posner) (prod. 9th Wonder)
12. Q&A (feat. Oddisee) (prod. Oddisee)
13. The Dropoff (feat. JLaine) (prod. JLaine)
14. Kemistree Meets Low Budget (feat. Hassaan Mackey, Kev Brown & Gut) (prod. Young Cee)
15. DJ K.O. Freestyle (‘04 Throwback) (Live on WRSU New Brunswick, NJ)
16. Coming Of Age ‘09 (prod. Nick Tha 1da)
17. Hennessey Pt. 3 (feat. Kev Brown & Raheem DeVaughn) (prod. Kev Brown)
18. Sum Ish For Dave (feat. Haysoos) (prod. 9th Wonder)

DOWNLOAD: Kenn Starr – It’s Still Real…

COMING SOON: Kenn Starr – Two Track Mind in stores this fall on Mello Music Group

FRESH PREVIEW: Finale – T.I.M.E. (King Most Megamix)

Kenny Fresh — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 12:00:44 +0000

Alright – now that that’s outta the way… lets move on to an MC that’s actual worth listening to – with an exclusive first listen to the upcoming project from one of my favorites right now: Finale. The project is entitled T.I.M.E. (which stands for Think Innovate Move Endure), and ironically, there’s kind of a long story behind this one. It started off as tracks that were recorded for his A Pipe Dream & A Promise album (which drops next week) that were compiled to be released as a pre-album download. But with Finale’s standard for quality control being what it is – even his leftovers were album-worthy and the project instead got picked up by a Japanese label to be released as an album in and of itself.

So, needless to say, the game plan for the download had to be changed around a little. So what we’ve got for you today is a quick, single-file “megamix” of the album mixed by DJ King Most. The mix only features 6 of the album’s 14 tracks – but don’t worry, I’m gonna be debuting more of the project next week. In the meantime, check out the mix and leave a comment letting me know what you think.

You can check the tracklisting before downloading the mix below. Also, all the song titles that are in blue will link you to an older post with an individual download of that track, in case you missed it. And for State-side fans looking to cop the album when it drops – Finale will also be selling T.I.M.E. at shows, so be sure to catch him when he’s in your area.

T.I.M.E. Megamix tracklisting
1. Run It Back (prod. Rashid Hadee)
2. Ice (prod. DJ Final)
3. Life Goes On (prod. Djimon)
4. Saturday (prod. Slimkat78)
5. It’s All Love (Remix) (prod. Ghost)
6. Jungle Music (prod. Nick Tha 1da)

DOWNLOAD: Finale x King Most – T.I.M.E. Megamix

SUPPORT: Finale – A Pipe Dream & A Promise in stores April 7th

STAY TUNED: More from T.I.M.E. coming next week

LIVE @ SXSW: Invincible “Looongawaited” b/w Finale “Jungle Music”

Kenny Fresh — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 01:19:41 +0000

Here’s the exclusive premiere of some live footage from both Invincible & Finale’s performances from SXSW last week. With Invincible dropping the delayed “Ropes” video soon, “Looongawaited” is too fitting of a track to pass up (the video will be well worth the wait – trust). Similarly anticipated, Finale will be dropping both his T.I.M.E. pre-album soon and his official solo debut, A Pipe Dream & A Promise on April 7th. From T.I.M.E. we have a live version of the track, “Jungle Music” (which was previously posted as a free download with its official music video here).

Also, be on the look out for an exclusive King Most megamix of Finale’s T.I.M.E. album coming next week, and a special Finale edition of Fresh Selects Radio with even more from the album coming soon after that.

You can check both live videos below and you can also read-along with the lyrics to the Invincible track after the jump.

Note: the volume’s a little low on the videos so turn your speakers up & pay attention!

Invincible “Looongawaited”
(beat produced by Vaughan T of the Lab Techs)

Finale “Jungle Music”
(beat produced by Nick Tha 1da)

SUPPORT: Invincible – ShapeShifters out now

SUPPORT: Finale – T.I.M.E. pre-album coming soon & A Pipe Dream And A Promise album April 7th

LYRICS: Invincible “Looongawaited” lyrics after the jump

LOOONGAWAITED
Lyrics by Invincible. Lyrics on hook co-writen by Vaughan T.
(more Invincible lyrics available @ the EMERGENCE site)

(Yes, its here, the longawaited, all these years of stompin pavement,
cut the nonsense, just accomplish, aint no way to rush the process)

Born in Champaign, Illinois
Ever since then been on a campaign to fill the voids
And missing links I drips my ink on topics that you still avoid
Cynics say our troubles can’t change but I kill the noise
Heaters that’s built to destroy
Speakers front to back – turn the volume up!
Smash these cats like Gallagher soon as I wrap the album up
Thought I’d never finish it
For more than minute I wished to end this shit
Put down my penmanship, and get a carpentry apprenticeship
Swinging sledgehammers for a minimum wage
Renovate a DV shelter for women with AIDS
Least I’d have some benefits and I could see a dentist quick
Still my thirst I wasn’t quenchin it by learning a trade
Chopped my signature braids
New beginning enter the stage – of nothing to lose – a hundred percentage to gain
Witness my train of thought, three minutes and change
Its the longawaited song
I layed it over tracks that Vaughan created

HOOK:
Yall been waiting
I’ve been making moves
Gotta do it right can’t lose
Got my ducks lined up and I’m on my grind
Its the mission Invincible accomplished
You wanna classic? You gotta wait for it
You want good music? You gotta support it
You want change? Its a daily choice
You want a dope show than yall should make noise!

I’m striving to be one of the best period
Not just one of the best with breasts and a period
Styles blessed with a myriad
We take the independent route and win – that’s what my man Wes’ theory is
Call me every A&R’s worst nightmare
When your label drops ya fade to dark
We still bright glare
And this is razor sharp
I make my mark
We don’t fight fair
Cuz we taking ya spot
Its state of the art
Ahead of yall by light years
Picture me rapping slow – sample Barry Manilow
And switchin up my baggy clothes for camel toes?
No that’ll have to go
I don’t battle no more
Make an album so dope you stranded up shit’s creed without a paddle boat.
I don’t write rhymes
I write ransom notes
Demanding a check
Demanding respect
Demanding spins from hands on a deck
These ain’t rhymes this is a ransom note
Demanding a change
Demanding the truth be told on this anthem that bangs

HOOK

Finale “Jungle Music (All Day)” b/w “Without You” (prod. M-Phazes)

Kenny Fresh — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 12:58:57 +0000

For everyone who hit me up about the new Finale tracks from the Loose Joints unmixed-tape and asked for more – I got you. Fresh from Finale himself, we’ve got another pair of new tracks – “Jungle Music (All Day),” his take on Baltimore club/go-go music produced by Nick Tha 1da, and the introspective “Without You” produced by M-Phazes.

Finale also provided some insight on what inspired him to make the song: “A D.C. native told me they hated go-go and Baltimore club music. I’d been hearing the song on Nick’s page for about a week straight because the track is actually a tribute to DJ K-Swift (RIP). I asked him for the track and I think he thought I was crazy for picking that joint or either joking – LOL. So I told the chick from D.C. that if I rapped on a club/go-go joint I could make her start to dig that type of music again…so I was challenged to do it and when I sent it to her the next day she said she dug it….so there ya have it (Jungle Music) – LOL.“

Both “Jungle Music” and “Without You” are from an upcoming Finale mixtape of non-album exclusive tracks, which will be dropping in the coming months leading up to when his new album, A Pipe Dream & A Promise, is released in March. The album will feature appearances from Invincible, MonicaBlaire, and hip-hop pioneers, Awesome Dre & Prince Whippa Whip (Cold Crush) – not to mention one of the most impressive production line-up’s I’ve ever seen, consisting of: Dilla, Waajeed, Black Milk, Flying Lotus, Dabrye, TaRaach, Nottz, Oddisee, Kev Brown, Khrysis, M-Phazes, Apollo Brown, Slimkat 78, Dimlite, and Vaughan T (Lab Techs). Wow…. can we take a deep breath and read that list over one more time? ….DAMN!!!

To go along with “Jungle Music” – here’s a brand new video to the track put together by Your Brutha Brub of The B.Q. Happenings, who has all done videos for Finale’s “Motor Music,” J*DaVeY’s “Lil Big Heads,” and more.

Check out the video below and then cop the two free downloads at the bottom. Also, stay tuned after the jump for bonus tracks highlighting 3 of Finale’s lesser known collaborations – including a track with Invincible from the Detroit Summer LAMP benefit compilation, an exclusive unreleased mix of his track with French producer, Dela, as well as an older track with UK producer Ghost that uses the “Welcome 2 Detroit” intro.

DOWNLOAD: Finale “Jungle Music (All Day)” (prod. Nick Tha 1da)

BONUS DOWNLOAD: Finale “Without You” (prod. M-Phazes)

STAY TUNED: Finale’s A Pipe Dream & A Promise in stores everywhere March 2009 on iM/Universal. Exclusive pre-album mixtape and leak tracks coming soon!

BONUS TRACKS: More from Finale featuring Invincible, Dela, and more after the jump

Finale “Motown 2K9″ (prod. Dela)
from Dela’s Atmosphere Airlines Vol. 2 Mixtape (Drink Water Music, 2008)

Ghost “Alien Invasion” (feat. Finale & Biscuit)
from Seldom Seen Often Heard (Breakin Bread, 2006)

Invincible & Finale “LAMP Post” (prod. Buried Glory)
from Rising Up From The Ashes… Chronicles Of A Dropout (Detroit Summer/LAMP, 2007)