FRESHclusive ALBUM PREVIEW: Shafiq Husayn (SA-RA) Shafiq En A Free Ka

Kenny Fresh — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 10:42:18 +0000

Keeping things moving, here’s an exclusive preview of the highly anticipated solo album from SA-RA Creative Partner, Shafiq Husayn. The album, entitled Shafiq En A Free Ka (“ka” meaning “mind” or “life force” in Egyptian), is the embodiment of just that – Shafiq in a free state of mind, exploring and defining through future-afrocentric sounds and fuzzy melodies. Along for the ride are a team of musicians, writers, arrangers and guest vocalists including Bilal, Om’mas Keith, Count Bass D, Sonny Coates, and many more – all with Shafiq still holding down the helm.

For a quick glimpse into A Free Ka, I’ve got the first two leaks for you today. First up is “Lil Girl,” which features Fresh Selects family member, Fatima, providing a melancholy lament over a nicely chopped vocal sample, familiar bassline and a shuffling beat. To go along with that, we have “Nirvana,” featuring another member of the FS fam, Noni Limar, alongside two of her sisters in arms, Nia Andrews and Rozzi Daime – all coming together over a layered, throbbing slab of latin-flavored bump.

Also included, after the jump, is an older video of Shafiq in the studio with Sonny Coates, working on what would become “He Say, She Say” from the latest SA-RA album.

You can download “Lil Girl” and hear a full-length stream of “Nirvana” below. Be on the look out for much more on and from the album, including a “Nirvana” remix from Mark de Clive-Lowe, before it drops this October, courtesy of Plug Research. Also, credit due to the RBMA for first debuting a stream of “Lil Girl.”

Shafiq Husayn “Nirvana”
(feat. Nia Andrews, Noni Limar & Rozzi Daime)

DOWNLOAD: Shafiq Husayn “Lil Girl” (feat. Fatima)

COMING SOON: Shafiq Husayn – Shafiq En A Free Ka in stores this October on Plug Research

SUPPORT: SA-RA – Nuclear Evolution: The Age Of Love in stores now

BONUS VIDEO: Shafiq in the studio with Sonny Coates

FRESH SELECTS: LOOSE JOINTS

Kenny Fresh — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 22:48:18 +0000

As promised, here’s the first-ever Fresh Selects mixtape. No, it’s not really mixed – its just a .zip full of tracks that I’ve been feeling lately, and/or been meaning to post about. I’m gonna be gone for the next couple of days so I wanted to put this up to hold you guys over until I come back. But if all goes well, I should be coming back with a bang. We’ll see…. but until then, bump this.

Tracklisting & download links below. Oh, and I also did some quick liner notes for each track after the jump, for those of you who are into that sort of thing.

Also, I just wanted to take a minute to say thanks to everyone who’s been spreading the word about the site whether it be through linking me on your own blogs, posting the link on your MySpace or Facebook, whatever it may be – thank you. This one’s for you.

1. Hi-Res – This World (Thrilla Music Group)
2. Black Spade vs. 88-Keys & Kanye West – Stay Up! (Viagra) (Stoney Rock Remix) (CD-R)
3. Mike Slott feat. DistantStarr – Boxed In (All City)
4. Georgia Anne Muldrow & Dudley Perkins – Shine On (prod. Black Milk) (Mello Music Group)
5. Devon – Hold Up Zelda (Thrilla Music Group)
6. SA-RA Creative Partners – All In The Kitchen (CD-R)
7. Black Spade feat. Coultrain – A Lil Taste (CD-R)
8. Finale – Ice (prod. DJ Final) (CD-R)
9. Dill Clinton (TaRaach vs. The G.O.A.T.) – LiveWire (Lovelution Prosper)
10. Knowledge – Relief (CD-R)
11. Ras_G & The Afrikan Space Program – Clair Huxtable (Brainfeeder)
12. Waajeed – Can’t You Feel It (Instrumental) (Bling47)
13. TaRaach feat. Mia Simone – Benjamins (prod. AmDex) (CD-R)
14. Noni Limar – Monogamy (prod. Black L.A.) (CD-R)
15. Finale – Run It Back (prod. Rashid Hadee) (CD-R)
16. DaveNotti – Get Real (prod. DaiN) (Thrilla Music Group)
17. Kissey Asplund & DistantStarr – Car Ride (To The Future) (prod. Jay Scarlett) (CD-R)
18. Troubleman feat. Steve Spacek – Without You (Waajeed’s Flash Gordon Remix) (Bling47)
19. Fatima – Wildchild (prod. VeeBeeO) (CD-R)
20. Donel Smokes – Got Me High (Bridgetown Steel)
21. Devon – Sleep Tight (Thrilla Music Group)

All tracks selected & compiled by Kenny Fresh for Fresh Selects.

DOWNLOAD: Fresh Selects – Loose Joints

LINER NOTES: Track-by-track commentary after the jump

1. Hi-Res – This World (Thrilla Music Group)
Hi-Res is an up-and-coming producer from Portland, down with the Thrilla crew. I wanted this mixtape to have a kind of spacey, futuristic feel to it – so I thought this would would make the perfect intro. This is off Hi-Res’ free instrumental album, Sittin’ Up In My Room. Highly recommended.

2. Black Spade vs. 88-Keys & Kanye West – Stay Up! (Viagra) (Stoney Rock Remix) (CD-R)
Exclusive white label remix from Black Spade AKA Stoney Rock. Bigs up to the homie Ced of Hawthorne Headhunters for this one. I haaaate that corny Borat line at the end of the first verse – makes me cringe every time. LOL!

3. Mike Slott feat. DistantStarr – Boxed In (All City)
This is a track the homie Distant from MAGr did with Mike Slott of Heralds Of Change. Great late night driving music.

4. Georgia Anne Muldrow & Dudley Perkins – Shine On (prod. Black Milk) (Mello Music Group)
Big ups to Mello for sending this through. This one’s actually for sale so if you dig it, support it. I dig this – no comment on its subject matter though….

5. Devon – Hold Up Zelda (Thrilla Music Group)
As far as this new era of beat shit goes, Devon’s definitely a name to remember. Actually, my very first post was about Devon. Be sure to check that if you haven’t already.

6. SA-RA Creative Partners – All In The Kitchen (CD-R)
This is another exclusive Shafiq from SA-RA hooked up last week. Goofy, off-the-wall shit.. but still dope.

7. Black Spade feat. Coultrain – A Lil Taste (CD-R)
This starts the Dilla dedication section of the mix. All of the next 4 tracks sample or reference Dilla in someway. But yeah, this is an old Black Spade track I got off his MySpace about a year or two ago.

8. Finale – Ice (prod. DJ Final) (CD-R)
Finale is one of my favorite MC’s right now – his album is gonna be crazy. More on that soon… in the meantime, this is a track he did with Norway producer, Final, that references the Jaylib track, “Ice.”

9. Dill Clinton (TaRaach vs. The G.O.A.T.) – LiveWire (Lovelution Prosper)
This is from Runnin 4 Precedent, a top-secret TaRaach project thats been in the work for years now. Word is the election campaign is coming soon… stay tuned for more on that.

10. Knowledge – Relief (CD-R)
Knowledge is another name to remember, he’s been putting in a lot of work lately. I first heard him on Invincible’s track, “Ropes” off of ShapeShifters but he’s done so much since then it’s hard to keep up. Look out for more from him & Devon on Fresh Selects coming soon.

11. Ras_G & The Afrikan Space Program – Clair Huxtable (Brainfeeder)
Dope new track Ras just hooked me up with the other day to close out the Dilla set. On this, Ras flips the sample to one of my favorite Slum Village tracks, in tribute to everyone’s MILF crush, Clair Huxtable. Ras explained to me this is for “the Clair after the kids left, the Clair Cliff saw before Rudy knocked on the door.” LOL

12. Waajeed – Can’t You Feel It (Instrumental) (Bling47)
This beat seems a little random on here – but it’s one of my favorites right now, so fuck it. Coultrain actually recorded a song to this for the forthcoming PPP Mixtape – so look out for that. As far as the beat goes – all my indie rock heads should be able to spot what Waajeed chopped up on this. Don’t get it twisted (hint) – there are samples galore in indie rock music.

13. TaRaach feat. Mia Simone – Benjamins (prod. AmDex) (CD-R)
Man… I almost have too many TaRaach exclusives – I might need to do a mixtape with all of these someday. In the meantime, here’s an oldie-but-goodie from 2003 that he recorded in Germany with AmDex of the Vinyl Junkies.

14. Noni Limar – Monogamy (prod. Black L.A.) (CD-R)
Noni is someone I’m really looking forward to hearing more from. You may remember her from C.R.A.C.’s “Buy Me Lunch” (which she also directed the video for). I got this off of her MySpace, hopefully she doesn’t get mad at me for using it :)

15. Finale – Run It Back (prod. Rashid Hadee) (CD-R)
Another one from Finale. He raps with such intensity on this one – you can’t help but feel it.

16. DaveNotti – Get Real (prod. DaiN) (Thrilla Music Group)
Notti & Dain were 2 of the first artists signed to the Thrilla crew – and this track is a good example why. Dave’s really beasting on this one – 5,000+ bars (I’m rounding up) and no hook. DaiN killed this beat too. Both of them have a lot more heat still in store.

17. Kissey Asplund & DistantStarr – Car Ride (To The Future) (prod. Jay Scarlett) (CD-R)
Another exclusive that Distant hooked up. This is off his upcoming project w/ Swedish singer, Kissey Asplund. Can’t wait till that one comes out.

18. Troubleman feat. Steve Spacek – Without You (Waajeed’s Flash Gordon Remix) (Bling47)
Long story behind this one – but basically Troubleman’s label put out this remix without paying Waajeed. Not a good move. But it’s a dope track and it fit the feel of the mix, so fuck it – don’t buy it, get it right here instead.

19. Fatima – Wildchild (prod. VeeBeeO) (CD-R)
Fatima’s another singer I’m expecting big things from. You might remember her from the Hygher Baby post I did. I really like how she came off on this one – her voice is definitely that of an old soul, despite her age. I dig the sparseness and simplicity in the beat too.

20. Donel Smokes – Got Me High (Bridgetown Steel)
I’ll be an honest – I don’t know much about Donel Smokes – except that he’s in Bridgetown Steel, rapped on Exile’s Dirty Science album and a track that got left off of Blu’s Below The Heavens. I love this beat though – I don’t even smoke, but when this shit comes on?? Pass some of that over here.

21. Devon – Sleep Tight (Thrilla Music Group)
Damn… all that smoking made me tired. A nice sleepy beat from Devon to close things out.

Fresh Selects » Noni Limar