So I get these requests ALL the time; you know the kind. The kind that I figured a Premo or a Madlib or 9th Wonder would get: “…where you do you get your samples from? Can you hook me up with some dope samples…” I feel like sometimes, much of the art form of making beats is not even in the sample. It’s in the pursuit of something else. You ultimately end up either spending a few dollars on vinyl or you download something just to experience it at face value. You end up with something special. Well that’s the fairy tale take of it. Of course you could always (before you ask) try to find something that you can make totally yours. It has no influence, no bias point of views, and won’t make you feel obligated to do anything other than enjoy the experience of real, soulful music. And even with a point of view as strong as that, I also feel that somethings are so good… they are worth sharing. Some people are going to hear what I hear; other will dismiss the mix as something used to fill up blog space. I feel like what you are about to embark on is beautiful; simply put. Whether you just listen to it while cleaning the crib, or try to use it in place of a very old and very scratched “baby making music” CD, or whether you rip the sound waves into seventy-five samples chopped… you will enjoy what Fly is Made. Check for it at the jump.
Here’s a remix I did to Painting A Still off of know:juander’s latest release, A Kid Love, beta. Make sure you cop that if you haven’t peeped it already. I was just working on this beat and for some reason juander’s lyrics came to mind. And it’s dope. So stream and download the joint below.
Finally, here is EPonym & Esta‘s album, UpFromHere. They are new editions to the Cosmic Souls Collective and have been working really hard to make this album happen. I’ve been working with this emcee-producer duo for almost a year now and it is crazy watching them grow as artists. If you want more reasons to peep this album check out the previously postedinterview and Esta beat making video. Stream their favorite song from the album below and hit more for the track listing.
EPonym & Esta – Don’t Know feat. Melissa Bitanga
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I was working in the studio a couple days ago and I was going through some records that I’ve had for sooooo long when while on this Lonnie Liston record I came across something that sounded too right to not mess with. So I jumped on it like I do and you can check out what became of the sample below. Please leave a comment if you feeling it (or not). Peace
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Here is a dope EP Indy Sparks dropped the other day. He also did the artwork on my More Than Music album. Real cool dude. Make sure you check Indy Sparks out on Twitter, Myspace, & IndySparks.com and peep my favorite track from it below!
Indy Sparks – Expensive Taste
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This is the last instrumental album I released called More Than Music. Check it out and leave a comment or hit me on twitter (@NefTheDamaja) and let me know what you think. Thanks to everyone who posted this up or interviewed me and fellow CSC member Mick Digi for doing the artwork. Stream it below via bandcamp player and hit the image on the left to download it.
We bring the site back on the positive tip with a new album from the homie SLik d. Summer Vibes, which dropped today on his 18th birthday. This is probably one of the few times you guys will ever get to here me rap (Sick Of Love), but I also produced a song that was previously posted.
Just check his album out and tell him Nef said what’s up!
Originally this was only supposed to be a couple of songs. When I say a couple, I mean like, two. I’ve been calling back and forth talking with Grip H all day, as some more of our old stuff may (or may not) be hitting the Kevin Nottingham site soon. I will let time tell that story. What I present to you right now though, is the latest effort from Grip H and me as The Perfect Median, the group from which most of my body of work comes to date. Go to the jump for the download link.
You would not believe how late it is. I’ve been feeling a bit withdrawn. The fact that I’m not getting any sleep or much cut these days (laughs it off) doesn’t help. So I was supposed to “inebriate” away my sorrows tonight… with various alcohols and meaningless conversation. Well I was actually supposed to be at Diamond Head underneath a pitch black Hawaiian sky. FML.
Enters this sample I had been playing around with all day… to chop or not to chop? That was the question. I was planning to go small and massive, but I instead went for a traditional 16 x 4 using different parts of the sample. Since virtually no record of this sample being used has surfaced on the internet, I will choose to kept my mouth shut on this one. This is turning out to be a blog, huh?
This is the first edition of my music help series. I will be talking about my workflow and giving some tips on how to make your music sound better. In this post I will show you guys different ways to chop up your samples in Propellerhead’s Recycle and load them into Reason…
