The nationwide favorites, U-N-I are following up their critically-acclaimed "A Love Supreme 2.0" with "Kings Keep Marching". They have hooked up with frequent collaborator, DIBIA$E to produce 'Donkey Kong' - which can be downloaded below:

DOWNLOAD U-N-I "Donkey Kong"

Exile - Population Control (Remixed by Samiyam, Dibiase, Free the Robots) from gregthedude on Vimeo.

I love how that video replicates a lot of Exile's imagery we have grown accustomed to in different videos, album covers and even performances, with the boombox as the central element. Greg The Dude aka Greg Ponstingl clearly put a lot of love in the animation and special effects, looking to achieve a "trippy" eperience, It's a tribute to the greatness of "Machines Hate Me" a dope experimental album that everyone who fux with us should buy. Exile is one of the greatest.

Ayomari – The PB & J Solution

Ayomari started his year off right by releasing his project on Valentine’s Day. Easily this would be a favorite of mine being that it was released on my date of birth (haha!). Regardless of the fact, Ayomari put together a really well produced record with beats from Cook Classics, Exile, Phonix, & 5kin & Bone5.  He touched on a lot of subject matter that the normal flashy,swaggy rapper would not. The visual treatment for this album was nice too! I tend to listen to this album on a sunny day watching everything from the balcony of a beachhouse. I think the focus might have shifted from Ayomari’s project when his frequent collaborator TiRon released MSTRD a couple months after.

Guilty Simpson – OJ Simpson

You would think a whole album produced by Madlib would lead to astonishing critical acclaim. However, I feel that people might have let Guilty Simpson’s project slip through the cracks. It may have stemmed from Stones Throw’s lack of promotion. It seems like they prepped its release ok, but after it dropped that was the last of any promo that I seen. While out in on the westcoast Guilty linked with Strong Arm Steady, MED, & Frank Nitty. With a song dedicated to J Dilla – Cali Hills & plenty of “I’m a killer (on these beats AND in real life)” references, what hip hop head would deny this album a place in their collection. Or maybe, they were just waiting for the Random Axe (Black Milk, Guilty, & Sean Price) album to drop?

Cook Classics – Recharged

Dope Beats. Check. Dope Rhymes. Check. This album had everything you need. Maybe people thought it was gonna be “just another remix album”. The list of features explands even further than just Diz Gibran, Emilio Rojas, Freddie Gibbs, Miguel, Sean Price, & Tunji. This had to be one of the best compilations of music this year, a full mix of everything from eastcoast/westcoast rap to R&B to soul & even some instrumental. If this album was supposed to fully expose Cook Classics as a major producer, it did that to the max. When albums ahead of their time come out nobody recognizes it till later; I’ll use that as an excuse to why everybody chose to hit the snooze on this alarm clock.

Versis – IllCanDescent

Nobody ever believes the young kid telling you the right answer. This might have been the reason people slept on Versis’ boom-bap centered, IllCanDescent. I remember trying to sneak him into Shoes House and then a couple weeks later I seen him there, and he flashed his fake ID. This kid is sharp and moves at a very strong pace. He reached out to get his project mixed/mastered by the best, Dave Cooley. He managed to get productions from highly skilled guys like Beat Maker Beat, Dibia$e, Exile, & fLako. With comparisons to Blu, he seems to be headed in the right direction. Oh did I forget to mention he did all this by himself!?!?

Shawn Jackson – Brand New Old Me

Maybe people really believe in the sophomore jinx. I don’t and Brand New Old Me pleased my ears with another dose of Shawn Jackson’s braggadocio rap. He collaborated with some of LA’s finest artists/producers like Cloud, Co$$, Jimi James, Thurzday (Of U.N.I.), & Ro Blvd. Shawn had a tribute to the beautiful city of Los Angeles, “Lah City” – so anybody from LA should throw them L’s up when this track comes on. Maybe Shawn hasn't been featured on enough high-profile songs for a wider audience to notice him, but it will definitely come with time.

Here's another BANGER from H.O.P.E. This is from his upcoming "Believe in Hope Wright" project. With Dibia$e on the boards, you can't go wrong - shout out to DJ Swivll on the cuts for the chorus!!

DOWNLOAD H.O.P.E. - DEATH'S DOOR

Dibiase "Skullcrack" from Alpha Pup on Vimeo.

Dibiase's new album has come out yesterday, get it, it's worth it. Dibia$e is a maverick producer from Los Angeles and while his music has been known to many of us for while (he has produced for many artists we support, U-N-I being one of them), this is his first debut LP project. What I've heard of it so far makes me think it's an accomplished, bold and original piece of work that really gives you a sense of the sound cross polination and experimentation happening here in LA on the beat scene. Check out the latest music video "Skullcrack" as well, it's a trip... like the rest of the album. Bon voyage!

Here's some new music for yall to get familiar with...Versis hit me up via Facebook and hipped me to a new joint he's pushing entitled, "The Journey (4U)". He linked up with Dibia$e for a very smooth & hypnotizing track. The sound is real reminiscent of Pharcyde records. There's something about Versis that makes me gravitates towards his music. Maybe its the fact that he spits from the soul, heart, & is completely honest in all that he does. Take a listen to this song to get a vibe for his upcoming project, "iLLCANDESCENT" that will be released on 8.9.10

http://versis.bandcamp.com/track/the-journey-4u-prod-by-dibia-e