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Kev Brown

This album was majorly slept on.  This dropped last year and was by far one of my fav albums of the year.  Diamond District, which consists of Oddisee, X.O. & yU, has a way of making songs that come with that east coast grime and yet have a smooth undertone at the same time.  They are definitely giving D.C. a good name with this one.

Production:  Dunc, Kev Brown, Oddisee, Slim Kat 78

Features:  Steve Smith

Label:  Mello Music Group

Preview: In The Ruff

Website:  http://diamonddistrictdmv.com/

Diamond District – ‘Streets Won’t Let Me Chill’

 

This album will take you to a different world.  It’s like an audible cloud that lets you float far and away into a distant land.  Kenn Starr’s gentle but strong presence lends well to the whimsical, ethereal beats provided by the likes of Oddisee/Kev Brown/Illmind etc.  His lyrics are so real but are portrayed with a delicate poetic nature.  This album reminds me a bit of Blu & Exile – ‘Below the Heavens’.  It’s like you take a mini vacation when you listen to albums like these.  This album came out a few years ago (2006) but its a mainstay on my playlist.  And even though Kenn Starr isn’t the most well-known cat around, he is extremely well-received by the underground.

Production:  DJ Roddy Rod, Illmind, Kev Brown, Khrysis, M-Phazes, Oddisee, Young Cee

Features:  Asheru, Chronkite, Darien Brockington, Kev Brown, M-Phazes, Median, Oddisee, Sean Born, Supastition, Talib Kweli, Wayna

Label:  Halftooth Records

Full Preview:  Starr Status

Website:  http://www.myspace.com/kennstarr

Kenn Starr – ‘If (ft. Asheru & Talib Kweli)

So wouldn’t it be cool if Kev D, Large Pro, Masta Ace, Wordsworth and maybe someone like O.C. were all on one album together?  Man that would be some pretty dope ish….ohhh wait ;-) .  Thanks to hip hop producer Marco Polo we have that dreamteam roster put together over raw beats.  Marco Polo spends half his time in New York and half in Toronto so he has the east-coast vibe down pat.  If you just saw a picture of him you wouldn’t think he would have the hip hop “street cred” but then you hear his music and it all makes sense.  This is pretty much as close as you get to that old golden-era type shit in the present day.  And obviously the line-up on this album is insane and all the emcees come correct.  If you like any of the emcees on this album you will be diggin the whole thing through and through.

Production:  Marco Polo

Features:  Buckshot, Copywrite, Critically Acclaimed, Cy Young, D.V. Alias Khrist, Edo G, Jaysaun, J Davey, Jojo Pelligrino, Juju A.G., Kaimbr, Kardinal Offishal Kenn Starr, Kev Brown, Kool G Rap, Large Professor, Masta Ace, O.C., Oddisee, Roc Marciano, Sadat X, Supastition, Wordsworth

Label:  Rawkus Records

Full Preview:  Port Authority

Website:  http://www.marcopolobeats.com/

Marco Polo – ‘Nostalgia ft. Masta Ace’

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