Last Tuesday DJ Toure, DJ/producer and member of Oakland's longtime Hieroglyphics crew, released his long-awaited solo album, Toure's Theory: Session One, which initially was expected to drop last year but due to his busy schedule got bumped back until now. The prolific artist, who in addition to working with the Hieros crew including member Casual  has, over the years, produced tracks for the likes Too $hort, Freeway, Devin The Dude, Phonte, Father Dom, Beeda Weeda, The Grouch & Eligh, Goapele, E-40, and Forty Wata's rapper son Droop-E, has been down with the Hieros since day - initially joining the crew as the DJ for his (elementary school mate) Casual .

The above Dylan Freitas-D'Louhy directed electronic press kit video gives some insight into DJ Toure's rich history (coming up in Oakland upbringing with fellow Hieros (Casual, Tajai, Opio, and A-Plus) as well as some background on the new album that includes many of the aforementioned artists he's worked with including members of the Hieros - Opio, Pep Love, Del The Funky Homosapien, and Casual; plus such Bay Area artists as Too $hort (see new video below for the album track "Mind Yo Business" that also features Jacoria Marzett.), E-40, Mistah FAB, Clyde Carson, B-Legit, J. Stalin, Nio Tha Gift, and The Jacka, as well as such other guests as Philly rap star Freeway.

             

1) Kanye West Good Music Cruel Summer (Def Jam)

2) Casual Respect Game Or Expect Flames (Nature Sounds)

3) JJ DOOM Key to the Kuffs (Lex Records)

4)  Homeboy Sandman First of a Living Breed (Stones Throw)

5) Brother Ali Mourning In America & Dreaming In Color (Rhymesayers Entertainment)

Thanks again to E-Lit at the Berkeley Amoeba store for the latest lowdown on all the new hip-hop releases via the above video clip in which he runs through all the new CD and vinyl releases for this week. And a good week it is! New releases include Brother Ali on Rhymesayers with the album Mourning In America & Dreaming In Color that comes with production by Jake One, and Homeboy Sandman (who I will be interviewing here on the Amoeblog in a couple of weeks) on Stones Throw with the album First of a Living Breed that follows two EPs from the prolific NYC artist currently on tour with Brother Ali (they will play the Fillmore in SF on Oct 25th). Other new releases in the store include the brand new Kanye West along with his G.O.O.D. Music crew who finally dropped their awaited first compilation album  Good Music Cruel Summer (note its title includes Summer - not Fall). The 12-track album features along with Kanye such artists as Big Sean, Pusha T, Common, Kid Cudi, Cyhi the Prynce, John Legend, R. Kelly, Jay-Z, 2 Chainz, Raekwon, and Marsha Ambrosius. Of the new album Amoeba.com wrote, "like Watch the Throne, his full-album collaboration with Jay-Z, it’s also a chance to loosen up without having to fully shoulder the expectation set by his solo output (and his ego). …..The non-Kanye songs have their appeal, as well, as on the appropriately faded sounding “Higher,” featuring The-Dream; and the fun, hard-hitting “Sin City,” featuring a pack of artists, including John Legend, singing and rapping over a big beat and sheets of synthesizer. West can’t help be the star of his own show, though, coming back in with what can only be described as a megaballad: 'The One.'"

Unfortunately due to his ongoing Deltron 3030 tour date commitments it seems like Del may not be able to make it on Monday for Hiero Day but (fingers crossed) reportedly there is a slim chance he may be able to make it. Regardless all of his other Hiero brethren will be there Labor Day in Downtown Oakland for Hiero Day which goes from 11am to 6pm and happens on San Pablo Ave. between 17th + 18th Streets (near the New Parish). "Members of Hieroglyphics performing Monday will include Opio, DJ Toure, A-Plus, Tajai, Pep Love, Casual, and Souls of Mischief," said  Walasia Al-Noor Shabazz - the General Manager at the Hieros' Clear Label Media company. And in addition to the Hieroglyphics first family of hip-hop there will be some of the very best of the Bay Area on stage too including Blackalicious, Planet Asia (technically from Fresno), Equipto, Moe Green, and Z-Man (who is still an honorary member of the Hiero camp since he put out a release via the Hieros a few years ago). Also performing will be the Kev Choice Ensemble and Honor Roll, plus DJ D Sharp.

Collaborating as a duo for the first time DJ Eddie Def and emcee Dopestyle are currently in the midst of finishing up recording a new album project together that the two longtime Bay Area hip-hop artists have christened Supreme Raw.

And Supreme Raw pretty much sums up the vibe of this raw, no-holds-barred, lo-fi hip-hop project as witnessed in the above video for "Salty The Clown!" - the first track to be leaked off the album that is scheduled to be released by summer's end.

This, as yet untitled, new full-length is described by Eddie Def as, "grimy hip-hop, old school 90's with chopped up samples," adding of its sound that it is, "in tradition of Gang Starr, Cypress Hill, Wu Tang type beats, ya know lo-fi hip-hop."

Although the DJ/producer and the emcee are both longtime Bay Area hip-hop artists it was only two years when they first met. "I met Dopestyle at a Casual show when me and DJ Quest were performing a set with Z-Man," said Eddie Def. "I gave him some beats and he responded back and we started working on some shit." Before long they had the makings of an entire album - one that features lots of cameos (not officially announced just yet but should be of interest to fans of West Coast underground hip-hop). "His flow is unlike any other," said Eddie of Dopestyle, "What I love him is that he is a topic rapper; interesting topics too! He raps about cancer. He raps about spousal abuse. He raps about people dying; serious shit and not the typical stuff people usually rap about."

           

Add to your list of must-attend summer concerts the just-announced Hiero Imperium Summer Tour 2012, featuring performances by Souls of Mischief, Pep Love, Casual, plus special guests along the way. The four-week Western US tour, that kicks off July 19th in San Diego at the House Of Blues, will take them from Cali to Washington, Idaho, Montana, Colorado, and Nevada, winding up on August 18th at the Country Saloon in Las Vegas.  What makes this sixteen date tour worth attending is the fact that it is most prolific year yet from the two-decade old collective. Recently five of the Hieros have released solo albums - and they're real good too - including Casual (He Still Think He Raw), Pep Love (Rigmarole), Phesto Dee (Background Check), Opio (Vulture's Wisdom Vol. 2), and Tajai (Machine Language).

In addition to these new solo projects, they also have, as a crew, a grip of new songs to perform on this tour. "I'm looking forward to doing the new material the most, with the new albums from Pep, Casual, Opio, Phesto, and me," the Souls' Tajai said adding that of all the dates on the tour that their hometown show (the non nightclub stop on the tour and the only Bay Area show) on August 4th is one he is really looking forward to. "I'm excited to rock the hometown Art And Soul Festival. Oakland, USA!" For disappointed fans of Del The Funky Homosapien, whose name is noticeably absent from this Hiero tour line up, note that you can catch the most famous HIero in concert in the East Bay this weekend at the High Times 2012 Medical Cannabis Cup at the Craneway Pavilion at 1414 Harbour Way South. The event runs both weekend days but Del performs at the Saturday night party along with Smoke Dza, and others. For more info on the Cannabis Cup. And for more info on the Hiero Imperium Summer Tour 2012.