"Gun Fever," the brand new Hieroglyphics song/video that was unveiled last week at the same time that the 2013 NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits was happening in Houston, Texas, tackles the current controversial topic of guns in America. From watching the new video, that the longtime Oakland hip-hop collective recorded to offer their input  on the gun debate as folks who grew up in a city known for gun violence and to reflect on the prevalent fascination with guns in American society, it got me thinking about songs about guns.

And there are a lot of songs about guns. Not all but many, not too surprisingly, are rap songs from the gangsta side of the genre that glorify gun use. Of course, like the new Hieros joint (which features some of the crew's best talents including Del, Casual, Tajai, and A-Plus), there are many other hip-hop songs that look at guns in a more analytical manner such as Paris' "One Gun" (off Acid Reflex) or Aesop Rock's "Babies With Guns" (off Bazooka Tooth) which suggests that nowadays guns are so prevalent in our society that even babies are packing.

      



1) Ghostface Killah Twelve Reasons To Die (Soul Temple)

2) Illogic & Blockhead Capture The Sun (Man Bites Dog)

3) Kid Cudi Indicud (Dreamworks)

4) R.A. The Rugged Man Legends Never Die (Universal)

5) K-Def The Exhibit (Solid Smoke)

Thanks to my man E-Lit at Amoeba Berkeley for again this week taking time to share information on all the new hip-hop that's been dropping lately while simultaneously proving that, despite what the naysayers might try to have us believe (that the current state of hip-hop is not good), that there is actually a ton  of incredible new hip-hop coming out these days! You just have to look for it - and Amoeba is the perfect place to your looking. As E-Lit noted in the video interview above and in the corresponding top five chart also above - among the new recent arrivals in the hip-hop department at Amoeba Music are (following a nine year gap) R.A. The Rugged Man's Legends Never Die (Universal), K-Def's The Exhibit (an EP in both CD and vinyl formats that arrives in addition to his recently released Signature Sevens 7" series ), and Illogic & Blockhead's five-star new album Capture The Sun on Man Bites Dog. Peep the recent Amoeblog interview with Illogic & Blockhead interview in which they talk about this album, and check out below the latest video from the new album: the Erik Anello directed and edited and  Laura Green shot music video for the charged Capture The Sun track "Atlantis Depth."

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.

Yesterday, February 14th, Odd Future's Tyler, The Creator announced via skydiving video that he would be dropping a new album, entitled Wolf, on April 2nd and last night, via oddfuture.com, premiered the video (followed shortly afterwards by an upload to YouTube - above) for the track "Domo 23" from that forthcoming follow-up to the critically-acclaimed May 2011 release Goblin. As well as the new album there will be an accompanying upcoming tour, the artist's new clothing line called Golf Wang, plus the second season of Loiter Squad. When the new album arrives in Amoeba in early April it will do so three separate album covers, including a deluxe version featuring art by Los Angeles-based pop surrealist Mark Ryden.



Another upcoming April hip-hop release will beIllogic & Blockhead's collaborative full-length, Capture The Sun that will drop on the 16th of that month. The album, which includes features from Blueprint, Abstract Rude, Slug and others, will be released on TK via Man Bites Dog Records. Above is the new video of the album's lead single and title track, featuring the aforementioned Slug of Atmosphere, "Capture The Sun."

1)   DJ Nu-Mark Broken Sunlight (Hot Plate Records)

After releasing a series of sought after 10” singles, DJ Nu-Mark of Jurassic 5 drops his long-awaited official long-player.  The album pits Nu-Mark’s simple funky production next to a diverse range of soul and hip hop artists, including Charles Bradley, Aloe Blacc, J-Live, Quantic, and Large Professor!  Soul with a twist.  Broken Sunlight on Hot Plate Records is a triple disc release that includes a second disc with instrumentals, acapellas and clean versions and a DVD with a feature film on Nu-Mark’s life on the road.  All in time for the holidays!

2)  S3 Supa Soul Shit (Melting Pot Music)

This new import CD/LP is the brainchild of Kansas City soul singer Miles Bonny and European beat maven Brenk Sinatra.  Miles Bonny croons some smooth soulful tunes over Brenk’s equally buttery production, which mixes dreamy electronic beats with some nice soul samples.  Fans of Frank Ocean will likely lose their shit over this one!