Jamoeblog Top Ten 10:15:08

1) Paris "Don't Stop The Movement" (Guerrilla Funk)

2) The Mighty Underdogs "UFC remix (cuts by DJ Shadow)" (Definitive Jux)

3) Madlib "Gamble On Ya Boy (feat. Defari)" (Rapster/BBE)

4) People Under The Stairs "Up Yo Spine (Live at the Fishbucket pt. 3)" (Gold Dust)

5) Mike Relm "Everytime (feat. Del & Adrian Hartley)" (Radio Fried Records)



6) Jake One "Trap Door (feat. MF Doom)" (Rhymesayers)

7) Hu$tle Simmons "Over and Out (feat Buff 1 & DJ Cru Cut)" (Break Bread/Traffic)

8) Murs "The Science" (Warner)

9) Mulatto Patriot "Audio Terrorist (feat. Ras Kass, Casual, & Proper Jones)" (MP Productions)

                                       Amoeba Music Hollywood Hip-Hop Top Five 10:11:08


1) Madlib The Beat Konducta WLIB AM: King of the Wigflip (Rapster/BBE)

2) The Streets everything is borrowed (Vice)

3) T.I. Paper Trail (Grand Hustle/Atlantic)

4) Murs Murs For President (Warner)

5) Bishop Lamont The Confessional (mixtape CD)

Thanks to Scott who works in hip-hop at the Hollywood Amoeba Music store for this week's chart, which has the great new album from LA beatmaster/producer Madlib The Beatkonducta on Rapster/BBE as its number one. WLIB AM: King of the Wigflip, also selling well at the other two Amoeba stores, is a hip-hop feast of cool beats with a ton of talented guests joining the gifted producer, including emcees Murs, Defari, Prince Po, Oh No, and Guilty Simpson (whose name is truly accurate this week with the latest OJ news). My personal favorite tracks are "Life" featuring Karriem RIggins (former Common/Kayne sideman), "I Want It Back" featuring Oh No with Madlib as The Professionals, "The Way That I Live" with ATL female vocalist Stacy Epps, and especially all of the Madlib solo/guest-less joints on this album including "The New Resident" and "Disco Dance." Madlib is such a talented producer that I even don't need to hear any emcees or singers on top of his beats.

                    
   
                                  Amoeba Music San Francisco Hip-Hop Top Five: 10:02:08

1) Murs Murs for President (Warner)

2) Madlib WLIB (bbe)

3) T.I. Paper Trail (Grand Hustle/Atlantic)

4) People Under The Stairs Fun DMC (Gold Dust Media)

5) J.Stalin Gas Nation (Town Thizzness)

Thanks to Luis at the San Francisco Amoeba Music for this week's Hip-Hop Top Five selling albums chart -- all of which are all really strong & recommended new releases, and all brand-new, having dropped this past Tuesday, September 30th. Featured in the number one (with a bullet) top slot is the highly anticipated new major label release from much-loved Living Legends emcee Murs. Murs For President on Warner Brothers has been selling like crazy at the Haight Street as well as at the other two Amoeba Music stores including, of course, Hollywood Amoeba where Murs did a free in-store performance on Tuesday, the same day the new album dropped. Check out photos from his live performance on our website right here!

HOLLYWOOD AMOEBA MUSIC HIP-HOP TOP FIVE:

1) Nas Untitled (Def Jam)

2) Immortal Technique The 3rd World (Viper)

3) Lil Wayne Tha Carter III (Cash Money/Universal)

4) Suga Free Smell My Finger (HMF/Warner)

5) Jean Gray + 9th Wonder Jeanius (Blacksmith/Warner)

Thanks to Scott Carlson in the hip-hop department at Amoeba Music Hollywood for this week's top selling albums chart, which includes in the number three slot the brand new release from SoCal's Suga Free, Smell My Finger, which dropped earlier this week. 

Lil Wayne's hot selling new album (#3 on Amoeba chart) has caught the attention of Abkco Music who are suing the rapper, his songwriters, and his label (Cash Money - a division of Universal) for "copyright infringement and unfair competition" over a new Lil Wayne album track that appears to heavily borrow from the Rolling Stones song "Play With Fire" which they own rights to. 

SF rapper Z-Man's group One Block Radius (the alt rock trio he is  a part of when not doing solo stuff or with his Gurp City familia) have signed to Def Jam. The Cali based One Block Radius accurately describe their unique, pop-ready sound as "Pharcyde meets Steve Winwood meets Sublime meets Outkast meets Hall and Oates" and drop their major label debut in September.

Like a lot of longtime, old school fans of the genre I am pretty much disgusted with what passes as "hip-hop" these days. You know, that boringly predictable, cliched crap that is dumbed-down, bling & sexist heavy, lyrical fodder delivered over a carefully researched radio & club ready beat.  Fortunately though there still are many good  producers and emcees making new music today.  It's just that you have to dig for them. And while most are from underground or indie artists just because an artist is some underground indie hip-hop loving emcee doesn't always guarantee that he or she will shine. Below are several of the recent or about to drop releases that, as a DJ, I have been really feeling and playing. All should be available at Amoeba Music. Just ask if you can't find them.

Madlib "Beatkonducta Vol. 3-4: India"(Stones  Throw)
Like 2006's Beatkonducta Vol 1-2 CD release, this collection was also originally released on  vinyl-only - now offering many a chance to catch up on the brilliance that is the production of Madlib. For this collection he effortlessly melds Bollywood soundtracks (mostly instrumental but about 15% with vocals and spoken word soundbites mixed in usually at beginning) with hip-hop beats - mostly looped into hypnotic patterns. The 34 tracks are mostly short (2 minutes or less)  in length.


Z-Trip "All-Pro Soundtrack" (Decon)
Like its series predecessor - "Dan The Automator presents 2K7" on Decon for 2K Sports which was also a DJ produced collection featuring guest emcees and turntablists - this is another video game soundtrack. And it rocks thanks to Z-Trip's perfect choice of collaborators (mostly West Coast) including Charli 2na, Aceyalone, Quannum's Lateef and Gift of Gab, Hiero's Pep Love and Casual, plus LA turntablist duo Backyard Bangers.  Also includes a track from longtime collaborator of Z-Trip's  DJ Faust (of Faust & Shortee fame) plus Z-Trip's inspired turntable remix of Rush's "Tom Sawyer."