New track from Toronto’s Theology 3 & Scam that debuted on DJ Premier’s “Live at Headqcourterz,” last week with DJ Eclipse. We’ve also got it in rotation on “In Tha Kut Radio.” “Epic” will be part of the upcoming Theo3 & Tony Touch mixtape, “Elevator UP,” featuring additional production from Boi-1da & Tone Mason. You can hear more from Theo3 Here, & find music from his Freedom Writers team Here. @FreedomWriters_ on Twitter.

A quick & catchy beat from FS Green, & a soulful hook from Slakah provide the backdrop for ELMNT’s new joint. I’m really digging the artwork for this one as well. He was born in the former-Yugoslavia but you can catch ELMNT’s live shows in his adopted city of Toronto. @TalkToElement, @Beatchild, & @FSGreen on Twitter.

Notes to Self are back with the second video from their upcoming album “Used to Dark [RECOIL].” This remix of “Nobody” features Evidence, & production from duo Book & Bronze. The visuals are too dope & creative, dedicated to the memory of Guru, & featuring clips of classic music videos from shows like “Rap City,” & “In da Round.” The directors JR of Motioneer & Matthew Bronson really went all out with this one. Download the audio Here. @NNNNNotesToSelf on Twitter.

"Remember back back in the day when when you had that 1 Homie who would video tape & record every rap video on TV, or every rap show on the radio? Used to go over to the crib and bug out over new sh*t, even if he only caught the last half of the joint, y’all would still go crazy over it right?

Fast forward 15 years, the Homie has a box of 30 or so VHS cassette tapes sittin dusty in a drawer with names like “Rap City”, “Summer Jam”, “The Box”, “In Da Round” scrolled on the side of’em in some youthful hand-styles fit for a wall or two – and you’re like, I need to watch these, take you back, rappin along with every word like it was yesterday. But you ain’t mad raps evolved, cus you fu*k with the new sh*t, cus back then “this was the new shit”.

Maybe that same Homie back back in the day, meticulously catches the last 50 seconds of that new Jeru joint, making Moms change the channel quick fast in order to record it, cus Rap City is on. Leaving you wondering how Prem does it, making them sound so good right, and saying to yourself “I wanna rap like them”".

Fresh Kils - Transformers Routine


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_MRUINOI74&hd=1

The "Transformers Routine" is Fresh Kils's first installment of his weekly routine series,
debuting every Wednesday throughout May 2011 at http://thecomeupshow.com/

Interview: http://bit.ly/kv3uAG
Bandcamp: http://extremities.bandcamp.com/
Twitter: @freshkils

Hamilton beatmaker & MC ViSioN releases a short mix of beat snippets while we wait for his new project dropping next week. ViSioN is a mainstay in the Steel City underground, having provided the music for noted local crews DLO & New North. You can catch a live performance of the new material at the next In Tha Kut event, going down Friday, January 20th inside This Ain’t Hollywood in Hamilton. You can hear more from ViSioN Here, on his Band Camp.

The full Freedom Writers camp, minus Tona, tear apart this instrumental from Vokab Beats for the new “Eh List Cypher” series. Directed by Danny Dah-Vedeoh with cuts by DJ Professor Mele. You can expect to see more Eh List cyphers with some of Canada’s best dropping soon so stay connected at bringyaehgame.com & check for more music from the Freedom Writers team at freedomwritersmusic.com. Make sure to make it to Hamilton on January 20th for a very special live performance featuring Adam Bomb alongside our city’s finest, hosted by In Tha Kut Radio. You can check the full details Here, on Facebook. @FreedomWriters_, @BringYaEhGame & @VokabBeats on Twitter.

While jaws are still dropped from the incredible video for “Nobody (Remix)” with Evidence, Notes to Self are not slowing down and hit us with their final single from their upcoming LP. With a bass-heavy banger supplied by production duo Book & Bronze, the group take us back to what inspired them on the come up & run through a marathon list of what it means to be hip-hop. The video for this cut & the album, “Used to be Dark (Recoil)” coming soon. Follow @NNNNNotestoSelf on Twitter. The deadly illustration is provided by Elicser.

From mesh tops to bubble goose, from the grill on your car to the grill in your mouth, from the BX to the farthest reaches of the globe – this has become rap music, man.

Growing up in Toronto, we saw a rapper find success as a folk guitarist – we saw a hometown rapper with an island cadence have his song turn into a platinum selling ringtone. Eventually, we even saw a teen actor, who a lot of local artists might’ve clowned on 10 years ago, become the fastest growing rap star since Lil Wayne.

Welcome to Hip Hop culture in 2011. Rappers are putting together inspiring rookie years in their thirties; singing your own hook is the thing now; and artists poppin in Canada, England and even South Africa are setting themselves up for strong careers. Back in the day they said rap would never die, but I’m not sure anyone saw this coming.

Alabama is not New York, the Bay is not LA, and Toronto is definitely not Houston. But it takes all kinds man, it takes all kinds. As little kids in 92′, we had lines shaved in to the sides of our heads, and wore our clothing backwards, blaring “Jump” well after “Warm it up” dropped – those memories are kind of funny now – but then again, that denim vest with rhinestones “so-and-so” inspired you to wear to senior prom, probably will be worth a few chuckels in a couple of years too. But – hence our point – from mesh tops to bubble goose, from the grill on your car to the grill in your mouth, and from the BX to the farthest reaches – rap has always sorta been what you make it – bottom line, rap has become “All of the Above.”

Fresh video from the Homegrown crew off their upcoming mixtape, “HGMix Vol: 90′s,” dropping later this month. The mixtape pays tribute to the golden era of hip-hop & celebrates the tracks that most inspired the group growing up. Homegrown are Intro, Lep, Es & iNA and the video’s directed by The Documentarians. Check back here for the full mixtape and follow HG on Twitter @HomeGrownFM & Here, on Facebook.

New music from Hamilton’s T.Y. with the assist from EJ Grant. My brother, J-True provides the beat laced with some of AI’s famous quotes.

“We talkin’ bout practice!”

You can stream & download T.Y’s latest album, “500 Autumn Nights,” Here. It also features production from 1988, Fly Life & SUP∆83. Follow @KudosLoves & @JTrue_FCM

“Good x2″ is the new solo album from OG Hindu Kush member Loe Pesci. The LP is dope start to finish with standout tracks for me being “WW3,” “My Sampler” & “Ugly You.” Justice McFly & The Narcicyst are featured prominently and Borden assists on the title track. Most of the production on the album is handled by Moon Boots, who also collaborated on OG Hindu Kush’s “In3d.” Joe Black & The Narcicyst also contribute. You can stream & download the album at the Band Camp link below, each of the tracks on the site have their own artwork by a different artist. Make sure to check out the video below for “DMT with Joe Rogan,” directed by Thierry Demers from Sexy Legs VFX of Montreal. Rogan has already tweeted his support for it. Follow @LoePesci & @OGHinduKush on Twitter.

Freedom Writer’s representative Tona drops off his latest project, “Reform School,” presented by DJ Booth & DJ Wristpect. 17 original tracks including features from Adam Bomb, Theo 3, Shad, Freeway, JD Era & Kardinal, and production courtesy of Boi-1da, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Rich Kidd & more. Follow @IsaTona & @Wristpect on Twitter.

Fresh debut video from Montreal collective NL5 for their latest single “Doesn’t Matter, directed by Lab Noise Films. The clip provides a dope visual for this banger, seamlessly meshing concert & studio footage with dope shots of the city. NL5 established themselves in the mid-nineties, making a name for themselves with the “M-City Volumes 1-3″ compilation CDs. Group members Deuce, Jermaine R, Verbal, Justice McFly & Sagitair are currently working on a new studio album. You can catch Northern Lights live at The Montreal Hip-Hop Festival alongside EPMD, Sunday April 8th. More info available Here. “Doesn’t Matter” is also available for download Here from iTunes. Follow @NL5HipHop on Twitter.

Guelph, Ontario based producer & Gill Breathing representative Elaquent contributed this Slum Village remix to the compilation, “Do the Dilla 2012,” available for free download Here. We’ve been playing this joint all month on In Tha Kut Radio. If you’re in the Toronto area, make sure to catch Elaquent performing live alongside Mart!n McFly & Hamilton’s Everyday People, April 6th at the 460. Show info Here. Follow @Elaquent on Twitter & Elaquent on Soundcloud.

Ontario trio UMSC release their second video in support of their upcoming album, “MDMA.” The ode to good chronic was produced by @iDeezyAhauw and was self-directed. You can catch the group performing live Friday, May 4th alongside Slur & T.Y. at This Ain’t Hollywood in Hamilton, more info Here. Follow @B3auu, @RealE_JGrant, & @88Flow on Twitter.

The long awaited album from Montreal MC & producer duo, Borden & 80 Rock, “180 Rocks,” is now available in physical copies. Get at @Borden100 or @80Rock for yours. You can check out the Elon Skee directed videos for the singles “This is For/Funny How,” and “Fake Rappers” at the link above. Follow @ElonSkeeTV, @LoePesci & @Justice_McFly on Twitter.