San Francisco Bass Vol. 1Various Artists/Exactscience RecordingsAll you old school b-boys and b-girls it's time to dust off your one-piece sweatsuits and helmets. It's time to pull out the cardboard and Pledge. Exactscience puts together a compilation of Bay Area Electro that would make The Soulsonic Force regroup for a comeback. The sound is a 2K twist on '80s electrofunk-staying true to the basic format yet reverbs today's hip hop. The most unique feature of this CD is that it has over 120 minutes of music. Thanks to MP3 technology, you can pop this sucker into your computer and play another 64 minutes of megamix material. Ingenious. Don't expect their concept to be original for long. Exact-science.com
Classic Nuts Vol. 1The Beatnuts/Loud RecordsI guess all it takes to realize the classic collections of a group is a compilation CD. This one helped me realize that the Beatnuts are a mixtape favorite. How many of these cuts are used on mixtapes you say? Damn near all of them. You can run this CD all the way through without skipping songs. Check it: "World Famous," "Watch Out Now," "No Escapin' This," "Get Funky," "Props Over Here," "Beatnuts Forever," "Se Acabo," "Turn It Out," "Reign Of The tec." Set aside this CD for long drives in the car, long homework assignments, or long walks up the block because you'll hate it when you have to shut down the album before track 10. loud.com
ConceptRhymesBeatsLyricsArkadi/Cybertron RecordsU WANNA BADDLE ME? Well it seems like Arkadi won't back down from that question. He hails from a much larger Bay Area crew called Ground Basics (groundbasics.com). So when you listen to this album keep in mind that back-up MCs (not that he needs the help) Babble, Clip, T.O.P., Neptune, Semaj, the Nuthin, Leegz, Jetski, Karizma, The Specialist and Kalmbat step up to put in their two-cents. The rhymes, staged on simple beat loops and samples-reminiscent of Bay Area brethren Too Short minus the 808-focus upon the art of lyricism and sound profoundly better through an iPod than in the car. Personal faves include "Positive Attraction," "Don't Test That Stereo," and "Mic Check." Featured at Brownjungle.com
Freshchest Prose Jabs and Cuts Vol. 1Various Artists/Freshchest ProseMixtapes are an ever-growing product of the indie labels and most times are better when used as doorstops and coasters than heard through the worst headphones. This one avoids being flung into oncoming traffic with the introduction of up-and-coming hopefuls: Lexicon, Oktober, Writers Guild, Xtracts of Slang, Breez Evahflowin, Fallen Angelz, Moist Crackers, J.A.Q., P Pullz, iCon the Mic King, Manifest, DJTomee & JL. Jabs and Cuts Vol. 1-similar to Rawkus' Lyricist Lounge mixtape series-brings to light good artists or, at the least, artists that have a chance. The artists that I'm betting on are Lexicon, Writers Guild, and iCon the Mic King. freshchest.com
Drop n HarmonyDnH/Classified RecordsWhy does it take so long for good underground music to come to the surface? Bay Area's defunct group, DnH, dropped this album back in 2000. Many picked up on it-many more didn't even know. Well, regardless of the delay, like all good music it stands the test of time. Jerome, Jose, Darrel and Lionel form this R&B foursome and with their melodies, hooks and harmonies, they show why they've been such a long-time hit. These types of groups are infamous for their ballads, but DnH is one of the few that also manages to balance ballads with decent dance hits. Personal favorites: uptempo, "Ladies"; mid-tempo, "Sexy Underwear"; slow jam, "Never No Never."They might not release a follow-up, so look for some reassembled members in new group 6th Day. Featured at Brownjungle.com
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Required Event2/25/2002 @ The Conga Room, Los Angeles- Mystic and Planet Asia celebrated their Grammy nomination along with a few hundred of their close friends. Seen in the crowd were Aceyalone (Freestyle Fellowship), Krondon, Phil Da Agony and the-next-to-blow neo-soul/funk artist Martin Luther. Spoken word artist Bridget Gray intrigued the crowd with a midnight performance.