Here's Bigg Patch's video for "Life Of Da Party," from his Aries Rising album out on Unruly this fall. I don't know about this song, though, it sounds so depressing to me, like the lyrics are about partying but that melody sounds suicidal. And I'm considering a ban on songs that rhyme "model" with "bottle." Nice looking video, though.

Labels: Bigg Patch, Unruly Records, video

Wrapping up the first half now, we're really getting into back to back songs I straight up love. Once again, there's a totally unintentional theme with a lot of songs I posted in 2006 originally, which makes sense since that was probably the most exciting year for me personally, in the history of running this site:

51. UnReal f/ Sonny Brown - "Hell 2 Pay" (mp3) - September 9, 2006
52. Cutthroat - "If I Die" (mp3) - October 15, 2006
53. Tyree Colion - "My Projects" (mp3) - November 19th, 2006
54. Blaq Starr - "Stop" (mp3) - August 22, 2005
55. Brown F.I.S.H. - "45" (mp3) - December 22, 2006
56. 410 Pharaohs - "Watch Her Shake It (aka Hammer Dance)" (mp3) - July 29, 2006
57. ShellBe R.A.W. f/ XO - "Damn Shells" (mp3) - August 7, 2006
58. B.I.G. Status - "Line Up" (mp3) - January 10, 2006
59. Bossman - "Oh" (mp3) - June 9, 2005
60. Bigg Patch - "Supa Ugly" (mp3) - July 25, 2006

Labels: B.I.G. Status, Baltimore club, Bigg Patch, Blaq Starr, Brown F.I.S.H., Cutthroat, lists, mp3, Sonny Brown, Tyree Colion, UnReal

Bigg Patch - Diamond Life Don: Return of the Space Cowboy (Diamond Life Records)

Bigg Patch has a new album on the way called Aries Rising, and he's been floating some music out there in anticipation of its release. There's a couple tracks from the album that 41yo recently posted, and new video for the song "Diamond Don" that I posted last year, and this mixtape. This is just a quick little teaser release, though, only 22 minutes long and heavy on freestyles, but it's still pretty decent, good beat selection, some encouraging original tracks. He still does a lot of the stuff that's always kind of annoyed me about his music, like repeating his name and certain phrases in his verses over and over, and using choruses from popular songs instead of writing hooks (on one track he just does the "Duffle Bag Boy" chorus for no apparent reason), but once you get past those things he has some good music.

Bigg Patch - "Gangsta" Freestyle (mp3)
This is over the beat from the Bun B/Sean Kingston track that was out about a year ago...as a quick aside, I remember seeing a bunch of MySpace bulletins from a different Baltimore rapper who had a freestyle over this track on his page, but he was trumpeting it like it was his own song, like "NEW SINGLE FEATURING BUN B AND SEAN KINGSTON," I always thought that was really funny and kinda pathetic, like...why even bother fronting like that?

Labels: 41yo, Bigg Patch, mixtape/album review, mp3, video

Labels: Bigg Patch, flyer, Unruly Records

On Friday, I wrote a piece for the City Paper's Noise blog about the latest news on Darkroom Productions' Hamsterdam - The Album, which now has a May 27th release date, with national distribution via Koch Records. And, as you can see above, Darkroom is also featured in a big piece about Baltimore music in The Wire in the current issue of Vibe Magazine.

Bigg Patch - "Spine" (mp3)
Juan Donovan mentioned in a recent e-mail announcement that several singles from Hamsterdam - The Album will be out in March, by Ogun and TestMe and G.E.M. One of those singles, however, from Bigg Patch, is already available on last year's Hamsterdam Vol. 2: Stash 2 Da Strip (originally under the title "Put That Dick Up In Her Spine"). It was one of my favorites on that mixtape, dope Pimp C sample on the hook, so I think it's a good look for this new project. Between this and that "Diamond Don" joint I posted a while back I'm feeling Bigg Patch's music lately. Darkroom's MySpace page has another one of the album's singles, "Beautiful Bitches In Bad Neighborhoods" by Diablo.

Labels: Bigg Patch, Darkroom Productions, Diablo, G.E.M./Tha Plague, magazines/newspapers, mp3, Ogun, The Wire

It's been a while since the last time I did a DVD post, but I've gotten some lately, so let's talk about 'em a little bit:



Even A Man Can Do This is a documentary about the women in the Baltimore hip hop scene, artists or otherwise, directed by Civil Jones. It's been in development for a while now, I talked about the film a bit in my article on the same topic, Ladies First, in the City Paper last year, but now it's done and I got a copy a few weeks ago. Actually, there's a scene at the very end where Civil Jones shows the article and shouts me out and gives a plug to Government Names, so I appreciate that. The film is just one hour long but covers a lot of ground, and features appearances by G.E.M., C Love, Ms. Stress, ShellBe R.A.W., B-Fly, Ms. Tris Beats, Jade Fox, and Golden Seal, among others. One of the most impressive things about it is in addition to the female director, pretty much everyone behind the scenes on the project is a woman: Amotion from Deep Flow did most of the camera work, and the score was all by female producers Ms. Tris Beats and Reina WIlliams. My favorite part of the movie is the footage of Symantyx's set at the 5 Seasons show, I was really impressed by her that night and that performance is the main reason I check for her music now.



Baltimore Real Talk Volume 3 is the third (duh) DVD from County from Little King Entertainment, and I know he went through a lot to get this one finished. I think he was supposed to have it done almost a year ago and then he got arrested while filming outdoors and there was a whole situation with him getting equipment confiscated and losing footage and having to work on it some more. But he finally got it done, and obviously he had no shortage of footage because this thing is 3 hours long. In my opinion, that might be a little too long, because even though I know and listen to a lot of these artists and am interested in the subject matter, some of the individual segments could've been edited down to be much shorter and more to the point. He still got some great stuff in here, including appearances by Los (who spits a great freestyle), Heavy Gold, NOE, Comp, Barnes, D.O.G., B.O.M.B., M.O.L.
Bigg Patch, and Mullyman.

Paused In Time is a documentary about Baltimore hip hop that I got contacted to do an interview for a while back. At the time they said it was gonna be a DVD, but since then I guess they decided to release it on their YouTube site in 8 or 9-minute 'webisodes,' and I guess the whole thing will be out on DVD at some point later. So far 4 webisodes have been posted, and my interview hasn't been in any of them yet, but that's alright since I don't really feel like I said anything interesting, maybe they should hit me back and try to get me to say something more substantial or opinionated than what I gave them before. Anyway, here's what's up so far:

webisode 1 featuring Beat Box:



webisode 2 featuring Comp:



webisode 3 featuring Komplex:



webisode 4 featuring Bossman and Ty Gudda:

Labels: B-Fly, B.O.M.B., Barnes, Bigg Patch, Bossman, C Love, Comp, D.O.G., Deep Flow, G.E.M./Tha Plague, Golden Seal, Heavy Gold, Jade Fox, M.O.L., Ms. Stress, Ms. Tris Beats, Mullyman, NOE, ShellBe RAW

Bigg Patch - "Diamond Don" (mp3)
Just got the dirty version of Bigg Patch's new single in my inbox the other day. I'm liking this track, I guess it's off his next solo project on Unruly Records.

Labels: Bigg Patch, mp3, Unruly Records

Lately a lot of the stuff on the Noise page @ http://noise.citypaper.com has been coming from the City Paper's new music editor, Michael Byrne. But as far as my stuff, I've interviewed DJ Chris J. and King Tutt for my Baltimore club column, and checked out a bunch of shows. Bigg Patch's Bmore Luv Fest @ Fletcher's featured B.O.M.B., Greenspan, Vvs and others. And I went to a mess of other festivals, including the High Zero Festival @ the Theatre Project, the Current Canyon Festival @ the Current Gallery, and the Fells Point Fun Festival. Plus I went to Thurston Moore @ the Rock And Roll Hotel in D.C. and probably the best show I've seen in the last few months, the Kix reunion show @ Rams Head Live.

Labels: B.O.M.B., Baltimore City Paper, Baltimore club, Bigg Patch, Noise

Ok G-Major.. I may have to bite off your PSA announcement for a second homeboy. I have something to get off my chest for real. What would happen if all of this shit we trying to do for the state of the artistic community ended tomorrow. Would we know how to get heard? I say maybe 20% of us would. The other 80% would be sitting back complaining on why they dont have shit cracking in the city and talking about why 92q dont play there shit. I guess where im getting at is that we have to start taking advantage of the tools thats given to us.. Ok im not saying Hiphop 101 is the first stop and only stop in the city but theres other venues in this city that dont get hardly NOBODY coming to there events. Find out whats out there and support it. Dont come to somebodys event expecting to perform and you only bring your significant other and you or your homeboy and yourself.. BRING YOUR MOVEMENT! dont be part of someone elses shit be apart of your own shit.. You as a local artist should be able to get rid of at least 500-1000 cd's at the least.. If you cant do that, go back to the drawing board and figure out what the problem is. I get people everyday asking me to perform, and when i let them they complain about the time they get on. Theres reasons to that..

1) if you aint bring nobody to watch you perform dont expect a good slot
2) if you superstared out thinking you are bigger then kanye west and you suck for real... you will get called out and the plug pulled

Hiphop 101 has got to be that place where we let people know how to really get it in and get heard as well as be a place for you to showcase your craft. Im not trying to be the man in this hiphop game. im trying to get money and help someone acheive there dream. hiphop 101 is a place where you should be able to promote and politic with people you never thought you would be able to politic with. hiphop 101 is a place where you air out your differences with someone you dont like or whatever.. hiphop 101 is that tv show you cant wait to come on every monday night at 9pm... hiphop 101 is 88.9 every friday night at 12am.. hiphop 101 is a culture.. hiphop 101 is a way of life.. hiphop 101 is a poweful movement of powerful players thats fed up with the current state of how we as a artistic community is being portrayed business wise as well as talent wise. we will make a diference whether you with us or against us.. with that being said come to hiphop 101 and support what me and my team put together for you as a artist not just rap... but whatever you do musically or within the culture.. i hope to see you all at the 2 years and running,2006 voted best weekly event in Baltimore, with the 2006-2007-2008 reigning best street grinding, best a&r/management, best host HIPHOP 101 along with shaka pitts squirral wyde and yours truly sonny brown

BLOCKHUGGA
SONNYREDDZ
DIRT PLATOON
BIGG PATCH
B-ALIVE MOVEMENT
TYREIKA
TRIUMPHANT MUSIC GROUP
TBE
SOREAL
LUCKYHANDS

AND MORE MONDAY AT THE 5 SEASONS

We do it each and every monday night yawl.. come on thru and lets get heard, polly with folk, get drunk, eat good, freestyle or promote that new mixtape or single or album with some very influential people.. We have some hot performances but im gonna let you sweat for a second before i put them up..lol.

DJ JABRIL- One of the Eastcoast most hottest and most consistant DJ's EVER! HIPHOP 101 DJ

SHAKKA PITTS-Spitters club, Real talk radio, Spitters club studios, One of Baltimores hottest engineer, The infamous Spitts Mcman The dude who arranges the battles, HIPHOP 101 HOST..OH YEAH.. PLEASE BATTLE HIM OR EVEN ATTEMPT TO TRY.. WHY? BECAUSE HE'LL CHOP YOUR FUCKING HEAD OFF HE COMES FROM THAT MOB!

SUPER SQUIRRAL WYDE-92q's own Radio personality, host the number 1 radio show in RADIO one! SMUT KING, HOOLIGAN EXPRESS CODUCTOR, HIPHOP 101 HOST

SONNY BROWN-HUSTLER, ARTIST, I HOST EVERYTHANG SMOKING IN THIS CITY, OH YEAH.. CO FOUNDER AND HOST OF HIPHOP 101

And a few more players that get it in but hey im tired of typing.. make sure you come thru, get at us for performances, hand us your music, talk to us if your stuck, COME OUT AND SUPPORT!!! THE MOVEMENT BEEN STARTED HERE!

$10 for the fellas
$5 for the females

$5 for the artist performing

drink specials all night long
$1 sonny brown shots

food

each and every monday

at the 5 seasons 830 n. guilford ave

- Sonny Brown

Labels: 5 Seasons, Bigg Patch, flyer, Hip Hop 101, Sonny Brown

Labels: B.O.M.B., Bigg Patch, flyer, Midas, Mullyman

Labels: B.O.M.B., Bigg Patch, Diablo, flyer, G.E.M./Tha Plague, M.O.L., Mullyman, Ogun, Skarr Akbar, Unruly Records

Darkroom Productions presents... Hamsterdam Vol. 2 - Stash To Da Strip (Darkroom Inc.)

Darkroom Productions has been talking this up practically since the first Hamsterdam dropped and it always seemed right around the corner, all the way from before the 4th season of The Wire with their music in it ran its course til afterwards, but a couple weeks ago it finally dropped. And honestly, as press savvy as they are (with features in XLR8R and the Baltimore Sun just recently), I was always a little skeptical that they'd top the first one and live up to all the hype. And when they said it was a double CD, at first I thought they meant including the Harm City Exposed DVD that was going to be packaged with the mixtape, but the DVD got pushed back (it's now available on their MySpace page and hits the streets next week), and it turns out that there are two whole CD's of music, with over 30 original beats. And I gotta say, they really stepped up the beats and expanded their production pallette with some new sounds, good shit. A lot of the artists from the original Hamsterdam (Mullyman, Diablo, Tyree Colion, Bigg Patch, M.O.L., Ogun)came back for this one, along with a number of Bmore artists that weren't on the last one (NOE, Shakean Da Analyst, D.O.G., Barnes, Golden Seal, XO) and a few out of town cats (Maino, Sqad Up). Several tracks from the mixtape are streaming on the Darkroom and Diablo MySpace pages, and it's being sold on the Darkroom page.

NOE - "The Baltimore Way" (mp3)
Nice use of a sample of Christopher Walken from The King Of New York to set this track off. You might remember that NOE is the Baltimore cat that Jim Jones signed to the Diplomats that I posted about a year ago. The song I posted, "City Boyz," even ended up on an official Diplomats release (although, unfortunately, it was A Dipset Xmas). This is probably my favorite track that I've heard him on so far, but then, I still haven't heard his mixtape that dropped last year. Still sounds a little like Jay-Z but has his own flow and his own style to set him apart.

Labels: Barnes, Bigg Patch, D.O.G., Darkroom Productions, Diablo, Golden Seal, M.O.L., mixtape/album review, mp3, Mullyman, NOE, Ogun, The Wire, Tyree Colion, XO

Hip Hop 101/Old School Mondays
"Best Weekly Event" - Baltimore City Paper
12/11/2006 09:00 PM - Five Seasons
830 Guilford Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21201 - ladies $5, guys $10

TOMORROW NIGHT!!! The season is coming in so we are giving you a night of fun so you can bring it in right!!!!!!!

Tyreika
Bigg Patch
Twin Desert Eagles

and more tomorrow night at the 5 seasons..

doors open at 9pm
doors close at 2am

$5 for the females
$10 for the males

hosted by sonny brown
dj jabril and dj hasan on the wheels of steel

come on out tomorrow and enjoy yourself

-Sonny Brown

Labels: 5 Seasons, Bigg Patch, flyer, Hip Hop 101, Sonny Brown

The Best Of Both Worlds, part 3: Dukeyman
A more detailed examination of the music discussed in my Baltimore City Paper article about the crossover between Baltimore club music and hip hop.

Ron "Dukeyman" Hall is one of the OG's of Baltimore club music period, countless club classics going back the early-mid 90's and all that. It's a shame that only one brief quote from him ended up in the final cut of my article, since he had a lot of interesting stuff to say about the current state of club music and his perspective on the hip hop scene. Here's some of my favorite hip hop beats that he's done:

B. Rich - "Whoa Now (Bmore Version)" (mp3)
People around here hate on B. Rich but he was really doin' his thing for a minute, even if it didn't really pan out, and Dukeyman's beat on this was one of the first real national looks for the Baltimore club sound. This is the original version that blew up in Baltimore, before Atlantic signed him and did a more polished remix for the video and all that. Dukeyman did most of the beats on that album, and produced a song on this year's Born Rich too.

Tim Trees f/ Contact - “Spaced Out (Yo, I'm So High)" (mp3)
This cut from Tim's first album might be my favorite hip hop beat with a video game sample ever, it's from Galaga or Space Invaders, one of those old games, it's just sick how well put together it is.

Bigg Patch - "Supaugly" (mp3)
This is a Bigg Patch joint that I first heard on the first Street Radio mixtape, crazy beat and easily one of my favorite joints by Bigg Patch.

B-Fly - “Take Me As I Am" (mp3)
B-Fly is a member of Brown F.I.S.H. that Dukeyman's done a few tracks with.

Also in this series:
The Best Of Both Worlds, part 1: The "Think" Break
The Best Of Both Worlds, part 2: Blaq Starr
The Best Of Both Worlds, part 4: DJ Ron Rico
The Best Of Both Worlds, part 5: DJ Booman
The Best Of Both Worlds, part 6: Nigga Say What a.k.a. Say Wut
The Best Of Both Worlds, part 7: Rod Lee
The Best Of Both Worlds, part 8: Debonair Samir

Labels: B-Fly, B. Rich, Baltimore City Paper, Bigg Patch, magazines/newspapers, mp3, The Best Of Both Worlds, Tim Trees

Bigg Patch - Goldenboy Volume 2 (Diamond Life Records/Unruly Records)

I'd been hearing mixtape stuff from Bigg Patch over the past year, including song with Cappadonna that I posted a few months ago, although I haven't heard the first Goldenboy album. But this is the newer one that's currently available at Downtown Locker Room, some real good production on here from Dukeyman and Debonair Samir. Patch is going for that laid back don type image, sometimes the lyrics get a little repetitive and I don't like that every other chorus is from someone else's song, but still, there's some good jams on here.

Bigg Patch - "Don't You Know" (mp3)
Jess Harvell wrote a review of the album in the City Paper a few months back. He singled this out as one of the hottest beats and it's one of my favorites too.

Bigg Patch f/ B Rich - "Road To Riches" (mp3)
Good track with B. Rich back on a serious tip.

Labels: B. Rich, Bigg Patch, Debonair Samir, mixtape/album review, mp3, Unruly Records

Under Sound Music presents - Breaking Ground, Vol. 1

I reviewed this compilation in the City Paper a couple weeks ago, and I was a little negative in my review, but I have to admit, that's due probably more to my distaste for a lot of backpacker rap than the quality of the product. There was some discussion of my review on the Elements Party message board, but the Under Sound folks took the criticism pretty well and at least appreciated the press and that I compared them to Rawkus. So it was good that they understood where I was coming from, because y'know, I respect everybody's grind, but I also have to be honest as a critic. And there are definitely some tracks on here that I liked. Check out the Under Sound website for more info.

Bigg Patch f/ Cappadonna - "Simple Logic" (mp3)
This song has a real strong anthemic quality, Cappadonna adds a nice little Wu Tang flavor to it. Shout out to Bigg Patch, I need to hear more of his stuff.

Ab Rock - "With Ease" (mp3)
Ab Rock is one of the Style Warz champs and competed in Super Style Warz, matter fact one of the night's best battles was between him and Symph from Tha Plague. This is a real laid back track, though, shows a different side of him than battling.

Labels: Bigg Patch, mixtape/album review, mp3, Under Sound Music