Director | Hidji Films for Awge
Production Company | Happy Place
Executive Producer | Tara Razavi
Producer | Josue Mendez
Cinematographyer | Micheal Stone
Production Designer | Lenny TSO
Editor | Jone Lowen for Bonch
"Mi Vida Local" available now on streaming, mp3 and CD, as well as 2xLP vinyl with a bonus 45 rpm vinyl (available in vinyl package only): https://rse.lnk.to/MiVidaLocal
Video Credits:
Director / DP / Editor - Tomas Aksamit
Producer / AD - Kelan McQuinn
AC - Bryce Wandling
Art Director - Jen Sonibare
Gaffer - Jacob Velander
PA - Lucas Langley
Planet Asia helped jump-start the West Coast independent hip-hop movement and has solidified himself as one of the most consistent and respected MCs in the game over his 20+ year career. He dropped his debut EP with producer Fanatik in 1998, and followed up quickly with the singles "Definition of Ill" (Stones Throw) and "Place of Birth" (ABB Records). In 2001, The Source Magazine gave him the ‘First Round Draft Pick’ and ‘Independent Album of the Year’ awards for How the West Was One, which was recorded with fellow CA rapper Rasco under the group name Cali Agents. This landed him a deal with Interscope Records, where he was signed until 2003 without releasing an album.
Planet Asia was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2002 for his feature on the song "W" by Mystic and was later signed to Avatar Records, which released his official debut album, The Grand Opening, in 2004. It earned him another ‘Independent Album of the Year’ award from The Source. Later, he started his own imprint Gold Chain Music, on which he has churned out multiple projects. He has also collaborated on albums with the likes of DJ Muggs (Pain Language), Evidence (The Medicine)and Madlib (Cracks In The Vinyl) among others and released songs with artists such as Linkin Park, Bun B, Talib Kweli and Ghostface Killah.
The Fresno MC had a strong 2017 which featured well-received collaborative albums with producers DirtyDiggs (Dirty Planet) and Apollo Brown (Anchovies). For 2018, Asia teamed up with Bay Area producer izznyce for a true solo project, The Golden Buddha, which has garnered many 'Album of the Year' nods.
'The Golden Buddha' was produced entirely by izznyce (producer for Superstar Quamallah and more) and features AZ, Hus Kingpin, Turbin, Marvelous Mag, Killa Kali, TriState, Xiomara and The Architect.
Speaking on the project, Planet Asia says: “This album represents the foundation of what Planet Asia is about and that is ‘balance’. Me and izznyce also took our time with the record, and had a chance to really vibe out and make the type of music we personally like that will stand the test of time!”
Planet Asia’s "The Golden Buddha" is available now via Brick Records.
Video Directed by Thom Loois
Order 'The Golden Buddha' now from iTunes- http://apple.co/2AfyoOb
“To actually have stuff from [Dilla’s] vault is crazy.” Sango steps up to the plate in a special episode of Rhythm Roulette featuring Splice’s new Jay Dee aka J Dilla Sample Pack, which features drum sounds cut from the legendary Detroit producer’s Slum Village days. After selecting three albums at random from Seattle’s Holy Cow Records, the versatile producer enters the lab and crafted two beats just for us. Chopping up the soundtrack to Richard Pryor’s ‘Blue Collar’, and even creating hi-hats from vocals on Countess Cathleen, Sango makes it look easy. Peep the final product at the end and snag both the Jay Dee sample pack and Sango's brand new sample pack above.
Earlier this year, we witnessed Deonte Baker — alumnus, instructor, and American Idol season 16 contestant — perform at our annual gala. Watch his story to find out how he found the motivation to continue pursuing his passion despite the obstacles.
Noisey catches up with Chinese rap sensation Kris Wu in Los Angeles to check out his rare car collection before heading to the studio to finish up his Billboard charting debut album Antares.
After announcing their return earlier this year, acclaimed Detroit group Clear Soul Forces are officially back with their new single/video, “They Shootin’,” off their much anticipated upcoming LP, ‘Still.’
Directed by the crew at Xerox Vision, the visuals serve as a reintroduction of sorts. It follows a period where the group members—Ilajide, E-Fav, LAZ, and Noveliss—took some time off to pursue solo work and release some notable projects on their own. Now that they’re back as a unit, CSF are demonstrating with “They Shootin’” exactly why they’ve been one of the underground’s most heralded acts of the past decade or so.
The video blends real-life violence with video game mayhem, as explained by Ilajide, who spits the first set of bars and also produced the track. “The inspiration came from the stigma that when it gets hot the murder rate goes up,” he says. “Couple that with the fact that they always shootin’ in Detroit, it was perfect to spin it like a respawn in an online match on multiplayer video games.”
His fellow group members share that sentiment while noting that it was only natural to reference gaming on the stellar “They Shootin.’” They all point out that they were children of the ‘90s, a generation when most kids had consoles in their homes growing up. It was also a time when crime remained rampant in their hometown, making a track like this an organic result of their shared experiences.
Check out the visuals and mark your calendars for the Feb 22 release of ‘Still,’ which will be available on vinyl in addition to all digital retailers and streaming platforms via Fat Beats Records.
Credits:
• Artists: Clear Soul Forces
• Title: They Shootin
• Produced by: Ilajide
• Directed by: Xerox Vision
• Album: Still
• Release Date: Feb 22, 2019
• Label: Fat Beats Records
Upcoming Tour Dates:
• 1/24 (Thurs): Chicago, IL - TBA
• 1/25 (Fri): Minneapolis, MN - Nomad World Pub
• 1/26 (Sat): Omaha, NE - The Well
• 1/27 (Sun): Denver, CO - Your Moms House
• 2/01 (Fri): Portland, OR - TBA
• 2/02 (Sat): Olympia, WA - Octopas Cafe
• 2/07 (Thurs): San Francisco, CA - TBA
• 2/08 (Fri) San Diego, CA - Til-Two Club
• 2/09 (Sat): Phoenix, AZ - Bonus Round
• 2/13 (Wed): Albuquerque, NM - Sister Bar
• 2/14 (Thurs): Houston, TX - Super Happy Fun Land
• 2/15 (Fri): Austin, TX - Flamingo Cantina
• 2/16 (Sat): New Orleans, LA - The Howling Wolf
• 2/18 (Mon): Atlanta, GA - TBA
• 2/21 (Thurs): Detroit, MI - Deluxe Fluxx
Chicagoist TV investigates the Chicago Aldermanic system. Champ Bennett reports on what an alderman actually does, what it takes to become one and the obstacles that prevent young people from running for office.