News
U-God Releases ‘Venom’ Tracklist
Venom slated for a March 30th release.
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Interviews
O.C. – The 730 Interview
From holding down the bulk of emceeing, along with partner in rhyme A.G., on his crew’s long-awaited new project, Studios, to a gang of new albums coming in the next couple of years, Omar Credle hasn’t even had time to stagnate, much less consider it. Thanks to an impressive range of verses on the new Diggin’ album Studios, O.C. shows why he’s one of the game’s most consistent. In this exclusive interview, we talk the new album, his creative process, why he can’t remake Word…Life and much more.
I love how you started off the Studios album with the first verse. Your first line is “We’ve still got the game in a noose.” Did you know that’d be how the album would start?
Not at all. That was something, you know, Show is like the orchestrator when it comes to the music and the tracklisting and stuff like that. He runs it by us, usually, when he puts together a tracklist. But I didn’t know it was going to start the album off outside of the Big L intro, nah.
That seems like a really fitting way to start it though.
Right. I mean, it is what it is. You know, at the end of the day, I played my position and do what I do and everybody has a position in the crew, even L. L still has a position. He’s not here physically, but anything that we can implement with him and his voice, obviously, is dope.
When you look at Diggin’ in the Crates and still being on top of your game, do you feel like with this album, you’re at your lyrical best?
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Interviews
Lord Finesse – The 730 Interview (The Complete Interview)
The Funky Technician sits down with us to discuss Diggin’ in the Crates’ new album Studios, returning to the microphone, his outlook on music, and more in this classic interview. Scroll down for the complete interview.
You’ve got the new Diggin’ in the Crates album Studios album is done and officially dropping this September. How do you feel about the way it came out?
I’m feeling good about it. I’m definitely feeling good about it from where we started to where it’s at right now.
Did it come out the way you wanted it to?
Yeah. It is what it is. It was supposed to be a studio album. Basically after making it at the studio and with some of the new producers that were coming through the studio, you know, with the help of that and some of the members that came as a collective to get on there, yes. It is what it is, you know?
No doubt. Some of the producers aren’t in the official crew, like Vinny Idol. Do you consider them extended family?
I think it’s more work to put in. Right now it’s just a project. You develop family and close friends after years. You can’t just do it after a project. Okay, they’re family now. It’s a project. But they’re extraordinary individuals from a production standpoint. And yeah, if we continue to work, yeah, I think they will be extended family members eventually.
Why didn’t the Diggin’ producers handle the production exclusively?
What it was was we hold a biweekly session called D.I.T.C. BPM and what we do is we have a networking event where you come in, you send your music to this email and you send in three beats and Drawzilla curates that situation and if he likes it, you’re called in and you get to play your beats among other people that were selected and invited and on top of that, we’ll have a guest of honor. Who knows who it will be. We’ve had Pete Rock and DJ Premier and Kid Capri and Large Professor. Da Beatminerz, Rockwilder, Illmind, Marco Polo, K-Def, Bomb Squad.
So you never know who’s going be at those sessions where they tell a story and the steps they took climbing up in the industry. And you can ask them questions. It’s a unique experience. Producers were picked from that batch, like the Vinny Idols and Super Ugly and Motif Alumni. You got a producer by the name of J. Clyde. So you got new dudes where you get to hear their music on a nice caliber, a nice level.
For you, what does a new producer have to do to really catch your ear?
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Interviews
Diamond D Interview
From crafting hits with one of the greatest collection of musical talents ever assembled, the Diggin’ in the Crates crew, to carving out a successful solo career, Diamond D has earned true legend status. Oh yeah, let’s not forget how his dusty, head-nodding collection of beats helped to define what most fans would consider to be the greatest era of hip-hop. And then there’s The Diam Piece, Diamond D’s new compilation, produced entirely by the legend himself and featuring a slew of vets and new school MCs. Diamond D talks to HipHopGame in an exclusive interview to discuss The Diam Piece, his artist BigRec, the 15th anniversary of the passing of Big L, some new D.I.T.C. music, and much more.
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Singles
Lord Finesse feat. AG – Fat For The 90′s (Diamond D – Demo Version)
Coming straight from Hip-Hop’s golden era is this demo version of the song Fat For The 90’s featuring Lord Finesse and AG, produced by Diamond D. More details on ‘Funky Man: The Prequel’, a project of demos and remixes featuring some of the best MCs.
Download Lord Finesse feat. AG – Fat For The 90′s (Diamond D – Demo Version)
