Self Scientific - "Leftside" x "Deeper Roots"

From the home of the cornrows, khakis, and cul-de-sacs,

Self Scientific is evidence of more than that.

But at the same time, evidence of more of that,

Coming from the Westside, Leftside of the map.

While the collaboration of MC Chace Infinite and DJ Khalil first rose to prominence with 1998's "Return," this talented Los Angeles duo has frustrated fans for nearly two decades. While both have worked on solo projects (with Khalil's production credits including work with Jay-Z, Eminem, Nas, Kendrick Lamar, and just about a who's who of hip hop) the duo have rarely collaborated together outside of 2001's The Self Science and 2005's Change.

Shaun Boothe - "Concepts" (feat. Talib Kweli)

I love when two great emcees trade epic verses.  I love when the Beastie Boys or Dyme Def members deliver call-and-response lyrics, trading individual bars and words.  But there's something special about this song as Talib and Boothe go back-and-forth, each emcee spitting about four bars each before handing it off to the other.  The result is a very meta rapping about rapping about rapping track that, while making the listener feel trapped in a dream within a dream within a dream, sounds like a genuine conversation between two extremely talented emcees.

I'm lucky that this song came on shuffle today.  Off the Toronto-emcee's (upcoming?) Hip Hop in 3D mixtape, I've actually had this in my iTunes since it was released in December of 2009, but for some reason that I can't comprehend, let it slip through the cracks.  Given the laid-back sample and the rapport between Kweli and Boothe, I can honestly say that this is one of the best songs in months and I highly recommend the download.

Peace, Love, & Rap About Rap,

VoodooChild

Previous: Shaun Boothe - "Poor Boy"

Zion I - "Many Stylez" (f. Rebulation) X "Temperature" (f. Talib Kweli)

Zion I absolutely murdered the Brooklyn Bowl last night, putting on one of the best shows I've ever witnessed (probably only topped by being front row for Lupe opening for Wu-Tang at Bumbershoot '07).  Anyone who wasn't there, definitely missed out.  I also had a frank conversation with the group's tour manager, who feels that their upcoming album is better than their magnum opus, 2005's True and Livin', which many (including this author) hold to be one of the best albums of the past decades.  If that's the case, Atomic Clock, set to be released on November 9th, may well border on classic status.

Kanye West - "The Glory" X "We Can Make It Better" (feat. Common, Q-Tip, Talib Kweli & Rhymefest)

Other songs such as "Stronger" and "Can't Tell Me Nothing" may get more attention, but "The Glory" has always been my favorite track off of Graduation.  The uptempo song pretty much speaks for itself.  With production that harkens back to older Kanye stylings with the sped-up sample of "Save The Country" by Laura Nyro backed by the soulful gospel choir, the song provides West with a background over which to best rhyme about his favorite subject--himself.  The uplifting, self-celebratory song sees the talented West begin to compare himself, not only to his peer group, but witnesses him vault to a level few reach in the genre.

Lupe Fiasco - "The Instrumental" x "After All" (feat. Talib Kweli)

I'm giving you fair warning.  I'm about to nerd out in a major way...

Reflection Eternal (Talib Kweli & DJ Hi-Tek) - "Africa Dream"

It's not the best track from the critically acclaimed duo, but the last line of the main verse on this song off of their 2000 debut Train of Thought always strikes me as quite profound:

These cats drink champagne and toast to death and pain,
Like slaves on a ship talking about who got the flyest chain.

I'll let you think on that for a minute.  Reflection Eternal's sophomore album, Revolutions Per Minute, is scheduled to be released on May 18th.

Peace, Love, & Hip Hop,

WordIsBorn

Reflection Eternal - "Africa Dream"

Previous: Hi-Tek, Ghostface, Pretty Ugly, & the Willie Cottrell Band - "Josephine"

Reflection Eternal - "Just Begun" feat. Jay Electronica, J. Cole, & Mos Def

For the hype that this track received, I was fairly disappointed by the results.  For a track that represents a reunion of both Reflection Eternal (MC Talib Kweli and producer Hi-Tek) and Black Star as well as a collaboration with the always solid Jay Electronica and up and comer J. Cole, the track seems flat (I'm that big a fan of the instrumental used).  Still, it's always good to hear these four emcees, especially on one track and J. Cole and Mos give us superb verses.

KRS-One & Buckshot - "Oh Really Remix" feat. Talib Kweli & Geologic

Damm, Geo's getting some good looks from Duck Down.  Now he hops on a track the remix of KRS & Buck's track off of Survival Skills.  Good seeing him hold his own on a track with emcees of this caliber.  I'm lovin' it.

Peace, Love, & NW Hip Hop,

Northside Noah

Black Star - "History" X "Respiration" feat. Common

The one quality that I love above all others about having the opportunity to live in New York isn't the fast-pace or the nearly limitless possibilities; the thing I love most about the city life is simply walking through the Upper West Side streets at night and feeling the city's heart beating even at night.  Tonight was one of the few times I've had to escape my Fortress of Solitude that my room has become over the last weeks of the semester.  I didn't walk far, only four blocks out and four blocks out, but it was enough to clear my head.  The one song I played during the course of the walk was the Common-assisted Black Star track, "Respiration."  For anyone who has ever walked through the Big Apple at night, you know that the city is a living, breathing organism and Black Star is right on the mark with its depiction on this song.

While I'm on the subject, Mos Def and Talib Kweli need to get back together.  Individually they're good, but together they're unstoppable.  It's been 11 years since the first and only Black Star project was released (though I added a collab from Mos Def's latest album to this post) and the hip hop community has been collectively holding its breath for more material ever since.

Peace, Love, & NYC,

Needs Sleep Noah

Idle Warship + Mick Boogie - Party Robot

Talib Kweli is one of the most highly respected emcees in the game today.  Beginning with his career with Mos Def, the duo released their critically-acclaimed self-titled debut Black Star in 1998.  Kweli hasn't stopped, releasing three solo albums and two further collaboration albums with Hi-Tek and Madlib, he has garnered a reputation as an uncompromising conscious emcee (aside from an appearance on "Get 'Em High"), and even earned a shout out on Jay-Z's The Black Album:

If skills sold truth be told,

I'd probably be, lyrically Talib Kweli

Perhaps that is the reason this mixtape collaboration with DJ Mick Boogie.  The group Idle Warship, consisting of Kweli, singer Res, and singer/rapper Graph Nobel originally collaborated on Kweli's 2000 Train of Thought release and recently released their debut full-length project, Party Robot, for free on the interwebz.  Party Robot departs from Kweli's typical style and results in club-playable songs (with "The Warship" being the standout track).  Definitely a worthwhile download for you hip hop heads out there.  Hit the jump for tracklist/stream/download link.

Peace, Love, & Hip Hop,

Noah