D&G - The Scepter & The Sword Vinyl Campaign Ending SOON!

We're in the last few days of the vinyl campaign for the D&G vinyl press. We thank all of you that have supported us as we are trying to release this epic album of ours.  If you want to be a part of this project, you can click on the link to the crowdfunding campaign below.

Thank You

#somethingscoming

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/dawhud-x-ace-one-vinyl-press-of-david-goliath#/

Comdot - GMXLP

The Grey Maxell Lp or #GMXLP for short... is... phuggn' bonkers!  To be totally honest, I think I may have heard the name Comdot here or there, but never heard any music.  I got hipped to the project through R-Junna and hit the bandcamp link to check it out.  I haven't blindly stumbled on something so raw and dope in a long time. 

People always make comparisons when talking about new artists, but dude reminds me of Jadakiss and THAT'S A GOOD THING!  Ill punchlines, cadence, flow and with production from The Mighty D.R., Mr. Kinetik, Scott Matelic, Soul Cinamatik and Joe Harvey dude is killin' it with the WHOLE PACKAGE.

This IS a MUST COP!  

D&G Vinyl Campaign Promo #somethingscoming

We've got about two weeks left on the vinyl campaign.  We can use all the support we possibly can.  Help be part of an epic.  You can help by pledging for rewards at the crowdfunding site.

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/dawhud-x-ace-one-vinyl-press-of-david-goliath/x/12564104#/

Thank you for your support.

#somethingscoming

Ace-One - Monsters Lab

As D&G is prepping for a release the Rapmonster has unleashed a video for another project he's working on. Produced by Iris, who did a majority of the Rapmonster Redux LP, she's painted a theme for the darkest and dankest dungeon for Ace to thrive in... the "Monster's Lab".

And it's only fitting that the hook is a reinterpreted line from D&G.

Check the visuals and get ready for the Ace-One x Iris project "Flow/Flowing (the art & the act)" coming spring 2016.

D&G Vinyl Crowdfunding Campaign

In 2013 DJ Premier got his hands on Dawhud & Ace-One's chest pounding "Battle Anybody". It quickly became a favorite track that the legend would play on his "Live from HeadQCourtez" show on Sirius XM.

By the end of the year, DJ Premier posted his "Top 20 of 2013" and at number 19, the duo's emceeing anthem was placed on the list.
 
20. Busta Rhymes – Thank You (Feat. Q-Tip, Kanye West & Lil Wayne) 
19. Dawhud – Battle Anybody (Feat. ACE one) 
18. Jay-Z – Open Letter
The duo shifted focus from other projects and decided to work on a full length project together titled, David & Goliath.  Once the album began to develop, the two were able to work with many legends in hip hop and build an album that the two could only have dreamed of.  D&G features production from from Dawhud and Da Beatminerz, along with guest spots from Masta Ace, Sadat X and Pacewon.

Kings... giants... titans... champions...  David & Goliath "The Scepter & The Sword" is a boom bap document that has classic throwback appeal but is just as relevant in the current era of hip hop.




After principal recording was finished and post production/mixing began, Dawhud's house was robbed.  In an instant this dream album was nearly lost into oblivion.  But by a simple twist of fate, it was saved. Backup sessions were sent to Pete Marriott to mix just before the incident took place and the hard drive with the original sessions was not stolen.  This epic project was almost lost forever and now the two feel it's even more important to not only put out this album, but to give it the proper physical release for it to become immortal.

In this digital age, stories like this STILL need to be documented physically to live on like sacred scrolls.   Although Ace-One and Dawhud have released their other projects in various formats, they have never released anything on vinyl.  This project, and what the duo would consider their dream album, is the first time both artists have produced a project that they've wanted to document on vinyl.

And that's where this crowdfunding project begins. In order to release "The Scepter & The Sword", we will need to raise funds to finish post production costs, art, current debt from the project and the actual pressing of the album.  We're looking at an initial pressing of 500 copies on double vinyl and a limited run on cassette.  (but it all depends on what is raised via the crowdfunding campaign.*)  

This project was almost lost forever, please help us release this epic album the way it was meant to be heard.

If you'd like to be a part of the journey of this album, please support by selecting one of the perks or by sharing this post if you can.



Thank You

Dawhud & Ace-One

Something's Coming...



*Due to the upswing and demand of vinyl in the last couple years and there being a limited amount of pressing plants, delays can be expected with releases.  We're hoping and shooting for a March release, but with RSD/Record Store Day in spring, the project may be unexpectedly delayed.  

Sonny Paradise - "Horus Over Cairo" (video)

Boom... Boom... Boom... Sonny Paradise is back again with visuals for another slammer.



Man... seven and crescent rhymes with equally epic horns that sound signature of Joe Harvey.  Bananas...  I've literally watched and rewound this video over and over.  Ish is fresh.

Peep the math today before y'all go IN on turkey and football.

The Big Dig Record Show

This Saturday Ryan Fresh and I will be at The Big Dig record show in Seattle repping Vintage Dope.  We'll be selling a mix of hip hop, Jazz, Funk and break records along with deadstock tapes.

I'm actually really excited for this record show because this will be the 1st time I'll be selling instead of buying records.  (big step)  Sales from my collection will go toward the vinyl pressing of D&G. (a worthy cause)

Check the promo I did with just a preview of some of the records that I'll be bringing to the show.  It also features a NEW Dawhud track with production from Da Beatminerz.

Come get your hands dusty!!!

Real Life Click - Bank Job

Just a year ago Real Life Click released their amazing "Blood of Kings" EP that was easily one of the best projects I heard in a long time.  An end to end burner, that in the vein of Illmatic, kept it short and sweet to let it's listeners want more than skip through filler.

"Blood of Kings" was a project that was well thought out and amazingly executed with one of the better release parties I've ever gone to...  this crew knows how to do it! Their content is dope on itself, but knowing how to tie in marketing, merch, and design into the brand/music/product etc. is the REAL skill.

To coincide with the release of their music video, they released a shirt designed specifically for this
single and it follows the Click's slick design.  (So fresh) They debuted the shirt and music video in a release part fashion.

Check the video and know why this crew has the "Blood of Kings."

Cas Metah - Built to Swing

The homie DJ Spoolz hipped me to Cas Metah recently and I discovered that this cat has not only been putting out ish for a long minute, but he's worked with the likes of Mista Sinista, Shabazz the Disciple, EF Cuttin and more.  The Ohio emcee is gearing up for the release of his "Old Fashioned" LP and to set it off, he's released, "Built to Swing".

 
Three minutes... no hook... just rhyming. BOOM.


You can also preview two other tracks from the upcoming LP via his bandcamp page.  Peep the "Force of the Beast (remix)" with cuts from the legendary Mista Sinista.  This is a VERY promising LP to those cats that miss and LOVE that late 90s early 00s indie hip hop.

Hit the bandcamp to preorder the LP, the limited edition cassette or other merch and previous releases.

Azariel Levvi - Bout Time

I discovered Azariel Levvi a year or two ago and was blown away with what this kid was doing.  His sound was a mix of updated boom bap with current rap flavors sprinkled throughout.  He would drop something here and there and then be quite for a long minute.  Maybe he was focusing on his projects or maybe life was just being life. Either way, he'd return with something and I'd tap the brakes to peep whatever he'd drop.

Here we are now as Az came out of left field and released the "Bout Time" LP/mixtape and well... it's "bout damn time".  This is no doubt a solid release from Az and a worthy of more than just a soundcloud drop.  Hoping this cat keeps it moving because his ish is worth a level up.

Inst. Versions of Vdope and "Basement Sessions"

Now available!!! Strictly for the DJs!!!  These are inst. tracks from Vintage DOPE and my solo debut, "Basement Sessions".  I usually keep these type of joints for doing shows, but as a DJ I loved getting my hands on the non vocal versions so I could cut up the tracks or do blends.

So... here they are.  Enjoy!

Sonny Paradise - Morning Sunrise (prod by Joe Harvey)

Sonny Paradise is on a roll.  After dropping a solid instrumental LP he almost immediately followed it up with releasing tracks of him on the mic.  1st the ying... than the yang... and shit's dope.  Really dope.

On "Morning Sunrise" we're hit with a Joe Harvey instrumental and Sonny dropping reflective bars.  There may not be a video for this joint, but it paints a picture.  I imagine Sonny rhyming while looking out the window of his place early in the morning... the world waking up... getting ready for the world.

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John Crown - The First Ride EP

A little over two years ago I was an extra in a video for Fleeta Party with John Crown. On that cold morning in SoDo when we were waiting for the rest of the extras and crew to show up, I sat in John Crown's car as he played me a rough version of this EP.  It was seriously dope and as time passed I wondered what happened with the project and if it was just going to be one of those projects that fades into oblivion.

Then a week or two ago I got an email with a video for "The Intro" and I was brought back to that morning sitting in his Suzuki.  I was geeked... and now... BOOM...

MIZ - Downtown '81 MIZtape (Real Life Click)

Less than a year from the release of RLC's damn near perfect "Blood of Kings", MIZ drops a solo "MIZtape" titled "Downtown '81." In the same vein as the group project, MIZ' solo effort fits nicely as an extension from RLC like how Wutang and Boot Camp would put out individual LPs that would still sonically fall under the same umbrella.

From the Basquiat inspired cover art and nonstop headnodders, "Downtown '81" is another solid release from the Real Live Click that wets the appetite for their next project.

Black Eddie - Clash of The Titans

Black Eddie is back after a very short hiatus from his last single release with "Clash of The Titans". (featuring production and guest vox from Richard Cook)  In the fashion of a 12", it's a digi single with the original version, inst,, acapella and remix.  Now... let me say this... the OG is nice, it's dope... BUT the remix?!  Shit is one of those remixes that is right in the pocket and takes the track into hyperspace.  This remix joint is in the vein of the 12" singles where DJ Premier or Pete Rock would come in and drop the shit that would end up on all the DJs mixtapes and late night hip hop radio shows.

So fresh!

Black Eddie - Knowledge is Power

I was introduced to Black Eddie through Joe Harvey and the Cut Camp collective.  Every once and a while I'd hear a verse from him drop through that circle and every time I'd think how nice this cat was.  (flow, voice, bars)  A nice emcee schooled in the tradition Seven & Crescent rhyming, like how Brand Nubian was able to rock joints alongside dropping knowledge.

And that's where we are here.  Eddie hit me up the other day with his new joint "Knowledge is Power," which nods to the old Saturday morning promo and delivers with the math.

Rest in P!

Of all of the emcees that have passed, I've been more shook with the passing of Sean Price.  He's seriously been one of my favorite rappers and like Ghostface was able to stay relevant while fads changed in hip hop.  I think a lot of that was that instead of chasing what was the style, he did himself.  He wasn't afraid to rap about being broke and his word play... man... he was one of the illest emcees (Period)

Zachery Le'on - Clouded Vision Sunny Mental

I kept seeing a pic of Klinik DJing on a rooftop for what looked like either a gig or a music video.  Now I know what that pic was for and damn... it's dope.

Zachery Le'on is another artist that will be filling out the strong roster of talent that is Strong Roots Records with his upcoming LP this fall.

Check the visuals.  Dope ish!

O-BOY$ - The Lo (Luvva-J, Hook Heavy & Drastic)

My homie Luvva-J, Vintage DOPE, Hook Heavy and DJ Drastic formed a group called O-BOY$ and dropped their lead single, "The LO."  I heard this song a few months ago when Luvva-J let me peep a couple cuts from the project and I honestly made that "who farted/breakface" look when I heard it.

The Marvin Gaye 45 chop and the pseudo trap drums surprisingly make this really dope blend of Rockafella era Kanye meets UGK Cadillac late night riding.   The trio then trade bars painting Oly spots and the neighborhoods I knew well growing up.

Welcome to the LO.

Bedlam Brethren - When the Sun Speaks

Bedlam Brethren consists of Merc Versus (Muncie, IN) and Udi (NYC).  I 1st heard Merc Versus when I was still living in Indiana and he was working with the Zulu Nation.  I'd hear a song here and there and at the time it had that spin off Wu-Tang sound reminiscent to Killarmy and Sunz of Man.  It was pretty decent, but outside of our online conversations and sharing stuff, I didn't continue checking his work.

 I honestly hadn't heard anything from him in a minute and had no idea about this group till DJ Spoolz hit me up. When he said Merc Versus was in the group I was kind of shocked.  There was this long lapse from when I hadn't kept up following and where he was now.  And... BOOM... this project... It was like seeing a child growing up and then skipping a good portion of the middle school and high school years.  You see the person again and they're basically all grown up and you think, "damn... they grew up."

This project is well polished and developed.  All the little bits of Merc Versus style that I remember that had promise, have filled out like a young man that went from skinny kid to yoked out.  Udi has that street poet NY vibe that reminds me of a young Fat Joe & Pun.  Sick shit and slick production that is classic 90s NY ish.  (and cuts from Spoolz is always on fresh mode)

"When the Sun Speaks" would have been one of those joints that when I was in high school I would have bragged to my friends that I heard this song before them on a mixtape from DJ B-Mello, Evil Dee etc. And when I finally had the cassette or 12" single, I would have put it on the mixtapes I made.




Twitter info:  @bedlambrethren; @mercversus; @hollowchrist; @djspoolz

Pacewon - "He Said It"

Pacewon is one of the artists that I not only look up to, but have been able to work with on multiple projects.  We were recently talking about when Eminem dropped "Fine Line" on his "Shady XV" LP. 

"Put a thousand lighters in the sky for the Outsidaz

Wow, I must have had Alzheimer’s, long time since I shouted them out ‘bout time cause

It been on my mind lately how, Zee, you always supported me, you vouched, I will never forget that and

How you guys accepted me for me and

Pace, I love you too, you slept on my couch and i’ve been thinkin’ ‘bout the time when I slept on the floor at The Outhouse

Rhyming’s all we ever wanted to do and regardless how my life has turned out, inside i’ll always be an outsider." – Eminem

Pace was telling me that he wanted to respond back to that joint and sure enough... BOOM, here's "He Said It."  Peep the 2nd verse when he drops the Em ish.  (so fresh) 

Pacewon is working on his new LP, "Evolution" and if this joint is just a sample, we're in store for some ill ish.

@pacwon

                           

AZ Levvi - FWM (video) and New Joints

I was introduced to this cat through Heretic and have been seriously blown away by pretty much everything he's done.  I haven't heard much from him in a minute and then all the sudden... boom... boom... BOOM. 

This kid is nice.

https://soundcloud.com/azariellevvi

Faster Than The World Ep 5 Podcast with Dawhud

I recently sat down with the homie Ryan Fresh to jibber jabber about Vdope, D&G, LPs crappy emcee names and more!

Christofer Luca feat. Justice League - "Garbage" video (Ace-One)

A couple months ago Ace-One told me about this cat from Poland that he's been working with and let me see the video they did.  (which wasn't released yet)  Justice League is the 1st group I heard Ace on and I still have the CDR he gave me with JL demos from one of the 1st times we met. Like what you'd think JL is, they are, a super group and they're tired of that GARBAGE!!!

Check the crew rip ish!

 

http://wormusic.com/

Blooded the Brave - Against the Odds (video)

Blooded the Brave recently dropped his "Peace" LP through Strong Roots Records.  Produced by Nevi Moon, Blooded skates through his opus dropping society challenging rhymes.  "Against the Odds" is the 2nd video off the project and the album's rolling intro track.

Plug in and crack your eyes.



http://www.bloodedthebrave.com/

Ace-One - "The Hour" (video)

Earlier this month, Ace-One came out and dropped a bulk of his vocals for the "David & Goliath" project.  After his brief stint in the PNW he then headed back to Indy and went on tour within a matter of a couple days. 

"The Hour", which was one of my favorite tracks from "Rap Monster Redux," works as half music video and half documentary for the tour he just finished.

            

Dredknotz - Movements (Causin' A Menace Pt.2)

90's Eastcoast group, Dredknotz are back in effect with Pete Marriott on the boards. 


            

This is some serious classic ish.  Geeked to hear the rest of this project and the other "top secret" joints Pete Marriott is working on. 

Interview with Rosebudd from 25360 Blog

ROSEBUDD OF 'AMERICAN PIMP' FAME AND NEW 'KINGS' FEATURE DOCUMENTARY ANSWERS FIVE QUESTIONS WITH DAWHUD THOMAS

Rosebudd Bitterdose aka John Dickson is a living legend in the admired and simultaneously criticized and despised world of 'Pimpin'... Having gained additional fame for his scene-stealing charisma and story-telling in the cult classic documentary American Pimp (MGM, 1999), the already established street legend continues to shed light on the Game with his public speaking, his confidence course, a website (askrosebudd.com), and a weekly radio program. His latest projects are a new film, KINGS (summer 2015) along with a on-stage, one-man-show tour (Drop Of A Dime) scheduled for spring 2015 (both executive produced by fellow Bay Area legend, Andre Nickatina). Special correspondent, producer and cultural researcher, Dawhud Thomas sat down and posed 'Five Live' questions for Rosebudd to handle..

1) DT: With Pimping, we're obviously talking about what's considered vice, but many of the business principles used are those that white collar workers use day to day and... although considered unethical, they're somewhat socially acceptable and celebrated in films like 'Wolf of Wall Street' (on a side note, many of these white collar workers are customers.) What's your opinion of the hypocrisy of how your former profession is viewed?

RB: That really is a great question, but it's like everything else . . . I could care less about it. The things that are oxymorons in life, are everyday occurrences in my life. I have no illusions that what I do will be accepted by society, because society wants to believe everything but the truth. What PimP have you known to have women in a room, with no way to clean themselves, keeping them full of drugs and all of the other things that are associated with trafficking? It doesn't happen in PimP life, but that is what you will explain to everyone. But you want to know what does happen? Those people who tell their daughters that shit sends them to PimPs, because all a PimP has to do is show them that we are not like that and that fear you instilled in her becomes intrigue. We don't look like Huggy Bear, we are not interested in putting women on drugs. We are simply PimPs who have women who want to ho.

2) DT: We've seen many people that have started from the streets and used the knowledge they gained there in the boardroom (Jay-Z, for example). Have you found yourself using some of the lessons, experiences & knowledge from your former life in your current profession?

RB: There is not one thing I do in my life today that does not have a direct reflection on how I perceive life according to what I learned in the streets. I learned all about business, conflicts and dealing with a stacked deck in the streets and today, the only difference is the law is on most of the illegal activities side that I do now. When I was in the streets, I still had to use my head to see the benefits of any endeavor I tried, just as I had to suffer the consequences of something I didn't think all the way out.

3) DT: What's your opinion of the glorification of the game? Do you think Iceberg Slim, Blacksploitation films like Dolemite and rap artists like Too $hort are glorifying the Game or just slivers of the mirror reflecting the culture back at the world?

RB: I do not like the glorification that is present, because instead of glorifying the true Game, media is reinventing the Game in order to not offend people. They will still use the word PimP and ho, but they have made it meaningless so they can sell it. Then you have the youth entering the Game and are using these media driven definitions and they are diluting the Game until it is no longer recognizable. This is the intentions all along of the powers that be. PimPs are the only black men who defy and do not try to comply, regardless of how much money they have and white people hate that about us.

4) DT: In Holland we see the prostitutes have formed unions, have regular check ups, etc. This business model seems to give more power to the women working the red light district vs. what's considered the 'traditional' model. What's your opinion on regulation/legalization?

RB: I'm against it. Even in Nevada where it is legal, they have done everything they can to eliminate the PimP. Hos know the value of a PimP, but they suffer being blackballed if they have one. This is all racist. If it is a white man running a bunny ranch, he is ok, but if it is a black man with several hos, it's illegal. Do you know of any black man running a legal house of hos? Do you think there are no black people with enough money to afford whatever it is to operate one? It is all about the black PimP making people or showing them how not to conform.

5) DT: Like how heroin hit in the 70s. How did the crack era effect the environment... The Game, etc?

RB: Just as with any drug, crack came on the scene and devastated a lot of dudes, but in reality they were weak dudes anyway. I know vices comes in many forms and crack was just one. We all abused cocaine and had the choice of using crack to go to the next level of being high, but the real PimPs didn't really get into drugs for the sake of being high. We did that shit to be social and when you had to go to extremes to use it, it became about the drug and I wasn't having that; nor were the real PimPs having it either.

Dawhud Thomas is an acclaimed music producer, writer, Hip Hop aficionado and world traveler. He resides in the Pacific Northwest. Find him on Twitter: @dawhud.

#The25360

J.O.- Don't F*ck with Me (prod Joe Harvey)

J.O. is like a Mac Truck... move out the way or get laid down.  Power, anger and strength, his words are like 2 clenched fists and when released they are relentless.  I 1st heard him through Ace-One and when I met him, he looked exactly like the picture I had in my head. 

Earlier this year he dropped my summer theme music, PHD, with his homie The Klinik and now we're getting a sample of his solo LP with his 1st single.  Produced by Joe Harvey, "Don't F*ck with Me" is J.O.'s signature hard rhymes with a heavy flavoring that is reminiscent of West Coast pillars Above the Law. 

So hellified...