Music Video of the Year

Based on shear cameo appearance alone, this shit is BONKERS!

Out of the Box presents: Mr. Ruff's going away party

Sadly, Mr. Ruff will be moving to Missouri for a second. But he's not leaving without a bang! And you know that Out of the Box brings those BANGERS every Tuesday for you and yours! This Tuesday you have even more reason to celebrate. Mr. Ruff will be performing in Minneapolis for the last time at the Nomad. He'll be dropping a short set promptly at 11 with special guests sharing the mic like Big Jess, Zachariah and... well, you'll just need to be there! As always...

NO COVER / 2 PATIOS / 241's AFTER 12 / THOSE JAMS

Gil Scott-Heron, "New York Is Killing Me"

From the fantastic I'm New Here out now. You'll hear about the album again during my end-of-the-year best-of list. But don't wait, cop a listen now.

Spok, Mathambo, "Mshini Wam"

SPOEK MATHAMBO – MSHINI WAM from spoek mathambo on Vimeo.

From one of my favorite albums this year, Mshini Wam, this is the title track and it goes hard as a spliffed-out Rasta! This album is what the new M.I.A. album should've sounded like. It crosses all dance genres from dubstep to dancehall to juke and b'more. Every track is wholly different from anything else on the album. The only thing it all has in common is its unabashed ethnic roots. The album drops August 30th on the always-fantastic BBE record label.

Sleigh Bells, "Infinity Guitars"

Sleigh Bells "Infinity Guitars" from Phil Pinto on Vimeo.

From the best album of 2010 thus far, Treats, out now.

Nosaj Thing, "Aquarium"

A love story told succinctly and beautifully in 3 minutes.

Wide Eyes, "Borrowed Time" music video

Wide Eyes, "Now We Know" live for MPLS.tv

City of Music: Wide Eyes from MPLS.TV on Vimeo.Wide Eyes is celebrating their music video premier tonight at the Nomad. I'll be holding down dance duties at the end of the night.

Nike Air Live Show

Unique concept, well-executed technicalities, dope design and... P.O.S.????? No, not "Piece of Shit" or "Promise of Skill"... we're talking "Point of Purchase". No Minnehappiness connects, but fresh nonetheless.

Nike + Castro: Nike Air Live Show_ english from Castro Innovation on Vimeo.

We Still Buy Vinyl (Wednesdays 8-10pm, KUST radio)

Welcome, kids, to a new school year! This Wednesday marks the first installment of the 2010-11 series of "We Still Buy Vinyl" on Kust radio. Tune in as Honest12 and myself drop local and underground hip-hop knowledge from 8-9. From 9-10 we get it in on the 1's and 2's with some live mixing utilizing all vinyl.

Out of the Box tuesdays w/Gabe Garcia & Honest12

Get down with those who get buck every Tuesday at Out of the Box. We will be bringing you 90's jams early in the night with guest DJ Honest12 and B-Rock revisiting the golden eras of hip-hop and R&B. Gabe Garcia (Turnt Up! / Kanser DJ) continues to team up with B-Rock to get the place buck! NO COVER, 2 patios, 241's after midnight.

And if you didn't know, now you KNOOOOOOW...

Joell Ortiz - Farewell Summer freEP

This takes the cake for the best freEP that's come out this year. Ortiz kills each bar including all 100 on the Audible Doctor-produced "Battle Cry" Audible Doctor's excellent Crackers EP). Be sure to peep "So Wrong" that features three of my favorite emcees: Talib Kweli, Brother Ali and Jean Grae.

01. Intro
02. Murder (Prod. by Statik Selektah)
03. Battle Cry (Prod. by The Audible Doctor)
04. Sing Like Bilal (Remix) (feat. Sheek Louch) (Prod. by DJ Premier)
05. So Wrong (feat. Talib Kweli, Brother Ali & Jean Grae) (Prod. by Frank Dukes)
06. Farewell Summer (Prod. by Don Cannon)

Joell Ortiz - Farewell Summer

Big Boi feat Yelawolf, "Ain't No DJ"

One of my favorite tracks off of the best hip-hop album of 2010, Sir Lucious Leftfoot. My only qualm with the video is that the DJ is rocking a Stanton mixer... what the hell?

Skyzoo, "Frisbees"

From the forthcoming Live From The Tape Deck entirely produced by !llmind out 10/5.

Press release:

Skyzoo & !llmind Set to Release 'Live From The Tape Deck' on October 5th

Features in place from Sean Price & Rock of Heltah Skeltah, Styles P, Buckshot, Rhymefest & Torae

A little after one year since releasing 'The Salvation,' Skyzoo returns with a new album entitled 'Live From The Tape Deck,' entirely produced by !llmind. Skyzoo, of Brooklyn, NY, has spent the last year promoting & touring off 'The Salvation,' completing separate nationwide tours with Ghostface Killah & Raekwon. His music has been featured in ESPN programming and most recently in an episode from the current season of Entourage.

'Live From The Tape Deck' is the perfect follow-up record for Skyzoo fans who are anxious for new material. Skyzoo says his goal while recording the album was " to make something that felt like a 2010 cassette tape. I wanted the content to be raw and lyric driven as always, but not as story driven or emotional as 'The Salvation'

was. There are still parts of the album that are stories and concepts, but not as much as my debut had. This one was more of a beats and rhymes type of album."

!llmind brings true validity as the sole producer for the album and helps provide a consistent sound throughout the project. !llmind is a sought after producer who has upcoming beat placements in albums such as Jared Evan (Interscope/Zone 4), Redman (Def Jam), Drunken Tiger & Yoonmirae (two multi-platinum artists from Korea) and more. !llmind is also being used in a publicity campaign by Akademiks where his photos will be placed in print ads across major Entertainment publications.

!llmind took a custom approach to the production for the album based on the concept of "Live From The Tape Deck," explaining that he "wanted to keep the soundscape warm and 'analog' sounding, just like how 2 inch tapes used to sound. Most of the keyboard and synth sounds I used were from analog synths made in the late 80's. Combined this with using my ASR-10, I was able to capture that feeling, but with a slightly updated feel. I think our debut record, 'Frisbees' was a cool way, sonically, to introduce the sound I was going for."

Skyzoo & !llmind secured features from artists that matched the 'Live From The Tape Deck' concept. Skyzoo goes further saying, "I went to who I felt made sense for the records I put them on. For instance, when fans hear the track, "the burn notice", they'll agree that the beat, being chaotic and loud, had Heltah Skeltah written all over it."

Muja Messiah, "Gary Coleman"

The Official "Gary Coleman" by Muja Messiah Directed by Hi Def Photo Prod. by Benzilla from Didier Mbilizi on Vimeo.

This shit goes hard! Benzilla on the beat. M-16s CD release this Thursday at 7th Street.

Out of the Box tuesdays w/Gabe Garcia & Frank Castle

We'll continue the Labor Day weekend with your favorite jams, beautiful patios and people, and 241's after midnight. Kanser DJ Gabe Garcia will continue to hold down the dance floor with B-Rock. This week's guest DJ is Frank Castle who brings a unique blend of underground hip-hop and indie-pop to warm things up.

Miguel Atwood x orchestra x Flying Lotus x Dilla

Jazz circa 2020...

Miguel Atwood-Ferguson Ensemble "Drips/Take Notice" feat Flying Lotus from MIguel Atwood-Ferguson on Vimeo.