Piece--formerly of Piece of Sol--also has a new album out that features production from the likes of Amos Miller, Pale Soul of Oldominion, Nu Soltribe, and more. She comes through with a 13-track album featuring a mix of spoken word, flows, and vocal harmonizing. There's quite a crew waiting for something from her and her counterpart Mari Sol to come out on record, and they finally get a little reward on the Pale-produced tracks "Legends" and "Caution." Piece has been doing her thing on the solo tip for quite some time, getting down with the Jumbalaya house band on Fridays and at Marmalade at ToST--but finally, her debut is out, with some excellent artwork by Christophe Roberts. Cop it when you get the chance.
What's all this hype about Northern State anyways? All the media outlets tout them as the Beastie Girls, and I'm not sure whether this whole gimmick is a big joke on everybody or what, but the only thing they have in common with the Long Island fellas is a lack of melanin. As for their music, though, while it's not my flavor, I can see why there's a buzz surrounding them--they have some solid production--but their rhymes are pretty elementary, and they definitely aren't breaking new ground for females in the world of lyricism. Their debut album might have been dope and acclaimed by hiphop critics in 1985, but these girls really need to work on their delivery because they sound like they're from Monroe, singing songs to KUBE's old-school lunch program on their way to trigonometry class. Maybe their live performance will be a different story, but don't be surprised to see the opening act outshine these girls, and win over some new KNDD fans in the process: Onry Ozzborn and Barfly, together otherwise known as Norman, will be a great addition to this lineup on Sunday, August 24, at the Crocodile.
NWExplosion is trying something that hasn't been done out here since I can remember: A tag-team two-on-two MC battle is going down at the Noiselab this coming Tuesday, August 26. B-Mello will be on the decks playing some banging instrumentals, and it should be very interesting not only to watch the duos teaming up and going after each other, but to see who will align themselves with whom--there are several possibilities out there, including the horde of MCs in Oldominion and the veterans from Tribal, along with some of the younger hungry cats. With $500 at stake, there's no doubt you'll see the cream of the crop entering this battle, so definitely make this your destination Tuesday night.
Jumbalaya regular DJ Topspin has two brand-new mix CDs, including a double disc appropriately titled Double Your Pleasure. While Topspin wasn't the first to introduce himself to the mix-tape circuit in the Northwest, he's definitely been the most consistent over the years, starting out by confusing everybody back in the day about whether or not 101.1 FM was really a frequency that played hiphop music. Well, apparently it was, but only in the form of a cassette tape. Throughout the years, as mix tapes became a lost cause due to technological advancements like CDRs and MP3s, Topspin has persevered with release after release. His R&B flavored CD, Sheet Music, is the fifth installment of the Pillow Talk series, which includes a nice mix of blends useful for getting down and dirty with your significant other.
Another must-see event this week happens Wednesday, August 27, at EMP's Liquid Lounge: The Siren's Echo duo (Oldominion's Toni Hill and Syndel) will be rocking along with E-Rok of the Spinnovators. The Siren's Echo ladies currently have an EP out and are working on their next project, but their live performance is super. Don't take my word for it--check them out for yourself. SAMUEL L. CHESNEAU
REQUIRED LISTENING 1. Ghostface Killah feat. Method Man, "No Friend" (Def Jam)
2. Ghostface Killah, "No, No, No" (Def Jam)
3. M.O.P. feat. Jay-Z, "Put It in the Air" (Roc-a-Fella)
4. Juelz Santana, "Dipset (Santana's Town)" (Roc-a-Fella)
5. Atmosphere, "Self Hate Bad Dub" (Rhymesayers/Epitaph)
6. Mos Def, "Beef" (Rawkus)
7. Iomos Marad, "Appetite to Write" (All Natural)
8. Aesop Rock, "Freeze" (Def Jux)
9. Phat Kat, "World Premier" (White)
